The perpetrator smashed windows and equipment, destroyed sacred pieces of Qur'anic art and stole select items, including a Palestinian flag.

On Monday, we learned that the authorities had arrested Jacob Beacher, a 24-year-old man, who was charged with one count of intentional or attempted obstruction of religious practice and one count of making false statements to federal authorities. 

At this moment, we are witnessing large-scale protests on college campuses across the country by brave and courageous students against the genocide in Gaza. We are also watching in horror as college presidents and administrators deploy police violence against peaceful protest, preventing students from exercising the expression of their First Amendment rights.

We would strongly urge the Rutgers administration to avoid such draconian and escalatory tactics against our students, as this endangers both the students and our respective campus communities far more than the protestors themselves.

Indeed, actions like these stand in complete contradiction to the role of our universities as spaces of learning and open exchange. The student protestors are diverse, comprised of individuals from all racial and religious backgrounds, including Muslim and Jewish students, and are united against the mass atrocities and human rights violations perpetrated against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

We are scholars who study Islam, Muslim cultures and societies, the Middle East, Islamophobia, civil rights and the myriad of topics and approaches that shape the vast scope of these fields.

As instructors, researchers and community members here at Rutgers, we know firsthand the fear that our Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students have experienced for the last seven months. This fear arises from orientalist and racist conflations of Islam and "terrorism," grounded in stereotypes mainstreamed in U.S. society over the past two decades. Yet such assumptions are nothing new.

Indeed, Rutgers has long been the site of such Islamophobic and anti-Muslim bigotry, as occurred with the baseless New York Police Department surveillance of Muslim students at Rutgers in 2012. We firmly reject such assumptions as unfounded, ahistorical and antithetical to our work as scholars and educators.

As faculty, we have watched in dismay as students and faculty are punished, targeted and doxxed for expressing empathy or support for the people of Palestine.

We have experienced firsthand how Rutgers administration routinely ignores our perspectives, as well as our scholarship and expertise on these matters, and dismisses the experiences and concerns of Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students, in other words, our CILRU students. Administration disproportionately punishes them for their principled, and at times, deeply personal responses to the horrors in Palestine.

This campaign has created an environment, both at Rutgers and across the country, where any public solidarity with Palestinians is assumed to be suspicious and dangerous to others – all of which has been confirmed over and over again as we watch the campus protests this week. 

As the work of the late Palestinian American scholar Edward Said teaches us, racist and orientalist Iogics of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism run extremely deep in this country and are fundamentally intertwined with racist logics of anti-Blackness and xenophobia. 

These logics continually produce profound distortions, inaccuracies and a willful ignorance around how we, as Americans, view Islam, the Middle East and current events in Israel and Palestine. 

As members of CILRU's Faculty Board, our role is to amplify our students' concerns and support their needs. We view the attack on CILRU as an expression of a broader pattern of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian violence that has occurred at Rutgers, as well as throughout U.S. society, especially amongst those in positions of power. 

Such a disparate power dynamic that unfairly demonizes Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students is especially egregious because Rutgers boasts one of the highest populations of Muslim and Arab students in the country, who are an integral part of what University President Jonathan Holloway has named Rutgers' "beloved community."

Yet superficial acknowledgment of our "diversity" from the administration is not enough. In the aftermath of the attack on CILRU, and as student protests mount across the country, we call on the Rutgers administration to unequivocally support CILRU's mission and commit to engaging its Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students as integral to our beloved community.

To this end, we ask that the administration:

1. Proactively address the rampant anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian sentiment at Rutgers through specific programming in its diversity, equity and inclusion strategy.

2. Create an Arab-American cultural center where students, faculty and staff can gather to learn about and celebrate their heritage, feel empowered and feel safe while doing so.

3. Support existing faculty by providing additional resources to programs and centers that support our Muslim and Arab students, as well as CILRU's mission and programming.

4. Create a permanent interfaith space on campus to meet CILRU and other faith communities' programming, event and prayer space needs.

5. Hire additional faculty in the fields of Islamic and Muslim Studies, Middle East Studies, Arab American Studies and Palestine Studies.

We welcome dialogue and engagement with the Rutgers administration to work toward these goals, and to ensure the safety of our students, colleagues and larger campus community.

The CILRU Faculty Board includes:

Sylvia Chan-Malik, an associate professor in the Department of American Studies

Maya Mikdashi, an associate professor in the Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Sahar Aziz, a professor in the Department of Law

Sandy Russell Jones, an associate teaching professor in the Department of History

Adnan Zulfiqar, associate professor in the Department of Law

Ousseina Alidou, a professor in the Department of African, Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Literatures

*Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.

YOUR VOICE | The Daily Targum welcomes submissions from all readers. Due to space limitations in our print newspaper, letters to the editor must not exceed 900 words. Guest columns and commentaries must be between 700 and 900 words. All authors must include their name, phone number, class year and college affiliation or department to be considered for publication. Please submit via email to [email protected] by 4 p.m. to be considered for the following day's publication. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.

No. 7 Maryland defeated Rutgers 13-8 in March. The Terrapins scored 6 goals in the first quarter before cruising to the 5-goal win. Hannah Leubecker, who scored 6 goals against the Knights, leads Maryland with 45 goals on the season. Eloise Clevenger dished out four assists in the win and has a total of 47 assists. Clevenger's 47 helpers are the most in the Big Ten.

Between the pipes, Emily Sterling has a save percentage of 52.4 and an 8.91 goals-against average, which are both the second-best in the Big Ten. Former Rutgers defender Meghan Ball leads the Terrapins backline with a team-high 30 caused turnovers. Expect Ball to be the one to try to lock down graduate student midfielder Cassidy Spilis.

Overall, the Knights have historically struggled against Maryland, as the latter are 26-1 against the former. The Terrapins are favored once again heading into the matchup.

Rutgers will need its key players, Spilis and senior goalkeeper Sophia Cardello, to perform strongly. Spilis, who was named First Team All-Big Ten unanimously, has netted 68 goals this season. Her impressive tally is tied for the second-most in all of NCAA Divison I women's lacrosse. Cardello's 45.6 save percentage is the fourth-highest in the Big Ten, while her 10.77 goals-against average is the third-best.

Sophomore attacker and midfielder Lily Dixon and junior midfielder and attacker Victoria Goldrick are two players Maryland must look out for as well. Dixon has a team-leading 25 assists, while Goldrick has 13 goals and 23 assists.

Junior midfielder Alexa Corbin, junior midfielder and attacker Michelle Warren and senior midfielder Ashley Moynahan have all chipped in with goals this season as well. Freshman midfielder Payton Tini has scored 17 goals, the second-most on the roster.

The Terrapins are coming off a 16-12 win over Princeton, the No. 18 ranked team in the country. Maryland made it to the Big Ten Tournament Championship last season but fell 14-9 to Northwestern. The Terrapins will be looking to return to the championship game yet again and correct last season's wrongs.

Saturday's contest will begin at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.

For more updates on the Rutgers women's lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on X.

This meeting was also the first under the newly inducted 18th Assembly, headed by Assembly President Jack Ramirez, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, Assembly Vice President Kaia Dyckman, a School of Arts and Sciences junior and Assembly Treasurer Sam Meizys, a Rutgers Business School sophomore.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., after introductory rounds of internal elections for the new Assembly, it moved forward to voting procedure on legislation, including the "Bill to Authorize Fall 2024 Funding Allocation" and the anti-Palestinian racism resolution, according to the meeting agenda.

The anti-Palestinian racism bill was presented again by its co-authors, Academic Affairs Chair Fauzan Amjad, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, Livingston Representative Ziad Burghli, a Rutgers Business School first-year and Pharmacy Governing Council Internal Vice President Omar Abuattieh, an Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy sophomore.

"I want to make it absolutely clear — absolutely clear — that when we are advocating for one group of people, we are not infringing or stripping the rights of a different person or a different group," Abuattieh said after Amjad's presentation.

He added that his mother, a Gaza-born Rutgers alum, was told by her professor that Palestine does not exist, to give context for the longevity of such perspectives and remarks. He said incidents like these call for a formal definition of anti-Palestinian discrimination.

A subsequent motion to pass the bill and accept all amendments was objected by School of Engineering Representative Raquel Shapiro, a School of Engineering junior.

The objection then required standard debate procedure where voting members of the Assembly would speak for and against the bill, at which an Assembly member motioned to suspend Standing Rule 3.4, as was done in the April 11 meeting, as previously reported by The Daily Targum. The suspension of this rule permits members of the public to speak in debate.

Assembly members then spoke for and against the suspension for 30 seconds at a time. Those for it said that members of the public could bring novel insight to the discussion, while those against it claimed that doing so would be redundant and time-consuming.

The motion was passed, and the Assembly entered a similar debate format to vote on the bill including the amendment.

In one speech, an Assembly member modified the existing amendment to add "simply for being Palestinian" to the end of the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association's (ACLA) list of examples of slander.

After being asked to discuss the point with the bill's authors, the debate continued. During voting, some Assembly members attempted to pause the vote to introduce an additional amendment. The vote continued, with the bill passing with 15 "Yes" votes and three "No" votes, followed by a positive uproar in the room.

"I appreciate everyone coming out here tonight voicing their opinions. That's what student government's about, so thank you, guys," Dyckman said.

Social media users in and outside of the University community have since commented on the passing of the bill.

The Students for Justice in Palestine at Rutgers—New Brunswick (SJP) announced the Assembly's vote passing the bill in an Instagram post, noting that the Assembly is the first student governmental body to formally define anti-Palestinian racism.

The ACLA, whose definition of anti-Palestinian racism served as the framework for the bill and also spurred the most discussion among Assembly members, reposted SJP's announcement about it on the social media platform X.

"Congrats to (SJP) on passing a bill on anti-Palestinian racism," the ACLA's post read. "Critical work at a time of extreme censorship and reprisals against Palestinians and allies on university campuses."

The group referenced another X post by Sylvia Chan-Malik, an associate professor in the Department of American Studies, praising students. Chan-Malik added Rutgers to a list including Columbia University, Barnard College, the University of Southern California, Pitzer College, Brown University and others.

David Álvarez, a professor in the English Department at Grand Valley State University, also engaged with Chan-Malik's post.

"May it be the first of many more as the student movement goes from strength to strength!" his post read.

With so many dating apps available, the idea of being in a romantic relationship seems to be closer than ever. Being just a right swipe away from hundreds of potential romantic matches can make it easy to overlook the power of a platonic relationship.

A platonic relationship is a friendship in which individuals, both opposite-sex and same-sex, share a close bond without sexual relations. Familiar terms for these types of relationships may be bromance, womance and work spouse. Platonic relationships offer positive psychological benefits to our brains and bodies, create a sense of belonging and develop ourselves as individuals.

A review of 38 research articles published between 2000 and 2019 found that adult friendship consistently correlates positively with well-being. Specifically, friendship quality, socializing with friends and other factors such as the number of friends and their supportive behaviors were associated with higher levels of well-being.

Being a college student comes with an abundance of stress. No matter where it stems from, talking to a friend allows us to respond to stress healthily.

Research has shown that individuals who lack quality relationships have an increased risk for heart problems, blood pressure and premature death.

From a neurological perspective, Berna Güroğlu, a professor of Developmental and Educational Psychology at Leiden University, found that friendship influences brain systems linked to reward, stress, and negative emotions. This led to the conclusion that social connections benefit our mental health and well-being.

Being socially accepted means being included in groups and relationships. At any age, this is important because close relationships elevate a sense of self-worth.

And with the increase in social media use, it can be easy to be sucked into technology and not remember the importance of real-life interactions. An international study showed that high school loneliness has increased in 36 of the 37 countries from 2012 to 2018.

There is no doubt that the pandemic was an isolating time for many of us. Catherine Bagwell, professor in the Department of Psychology at Oxford College of Emory University, concluded that a good indicator of how students were doing both intellectually and emotionally was how well they got along with their friends and peers, especially during the pandemic. Because the pandemic disrupted routines and support systems, having strong relationships offered emotional, social and academic support.

Platonic friendships provide essential support during the pursuit of goals, offering motivation to engage in activities and explore new ideas. Friends also serve as valuable resources for professional development, offering insights and assistance. In both personal and professional realms, friends facilitate personal growth by fostering empathy, resilience and adaptability while nurturing important life skills such as communication and teamwork.

Aristotle identifies three types of friendship: utility-based, pleasure-based and character-based. While all have benefits, character-based friendships are the most meaningful and enduring. These relationships require effort but offer immense satisfaction and lasting value.

Aristotle's focus on character friendships resonates with the idea that platonic relationships thrive on emotional intimacy, mutual respect, shared values and genuine connection. Both Aristotle's concept and platonic relationships emphasize the importance of authentic connections for a fulfilling social life.

The people we keep around significantly influence our lives. A study on smoking in the U.S. shows that, in a group of smokers and non-smokers, individuals tend to quit smoking together in their social circles. Quitting was most influenced by closer relationships.

This overarching concept is crucial for personal growth because surrounding oneself with individuals who share similar values allows individuals to hone in on their own sense of worth. Additionally, being surrounded by authentic and supportive individuals who share these values helps individuals stay grounded.

In a sea of people, although it can be intimidating to find other individuals that match your energy, it is not impossible. Remember, losing friends along the way is a part of growing up and is sometimes necessary for personal growth. Letting go of friendships that no longer serve your growth will always be more beneficial than clinging to stagnant relationships.

Each person entering or exiting your life brings valuable lessons, offering opportunities for self-discovery and continued personal growth. Close friendships are mirrors that reflect our thoughts and emotions, which allows individuals to understand and navigate through our journey of life.

Kelly Tang is a sophomore at Rutgers Business School majoring in Finance and Supply Chain Management. Tang’s column, “Don't Get Me Started” runs on alternate Thursdays.

*Columns, cartoons, letters and commentaries do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.

YOUR VOICE | The Daily Targum welcomes submissions from all readers. Letters to the editor must be between 350 and 600 words. Commentaries must be between 600 and 900 words. All authors must include their name, phone number, class year and college affiliation or department to be considered for publication. Please submit via email to [email protected] and [email protected] to be considered for publication.

The film's naturalistic style holds a gritty realness, all the characters feel lived in, like specific people you might know in your life. Alongside the terrific acting is stunning cinematography, with powerful compositions that never distract from the character's dialogues. 

The impressive craftsmanship can be credited not only to the skills he acquired during his tenure at Rutgers but also to the subject matter itself — the movie is inspired by his own love life.

The Daily Targum sat down with Seneviratne to discuss how his time at Rutgers influenced his film career, and what the innovations of technology could mean for the industry.

Despite his eventual pursuit into filmmaking, during his collegiate years, his dreams were complicated by Rutgers' lackluster resources — students wouldn't be able to major in digital filmmaking until 2015.

"There wasn't a film program," he said. "I didn't touch a camera until 2009, and the first thing I ever made was a 'Happy Birthday' video for that girlfriend living abroad."

Instead, he decided to minor in cinema studies and major in marketing and journalism. While he wasn't able to completely indulge in film to the extent that he wanted, he found other avenues to express his creativity. Studying film, as opposed to making it, also helped inform his style.

"I think anything else we learn outside of filmmaking always benefits because it gives us a different perspective on things," he said. "So I mean, through my journalism degree, I was the president of the Rutgers Review … I was super involved with that, I was much more heavy into music. So, I was always in the arts."

Beyond the Rutgers Review and classes, Seneviratne was also involved in the underground New Brunswick music scene — his hardcore band Rapid Cities deeply impacted his process to film.

"I think, being in that scene and that sort of art world and space was super foundational, because it's, again, all the stuff that affects the way you do things and the way you think about the world," he said.

This is evident in his filmography, which delves into an experimental aesthetic. Even with its vibrant characters and gorgeous depiction of Sri Lanka, "Ben and Suzanne" has this feeling of individuality, and this shows in the storytelling. Instead of a punk look, it goes for a punk spirit.

Within the classroom, a professor in the Department of Cinema Studies, Albert Nigrin, and his film co-op program left a major impression, introducing Seneviratne to artistic filmmaking.

"Nigrin showed me some movies, like this cult film class that I took as a summer class that blew my mind," he said. "And, I don't know, just like that exposure to like an art cinema was foundational."

In this new digital era where filmmaking can be done by anybody, Seneviratne believes there's a point where the art form loses some of its impact. He acknowledges how it's created opportunities for young aspiring filmmakers, but it's led to some problematic issues within mainstream and streaming media.

"I call Hulu like 'millennial Hallmark,'" he said. "Like you watch these movies on Hulu, and then it cuts to the pharmacy commercial, and they look exactly the same."

This connects back to his nonconformist approach to film — characters are funny, dynamic, friendly and lifelike. His debut makes the camera and audience sit and observe. This breath of simplicity is hardly seen nowadays, but it's a warm welcome to the world the film presents.

With an ignited passion, inspired by his time at Rutgers, Seneviratne is truly a new voice to the filmmaking landscape and has an adaptability perfect for the medium. He lives and breathes cinema, innovating and teaching.

"Ben and Suzanne, a Reunion in 4 Parts" shows that more than any conversation could. 

Seneviratne is currently teaching at the Brooklyn STEAM Center and Pace University, helping the next generation of filmmakers find their voice and grapple with this tough, unwieldy industry.

P4P is a collaborative effort led by social work students nationwide to advocate for a prevalent issue affecting their community: compensation for more than 1,000 hours of labor each student in the program must complete to qualify for their licensing exam, according to a press release. The value of this work by the time of a student's graduation totals more than one billion dollars, spread over approximately 123 million hours of labor.

Lauren Korczakowski, a Rutgers School of Social Work alum, said she played a limited role in planning the event, which had several moving parts.

One element of the event she noted in particular was the attendance of Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Labor Union, which she said energized the P4P members.

Another facet of the event she discussed was creating a paper mache boulder to represent the magnitude of the debt social work students often face.

The boulder was subsequently destroyed as a symbol of how the drive and mobilization of students could bring an end to these issues, according to the press release. Providing voice to these shared experiences was particularly memorable to Claire Thompson, a Rutgers School of Social Work graduate student and P4P chapter member who attended the rally.

"Hearing all the personal stories of people was a powerful part of being there," Thompson said. "It's making it clear that this is a nationwide issue, because I'm sure if we went beyond the New York City coalition, it would still be the same struggles that are shared."

Korczakowski echoed Thompson's sentiments and shared one story told at the event that stood out to her. She said one of the student speakers had explained how they had been injured outside of the workplace while part of a work placement and did not receive any accommodation from their employer.

Ultimately, the student lost the progress they had made during the semester, a reality faced by other students as well, Korczakowski said. She explained that while the lack of accommodation could have been an Americans with Disabilities Act violation, social work students do not have the same labor protections.

Though, the lack of accommodations does violate the National Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics, Thompson added.

P4P chapters across the Northeast have been experiencing certain gains, Korczakowski said. The P4P chapter at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College was able to lobby for a reduction in the hours they work to the national average.

Back at Rutgers, members of the University's P4P chapter recently presented the results of a survey in which alumni and current Rutgers School of Social Work students shared their experiences participating in these placements, Korczakowski said.

The chapter hopes to leverage this information into obtaining compensation for Rutgers social work students' work in these roles, whether through wages or stipends. As of now, department leaders have indicated an interest in providing the requested compensation, said Korczakowski.

"Professors and administration took our survey, other data and student testimonies seriously, and want to work on getting students paid," Korczakowski said.

The festival housed a welcoming atmosphere, with New Brunswick residents and Rutgers students uniting to support an important cause and nine incredible acts.

When the band Oblivious began to play, they performed an energetic array of rock songs, with some stellar drumming and solid guitar work. In particular, the vocalist's loud and emotional performance helped set the stage for future acts.

Other musicians followed suit with similar instrumentation, but what separated each of them was how diverse and eclectic some of their production choices ended up being. In many ways, the artists performing bent and broke typical combinations.

The sheer variety of sounds at play created a very lush sonic palette for the eager fans to consume and hopefully further engage with.

As a whole, the show's bands highlighted the sheer amount of local talent across New Brunswick while also demonstrating how inventive these young musicians could be. In terms of variety, the show featured a decent amount of genres with some rock acts, some funk music and some bass-heavy hip-hop.

The artists also clearly enjoyed interacting with the patrons, as they would engage with them through crowd chants and mini Q&A sessions. One highlight during Zoloft Zombie's show was when the audience was asked whether they preferred forks or spoons and how passionate they got over such an innocuous question.

At this point, the smattering of people outside of Demarest Hall slowly began to grow into a crowd. Most chose to corral near the stage while others roamed between the vendors serving cotton candy and band merchandise.

As dusk settled, the whole vibe of the show shifted and acts only got more eccentric.

When Jack Flowers and The Petal Tones started playing, they performed some peculiar covers, which the crowd ate up. Their performance was fascinating, as it combined live instrumentation with random bursts of autotuned singing — while it sounded cacophonous at times, the passion the band brought balanced everything all out. 

During all this, volunteers were walking through the audience, clearly juggling an immense amount of responsibilities but still remaining personable.

The intermissions between the different acts kept up the energy by mixing live instrumental performances with the previously selected playlist, usually corresponding to a similar genre. For example, after Zoloft Zombie's set, similarly abrasive music played.

The closing spectacle by Daddy's Closet, featuring their distinctive, irregular, off-kilter soundscape, felt like the metaphorical "cherry on top" of an amazing day. Their songs combined bright keystrokes with smooth and clear bass work, making for a remarkably enrapturing contrast. 

When the event finally concluded, the one thing that became clear was just how much work everyone involved put into making a great show. The residence hall organizers, the vendors and the bands all managed to keep their cool and truly showed how talented the Rutgers community can be.

With three successful shows complete, here's hoping for more "Demfests" in the future.

Since his head coaching career began with the Scarlet Knights in 2001, Schiano has always tried to get a leg up on the competition with special teams. Rutgers has blocked 70 kicks under Schiano, ranking among the nation's leaders.

Schiano is also fearless in bringing out the trickery on special teams. He famously ran a fake punt and fake field goal in 2007 en route to a massive upset over then-No. 2 South Florida. All in all, his attention to detail on special teams almost always helps him and his team gain an advantage over opponents.

The current special teams roster is mostly set, despite a big opening at a key position. Flynn Appleby was set to take over for the second consecutive season but chose to leave the team just before spring practices. Appleby had a solid 2023 season, taking over for the NCAA's all-time punting yards leader Adam Korsak. Appleby's average of 38.8 net punting yards ranked 66th in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He did have a highlight-reel moment when he ripped off a 75-yard punt against then-No. 2 Michigan.

So where do the Knights go from here?

Sophomore placekicker and punter Michael Hartshorn is the lone punter on the roster. He joined the program as a walk-on, and his status in a potential starting role is unknown.

Rutgers has also been poking around in the transfer portal, as it offered former Furman punter Ryan Leavy in January while Appleby was still on the roster. Leavy ultimately committed to Duke, but it showed Schiano was interested in other portal targets. He has not publicly offered any others since then.

Another avenue Schiano can navigate is tapping back into Prokick Australia, from which both Appleby and Korsak came to the Banks. It will be interesting to see how Hartshorn performs in the spring game, but Schiano will likely bring in another punter before the 2024 season officially kicks off.

Contrasting the punter position, the Knights' kicker spot is one of the most stable on the team.

Junior placekicker Jai Patel returns after a strong first season as the starting placekicker, including converting a program-record 83.3 percent of his field goals. He was also named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by coaches, Third Team All-Big Ten by media and was the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week in September after converting three field goals against Temple. He converted 33 of his 34 extra-point attempts and also showed some range, hitting two field goals from more than 50 yards out.

The main question for Patel is how he will perform in kickoff duties, as former placekicker Jude McAtamney held that role over the past two seasons. Either way, Patel will likely be a fixture of the kicking unit for the next few years.

One of the more underrated positions on special teams is the long snapper. Rutgers had a rotation of senior long snapper Michael O'Connor and Jake Eldridge share duties on punts and placekicking attempts. Eldridge medically retired as spring practices began, so O'Connor is the only returner.

Schiano did bring in a long snapper from the portal, though, as senior long snapper Austin Riggs joins the program from Brigham Young University, where he was the Cougars' primary long snapper for four seasons. Riggs brings plenty of experience and stability to the position after a sometimes-rocky 2023 season of long snapping on the Banks.

Another special teams aspect Schiano takes great pride in is the return game. The 2023 campaign oftentimes saw inconsistent punt and kickoff returns, especially given the newer touchback rules making returning kickoffs more risky.

Rashad Rochelle, now with Indiana State, won the job to start the season but had trouble holding onto the ball. Senior wide receiver Christian Dremel eventually took over but was mostly relegated to fair catches with his strong hands. Dremel may be the favorite to win the job again, but other contenders, such as freshman wide receiver Ben Black and sophomore wide receiver Dylan Braithwaite could break out after training camp due to their elite speed.

With the spring game approaching and the 2024 season drawing near, there is plenty of optimism around the Knights. Attention to detail is always the backbone of the team, and Schiano does excellent work building special teams and special players to make special plays.

For more updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TargumSports on X.

To view more of Alec Crouthamel's work, follow @aleccr12 on X.

Although the firework exploded near the victims, they were not physically injured in the incident, which is under investigation as aggravated assault.

The number of perpetrators and their appearances are unclear at this time, but the vehicle in question was described as a white, two-door BMW convertible.

The Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) requested those with information on the incident to come forward and contact the RUPD's Detective Bureau. The RUPD also advised the University community to remain aware of their surroundings, report suspicious activity and individuals, avoid dimly lit and unpopulated areas and walk in groups at night.

The RUPD additionally noted that it provides escorts to University community members when requested to vehicles, campus housing and University bus stops.

While past productions, like the troupe's Halloween, "Five Nights at Freddy's"-inspired sketch show, may have alienated audiences and suffered from a lack of substantive source material, the return to a broader genre opened the creative floodgates. Whether it's 1975's "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" or last year's "Dungeons & Dragons," medieval lore has always served as a rich tapestry for satire.

Upon entering Room 135 in Scott Hall on the College Avenue campus, which may as well serve as a residence for some of CAP's longest-tenured members, the first thing that caught most audience members' attention was the unmistakable anticipation filling the room. The room reverberated with the melodies of lutes and harps emanating from the speakers as patrons turned to each other, wondering what antics the cast would be up to this time.

As the lights dimmed, the first sketch, "A Duel," written by School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Cedric Gillo, set the tone for the night. Despite its admittedly simple premise of two knights getting caught up in the needlessly convoluted rules of their sword fight, the performances of School of Arts and Sciences juniors Fey Somoye and Ariel Rivera, adopting over the top, English accents, created a memorable opening.

From there, the directors took to the stage for the customary pre-show spiel in theater productions: locate your nearest exit, silence all cell phones, no flash photography — the time during shows most people use to check their emails. In what could've completely halted the momentum of the show, the incorporation of a prop scroll, coupled with the presence of a looming dragon, enhanced the experience.

By now, it was clear that if you were looking for Shakespearean-level acting, this wasn't the event for you. But, if you were looking for distraction on a Saturday night, it was worth the relatively cheap price of admission.

After the announcements, the show kept on rolling through its nine-segment first act, with a standout including the exploration ethics of a Genie's wish granting in "Two More Wishes," written by Ryan Fallon, a School of Arts and Sciences senior.

The first act was a relatively enjoyable watch with only a few duds, something that is to be expected with a variety show. But as the production transitioned into its second act, some of its weaknesses became apparent, namely its overdrawn runtime. While the concepts behind sketches like "Family Guy" and "High Fantasy" were amusing, they didn't necessarily warrant such lengthy execution.

Another one of the weaker throughlines throughout the show was its reliance on pop culture. Whether it was a sketch themed around Shrek committing tax fraud, a man just now learning about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards or nods to fantasy video games sprinkled throughout, these references often came at the behest of punchlines.

The fantasy theme did create a cohesive structure for the show and set expectations but, ironically, some of the best sketches had nothing to do with dragons, knights or imaginary goblins.

One of the only non-fantasy skits, "Murder in the Red Panda Express," written by Sam Guenzburger, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and the spotlight operator for CAP's tech crew, was just the right amount of absurd.

In the scene, an aloof pair of customers mistake a Red Panda Express for a murder mystery dinner — from there, the jokes wrote themselves. Patrick-Flynn Osborne, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, and Catalina Chapman, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, played off each other and the rotating cast of side characters perfectly.

While the writing varied throughout the program, the camaraderie between the actors was what held everything together.

The often-overlooked tech crew also played a key role in the show's success. Even as sketches began to overstay their welcome, it was the implementation of music by sound designer Ryan Zaken, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, and lighting by designer Emery Clomax, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, that kept things fresh.

"Wacky Hijinks" will conclude a busy semester for the theater group, which included the troupe putting on its first-ever full-length, student-written play, "Teen Spirit." With the actors operating at peak performance, the writers' pen games as strong as ever and the tech crew going above and beyond, the collective will surely continue to surprise in the fall semester.

Wingert is in her sixth year as a Knight and has found tremendous success on the Banks. Wingert's name will go down in Rutgers history, as she has a program-leading 41 home runs and is also currently tied for most career runs batted in (RBI) with program legend Sharon Morris.

"I really try to not focus on the records. I just wanna trust the work that I put into it," Wingert said. "So I just try and take it game by game, pitch by pitch, really not worrying about the record. If they come they come, if not, the wins right now are more important for the team."

Wingert is a leader for the team, using her experience to help others improve and grow.

Like Wingert, Boyd has been a key piece of the team this season. The right-handed pitcher has made an impact in just her first season on the Banks after transferring from Houston. Before joining the Knights, Boyd struggled with performance anxiety but has since gotten over it and learned how to not let it affect her.

"The biggest difference in the years that I had prior has just been, I guess, this overwhelming peace that I have now when playing, and that has purely come from my own growth and my faith," Boyd said.

With her new outlook and support from Butler and her teammates, Boyd has dominated in the circle. Boyd's 2.23 earned run average is the fourth-best in the Big Ten. Boyd has also thrown 134 strikeouts and owns a 17-7 record.

The work and dedication from Wingert and Boyd will help Rutgers down the stretch of its season and in postseason play. The Knights have won 4 of their 6 Big Ten series' and are full of momentum with two final series' before the Big Ten Tournament in May.

"This has been a build up of multiple years," Wingert said. "To kind of see the girls and our team get the recognition that they've been working so hard for for so long, that's just really fulfilling to see."

For more updates on the Rutgers softball team, follow @TargumSports on X.

To view more of Allison Girardi's work, follow @allisongirardii on X.

The goal of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is to offer unbiased counsel to address difficult problems for social good and advance innovation. In addition, the Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication establishes networks and relationships aimed at focusing on priorities in scientific research and communication.

Ognyanova spoke to The Daily Targum about her career background and this new distinction.

She said that she will be part of an artificial intelligence group for the committee to provide her expertise. 

"I will take part in work examining the role of artificial intelligence — how new AI technologies are transforming research and how they can enhance or disrupt public communication," she said, adding that the group addresses the "rapidly changing information environment."

She originally studied computer science, but said she later became interested in the overlap of social and technological sciences.

She also said that due to her academic curiosities outside of computer science, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Southern California focusing on social networks and digital platforms.

At Rutgers, she said that she teaches how misinformation is spread through social media and examines the relationship between trust in societal institutions and life perspectives and actions.

She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses focusing on network analysis, computational methods and mass communication. She also said that she participates in programs that involve data science and AI at the University.

For the Standing Committee, Ognyanova said that there is no application process for appointment. Rather, it is based on a nomination, which she accepted.

"Being part of the committee is an important responsibility, as members get to have a say in setting a long-term vision and support the National Academies' priorities for science," she said.

The American Journal of International Law (AJIL) is a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal that has existed since 1907. Academics and professionals submit essays, reviews, editorial remarks and updates on recent advancements in public and private international law and foreign relations law, to the journal.

Contesse spoke with The Daily Targum about his journey at Rutgers Law School, joining in 2013 after his previous experience as an assistant professor and director of Diego Portales Law School's Human Rights Center in Chile. He said he grew up in an authoritarian Chile and witnessed a number of human rights violations committed by law enforcement.

"I decided to go to law school to do something about it, although I didn't know what that meant," he said. "Once in law school, I was drawn to the work of its Human Rights Program, which years later, I ended up joining and ultimately directing."

Contesse also said he has litigated cases in Chile, served as co-counsel in front of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for the first case regarding sexual orientation and was an expert witness in a case about Indigenous leaders in Chile being affected by anti-terrorism laws. In addition, he said that he has written reports for the United Nations Committee against Torture, of which he is an expert member.

Furthermore, Contesse said he was thrilled when he received the news about his appointment as an editor. Following his nomination by three senior colleagues, he was then voted on by the Board of Editors.

Contesse is a part of the American Society of International Law (ASIL), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization established in 1906. The ASIL promotes international law scholarship and education with its events, publications and research projects.

He said that he has been involved with the Society for a while, working as co-chair of both the Society's Latin America Interest Group and the 2022 Research Forum of the Society's Midyear Meeting.

"I hope to bring my expertise and my experience, especially as a Latin American international lawyer, to help the Society, in general, and the Journal, in particular, to reach a broader audience," Contesse said.

Contesse's contributions are noted in the Harvard International Law Journal, the International Journal of Constitutional Law and the Yale Journal of International Law, among others. Also, he has written publications involving his field such as his recent works "International Law Scholarship in Latin America" in 2024, "Authority and Dissent in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights" in 2022 and "The Rule of Advice in International Human Rights Law" in 2021.

Contesse is currently working on two scholarships: The Precedent and the End of Inter Partes Effect in Latin American Constitutional Law and Domestic Law in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He said that it is an honor to have been nominated and elected to the Board of Editors and has a lot of plans in the works at AJIL as well as Rutgers.

"Since I joined the (Rutgers Law School), in 2013, I have developed several international law initiatives: I founded the Center for Transnational Law, helped establish the Rutgers International Law and Human Rights Journal, have co-developed a new course on international advocacy and try to showcase the amazing international faculty that we have," Contesse said. "It is a good time to study international law at Rutgers."

If you aren't a fan of AI, unfortunately, you're out of luck with this feature. Meta hasn't given users any option to disable Meta AI, even though the chatbot itself might tell you that you can. 

Lots of users are annoyed at this feature, and rightfully so. On Instagram in particular, it can get in the way of your regular online activities. For example, if you go to search for an account and accidentally click on Meta AI, the chatbot will send you a direct message that lingers over all of your other messages. 

Meta isn't the first company to incorporate an AI chatbot into their social media platforms. Last year, Snapchat introduced My AI, a chatbot with a customizable avatar that sits at the top of your conversations list. TikTok has also been adding plenty of video filters that generate art based on photos taken or input by the user.

The incorporation of AI into social media platforms opens up conversations about the presence of AI in our society in general. Programs like ChatGPT have become widely popular in academic settings, sparking concerns over cheating and other potential consequences.  

This doesn't mean it's going anywhere anytime soon, though. The program still regularly attracts millions of users.

Plenty of users also worry that these AI chatbots and programs are stealing their data for nefarious measures, which aren't unfounded concerns. These include mining personal data from users and utilizing photos without consent to create AI art or deep fakes, fake images and videos created with real people's faces. 

Meta AI's ability to generate images hasn't quelled any of these worries. On social media, specifically, there have been concerns about how young users will utilize the tool's power.

Snapchat's AI would bring up inappropriate topics like sex and alcohol to users, which may be inconsequential for an adult, but harmful for adolescents. While Meta AI is still new, there's lots of potential for it to go wrong. Given the staggering amount of young users on Instagram, hopefully, the AI will remain a G-rated tool. 

But because this feature can't be turned off, there's no way to bar it from young users.

Carefully clicking on Instagram and Facebook to ensure you don't accidentally trigger Meta AI might be annoying, but it can at least keep you as removed from this new feature as possible. And due to the discussions happening about the lack of ability to remove Meta AI, it's possible that Meta will make this an optional feature in the future. 

But, until then, one of the best precautions that users can take to avoid AI, is simply turning off their phone or deleting Instagram or Facebook. While this technology continues to become imbedded in academics and social life, it's important to prioritize your own mental health and safety. 

Five-star future Scarlet Knights Dylan Harper and Airious "Ace" Bailey have kept busy in the offseason. In recent weeks, the pair has lit it up amongst some of the country's top talents and has continued cementing themselves as stars.

First was the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game at the beginning of April. The McDonald's game gathered 23 of the top 2024 high schoolers and split them into an East versus West matchup. Harper and Bailey were teamed up on the West team.

The duo was in the starting lineup and each played 25 minutes. While Bailey did not have his best performance, scoring just 6 points, Harper showed out with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists on 9-16 shooting. Team West ultimately fell 88-86, but Harper's elite play earned him co-MVP honors alongside Maryland commit Derik Queen.

Next up in Bailey and Harper's busy April was the 2024 Nike Hoops Summit, where Team USA took on Team World. Team USA was headlined by Bailey, Harper and Duke commit Cooper Flagg while Team World had Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe and 2025 five-star AJ Dybansta leading the way. Bailey and Harper scored 14 points apiece as Team USA rolled to a 98-75 victory.

Lastly was the Jordan Brand Classic with Team Flight versus Team Air. Bailey and Harper were both selected to play in the game, but Bailey had other commitments on game day and did not make it. Harper was there, though, and he made sure the world noticed.

Harper shined and had the crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on its feet all night long. Harper's main highlight was a trio of back-to-back-to-back three-pointers. The 9 points scored off those threes were just a fraction of the 30 that he finished with en route to a Team Flight victory.

The cherry on top was Harper's silky smooth game-winning three before he then earned MVP honors.

Harper looked like the best player on the floor the whole night, and he made sure to let the world know.

"I'm number one," Harper emphatically exclaimed after his game-winner.

While Harper may not truly hold the No. 1 spot in the 2024 class via 247Sports' composite rankings, his recent play in these games up against all the other top competition in his class certainly makes things debatable. And Bailey is right there with him.

For more updates on the Rutgers men's basketball team, follow @TargumSports on X.

To view more of Camden Markel's work, follow @CamdenMarkel on X.

Directed at the U.S. Department of Education's (DOE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the complaint reports violations of the DOE's Title VI in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and calls upon the OCR to initiate investigations into the claims. This section of the act forbids discrimination on the basis of race, complexion or nation of origin in programs receiving federal funding, including Rutgers.

"The allegations in this complaint reflect an ongoing pattern and practice of direct and indirect discrimination by Rutgers, as well as Rutgers' deliberate indifference to a hostile learning environment on its campuses for students who hold, are perceived to hold or are affiliated or associated with Palestinian identity," the complaint read.

The complaint contains 294 points of information around instances of anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim and anti-Arab discrimination beginning Oct. 7, 2023. The incidents were compiled by members of the Muslim Law Students Association (MLSA) and the student chapter of the National Lawyers Guild of Rutgers Law School—Newark (NLG).

It begins with claims against verbiage in emails sent out by University President Jonathan Holloway and Rutgers Law School Dean Johanna Bond. The former was criticized for "one-sided" communications in the week following Oct. 7, 2023. The latter faced disapproval for a message that did not reference Israel, Palestine, Gaza or the people in those territories.

The complaint then details cases of discriminatory student-to-student interactions, doxxing, unequal or nonexistent reactions by University officials regarding discrimination claims and other bias reports from the past six months.

One incident depicts a group chat discussion about doxxing a Palestinian individual involving the group Canary Mission, a group that reportedly posts images and information of individuals who criticize the government of Israel. One individual involved in this case reported being unable to exit their residence and consequently missing an exam out of concern.

A different situation involves one student who reportedly made eye contact with and accelerated a vehicle in the direction of a Palestinian student. The complaint indicates that there has been no hearing regarding this incident.

Another report says a student received verbal threats of bodily harm after removing a poster labeled "Kidnapped" on Oct. 25, 2023. The Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) responded to the situation, and the student filed a report.

An additional case involved RUPD personnel removing a memorial created by the NLG for Palestinian people who have died in Gaza, with a security guard that night reporting the placement of the memorial, which was labeled as a "suspicious incident." The report alleges that the RUPD did not respond in the same way to members of student organizations who installed similar pieces prior to the incident.

After three removals of the display, the NLG and MLSA held a tabling setup instead. Afterward, somebody allegedly put up posters that indicated Palestinian support for Hamas and contained the phrase "dirty savage," which was reportedly not removed for the remainder of the day.

The University declined to respond to The Daily Targum's questions about the alleged lack of response to some reports in the document and reasons for replying to one report before another.

"When bias incidents are reported, we investigate them fully and take appropriate action, including working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies when situations warrant to pursue thorough investigations and ensure the safety of Rutgers community members," a University spokesperson said.

The complaint ends with 10 courses of action following the conclusion of the investigation, such as statements of accountability from Holloway and Bond, rectification for students whose schoolwork, employment or housing was negatively impacted by the events outlined in the complaint, the establishment and allocation of resources specific to Palestinian, Muslim and Arab University community members and the creation of task forces to address doxxing, discrimination and free speech.

"Rutgers University has allowed a patently hostile and unsafe climate to relegate its Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students to a second-class status, denying them their right to an education free of harassment and discrimination," Chris Godshall-Bennett, an ADC staff attorney, said in the release. "We expect the Department of Education to take these claims seriously and fully investigate this pattern and practice of discrimination."

The photographs and video captured by Rutgers' independent student news organization included a 3-minute recap of the week of Rutgers' first-ever faculty strike, which began on April 10, 2023, and ended five days later on April 15, 2023.

In Rutgers' 258-year history, it was the first faculty-led strike that received coverage across all University campuses.

"Our staff worked tirelessly during strike week on all fronts, and it was amazing to see how we all banded together to create great films and articles to cover this historic event," said Brian Delk, the Targum's editor-in-chief and a School of Communication and Information junior, about the newspaper's strike coverage. "I'm glad our multimedia desks received the recognition they deserve."

NJPA, under its New Jersey Press Foundation, hosted this contest for all college and university student newspapers. Four-year institutions compete against each other while two-year institutions compete against their respective peers.

The Targum beat out the likes of The Daily Princetonian at Princeton University, The Vector at ​​New Jersey Institute of Technology and The Montclarion at Montclair State University among other university newspapers in New Jersey.

The crew that worked on the first-place online video award was composed of co-head videographers Benjamin Horner, a Mason Gross School of the Arts junior, and Ragini Subramanian, a Rutgers Business School and School of Communication and Information junior, and photo editor Evan Leong, a graduate student in the School of Communication and Information.

Video interns Ava Peterson, a School of Communication and Information junior, Priscilla Senger, a School of Communication and Information junior, Selma Mehmedagic, a Mason Gross School of the Arts sophomore, Zachary Viray, a Mason Gross School of the Arts junior and former Rutgers student Zain Bhatti also contributed to the same project that recapped the strike.

The Targum also won first and second place in the Photography category. Leong, who was a staff photographer at the time, received the second-place award for his strike coverage. His winning photographs were used on April 10, 2023, April 12, 2023, April 14, 2023, and many other days during the week of the strike.

Yet the presence of alcohol is not entirely the problem. The lack of responsible drinking habits and excessive peer pressure are.

Young adults are subjected to drinking heavy amounts to get some sort of praise and approval from those around them. But, in reality, the victim ends up paying the price.

Peer pressure is caused by wanting to fit in. It is common for young adults to want to be liked by their peers, or else they might worry that they will be left out or made fun of. As a result, students attempt to drink beyond their limits to fit in.

Binge drinking has become an activity that is severely normalized on college campuses. On any given occasion, it consists of drinking five or more drinks for men or four or more for women. Binge drinking is most common in individuals ages 18 to 34 with 1 in 6 U.S. adults doing so, 25 percent of whom binge drink at least weekly.

Approximately 49 percent of full-time college students aged between 18 and 22 have drunk alcohol with 28.9 percent having binged their drinking in the past month, according to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Specifically, 1 in 4 U.S. adults during a binge drinking session consume at least eight drinks. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture consider drinking in moderation as two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women. This is an overwhelming difference between the healthy consumption rate and the average amount students are consuming.

Schools across the nation have had their conflicts with students binge drinking when it comes to hazing rituals. Hazing is often identified as an initiation process that involves humiliating, demeaning or risking the safety of an individual seeking to join a group. Some tasks may differ from physical and verbal abuse to engaging in sexual acts, but most commonly it involves a student having to consume a fatally large amount of alcohol.

The act is also frequently associated with fraternity and sorority organizations. According to a 2018 survey, 38.3 percent of respondents reported having experienced hazing in association with fraternity culture. At the same time, 69.8 percent of students claimed they were aware of hazing on campus.

Kelly Nolan, a first-year School of Environmental and Biological Sciences student and member of the Delta Gamma sorority at Rutgers, spoke out about this issue.

"We have a whole anti-hazing policy because we want to help build that sense of community and (make) sure that everyone feels welcome and they don't feel pressured," Nolan said.

Her knowledge of the activity has made her "very cautious" and constantly "paying attention" to ensure it does not impact her college experience.

This is not the case for other fraternity and sorority life organizations across the country, which have failed to abide by their policies, resulting in fatal outcomes for students. Binge drinking has unfortunately ended the lives of many young adults in the U.S.

In 2021, Stone Foltz, a Bowling Green State University student, died from alcohol intoxication allegedly due to hazing at the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity's Delta Beta Chapter. He was only 20 years old. Two fraternity members served a 42-day sentence in jail, followed by 28 days of house arrest and two years of probation.

Another incident occurred in 2021 when a 19-year-old student, Adam Oakes, became a victim of binge drinking and hazing at Virginia Commonwealth University. He died of alcohol poisoning after being told to drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey at the Delta Chi fraternity house.

Enforcing stricter policies and punishments for binge drinking and hazing rituals can be an effective preventative measure in ensuring the safety of young adults, especially on campus.

As students, joining groups and organizations should remain a fun and harmless decision in order to promote a safe environment on campus where everyone can feel welcomed as Nolan mentioned.

"Be careful … especially when you're at a party … make sure you're just paying attention with how much (alcohol) you consume because you don't want to end up regretting something," she said.

Uju Nwanonyiri is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in journalism and media studies and public health. Nwanonyiri’s column, “Debrief Discussions” runs on alternate Wednesdays.

*Columns, cartoons, letters and commentaries do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.

YOUR VOICE | The Daily Targum welcomes submissions from all readers. Letters to the editor must be between 350 and 600 words. Commentaries must be between 600 and 900 words. All authors must include their name, phone number, class year and college affiliation or department to be considered for publication. Please submit via email to [email protected] and [email protected] to be considered for publication.

With a new perspective and the opportunities provided by the University's journalism program, he was able to spark his music career back up. The decision would pay dividends — today, the Marlboro-based musician is the bassist of "Young Rising Sons," currently touring the U.S.

In an interview with The Daily Targum, Dimagiba walked us through his musical journey and time at Rutgers.

"Growing up, my parents always just had music playing like The Beatles and The Doors and whatnot," he said. "It was always something that I wanted to do, just like play in bands, but of course, you know, 'Gotta go to school. Gotta get good grades.' … But music was always just in my life."

Music melted into different aspects of his life, even his academic pursuits. The reason why he chose journalism as a major was so that he could write about music, given his inspirations from magazines such as The Rolling Stone and Spin.

While Dimagiba focused on his studies during his time at Rutgers, the connections he was making and the close proximity to New York City helped him boost his musical career.

"If it wasn't for me going to Rutgers, I wouldn't have met the people that I am involved with now," he said.

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism and media studies back in 2010.

During this time, he was also able to leverage the relationship he had been forging throughout the New Jersey music scene. Prior to attending Rutgers, Julian played at different shows around Monmouth County where he developed a friendship with a rival drummer Steve Patrick. They stayed in touch and recruited their singer Andy Tongren, ultimately forming their band Young Rising Sons.

They would go off playing different venues and making music together. One of their songs "High" sparked their rise to fame as they signed onto a record label and started touring full-time.

Throughout the years, the band has maintained a successful partnership, touring for 10 years and recently embarking on their first U.S. tour in "forever."

"We're super excited. There's a lot of work that went into this," he said. "It'll be a lot of fun. This is what we've been working towards since forever."

This tour comes after a "stale point" for the Young Rising Sons — but after the band experienced newfound success during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were rejuvenated.

With time, Dimagiba and his bandmates got back into their groove with their latest single "(Un)Happy Hour" having released this March. This record mixes punk and alternative tones, a staple sound among their discography.

Something he's come to realize with music is that it comes with an aspect of promotion on social media, something he hopes younger audiences also recognize. With the music hub that is Rutgers, he hopes that students feeling lost take advantage.

"For Rutgers students trying (to make music) ... follow your gut and don't compromise yourselves too much," he said. "Don't drop out of school just yet."

Rutgers had a rough outing against the Nittany Lions (9-3, 3-2) last Friday, falling 15-9 on Senior Day. After a back-and-forth first quarter, No. 10 Penn State limited the Knights to just 2 goals in the second and third quarters to secure the win. Junior attacker Dante Kulas led Rutgers with a season-high 4 goals, and senior midfielder Shane Knobloch followed behind with 2 goals.

This time around, the Knights will need to remain competitive throughout the entire contest against the Nittany Lions. If Knobloch, graduate student attacker Ross Scott and freshman midfielder Colin Kurdyla are involved in the offense, Penn State will have a difficult time defending each player. Scott and Knobloch were both named First Team All-Big Ten after a combined total of 48 goals and 34 assists this season.

Rutgers will also need its backline to step up. Graduate student defender Harris Hubbard and junior defenders Ben McKelvy and Tommy Mendyke have played together for the past seven games. The trio will need to be as sharp as it was in the 9-7 win against Michigan, the team's strongest defensive performance of the season.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Cardin Stoller struggled against the Nittany Lions, only making six saves. Despite his poor performance, Stoller has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Big Ten this season. He has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times and has a 53.8 save percentage, which is good for the third-highest in the conference. Stoller was most recently named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and will need to have one of his stronger games between the pipes on Saturday.

As for Penn State, it will look to TJ Malone and Matt Traynor to lead the attack. The tandem both scored 4 goals in the win against the Knights. Jack Fracyon, who had 14 saves in the victory, is one of the best goalkeepers in the country and will be a tough cookie to crack.

Rutgers ended its 2023 season with a 14-11 loss to Maryland in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. If the Knights defeat the Nittany Lions, they will take on the Terrapins (8-4, 3-2) in the semifinals on May 2. Rutgers needs to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament in order to keep its NCAA Tournament berth hopes alive.

Saturday's contest will begin at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.

For more updates on the Rutgers men's lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on X.

To view more of Matthew Mangam's work, follow @matthewmangam on X.