WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026
Increased Use of AI in the Workplace to Impact the Job Search
By BRENNA BELASCO Associate News Editor
Fairfield University’s 2026 Spring Career and Internship Fair is today, from noon to 3 p.m., in the RecPlex.
The fair will be attended by over 75 employers from Connecticut and the surrounding area, covering a broad range of occupations, including financial services, media and communications, and educational institutions.
With the increased usage of artificial inelligence (AI) in the workplace and the job search, the Career Fair is changing. Amna Haider, the Director of Data Management and Enrollment at Fairfield Meditz, is teaching students how to use it to their benefit.
Haider, in her Digital Edge Seminar, discusses data concepts, how to exist in a data-driven economy, and how to use data tools, namely, AI. “Job hunting [with AI] is very different now…everyone is looking for tech tools. In the skills section of your resume you can [include] AI, but AI is a really broad term,” she said. It’s important to have other specific AI-related skills, such as integrating it or using it for a select purpose.
Haider attests that students who use AI will have different takeaways from the Career Fair, because AI programs are able to give potential employees valuable insights about the company or their hiring process that employers may not have off the top of their heads. She also added that, “If you have a really niche interest, you can build on it. [AI] is exposure to everything that exists, and it lies within the individual to bring it all together.”
However, it is essential that AI is used wisely. “When I was working in hiring, people sent in their AI resumes and cover letters,
but [where it says] insert name here, [they left it blank]. So [when you’re using] in that regard, you’re making a really nice cover letter, but then you miss that piece. That’s going to be a detriment to you,” Haider said.
Finally, AI can give students an advantage in the job search. “If you’re not using AI to [help with what] you’re trying to search for, you’re automatically spending a lot more time [on that] than someone who is using AI,” she said. “If they already have [those insights], wouldn’t they automatically have an edge?”
For students who aren’t using AI, it’s not something to be scared of. Haider vouches for its value and support, saying, “...others are using it all the time. Computers are quicker than humans are.”
The event will be chock-full of opportunities and people looking to connect, so proper preparation is essential. The best way to prepare for the career fair is to take advantage of the on-campus career centers, says Meditz College Career Development Advisor, Yamil Cobo. He went on to describe the different career centers Fairfield University has, saying, “We have a desynchronized career center, so that means that each college has its own career center. [We also] have the [main] career center. The best way to take advantage of your career center is by going to the drop-in hours and events.”
Cobo also discussed what attendees should wear, harping on the importance of professional attire, and recommended a suit as the best option. He also shared information regarding a resource students can use if they need clothing items for events like these: the Career Closet. Students can make an appointment and borrow professional attire for the events they will be attending.
Something else students should do to be
prepared for the Career Fair is to have copies of their resumes ready. Cobo stated that he tells students to visit the university’s Handshake (a career management and job networking platform) profile and scan the list of employers who will be present at the fair. “I typically tell students [to bring] 10 copies [of their resume]. If you’re planning to talk to more people, [bring] more; if you’re planning to talk to fewer people, I would still bring 10 just in case; you never know who you run into!” he said.
When students enter the Career Fair, there will be a printer on the right-hand side. There, students will be able to print out more copies of their resumes.
The Career Center helps students develop skills they will need for Career Fairs, interviews, and beyond, such as creating a sound elevator pitch. “An elevator pitch is a really crucial thing that a lot of students seem to miss. It’s super important because [in] those first 30 seconds when you introduce yourself and how strong you start builds confidence,” Cobo said.
He recommends that students visit the Career Center during advisor drop-in hours (found on Life@Fairfield) to practice and polish up their elevator pitches.
He added that students who do research will be at an advantage because they’ll know who they’re looking for, and they’ll have mission statements that will likely impress employers. Cobo is an alumnus of the university, and he got his first job from the Career Fair. He tells his students, “The Career Fair works wonders if you do [these things].”
When asked what students should expect from the Career Fair, Cobo claimed it depended on how many times they had
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Opinion •
We Need a Shuttle to the Movies Page 6
Vine •
Valentine’s Day Activities Pages 8-9
Sports •
Who is Brandon Benjamin? Page 16
Updated Housing Guide Introduces New “Individual” Options for Round One
By JULIAN NAZARIO Managing Editor
Fairfield University’s Office of Residence Life unveiled its annual housing guide for the upcoming academic year on Monday, with no significant changes to housing accommodations for university students.
According to the 20-page document, the housing application is expected to open today at 9 a.m. and remain open through March 4, when students must submit their application and have a verified group of roommates for the randomized housing lottery.
This year, senior and junior students will be able to pick together on March 18, followed by sophomore students on March 19 and 20. The process is expected to conclude in midApril.
However, this year’s lottery will allow students in unverified or incomplete groups to apply and secure housing in the first two rounds, rather than being automatically placed on the last set of housing assignments.
“If you are open to living with anyone or unable to complete your group or find roommates, the Office of Residence Life will be offering an opportunity to allow students who are participating in the lottery as an individual or as unverified (incomplete) groups, will have the opportunity to select from a limited pool of housing in the first two rounds of the room selection process,” the document reads.
ResLife is deeming the new process a “fairer opportunity” for residents and appears to be a new strategy that prioritizes a student’s random lottery number over the full group size.
The Housing Lottery Resource Guide also confirmed The Mirror’s previous reporting on the reclassification of Meditz Hall as senior and junior housing. The building, which opened originally in 2011 as an apartment-style residence hall for upperclassmen, was later turned into a sophomore go-to as part of the university’s Build-A-House community.
In addition, the university officially announced that the new Conference Center residence hall will house sophomores in three-person suite-style rooms, as The Mirror had reported before construction broke ground.
To orient students on the process, ResLife held an informational session yesterday at Faber Hall, and an online webinar is scheduled today at noon.
FUSA Kicks Off Presidential Election, Three Tickets Intend To Run
By OLIVIA MARCEDA Head News Editor
Fairfield University Student Association presidential election season has begun with over three pairs of students declaring to run for President and Vice President.
According to Chief Justice Ryan Tappan, the pairs who declared for the election are Tommy Fitzmaurice and Olivia La Bruno, Matthew Doherty and Hailey Guzman, and Vincent Vizzard and Ava Knaus.
Though they have all declared their intention to run, they are not officially considered
candidates until they get 200 signatures.
Current FUSA President Courtney Sabogal emphasized that successful student leadership begins long before election day. According to Sabogal, organization is one of the most critical qualities for any student government leader.
“There are a lot of moving parts involved in leading a student government,” Sabogal said. “Organization is key to making sure everything runs smoothly, gets done in a timely manner, and your work is as effective as it can be.”
In addition to staying organized, Sabogal stressed the importance of being future-oriented.
Planning weeks or even months in advance, she explained, helps prevent last minute stress. A strong understanding of FUSA’s sturcture and operations is also essential, especially for students new to student government.
Beyond logistics, Sabogal highlighted open-mindedness as a defining trait of effective leadership. “We are here to serve the students,” she said. “Listen to those around you to be a compassionate and thoughtful person and leader.”
Sabogal credited support from fellow FUSA members, including Vice President Amaia O’Brien, for helping her push through discomfort
running and staying focused serving the student body. She hopes this year’s candidates will do the same.
“My hope is that even if it feels scary, you do it anyway,” she said, “and keep your goal of supporting the student body the center of your work.”
Although the election is still underway, Sabogal expressed confidence for the future of FUSA and their potential to bring fresh ideas to the organization.
“At the end of the day, everyone involved in FUSA is working toward the same goal: improving the student experience for every Stag,” she said.
Students meeting with potential employers at a Career Fair. The Spring Career Fair is taking place today in the RecPlex.
Photo Contributed by Fairfield University
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Students Prepare for the Career Fair
continued from page 1
experienced the fair. A first-year experience will be different from that of a senior, he said, because while first-year students are there to get acquainted with the career space, seniors are most often there for jobs.
“There are three different avenues students will typically come across at the Career Fair: networking, internships, and jobs,” Cobo said. “Having a friendly smile, giving out resumes, and making sure that you’re proactive and always sending follow-ups to the employers that you talk to is a great way to get started, and then when [you’re] asking for internships, [you] can be a little more inquisitive. ‘What is a day in the life like for this intern?’ ‘What is this company about?’”
By OLIVIA MARCEDA Head News Editor
The Mirror is the recognized student newspaper of Fairfield University. Opinions and ideas expressed herein are those of the individual student authors, and not those of Fairfield University or its Board of Trustees.
In terms of jobs, he says the approach is very similar to that of obtaining an internship, but being “...deliberate with how you are answering questions and how you are following up,” is key. For seniors, this fair may be the last one they attend before they graduate, so getting a job opportunity from the Career Fair would do them a great deal of good.
First-year Brook Gori said she wants to attend the Career Fair because she thinks it’s a good resource to find information regarding job opportunities.
“It’s a good opportunity for [my] future, which I find very valuable.”
A final piece of advice Cobo offered to those attending the fair was simple: just be yourself. “You [have] to realize,
from an employer’s perspective, they just want to talk to a human. They want to talk to and get to know [that student]. So, I think personality is the best thing to make that conversation as natural and as authentic as possible.”
Additionally, he said that students should talk to as many employers as possible, even if they’re not interested in that field, because the stakes are lower, and they will likely walk away with new information.
For the complete list of employers, please visit Fairfield University’s Handshake profile. https://fairfield.joinhandshake.com/stu/career_fairs/59225/ employers_list?page=1&per_page=25.
Pipe Bursts on Skybridge From Egan to Bannow
A fire alarm disrupted classes in the Egan School of Nursing on Monday, Feb. 9, at approximately 1:30 p.m., prompting students and faculty to evacuate the building, resulting in early class dismissals across several departments.
Students were instructed to exit the building using the stairwells, while professors guided them outside. According to students, it was quickly communicated that the alarm was triggered by a water main break rather than a fire.
Olivia Newberry, a sophomore who was attending class at the time, said the evacuation was orderly and informative.
“One of the nursing professors was telling us what was happening while we were all walking down the stairs, so everyone was aware it was a water main break,” Newberry said. She added that because her
class had only 15 minutes remaining, students were dismissed early once the alarm stopped.
Newberry, who was on the top floor of the building, said she did not witness any flooding but observed large numbers of students exiting the building under faculty direction.
Another student, sophomore Tessa Smith, was attending a microbiology class on the first floor of Egan when the alarm sounded. She said her professor, Christine Rodriguez, advised students to pack up and end class early due to the limited time remaining. Smith noted that this response appeared consistent across multiple classes.
Smith also reported that her microbiology lab professor, Professor Darly, confirmed that a pipe had burst. A photo taken at 1:42 p.m. showed activity near the skybridge between Bannow and Egan,
further emphasizing the impact. No injuries were reported, and students were allowed to leave once it was clear the situation was not an emergency.
Independent Student Newspaper Since 1977.
The skybridge between Bannow Science Center and the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies flooding as a result of a burst pipe. The photo was taken at 1:42 p.m.
Photo Contributed by Tessa Smith
“For Which It Stands” Art Exhibit: Examining 250 Years of Patriotism
By EMMA DOBROVICH Contributing Writer
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the American flag no longer functions as a stable or uncontested symbol. It is invoked to justify state violence and waved in resistance to it; raised in celebration and burned in protest; embraced as a promise and rejected as a betrayal. In this moment of political fracture, the flag reveals less about national unity than about who feels protected by the nation, and who does not. “For Which It Stands,” the Fairfield University Art Museum’s major exhibition commemorating America250, confronts that instability head-on.
Rather than offering a singular narrative of patriotism, the exhibition assembles more than 70 works that chart how artists have used the American flag to document, critique, reclaim and reimagine national identity from World War I to the present. Featuring works by artists including Childe Hassam, Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold, Robert Rauschenberg, Shepard Fairey, Julie Mehretu and Maria de Los Angeles, the exhibition insists that the flag’s meaning is neither fixed nor universally shared. Instead, it is historically contingent, politically charged and deeply personal.
This refusal to stabilize meaning is not incidental, it is pedagogical. Curated by Carey Mack Weber, Frank and Clara Meditz Executive Director of the Fairfield University Art Museum, “For Which It Stands” was conceived as an intervention. “The American Flag belongs to all of us,” Weber explains, emphasizing that the exhibition does not ask viewers to agree on what the flag means, but to question whether it “has always lived up to its symbolic role of representing the entire country.” That question, quiet but relentless, runs through the entire installation.
The exhibition unfolds across the Museum’s two main gallery spaces in a loose chronology. In the Bellarmine Hall Galleries, early twentieth-century works position the flag within moments of collective mobilization and national mythmaking. Childe Hassam’s Italian Day, May 1918 presents the flag as a spectacle of unity and wartime optimism, draped triumphantly across an urban street. Nearby, Joe Rosenthal’s photograph of the flag-raising at Iwo Jima solidifies the image of the flag as sacrifice, endurance and victory. These works reflect a moment when the flag
destabilizes the emblem, changing it from a sign of consensus into an object of scrutiny.
Faith Ringgold’s The People’s Flag Show Poster (1970), created amid Vietnam War protests and the Civil Rights Movement, pushes further and asserts the right to use, question and even violate the flag as an extension of democratic freedom.
For Aaron Weinstein, Assistant Professor
“There will be people on the right who see things they don’t like, and people on the left who see things they don’t like.” Yet the role of the university, he argues, is not to resolve those conflicts, but to provide “enough” for students to think critically and come to their own conclusions, while also developing more questions to bring into larger community conversation.
This commitment to inquiry becomes most explicit in the Walsh Gallery, where contemporary works address urgent social and political realities. The Museum’s newly commissioned centerpiece, Maria de Los Angeles’ monumental textile sculpture Freedom Is Not Free?, interrogates migration, citizenship and belonging through the perspective of a formerly undocumented immigrant. Standing over seven feet tall, the work refuses abstraction; it situates the flag within lived experience, asking who pays the cost of freedom and who is excluded from its protections.
holding multiple, even contradictory meanings at once. Art, as Jasper Johns demonstrated decades ago, creates a “free zone” in which viewers are empowered to see, question, and decide for themselves.
Eliasoph resists binary readings of American history, emphasizing that the nation was “born out of violence” and shaped by competing interests and unequal freedoms. To teach the flag honestly, he argues, requires acknowledging that complexity rather than smoothing it over. The responsibility of a university museum, then, is not to produce consensus, but to foster “civil, open discourse free from narrowing or doctrinal propagandizing.”
Threaded throughout “For Which It Stands” are the words of James Baldwin, whose insistence that love of country demands perpetual critique frames the exhibition’s central tension. “It comes as a great shock,” Baldwin observed in 1963, “to discover that the flag to which you have pledged allegiance has not pledged allegiance to you.” Spoken during the Civil Rights Movement, his words resonate powerfully today. The exhibition does not attempt to resolve that shock, it asks viewers to sit with it.
of Politics and faculty liaison to the exhibition, this shift underscores the flag’s political volatility. “The flag is a mirror in some ways for how you feel,” he explains. “It’s a thing that is given meaning by its context.” In “For Which It Stands”, viewers encounter the flag as it appears in wartime and peacetime, in popular culture and protest, in affirmation and dissent. Crucially, Weinstein argues, none of these interpretations are illegitimate. “There is no right or wrong answer,” he says. “The exhibition lets us think about meaning in as many different ways as possible.”
That openness takes on heightened significance within a university setting, particularly one whose students are navigating a view of ongoing state violence, exclusion and political polarization. On a campus that professes cura personalis, or care for the whole person, presenting the American flag without interrogating its failures would risk alienating students whose lived experiences complicate national belonging. Rather than retreating from that tension, “For Which It Stands” places it at the center of the learning experience.
Weinstein emphasizes that a university
Other contemporary works confront police violence, gun violence, Black Lives Matter and Indigenous rights, making clear that the flag continues to function as both a symbol of hope and a site of harm. As Weber notes, “The same stars and stripes that offer comfort and inspiration to some among us, have been the symbol of pain and marginalization to others.” Acknowledging that reality, she argues, may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary.
This discomfort is not framed as antipatriotic. On the contrary, Weber stresses that critique is foundational to democratic participation. “Protest and critique are not separate from, or antithetical to, patriotism and love of country,” she explains, pointing to the First Amendment and the Civil Rights Movement as evidence that dissent has long been central to American progress. In this sense, the exhibition positions the flag not as a finished promise, but as an ongoing challenge.
That framing aligns closely with Fairfield University’s Jesuit mission. Philip Eliasoph, Professor of Art History and Visual Culture and Special Assistant to the President for Arts
Ultimately,“For Which It Stands” asserts that the American flag cannot be responsibly displayed in an academic setting without being critically examined. To present the flag as a neutral or universally affirming symbol would ignore the realities of those for whom its promises have remained unfulfilled. By foregrounding artistic practices that both celebrate and contest the flag, Fairfield University positions the museum not as a space of passive commemoration, but as an active site of civic education, one that acknowledges history’s violence alongside its ideals. In doing so, the University affirms a commitment to representing its students with intellectual honesty rather than symbolic comfort. The exhibition models what it means for a Jesuit institution to engage American politics without prescribing belief: to create space for complexity, dissent and accountability while remaining rooted in values of human dignity and the common good. At a moment when national symbols are increasingly simplified, weaponized, or emptied of meaning, For Which It Stands demonstrates that education itself is a form of engagement, and that teaching the American flag demands not reverence
Sara Rahbar, “I don’t trust you anymore, Flag #59”, 2019, mixed media, collected vintage objects, on vintage US flag. Courtesy of the artist. © Sara Rahbar.
Jeff Bezos Murdered The Washington Post. We Built the Coffin.
By Conor Doonan Head Opinion Editor
Matt Murray, under the direction of Jeff Bezos, has sounded the death knell for The Washington Post.
The paper isn’t actually deceased, but it's a close thing. Despite cutting some 300 staffers in the past weeks, and another combined 300 since 2023, it still lumbers on, half-starved and sickly, overburdened by its legacy and the unbearable weight of an owner who has chosen to use it as a political bargaining chip.
It might have been more humane, though certainly more malicious, if Bezos had just executed the paper properly and
spared it the indignity of a miserable halflife. Instead, it has been put to pasture like a racehorse past its prime, condemned to pretend to be a functioning paper of record when it will be utterly incapable of living up to the task.
Among all the great papers in the United States, The Post has a particularly distinguished legacy. It claims 76 Pulitzers, the highest honor in journalism, to its name, second only to The New York Times.
The Post broke the Pentagon Papers in 1971, fundamentally altering the relationship between the public and the federal government, and helped bring down President Richard Nixon with its reporting on the Watergate scandal.
Through the ups and downs of the American experiment during the 20th century, it was a trusted, respected paper that the American people could rely on. It was, in every sense of the word, an institution of democracy. That is no longer the case.
In the past few years, Bezos has worked hard to align The Post with his worldview.
Prior to the 2024 election, Bezos, in a stunning display of anticipatory compliance, blocked The Post from endorsing Kamala Harris in a move that was widely criticized within and without the journalism industry. Following President Trump’s inauguration, Bezos announced that The Post’s opinion section would only publish pieces that support “personal liberties and free markets.”
With Bezos so clearly mutilating The Post in an effort to impress and woo President Trump, it is easy to blame him entirely, but we are at fault, too.
Like many papers, The Post has struggled for years to maintain profitability while also exercising its democratic duty; that is, to report the truth to the American public and to hold the powerful to account.
Bezos may have held the knife and done the bloody work of cutting up The Post, but the abandonment of hard, democratic journalism by the public has been poisoning it for years. We built the coffin. No paper can survive long without making a profit, even when it is doing a vital, important duty to the United States.
That’s the thing about democracy, though. It’s hard to properly appreciate it when it's flourishing. When the results of our elections are easily agreed upon, our political disagreements are civil and our newspapers
are strong, we tend to forget how fragile it all is. We let the little things go. We forget that this republic goes both ways. We have a duty to support the institutions that protect us, and all too often we fail in that duty. If there’s a lesson to be had from this, it’s that supporting your newspapers and magazines is vital. The Post may be beyond saving, but other papers are not. Get that subscription to The New York Times, donate to The Guardian and get a copy of The Atlantic every month. Read your local newspaper, if your community still has one. Whatever you read, support it, and when billionaires threaten our institutions of democracy, hold them to account however you can. Remember what The Washington Post used to say. Democracy dies in darkness.
Valentine's Day Has Lost the Plot
By Ava Milligan Contributing Writer
Valentine’s Day is notoriously the one day of the year that singles all around the world are forced to think about their conditions, while happy (and maybe some not-sohappy) couples hold hands, schedule overly expensive dinner dates and appreciate the fact that they have been chosen.
This dreaded day is a reminder for many that society knows they are missing something – their other half.
Even happily single people who are perfectly content on their own are forced to live through this day that screams to everyone, “couples have it better!”
What other day of the year has single, thriving people questioning whether or not they truly are okay with being a singular item rather than a package deal?
With the rise of social media, the holiday is even more in-your-face as girls post and repost their dates on Instagram, captioning stories with hearts and roses for the one they love the most in the whole wide world.
In recent years, Valentine’s Day seems to be all about showing off your significant other as opposed to truly appreciating them for who they are, and I personally think social media is to blame.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love a break from the Tully for a nice night out in town, but in general, the genuineness of Valentine’s Day has somehow been lost along our journey into adulthood.
As college students, this reality hits many of us like a fast-moving Mac truck, but when we were kids, there was enough love and heart-shaped candy to go around.
Even if you are in an adoring, healthy relationship, there's a lot of pressure to spend the perfect, romantic day or night with your significant other when, in reality, we're all too broke to afford the expensive dinners or gifts we know our loved ones deserve.
It's also an added level of stress knowing that dinner reservations must be made basically weeks in advance if you plan on taking your special someone out for the night.
For some couples, it may not even be ideal to leave the comfort of their rooms or houses, opting for a cozy night in with some snacks and a romcom.
For these kinds of couples, they should feel free to binge some chick flicks in peace and not have to worry about the unnecessary external pressures Valentine’s Day brings along.
Back in elementary school, Valentine's Day was simply the chance to slip an extra lollipop in your crush's decorated tissue box, hoping they'd notice or write them a “flirty” note on the back of their Fun Dip.
I remember Valentine’s Day as a kid as a saturated pink wonderland with enough red dye 40 to make entire classrooms full of kids go utterly spastic.
I remember spending the whole week leading up to Feb. 14 intricately decorating a tissue or shoe box with big felt hearts and magenta pom poms, dragging my Mom to Target or CVS to buy the largest value pack of candy we could find.
We stayed up late the night before writing messages of friendship on the back of the candy bags to each kid in the class, and back then, no one was ever forgotten.
When did this innocence, bliss and sheer kindness go out of style?
When you look up “Valentine’s Day in elementary school” on Google, what comes up in big, bold letters are the words “friendship, kindness, and inclusion.”
I think we had it right as kids, and Valentine’s Day should actually be about everyone in our lives that we love
and will always choose, as opposed to fleeting romances and stressful flings. This may sound slightly pessimistic, but in reality, I am simply yearning for the days when everyone got a little message of love with their candy on Valentine’s Day.
Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post since 2013, has overseen cuts at the paper.
One Franklin Square, completed in 1990 and serving as the headquarters of since 2015. The era following that move has seen setbacks, culminating in a recent gutting of the staffroom.
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
Leave The Levee Open
By Emily Nasrah Contributing Writer
The Levee is an iconic staple of the Fairfield community that houses, arguably, some of the best food on campus. My friends and I have deemed The Levee to be one of our personal favorite spots to eat on campus because of their great pizza, burgers, mac and cheese and more. The staff are so friendly, and they truly create such a welcoming environment.
My friends and I have demonstrated our love for this restaurant time and time again by enduring the long trek up Loyola Drive in freezing weather for just a taste of The Levee’s food. Yet beyond the food and atmosphere, The Levee provides a unique function on campus: late-night dining.
The main dining hall here at Fairfield –The Tully – is open until 8 p.m. every day. The 8 p.m. deadline is a relatively early closing time for any college campus dining hall, since college students tend to have evening classes and stay up late into the night.
The Levee, however, is open until 10:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Yet, the restaurant is notoriously closed all day Friday and Saturday.
But it was not always like this; prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Levee boasted a much broader set of operating hours compared to today. Sources vary about The Levee’s prior hours of operation, so I will try to piece them together to form a clearer picture of the ghost of Levee's past.
At the time it was written, a 2013 interview with former Levee bartender Jim Fitzpatrick ’70 clarified that The Levee’s hours of operation in 2013 were “Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 6
p.m. to 1 a.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.”
Not only was The Levee open on Fridays and Saturdays in 2013, but it was also open past midnight on those days. This extended schedule created more flexibility for hungry students who may be staying up late on the weekends.
But 2013 was 13 years ago, and much has changed since then. Sometime around 2023, the hours for The Levee fluctuated.
At one point, The Levee was open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through Saturday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Even though the hours were shortened in comparison to 2013, The Levee still had very flexible hours that gave students many food options for late-night dining.
Flash forward to today, and The Levee closes at 10:30 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and is completely closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
I believe this reflects a poor quality of life decision on the school’s part.
Firstly, as we have discussed previously, students will be most likely to stay up late on Fridays and Saturdays. With The Tully’s early closing at 8 p.m., it leaves students without a source of easily accessible food that is not blocked behind the paywall of services like Grubhub, DoorDash or Uber Eats. Secondly, Fridays and Saturdays would likely have the highest student traffic because night owl students would have no other choice but to resort to The Levee for their only source of food. Remaining open on Fridays and Saturdays could potentially help The Levee gain more traffic due to the weekend crowd and thus better serve the Fairfield community.
If switching the five-day work week to a seven-day one is non-negotiable, I would definitely prefer swapping the Friday and Saturday
closings with Monday and Tuesday.
The Levee already has great services for student life, like occasional live music and board games. These additions make The Levee a central hub for students to socialize and gather with one another over a meal. With music, movies and games, The Levee has a unique, energetic atmosphere.
Personally, I would much rather spend time relaxing and talking with friends at The Levee on a Friday or Saturday night as opposed to nights during the week. Remaining open throughout the entirety of the weekend would definitely draw more customers and allow the weekend crowd to fully appreciate The Levee’s welcoming and sociable environment.
The Levee has such great potential, and I think it is sad to see it reduced to nothing more than another dining option with great food that closes just too early for a college campus. With extended hours and schedule rearrangements, The Levee might just have the chance to return to its former glory as the late-night hangout spot at Fairfield.
We Need a New Shuttle to the Movies
By Abigail Bell Contributing Writer
I think it is a universal feeling for underclassmen that getting anywhere from Fairfield is ridiculously expensive and difficult without a car. The town shuttle bus suffices for some of the staple locations students want to go, but I believe the number one bus stop we are missing is a movie theater.
The closest theater, AMC Marquis 16 in Trumbull, is about a 20-minute trip away. I have visited this theater twice now, once to see Hamilton and once to see Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. The combined cost of Ubering to the theater and back for these two trips was $150, and once you factor in buying tickets and food, going to the movies seems like an exorbitant outing.
Going to the movie theater is a core bonding experience between friends, though, and some of my favorite nights I have had at Fairfield were those nights that we made it to the theater, collectively experienced a piece of art and then discussed it on the way back to school.
I’ll never forget the way my friends and I, who I had only met a week beforehand, sang out the Hamilton lyrics in the theater, or the looks we gave each other across our seats when we saw a niche FNAF game reference in the film.
My solution to this issue would be the implementation of a shuttle bus that goes to the movie theater on the weekends.
There are a few ways this could be done logistically.
Firstly, the shuttle could just go back and forth between the movies and the school every hour like the town shuttle does; however, this may not be convenient for the bus drivers or,
from a monetary standpoint, if there are not enough people who want to go each weekend.
Therefore, my second idea is for there to be an interest form each week that students would fill out to identify that they would like to go to the movie theater that weekend.
The form could close on a Thursday to give
By Diana Carbone Contributing Writer
Hot take: Chipotle is overrated, especially as a Fairfield student. If I’m in the mood for a bowl, I can just get one from our Mexican station, Sazón. Whereas if I went to Chipotle, I would be spending over $15 for just one item, even more if I just wanted a bag of chips. Spending that much on a regular meal feels harder to justify when a similar option is right on campus.
Although the food doesn’t replicate Chipotle, it definitely scratches the craving. It has the basics like guacamole, salsa and beans. If you’re missing the chips, they sometimes do have them; you just have to ask. If the burrito is part of the issue for you, one of my favorite Tully hacks is taking it to the sandwich station. All you have to do is ask them to toast it for you, and just like that, it's perfect. It takes maybe two extra minutes. Another factor for me is the consistency; you will rarely receive the same bowl.
enough notice to find an available bus driver if people want to go. On the form, you would include the day you want to go, the time your showing is at, the duration of the film/the time expected to end and your contact information.
If enough people signed up to make the trip worth it, say 4 or more, then the schedule for the bus would be released on Friday. If multiple groups of people were going to the movies at different times, the bus would either run multiple times if the showing times were far enough apart, or the groups could ride together and have a buffer before or after their movie to just talk to their friends or debrief about the film.
Personally, I would rather wait an extra 1520 minutes talking to my friends than spend $50 on an Uber, and I think other students would too.
Movies gracing our theaters in the next year include a new Hunger Games adaptation, Dune 3, a new Avengers film and much more. Considering all the highly anticipated films coming out in the fall and winter of 2026, I feel like this solution could be a great way for new students to connect with each other next semester. What movies do you want to see with your friends this year, and would a campus shuttle improve your movie-going experience?
A lot of online reviews show this split pretty clearly: people either claim it's their favorite to-go meal or complain about small portions or skimpy protein servings. It’s one of those places where your food tends to depend on timing and staff, which just makes it feel overhyped in my opinion. Online and through experience, I’ve learned their servings also vary depending on whether or not you ordered in person or through DoorDash/Uber Eats. This can be particularly frustrating with delivery, where you spend more money, wait longer and potentially have a smaller portion.
In the past few years, Chipotle has had to come out and make statements concerning portion sizes; the fact that they even had to do that speaks volumes to me. Companies usually respond like that only after enough people complain. That alone suggests the issue is not just isolated experiences.
To be fair, I understand why people are loyal to Chipotle.
It’s fast and easy to customize. It’s also become a kind of default choice when people are ordering together. But popularity and quality are not always the same thing; some things can just be overrated or overhyped.
I also think competitors like Qdoba deserve more credit than they get. Qdoba tends to be more generous with toppings and includes things like queso without the same extra charges. Their flavors are not as bland, and the menu, I think, has greater options. It doesn’t have the same clout as Chipotle, but in terms of value and taste, it tends to hold its own.
At the end of the day, in my opinion, Chipotle just doesn’t live up to the level of hype it gets, especially since we already have cheaper alternatives right in front of us.
If you really want a fast Mexican-style chain, Qdoba tends to give you more for your money and more flavor overall. For me, between the Tully and Qdoba, Chipotle just doesn’t live up to all its hype.
The Levee, often tought as the late-night dining option, has become less of an option for night owls.
The Mirror
Love Blossomed and Book-Bosomed:
By Caitlin Shea Head of Editorial Integration and Standards
The Best Valentine’s Day Reads
As different hues of pink and red take over campus and Dunkin brings back the fan favorite brownie batter heart shaped donut, love is certainly in the air!
As Valentine’s Day approaches there are a lot of ways we can let romance into our everyday lives. From celebrating with our friends to simply enjoying a strawberry and chocolate flavored coffee in the morning, it is important to hold the things and people we love close.
For some there is no better way to feel the love than cracking open a good romance book! Below you can find eight diverse yet strikingly enthralling novels that will have your heart racing!
“The Do-Over” By: Lynn Painter
Imagine the most embarrassing moment of your life. Now imagine that moment taking place on Valentine’s Day. Even worse, imagine that every time you fall asleep, you wake up to live the same day over and over again. This is the reality for Emilie Hornby, who must watch her boyfriend cheat on her over and over again while continuously running into the mysterious Nick. For those who love a good mystery this is the perfect Valentine’s Day book for you!
“Love and Other Words” By: Christina Lauren
There is nothing better than settling into a sound routine, even if it is a boring one. At least, that is what Macy tells herself as she begins a steady career in pediatrics and takes the first steps in planning her wedding to a much older yet financially sound man. Yet, something has always felt off. Running into her first and only love Elliot reveals to Macy that it is her heart she is not listening to. Reconnecting with Elliot allows Macy to reexamine their past and confront complex adult feelings they were not equipped to handle as teens. For those who are looking for a can’t-put-down gutwrenching read, Christina Lauren’s “Love and Other Words” is a must add to your list this
If you’ve paid any attention to pop culture in the last few months, it’s highly likely you’ve heard the name “Heated Rivalry” thrown around with your friends, on social media, or scrolling for something to watch. I finally had the opportunity to sit down and watch it during my first weekend back and was completely blown out of the water by this beautiful, raw and unapologetically queer piece of media.
The show, based on a book of the same title, follows the lengthy, tumultuous and steamy relationship between fictional professional hockey stars Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams). As the name suggests, the two main characters navigate their careers, vastly different personal lives and most importantly their desire for one another.
For the sake of not spoiling the compelling and beautiful “Storrie” (see what I did there?) I'll just give you a brief overview.
It begins in 2008 at the World Junior Championship, an opportunity for scouts to examine the most promising up-and-coming hockey players. Canada-born Shane sits outside the hockey rink where he meets Ilya, a Russian who he believes to be just another tough, arrogant hockey player. They’ve heard each other’s names before; they’re battling for the #1 spot on the upcoming Major League Hockey draft.
Their rivalry begins with Ilya taking the spot for himself. There is an instant connection between the two, both personally and professionally. As the first episode progresses, their attraction becomes incredibly apparent to viewers, and after shooting a commercial for their upcoming
Valentine’s day season!
“As You Wish” By: Lessa Cross-Smith
Published on June 24, 2025, Lessa Cross-Smith’s “As You Wish” has earned a 3.4 star rating on Goodreads for its captivating storytelling and themes of friendship and identity. Following three friends who work as au pairs in Seoul, they each undergo their own search for love. Lydia hopes to become a famous actress, Jenny hopes to escape an ex and Selene hopes to find her biological mother. A fun read with a magical twist, this novel is definitely a page turner!
“The Bridge Back To You” By: Riss M. Neilson
For those who may have an ever expanding to be read list and are looking to pick up a romance novel a little later on, “The Bridge Back To You” by Riss M. Neilson might be the perfect pick for you! Releasing on March 31, 2026,the novel follows young chef and nomad Olivia as she inherits the restaurant that not only granted her a love of cooking but her first true love Carmello. As the owner's son, Carmello’s one goal is to scare Olivia away and have Celia’s Place to himself, though upon arriving, Olivia has other plans to make the
place her own. In order to save a place they both love, Olivia and Carmello must confront their past and reshape their future!
“Me Before You” By: Jojo Moyes For the romance movie buffs out there, this trilogy’s first novel may seem familiar.
“Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes was originally published on Jan. 5, 2012, and was translated in 2016 onto the screen in a feature film starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke. For those who may not have heard of the film, each follows a painfully ordinary girl by the name of Louisa Clark as she takes up a job tending to wheelchair-bound ex big-shot Will Traynor. Despite Will’s moody and outright rude behavior, Lou refuses to treat him with anything but kindness. Soon, the pair learn their care for each other may be stronger than expected as they prepare to make immense sacrifices to see the other lead a happy life. Diving into this series, even if you have been an avid viewer of the film, is an incredible way to expand upon a beautiful and heart wrenching romance about sacrifice and true unforgiving love.
“Conversations on Love” By: Natasha Lunn
For those whose lives may already be filled with too much romantic drama, Natasha
“Heated
Rivalry”:
“You
Deserve Sunshine”
By Evan Hilliard Staff Writer
rookie season, the two share an incredibly intimate evening together, kicking off their tumultuous obsession with each other and putting the “heat” in Heated Rivalry. Williams and Storrie do an amazing job throughout this entire show. Their chemistry, whether in scenes where they “despise” each other, romantic moments, or more raunchy scenes really amazed me. Their romantic tension builds up in cycles, each time pushing the audience to the point where they are yelling at their TV (at least, I was)
Lunn’s “Conversations on Love” is just the book for you. A journalist who no longer wanted to be in the dark about relationships and the very complex and human experience of love, Lunn set out to speak with authors and love experts to learn everything there is to know about love. For non-fiction readers, this book is perfect for people looking to learn more about the concept of love and even implement new tactics into their own lives!
“Everything I Know About Love” By: Dolly Alderton
One of the authors highlighted in “Conversations on Love” by Natasha Lunn is Dolly Alderton. A columnist for the “Sunday Times Style” magazine, Alderton's debut memoir “Everything I Know About Love” details her own journey as she discovers love in all its forms throughout her twenties. Gaining 3.9 stars on Goodreads, it is praised for its important highlights on female friendships and heartbreaking humor! For those looking to escape the world of romantic love and learn more about platonic relationships this is the book for you!
“A Pho Love Story” By: Loan Le Fairfield University alumna Loan Le published her first novel “A Pho Love Story” on Feb. 9, 2021. Earning a 3.6 star rating on Goodreads, readers love the story for its celebration of Vietnamese-American culture and addicting humor! Following Boa and Linh, the children of two rival pho restaurant shop owners, readers are taken on a journey of forbidden love and mouth watering cuisine! For those who love a good Romeo and Juliet retelling with lots and lots of delicious meals mixed in, this is a must add to your Valentine’s to be read pile!
Whether you are looking to lose yourself in a fictional love story or are wanting to learn more about how love and relationships work, these books are sure to keep you hooked on a feeling! Happy reading!
talked to have told me that scene was their favorite moment in the show.
Finally, I want to touch upon how important it is that this show exists. American society has absolutely grown more accepting of LGBTQ individuals in the past 10 years, but this acceptance is not equally shared throughout every facet of society.
High contact sports like men’s hockey still hold a lot of stigma for LGBTQ men due to stereotypes about gay men being weak or overly feminine, traits typically frowned upon in a rough sport like hockey.
The main characters of “Heated Rivalry” completely disregard this; they are not reduced to one or two traits. Ilya and Shane get into fights on the ice and are allowed to be aggressive and emboldened; traits frequently associated with men in their field. They also, however, are allowed to be vulnerable and uncertain with each other. This sentiment is also extended to the side characters the audience meets later on.
for them to get together, then breaking in a cathartic hotel room meetup. Jacob Tierney and Crave, the Canadian streamer, really did choose the two best men for this show.
That being said, the side characters and their actors are no slouches and knock it out of the park just as much as the leads. The best example of this is seen in Episode 5 (for the sake of not spoiling anything, I’ll omit names), where side characters share one of the most powerful LGBTQ-centric scenes ever put to television. Many people I’ve
These characters are beautiful, they are complex. The show makes these characters fantastically and undoubtedly human. I strongly believe that this show came out exactly when it was needed most.
With uncertain and frightening times ahead for the LGBTQ community, it is pertinent that these human beings are accurately and heartwarmingly represented, not just for themselves, but for the general public. I believe straight people can not only learn a lot from this show if they give it a fair chance, but they would also be able to sympathize with the highs and lows, the beauty and sorrow, the elation and anxiety, of the amazing show that is “Heated Rivalry.”
These books are popular reads for college-aged students.
Photos Courtesy of Amazon
“All You Need is Love”: The Best Movies to Watch for Valentine’s Day
By Talia Scarpa Head Vine Editor
Love is a beautiful thing. It is intangible, patient and truthful. The day filled with Sweethearts candy, red roses and heartfelt messages is just around the corner of a box of chocolates. Whether it’s romantic, platonic, or self-love that is at the forefront of your life right now, here is a list of the best Valentine’s Day movie recommendations.
For the Hopeless Romantics:
Timeless passion and a transformative love story make quite the goals for love on Valentine’s Day. “The Notebook,” adapted from Nicholas Sparks’s beloved novel, is a film that follows the unconditional romance between Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamiliton in South Carolina during the 1940s. Their relationship unfolds over a timeline of years from when they are young teenagers to grown adults and even senior citizens. Despite all the odds, including the differences in their socioeconomic classes, familial obligations and other relationships, Noah and Allie defy the stereotypes and truly define what it means to be soulmates. Find yourself a man who builds a house for you just based on a description you gave when you were teenagers. “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.”
For Those Who Have a Crush on their Friend:
“People We Meet On Vacation” on Netflix is a new, modern love story adapted from Emily Henry’s novel following the friends to lovers trope. Poppy is a quirky yet admirable female protagonist who meets Alex, a driven and focused young man when they coordinate for a road trip back home from Boston College to Linfield, Ohio. Throughout the film, the co-leads go from polar opposite strangers to a dynamic pair of best friends. Their friendship after college revolves around yearly vacations and the new identities they form while on their trips. After falling in love
with different people, shifts in family dynamics and much needed conversations, Poppy and Alex meet in the middle of her free spirit and his planner mindset. “When you're with the person who loves you for you, you're always home.”
For Those Who Need to be Reaffirmed of What They Were Made For:
Bleach blonde hair, unlimited clothing options and the ultimate Dreamhouse are just on the plastic surface of what makes the doll. The “Barbie” movie directed by Greta Gerwig strips back the pink hues to portray the multi-dimensional character that is Barbie. The film explores themes of selfacceptance. Authenticity is more powerful than conforming to unrealistic standards. “Barbie’s” feminist ideals display how women can be both dazzling and influential. The movie emphasizes the beauty of the human experience, profound connections with others, and the complexities of emotions. “Take my hands, close your eyes, now feel.”
For the Investigative Journalists:
Andie Anderson invented the ultimate “cool girl” magazine columnist and one of the most beautiful dress moments in movie history. “How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days” is the perfect movie for those who love a good bet. When Andie finds herself stuck in a rut of writing “how-to” articles at “Composure” Magazine, she finds Benjamin Barry, an advertising executive, to be her article subject. But here’s the catch: Ben gambles that he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. Through hidden agendas, fake personas and many “dates,” the plot shifts from manipulative to vulnerable. “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” shows that games only last for so long but true love is complex and real. “I respect you for respecting me.”
For the Summer Lovin’ Enthusiasts:
The chills are multiplying and the power is electrifying. “Grease” is a nostalgic, retro movie to watch this Valentine’s Day. The movie portrays love as multi-faceted, exploring themes of self-discovery, summer love turned into true love and the power of friendship. Sandy, a sweet and innocent school girl, believes in traditional romance. Danny, a charming and reputation-seeking greaser, has to find the balance between his
One for the Gals: Galentine’s Day Activities
By Claire Fehlner Staff Writer
Valentine’s Day is approaching and along with the perfectly timed long weekend for Presidents’ Day. This gives a perfect three-day weekend to celebrate with those we love, especially the girls. Even if you have plans with your partner for this holiday it's important to also celebrate with your friends too. If you and your friends are looking for festive activities to celebrate this holiday and spend time together here is a list of the perfect ideas for the whole group! Whether you prefer staying in and watching movies or hitting the town and getting dolled up there are plenty of things to do to spend Galentines together.
Galentine's Night In
If you’re looking for an activity to stay in, having a board night would be the perfect idea. For this activity everyone picks a snack or drink category and brings a board with those items on it. For example, someone could bring a charcuterie board and someone else a cookie board or a veggie and dip board or even a Shirley temple board.
You could turn this into Valentine’s themes by choosing pink and red color schemes and arranging items into heart shaped displays. This would be so fun to have everyone bring something that they love to snack on and binge rom coms as you try everyone’s creations.
Another girls night-in idea could be doing a PowerPoint night. Each member of your group can pick something to present on to the rest of your friends. You could do a dating wrapped or a ranking of rom coms, or even unpopular opinions. Cosmopolitan has a great list of theme ideas for this activity if you're looking for inspiration. This would be funny and personal which is great for spending quality time with your friends. This could also be a fun activity to do alongside the snack board night.
Out on the Town Activities
With the long weekend during Valentine’s, there is plenty of time to do a girls day trip into NYC. We are so lucky to live close enough to NYC that we are able to take the train into Grand Central and shop around for the day. The cutest Photo Booth, which has several locations around NYC, is
feelings for Sandy and his image. Growing up comes with social expectations, but with your pack of Pink Ladies or T-Birds, you can become your most transformative self. “Tell me about it, stud.”
For Those Who Need to Realize They Deserve the Happy Ending Too:
When the dresses start overflowing from the closet, so do the emotions. “27 Dresses” is a 2000s movie starring Jane Nichols, a selfless female lead who has, yes, been a bridesmaid in 27 weddings. Her dreams are crushed when her sister Tess and her boss (who she has a crush on) George become engaged. Jane, who is defeated in her love journey, meets Kevin, a journalist writing about women and weddings. Although Jane and Kevin clash at first, they learn to accept each other’s differences and fall into love. Jane embraces change, her own happiness and the realization that she has the power to write the end of her book. “I think you deserve more than what you settle for.”
Love is not finite. It is all around you, all the time. Film is a good way to open up your eyes
Old Friend Photobooth. A group could take the train in and once at Grand Central take the line six subway to SoHo, shop, get coffee at Blank Street, and hit this Photo Booth. You get a black and white strip with four poses on it for $8. This is the cutest memento of a super fun trip into the city and is the perfect celebration of girlhood for Galentines.
SoHo is also one of the best neighborhoods for shopping with popular chain stores as well as cute unique boutiques. There are also lots of picturesque corners that would serve well for a photoshoot with the girls. Of course you must document a trip to the city, and what better way than pictures on the street with your closest friends?
A creative activity for the girls to do is painting pottery. You can choose what item you want to paint from jewelry dishes to mugs and bowls. Whether you're an experienced artist or a beginner, these ceramics always come out so cute and personalized. Sitting
down and painting with friends provides the perfect environment to catch up with the girls while also doing something artistic and unique. In downtown Fairfield there is a pottery painting place called Hands On Pottery where you can do exactly this! Some of my favorite memories and dishes have resulted from these places where you can customize your own ceramic.
Whether you and your friends would like to stay in for the night and snack or if you're ready to hit the city and take cute photos, we have all the great recommendations for activities to pass the time on the upcoming long weekend. Galentine’s is about spending quality time with the girls and valuing the relationships we have with our friends. These are the girls that are going to be there for every milestone and it's so important that we appreciate each other. Happy Valentine’s!
Photos Courtesy of sites.psu.edu
An iconic scene between Jane and Kevin in "27 Dresses" where they sing "Bennie and the Jets."
Valentine's Day pottery offerings at Hands on Pottery in Fairfield, CT.
Photos Courtesy of Hands on Pottery
By Juliana Torello Staff Writer
Best WAG Outfits Throughout the 2025-2026 NFL Season
Football season isn't always just about what’s happening on the field. For most fashion lovers, it’s also about the outfits in the stands. From custom streetwear to highend chic, the WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends) of the NFL have been bringing serious heat this season. This year, the sideline has transformed into a runway, proving that game-day style is an art form of its own, highlighting that fashion pertains to so much more than we would think it does.
Kristin Juszczyk
One of the most iconic looks of the season came from Kristin Juszczyk, who has become a hardworking fashion icon. Married to San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, Kristin is a professional designer who famously created a viral custom puffer jacket for Taylor Swift. She has since launched her own brand, Off Season. During the fourth week of the 2025 regular season, Kristin showcased her design skills by wearing a unique, custom-made cropped tank top that featured graphic elements of her husband’s team. Embracing a Y2K
aesthetic, she paired the top with low-rise denim capris and a bold red neck scarf. Her choice of red open-toe shoes and vintageinspired sunglasses highlighted the trend of her brand, “modern style gear,” where standard team merch is reconstructed into something completely original. Her outfits throughout the season continued to be some of the most iconic and original styles brought to the stands.
Olivia Culpo
Sharing the 49ers’ sideline is Olivia Culpo, the wife of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. On Sunday, Jan. 11, during the 49ers’ highstakes NFC Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Olivia proved that classic glamour never goes out of style. She stepped onto the field in a massive floorlength fur coat, a classic that will always dominate the winter months. Underneath this gorgeous statement piece, she kept it effortless with a simple tee and high-waisted jeans. What really tied the look together were the sharp red leather details. Her red boots, belt and gloves perfectly represented her husband’s team colors while maintaining a high-fashion edge. With a clean, slickedback hairstyle, she let the textures of the
leather and fur do all the talking.
Anne Michael Maye
Moving to the East Coast, the New England Patriots WAGs have been leaning into a cooler, more comfortable streetwear vibe. Anne Micheal Maye, wife of Drake Maye, brought this aesthetic to life during the NFL playoffs earlier this month. Her look centered on a rich, oversized bomber leather jacket, custom-made by Aaron Asunsolo. Keeping with the season's color palette, she paired the outfit's red details with dark navy blue jeans to keep the team spirit alive while maintaining a relaxed, street-ready silhouette.
Jayda Hawkins
Joining her in Foxborough is Jayda Hawkins, wife of Jaylin Hawkins, safety for the New England Patriots. Jayda took the streetwear trend even further for the AFC Championship Game. Jayda’s look was all about custom comfort. She wore a one-of-a-kind custom jacket that was heavily detailed with Patriots pride, another amazing custom-made by Aaron Asunsolo. She paired this statement piece with a Patriots hat, and underneath kept the theme
of Patriots colors in her crewneck and sweatpants. During this season we saw a lot of bespoke, localized pieces that tell a story of the city they represent.
Jassi Rideaux
Finally, the Dallas Cowboys’ fashion scene got a reality TV upgrade thanks to Jassi Rideaux. Known for her role on The Real Housewives of Potomac, Jassi is married to linebacker Darius Harris, a threetime Super Bowl champion. For the AFC Wild Card playoff game between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers game, Jassi leaned into the Canadian tuxedo trend that has been around since 1951, originating from the famous singer and actor, Bing Crosby. Her coordinated denim set felt both rugged and polished. To add a feminine, preppy twist, she accessorized with a tie, quilted bag, updo and orangetinted aviators. This was a great modern, experimental fashion moment.
From custom-built tanks to vintage furs and denim-on-denim, this season has proven that the best action isn't always on the 50-yard line. It’s often walking right down the tunnel.
Photo Contributed By Juliana Torello
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl 60 Half Time Show: A Love Letter to Puerto Rico:
By Lizzie Freeman Associate Vine Editor
When Bad Bunny was announced as the performer for the Apple Music Super Bowl 60 Halftime Show back in September, it caused quite the stir. Some celebrated his headlining one of the most widely-viewed sports games of the year as an homage to the vivacity and popularity of Latin music. Others argued that it did not make sense to have a Spanish-speaking singer entertain a
widely English-speaking audience.
After his electric performance, however, it is safe to say that the lively melodies, rapid rhythms and exuberant energy of Bad Bunny’s music transcends language barriers, portraying a message of celebration and joy to all viewers.
The show opened on a scene of sugar cane fields, and soon the star’s full name, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, was written across the screen. Benito was then seen standing in the middle of the fields, sporting a white jacket with his last name and the number 64 on the back. The performance presented scene after scene representing Puerto Rico, his home. The Boricua singer began with “Tití Me Preguntó,” a hit which translates to “Auntie asked me.” The first song alone was packed with references that honored the Puerto Rican culture, from the men sitting around the table to the piragua cart.
Cuando se anunció que Bad Bunny sería el cantante del espectáculo de medio tiempo del Súper Tazón 60 en septiembre, el anuncio causó mucha controversia. Algunos celebraron, diciendo que la selección de Bad Bunny para uno de los partidos más vistos del mundo honró la popularidad de la música latina.
Otros dijeron que fue una mala decisión elegir un cantante hispanohablante para entretener a una audiencia que en su mayoría habla inglés. Sin embargo, después de su presentación, el público pudo ver que las
Bad Bunny then moved
on to popular songs like “Yo Perreo Sola,” “MONACO,” and “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR.” The party atmosphere was completed with brief features of celebrities like Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, and Alix Earle.
A transition to a wedding setting revealed Lady Gaga’s appearance. She sang “Die With A Smile” with a distinctly Latin twist, wearing a blue dress resembling a flamenco outfit.
The two then danced together to “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” while children and adults alike whirled around the stage in a scene not unlike a big family party.
The next setting depicted a New York City neighborhood, honoring the journey that many Puerto Ricans make from the island to the mainland. “NuevaYol,” an upbeat song about summer in New York, added the perfect soundtrack to this section of the show. Then, an adorable display featured Bad Bunny gifting his newly-won Grammy Award to a younger version of himself, reminding the little boy to believe in himself.
The next celebrity to grace the stage was Ricky Martin, who sang part of “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” before Bad Bunny’s performance of “El Apagón.”
The show wrapped up with the grand finale, “DtMF,” an abbreviation of “debí tirar más fotos” or “I should have taken more photos.” The song represents the star’s love for Puerto Rico and his intense feelings of nostalgia and sadness at seeing it change.
As he left the stage, Bad Bunny was followed by a crowd of dancers, each donning a flag of a country in the Americas. He listed off nation after nation, from Canada to Chile, while the screen behind him flashed the uplifting message that “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Bad Bunny’s performance was characterized by a blur of vibrant colors, energetic songs, spirited dancing, and perhaps most importantly, themes of love and hope. Through his performance, he proved just how powerful and unifying music can be.
El Espectáculo de Medio Tiempo del Súper Bowl: Una Carta de Amor a Puerto Rico
melodías, ritmos y energía de la música de Bad Bunny cruzan los obstáculos lingüísticos, mostrando un mensaje de celebración y alegría a todos los espectadores.
El espectáculo comenzó con una escena de campos de caña de azúcar y luego el nombre de la estrella, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, apareció en la pantalla. Benito aparecio en medio del campo, llevando una chaqueta blanca adornada con su apellido y el número 64.
El espectáculo presentó muchas escenas que representaban Puerto Rico, su hogar. El cantante boricua empezó con “Tití Me Preguntó,” cuya presentación incluyó multiples referencias sobre la cultura puertorriqueña, incluyendo a los hombres sentados alrededor de la mesa de domino y el carrito de piragua.
Bad Bunny continuó con canciones
Top Ads from Super Bowl
By Claudia Pettinato Staff Writer
Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most beloved American traditions. This year, we watched the two best football teams in the league, the Seahawks and the Patriots play for the Lombardi Trophy. Along with the game, there is the special half-time show, this year performed by Bad Bunny, and plenty of ads that the public is raving about. In my opinion, this year’s ads were not as special or memorable as past years, but that does not mean that it was not enjoyable to watch them! Below, I will rank Super Bowl LX’s ads from best to worst.
First, I would rank the Dunkin’ Donuts commercial “Good Will Dunkin’” at the top of my list. Its theme being a never-aired 90’s sitcom including so many stars we know and love. Ben Affleck is the main spokesperson for Dunkin’ and is joined by other beloved 90’s stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Jason Alexander, and Alfonso Ribeiro. This caught my eye because of the coloring of the
ad, how they incorporated Tom Brady into the sequence, and the hilarity of the idea. I rank this at the top of my list.
Second, Bradley Cooper and Matthew McConaughey starred in an Uber Eats ad in which McConaughey tries to convince Cooper that Uber Eats is the go-to spot to order food during a football game. I loved the incorporation of Bradley Cooper’s favorite football team, the Philadelphia Eagles. This aspect made the experience feel personal to viewers that they know they can trust Uber Eats to give them a good meal during a football game. McConaughey uses many food references to get Cooper to see that Uber Eats was made for football viewers, and the audience gets a good laugh from the bizarre things he throws out there. This was a close second on my ranking.
Third, Levi’s shows off Doechii with their jeans ad, which I thought was great. Everyone in the ad is donning a pair of Levi’s, giving it a vintage feel. Watching this, I enjoyed the fast pace and iconic scenes given. They included Woody from Toy Story, Bruce Springsteen’s
populares como “Yo Perreo Sola,” “MONACO,” y “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR.” El ambiente de fiesta fue completado por la presencia de celebridades como Cardi B, Pedro Pascal y Alix Earle.
La escena siguiente mostró una boda y de repente Lady Gaga apareció. Ella cantó “Die With A Smile” con un ritmo latino, llevando un vestido azul que se pareció a un vestido de flamenco. Los dos bailaron juntos a “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,”, y niños y adultos bailaron alrededor del escenario como en una gran fiesta de familia.
El siguiente marco escénico mostró un barrio de la Ciudad de Nueva York, que representa el viaje que muchos puertorriqueños realizan de la isla al continente. “Nueva Yol”, una canción energética sobre el verano en Nueva York, añadió perfectamente a esta parte del espectáculo.
Luego, en una escena adorable, Bad Bunny dio su nuevo premio Grammy a una
versión de él más joven.
La siguiente celebridad que apareció fue Ricky Martin, quien cantó una parte de “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” antes de que Bad Bunny cantara “El Apagón.”
El espectáculo terminó con el gran final, “DtMF,” una abreviatura de “debí tirar más fotos.” La canción representa el amor de la estrella por Puerto Rico y sus sentimientos nostálgicos y tristes al verlo cambiar. Mientras él salía, una multitud de gente siguió a Bad Bunny, cada persona llevando banderas de un país en las Américas, desde Canadá hasta Chile. La pantalla detrás de él mostró el mensaje positivo de que “la única cosa más fuerte que el odio es el amor.”
La presentación de Bad Bunny se caracterizó por colores vibrantes, canciones energéticas, bailes inolvidables, y más importante, temas de amor y esperanza. Por su espectáculo, él demostró que la música es una cosa que tiene el poder de unir a la gente.
1984 album “Born in the U.S.A.”, people rock climbing, dancing, partying and being together. This gave a very American feel to the ad which is what Levi’s are all about, as they were founded in San Francisco.
Lastly, Emma Stone took over the screen with a black and white sequence of events as she finds out a domain name, emmastone. com, is taken on Squarespace. For reference, Squarespace is a website where you can make your own domain and websites. As she freaks out that this domain name is occupied, the tagline urges audiences to “Get your domain before you lose it.” This was a very clever ad in my opinion as they used Emma Stone’s new aesthetic of unique and strange
cinematography since starring in Poor Things, but I would not expect her to be casted in a Squarespace commercial.
The Super Bowl was a game to remember, with ads being shown to an average of 127 million viewers. Every year, ads tell a new story to share a mission for a brand. While some brands do an excellent job, others do not exactly hit the mark. The memorable ads I have listed were my favorites from Super Bowl LX, from Dunkin’s iconic spokespeople to Squarespace making Emma Stone lose it while she fights for her domain. This Super Bowl was an unforgettable night and I hope to see good feedback from the ads shown during the game!
Por Lizzie Freeman Editora Asociada de Vine
Photos Courtesy of Apple
Photos Courtesy of Dunkin
Editor: Matthew Robles
Women's Basketball Season Update
Head Sports Editor: Crystal Arbelo >> crystal.arbelo@student.fairfield.edu
THIS WEEK IN SPORTS
OPINION
How the Mets are Killing Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic Page 14
20-4 Overall, 14-1 MAAC
78.2 ppg (1st in MAAC)
SWIM & DIVE
Readies to Dive into MAAC Championships Page 15
SPOTLIGHT
Brandon Benjamin's Storied Relationship with Fairfield University Basketball Page 16
12.1 3PG (1st in Division I)
Upcoming Schedule
Feb. 12: at Mount St. Mary's (12-12, 8-7)
Junior road runner Meghan Andersen earned her third MAAC Player of the Week award on Monday after scoring a careerhigh and program record 40 points in a 109-48 win over Marist last week.
Feb. 14: at Quinnipiac (20-4, 15-0)
Feb. 19: vs Saint Peter's (6-17, 5-9) Feb. 21: at Siena (11-12, 9-5)
FEB 11 FEB 12 FEB 13 FEB 14 FEB 15 FEB 16 FEB 17
Swim & Dive
2026 MAAC Championship Geneva, Ohio
Women's Lacrosse vs University of Connecticut Fairfi eld, Conn.
@3:00 p.m.
Swim & Dive 2026 MAAC Championship Geneva, Ohio
Women's Basketball at Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg, Md. @7:00 p.m.
Swim & Dive 2026 MAAC Championship Geneva, Ohio
Softball at The Spiro Classic Greensboro, N.C.
@12:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Baseball at Coastal Carolina University Conway, S.C.
@4:00 p.m.
Women's Tennis at Towson University Baltimore, Md. @7:00 p.m.
Swim & Dive 2026 MAAC Championship Geneva, Ohio
Men's Lacrosse vs Brown University Fairfi eld, Conn. @12:00 p.m.
Baseball at Coastal Carolina University Conway, S.C.
@2:00 p.m.
Women's Basketball at Quinnipiac University Hamden, Conn. @4:00 p.m.
Women's Lacrosse vs Boston University Fairfi eld, Conn. @4:00 p.m.
Softball at The Spiro Classic Greensboro, N.C. 11:00 a.m.
Baseball at Coastal Carolina University Conway, S.C. @1:00 p.m.
Men's Basketball at Saint Peter's University Jersey City, N.J. @2:00 p.m.
Men's Tennis vs Hofstra University Trumbull, Conn. @5:00 p.m.
Opinion: Puerto Rico's Last WBC Apperance Hurt the Mets - Now We Are Paying the Price
Puerto Rico has been at the forefront of the news this month for the recent successes of Latin superstar Bad Bunny, who, in a span of two weeks, was awarded the Grammy for Album of the Year and headlined Super Bowl LX’s hal ime show. e singer has also made lesser-known headlines for his unsuccessful attempt to cover Mets’ shortstop Francisco Lindor's insurance, which stopped him from participating in next month’s World Baseball Classic.
And that’s where I want to take this.
Puerto Rico’s presence at this year’s WBC has already been hindered by the organizations regulating baseball and the complex mechanism in which players get insured for participating in international events. Even though the territory’s national team will open its tournament play on March 6 under the same eld conditions as the other teams, the road to San Juan has been anything but equal.
On Jan. 30, local media reported that the local federation was considering withdrawing the team from the tournament a er the WBC informed them that at least seven players from the initial roster were not allowed to play. e list included stars like Lindor, Blue Jays’ pitcher Jose Berrios and Dodgers’ closer Edwin Diaz, all three of whom were part of the 2017 and 2023 teams that led Puerto Rico to the nals and quarter nals, respectively.
Unfortunately, the island’s last appearance in the WBC was not without controversy. An insured-injury controversy.
Let me set the picture.
March 16, 2023. Puerto Rico and the favored Dominican Republic teams face o for a pass to the quarter nals. For many, just another hyped game; for the people back home, a long-contested rivalry between two neighboring islands, with bragging rights on the table.
Puerto Rico ended up defeating the Dominicans, 5-2, a er Diaz struck out Teoscar Hernández to end the game. Following the victory, a celebration ensued, but what we all remember is the moments of silence that followed. “Sugar” Diaz was down, injured. e worst part? It didn’t happen during the heated gameplay, but in the joy of celebration.
Diaz tore the patellar tendon in his right knee, missing the entire 2023 season with the New York Mets. Fortunately for the Mets, Diaz's insurance covered his salary for the missed year of play, but it couldn’t cover the distrust from MLB teams, WBC and insurance companies who decided to impose stricter standards for this year’s international games. While the rule hopefully applied to all teams playing this March, Puerto Rico was unfortunately among the most a ected.
It took the Puerto Rican government threatening to pull out their monetary sponsorship of the San Juan games for the MLB and the WBC to rethink their policies and let our players play. Baseball should never be about this.
What would have happened if Pool A had been hosted in the continental United States or Japan, and Puerto Rico had no leverage? I’m pretty sure this story would have been totally di erent and way longer.
However, this takes me back to Bad Bunny’s reported o er to cover Lindor's insurance, who was o cially cut from the team a er the nal roster was submitted to the WBC last week. From a monetary standpoint, the Mets would have been covered under these circumstances, so it’s not like Lindor getting injured would have directly a ected Steve Cohen’s bank account.
Life, unfortunately, is not that easy, and there are more factors involved in the decision to bar players like Lindor from representing their home countries at the highest level of competition than just insurance.
Yet, it somehow feels like the Mets, the team with the second-highest number of Puerto Ricans in their 2025 Opening Day roster, are making Puerto Rico pay for the costly 2023 celebration that le them without their best closer.
Who was your favorite girl on Dance Moms?
What's a movie quote that keeps you up at night?
Who is the people's princess right now?
Please welcome Luke Weaver to the Mets.
Six year-old me was extremely sympathetic to Chloe having to play second ddle to Maddie
“ is is the dream! It's con ict and it's compromise, and it's very, very exciting!” - La La Land
Anne Michael Maye is still reigning, even if the Pats lost!
Welcome, Luke! I hope you didn’t hit too much tra c driving from the Bronx to Queens!
"In another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you."
With the way she gets pampered on a daily basis, probably my dog
Luke I hope you're half as good for us as you are in Crystal's mind
Not to steal Danny's answer but I always love the underdog - Chloe deserved better!
"No matter what anyone tells you, words and ideas can change the world."
Fiona - we miss you diva <3
even have time to dance nowadays.
"Okay, Bean, what's 7 plus 9? 79"
"I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."
Jenna... W I am the princess
Down to the Yankees! We still lost Sugar, so whatever. e Dodgers will still beat the Mets, nothing will change
Caitlin Shea Head of Standards
Kathleen Morris Editor-in-Chief
Danny McElroy Executive Editor
Julian Nazario Managing Editor
Olivia Marceda Head News Editor
Nia Sioux stays at the top of my pyramid!
Francisco Lindor celebrates with teammates following an inside-the-park homer against the Dominican Republic.
Photo Courtesy of @SNYTV Instagram
Do moms
JoJo inspired me to dress as colorful as I want.
Swimming and Diving Prepares for MAAC Championships
The swimming and diving Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championships will kick off today at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. The Fairfield men’s teams have a record of 7-2, with losses only to Boston University and the University of Massachusetts.
“We have worked our tails off this season, and I know the guys are ready to compete,” said sophomore backstroke swimmer Jack Behm.
While the women’s teams are 5-5, they have gotten wins against all the MAAC teams they have played so far.
According to SwimSwam, both Fairfield’s women's and men's teams are favored to win the championship this week.
“Going into our last meet, I think we’re all just trying to give absolutely everything we have to achieve that goal, whatever it takes,” sophomore backstroke and freestyle swimmer Aimee Quinlan said.
Fairfield is favored to win because of their depth, having both underclassmen and upperclassmen who can win races for the team, reinforcing their high expectations for the week.
13 teams are competing in the championship, including Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
One notable threat to Fairfield is Niagara, especially on the women’s side. The Niagara women’s team has won the MAAC in three of the last four years, dating back to 2022.
“Our success has given us some confidence in our strength as a team, but it’s also shown us that anything can happen at any given moment, so it’s important to stay focused,” Quinlan said.
On the men’s side, teams like Marist and Rider present a significant challenge for the Stags.
Some notable swimmers and divers for the Stags include first-year freestyle swimmer Natasha De Pree, who broke records in the 200, 400, 500, 800, 1000, and 1650 meter freestyle races. She also won the MAAC Rookie Swimmer of the Week four times during the season.
For the men, first-year breaststroke and freestyle swimmer Andrew Nathe won MAAC Rookie of the Week three
times this year. Sophomore Balazs Ament, who swims breaststroke, freestyle and the individual medley, took home one Swimmer of the Week award.
Junior freestyle and backstroke swimmer Andrew Nathe also took home a Swimmer of the Week award, and broke the program record for 200 and 400m freestyle and 200m backstroke this year. Swinging back to the women’s team, graduate swimmer Allie Bashor also won the MAAC Swimmer of the Week.
First-year Bobby Regan and first-year Katie Torrey were both swimmers who won the MAAC Rookie of the Week. On the diving team, junior Lily Tonole won MAAC Diver of the Week once this year.
With many other Stags on the team
breaking other individual records, they also several of their relay teams break records, which will be crucial to their chances of success in the MAAC Championships.
The Stags' strongest style is freestyle for both the men and women. They have also been very successful in individual medleys and breaststroke.
On the diving side, some notable divers are junior Tyler Robie, who leads the men’s team, and Tonole, who is a standout on the women’s side.
The MAAC Championships start on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. and will be contested at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. every day until Saturday.
Women's Lacrosse Set to Face UConn in Friday Clash
Fairfield women’s lacrosse returns to action today, Feb. 11 at Rafferty Stadium as they take on state rivals UConn at 3 p.m.
This matchup follows the Stags’ 13-6 victory over the University of Rhode Island last Friday, where eight different players got on the scoreboard.
Sophomore Tessa Caputo led the Stags with five points (two goals and three assists), with MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Kelly Haggerty ‘28 and Mary Henry ‘27 both securing hat tricks and one assist.
Head Coach Laura Field shared her thoughts on the season opener, highlighting areas to improve on for the Stags as they get deeper into the schedule:
“I think we still have a lot of work to do in terms of our consistency, in terms of our handling the ebbs and flows of a game with the new rules. The green cards play a huge factor. Being player-up or player-down and how we handle that will make a big difference.”
The new green card rule was introduced to NCAA women’s lacrosse this season, to “curtail physical play outside the critical scoring area… increasing the scenarios when teams have the advantage of playing a player up,” as per the NCAA website.
Green cards are one-minute releasable penalties, and are given to teams committing fouls such as cross checks, blocking, charging, pushing, holding, among others.
UConn presents the Stags with a different challenge; while the Stags’ previous game against URI was the first time the two programs had faced each other, today’s matchup is one between two sides who have played fourteen times previously, with the Huskies coming out on top with eleven victories over the Stags.
Last year’s fixture between these Connecticut-based teams finished 18-5 in favor of the Huskies, where UConn redshirt senior Rayea Davis scored a career-high six goals.
UConn heads into Wednesday’s matchup after an 11-12 double overtime loss to Drexel University, whom the Stags will also face later this season.
Despite outscoring their opponents 4-1 in the final quarter, the Huskies were unable to maintain their attacking energy, conceding the game-winning goal with one minute left in the double overtime period.
UConn’s freshman Hadley Bethke was a fundamental force in the Huskies’ attacking efforts, netting five goals in her first collegiate game.
This is another non-conference game for Fairfield, providing the Stags with further opportunities to gain experience and insight in preparation for conference matchups that will count towards MAAC standings.
Swim and Dive celebrated Senior Day on Jan. 17 with a sweep against Iona University.
Junior Katie Repp and the Stags opened the 2026 season with a 13-6 win over URI.
Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Week of February 11, 2026
Stag Spotlight: Brandon Benjamin Storms Through "Electric" Rookie Season
Head Sports Editor
On any given basketball game day for the Fair eld Stags, rst-year forward Brandon Benjamin can be found at center court, donning number 20 and preparing to dominate the game.
Benjamin’s career with the Stags has been historic already. He recently set a new program record for rebounds in a rst-year season, previously held by Drew Henderson in the 1989-1990 season with 220. Benjamin’s active tally is 265.
e six-foot-eight forward is currently averaging a double-double and ranks second in the nation with 4.44 o ensive rebounds per contest. He rounds out his impressive stat line with a .589 eld goal percentage and 1.64 blocks per game, both of which are second in the MAAC. is Monday, Benjamin was named MAAC Rookie of the Week for the third consecutive week, marking his seventh total honor in this category. Alongside this came his rst recognition as MAAC Player of the Week, a er averaging 19.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game against Sacred Heart and Marist.
For many fans, Benjamin has solidi ed himself as a Stag in their hearts and minds.
Uno cially, Benjamin has been a Stag for years. He has been familiarizing himself with North Benson Road since his freshman year of high school, a year before he got his rst o er as a sophomore. “I’ve been on so many uno cial visits, so I already knew the campus,” Benjamin shared.
During his prep year at St. omas Moore in Oakdale, Conn, Fair eld recruiters visited Benjamin’s practices “like every other day,” and continued to build a strong connection with the future Stag.
e story of the star forward making things o cial with Fair eld still brings a smile to Benjamin’s face, especially when he recalls the phone calls with head coach Chris Casey and assistant coach Taj Benning.
“I called Taj late and night and was like ‘yo, I’m about to commit, I’m coming to Fair eld,’” Benjamin said. At rst, Benning didn’t believe him, since the two o en joked around with each other. Once he realized Benjamin was serious, Benning asked when he planned to tell Casey. Benjamin told him it would be within three days at most.
It didn’t take that long.
e very next day, as Benjamin was walking to the gym a er class, he got a phone call from Benning. “I’m not gonna lie, I can’t wait,” Benning said. “I got Casey on the phone, tell him.”
Benjamin took the opportunity and shared the news with his future head coach.
“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Benjamin recounted. “I was smiling for so long, and I could tell Casey was smiling. I could hear it through the phone.”
Another point of joy for Benjamin comes from talking about his teammates. On a scale of
one to ten, they all get a perfect score, especially his fellow rst-years. “ ose are my guys,” Benjamin said.
Before Fair eld, Benjamin had the chance to familiarize himself with his future teammates, unaware of their shared fate.
Firstly, Tony Williams was Benjamin’s rival. While describing his relationship with Williams, Benjamin recalled that he lost by just two points in a championship game to his future teammate. Nonetheless, Williams reached out to him and told Benjamin to play for Fair eld in the future, “Before we even played each other, he was just texting me to come to Fair eld.”
Benjamin’s connection with Nasir Rodriguez and Halon Rawlins stretches back even further. e three participated in the Amateur Athletic Union in grade school, with Rodriguez and Rawlins as teammates. “We always basically knew each other,” Benjamin said. en, attending Bergen Catholic alongside Benjamin was Declan Wucherpfennig, with whom Benjamin shares a close relationship today.
e same on-court chemistry that Fair eld fans see from the pair of rst-years was present back then. Ever since high school, they were “just always the duo.”
“Our chemistry has just always been there,” Benjamin re ected. at chemistry has kept Benjamin playing at his best.
“Me and Declan be going at it,” he shared. “Especially in games, you could see we steal each other’s rebounds. I could get the ball, and he’d take it right out of my hand. He could get the ball, and I’d take it right out of his hand.”
at competitiveness expressed by Benjamin has translated into his successes.
But the added attention as a result of his play is still a confusing topic for the rst-year.
“To me, it's 50/50. e pressure is there, but at the same time I really don’t feel it,” Benjamin said. “I just be having fun, I just do me.”
Finding out how to be himself and how that ts into this Stags team has been a bit of a process for Benjamin, and the tri-captains have been an essential part of it. Luke Davidson helped the rst-year nd his voice. e senior pointed out Benjamin’s in uence within the team.
“He always tells me to make sure to use my voice. A lot of people would listen to me, and I never really noticed until I started doing it,” Benjamin said.
Senior guard Braden Sparks and graduate guard Deuce Turner have been instrumental in sharpening Benjamin’s on-court presence.
“With Braden, he’d help me or show me lm, same with Deuce,” Benjamin said. A er meeting Turner for the rst time, the tri-captain instantly got to work and reached out to the rookie with notes on lm: “He’d tell me what I can improve on. It was pretty cool.”
O the court, Benjamin enjoys being part of the Fair eld basketball family, a feeling that
goes back to before he had even committed. Outside of basketball, he likes getting to know his fellow Stags. “It’s really nice to meet new people, make more friends,” he said.
Looking forward, the rookie has a list of todos to check o before the season concludes: “I’m trying to break the double-double record [14]. I’m trying to keep the average of a double-double. And probably, getting like 300 rebounds.”
With Fair eld throughout his career, there’s even more work to be done: “I’m trying to get a thousand rebounds. And then get Rookie of the Year, and maybe Player of the Year the year a er that.”
Benjamin has the support system to fuel him upwards. In a recent interview with e Mirror, Casey praised Benjamin for his hard work: “He’s just a warrior, you know. He’s a team
guy,” Casey shared. “When you watch him play, you see he gets payback for the work he puts in.”
From home, the support continues with his grandma and father. “My grandma is probably the happiest,” Benjamin shared. “And then my dad, even though he’s hard on me. When he saw I was second in the nation for rebounding, he was like ‘Oh, no way.’ He’s just, oh my god, he’s happy as hell.”
To describe his season so far in one word, Benjamin chose “electric.” “Our team is really good, but we’re still trying to gure out how to keep that energy in the second half. We have our moments, but we have the chance to be really good.”
Benjamin and the Stags are back in action Sunday a ernoon at Saint Peter’s. Opening tip is set for 2:00 p.m.
Mia Arcuri/The Mirror
Benjamin finishes at the rim against Marist. He scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the year.