Ida Mansourian returns from recruiting blitz abroad

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Assistant Vice President of International Affairs, Ida Mansourian, recently returned to Chatham after visiting Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey to recruit students.

Mansourian visited Iraq because she had an invitation to go to a student fair that is held annually for students that are pursuing either their master’s degree or Ph.D. in their discipline.

Since she was in the region, Mansourian decided to visit the other countries as well, especially the Gulf countries because Chatham doesn’t have many students enrolled from that region. Mansourian believes these students have potential and that the institution needs to diversify its population. Conservative parents in these areas would want their daughters to be protected especially at women’s colleges.

Mansourian said that there are several steps in the recruiting process. “I talk with student counselors or advisors about the upcoming visit. Then I would work with the local [prospective] students and talk to them about the university and the type of programs that we have.” she said. “Also I worked with professional agencies who handled everything. They advertised within the country.” Mansourian also visited co-ed schools that didn’t know women colleges still existed.

When asked what other countries International Affairs plans to recruit students from, Mansourian said, “The next one we have will be Vietnam because [Linh Phung, the ELP coordinator,] will be presenting a paper in Vietnam. China is another country we will prioritize on.” Mansourian hopes that bringing students in from these countries will create a bridge between students, and that they will be able to learn from each other.

An interesting observation Mansourian said she made during her travels was the shock on people’s faces when she told them that Chatham was a single sex university. “They will ask why do we still have single sex universities, and I will tell them the history and rationale for why we still have it.”

Through her travels, Mansourian learned to build a rapport and connect with people when recruiting. “Every culture is different. We cannot have the same expectations that we have with this culture. We have to be respectful of the different time frame.” Mansourian said having international students is a great way for students from the U.S. to learn about other cultural resources. “Try to bring the globe to our institution. Meet the students and learn about the countries without having to travel there.”

Correction: An earlier version of the article misquoted Mansourian as saying a student will be presenting a paper in Vietnam. It is Linh Phung, the ELP coordinator will be presenting a paper in Vietnam.

Chatham to begin chapter of Strong Women, Strong Girls

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In Maine last year, a group of 14 year old girls made history when they petitioned Seventeen to eliminate photoshop editing. Accepting the criticism, the magazine agreed. Seventeen is now photoshop free, and teen girls see real women in every photo.

Working towards positive social change in Pittsburgh, Chatham is creating a new chapter of Strong Women, Strong Girls. Strong Women, Strong Girls pairs college women with elementary school age girls through an afterschool mentoring program.

Strong Women, Strong Girls is a national organization committed to providing young girls with the resources to understand and change the social roles of women. The organization’s website contains various blogs and articles about strong female role models and women’s issues. They even have a blog called “Strong Female Fridays.”

Various organizations are getting involved as well. Chatham volunteers will be working with the Girl Scouts organization throughout schools. Through various activities, the main goal of this club is to find out what young girls want. Once that is determined, an act toward social change becomes the new goal. In order to challenge women’s roles in a positive way, the mentor-student relationship allows the girls to be themselves without feeling vulnerable.

A key aspect of Strong Women, Strong Girls is having college women mentor young women. The organization provides a role model for the girls and relies on that relationship to provide a sense of empowerment for the girls. It also encourages education through these relationships.

That is why Sophomore Kelley Connell wants to be a part of the organization. “I want to be involved in Strong Women, Strong Girls because of the support network it will provide for [young girls],” she said.

Last year, the organization mentored 400 girls with 110 mentors from Carlow University, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Point Park University, and the University of Pittsburgh. It is also a member of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development network.

Often, skill-building activities are used to examine female role models. An organization called Girls Coalition will supply the club with a curriculum filled with activities.

The Girls Coalition works with various female empowering organizations. Hardy Girls is another program geared toward middle school aged. Similar to Strong Women, Strong Girls, the Girls Coalition supplies Hardy Girls with their curriculum as well.

Training will ensure that the correct message is given to the middle school girls. Hardy Girls is not offered as a club, but as an internship opportunity that will be opening up for spring semester.

Strong Women, Strong Girls and its counterparts appear to be a key aspect in creating positive social change for women and girls everywhere. The club allows strong women to teach girls what they’ve learned; and learn from the girls as well.

Waiting for intermission: review of “The World’s End”

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As mentioned in earlier reviews, many of this year’s summer films have failed to live up to their hype. Audiences are seduced by a knockout trailer, but then leave the movie disappointed. Then there are films that lived up to the trailer…of a mediocre film. Such is the case of Edgar Wright’s “The World’s End,” the final installment in the “Cornetto Trilogy.”

Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the film follows Gary King (Pegg) who, in an attempt to relive his high school glory days, rounds up his more successful school buddies to embark on a night of barhopping in their hometown.

As the night drags on, Gary and his friends discover that the town has been taken over by alien robot creatures set with a plan on taking over the world. While there are many entertaining and poignant moments, it is lost in a contrived plot and muddled character motivations. The trailer promises a mediocre sci-fi film and delivers just that, nothing more.

For those few living in the pop culture doldrums, the “Cornetto Trilogy” is a series of parody films starting with “Shaun of the Dead” in 2004. Followed by “Hot Fuzz” in 2007, the trilogy achieved massive international success. What makes the trilogy so appealing is the fact that the films are commentaries of genres rather than simple parodies.

Each film is unique, capable of being watched independently from other films in the trilogy. The film begins on a strong note with the introduction of Gary King. From his trench coat to his Sisters of Mercy tattoo, Gary is an anachronism. When not in rehab, he spends his weekends partying to forget how life has moved on without him. Between the awkward silences between childhood friends and his naïve oblivion, Pegg’s performance of Gary hits almost too close to home. Cataloguing his descent to rock bottom accounts for the film’s poignant moments.

Blending with these moments are very hilarious scenes, including a lengthy conversation on what to call their apocalyptic adversaries. The chemistry displayed between actors Pegg, Frost, Martin Freeman and others is very natural, something which is portrayed in the film’s dialogue. “The World’s End” is a comedy that knows how to be serious.

But oh man, is this movie self-referential. Half of the film’s jokes rely on knowledge of having seen the other films in the “Cornetto Trilogy.” Though the preceding films of the trilogy offered similar jokes, they were few in number. The consistency of these jokes alienates those audiences who have not seen the trilogy and destroys the uniqueness of this film. However, the tendency to rehash the same jokes is not what diminishes the quality of the film; it is lack of a coherent plot.

Many of the subplots shoved into the two-hour film are hinted at but never fully resolved. The climax revolves on a bad joke. Though Gary is slated to have his character transformation, it is haphazard and makes for a stilted end to the film. Despite some moments of fresh comedy, it is watered down, and audiences are left scratching their heads.

Instead of spending $10 on this movie, wait for it to come out on DVD. In the meantime, watch “Shaun of the Dead” or “Hot Fuzz.” You’ll be less disappointed.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

reprinted with permission from the Moviola

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ibQvQUpMTg’]

Horoscopes

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Aries (March 21-April 19): Fire is on your side, Aries. I just looked it up on the Internet, so it’s true.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): It’s never too late to join the circus.

Gemini (May 21-June 21): Sometimes you just have to take a step back and remember to breathe. Mostly because Gemini is an air sign, and I would assume breathing is important.

Cancer (June 22-July 22): The grapes you cannot taste are always sour… Yup.

Leo (July 23-August 22): To guarantee success, act as if it were impossible to fail. Unless you’re attempting to fly, then you might want to keep in mind the 100% chance that you will fail.

Virgo (August 23-September 22): This is a really lovely day! Congratulations!

Libra (September 23-October 22): Over every mountain is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley. Don’t listen to Robert Frost; follow this path; it will be better in the end.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): Search your own heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life. (Yeah, I don’t get it either.)

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): Three can keep a secret if you get rid of two.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Always remember that mistakes are the portals of discovery. How else do you think the Snuggie was invented?

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): Knowledge is priceless…unless you have to pay for tuition.

Pisces (February 19-March 20): Get it Pisces. #Zodiackiller #looktothestars #watersign #blubblubblub

 

Foodie on the half shell: Kombucha for what ails you

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kombuchaA cure-all drug, Kombucha, has recently been introduced into my life at my new job at Whole Foods. Kombucha and I have been inseparable since. This fermented tea is made from sugar, water and tea, and you can add other flavors to make it tasty.

It’s sour, it’s fizzy, it’s technically a mushroom and it is the best thing to hit these taste buds in a while. Kombucha originated in China and was known as a “Godly Tea.” People who drank it were said to live forever. Who knew you could buy eternal life for $3.99 around the corner?

Well, there is no real evidence that Kombucha is a cure-all drug, but I have evidence that it is a spectacular find. I get bored of drinking and eating the same things. We all know what strawberry, garlic and nutty flavors are, but Kombucha introduced me to another realm of taste. Some people think it has a strong vinegar taste, but I find it has more of a sour taste that is very pleasant.

It is also fizzy, which is caused by a natural carbonation that occurs during its fermentation. It’s like a delicious soda, only it’s better for you. You have to watch the sugar content, but I have only drunk bottles with about six to eight grams of sugar in it. Relatively speaking, that isn’t too bad.

Kombucha is made from an ancient recipe from China. It was said to be the elixir of youth, and cured many diseases and other ailments. It is created by growing what they call a “Manchurian mushroom” on top of sweetened tea. The tea is a mystic drink that is said to have many benefits, but no one is quite sure what they are. There isn’t much in this drink. It is lacking in vitamins, and the only significant mineral in it is sodium.

Its name comes from the Chinese word “kombu” which means kelp. It is a confusing term, and it may have been from confusion of what was in it, or from the film on top of the drink while it is fermenting that looks like seaweed. I like the mystery of this delicious drink and just hope that eternal youth is a benefit.

I am really into this drink for a few reasons: It’s a great substitute for juice or soda. There is much less sugar, and the calories are nothing compared to a bottle of fruit juice or Coke. The most calories I have gotten from one of these drinks is a mere 40 calories. Another reason I enjoy it is that it is supposedly very easy to make at home. I don’t have enough time on my hands to jump into that kind of hobby, but it sounds really tempting. This way, you can tailor it to your taste and learn about a new trade.

It also is better for the environment since you wouldn’t be buying glass or plastic bottles from the store. Lastly, I love new, weird things, and this drink has weird all over it. Its taste is unbeatable to the process of making it.

If you want to try a real Kombucha, I recommend the brand Celestial Seasoning. If you want to start off a little milder, I would try Synergy. Their recipe is a version of the traditional recipe. I am addicted, and don’t know where to stop. Kombucha cupcakes? Kombucha candles? Would Kombucha ChapStick be taking it too far?

 

Finish National Novel Writing Month with a full novel

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It’s that time of the year again. The month where suicidal amounts of caffeine and reckless self-endangerment become the norm. That’s right: It’s National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo.

For those WriMos out there who don’t consume massive amounts of caffeine and aren’t fans of reckless self-endangerment in the process of reaching the 50K mark in 30 days, here are 10 tips:

1.     If you do imbibe caffeine, remember to drink juice and water. Nothing kills a novel faster than dehydration.

2.     Take breaks. The only thing you’ll do after staring at your manuscript blankly is delete everything in frustration.

3.     Talk to friends. You never know when they’ll say something you can put into your novel, or just give you the will to hit that next daily word goal.

4.     Edit nothing. You can do that in December after the Thank-Goodness-It’s-Over (TGIO) party. It’s easier to reach 50K if you don’t proof read anything.

5.     Contractions are evil. You can add them in December or not at all, but splitting contractions up is a good word bonus in a pinch.

6.     Drop by the local meet-ups from time to time. Nothing will beat the energy of half a dozen or more writers in the same room, all trying to egg each other on.

7.     Organize a meet-up. If there’s not one that you can get to, organize one closer to home. You can connect with people and take a breather so your writing batteries can recharge.

8.     Plan for the TGIO party. Setting a tangible reward for yourself makes the 50K easier to reach, even if it’s just one big reward.

9.     Eat a cookie. You reached your word count for the day and you deserve one. If you didn’t reach your goal but you wrote some, then you still deserve one. You spent all day massaging cramps out of your hands, and you deserve one.

10.  Pace yourself. Even if you only write the bare minimum a day, you’ll still have the 50K in one month, and you won’t find yourself burning out or abandoning your book because you started to hate your characters.

One last piece of advice: If you start to hate your characters, kill them off and have the new ones solve the crime.

 

Student plays soccer despite injury

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Megan_Cooper

Photo courtesy of Chatham Athletics

Like many college students, Megan Cooper studies hard, likes to sleep and listens to music in her spare time. There is a calm intensity about her and it is reflected in her love of soccer. You would never know that she is battling an ankle injury unless she told you.

A first year political science major from Erie, Pennsylvania, Cooper adores her time so far at Chatham. “I’m an independent person, and living at home was not really my style. Chatham is independent but small enough to reach out to people if you need something,” she said.

Cooper joined Chatham’s soccer team at the beginning of the semester. She started playing soccer at age five when her dad decided to coach her and her sister. Cooper loves the intensity of the game. “With soccer, you’re always moving, always thinking. There are no breaks.”

Cooper made friends at Chatham, mostly through playing soccer. “I’ve never been on a team that’s so close,” she said. “I think it’s a combination of everyone’s personality fitting together. We are like an eccentric family, and we’ve only been playing together for a few months.”

Despite Chatham’s low record this season, Cooper’s soccer coach Betsy Warren said the overall competitive performance of the team has greatly improved. “The win-loss record doesn’t reflect the team’s performance,” she said. “Looking at the number of goals we’re scoring now, it’s a big improvement since last season. We’re definitely turning things around.”

Warren acknowledged that the team plays in a very competitive program but the most important aspect to Warren is that “this team fights to the very end. No matter the score, the team presses on and keeps playing,” she said. “In the last game we scored during the last two minutes.” She added that the team has taken a number of opposing teams into overtime during several close games this season.

Cooper considers herself a pretty aggressive player but often ends up on the ground because of her petite size. She said she works hard to stay with the ball despite other more physically imposing players who try to use her size to their advantage.

Cooper plays soccer despite a muscle called peroneus tendon that rubs on top of her anklebone. She said the injury itself doesn’t have a name. “I have always had this tendon problem. I guess I was born with it; it was just agitated this year more than it ever has been,” she said. “The only way to fix it is to tack the tendon back in place away from the bone.”

Cooper went to the doctor for an MRI and found out she needed surgery to fix the problem. The doctor offered to do surgery right away, but Cooper decided to wait until after the end of the semester so she wouldn’t have to miss class.

“I decided on that option because the pain won’t get any worse, and the tape helps,” Cooper said. “I’m working through it.” She said it helps that her coach knows she’s hurting.

The Doctor gave Cooper special tape to hold the muscle in place so that it doesn’t rub as much while she plays. “It still hurts,” she admitted. “The tape only helps to a certain extent. I still play in pain.”

On a scale of one to 10 (with 10 being the worst), Cooper’s pain level is about a seven when she plays.

Cooper said she is not a quitter and tries to work through the pain. “I have never been one to sit out because I’m in pain,” she said. She feels like it can’t really get worse, and even if it did, she would still prefer to keep playing. Cooper said she continued playing soccer when she broke her arm the first week of high school even though her arm was in a full cast past her elbow. “I wasn’t allowed to play contact, only possession games and shooting drills,” she said.

Coach Warren admires Cooper’s tenacity and said that with a nagging injury like Cooper’s, most people would not keep going the way she does. “[Cooper] plays through the pain, she deals with it and doesn’t complain. She works as hard as she can,” Warren said.

Cooper praised Warren as a coach. She said Warren described herself to the team as, “‘I might be crazy but I’m always honest.’ That really encompasses who she is,” Cooper said. “She’s crazy and maybe a little wild but she knows what she’s talking about.”

Cooper appreciates that Coach Warren doesn’t just give orders but shows the team exactly what she wants them to do, whether it’s to stand a certain way, where to go, when to step or when to wait. Cooper referred to this art as “reading the game.”

“[Coach Warren’s] office is always open. People from the team go to see her all the time,” Cooper said. “She’s part of the reason we’re so close. She’s always laughing at practice. She laughs with us and makes jokes. She helps us bond as a team.”

Cooper said there will a long recovery time after the surgery, but she thinks she will be ready to start playing again next fall.

“My friends are supportive, and my parents don’t really question my decisions,” Cooper said. “They help me through them, but they don’t tell me I’m wrong.”

Cooper said the most important part of her life is to “focus on friends and family and [continue] building these relationships. I don’t think I’d be here without my friends and family.”

 

The costume you should NEVER, EVER choose for Halloween

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I am going to start by saying I love Halloween. I always have. I love the candy, the costumes, the movies, the all around eeriness and especially the discounted candy sold in the days that follow. However, recently I’ve been noticing a trend that is sucking some of the all around awesomeness out of this holiday that I love.

This is not a, “Oh my goodness, girls today wear costumes that are far too revealing,” article I promise. This is a “please for love of god don’t EVER dress in blackface for Halloween” article.

I wish I didn’t have to write this article. It pains me that after years of what many people consider progress towards racial equality I have to write this, I’d honestly rather be gorging myself on Halloween candy than writing an article about something that, to me, just seems so obvious.

I have a sense of humor, I like to laugh, and I don’t feel like it’s my job to go around policing other people, but after seeing a picture of a young man wearing a bloody hoody in blackface dressed to look like 17-year-old Trayvon Martin standing next to another young man wearing a neighborhood watch shirt, clearly meant to be George Zimmerman, I feel I have to say this. Whatever your intentions are, it’s not okay to paint your face brown, cover yourself in “bling,” and masquerade as a black person for Halloween. It’s tasteless, it’s insulting and it’s wrong on so many different levels.

“But why?” Some of you may be wondering. Part of the fun of Halloween is the chance to be something you’re not for one night. It’s just a joke, some of you might say. Respectfully, anyone who says or thinks that is sadly mistaken. The history of blackface is ugly and hurtful.

Let’s rewind back to the 1800s before television and internet minstrel shows were all the rage. In the 1800s white actors would paint their faces black and give themselves exaggerated features e.i. big mouths and big white lips.

For the entertainment of white audiences, the actors portrayed caricatures about free African-Americans and slaves that embodied pretty much every stereotype about black men and women: sexually aggressive, violent, lazy, unintelligent and to be kept away from whites at all costs. One minstrel show caricature in particular became so popular that it was eventually used as the name for perhaps some of the most oppressive and discriminatory laws in our nation’s history: Jim Crow.

When you’re black or brown in America, finding a costume can be tricky because often there are not many characters who look like you. I love superheroes and over the years I’ve been almost every female super hero from Supergirl to Wonder Woman, but not once have I, as a black person, ever dressed in “white-face” to portray these characters, and I don’t ever plan to because it’s tasteless and unnecessary among other things.

I’m not implying that every person who chooses to make the choice to dress in blackface for Halloween is an evil, KKK-hood-wearing, cross-burning-on-lawns racist. I’ll acknowledge that some people really don’t understand why dressing in blackface is hurtful and insulting because they have different histories.

However, no matter what your intentions are, if you dress in blackface or pretend to be any other race that has long suffered societal and systematic discrimination, you are displaying racism. Think about it, would it be okay to dress up as a holocaust survivor on Halloween?

Halloween is a time for fun, costumes and sugar highs. It’s not an excuse to mock others’ cultures, identities and tragedies. You want to dress up as your favorite rapper, tv character, or maybe our current president? Go for it! But don’t paint your face to resemble the race of that person or character. Although race may be a part of who a person is, it doesn’t make up the entirety that person or character.

So next year, please be a zombie, a ghost or a homicidal 1950s housewife like I plan to be, but please for the love of god, do not dress in blackface or paint your face in any way to resemble a race you are not. Please don’t ever make me have to write an article like this again.

 

Why it’s important to vote in local elections

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The 2013 general elections are here. Candidates for the mayoral race and many more local public offices as well as a variety of citizen initiatives in various states will be on the ballot on November 5.

Only a small percentage of the United States citizens pay any attention to this day. Paige Carrigan, 21 and a senior at Chatham University is not one of those people. “I do it because I can. [It’s] something I’ve grown up with. My parents and teachers taught me it’s a good thing to do,” she said. “It’s important enough that you have your right to vote, because so many people around the world can’t express their opinions.”

Carrigan does not represent all of the voter community though; only about 20 percent of the voter population takes part in local elections. In an effort to increase participation and interest in local elections, the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics (PCWP) took the initiative and asked an expert panel to talk about citizenship and involvement in local elections. The event was held on October 22 and moderated by Dana Brown, PCWP executive director.

Jennie Sweet-Cushman, a panelist and visiting assistant professor of political science at Chatham, said that as a result of the very low participation in the local elections, they are being decided by just a very few people.

One of the important reasons Cushman attributed to the poor participation in local elections is that there is not a lot of information at the local level. People are not really familiar with the issues, the candidates and how the campaign has played out because local elections are covered differently in the national media. People have to work hard to find out what’s going on, and since they have limited time, research is not always possible for them.

“It is your right, as a citizen of the United States, to exercise it and vote,” Cushman said, referring to the Women’s Right Movement in the 1900s and how hard women fought for the right to vote. She added that it would be a shame to those who struggled if women do not exercise this very right.

This is something Carrigan understands. “Women couldn’t vote before the 1920s,” she said. “I would do it for those women, because if I lived back then, I would have wanted my voice to be heard.”

Cushman added that taking part in local elections is important for preserving the health of the democracy of this country and for holding the elected leaders accountable. Elected officials know that young people don’t usually vote, so when they’re making policy decisions, it’s a lot easier to “put the meat of the young people on the back burner,” and only consider the people who will vote in their policy making decisions. Cushman asserts that politicians will pay more attention to the issues that concern the young people once they start voting.

Susan Hockenberry, executive director of the Local Government Academy (LGA) also emphasized the importance of voting in the local elections, stating that local governments exist within an intergovernmental system that is totally dependent on one another. The interplay between the state, local and national levels of government is incredibly important to the effectiveness of governmental period. The importance of those local elections, Hockenberry said, is to decide who is in charge of vital local services.

“Even though we had a very serious critical shutdown of the national government, we still as citizens avail ourselves to a number of important services, and those services are important, not just because they’re convenient to have, but because they actually contribute to the economic competitiveness and the quality of life in our regions, and the regions are the economic engines of the country,” she said.

Anette Shimer, Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh provided the audience with websites that include necessary information for polling place locations and viewing ballots, as well as information about candidates and explained further about the process of voting.

Marita Garrett, candidate-elect for Wilkinsburg Borough Council and a Chatham graduate student, prompted the audience to get involved in their communities just as she is, explaining that the hardest part is being dedicated and interested. “Locals affect your day-to-day life, and this is where your vote actually makes a difference.”

Voting Resources

Polling Place Locator and View Ballot

http://apps.county.allegheny.pa.us/VoteDistricts

Information about Candidates

http://smartvoter.org/pa/al/

Heathers spread suicide awareness at Chatham

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On October 19, Irish indie-pop duo Heathers came to Chatham University to raise awareness for suicide prevention. The band, made up of twin sisters Louise and Ellie Macnamara, got a standing ovation and an encore before ending the night with a Q&A.

The Macnamara sisters, now 23, began the band at age 17. They grew up in a musical home—playing piano since age six. Their brother and friends were often in bands, and the sisters began going to concerts by age 14. At 17, Louise learned to play guitar, and the sisters began putting their music on MySpace where they became popular.

“I think it is amazing being able to play your own songs that you’ve written to people and for people to be able to relate to them,” said Ellie.

Louise added, “I find it quite therapeutic, I guess. It’s nice to write songs and get your feelings out that way.”

Louise and Ellie began writing their first album, “Here Not There,” when they were 17 and working towards their Leaving Certification to graduate from school in Ireland. That was when they met Ghost Mice, an American band who was touring Ireland at the time.

They played a show together and bonded instantly. Chris Johnston of Ghost Mice runs his own label, Plan-It-X Records and invited the girls to join his band on tour in the United States.

Since then, the twins have gone to university and toured quite a lot. “It’s nice knowing when you’re on tour and you’re having a really bad day that your sister’s there with you—rather than feeling alone,” said Louise.

In Ireland, one of their songs was used in a tourism ad campaign, and Ellie and Louise felt inspired to write a new album. The new album, “Kingdom,” was released in Ireland last September and is beginning to be released in Canada and Central Europe.

The new album was recorded with German producer Max Dingel who has previously worked with artists like The Killers, Muse, White Lies and Weezer.

Ellie and Louise said they do not particularly feel influenced by any artists, but they grew up listening to Simon and Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, Sharon Shannon, Planxty, Destiny’s Child and the Spice Girls. They listen to just about anything nowadays, which gives them a unique sound personally.

The Heathers based their band name off the 80s classic movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. You can see more devotion to the movie in songs on their first album such as “Veronica” and “What’s Your Damage”.

The movie has a lot to do with suicide and suicide prevention—as does the band Heathers. The sisters recently released a single from “Kingdom” in the United States titled “Forget Me Knots.” They wrote the song for a friend who took her own life, and suicide prevention is a cause that is very close to their hearts.

“There’s such a big stigma attached to mental health and suicide, and it’s just scary how people don’t feel like they can talk about these things,” said Ellie.

“Forget Me Knots” features a line in the chorus that repeats, “It’s alright not to feel okay.” The song most recently became the anthem for Cycle Against Suicide, a 1400 km bike race around Ireland to raise awareness for suicide prevention. When the Heathers came to Chatham, the girls set up a table in Eddy Theatre’s lobby where attendees could donate money to such a cause.

The freezing rain kept Eddy Theatre from getting too crowded, creating an intimate atmosphere for the show. The Heathers played their hearts out and won countless fans in the process.

After the show, everyone in the audience was very eager to find out when “Kingdom” would be released in the United States. The Macnamara sisters could not give a date, but they said it would be out sometime this year.

They had a strong, catchy set-list including their single, “Forget Me Knots”, and even a cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness”. Ellie and Louise charmed the audience with anecdotes from their childhood and praise for Chatham’s beautiful campus.

Following an encore, they concluded the night with a Q&A. The biggest questions were, “Can we buy your music on iTunes?” and “When will you be back?”

As of right now, “Here Not There” and “Forget Me Knots” are available on iTunes, and the sisters say they hope to be back very soon.