The Hawk (April 29, 2015)

THE HAWK April 29, 2015

A NEW

ERA Mark C. Reed, E.D., announced as first lay president of Saint Joseph’s University

Cover photo courtesy of Melissa Kelly/Saint Joseph’s University

2 | News

April 29, 2015

The Hawk

Q&A

with the first lay president, Mark C. Reed, Ed. D.

KATRYNA PERERA ’16 News Editor

Learn a bit about St. Joe’s recently named President-Elect Mark C. Reed., Ed.D., and his thoughts on becoming the university’s new leader in his first ever Q&A with The Hawk. Read on to hear his answers and ideas on everything from becoming the first “first family” of St. Joe’s to addressing the university’s financial issues.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Kelly/Saint Joseph’s University

How do you feel about being the new president of Saint Joseph’s University?

“It’s a bit surreal, to be honest. I’m honored and humbled by it. Thrilled at the opportunity, excited. Sad to leave Fairfield, which is a place I love. Looking forward, though, to what lies ahead, which I know will be very special. St. Joe’s is a great community and an excellent university. I couldn’t be more fortunate with being entrusted with the responsibility as the university’s next president.”

how does your family feel about your new position?

“Much the same way I do. Everyone will tell you that they have a dream job or two, and St. Joe’s is that for me, and my family shares this. I also want to add that we are so grateful for the wonderful reception we received last Wednesday on campus. Everyone could not have been nicer and more welcoming. I particularly want to thank all the students whom we met and the many others who just said hello. It meant a great deal to us.”

will your wife and daughters be regular faces around campus?

“I think so and I hope so. But I also think it’s important that they have privacy and a normal experience, too. Personally, I don’t buy into the ‘first family’ lingo. We are just a regular family, like so many other families associated with SJU. We’ve brought our girls to many activities and sporting events on Fairfield’s campus, and we’ll be regulars at Hawks’ games too. Our girls especially like the mascot and cheerleaders!”

how do you feel about returning to philadelphia?

“It’s a great city, one of the country’s best, with so much to offer and going on. We look forward to it. It’s also a changed city. So much positive development in the past 20 years since I last lived here.”

tell us more about your connection and roots with philadelphia. “… [I] was born and raised in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, just outside of Northeast Philly. I attended St. Albert the Great school. My parents are still there. My family continues to enjoy summers at the Jersey shore.”

How does your high school (Saint Joseph’s Prepatory school) affiliation affect the way you have viewed Saint Joseph’s throughout your life?

“Well, I have known about SJU all my life – for at least as long as I can remember anyway.

But that’s primarily because my father is a graduate, and we also used to go to Big Five games at the Palestra when they were all played there as double-headers. At the Prep, we did not have much interaction with the university, but we did have our graduation in the fieldhouse.”

How do you think being a layperson will affect your direction and the decision-making process of our Jesuit institution?

“This is an interesting question, and perhaps the best answer I can give is I don’t know.

The reason I say this is that I don’t intend to change at all whom I am and how I approach decisions from the way that I do now or have learned over my career and life. SJU’s Jesuit mission is at the core of the university’s identity, and it will always be top-of-mind with any decisions I make.”

The past few years have brought several financial problems to the university. How do you plan to address and fix these issues?

“I’m glad you asked this question. I learned a lot about SJU during the search process, and by all metrics and indicators I have seen, SJU is in solid financial position. However, as I said in my introductory remarks last Wednesday, it’s no secret that American higher education is under enormous pressure – and private, residential, liberal-arts based, tuition-dependent higher education in particular. Saint Joseph’s fits every one of those descriptors.

The true problem, as I see it and have experienced first-hand, is that the previous business model of the prior 30+ years no longer applies. You no longer increase tuition between five and seven percent every year, fund everything you want to, and just keep going. It’s changing the model that causes angst and in some cases disruptive tension on campuses like Saint Joseph’s. There is nothing I can tell that is unique about the challenges that SJU faces. So that’s good news. However, what it also means is that there are no easy solutions or they would have been found and implemented by now.

So what is it going to take? First, a willingness and acknowledgement by all at the university to accept that the model has changed and we must change with it. Trying to make the previous model simply work better is not going to work long-term. At the same time, we can’t forget who and what we are – a university, and one with a wonderful Jesuit mission.

Second, we have to take a hard look at what SJU does well and also be honest about what we could do better or might not be able to continue doing at all. And when we do this, we need to invest in new things (academic programs, student services, etc.) and curtail others…The diversification of revenue streams from academic programs and other activities is of paramount importance. Expense growth cannot outpace revenue growth.

Again, when you look at SJU’s financial performance of the past several years, there is solid ground from which to build.”

We have also seen a number of complaints about the governance structure of the university. What experience do you bring to these problems and how do you hope to mend feelings of discontent among members of the faculty?

“Again, SJU is not unique, and I have experience at Fairfield with similar issues. I think it’s important to communicate openly and transparently. I find in the absence of information, people tend to assume the worst. Perhaps that’s just human nature. At the same time, everyone has a role to play – administrators, trustees, faculty, students, alumni, etc. – and universities cannot be run by a ‘committee of the whole’…I appreciate the recent tensions at SJU, but it’s time to move forward. We learn from it, but we need to move forward, and that’s what I intend to do upon my arrival. We all want the same things – academic distinction, a student experience second to none, and the full embodiment of our mission.

These are the things to guide us.”

what is your vision for the unversity?

“There will be more time later to go into greater detail about this. But for now, let’s state simply that the vision is for SJU to grow both in reality and in perception as one of the top Jesuit and overall comprehensive universities in the region and country. Many things have to happen and work together to achieve this. But if we are true to our Jesuit mission, smart in our management of our resources, and focused on students learning and transformative living and learning, I am confident the vision will be achieved.”

How do students fit into this vision?

“Students – their learning and formation – are the reason we exist as a university.”

April 29, 2015

News | 3

The Hawk

Students react to new president elect

Mixed feelings over new lay university leader MOLLY MCDONALD ’18 Special to The Hawk Along with the announcement of new President-Elect Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., have come many different reactions and questions from members across the Saint Joseph’s University community.

With degrees in business and education as well as previous experience as Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President at Fairfield University, Reed is certainly qualified for a position within the administration of an institution of higher education. However, the absence of two letters following his name has left some students with mixed feelings about the new leader of the Hawks—Reed is not a Jesuit priest.

Reed will make history in July when he officially becomes the first ever St. Joe’s president not ordained in the Society of Jesus.

Some students have expressed discomfort concerning this divergence from tradition.

“I think it’s strange that he’s not a priest,” said Gabrielle Butcher, ’15.

Becca Donohue, ’18, shared the same sentiment. “It is a Jesuit university, after all. It seems weird to have a non-Jesuit running a religious institution,” Donahue said.

Some students felt similarly, but there are also many in favor of the change in St. Joe’s leadership.

“Although Dr. Reed is not a Jesuit priest, it’s not like he doesn’t have any clue what a Jesuit is,” said Lauren Lang, ’16. “Dr. Reed has two degrees from Fairfield University and one from Boston College, both of which are Jesuit schools. He has worked at Saint Joseph’s Prep and Fairfield University, so he is not only extremely familiar with the Society of Jesus, but is extremely invested in it as well.”

Lang’s opinion is shared by many of her fellow students who feel that while Reed lacks priestly ordination, he does not lack experience in the Jesuit community.

Caity Gill, ’18, is one such student; she expressed that she is not only impressed with Reed’s involvement at Fairfield and St. Joe’s Prep, but also with his background in business.

“The Jesuit training doesn’t cover everyday problems the university has to deal with,” Gill said. “I think it will help to have someone with a business degree in charge.”

Billy McAllister, ’18, member of the University Student Senate, was initially worried that a non-Jesuit president might change the dynamic of the university. However, he said he now agrees with Lang and Gill.

“I did discuss with the search committee about how rooted in Jesuit values our future president should be, whether lay or not.

After seeing who they hired and reading all of his credentials and

Saint Joseph’s community mourns loss of senior Neil York KATRYNA PERERA ’16 News Editor CAT COYLE ’16 Editor in Chief

Photos courtesy of Melissa Kelly/Saint Joseph’s University

statements, I am very excited to see Mark Reed as our future president,” McAllister said.

A large portion of the student body feels that it is still too soon to form an opinion about the new president, and some students remain indifferent. “I don’t care that he’s not a Jesuit,” Corey Carter, ’16, said. “It doesn’t bother me.”

Reed will take over as St. Joe’s first-ever lay president on July 1. There will be an inaugural ceremony held in in the fall 2015 semester.

On Saturday, April 25, Saint Joseph’s University lost a member of the senior class, Neil York.

York, a biology major from Washington, D.C., died unexpectedly. At Saint Joseph’s, York participated in the Men’s Rugby Club and was a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. He also served as an Orientation Leader and was active in the biodiversity lab.

Friends, teammates, and fraternity brothers of York took to social media over the weekend with an outpouring of grief as the university community learned of his death.

The student body was informed of the death in an email statement from MaryElaine Perry, Ed.D., assistant vice president for Student Development, on Sunday afternoon. Employees of the university were emailed a similar notice later that evening.

According to Joseph Lunardi, vice president of Marketing and Communications, the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) of the university was called together. This team consists of members of Campus Ministry, the Office of Student Life, Public Safety, the administration, academic departments, and other campus organizations such as Greek Life and athletics, if the incident calls for them.

A statement from the Office of Student Life was released to The Hawk. It read, “The staff of Student Life joins the Saint Joseph’s University community in mourning the loss of Neil York, ’15. The loss of two students in a brief period is trying. Our thoughts and prayers are with all family, students, faculty, and staff affected by the passing members of our student community.”

In her email, Perry directed students to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), which can be reached by calling 610-660-1090 during business hours or through Public Safety for after-hours support.

The university decided to hold the Greek Games event planned for Sunday despite the announcement of the loss of a member of the Greek community. Lunardi said that they chose to hold the event as scheduled as an opportunity for students to come together as a community. CAPS and other adults were present at the games for support.

Details of funeral arrangements have yet to be released.

4 | News

April 29, 2015

The Hawk

Department of Public Safety reports (April 17-April 23) April 18

April 20

Public Safety confiscated a bottle of whiskey from a St. Joe’s student inside the lobby of Ashwood Apartments. Residence Life and Community Standards were notified.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to an unknown person removing her medication from her room in the LaFarge Residence Center. Residence Life was notified. The incident is currently under investigation.

Public Safety confiscated a quantity of empty beer bottles from a St. Joe’s student’s room inside Pennbrook Apartments. Residence Life and Community Standards were notified.

April 22

Public Safety confiscated a bottle of whiskey from a St. Joe’s student’s room inside Sourin Hall. Residence Life and Community Standards were notified.

Public Safety confiscated 30 cans of beer from a St. Joe’s student in the lobby of Lannon Hall. Residence Life and Community Standards were notified.

Public Safety was notified by Residence Life of an odor of marijuana coming from a fourth floor room in Merion Gardens. Public Safety officers responded to the room with Residence Life. A search of the room revealed no signs of drugs, but a bong was confiscated. Community Standards was notified.

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm inside McShain Hall.

Public Safety officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated due to a faulty alarm. Facilities Management was notified.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student of a suspicious person inside a blue Honda vehicle near the area of the Ashwood Apartments. Public Safety officers responded. Philadelphia Police also responded, but were unable to locate the vehicle.

Public Safety was notified of a disorderly student inside the lobby of Villiger Hall. Public Safety officers responded and escorted the student back to his residence. Residence Life and Community Standards were notified.

April 19

April 23 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to an unknown person removing his laundry from a room in Sourin Hall. Residence Life was notified.

Public Safety was notified of two disorderly students inside the lobby of Rashford Hall. Public Safety officers responded and escorted the students back to their rooms. Residence Life and Community Standards were notified.

ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

6|2

On Campus

Off Campus

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

2|0

On Campus

Off Campus

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

Public Safety was notified by an area resident in the 5700 block of Wynnefield Avenue of an unknown person damaging her outdoor lamp post. Off-campus housing was notified.

St. Joe’s holds Philadelphia Democratic Mayoral Debate Students pose questions about their city KATRYNA PERERA ’16 News Editor Photo by Melissa Kelley/Saint Joesph’s University

A debate for the Democratic Primary of the Philadelphia Mayoral race was held at Saint Joseph’s University on April 23.

The debate was hosted by Fox29 News and held in the Wolfington Teletorium in Mandeville Hall. It featured candidates Lynne Abraham, Nelson Diaz, Anthony Hardy Williams, James Kenney, Milton Street, and Doug Oliver.

The candidates were asked six rounds of questions, including two questions asked by St. Joe’s students. There was also a lightning round of questions at the end of the debate as well as one additional question asked by a St. Joe’s student.

Questions focused on topics from reviews of police shootings, to Philadelphia’s economy, to housing and environmental issues.

Each candidate was given a limited amount of time to respond to each question.

Topics largely debated were the issues of the public school system of Philadelphia, tax increases, and how to bring a productive workforce back to the city.

When debating the city’s litter issue, candidate Williams responded, “We are in Filthadelphia.”

During the lightning round, the candidates were given a statement or question and were asked to answer or respond in one or two words. Questions revolved around local topics such as Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Chip Kelley and forms of public transportation.

One specific lightning round question was, “Should marijuana be legalized in Philadelphia?” When asked to respond, candidate Diaz replied, “I want some, yes.”

A few St. Joe’s political science students in the audience were introduced to the crowd and debate contenders, then candidates were given the opportunity to give closing remarks.

Said candidate Oliver, “I do not come from the mayor-manufacturing farm…I bring

a different perspective.”

Candidate Diaz had a slightly more rousing remark, saying, “If you stand with me I will stand with you and fight for you every day.”

When asked about his general thoughts on the debate, Randall Miller, Ph.D., professor of history, said, “The debate went uncommonly well…[it] featured the first real sparring matches among the candidates about past statements and positions. There was a certain feistiness that came with the responses. A St. Joe’s student got the candidates off-script by asking how to ‘incentivize’ the business climate in the city, which put the candidates in a position of having to be more original and [give] creative responses.”

When asked what he thought about the lightning round of questions, Miller replied, “Although it seemed a little goofy to some people, the move had the effect of humanizing the candidates.”

According to Lisa Baglione, Ph.D., professor and chair of the political science department, the debate was brought to campus by Fox29, who contacted the university and asked to use Saint Joseph’s campus as a location.

In order to choose students to pose questions to the candidates, Baglione said that the opportunity was made known to all political science students and then those that were interested submited their proposed question via email. It was from the email responses that the student questioners where chosen.

Miller expressed that the debate was a great showcasing opportunity for St. Joe’s and remarked that now the university can use it to say, “We have experience.”

Miller also felt that the debate really highlighted the university’s students. “The debate showed the genius of Saint Joseph’s students in their questions for the candidates and description of themselves,” said Miller. “All in all, it was a worthwhile afternoon for everyone.”

April 29, 2015

Opinions | 5

The Hawk

Editorial ‘Moving into the future’ EDITOR IN CHIEF Cat Coyle ’16 MANAGING EDITOR Shannon Adams ’16 COPY CHIEF Molly Grab ’17 BUSINESS MANAGER Emily Kelly ’18 FACULTY ADVISER Dan Reimold CONTRIBUTING ADVISER Jenny Spinner NEWS EDITOR Katryna Perera ’16 OPINIONS EDITOR Angela Christaldi ’17 LIFESTYLE EDITOR Katie White ’17 ASSISTANT LIFESTYLE EDITOR Kelly Wittman ’17 SPORTS EDITOR Anthony Panvini ’16 ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Joe Liciardello ’15 LAYOUT EDITOR Sam Lukens ’17 PHOTO EDITOR Matthew J. Haubenstein ’15 DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Gianna Melendez ’16 DIGITAL MEDIA TEAM Gina Falcone ’16 Kayla Lane ’17 Jessica Cavallaro ’18

Presidential Search Committee announces Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., as the first lay president of Saint Joseph’s University On April 22, the Presidential Search Committee finally announced the name of the incoming president of Saint Joseph’s University: Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., from Fairfield University. Reed has made history by becoming the first lay president in the 164-year history of St. Joe’s. While reactions have been mixed—some have expressed concern over the fact that a layperson is in charge of the religious institution—Reed seems to be cut out for the challenge of leading Saint Joseph’s.

Those who are concerned about Reed’s lack of religious training needn’t fear. A graduate of Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School, he also attended Boston College and Fairfield University, two of the 28 Jesuit higher education institutions throughout the United States. While Reed isn’t a Jesuit priest himself, he certainly has a background in the values imbued in the St. Joe’s campus.

The fact that Reed isn’t a Jesuit is, perhaps, a good thing for our university.

In light of recent crises at our school— recall the ongoing budget problems and the resulting protests that took place last spring—having an “outsider’s” perspective could potentially be an appropriate change. Reed, as a layperson, has the potential to lead Saint Joseph’s into a new era.

People have become so accustomed to the decades-long tradition of a Jesuit president that they tend to be averse to anything resembling a change. While we on Hawk Hill do proudly proclaim our Jesuit background, that should not stop us from

moving into the future.

In the Q&A session found on page two of this issue, Reed addresses several concerns, including the tensions between faculty and administration and the issues with the university’s budget. He seems optimistic about fixing the issues at St. Joe’s, making it clear that changes will be made, and that he will work with those involved to ensure that these schisms are repaired.

While our beloved Saint Joseph’s will remain, for the most part, the same, perhaps Reed is the person we’ve been hoping for that will be able to mend the biggest issues that the university is currently facing.

While we are optimistic about the changes coming to the university, there is still room for hesitation. There is such great potential for change, in both behind-the-scenes aspects of the administration and the more public facets, that it is difficult to suppress our hopes. In his interview, Reed stressed the importance of transparency, as well as working with the faculty and students about issues on campus. These have been some of the greatest hopes of the student body for months, if not years. For too long, we have been shut out of the decision-making processes that have the potential to change our futures— case in point, the presidential search and subsequent election of Reed. If he is truly hoping to gain the trust of the students and faculty, Reed needs to create a more open dialogue with both groups instead of keeping everyone in the dark until final decisions have been made.

Having a layperson as the president of the university will, for some, take some getting used to. It is, after all, a huge departure from the previous tradition, which is something that is not taken lightly on this campus. He is considerably younger than the previous candidates, which, in addition to his lay status, we hope will allow him to bring a new perspective to the issues on our campus. Because the Presidential Search Committee chose to bring Reed into leadership immediately after the end of Gillespie’s term, rather than electing an interim president from among the current faculty or staff, their dedication to bringing a fresh start to the campus is evident.

Reed’s tenure will certainly be different than any other, but perhaps this departure from the norm is what the university needs. We hope that he will follow through on his promise of transparency and that he will be directly involved with life on campus. Many leaders seem to fall into the trap of becoming solely figureheads, but we hope Reed will maintain his identity and uphold the goals he has already set for himself. Our university espouses the idea of the Magis; we can hope that our newest president will hold himself to the same standard of always working toward doing more, for both the school itself and the surrounding community.

With great expectations for the future, we welcome President Reed to Hawk Hill.

-The Hawk Staff

Do what you like, like what you do Finding a voice, a passion, and a family in a year-long journey ANGELA CHRISTALDI ’17 Opinions Editor The year has almost come to an end. Looking back on the past two semesters, so much has happened. I began the fall semester as a fledgling editor, timid and slightly daunted by the responsibilities that had been placed on me. There were two huge legacies to live up to: those of Joe Cerrone, ’15, our previous opinions editor, and Carina Ensminger, ’15, the previous author—and founder—of this very column. While they’re both brilliant, and I thank them infinitely for the foundations they laid, I have begun to forge my own path.

At first, I was concerned that I would never be able to fill either of their shoes, but I’ve come to realize that taking on this role was never about that. I was afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone, but the several Monday production nights I’ve spent in the newsroom have taught me a lot about myself.

Since beginning my tenure as Opinions Editor, I have found my voice. Sure, people probably know me as “that girl on the paper” or “that crazy feminist girl” but hey, you’ve got to start a legacy somewhere, right? On my first night in the newsroom, I was joining a group of people that had all known each other for ages and had a strong foundation in this organization. I had written sparsely throughout my freshman year for the opinions and lifestyle sections, and knew exactly one person on the staff

well enough to call them a friend. Months later, however, I can confidently say that the people I’ve been lucky enough to work with this year have become my family.

I have spent the majority of this year using this column as a platform for hopeful social change. Each week, I’ve brought up an issue that society has overlooked or outright ignored, in hopes of bringing it into the spotlight and making you think about it, even if it’s just for a few minutes out of your day. I’ve discussed everything from feminism to domestic violence to the lack of dialogue about mental health, and hopefully, you’ve learned something or become more passionate about some of these issues. I’d like to take a break in this last issue, though, and say thank you to everyone who’s kept reading throughout the past semesters.

Looking back at the beginning, I had no clue where this was going to go. I was asked to take over this column and continue Ensminger’s legacy, but I was completely clueless as to how that was going to happen or how it would turn out. Somewhere between coming into the newsroom on the first night and sitting here after two semesters of experience, I found my voice. I’ve fallen in love with everything about the paper, from the writing, to the insanity that is every Monday night, to the people I’ve spent the better part (and the best parts) of the past two semesters with.

In this final column of the semester, I want to take

the opportunity to address everyone who’s reading this.

Whether you’ve been following consistently all year (bless your heart), or if this is your first time reading the “feminist rant column” (in which case, welcome, and stick around for next fall), find something that you love. Either over the summer break, or starting next semester, take the opportunity to completely immerse yourself in your passion. Surround yourself with people who share your opinions and your interests; find a group of people that will support you, make you laugh, and bring you down to earth when things get a little too overwhelming.

Find something that makes you fall in love. Do something that you’re proud of, that you want to tell everyone about. Find where you belong, and everything else will fall into place. Don’t be afraid to carve out a path for yourself. Sure, following in the footsteps of others seems like a good idea, but don’t let yourself be overshadowed by their accomplishments. Find the thing you love, and pursue it.

I’ll be back in the fall with more feminism and social justice, but until then, keep fighting the good fight. I’ll leave you with a quote from the great Gloria Steinem: “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” Keep digging for the truth, and keep getting pissed off. If we all keep uncovering and fighting the injustices that are occurring, we can change the world.

6 | Opinions

April 29, 2015

The Hawk

A final farewell to Hawk Hill A graduate student reflects on finding herself, falling in love, and saying goodbye to St. Joe’s LAUREN MIFSUD ’14 Special to The Hawk Dear Hawk Hill, If you’re reading this letter, it’s meant for you. As a fifth year graduate student, I feel like Barbelin Hall has been my boyfriend for the last five years; now, our breakup is inevitable. I almost want to go up to him and say, “It’s not you.

Really, its me.” So how do I say goodbye? How do you say goodbye to the place that you have called home for such a significant portion of your life?

Anyone that knows me well knows that I am famous for random love notes. I’m the girl that will stick an index card on your windshield that reads, “I hope you’re having a kick-butt day” and I’ll drop bags of goodies at your front door to remind you that you are “one tough cookie.” A wise 26-year-old named Hannah Brencher beat me to the punch and started leaving love letters to strangers all over New York City, which grew into a movement called “More Love Letters.” These little bursts of love, captured in ink on loose-leaf paper were reminders that there is so much in this world that connects us to others. So, as my time here draws to a close, I can think of no better way to say goodbye to the Saint Joseph’s University community than through a love letter.

When I first came to St. Joe’s, I participated in the Philadelphia Service Immersion Program, better known as

PSIP. During the course of this awesome program, I was introduced to the quote, “Fall in love, stay in love, and that will decide everything,” by Pedro Arrupe, S.J. I decided in that moment that this quote would be the foundation for my time here at St. Joe’s. I wanted to fall in love. Being the naïve freshman that I was, I initially sought this love through a boy. I threw myself into the first relationship that I could with the hope of being swept off my feet Disney-princess style. It took me almost three years in that relationship to realize that I was looking in the wrong place.

It wasn’t until I was leading the Ignite retreat my senior year that I realized that this type of love, the love that decides everything, is found when you break down the barriers of your own heart and are completely yourself. This is not an easy task. We live in a world that constantly tries to tear us down. We base so much on how many “likes” our Facebook posts get and how many times someone retweets our witty insights. It’s become so easy to lose sight of what’s really important: love. Love that we can’t squeeze into 140 characters or less. Love that can only be found in being fully present with another person. Brave, relentless, courageous, and daring love.

I have found this love through you, the people that I have met here at Saint Joseph’s. Yes, you! You are the ones

that are making it so incredibly hard to leave. The ones that ever-so-casually hold the door to Post Learning Commons open for me with a 100-watt smile. The ones that have stood beside me as we have felt the incredible energy of Hagan Arena as the Hawks come flying in. The ones that have sat with me during office hours as I worked on one math problem until I got it right. The ones that have blessed me with unfailing support, the warmest hugs, and the craziest laughter that never failed to split my sides over and over. The ones that have given me that incredible, fuzzy feeling when I can’t help but think to myself, “Yep, God’s here. I can feel it in my bones.” No letter will ever be able to fully describe the intangible love that is felt here on this campus every single day.

St. Joe’s, there is nothing easy about a goodbye. If you ask me, it should be called a badbye. Graduation inches closer and closer with each passing day. So, if I could leave you with one piece of advice it would be this: to take every opportunity that you can with these amazing people in this amazing place and love them like crazy. YOU make this place a home, and you will carry the people that you meet here in your heart forever.

Thank you, Hawk Hill, for teaching me that being in love means being yourself.

“...taking time to reminisce gives

us the chance to not only look more closely at our lives, but also at ourselves. It gives us a chance to think about our moments of strength and of weakness...It lets us learn from our mistakes so we can change and improve to make next year an even greater success.”

A reflective state of mind Looking back at the past year at St. Joe’s KATHERINE GRYGO ’16 Hawk Staff It is with absolute astonishment that I inform you all that this will be my last column for the semester. We can count on one hand how many days of classes we have left. I think the majority of us can agree that this year went by incredibly fast. For some of us, it may feel like we just moved into our dorm rooms on that incredibly hot August day. It seems as if we just got back from winter break and were readying ourselves for round two. But alas, here we are compiling notes, purchasing new highlighters, and bracing ourselves for the inevitable cram sessions that accompany finals. Before you take your final Instagram photo of Barbelin and get caught up in the utter chaos that comes with the end of the semester, try to take some time to reflect on the past year.

This is a time for us to see how far we have come from that very first day of classes. It allows us the chance to see where we are in our journey. It gives us a chance to look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Remember getting the syllabi for your classes and vowing to do all of the assigned reading? Remember counting down the days until fall break and how happy you were to walk through the front door of your house and have a home-cooked meal on the kitchen table? Remember listening to Christmas music to perk yourself up during finals week?

Remember how upsetting it was to say goodbye to your friends before you parted for the winter holiday?

Remember returning after a month-long separation and reuniting with your school friends? Remember praying for snow days and when one finally came you could hardly comprehend the beauty of Hawk Hill covered in snow? Remember leaving for spring break absolutely exhausted, but returning happy to be back at the place you have come to call home? Remember Easter break being far too short? Remember how all of this feels as if it just happened yesterday?

Reflecting can be extremely hard to do. It can make some of us sad and nostalgic because it overwhelms us with memories of a truly great year; for others, it brings up some distressing feelings because it wasn’t a year filled with only sunshine and rainbows. But taking time to reminisce gives us the chance to not only look more closely at our lives, but also at ourselves. It gives us a chance to think about our moments of strength and of weakness. It causes us to evaluate our lives and consider if there were times when we should have acted or done something differently. It lets us learn from our mistakes so we can change and improve to make next year an even greater success.

With every ending, there is a new beginning. For those who are saying goodbye to Hawk Hill for the final time as an undergraduate student, congratulations and good luck!

For those of us who are saying goodbye for the summer, have an excellent break and I’ll see you next fall for another year of gear grinding!

April 29, 2015

Opinions | 7

The Hawk

What about everyone else?

Questioning the lack of transgender representation in the media MATTHEW J. HAUBENSTEIN ’15 Photo Editor On April 24, Diane Sawyer of ABC News interviewed Bruce Jenner about the rumors surrounding his gender identity; for months, gossip magazines had said that Jenner was in the process of transitioning from a man to a woman.

First of all, kudos to Jenner. In a society that ridicules and persecutes those who see themselves as different from the norm, it is extremely difficult to step up and admit that you are different. Coming out to parents and friends, saying you associate yourself with the opposite gender, or even stating that you do not associate with a gender at all, are among some of the most difficult and terrifying things to do. Jenner, despite his fame and notoriety, has taken this step against social norms.

However, what about the everyday men, women, and gender-neutral people out there? What happens when they want to take the next step toward becoming the person they know themselves to be? The everyday transgender person doesn’t have the luxury of using an elitist celebrity status to protect themselves from the backlash that often results from coming out as transgender.

Despite the ongoing issues in the transgender community, there have been plenty of achievements that deserve acknowledgment. For example, Aydian Dowling is competing to be the first transgender person to be featured in Men’s Health magazine. But where is the media coverage on Dowling’s story?

The media has been focusing its attention on Jenner, but in the process, they have left other transgender people

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

out in the cold. This is a group within the LGBTQ community that is more prone to both physical abuse and sexual assault than any other. Statistics show that one in two transgender people are assaulted or abused. That’s 50 percent of the transgender population.

It’s even more likely for transgender youths to be assaulted, especially people of color, according to the Office for Victims of Crime. There are dozens of cases in which transgender people are assaulted because they use a bathroom or other public facility that aligns with their gender identity. What laws are in place to protect transgender people?

There are, in fact, many laws in place throughout the nation that support the LGBTQ community and protect them from all sorts of discrimination. But without media coverage, who’s to say if these laws are or are not being enforced? These laws need to provide those who experience these injustices with an outlet to spread the word about their pain so it doesn’t happen to others like them.

I’m not saying that the case of Bruce Jenner is not beneficial to the transgender community; that is far from

the truth, actually. When someone with any sort of power and influence, whether it is political or social, comes out in support of a cause or group like this, it helps out in many ways. But the media and the people who consume it cannot let that be the end of it. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other cases that are just as inspiring as—if not more than—Jenner’s that deserve the same degree of coverage from the media.

We shouldn’t forget about the everyday transgender person, or, for that matter, anyone within the LGBTQ community. The majority of people do not have the amount of power, money, or support that Jenner does. We cannot and should not forget those who fight for their right to be themselves every single day. Those who come home with cuts and bruises, both physical and mental, just because they are “different.” These people are the real heroes and role models that should inspire others and give those like them hope—the hope that someday, hopefully soon, discrimination will be a thing of the past.

The final stretch Dealing with stress so close to the end GRACE KENNEY ’18 Special to The Hawk Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Letter from the Editor It has been brought to my attention that in the Letter to the Editor published in the April 22 issue of The Hawk, the author was misquoted. The published sentence reads, “Regardless of gender or sexuality, we all deserve the basic human right of respect.” It should instead read, “We all deserve the basic human right of respect.” The Hawk apologizes for this error, mistake has since been corrected in the online edition.

-ANGELA CHRISTALDI ’17 Opinions Editor

The end of the semester brings out both the good and the bad in everyone. Well… mostly the bad. To be honest, I don’t understand the hysteria surrounding final exams.

It’s not as if we aren’t expecting them. We know that the end of the semester brings finals, so why do we start to freak out?

Finals come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are research presentations, others are major group projects; the worst form, though, are tests. Most students are lucky enough to have two or three major exams that bring the end-of-year stress to an all-time high—cue the late night coffee and library dates.

Personally, I think we have social media to thank for this impression of final exams. If you go on Buzzfeed anytime in the near future, you will see article titles such as “10 Things You Would Rather Do Than Study for Finals,” “The 33 Stages Of Finals Week,” “16 Study Hacks For Finals Week,” etc. In reality, finals are just tests. I’m pretty sure we don’t have to “hack” them. The pressure to pass is enough to endure without adding in the non-stop discussion of how terrible the week is going to be.

When did the idea of an end-of-year test go from being something annoying to being something we completely dread? In

our college careers, there are going to be numerous occasions when we have to do something we don’t like or don’t want to do, and sadly, this is just one of those times.

Would be we better off if we simply viewed finals week as something that just has to be endured?

I know from personal experience that the most dreaded words that can come out of a professor’s mouth are, “The exam will be cumulative, make sure you remember this.” I have begun to understand that the fear of finals generally boils down to a misunderstanding.

Over the course of a semester, we understand some materials better than others.

The final tends to focus on the chapters that fully encompass your learning—if those are the areas you need to relearn, that’s where you should start studying. Another aspect that often goes forgotten is that generally, the grade you have in a given class won’t change that much after the final. If you have a B+, most likely the worst thing that could happen is finishing with a B. Unless you completely bomb the final, which is highly unlikely, you will never see a significantly lower letter grade.

Both of these points are important to keep in mind in order to keep finals stress

in perspective. But are finals really necessary? There are ongoing debates on the pros and cons of final examinations. Some argue that finals allow students to fully comprehend a subject by being tested on its overall business. Others claim that students who do well in the class should be exempt from the exam. Many teachers do offer this deal to students who have above a certain cumulative average.

There is no right or wrong answer to the question of the exams’ validity. Ask students and they will tell you that finals are unnecessary, but if you ask educators, you will hear that finals are the best way to test a student’s understanding. Regardless, it doesn’t look as though finals are going to be going away any time soon, so we’d better start studying.

While preparing, always remember that no one’s life has ever been dramatically altered after not doing well on a final. If you don’t know the material by one a.m. on the morning of your test, you aren’t going to remember any more by the time you wake up for your exam at eight o’ clock. Study smart and don’t let stress affect your routine. Happy finals week, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

8 | Opinions

April 29, 2015

The Hawk

S S

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Philly schools hack to make the web available to all

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SARAH COONEY ’17 Hawk Staff Four months ago, evoHaX was just an idea in the mind of Ather Sharif, a graduate student in the Saint Joseph’s University computer science department, and I had never heard of a hackathon. However, after three months of hard work, a group of student volunteers—myself included—brought this event to life as a part of the 2015 Philly Tech Week. For those of you who don’t know what a hackthon is, it is not at all as illegal as it sounds. Generally speaking, a hackathon is a day or weekend-long event in which teams of developers work to create a functioning prototype of a product—an app, a website, or software– which is then presented and judged. Five teams from universities in the Philadelphia area, including a team from Saint Joseph’s, competed at evoHaX this year.

Seeing all of our hard work come to fruition was undeniably awesome, but evoHaX meant so much more to its participants. The weekend-long event was one of the most meaningful and eye-opening experiences I’ve ever had.

Typically, teams come into a hackathon with an idea and use the compressed development schedule as a catalyst to get the idea off the ground—evoHaX worked a little differently. The idea behind the event was to raise awareness about web accessibility, which is the principle that the resources on the web should be available to all people, regardless of physical or cognitive limitations.

At the event’s kickoff on Friday night, five speakers from the tech community addressed the teams with presentations about design principles for making web resources accessible to people with an array of disabilities, as well as the challenges of promoting accessible design to clients in the real world. On Saturday morning, before the “hacking” began, each team was paired with one of three mentors, each of whom faced some sort of impairment. After having a conversation with their mentor about the challenges he faced accessing information on the web, each team got to work designing a solution to one of the challenges. After completing hours of work, probably undergoing much frustration, and writing thousands of lines of code, the teams presented their projects on Sunday afternoon.

Drexel University’s team presented the winning idea for a system which uses Bluetooth to allow voice commands to control a computer, which could help with a variety of disabilities from vision impairment to mobility limitations. The team from La Salle University designed a site to crowdsource descriptions of images so that visually impaired visitors could “see” the image’s content. From West Chester University, we saw a browser plugin that identifies

common web pages such as “home,” “about us,” or “contact,” and attaches them to keyboard shortcuts so that visitors utilizing a screen reader don’t have to tab through an entire page to find the right link.

The St. Joe’s team developed a browser plugin that places icons next to text to give people with alexia (the inability to recognize words) and dyslexia context clues in order to read more easily. Swarthmore College parsed data from YouTube and created a site designed to show just how much of the web’s video content is not yet subtitled, and therefore is inaccessible to those with hearing impairments, as well as resources for the easy ways in which this issue can be remedied. As of April 11, only 1.8 percent of the 350,000 videos uploaded to YouTube had subtitles!

Frankly, I don’t know how the judges decided, but in the end, winning didn’t even matter. All five projects were incredible ideas with the ability to truly change lives. The mentors, speaking alongside the teams they worked with, all expressed how much of a difference these projects could make in their experience accessing the web. I know several of the teams have plans to take their projects from prototype to reality.

You may be thinking to yourself that you don’t know a thing about writing code, and probably won’t ever design a website or a browser plugin, but honestly, the impact of evoHaX goes much deeper than just designing technical solutions. From the mentors, to one of the judges who was a programmer since the age of seven and blind from birth, to Sharif himself, a quadriplegic, it is truly remarkable to me the way in which people with disabilities not only overcome their limitations, but go above and beyond to achieve and advocate for themselves and others in their situation. I have never come away from something feeling so incredibly blessed or so utterly inspired.

I’ve asked myself again and again why people who already have some many hurdles in their way are also responsible for their own advocacy. Why is it that successful companies refuse to spend just a little more time or money to make their websites as accessible as possible? Why don’t those of us who are so lucky to live so comparatively unimpaired feel more of a responsibility to be advocates for those who aren’t so lucky?

I believe that Saint Joseph’s does a great job of providing us with opportunities to have meaningful experiences, as well as opportunities to consider these and similar questions. My hope is that when we leave Hawk Hill, we will take these experiences and considerations with us and truly live the Jesuit value of

April 29, 2015

Advertisement | 9

The Hawk

In recognition of outstanding individual and group contributions to the SJU community, the Division of Student Life is pleased to announce the 2015 recipients of the Live the Difference & Live the Mission Awards.

Live the Difference Awards

The Live the Difference Awards, based on the Student Life Transformative Learning Goals (TLGs), are awarded to the following students that embody the spirit of that Goal.

Molly Verghese

Developing Faith and Spiritual Awareness Award

Caraiah Stout

Appreciating Diversity Award

Ryan Masserano

Realizing a Satisfying and Productive Lifestyle Award

Katie Smith

Servant Leadership focused on Social Justice Award

Liz Krohn

Discerning Personal, Educational and Professional Goals

Live the Mission Awards

The Live the Mission Awards, recognize the outstanding student Group, Program/Event, and Group/Program Advisor that have made significant contributions to the campus community, while living out the mission of the university.

SJU Improv Club

Outstanding Student Organization

iCARE Week

Outstanding Student Program

Marybeth Ayella (Active Minds)

Outstanding Group/Program Advisor

10 | Lifestyle

The Hawk

r m e u m s m i c u S

v i a t s ls e f 2015 DANIELLE ZABIELSKI ’17 Hawk Staff

The end of the semester is fast approaching and I’m sure you’ve been planning your to-do list for the coming summer months. It’s summertime, so you’ll want to go somewhere where you can be outdoors. You think it’d be nice to meet new people and make some more friends. You love listening to music, whether it be your absolute favorite bands or new artists that have just been discovered. Maybe you even like the thought of camping, at least for a couple of days.

Does this sound anything like you? If it does, and you haven’t considered going to a music festival, maybe now is the time to look into it.

Music festivals are open-air utopias of sound and vision. There is music all around on multiple stages, accompanied by eclectic groups of people releasing their inner freak for a weekend. Everywhere you look and every time you listen, there is something to see, something to hear, and something to experience.

OK, maybe this is an idealistic description, but going to a great music festival can truly make your entire summer. When thinking about buying a ticket to a festival, one of the first things you must account for is the price. Ticket prices for music festivals can be pretty steep; typically, the older and more famous the festival is, the higher the price of admission. Often, the ticket itself does not include a camping space, which then must be purchased separately. If you decide camping isn’t exactly your thing, you can stay in a nearby hotel and commute to the festival; this, however, brings its own financial woes, since hotels are costly, get booked quickly, and may charge parking fees. You should also make sure that your budget accounts for food, souvenirs, and band mer-

Image courtesy of Creative Commons Graphic by Shannon Adams ’16

chandise—it might seem as though a music festival really turns out to be more like an investment than a vacation.

No matter how you find the means to get your ticket, I personally think that music festivals are spectacular locales for spending a bit of your summer and the experience as a whole can be well worth the price of admission. Like anything else, festivals are what you make of them. You can sit around at your campsite all day waiting for the headliner to start playing, or you can go into the festival when the gates open and take in all of the sights and sounds. You might not know any of the bands on a given day, but you might find that you really like their music and they could become one of your new favorites. Even if you don’t fall in love with any one band, you still exposed yourself to new music and were a part of the event.

Music festivals have a lot to offer even if you don’t want to stand around listening to musicians all day long. Most of the time, festivals have local vendors, delicious food stations, crafting activities, or lounge locations. All of these elements combined create the festival experience.

I’ve used the term “experience” quite a bit when describing music festivals, but I feel that that’s the best way (and really the only way) to explain them. Everything about festival weekends feels idyllic, even being covered in mosquito bites, sweat, dirt, and sunburn. Being in the midst of thousands upon thousands of individuals who love the music as much as you do is exhilarating and uplifting. If you can weather the cost, I’d suggest going to a music festival at least once in your life, and truly taking in every second of the experience.

April 29, 2015

April 29, 2015

Lifestyle | 11

The Hawk

s i s oa concrete in a

LOVE Your Park Week celebrates Philadelphia’s finest parks KAT DODEL ’15 Special to The Hawk

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When I took a trip to Greenland Nursery a few weeks ago, I was surprised to find that Fairmount Park, in which the nursery is located, is an easy 10 minute drive from Saint Joseph’s University. I almost felt guilty; I never really bothered to find out what greenery thrived even slightly outside the bounds of campus.

I found some solace in the fact that I discovered Merion Botanical Park as a freshman. It quickly became one of my favorite spots to get away from school, stress, and anything else that was worrisome. Whether I passed the time reading, walking, or listening to music, having access to that park was a huge stress reliever for me.

I realize that many people on campus might not have cars, but one doesn’t have to look far to find a verdurous spot to take advantage of on these gorgeous spring days—Morris Park, at the intersection of City Ave and North 66th Street, is located right behind Lancaster Courts. It’s not a bad walk from campus, especially considering the beautiful spring weather we’ve been enjoying lately. Morris Park stands out because of its climbing trees and its stream, reminiscent of my home in the Poconos. It almost seems surreal in such an urban area—looking downstream, trying to see where the water winds, and finding that it seems to continue on forever in the midst of city life. Of course, sometimes one can hear the nonstop traffic on City Avenue, but I find that it’s easy to tune out.

This semester, I participated in Writing and Environmental Justice, a Service Learning course at St. Joe’s. Environmental justice is the notion that all people should have access to natural resources and benefits, but it also states that we equally bear the burden of the consequences of these resources’ use. It takes into account a number of factors that could affect one’s access to natural resources, including race, income level, and social class. While the cause environmental justice stands for is a good one, it is necessary to make sure that all people have the opportunity to benefit from our environment. As stated by Van Jones, author of the “The Unbearable Whiteness of Being Green,” “We must make it plain to the country that we envision a clean-energy future in which everyone has a place—and a stake.”

This motto expresses the mission of LOVE Your Park Week. The Fairmount Park Conservancy, along with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, is responsible for this citywide celebration of parks. The project is also largely made possible by the dedicated network of volunteer groups for each park. Each group oversees the projects of the individual parks and works year-round to ensure that the park is up and running. From May 9 - 16, there will be free food, music, entertainment, and volunteer days throughout most of Philadelphia’s parks. The park clean-up days are particularly important for the ecosystem as well as the community. By mulching, gardening, painting, and in general just tidying up the park, a real connection between the park and the surrounding neighborhood is established. This week supports the imperative idea that people from all walks of life have access to flourishing parks and 5 open, natural spaces—a major component of environmental justice. By promoting parks across the city and encouraging support from the communities, LOVE Your Park Week encourages people to make their park clean, healthy, and accessible to everyone.

One of the most exciting events will be PLAY Manayunk, located at the Venice Island Performing Arts and Recreational Center on the Schuylkill River.

On May 16, there will be a celebration of all things outdoors, from personal fitness to exercising in the natural world, including hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. Additionally, there will be live performances held throughout the day. You can visit PLAY Manayunk’s website for information on public transportation and more event details as they become available.

Another opportunity St. Joe’s students should take advantage of during LOVE Your Park Week is being held at the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. This park happens to be a quick bus ride away from campus. It is a hidden gem within Philadelphia. The gardens there preserve the culture and atmosphere of 17th century Japan. The house itself is traditional (no shoes— only socks may be worn inside) and offers tours as well as tea ceremonies and traditional Japanese dance lessons. During LOVE Your Park Week, Shofuso is holding a volunteer day on May 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in celebration of the city-wide event. The following day, there will be a Mother’s Day Tea Ceremony at 1 p.m. and again at 2:30 p.m. The ceremony will reflect traditional practices and is a unique way to celebrate both your mom and the beauty of nature.

I hope that as the semester comes to a close and the stress of exams begins to consume us, you’ll think about getting off campus for an hour or two just to take in the greenery. Our parks are little oases in this concrete jungle.

12 | Lifestyle

April 29, 2015

The Hawk

Cristiana Caruso Body peace for the fitness lover’s soul KATIE WHITE ’17 Lifestyle Editor

W

(Photo courtesy of Cristiana Caruso ’16)

hat started as a “Jillian Michaels 30day Shred” obsession has become a lifelong dedication for fitness guru Cristiana Caruso, ’16.

From following regular workout regimens to building meal plans through her favorite fitness blog, Blogilates, Caruso’s passion for all things physically fit is a huge part of her day-to-day life. Living by the motto “Train insane or remain the same,” she is inspired to not only keep herself in shape with high-intensity interval and circuit training, but to share a piece of the fitness craze with newcomers.

As a fitness instructor at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Mid-West-

chester, Caruso focuses on creating a workout mix that will keep her students excited. According to Caruso, this is the key to making exercise fun and interesting. “I want people to feel like they’re enjoying themselves,” Caruso said.

Drawing inspiration from her boss and mentor, Caruso strives to be as engaging as possible with her students. “When I’m teaching class, I try to emulate her,” Caruso said. “The closer you become with the students, the better.”

This means sharing her own experiences and guiding students to work out the right way.

Always an athlete, Caruso was never a stranger to regular physical activity and intense training. However, she explained that it took some time to discover how to be as successful as possible when working out, recalling, “I was super in shape, but doing the right things wrong.”

Now, Caruso stresses the importance of balancing exercise, nutrition, and portion control in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

This is wisdom that she is glad to pass on to people who “want to be healthy but think that running five miles and eating rabbit food is the right way to go.”

In fact, nutrition is something that Caruso has become especially interested in over the last few years. As a self-proclaimed Nutribullet fanatic, she enjoys planning

meals that are full of nutrients and will allow her to be healthy and energized for her workouts. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for little pleasures. “Morning Star veggie corndogs? I could eat like 17 a day,” Caruso said.

Her time as a fitness instructor has proven to be as significant an experience for her as it is for her students. Caruso says leading fitness classes reveal a side of her that is completely out of character. According to Caruso, this demeanor can only be described as “scary happy.” “[My friends] think it’s hilarious! I shout motivational things that don’t even make sense, like ‘you can do anything for 30 seconds!’—what does that even mean? Or, ‘the sky’s the limit!’ But putting on a happy face helps push through the workout,” Caruso explained.

This transformation of both body and mind is just one part of her love of fitness, but it’s one that Caruso says will continue to inspire her for a long time. Where exactly this passion will take her, Caruso is not yet sure. She can say, however that it has already granted her a little moment in the sun: While going for a run one day, she found herself in the background of a scene from the 2011 movie “The Oranges,” landing her feet away from Hugh Laurie and credit as a movie extra.

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April 29, 2015

The Hawk

Puzzles | 13

Hawk Libs Grab a friend and fill in the blanks based on the descriptions below the lines!

Once upon a _______ , two Hawks (noun)

attended their _______ class to(school subject)

gether in _______. Their profes(campus building)

sor, _______, was _______ and (name of professor)

(adjective)

the desks were _______, but these (adjective)

Hawks didn’t care, they were in _______. The Hawkmates almost (noun)

never payed attention and placed their faith in _______ and knew (noun)

_______ would see them through. (noun)

The two failed the class and had to _______ the class the next semester. (verb)

Crack the code

Tweet your answers to this coded question to @sjuhawknews for a chance to be featured in next week’s issue!

Kypur fvby Vchsapul!

Images courtesy of Creative Commons

14 | Puzzles

P U Z Z L E S

The Hawk

PLACE YOUR AD

ERE

Discounts available for St. Joe’s student groups!

Email hawkbusinessmanager@gmail.com for ad rates or questions

April 29, 2015

April 29, 2015

Sports | 15

The Hawk

‘ Picking ’ it up St. Joe’s baseball wins two of three against Dayton CHRISTY SELAGY ’16 Hawk Staff The Saint Joseph’s University baseball team (16-20 overall, 6-8 A-10) took two of three games from Atlantic 10 rival University of Dayton (12-30 overall, 3-15 A-10) this weekend.

The Hawks beat the Dayton Flyers by a score of 7-6 in their first game. The first run came in the top of the second inning when freshman Deon Stafford led off with a single and senior Stefan Kancylarz drove him in with a double.

Senior Lansing Veeder led off the following inning with a single, then stole second base. Two batters later, freshman Matt Maul singled, and an error by Dayton’s left fielder allowed Veeder to score. With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, senior Ryan Pater singled to drive in a run.

Sophomore Taylor Boyd led off the fifth with a walk, and junior John Brue followed with a homerun. Two batters later, Kancylarz walked and junior Charlie Coghlin followed with a homer of his own.

Sophomore Pat Vanderslice earned the win after pitching five and one-third innings, allowing five runs, six hits, striking out seven, and walking three.

“Friday was a good win,” said Head Coach Fritz Hamburg. “We got out to a lead. We kind of let them back in the ballgame, but we closed it down.”

The following day, the Hawks took a tough 5-4 loss.

They jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first when Maul, Boyd, and Brue hit back-to-back-to-back singles. Brue’s singled scored Maul, and moved Boyd to third.

Stafford grounded into a double play, but Boyd scored to double the Hawks’ lead.

Brue walked to start the following inning, Stafford singled, and Kancylarz walked to load the bases with nobody out. Coghlin grounded into a double play, but Brue scored to put the Hawks back in front.

Brue led off the eighth inning with his 11th homerun of the season to put the Hawks back on top. However, Dayton walked off in the ninth, scoring two runs on two hits, one walk, and two wild pitches.

Sophomore Tyler Pallante started the game, going three innings, allowing one run on one hit and two walks, and striking out three.

“After the Saturday game, we talked for a while, and we were like, ‘Alright, we’ve won a couple tough games, a couple one-run games, and we need to start picking it up,’” said Brue.

The Hawks did pick it up, pummeling the Flyers in a 14-3 win. For the third time in the series, St. Joe’s took the early lead. Brue walked with two outs and nobody on in the first, and back-to-back singles from Stafford and Kancylarz allowed Brue to score. Sophomore Brian Lau was hit by a pitch to start off the next inning, and, two batters later, Pater reached on a bunt single to put runners at the corners. Maul singled to drive in Lau, and after a hit batsman loaded the bases, Brue brought home another run with an infield single. Stafford hit a sacrifice fly to plate another run, and Kancylarz followed with a single to drive in two more runs.

“We… scored in the first inning with two outs and nobody on. That was big,” Hamburg said. “And then the five-run second… was huge.” The Hawks didn’t stop there.

They added three more runs in the following inning on a sacrifice fly from Boyd and a two-out, two-run double from Brue.

Kancylarz led off the fourth with a double, and two consecutive infield singles allowed him to score. Veeder reached base on an error that allowed another run to score.

Following an infield single, Maul reached on another error

that allowed a run to score. Two batters later, Brue singled to drive in the fourth and final run of the inning.

“We were working counts a lot better, swinging at better pitches, stuff we knew we could drive,” Brue said. “Offensively, I thought we really made a big step this weekend.”

Senior Tim Ponto pitched two, two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on one hit and four walks, and striking out four. Freshman Justin Aungst pitched the remaining six and one-third innings, allowing one run on six hits and one walk, as well as striking out one.

Hamburg had previously noted that pitching was a weak spot for the team, but he’s seeing improvement.

“We’re kind of finding our niche with pitching,” Hamburg said. “How we’re doing things is a little unconventional, but it’s working, and we’re trying to do the best we can to win ball games.”

Hamburg sees offense as one of the strong points for the team, and Brue has been a big contributor offensively. Brue went 9-21 (.429) with 10 RBI, seven runs scored, two doubles, and two homeruns last week. “I think I was just kind of relaxing more than anything,” Brue said. “I was just kind of finding my rhythm… I felt more comfortable than I have all season.” On Monday, Brue was named one of the National Players of the Week by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

The Hawks will play three games against La Salle at home this weekend. Saturday is the alumni game and family day, and Sunday is Kids Against Cancer Day. “Our entire team is having haircuts at the ballpark after the series,” Hamburg said. “The guys did a great job, and we had a big fundraising effort where we raised right around $7,000 for the Kids Against Cancer… It’s an exciting weekend ahead.”

Struggles continue St. Joe’s softball swept at home CHRISTY SELAGY ’16 Hawk Staff The Saint Joseph’s University softball team (21-18 overall, 6-11 A-10) fell victim to another series sweep this past weekend, this time at the hands of the Saint Louis University Billikens (32-16 overall, 15-5 A-10).

In case you were wondering, a Billiken is “an elflike creature with pixie ears, a mischievous smile and a tuft of hair on his pointed head” that was designed by an art teacher in 1908, according to the SLU Athletics site.

The Hawks lost their first game by a score of 7-1. The Billikens scored six runs on five hits and two errors in the first inning. 11 players came to bat in the inning. They added another run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly.

The Hawks’ lone run came in the seventh inning when sophomore Alexia Faulkner beat out a two-out infield single to score junior Sarah Yoos. It was the first run the team scored since April 15. Faulkner said her focus in that at-bat was to produce a run any way possible. “Just get the run in, get the run on the board. We haven’t scored in three games,” Faulkner said.

Junior Anna Lauterbach pitched seven innings, allowing seven runs (two earned), six hits, striking out three, and walking five. She took the loss, dropping to 1-5 on the season.

The Hawks lost their second game by a score of 11-1 in five innings. The Billikens again struck first, scoring four runs on six hits—including a homerun—in the first. The Hawks scored their run in their half of the inning. Freshman Nikki Alden was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. She advanced to second on junior Kerrie Kortmann’s groundout, and scored on senior Nicole Palase’s ground-ruled double.

The Billikens quickly got the run back with a lead-off homerun the following inning. They scored two runs in the fourth on four hits. They scored four more runs the next inning on four hits and one error to bring their lead to 10 runs and invoke the mercy rule.

Freshman Madison Clarke pitched five innings, allowing 11 runs (nine earned), 16 hits, striking out three, and walking one.

Photo Courtesy of Matthew J. Haubenstein ’15 “I think we need to get out of our own heads [to get the

offense back],” Faulkner said. “We have a lot of stuff going on, and I think we just need to focus on softball.”

The offense did come back in the final game of the series, although the Hawks lost the final game by a score of 6-5. Like the previous two games, the Billikens struck first, scoring four runs on three hits and a walk in the second inning. A two-out walk led to a pair of two-run homeruns that put the Hawks in an early hole.

The Hawks scored their first run of the game in the fourth. Palase tripled with one out in the inning, and junior Brandi Harkness followed with an RBI groundout to get St. Joe’s on the board. The Hawks tied the game in the sixth inning with a two-out rally. Alden led off the inning with an infield single, but the next two batters fouled out and flied out, respectively. Harkness singled, and Yoos followed with a double to drive in two runs. An error by the Billikens’ shortstop allowed Yoos to score the final run of the inning.

The Billikens retaliated, scoring two runs on two hits and two walks in the seventh. The Hawks fought back in their half of the inning, but their rally fell short. Freshman Erica Nugent led off with a double, and Alden followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Kortmann hit a sacrifice fly to score Nugent. Two batters later, Harkness singled and advanced to second on the throw to put runners at second and third with two outs. However, the Hawks couldn’t capitalize, and a groundout ended the game.

Alden pitched one and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs on four hits and one walk. Lauterbach took the loss after pitching five and one-third innings, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks.

The Hawks will play their final two home games of the season on Wednesday against Lehigh University and will travel to St. Bonaventure University this weekend to play a three-game series.

Going forward, Faulkner believes the team needs to focus on the importance of the early innings. “[The game plan for the future is] just coming out strong in the beginning innings, and then keep it going from there,” she said.

16 | Sports

The Hawk

April 29, 2015

LEADING

THE PACK McGeever named finalist for Yeardley Love Award

Photos courtesy of Sideline Photos LLC

ANTHONY PANVINI ’16 Sports Editor Last Wednesday marked an important day for Saint Joseph’s University as well as a special day for Saint Joseph’s senior Nora McGeever. As the only student representative on the Presidential Search Committee, McGeever got to welcome Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., as the 28th — and first lay — president in the university’s its history on Wednesday morning during a special ceremony. Wednesday was also special for McGeever for another reason; she found out that she was named one of five national finalists for the 2015 Yeardley Reynolds Love Unsung Hero Award. “…Hearing that news [of being a finalist for the award] and being able to be a part of announcing the new president—it was such a special day for me. It was just kind of overwhelming, all of the support and the well wishes I received from my family and from the Saint Joseph’s community, so it was really a special day for me,” said McGeever.

The Yeardley Reynolds Love (YRL) Unsung Hero Award acknowledges the accomplishments of two student athletes (one male, one female) who demonstrate dedication, integrity, humility, hard work, community service, leadership, kindness, and sportsmanship. These student athletes make a significant contribution to the team in ways that may not be measured on the stat sheet. McGeever is eligible for the award as the goalkeeper of the women’s lacrosse team.

“It means the world. It’s such an honor just to be nominated and to be in a category with players who are in top programs around the nation. It’s really an honor [and] very humbling to be a part of such a prestigious award…I’m very grateful for it,” said McGeever.

This season marks McGeever’s second season as a captain of the team. Throughout previous seasons, McGeever has shown significant improvement and earned herself a starting spot on the team. She also serves as a leader and role model for many of the younger players.

“To me, I think that’s one of the reasons Nora is a finalist, because I think she really embodied all of these qualities on and off the field,” said Head Coach Alex Kahoe. “…She’s very selfless, she really wants the best for our team, she wants the best for her teammates, and in doing that and working really hard she earned a starting spot in the goal for the lacrosse team.”

McGeever wasted no time proving her worth as she set the program’s record for single-game saves (22) in an epic triple overtime 13-12 win against American University during the second game of the season.

Despite once not seeing as much time on the field

as she does now, McGeever always found other ways to be a leader. “If someone else is playing and she’s not, she’s cheering as loud as she can for that person, and to me that goes back to the character that she has,” said Kahoe.

McGeever gave credit to her teammates and previous women’s lacrosse players before her for some of the things she has learned about being a leader on the team.

“This is my second year being a captain on the team, and throughout my time here I’ve learned so much about leadership on the field and from players who have gone before me…[and] also off the field, being involved in activities on campus,” said McGeever. “That broadened my leadership experience and kind of helped me take what I learned off the field and bring it on to the field and influence my teammates, and I hope that that kind of left a legacy for the program and something that the girls can continue throughout the coming years.”

One aspect that stands out about the YRL Unsung Hero Award is the fact that it recognizes an individual for their well-rounded achievements rather than only measuring their performance on the stat sheet. “… If anything, I think sometimes it means more [than an award for athletic success]. I think this is really about character and really what Nora is made out of,” said Kahoe. “You know you can go out and practice making saves, you can practice taking shots, you can work on getting faster, but at the end of the day this is who Nora is.”

McGeever echoed Kahoe’s opinion.

“All of the character traits that this award stands for is really everything that Saint Joseph’s University stands for, I mean right in our mission [statement] all of the Jesuit values that are taught here are kind of congruent with the values and the traits that go along with this award,” said McGeever.

Winning this award would be a great way for McGeever to close out her final season donning crimson and gray on Hawk Hill. But whatever the outcome, McGeever’s time at St. Joe’s, both on and off the field, was well spent.

“I think Nora is very deserving of this honor, and I think Nora is a very special person,” said Kahoe. “I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to get to know Nora and coach Nora. She’s really a huge foundation helping take our team to the next level and I think she’s going to continue—its exciting to have her as a finalist for this award.”