Observer Issue 9 Fall 2023

Observer the

September 13, 2023

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

VOLUME XLIII, ISSUE 1

King’s College Closure Stuns Students

By ANA KEVORKIAN Managing Editor

Every year, school administrators across the country greet incoming first-years with the signature phrase “over the next four years,” as the fabric of an American collegiate education is structured around the idea of a four year program. While transfers and other nontraditional paths are inevitable, the idea of institutional closure is unthinkable to most students.

For students at The King’s College (TKC), an evangelical liberal arts college in New York City’s Financial District, that reality changed when the board of trustees announced that it would not hold classes for the fall 2023 semester in an email sent to its university community on July 17. The email attributed this decision to an inability to meet its financial needs and the consequent loss of accreditation. The temporary closure led 28 of TKC’s approximately 300 enrolled undergraduates at the time to transfer to Fordham. see KING'S COLLEGE page 5

OWAMI MASIYANDIMA-MLOTSHWA/THE OBSERVER

The King’s College, an evangelical liberal arts college located in Manhattan’s financial district, announced it will not hold classes for the fall 2023 semester.

‘Bottoms’ Hits Theaters as Latest Queer Classic Comedy

By MOLLY HIGGINS

Former Asst. Photo Editor

GRAPHIC BY AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise Across the U.S. Since July, a steady uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has been reported in data from the New York Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The university’s COVID-19 policy has not changed since May 15 following the university-wide email from University President Tania Tetlow on March 20 announcing

that faculty, staff and students, as well as visitors are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 upon their entry to the university’s campuses.

According to The New York Times’ updated COVID-19 tracker, daily hospitalizations have increased 24% within the past two weeks as of Sept. 12 with an average of 4,304 admissions per 100,000 people on Sept. 2. The New York Times also reported that 69% of the U.S. population has

received their primary vaccination series and 17% has received their bivalent booster dose.

The CDC detected a new subvariant of COVID-19 known as BA.2.86, or pirola, on Aug. 23. The new subvariant is currently being monitored by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the large mutations that it carries and by the CDC to investigate its multiple genetic differences from previous versions of SARS-CoV-2.

NEWS PAGE 3

SPORTS & HEALTH PAGE 7

CENTERFOLD PAGE 8-9

Fordham extends its test-optional policy

The Rams face another loss against the University of Albany

By MARYAM BESHARA Editor-in-Chief

Admissions Transformed Women’s Soccer

see COVID-19 page 4

‘Tempest’ Redone

The Shakespeare adaptation makes its debut in Central Park

From the moment a loudspeaker summoned the “ugly, untalented gays” to the principal’s office in the first trailer release for “Bottoms,” I knew the movie would be right up my alley. The sophomore feature of “Shiva Baby” director Emma Seligman, “Bottoms” follows best friends PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri), two awkward lesbian teens trying to navigate their stereotype-ridden, football-obsessed high school from the very bottom of the social food chain. The film presents a screenplay from Seligman and Rachel Sennott and received a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score followed by immense critical acclaim.

When the film begins, PJ has decided that this is their year — the year everything will change; PJ and Josie will finally elevate their social status and each get a chance with their respective crushes, cheerleaders Brittany (Kaia Gerber) and Isabel (Havana Rose Liu).

Josie reluctantly follows PJ’s lead until they are caught in an intricate web of lies involving a fake stint in juvenile detention, a rumored brawl with the school’s star football player (Nicholas Galitzine) and the creation of an all-female fight club: (read: a “self defense club”) where girls can theoretically learn to defend themselves in the name of “female solidarity.”

OPINIONS PAGE 10

Social Media

Biden should utilize platforms to further foreign policy agenda.

Truthfully, PJ convinced Josie to start the club so they could talk to girls like Brittany and Isabel — and maybe even engage in some unusually horny wrestling in the school gymnasium.

With the help of eccentric classmate Hazel (Ruby Cruz) and questionable club sponsor Mr. G (NFL running back Marshawn Lynch), PJ and Josie work to climb the popularity ladder and end up succeeding, until things eventually get out of control.

“Bottoms” truly has it all. The characters Seligman and Sennott created are almost scarily realistic — you know them, you love them, and you see them at Fordham Lincoln Center. Hazel was almost definitely in line for the Boygenius concert I went to last month. The music couldn’t be more fitting, with a score by gay icon Charli XCX plus a couple 2000s classics — there were audible whispers of “Oh my God” in my theater when the audience heard the intro to Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.”

Comparable to the teen dramas of the Y2K era (“Mean Girls,” “Clueless,” and even “Glee”), the humor is outrageous and the stakes are high: PJ and Josie’s group of misfit girls may be the only thing standing between Rockbridge Fall High School and tragedy at the hands of their rival football team, not to mention their quest to avoid being “the only girl virgins at Sarah Lawrence,” according to PJ. see BOTTOMS page 14

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 13

Aespa’s World

K-pop group delivers sold out Barclays Center performances

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Accrual of Student Loan Interest Resumes

Student borrowers will not be required to repay their loans until October, with federal programs in place to alleviate the financial burden

By ALEXA VILLATORO News Editor

The U.S. Department of Education resumed the accrual of unsubsidized loans on Sept. 1, following a three-year pause which began on March 13, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pause had been extended numerous times before Congress passed a law in June 2023 forcing the department to resume the collection of payments.

While many student borrowers have subsidized loans — which do not accrue interest until after a six-month grace period following graduation — borrowers of unsubsidized loans whose grace period has ended will now be responsible for their loan payment and capitalized interest once the collection begins on Oct. 1.

Currently, the interest rate for unsubsidized loans disbursed to undergraduates between July 1 of 2023 and 2024 is 5.50%. The federal government has encouraged students to make payments during school.

“ I’d like to say that I knew it was only a matter of time”

Mandy Castellanos FCLC '24

In March of 2020, the federal government paused all payments and installed a 0% interest rate on all federal student loans to alleviate financial instability and uncertainty for borrowers following the surge of the COVID19 pandemic.

Mandy Castellanos, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25, was made aware of the decision to resume interest on subsidized loans through the news as well as an announcement made to students by Federal Student Aid (FSA). She shared that she felt disappointed but not surprised.

“I knew it was only a matter of time,” Castellanos said.

Since enrolling at Fordham, Castellanos has accepted both subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans. She noted that while she is grateful for the federal loans included in the financial aid package awarded to her each year, she finds it difficult to think of them as an award.

Castellanos shared that although the government placed a three-year moratorium on interest accrual and payments, her worry never subsided.

“Making loan payments as a freshly graduated college student and a student who needs to get their master’s to get a higher level/income career is incredibly worrisome,” she said. “I often wonder how I and my peers are expected to pay back thousands of dollars while having an entrylevel job that pays just enough to afford rent, groceries, gas, etc.”

Yamelis Valarezo, FCLC ’25, said that she has not accepted any unsubsidized loans afforded to her in her financial aid package because she was concerned about the interest accrual that differentiates them from subsidized loans.

Valarezo was not made aware of the decision to resume interest and payments on unsubsidized loans. She found it “jarring and concerning” because of the impact she now expects it will have on students.

“I feel that speaks volumes about how the Department of Education or even Fordham decides to ‘prioritize’ their students,” she pointed out.

Fordham’s financial aid office did not respond to The Observer’s requests for comment.

Valarezo added that she believes that the university should also send out reminders in case students missed the announcement. Fordham or its financial aid offices have not shared any communication with students announcing the resumption of interest as of Sept. 13.

Both Castellanos and Valarezo emphasized their worry about the affordability of their higher education.

“Of course, it helps me complete my education right now,” Castellanos said. “It’s a short-term

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

Student borrowers in the U.S. owe more than $1.633 trillion dollars in federal student loans as of the third quarter of 2023, according to Federal Student Aid.

aid that will force us to reap the consequences further on.”

“ This specific form of financial aid is really like a double edged sword in a way”

Yamelis Valarezo, FCLC '25

Valarezo shared that she hopes to go to graduate school and earn her doctoral degree in psychology, and while she has tried her best to not accept any unsubsidized loans, she expects that she will have to at some point in the future. She acknowledged that her goals are costly, and accumulation of interest on loans makes it much harder when factoring in costs of living in New York City.

According to the Department of Education, the moratorium saved borrowers about $5 billion in monthly interest.

“This specific form of financial aid is really like a double edged sword in a way because, yes, you are relieved of some financial burden during your schooling,” Valarezo said. “But on the other hand the debt accumulation along the way is really what sticks around for such a long time and becomes more of an obstacle in many students’ lives.”

The federal government offers several repayment plans for the loans it services, including Income-Driven Repayment plans (IDR) such as the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, which provides the lowest monthly payment plans of all IDRs. SAVE readjusts monthly payment costs based on income and family size.

The Biden-Harris administration launched the SAVE plan in August 2023 following the Supreme Court’s decision to bar the president’s student debt relief

INDEFATIGABLE 2 VIA WIKIMEDI

plan, which would have erased nearly $430 billion in student debt and reduce the average amount of non-forgiven loan repayments from $29,400 to $13,600.

On June 1, 2023, negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in Congress resulted in a deal passed to raise the nation's debt ceiling, which included a provision to codify the end of the pause on student loan interest and payments. Later that month, the Supreme Court ruled that the administration did not have the authority to attempt to either cancel or reduce student loan debt.

“ The economic effects of Covid-19 have not exactly subsided these past 3 years”

Yamelis Valarezo, FCLC '25

According to FSA, paused payments during the COVID-19 relief measures are eligible for IDR plans. Temporary relief is also available in the form of requested deferment and loan forbearance.

In response to the Supreme Court ruling prohibiting U.S. President Joe Biden’s efforts to alleviate student loan debt, his administration introduced an on-ramp transition period available to eligible borrowers whose loan repayments had been paused. The transition period prevents borrowers from having a delinquency reported to credit reporting agencies until Sept.

30, 2024, which alleviates the impact of missed, late or insufficient payments.

Despite efforts to ease the financial burden endured by loan borrowers during the pandemic, Valarezo noted that the fiscal impact of COVID-19 continues to reverberate for many.

“The economic effects of Covid19 have not exactly subsided these past 3 years,” Valarezo said.

“Most people are still extremely burdened with the immense loss of finances during the pandemic and now inflation has been in full effect and has affected New Yorkers tremendously as the already expensive city became terribly costly to live in.”

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Fordham Extends Test-Optional to Fall 2025 Application Cycle

News

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The decision from the admissions office was made for the second year in a row with the hope of offering a more holistic admissions approach

By INSIYA GANDHI News Editor

Fordham’s Office of Undergraduate Admission will extend its test-optional policy to include prospective students applying for the fall 2025 admission cycle.

The decision was motivated by the desire to attract more applicants, increasing diversity among the student body and allowing applicants to highlight other skills and strengths in their application.

The policy’s extension was communicated by John Buckley, vice president for enrollment, in a university-wide communication on Sept. 6. The approach emphasizes that standardized admissions tests, such as the SAT and ACT, are an optional element of the undergraduate admission application process.

According to Patricia Peek, dean of undergraduate admissions, the

university initially pursued the test-optional policy at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020 alongside a slew of other colleges when standardized testing was unavailable to most students.

While this decision was originally implemented for a two-year period, the policy has since been extended twice, once in 2022 and the most recent extension.

“Test submission is only one part of an admission application, it is a factor that needs to be analyzed in the context of other factors associated with the pandemic (such as remote learning, etc.),” she said.

The dean of undergraduate admissions explained that the test-optional policy has allowed the university to further its holistic approach toward evaluating applicants, which considers all factors of a students portfolio as opposed to a one-pronged approach of

NHU HOANG DANG NGUYEN VIA UNSPLASH

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions implemented the test-optional policy during the height of COVID-19, and extended the policy to improve diversity and attract more students.

relying on a single aspect such as test scores or GPA. While the admissions office has not engaged students in focus groups on this topic, Peek noted that the general feedback from high school students and college counselors has been positive on the test-optional policy, allowing for greater flexibility and access for students who may have been hesitant to apply because of their test scores.

Current Fordham students also expressed positive views on the policy and their experiences going through the university’s test-optional admissions cycle.

Akshara Saxena, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’27 and an international student from India, did not submit her test scores during her application process. She considered submitting her test scores at one point, but she ultimately chose not to since she applied as an early decision candidate and was accepted.

Saxena views the policy favorably, sharing that by weighing other application elements such as extracurriculars or hobbies, prospective students are able to showcase themselves. Additionally, she lauded the policy’s encouragement to admit more diverse applicants.

“If someone excels in music, they get to showcase that, but on the other side, if someone’s great at school, they can also use those test scores for scholarships,” Saxena said.

She also praised the diversity of the incoming class of 2027 due to Fordham’s status as a predominantly white institution and attributed this increase in diversity to the test-optional policy.

According to the university’s

website, undergraduate admissions during the first year the test-optional policy was implemented saw 63.8% of applicants not submitting standardized test scores. Of that 63.8%, 58% of admitted students were accepted without test scores.

Peek stressed that the admissions office’s holistic process has been in place long before test scores were optional. Even when test scores were required, the focus of the admission review was on fouryear high school performance, with standardized testing employed in relation to grades, trends and rigor.

To evaluate an applicant’s academic performance and ability, the admissions committee reviews the rigor of their coursework within the context of their high school’s standing and the opportunities which were available to them.

Ashley Silva, FCLC ’25, applied to Fordham in October 2020, under the early action banner, for the class of 2025 application cycle, and also opted to not submit her test scores.

She believes the test-optional policy extension is a helpful option for students, especially those who struggle with test-taking.

“I have a lot of anxiety and nerves when it comes to test-taking, it (test-optional policy) really helped me get into this school,” she said. “I feel like if I used my standardized test score I may have not gotten in here.”

Abbigail Rammarine, FCLC ’23, applied in 2019 during the class of 2024 admissions cycle, and chose to submit her SAT scores. If given the choice of whether to submit or omit her test scores, Rammarine said she would’ve still submitted her test scores for scholarship consideration. She championed the policy as a tool to bring a

greater diversity of experience to the Fordham community.

“I think it’s great, for those who still want to come to Fordham, bring more diverse perspectives to school, and people can still submit them, there’s still an option,” she said.

Applicants are not required to submit test scores to be considered for merit scholarships or honors programs. For students who choose to submit their test scores, they will be evaluated within the context of the SAT or ACT middle 50% range metric of the university’s most recent class profile.

Peek explained that to ensure that students who do not submit their test scores are not discriminated against or considered less qualified than students who decide to do so, admissions officers are given extensive training on policies, procedures and standardized application evaluation.

She emphasized the university’s value of the test optional policy in conjunction with its desire to gain additional data to help the office of undergraduate admissions more fully understand the impact of the policy.

“Equity is central to our process and we make a concerted effort to eliminate any factors which would foster inequality,” she said.

The dean of undergraduate admissions does not anticipate that this decision will impact the admissions process for prospective students, as the policy has been in place for several cycles. Peek noted that the policy’s evaluation process has only received minimal refinements for the near future.

Shobowale Joins Fordham as New CFO

The university appointed the current executive vice president for business and operations at The New School to began his position at Fordham in mid-October

By STEVIE FUSCO Asst. News Editor

Tokumbo Shobowale, The New School’s executive vice president for business and operations, was chosen to assume the position of chief financial officer (CFO), senior vice president and treasure effective Oct. 13, according to a university-wide announcement from University President Tania Tetlow sent on Aug. 29.

Following the departure of Martha Hirst, the administrator that previously filled these roles, on April 13, a committee chaired by Dennis C. Jacobs, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, conducted the nationwide search.

Shobowale currently serves as the executive vice president for business and operations at The New School, a position he has held since November 2013.

In the president’s announcement, Tetlow pointed to Shobowale’s experience in financial planning and execution, noting his ability to discover new opportunities despite financial constraints.

“He instilled the kind of longterm budget planning that leads to real strategy,” she said. “He was renowned both for his vision and for his strong belief in transparency and shared governance.”

Jacobs added he was excited to work alongside Shobowale to strengthen the school.

“Tokumbo Shobowale has dedicated his life to helping

organizations use their most precious resources (financial, human and technical) to advance the mission of the institution,” he said.

Shobowale shared that his personal goals for the university are aligned with his work at The New School, alluding to how his previous work can be applicable and beneficial to the Fordham community. He noted that one of his accomplishments during his time at The New School was the creation of a set of “foundational information technology systems that allowed staff, faculty and students to access important university resources in the cloud.”

The incoming CFO also helped create and improve a university-wide budget committee at The New School, where he noted that The New School has facilitated “shared governance and information sharing” in regard to university affairs.

“Fordham and The New School are different in many important ways, but I think efforts in both of the areas I mentioned above may be useful at Fordham, as well,” he said.

During his tenure, months of contract negotiations between unionized adjunct faculty and The New School administration resulted in a December 2022 strike for better pay and improved working conditions. The strike lasted for 25 days, making it the longest part-time faculty strike in the U.S. to date.

Similar to The New School,

Fordham has experienced a wave of union contract negotiations over the past year among adjunct faculty, graduate student workers and residential hall assistants at the Rose Hill campus.

Shobowale characterized labor negotiations as difficult, stressing that these negotiations and faculty compensation must be weighed by ensuring that the burden of expenses does not fall on students in the form of increasing tuition costs. He referred to negotiations as a lengthy and sometimes contentious process.

“At Fordham, 90 percent of the university budget comes from student tuition and fees,” he said. “We must always be aware of the need to balance compensation and benefits (the university’s largest expense) against tuition, to align on the best outcomes for all involved.”

Prior to working at The New School, Shobowale attended Stanford University as an undergraduate in 1988 as an economics and public policy major, and later Columbia University, where he earned his masters in international development in 1997.

Afterward, he received an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management (MIT) in 1999.

In her announcement, Tetlow applauded Shobowale’s education, noting he had graduated at the top of his class while earning two master’s degrees from MIT and Columbia University.

ANA KEVORKIAN/THE OBSERVER

Shobowale, who will assume the CFO position on Oct. 13, will work in Cunniffe house alongside Tetlow.

According to Tetlow’s email, Shobowale has dedicated a large part of his career to public service in New York throughout his collegiate and professional career. He was the director of infrastructure for New York City’s Special Initiative on Rebuilding and Resiliency, which provided relief for long term planning for climate resiliency following Hurricane Sandy.

Outside of higher education work, Shobowale also worked in

small-scale energy development in less developed and rural areas of Guatemala and Honduras.

The incoming CFO said he looks forward to joining and working alongside the Fordham community.

“I am coming to Fordham because I am excited about joining this vibrant community, and supporting the university mission to meet students where they are and serve the broader community,” he said.

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University Will Closely Monitor COVID-19 Infection Trends

Members of the administration acknowledged the trends as the university is currently in its first semester without COVID-19 mandates since the spring of 2020 COVID-19 from page 1

Although there is concern among health experts regarding BA.2.86 and its number of mutations, NBC News reported that experts do not believe the new variant is correlated with the uptick in cases as it remains rare and has not spread throughout the U.S. Anecia Henry, Graduate School of Social Service (GSS) ’25 and a lifelong resident of New York, said that she has seen coverage on the rise of cases after graduating from Princeton University this past spring and returning home for the summer. She noted that both her mother and older sister are healthcare professionals so she had a “direct leg up.”

Experts do not believe the new variant is correlated with the uptick in cases as it remains rare and has not spread throughout the U.S. In terms of whether or not the spike in cases has affected her routine, Henry shared that she began masking in her classes and on the train but generally does not if she is outside or in isolation. She added that she tested positive for COVID-19 a day before new student orientation for GSS and that it was “very distressing and upsetting.”

“I’m trying to find the appropriate balance for me given that so many people around me are not masking and so many people have sort of returned back to going out and living their lives,” she said. “I definitely want to be a part of that but I am trying to navigate what feels comfortable for me and for now, it’s definitely trying to wear a mask more often at least as cases are still rising because I definitely do not want to be sick again.”

Disha Agarwal, Gabelli Graduate School of Business ’24, said that she was aware of the uptick in cases as she had to prepare to move to the U.S. from India for the start of the semester. She shared that she was concerned about anything arising that would prevent her from traveling and believes that “thankfully,” COVID-19 has not been taken as seriously as it was two to three years ago.

“Now that we have all gone through it and we have all had vaccines and booster doses, I feel why don’t we look at it just like a normal cold or flu?” Agarwal asked.

Despite rising cases, the university will not implement any COVID-19 safety or precautionary measures.

She also shared that although she received her booster to be on the safe side and believes that everyone should take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, she does not see the “hype for it anymore.”

Agarwal has not made adjustments to her routine and hopes that people quarantine themselves at home and are not moving out should they test positive for COVID-19.

“ I’m trying to find the

appropriate balance for me given that so many people around me are not masking and so many people have sort of returned back to going out and living their lives”

Anecia Henry, GSS '25

In regard to the university’s lift of its COVID-19 vaccination

mandate, Henry noted that “institutions are interesting and odd.”

“I think that there should definitely be a greater encouragement and push for people to err on the side of caution and protection rather than sort of drop all precaution and regulation until a spike happens,” she said. “By that point, it is already too late.”

Agarwal also noted that the university should enforce isolation policies for students who test positive for COVID-19 and provide places in residential halls for students to quarantine.

Marco Valera, vice president for administration and former COVID-19 coordinator, said that the university will be guided by local and state health authorities, as well as health professionals, similar to how it operated during the pandemic phase of COVID-19.

He added that with preventative treatments available to mitigate COVID-19, “we should see fewer cases.”

In an email sent to members of the Fordham community on Aug. 31, Valera outlined health precautions for the fall semester as well as recommendations to student, faculty and staff. He noted that the university will be closely monitoring any reported cases of COVID-19, the flu and respiratory

COVID-19 Information Summary • University COVID-19 Policy: The COVID-19 policy on campus has not changed since University President Tania Tetlow's March 20 announcement noted that Fordham would cease to require vaccination against COVID-19 effective May 15.

• Trend of Rising Cases: Following a decline in cases at the beginning of the year, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been on a steady uptick since July.

• New Subvariant Detected: The CDC detected BA.2.86, or pirola, a new subvariant of SARS-COV-2 on Aug. 23.

• New Boosters Available: The FDA approved a new round of boosters for the 2023-24 year, and the CDC recommends all Americans 6 months and older to be updated on their COVID-19 vaccination doses.

syncytial virus (RSV), as the beginning of the semester marks an “exciting and intensely social time of the year.”

“ Though the pandemic is largely behind us, the danger is not over.

Fordham will remain alert and responsive to public health guidance, and we ask that members of our community continue to protect each other with respect and empathy”

Marco Valera, Vice President for Admissions

According to Valera, the university made the decision to lift its vaccine mandate on May 15 as “new variants of the virus greatly reduced the effectiveness of vaccines to reduce the spread of disease.” He countered that vaccines provide “meaningful levels of protection” for individuals and added that the university strongly recommends everyone to receive this year’s updated COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccines, as well as observe the normal precautions for respiratory illness.

“Though the pandemic is largely behind us, the danger is not over,” he said. “Fordham will remain alert and responsive to public health guidance, and we ask that members of our community continue to protect each other with respect and empathy.”

Bob Howe, assistant vice president of communications, noted that without mandatory reporting in place at Fordham, “there’s no way to know exactly how many cases we have on campus.” He shared that as of Sept. 11, University Health Services is not seeing a larger spike in cases.

MARYAM BESHARA/THE OBSERVER

Maureen Keown, director of University Health Services (UHS), said that UHS is continuing to monitor COVID-19 as well as information from the New York City Department of Health.

She added that UHS will have testing available for symptomatic students in its office and students are able to make an appointment at UHS for their tests.

According to both Keown and Valera, the university has updated its COVID-19 guidelines to reflect current recommendations from the CDC and the American College Health Association. The guidelines noted that the WHO no longer classified COVID-19 as a pandemic as of May 5 and that UHS will continue to monitor COVID-19 variants and adjust its recommendations accordingly.

According to Yale Medicine, the clinical practice for the Yale School of Medicine, an interview with Scott Roberts, infectious diseases expert at Yale Medicine, said that because BA.2.86 has more than 30 variants, the high number of mutations it has is notable. He explained that the BA.2.86 variant is a newly designated subvariant of the omicron sub-variant of SARS-CoV-2 and was first detected in late July in Denmark and appeared in the U.S. in August.

Roberts highlighted that due to the number of mutations BA.2.86 has, it is difficult to compare it to previous mutations of SARS-CoV-2 and understand whether or not it is able to bypass the body’s immune defense systems from natural infection or vaccination.

In the CDC’s Sept. 8 update on the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 subvariant, the public health agency is anticipating its updated COVID19 vaccine for 2023-24 to be made available in mid-September.

According to The New York Times, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new round of COVID19 boosters on Sept. 11, which will arrive alongside the seasonal flu vaccine and vaccines to protect against RSV.

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King’s College Students Transfer to Fordham After Board Announces Closing

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The university welcomed the new transfers after the decision forced students to seek alternative educational arrangements

KING'S COLLEGE from page 1

Three of the 28 students chose to enroll at Fordham in the traditional day program, according to José Olivares, associate director of transfer admissions. An additional 25 students enrolled in Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS), making up 7.4% of the incoming cohort, for the fall semester, and three deferred to the spring semester.

“ I figured even if

all this works out for King’s, I’m out of here, basically. I figured I wanted to transfer anyway. That was just kind of for me. It was like, ‘Last straw.’”

Mandie-Beth Chau, FCLC '25

Olivares noted that many students from TKC chose PCS over the day program “due to their more generous transfer credit policy and their tuition structure.”

Mindy Huspen, PCS ’24, initiated the transfer application process in May, but did not officially enroll in Fordham until TKC announced its decision to not hold classes in the fall 2023 semester. She shared that she was “waiting on King’s” and ultimately chose to enroll in Fordham’s PCS due to its transfer policy and convenient location.

“I had too many credits to transfer to any other school without losing a year’s worth of work, but not enough credits to qualify for King’s’ accelerated teach out program where I

would be able to get my diploma in August,” Huspen explained.

“Fordham’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies offered accepting up to 90 credits ... and it allowed me to stay in New York City where I already had roots.”

Mandie-Beth Chau, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’25 and a transfer student from TKC, said that she began the transfer process in February rather than waiting to see if the school would remain open.

“I figured even if all this works out for King’s, I’m out of here, basically,” she explained.

Chau added that she wanted to transfer initially and also expressed that Fordham’s Manhattan campus was a primary reason for her decision to pursue the transfer process. While in high school, Chau had already considered New York University and Fordham, so her enrollment at Fordham seemed like the right choice.

Huspen, who served as the managing editor of TKC’s student-run newspaper, the Empire Star Tribune, took notice of the college’s turmoil back in November 2022 when she wrote an article about the college’s plans to decrease its student enrollment, cut back course offerings and downsize its physical location.

According to Huspen, despite covering what the college had called “strategic rightsizing,” she had not anticipated the college’s closure.

“It was mostly because we didn’t know a whole lot at the time,” she said. “It wasn’t until the spring semester — January, February — where we were alerted as to how dire the financial situation of The King’s College was.”

According to Inside Higher Ed, TKC needed $2.6 million to carry out the rest of the 2022-23 academic year in January, and its business efforts and decisions

were unable to keep the college afloat.​​ The email sent on July 17 was signed by the board of trustees as a collective and explained that the university will seek “strategic alliance opportunities” in an effort to reopen down the line.

“We emphasize that this is not a decision to close The King’s College permanently,” the email explained. “The Board of Trustees and senior administration will continue to navigate the College’s next steps and contend for King’s future over the coming months.”

The college had largely relied on donations from wealthy, often conservative, donors such as Richard and Helen DeVos, parents-in-law of former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos who served under former U.S. President Donald Trump. Recent years, however, brought financial hardship because of several factors, including the deaths of major donors (the DeVoses died in 2018 and 2019, respectively) and the economic ramifications of the pandemic.

“ It wasn’t until the

spring semester — January, February — where we were alerted as to how dire the financial situation of The King’s College was. ”

Mindy Huspen, PSC '24

In order to combat the financial hardship of the pandemic, TKC ventured into for-profit, online education through a partnership with Primacorp Ventures in 2021, an independent firm founded by

A group of The King’s College students huddled together on a field by the university's campus grounds.

Peter Chung in 1995 with a focus on providing private education.

The company partnered with the college to create online, forprofit courses for King’s students.

According to Inside Higher Ed, Chung promised enrollment of between 6 and 10 thousand students — a goal which a former official at Primacorp was quoted as saying was not realistic.

In addition to setting unrealistic expectations, the financial agreement between the two parties was unbalanced, with Primacorp taking 95% of the revenue and The King’s College keeping just 5%, according to Inside Higher Ed. Chung, a wealthy Canadian businessman, had donated $2 million to the college after it was unsuccessful in its “immediate” fundraising campaign.

Inside Higher Ed reported that The King’s College was only able to raise $178,000 in its campaigning efforts to reach $2.6 million so that it can maintain itself for the rest of the academic year from January.

“The Inside Story of The King’s College Death Spiral of 2023,” outlined the college’s history and complex financial entanglements. The Tribune reported that Chung and Primacorp had also violated its partnership with TKC by appointing new members of the college’s board. Neither Chung, Primacorp nor the King’s College responded to Inside Higher Ed’s requests for comment.

The partnership ultimately failed to achieve the college’s financial and enrollment goals. In the summer of 2022, DeVos Hall, the college’s student residence hall named after TKC’s donors, was listed for sale, three years after its opening. That fall, faculty layoffs followed, and throughout the spring, faculty and administrators began preparing students to transfer when the college

announced a temporary closure.

For Chau, the college’s financial troubles seemed irreconcilable.

“I’m more cynical than the average King’s student was,” she said. “We just kind of had an idea that things were headed this way in November of 2022, when the board and interim president announced that they were ‘rightsizing,’ which just means downsizing.”

“ I’m very grateful

for the opportunity that Fordham’s PCS program gave to us King’s students to continue pursuing our education in the city that we’ve grown to love.”

Mindy Huspen, PSC '24

Despite the tumultuous nature of their transfer experiences to Fordham, both Huspen and Chau positively described their experiences at Fordham thus far.

“I just feel like Fordham has a lot more resources,” Chau said.

“Fordham is a better fit for me ... and I feel supported just because I think Fordham is a better situation in general.”

Huspen echoed a similar sentiment to Chau, adding that theFordham administration, admissions, registration and the Fordham PCS team made the transition as smooth as possible.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that Fordham’s PCS program gave to us King’s students to continue pursuing our education in the city that we’ve grown to love,” Huspen said.

COURTESY OF MANDIE-BETH CHAU

Sports & Health Editor Chris Murray

Sports & Health

September 13, 2023 THE OBSERVER

Fordham Defeats University of Buffalo, 40-37

An exhilarating second half comeback led to the Rams’ third ever win over an FBS opponent

By CHRIS MURRAY Sports & Health Editor

Fordham emerged victorious on Saturday against the University of Buffalo (UB) Bulls, leaving UB Stadium with a 40-37 win. The back-and-forth affair between the Rams and the Bulls included a double-digit comeback and five lead changes, ultimately resulting in Fordham’s third win against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent. The victory marks a major mark of success for the newlook Rams, as well as a potential good omen for what is to come, with Fordham looking to continue its success from past seasons.

The Rams entered Saturday’s game with a 1-1 record. Fordham dropped its season opener, an uncompetitive contest against the University of Albany Great Danes in which the football team did not score their first touchdown until the third quarter and lost 34-13. The squad bounced back in remarkable fashion, dominating the Wagner College Seahawks at home, 46-16.

These contrasting outcomes meant that the Rams entered this weekend’s competition without a clearly defined direction or notable expectations for the season.

Sophomore quarterback CJ Montes, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’26, for instance, completed 18 of 31 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, but he exploded for 319 yards and five touchdowns in the team’s ensuing victory against the Seahawks.

The Fordham football team features a number of new starters this season, and many returning players have taken up a larger role than in previous years. For example, quarterback Tim DeMorat, FCRH ’23; linebacker Ryan Greenhagen, Gabelli Graduate School of Business (GGSB) ’23; wide receivers Fotis Kokosioulis, FCRH ’23, and Dequece Carter, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’23; and running back Trey Sneed, GGSB ’23, all graduated after playing pivotal roles in Fordham’s success last season.

This means that Montes; James Conway, FCRH ’25; MJ Wright, GGSB ’25; Mekai Felton, FCRH ’24; and Julius Loughridge, FCRH ’25, respectively, have assumed the reins to lead Fordham going forward.

COURESTY OF FORDHAM ATHELETICS

Montes, FCRH ’26, led the Rams to the historic victory, throwing for 309 yards and five touchdowns to earn the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week

The transition appears to be going swimmingly, as the Rams built on the momentum from their blowout win against Wagner to take down the Bulls. It did not always appear that the game would result in such a memorable victory.

In Fordham’s third game of the season, Buffalo quickly jumped out to a 14-point lead, after a blocked punt led to the Bulls’ second touchdown in the first five minutes of the game. The Rams nearly swung the pendulum of momentum after appearing to have acrobatically blocked the extra point attempt and returning it for a score, but a couple of penalties brought the play back. Buffalo did not make the same mistake twice and knocked the extra point through the second time around.

The Rams responded with a field goal on their next drive, but the Bulls kept rolling. Buffalo opened the second quarter with yet another touchdown, quickly stretching its lead out to 21-3.

Nearly 20 minutes into the game, Fordham finally woke up.

A 46-yard completion to Wright rapidly moved the Rams up the field before Montes connected with Felton in the corner of the end zone for Fordham’s first touchdown of the game. The quick answer propelled Fordham within striking distance.

The next major boost for the Rams’ cause came on the next drive. Buffalo marched down the field to Fordham’s one-yard line,

Wright, GGSB ’25, finished with seven receptions, 159 receiving yards, and the final touchdown of the game, depicted here.

but the visitors’ defensive line stuffed Mike Washington, Jr., UB ’26, to force a turnover on downs.

Starting inside of their own fiveyard line, the Rams began their trip down the length of the field.

Loughridge found a gap in the defense, rushing for 30 yards into Buffalo’s territory. As time wound down in the second quarter, Montes reached the end zone once again. Another touchdown from Felton cut the lead to 21-17, leaving 1:53 remaining in the half.

With such little time on the clock, it seemed inevitable that the half would end uneventfully, but Fordham’s defense had other plans. Forcing an immediate three-and-out, the Rams received the ball with 1:33 left and a decent field position. A couple of solid plays pushed Fordham down the field and into field goal range, leading to a Brandon Peskin, GSBRH ’24, field goal in the final minute to bring the Rams within one point of the lead heading into the half.

Opening the third quarter, both offenses struggled. Fordham found a stroke of luck when Buffalo’s returner failed to corral a swirling punt. The Rams recovered the ball and found themselves on Buffalo’s 11-yard line.

Fordham quickly capitalized, as Montes completed a pass to Loughridge to give the Rams the lead — but on the ensuing extra point attempt, a chaotic scene developed. The Bulls blocked the

kick and successfully returned the ball the distance of the field for a two-point defensive conversion.

Unlike the attempted block and return by Fordham earlier in the game, there were no flags to negate the impressive play and instead of being down by six points, Buffalo only trailed 26-23.

On Buffalo’s next drive, it scored another touchdown to regain the lead. Fordham quickly began its mission to get back on top. As time wound down in the third quarter, Montes launched a deep ball to Wright, putting the Rams on their opponent’s threeyard line to begin the fourth quarter.

Even with the advantageous field position, Fordham struggled to force the ball into the end zone.

The offense quickly found itself facing a pivotal fourth down with two yards to the goal line. Montes remained calm under pressure as he stepped back to throw and delivered a looping ball to Garrett Cody, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ’24, along the side of the end zone. A successful extra point left the score at 33-30, but the game was far from over.

Buffalo moved down the field methodically. The drive culminated in a 36-yard touchdown from quarterback Cole Snyder to Marlyn Johnson, both UB ’24. Just like that, the Bulls were back on top, 37-33, with only 8:03 left on the clock.

The Rams received the ball in search of a touchdown to take

the lead once again. Montes was dynamic, moving the ball with his arms and his legs. Whether it was an 11-yard completion or a 12-yard rush, the leader of Fordham’s offense was the catalyst on what would be the Rams’ final offensive possession.

Now operating within striking distance of the goalline, Montes finally found Wright running a short checkdown route. Wright quickly turned upfield and navigated his way through the defense for a 15-yard touchdown. The Rams finally regained their lead, 40-37, but they left 2:32 for the Bulls to level the contest, or even end it.

Buffalo started on their own 25-yard line, but in a handful of plays they had already entered Fordham’s side of the field. A 17-yard strike from Snyder set the Bulls’ offense up on the Rams’ 36-yard line, just on the edge of field goal range. With under a minute remaining and facing fourth down, Buffalo elected to kick a 54-yard field goal to tie the game.

The crowd fell silent as Alex McNulty, UB ’24, lined up the decisive kick. He made solid contact, and the kick had the distance, but it carried narrowly wide of the upright, all but securing the Fordham victory.

Montes finished with another five touchdowns and over 300 passing yards while Loughridge added 106 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown. Wright was another star on offense, totaling 159 receiving yards and the game-winning touchdown.

Conway ended with 13 tackles on the defensive end.

After the game, Head Coach Joe Conlin emphasized the importance of the win, underlining the “tremendous resilience” that the Rams demonstrated in the face of adversity. Fordham has received a number of accolades in the wake of its unexpected victory, including four Rams being named Patriot League Football Players of the Week and Fordham being ranked 22nd in this past week’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches Poll.

Only time will tell if this win is a pivotal moment in the program’s quest for another FCS Championship berth this season. The Rams will have an off-week before returning to Rose Hill to take on Stonehill College on Sept. 23.

The Rams celebrate in the end zone after scoring the game-winning touchdown in the final quarter.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

September 13, 2023

Women’s Soccer Loses to UAlbany, 1-0

Sports & Health

7

With Atlantic 10 competition looming, the team’s skid continues as the Rams have now lost three straight matches

By CHRIS MURRAY Sports & Health Editor

Fordham women’s soccer fell to the University of Albany (UA) Great Danes by a score of 1-0 on Sunday, Sept. 10. The loss dropped the team’s record to 2-4-1 and marks the latest in a string of defeats for the team, as they have not won a match since their win against Stonehill College on Aug. 24.

With dark skies looming overhead, both teams struggled to find their footing at the start of the match. In the first 20 minutes of play, neither team launched any threatening offensives. A pair of corner kicks by the Great Danes represented the most dangerous opportunities for either team in the opening segment of the contest.

It did not take long for the competition to heat up. In the 21st minute of the game, the Rams connected a number of quick passes to push their way up the field. The ball ultimately landed at the feet of Sari Frankl, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’27, who fired a shot from just over 20 yards from

the goal. Although the attempt sailed wide, it signaled a shift in the tempo of the match.

UAlbany rapidly moved into Fordham’s half of the field after the ensuing goal kick. A misplayed ball by defender and captain Olivia Redden, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’24, left goalkeeper Kyla King, FCRH ’26, completely out of position. As she scrambled back toward the goal, Selma Elverum, UA ’26, darted toward the center of the box with eyes on the back of the net. Luckily, Emily Crocco, Gabelli Graduate School of Business ’24, sprinted back to impede Elverum’s effort, blocking the attempted shot and sending the ball harmlessly out of bounds.

Fordham was not out of the woods yet. Just three minutes later, a nifty through ball to Ashley Ladner, UA ’24, caught King well out of her net. Ladner attempted to chip the ball over King and into the empty goal, but the shot drifted just feet outside of the goalpost.

Hoping to move on from the tense defensive lapses in the

COURESTY OF FORDHAM ATHELETICS

Senior defender and captain Redden, GSBRH ’24, will undoubtedly have a key role in turning things around for the Rams once conference play begins.

COURESTY OF FORDHAM ATHELETICS

King, FCRH ’26 and the Rams’ goalkeeper, was not tested much in the loss, as the Great Danes finished with only two shots on goal despite scoring on one of them.

prior minutes, Fordham tried to generate momentum of its own.

In the 31st minute, the Rams tested UAlbany’s goalkeeper, Megan Hart, UA ’24. The shot

by Sidney Nicholas, GSBRH ’26, was from well outside of the box, however, and Hart handled it with ease.

As the first half wound down, Fordham threatened the Great Danes once more. Starting deep in their own side of the field, the Rams worked their way toward the opposing goal. A well-placed cross found the feet of Nicholas but following pressure from the Great Danes’ defense, the ball ended up with Ellen Schedin, FCRH ’25.

Schedin fired the ball toward the bottom right corner of the goal, forcing Hart to make a diving save, leaving the game tied at zero at halftime.

The Rams began the second half off with a marvelous pass upfield that found Riley Carroll, FCRH ’27, blazing down the right side of the

field. Now in a dangerous position, Carroll took a shot at a shallow angle that was easily dealt with

by Hart, but missed her teammate wide open in front of the net awaiting a cross.

The Great Danes capitalized on this missed opportunity. In the 57th minute, UAlbany delivered the pivotal moment of the game. A perfectly placed free kick from about 40 yards out by Charlotte Takacsy, UA ’24, connected with 5-foot-10 defender Devon Schmitt, UA ’24, who sent a header into the corner of the goal past a leaping King.

Fordham’s best chance to respond for the rest of the match came in the 61st minute. On a free kick of its own, the swinging cross resulted in a header by Lena Johnsen, FCRH ’27 and a midfielder for the Rams. She failed to generate much power on the shot, but Hart failed to corral it, leading to a frenzy in front of the net.

Almost immediately following the header, however, the whistle blew

and the Rams were deemed offsides, neutralizing their threatening play.

Despite its best efforts, Fordham went the rest of the game without another shot on goal. The scoreboard read 1-0 when the final whistle blew, cementing the continuation of the losing streak.

The Rams will begin Atlantic 10 play next week and despite the lackluster results, there may be hope for improvement going forward.

Fordham out-shot the Great Danes 10 to 8, with three of its shots being on goal. This differential shows a vast improvement from the team’s game against Columbia University a few days prior on Sept. 7, when they fell 2-0 and only attempted four total shots.

Fordham will aim to turn things around on Sept. 14 against George Mason University. The match will be played in the Bronx at Moglia Stadium at Jack Coffey Field and will be broadcast on MSG Networks.

Coming Soon ...

Featured Sport: WATER POLO

Fordham basketball begins on Nov. 6, with both men’s and women’s teams playing Wagner College and Adelphi University, respectively at the Rose Hill Gymnasium. There are big expectations for the rejuvenated teams following stellar perforamnces in the 2022-23 season.

Fordham’s water polo squad has started out strong this year. Last year, they made it to the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2022 (26-8). In that game — ­ against Princeton University — the Rams fell 11-10 in overtime. In 2022, they also posted a 15-game win streak at the tail end of the season. This year, many players have returned, and Head Coach Brian Bacharach has already set out to forge a succesful season in the pool.

BISON INVITATIONAL Sept. 16-17 @ Bucknell

Date

Team

Opponent

Nov. 6 Nov. 6 Nov. 10 Nov. 11

WBB vs.

MBB vs.

WBB vs.

MBB vs.

Adelphi University Wagner College University at Albany Cornell University

Football Preview Sept. 16 / 10:00 a.m. vs. Bucknell University

Sept. 16 / 6:00 p.m. vs. Johns Hopkins

Sept. 17 / 11:20 a.m. vs. Wagner College

Sept. 17 / 3:20 p.m. vs. Mt. St. Mary’s

Fordham will meet the Stonehill College Skyhawks for the first time on Sept. 23. The Skyhawks only entered the FCS last season, joining Wagner College, who the Rams met earlier this year, in the Northeast Conference. The Rams should be poised for another strong effort, as Stonehill has allowed 40.5 points per game in the young season and has already been trounced by the University of New Hampshire — the team Fordham competed with in the FCS Championship last season.

‘The Tempest’ Ad at ‘Shakespeare

Public Works celebrated 10 yea Shakespeare’s play that brought th

By Grace Pak Contributing Writer

The flagship summer series of the Public Theater’s Public Works program “Shakespeare in the Park” marked its 10th year of operation this summer. To celebrate a decade of making theater more accessible to New Yorkers, Public Works revisited the first play it produced in 2013 and brought an adaptation of “The Tempest” to the Central Park stage from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3.

This version of “The Tempest” is the story of an exiled duchess named Prospero and her search for revenge against her brother, Antonio, the King of Naples who betrayed and overthrew her. After many years of being deserted on an island with her daughter Miranda, Prospero finally has an opportunity for retribution when her brother and the other noblemen of Milan sail by the island.

With some help from the magical spirit of Ariel, Prospero is able to trick and confuse those who wronged her by conjuring a storm intended to shipwreck the vessel.

The comedy concludes with Prospero choosing forgiveness and compassion.

Marking a sharp departure from the 2013 staging, this production took a musical twist. The play features original songs written by Benjamin Velez, a composer and lyricist in musical theater, which are woven into the classic story.

While the dialogue maintained William Shakespeare’s original language, Velez’s songs utilized contemporary lyrics and modern slang set to catchy tunes which juxtapose the early 17th century writing and make for a more digestible production. This intermixing of Shakespeare’s words and today’s speech was most likely an effort to make the show more accessible to audiences, in line with one of Public Works goals.

Renée Elise Goldsberry, best known for her award-winning portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in the original Broadway cast of “Hamilton,” led the cast as Prospero. Though Prospero was originally written as a male role in

Shakespeare, Director Laurie Woolery adapted the play to depict Prospero as a powerful duchess and caring mother. Velez’s music showcased Goldsberry’s range and prowess as a singer. According to an article by Playbill, Goldberry’s performance was drawn from being a mother of two herself, and her kids were even part of the ensemble.

Goldsberry elicited spirited laughter from the audience, skillfully drawing the humor

daptation Debuts e in the Park’

ears with a musical version of he spirit of New York to the stage

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out of her lines in her delivery.

Although her conveyance of some of Prospero’s longer, iconic monologues (namely “our revels now are ended” and “now my charms are all o’erthrown”) lacked the emotional depth for which I was hoping, she embodied the character’s physicality and spirit.

Perhaps my favorite part of “The Tempest” was the fact that its ensemble was composed of regular New Yorkers from each

of the city’s boroughs. Public Works collaborates with community organizations by offering acting classes and outings year-round, culminating with their summer production, with the goal of fostering connection through theater. People of varying ages, races and body types were equals on stage in an ensemble that brought the magic to the show through their voices and movement work.

The artistic director at the Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, wrote that one of Public Works’ core beliefs is that “being an artist isn’t a special talent, it’s a deep aspect of every human being.” “The Tempest” embodied this belief, showcasing the artistry and creativity of the people of New York City on the Central Park stage.

The community spirit at the core of this production was especially evident in Jo Lampert’s portrayal of Ariel. Lampert gave the magical being an essence of both playfulness and emotional complexity, which was exactly what the character needed. Her

performance was elevated by a subset of the ensemble that followed her around as she performed magic on stage. Ariel and her group of spirits worked as a system; when Ariel reacted to a line or action, the ensemble joined her, working with their leader as a united entity. Extending Ariel to be represented by multiple people was a visual display of the connection and community Public Works creates.

The set of the show, designed

by Alexis Distler, was symbolic and creatively imagined, as well as gorgeously executed.

On the back of the stage sat an uprooted, gutted house. Aside from its visual allure, the house also served as a reminder of the misdeeds Prospero’s brother committed against her, cruelly casting her out and uprooting her from her home.

Above all else, this production was full of joy. Public Works’ most recent production reminds audiences of the beauty of community and theater, especially that of which is found in New York City.

Opinions Editors Jake Eraca Matthias Lai

Opinions

September 13, 2023 THE OBSERVER

President Biden Should Embrace Digital Diplomacy

The U.S. can use social media as a tool to advance foreign policy agendas FATHEMA SIDDIQUA Contributing Writer

As an avid social media user, I have seen firsthand how U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration utilizes social media and pop culture as a tool to promote their political strategy to their American constituents. However, this use of social media is limited when it comes to connecting with international audiences, and I believe that the same medium should be extended to cultural diplomacy and as a means to promote the United States’ international agenda.

Social media strategies work incredibly well when promoting the country’s national aims, so why not try it on a macro scale? The international audience that social media provides is incomparable, and constituents can join in to practice public diplomacy. Other nations would also have the opportunity to learn more about the United States’ efforts to maintain strong international ties and can be encouraged to work more keenly with us.

Furthermore, social media serves as an inventory of information regarding foreign policy agendas throughout the world, as constituents from many demographics can share pieces of information that they know. Therefore, the optimal approach for the Biden administration is to make the most out of social media’s broad audience to promote its foreign policy agenda in a rigorous manner, which can be achieved in several ways.

One example of successful social media use in the Biden administration’s national agenda is its approach to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic through the “We Can Do This” campaign. On the heels of the social media push, over 200 million Americans were vaccinated in Biden’s first 100 days as president, double his initial goal. American youth have been particularly impacted by Biden’s meetings with popular celebrities — such as pop artist Olivia Rodrigo in 2021 — shared on social media.

Specifically in a publicized gathering, Biden met with Rodrigo to grasp the attention of teenage Americans, as Rodrigo’s fanbase attracts a younger audience. The White House’s Instagram account posted a video of Rodrigo telling viewers that she was at the White House with Biden and Anthony Fauci, then director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the U.S.

president. In the video, she addressed the importance of young people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re young and healthy, getting the vaccine is about protecting yourself, your friends and your family,” Rodrigo said. This strategy was the perfect way to tap into the minds of Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) to ensure that they get vaccinated because it’s “Good 4 U” — a nod to one of Rodrigo’s hit songs from her album “Sour.”

The Biden administration’s modern-day tactic of using social media has proven to be successful. I’m 17, and I am updated on my COVID-19 vaccines up to the bivalent booster dose. I would be lying if I said that social media did not play a major role in influencing my decisions regarding vaccines. In fact, as reported by Pew Research Center, 50% of American adults receive their news from social media platforms.

So much for social media rotting our brains, right?

Digital diplomacy strategies have already had success for the Biden administration. For example, through platforms such as Instagram, Biden can promote diversity by shouting out cultural holidays and encouraging conversations about different backgrounds.

On March 20, the White House’s Instagram account posted a string of pictures honoring the Persian New Year, Nowruz. The photos consisted of a traditional “haft seen” table displayed at the White House, where Biden had invited guests to a Nowruz reception. The post gained more than 3,000 likes over the span of two hours and was able to easily connect with many Central Asian American communities within a second through the click of a button. Uploads such as these allow Central Asian Americans, and other minorities, to feel represented and appreciated by their country’s leader. Not only does this strategy help promote the celebrations of different cultures, it also educates Americans about the different traditions that weave the fabric of diversity in the United States.

These efforts can also have international implications. The Biden administration’s post raised awareness of the people that celebrate Nowruz and could have highlighted international communities that celebrate as well.

Uzbekistan is a well-known American ally, and Nowruz is a highly commemorated holiday there. This method of cultural awareness from the U.S.

GRAPHIC BY AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

could potentially contribute to the strengthening of ties between the United States and Uzbekistan because the use of social media to celebrate and teach constituents about Central Asian culture can help promote the United States’ understanding of Uzbekistan’s beloved Nowruz. In turn, this would strengthen the horizon of appreciation between the United States and Uzbekistan.

Evidently, social media is a valuable tool that can potentially support the United States’ foreign policy agenda should it be utilized as such. According to Constance Duncombe, an international relations theorist at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, social media reflects and frames state identities in terms of how a state wishes to be recognized on the international stage. “Shifts in representational patterns communicated through social media during high-level negotiations allow realizations of political possibilities for change,” Duncombe said.

Social media can be used as a tool to promote American advancements in art and the humanities. If the Instagram accounts for the president and the White House featured more projects and research produced by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) or the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Americans and international constituents would have the opportunity to be informed of the ECA and NEA’s impact on cultural diplomacy.

Additionally, diverse feedback on social media can lead to a more nuanced approach to promoting U.S. culture, and the opinions of U.S. constituents can be used to understand what methods will appeal most when encouraging culture as a form of diplomacy.

As a member of the teenage population, I believe that teenagers often have very strong opinions. With 97% of the adolescent population in the United States having a social media presence, we hold a cornucopia of feedback that is often overlooked. Since many of us are also brutally honest, we are not afraid to hold back on our thoughts in comment sections, overall providing the administration an honest perspective on how to improve efforts to promote advancements in arts and the humanities in the United States.

Using social media for cultural diplomacy is not a novel idea. Many countries did not hesitate when it came to utilizing these platforms to gain visibility and recognition among a global audience. A significant example is the Iranian government’s use of X, formerly known as Twitter, to promote the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, which was successfully instituted in 2015.

Through X, representatives from the nation were able to carefully construct assertions and discussions at a time when the relationship between the United States and Iran was crippling.

“Twitter use by Iranian state representatives allowed for recognition framed through positive representations of both Iran and the United States,” Duncombe said. This was “a significant shift from previous Iranian representation-recognition dynamics.” This change in policy showed that the possibilities for progress existed before the deal took place, but were not fully realized until X was used as a diplomatic tool.

The Biden administration should utilize social media more as an instrument for cultural diplomacy. Social media has completely transformed the landscape of international audiences and can allow the administration to tap into communities from a vast range of demographics, expediently spreading the values of the United States.

Observer the

Editor-in-Chief Maryam Beshara

Managing Editor Ana Kevorkian Deputy Managing Editor Erika Tulfo Online Editor Quincy Reyes Creative Director Aurelien Clavaud Layout Editor Alyssa Shonk Asst. Layout Editor Giada Evangelista Head Copy Editors Smile Butt Grace Ehle Asst. Copy Editor Emily Davis News Editors Insiya Gandhi Alexa Villatoro Asst. News Editors Stevie Fusco Gabriella Gutierrez Sports & Health Editor Chris Murray Opinions Editors Jake Eraca Matthias Lai Asst. Opinions Editors Avery Grafeld Ana Winston Arts & Culture Editor Aditi Praveen Kariyanahalli Asst. Arts & Culture Editors Julia Jaramillo Juliana Sharon Features Editors Lola Cravath Madeleine Signore Asst. Features Editor Caroline Sensenig Fun & Games Editor Abby Grunzinger Social Media Editors Eeshita Wade Shelby Williams Multimedia Editors Lauren Bocalan Maria Terzulli Asst. Multimedia Editor Riley Kraus Podcast Host Morgan Johnson Podcast Producer Nellie Podokshik Editorial Adviser Richard Rosen

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September 13, 2023

Looking Beyond Lincoln Square

Opinions

11

The neighborhood around Fordham Lincoln Center has a lot to offer, but Fordham students should explore more of the city’s five boroughs MATTHIAS LAI Opinions Editor

For my first two years at Fordham University, I lived in McMahon Hall, one of the two residence halls at the Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) campus.

Every job I have had has been based in Lincoln Square — the neighborhood that houses FLC and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; I know Lincoln Square better than any other neighborhood in the city. Since recently moving to Ridgewood, Queens, however, I’ve come to realize that there’s so much more to New York City than Lincoln Square has to offer. Fordham students should venture out of their comfort zone and explore the variety of communities across New York City.

Lincoln Square lacks local charm because it is missing the lifeblood of a vibrant neighborhood: local businesses Lincoln Square is an incredibly clean and well-maintained neighborhood, with the streets being kept spotless by a sevenday-a-week cleaning crew that picks up trash and tidies the area. The FLC campus is also two blocks away from Central Park, the largest urban park in the world. While there is a lot to love about Lincoln Square, the neighborhood lacks local charm because it is missing the lifeblood of a vibrant neighborhood: local businesses.

Although Target and Whole Foods are convenient shopping centers located near the FLC campus, they have overrun small businesses in the Lincoln Square neighborhood which bring so much personality to a cityscape. For decades, the colorful characters running local bookstores and eateries have brought so much charm to New York City, and Lincoln Square’s lack of them feels like a gaping hole in the heart of the big apple.

As soon as you exit the 59th Street-Columbus Circle station, Deutsche Bank Center, a fourstory mega retail shopping mall looms over you, and you are faced with cold, unfeeling storefronts for upscale boutiques like Hugo Boss and Stuart Weitzman. In contrast, when you step out of the Myrtle/ Wyckoff station in Ridgewood, you are immersed in a vibrant environment with the smells of street vendors, fruit peddlers and roasted meat trucks filling the streets. As you walk around, owners of hardware stores, delis and bakeries are welcoming and invite you into their cramped shops to experience their businesses.

I prefer the lively streets of Ridgewood over the sterile concrete jungle of Lincoln Square; Fordham students should make a point to journey out to neighborhoods like it in order to experience the best that New York has to offer and find local shops where you are treated like more than just a customer.

I can understand the allure of staying in the Lincoln Square bubble. FLC students get discounted access to premier performances at their doorstep,

from ballets, operas and orchestral concerts at Lincoln Center to free events hosted by Lincoln Center Presents and the American Folk Art Museum. However, because of the international renown of these cultural institutions, Lincoln Square is more of a tourist destination than a real community. Instead of staying in the confines of Lincoln Square, Fordham students should look to embed themselves in social activities across New York City.

Examples of events or outings that can be more enriching include taking a yoga class at Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan, going on a guided walking tour of a different part of Central Park not close to campus or visiting a greenmarket at Prospect Park. Volunteering opportunities with groups such as the Bronx River Alliance and community-led events with organizations like the Woodbine Community Center and UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art in Ridgewood are additional places to share your passions and build meaningful connections.

Finding and joining organizations like these throughout the five boroughs may pull you out of your comfort zone, but it’s a valuable experience.

Living in New York can be isolating, and these events provide a sense of community that is not really found in tourist-laden Lincoln Square.

the big box stores in the neighborhood. Instead of shopping at Whole Foods, stop by the Tucker Square Greenmarket at West 66th Street and Broadway on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to find locally farmed produce, meats, baked goods and more, sold by the people who produced them. Interacting with the very people who make your food brings community to the grocery shopping experience.

There are also opportunities for retail shopping as opposed to shopping at the Deutsche Bank Center located at Columbus Circle. Visit one of the many thrift boutiques

and flea markets throughout the city. These stores are lighter on your wallet as well as the environment, and you can often nab some great finds. Buffalo Exchange and L Train Vintage are a few of my favorite thrift stores, with locations in the East Village in Manhattan and Williamsburg in Brooklyn.

The Grand Bazaar NYC is conveniently close to FLC campus but is outside of the Lincoln Square neighborhood, located on Columbus Avenue at West 77th Street. Open every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the bazaar is a vibrant community market where you can shop for cool clothes, jewelry, decor

and more, and have the opportunity to meet new people.

Students who live at or around Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus should enjoy the beauty of the Lincoln Square neighborhood and take advantage of the plethora of resources and cultural opportunities, but also remember that there is so much more to New York City outside of it. If you do not push yourself outside of your comfort zone and find events and opportunities throughout the five boroughs, you will miss so much of what makes New York City the greatest city in the world.

Students who live at or around Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus should enjoy the beauty of the Lincoln Square neighborhood If you really don’t want to leave Lincoln Square, there are a few great local alternatives to

The flower-lined streets of Lincoln Square are swept and tidied daily by a sanitary crew.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is home to some of New York City’s premier artistic institutions.

MATTHIAS LAI/THE OBSERVER

AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

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Opinions September 13, 2023 THE OBSERVER

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Fordham’s Core Curriculum Stifles Curiosity

Rather than fostering a well-rounded education, the university’s requirements encourage a checklist mentality ANA KEVORKIAN Managing Editor

Fordham University defines its Core Curriculum as “an education that allows you to foster flexibility, curiosity, and well-roundedness” — or at least that is what it’s intended to be.

Alternatively, maybe you have heard students complain that the program precludes them from specialization, “forcing” political science majors to take biology classes and vice versa — because why should a politician need to understand science, right?

The notion of a wellrounded, diverse education is the hallmark of the Jesuit philosophy and tradition which guides Fordham; the Jesuit tenet “magis” translates to “more” and the Jesuits believe that we as students are called to pursue more than what is directly in front of us. The philosophy posits that political science majors should learn biology not necessarily because they will use that knowledge in their career (though they in fact should, if the pandemic has taught us anything), but because there’s inherent virtue in knowledge.

I am not here to debate that point, however, both because I agree with the Jesuit principle and because altering that philosophy would be a fundamental change to Fordham’s guiding principles. Plus, if I did not have an interest in learning for the sake of learning, I probably would not have come to college at all.

The point I am here to argue against is the idea that a glorified checklist of requirements — for Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s core, at least, two English classes, one history, one math,

GRAPHIC BY AURELIEN CLAVAUD/THE OBSERVER

one science, etc. — is the best way to encourage a love of learning.

When I came to college, I was eager to pursue my interests in all their varied forms. Instead, I found myself bogged down by the university’s core requirements.

Rather than pursuing higher-level studies in biology or physics, I was required to take “Human Function and Dysfunction,” in which I learned more from Ed Yong, a science journalist, than any real scientist. Instead of studying Shakespearean literature, I was automatically enrolled in “Composition II.” While my professors did a wonderful job trying to make these topics interesting, they were unable to overcome the broad nature of these courses, which were intended (but inevitably failing) to be universally appealing.

Fordham should allow students to pursue a set of their personal varied interests in depth as opposed to mandating students to take these introductory courses in order to satisfy their core requirements. I believe that students majoring in the humanities and the social sciences are capable of understanding complex science and math; similarly, biology and physics majors are capable of reading and writing nuanced arguments. More than anything, I think every student is capable of being pushed outside of their comfort zone — and the Core Curriculum prevents that from happening.

I can understand the justification behind “dumbing down” certain subject matters for introductory core classes:

Certain students have a higher aptitude for certain topics, and theoretically that corresponds with their chosen major.

While this justification may make sense, however, it’s in direct contradiction to the Jesuit belief in creating wellrounded thinkers and nurturing each person’s fullest potential.

A physics major isn’t “inherently” better at math than an English major. A history major isn’t “inherently” better at writing than a computer science major. Even if these examples were true, shouldn’t the point of college be to grow your weakest skills, rather than double-down on your existing strengths?

If the concern is that students won’t seek out courses outside of their existing

interests, those students probably shouldn’t be at Fordham.

The university’s admissions website quotes Susan Wabuda, associate professor of history, as saying that “one of the great purposes of human life is to wonder about life, the universe, and creation.” The clearest manifestation of that sense of wonder is seeking out information and skills that an individual does not already possess — if students aren’t interested in that, they’re fundamentally misaligned with the Jesuit pedagogical mission of the university.

The role of admissions at Fordham is to curate a community of intellectually curious students — and I think they’re successful in this objective. My classmates at Fordham are some of the most thoughtful, interesting and intellectual people I’ve met in my life.

For these students, though, the Core Curriculum is redundant and limiting. It supplants depth with breadth and specificity with versatility, requiring students to fill up their schedule with surface-level courses and leaving little room for rigorous exploration. An education interested in “magis” should encourage students to develop their own interests, not just check off requirements on Degree Works.

The Core Curriculum is at the very center of a Fordham education, and to do away with it entirely would be a fundamental alteration to this institution’s character. Eliminating specific course requirements in favor of broader distributional requirements and encouraging students to challenge themselves intellectually rather than sleeping through an introductory English course, however, would more effectively strive toward achieving our Jesuit mission.

Killing Spiders Does More Harm Than Good

Common house spiders should be celebrated for their contributions to our ecosystem, not met with violence AVERY GRAFELD Asst. Opinions Editor

Why kill a spider? Butchers slaughter cows for burgers, people squish mosquitoes to prevent bites and fishers impale worms to bait fish. In some twisted way, each of these deaths procures a beneficiary outcome. With spiders, however, their death serves no function other than malicious content.

As a kid, spiders fascinated me, and I always took extra measures to protect them.

Whenever someone would scream in class, pointedly aggressively at a spider crawling on the floor, I simply rolled my eyes. I always grabbed a paper towel, offering to free the spider outside. The act took less than a minute and, for the spider, it saved a life.

If they were to go extinct, their demise could trigger our own The common house spider — most often found in homes across the United States — roams unseen and is a friendly predator against filthy pests such as mosquitos, beetles and flies.

They are peaceful creatures and

spin fascinating, intricate webs that are still being studied today by researchers from Johns Hopkins University. The only threatening aspect about most spiders is their quick jumping abilities, and that act is perpetuated more through spooky Halloween decor than actual spiders themselves.

Spiders’ portrayal in the media often positions them in the role of adversaries. In “The Hobbit,” a fearsome tarantula stalks the forest, tightly wrapping humans in its silk web; in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” Ron Weasley passes out from fear when introduced to Aragog, the giant spider that protects the woods. Although the spider’s role shifts, Ron’s initial reaction falls into a typical trope of terror.

It’s no surprise, then, that a fear of spiders, known as arachnophobia, is quite common. Six percent of the human population suffers from arachnophobia — although there isn’t a verified cause ­— scientists speculate that children inherit this phobia by witnessing adults overreacting to spiders. A second theory is that spiders resemble scorpions, which actually are deadly, and our fear is simply a misguided evolutionary response. Nonetheless, poisonous spiders make up only half of a percent of the population and don’t pose a serious threat in North America.

Spiders provide more good than harm; our home is an ecosystem that flourishes because

of the presence of spiders. While removal may be necessary if the spider is poisonous, luckily, in New York only two such species exist. Referred to as yellow sac spiders, Cheiracanthium mildei and C. inclusum are small, yellow and pale. Their venom is only moderately poisonous and can cause itchy sores, but the bite is nowhere near fatal. Further, yellow sac spiders prefer upstate New York vegetation, making the city an unsuitable, and therefore unlikely,

environment for them to inhabit.

Aside from common house spiders, spiders in the wild play an essential role in the food chain, serving as both a predator and prey. By eating bugs, they keep other insect populations in check, and provide vital nutrients for birds and other small mammals as food. If they were to go extinct, their demise could trigger our own.

Rudy Fransico, an American spoken-word poet and writer, once said, “I take a cup and a

napkin. I take the spider, put it outside, and allow it to walk away. If I am ever caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, just being alive and not bothering anyone, I hope I am greeted with the same kind of mercy.” In general, we could all develop greater compassion for the insects in our homes. This is not to say that their presence is welcoming, but simply removing them from the area by hand or cup can prevent an unnecessary death.

GRAPHIC BY GIADA EVANGELISTA/THE OBSERVER

ArtsWelcome & Culture to Aespa’s World, Live From Brooklyn

Arts & Culture Editor Aditi Praveen Kariyanahalli

September 13, 2023 THE OBSERVER

The world-famous K-pop girl group stunned during their sold-out, eight-show run at the Barclays Center

By SANSAN LIANG Staff Writer

Aespa, the history-making South Korean K-pop girl group, showcased their global popularity after completing their eighth sold-out show on Sept. 5 at Barclays Center, where they finished their final tour stop in the U.S. Throughout their career, Aespa has performed multiple times in New York at high-profile events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in 2021, Good Morning America’s concert at Central Park in 2022, and the Governors Ball festival this past June. Their concert filled up all 20,000 seats at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, an indication of how much they are loved by their fans — who are known as “most precious friends” (MYs) within the fandom.

The girl group is made up of four members and has made a number of breakthroughs this year, such as being the first K-pop act invited to the Cannes Film Festival, the first K-pop act to perform at both the Governor’s Ball and Outside Lands in San Francisco, as well as breaking the record for most album sales by a female K-pop group.

The group ... has an imagined virtual world where members have their own AI avatar counterparts who make occasional appearances in their music videos.

The group, signed to SM Entertainment, has an imagined virtual world where members have their own AI avatar counterparts who make occasional appearances in their music videos. The name of the group comes from two meanings: “Ae” stands for avatar experience while “spa” refers to “aspect,” an explanation behind their name and concept.

Aespa has a unique lore with all

of their songs following a continued storyline which brings meaning to the group’s music. Before the announcement of a new album, it is Aespa’s trademark to release a new cinematic episode to their storyline.

During the encore, their fans’ love could be seen in their cute handmade signs and posters, and the sheer number of plushies that were thrown on stage Aespa opened the show at Barclays Center with some of their most high-energy songs, including a remix of the titular song from their album “Girls The 2nd Mini Album.” Winter, one of the members of the group, played a spectacular electric guitar performance to the EDM, rock-influenced beat. The opener was followed by “Aenergy,” an audience interactive song that hypes up the crowd. “Savage,” a fan-favorite title track, was the last song performed in the first segment of the show.

One of the most anticipated series of performances was each member’s solo songs, which are exclusive to the concert as they have yet to be released on streaming platforms. Karina, another member of the group, was the first to perform her solo, “Menagerie.” The other members joined Karina back on stage to perform “Illusion,” “Thirsty,” and “Lucid Dream,” which were well-liked among the crowd.

“Illusion” is one of my personal favorites from their discography, and I was beyond excited to see them perform it live. After the performances, Aespa introduced themselves to the audience, and Giselle, being the fluent English speaker of the group, explained the meaning behind their world tour name: SYNK HYPERLINE. She noted that “Online Aespa and ae-members can meet,

At the end of the concert, Aespa waved a final goodbye to the sold-out crowd.

SANSAN LIANG/THE OBSERVER

Aespa joyfully greeted the 20,000-person audience for their eighth sold-out show at Barclays Center.

offline Aespa and MYs can meet, and in ‘Hyperline,’ that’s where all three of us can meet.”

Despite playing back-to-back shows and traveling from state to state over the past month, Aespa never lost their energy while performing. After Winter’s solo, “Lips,” a pretty and calming ballad, Aespa showed off their lovely and powerful vocals with an array of slow songs, one of them being “Life’s Too Short.” The song was released last year and is their first English single, which they performed at Coachella for the first time and on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in 2022. They also performed, “Welcome to MY World,” which is a song featuring Naevis, a key character in Aespa’s lore, who is also set to debut as SM Entertainment’s first AI artist.

The third segment of the concert was one that many fans were anticipating: each of the performer’s solo numbers. Although I cannot choose between all four solo songs,

Giselle’s solo, “2HOT4U,” may just be my favorite one by the Aespa members. They also performed the highly anticipated, “Hold On Tight,” an English track that was released on the soundtrack for Apple TV’s series “Tetris.” Aespa followed by performing two of their most recent hits “Spicy” and “Better Things.”

Aespa has made their presence known not just in South Korea, but around the world The K-pop girl group closed the concert with their two all-time hits that even non-fans around the world could recognize: “Next Level” and “Black Mamba.” The audience sang along when “Next Level” came on, even though most of the lyrics are in Korean. During

the encore, their fans’ love could be seen in their cute handmade signs and posters, and the sheer number of plushies that were thrown on stage and given to members of the girl group.

Amidst their busy touring schedule, Aespa was able to explore the different states. On their personal social media, they shared photos of them enjoying American food and culture in their free time. Greeted by MYs gathered in the early morning to show their love and support, the group’s members concluded their North American leg of the tour after performing “Better Things” on Good Morning America the day following their Brooklyn show.

One of the most influential up-and-coming girl groups in the K-pop scene, Aespa has made their presence known not just in South Korea, but around the world, evident through their sold out shows in North and South America, Europe and Southeast Asia.

Winter, one of the members of Aespa, performs her solo song “Lips.”

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Arts & Culture September 13, 2023 THE OBSERVER

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Seligman Successfully Brings Back the High School Comedy-Loser Film

Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott bring their all in the outrageously funny flick of the summer BOTTOMS from page 1

The undeniable scene stealer is Edebiri — actress, comedian, writer and New York University alum. Her comedic timing had the audience in shambles both times I saw the film. This year, she seems to be everywhere: While she may be best known for her role as Sydney in Hulu’s “The Bear,” which earned her her first Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, Edebiri has also been in “Abbott Elementary,” “Spiderman: Across The Spiderverse,” “Theater Camp” and “Big Mouth.”

Grossing over seven million dollars between theaters in the U.S. and Canada, the numbers tell the story: young LGBTQ+ audiences want to see movies that feature queer women.

As Josie, she is lovable, adorably awkward and indisputably hilarious, from her minuscule eye twitches when Isabel looks her way, to a dramatic monologue detailing what Josie’s life would be like if she decided to forgo women and settle down as the beard to a gay pastor.

Every performance in “Bottoms” is larger than life. Mr. G is coping

with his divorce by reading pornographic magazines during school hours, Hazel has a concerning affinity for bombs and the school’s top wrestler attends class locked in a cage in the back corner.

My roommate and I grabbed hands and cracked up when Josie and Isabel hung out at “But I’m a Diner,” a reference to the classic film “But I’m a Cheerleader.”

Often hailed as one of the iconic pieces of queer cinema, the 1999 film’s plot focuses on young queer people undergoing a comedic version of “conversion therapy.”

I could have jumped out of my chair when the waitress flashed a nametag that read, “Natasha” (a reference to the film’s star Natasha Lyonne, my personal favorite straight-woman-gay-icon). The nod to the beloved rom-com is telling, though: From the 90s to present day, on screen representation for queer women is lacking. But it doesn’t have to be, at least, anymore.

Although at the time, “But I’m a Cheerleader.” was considered a box-office failure, it has grown into a cult-classic movie that many young queer women have enjoyed over decades. The trajectory of “Bottoms,” however, has differed greatly, grossing over seven million dollars between theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The numbers tell the story: Young LGBTQ+ audiences want to see movies that feature queer women.

The queer community has made strides as a whole within the entertainment industry, with films like “Love, Simon,” “Call

PATTI PERRET VIA ORION RELEASING

Seligman’s lesbian-comedy film received significant praise from critics following its debut weekend.

Me by Your Name” and “Red, White, & Royal Blue” receiving mainstream recognition over the years. Still, a majority of successful LGBTQ+ stories in film and TV are focused on men, and often representation is limited to heart wrenching dramas involving closeted love, disavowing parents and/or religious trauma. I can’t come up with a single other high school

comedy with two out lesbians at the forefront, and I think that’s where “Bottoms” gets its edge.

“Our goal was to make a queer teen story that wasn’t traumatic and that also wasn’t a cutesy, earnest, like non-sexual story. It felt really freeing to be able to tell something with more messy, real queer teens in it,” Seligman said in an interview with Deadline.

As we left the theater, my roommates and I couldn’t stop talking about when we could see “Bottoms” again. We agreed wholeheartedly that the film has certainly earned a spot in the movie hall of fame in our apartment — right next to “But I’m a Cheerleader.” I can confidently say the camp-tastic teen comedy may be one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

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Arts & Culture

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‘Guts’: A New Teenage Rage Anthem

Olivia Rodrigo beats the sophomore slump allegations in her latest studio album release

By OLIVIA QUIROS Contributing Writer

We all know and love Olivia Rodrigo, American singer-songwriter and actress, whom you may recognize from “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” or Disney Channel’s “Bizaardvark.” More recently, however, Rodrigo has strayed from her acting career to write music, with the release of her freshman album “Sour” in 2021 and her newest release “Guts” on Sept. 8.

One of her hit songs, “Drivers License” — the third track off “Sour” — cemented her role as an artist. The single quickly hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and amassed over 65 million plays in its first week. At only 17 years old, Rodrigo was the youngest artist at that time to top the chart. “Drivers License” broke the Spotify records for the most streams of a nonholiday song in one day (about 17 million), in a week (almost 66 million) and accumulated more than 1 billion streams in 2021.

The frank manner in which Rodrigo imparts the agony of being a teenage girl epitomizes the emotional evacuation of a heartbroken brain Rodrigo’s debut album, “Sour,” quickly gained popularity and won the artist three Grammy awards in 2022: best new artist, best solo pop performance

GEFFEN RECORDS

Rodrigo’s second album resolidifies her reign as one of the most popular singer-songwriters in pop music today.

(“Drivers License”), and best pop vocal album (“Sour”).

A breakup consistently proves to be an unoriginal start to an album. However, the frank manner in which Rodrigo imparts the agony of being a teenage girl epitomizes the emotional evacuation of a heartbroken brain. Fellow singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers conducted an interview with Rodrigo published in Interview Magazine in which she stated that heartbreak allows a discovery of self and serves as a “catalyst” for continued self-growth. Throughout “Sour,” the theme of self-discovery is on full display, as Rodrigo matures from girl to woman.

“Guts,” is the more mature, older sister of “Sour,” but with all the familiar teenage angst.

The word, “guts,” carries many connotations in the way that it’s used: spill your guts, hate your guts, miss your guts, trust your gut — these different meanings cultivate the emotional growing pains of adolescence. In a teaser trailer for the release of “Guts,” viewers glimpsed Rodrigo’s messy room which included a keyboard, guitar, yearbook, cardboard boxes of clothes and a skateboard scattered across the space. The “Guts” album cover summarized this aesthetic: Rodrigo wears chipped nail polish and a dark red lip, her

purple bra peeks out of her black tank top, and she reutilizes the iconic “Sour” purple, claiming the color as her own.

The Grammy-winning artist lives and breathes her work, apparent in the honest, raw emotional lyrics. “All-American Bitch” opens “Guts” in a sound nostalgic to her previous album before evolving into a punk and pop-rock theme throughout the album. “Bad Idea Right?,” a pre-released track and the second song off the album, originated as a sarcastic joke about hooking up with an ex-boyfriend.

Rodrigo tells the age-old story in a fun, sarcastic, punk rock, grunge, complicated teenage girl manner,

with the next track, “Vampire,” another pre-release, showing the darker side of a breakup she has experienced.

Vampires are notorious for taking advantage of others for their own benefit. Conveying the feeling of being used and manipulated, the “vampire” Rodrigo refers to metaphorically feeds off her emotional energy and success. The mythical creatures can also symbolize the power imbalance, predatory, parasitic nature of her past relationship. Rodrigo feels betrayed, used and emotionally drained due to her toxic relationship.

The fourth track, “Lacy,” is the sapphic anthem of wanting to be her and be with her at the same time. Rodrigo placed “Lacy,” a hypothetical girl, on an ethereal, angelic pedestal and hates herself for being jealous of her and worshiping her. Theories about the subject of the song include Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter.

In the album’s fifth track, “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl” Rodrigo draws from her childhood, growing up isolated from other children her age, and merges it with the general adolescent experience, and feelings of embarrassment and discomfort. The music speaks to young girls because she takes us seriously and trusts us with her actual, truthful experience.

As someone who perfectly encapsulates teenage angst, Rodrigo epitomizes girlhood and depicts the reality of what it means to be a woman — messy, disheveled, painful and emotional. She demonstrates the messiness and grittiness of girlhood without the gimmick across the tracks in “Guts.”

Fordham Students Introduce New Arts Club

Lincoln Center’s latest student organization seeks to foster an inclusive space for the creation of visual art

By ADITI PRAVEEN KARIYANAHALLI AND JULIA JARAMILLO Arts & Culture Editor and Asst. Arts & Culture Editor

For a campus with such a large variety of clubs celebrating different artistic mediums — from songwriting, to filmmaking, to musical theater — it almost seems strange that Fordham Lincoln Center had no multidisciplinary art club before this semester when Hannah Berggren and Tanzema Qureshi, both Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’24, founded Lincoln Center’s first Arts Club.

Prior to knowing each other, club founders Berggren and Qureshi were interested in establishing an art club on campus, as they both hold visual art mediums to be near and dear to their self-expression. Berggren, president of Arts Club, loves painting and drawing small details in everyday life, particularly through the use of inexpensive art materials such as Crayola markers. She shared that the material makes her art more colorful and offers a heightened level of enjoyment over more realistic depictions.

“Illustration will forever have a chokehold on me,” Berggren said. “I like being able to draw the mundane details in our lives in ways that highlight the cute and interesting parts of them.”

Qureshi, the club’s vice president and president of United Student Government at Lincoln Center, paints, embroiders and has done calligraphy for years. She believes that art offers the creator a revolutionary outlet that can be more emotional and moving than people often realize.

“All creation is an expression of love for me,” Qureshi explained.

“Art is a form of love for me and an act of resistance, and I feel peace doing any and every form of art.”

Sarah Breitman, FCLC ’25 and the treasurer for the Arts Club, joined the project after the club was approved, and shared that her love for pottery and painting stands at the same level as Berggren and Qureshi’s. She mentioned that her favorite aspect of an art project is mixing and choosing colors and highlights that she “loves bright, vibrant art.”

“Another reason why I have a passion for art is because it’s a form of escapism for me,” Brietman said.

“It always puts me in a good mood.”

Through their common interest in art, the three have come together to spread and create spaces for creative minds at Lincoln Center’s campus, no matter how proficient they are in their respective mediums.

According to the editorial board, Arts Club was designed with the purpose of creating a space for visual creation and artistic creativity on campus for those who seek it. In a college campus environment where students’ daily academic and extracurricular activities can often be high-stakes, with consequences reaching far into their futures, Arts Club hopes to be a remedy to that pervasive culture.

The club is meant to be relaxing: Members don’t have to be an art major or have to pursue professional careers in the arts. Anyone of any experience and skill level is welcome, and the E-Board invites all different kinds of art interests, styles and personalities to join — the only thing they require is a

simple interest in creating art.

Arts Club specifically focuses on visual art, which encompasses a wide variety of mediums such as painting, drawing, collaging and calligraphy. The editorial board plans to have a specific visual art focus that they hone in on during each of their meetings and consider themselves a “creation-based club.”

For special events, Qureshi said that the E-Board often does polls on their Instagram account to gauge what activities members want to do.

According to the E-Board, members have already expressed interest in activities relating to many different mediums within visual arts, such as pottery, polymer clay, crocheting and collages.

Qureshi and Berggren noted that the Arts Club attracted a large crowd, with over 40 people signing up for their mailing list. Now, the E-Board looks forward to commencing their weekly meetings and crafting a space for members to create and share their art.

Berggren shared that plans for the club’s first general body meeting involve either painting or drawing, and added that the E-Board hopes to diversify their mediums as the year goes on. For future events, the club hopes to also reach out to local art communities in the city. The E-Board would like to hold painting sessions, art picnics, trips to art museums, art walks and even art classes in the greater New York City area.

COURTESY OF HANNAH BERGGREN

Qureshi and Berggren used their common appreciation of visual arts as a catalyst to form FCLC’s first multidisciplinary arts club.

Fun & Games Editor Abby Grunzinger

un & ames

September 13, 2023 THE OBSERVER

Crossword: Puzzle for the Press!

30. De Armas or Gasteyer 31. “______ Protection Program,” 2009 Disney Channel Original Movie 34. Celebrate 39. Three-dimensional figure of which each point is equidistant to its center 40. Switching 42. Ambulance personnel (Abbr.)

43. Having two electrons available for chemical bond formation 46. Molecules of C15H10N2O2 (Abbr.)

47. Slowly transition off 49. Governor of Maryland 51. Most salacious 55. Driving maneuver (Hyph.)

57. Circular areas of pigmented skin around the nipples 58. Triangular roof sections 60. Having a flat surface 61. Permits 62. Eat, auf Deutsch 63. African blood-sucking fly which carries sleeping sickness

BY ANA KEVORKIAN

16. Despair 17. Smoothie maker 18. Low-head dams 19. Navigation tool used to measure altitudes 20. “Hereditary” and “Beau Is Afraid” director 22. Finishes 23. Group of musicians or thieves 26. Clinging or adhering

Across 1. Opposite of down, in a crossword 7. Fixture in action movies 12. A Tibetan ethnic group 13. Self-driving car company headquartered in Beijing

Ramily!

Down 1. Donkey, informally 2. Twice, dog breed originating in China 3. Peruse again 4. Root used in perfumery

5. *Athletics 6. Collection of cutters (2 Wds.) 7. Investment products backed by nonresidential real estate (Abbr.)

8. Result of digging 9. U.S. credit card company (Abbr.)

10. It requires at least a subject and a verb 11. Placed in peril 14. Nurture 15. *Painting, music and theater, for three 21. Tear 23. Twenty-first birthday venues, perhaps 24. In a fresh and more positive way 25. Biological family of waternymphs 27. Nonpartisan, public think tank associated with the legislative branch 28. Namesake of the neighborhood between Third Avenue, the East River, 34th and 23rd streets 29. Tuberculosis medication (Abbr.)

32. Somewhat 33. Snake’s sound?

35. *Everyone has them, and they sometimes stink 36. Preventer of FDR’s illness 37. Controversial government organization founded by Harry Truman in 1946 (Abbr.)

38. Language learning class (Abbr.)

41. Precious stone 44. Dessert made of sugar and egg whites 45. Whole amounts 46. Red wine variety 47. Wind, coil or twine 48. James _____ Jones, American actor 50. Russian currency 52. Humanities classes in elementary school (Abbr.)

53. Fully satisfy 54. Older than 12 but younger than 20 56. *Gen Z hears it on TikTok 59. Military tactic describing the collection of information from a designated location (Abbr.)

Logic Puzzle

BY ABBY GRUNZINGER

Oh no! You are in charge of recording the results of a national collegiate newspaper competition, but all the results have gotten scrambled up! The only clues you have are written below. Use these clues to deduce each contributor’s newspaper section and how they placed in the competition. The first clue has been put in for you as an example — use “X” to cross out the incorrect placements and “O” to denote the correct matches. After you’ve placed every competitor, you can check your answers with the grid in the bottom-right corner!

1st

Kelly

2nd

3rd

4th

News

Sports

X

Quinn

X X O X X

News

Sports

Sudoku

Fun and Games

X

Jack

Parker

Arts

BY ABBY GRUNZINGER

Instructions: Each row, column and 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1-9 exactly once.

2 3 9 3 9 1 2 7

Arts

5

Fun and Games

1. Parker was a part of the Sports section.

2. The News section won first prize.

3. Jack’s section was neither News nor Arts.

4. Parker’s team was one place behind Quinn’s team.

5. The Fun and Games team won fourth prize.

6. Kelly’s team came in one place ahead of Jack’s team.

7. Kelly was on the Arts team.

7 6

5 4 6 1 2

9 2 8

8 2 4 9 3 7 5 6 8 4 1 9 6 5 6 3 8

GRAPHICS BY GIADA EVANGELISTA AND EMMA FOLEY

4 5 1