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OUT OF INK: GEORGETOWN'S LACK OF PRINTING ACCESSIBILITY By Alise Fingal

HOYA LAXA-TIVE: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO BATHROOMS By Hudson Witte

Contents

September 11, 2026 Volume 59 | Issue 2

voices

Out of Ink: Georgetown’s Lack of Printing Accessibility ALISE FINGAL

Editor-In-Chief — Sydney Carroll Managing Editor of Content — Sophia Jacome Managing Editor of Operations — Chih-Rong Kuo internal resources Executive Manager for Staff — Imani Liburd Executive Editor for Resources, Diversity, and Inclusion — Kyndall Jackson Assistant Editor for Resources, Diversity and Inclusion — Bridgette Jeonarine Editor for Sexual Violence Advocacy and Coverage — Olivia Fanders Service Chair — Ryan Goodwin Social Chairs — Alex Lalli, Sehr Khosla Archivist — Elizabeth Foster news Executive Editor — Justin Higgins Features Editor — Bridgette Jeonarine News Editor — Sehr Khosla Assistant News Editors — Sabriya Attia, Minhal Nazeer, Bennett Gilhuly Assistant Features Editor — Evan Schleck

Georgetown explained: How the university spends its money overseas

On PRIMA, Adéla puts herself first

Athletes Invest is investing in athletes’ futures

news

leisure

sports

JACOB GARDNER

on the cover

CHIH-RONG KUO

features

The Voice’s top 10 songs of the summer

BRIDGETTE JEONARINE

JOAQUIN MARTINEZ

leisure

What do celebrities owe us?

voices

Hoya Laxa-tive: A Beginner’s Guide to Bathrooms

ALEX LALLI

HUDSON WITTE

halftime sports

Your D.C. sports starting lineup

news

JUSTIN HIGGINS

editor@georgetownvoice.com Leavey 424 Box 571066 Georgetown University 3700 O St. NW Washington, DC 20057

Onyx Standard sets the standard for Black excellence

halftime leisure

Georgetown FY25 tax filings reveal earnings of university’s highest paid employees

ANNA CORDOVA

“Disco”

LILA GIZZIE AND MEGAN GEIGER

MAGGIE ZHANG

“Students who want to live up to the guiding values of St. Ignatius are unable to do so if the Georgetown printers continue functioning in their present state.” PG. 5

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

opinion Executive Editor — Alex Lalli Voices Editor — Colby Kelly Assistant Voices Editors — Aaron Pollock, Maddy Sweet Editorial Board Chair — Darin Eberhardt Editorial Board — Imani Liburd, Kamran Darnall-Hirani, Paige Benish, Phoebe Nash leisure Executive Editor — Alex Hwang Leisure Editor — Quinn Ross Assistant Editors — Ryan Goodwin, Karcin Hagi Halftime Editor — Joaquin Martinez Assistant Halftime Editors — Elizabeth Adler, Alexandra Risi sports Executive Editor — Stella Linn Sports Editor — Eileen Weisner Assistant Editors — Vince Gude, Aubrey Butterfield, Julia Maurer Halftime Editor — Lila Gizzie Assistant Halftime Editors — Megan Geiger, Gabriella Matute, Anna Cordova design Design Editor — Shabad Singh Cover Editor — Maggie Zhang Assistant Design Editors — Michelle Wang copy Copy Chiefs — Isabella Baldwin, Madison Weis Assistant Copy Editors — Lila Wesner, Sonia Pensa, Avi Qin multimedia Multimedia Executive — Olivia Fanders Podcast Executive Producer — Katie Reddy Podcast Editor — Stefani Mucianio Photo Editor — Julia Carvalho online Online Executive — Maysam Ider Social Media Editor — Lucy Montalti business General Manager — Amber Bai Assistant Manager of Alumni and Outreach — Elyse van Houten support Contributing Editors — Paige Benish, Phoebe Nash, Michelle Lee, Elaine Clarke, Pia Cruz, Katie Doran

crossword by chih-rong kuo; soy ketchup by apara chandavarka; stfu and let me dry in peace by paul kang; layout by lucy montolti and michelle wang

Chih’s Crossword

ACROSS 1 Voice section that specializes in in-depth, narrative and/or investigative reporting. 8 Voice section that specializes in print layouts and digital graphics 9 Diana of the Supremes 13 Genetic molecules 14 Voice section that specializes in Georgetown basketball, among other things 16 Iwo ___ 17 Swindle 18 King, in Portuguese 19 Ballpoint covers 22 Matt Le_ of Friends (1994-2004) 23 Voice section that specializes in reviews, commentary, and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater. 26 Actress de Armas 29 Hockey great Bobby 30 Commotions 31 Voice section that specializes in opinion and personal essays 34 Voice section for hard-hitting journalism and breaking stories 35 Canadian gas brand 36 Ace the exam 38 Camera attachment

DOWN 1 A President’s son, for short. 2 Bieber hit, _____ meenie 3 “Same here” 4 “___ Gift to Be Simple” 5 Leavey Corp location, in short 6 Nursing school graduates 7 Sellout sign 10 Killer whale 11 Halt 12 Nine-digit IDs 15 Tubular pasta 19 Fancy feather 20 Corn unit 21 Loop in, in an email 22 Degree awarded to Biology majors 23 Zero, in tennis 24 God of 23D 25 Van Gogh subject 26 “Skyfall” singer 27 Like a hopeless situation 28 Helpers, or some editors in the Voice 30 Indigo 32 Family member, for short 33 ___-cone 37 As opposed to p.m.

NEWS

Georgetown explained: How the university spends its money overseas BY CHIH-RONG KUO

GRAPHICS BY MICHELLE WANG; LAYOUT BY JACQUELINE PAN

eorgetown University’s fiscal year (FY) 2025 tax filings reveal an ongoing trend of increased foreign expenditures and investments, increasing by more than 180% in the last 10 years. Consistent with new initiatives like expanded course offerings at Georgetown University in Qatar, a new program in Indonesia, and new graduate programs in Greece, spending on education has particularly increased in the Middle East, East Asia, and Europe regions as defined by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) geographic classifications. Schedule F in IRS Form 990 requires nonprofit organizations to report financial activity concerning a “statement of activities outside the United States.” Georgetown reports four primary forms of foreign activities: investments, program services— which are exclusively educational services— grantmaking, and subawards. Georgetown’s investments continue to make up the majority of its reported foreign activity, but spending on program services in education abroad has quickly grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing from 5.93% of total activity in FY21 to 11.18% of total activity in FY25. Georgetown’s activity abroad has nearly tripled in the past decade Georgetown’s foreign activity has steadily increased over the last 10 years, rising from $565 million in FY15 to $1.5 billion in FY25, reflecting increased spending primarily on investments and education. The growth in Georgetown’s foreign financial activity has accompanied a broader expansion of university finances. The university’s endowment has increased over the past 10 years, rising by 158.45% from $1.5 billion in FY15 to $3.9 billion in FY25. Georgetown’s endowment (its pool of donations from alumni and donors) is managed by its investment office. “The long-term objective of Georgetown’s investment office is to provide consistent and perpetual support for the University by maximizing investment returns subject to risk and liquidity parameters, ensuring intergenerational equity for current and future students,” a university spokesperson wrote. Still, Georgetown’s endowment continues to pale in comparison to its peer institutions. Brown University, the university with the next lowest endowment, received almost double Georgetown’s endowment at $8 billion in FY25.

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

Changes in spending by region The majority of Georgetown’s foreign activity is concentrated in Central America and the Caribbean, a region the IRS defines to include the Cayman Islands, Cuba, and Jamaica. Much of the university’s activity in the region consists of financial investments rather than spending on program services in education. The university is not required to disclose the proportion of its investments made in specific countries and territories included in the region, but does disclose its relations with corporations if it owns more than 50% of the profits. Georgetown owned two organizations based in the Cayman Islands in 2025: Flour Mill Fund, Ltd., a private hedge fund managed by D.C. investment firm Rock Creek Group, and Hoya Risk Indemnity, an insurance company. Flour Mill Fund, Ltd. held nearly $55 million in end-of-year assets in 2025. The hedge fund benefits from the Cayman Islands being a tax haven because the territory does not impose corporate tax. “Occasionally the management of assets is best facilitated with separate universityowned entities,” a university spokesperson wrote in response to questions about Georgetown’s corporations in the Cayman Islands. “Georgetown complies with laws and regulations in the United States and any other country where it operates.” Outside of Central America and the Caribbean, the two regions with the most activity are Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Georgetown does not have direct financial investments in MENA, according to its tax statements from the last 10 years. Instead, its primary spending in the region consists of spending on program services in education, including Georgetown’s Qatar satellite campus. The university spends $145,859,860 on education in the region, but how much each specific program costs is not listed. In contrast, financial investments account for most of the university’s spending in Europe at almost 89% of its spending. However, Georgetown has nearly doubled its educational spending in Europe since 2022, a trend that will likely continue as Georgetown develops its Greece programs. The region with the most fluctuation in foreign activity in recent years is Russia and Neighboring States, an IRS category encompassing several former Soviet

republics including Ukraine. Most of the university’s funding for the area went towards educational spending, with a large spike in 2023 and 2024 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Over this period, Georgetown expanded support for students affected by the war, distributing $6 million in financial aid since 2022 through the Gracias Family Sunflower Current Use Scholarship Fund. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of Ukrainian students from the program nearly doubled from 12 to 22. International student population vs. spending As a university committed to “global engagement,” Georgetown has students from over 150 nationalities. But the regions from which many of these students come do not necessarily correspond to the regions where Georgetown directs its educational spending abroad. For example, while South Korea and China consistently rank among the countries with the largest numbers of students attending Georgetown, the university typically focuses between 1% and 2% of its educational spending in the East Asian region. In 2023, students from East Asian countries and territories, as defined by the IRS, represented about 42% of the total international students at Georgetown, although the university only spent 1.73% of its educational spending in East Asia. The rise in Georgetown’s educational spending abroad does appear to correlate with increasing international student enrollment trends for Georgetown’s main campus despite recent U.S. administration policies. Under the Trump administration, changing immigration policies like visa revocations and social media vetting processes have made it difficult for international students to navigate campus life. Despite the restrictive policies, the number of international undergraduate students has risen from around 8% of the total student body in 2011 to 13.4% in 2025. Looking ahead, Georgetown will remain committed to its global engagement, according to newly appointed President Eduardo Peñalver. “With two campuses in Washington, D.C., and sites around the world, Georgetown is animated by a dual commitment to knowledge and service,” Peñalver wrote in his president’s welcome email. #

VOICES

Out of Ink: Georgetown’s Lack of Printing Accessibility BY ALISE FINGAL GRAPHICS BY BRADLEY WONG; LAYOUT BY SHABAD SINGH

t 1 p.m. in Lauinger Library, I switch between staring at the printer and my PaperCut, hoping that if I will it hard enough, I’ll hear the sweet sound of ink being pressed onto paper in the behemoth of a device. Minutes go by and still nothing. The machinery stays vexingly silent. Sighing, I click “request refund” and gather my things for class. Upon my arrival at Georgetown, an orientation leader described the common Georgetown experience of wrestling with the printers. Some have even had to perform the maintenance themselves, desperately finagling with the machines for class materials. With the start of the academic school year, students are reminded of the necessity of Georgetown’s printers now more than ever, as new assignments and readings pile up. More and more professors expect exclusively printed materials in an effort to reduce student artificial intelligence (AI) usage. They expect visible annotations and proof of deeper thinking in preparation for class, and rightly so; research suggests that the frequent use of AI tools can lower critical thinking capabilities through a process known as cognitive offloading. Teachers and students at Georgetown share the core Jesuit value of “academic excellence” and, despite the logistical benefits of AI, pursue full realization of knowledge in their courses by rejecting the technology’s infiltration into assignments. But students who want to live up to the guiding values of St. Ignatius are unable to do so if the Georgetown’s printers continue functioning in their present state. Printers consistently break and malfunction across campus in a neverending saga lamented by seniors and freshmen alike. Fizz posts going back three years describe dissatisfaction with them, sharing frustrations like: “Just lost years off my life and my entire net worth trying to use these ratchet printers,” in one anonymous post. This directly affects students, as they may face academic consequences for not acquiring the printed reading, even if the excuse was because they didn’t have the time or money to trial run a recurrently broken machine.

Regardless of whether a professor requires paper readings, many students learn better with a physical text. Amongst neurotypical and neurodiverse students alike, reading in print provides the added benefit of improved understanding. As we realize the value of human capability in the face of AI, Georgetown should promote this turn towards thorough comprehension by supporting student printing efforts. Students shouldn’t have to struggle through grueling online readings or end up resorting to expensive textbooks in an effort to better understand an assignment. For students like me with attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other attention processing differences, print material is essential for better comprehension. According to a study done for the Research in Developmental Disabilities journal, “learning from digital texts leads to inferior reading comprehension for students with ADHD.” Our common experience of “feeling behind” is further exacerbated when printers limit our access to vital tools. Without the printed reading, I often spend valuable class time scrolling through text, simply trying to figure out where I thought what and when. For both neurotypical and neurodivergent students, the Georgetown printing problem hinders the educational experience. While students can attempt to fix the machines, without proper instruction or knowledge of the intricacies of printers, they might unknowingly exacerbate the issue and damage the printers even more. The unnecessary cost of troubleshooting as a result of these malfunctions can fundamentally change a student’s day-today life and experience at Georgetown. Using my personal average cost per printer job of $0.50 and assuming an average of four jobs per week, I might spend at least an extra $20 a semester after accounting for Georgetown’s $8 stipend. This estimate also doesn’t include the extra costs for printing study guides and cheat sheets during exam season. While it may seem marginal, this $20 could be spent on nine more Metro rides for students commuting to internships or jobs, a new tie for an important interview, or

three (maybe four, if you’re lucky) lattes for chronically overcaffeinated IPOL majors. For low-income students, it can weigh even heavier. At schools like Bates College and Stony Brook University, students don’t have to worry about this extra bit of spending, picking up their class materials with the ease of complimentary printing. Although Georgetown will supposedly refill a student’s printing stipend if needed, the bureaucratic measures needed to do so are often unnecessarily drawn out. Students have to send an email to the Provost’s Office and wait for a response, even if they need something printed immediately but don’t have the funds to pay for it. Now, I won’t claim to be an expert on Georgetown’s financial standing and ability to directly pay for student printing. But, with $1.8 billion in donations alone as of 2025, the university has to answer for why students paying up to $100,000 a year are unable to access basic learning resources without inordinate struggle. At the very least, the university should address this detrimental issue and endeavor to fix it. Thankfully, after trekking across campus to find a working machine, I was eventually able to print the history reading I needed for class. Nevertheless, I worry about the inevitable case when, one day soon, I will have to arrive unstudied as a result of the mercurial nature of Georgetown’s printers. Georgetown students should not have to fear lower grades or unpreparedness in their courses due to factors beyond their control. Students with financial strain, neurodivergence, or just genuine academic preference for physical reading face real accessibility issues as a result of the university’s lack of response to concerns about printer functioning. Georgetown needs to address this university-wide problem efficiently. Only then can its students return to learning without hindrance. $ SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

HALFTIME LEISURE

s the leaves begin to change colors and the air grows cold, we’re left reminiscing about a season of sun, laughs, and memories. This year, I have taken on the daunting challenge of recounting all the songs that collectively define our summer, compiling—with the help of Voice Leisure—a list of 10 songs that I believe best commemorate the season. 1. “brand new chanel$” - Slayyyter Slayyyter has gifted us a song reminiscent of early 2010s pop, and we have never been more grateful. Although “brand new chanel$” was released in late July, it was simply too fierce not to consider it symbolic of the entire season. The song is the most recent in a series of singles released after Worst Girl in America (2026), and is a reprise of her song “BEAT UP CHANEL$.” Aside from taking the crown as the Voice’s Song of the Summer, “brand new chanel$” is a beautiful reflection of Slayyyter's artistic growth. Her new crunchy and distorted sound pairs amazingly with her pristine vocals, leaving us curious as to what her next project might sound like.

world can relate to: “I’d rather be a nobody than to be like everyone.”

artistry and image while asking themselves: “What do I do it for?”

4. “Spend Dat” - Yung Miami No one has heard much from former City Girls rapper Yung Miami since her public fallout with JT on X, formerly known as Twitter, two years ago. This summer, however, she has returned with a hit dedicated to boosters, those fearless shoplifters who, in the image of Mother Teresa, “borrow” items from luxury multinational corporations to resell them to the masses at lower prices on the streets. If you have not yet seen Boots Riley’s comedy I Love Boosters (2026), it will give you a good idea of what Yung Miami means when she tells you to “go in that Goyard bag.”

7. “On Your Mind” - FKA Twigs and Lil Yachty FKA Twigs extends the aesthetics of her Body High Tour with “On Your Mind,” featuring Lil Yachty. Written in light of her visa problems while trying to bring her tour to the United States, Twigs shows us how she can produce hits in spite of the obstacles in her life. 8. “CRANK” - Slayyyter What does it mean to “crank it”? Slayyyter leaves us with this unanswered question, along with what it means to “get so gay off that tequila” on “CRANK.” Perhaps it means smoking? Drinking? Public indecency? To crank it like Slayyyter, it seems like all three are necessary components. While Slayyyter already took the top spot on this list for “brand new chanel$,” this song was simply too nasty, raunchy, and hedonistic to leave off the list.

The Voice’s Top 10 Songs of the Summer

2. “Drop Dead” - Olivia Rodrigo If being the first artist to film a music video inside of the Palace of Versailles was not enough to impress you, it may be time to get off your high horse and give Olivia Rodrigo a listen. The first of an incredible three-single run for you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love (2026), “drop dead” set the tone for what would easily become her best-written project. It turns the parasocial, obsessive desires of love into an enchanting song that everyone can appreciate. 3. “Ain’t in LA” - Adéla As someone from a mid-tier American city that almost no one outside my home state of Texas knows, I must give Adéla credit where it’s due. Someone has to hold it down in the small and unknown cities on the map! Adéla recently made history as the first person ever from her home country of Slovakia to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 for “Ain’t in LA,” and for good reason. The track is suggestive of Bangerzera Miley Cyrus and shares a message that millions of people across the 6

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

BY JOAQUIN MARTINEZ GRAPHICS BY JULES ASSAD; LAYOUT BY JACQUELINE PAN

5. “Wink Wink” - Charli xcx No matter what direction Charli xcx moved after BRAT (2024), one thing was certain: change would undoubtedly alienate many of her new fans. While Music, Fashion, and Film (2026) isn’t the same dance party album as BRAT, it is an impressive leap into a new musical landscape for her, attempting to switch from dance pop to rock music. The album shows off her witty songwriting chops with tracks like “Wink Wink,” which emphasizes that people can change, and maybe that's not always a bad thing. 6. “Bring Your Love” - Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter Madonna and Sabrina have “something [they] wanna talk about” on “Bring Your Love.” An industry legend and a modern pop princess team up on a dance track where they refute criticisms of their

9. “Jeep” - Kim Petras The final single from Kim Petras’s latest project Detour (2026), “Jeep” is a clear standout on the album: its inclusion of acoustic instrumentals and vulnerable lyrics was a large step away from the brash and lively electronic production on the rest of the album. On the track, Petras sings to a lover about their tumultuous relationship, admitting that they are not good for one another, but s t a y i n g anyway. If you can relate to this experience, dear reader, tap in to Kim Petras now! 10. “Choosin’ Texas” - Ella Langley The biggest hit of the summer, Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” has become the longest-charting number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for any non-holiday song, spending 20 weeks at the top spot. But what has made this song such a great part of the 2026 summer zeitgeist? Perhaps its popularity can be attributed to the fact that it ticks every box of the standard country ballad masterfully. The catchy guitar intro and songwriting help from Miranda Lambert no doubt helped turn this tune into the earworm of 2026. "

VOICES

Hoya Laxa-tive: A Beginner’s Guide to Bathrooms BY HUDSON WITTE GRAPHICS BY PAUL KANG; LAYOUT BY AMELIE GIOMI

pperclassmen constantly recommend that freshmen venture out and explore campus, but they ought to be more specific. What’s really worth investigating are the Georgetown bathrooms; The freshman dorm restrooms pulse with inanity; a whole new world of bathrooms awaits those brave enough to venture into the bowels of the university. Some bathrooms remain mysterious, even to a seasoned veteran like myself: I’ve heard myths of the alluring gender-neutral bathrooms in Maguire, but have yet to find such an oasis. The following bathroom overview will be fraught with my opinions—I do not claim to be an expert, only an enthusiast. This overview should serve as a guide for those who are new, and as a walk down memory lane for pros. Buckle up, take your pants off, and sit down as I take you through the journey that is campus restrooms. Many people first test the waters by heading toward the Healy Family Student Center (HFSC) restrooms, seeking asylum from New South’s. However, the HFSC bathroom is for sophists. It gets points for matching the design of the building seamlessly, but the abiding minimalism has, in turn, done away with functional sinks. This design flaw leads to water pooling on the vanities and, consequently, wet shirts. Liquid, in any respectable restroom, should only be pooling in toilet bowls. Additionally, the sterile lighting and tall, stalky stalls produce an eeriness counterproductive to carrying out one’s business. For all this, I rank it five flushes out of 10. Despite my critiques, the HFSC still fares better overall than its main study spot competitor, Lauinger Library. The fourthand fifth-floor bathrooms admittedly promote quiet and peaceful experiences, but they have an inexcusably small floor plan. The newly renovated third-floor restroom’s chic lighting and modern furnishings merely accentuate the paltry square footage, while also losing out on the wearied charm the rest of the library has in spades. Worse yet, the inviting study space on the second floor presents the single worst bathroom on campus. Lau 2’s restroom is extremely public, comically small, without cell signal, constantly broken, and overflowing

with water and people. That only leaves Lau 1, indisputably the best bathroom in the library. The first floor’s an undeniably goofy space, full of odd, oblong design choices, and its bathroom follows suit. Setting the quirks aside, Lau 1 deserves commendation for having the only spacious bathrooms in the building and for its peaceful charm. Taking all floors into consideration, Lau receives a three out of 10 on the flush scale. The only building with bathrooms even approaching the awfulness and horror of Lau 2’s bathroom is the Intercultural Center (ICC). As some of the smallest on campus, you’ll have to brace yourself and prepare to

bump into people you know. The restroom doors always stay open, airing out everyone’s business and stinking up the labyrinthine ICC hallways. A truly mixed bag, the ICC earns four flushes. Similar to the ICC, Walsh and WhiteGravenor also feature generally inadequate restrooms, with a few hidden gems. The classic Walsh and White-Gravenor bathroom design ought to be rejected purely on aesthetic grounds. The hideous pastel tiles and cramped turns unfold into a Lynchian nightmare. However, the buildings hold a few saving graces, like the basement bathroom in Walsh or the new fourth-floor gender-neutral restroom in White-Gravenor. Although being up four flights of thick, uneven stairs does not entail a major win for accessibility, I do wish I had known about them before repeatedly running into professors in the second floor bathroom. These awkward encounters in that suffocatingly ’70s-esque box may have been unavoidable for me, but they don’t have to be for you. Walsh and White-Gravenor earn a four out of 10 flush score and a recommendation to stay away. Just as in White-Gravenor, the bathrooms

in the Reiss Science Building only get better as one goes up. The tight, linear first floor is liable for a crowd crush, the creepy second floor could theoretically get the job done, floor three outside the science library is quite cute, the fourth is solid, and the fifth floor swells with options. Do not ask me what this pattern suggests about Reiss’s roof; just know the building pulls a seven on the flush scale. Other underrated bathrooms beyond Reiss include the Leo’s and Epicurean bathrooms. I understand ignoring dining hall bathrooms, but these deserve love for their relative space and sleepiness—six and five flushes’ respectively. Additionally, the bathrooms in the Leavey Center remain underutilized. I especially want to call attention to Leavey’s two standout genderneutral bathrooms: the one at room 425 and the other farther down the hall between the men’s and women’s rooms for their seclusion and comfort, scoring seven flushes out of 10. However, the real underrated standout remains: McShain Lounge. Many will be upset about this spot being doxxed, but the people must know. It truly has all one could ask for in a bathroom: spaciousness, cleanliness, and peace. Yet, McShain remains only the secondbest bathroom on campus with its nine of 10 flushes. The number one spot goes to the Davis Center bathrooms. All of them. Such a powerful location, so ravishingly beautiful, tidy, and tranquil; one has to experience it for themselves, making it a great first or a nostalgic return on a new journey through Georgetown’s bathrooms. A true perfect 10 flushes.! The Key Best Bathroom: Davis Center Worst Bathroom: Lau 2 Gender-Neutral Favorites: Leavey 4, ICC 1, Office of Student Equity and Inclusion Plus-Size Friendly: McShain Lounge, Regents, Lau 1

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

NEWS

Georgetown FY25 tax filings reveal earnings of university’s highest-paid employees BY JUSTIN HIGGINS

DESIGN BY KATIE REDDY

s Georgetown University workers and student organizers push the university for higher wages, Georgetown’s latest federal tax filing offers a public look at the other end of its pay scale. It details hundreds of thousands—and in some cases millions—of dollars in compensation for top administrators and highly paid employees. Georgetown’s fiscal year 2025 (FY25) Form 990—an annual tax filing required of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations such as universities—shows that six individuals earned more than $1 million in 2024 compensation. The average nine-month equivalent base salary for full-time, non-medical professors included in Georgetown’s U.S. federal reporting was $233,170 in the 2024-25 academic year, according to Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data. Georgetown Qatar faculty are excluded from this data. Under Georgetown’s Just Employment Policy, the current minimum total compensation for full-time contract workers is $20.82 per hour. The 990 form is not just a list of Georgetown’s 15 highest-paid employees. Instead, the IRS requires compensation reporting for university officers, directors and trustees, certain “key employees,” and also the five highest-compensated employees not already included in those categories (who earn more than $100,000 in reportable compensation.) Compensation for certain former officials must also be disclosed. The following 15 individuals are listed in descending order based on their reportable compensation in 2024. Reportable compensation consists of base pay, bonus and incentive compensation, and other reportable compensation 8

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

reported on an employee’s W-2 or 1099. “Other reportable compensation” encompasses taxable payments beyond an employee’s base pay and bonuses, including severance, and certain deferred and prior compensation that became taxable or reportable in 2024. Other payments received, such as retirement contributions, some other forms of deferred compensation, and nontaxable benefits, are disclosed separately and not factored into the following ranking. 1. Ed Cooley - $5,105,290 Cooley received $4,951,910 in base compensation and another $153,380 in other reportable compensation, totaling $5,105,290 during his first full calendar year as coach. For comparison, former men’s basketball coach Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85) received roughly $2.3 million in reportable compensation in FY18 for his first year as coach—a figure that grew to just over $4 million in FY23. After Georgetown fired Ewing that year, he received over $12.57 million in the following fiscal year, including nearly $11.4 million from the liquidation of his contract. 2. Michael K. Barry - $1,709,493 Barry, whose 2024 earnings include $661,939 in base compensation and $1,047,554 in bonuses and incentives, served as Georgetown’s chief investment officer (CIO) from 2011 through early 2025. In this role, he was in charge of managing the university’s investment portfolios, such as endowment assets, trusts, and operating funds. During Barry’s tenure, the university’s endowment saw a roughly 260% increase in funds. In FY24, Barry’s last full year as CIO, Georgetown’s Investment Office reported that the university’s endowment was

valued at $3.6 billion compared to roughly $1 billion in 2011. 3. John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRAD ’95) - $1,686,078 DeGioia, who served as university president and board member until Nov. 21, 2024 before stepping down due to health concerns, received $1,686,078 in reportable compensation in 2024. That included $1,004,161 in base pay, $400,000 in bonuses and incentives, and $281,917 in other reportable compensation, including $200,000 net of taxes that was deposited into a retirement account. Georgetown reported $234,312 in nontaxable benefits for DeGioia, such as university-provided housing, which does not factor into reportable compensation. 4. Christopher Gill - $1,290,516 Gill, a managing director in Georgetown’s Investment Office, oversees endowment allocations to public equity, real estate, infrastructure, credit and fixed income, as well as Georgetown’s direct investment program. The Investment Office does not publicly detail the structure of its “direct investment program,” a term generally used to describe investments made directly in companies or other assets rather than through an outside fund. His 2024 base compensation was $415,516, while bonus and incentive pay was $875,000. Together, Gill and Barry received more than $1.9 million in bonuses and incentives. The university’s 990 form notes that their bonuses were based on quantitative components, like endowment performance, in addition to qualitative components. The bonuses were not calculated as a percentage of revenue. 5. Robert M. Groves - $1,186,997 Groves served as Georgetown’s provost until Nov. 26, 2024, before becoming interim president for the

remainder of the year. His reportable compensation of $1,186,997 reflects what he earned as provost until November, as well as earnings made in the next month after being named interim president. 6. David B. Green - $1,071,417 Green, the university’s senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO), is responsible for administrative issues across all campuses, specifically for financial and operational departments. While outside of the scope of the reported compensation for the 2024 calendar year, Green was a central figure in conflict over university policies concerning Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) bus drivers in 2025. After Green’s office missed a deadline to respond to a letter from students and drivers, protestors staged a sit-in in the president’s office in December, and Green subsequently informed drivers that they would be permitted to remain Georgetown employees. 7. Dr. John L. Marshall - $860,608 Marshall is the associate director of clinical services at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center’s cancer research and treatment center. His reported base compensation for FY25— $769,778—represents a roughly 149% increase from the previous year, despite his total reportable compensation falling by approximately 6% over the same period. 8. William C. Wilcox - $842,679 Wilcox, a professor at Georgetown’s Qatar campus, received $842,679 in reportable compensation, and is the only professor reported in the form. The total compensation figure should not just be interpreted as salary, as it includes $406,901 in base earnings and $435,778 in other reportable compensation. Wilcox, who previously served as interim dean from 2021-22, was appointed acting dean of the Qatar campus on June 1, 2026—far after this reported fiscal year. Wilcox’s base earnings mark a 75% increase from the 2024-25 reported average annual faculty salary of $233,170, though this data does not reflect earnings of Georgetown Qatar faculty. 9. William M. Treanor - $827,272 Treanor, the former dean of Georgetown University Law Center (GULC), received $827,272, solely in base pay, in 2024. Treanor served as dean and executive vice president of GULC from 2010 to 2025, making him one of the longest-serving deans in the school’s history. While outside of the scope of the reported compensation for the 2024 calendar year, Treanor garnered national attention in Feb. 2025 for his response to Interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin’s demand that the dean end all diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts

at GULC. The then-dean argued that Martin’s letter violated the academic freedom of Georgetown professors and unfairly retaliated against Georgetown students for freedoms that fall under the First Amendment. 10. Dr. Norman J. Beauchamp $650,962 Beauchamp, who previously served as Michigan State University’s executive vice president (EVP) for health sciences, received $650,962 after becoming EVP for health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine on July 1, 2024, after Dr. Edward B. Healton (see number 12, below) stepped down from the position and became clinical professor emeritus. In the previous year, Healton’s reportable compensation totaled $1,055,637 for a full year in the same role, versus a half year for Beauchamp. 11. Adam R. Adler - $650,817 Vice President and General Counsel Adler received a base compensation of $620,817. Adler's role consists of providing legal counsel to the president, the board of directors, and senior academic and administrative leadership of the university. His 2024 reportable compensation, strictly base pay, grew by roughly 32% since the prior year. In April 2023, Adler was appointed vice president and general counsel after serving as interim vice president and general counsel, meaning 2024 was his first full year in the role. 12. Dr. Edward B. Healton - $536,162 Healton received $536,162 during his final six months as EVP for health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine. The 990 filing for both Healton and his successor individually denotes half-year earnings in the position, and therefore neither figure represents a full year of compensation. 13. Marie A. Mattson - $525,915 Mattson, who has served as secretary of the university since December 2017, received $525,915 in reportable compensation. She was one of only two women among the 15 individuals detailed in the filing. Mattson’s primary responsibility is “supporting the governance of the University and facilitating the work of the University’s Board of Directors,” serving as a liaison between the board and university administration. 14. Narahari Sastry (MPP ’00) $384,014 Sastry, the university’s chief financial officer (CFO), received $384,014. FY24 compensation reports, which reflect calendar year 2023 earnings, and prior university communications indicate that Sastry began as CFO on April 1, 2024. As a result, the FY25 Form 990 reflects less than a full year in the role. 15. Soyica Diggs Colbert - $383,778 Diggs Colbert received $383,778 in reportable compensation, though

she did not become the university’s interim provost until Nov. 26, 2024, as Groves became Georgetown’s interim president. Therefore, her reported 2024 compensation does not represent a full year of pay in the provost role. She spent roughly 90% of the year as vice president for interdisciplinary initiatives in the Office of the Provost and the remainder as interim provost. For reference, Groves received $1,012,882 in reportable compensation as provost in calendar year 2023, offering a point of comparison for the position’s compensation in a full year. Other benefits disclosed in Georgetown’s 990 In its 990 form, Georgetown disclosed that four officers received first-class business travel, one officer and one highly compensated employee received charter travel, and two officers, one key employee, and one highly compensated employee received companion travel for a spouse, family member, or guest. Since these travel costs were categorized as business-related, they were not reported as taxable compensation. Additionally, one officer and one highly compensated employee received tax indemnification and/or grossup payments, which are intended to reimburse or offset certain taxes arising from compensation or benefits. Those payments were included in taxable compensation. One officer also used a social club membership exclusively for business purposes, whose value was reported as taxable compensation. The filing does not identify which of the employees listed above received any of the aforementioned benefits. #

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

LEISURE

On PRIMA, Adéla puts herself first BY JACOB GARDNER DESIGN BY MARIAM OKUNOLA

he pop star industrial complex has produced many things. Myriad varieties of auto-tune; meat dresses; Mickey Mouse Clubhouse alumni; and, every so often, actual stars. Adéla Jergová might be the latest one. Many recognize Adéla as a contestant from The Debut: Dream Academy (2023), the notoriously contrived competition series that produced girl group KATSEYE. She spent much of her childhood training as a ballet dancer, eventually making her way to Los Angeles with ambitions of making music. Unfortunately, none of that mattered much once the public was given the chance to vote a contestant off the show. She was the first to go. Since then, she has moved quickly: two self-released singles, an abrasive EP, an opening slot on Demi Lovato’s tour, and an industrial quantity of pink hair dye. Now comes PRIMA (2026), her fulllength debut album, and a record about the business of becoming the thing she was once told she could never be. Naked ambition makes PRIMA significantly more captivating than the average debut. Adéla is not particularly interested in maintaining the illusion that pop stardom arises spontaneously. The album navigates money, image, sex, and ancestry; even when she is being sincere, she acknowledges the performance involved. She wants fame but is also fascinated by how strange it is to want it. That interrogation begins with opener “KGB.” Its title and provocative imagery initially suggest the usual internet-age bid for controversy, but the song cares less about shock than it does autobiography.

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

She recounts leaving Slovakia, “working the night shift to learn English,” and pursuing the American pop fantasy she absorbed as a child. The following track, “Nicole Kidman,” is similarly interested in celebrity as a form of fantasy and self-possession. Adéla said the title came to her after she was getting dressed for a Golden Globes party when she caught herself in the mirror and thought—as she sings in the track—“I feel like Nicole [Kidman].” Through the track’s clipped samples and slick hip-hop production, Adéla invokes Kidman to enumerate the pleasures of being attractive and famous with unabashed enthusiasm, and declares herself “in control.” But beneath the playfulness, PRIMA dances around the less glamorous forms of desire—much of the album oscillates between sexual indulgence and introspection. “Starving Artist” features Adéla reuniting with an ex, slipping back into the same dingy apartment where “nothing has changed.” One track later, on “Marijuana,” she gets high, resorts to car sex, and, amid the haze, wonders whether the other person might actually mean something to her; in other words, “I think I like you like you like marijuana.” The songs are vulgar and deliberately silly, but that silliness affords Adéla room to be more candid about her loneliness and uncertainty. Unfortunately, not every song is as distinctive as the persona surrounding it. “Hitachi,” a piano-led breakup song built around a vibrator joke, has the contours of a perfectly competent ballad without much to separate it from the rest of the record. “Fantasize” is similarly pleasant but comparatively anonymous. These songs remind us what PRIMA is outside of an autobiography: a debut, made by an artist still discovering which parts of her persona will survive novelty. Part of the frustration with PRIMA is that it lacks the anger and bite of her previous EP, The Provocateur (2025), and some listeners have consequently cast PRIMA as a retreat into a more conventional 2000s pop sound. While this interpretation isn’t entirely misguided, it assumes that Adéla’s experimentalism is a quality she opted to preserve. The album is clearly referential, but for a record concerned with self-discovery, borrowing from the music that shaped her in youth is unequivocally within scope.

Her willingness to inhabit familiar forms becomes most revealing when the distance between Adéla the pop star and Adéla the person collapses. Despite its slight bashing on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Therapy” gets at PRIMA’s crux, with Adéla shedding much of the album’s polish for a stream-of-consciousness account of her life as she addresses those managing her career: “They are old white men, and they’re so annoying, but they hold the keys to my future, so I have to do it anyway.” It is an unusually direct method of addressing the compromises of pop stardom. She resents the unflagging greed of the music industry, but she clearly wants what it can give her. This contradiction is one with a long lineage in pop music— Adéla’s version feels less grandiose. She is acutely aware that the process of becoming famous is now something audiences can witness in online, in real time and she has decided to foreground that visibility. The final track and album highlight, “Ain’t in LA,” offers the listener a sentimental resolution. The song rejects the mythology of Los Angeles as a prerequisite for success, imagining instead that the dream might be portable. The song has also become her breakthrough, reaching the Billboard Hot 100 and making her the first Slovak artist to appear on the chart. The success of “Ain’t in LA” complicates its sentiment. Adéla spent years trying to get to Los Angeles, and now the song that has taken her furthest is about not needing to be there. This tension is what gives PRIMA its charm. Adéla wants to be a star, yet remains bemused by the absurdity of everything required to become one. At its best, the album doesn’t resolve that contradiction; it performs it, moving between bravado and insecurity, fantasy and confession. Adéla’s debut ultimately asserts her as no longer a contestant, but a competitor in her own right. The album is a candid account of what happens after the audition, when the fantasy of stardom gives way to the reality of its becoming. She has the role now. The harder part, PRIMA suggests, is deciding what the role is worth."

SPORTS

Athletes Invest is investing in athletes’ futures BY ANNA CORDOVA

DESIGN BY SHABAD SINGH

Georgetown soccer player, two football players, and a sailor walked into a bar. They all have the same walk: with demanding schedules and little time to spend on their advancing careers, these student athletes have to choose between their dedication to their sport and their post-athletic lives. Recognizing their challenges, Henley Tippins (MSB ’26), Conor O’Neil (MSB ’26), Max McCormick (MSB ’26), and Vaughn Slatoff (MSB ’26) set out to find a solution. The four created Athletes Invest, a Georgetown financial investment club designed specifically for student athletes wanting to integrate their commitments. The club’s mission is to take athletes’ existing discipline and teamwork-oriented character and equip them with the knowledge and investment skills necessary to succeed in the financial world. “The idea was to start a finance club catered towards student athletes’ needs, goals, while leaning into what they’re great at,” Athletes Invest CEO and Georgetown football player Gardner Heitzmann (MSB ’27) said. In the three years since its creation in Fall 2023, Athletes Invest now has over 60 active members and represents 16 Georgetown varsity teams. Off the Hilltop, the club has developed its connections through a board of advisors and an investment committee featuring Georgetown alumni at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Approximately 2% of NCAA Division I athletes land professional careers in their sport, meaning that a large majority of athletes enter the traditional job market following graduation. A popular option is finance, where former college athletes constitute over 20% of the industry. However, with less time to dedicate to job searching and connection development, student athletes are often underprepared, Heitzmann said. Finance recruiting can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months and require intensive networking to get your foot in the door. For Athletes Invest head of operations and women’s tennis player Katie Garofolo-Ro (MSB ’27), the club gave her the opportunity to learn about different sectors of the industry and prepare for the recruiting process. “When I was applying to the club, I knew I wanted to do finance, but I didn’t

know what jobs were out there,” GarofoloRo said. “Athletes Invest does a great job of presenting other avenues like sales and trading, which is what I entered into.” What makes Athletes Invest unique is that it is entirely structured around the schedules of student athletes. With long practices, intensive workouts, and frequent travel, athletes are typically unavailable for regular club meeting schedules with attendance policies. “We might meet at absurd hours of the night on any random given day with not a lot of notice,” Heitzmann said. “Everyone prioritizes their sport more than anything else, so being empathetic toward certain things like, ‘Oh, practice ran late,’ or, ‘I can’t make this meeting,’ is super important.” To get involved, Athletes Invest offers two education tracks: a General Education Program open to all studentathletes, which features introductory finance sessions and recruiting guidance each week, and an Internal Education Program designed to introduce more advanced financial techniques. For the selective Internal Education Program, students can apply until Sept. 13 to be a part of the analyst class, where members participate in a semester-long program run by the head of education, squash player Ella Schoonmaker (CAS ’27). For analysts, the Internal Program path provides a range of topics including financial modeling, how to use AI in finance, and how to present yourself to recruiters. After an analyst has completed their education, they begin working on the core of Athletes Invest: the investment fund, where student athletes are given an opportunity to develop pitching skills, analyze real investments, and interact directly with investors. The fund is made up of four coverage groups, including healthcare, consumer, technology, and real assets. Each group gives two stock pitches a year, which, if approved by Georgetown alumni, are bought by the investment fund. “It is an investment fund which is catered towards making sure people have hands-on experience actually doing the work that they’ll be doing at an internship,” Heitzmann said. Once a member joins a coverage group, they can move around to find the topic that suits them best.

Since its founding, Athletes Invest has doubled its network of alumni, featuring over 1,000 former student athletes. Through the outreach team, run by squash player Valentina Cuccolo (SFS ’27), Athletes Invest sends dozens of weekly cold emails, calls to alumni, and connects Athletes Invest’s mission to the wider Georgetown alumni network. The alumni play a critical role in Athletes Invest through firm visits, speaker events, and an annual New York City Summit. The first summit featured just over 80 alumni and 40 students. “This year […] we had 200 alumni come and 60 current student athletes come,” Heitzmann said. For the student athletes, the opportunity represents a chance to see the finance world in action and network with industry leaders. Athletes Invest also offers an internal mentorship program in which analysts are given a more personal opportunity by pairing one-on-one with an alumni mentor. “Everyone handles that relationship sort of differently,” James Martino (MSB ’28), a Georgetown sailor and Athletes Invest analyst, said. “You can talk to them on a more personal level and ask the dumb questions.” Student athlete alumni are especially willing to take on a mentor role. “They understand the grit and determination it takes to balance,” Garofolo-Ro said. Beyond the relationships with alumni, the athletes noted the significance of the relationships built within the club. Between new friendships and older student mentors, many find themselves more comfortable and well-supported than they do in other areas on campus. “There’s a reason why I’m more involved in this club than I am in other clubs. It’s the culture of the people,” Garofolo-Ro said. “I don’t ever feel scared to ask a question […] I feel like I deserve to be there.” ! SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

FEATURES

Onyx Standard Sets the Standard for Black Excellence BY BRIDGETTE JEONARINE

DESIGN BY LUCY MONTALTI

t 5 a.m. on the first Friday of her senior year, Sophia Fife (CAS ’27) was headed to New York to fulfill her agency contract as a part-time model. On her trip back, she was editing articles and meeting with writers to brainstorm ideas for Onyx Standard, the digital magazine Fife founded this summer. From think pieces about Love Island (2019-present) to musings about being a Black woman at an elite institution, Onyx Standard has gained significant online traction and created a digital forum shaping dialogue on campus and beyond. The magazine’s mission is to document the “social aesthetic, and intellectual lives Black women have always cultivated.” The name “Onyx Standard” is itself an ode to Black women, combining imagery of the black gemstone with Fife’s belief that Black luxury culture has long helped set the standard of fashion and beauty industries. “There is a lot [of conversation] about the kind of old money Black luxury experiences that shapes the white luxury experience,” Fife said. “I feel like everyone should be credited with what they’re bringing.” Georgetown is a predominantly white institution, with Black students encompassing approximately 4.77% of students. The class of 2029 saw an over 1% decrease in the enrollment of Black students compared to both the classes of 2028 and 2027. Against this backdrop, Onyx Standard’s roots are grounded in Fife’s own experience navigating Georgetown as a Black woman and model, a path that is uncommon for Georgetown students who typically follow more traditional career trajectories. Fitting into Georgetown During her senior year of high school, a friend told Fife that Georgetown did not “seem like her vibe.” “When I thought more about it, it was very clear that I felt like the reason [Georgetown] didn’t seem like my vibe is because people didn’t view Black and luxury as compatible,” Fife said. Fife often dresses in a maximalist style, layering items and challenging herself to make sure she is never in a repeated outfit by often making something new out of what she has. Fife said her distinct fashion has often made her stand out from other Hoyas on campus, many of whom prefer to wear business casual attire. This same visibility, however, has also made her 12

THE GEORGETOWN VOICE

appearance prone to judgement, even being called “ditzy.” “When I started to ask people why they were saying that, they were just like, ’Oh, you’re very bubbly, wear pink a lot, and you’re pretty,’” Fife said. “I’m allowed to be pretty and smart. It feels like there was a huge tension where people couldn’t accept that multiple positive qualities could coexist.” Given that she has solidified herself as a campus fashionista, Fife said she has encountered similar assumptions that being into fashion means she cannot also be smart when discussing topics surrounding her race and the perception of Black women in society. “There’s countless conversations I had with people where I sat down with them and started talking about some of the things I talked about in Onyx Standard, and they’d be like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that you were so smart,’” Fife said. “I mean, why would I not be? We go to the same school.” For Fife, these experiences created a sense that she had to negotiate between different perceptions of her identity, as if she had to choose between beauty, intellect, and existing in elite spaces. These stereotypes fueled Fife’s desire to curate a space where Black women and those of other marginalized backgrounds could engage in dialogue surrounding their intersectional identities. “I think that’s part of the reason I started Onyx Standard, is because I felt like a lot of people who I wanted to have intellectual conversations with wouldn’t have those conversations with me because they assumed that I wouldn’t be a part of them,” Fife said. “It feels sometimes like the intellectual part [of me] needs to get presented first and other parts of it can be digested after.” As a Black woman and someone with bold style, Fife has sometimes felt like she is always justifying her actions, appearance, and belonging in affluent spaces. “I always had to prove that I was smart,” Fife said. “It’s obviously a privilege to be here, but I feel like we have 7,000 other people on this campus who aren’t consistently questioned about their place here.” Onyx Standard was born not just from Fife’s desire to bring visibility to those experiences, but from her desire to platform people who have not had a chance to tell their own stories. “The overarching goal is really to normalize Black achievement,” Fife

said. “I try to take a specific experience I have, or a specific experience someone else has, and to really blow it up into something that anybody can relate to, whether or not they feel marginalized, because I think that also highlights that our experiences don’t have to be talked about as a separate, foreign thing.” During the planning stages of the magazine, Fife expressed the importance of the magazine’s content exploring the lack of credit Black culture receives as a cultural trend-starter. Fife tackled this idea through one of the magazine’s first published pieces, titled “The Gentrification of Fashion,” which explored how trends associated with Black culture go unnoticed until they are adopted and popularized through non-Black creators. To align with the mission, Fife said she posts content that spotlights Black women who are criticized more than their counterparts for similar behavior, but who often draw commentary due to their race. design credit

Carter found that students would cultivate their own styles and openly embrace glamour, noticeably unlike the Hilltop. “Coming to Georgetown is definitely a shock because the norm at Howard is to be like a ‘Black American Princess,’” Carter said. “And coming here, that was not the norm at all.” For Carter, working on Onyx Standard has offered a space to feel more understood, uplifted, and empowered. Fife also credits Johnson with helping the editing department and publishing lighter content to balance out the magazine’s heavier pieces. “It’s incredibly helpful for the identity of the magazine,” Fife said. “Because, as a platform that exists on Instagram, people don’t necessarily want to digest heavy content. It’s important to break it up sometimes.” In the coming weeks, Fife has plans to launch a new forum, managed by Johnson, within the magazine that will invite writers to share their experiences and opinions.

Helping hands As the magazine began to grow, balancing writing articles and creating posts for Onyx Standard on her own left Fife feeling overwhelmed. To expand the publication, Fife brought on Rian Carter (CAS ’27) and Naima Johnson (CAS ’28). Carter, the magazine’s editorial and marketing associate, originally managed Onyx Standard’s Instagram account and sent Fife a weekly roundup of pop culture news surrounding the Black community to help brainstorm article ideas. Eventually, these lists developed into Carter’s own weekly Substack column, “The Standard Brief,” which covers recent events and news surrounding the Black community, often alongside her own commentary. Coming into Georgetown during her junior year as a transfer student from Howard University, a historically Black university, meant that Carter had to adjust to a different campus culture. At Howard,

How modeling shaped Fife One of the main motivators for starting this magazine was Fife’s own experiences navigating the fashion industry as a Black woman—a field she hopes to enter upon graduation. While Georgetown doesn’t offer a fashion major, Fife has built a blossoming modeling career both within and outside campus throughout her college career, which has served as a framework for Onyx Standard. Fife first started modeling in high school to help her friends build their personal photography portfolios. At Georgetown, Fife joined Added to the File (ATTF), the university’s student-run fashion and photography magazine. By modeling for a variety of shoots, Fife said she began to learn integral skills that she would later bring into the professional world. Fife credits ATTF with allowing her to explore how she wanted to be perceived through digital display and for providing a creative outlet in a predominantly preprofessional institution. In spring 2026, Fife signed a contract with a modeling agency based in New York. With professional experience in the modeling world, Fife noticed the distinct experiences Black models have. For example, modeling campaigns tend to have different styling methods for models of lighter or darker shades of skin, often intensified by colorism and a lack of diversity in these spaces. “I noticed that a lot of very darkskinned Black models get shot almost as a background for the clothes rather than as a person,” Fife said.

Fife said she has sometimes felt that she was included in shoots to fulfill a diversity quota as a Black model. To avoid this, Fife said she has started only agreeing to campaigns of brands that always feature models of various backgrounds and are, in her view, committed to dismantling, rather than reinforcing, harmful beauty standards. As a budding model, Fife has started being invited to industry events, such as the Fashionology conference in New York, where she gets the opportunity to learn about the behind-the-scenes work and meet influential figures. These unique opportunities prompted Fife to launch the article series “Notes from Inside the Room,” in which Fife gives readers insight into what she has learned through opportunities as a model. “I do recognize it is a huge privilege that I’m able to go to a school like Georgetown, and [that] I’m able to go to certain events or have this modeling career on the side,” Fife said. “I want to be able to have as many people reap the benefits of that privilege as possible by reporting on it.” For Fife, she hopes her magazine helps Black women realize fashion is a tangible career path, even if discrimination persists in the industry. “I don’t want any Black woman or any person, for that matter, feeling they can’t do what they want to do because they will be looked at a certain way,” Fife said. Looking ahead As Onyx Standard’s audience grows, Fife hopes that readers, particularly Black women, can find a sense of comfort and solidarity in the magazine. “I hope readers take away that they should start whatever they want to start, do whatever they want to do, and that they’re also not alone in the struggles they’re having, because so many Black women who talk to me about the concepts I’m writing about before felt super alone in their struggle before I was able to put it on paper,” Fife said. Reader engagement on social media has encouraged Fife, who said she is heartened at how many readers share similar experiences to the ones voiced in the magazine. By building a community through Onyx Standard, Fife hopes to redefine Black students as an essential element within the university rather than an exception to the typical Georgetown population. “At what point of having however many Black women we have here do we stop viewing it as an exception and start just accepting people?” Fife said. “I mean, we have an actual community here. We actually belong here. We’re not just a separate segment of the larger Georgetown community.” * SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

LEISURE

What Do Celebrities Owe Us? BY ALEX LALLI

n middle school, I was a chronic celebrity crusher. Every month, my lock screen would cycle through a new heartthrob, and I would pretend that Timothée Chalamet was my boyfriend. To be vulnerable, I went through a uniquely intense crush phase with Rami Malek during his Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) era, and on Oscars night, I was so nervous about him here not winning that my mom had to stage an intervention. The point of me revealing this obsessive period of my life is not to embarrass myself—although I think we’re past that— but to show that celebrities occupied a major part of my mental and emotional adolescent headspace. I also believe that connection amounts to something significant, which begs the question of reciprocity. Recently, Ariana Grande has been putting out for her fans: a new album, an international tour, and cheeky lyric changes to allow fans a glimpse into her love life. But, spend a few minutes online, and it seems that people want just one thing from her: an explanation for her body. Specifically, her apparent thinness. At this point in the discourse, I see little value in directly analyzing Ariana’s body or sharing what I think she should or shouldn’t do. But considering the conversation’s persistence— ongoing for months, arguably since the Wicked (2024) press tour—her lack of response has struck a great nerve with the internet council. However sensitive it may be, the body image element of this controversy is unavoidable. The demand for celebrity access, especially for women, often devolves into public harassment of their bodies. Female celebrities’ bodies have long been a point of lurid fascination, reaching a particularly scathing point in the 2000s, when magazines like Star and Us Weekly ran cover stories that blatantly assessed weight gain and loss. Britney Spears is the classic example, as she was not just shamed for her weight but also for her appearance when going through a personal crisis. One’s body is private and sacred—and not owed to anyone. In Ariana’s case, lots of online commentators don’t seem to be taking the same mean-spirited approach to scrutinizing her body. Instead, they voice a purported 14

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GRAPHICS BY RIYA SUNDARAM; LAYOUT BY SHABAD SINGH concern and, more so, a demand for Ariana to acknowledge these concerns and signal to her young fans that they should not try to emulate her appearance. According to the BBC, the top comment on her “petal” music video read, “It’s not about wanting the old Ariana back. It's about wanting her to be healthy.” Writer Sarah Ditem from The Times wrote a more blatant story titled, “Ariana Grande’s image is a danger to girls,” reflecting the concerns for the pop star’s fanbase amid this discourse. “The singer’s denial that her extreme thinness indicates any kind of problem sets a worrying example to those who idolise her,” Ditem claimed.

Frankly, I hesitate to buy that the scrutiny, or the real anxiety behind their demand, would be fully quelled by a statement from Glinda herself. We’re well aware that skinniness, at many extremes (recall the 1990s historical beauty trend heroin chic), is an ideal that has tormented young women for decades. We don’t need Ariana or any celebrity to inform us of that directly. Rather, I think fans desire a sounding board, a dueling ground, a space to project and grapple with our own societal woes. If celebrities are public icons, it seems only

natural for them to serve as easily accessible examples of what’s circulating in culture. So, in an era of GLP-1s and self-deprecating words like “big back” coming back into fashion, it seems that Ariana has been caught up in a greater moment of body panic. Celebrities should understand the amount of emotional investment and space they occupy for fans, and that acknowledgement in itself is significant. This can play out on a larger scale, when celebrities make political investments in causes their fans care about. Olivia Rodrigo is putting her money where her verses are, supporting girls not only through her music but also through direct investments like her groundbreaking chantable, all women festival debut. But it can also be as small as taking the time of day to take a picture with a fan, a nod to the potentially immense impact that they have had on their life. Ariana is in a tricky spot because her body has never, until now, been what fans connect with or gravitate toward. Rather, because she is a woman in the public space, it is automatically assumed to be something that fans are paying attention to, which frankly isn’t fair. I don’t know what Ariana’s music means for everyone, but I’d venture to say that it doesn’t immediately conjure up body image—although the intensity of this discourse is developing that unfortunate association. Her Eternal Sunshine Tour makes apparent the joy, love, and nostalgia she wants to give her fans, even if she herself is not in the place to perform in a healthy manner. Ariana, rather than neglecting her fans, perhaps cares too much, sacrificing her own wellbeing to be a version of herself that means so much to people. The mental and physical well-being of women celebrities should not be carelessly handled; what happened to Britney made that clear. They can make us happy, facilitate expression, and bring us community—but they will never be able to work through or solve our greater cultural sore spots for us. Instead, they’re often rendered rhinestoned punching bags, smiling through the abuse as we hold them individually responsible for broader societal problems we don’t have the infrastructure to fix wholesale. If anyone owes anything, it’s the public that owes grace to a celebrity who has meant so much to her fans, but at this moment, only needs to care about herself. !

SPORTS

Your D.C. sports starting lineup BY LILA GIZZIE AND MEGAN GEIGER

GRAPHICS BY VIVIAN WEN; LAYOUT BY AMELIE GIOMI

oya sports bring the heat when it comes to elite play and electrifying fan environments, but Washington D.C. has an even more extensive sports scene that students must Capital-ize on. From professional, mainstream classics to niche semi-professional leagues, there’s an option for everyone to watch. Here’s our guide to everything you need to know about D.C. sports. Washington Spirit At the top of the watchlist, the Washington Spirit are currently ranked second in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and possess one of the most dedicated fan bases for professional women’s soccer in the nation. Attending a Spirit game is a must during the first two months of the fall semester. Ticket prices, including seats with good field visibility or behind team benches, rarely exceed $100. The Spirit also offer student rush tickets, costing only $20 for two games. Catch the Spirit’s next home match on Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. at Audi Field against Boston Legacy FC.

D.C. United Also housed at Audi Field is D.C.’s men’s soccer team, D.C. United, who are rounding out their Major League Soccer (MLS) season this fall. They currently rank ninth in the MLS Eastern Conference and have five home games remaining in the 2026 season. Opponents on the menu with high rankings include Charlotte FC, FC Cincinnati, and New York City FC. On Sept. 12, D.C. United are set to take on Atlanta United FC at home at 7:30 p.m. There are many tickets still available for these home matches around $30 or less. Students can gain access to ticket deals by joining D.C. United’s Student Rush Program. Washington Capitals If soccer isn’t your jam but men’s hockey is, the Washington Capitals are your perfect bet. Based out of Capital One Arena—the home of the Hoya men’s basketball team— the environment is nothing short of electric. Two seasons ago, the Capitals took the Eastern Conference Metropolitan Division title and reached the second round of the playoffs. Captain Alex Ovechkin is entering his 22nd season with the Washington Capitals;

this could be your final chance to watch the National Hockey League’s all-time leading goal scorer in action. While they provide no student-specific discounts, individuals who purchase tickets using a Capital One card receive a 10% discounted price. The Capitals play their home opener at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington Wizards Once you’ve made it down to Capital One Arena once, you’ll have an easy trip back to see the Washington Wizards. Beyond teasing a cherry blossom uniform drop, the Wizards reenergized their roster by selecting star forward AJ Dybantsa from BYU with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. With veteran Trae Young locked down in a four-year contract and a bright young core, the Wizards are primed to bounce back. This redemption arc begins with their season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena on Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m. Washington Mystics D.C.’s WNBA team, the Washington Mystics, are in the midst of a thrilling season: they currently boast a 22-16 record and have clinched a playoff spot. The squad looks to be a very dangerous postseason underdog, led by guard Sonia Citron, who dominates the floor with her smooth touches, high-IQ court awareness, and clutch finishes in only her second WNBA season. This young team is certainly on the rise and is a must-see for all basketball enthusiasts. Tickets to the final two regular season home games (Sept. 22 and Sept. 24) at Carefirst Arena start at $85. Washington Nationals The District’s Major League Baseball team, the Washington Nationals, can also be caught in the final stretch of their season now through Sept. 27th at Nationals Park. The Nationals started off this season red-hot and looked like a serious playoff contender through the All-Star break. Injuries and the decision to sell away players at the trade deadline left the team without its starpower, but ace Cade Cavalli and all-star shortstop CJ Abrams (as well as $5 concessions on remaining MondayWednesday games) ensure that an evening at the ballpark will be well worth your while.

Students can enjoy up to 30% discounted tickets by verifying their Georgetown email through XNow. Washington Commanders Lastly, the Washington Commanders are D.C.’s NFL team. In the past decade, they managed to reach the playoffs as a Wild Card pick in 2024 but have otherwise landed in the bottom half of the NFC East. However, fans remain hopeful that quarterback Jayden Daniels will return from last season’s injuries and lead the team to a return to the postseason. The Commanders play their home games at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. For those who just want a taste of the fan spirit without buying an expensive ticket, Commanders fans host watch parties across the DMV at pubs, bars, and restaurants through the Rally Bar Network. The Commanders open their season away on Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. against the Philadelphia Eagles. Beyond the mainstreams As the nation’s capital, D.C. offers a range of other professional leagues beyond those mainstream sports. The Washington Freedom is one of six teams in U.S. Major League Cricket. Old Glory D.C. competes in Major League Rugby and hosts home games at the George Mason University Stadium in Fairfax, Virginia. Furthermore, the city hosts a wide range of ultimate frisbee teams, including

D.C. Breeze, the professional men’s team, and D.C. Shadow, the professional women’s team. With student ticket discounts and bountiful teams to watch, there is no better way to engage with D.C. than through its sports scene.!

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026