Issue I Fall 2022
Caz to Afghan Family: Welcome! By Miranda Hamilton and Madison Lee
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his summer, Cazenovia welcomed a family from Afghanistan into the community. In partnership with Cazenovia College, an organization called Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees was one of many collaborators involved in the process of helping the family start their new lives in their new home at 43 Lincklaen St. The family came to the United States following the August 2021 withdrawal of U.S. armed forces that ended the 20-year war, according to The New York Times. About 82,000 Afghans, many of whom had worked with Americans during the war as translators and drivers, were evacuated to the United States. At least 200 Afghan evacuees have settled in the Syracuse area with help from
local agencies, according to local news reports. The Afghan family living in Cazenovia — mom, dad and four children — said through representatives they were too overwhelmed to speak with The Quad. Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees is a community-based initiative dedicated to working directly with people who were resettled refugees as they integrate into American life. Formed in 2016, the organization works in partnership with the community, other private organizations and programs such as Interfaith Works of Syracuse. “A group of people in Cazenovia got together and asked, ‘How can we impact this global issue of refugees?’” said Kathy Bice, one of the
Cazenovia College President David Bergh, left, stands with partners who helped welcome a family of evacuees from Afghanistan settle into a house at 43 Lincklaen St. (Courtesy of Cazenovia College)
co-facilitators at CWR. “Caz College had this property and it was previously being used as storage,” Bice said of the Lincklaen house. “The deal we made, all three organizations coming together, was Caz College would allow us to renovate the property in order to move in another family.” The college once used the building for student housing, according to the college’s website. Bice said the house has undergone significant renovation. “If you’d seen it from the beginning, you’d have an appreciation of what kind of shape it was in,” she said. “It was not an easy process.” COVID-19 protocols limited how often and how many volunteers could work on the house. “It slowed us down,” Bice said. Local companies helped out. “We worked with a construction company that was interested in what we were doing with refugees. He agreed to work on the house at a discounted price,” Bice said. “We basically gutted the house and had to completely rebuild the kitchen.” Some Cazenovia College students contributed to the project through the interior design program. “Students from one of the classes there drew up some designs for us,” she said. “They were very helpful.” This is the second family CWR has helped resettle a family. In August 2018, they helped a family from Iraq move to Cazenovia. Bice said the family now rents a house in Cazenovia that was purchased from them by a member
Cazenovia Public Library screens global film fest shorts By Miranda Hamilton
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he Manhattan Short Film Festival has blossomed from a side-of-the road venture created by Nicholas Mason to a widely attended event ranging across six continents and more than 500 cities. The village of Cazenovia has its own special connection to the festival that spurred a change in how the films would be shown. It also helped to showcase the importance of community and culture. Thanks to the Cazenovia Public Library, the festival — in its 25th year — has expanded to libraries nationwide. The Manhattan Short Film Festival finals takes place simultaneously at multiple locations over 10 days and invites viewers to vote for best film and best actor awards at each participating venue. Votes will be tallied and
a combined worldwide to elect global winners. “The Cazenovia Library and what they are doing is amazing,” Mason said. “Libraries are not the first place you would expect to be involved with a film festival, let alone show outstanding reception. We are really impressed with the numbers.” More than 60 U.S. libraries, including Cazenovia’s, are participating this year. Mason attributes the large turnout and engagement to the library’s assistant director, Elisha Davies. Davies was eager to take part in this event and felt that the library would be a perfect way for the community to become involved. “Libraries are not just about books, libraries are community centers,” Davies said.
of the Presbyterian church. “I think it has worked out well for them,” she said. Bice said the Afghani family is adjusting well to their new lives in Cazenovia. “It is a big adjustment, culturally, and to learn about Cazenovia,” she said. “They are still learning about our customs. It just takes time.” Bice said the family’s four children have had a positive experience in their new home so far. “Two of them have started school and had bikes donated to them,” she said. “I think they are very happy to be able to go out and play.” CWR has checked in with the family often and has invited them to local events such as the Fourth of July celebration. Bice said they also helped them with navigating the town. “We let them know where things are like where to get groceries, little things like that,” she said. CWR’s single goal is to make sure the new family is comfortable in Cazenovia. “The only thing we’re focusing on right now is working on this family and getting them settled, oriented, feel welcomed and at home, and making sure they are getting their needs met,” Bice said. “Eventually we would love to settle in another family.” Bice said there are ways people can get involved in Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees through volunteer opportunities and community outreach programs or organized events like their annual “Extending the Table” community dinner in October. To learn more about Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees and how to get involved, visit their website, cazwelcomesrefugees.org or contact them at cazwelcomesrefugees@gmail.com.
Staff Abigail Wilhelm Co-editor Carrie Farmer Co-editor Haley Shattuck Layout designer renee K. Gadoua Adviser
The Cazenovia Public Library will host a showing of short films in the Manhattan Short Film Festival. (Courtesy of Manhattan Short Film Festival) Continued on page 2
Miranda Hamilton Madison Lee Valona WhiteHead Melissa Place Other Contributors
ISSUE I Fall 2022
Around Campus
Page Number 2
THE QUAD
Words from the college Lecture series to focus on Ukraine Cazenovia College will present the first of a new annual four-part Wheler Family Great Minds Lecture Series entitled On the Ground in Ukraine on Oct. 27 at 3:30 p.m. The lecture will feature two women who left their homes and businesses to assist Ukrainians during the war. Christina Bobesky, associate professor of Human Services, will lead the conversation and accept questions from the audience. This lecture is free and will be hosted on Zoom. Advance registration is required. Please email cmbobseky@ cazenovia.edu to reserve your spot.
College recognized for excellence For the 19th consecutive year, Cazenovia College has been ranked among the top undergraduate regional colleges by U.S. News & World Report. According to the latest rankings released on September 12, 2022, Cazenovia is ranked at No. 11 for “Best Colleges,” No. 2 in terms of student social mobility, and the No. 2 “Best Value” college in the north region, an 11-state area consisting of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the New England states.
Historic property donated to college Cazenovia College recently received one of the largest individual gifts in its history, a $1.8 million-dollar property at 9 Sullivan St., which includes one- and two-bedroom apartments. Previously, the college rented the complex for student housing. The building, named “The 1850,” was dedicated Sept. 23. Philanthropists Patricia Rickett Christakos ‘77 and Sparky Christakos donated the residence to honor their parents, Peg Rickett, and Harriet and Nicholas Christakos. Peg Rickett served at Cazenovia College 1971-1990 as director of residences and assistant dean of students. Harriet and Nicholas Christakos have supported the college for decades, with Nicholas as a trustee emeritus, and board chair 1975- 1976. The site of the building, 9 Sullivan St., is the historic site of the Cazenovia Fugitive Slave Law Convention of 1850. In August of 1850, Frederick Douglass joined Gerrit Smith and 2,000 other abolitionists to protest the Fugitive Slave Law, a pending act of Congress designed to prosecute freed slaves in the North as well as those that aided them. Th
Get Out There. You wont regret it. By Abigail Wilhelm
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his life is full of opportunity; you
just have to want to take advantage of it. After more than 30 months of travel and crowd restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are abundant opportunities that many of us young citizens had a hard time participating in when we became of age. Even as things start back up, the world does still feel bleak, with national and international instability, but that doesn’t mean you have to be complacent. The littlest action could make a huge change in your life — or someone else’s. If not, you can still say you made an effort. There is plenty to do around you, even in tiny Cazenovia, but you need an open mind. College isn’t a time for the same old thing. You’re in a space where you have the freedom to try new things, get involved in a new community and so much more. Although times are challenging, in college the world is truly at your fingertips. If you really want to make the most of it, it’s truly up to you. Whether it’s as simple as keeping up with campus news or reaching out to participate and make a difference in the community, no effort is too sma-
These items are adapted from stories that first appeared on Cazenovia College’s website.
ll. I’m convinced the biggest hurdle that students face is their own closed minds. It takes a little time to discover what’s around here, but it’s worth it in the long run. A lot of students come to college with the expectation that there will be loads of parties and that’s all that is fun to do while in school, but that notion is incredibly shortsighted. Frankly, if your only goal in college is to party, you are
Photo by Abigail Wilhelm
blow off steam and make new friends, but there are other ways to spend your free time that will be of more benefit. But it has to start with you. Put yourself out there. It takes energy and can be scary, but your personal growth will overcome the difficulty in the long run. Start following your hometown’s local politics and participate. Register to vote. You can do that online or in person by Oct. 14. This is an important election (Tuesday, Nov. 8). No complaining if you didn’t vote. Go outside. The region offers tons of beautiful local parks to spend what little nice weather we have left before Cazenovia starts to live up to its nickname: The Snow Globe. Keep your eyes open as you walk around town and campus. Lots of posters and flyers advertise events. Make sure you take advantage of bingo whenever it comes around! Get outside your comfort zone. Try something new and say “hello” to someone you don’t know. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned a lot of people off spontaneous socializing, but you never know where a chance meeting could lead. Life is short; make the most of it!
wasting your time and money. Don’t get me wrong: it’s important (and fun) to The site of this building at 9 Sullivan St. was the site of the 1850 Cazenovia Fugitive Slave Law Convention. It has been donated to the college. (Courtesy of Cazenovia College) Continued from page 1
That perspective was a game changer in how Mason approached finding venues for the festival. “What she said to me was really pivotal in me being aggressive with the libraries,” Mason said. “The first year after that line that Elisha told me, about 14 more libraries joined and the feedback was phenomenal,” Mason said. “I realized that they were community centers.” People like Davies are natural advocates and can enact big and progressive change, he noted. “She (Davies) is a community leader,” Mason said, “and
there is a real passion of bringing culture to your community.” The global nature of the festival “was never the plan,” Mason said. “At the start it was just showing films.” Now it has become a global event that attracts people from all different backgrounds to unify over the art of film. Mason urged students to attend the festival not only because it is community based, but because it is a good opportunity for students to gain experience and culture. “Because it’s there, they should go, seize it, take it,” he said.
The details What: The Manhattan Short Film Festival Where: Cazenovia Public Library, 100 Albany St. When: 6 p.m. Sept. 30 and 1 p.m. Oct. 1 Cost: Free Nicholas Mason, creator of the Manhattan Short Film Festival, is pleased the event’s finals will be shown at Cazenovia Public Library. (Courtesy of Nicholas Mason)
More information: Call the library at 315.655.9322 or visit the Manhattan Short Film Festival website
ISSUE I Fall 2022
Sports/Comic
Page Number 3
THE QUAD
Wildcats kick off 2022-23 athletics season By Valona Whitehead
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azenovia College students have many different opportunities to get involved. Among those are a variety of sports to pick and choose from. Here are highlights of the fall sports season. • The women’s volleyball season started off with 2-5 wins and now they are all the way up to 5-10 wins, winning against SUNY Polytechnic Institute this weekend and a loss against SUNY Canton. Some players were unable to play this game and one of their players got injured and was taken to the hospital. • The women’s soccer team took on the University of Maine and won against them Sept. 24. Now their overall record is 2-4-1. • The men’s soccer team recently played against University of Maine and the score was 0-2, leaving them with an overall score this season of 1-3-2. • Sophomore Karissa Decosse of the women’s volleyball team and sophomore Miruho Kandagira of the men’s soccer team were named Wildcats of the Week ending Sept. 18.
• Decosse had a strong week for the Wildcats, helping them pick up two wins against Keystone College and SUNY Polytechnic Institute. • Sophomore Kandagira also had a strong offensive week, he scored two goals against SUNY Polytech before halftime. • The women’s softball team is starting early with a couple scrimmages against their own teammates. Fall ball has been practicing since the second week of school. They have three games coming up at Finger Lakes Community College. • Women’s and men’s basketball started practicing early as well, with just a few pick-up games to get them ready for the new upcoming season. • Baseball, softball, and women’s and men’s basketball have been working at the Syracuse University football games every weekend to raise money to cover their overnight stays for winter and spring tournaments. The money that they raise is also for their apparel so that the students do not have to pay as much money out of their own pockets.
Photo Courtesy of Cazenovia College
The Incompetent Robbers
By Melissa Place
Around Campus
ISSUE I Fall 2022
Page Number 4
THE QUAD
Voices at caz
ABIGAIL WILHELM ASKED CAZENOVIA COLLEGE STUDENTS: “WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR?” Andy Hansen
Jessica Monaghen
Class of 2024
Class of 2023
Class of 2023
graphic design major
“Things going back to normal. Being a junior, I hear stories about what Caz used to be like, and now I finally get to see it!”
Amira Cole psychology major
photography major
“I’m excited to graduate and get my BFA. It’s a big milestone for me, I have a learning disability and crossed a lot of hurdles to get here, so I’m very proud of myself. I’m also excited for Caz Madness because it’s my last one, and I’m ready to go out with a bang!”
“Finishing Capstone. It means I’ve accomplished a really great thing after all these years, and I will finally have something to show for it.”
Jae Lee
Alaya Rivera
Class of 2024
Class of 2024
visual communication and advertising design major
human services major
“I’m excited about creating more work and learning from classmates and professors. I’m also excited to be able to explore and enjoy campus more with the world starting to reopen.”
“Improving campus. It’s something I have been slowly and surely been working on since I’ve been here, and we are finally getting some new people involved, which means new beginnings!”
The Quad needs your help The Quad has resumed publishing three print issues each semester and seeks contributors and staff members. Send ideas for stories; information about events; and suggestions for student writers, graphic artists, photographers to TheQuad@cazenovia.edu/. Submissions will be accepted on an ongoing basis. The deadline for a specific issue is generally two weeks before the distribution date. Preference will be given to reported pieces related to the college or Cazenovia community. Opinion/commentary ideas may be pitched to the editor, and pitches for alternative formats (lists, for example) are welcome. Stories should be 400, 600 or 800 words unless approved by the editor. The Quad staff reserves the right to edit for space and style, and to request revisions or fact-checking. The Quad Issue II, fall 2022 submission deadline is Oct. 7. Issue III, fall 2022 submission deadline is Nov. 4.