As the semester comes to an end, The Promethean has put together a special Holiday Edition of our publication to help ease the stress of the end of the semester. Our special holiday issue (On stands now!) is filled with special fun and exciting holiday articles, games, facts, recipes and holiday greetings that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

So walk away from your term papers for just a few minutes! Take a study break and read The Promethean! (…and when you’re finished pass it on to a friend!) Happy holidays from The Promethean!

End-of-Semester Remarks from Editor in Chief

from Dec. 6th issue

As the semester has flown by, The Promethean has been there to cover many of the exciting events that have happened at Siena. We’ve inaugurated a president, celebrated 70 years, and even purchased a new house!
The Promethean itself has also made exciting news through launching its very first student-run website (sienapromethean.com), which I am happy to report has received over 4,000 hits since going live.
No matter what The Promethean has accomplished this semester, it would not be possible without the continued efforts of our editors and staff writers. I would like to express my highest thanks to the entire Promethean staff for all that they have done this semester. It is through their continued contributions that The Promethean continues to be first-rate.
Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
Christopher Hannmann
Editor in Chief
The Promethean

Giving Tree: Sharing Christmas

By Christine Mundy

With the holidays drawing near, it is always important to remember those less fortunate. Here’s an awesome opportunity to do just that. Right here on campus, Franciscan Giving Trees are set up with gift tags each representing a Christmas wish.
The Campus Ministry started the Giving Tree project about fifteen years ago, and since then, the Siena community has been extremely generous in providing gifts and Christmas cheer to local families. A little over nine years ago, The Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy took over the project and Project Giving Tree is thriving- thanks to the continued support of Siena students and community members.
The Franciscan Giving Tree currently helps 20 local social service agencies in the Capital District. According to Judy Dougherty, Assistant Director, the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy,  explains that the Giving Tree currently helps “homeless shelters to children’s centers to nursing homes to different Catholic Charities services – such as children with disabilities to people suffering from AIDS.”
The Franciscan Giving Tree project gets a lot of help from The Volunteer Ministry Association (a student club who regularly volunteer their time) when it comes to putting up the trees, and adorning them with the different gift tags. They also help in purchasing last minute gifts towards the end of the semester to ensure that the project can help spread as much good as possible. They also assist in sorting the gifts once they arrive and running the entire process behind the scenes. Dougherty claims, “It is a lot of fun but can get hectic as over 1,000 gifts start coming in and need to be organized!”
Last year due to the generosity of the Siena community, our Giving Trees were able to bring in 1500 gifts! Dougherty predicts, “This year should be another record setting year as the need and the requests have increased over last year.” There are three Giving trees set up this year for your convenience; one in Serazen Student Union, one in Foy Hall and one in the Chaplain’s office. By simply picking a card and buying the corresponding gift, you are helping to bring a smile to kids and adults  in the Albany  area.
Different sectors in the Siena Community make a group effort to get involved with The Giving Trees. Besides individuals who pick cards, student clubs, and many of the offices on campus “Adopt” local families or choose several cards therefore incrementally increasing the number of gifts, which end up under the trees. All of the athletic teams on campus as well participate by getting gifts for a local family. The community-feel and the Franciscan nature of the Siena campus makes it a great place for a program like The Giving Tree. It’s not only the current students who participate in this generous act- alumni contact Judy annually to contribute to the efforts of The Giving Tree. Even one former employee of the college picks up twenty or so cards and has her new office participate.
In regards to the turn around rate of the gift cards, Judy happily reports that almost all of the cards are returned with gifts attached. Although the huge demand leads to a few cards remaining at the end of the project, the Siena community is “always very generous and most of the cards are returned”.
Don’t forget, the Giving Trees have recently been restocked! You can find a fresh batch of gift tags adorning the trees. The directions are simple and the payoff is the indescribable feeling of bringing some Christmas to those less fortunate.

Saints Claim Capital Cup

By Andrew Reilly

In a game of two teams from the same city, a win would surely earn bragging rights.  For the third straight year, Siena secured its right to say it is the best team in the Capital District. They proved this to a packed house of 13, 262 at the Times Union Center filled with fans decked out in gold.           
The Saints started off the game strong winning the tip off and scoring 8 points right away and continued to put points on the board, going on a 17-0 run to put distance between them and Albany.  But Albany would battle back to put them with in 10 points at half time, making the score 43-33 in Siena’s favor.
In the second half, the Saints came out strong again taking a commanding lead of 56-36, making the game look to be a blow out, but the Great Danes thought otherwise.  They would again battle back shutting down the Saints offense for almost eight  minutes and coming up with their own 16-0 run to put them within 4 points of the lead with only 4:38 to left in the game. This forced McCaffery to call a time out and slow down Albany.
After the Time out Alex Franklin stopped Albany’s momentum with an offensive rebound resulting in a 3 point play, Franklin also added a huge dunk over two defenders to make the score 68-59 with 2:24 to play, but Albany would keep coming back being within 2 points with 6.6 seconds left.  But Franklins 2 foul shots with 6 seconds left secured the victory for Siena 75-71
Siena shot 51 percent from the field and forced 17 turnovers, while Albany shot 41 percent from the field.  Alex Franklin led the Saints in scoring with 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Kenny Hasbrouck added 18 points.
Coach McCaffery should be pleased with the win after a tough loss against Cornell. “We need to utilize the basketball and come out with a win to build up confidence” McCaffery said prior to the game.   The Saints (3-3) will go to Fairfield this week to open MAAC play, hoping to improve their record before going into the long Christmas break.

Advent: A Time to Reflect

By Br. Linh Hoang OFM

After Thanksgiving feasting is done, many of us rush toward Christmas and the holiday season preoccupied with buying the right gifts and planning the perfect parties. For the anxious students, there are also exams and projects needing attention. With all of these activities and worries, many of us forget that there is a season between Thanksgiving and Christmas that calls us to slow down—Advent.
Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year in the Church. It is a time to wait for the birth of Jesus Christ. This waiting is anticipation of the most marvelous gift that the world has received. In waiting, we prepare ourselves in many different ways. People set aside time to pray more, read the birth narratives in the Gospels, do some charitable works, or spend more time with family and friends. This preparation also calls forth having three approaches: hindsight, foresight and insight. It is the hindsight to reflect back on the year: what has been good, what has been not good. It is the foresight to hope and dream about the future: what can I do to be better, what can I do to help others. It is the insight to reflect about oneself: what is important in my life, what do I appreciate. Advent gives us to time to look back on the year in order to appreciate the small gift that is offered to us at Christmas.