October 28, 2020

Oct. 28, 2020

|

Volume CI

|

Est. 1929

|

www.sjuhawknews.com

|

The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

Carol Lewis, M.H.A. ’91, and her brother Jeff Green lost their father, Hiram Green, in April to COVID-19. Lewis, a clinical research associate, said she often has to travel for her work and thus stays in many hotels. When she would arrive at the hotel, she would call her parents. “When dad would get on the phone, he would say, ‘Hello, where are you?’ Today, I want to tell him, dad, I’m in Philadelphia to honor you and to tell the world how special you are and how much I love and I miss you,” Lewis said. Hiram Green was a Korean War veteran.

Remembering lives lost

Over 850 folding chairs lined the grass next to the Independence Visitor Center, in front of Independence Hall, each chair representing 10 people who died of COVID-19.

COVID Survivors for Change, headed by Christopher Kocher, put together the display on Oct. 23 to remember the approximately 8,673 COVID-19 deaths in Pennsylvania.

In addition to the display, the organization livestreamed the event featuring people who remembered their loved ones lost to COVID-19.

Bari Himes lost her mother, Rose Phillips, who was living in a nursing home at the time, to COVID-19 in April. Phillips was in remission from stage four metastatic breast cancer.

“Some may say that people are tired of COVID, well I’m not tired of grieving for my mom,” Himes said.

PHOTOS AND REPORTING: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

@SJUHAWKNEWS

FEATURES

OPINIONS

06

Maggie Koch ‘22 addresses the lack of female leadership in the business school

09

Q&A with Layken Simmons on her experiences working at St. Joe’s

SPORTS

11

St. Joe’s lacrosse programs partner with Harlem lacrosse

2

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 28, 2020

St. Joe’s shifts study abroad plans for spring 2021 EDDIE DAOU ’22 Assistant News Editor The university has canceled all spring 2021 study tours as well as the popular, semester-long Belgium internship program and a French studies program in Paris due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The state of eight other spring programs, in which 18 students are enrolled, remains uncertain, according to Tom Kesaris, director of the Center for International Programs (CIP), with the university conducting a review of each program individually.

Other programs have already been canceled outright because of COVID-19 protocols established by the countries or by partner universities, including those in Australia and New Zealand, Kesaris wrote in an email to The Hawk.

“As of Oct. 15, St. Joe’s has suspended any program set to travel to a country where our students would not be permitted entry or where entry requirements such as quarantine would not be feasible,” Kesaris wrote.

“For countries where students traveling from the U.S. are currently permitted to enter, we are continuing our program review.”

Kesaris said students planning to go abroad in the spring of 2021 will receive a final decision for their particular program no later than Nov. 16.

Last semester, 17 semester-long study abroad programs ran with 46 students total, according to Sara Haines, CIP’s assistant director for semester abroad and health & safety. Many students, however, returned home in March as the pandemic worsened, ending their studies early.

All spring 2020 study tours and summer 2020 programs were later canceled. Fall 2020 programs were eventually canceled or deferred as well.

Kesaris said he is reminding students that COVID-19 is an evolving situation, and CIP will continue to monitor conditions after official decisions are shared.

Changes may still be made if travel conditions become unsafe.

Maddie Rose ’22 is signed up to study abroad in Florence, Italy next spring. Rose’s trip was originally planned for this fall but was deferred. Rose still plans to go in the spring, even with restrictions and a smaller number of students participating.

“I don’t exactly know what’s going to happen,” Rose said. “I’m trying to be the most optimistic with planning, but I have housing ready if I can’t go, and we’re picking classes. I will be disappointed, but not surprised, if it gets canceled” Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said the potential cancellation of a study abroad program is one of the exceptions the university will make for students who want to request a fully online schedule even though the original Oct. 15 deadline has passed. Both Kesaris and McConnell are advising students to prepare for any scenario.

“We do encourage anybody that’s thinking about studying abroad in the spring to fully prepare a schedule now and to register now,” McConnell said. “It’s so unpredictable what might happen, and we did this [for] the fall as well.”

Olivia Cardarelli ’22 had also planned to study abroad in Florence, Italy this fall.

Even though the program was deferred to the spring, Cardarelli pulled out altogether.

She said she was told the program would be shortened to 90 days and students would not be issued visas to travel on their own.

“I don’t want to do school field trips,” Cardarelli said. “I want to be independent.

I can’t even do some of the things I want at home. Why would I want to try that abroad? I just think that it’s not realistic.

Now I’m not going fall or spring. My experience with study abroad was destroyed because of COVID.” For students who do end up getting to travel, Kesaris said CIP is looking to support them in the event that additional public health safety measures are put in place

by the host city or country. For example, if a temporary lockdown was imposed, or if an individual student needed to self-isolate, Kesaris said CIP would ensure that students are offered support, including online courses, assistance with accessing food delivery and frequent communication and guidance about the local situation.

“If an early return became necessary, the CIP would coordinate with our partners abroad to guide each student through a safe return home,” Kesaris said. “Students would receive frequent communication and guidance for their return, as well as check-ins upon arrival. We are also assessing each program’s refund policies and remote course capability should students need to return early.”

Megan Hayes ’22, who was also scheduled to study abroad in Italy in the fall, canceled her plans in August after the last $1,000 deposit for the trip was due, which she said was “a lot to put down if we’re not

entirely certain that we’re going to go.” Hayes had planned to go abroad with a group of her friends, who collectively withdrew after fears of catching the virus. She decided not to go next spring either.

“I didn’t feel too comfortable going abroad, with COVID and everything, because God forbid something happened to us and one of us got sick or we had to leave suddenly,” Hayes said. “It would just be a lot to figure out. I think we made the best decision for ourselves.”

Haines said deposits for spring 2021 programs are refundable if a program is canceled or if a student voluntarily opts out.

The deadline to withdraw for a full refund is Dec. 15, Haines said.

As of now, faculty-led summer programs to Greece, Rome and South Africa are accepting applications and are planning to run in the summer of 2021.

The CIP office is located in LaFarge Hall and is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Total COVID-19 Cases in Tentative Study Abroad Countries 57,261 cases total

Total Cases

41,412 cases total

40,000-60,000

894,600 cases total 500,000-900,000

1 million +

Jameer Nelson

1,046,100 cases total

542,789 cases total

GRAPHIC: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

News

Oct. 28, 2020 3

The Hawk Newspaper

Faculty discuss turmoil in 2020 elections AIDAN MCGAHEY ’24 Special to The Hawk Lisa Baglione, Ph.D., professor of political science, is an expert on authoritarian regimes. But Baglione said being a featured panelist was a product of unfortunate circumstances.

“I normally would not be here unless maybe to talk about American foreign policy,” Baglione told an audience of about 25 students. “It’s really sad that I am here.”

Baglione joined three other St. Joe’s professors for an Oct. 21 talk titled “Uncharted Waters?: Donald Trump and the Peaceful Transition of Power in the U.S.” Baglione, along with Susan Liebell, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, Randall Miller, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history and David Parry, Ph.D., associate professor of communication studies, each offered perspectives on the upcoming election from their respective disciplines of political science, history and the media.

The four professors attempted to provide context for U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments about mistrust in this year’s electoral process and the potential that he may not accept the results of the election unless they are in his favor.

“Well, we’ll have to see what happens,” Trump said during a Sept. 24 news conference in the White House when asked if he will accept any outcome of the election.

“You know that.”

Miller put Trump’s comments within the historical context of American presidential transition, showcasing how they clash with established political norms

which developed in the wake of the highly contentious election of 1800. That election was finally decided after the incumbent President John Adams conceded the election to Thomas Jefferson. Adams did this for the good of the democratic electoral process, Miller said.

“That transfer of power set the standard thereafter in the United States, and that’s why it’s the most important election in American history,” Miller said in his presentation.

Miller said in an interview with The Hawk that ensuring the presidential transfer of power is a peaceful one has been a hallmark of U.S. elections and democracy.

“The history of our democratic experience, in terms of accepting the legitimacy of the result so that we can actually have government, has created habits of expectation which have governed subsequent behavior,” Miller said.

Baglione explained in an interview with The Hawk how contemporary authoritarianism can rise under seemingly fair democratic elections, but in actuality, are fraudulent.

“Authoritarianism has changed in the last 30 years to include competitions via elections, but the authoritarians don’t intend for those competitions to be free and fair or uncertain,” Baglione said. “They expect them to be coronations that lead to their return to power.”

Parry said social media can have an outsized impact on popular perception of an election’s results.

“There are lots of ways in which social media is really wonderful,” Parry said in an interview with The Hawk. “But the

In order to comply with COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, students and faculty gathered in the tent outside of Claver Hall to have an open discussion about the election.

speed of social media is not very conducive to the slow process of wanting to understand what happens on election night.”

Parry said it’s important not to follow social media exclusively on the night of the election.

“We should resist letting social media dictate the election and make sure that those people who are empowered to call the election, like the major news organizations, lead us on that,” Parry said.

Jack Mostow ’22, a political science major who attended the event, said he frequently discusses issues such as election legitimacy and transitions of power, but the panelists broadened his perspective.

“What was eye opening to me was what Dr. Parry talked about with the media,” Mostow said. “I don’t think about it enough, and it definitely plays a role in every election.”

Liebell said in an interview with The Hawk that people should be vigilant as they await the results of the election.

“Going into these next two weeks, not just students but all Americans, need to carefully say to anyone who will listen that this COVID-tinted election is a legitimate election, and that we need to not expect Election Day to produce a result,” Liebell said. “That’s something we should be embracing. We should have patience.”

Perry talks to the audience about the effects of the media on presidential elections and the way it affect public opinion. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Baglione explains how different organizations measure authoritarianism in different countries around the world.

Department of Public Safety reports (Oct. 16-Oct. 22) Oct. 18 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in Rashford Hall. Public Safety Officers responded. The preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a candle burning. The alarm was reset.

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in McShain Hall. Public Safety officers responded. The preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student spraying an aerosol fragrance near the smoke detector. The alarm was reset.

Public Safety was notified by two Starbucks patrons regarding a male loitering outside of the building. Public Safety officers were notified and responded. Public Safety officers escorted the individual off campus without further incident.

Oct. 19 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to an unknown person removing their backpack from a room in the Science Center. The investigation is ongoing.

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in the Merion Gardens Apartments.

Public Safety officers responded. The preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student cooking. The alarm was reset.

Oct. 21 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in Sullivan Hall. Public Safety officers responded. The preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student cooking. The alarm was reset.

Oct. 22 Public Safety was contacted by an Allied Universal desk attendant in regards to an alcohol confiscation in the Rashford Hall lobby. Public Safety responded and confiscated the alcohol. Community Standards was notified.

Public Safety was notified by an area resident of a noise complaint in the 2400 block of North 52nd. Public Safety officers and Philadelphia police were notified, responded into the area and spoke with the students.

Community Standards was notified.

ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

2 1

On campus

Off campus

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

1

On campus

0

Off campus

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

4

Oct. 28, 2020

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

St. Joe’s and voting opportunities Staff and contract workers deserve time to vote Editor in Chief

Jackie Collins ’21 Managing Editor Ryan Mulligan ’21 Copy Chief Cara Smith ’21 Faculty Adviser Shenid Bhayroo Contributing Adviser Jenny Spinner

Copy Editor Celia Hegarty ’21 Copy Editor Carly Calhoun ’21 Copy Editor Olivia Giannetta ’22 Multimedia Editor Nick Karpinski ’21 News Editor Devin Yingling ’22 Assistant News Editor Eddie Daou ’22

As a Jesuit university with a focus on social justice, it is our job to take part in the upcoming election by voting and encouraging others to do the same. There’s a lot on the line in this election, from a national response to a global pandemic, not to mention the health of the globe itself, to the rights of women and the lives of Black and brown Americans.

But in order for people to exercise their right to vote, they must also be able to access that right, and there are significant barriers to voting in our country when it comes to voting access.

Historically, the most vulnerable communities — Black and brown and low-income communities — are consistently subjected to systemic voter suppression.

Not being able to take off from work is one of the factors that affects someone’s ability to vote. Since Election Day is not a national holiday, Americans are often forced to decide between going to work or voting. This turns voting into a classist act. Those on a yearly salary, those who don’t have to worry about missing a day of work or those who have regular or flexibile hours, are more easily able to vote than those not in that position.

This is a prime example of voter suppression. So is the reduction in the number of polling places, causing some Americans to have to wait in long lines for hours to vote — and putting more vulnerable workers in the position of having to decide between a job and their vote.

We applaud students who lobbied the university for a day off so that students could vote, including SJUPride, which gathered over 500 signatures for its petition that was presented to university administration.

In a recent email from the provost, it was made clear, however, there is no room in the academic schedule to suspend classes on Election Day. Instructors are instead being urged

“We strongly urge the university to consider granting staff and contract workers paid time off so they can have the option to vote in person.” to be flexible regarding students who may need to miss class to vote.

While we appreciate instructors who will be flexible, as well as supervisors of student employees and work study students, and while we encourage students to do whatever it takes to vote, it is not students who most concern us.

It is St. Joe’s staff and workers, many of whom come from marginalized and underrepresented communities. If anyone needs flexibility,

and a day off, it is them. We strongly urge the university to consider granting staff and contract workers paid time off so they can have the option to vote in person.

While the services those staff members provide are crucial for students living on campus, granting them time off to vote would not significantly disrupt campus. We will gratefully bear any minor inconveniences to support our workers and to take a stand against voter suppression in our own community.

Our Jesuit values are heavily rooted in social justice, and the university should work towards standing up for the rights of all its workers. We are taught in Theology 154 the importance of participating politically, which is one of Catholicism’s social teachings. The university must hold true to these teachings if it’s going to encourage us to do the same. And holding true means taking action to support the most vulnerable among us.

—The Editorial Board

The Hawk welcomes Letters to the Editor, typically no more than 300 words. They can be emailed to hawk.editorial@gmail.com.

Assistant News Editor Christine DiSanti ’21 Opinions Editor Tayler Washington ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Sehar Macan-Markar ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Maggie Brennen ’22 Features Editor Giana Longo ’22 Assistant Features Editor Nenagh Sheehan ’21 Assistant Features Editor Elaina Wall ’21 Sports Editor Riley Frain ’21 Assistant Sports Editor Tyler Nice ’23

TIKTOK RECIPES If you haven’t made your way to cooking TikTok yet, you’re missing out. There are a ton of fun and delicious recipes to try, and they’re easy to follow for those of us who aren’t chefs. Charcuterie board TikTok anyone?

ZOEY 101 REUNION In case you missed it, the cast of Zoey 101 had a special reunion livestream event on Oct. 25. While this usually would’ve been hot, we were disappointed that the reunion included appearances from JoJo Siwa, Noah Beck and Dixie D’Amelio. When we asked for a Zoey 101 reboot, this is not what we meant. These new faces killed our 2005 nostalgia real quick. Just give us the original cast, please.

INSOMNIA COOKIES IS FINALLY OPENING The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. Hope may have seemed lost, but Insomnia Cookies WILL be opening soon on City Avenue! Soon we can have cookies delivered at all hours of the day (and night). We can almost taste it!

CONSTRUCTION ON CITY AVE Once again, there is construction on City Avenue. There is really not much else to say. At this point, we don’t even know what they’re fixing.

AOC TWITCH LIVESTREAMS Watching Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez play Among Us and use it as a platform to talk about important political issues to appeal to young voters? What more could we possibly want?

DRY HANDS We all know that washing our hands is an important part of keeping us healthy and stopping the spread of the coronavirus. But the dryness of our hands after washing them a hundred times? It’s just not cute. (Don’t forget to moisturize!)

Graphics/Illustrations Editor Casey Wood ’23 Photo Editor Mitchell Shields ’22 Social Media Manager Sam Jenkins ’21 Business Manager Angela DiMarco ’22 Assistant Business Manager Colin Messenger ’22 Assistant Business Manager Danny Remishevsky ’23 Distribution Manager Alec Mettin ’24 Distribution Manager Deborah Duong ’24

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 28, 2020

5

American exceptionalism The truth behind the free world MAX GIULIANA ’24 Columnist As Americans, we often hear the notion that we are “the greatest country in the world.”

It is a broad statement, but one that most Americans would agree with, myself included.

When you ask Americans what makes their country the best in the world, you often hear answers such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion or any of the provisions within the Bill of Rights. In response to this, to quote the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, “if you think that a Bill of Rights is what sets us apart, you’re crazy.”

It is not the simple rights and privileges that we grant our citizens that make us the leaders of the free world. Rather, it is the masterful structure of our government established in the Federalist Papers and the Constitution, and far too many American citizens fail to realize this.

Every modern nation that is considered a part of the global north has freedom. Some even have a Bill of Rights that could be considered superior to ours. However, they do not have the perfectly weighted checks and balances that exist in our government.

We as Americans take for granted the significance of having an independent judiciary or a legislative branch that is not

beholden to the executive branch. These fundamental structures of our government prevent radical change that could lead to tyranny or the degradation of our morality as a nation.

“We are all Americans, and in our society, we are protected from tyranny unlike any other people of the world.”

Although Americans often get frustrated with the gridlock of Congress and the fact that sometimes it feels like nothing gets done in politics, I would argue that it is not only good for the nation, but it is what the framers of the Constitution intended.

The founding fathers intentionally made legislation difficult to pass so only great legislation would become law. A piece of legislation that significantly impairs the rights or opportunities of a marginalized group theoretically should never get through Congress; representatives within the body would call out the fact that such a piece of legislation would hurt their constituents and thus block the movement. This type of balance stops radicalism and unjust laws from governing our nation. This is what truly sets us apart.

Far too often, the people of the U.S. forget what unites us. We are all Americans,

and in our society, we are protected from tyranny unlike any other country in the world. We can go to bed at night knowing that one person cannot tear down our institutions and autocratic rule will never come to fruition. It is not the size of our military or the size of our economy that makes us great. Although they can be seen as formidable aspects of our country, they do not define us. As a people, we should not want them to define us.

Instead, we should embrace the institutions of liberalism and cooperation, and a power-balanced government that grants us the opportunity to lead the free world. When there is a crisis in the world, people look to America to lead the way. That may be a massive responsibility, but it is placed on our shoulders because the whole world knows the importance and strength of our institutions, and we should be grateful for them.

Our institutions aren’t perfect. No government ever will be. But our founding fathers laid out the framework for the best government that has ever existed. It is the responsibility of the people to constantly improve our government, or create a more perfect union, without undermining the fundamental principles within it.

Candidates make final appeals to voters

MAGGIE BRENNEN ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor

After hearing that micro phones would be muted and U.S. President Donald Trump’s advisors told him to “tone it down,” Americans might have expected the final presidential debate to be far less chaotic than the first.

However, microphones were only muted for the candidates’ opening statements on each question posed, and after this time, they were able to interrupt all they wanted. This allowed President Trump to interrupt Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and the debate moderator, Kristen Welker, 34 times, while Biden interrupted 17 times.

Although President Trump was responsible for a majority of the interruptions, Biden was responsible for a majority of the interjections, where he spoke over President Trump for a few words, but didnot stop his flow. As blogger Matthew Yglesias tweeted, “Joe Biden is a master of the incredulous ‘come on!’”

Along with interruptions, the lies and misleading words spoken by the candidates were overwhelming. When discussing the coronavirus pandemic, President Trump claimed a vaccine for the virus was “ready.”

This wishful thinking is simply false.

Out of the four U.S. clinical vaccine trials in phase three, two trials are paused with no indication of when they will resume, asAstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have participants with unexplained illnesses. Pfizer’s and Moderna’s trials are waiting on positive results from their clinical trials, with no indication of when these results will come.

With racial justice at the forefront of voters’ minds, Biden falsely claimed that the Obama administration reduced the federal prison population by 38,000 people. In reality, the number of federal inmates shrank by 9,498 from 2008 to 2016.

Traditionally, the final presidential debate is the foreign policy debate, and while this elec-

tion has plenty of domestic issues to discuss, a significant portion was dedicated to foreign policy issues, such as immigration at the southern border. In response to the extremely unpopular policy of separating migrant children from their families at the border, President Trump claimed they were not separated from their parents but rather arrived with “bad people.”

While children do sometimes come to the border unaccompanied by their parents, Welker was asking about the 545 children who came to the U.S.-Mexico border with their parents and were separated between 2017-18. According to a court filing this week, the parents of those children haven’t been found.

In 2018, the Trump administration announced a zero tolerance policy for every adult illegally crossing the border, separating children from their parents who were criminally prosecuted.

A day before the debate, Biden’s campaign held a drive-in rally in Philadelphia.

At the rally, former U.S. President Barack Obama made his first speech in support of his former vice president that included some of the most direct attacks on President Trump that Obama has made since he left office.

For example, he pointed out the double standard of some on the right when it comes to excusing President Trump’s secretive finances, saying, “Listen, can you imagine if I had had a secret Chinese bank

account when I was running for reelection?

You think Fox News might have been a little concerned about that? They would have called me Beijing Barry.”

He framed his dislike of President Trump as nonpartisan, saying, “I never thought Donald Trump would embrace my vision or continue my policies, but I did hope

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

for the sake of the country, that he might show some interest in taking the job seriously. But it hasn’t happened. He hasn’t shown any interest in doing the work or helping anybody but himself and his friends.”

These words, delivered by a relatively popular president in the swing state of Pennsylvania, can potentially have an effect on voters.

With so many Americans already casting their ballots, the only truly productive presidential debate came after many citizens already finalized their decisions. For the citizens who have yet to make their decisions and cast their ballot, this last-ditch effort to sway voters was filled with “alternative facts.”

It is unfortunate that out of three presidential debates, the one that was less chaotic but more misleading was the one that could have impacted the election the most, making undecided voters vote a certain way based on a lie. This shows the importance of fact checking every debate.

TODD ERKIS Columnist I have an offer for a full-time job, but the salary is less than I was expecting. I really like the position, but feel I deserve more. Is there anything I can do to get a better offer? Ryan D. ’21.

First, congratulations on getting the offer! In this economy, that is quite an accomplishment. I am sorry you are disappointed in the starting salary. A good first place to start is to find out the “normal” range of starting salaries for the position. A reasonable starting salary can be found by searching online, talking to your advisor, looking at salary levels for entry-level job postings and talking with the Career Development Center. Use that information to see if your expectations are realistic.

If you would accept the job without an adjusted salary, then I suggest you do a great job and see where you are salary-wise in a year. It can be hard to move past wanting a specific number, but it’s important to understand that the job is more important than gaining a few thousand dollars in salary.

If the salary is low, or you have more than one offer, then you can negotiate, but you have to be careful. When students come to me with this question, I ask them to tell me what they specifically want. If you have multiple offers, which one would you take if they offered you the same amount of money? It’s critical that you stay focused on obtaining what you want and not just trying to get more.

I recommend an indirect approach since you don’t want to lose the job offer.

Something like, “I love the position and am close to making a decision. I was wondering if there was any wiggle room with the starting salary.” The goal of reaching out is to show that you likely will accept if they make an adjustment. If the response is no, and if you want the job, accept it and move on.

If they ask you what salary you are looking for, they may be open to making an adjustment. You can then tell them what you think is fair and say you will accept if they will make that change. The last part is critical as you can burn bridges if they give you what you ask for and then you tell them no.

Also, the amount you ask for should be reasonable relative to normal starting salaries and should be relatively close to what they offered. If you ask for too large an increase, they might say it’s too much and often won’t move at all. At that point, it is awkward to suggest a smaller increase and accepting the original offer may make you look bad. That is why for entry-level jobs, I generally recommend to take the position and not negotiate.

Anna Lubomirski ’21: From my own experience in deciding which offer to accept, I didn’t prioritize the pay that each company offered me. I was looking at the companies themselves and trying to figure out where I would fit in the best.

The most important thing is being happy in your job. Money alone will not achieve this. As a result, I would recommend working in the job for a while and if you still feel you deserve more, you will be well established and be able to show your value to the company in a salary negotiation.

6

Oct. 28, 2020

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

The hypocrisy of Amazon

Capitalism produces horrific working conditions SEHAR MACAN-MARKAR ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor The American dream is so deeply ingrained in our country’s roots to the point where billionaires are glorified. People believe that the top earners are hardworking and exemplify the best of our country. But what we ignore is what goes into making a billionaire: generational wealth, a generous starting donation and most importantly, the ruthless exploitation of their workers. The perfect example of this is Jeff Bezos.

The story of Bezos starting his trillion dollar company from his garage is often used to promote the fact that anyone can make it in America. What is usually left out from this story is his Princeton University degree and his $250,000 investment from his parents.

Now, his company is worth over $1 trillion and he is the first person whose net worth has surpassed $200 billion (it has since dropped to $183 billion). He makes $2,219 per second, which is over double what the average U.S. worker makes in a week.

It’s bizarre to me that Bezos is making more than he could spend in a lifetime. As of January 2019, there are 567,715 people suffering from homelessness in America.

Our country’s poverty rates are high, with 38 million people living in poverty, and another 93.6 million people living close to poverty; in other words 40.9% of people in America live in or close to poverty.

In a country where there are a staggering number of people experiencing homelessness and families who are struggling to put food on the table, it seems almost dystopian that people with this level of wealth exist. Now I am not denying his intelligence,

GRAPHIC: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

or saying he doesn’t deserve success. What I am countering is that he does not deserve the ridiculous amount of money that he has, especially considering the treatment of his workers.

Amazon Prime Day was last week on Oct. 13 and 14. While the company has not released the total amount that they have made, third-party sellers alone generated over $3.5 billion dollars. The projected total sales are anywhere from $7.5 to $10 billion for those two days.

While these two days are some of the most profitable for the company, they are also some of the most dangerous for the workers, with more injuries and health complaints. With the current pandemic, many of the health and safety guidelines were broken on Prime Day. Although Amazon is known for its quickness, it is surprising that in a pandemic, Amazon was able to hold its busiest day of the year to the same standard

that we’ve seen in the past. A huge reason for Amazon’s speed, and success in general, is the dehumanization of their workers.

Amazon workers are closely monitored throughout their shift. The scanners that they use are personal, digital trackers. These scan guns give them tasks and the seconds that they have to complete them.

One former worker discussed how for a 12 hour shift, there is a 30 minute unpaid lunch break and 18 minutes, throughout the shift, to use the bathroom, get a drink of water or even just for temporarily resting. If one takes too long to complete these tasks, or even just spends too much time “off task,” their manager is alerted.

The workers are usually written up for not meeting these goals, and if they do not improve, they are fired. Some even pee in bottles because they do not want to risk taking up too much time. Amazon expects their workers to repress their humanity and

exhaustion in order to get the maximum work out of them.

Since 2016, there has been a rise of injuries in Amazon facilities. The rate of injuries is double the industry standard, with many being chronic. There have even been many reports of Amazon discouraging workers from reporting their injuries and seeking medical care along with the company covering up the death of one of its own employees, maintenance worker Phillip Lee Terry.

After Terry was crushed to death by a forklift, an investigator found the company at fault and charged them with a $28,000 fine. To me, that sounds measly given the company’s value and that a human died on the job. But Amazon did not want to pay anything at all. They appealed all of the citations and fines, and the Indiana governor overturned all of them. Every fine was repealed, and Amazon’s claim that Terry was responsible for his own death was accepted.

An innocent man did not receive justice, just so one of the richest companies in the world could save $28,000.

Sure, Amazon pays its workers above the national minimum wage at $15 an hour, and they have decent benefits. But when looking at the horrendous working conditions, that seems like nothing. These workers are making about $35,000 a year on average. Many people, especially those with families, are barely staying afloat on these salaries. These people are being pushed to the brink of exhaustion and working in inhumane conditions.

The people at the bottom who make the company’s efforts possible are not paid or treated well, and many face adverse, long term effects. For what? So Bezos and the people at the top can make even more gluttonous amounts of money.

Women’s leadership in the business school A call to action for increased female representation

MAGGIE KOCH ’22 Special to The Hawk On Sept. 18, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. While she lived a long life with an incredible career, it left many women, including myself, anxious about their future in the U.S. She dedicated her life to the law and fought for women’s rights and equality. I am one of many women in the Haub School of Business who aim to do the same.

We want there to be equal opportunities and increased representation of women across all majors to enhance women’s experiences in school and beyond. There are some groups where this is a more prevalent conversation, but they are not nearly as frequent as they should be.

Freshman year, I was one of nine women out of 35 students in my financial accounting class. We sat together in the front of the room and consistently raised our hands to answer questions. Most times, the professor called on two or three men before calling on one of the women. My voice was not promoted in the classroom. I did not stop raising my hand, but throughout the semester, I noticed some of the other women did.

I am in other classes where a majority of the students are women. These classes

are typically thought-provoking and challenging, like political science or philosophy.

Here, I feel empowered to voice my opinion and ask questions.

other to be leaders in every situation. Why would women in the business school deny themselves an opportunity to grow in this way? Because women in the business

“Women in the business school are not challenged to look at themselves as leaders.”

But I do not feel this same empowerment in my Diversity in the Workplace class, which is also a majority of women. In this class, I feel as though the discussions protect the men in the room from becoming too uncomfortable. I want to dig deeper into the importance of inclusion in the workplace. I want to have difficult conversations because that’s the only way change happens, yet I don’t feel that sentiment from the classroom environment I am in.

Feeling discouraged about my environment, I attended my first Women’s Leadership Initiative meeting this year. In the Zoom meeting, we went around and introduced ourselves and I had a moment of shock. Out of a group of 30 women, I was one of three business majors.

These women strive to empower each

school are not challenged to look at themselves as leaders.

Since enrolling in the business school in 2018, I have seen an increased awareness of the intersection of social justice and business. There has been a push to promote the United Nation’s 17 sustainable development goals (SDG).

However, their promotion falls short on SDG number five: gender equality. I have never been in a conversation in the business school that aims to promote this goal. This is an area of growth for Haub School of Business’ SDG promotion, and I want to start this conversation.

The Haub School of Business should empower women leaders in their programs. Not only does this align with our Jesuit values, but it also prepares women for the real world.

Right now, as a Jesuit business school in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we have a duty and an opportunity to lead the way in women’s equality in the business sphere.

We need to begin programs that foster women’s leadership skills in the boardroom.

We need to host workshops that facilitate conversations between men and women about leadership that place women at the center of the narrative. We need to start using inclusive pronouns in class when talking about the hypothetical CEO of a company.

We need to encourage women to raise their hands in class, and we need to encourage professors to call on women when they do so.

We should be advertising that our three associate deans are all women and that three of the seven department chairs in the business school are women. This knowledge excites young women because they see that being a leader is a possible goal to achieve, which has not been represented for a long time. These changes and implementations might seem small, but this is where change starts.

Saint Oscar Romero called on us to “plant the seeds that will one day grow.”

Let’s plant seeds of gender equality and empowerment in the Haub School of Business that can continue to be fostered in the business world beyond Hawk Hill.

Features

The Hawk Newspaper

By Allie Miller ’24: Since I’m a freshman, the only St. Joe’s I know is one filled with students in masks, six feet apart, the absence of sporting events and days filled with Zoom calls. And so, I drew the three places on campus where I feel like I can escape the pandemic.

We asked first-year students at St. Joe’s, who have never attended a pre-pandemic campus, and only know it as a place of masks and brown paper dinner bags and tents and often empty common spaces, to capture the campus from their perspective.

Our ask is based on Bloomberg CityLab’s Coronavirus Map Project, which was published in June and features maps that people all over the world created to document their city, neighborhood or home spaces as impacted by the pandemic.

Of the more than two dozen maps we received, we find first-year students grappling, as they do every year, with trying to get to know their new home. We see sunrises and study nooks and running paths. We see exhilaration and loneliness, desires for connections and the relief of solitude. We see students coming to terms with a semester on Hawk Hill like no other, but still finding their way.

If you’d like to contribute a map to our series, please contact Giana Longo ’22, Features Editor, at thehawkfeatures@gmail.com for submission guidelines.

“Is the pandemic ever going to be over? Am I sick?

Could I be? Am I doing enough? Whether I’m in my bed or in a class, my thoughts never turn off.”

therapy is a real thing. I can go by myself and browse each item I like (which honestly, is most of them) dozens of times, or I can go with friends to kill time between classes. I spent a week and a half making nearly daily trips just to look at one sweatshirt until I finally gave in and bought it. It’s a cream-colored, waffle style crewneck that just reads, “Saint Joseph’s University” in a red, vintage font. And now, when I slip it on over my head, I am overcome with a feeling of comfort and warmth that tells me my purchase was worth it.

My dorm is the place where I “As the colors fade, I watch the feel the safest and most comfort- sunset through the gray bars able because I am almost always that overlook the John W. alone there. The loneliness can be comforting whenever I realize I Smithson Baseball Field and don’t have to worry about anyone a sea of trees. I forget about else except for myself. I don’t have social distancing and masks a roommate, so it’s easy to hide and getting sick just for the away, staying put for online classtime it takes for the sun to set, es, homework and even meals.

But when I realize it’s time to and I let myself feel at peace.” leave my room and get some air, I walk to the St. Joe’s Bookstore.

On my map, I also included my I get lost for a bit too long, al- thoughts. No matter where I am on ways convincing myself that retail campus, they are always with me.

Allie Miller’s Map

Oct. 28, 2020 7 Is the pandemic ever going to be over? Am I sick? Could I be? Am I doing enough? Whether I’m in my bed or in a class, my thoughts never turn off, so I felt it was important for them to be included on my map.

The place on campus where the pandemic feels least present, though, and where I feel most at peace, is on the sidewalk behind O’Pake Recreation Center. Every once in a while at sunset, I sit against the wall behind the dull, gray railing and watch the blue sky transform into a mixture of orange, pink and yellow.

As the colors fade, I watch the sunset through the gray bars that overlook the John W. Smithson Baseball Field and a sea of trees. I forget about social distancing and masks and getting sick just for the time it takes for the sun to set, and I let myself feel at peace.

Miller is an international business and Spanish double major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

8 Oct. 28, 2020

NICK VAGNOZZI ’22 Columnist MIKE MIRANDA ’22 Columnist Cheesesteaks are a staple in the city of Philadelphia, and so is the endless debate about where to get the best one. We researched a variety of local Philadelphia magazines, news outlets and recommendations from Philadelphia natives to identify the top cheesesteaks shops in the city.

This week, we visited the one and only Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop located on, what could be considered the epicenter of the cheesesteak world, South Street.

Woodrow’s Shop is known for their famous homemade cheese whiz and has made a name for itself with its unique flavors. This personalized twist bolstered Woodrow’s among the ranks of the most established and well-known sandwich shops in the city.

Like many other famous spots in Philly, Woodrow’s builds their cheesesteak with their own specific touch. Not only do they

Features

The Hawk Newspaper

make their own cheese whiz, but this is the only shop we have visited so far that offers truffle cheese whiz. Additionally, Woodrow’s offers a special cherry pepper mayo. All three of these elements serve as fan favorites to Woodrow’s regulars and provide an even more exciting twist for the customer.

Upon arriving at the restaurant’s door, the pride and individuality of the truffle cheese whiz is clear. The front of the shop was swarmed with loyal Woodrow's customers, all seeking the same unique cheesesteak taste.

When ordering a Woodrow’s cheesesteak, one should do so in the Woodrow’s signature style, with their truffle cheese whiz, cherry pepper mayo and fried onions.

Unlike many other shops, there is not an option of picking your cheese preference.

The combination and flavors of these revolutionary characteristics puts this cheesesteak stand in a category of its own.

The truffle whiz had a very distinct taste, one which could be described as sharp in taste but smooth in texture, proving its vast contrast from other steaks in the city. The

Woodrow’s is located on South Street. PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK VAGNOZZI ’22

cheese, along with the cherry pepper mayo, brought a different sight with white cheese whiz instead of the unique yellow whiz we’re accustomed to. Additionally, the bun was fine, but nothing to really talk about. Both from a flavor and texture standpoint, it was very similar to the average hoagie roll.

Amazing whiz aside, this sandwich did have a few flaws. The cherry pepper mayo was supposed to be a strong flavor, but ultimately couldn’t be tasted because the flavor of the cheese whiz was overpowering. Additionally, the steak itself was slightly overcooked, causing a chewy texture. Although the great cheese and

simple roll did their best to make up for them, these flaws proved to be very glaring downfalls.

While these mediocre qualities of the sandwich will hold this steak back from cracking the upper echelon of Philadelphia’s glorious cheesesteak hierarchy, this cheesesteak will still hold its own on our list as one of the city’s elite steak shops.

Rating: 8.3 steaks out of 10

Movies and snacks perfect for a Halloween night in On the more savory side, enjoy pumpkin stuffed peppers while screaming to “Scream.”

Available to stream on Hulu

NENAGH SHEEHAN ’21 Assistant Features Editor Halloween is approaching amidst the pandemic, like a scary movie. We are still in quarantine, wearing masks (but not for costumes) and trying to escape this nightmare.

Although Halloween may not be like prior years, movies and snacks are still a great way to get into the spooky season spirit.

Below is a list of movies paired with snacks to watch and eat with roommates. So. sit back, relax and get ready to be spooked.

“Halloweentown” (1998) “Halloweentown” is a classic Disney throwback about a family of witches and is the perfect nostalgic movie to get into the Halloween spirit. Marnie Piper (Kimberly J. Brown) and her siblings, Dylan (Joey Zimmerman) and Sophie (Emily Roeske), follow their witch grandmother (Debbie Reynolds) back to the magical Halloweentown, a place where supernatural beings can live a normal life. It is Marnie’s 13th birthday, and trouble begins when she finds out she is a witch and that her family is involved in a battle with the evil forces that will take over the world if she and her siblings don’t stop it.

Cookie witch hats are the perfect treat to go along with this movie. After baking chocolate cookies, add a Hershey’s Kiss to the top, imitating a witches hat.

Available to stream on Disney+ “The Addams Family” (1991) This movie brings all of your favorite characters from the classic TV series. Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) shows up at the Addams’ home and claims to be the brother of Gomez Addams (Raul Julia) despite losing his memory. The Addams’ children,

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman), excitedly get into mischief with the arrival of their lost uncle, but their mother, Morticia (Anjelica Huston) begins to suspect Fester is a fraud since he can’t recall anything from his life. This lighthearted comedy is the perfect amount of dark and funny.

Inspired by the hand in the movie, Thing T. Thing, breadstick fingers are the perfect snack to share with roommates and are easy to make. Use raisins, pine nuts, and pumpkin seeds as decorations on the breadsticks to imitate fingers.

Available to stream on Netflix “Hocus Pocus” (1993) Three hundred years ago, the Sanderson sisters, Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), were executed in Salem, Massachusetts for practicing witchcraft. On Halloween night of 1993, young Max Dennison (Omri Katz), in an attempt to impress a po-

tential girlfriend, lights the forbidden black flame candle that is said to break the curse and bring the witches back. The night that follows is one of fun, magic and horror as the witches race against the sunrise in the pursuit of the children’s souls to secure their existence.

Spooky rice krispies dipped in chocolate and decorated with a candy eyeball pair well with watching “Hocus Pocus.”

Available to stream on Disney+ “Scream” (1996) “Scream” will leave you screaming.

Watch this movie to experience thrills and get in the Halloween spirit. A year after her mother’s death, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends start experiencing strange phone calls. The calls are from a serial killer dressed in a mask and long black robe. News reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Deputy Dewey (David Arquette) investigate to try to find out who the killer is.

“Edward Scissorhands” (1990) This Tim Burton film is beautifully dark and is perfect for a Halloween movie night.

Peg (Dianne Wiest) stumbles upon a mad scientist’s failed experiment, Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp), and takes him into her home. The nosy neighborhood housewives take an interest in him until it turns sour. Edward learns human emotions like love, rage and sadness, but ultimately must go back to his own castle and isolate for his own sake.

A Halloween inspired charcuterie board with various sour candies and orange cookies will bring deliciously scary vibes.

Available to stream on Starz “Halloween” (1978) This is the perfect scary movie to keep you up at night. Six-year-old Michael Myers (Nick Castle) stabbed his older sister Judith to death and was institutionalized. On the night before Halloween, Myers escapes 15 years later and goes back to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. On Halloween day, he stalks a high school student, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), who notices and tells her friends Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes) and Lynda Van der Klok (PJ Soles), who dismiss her concerns. Myers’ psychologist, Dr. Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasence) tries to stop his rampage before it’s too late.

Are you carving a pumpkin for Halloween? Take the leftover seeds, roast them and sprinkle white cheddar powder on top to make a pumpkin seed dish to enjoy while watching Michael Myers on screen.

Features

Oct. 28, 2020

The Hawk Newspaper

9

Get to know our community: Q&A with Layken Simmons ELAINA WALL ’21 Assistant Features Editor

This week, Layken Simmons, an Aramark employee who recently started working as a cashier in the P.O.D. Market in the Post Learning Commons, spoke with The Hawk about her love for cooking. Simmons, originally from Miami, Florida, moved to Philadelphia when she was three years old and has lived in North Philly ever since.

What is something that you are looking forward to in this position?

I hope to eventually be upgraded to a new position, in the dining hall or somewhere working more with food.

I work [in Campion] one day a week, on Saturdays, and I go to different stations, and each station has different opportunities that you can cook. I probably would like to work in the middle section, because there are sundaes and different desserts in the middle section.

Is cooking food something that you enjoy?

Yes, my dad was a chef at the Hard Rock Cafe in Miami, so my interest comes from him. I can take time out for my day and just focus on preparing food. It’s a way for me to just relax.

I like to cook lasagna, but it’s not a family recipe. It’s a vegetarian dish. It

has zucchini in it, and that’s one of my favorite vegetables. I like quinoa, veggies and either salmon or tilapia.

Do you have a favorite memory of cooking?

My grandmother and I made a lemon bundt cake when I was five or six. I helped her with lemon icing, and that was one of my earliest memories of cooking.

Usually we [weren’t] allowed in the kitchen, so it was the first time I was able to cook with her. And like I said, I enjoy sweets, so the first time that I was able to cook with her, I was able to [make] a cake, which is nice and exciting at that age.

We will have holiday Christmas dinners or Thanksgiving dinners, and the rest of us get to pitch in and help.”

Do you have any other hobbies?

I like photography, mostly 35 millimeter film and I dabbled a little in digital [photography].

I like to shoot scenery, I rarely shoot people, but I like the scenery and nature.

Everywhere in Philly is different, so it’s always something new.

I always liked using little disposable cameras as a kid, and I saw the movie “Mimic: Sentinel” and a guy [in it] had an old camera, and I liked it so I just bought one for myself.

Layken Simmons works at the Post Learning Commons. P.O.D Market.

PHOTO: DANNY REMISHEVSKY ’23/THE HAWK

Mask of the week: Kellogg’s Eggo ELAINA WALL ’21 Assistant Features Editor

Every day, we walk by others and only see half their features. While it seems like we are missing a glimpse of part of their faces, we are really getting a deeper look into a part of their personality each week. The Hawk will talk to students to hear the stories behind their masks.

Our mask of the week is from Thomas Francesconi ’22, a food marketing and business intelligence double major from Haddon Heights, New Jersey, who spoke with The Hawk about the Eggo mask he wears around campus.

Where did you get your mask from?

This past summer I interned with Kellogg’s, so I worked there as a sales intern. For all the employees, they sent [everyone masks for] 13 of our brands.

It was kind of nice to get those for free.

How often do you wear these Kellogg’s masks?

I try to wear one a day. Obviously, I’ve washed them because they are reusable, and that’s kind of the cycle. It switches which one for each day, but that’s pretty much what I do.

Is this your favorite mask? If so, why?

I would say either the Eggo one, or Cheez-It because those are my favorite brands.

Thomas Francesconi ’22 wears his Kellogg’s Eggo mask around campus. PHOTO: ELAINA WALL ’21/THE HAWK

Do you often receive compliments on your masks?

I do get a lot of compliments. It’s really nice seeing people who recognize

the brands and show some love and support for them.

Do you think that wearing your Kellogg’s masks makes you stand out at all?

Honestly, no. I think that having the mask on still gives the same message of staying safe, but the different image doesn’t make me stand out at all.

10

Oct. 28, 2020

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Jameer Nelson joins 76ers in G League role RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor Former St. Joe’s basketball standout Jameer Nelson will join the Philadelphia 76ers in a new coaching and front office role.

After a disappointing 2019-20 season, Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand is looking to reshape the organization’s front office in an effort to bring in new personnel and rebuild the team’s structure.

Nelson will be a part of that new trasition.

At St. Joe’s, Nelson was named the 2004 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year, the Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and led the Hawks to an undefeated 2003-04 regular season.

Following his first round selection in the 2004 NBA draft, where Nelson was selected 20th overall to the Denver Nuggets, he went on to a 14-year playing career, which saw him suit up for the Magic, Mavericks, Celtics, Nuggets, Pelicans and Pistons, and was named to the NBA All-Star team in 2009.

Now, 38-years-old Nelson is getting into the managerial side of the sport and will be joining the Delaware Blue Coats, the G League affiliate of the 76ers, as the team’s new assistant general manager, and will be a member of the team’s scouting department for the upcoming season.

For Nelson, this job will be somewhat of a homecoming, as the Blue Coats cur-

rently play home games at the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware, a mere 17 miles from where Nelson grew up in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Across social media, former St. Joe’s Hawks reached out to congratulate Nelson on his new job within the 76ers organization.

“Congrats to my friend [Jameer Nelson] on his new position with the [Sixers]!

Excited as you embark on this new journey,” said former teammate and current 76ers assistant coach John Bryant ’04 in a tweet. “I also want to apologize for costing you 100+ assists at [St. Joe’s] due to me unfortunately having ‘hands like feet.’”

Former men’s basketball Head Coach Phil Martelli was also among those to praise Nelson on his new position, welcoming him as a member of the coaching family.

“THIS IS TREMENDOUS!!!” Martelli tweeted. “Blessed to have Jameer Nelson as a member of my Family #LOVE.” It was reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer that Nelson had interviewed for the St. Joe’s head coaching job when the university parted ways with Martelli in March of 2019.

Eventually, St. Joe’s went with Head Coach Billy Lange to fill the position. According to Nelson, this was tough to hear.

“I’m not bitter or anything like that,” Nelson told the Inquirer in an interview. “But because I wanted [the job], I am disappointed.”

Now, Nelson will get his opportunity to make that jump into the front office

side of basketball and at a professional level with the Delaware Blue Coats.

Nelson’s new role will be a homecoming for the Chester native. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Oct. 28, 2020

11

St. Joe’s lacrosse programs give back with Harlem Lacrosse TYLER NICE ’23 Assistant Sports Editor St. Joe’s men’s and women’s lacrosse programs have partnered with Harlem Lacrosse, a school-based nonprofit organization in cities across America that aims to change the lives of at-risk youth through daily academic support and lacrosse instruction.

Taylor Wray, head coach of the St. Joe’s men’s lacrosse team, said the organization’s holistic mission is what drew him to learn more about, and eventually partner with, Harlem Lacrosse.

“It’s not just about lacrosse,” Wray said.

“It’s about improving kids, helping kids to stay in school, to do better in school and using sports as a way to encourage that.”

Harlem Lacrosse was founded in Harlem, New York in 2008 by Simon Cataldo, a special education math teacher. Cataldo used lacrosse as a way to engage his most academically and behaviorally challenged students, according to the organization’s website. Currently, Harlem Lacrosse has chapters in New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

The St. Joe’s lacrosse programs travel to Thomas K. Finletter School in Olney, one of two schools in Philadelphia to partner with Harlem Lacrosse, where they work with middle school students in the program at summer camps, coach and administer drills at practices and work with students in the school’s study halls.

Amber Weedon, junior goalie for the women’s lacrosse team, said she believes the student-athletes’ mentorship creates a positive impact for the program’s participants.

Members of the Harlem Lacrosse program outside Sweeney Field after a practice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

“It makes a big impact on the girls, [if] they really need someone to be there for them with lacrosse, with school, with anything,” Weedon said.

Sophomore goalie Robbie Seeley said that student-athletes help the younger students on the field and in the classroom.

“Whatever the student was struggling with most, we would help them with,” Seeley said. “So if they’re struggling with reading, we would go over their reading homework.

We would help them through that and it was just a lot of fun.”

Wray said that over last year’s fall break, Seeley held a sports apparel drive in his

hometown of Marcellus, New York and returned to campus with a truckload of cleats, athletic shorts and training shoes to give to Harlem Lacrosse.

According to Wray, the opportunity to work with Harlem Lacrosse has made St. Joe’s players cognizant of a privilege that they may not have been aware of before.

“To interact with people who don’t necessarily have access to the same resources that a lot of the guys on our team have grown up with was really eye-opening for us,” Wray said.

Wray said that while the diversity of the game of lacrosse has increased slightly since

he played and started as a coach, it’s not as much as he and other members of the lacrosse community would like to see. He said that nonprofit organizations like Harlem Lacrosse in Philadelphia are a good first step to diversifying the game.

“I do think the number of those programs and the growth of those programs is helping,” Wray said. “But man, it’s still got a long, long way to go.”

Many lacrosse players who want to play college lacrosse play on club teams, which gives college coaches a chance to scout and possibly recruit future student-athletes. To be a part of these teams, there are several hundred, if not thousand dollar fees, with food and travel costs separate fees.

Weedon said that she believes one possible way to navigate around the socioeconomic barriers of lacrosse is for college coaches to scout more games at the high school level rather than focusing on club tournaments.

“A lot of college coaches didn’t come to any high school games that I played in,” Weedon said. “I think that’s where they can start looking.”

According to Seeley, the first step in diversifying lacrosse is making the sport more accessible as a whole. Seeley said that Harlem Lacrosse is an incredible institution that is trying to diversify the sport as well as empower its students for future success off the field.

“Having the chance to work with them and seeing the coaches in the organization support their players how much they do, it’s really incredible,” Seeley said.

Basketball program hosts Hagan Arena Virtual Sellout RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor Due to fans being barred from Hagan Arena for the start of the basketball season, the St. Joe’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will host a virtual sellout for members of the St. Joe’s community to support the teams.

The Hagan Arena Virtual Sellout allows fans a chance to purchase a “seat” with the intent of each purchase being a gift for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Seat prices range from $50 for a single seat, $1,000 for a row and up to $5,000 to fill a whole section. For those who donate, there are potential incentives involved as well. A gift of $200 or more earns a thank you video from both men’s Head Coach Billy Lange and women’s Head Coach Cindy Griffin, a gift of $1,000 or more earns a Zoom meeting with both coaches and a gift of $5,000 or more earns a Zoom call to watch a St. Joe’s basketball game with Director of athletics, Jill Bodensteiner, J.D. According to Associate Director of Athletic Development Liz Barone, who runs the virtual sellout, these donations will help generate revenue for the basketball program during this unusual year.

“When you look at the sources of revenue for the athletic department, fundrais-

ing and ticket revenue are separate,” Barone said. “But we're all working together to generate as much revenue for the athletic department in an abnormal year as we can.”

Barone said that with this virtual sellout initiative, the athletics department has a specific number they want to reach and plans on using the donations to help the program continue to function at a high level.

“The monetary goal is $192,500,” Barone said. “It goes to the men’s and women’s basketball operating fund, maintaining the student-athlete experience.”

Currently the initiative, which was announced on Oct. 15, has seen over 100 donors and has raised more than 15% of the total goal which the athletic department hopes to meet before the program’s conclusion at the end of December, according to the campaign’s website.

According to Barone, the initial idea for the initiative came following a number of other universities’ athletics departments successful virtual sellouts within their schools’ communities.

“Some schools decided to do virtual sellouts to close out their spring seasons,” Barone said. “We decided we wanted to try it in a more traditional sense, around basketball season.”

While the virtual sellout had a strong start, according to Emily Mandarano ’23,

co-vice president of 54th Airborne, the St. Joe’s student fan section, Mandarano said she would definitely like to see more initiatives focused on student fans.

“I think it’s more aimed toward alumni because I don’t necessarily think college kids will want to pay that,” Mandarano said. “But it’s a good idea to keep bringing in money while we can’t have people in [Hagan Arena].”

54th Airborne President Jay Wilmer ’22 said that he hopes to see more initiatives from the athletics department that engage students with the team, in spite of fans not being allowed in Hagan Arena for the upcoming season. “[The Virtual Sellout] is tough for students to support because buying out seats can get expensive for people who need to pay for their books, tuition, rent,” Wilmer said. “But it’s still something and I hope [the athletic department] can make some money

off of it and keep everything running.”

According to Barone, in conjunction with the Be in that Number campaign, which consist of five crowdfunding projects for the university, this virtual sellout is one the athletic department has taken the lead on.

“There is one for Kinney, one for the SJU mural arts project and one for the student in need fund,” Barone said. “We’re just one piece of this bigger puzzle that’s happening at St. Joe’s.”

Barone said that while the virtual sellout is meant to drive revenue for the basketball team, she hopes it will also drive passion among fans who are missing Hagan Arena this year.

“Beyond raising money, the point of the fundraiser is to show our basketball teams that [fans are] there in spirit and supporting the team,” Barone said.

A sold out Hagan Arena during the 2019-2020 season. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

12

Oct. 28, 2020

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

A moment in SJU Athletics: the Holy War TYLER NICE ’23 Assistant Sports Editor Since The Hawk is unable to bring our readers typical sports coverage due to the coronavirus pandemic, we want to reflect on sports highlights from years past. This week’s edition highlights the “Holy War” rivalry between the St. Joe’s and Villanova University's men’s basketball teams.

Since the first game between the institutions in 1921, there has always been a friendly disdain for the Augustinian university located just a short seven mile trip northwest on East Lancaster Avenue.

The Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball program, especially after its successes in recent years, lives in the minds of fanatical Hawk supporters, many of whom were old enough to remember when the rivalry was at its most competitive.

In the past two-and-a-half decades, however, the Hawks have only won five of the last 24 matchups against the Wildcats.

St. Joe’s fired Phil Martelli, the coach and longtime face of the program, in 2019, while the Wildcats captured two national championships in three years from 2016-18.

Right now, the two programs could not be in more different places. St. Joe’s is in the midst of a rebuilding period, while Villanova is a perennial powerhouse program that is reloading year in and year out. The Wildcats hold an eight game winning streak against the Hawks, the longest in the history of the rivalry.

However, this contrast only validates the rivalry’s significance. It doesn’t matter where the programs are, nor what the result of the previous year was. Every year, the St. Joe’s fanbase will approach the annual game versus the Wildcats with the same unrelenting passion and “The Hawk Will Never Die” spirit.

The following highlights are important moments from the rivalry’s history.

Early History: In the first sold-out game of the rivalry’s history on Feb. 12, 1958, the Saint Joseph’s College Hawks, coached by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Jack Ramsay, defeated the Wildcats 86-82 in overtime. Since then, every iteration of the series has sold out, regardless of venue.

Mike Pinto ’59, The Hawk: “Three field goals and a foul conversion by McNeill and a two pointer by Clarke sandwiched between a foul toss by Villanova’s Tom Brennan gave the Hawks a five point bulge with 2:20 remaining. McNeill converted two more foul tosses but foul conversions by Brennan and Jack Kelly and a long one hand stab by Joe Ryan were good enough to tie the score seconds before the final buzzer sounded.

Spratt, Hoffacker, and McNeill provided the fire power for the City Liners

The Holy War dates back as far as 1921, which marks the first matchup between St. Joe’s and Villanova. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

in the five minute overtime period as Jack Ramsay’s squad rolled up a six point lead, coasting to its second City Series victory in three starts.”

The 1980s: The 1980s was the most competitive and evenly matched decade of the rivalry, with six Villanova victories in the decade compared to St Joe’s four.

On Feb. 15, 1985, Villanova defeated St. Joe’s in a low-scoring game, 47-44 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. With the score tied at 44, St. Joe’s successfully held the ball for the last three minutes of the game in an attempt to take the final shot of the contest, only to miss within the final 10 seconds. Villanova guard Dwayne McClain rebounded the ball, and then made an 18 foot jump while being fouled with two seconds left to give the Wildcats the win. The Wildcats went on to win the national championship that year with a win over Georgetown in what is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history.

Donna Chesla, sports editor: “Spectrum Official Jim Forte signaled a blocking call against Owens before McClain had gotten a shot off; that would have awarded him a one-and-one. On the game’s tape which was reviewed after the game, it showed McClain taking a dribble and then getting hit by Owens. Forte then appeared to signal a block. The tape continues, showing McClain taking another step, setting the ball loose and Forte then signaling the goal good. And what did Forte have to say about his quick change of mind? No comment.”

The Palestra has played home to many historic Holy War matchups including this one in 2003.

The 1990s: In the 1990s, the teams only played on six occasions, as “the significance of the Big 5 diminished with changes in the structure of college basketball and the expansion of the Big East and Atlantic 10 conferences,” according to Penn Today. The round-robin city series ended in 1991, but was revived in 1999.

On Dec. 18, 1994, the Hawks rallied from 10 points down to defeat the #22 Wildcats, led by future NBA player Kerry Kittles, 60-57 in a game that celebrated the 40th anniversary of the city series. Junior guard Mark Bass netted a 3-pointer with two minutes left to give St. Joe’s a three point lead.

Bass and senior guard Bernard Blunt led the team with 13 points each, and senior forward Carlin Warley added nine points and 14 rebounds.

The 2000s: The 2000s saw the two programs reach levels of success unprecedented in their respective histories. St. Joe’s captured a #1 ranking in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first and only time in school history after a 27-0 start to the 2003-04 season. Villanova reached a school record of seven consecutive NCAA tournaments, including a Final Four appearance in 2009.

Over the course of the decade, St. Joe’s and Villanova produced notable NBA players, including Jameer Nelson and Delonte West from St. Joe’s and Kyle Lowry and Randy Foye from Villanova, with Nelson and Foye each earning first-team All-American honors in their respective college careers.

On Feb. 3, 2003, St. Joe’s defeated the Wildcats 93-75 after a 40-9 run to begin the contest. Junior guard Jameer Nelson, an All-American candidate at the time, scored a game high of 30 points, and sophomore guard Delonte West scored 11 of his 25 points over a five minute stretch in the first half.

Brendan Quinn ’05, Hawk sportswriter: “Following last year’s disgraceful 102-73 defeat at the hands of the Wildcats, Martelli felt the heat more than ever, but he used the painful loss to inspire his Hawks in this season’s affair.

‘Coach played a clip of the last minute [of last season’s game] after film,’ Hawk All-American Candidate Jameer Nelson said. ‘He played it and just let it run….It hurt me to see that.’

Maybe it was the sour taste left in the mouths of the Hawks after viewing the tape or maybe the inspiration of the raucous student body, but Saint Joseph’s would not allow a repeat of last season’s debacle.”

The 2010s: The last 10 years of the rivalry have been the most lopsided. Villanova has won nine out of the last 10 contests, and the only St. Joe’s victory came in a 74-58 win over the Wildcats in 2011 at Hagan Arena. In the last eight meetings, the Wildcats have defeated the Hawks by an average of 21.2 points. In year two of the Billy Lange era on Hawk Hill, the program will look to start the new decade with a signature victory over the Wildcats.

Since 1958, every Holy War has sold out, regardless of venue.