Category Archives: Features

Gallo-Zdunowski reflects as she prepares to leave Lasell Reply

by • Features, News

Kristen Gallo-Zdunowski, pictured performing in the “Vagina Monologues,” will be leaving her post as the Assistant Director of Student Activities this summer. ~Photo by Kristina Kaufmann

By Jake Bell — 1851 Staff

Kristen Gallo-Zdunowski has been a beloved member of the Lasell community since her first day in August 2008 as the Asst. Director of Student Activities. “I will always remember being introduced to as many people as possible on my first day and after only two or three hours I got a quick and comfortable feel for the campus,” Gallo-Zdunowski said.

As another semester comes to a close, so does Gallo-Zdunowski’s time at Lasell, as she’s set to begin a new chapter in her life and professional career.  More…

Looney caps college career Reply

by • Features

Chair award winner to speak at graduation 

Senior Class President Kasey Looney will address her fellow classmates on May 13.
Photo by Kristina Kaufman

By Alyssa M. Lusky — C0-Editor-in-Chief

According to Vice President of Stu­dent Affairs Diane Austin, since she first landed at Lasell, Senior Kasey Looney has had the “Lasell Fever.” Looney ran for first-year Class President in September of 2008, and since then has led the Class of 2012. On May 13, she will address her fellow classmates one last time when she delivers her commencement address alongside Congressman Barney Frank.

“I’m really excited to address [my] class. I can’t wait to speak in front of [thou­sands of] people and see how that feels,” said Looney, who hails from Leicester, Mass. “I want to have a conversation with the crowd and put some personality into it.” More…

Lindsay Reilly finds success designing handbags 1

by • Features

Junior Lindsay Reilly displays her handbags that she makes and sells.
Photo courtesy of Lindsay Reilly

By Mary Pavlu — Features Editor

Perhaps you’ve already seen vibrant, quilted bags on the arms of students and professors. What you may not know is that the designer behind these trendy handbags happens to be junior fashion merchandising major Lindsay Reilly. She always knew her career would involve fashion, but she could never have predicted she would have her own business by age 15. She started sewing at 8-years-old, and at 14, was the first “assistant” to be hired by her sewing teacher. From there, she became involved with small projects, like making curtains, cookie bags, and aprons for a local bakery in her hometown of Quincy, Mass. Soon, she developed the idea of making hand-bags, and a friend’s mother asked if she would like to sell them in her salon.

“From there, they took off,” said Reilly. More…

Student reads original poetry at festival Reply

by • Features

By Briana Nestor — Managing Editor

For sophomore Mariana Fernandez del Castillo, writing poetry captures the world around her.

“ The entire world is constantly having new ideas… Whether the poem is completely made up, or based on the news, or [on] something someone has told me, or about myself,” said Fernandez del Castillo. “I write poetry because it is a great way of externalizing my thoughts in a way that sometimes cannot be expressed otherwise.” More…

Village resident talks science, engineering 1

by • Features

Irv Gruverman, a Lasell Village resident, is a member of the Lasell College Board of Trustees and has worked in the field of science and engineering.
Photo by Morgan Brittney Austin

By Morgan Brittney Austin — 1851 Staff

“One cannot foreclose large areas of possibilities,” said Irv Gruverman, 78, a Lasell Village resident. Gruverman has encountered many opportunities in the field of science and engineering in his lifetime.

In 1963, Gruverman moved to Boston after growing up in Brooklyn, N Y. As a child, his parents taught him the values of hard work, honesty, and respect. Thanks to those values, Gruverman quickly made his way into the science field. In 1954, he graduated from The Cooper Union with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and in 1955, he received his M.S. from MIT in Nuclear Engineering. More…

Flamez talks about the rap game Reply

by • Features

Interstate Flamez, or John McNeil, is a rapper and student at UMass Dartmouth. He was chosen as the opening act on Marathon Monday after winning a Lasell College Radio Facebook poll.
Photo by Natalie Kfoury

By Amanda Russo — 1851 Staff

John McNeil smiles warmly as he leans forward in his chair. Calm and friendly, the 22-year-old rapper explains that he has been rapping from the time he was 16. Under his stage name of Interstate Flamez, he has been performing for three years. A full-time student at Umass Dartmouth and student worker, McNeil doesn’t have much free time for music, but he still takes it seriously. “I wouldn’t call it a hobby,” said McNeil, “because it’s more than that.”

McNeil grew up in Dorchester, Mass., and it is his home and his life experience that define his music. His lyrics speak to certain incidents he has been through and he believes that is what makes his music relatable. “Everybody is going to like something different,” he said, “if you’re going through something and I’m rapping about it, that’s going to be your favorite song,” said McNeil. “It’s not going to be that way for everyone though. Her favorite track might be track three, his favorite track might be track four. It’s all about what you like.” More…

Local, student designers take part in fashion show for charity Reply

by • Features

Junior Jenna Bogdan models in the Birthday Wishes Fashion Show, where student collections and local Boston designs were shown
Photo by Kristina Kaufmann

By Cait Fitzgerald — 1851 Staff

Lasell hosted a fashion show to raise money for Birthday Wishes, a nonprofit organization, dedicated to giving homeless children memorable birthdays. Collections included creations by some of Lasell’s student designers, as well as donations by local Boston stores and designers.

The fashion show was divided into themed chapters. The first chapter was Leisure to Luxury, which started with Calypso St. Barth of Boston. St. Barth’s collection was made up of flirty tribal prints for spring.
More…

Village couple circles the globe Reply

by • Features

Erik and Antoinette Stapper pose with a tiger cub on one of their trips. The couple has traveled to more than 10 countries and takes two trips per year.
Photo courtesy of Erik and Antoinette Stapper.

By Morgan Brittney Austin — 1851 Staff

Twice per year, Erik and Antoinette Stapper pack several weeks’ worth of clothing into one suitcase and leave their home at Lasell Village. The couple, who has been married for 52 years, has been ticking countries and states off their list of places to go since Erik and Antoinette first went to Washington, D.C., for their honeymoon. More…