By Erica LaBranche The Summit After studying abroad in South Africa, Allison Verbyla wanted to find a way to continue the work she was devoted to there, and a few months later, that opportunity came to her in her email inbox. Soon after she returned from abroad, Verbyla, a junior, said she received an email from the Office of International Programs telling her about a conference recommended by SIT, her study abroad program. The conference was the Unite for Sight Global Health and Innovation Conference, to be hosted by Yale University. Verbyla said that this conference was described as “a …

By Silvana Vivas The Summit As he quietly sipped tea from a Dunkin’ Donuts cup, Anthony Rapp listened while theatre students asked him what it takes to be in the musical theatre business. “Have you ever thought about giving up?” said Nick Ryan, a senior at Bridgewater State University from Marshfield, Mass. “I never really thought about giving up. It’s not in my nature,” Rapp said. Such was one of many life tips Rapp, the actor best known for playing the role of Mark Cohen in the rock-opera Rent, gave students during the dinner preceding his talk at Stonehill on Wednesday, March 21 in the …

By Jessica Kennedy Summit Editor Stonehill College officials say the woman who claimed in a federal suit that her roommate’s sexual behavior led to the deterioration of her mental health never brought those allegations up while a student, according to school officials and a document filed in court. Former Stonehill College student Lindsay Blankmeyer filed a lawsuit against the school in U.S. District Court in Boston Feb. 29, demanding $150,000 in damages, alleging college staff did nothing to help her with her roommate problems. She alleged in her lawsuit that the college violated the Fair …

By Craig Riotto The Summit President Obama delivered a hard message to colleges across America in his State of the Union Address. “If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down,”Obama said. In his address, Obama also made a direct demand of Congress to extend the tuition tax credit and stop student loan interest from doubling in July. What does this mean for Stonehill and its students? Sophomore Gordon Soper, an engineering major, said Stonehill would benefit from the changes. “Tuition has been gradually increasing every year,” he said. “If schools …

By Jill Jansson Summit News Editor Sterlynn Robbins, an ex-Stonehill student who threatened in a text message to blow up the school, was sentenced in federal court to 36 months supervised release with special conditions. U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf on Jan. 24 ordered Robbins, 23, to pay $200  in fines penalties in addition to 36 months supervised release, according to court documents filed in the Boston federal courthouse. Prosecutors were seeking three years supervised release while Robbins’ attorneys sought 18 months supervised release. Under the terms of his supervised release, …

  By Jill Jansson Summit News Editor Aria Spa on Belmont Street just over the Easton town line in Brockton was shut down after the owner was arrested on prostitution-related charges, authorities said. Terry A. Mussari, 45, of Stoughton, the owner, was arrested on Saturday, Oct. 22 after a month-long investigation by an undercover trooper, according to the state attorney general’s office.   Musari pleaded not guilty in Brockton District Court and was released on $2,000 bail. The case will continue on Jan. 9. The attorney general’s office, in a prepared release, said the investigation by …