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The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

The Daily Free Press

The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University.

The Daily Free Press

The Daily Free Press

Dalton and the Sheriffs plays their set on the Green Stage at Boston Calling.

Dalton and the Sheriffs called in to kickstart summer at Boston Calling

By Kate Kotlyar June 1, 2025
Doors for the Boston Calling Music Festival opened at 1 p.m. May 23, but Brian Scully didn’t know he was performing until he got the call at 10:30 that morning.
Crowd members put up their flashlights during headliner Avril Lavigne’s set on the second day of Boston Calling. The festival featured various genres — from alternative to country — throughout the weekend.

REVIEW: Boston Calling 2025: 3 days, 3 genres, 3 crowds

By Samantha Marshall May 29, 2025
Friday belonged to “emo cowgirls,” Saturday to rock lovers and Sunday to 1990s alternative fans. All weekend long, prominent headliners and small artists alike brought energy and variety to the Boston Calling crowd at Harvard Athletics Complex from May 23 to 25 — despite the gloomy weather. 
Audience members dance to Avril Lavigne’s set on Day 2 of the 2025 Boston Calling music festival. This year’s lineup featured musicians from a variety of genres, including emo pop-punk band Fall Out Boy, hip-hop artist T-Pain and country singers Luke Combs and Sheryl Crow.

Boston Calling Music Festival 2025 attracts widespread fanbase

By Kavitha Koshkarian and Samantha Marshall May 29, 2025
New England’s top music festival, Boston Calling, drew fans from the East Coast and beyond , filling the Harvard Athletics Complex with a ferris wheel, food vendors and multi-stage performances from May 23-25. 
BU’s Center for Autism Research Excellence, directed by Professor Emerita Helen Tager-Flusberg. Several professors at BU, including Flusberg, voiced concerns about the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to discover the root cause of autism.

‘Autism is not a simple disease’: RFK Jr.’s claims spark waves of backlash from BU autism researchers

By Jack Schwed and Paisley Huang May 20, 2025

Playing baseball, writing poetry, going out on dates — these are all activities that individuals with autism will “never be able to” partake in, said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert...

BU juniors Luca Piekarski (left) and Loup Wang (right) collaborated with Wang’s high school friend and University of Alabama senior Vance Spears (middle) to create Ascendia, a job-searching platform specialized for college students. Set to launch by the end of May, Ascendia uses artificial intelligence to make the job and internship application process more efficient.

BU students turn internship chaos into code with new AI platform ‘Ascendia’

By Samantha Genzer, Managing Co-Editor May 15, 2025
After applying to internships and jobs last summer, Boston University juniors Loup Wang and Luca Piekarski found the process frustrating and inefficient, which inspired them to find a solution. The two teamed up with Wang’s high school friend, University of Alabama senior Vance Spears, to create their own solution: Ascendia, a web-based platform that uses artificial intelligence to help college students navigate and personalize the internship application process.
High heels including strappy, stiletto and platform lined up on the table in front of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel. BU Student Government’s Sexual Assault Prevention department’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, where male-identifying students walked a mile in high heels to spread awareness of sexual violence against women.

Male-identifying students at BU walk a mile in high heels to raise awareness about sexual violence

By Isabelle Zhang May 12, 2025
Strappy, stiletto and platform —  such were the types of high heels lined up on the table in front of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel. After some deliberation, sophomore Nathan Ramirez picked out an open-toed pair and slipped them on. These, he decided, would be his shoes for his mile-long trek down Commonwealth Avenue.
The feed in the Sway app. Sway is an app where each day users post one song and can view, like and dislike the songs posted by their friends, allowing users to discover new music.

‘BeReal for music’: BU student develops song sharing platform to ‘Sway’ your music taste in new directions

By Lauren Albano, Editor-in-Chief May 2, 2025
Boston University senior Zane Mroue considers his music taste “very niche” compared to his friends. He tried to search for other users online who share his preferences, but he found them difficult to find using Spotify and other existing platforms.
Rashik Hossain. Hossain is a graduate student at Boston University and an intern at MeaVana. COURTESY OF LAUREN STUDIOS

Browser extension MeaVana seeks expansion on college campuses, focuses on personalized experience

By Mohan Zhang May 2, 2025
When opening a new browser tab, Shiv Dutt saw an opportunity.  Dutt is the founder and CEO of MeaVana, a fast-growing Google Chrome extension that allows users to customize their dashboard to their needs.  
Anthony Buono. Buono is a Boston University College of Arts and Sciences alum and the current president of the Town Meeting Members Association. COURTESY OF JOE BOSCO

BU alum, YDSA President Anthony Buono makes strides in Brookline Town Meeting as one of youngest members

By Brian Chan May 2, 2025
Though Anthony Buono, an undergraduate and graduate alum from Boston University College of Arts and Sciences, was always interested in politics, he never thought he would become a politician. 
Matthew Teitelbaum. Teitelbaum will retire as Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in June. COURTESY OF MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON

The making of ‘a museum for Boston’: MFA director prepares to step down after a decade of change

By John Tatum May 2, 2025
Since Matthew Teitelbaum joined the Museum of Fine Arts as its Ann and Graham Gund Director in August 2015, over 8.3 million people have experienced the museum’s collection and exhibitions.
Ben & Jerry’s, in partnership with local food influencer Armani Thao, Boston University PRLab and the nonprofit Autism Eats, launched a new ice cream flavor to raise money and awareness for autism-friendly dining during Autism Awareness Month.

Ben & Jerry’s, BU PR Lab, local influencer team up for inclusive ice cream campaign supporting autism awareness

By Samantha Genzer, Managing Co-Editor May 1, 2025
When local food influencer Armani Thao asked his nephew Landon to help create a new ice cream sundae, Landon had one response — “Ooooh yeah.”
A DiscoverBrookline.com sign. The town of Brookline offers many opportunities for young people to get involved in the local government.

Brookline cultivates space for youth activists, advocates

By Sana Muneer, Managing Co-Editor April 30, 2025
Brookline’s political system makes it accessible to young people — and it has fostered an environment with a strong emphasis on civic and youth participation.
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