Kevin Sofen never expected to be the “dog poop guy” of his neighborhood. But as the founder of Scoop the Poop — an initiative aiming to clean dog poop off the streets of Wicker Park — he said his selfless and sometimes smelly work is worth it to “make our community somewhere that we like to live.”
Sofen, an instructor in DePaul’s business school, started Scoop the Poop in March, having grown angry about seeing “dog poop everywhere.”
DePaul
Looking to raise awareness of the issue, Sofen centered his initiative around installing poop bag dispensers and signs with tag lines like “There’s no such thing as the dog poop fairy” on residential properties.
“In the world, there’s a lot of unsolvable issues with a lot of different political strife on both sides,” Sofen said. “I look at this as a very solvable issue in our community.”
Though he has now installed 28 dispensers and 50 signs around the Wicker Park area, Sofen said his success started with one sim-
alum Ryan Jamison takes the helm as men’s golf coach
By Laura Casey
Contributing Writer
Ryan Jamison has spent the last five years working as a PGA Tour caddie. Now he’s making a return to his alma mater, DePaul, as the head coach of the men’s golf team.
“I wanted to get back to DePaul, and I have accumulated knowledge over the past 20 years that I feel can help grow the program,” he said,
noting that this felt like the right time to return to the team.
Jamison, originally from Garland, Texas, completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at DePaul. He earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce in 2005 and an MBA in sports management in 2013.
See GOLF, page 16
DePaul professor cleans dog poop in Wicker Park, urges others to ‘Scoop the Poop’
ple video.
After stepping in a pile of dog poop, Sofen said he spent hours one day cleaning his entire street — an act which he filmed and posted to social media, where it went “mini viral,” gathering thousands of views, likes and comments.
“I was like, ‘This kind of struck a chord — there’s something here that’s bigger than me,’” Sofen said.
Realizing his efforts weren’t “sustainable,” Sofen sought a solution that allowed him to “tap into the community” of fellow resi-
See SCOOPER, page 12
Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Sofen’s signs have funny taglines like “There’s no such thing as the dog poop fairy.”
JEREMY BATTLE/THE DEPAULIA
DePaul professor Kevin Sofen and his son stand next to “Shit Fountain” in Chicago’s East Village on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. The fountain was made in 2005 by artist Jerzy S. Kenar.
JEREMY BATTLE/THE DEPAULIA
Kevin Sofen puts up signs next to his poop bag dispensers in East Village on
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Ryan Jamison coaches a player on the men’s golf team at the Highlands Invitational in Westchester, Illinois.
The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.
La DePaulia es el noticiero oficial estudiantil en español de la Universidad DePaul, enfocado en proveer una voz para la comunidad latinx. Nuestras opiniones no necesariamente reflejan las opiniones de la administración, facultad o personal de la universidad.
EDITORA EN JEFE | SOFIA JOSEPH SJOSEP@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
EDITORA DE CONTENIDO LAURA VAZQUEZ DAVID LVASQ@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
EDITORA DE NOTICIAS | IZZY SIEMASZKO ISIEMA@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
EDITOR DE REDES SOCIALES CRIS SALAS CSALAS@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
MENTOR DE LA DEPAULIA | ARTURO FERNÁNDEZ AFERNÁ@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Drug & Alcohol Assault & Theft Other
Lincoln Park Campus Crimes:
Sept. 17
1) A Disorderly Conduct report was filed for conduct occurring near Fullerton and Kenmore.
Sept. 20
2) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in University Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital.
Sept. 21
3) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in Corcoran Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital.
Sept. 21
4) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in Seton Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital.
Sept. 22
5) A Threats report was filed for conduct occurring in the 1150 W. Fullerton building.
Sept. 23
6) A Stalking report was filed for conduct occurring in Centennial Hall.
Sept. 23
7) A Motor Vehicle Theft report was filed for an electric scooter taken from the Ray Meyer bike rack.
LOOP CAMPUS
Loop Campus Crimes: No crimes were reported on the Loop campus during this time period.
Reach out for ‘anything,’ SGA president says
By Isabella Russomanno Asst. Copy Editor
DePaul’s Student Government Association will prioritize student safety and promote transparency with university administration this academic year, new leadership says.
SGA is holding a welcome event where students can meet new and returning members on Tuesday, Sept. 30, on the Arts & Letters patio in Lincoln Park.
“We want to make sure that we are doing more of those events, where, in open spaces, students can come talk to us or know about us, and we can make sure that we can protect our students and be able to advocate for them, and just reach those corners that don’t get reached through social media,” said SGA president Prince Priyanshu, a senior in the College of Science and Health.
SGA vice president Ahmad Barakat said safety on campus is a priority for the new administration.
“We have had instances in the past year where students have felt unsafe or (were) attacked physically or verbally, and we want to make sure that that is not the case any longer,” said Barakat, a junior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Two Jewish students were attacked while showing support for Israel in front of the Student Center in November 2024. One of the suspects is being charged with two counts of a
hate crime and two counts of aggravated battery with great bodily harm. The victims, Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, are suing DePaul for alleged safety and security failures.
SGA chair of campus affairs Peyton Deck said a safety town hall with students, university administration and public safety officers is in the works for winter quarter.
“We want to get student feedback, so we’d like to hear what students’ primary concerns are and to kind of organize the event and the information shared at the event around that,” Deck said.
Displaced Students Fund updates
One student from Gaza is currently enrolled online at DePaul through the Displaced Students Initiative — a project SGA advocated for last year. Two other students plan to join the cohort in winter quarter.
Barakat, the former chair of SGA’s Displaced Students Support Committee, met with the students participating in the program this month.
“They’re very excited, which is nice,” Barakat said. “It was nice to see that all our hard work throughout the entire year was achieved in that way.”
Barakat said SGA is looking to local businesses to fundraise for the students’ tuition, and some of the students would like to be involved in student organizations.
Encouraging student involvement Priyanshu, the president, said he is focused on creating a new generation of freshmen and sophomore SGA members to pick up the organization next year. Fall elections will take place later this quarter.
In the meantime, Priyanshu said students can reach out to SGA for “anything.”
“We’re here to support our students, and we just want to make sure that we can get through whatever that’s happening around the world together,” Priyanshu said.
SGA is planning a kickball event for Tuesday, Oct. 14. General body meetings are Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in McGowan South, Room 104.
ZOEY DUCHENE/THE DEPAULIA
SGA president Prince Priyanshu and vice president Ahmad Barakat meet in the Office of Student Involvement for an interview on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. The interview focused on continuing initiative into the 2025-2026 school year as well as what more to expect from SGA this year.
Aramark set to bring fresh programs to DePaul as Chartwells contract comes to an end
By Theresa Cowens Contributing Writer
DePaul will switch from Chartwells Higher Ed to Aramark Collegiate Hospitality as the provider for the university’s dining services in December 2025. In an announcement from the Division of Student Affairs, DePaul says this decision is an effort for the campus’s dining services to better support the wellness of the student body.
Some changes that Aramark will be making to the campus dining experience in January 2026 include a performance nutrition program called Eat to Excel, a new program to mobile order meals for pickup and a student-led food committee to provide regular feedback to Blue Demon Hospitality.
Rick Moreci, associate vice president of student affairs, is the liaison between DePaul and the university’s dining providers.
“I can’t say enough that we have had great experiences with Chartwells; however, our contract with them was coming to an end, and so that sparked the opportunity to start having some conversations with other food providers,” Moreci said. “We definitely included Chartwells in those conver-
sations, and ultimately, Aramark came up with a really attractive proposal for us.”
Student input played a pivotal role in making this decision. Moreci put together a small task force that included faculty, staff and students to talk about what the DePaul community prioritizes when it comes to what they want out of their dining experiences. The task force valued knowing about what they are eating and having options available to meet diverse dietary needs.
DePaul freshman Kinley Roberts visited the Lincoln Park dining hall during their admissions tour last spring. Roberts has enjoyed the Chartwells campus dining experience so far and is anxious about the switch to Aramark, especially since they have just begun settling into campus life at DePaul.
“Maybe the upperclassmen were consulted in this decision, but as a freshman I heard nothing about this,” Roberts said. “We just found out through the email, and it kind of feels like they haven’t asked for any opinions since.”
Roberts is not only concerned about the lack of undergraduate student awareness and input regarding the decision, but also the
potential decline in DePaul’s dining quality that might come with the transition.
“The food right now is kind of on the higher end of what I expect college dining hall food to be. I am not really sure how much better it can get, and so I am kind of just worried that it is going to get worse,” Roberts said.
Aramark is the current dining provider for colleges such as Boston University, Arizona State University and Sam Houston State University. Liberty Jones, a sophomore at Sam Houston State University, is also an Aramark employee.
“I feel like all of the managers and supervisors are really nice, and I think they take good care of their employees,” Jones said.
As the transition at DePaul unfolds, attention is also being given to the future of current Chartwells employees.
“All of the current Chartwells employees who are part of the workers union are all being invited to continue their employment on DePaul’s campuses. We won’t see the entire management staff stay, but it won’t be because Aramark didn’t ask them, it will be because they decided to stay with Chartwells,” Moreci said.
Mary Hansen, senior manager of University Communications at DePaul, said that Aramark shared that they are committed to supporting Chartwells employees throughout the application and hiring process through events like town halls.
Eat to Excel is an app-based nutrition program that Aramark initially developed to support student athletes; however, this program will help support all DePaul students. The program will offer access to dietitian support and information regarding menu items. With the AI-enabled mobile app, students can easily track their selections and identify options that best suit their specific needs from the dining menu options.
“We certainly have an emphasis on food preparation and nutrition and the access that students have to that information. Eat to Excel’s really about providing the nutritional facts for the food that Aramark will be serving in multiple capacities,” Moreci said.
Chartwells currently provides a plethora of halal, kosher and plant-based options. Maintaining this accessibility is a top priority for DePaul and Aramark as they move through this transition.
“Jewish Life actually helped us
by conducting a survey last spring to better understand the needs of our Jewish students as it relates to food. There are definitely going to be some kosher options available to students that will be different from what we have done in the past that students will be able to experience as soon as January,” Moreci said.
Grubhub Ultimate will also be streamlining a new outpost program in collaboration with Aramark to deliver food to secure food lockers. Students will be able to place orders online or via kiosks.
“I think it is really going to be great for the on-the-go student. This will not start in January, but it will be further down the road,” Moreci said.
DePaul currently has a basic needs hub on both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses that provides students with food, hygiene materials and a career closet for students in need. Aramark intends to share and support DePaul’s commitment to eliminating food insecurity for students.
“They will be making annual contributions to our basic needs hubs, and doing some meal swipe donation programs throughout the school year,” Moreci said.
MASE FUENTES/THE DEPAULIA
Students line up for dinner at the DePaul Student Center cafeteria on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. The old catering company, Chartwells, will be replaced in the upcoming weeks by Aramark Collegiate Hospitality.
DePaul cuts trash pick ups, says move will save money, further sustainability goals
By Kathryn Byrnes Contributing Writer
DePaul Facility Operations changed office cleaning routines across campus over the summer. The new policy reduces general office and cubicle cleaning from twice a week to once a week. Individual trash cans in faculty and staff offices and cubicles also have been removed.
DePaul officials say these changes are part of an effort to create a more sustainable campus, save money and reduce use of trash bags.
Cutting back “not only leads to small but meaningful wins for the environment, but also conserves financial resources,” said DePaul’s director of facility operations Josh Siegal.
In a letter to faculty and staff this summer, DePaul Facility Operations stated the decision to remove individual trash bins from offices will reduce the use of trash bags by 250,000 per year. Faculty and staff may submit a work order if additional cleaning is needed between weekly services.
Community feedback seeking more on-campus sustainability led to the recent changes. During a Climate Action Plan listening session last academic year, speakers said cutting back on trash bins and cleaning is a common practice in modern offices.
Faculty and staff on campus are most affected by the changes, given their use of offices.
Some employees are all for the new policy. Christie Klimas, a DePaul professor and chair of the environmental science and studies department, said she has not experienced any change in her work environment since the switch to once-a-week cleaning. She supports the removal of trash bins in offices because of the reduction in plastic bag waste.
“I was an enthusiastic advocate for removing trash bins from offices,” Klimas told The DePaulia in an email. “Trash bins have plastic bag liners, and these are changed (thrown out), sometimes even when there is no trash in the bin.”
But others — like Paul Booth, associate dean of student affairs and engagement in the College of Communication — aren’t sure all the changes make sense.
“When there’s no place to put trash, you either have to stand up and walk to the main lobby trash can every time you need to throw something away, or you have to keep little piles of trash in your office like a raccoon,” Booth said in an email to The DePaulia. “It’s unsightly and not what, for instance, I want students to see when they come to my office.”
Because recycling containers remain in the offices, Booth has seen some staff and faculty just using those as trash cans.
“I support only having people clean out
the rooms once a week,” Booth said. “What I don’t find realistic or functional is the idea that I can’t be trusted to empty my own trash can. And, it seems more wasteful to throw away perfectly useful items like trash cans, which doesn’t save us any money.”
These changes are one of the ways DePaul aims to cut costs and boost sustainability efforts on campus. Siegal noted in an email that the average landfill diversion rate at DePaul is more than 40%, meaning nearly half of the university’s waste is diverted from landfills. The President’s Sustainability Committee at DePaul also aims to implement environmental changes across campus and the broader community.
Evelyn Ashburner, a student member of the committee, said she wants more focus on educating the campus community on how to properly dispose of waste. Specifically, she’d like the university to make time in Discover Chicago classes for incoming freshmen to learn how to properly recycle and compost on campus.
“In my eyes, everyone knows how to throw trash in trash bins,” Ashburner said. “People don’t know how to recycle.”
Ashburner also supports the initiative to reduce personal trash cans to consolidate waste. Since trash is now being disposed of in larger bins, she said, it’s crucial to think about reducing trash overall.
“It’s less about where you’re putting the trash cans and more about if you’re being mindful of the waste you’re creating,” she said.
Klimas, who is one of the faculty members on the President’s Sustainability Committee, said she also would like to see the centralized waste stations on each floor that incorporate a composting option for food waste.
Siegal said the university will look for more ways to trim costs and increase sustainability, which he said is consistent with DePaul’s Vincentian mission.
BECCA HEALY/THE DEPAULIA
MEET THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Behind every edition of The DePaulia is a team of student journalists juggling deadlines, classes and the responsibility of leading the university’s editorially independent news source. Guided this year by Editor-in-Chief LiLi Jarvenpa, the editorial board sets the paper’s priorities, manages a multi-thousand-dollar budget and supports dozens of writers and photographers in delivering a breadth of stories to the DePaul community each month.
Brielle Kohlbeck
Content Managing Editor
Brielle is a junior journalism student at DePaul with a double major in PRAD. In her role, she works directly with contributors and section editors to bring the content of the paper together every week.
Brielle enjoys featuring local businesses for the paper and writing about literature. She also enjoys everything bagels and the aroma of Trader Joe’s cinnamon brooms.
In her previous role at The DePaulia she was the editor of the opinions desk.
Jake Cox
Digital Managing Editor
Jake Cox, a senior at DePaul studying Journalism, English and Geographic Information Systems, serves as The DePaulia’s Digital Managing Editor.
He combines skills in data, web presentation and news editing to create digital products that deepen audience engagement.
Outside the newsroom, he can be found reading John Steinbeck, exploring new dive bars or catching up on sleep.
Laura Vázquez David
La
DePaulia
Content Managing Editor
Laura Vázquez David is a second year graduate student studying sports journalism and Latino communication and media. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus.
Being a Latina woman in media, Laura recognizes the importance of representation and speaking up about underrepresented communities.
When not writing, Laura is at the gym or running alongside the Chicago Riverwalk.
LiLi Jarvenpa
Editor-in-Chief
LiLi Jarvenpa is a second year graduate student studying journalism.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science at DePaul. LiLi is an avid cat lover and can be found reading and doing jigsaw puzzles in her free time.
She enjoys writing about politics and local Chicago communities.
Jeremy Battle Director of Photography & Multimedia
Jeremy Battle, a senior studying Journalism, Photography, and Media Studies, serves as The DePaulia’s Director of Photography and Multimedia.
He likes covering human stories and writing about the intersection between art and culture.
When not in the newsroom or out on a shoot, he enjoys exploring Chicago, listening to music, and going on deep dives about obscure video games from the early 2000s.
Sofia Joesph
La DePaulia Editor-in-Chief
Sofia Joseph, a senior at DePaul studying Journalism, serves as La DePaulia’s Editor-in-Chief.
She enjoys covering local news, especially topics pertaining to the Latine community.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, going to the movie theater, listening to music and trying new restaurants.
Left-to-right, Brielle Kohlbeck, Laura Vázquez David, Jeremy
GIACOMO CAIN/THE DEPAULIA
Jeremy Battle, Jake Cox, LiLi Jarvenpa and Sofia Joesph pose for a staff portrait outside of the DePaul Center in the Loop on Sept. 19, 2025.
Opinions
A Gen Z linguistic phenomenon: Exploring the ‘punctuation cushion’ in texts
By Claire Buchheit Contributing Writer
There is something deeply unsettling about receiving a text that ends with a period.
“Ok.”
That tiny dot. So final, so dismissive. It feels like a mini digital dagger. Is this person annoyed? Did I do something wrong? In today’s online-centric world ruled by emojis, exclamation points and lack of auto-capitalization, the period has taken on a surprisingly harsh tone.
So, what’s being done to soften the blow that proper punctuation has brought to online communication?
It’s called the “punctuation cushion,” a linguistic phenomenon where a space is added between the end of a sentence and the punctuation (like this !). This small pause for breathing room between words and punctuation is meant to soften the tone of a message and make it easier to receive.
If you’ve spent as much time doomscrolling on Twitter as I have, you would know that proper punctuation and grammar are not the standard on social media. Character limits and short attention spans leave full words and sentences cut, abbreviated and molded into a whole new language that older generations (and admittedly, me) can’t even begin to understand.
Before full words were mutilated into digital slop, punctuation took the initial
hit.
But why? Where did this texting trend come from? What caused punctuation to be perceived as an aggressive ending to a sentence?
The use of a space before high-level punctuation is not a new concept. This is a feature of modern French grammar rules that is thought to have originated from using typewriters. Since some punctuation marks were typed by combining two different symbols, typewriters were designed so users could hold the space bar while typing punctuation, creating a gap between the sentence and the mark.
Unsurprisingly, English grammar rules strayed from this practice and developed their own typographical rules not including the space.
In an in-person conversation, we rely on vocal inflections, body language and facial expressions to interpret tone. But online, we don’t have those cues, leaving us to decipher meaning from text alone.
DePaul junior Lauren Hunder thinks the punctuation cushion is helpful in conveying a light-hearted tone. She uses it with exclamation points to “seem a bit friendlier.”
“Sometimes I overthink the text messages I get,” Hunder said. “If there’s not a lot of exclamation points, I’m like, ‘OK, they hate me.’”
I agree that there’s a feeling of finality or coldness in messages online or over text with periods marking the end of each sentence.
“Sometimes I overthink the text messages I get,” ... “If there’s not a lot of exclamation points, I’m like, ‘OK, they hate me.’”
Lauren Hunder Junior
“It almost feels too professional,” Hunder said.
For one, that’s just now how Gen Z and Millennials communicate online.
Texting is an informal kind of communication, so most of the time punctuation is omitted since it doesn’t serve a necessary purpose. The text alone is its own thought. By adding a period to the end of a sentence, you’re breaking an ironclad digital rule of this informal code, making your punctuation stand out and causing the recipient to wonder why it was used.
Samantha Close, an associate professor of communication at DePaul and social media expert, says social media also has played a role in forming our obsession with — and fear of — punctuation.
“Tone on platforms like Twitter and Instagram is much more likely to be sarcastic or ironic than in emails,” Close said. “When letters were the main form of
communication, you saw all kinds of tones in them, but they have changed to become more associated with formality as email took over day-to-day communication.”
When I’m texting, I’m constantly thinking about how my tone is coming across. My use of grammar and punctuation vary depending on who I’m talking to. When it’s someone my age, I’m expecting a more casual exchange compared to someone I have a professional relationship with. But every so often, I’ll get a text from a fellow Gen Zer that’s formatted like an email, and I have to completely rethink my course of action.
This is not to say the use of proper grammar is a crime. Well, unless you want to fit in.
“I feel like Gen Z has very strict online rules,” Hunder said. “Like the crying laughing emoji, that used to be the emoji that everybody used.”
Now, she noted, most people just use the crying or skull emojis, and the use of the crying laughing one acts as a target on their back for being out of touch.
At the end of the day, your use of emojis, punctuation and proper grammar don’t need to be completely thrown away. But in a world where tone can be lost in translation, adapting to the unwritten norms of digital spaces can carry a lot of weight.
Maybe all that means is adding a little space to breathe between the end of a sentence and your punctuation !
NOEMI ROMERO/THE DEPAULIA
Featuring ensemble members and
*One ticket per valid student ID.
La DePaulia
Una noche de cultura: Feria da vida a las comunidades Latine de DePaul
Por Isabella Siemaszko Editora de Noticias
El jueves 26 de septiembre, las calles del campus en Lincoln Park de DePaul volvieron a llenarse con los ecos de la música en vivo cuando el Centro Cultural Latinx celebró la cuarta edición de Feria.
La promesa de clases de salsa, artesanías, comida tradicional gratuita e incluso un tiburón mecánico atrajo a los estudiantes, quienes formaron fila alrededor del estacionamiento del Welcome Center, en 2400 N. Sheffield Ave., mientras atardecía.
Los asistentes fueron recibidos por una multitud de puestos alrededor del evento. Desde joyería y bolsas hasta macetas y obras de arte, los vendedores locales — muchos de ellos estudiantes de DePaul— mostraron lo mejor de su trabajo.
En representación del negocio de su familia, Azul, Amber Rosales llevó joyería de Jalisco, Puebla, Oaxaca y Chiapas, México a DePaul.
Para Rosales, es especialmente importante traer sus artículos a Chicago para las personas que no pueden ir a México.
“De cierta manera lo traemos aquí para ellos”, dijo Rosales.
Mientras la gente compraba y comía, el grupo de bachata de EnClave Dance, un colectivo de danza Latine, salió a escena. Con brillantes trajes negros y rojos, desataron vítores y aplausos con su coreografía de “Reina de Mentiras” de Fraimin Castle.
Andrew Rodríguez, director de los equipos de bachata y salsa de EnClave Dance, se enorgullece de poder difundir su cultura mexicana.
“Qué mejor manera de unir a la gente hoy, como comunidad, que a través de los bailes culturales”, dijo Rodríguez.
Una vez concluida su presentación, invitaron a los espectadores a unirse a la diversión, impartiendo una lección de baile paso
a paso. Docenas se sumaron y, después de unos minutos, ya estaban listos para poner en práctica su nuevo ritmo al son de Chicago Latin Groove, una banda con sede en Chicago que tomó el escenario principal.
Hablando sobre la importancia de mostrar la música latina a los estudiantes, Lindy Benítez, una de las cantantes del grupo, quiso inspirar a los presentes.
“Esperamos que la música encienda la misma cantidad de amor y pasión que sentimos por la música y la cultura. Esperamos que al ver la presentación se despierte un poco de eso”, dijo Benítez.
Durante las siguientes dos horas, la banda de música tropical cumplió con ese cometido. Grupos de personas, individuos e incluso miembros de EnClave bailaron durante toda la noche.
Kaelani Mayernik, estudiante de tercer año en DePaul, dijo que fue increíble bailar con sus amigas mientras aprendía más sobre su cultura ecuatoriana, especialmente en el clima político actual.
“Siempre me he criado en un mundo que ha celebrado la diferencia y ha deseado incluir a todos, y ver que ese marco se está destruyendo es más que desalentador para mí”, dijo Mayernik.
“Que DePaul organice eventos intencionales para asegurarse de
que seamos celebrados, especialmente durante el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, significa todo para mí”, añadió.
Comentarios como estos inspiran a Flor Reza, coordinadora de programas del Centro Cultural Latinx, a mantener Feria en el calendario cada año.
“Hay una población latina muy grande en DePaul, así que es realmente importante resaltarla y darle la oportunidad de formar comunidad”, dijo Reza. “Puede sentirse muy abrumador. Puede ser muy difícil sentir que eres el único en una institución mayoritariamente blanca”.
Reza pasó la mayor parte del verano organizando el evento, contratando vendedores y tomando medidas para asegurarse de que la noche transcurriera sin contratiempos.
Cuando la música se apagó y la multitud se dispersó, el espíritu comunitario de Feria permaneció en el campus, mientras los estudiantes seguían socializando.
Mayernik comentó que no suele encontrarse con otras personas de Sudamérica en Chicago, por lo que se alegró de conocer a tres ecuatorianos más en la celebración.
“Es increíble conectar con personas que literalmente son del mismo pueblo que yo en mi universidad. Me encantó”, dijo Mayernik.
Andrew Rodríguez lidera a los estudiantes de DePaul en un baile durante la Feria el jueves, 25 de septiembre de 2025. Rodríguez es el dueño de EnClave Dance, una organización con sede en Chicago enfocada en el baile latino.
CHARLIE BRESLER/THE DEPAULIA
Las miembros de Gamma Phi Omega conversan con estudiantes de DePaul durante la Feria el jueves, 25 de septiembre de 2025. La hermandad lleva casi treinta años en DePaul.
CHARLIE BRESLER/THE DEPAULIA
El regreso del ejército de EE. UU. a Puerto Rico provoca indignación en Humboldt Park
Por Abigail Shanley
Escritora Colaboradora
Por Abigail Shanley, Escritora Colaboradora
Mientras el ejército de EE. UU. se enfrenta a presuntos carteles de droga venezolanos mediante ataques navales, la administración Trump reabre viejas heridas al reocupar bases cerradas en Puerto Rico.
Este mes, el presidente Trump envió buques de guerra a aguas internacionales frente a la costa de Venezuela. Esta acción fue respaldada por aviones de combate F-35 que aterrizaron en Puerto Rico como parte de una operación contra los carteles de droga.
Los residentes puertorriqueños del vecindario de Humboldt Park figuran entre quienes muestran preocupación.
“Es una movida opresiva por parte de Estados Unidos”, dijo Alexis Figueroa, residente puertorriqueño de Humboldt Park.
Territorio no incorporado
de Estados Unidos desde su invasión en 1898, Puerto Rico se ubica entre el mar Caribe y el océano Atlántico. Esto lo posiciona en la principal ruta de entrada y salida del Caribe, explicó Margaret Power, profesora jubilada de historia latinoamericana en el Illinois Institute of Technology.
Power señaló que Puerto Rico “ha cumplido una función militar clave para Estados Unidos”.
Desde la década de 1940, la Marina estadounidense utilizó islas menores del archipiélago —un grupo de islas compuesto por una isla principal y otras más pequeñas— para ejercicios militares.
La Marina fue expulsada de la isla a principios de los 2000 debido a preocupaciones sobre la seguridad y la salud de los residentes de Vieques.
Vieques, una de las islas menores, hogar de más de 8,000 puertorriqueños.
“La Marina de EE. UU. la tomó, empujó a la gente hacia el centro de la isla y se apropió de dos tercios del este y del oeste para prácticas de tiro y maniobras navales”, dijo Power.
La Marina “prometió limpiar todas las municiones sin detonar que quedaron en la isla”, añadió Power sobre las armas y municiones abandonadas.
“No ha pasado nada con la limpieza. Dijeron: ‘Se acabó. Nos vamos’”.
Estudios han demostrado que las tasas de cáncer en Vieques son mucho más altas que en la isla grande de Puerto Rico. Algunos residentes alegan que el cáncer está relacionado con las pruebas militares, aunque el gobierno aún estudia esas afirmaciones.
Chicago cuenta con una de las comunidades puertorriqueñas metropolitanas más grandes en Estados Unidos, por lo que estos movimientos militares han provocado fuertes sentimientos
aquí, según Labault Labault, empresaria puertorriqueña y residente de Humboldt Park.
“La idea de que literalmente estés de turista, en la playa pasando un buen día —tocas algo y (podría ser) una bomba”, dijo Labault.
Willmynett Díaz, también empresaria puertorriqueña, lamentó el impacto de los campos de bombardeo de EE. UU. en Vieques.
“La gente no puede sembrar allí. … Hay áreas muy limitadas donde pueden vivir”, dijo Díaz.
Además de los problemas de cosecha, el Congreso aprobó la Ley Jones en 1920, que establece que Puerto Rico solo puede importar productos “entre puertos estadounidenses en barcos construidos en EE. UU., de propiedad estadounidense y tripulados por ciudadanos estadounidenses”.
“Los impactos económicos y sociales en esa pequeña isla fueron desastrosos, y todavía sentimos las repercusiones de
eso”, dijo Figueroa, residente de Humboldt Park.
“Las (antiguas) bases todavía están ahí”, añadió Figueroa. “Y están listas para una guerra en un minuto”.
Con las fuerzas estadounidenses reactivando bases militares cerradas durante décadas, la comunidad puertorriqueña tiene sentimientos encontrados. Labault teme que la administración Trump esté minimizando lo que ocurre.
“Algo que he notado es que no he escuchado mucho al respecto”, dijo Labault. “Está pasando desapercibido”.
Mientras tanto, Power, profesora jubilada de historia latinoamericana, afirmó que Puerto Rico puede hacer poco para controlar cómo las bases militares reabiertas impactarán la vida de sus residentes.
“Los puertorriqueños no tienen voz ni voto en su destino”, dijo Power. “La gente todavía no tiene poder”.
A demonstrator holds a sign that reads in Spanish, “No to the militarization of Puerto Rico” during a protest outside the Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.
AP PHOTO/ALEJANDRO GRANADILLO
Arts & Life
SCOOPER, cont. from front
dents who shared his concerns.
“I just thought, ‘How could I create a system that enables other people to help other people pick up dog poop?’” Sofen said.
After lots of research, Sofen said he began ordering dispensers, designing signs and reaching out to neighborhood residents to ask if they’d be willing to participate in his initiative.
Inspired by the success of his initial post, Sofen continues to utilize social media to promote his initiative. He still posts videos about his work on Instagram, where he advertises a volunteer form residents can fill out to have a dispenser and sign installed. While Sofen has largely self-funded the effort, residents can contribute through a donation form.
Bucktown resident Marisa Zona signed up to have two dispensers installed at her house after reading about Scoop the Poop online. She said she had been frustrated with residents failing to pick up after their dogs “for years” before contacting Sofen.
“There wasn’t a day that went by without multiple poop droppings up and down the parkway,” Zona said.
Beyond her desire for the “beautification” of her block, Zona said she was motivated to participate due to her concern over dog poop’s association with increases in the population of rats, prevalence of flies and spread of disease — a “public health risk” which Sofen hopes to minimize with his work.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw poop on a parkway now,” Zona said. “It’s really encouraging when you’re having a frustrating neighborhood experience to then have it counterbalanced with something so positive.”
Zona said that she “can’t give him enough credit” for his dedication to clean-
ing up the neighborhood on a volunteer basis, despite having a full-time job and a full-size family.
“When I first met Kevin, he came walking across the street, dog in hand with a wife and newborn baby,” Zona said. “They were smiling, so happy to talk about this, so excited to be involved in it.”
Sofen said his commitment to his work is largely inspired by his desire to set a positive example for his son, whose recent birth “changed me (him) significantly.” Sofen said he wants to show his son that, “If something bothers you and something doesn’t sit right with you — it sounds insignificant — but you as an individual can make impacts by taking really small steps.”
Since his son’s birth, Sofen said he’s been unable to engage in the types of outof-the-country volunteer work he once did, leaving him wanting an outlet to express his love of “helping people … (and) serving people”
“I used to go to Nepal and Cuba and Guatemala,” Sofen said. “And I still am going to do that once I’m able to. But it’s harder to get on the plane to Nepal with my son. So I wanted to channel my social impact, nonprofit energy somewhere.”
While he enjoys making a difference in communities locally and abroad, Sofen said he also “selfishly” enjoys making friendships through his work.
“I’ve made legit friends that we’ve hung out, we’ve got drinks together, we’ve gone to a farmer’s market together. … I’ve enjoyed the fact that I get to connect with people in a new way,” Sofen said.
One such connection Sofen has made is with Sophie Rallo, owner and executive director of Garbage Gals — a local nonprofit centered on picking up trash around the city. The two connected through Instagram and became mutual “supporters and collaborators,” Sofen said. At their
REVIEW: ‘One Battle After Another’
By Sam McCarthy Contributing Writer
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” is a miracle movie. There has never been anything quite like it, and there’s probably never going to be anything like it again. It is an invigorating political thriller with a title that would double as a great tagline to place on the history of humankind. We all wish we lived in calmer times, but after watching this movie, it will leave you asking yourself: will we ever?
When Thomas Pynchon published his 1990 novel ‘’Vineland,’’ a brilliant story about a group of dope-smoking hippie militants from the Reagan era, he appeared to have accepted that the counterculture failed in its fight to liberate America’s spirit. Pynchon wrote
routine coffee meeting every few months, Rallo said Sofen offers her valuable advice on “business plans” for her initiative.
“He’s just kind of a godsend,” Rallo said. “I don’t know how people like him exist. He just wants to help for the sake of helping. … He’s a really caring person, and he has a lot of knowledge.”
Rallo said she enjoys being part of a “collective rather than like a bunch of competing organizations.”
“Living in a big city, people are a little bit more community-driven and want to meet and gather and do something good as a collective rather than doing something as an individual.”
Zona echoed this sentiment, noting that a few of her neighbors were “curious
and happy to get involved” in Scoop the Poop after seeing her join.
“Fundamentally, it’s about people who love living in the city and who care about living in the city and who care about leaving a good footprint for their neighbors,” Zona said. “And how can you argue with that?”
While he has enjoyed watching his individual efforts “snowball” into a neighborhood wide operation, Sofen said there’s still “more work to be done.”
“My ultimate vision is zero dog poop on the streets of Chicago,” Sofen said. “We can strive for that, but maybe falling somewhere a little bit short would be great.”
after Watergate, “the personnel changed, the Repression went on, growing wider, deeper and less visible.”
Still, Anderson’s lively and effervescent adaptation sees the rebellion through a glass half full. Sure, the fight for liberation rages on — conservatives vs. radicals, loyalists vs. sellouts — yet, there’s something so thrilling about the idea that there are people still willing to throw punches for what they believe in.
“One Battle After Another” opens with the kind of exhilaration usually reserved for an opening scene in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. A revolutionary group known as the French 75 — including but not limited to members Ghetto Pat aka Bob (Leonardo DiCap -
rio) and the fiery Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) — infiltrate a migrant detention center on the Mexico-U.S. border. There, Perfidia runs into Colonel. Steven J. Lockjaw, locking him up and emasculating him. Cut to 16 years later, Bob, who is a widow and a self-diagnosed “drugs and alcohol lover,” is raising his daughter, Willa, off the grid. That is until Lockjaw finally receives a tip about their whereabouts and comes hunting them down.
Calling this film a version of “Vineland” would be generous, as it is far less faithful than Anderson’s previous adaptation of Pynchon’s work in “Inherent Vice.” He and Pynchon have similar comic, sexual and ethical kinks, but the sensibility and spine of “One Battle After Another” are all Anderson at his best.
The film never feels heavy-handed since Anderson keeps the film humming in a way that movies rarely do,
implementing all of its commentary into the entertainment. There are so many “films about our time” that exude anger and cynicism, but this movie embodies what it is to be human while also having optimism for the future despite all the promises that the past generations failed to keep.
One battle after the next, there are no losses, only hills we must go over. As long as the fight continues, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
“One Battle After Another” is the only true modern blockbuster amid a culture that does nothing but look to the past. An obvious masterpiece that allows you to marvel at the fact that something this generational and this humanist was even made at all.
JEREMY BATTLE/THE DEPAULIA
Kevin Sofen holds a sign in front of one of his dog poop dispensers in East Village on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Sofen is given permission to put up dispensers and signs by homeowners in the neighborhood.
DePaul lands top 10 film school ranking. But do students agree?
By Bennett Kilroy Contributing Writer
For another year in a row, The Hollywood Reporter ranked DePaul’s School of Cinematic Arts number nine on its list of the best 25 film schools in the U.S., likely making the program an easy sell for many aspiring filmmakers. DePaul has maintained a spot since 2020 after inconsistent appearances on the list since 2013.
DePaul’s position rose two spots from last year, ranking alongside some of the most well-known filmmaking programs across the country including Columbia University (8), UCLA (11) and the University of Southern California (1).
DePaul’s film school, a program in the College of Computing and Digital Media, currently offers twelve concentrations in its film program, ranging from visual effects to creative producing.
DePaul junior Kamaile Zimmerman, a film student concentrating in screenwriting, said she has enjoyed the inclusive environment within the program, where she has easy access to create student projects.
“Unlike other schools, DePaul gives you early access to equipment and permits,” Zimmerman said. “I have a lot of friends at other film schools who tell me they aren’t really allowed to work on their film stages until they are older.”
Zimmerman was also drawn to the creative freedom and ownership offered by DePaul.
“DePaul allows you to own the copyright to your film after you create one. A lot of film schools do not allow students to do that,” Zimmerman said. “When I was applying to DePaul, a big standout was knowing I would have ownership over the films I make.”
Compared to DePaul’s approach, other schools included on the list, like New York University, ranked second, are stricter when it comes to student creations.
NYU junior and film and television major Barie Fry noted that while her experience has been positive, film equipment isn’t as accessible for students.
“It can be difficult. You have to secure allotments,” Fry said.“I haven’t had any issues, but I know of students who have had trouble securing equipment.”
Fry said she doesn’t know much about DePaul’s film program, but some of her NYU peers applied and considered attending.
“I know some people in my classes who
have talked about how they applied to DePaul,” Fry said. “Even though I’m not personally familiar with the school, it definitely is talked about among some film students in my classes.”
DePaul, one of the few Midwest schools on the list, offers film students a hands-on alternative to the traditional programs based in New York and Los Angeles.
Robert Steel, associate professor and head of DePaul’s sound design program, believes student and alumni success are a main contributor to the school’s recent success.
“One of the greatest strengths of the School of Cinematic Arts is the success of our students and alumni. Pil Chang contributed as a 3D Modeler on “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Steel said. “DePaul nurtures talent that resonates across the global film industry.”
As DePaul’s film school continues to accumulate nationwide recognition, junior Belle Geoffroy, concentrating in directing, said she believes the unique opportunities are what makes College of Computing and Digital Media such a success.
“You are allowed to experiment, so you can find your niche. I’ve taken a wide range of classes, from a casting class to several lighting classes,” Geoffroy said. “The curriculum helps you build a portfolio. In the FILM 110 class, you’ll have students receive credits as audio mixers or production designers, which are helpful to diversifying your resume.”
The program is also set apart by its access to Cinespace Studios, a 60,000-squarefoot production facility on Chicago’s West Side that DePaul has occupied since 2013. The space holds six shooting stages, several editing suites, a greenscreen cyclorama, hair and makeup stations and a virtual production stage.
“I think that Cinespace is a big reason why DePaul is getting more attention. It’s a big draw for a lot of people,” Geoffroy said. “It’s a really cool space; it makes you feel very immersed in the process of film production.”
For Geoffroy, the school’s rise in national rankings reflects her own experience studying at DePaul.
“When I compare it to other schools, I feel really lucky to be a part of the program. Even though it is already a top ten film school, I honestly think it will continue to get even better,” Geoffroy said.
PRECIOSA RIOS/THE DEPAULIA
St.Vincent’s
D e JAMZ
“Spinning freSh beatS Since 1581”
By April Klein Arts & Life Editor
There’s a stigma attached to the cultural idea of becoming a rapper. You’re likely imagining a schlubby guy in his late 20s to early 30s who really wants to affect a “street” lifestyle despite being from Naperville, has no actual talent at rapping and is probably a really bad boyfriend. Don’t get me wrong — those guys exist.
But I think it’s a discredit to the genre to discount all the raw, abrasive talent that often goes unrecognized by the mainstream, especially artists which have found an audience through online avenues. Anyone can post anything, which means you get a much more raw experience of musical experimentation.
“killswitch” by htmljones
This peppy beat from the “evil rapper sent to destroy the west” reminds me of the Shawn Wasabi beats I listened to in middle school. Not in a way which
sounds like a retread of that ground either. Rapping is a skill and htmljones has it, utilizing her pitch-shifted vocals to blend with the hyperdigital production without hiding behind them.
“booboo2” by Yaeji, Aaliyah’s Interlude, underscores
As a longtime fan of underscores (read: I discovered her last year), this was how I discovered the work of New York producer Yaeji. This remix of Yaeji’s original track “booboo” is a departure in form for both her and underscores, both artists mainly operating as producers and DJs with pop stylings or moody indie music, now moving into the realm of rap. Aaliyah’s Interlude is certainly more of a rapper, the Tiktok-star turned rapper providing a solid backbone of a bar for this beat, but the other two certainly don’t slouch with their offerings.
“MUSICA DE ASCENSOR” by SWAGGERBOYZ
Described by critics as “s---post-modernism,” the teenage Argentine duo of Stiffy and AgusFortnite2008 that make up SWAGGERBOYZ are nothing if not intentionally provocative. Adopting the political stance of extreme ageism (Stiffy is 19 and AgusFortnite2008 is 17), proclaiming that if a 30 year old heard their music “he would kill himself,” the boys’ style can be a little overwhelming. From verses about getting their MILFs mistaken for their mothers to a sample in which a man wants to legalize heroin, their vulgarity can be read as immaturity. It is that, undoubtedly, but there’s also something pure to this expression of youth culture, an appeal to dadaism that seeks to use the tools of the establishment to destroy any credibility the establishment has.
“21 intro (a)” by heartstopmiami
A member of internet rap collective PlanetZero, the Atlanta-based rapper (she’s from Miami originally, hence the name) fuses hip-hop and internet culture into trap beats with a real sadness behind them. There isn’t anyone who sounds like her, occupying a unique presence as she utilizes it to tell her stories of lost love without it coming off as irony-poisoned. The album cover is a photo of heartstopmiami superimposed over the image of Frodo looking back wistfully at Sam from “The Lord of the Rings.” This recontextualizes the moment from the film as one of being too far gone with a lover to reconcile.
The Chicago Cubs return to October baseball
By Peyton Hopp Sports Editor
After 108 years, the Chicago Cubs ended the longest World Series drought in 2016. Nine years later, the Cubs have made it to the postseason for the fourth time since winning the World Series in 2016. Some Cubs fans are hopeful, while others aren’t — even White Sox fans have thoughts.
Justin Villarreal, a recent DePaul graduate and Irving Park native, has been a Cubs fan since 2015. He shared that he feels like the Cubs underperformed this year.
“While it’s good they made the playoffs, that was the expectation into the year and they should’ve won the division as well,” Villarreal said.
The Milwaukee Brewers clinched the National League Central division, winning seven more games than the Cubs.
Despite not winning the division, the Cubs secured their postseason spot on Sept. 17 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since then, the Cubs have lost six of their last eight games as of Sept. 26. They will be in the National League Wild Card facing off against the San Diego Padres, who have won five of their last eight games as of Sept. 26.
With the slump the Cubs have had in the last few games, Villarreal thinks the Cubs have been “playing their worst baseball heading into the playoffs.”
“What makes playoff baseball unique is that it’s all about which team is the hottest team come the playoffs,” Villarreal said. “If you are playing your best baseball in the postseason, then you can and will go very far regardless of what your regular season record was.”
Even though Villarreal thinks the Cubs haven’t looked good in their last few games of the regular season, Khloe Buelvas, a sophomore at DePaul, thinks the Cubs are “looking good” and she hopes they “make it all the way to the World Series.”
Buelvas has been a Cubs fan for as long as she can remember. She grew up in Skokie and is a Cubs fan thanks to her family.
Many Cubs fans have reminisced on winning the World Series almost a decade ago, and this postseason clinch is giving fans a taste of hope. While the postseason is exciting for many fans, Buelvas recognizes that there’s still work to be done before winning another World Series.
“I think we look good, but we’re still
finding our footing and are going to have to fight and work hard if we want to win,” Buelvas said.
Aiden Hernandez, a recent UIC graduate who grew up in Elmwood Park, is a Chicago White Sox fan and has been a fan for “as long as (he’s) been conscious and aware of baseball.” He does acknowledge the Cubs’ recent achievements, but he made it clear that his loyalties stay with the White Sox.
“While I’ll give them credit as they are currently the only successful Chicago team, I can’t help but hold them in the same regard as I always have, which is the opposition,” Hernandez said.
The Cubs and White Sox rivalry goes as far as 1900. Both teams are just a walking distance away from specific Red Line stops. The Cubs are up in the north off the Addison stop, while the Sox are down in the south off the Sox-35th stop.
Hernandez said he has close friends and family who are Cubs fans. While he isn’t too thrilled for this postseason and wishes it were the White Sox instead, he’s hoping the Cubs will bring home the World Series trophy.
“As much as I’d love to take this opportunity to be a hater, I will say deep down … it’s nice to see so many people around me excited for this taste of the postseason,” Hernandez said. “There was a certain magic in the 2016 run that I caught myself in awe of despite not being a fan and I think the city could use that again.”
AP PHOTO/MATT FREED
Chicago Cubs catcher Reese McGuire, left, celebrates with left fielder Ian Happ, right, after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Pittsburgh.
PEYTON’S POWER HOUR
By Peyton Hopp Sports Editor
The WNBA deals with quite a bit: allegations of fans stalking players, not getting paid as much as they should and so on. To add the sugar on top, there have been attendees who have been throwing sex toys onto WNBA courts.
It sounds unreal — how could they bring those in? But it’s happened seven times. You would think once was enough.
The first instance of a lime green adult toy being thrown onto the court was on July 29 during an Atlanta Dream v. Golden State Valkyries game. 23-year-old Delbert Carver was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
A cryptocurrency group took responsibility for the incidents, even though there have been no names of the members of this group.
USA Today shared that the spokesman of the group — who uses @Daldo_Raine on social media — “explained that catapulting sex objects (with drawn-on sunglasses and the name of their coin) is to spread awareness about a culture they want to perpetuate, cultivated around jokes, pranks and various stunts.”
Now why would they use the WNBA as a place to make these “pranks?”
@Daldo_Raine spoke to ESPN and said “the WNBA and all its ‘controversy,’ made the league a logical target.”
While the spokesman may think it was a “logical” target, it was probably not the smartest decision. He probably didn’t find the idea inappropriate, but other people did.
Cheryl Reeve, the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, said that these incidents are “not funny” and “it should not be the butt of jokes on any radio shows or in print.”
Sophie Cunningham, an Indiana Fever forward, tweeted that she wants people to stop throwing adult toys on the court. She said “you’re going to hurt one of us.”
Five days after that tweet, she almost got hit by one.
As I heard of these incidents going on, I was wondering why they only targeted WNBA courts. But as I was reading more about these events, they also threw a sex toy during an NFL game.
On Sept. 7, The Athletic reported that there was a bright green adult toy thrown onto the NFL field during the Cleveland Browns v. Cincinnati Bengals game.
The spokesman for these incidents said the bright neon color was used to be “disruptive and create curiosity.”
Why do people think it’s funny to throw an inappropriate object during a professional sports game, let alone a professional women’s game?
The WNBA has built their popularity from the ground up — it’s especially gotten popular within the last few years or so thanks to players like Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson.
This series of events is important to me because I’ve loved watching the WNBA grow. Having people treat the WNBA like this after they’ve worked so hard to build the league to be what it is today is frustrating.
Whether it was meant to be a joke or not, we can see that some people still don’t respect the WNBA or women’s sports in general. These stunts aren’t funny, they’re disruptive and dangerous.
The WNBA deserves better. Fans should show up to support the game, not sabotage it. If we want to push for equality in sports, it starts with treating every league, and every player, with respect.
After a decade of wear, The Ray’s courts get an overhaul
Members of the DePaul club volleyball team practice on the newly renovated basketball courts in the Ray Meyer Fitness Ceneter on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The updated courts are a part of the university’s efforts to enhance the student athletic facilities. dio.
By Julyen Broussard Contributing Writer
After years of inattention, the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center’s third floor basketball courts have been redone making way for renewed use of the campus gym.
The conditions of the old courts had become a “safety issue,” said Scott Vandermoon, director of Campus Recreation. “There were a ton of dead spots. … So it became a priority to make sure the funding was available.”
DePaul funded the Ray’s renovations through its capital planning and projects fund, Vandermoon said. This university fund, which accounts for $25.2 million in the 2025 budget, is earmarked for maintaining campus buildings and technology, according to the university.
Beyond safety, Vandermoon said he wanted The Ray to be a haven for students.
“We want to be a spot where students want to come by and be kind of that third space for them,” he said. “We want it to be a spot where everybody’s excited to come hang out and be with their friends.”
In addition to an exercise space, the Ray is also the home of many of DePaul’s club sports. Vandermoont hopes the fresh courts will give the Blue Demon teams “a home court advantage.”
“I think we have some of the best courts in the city …,” he said. “We also want DePaul students to be proud of the facilities that are available to them.”
Dale Reeves III, a DePaul junior and club volleyball player, thinks the renovations will help his team.
“I really enjoy the new courts and how they feel even,” Reeves said. “A lot of our practices will just be smoother. It’s going to be easier to jump, easier to play on them …. Just the whole idea of a new fresh court and practicing on good material and good hardwood would be advantageous compared to the older courts.”
DePaul has done previous renovations at The Ray to ensure student safety and comfort. Those renovations have included converting Studio B on The Ray’s second floor into a secluded exercise area in 2022.
Christina Hamilton, a frequent Ray user and DePaul junior, likes the new stu-
“It’s good if you’re shy in the gym or new to the gym,” Hamilton said. “Sometimes I like to try new exercises (in Studio B) that I’m not confident enough to do in the free weight section.”
Reeves hopes the court renovations will also allow club sports to host more tournaments and events at the Ray.
“Before we weren’t really hosting tour-
GOLF, cont. from front
Jamison said DePaul’s inclusive culture and diverse student population have impacted his professional life, encouraging him to be more open-minded and consider new ways of doing things.
Jamison is an experienced coach, having previously held various assistant and head coaching positions at several different universities, including DePaul, where he served as an assistant coach for two seasons from 2010 to 12. He was also an assistant coach at Stanford University, and head coach at Florida Atlantic University and Nova Southeastern University.
During his time as head coach at Nova Southeastern, he was named the 2015 Division II Dave Williams National Coach of the Year.
As a PGA caddie, he also worked with professional golfers such as Akshay Bhatia and Justin Suh, assisting them on the course and offering strategic advice.
Jamison said that working with the best of the best and being able to witness their professionalism and work ethic was inspiring and has strengthened his abilities as a coach.
“It has absolutely shaped my coaching style. I look at golf differently. I look at it from a more strategic point of view,” Jamison said.
Dominic Lucceshi, a member of DePaul’s men’s golf team, said he was excited to hear Jamison would be taking over the team this year.
“He has a lot of coaching experience and experience working with some of the best that I think can really help grow the team,” said Lucceshi, a sophomore finance major.
naments and part of that was because our courts were kind of dusty,” Reeves said. Vandermoon said that, for now, there are no plans for further renovations at the Ray.
“We’re mindful of not investing in fads,” Vandermoon said. But the new courts, he added, were “worth the investment.”
“He really wants us to succeed.”
Hank Schaefer, a former player who graduated with a master’s degree in June, agreed.
“We recruited some very young talent last season, and now with Jamison they will have very good guidance,” Schaefer continued. “Coming from a major program like FAU, I think he can help grow DePaul’s team to one of the top teams in the Big East conference.”
Jamison said his main priorities for the team include establishing values and building structure. He also wants to listen to the student-athletes and allow them to voice their opinions.
“An ultimate vision would be for us to win a conference championship,” he said. ”But I also know that I have to focus on the here and now.”
“Ultimately, my goal is to achieve great growth with the great group of guys that we have.”
Lucceshi, who is competing for his second year on the team, said he has already noticed more focus on improving skills under Jamison’s leadership. “I would say the atmosphere is more serious,” he said.
Lucceshi said that knowing all that Jamison has accomplished throughout his career also motivates him to work hard and perform well.
Ultimately, Jamison says his job at DePaul “is about more than just golf.”
“It is about being better people, and that starts with me,” he said.
