Volume 61 Issue 21

THE USD VISTA

Protests break out across US college campuses

EMMA PIRHALA ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Protests at college campuses throughout the U. S., concerning Palestinian statehood and the current status of Gaza, increased within recent weeks.

An encampment of students in support of Palestine at Columbia University led to the arrests of over 100 demonstrators. As of Tuesday, April 30, students occupy Columbia’s West Lawn and Hamilton Hall, demanding the university to cut its financial ties with Israel and for the U.S. to encourage a ceasefire. In response, Columbia moved its classes to a hybrid model until the end of the semester to encourage safety for students and professors. However, many students and parents are disgruntled and request tuition remission for the canceled in-person classes.

USD first-year Mia Gleason shared her perspective on the situation.

“Good for them. I’m glad that students are taking initiative on their campuses because I know a lot of college campuses invest in defense industries

as a source of revenue. So it’s cool to see students standing up against that,” Gleason said.

Similarly, USD sophomore Jocelyn Hernandez was disappointed in the response from other universities.

“It’s unfortunate that [the universities] are punishing the students for what they believe. Some students may have family in Palestine or some might have family in Israel,” Hernandez explained.

Columbia’s President Minouche Shafik participated in negotiations to conclude the protests. However, on April 29, Shafik announced via email to Columbia students that negotiations have failed.

“Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement.”

Shafik continued on Columbia’s unwillingness to cut financial ties with Israel.

“While the University will not divest from Israel, the University offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the body that considers divestment See Protests, Page 2

Over the past year, Fizz has sent waves of negativity throughout the USD community. Yet despite ASG efforts, the social media app is seemingly here to stay.

The use of social media platforms can inevitably entail the potential consequence of harmful language, bullying and the spread of misinformation. These negative effects of social media have led to discussions of a potential ban of the social platform Fizz on USD’s campus. Specifically, USD’s Associated Student Government (ASG), including newly-elected president Morgan Pheng, discussed the possibility of banning the app in her recent election campaign. Though after multiple meetings and brainstorming sessions, ASG was unable to ban the app and instead collaborated with community leaders such as the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Dean of Students, to send a campus-wide email outlining the negativity of the app and potential consequences

of student code violators.

Fizz, founded by students at Stanford University in 2021, was designed to be an app for college students to post their thoughts, ask questions and interact with other students. The app is set up similar to Reddit or X (formerly known as Twitter), where other Fizz users can anonymously “re-fizz” or repost other people’s content, comment or complete polls. Fizz was first introduced to USD in January 2023 as a way to create space for students to talk about campus news, trends or events.

One of Fizz’s unique features is that it is completely anonymous, requiring only a USD-affiliated email account to log on. This masking of identity has led some users to post negative or harmful comments about certain groups

The Official Student Newspaper of

Students at Columbia University have occupied the campus while calling for the school to divest from Israel. Photo courtesy of @nywalks/Instagram

LILI KIM ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Pro-Palestine protests cover US campuses

USD students discuss tensions within some universities

From Protests, Page 1 matters,” Shafik stated.

Shafik traveled to the nation’s capital to discuss the situation with government officials. Members from both the Republican and Democratic parties called for Shafik’s resignation.

Democratic Representative from New York Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, condemned Shafik’s decision to send in the NYPD to arrest protestors.

“It represents a heinous failure of leadership that puts people’s lives at risk. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X.

Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson visited Columbia to announce his disapproval, for a different reason.

“I am here today, joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos,” Johnson said at a press conference.

The protests at Columbia University sparked demonstrations at other universities such as California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt, New York University, the University of Michigan and other Ivy Leagues including Harvard and Brown

University — all resulting in the arrests of students.

The University of Southern California (USC) canceled their main commencement ceremony for the class of 2024, instead having separate ceremonies for each school, due to rising unrest on campus. The decision leaves many of the graduating seniors to miss both their high school and college graduations, due to COVID-19 and the recent protests, respectively.

USD Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Kristin Moran is the parent of one of USC’s graduates who will not have the opportunity to attend the main commencement ceremony. Her daughter, Madison Moran, commented on how the cancellation has impacted the graduating seniors.

“Most graduates are upset with the cancellation of the main ceremony, because the reasons given by [USC] don’t seem to warrant this extreme of a reaction. However, I am in favor of the increased security measures at graduation since it is a larger gathering during an era of extreme unrest,” Madison Moran explained.

As unrest grows on campuses, the conflict is only increasing in the Middle East.

The death toll in Gaza has reached over 34,000 and the World Food Programme says the area is headed toward a famine. More than half of Gaza’s population was forced to relocate to Rafah, but the Israel Defense Forces are moving forward with an offensive attack on the city.

Additionally, allies of both Palestine and Israel have increased their involvement in the war. On April 1, Israel attacked the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria, escalating tensions which have been present for decades. More recently, these tensions have escalated due to Iran’s support of Hamas.

On April 14, Iran launched a retaliation strike of around 300 missiles, only a few of which caused damage. On April 18, Israel carried out targeted missile strikes in Iran, with explosions being reported near the city of Ishafan, triggering Iran’s missile defense systems.

Opposition forces, speculated to be Iranian-funded militias according to U.S. intelligence, launched a failed attack on U.S. military housing in Rumalyn, Syria on April 22. Government officials claim that no one was killed.

On April 24, the U.S. Congress passed a $95 billion

foreign aid package which allotted $26 billion to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. $9 billion of the funds will go toward humanitarian relief in Gaza. However, at least $4 billion will be allocated to replenishing Israel’s missile inventory.

As conflict and protests intensify nationwide, the University of San Diego has not commented on the war between Palestine and Israel.

Palestine supporters at USD on campus have shown their support via social media, through stickers posted throughout buildings, and through two protests earlier in the fall semester. Additionally, the Gaza at USD Faculty Coalition and the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSCUSD) organized a series of teach-ins discussing the war.

On April 3, USD’s Palestine Solidarity Committee at USD (PSCUSD) and the Palestinian Alliance of Law Students posted a statement on their Instagram accounts calling for the University to divest in Israel.

“The University’s Vision statement, approved by the board of trustees, states that ‘strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for

justice and leading with love.’ How is it possible to work for justice when we ignore a genocide committed in our time?” the account posted.

The group of undergraduate and law students urged USD to “publicize university investments and holdings into companies and institutions complicit in weapons manufacturing, occupation, colonization of Palestinian land and resources.”

USD first-year Gavin Emerzian described the lack of events on campus.

“My mom was asking if we were having protests on campus about the war in Gaza. I responded that not much was happening around here. I feel that we aren’t having as many protests as other schools, since many people are more distant from social issues,” Emerzian explained.

While USD’s campus has not been active around Palestine recently, protests happening at other colleges have been on the minds of many USD students.

The Gaza @ USD faculty coalition organized a memorial for the dead and dying in Gaza on May 1. As of The USD Vista’s publication deadline of April 30, the event had not yet taken place.

NTT professors will vote whether to form union

ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN NEWS EDITOR

Non-tenure track (NTT) professors reached an election agreement with USD on April 15. Since February, NTT professors in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) have been organizing a union effort with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). 10 days after the professors filed for a union election, USD reached an agreement to hold an election that will determine whether their union is officially recognized.

Following the election agreement, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) sent out ballots to NTT faculty, allowing them to vote to decide if they want to be represented by the SEIU Local 721 for the purpose of collective bargaining, which is a process of negotiating contracts with an employer.

Melissa James, an adjunct assistant professor of sociology and gender studies described her reaction to reaching the election agreement.

“We were very happy about the election agreement,”

James said. “We are grateful for all the campus and community members that turned out to support us so far.”

Their movement gained

support and attention from many USD students, and –as reported by The USD Vista –around 90 people attended

a rally on April 4, calling for a fair union election.

On April 5, the NTT faculty filed for a union election

with the NLRB. The NTT faculty held another rally on April 11, which both students and professors attended.

Many tenure-track professors in CAS and other colleges showed their support for the movement by signing a letter telling the USD administration to support a free and fair process with the NTT union.

Some students also participated in various “union teach-ins,” hosted by professors to learn how to support the union effort. Matt Parker, an adjunct assistant professor of chemistry, explained what would happen if the NTT faculty voted to create a union.

“Every member of the bargaining unit [a group of employees represented by a union] will be invited and encouraged to participate in a survey, conversations and meetings that help identify the top priorities for non-tenure track (NTT) faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences,” Parker said. “Negotiations will cover wages, benefits, pathways for advancement and other topics of importance to members of the bargaining unit.”

According to the Instagram account associated with the movement, @usd_nttfaculty, the election results will be determined after May 13, which is the deadline for NTT professors to send their ballots to the NLRB.

USD leaders speak out against Fizz

Students discuss the pros and cons of the anonymous app

From Fizz, Page 1 or people at USD’s campus, which violates USD’s vision as an institution as stated in the vision statement on USD’s website.

“Strengthened by the Catholic tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love.” Some harmful posts include overtly racist, sexist and xenophobic comments.

One part of the campus community Fizz has negatively affected is Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL), which 26% of USD students participate in. Some Fizz users have created polls comparing the attractiveness of members in various sororities or ranking which ones are better than others.

USD junior Katie Smith, the Panhellenic delegate for Kappa Delta (KD) and former recruitment counselor, experienced firsthand how Fizz affected sorority recruitment.

“After recruitment, there was a lot of backlash for sororities and [Fizz] was tainting girls’ minds and putting things in their head about what sororities they should preference. I kind of knew then that was the beginning of the end,” Smith said.

While many posts on Fizz are harmless or even positive, the amount of negativity coming from the app has led to conversations about a potential Fizz ban on campus.

According to outgoing Associated Student Government (ASG) President Andres Fernandez Perez, members of the student body and USD community have approached ASG with concerns about the relevance of the app.

“People from the centers, commons, fraternity and sorority life (FSL) [and] student affairs… have brought up several times that it’s not regulated, not fair and not positive,” Perez said.

While ASG brainstormed ideas on how to ban or moderate the app, after speaking with

The USD Vista

Colin Mullaney - Editor-in-Chief

Abigail Cavizo - Associate Editor

Spencer Bispham - Managing Editor

Maria Simpson - Copy Editor

Khushi Patel - Art Director

Anjali Dalal-Whelan - News Editor

Jackie Marquez - Opinion Editor

Katie Foreman - Feature Editor

Satvika Nitya - Arts & Culture Editor

Lauren Ceballos - Sports Editor

Aidan Freis - Distribution Manager

Hailey Howell - Social Media Manager

Emma-Kate Squires - Photo Editor

Anna Hallock - Director of Finance

the Information Technology department and Public Safety on campus, it is practically impossible to outright ban the app. This is due to freedom of speech and privacy laws. In response, Perez, alongside other ASG board members collaborated with Vice President for Student Affairs Charlotte Johnson, Vice President for Mission Integration Michael Lovette-Colyer, Dean of Students Nicole Whitner and Assistant Vice President for Public Safety James Miyashiro to release an official statement to the campus community.

The statement outlined the harmful effects of the app and potential consequences of creating posts that violate the Student Code of Conduct. In particular, the statement included new information of instances where Public Safety could identify the author of problematic posts, and punish the violators with consequences from a warning to “separation from the university or even

criminal charges.” The email stated that there had been at least one incident where Public Safety had identified the author of a post.

While this email is unlikely to stop the hateful comments completely, it gives an opportunity for reflection and consideration of one’s language. USD senior Olivia Wiley explained that this could be a wake-up call for Fizz users.

“I think other students will be discouraged from posting negative things on Fizz now that we know there’s a possibility of being suspended,” Wiley said. “I don’t post on Fizz, but if I did, I would be worried about getting in trouble with the school or my parents.”

While it appears that a Fizz ban is not possible, the misuse of Fizz will likely continue to be a conversation within ASG, as the incoming president Morgan Pheng included the banning of the app in her election campaign. At the ASG presidential debate covered

by The USD Vista, Pheng shared her ideas on the app.

“Implementing an antibullying campaign and having those talks with administrators… pushing to advocate for taking down Fizz, or doing something about it within the administration and providing resources for students that are being affected by Fizz and what is being said [on the platform].” For now, Perez calls students to think twice before posting something on social media.

“I would encourage students to think about what the impact is they’re leaving…put yourself in their shoes and think about what it would feel like to be the one called out,” Perez said.

For now, no definitive actions are in motion to ban the app, but students are called to use the app responsibly and respectfully.

The USD Vista has also used Fizz in the past to communicate and engage with the USD community.

On April 4, the day before filing for a union election with the NLRB, NTT faculty held a rally.

Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista

OPINION

Spell your name the ‘normal’ way How

ALEX KUETER ASST. OPINION EDITOR

Picture this: you’ve been struggling through your classes all day, bored and nervous for finals, desperately wanting a break when, finally, in the few free minutes you have walking to your last class, you open Instagram Reels. After seeing some dog videos or a creepy family vlog — a name reveal for a baby you have absolutely no connection to. The parents slowly unfold the banner they have with the baby’s name written on while their family (and you) wait with baited breath. It opens, revealing the name spelled Bryitani, (pronounced Brittany). Upon seeing it, you delete Instagram.

Over the past few years, there has been a spike in “unique” baby names whether that be through unconventional spellings, like Bryitani, Mattison or Airecka, uncommon names like Peregrine, Everest or Cedar, or a delightful combination of both. My personal favorite is Tierneigh, pronounced “tyranny.” Mothers

a desire for uniqueness is killing individuality

and fathers alike are addicted to giving their bundle of joy a name so unique that their child will forever be “not like other girls.’’ As a result, these children will always have to spell out their name at every doctor’s office, school event and bank.

Many believe parents do this to express their desire for individuality. In a world of over eight billion people, what makes your Emily different from the other three in her preschool? Rather than waiting for her to develop a personality, opinions and desires, it’s easier to switch the spelling to Emileigh to make her more special.

According to Laura Wattenberg, a researcher of names and their popularity, “parents have the instinct that choosing a distinctive name will give their child an advantage in life. It’s a loving impulse, but in practical terms it’s not clear that it works that way,” said Wattenberg. “Popular means well-liked – and highly distinctive names can be polarizing. Children with unique name spellings can be ostracized for their difference,” especially when they become

so hard to read that they seem to lose their uniqueness and appear more like their parents just punched some letters into their birth certificate. Beyond a desire for children themselves to appear more unique, Wattenberg also thinks it plays into the parents’ perception of themselves. Parents don’t want to be seen as basic or boring, so naming their child Ehmma may make them seem more modern and trendy by extension.

Another theory why people do this is due to influence from social media stars and celebrities, but many of their own unique names are disingenuous. Many celebrity babies appear to have provocative or weird names, but these are often “stage names” given to the media to protect their privacy. They often have more normal-sounding legal names. Elon Musk’s child, X Æ A-12 Musk, absolutely has a real name, as it is illegal for baby names to contain numbers or symbols. Many influencers choose intentionally provocative names to raise their own fame and engagement. This can lead to the unintended consequences

of normal people naming their children in the same way, but without the secret real name. Take Nara Smith, an instagram influencer who named her children Slim Easy, Whimsy Lou and Rumble Honey, to make her children more unique. These name announcements created quite the fuss on TikTok where viewers thought she was almost abusive for giving her kids those ridiculous names. She doubled down and defended her name choices, but still receives backlash for it.

Surely it’s not that big of a deal to name children differently, but arguably, it’s cruel to make them stand out so much. When names are unique just for the sake of being unique, children can feel isolated from their peers because they are so different. When it comes to names with cultural significance the situation is a bit different. My last name is just one example. My last name, Kueter (pronounced Key-Ter) is a German mistranslation that is meaningful to my family but has frequently frustrated me. No one has ever pronounced

it correctly, and it was almost misspelled on my high school diploma. I could not imagine if my first name had an odd spelling and I had to constantly correct people about it.

This surge of unique names seems to be a desperate grab for individuality with their children, where parents choose their child’s name based on their own sense of self importance. It seems mean to name a child something different for the sole purpose of being unique, rather than waiting to see how they grow into their own person. Ultimately, parents should name their kids what resonates most with them, but not forget that this is eventually going to be the name of a 40-year-old. This name will be printed on resumes and bills. Remember that sometimes unique names are not worth the hassle of correcting everyone in your life for the next 80 years. Don’t forget when eventually naming your own kids that both society and the child will have to tolerate it for the rest of their lives. Don’t be obnoxious and remember the weight a name carries in the world.

The freedom to peacefully assemble

The importance of protests in making change

Over 100 peaceful ProPalestinian protesters were arrested at Columbia University this past week, causing a wave of Pro-Palestinian protests across U.S. colleges and universities, demanding their universities divest from the Israel. The reactions from these colleges have varied, but for the most part, the peaceful protests have been met with arrests by police and even state troopers.

The reactions of the government and these universities is alarming, because the right to protest is protected by the first amendment and even if it’s on campus, those rights should be protected. It shouldn’t have to be this way. Universities should not have the right to stop students from protesting on campus. It is within these students’ rights to protest on their campus, and they absolutely should because protests are an excellent way for ordinary citizens to enact wider changes.

We’ve seen the power of

protests right here at USD with the Non-Tenure Track (NTT) protests in the past few weeks. USD agreed to allow NTT faculty to vote whether to become a union, due in part to the protests and support on campus. It’s clear that protests are effective and essential, and by preventing people from protesting you could prevent important changes.

Some will say you aren’t allowed to protest on the campus of a private university because it’s private property, which means the university is completely within their rights to arrest protestors. After all, Columbia University is a private institution and can set its own rules as to what to do with protesters regardless of their first amendment rights. There are also those who believe that protests don’t actually help anything and just cause lawlessness and disorder. They are worried that the protests can cause anarchy and whatever problem they are protesting isn’t going away either way.

First of all, although the university can lawfully arrest protestors, it doesn’t mean they

should. It sets a bad precedent as universities are meant to be a safe space for sharing information. It’s even written on the Columbia University mission statement, “It expects all areas of the University to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.”

To arrest protestors goes completely against the idea of sharing knowledge and learning. It’s also hypocritical because, Columbia University has a course called “Introduction to Genocide Studies,” yet they won’t let their students protest what many identify as an ongoing genocide.

Secondly, while it may seem in the short term protests don’t work to change public opinion, it has been shown that in the long term they absolutely do. Take for example the student protests in the 1980’s against the apartheid in South Africa. College campuses across the U.S. were engaged in protests against the South African government in very much the same way as they are against the Israeli government now,

and these protests convinced the universities to divest from South Africa. In the long term, these protests helped change the public opinion about the apartheid, and as a result helped abolish the apartheid in South Africa.

While protests continue across the U.S. and many more are arrested, it’s important to remember that these people

are all exercising their basic rights, and just because they are on a college campus does not diminish that fact. We need protests to enact change, and college campuses being the hubs of worldly knowledge are a perfect place to demonstrate the changes you want. So just remember you have the right to protest on your campus, even if they don’t agree.

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.

Students and faculty gathered on campus to protest for NTT faculty in April.

Emma Kate Squires/The USD Vista

RONNIE SAENZ ASST. OPINION EDITOR

LILY ANDERSON ASST. OPINION EDITOR

The golden age of cinema has come to an end. What used to be a cherished ritual for many — a chance to escape into another world with popcorn and candy in hand — is being replaced by a new era dominated by streaming services. Over the last four years, the amount of people attending movies has decreased by 50 percent.

A significant shift has occurred in how people consume media in the past decade. Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and Disney+ have revolutionized the entertainment landscape, offering endless films and TV shows at the click of a button. As a result of COVID-19, people were forced to stay home, and these streaming services grew even more in popularity.

The comfort and convenience of watching movies in one’s living room is undeniable. Why venture outside when the entertainment can come to you?

Economic considerations add to the convenience of streaming. The cost of a single movie ticket, not to mention concessions, can be prohibitive for those on a budget. As college students, it’s hard to justify a $10 bag of popcorn on top of a $17 ticket.

On the other hand, a monthly subscription to a streaming service costs significantly less and provides access to a wide range of content. Netflix and Hulu cost around $8 a month, and many people share accounts with their family and friends, decreasing the cost or removing it entirely. This economic factor has influenced many to favor their couches over cinema seats.

Also, the social aspect of movie-going has changed. Social media and digital communication have reshaped our interactions, making the movie-going experience less unique. People can share and discuss movies online through Reddit, Instagram and dedicated movie review apps such as Letterboxd. While there is undoubtedly something special about experiencing a film in a theater, the communal aspect of movie watching can now be virtual and asynchronous.

Despite these challenges, considering what might be lost if movie theaters disappear entirely is still worth considering. There is an undeniable magic in watching a film in a darkened theater, where

OPINION

Cinemas in crisis

The uncertain future of movie theaters

the world falls away and only the story on the screen matters. Nicole Kidman certainly seems to think so. Movie theaters offer an escape, a safe haven where the outside world is temporarily forgotten. The larger-thanlife screen and the booming sound system don’t just play a movie; it creates an experience that is hard to replicate. It’s

a place where we’ve laughed, cried and shared moments with friends and family, creating memories that last a lifetime.

Theaters are not just entertainment venues; they are important cultural institutions. This past summer, “Barbie” became a phenomenon where many viewers dressed up and watched the movie in large

groups of friends. Similarly, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” took the world by storm, making the environment more of a sing-along rather than your typical, quiet experience. These moments define our culture, and it’s up to us to preserve and support these institutions.

Given these factors, it’s clear that the movie theater

industry needs to evolve rather than disappear. Some theaters have already begun to innovate, offering unique services that go beyond the traditional movie-watching experience. For instance, the Lot Theater in Liberty Station offers dining options before, during and after the movies it shows, as well as reclining couches instead of chairs.

The Rooftop Cinema Club Embarcadero is precisely as it sounds: an open-air rooftop theater in Downtown San Diego with Adirondack chairs and local brews. Cinema Under

The Stars is another openair theater with zero gravity recliner chairs and the ability to rent the theater for special events. These theaters are not just places to watch movies but destinations that offer a unique and memorable experience.

That being said, these theaters usually come with slightly increased ticket prices, making the economic issue come back into focus. However, I’d rather pay an extra couple of dollars for a unique experience on a special occasion.

I have tickets to see a new horror movie called “Abigail” in theaters. This will be my first time going to the movies in months, and the only reason I went last time was to see “The Eras Tour.” Although I know I will spend most of my weekend budget, I’m excited to be surrounded by the scent of buttery popcorn and to down a large Coke ICEE so quickly that I get a brain freeze.

As a child, going to the movies was my favorite thing in the world. My dad used to take my brothers and me out of class early to see movies like the latest “Transformers” movie. I don’t want movie theaters to become a memory of the past. I hope that they can once again become a frequent activity.

There are ways to make going to the movies more affordable as well. By purchasing your tickets through the University Center Ticket Office here on campus, you can save $4 to $17 off your AMC and Regal movie tickets. AMC has also introduced a new monthly membership program where you can see up to three movies a week for as low as $19.95 a month.

Cinemas must continue adapting to new ways to draw audiences off their sofas and back into theater seats. They need to leverage the thing streaming services can’t offer — an experience, a communal moment that can’t be paused or scheduled at one’s convenience.

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.

The appeal of going to a movie theater has changed since the pandemic, as more people opt to watch movies at home.

Photo courtesy of Krists Luhaers/Unsplash

Snacks are an essential part of the movie theater experience, including the famous movie theater popcorn and ICEEs. Photo courtesy of Corina Rainer/Unsplash

ARTS & FEATURE

From fro-yo to forever Alumni ‘college sweethearts’ tie the knot

ABIGAIL CAVIZO ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Class of 2020 USD alumni and college sweethearts, Travis Loranger and Erica Jenkins, tied the knot on Jan. 20, 2024 at the Immaculata — a marriage that wouldn’t have happened, without their four years at USD.

The couple first met in fall of 2016 at their first-year orientation. Behind the Kroc Institute of Peace and Justice (KIPJ), Jenkins was sitting at a bench with her friends when Loranger walked by. Although he was listening to music, her friend Tori suggested they invite him out to get frozen yogurt with them, after the first-year event was finished.

“I remember Tori had said to me, ‘go ask him to get fro-yo with us,’ and I joked to her, ‘yeah, he might be one of our future husbands,’” Jenkins recalled with a laugh. “It was so super cheesy, but it all worked out.”

Looking back now, Loranger can poke fun at the interaction.

“I had not made any friends yet, and I remember having a very cringey thought like, ‘what if I

walk around campus and someone invites me to hang out?’ Lo and behold: it came true. I was even listening to music, and she still asked me if I wanted to get frozen yogurt, and the rest is history.”

The two remained just friends for the rest of the year, but during their sophomore year, their romance began. At the time, Loranger and Jenkins lived across from one another in the Alcalá Vistas Apartments. Two of their mutual friends (both of whom became members of their bridal party) knew about their brewing feelings for one another, before they even started dating.

“Erica’s friend was talking to her — and my friend was talking to me — and they put two and two together and told us to talk to each other [about our feelings] so we did,” Loranger reminisced. “I was crushing on her throughout freshman year, but she didn’t know that. I got feelings first, and we were friends, but it all worked out.”

Since their relationship was built on friendship first, it was easy for the two to realize they loved each other. They told each other “I love you” a week before their first date

at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown San Diego.

“We’re really sentimental people, so Old Spaghetti Factory is actually also where we had our rehearsal dinner,” Loranger reflected. “It’s sappy, but we just dragged all our friends and family to all the spots that meant something to us during our relationship.”

On Oct. 13, 2022, Loranger got down on one knee and proposed to Jenkins, his college sweetheart. After knowing one another for so long, it was difficult to make the proposal a surprise.

“I didn’t surprise her with the actual proposal… but there were small surprises over the weekend,” Loranger said. “On the waterfront over in Coronado, I put this stone bench on a spot near the water and I said to Erica, ‘this bench is so cute, we should take it home’ and she laughed, but then I told her to check underneath it. I had signed it with our initials, because it’s our bench like the one we had met at at USD.”

Their wedding took place on a cloudy day this past January. Despite the rain, they looked at the weather positively on their special day. Both of them

acknowledged the rain as a sign of good luck, as there’s a popular belief that rain indicates a long-lasting marriage.

Reflecting on their wedding day, the alumni cited USD as a place that helped foster their love.

“[Getting married at the Immaculata] was really full circle. We hadn’t been there in a while, since it’s been a few years since we graduated, but to go back to a campus that meant so much in the beginning of our relationship and seeing how far we’ve come was so nice,” Jenkins said.

“We have all these beautiful photographs [at USD], but also memories too,” Loranger added. “When we think back on the time we had at USD to grow into the people we are now since our formative, influential years… to have [our wedding at the Immaculata] as a marker of our relationship and love is really special because it reminds us of all the good times.”

The USD community is a huge part of how the newlyweds got together. For those who may be struggling to find a home in the people around them, Loranger stressed the importance of putting yourself out there.

“Whether it’s romantic love or companionship, if you foster those bonds — whether it be just one person or 50 people — once you’re post-grad, you will have those people in your life who will be your anchor,” Loranger said.

“For me, I’ve never been the most extroverted person, but if you can figure out on a college campus with so many places and people where you can put yourself out there, you never know who you’re going to meet and the relationships you’ll build. Down the road, you’ll always have your alma mater. It’s invaluable to us… to have that shared history.”

Similar to her husband, Jenkins also attributed her willingness to reach out to strangers to the life she’s built today.

“If I hadn’t asked a total stranger to get fro-yo, I don’t know if we would have met. In the college environment where there’s so many people around you, just take a chance and talk to people you see,” Jenkins said.

Thanks to a chance interaction, frozen yogurt and the USD community, Mr. and Mrs. Loranger are happily beginning their married lives together.

Mrs. and Mr. Loranger on their wedding day smiling atop the USD bench where they first met and posing in front of the Immaculata: their full circle moment.

Photo courtesy of Travis Loranger

ARTS & CULTURE

The ups and downs of situationships

‘Brandy

Hellville’: one size fits small HBO documentary dives into racism and sizeism in popular brand

There was once a time when nearly every girl’s dream was to become a “Brandy Girl.” Former “It” girls and YouTubers such as Summer Mckeen, Hannah Meloche and model Scarlett Leithold captivated teenage girls to do one thing: shop Brandy Melville. From popular items like the iconic Rosa sweatpants and Zelly top, Brandy continues to hold young girls in a chokehold. The caveat to the Italian brand’s popularity was found not-so-hidden in the label on the tag — “One size fits all.” However, the one size was targeted to thin girls, ostracizing those who didn’t fit in a reference range from 00-2. Since changed to just “one size,” Brandy Melville created an empire preying on perhaps the most abundant phenomenon — the insecurities of teenage girls.

The Max documentary, directed by Eva Orner, explores the clothing line’s scandal-ridden past, including racism, fat shaming and the exploitation of young girls — primarily by the company’s senior leadership. The business model of Brandy Melville is based upon the exclusivity of their clothing and the “Brandy Girls.”

The store is known for stereotypical tall, skinny and blonde white girls working the register and greeting customers. Meanwhile, the documentary says employees of color are located in the back rooms, sorting through incoming shipments. Kali, a former employee featured in the documentary, explained, “If you’re white, you have to be in sight.” As a person of color, Kali worked in the fitting rooms, then in the store’s back rooms.

A former store owner, who remained anonymous, in the documentary stated that CEO and co-founder of Brandy Melville Stephan Marsan implemented racist hiring practices to prevent the brand from losing exclusivity. The store owner confessed, “[Marsan] didn’t want a lot of Black people [working in the stores].”

Texts also resurfaced from a group chat titled “Brandy Melville Gags,” which included Marsan and other male executives at Brandy. The messages contained sexually explicit photos of women, racist memes and an array of antiSemitic photographs — including one which imposed Marsan’s face on the body of Adolf Hitler.

Marsan was intricately involved in the day-to-day operations of the company’s stores across the world. Each day, managers submitted photographs of employees capturing their outfits. Although the pictures started as full body, they progressed into close-up shots of the girls’ chests and feet. All photos were forwarded to Marsan without the employees’ knowledge. From such photos, girls were selected

to become models or they were fired for not meeting the brand’s physical standards. Workers were expected to remain thin, despite most employees being young women experiencing hormonal changes, not to mention societal beauty expectations. The outfits worn by the employees were then replicated and sold in stores, even if the clothes were not originally designed by Brandy Melville.

USD senior Olivia Valdez worked at Brandy Melville from the ages of 16 to 18.

“Every day when we came into work we had to get three pictures taken, full body, chest and feet, which was always so weird and all the girls were really uncomfortable by it. The pictures were all emailed to male employees in the upper rankings of the company — we never sent any pictures to women. At one point, we were told as employees we needed to be taking at least five pictures a day of girls shopping for ‘store style’ and ‘style inspiration’ but we were also told to only photograph girls in minimal makeup (young ages) and in plain clothing (leggings and workout clothes) which was horrible and obviously so uncomfortable.”

Valdez quit due to the company’s resistance to give her a raise, despite being made manager at 16 and working early morning shifts alone.

The young women who worked at the stores were responsible for leading the creative process of the company — without even knowing it. In most other businesses, senior executives would be charged with designing the brand’s clothing and persona. At Brandy Melville, the employees working for nearly minimum wage forged the creative direction of the label.

Despite the allegedly explicit intention to ostracize those who don’t conform to unrealistic beauty standards and the discovery of racial discrimination within the company, Brandy Melville remains to be one of the hottest brands for young women despite the documentary.

USD first-year Yukine Barber explained why she shops at Brandy Melville.

“I usually shop [at Brandy Melville] because it is cheap and the quality is fairly good. They have good basics and their sweats are nice. But I do wish they had different sizes. I feel like it can be a cause of insecurity. I know when I go in and I feel like I might not fit into something and it can definitely be a mood killer. It sets an expectation of what you’re supposed to look like and that is definitely unrealistic and discouraging,” Barber commented.

Brandy-holics stay addicted to the aura of perfection that Brandy Melville exudes. Whether people are uninformed about the documentary’s scandals or they simply don’t care, shoppers still line up outside of stores hoping to be the next Brandy Girl.

The brand’s highly publicised ‘one size fits most’ clothing creates exclusivity by limiting the brand to a certain body standard. Photo courtesy of @brandymelvilleusa/Instagram

EMMA PIRHALA ASST. NEWS EDITOR

A Brandy Melville store in Chicago featuring their clothes, accessories, jewellery and bags customized to the state the store is in. Photo courtesy of @brandymelvilleusa/Instagram

‘COWBOY CARTER’ Beyoncé’s newest album has fans shaking in their

SPENCER BISPHAM MANAGING EDITOR

Once again, it’s the time of year when the promise of summer vacation has USD students abuzz with excitement. Alongside the anticipation for breezy nights and long beach days is the question of which artist’s work will be crowned the proverbial “album of the summer.” In years past, criteria for this top spot has demanded both uniqueness and range, as well as broad appeal to experienced and first-time listeners alike. Beyoncé is no stranger to these rules, as proven by the success of “Beyoncé” and “LEMONADE” in the summers of 2013 and 2016, respectively. Now, with the recent release of “COWBOY CARTER,” she proves once again why her fans call her “Queen Bey.”

Initially teased in a Verizon commercial during Super Bowl LVIII in February, Beyoncé gave the world a preview of the album when she dropped two singles: “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES.” Both were confirmed to be the prelude to the mysterious act ii to her “RENAISSANCE” trilogy.

The biggest surprise about this release was that the two songs fell into the country music genre — a dramatic departure from her previous work with pop, electronic, hip-hop and R&B styles.

Despite the fact that American country music is a genre historically influenced heavily by white artists, “TEXAS HOLD EM” has been sitting at the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s “Hot Country

Songs” chart for the past 10 weeks. Since “COWBOY CARTER” was only released on March 29, fans of the genre have been quick to embrace her new sound.

Ten days prior to the release of the album, Beyoncé took to Instagram to explain what being the first Black woman to top the Billboard country charts meant to her.

“The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work,” Beyoncé wrote.

USD senior Anisha Kumar was pleasantly surprised with how “COWBOY CARTER” blended country ethos with some other different styles.

“I thought it was so different than I was expecting,” Kumar said.

“I was expecting it to be real, deep country music but it wasn’t nearly as country as I thought it was gonna be. I thought it was a good mix of country and Beyoncé overall.”

While her cowboy status is still relatively new, Beyoncé’s roots in Houston, Texas, were largely influential in the creation of her vision for “COWBOY CARTER.”

Marked by tassels, fringe, leathers and a ten-gallon hat, the imagery used in the promotion of the record transports the listener to a world where riding horses and herding cattle are the norm. This world pays homage to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which, according to W Mag, the Queen herself used to frequent during her earlier years.

Between all 27 tracks on “COWBOY CARTER,” there are a number of collaborations with artists such as Post Malone, Willie Nelson, Brittney Spencer and more. One of the most played, “II MOST WANTED,” is a duet with the critically acclaimed Miley Cyrus, whose background in country is evident in her performance. Both singers showcase their incredible range in the chorus, where they promise eternal devotion as a “shotgun rider, til the day I [they] die.”

Another standout from the tracklist is “JOLENE,” a cover of the classic country ballad by Dolly Parton. In the original song, Parton begs her partner’s lover not to steal him from her, singing, “I’m begging of you please don’t take my man… please don’t take him just because you can.” On “COWBOY CARTER,” Beyoncé flips this narrative on its head and warns the third party that they need to back off. Her lyrics are, “I’m warning you, don’t come for my man… don’t take the chance because you think you can.”

As the most celebrated female country artist of all time, Parton’s endorsement of Beyoncé’s album and the cover of her song was a big deal, to say the least. While critics like American journalist, Megyn Kelly, were critical of the concept, Parton has been a steadfast supporter since its release.

“I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album,” Parton said. She wrote on Instagram, “Wow, I just heard Jolene. Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it.”

boots

USD first-year and Beyoncé stan, Malia Ninofranco, is also a fan of the song, despite her feelings about country music in general.

“I enjoyed her take on the song, and I loved having two iconic women on one song,” she said. “Although I’m not the biggest country fan, I did enjoy Beyoncé’s album. We’ve seen artists like Taylor Swift shift their genre, and I think it’s really interesting to see Beyoncé do the same. I really enjoyed her

cover of ‘Jolene’, and ‘Ya Ya’ has been added to my playlist.”

As “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and other singles continue to sit at the top of music charts nationwide, Ms. Carter is enjoying her reign from the country music throne. Her POV from atop her white stallion permits her to see the full range of reactions to “COWBOY CARTER,” and to plot her next genre-bending twist on an unsuspecting staple of American pop culture.

Let’s get ‘SUPAFLY’ Students react to Sundance star’s film premiere

SPENCER BISPHAM MANAGING EDITOR

For many students, the years spent in higher education often leave more questions than answers. Despite years of specialized training, it is normal to wonder what comes next after school, and even to question whether the decision to attend such a program was worth it at all.

At 23 years old, Kerrice Brooks found herself at this exact crossroads. After years of extensive training as a professional dancer, she decided to quit and pursue a career in film. The decision was not an easy one. Because her training overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of Brooks’ acting career was steeped in a constant state of darkness. Between the initial lockdown and the lingering seasons of infection, it was difficult to land the number of roles she desired.

“I felt like I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing, because 23 is just a traumatizing age,” she said. “I was like, I don’t really know what to do with this space that I have. I quit dance to pursue this acting career, and as soon as I do that, COVID happens, a strike happens… of course I feel like I made the right

decision, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with myself.”

After COVID-19, there was the Screen Actors Guild strike, which further held Brooks back from reaching her full on-screen potential. Despite these challenges, her classes and expanding network helped her land roles of increasing prestige, including their recent part as “Ro” in the upcoming comedy “My Old Ass,” which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.

All of these experiences are what led Brooks to her most recent accomplishment: the production of their first film, titled “SUPAFLY,” under their new production company, Potomac Ave. Productions, Brooks’ own struggles with tragedy, grief and mental health are personified via a conversation between a fly and his therapist.

The film opens with a series of chaotic shots of flies being brutally murdered via spraying and swatting. At the nudging of his therapist, our protagonist cites these instances as the reasons for his grief. Their conversation spirals on, leaving him to examine the reasons why he chose to engage with therapy, his desire for happiness and whether or not life is worth living at all. All of

these conversations circle around the central theme of rebirth. More than anything, what he is seeking is a chance to start over.

USD first-year and aspiring actor, Garrett Lindaman was invited to attend the premiere of “SUPAFLY” at WHAMMY! in Los Angeles on March 14. He previously worked with USD TV as a reporter at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in January, 2024.

Lindaman described his initial reaction to the film after seeing it in-person.

“My initial reaction was I was blown away by the symbolism of the story. Although the film was somewhat shorter, Kerrice made

sure to demonstrate the flies’ metaphor of being killed just for living. Kerrice explained the various aspects this could relate to as a minority, a member of the acting and producing community and how it can be easy to feel discouraged in life,” Lindaman shared.

Lindaman also mentioned that he was able to meet Brooks at Sundance, and how their relationship influenced his experience at the event.

“I think knowing her personality was great because it helped almost comprehend somewhat of where her head was at in the film when writing the script,” he said. “My overall experience

at the premier was amazing. I thought it was a mix between an intimate setting and a place where many talented individuals could celebrate the accomplishment of “SUPAFLY.” I felt very honored to receive an invitation.” If there is anything to glean from “SUPAFLY,” it’s that turning feelings of hopelessness into art that others can relate to is no easy task. It requires a certain degree of vulnerability, one that comes from honest self-reflection in moments of uncertainty. For those who are perched on the precipice of a major life transition, Brooks’ story reminds us of the need to keep it real.

Beyoncé announcing the second act for her previous album ‘Renaissance.’ Photo courtesy of @beyoncé/Instagram

A still from ‘SUPAFLY,’ made by first-time director, writer and producer Kerrice Brooks. Photo courtesy of @lilkerriceb/Instagram

Alex Funkhouser propels USD men’s tennis

USD tennis player shares 1:1 interview with his coach

OLIVER TARVET CONTRIBUTOR

Alex Funkhouser is the USD men’s tennis assistant coach since the fall of 2022. His time working for the men’s tennis team has seen continued progress with the team notably being ranked No. 13 on Feb. 22 ITA rankings.

Funkhouser was born and raised in a small town in Virginia from middle-class America. He looked up to his dad greatly, growing up and wanting to follow in his footsteps, which ultimately led him to discover his passion for sports.

“My dad was my hero, so I just wanted to copy everything that my dad did. My dad played baseball and tennis growing up, so I decided to play both as well,” Funkhouser explained.

However, Funkhouser eventually made the tough decision of deciding between the two, realizing that he couldn’t do both simultaneously.

“I gravitated toward the individuality of tennis. I still love baseball, but I appreciated certain things in tennis that baseball couldn’t provide, such as the problem solving and competitiveness that you had to do internally that team sports didn’t provide,” Funkhouser stated.

This desire for individuality and everything that came with it paid dividends as Funkhouser got recruited to play at Old Dominion University, where he reached a career high singles ranking of No. 28 and doubles ranking of No. 9.

Following his success in college, Funkhouser was introduced to the professional tour where he first got into coaching. He initially only intended to coach to help his time on tour, but he quickly realized it gave it so much more than that.

“You have to find ways of

supporting yourself a little so you can afford those travel plans, coaches and meals… I learned a lot about myself through being fortunate to coach some highperformance players who went on to play at the University of North Carolina and Duke that I found more purpose in coaching than I did in playing, so that’s why I gravitated toward it,” Funkhouser explained.

Funkhouser gained numerous coaching experiences from the commencement of his career forward as the head coach of the collegiate team at the United States Tennis Association. He was involved with and traveled

with many players who have become household names, such as McKenzie McDonald, Chris Eubanks and JJ Wolf.

“I was there being a facilitative voice from their more permanent coaches… being involved with their team, development and scheduling really reiterated how much detail it requires to be at the top of your sport,” Funkhouser stated.

With the experience gained from his position at the USTA, Funkhouser was eager to get back into college tennis.

“I love the camaraderie of being in a team, the road trips, the hotels and meals and I wanted to relive

this experience from a coaching perspective,” Funkhouser said.

Funkhouser got a position as the Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach at Cornell, a top Ivy League program at the time.

“It was a great first collegiate job, if you can get with one of the top Ivy League programs that are out there, then you’re in a pretty good position,” Funkhouser explained.

Funkhouser continued to gain valuable experiences as the assistant coach, through coaching numerous talented players who were constantly being pushed against the best competition in the country.

“We got to see a lot of top competition too… outside of the Ivy league as well by playing collegiate events against USC and Michigan and being able to go to Oklahoma and Oklahoma state when both were top 15 in the nation,” Funkhouser said.

Being an Ivy League coach did provide challenges, such as having to recruit individuals who value academics just as much as they do tennis, which makes the process very selective.

“You’ve got to quickly find out who those individuals are who value academics and athletics equally or else Harvard, Princeton and Yale are going to recruit those guys right from underneath you,” Funkhouser exclaimed.

After four years of positive experiences at Cornell, Funkhouser sought to transfer to another collegiate coaching position. He ultimately decided upon the University of San Diego, not only because it allows studentathletes to be more athletic oriented instead of academic, but

also because he was going to be learning from Ryan Keckley the head coach of men’s tennis at USD.

“I felt like I was learning from really one of the top five coaches in college tennis… and I know a lot of coaches maybe get more credit because they’re winning national championships, but I have no doubt Ryan would also win numerous national championships if he was in their position,” Funkhouser stated.

Since joining the Toreros, Funkhouser has been a crucial factor in the team’s continual climb up the rankings, but he attributes this success to everyone involved.

“I think everyone from Ryan Keckley, the team, to everyone else involved is brought into the same philosophy. It [the philosophy] being that everyone knows that the name on the front of the shirt is bigger than their name on the back. This ultimately fosters the team culture that maximizes each day as everyone wants the best for each other and holds everyone accountable,” Funkhouser explained.

Funkhouser’s transfer to USD has brought value, recalling numerous memories. Among them, the highlight of going to battle with the team and completing a personal milestone for his coaching career.

“It’s funny because just in a year and a half there have already been so many, but I have to give the edge to beating Arizona… It was my first top 10 win as a coach, but it’s more than that. It’s knowing what it takes to overcome that hurdle and to beat a team like Arizona just because of who they are competitively and how much respect we have for them because of it,” Funkhouser exclaimed.

Funkhouser shared his high aspirations for the rest of the 2024 spring season and his hopes of hitting milestones with the team during NCAA’s in May.

“I would love to be a part of the first time USD has hosted NCAA’s, especially as we’ve seen over the course of the season how hard it is for outside teams to win here,” Funkhouser said.

However, Funkhouser’s aspirations go beyond just hosting as he feels the continual hard work over the duration of the year can make the team part of the Elite Eight, which will be held this year in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

“I just think it would be a heck of a good experience to see you guys at Stillwater for the Elite Eight… Not only because I really want all of you guys to experience it firsthand, but also because you’re deserving, you’ve worked for it and you’ve worked in the right way,” Funkhouser stated.

Funkhouser has accomplished much during his time at USD thus far, impressing himself and the rest of the coaching staff. This has brought excitement amongst the team about moving forward with the hopes of a bright future.

Funkhouser found his way to USD where he carries out his love for tennis.

Photo courtesy of Alex Funkhouser

As assistant coach, Funkhouser has helped grow the team throughout his time at USD. Photo courtesy of Alex Funkhouser

Men’s tennis claims WCC regular season title Toreros’ postseason

PRIYA COOPER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

The Toreros took home their first WCC Tournament title since 2022, while also securing their place in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Saturday, April 20 at the Hogan Tennis Center, the No. 18 ranked San Diego men’s tennis team (20-3, 7-1 WCC) received their eighth West Coast Conference (WCC) regular season title by defeating Loyola Marymount University (LMU) (11-10, 4-4 WCC) with a decisive 4-0 win. To follow up this victory, the Toreros defeated Santa Clara (18-6, 4-4 WCC) in the semifinal at the Aztec Tennis Center in San Diego on April 25 and Pepperdine (14-11, 7-1 WCC), on Saturday April 27 to win the 2024 WCC Tournament.

USD junior Nikhil Niranjan shared his emotions about making it this far in the tournament.

“We know that any title is hard to come by, and to win the regular season is a pretty sweet feeling.” Niranjan said. “It’s a culmination of all the work that we’ve put in throughout the whole season. But, we know that the next few matches we have in the WCC Tournament and the NCAA Championships are our biggest opportunities of the season. So, we’re ready to keep getting after it, and our best tennis is yet to come.”

Niranjan also talked about why the Toreros will be hard

continues while ranked No. 18

to beat in the games to come.

“Our team camaraderie and unity is pretty special. We are a loud and energetic group of guys that are willing to do whatever it takes on the court for each other. We have trust in the immense amount of work we’ve put in for months to get us to this point. I think that’s what makes us a tough team to face,” Niranjan said.

Winning the game against LMU marked the Toreros’

eighth regular season title in the last ten years, proving a huge accomplishment. San Diego gained an advantage against LMU when the opposing doubles team retired and withdrew from their match earlier than expected. This gave the Toreros a boost for singles by winning the doubles point. The team then continued to win their singles matches quickly, indicating a dominant performance

following the initial retirement.

With the Toreros’ victory over LMU, USD senior Blake Kasday and USD redshirt senior Sacchitt Sharrma have been named the West Coast Conference Doubles Team of the Week, announced by the conference this past week on April 23. This marks Sharrma’s second doubles award of the season and the fifth of his career. For Kasday, it’s the first weekly honor he’s received.

The duo teamed up for the first time this season and excelled, cruising to a 6-0 win to secure the doubles point for the Toreros and contribute to their 4-0 win against LMU. The victory also coincided with Sharrma’s senior day, potentially his final home match. Additionally, the win enabled the Toreros to secure a share of the West Coast Conference regular season title and claim the number one seed spot for the WCC Tournament.

San Diego has dominated the end of season WCC honors, with USD sophomore Oliver Tarvet standing out, as the WCC Player of the Year. Tarvet leads the way for the Toreros in the national rankings, standing at No. 6 in the nation in singles according to the latest ITA rankings.

Tarvet, plus redshirt sophomore Stian Klaassen, second-year Lambert Ruland, junior Iiro Vasa and graduate student Savriyan Danilov all took home All-WCC singles honors. Meanwhile, Klaassen and Tarvet, as well as Sharrma and Vasa earned All-WCC doubles honors.

The Toreros will now travel to Texas A&M for the NCAA tournament where they are scheduled to play No. 40 Baylor on Friday, May 3. This will be the first time facing Baylor, but San Diego’s 19th appearance in the program’s history. If they win the team will take on the winner of No. 15 Texas A&M and No. 49 Rice on Saturday.

Choose your player: NFL Draft 2024

NFL teams build their rosters with picks

LAUREN CEBALLOS SPORTS EDITOR

The NFL draft occurred in three rounds beginning on Thursday, April 24. The draft took place in Detroit, Michigan, allowing 32 teams to each have a pick, selection, in the seven rounds.

The first pick went to the Chicago Bears. In theory, the team making the first pick is whoever did the worst during the previous season. Then, it climbs the ladder to the winners of the Super Bowl, with this year’s winners being the Kansas City Chiefs. However, teams like the Bears traded five out of seven of their draft picks. Instead of using all seven of their picks, the Bears gave up five selections to get just two new players, as opposed to seven players. This shows the confidence that the Bears have in their current team, given their apparent need for just two more players.

The Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders also traded their

picks. Finding and trading picks is a way for coaches to strategically draft their teams.

Teams that didn’t make the playoffs had slots 1-20, leaving 21-32 for the playoff qualifiers. On Thursday, there was one round with 10 minutes allotted for each team to make their pick. The second and third rounds were on Friday with seven minutes allotted.

As the rounds and days go on, the pick time shortens.

Pro-Football Hall of Famers

Isaac Bruce, Darrell Green, Calvin Johnson, Warren Moon and Barry Sanders announced each pick.

Caleb Williams was the first overall draft pick for the 2024 NFL Draft. During the phone call to Williams to offer him a spot in the NFL, his new coach, Matt Eberus, expressed his excitement.

“My guy… Hey this day is gonna go down as an iconic day in Bears history my friend.

I’m super excited for you that you realized your dream of being the first pick in the NFL draft. That’s so cool… but I’m more excited about our football team starting this process and achieving our next goal and

[I am] looking forward to our journey together. And I love you and God bless you,” Eberus said.

Jaylen Key was the final pick for the draft selected by the New York Jets, becoming this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant.” In 1976, Paul Salata coined the term “Mr. Irrelevant,” crowning the final pick in the draft.

Salata played football at USC as a wide receiver. Before getting drafted, Salata served in World War II in the Army Air Corps in 1945 then returned to USC for his last season. Following his time as a Trojan, Salata played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Colts.

“We established ‘Irrelevant Week’ to drive home an important message: that it’s not a negative to be picked last in the NFL Draft; rather, it’s an honor to be drafted at all,” Salata said on his website. “The last draft pick’s demonstration of perseverance is a lesson that resonates not only with NFL players and fans, but also with people everywhere,” his website states.

University of Michigan, this past season’s College Football National Champions, provided the most NFL draft picks for

2024, bringing forth 13 players. Whatever number among the picks, players are now eager to start working with their new teams for the upcoming NFL season.

Toreros cheer in excitement about their multitude of accomplishments this week. Photo courtesy of @usd_tennis/Instagram