Donald Trump Wins Presidency.
(see page 2)
Leaders are made in Model UN! Canisius hosts high school conference!
(see page 6)
Taking Action for Tessa
The service dog of a Canisius student was hit by an unidentified reckless driver on Halloween. Although Tessa is okay and healing, her owner isn’t okay with authorities’ lack of investigation.
By AVA C. GREEN
This past Thursday, on Halloween night, Anita Molnar and her two friends were crossing Main Street, headed toward Eastwood Place with Anita’s service dog, Tessa – the corgi you’ve probably seen strutting around campus in sweaters, hats and tutus. At approximately 10:50 p.m. a car sped by the Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library and ran the red light in front of Montante Cultural Center during the group’s right-of-way, hitting Tessa, narrowly avoiding the girls and driving away without hesitation.
On top of the whirlwind of seeing her beloved and necessary companion injured, Anita was sent through a cycle of being told to do one thing, going to do it, and then being told by someone else that she should have done something else. She was shocked at the lack of empathy, clarity and support she felt from law enforcement as she tried to settle the incident.
“I knew we were good – every other car was stopped,” Molnar said. “I always check my surroundings. If I see the countdown start or the light start to change, we speed up and get to the sidewalk as fast as possible, but I didn’t this time because we were all good on time,” she continued. “Well, we were supposed to be good.”
Tessa is an off-leash-trained service dog and is conditioned to stay about a foot in front of Anita when they walk together. Kayla Fawcett, one of Molnar’s friends who was walking with the group when the accident occurred, said she believed that if Tessa was on a leash and any further from the girls than she was, she probably would have been fatally run over by the car’s right tires.
“The leash could have either wrapped around her and suffocated her, or could have wrapped around any part of the car and dragged her along,” said Molnar.
Instead, Tessa got lucky; and due to her size, she went underneath the car, between the two tires, and was struck on the head by the front bumper, leaving the dog with a bloodied eye and a lack of mobility after the shock of the blow.
The girls picked Tessa up from the road and recuperated on the sidewalk in front of Montante, where they called 911. Over the phone, emergency services told Anita to go to campus police for help since the incident occurred on school grounds. Canisius’ campus police then recommended an emergency veterinary office for the girls to take Tessa, to which the girls responded by asking if the officers would be able to bring them. The request was initially denied until Molnar said she repeatedly explained to them that she was too upset to safely drive that night.
“Tessa is a medical device,” said Sergeli Michel, who met up with her friends at Montante right after the accident. “Under really bad stress [Anita’s] heart rate picks up and she can pass out. Her heart rate after was over 180 – almost 200.”
Campus police eventually decided to bring the girls to the animal ER, but explained that they would not be able to transport them back to campus afterward.
“They said they were understaffed – I understand that,” Molnar explained. “But when you’re asking somebody who is clearly not in the right state whether they can drive their dog who’s just been hit to the hospital by themselves, and when I have to tell you – while I bawl my eyes out multiple times – that I cannot drive right now, before you actually say, ‘Okay, let me talk to someone and see if I can take you,’ that’s a problem.”
Molnar and friends were at the animal hospital until 2 a.m. that night, checking on Tessa and filing an incident report.
“She was in an oxygen chamber, very out of it, just still completely in shock. Then, we came back to the dorms. I don’t think I slept the entire night,” said Molnar.
Molnar said she wanted to take legal action to help cover Tessa’s medical expenses, to compensate for the mental distress and inability to utilize the services Tessa provides her, as well as to ensure a situation like theirs doesn’t arise again.
“I don’t care so much about how much I’m getting from them. My biggest thing is that my dog is safe,” said Molnar. “I want this person to come face-to-face with me so I can ask them, ‘What were you thinking?’ and ‘Why didn’t you stop?’”
One friend added, “Let’s say this person continues to be like this –they could end up killing someone. They could have killed any one of us walking across that street. Not holding this person responsible for their actions is probably gonna encourage them further.”
The next morning, she and her friends went to campus police to make sure their report had gone through, but said they would not be able to check until a lieutenant was in the office. So, the girls called the C-District of the Buffalo Police as they waited.
District C also said that since it was an on-campus incident, the report should be filed with campus police. Molnar went back to Canisius police to explain this and was told that she could call the E-District’s non-emergency number. And when she called, she was told to come in and file the report at the E-District office.
The report-filing process at District E was a non-starter though. The girls said they were told they could fill out the form, but that it would not be looked at and there would be no investigation; the report was not filed while they were still on the scene, and therefore, their complaint did not exist in their system.
“[The officer] said, ‘It’s just a dog.’ and ‘No one was killed.’ And I know, legally, a dog is considered property, but they would have more empathy if my car was hit,” said Molnar.
Now, Tessa is on bedrest as she heals; and Molnar is still hitting dead ends as she seeks justice for her companion, but expresses deep gratitude for the masses of students and staff reaching out with well wishes for her and Tessa.
(see page 9)
IN OTHER NEWS…
There will be a Campus Cleanup Day on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. Interested parties can meet the sustainability committee in front of the Chapel.
The Canisius Basketball team will be playing against St. Bonaventure in the Koessler Athletic Center on Nov. 9 at 4:00 p.m.
Campus Ministry is holding a community outreach opportunity for members of the campus community to submit letters for the prison missionary retreat that will be held at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, New York. These letters will be used as messages of support and encouragement for incarcerated individuals.
The Quadrangle E-Board is looking for applications for executive editor, senior art, features and poetry editors, designer-in-residence and publicity coordinator. QR codes for the application can be found on Today@ Canisius.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California has “resurrected efforts in California to thwart the president-elect by asking state lawmakers to pre-empt potential Republican actions that could impact the Democratic-led state,” according to The New York Times.
California is voting on the Proposition 6 bill which would protect incarcerated individuals from slavery and involuntary servitude. The New York Times reported that “This proposition would amend the state Constitution to remove a provision that lets prisons and jails force inmates to work.” However, as of Nov. 7, 54.9 percent of the votes have said no to the bill, but only 53% of the total votes have been taken so far.
Donald Trump named Susie Wiles as his chief of staff on Nov. 7. Wiles is “a longtime Florida-based Republican strategist who ran Trump’s campaigns in the state in 2016 and 2020, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful bid for office in 2018,” according to the Associated Press.
President Sanders of the Undergraduate Student Association sent out a letter via email to all Canisius undergrads regarding the election results and its relation to Canisius values.
President Sanders also welcomed two new freshman senators at last week’s meeting of the Undergraduate Student Association: Eh Maw and Oliva Van Kooten.
Today, Friday, Nov. 8, will be Chef Steven’s last day working at Canisius University, as he has chosen to step down from the dining staff.
Ava C. Green
VIA ANITA MOLNAR
TESSA POSING IN FALL LEAVES JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT
By SYDNEY UMSTEAD NEWS EDITOR
The Griffin has recently reported about the financial and labor issues on campus and one topic that keeps coming up is the endowment. This begs the question: what is a university endowment and how does it work?
An endowment is defined as “funds or assets donated to universities (or other institutions) to provide ongoing financial support,” according to Investopedia. To break this down, an endowment is a donation made to an institution that aims to provide institutional aid.
Canisius’s 990 tax form from 2023, under Part V Schedule D, states the end-of-year balance for the endowment funds was $142,787,397.
This money is then invested back into the university, and depending on the market, it either generates or loses money. For example, in Canisius’ 990 tax form from 2023, the university had an investment income of $662,831, which was 0.7% of the total revenue. Whereas in 2022, there was an investment of income of $265,134, according to the 990 form. However, in Part V of Schedule D, the net investments had a negative number of $2,228,220.
Dr. Gregory Wood, professor of marketing and information systems, stated, “Since the stock market has done extremely well
in 2024, the total value of the endowment has probably gone up since the 2023 990 form was filed.”
The intention, however, is to secure “long-term gains,” according to Wood. This can be obtained through things like stocks or bonds. Typically, as Investopedia reports, “many private colleges and universities have substantial endowments, most public universities have very small endowments or none at all.” For public institutions, the money is granted by state funding.
Despite Canisius’s endowment, the current deficit is estimated to be $4.6 million, according to the 2023 990 form.
There are two types of endowments: restricted and unrestricted. The issue of paying off debt by using an endowment comes into question through those two areas, as some of the money is restricted which means that it was “money we received, but came with restrictions,” Wood told us. This in turn would also “throw off less income from investments,” he said. Essentially, someone “couldn’t buy groceries from an investment fund.” And, if they did, it would not be a sustainable practice.
The 990 form under Part V of Schedule D has three types of endowments which are “board designated or quasi-endowment,” “permanent endowment,” and “term endowment.” Wood asked CoPilot, a Microsoft AI software to explain these terms and found that a perma-
nent endowment is one where “the principal amount is kept intact in perpetuity, and only the income generated from investments is used for the organization’s purposes. The principal is not spent, ensuring long-term financial stability.” A quasi-endowment is “established by the organization’s board rather than by a donor. The board can decide to use both the principal and income at its discretion, providing more flexibility.”
Lastly, the term endowment is one that has “a specific time frame or event after which the principal can be spent. Until that time, the principal remains invested, and only the income is used.”
For the quasi-endowment, the 990 seems to suggest that 10.070% of this endowment can be used at the discretion of higher administration.
Wood noted how someone looking at the 990 may see a high number under faculty compensation and therefore feel that it is where cuts need to be made; however, cuts in programs “central to the mission and brand drives,” as Wood puts it, then decrease enrollment because those programs won’t exist to bring students in. In reference to the 2020 budget cuts, Wood acknowledged why the administration may be making some of these decisions; however, he also discussed how if some of these programs had not been cut, there would be “80 students we’d still have,” Wood said.
For example, net fundraising is “the net revenues from all events, projects, or initiatives, which are intended, in whole or in part, to generate revenues,” according to Law Insider. In 2022, net fundraising brought in a negative amount of $34,999. In 2023, however, net fundraising saw a profit of $30,340.
If anyone has more information about the agency accounts or information they would like to share, please contact The Griffin at thegrffn@my.canisius.edu.
Contact Sydney Umstead umsteads@canisius.edu
ALANA Center and Phi Sigma Alpha host election watch party
By KATIE DUSZA CONTRIBUTOR
Election season, especially for many students who are away from home, can be isolating. A plethora of information that ranges from outrageous to dishonest is pelted at Americans’ heads. Polarizing elections such as the 2024 presidential election make this sense of anxiety even more severe because of its prominence in the media. Election day is filled with numbing anticipation and webs of dramatic or fraudulent news. The painstaking wait for the first polls to close can feel overwhelming. To help with this the ALANA Center and Phi Sigma Alpha hosted a watch party for the election with food, beverages and trivia. This event was meant to offer a safe, judgment free zone for the Canisius community.
The rest of this past week many different departments on campus offered counseling related to the immense change that this past election has brought forth.
Contact Katie Dusza duszak@canisius.edu
Beyond The Dome: Donald Trump wins 2024 election
By SYDNEY UMSTEAD NEWS EDITOR
Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States.
The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday morning on Nov. 6, with the AP Trump being called the winner at 5:37 a.m.
The race was close, with Pennsylvania becoming a huge battleground state in the elec -
tion. In a close race, Trump won the state by 0.43 percent. Trump went on to win Wisconsin which landed him 10 electoral college votes, and ultimately ended the race. As of writing this, the AP has declared 226 electoral votes for Kamala Harris and 295 for Trump, with the states of Arizona and Nevada yet to be called, with Trump ahead.
On Nov. 6, Kamala Harris conceded the election, formally accepting Donald Trump’s
win. In her speech, she stated, “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.” Harris then discussed the importance of a “peaceful transfer of power,” ensuring that the Biden administration will grant that to Trump, who never conceded his loss in the 2020 election. Harris continued to say that the peaceful transfer is a principle which, “as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.” Harris told the crowd, “It is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it’s going to be OK,” encouraging them to continue the fight: “Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win.” Along with Trump’s win, his fellow Republicans won the majority in the Senate. Republicans flipped Democratic Senate Seats in Ohio and Nevada. The New York Times reported that in some places, Republicans in the Senate “could pad their new majority even more given very tight races in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Nevada that remained undecided.” The AP has reported that Republican Dave McCormick has defeated incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, but has also reported that Democrat Elissa Slotkin has won her Senate race in Michigan. The Senate race
in Nevada between incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen and Republican challenger Sam Brown remains uncalled as of writing this, with Rosen ahead by just over 12,000 votes.
The race for the House is yet to be determined. The BBC reports that “Republicans were seven seats short of the 218 seats needed to take control on Thursday morning. Democrats need 15 more.” If Republicans won the House, “The Senate, or upper chamber, and the White House have already flipped to Republicans so President-elect Donald Trump could have total control when he is sworn in on 20 January 2025.”
Trump will now be the oldest president to be elected in America’s history and is the first president since Grover Cleveland to lose re-election but win a later election.
Rolling Stone published an article titled, “America Elects Convicted Felon to be President,” which discusses Trump’s 34 felony convictions, including cases of sexual abuse, in which Trump may no longer see sentencing, according to The Washington Post, and the recent Supreme Court case that granted presidents immunity.
Trump will once again be sworn into the White House on Jan. 20 at his inauguration.
Contact Sydney Umstead umsteads@canisius.edu
Daphne Mead: A true embodiment of team spirit
By HANNAH WILEY ASST. FEATURE EDITOR
Daphne Mead, a freshman on the women’s swim team, came to Canisius and immediately started to dominate collegiate swimming. She became the 11th overall female swimmer in the MAAC conference, the highest rank out of the entire men’s and women’s teams at Canisius. But we want to know, who is Daphne Mead outside of the pool?
Within seconds of sitting down with her, it became abundantly clear that Daphne was not only family-oriented, but incredibly compassionate and always thinking of the people around her. Daphne is from Baltimore, Maryland, and was raised right on the water in a family of swimmers. Her love for the sport started almost as soon as she could walk, as her mom was a diver growing up and her dad was a college swimmer. She has an older brother and two older sisters, who all grew up swimming, with her sisters following in their dad’s footsteps as collegiate athletes as well. Daphne is also a business management major.
Daphne started swimming competitively alongside her siblings at the age of two, coached by her parents. Her favorite event is the 400-yard Individual Medley (IM), and her favorite stroke is backstroke. While these are all things that make up Daphne, it became clear that her love for swimming ran (or swam, if you will) deep. And not just because of the adrenaline or energy she gets from the sport, but because of the passions and values shared by the team.
When I asked her about the team she immediately started talking about the comradery they have outside of the pool. “There’s this one thing we do where we all have to lifeguard this team that comes –we work Bills games too,” Daphne said. “Once a month we all do something fun: go to a pumpkin patch, bowling – both teams do it. It’s good team bonding; you get to know the team.”
Daphne values her friends, and she loves finding ways to relax that aren’t swimming, but things that she can still do with her teammates. In her free time, she’s also a reader and reads a lot during the summer, especially her favorite genre, military history.
MEAD VIA HAVANA AUSTIN
Growing up in a family where they all did the same sport made their connection even stronger. Living in a house full of four dogs, three cats and three siblings, the Mead household is chaotic, but Daphne wouldn’t change that for the world. When she was younger they’d all go to Greenport, Long Island for vacation. “It’s my favorite place, it’s so pretty,” Daphne said. Her family is her support system, the people she turns to when the pressure is too much or she needs a reminder of home. In the roughly three short months Daphne has been in Buffalo, her favorite part of the city has become how it feels so much like a community, especially with the Bills. “Everywhere you see Bills, and you could not know anyone in the area and they’ll say ‘Go Bills.’ You get that with the Ravens, but not as much,” she said. Yet, through all the things I learned about Daphne, one thing that stuck out was how incredibly selfless she is. When asked what her personal goals were for the
season, her response was that her goals are not for herself, they are for the team. “Swimming is an individual sport, but in college, you’re here for the team,” Daphne said. “I just want to do well for the team and help the team get better.”
While Daphne talked a lot about swimming and her love for the sport, she also talked about her family, her love for her teammates, and her devotion to not only her own, but the overall success of the team. Daphne is incredibly down to earth, humble, and refuses to think of herself as an individual in a sport where you do almost everything individually. She cares for others deeply, but also has the competitive fire any college athlete needs. Her passion is strong and her kindness never dims. Daphne is someone who’s going to be extremely successful both in and out of the pool.
Contact Hannah Wiley wileyh@my.canisius.edu
Why it’s important to vote in a swing state
By HANNAH WILEY ASST. FEATURE EDITOR
Historically Pennsylvania has been not only a swing state, but also one of the most important swing states. The amount of electoral votes a state gets is based on their population. Pennsylvania has a population of 12.9 million people, which is the 5th most populated state. This means that they get 19 electoral votes meaning they are ranked 6th tied with Illinois who also has 19 and behind New York who 28. Beyond that, Pennsylvania’s margin in which a candidate wins the state is small. In 2020, Joe Biden only won the state of Pennsylvania by 82,000 votes.
Many people don’t realize how hard the process is to get your absentee ballot. When talking to senior Lio Salazar, who voted in Franklin County, PA, they said they had a hard time obtaining their ballot this year for the election. Lio registered to vote in the state of PA in 2020 prior to the presidential election. They originally tried applying for their mail-in ballot – a process that, in itself, is extremely confusing. With the websites being hard to navigate, they ended up submitting the wrong application. So, Lio attended a Voter Registration Week
event hosted by the United Students Association to get some help.
Lio’s next step was trying one more time to apply for a mailin ballot, but this didn’t turn out as easy as it should have been either. They waited and waited until it said the ballot had been delivered, but it never got to the mailroom. They later found out their absentee ballot had been sent to their home in Pennsylvania.
“This past Thursday, my mother was like, ‘What do you want to do?’ And I asked if it was possible for her and my dad to bring it up to Buffalo from Pennsylvania, and it’s like a six hour drive” Lio said. And that’s exactly what they did. Lio’s parents drove six hours to get to Buffalo at 9 p.m., and Lio filled out their absentee ballot in Saigon Cafe on Elmwood.
Next, I talked with junior Emma Serrian who is from Reading, PA and voted in Berks County. Emma seemed to have had an overall easier time voting through mailin ballots.
“Everything can be done online and you can track the ballot, when it’s coming, and when it’s been shipped out and arrived, which
is nice,” Emma said. “The ballot mailed pretty quick and was super easy to fill out. All the instructions were clear on where to sign and date and I felt like everything was protected considering it was in two envelopes.”
Emma also talked about her friend who voted via mail-in ballot in the state of Connecticut, saying that the CT ballots come with information about voting and even policies that the state is voting on. Emma continued on to say, “I think that is something that would be super valuable to add into all mail-in ballots so we can make sure everyone has the correct facts before voting.” No matter what state you are from, it’s important to register to vote, and to vote in every election. For those students who are out-ofstate, next time, remember that the process of obtaining an absentee ballot isn’t always the easiest, so apply as soon as possible to make sure your ballot gets to you in time, and that you can make your voice heard.
Contact Hannah Wiley wileyh@my.canisius.edu
DAPHNE
Anecdotes of Humanity
By THE GRIFFIN EDITORS
Sydney: “On Tuesday, election day, I didn’t receive my sticker for voting. Later, in the day, I met with my thesis advisor, Mr. John Kryder, who proudly told me he always wears his after seeing Anthony Ray Hinton, an innocent man who spent 30 years on death row, wearing his “I Voted” sticker on his cheek and forehead the first time Hinton voted after he was exonerated. I told Kryder I had intended to wear an “I Voted” sticker but, instead, I left the polls stickerless and slightly bitter. It was in that moment, that he without hesitation, took his “I Voted” sticker off his suit jacket and handed it to me, saying he wanted me to take it as he had already taught his class that he wanted to wear it in so that he could also share with them, the photo of Hinton. I’ve kept it on my phone case since.”
Maddy: “So, I was in Italy with Hannah [Wiley] and we had just finished a six or seven hour long walk, hike, stairs expedition; and we were very, very tired. I was exhausted, obviously, but since the plane had landed, I was sick as a dog with a sinus infection and I didn’t realize how physically demanding this hike was, essentially meaning I couldn’t breathe the whole time. I broke down in the bathroom of this gelato shop because I was sweaty and gross and sick as Hell and I had forgotten shorts to go under my skirt. Not a game changer, not a necessity, but it was my breaking point for that day and she looked at me and said, “Wait, just take mine.” She began to take her shorts off under her skirt before I was able to stop her. The girl was literally trying to take the clothes off her own body to give me. It’s a little silly, but it was selfless, and that’s a friend.”
Courtney: “I just moved into the residence hall last week. It is my first time living independently and I was nervous and excited at the same time. First, Gabby [Kaderli] invited me to the dining hall with Ava [Green] and Mitch
[Popovski] so I would not be alone. They welcomed me with open arms and showed me the D-Hall ropes. Maddy [Lockwood] texted the next day for dinner. I was in my night class and would not be out for another hour. Maddy told me she would wait for me and stayed in Dhall for the hour and had the brightest smile when I walked in. My friends have made me feel so welcome and made this mid-semester change so much easier than I thought it would be.”
Kaitlin: “A few weeks ago, I went to Just Buffalo’s BABEL event. Since my mom writes grants for them, we usually go together, but she wasn’t able to make it up to Buffalo this time. About halfway through the event, my phone died, and I realized I had no way home because I ubered there, but also couldn’t text anyone to pick me up. I started freaking out and was on the verge of tears when I went up to Noah, who I knew knew my mom, and said, ‘Hi I’m Kaitlin, Kathy’s daughter, and my phone died; do you have a phone charger so I can call an uber?’ and he immediately started helping me. He took me to three different people, introducing me as Kathy’s daughter every time and helping me find a charger. I’ve been having issues with my phone charging, so it wasn’t working, but then Noah ordered me an Uber so that I had a way home. I was so convinced that I was going to be walking home, and it really meant a lot that he worked so hard to help me get home safe.”
Liz: “Last year, for Thanksgiving break, I could not go home. I was really swamped with papers and homework and simply could not go home, and had to stay. I told my parents and they immediately were like, ‘Do you have a kitchen? Invite your friends and we will be there.’ So on Thanksgiving, it was me and two friends who also could not go home. It was really sweet and my parents got to meet my friends and during all of this – no one felt like a stranger. It was one of the most wholesome moments that happened last fall. This year, my parents have already planned the
menu and how to maximize the kitchenette in my apartment.”
Mikayla: “This morning on my way from my car to class, I witnessed a girl jump into a neat leaf pile under a tree near Village Townhouses. It was such a sweet and pure little moment of humanity, and another girl walking opposite my direction shared a chuckle together. We often forget to smile and be unserious. Life is short and you should laugh as much as you can– I was reminded of that today. So I guess, jump in more leaf piles and embrace being human!”
Ava: “So, uh, like, my shoulder is messed up right now. And the first day of it being like this, I tried to cook for myself and immediately, it felt like someone was yanking at my neck and shoulder as hard as they could. I got super lightheaded and felt like I was going to throw up so I called Mitch, a really close friend of mine, who I knew was on campus at the time. I sounded so panicked and I told him, “I don’t feel good and I need someone to keep an eye on me for a little bit of time” and no question, he responded with “Okay, I’ll be there in a few.” He sat with me and stayed and watched me until I said I was okay and it just meant a lot that someone was willing to just sit there with me at the drop of a hat.”
Chloe: “My sister and I were standing looking through the menu of a coffee shop in Salem, trying to see if we could afford a cup of anything. We were about to turn around after we saw the prices were exceeding our budget; when an older customer passed us and opened the door for us, and as we were standing in the corner of this coffee shop he offered to pay for our two drinks and donut. We politely declined his offer but he insisted, so we took him up on the offer and ordered the two cheapest things on the menu. After we asked why he did it he simply said ‘I do random acts of kindness for people I don’t know in hopes that they will do the same.’’.
Jon: “I am a major Yankees fan. They were in the World Series last week and the week before. For game one of the Series, I was in Pittsburgh visiting one of my best friends, who has been yelling at me about how the Yankees are terrible and about
“I am from a really small town in the middle of nowhere and the last place I thought I would be is in a city…, but I came here and everything worked out. I got through orientation and Sunday night, at mass, I got back to the pew from Communion and I am just sitting there going into prayer and tears start falling from my eyes, and I am just like, ‘I’m home.’”
This quote was edited for clarity and narrative flow. To see the entire transcription of our interview visit griffinnewspaper.com.
Contact Madelynn Lockwood lockwoo4@my.canisius.edu
how I’m a terrible person for being a Yankees fan for our entire decade-plus of friendship. We were watching the game at a bar, and I was a visible nervous wreck throughout the game. When the Yankees had the lead into the tenth inning, only for them to lose on a walk-off grand slam, I was utterly heartbroken. I sat there with my face buried in my hands for five minutes straight. My friend who has made fun of me about the Yankees for years told me: ‘man that sucks, I’m so sorry,’ didn’t say another word, and let me go to sleep in peace on his couch. I would’ve been fine if he had made fun of me about the Yankees, it was a funny result to a Yankee hater and I understand that, but I truly appreciated his thoughtfulness towards me at that moment.”
Contact The Griffin thegrffn@my.canisius.edu
Society of Economics putting on interactive events
By DOMINIC LUCYSHYN CONTRIBUTOR
Last month, the Society of Economics and Finance (SEF) hosted an event called “Brunch with the Professors.” This event is an opportunity for students to get to know each other and their professors outside of the classroom while enjoying some free food from Panera Bread. This event was started last fall as an effort to create new and engaging events on campus while increasing the popularity of the club. Professors in attendance included Dr. Golebiewski, Dr. McGurk and Dr. Rogers. There were about 15 students as well. The club is open to business majors and anyone interested in finance and economics! This month, the club will be hosting a public speaking competition on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m. in Regis, which is open to all majors, undergraduate and graduate students; and SEF would like to formally invite you to participate in this competition. SEF decided to hold this event after
their president attended a similar one at the University at Buffalo. Topics aren’t always announced in advance but some may include Sustainability and Artificial Intelligence. Students will be able to debate or present on various topics within the business sector. The judges are recruiters from various businesses, such as Enterprise, M&T and Northwestern Mutual. This competition will give students the opportunity to stand out to recruiters and win some prizes, such as Sabres tickets. SEF is looking to foster community among finance and economics students so they can support each other in upper-level classes when the curriculum becomes harder. Besides the public speaking event, SEF is hoping to have other large interactive events, such as a networking event with different firms this spring, and potential site visits.
Contact Dominic Lucyshyn lucyshynd@canisius.edu
THE GRIFFIN EDITORIAL
Our first fe...felon
I woke up Wednesday morning disheartened, dissatisfied and disappointed – but not surprised: America has elected a convicted felon before a woman.
I understand that policies are at play; many people who support Trump cite his economic policies. But the president of the United States is not a faceless, nameless economic policy. The president is America’s mouthpiece and represents the country on a global stage. As the head of state and the head of government, the president is the corporeal manifestation of America and its values. Yet, as an individual, Trump is America’s antithesis.
Not even four years ago, Trump attempted to overrule our democratic process, inciting the riotous Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Now that the election favors his interests, he clearly considers the process fair and correct.
“America has made their four-year bed. In January, we have to lie in it.”
Trump is unabashedly sexist, infamously telling someone they need only grab a woman’s genitals to get what they want. It is unfathomable that Trump does not alienate half of the population with his blatantly misogynistic attitude and words.
I am not, and will never be, an emphatic supporter of Kamala Harris. I do not believe in cultivating a cult of personality around a candidate, as MAGA Republicans have over the last eight years. I concede that Kamala Harris does not have an impeccable track record, but in comparison to Trump, her rap sheet is superior. The juxtaposition between a felon and a former prosecutor running is astonishing in and of itself, but the felon actually winning is the most unfortunate irony. I understand that it is difficult to elect someone standing as the beacon of change, as Harris did, while they are the sitting vice president; it begs the question,
president
why didn’t she make those changes while she had the chance for four years? That argument is valid; but arguments favoring Donald Trump about his economic policies would have more validity if Trump had not all but called Representative Nancy Pelosi a misogynistic expletive on Election Day and constantly disparaged women.
“As the head of state and the head of government, the president is the corporeal manifestation of America and its values. Yet, as an individual, Trump is America’s antithesis. ”
I cannot change the electoral votes. Donald Trump is the president-elect and Kamala Harris conceded the race. I have faith in our democratic process and will not tout voter fraud or any bogus excuses that Republicans employed in 2020. I believe whole-heartedly that Donald Trump won not only all of the battleground states, but the popular vote; that fact saddens me more than any speculation of voter fraud. I will not spend the next four years with cynicism, but I will spend the next four years holding my breath when checking the headlines that say “President Trump,” hoping America’s values do not erode before my eyes.
It saddens me that America elected someone with “concepts of a plan;” someone who dwells on fictitious absurdities like people eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio; someone who uses his power of the pulpit to imbue Americans with damaging rhetoric that creates division, not unity. It saddens me that America may go backwards regarding a woman’s right to an abortion or the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. America has made their fouryear bed. In January, we have to lie in it.
We should be proud of Daylight Savings
By JON DUSZA MANAGING EDITOR
Imagine this: you have plans with your friend that you are not particularly excited for. A day or so before your plans are about to commence, your friend texts you and tells you that due to unforeseen circumstances, they have to push your plans back. This screws up your whole day. Now, suddenly, you have to either cancel your plans, or cancel some other plans. When you are at your engagement, you feel off; the hour difference has put you entirely out of whack, and now your day is ruined. In our personal lives, on an individual scale, an unexpected hour difference upends everything.
How, then, does society manage to survive when, twice a year, we change our entire clocks, our entire schedules by an hour? Now, I detest daylight savings as much, if not more than the next person. I think daylight savings is outdated and actively harmful to millions of our population. I could talk about it for hours. It
“Our whole community decides to change our perception of time itself twice a year, and everybody just goes on as normal, taking it in nearly perfect stride.”
is worth taking a moment, however, to step back and appreciate what a monumental achievement daylight savings time is for society.
I, and those I interact with, may be lucky; and by no means profess to know everything, but when was the last time you saw somebody show up for an event an hour late or an hour early as a result of daylight savings time? When was the last time a store did not open on time because of daylight savings? Our whole community decides to change our perception of time itself twice a year, and everybody just goes on as normal, taking it in nearly perfect stride.
There are a lot of negatives to get caught up on in life. Daylight savings itself is something that, in my opinion, actively makes our lives worse. And yet, the way we handle the days immediately following daylight savings is a nearly monumental feat. How often can we get all of society to agree on anything? For us to all say that we are moving
“The way we handle the days immediately following daylight savings is a nearly monumental feat. How often can we get all of society to agree on anything? For us to all say that we are moving everything back or forward by an hour, and for us to all do it, is nothing less than a miracle.”
everything back or forward by an hour, and for us to all do it, is nothing less than a miracle. Nevertheless, we do. It is a small thing, but it is something that each of us – even when we are losing an hour of daylight or an hour of sleep – can take pride in the way we face. It is difficult and sometimes tone deaf to say that there is a bright side to everything, but if we look for one, we can find one more often than we expect. If we do, life can be a lot happier.
VIA SOPHIE ASHER
Contact Jon Dusza duszaj@canisius.edu
During a Wednesday Battle of the Bridge men’s soccer matchup, St. Peter Canisius said, “Let there be darkness,” and the Demske Sports Complex lost power. This was horrible luck for all four of the fans that showed up. The power outage proved to be the most exciting moment of the game. Colin Richey and Andrew Nowel went down to the field to provide live playby-play analysis of National Grid repairing the power. Richey recounts that he saw one of the technicians Google, “how to restore power to entire athletic complex tutorial,” and was met with four unskippable ads on YouTube.” Nowel noted that National Grid’s performance was the worst he’d seen since Canisius hockey lost to RPI twice.
Public Saf- I mean, Campus Police, really, really, want you to know they are the police. Reports suggest they may be compensating for something else… We petition Today@ Canisius to be changed to 1p.m.orLater@Canisius due to consistently sending out their emails while the day is coming to a close and when the event happened five hours prior! Another idea is WhatYouMissedToday@Canisius
The Underground completed a social experiment of its own on Wednesday. It scavenged campus asking people in an earnest tone, “Hey…how ya doing?” and all those who took a pause and answered something along the lines of “eh,” they let pass, but for those who did a little jig and let out a happy howl…they haven’t been heard from since.
Shingles here, and planning on joining Jill Stein on her 4-year power nap. She and I will take the “Stein-sleep” until the next election. Goodnight y’all <3 Here lies the last day that DHall’s food will ever be described as more than cardboard. Today, our Italian (actually he’s from San Marino) King, Steve from DHall, who ensured that we had something that wouldn’t hurt our tummies too bad, is leaving citing the lack of ice cream machines. But for real though, we will miss you, Steve.
The Underground would like to announce that it will also be leaving Canisius due to the lack of sweet treats.
The Underground would like to take this time to remind people to keep their feet in their own backpacks. We’re looking at you, Maddy Lockwood.
Alright y’all, I am not happy with the Orange Man having the nuclear codes either; but if I’m put through another mindful minute, or hear the phrases, “holding space for you” or, “coping through these trying times” one more time I am going to lose my marbles.
Why she lost: racism & sexism on the left
By RYAN HARRINGTON CONTRIBUTOR
I think I speak for many people when I say that I was profoundly disappointed by the outcome of this election. However, I don’t speak for many people when I say I was unsurprised by Kamala Harris’ loss.
Democrats were blindsided. As a Democrat, I think Harris’ loss exposed deep-rooted flaws in our party.
During this election, my family volunteered at the polls. On the first and busiest day of early voting, my mother worked in West Seneca and saw a line out the door and around the block. I worked in West Buffalo and saw about fifty people. I knew then that this election wasn’t going to be the landslide Democrats wanted – we didn’t have the city support.
My father asked if he should be worried about these numbers. An election official told us, “Black people don’t vote early.” This is, of course, a racist stereotype that deluded the left, but the assumption was that African American voters would support Harris overwhelmingly.
On Election Day, city turnout remained abysmal. In fact, votes cast early broke for Democrats in a larger margin than Election Day ballots. I knew Harris lost by midday. Yes, she carried Erie County, but by a smaller margin than Biden. She carried everything by a smaller margin than Biden.
“It’s diffi cult to say we lost because of racism and sexism; but we did.”
The population of NYC ensures that New York will always vote blue, but Buffalo is a Rust Belt city that has more in common with Pittsburgh. Tiny, blue Erie county is adrift in a red sea and I knew that if Buffalo wasn’t turning out, that trend would continue through Detroit, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. The blue wall crumbled.
Prior to the election, the African American community warned Democrats that Harris didn’t have the anticipated support, but party officials ignored warnings and got caught with their pants down for the world to see. They planned for Obama-level turnout; but instead, Harris significantly underperformed Biden, even among minority voters. Combined with lost ground among white people, Harris’ loss was guaranteed.
Politicians will incorrectly say there was no predicting this. If we paid better attention, we would have expected this.
Covert racism pervades American politics even among progressives. White Democrats believed they performed a favor in selecting Harris and expected turnout as a result; they viewed African Americans as a conglomerate voting
block. Unfortunately, they failed to understand the intricacies of these communities. Combined with that, lingering overt racism among moderates scared off even more voters unwilling to support an African American woman.
The saddest thing is that I truly believe there was nothing Harris did wrong. Progressives, like Bernie Sanders, bafflingly blamed Harris’ moderate positions. This is ridiculous; centrist Democrats always outperform progressives, especially in swing states. Biden has made significant outreach to the working class and the economy is currently successful with inflation down to nearly two percent. It just wasn’t enough to overcome the sexism and racism that exists even on the left.
By AVA C. GREEN EDITOR-IN CHIEF
“Tiny, blue Erie County is adrift in a red sea and I knew that if Buff alo wasn’t turning out, that trend would continue through Detroit, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. The blue wall crumbled.”
To blame Harris for this is unjust.
I’ve seen the misrepresentation that because abortion referendums outperformed Harris, progressives are the future. Abortion rights are a party-line Democratic effort, not solely progressive, and even some pro-choice people view the presidency as a “man’s job.” Moderate female senators in the Rust Belt, specifically Wisconsin and Michigan, also outperformed with the same voters that cost Harris the election.
Women – and women’s issues – performed, but voters saw the presidency as too far. These split-ticket voters wouldn’t have supported a progressive candidate but would have supported a male Democrat. Remember, Bidens’ win four years ago.
No, Harris lost because there is a portion of our electorate that is unwilling to support a woman in high leadership. That is a vice we as a nation have to overcome. Beyond that, racism deluded our judgment on this race. It’s difficult to say we lost because of racism and sexism; but we did. As a society, we need to keep working to dismantle these systems. There will come a day when nobody says a black woman is too far. I wish it was this week, but it’s not.
We cannot place blame on candidates. For now, we are a broken country and it’s alright to be devastated. In the next election, if we want to defeat Trumpism, we’ll need to truly come together.
Contact Ryan Harrington harrin28@canisius.edu
Model United Nations is where leaders are made
By MIKAYLA BOYD ASST. OPINION EDITOR
On Wednesday, the Model United Nations Development Organization (MUNDO) at Canisius hosted the 46th Annual High School Conference. For those unfamiliar with the concept of Model UN, it is a simulation of councils and bodies of the United Nations. Students take on the persona and views of the country they are simulating. In our conference specifically, there are six councils: three Contemporary Security Councils, one Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one Human Rights Council and one Historic Security Council. Each council debated two topics. The goal of each council is to work together, despite adverse opinions and compromise to craft resolutions. This year, we hosted 28 schools and almost 500 students.
As the vice president of MUN and one of two CEEP scholars for the club, I have poured months of work into getting ready for this conference. Before coming to the conference, students prepare the positions that they will take on conference day using topic guides. These guides are produced by Canisius CEEP scholars from the club.
The summer before the fall semester it was uncertain if the conference was even being hosted. I believe this uncertainty was due to the conference’s longtime advisor, Dr. FajardoHeyward, leaving Canisius, as well as budget restraints on the small International Relations department. Nevertheless, during the first week of school after a meeting, it was decided that the Model UN Conference was simply too important to not host. With two months until the conference, we were thrown into preparing the event.
At many times, it felt like the challenge would be impossible. Don’t get me wrong, I was ecstatic that it was going to happen – I too think it is an incredibly important event for Canisius, but more importantly, for greater Buffalo high schools. The team I worked with– Dr. Reitsma, Dean Chambers, Rachel Lapinski, Nurul Salam and Tyler Barczkowski– supported each other through the entire process. I cannot express my gratitude to them enough. We tackled country assignments, bus routes, lunch plans and room assignments. These
things seem simple, but are complex processes that none of us had ever been responsible for. Thus, they were a challenge. Thankfully, my team was there through it all. I could not be happier with how the event turned out. As senior staff of the conference, I oversaw the day with the Secretary-General and President of Canisius Model UN, Tyler Barczkowski. Twenty-one students from the club (ourselves included) staffed the event, acting as chairs, co-chairs and timekeepers for the councils. It was our largest staff in recent history, and we were able to have one of our e-board members, Ciaran Hall, act as conference photographer.
While running across campus making sure schools were checked in and students were in the correct councils, I found time to talk with some advisors. They told me that they were so glad the conference was hosted this year, highlighting how the lessons that students learn during the day cannot be taught in a classroom.
The future of the conference and the International Relations department lies in uncertainty due to the proposed $15 million dollar budget cuts. This conference continues to show that hosting it draws many local students to pursue Canisius. What other time do we have over 400 high school students from the Western New York area on campus for an academic event, as well as getting the opportunity to see what life after graduation could look like for them?
It is my hope that the success of this conference, despite the odds that were put against us by initial uncertainty, will cement its future. Preserving this academic tradition is one of my highest priorities. Putting this conference on has been one of the most fruitful projects I’ve worked on, and it has given me and so many others the chance to become leaders. This opportunity is one of the manifestations of Canisius being where leaders are made.
“Do you have tips for getting through stress at this point in the semester?”
The fun part about college is that you’re never not in a stressful point of the semester…said no one ever. Especially now though – as we make our way down the rugged mountain of mid-term season and round the corner on the close of the semester – it definitely starts to feel like stuff is getting real. I think you’d be strapped to find anyone more experienced with stress than me, but I also think that makes me the perfect person to give you a few ideas for some ways to be sure you keep on truckin’.
I’m a big fan of to-do lists, and an even bigger fan of getting to cross things off of those to-do lists. For those new to the game, a long list of all the things you haven’t done yet may feel like too visceral of a reminder. I think you’ll come to find, though, that the satisfying slash you get to draw over your tasks as you complete them will motivate you to slash a few more. Let the slashes serve as just as visceral a reminder that you can and will get it all done.
TAKE. CARE. OF. YOURSELF. I mean it. Take it from me, I am someone who is possibly the most inept a person at taking care of themself, like, sitting here in an arm sling as I write this very column type of inept. I can promise you that taking on too much and becoming a mid-term martyr is not as noble as you think. You have to be at your best when you’re facing stress, so you need to make time to sleep and eat and be a person outside of your various responsibilities, or else burnout will be inevitable.
Sometimes us Griffs need to be grabbed by the shoulders, (Please, not me though. Mine’s dislocated, hence the sling) shaken half to death, and be told loud and clear that it’s really not that deep. When we’re in the midst of stress is when we need this most, and when we need to make sure our priorities are in line. It’s easy to forget; but you’re a person first, a student second, and an e-board member/athlete/student leader last. I tend to choose to work on Griffin-related things before an actual assignment, and I regret it every time. You have an entire club or team behind you in those cases, ready to lighten your load. When it comes to classes though, it’s up to you alone to pull it all off. Just as it’s important not to forget about the cura personalis of it all, you also have to remember that your extracurriculars can’t take priority over your curriculum. Like I said, every part of college is a stressful part, but if you’ve gotten through all of those parts so far, I have confidence that you’ll get through this too. You’re already on the right track just by asking for some help, especially asking Ava.
Contact Ava Green green98@canisius.edu
Contact Mikayla Boyd boyd22@canisius.edu
TRUEYE TAFESE, ANALEE DEGLOPPER,LINDA BYAMUNGU-PRETO AND JEREMIAH FLEMMING CHAIRING THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
VIA CIARAN HALL
In life, I try my best to have little to no expectations so that I cannot be disappointed. I approached Kairos with a similar mindset. Within the first few moments, I was tasked with a difficult decision to give up my phone for the weekend. At first, I was hesitant; but after being reassured, I said goodbye to it on Friday knowing that I would not see it again until Sunday. That was one of the best decisions I made.
Going through Kairos, I was without the anxiety caused by my phone, and it was freeing. I had no idea what time it was at any point in the day and it felt so refreshing to live in the moment. We were given journals relatively early in the experience and I thought to myself that this was just going to be another journal that I write in once and then never again. I’m glad to say that I was very wrong.
I used that journal each day – at least three times a day – at Kairos. One of my favorite moments on Kairos that I experienced was when I was walking on the beach and I discovered this rock that when you would sit on it, you had the most perfect view of the sun beginning its descent into Lake Erie. This was the only time that I had wished for my phone so that I would be able to capture the moment. It was then that I decided that I might not be able to photograph it, but I would still always be able to recall it in my own way. I made a small sketch of my rock and its perspective. After I had set the scene I added myself, from that moment on I went through Kairos sketching moments to remember, but I was always drawn back to my moment on the rock and how at peace I felt.
At the beginning of Kairos, I remember it was said that we should not worry about having our phones to take pictures; Dr. Lawrence was going to be around with his camera taking pictures. When I was on my rock, Dr. Lawrence was in the distance and asked if he could take a picture of me journaling there. I was ecstatic and said sure! After he had taken the pictures I was very nervous to see how they came out because being in pictures is something that I am insecure about. At the end of the weekend, we were sent all the pictures. I immediately went to see the pictures of my rock, but I was very surprised to see that he took more than one perspective. It was perfect. I may not have known it then, but signing up for Kairos was one of the best decisions I made. I wish I would have gone sooner.
By HAKIM MOSEGI CONTRIBUTOR
In his depiction of Christ, the German painter Albrecht Durer paints Christ raising his right hand as a symbol of divinity and holiness. In his left hand, he holds an orb of some sort. The piece is dated back to be around 1505, and upon further inspection, seems to be somewhat unnatural. Christ is shown to have unusual, untouched details and a lack of color to his hands and face. The facial structure seems to blend into his skin tone, as if Durer had forgotten to put detail into his eyes, nose, mouth and beard. The symbolism embedded within the painting adds layers of meaning to its interpretation. Durer’s portrayal of Christ as the Savior of the World reflects not only his religious beliefs, but also the broader cultural and intellectual currents of the Renaissance period.
Inspired by his work, I’ve created an image depicting Jesus using Durer’s view of Christ as reference. My piece shows Jesus with a crown of thorns and holding the planet in his hand, rather than an unidentified orb. Instead of a blessing, I have Jesus reaching out with his free hand to convey a story of compassion, sacrifice and love. The crown of thorns atop Jesus’ head served as my foundation for the drawing –it’s the symbol of his suffering and the ultimate sacrifice he made for humanity. I’ve made the thorns a bit darker and more detailed than the rest of the drawing, giving the audience another focus, outside of the globe. I wanted the thorns to be in intricate detail, emphasizing their sharpness and the pain they inflict, while also highlighting their significance in the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. In his outstretched hand, Jesus is reaching out to humanity with a gesture of kinship and love, symbolizing his desire to offer comfort, guidance and salvation to all who seek it. Meanwhile, Jesus’ firm grasp on the globe symbolizes his role as the Savior – a chosen one who is entrusted to care for humanity.
My portrayal of Jesus with thorns on his head, holding the globe in one hand and reaching out with the other, aims to convey themes of sacrifice, redemption and universal love.
Contact Hakim Mosegi mosegih@canisius.edu
For Christ “ ”
By MO HILL CONTRIBUTOR
This is nothing. It’s not bad to have nothing. Having nothing is pretty cool, and most of the time it’s more impactful than having something. I struggled to come up with an idea for this and then realized that instead of struggling with the scraps of an idea, I could just have nothing. Art can’t be forced. So I didn’t force it. It’s more genuine when I wait for the ideas to come to me. This time they didn’t, but maybe next time they will. Then I’ll have something, which is equally as important as having nothing. Everything is made up of something. Even the emptiest nothing is made up of something. The emptiness of space is made of a vacuum and the empty spaces in your room are filled with air. Without the clouds the sky is empty, but the sky is still something. Nothing is something, and some things are nothing. That’s just how it is.
Contact Mo Hill hill109@canisius.edu
LT4
Artsy Mad Libs
Word Search: The Art of Words
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Editor: Colin Richey
Harkness leads quarter-finals win, but Griffs fall short in semifinals
By Isabella Custodi
Women’s soccer advanced to the MAAC semifinals after a 2–0 win against Merrimack on Sunday, but lost 3–1 to the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Thursday, ending their season.
In the victory over the Warriors, junior Lizzy Harkness scored the first goal of the game in the first minute of the second half. “When I saw the ball go in I was so relieved. We knew that we had to come out in the second half and start the game quickly if we wanted to win, so being able to score towards the start was amazing because it settled the game down and allowed us to play with some more confidence for that second half,” Harkness explained. She also assisted the second goal of the game, scored by senior Madeline Weltin.
Harkness believes that the team’s success this season is based on the bond between the players. “We’re very close and have been really effective in communicating what needs to improve and what’s been working well in getting the best results possible. Both of these
things together, as well as some really amazing seasons from a lot of key players, have contributed to our success this year,” said Harkness.
After their quarterfinal win, the Griffs traveled to Hamden, Connecticut for the semifinals. After losing to the Bobcats in
The Griffs defeat Niagara in season finale
The men’s soccer team ended the season on a high note, winning their Battle of the Bridge matchup against Niagara for the first time since 2019. Despite two power outages at the Demske Sports Complex on Wednesday night, graduate student Luke Szablewski found the back of the net with just under six minutes remaining to propel the team to a 1–0 victory.
Head Coach Michael Tanke also noted the run his team went on at the end of the season, and their success on offense throughout the year. “I have mixed feel-
ings about the season. You know, the last three weeks have been great and that’s what it should look like all year. We still need to get more consistent. We’re still proven to be dangerous. We score goals, I think we’re fourth in the league in goals scored. Last year, we were third in the league in goals scored. So that’s not a one-off.”
While the offense continued to score, the defense wasn’t as reliable. “Defensively we improved a lot but that’s also where we [still] have to improve. That goes to show you maybe the level of our defending last year was not close to where I’d like it to be. So we did improve a lot de -
fensively, and we have a long way to go, but if I’m being very candid, everything’s taken maybe a year longer than I thought,” explained Coach Tanke.
“it was Szablewski’s goal that led the team to victory in their final game”
Coach Tanke acknowledged that he will feel the effects of losing seniors and graduate students, potentially losing six in total. In a storybook ending to the season, it was Szablewski’s goal and fellow graduate student Riley Wagner’s assist that led the team to victory in their final game. “We ended with all the seniors out there today and the last goal, the only goal, was Riley Wagner to Luke Szablewski. They’ve been playing with each other since they were 10, they’re both local kids. And for that to be the assist-goal combo in the last game, that’s really cool,” Tanke described.
While their place in the standings wasn’t where Coach Tanke would’ve hoped, he has confidence in his team’s ability moving forward, saying, “It’s clear to me that the whole thing is moving in the right direction.”
the regular season, Harkness detailed how her team felt extra motivated for this matchup.
Despite the extra motivation, Canisius fell to Quinnipiac in the MAAC semifinals 3–1. Junior Mia Iacona scored Canisius’ first goal in the 88th minute of play, assisted by junior Skylar Cornell and freshman Azaria Fagan. Canisius had seven shots: four shots on goal and three saves during their 90-minute gameplay. Quinnipiac had two goals scored by Aisling Spillane and one by Courtney Chochol in their victory.
The loss in the semifinals concludes the season for the Griffs, ending with an overall 12–3–4 record, including 8–2–2 in MAAC play.
Women’s Basketball returns home 0-2 In opening week
The 2024-2025 season began with two road losses for the Lady Griffs, the first against Pittsburgh on Tuesday the second against Penn State on Thursday. The season opener for women’s basketball was against a strong Atlantic Coast Conference team in the Pittsburgh Panthers, where the Griffs came up short 78-36. Top scorers included senior Sara Carvajal Caro and sophomore Shariah Gailes, both notching eight points. With the defeat, the team was able to open the season facing some of the toughest competition they will see all season, and managed to get everyone on the active roster a moment on the court.
With the loss late Tuesday night the Griffs traveled across the state of Pennsylvania to face the former school of head coach Tiffany Swoffard: Penn State.
Thursday’s contest saw similar results as Tuesday’s with Canisius losing 89-57. This contest played out similar to the previous in that the Griffs just never found a hot streak of scoring to get ahead. Graduate student Jaela Johnson was the point leader of the night, tallying 11 points.
After two games on the road, the Griffs have a week off before returning to the Quaker State to face the Saint Francis Red Flashes. This will be the last away game before a three game homestand, starting with Little Three rival St. Bonaventure on Tuesday November 19 at 6 p.m.
Contact Kaitlyn Belile Belilek@canisius.edu
Cross Country teams place 5th at MAAC Championships
Senior Kayla Schmidt and junior Kyle Urban led the Canisius men’s and women’s cross country teams each to a fifth place finish in this year’s MAAC Championships held at the Twin Ponds on the Farm in Montgomery, N.Y. on Saturday. In the six kilometer course, Schmidt – who placed 17th in last year’s championships – finished in 13th place with a time of 21:06.2. Following the senior was freshman Ella Krumpek, who also received All-MAAC Rookie honors for her 23rd place finish with a time of 21:53.5. Close behind were graduate student Jules Jones (22:05.9/ 26th), sophomore Jacqueline Appenheimer (22:06.7/ 28th). In the men’s eight kilome -
ter event, Urban led the men’s team with a 19th place finish in a time of 24:47.2. Graduate student Max Chew crossed the finish line in 27th place with a time of 25:18.4, while sophomore Joseph Capuzzo crossed shortly after with a time of 25:30.0 (33rd), and Senior Pat Garland (25:46.4) claiming the 46th spots.
The men’s 151 points and the women’s 142 points were both good for fifth place finishes. The Iona men’s cross country team won their NCAA-leading 34th consecutive title, while Quinnipiac’s women’s team captured their third consecutive title.
The Griffins’ postseason continues at the 2024 NCAA Northeast Regionals in Hopkinton, New Hampshire on Friday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m.
Contact Isabella Custodi Custodii@canisius.edu
Woemns cross country in a huddel
Riley Wagner dribbling the ball
VIA TOM WOLF
Women’s soccer team bowing after last home game
VIA CHLOE BREEN
By Kaitlyn Belile
By Cassandra Ercoli
By Maggie Tifft ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Sophomores lead the way as Canisius sweeps Army
By Peter Neville ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Canisius Hockey beat Army twice last week for their first sweep of the season, moving to 3–6 overall and 3–0 in Atlantic Hockey play.
The Griffs were led by a duo of sophomores: Matteo Giampa and Ethan Robertson. Robertson, who was named AHA Goalie of the Week, recorded a shutout on Thursday – the first for the Griffs since Jacob Barczewski did the same two years ago in the AHA Championship game against Holy Cross.
“I think everyone has really noticed that [Robertson] has taken a really big step this year,” explained Giampa. “His preparation, daily work ethic and practice have been really, really good, and he’s improved a lot with that.”
Speaking of Giampa, he notched two goals and three assists in the series against Army, marking the third straight game in which he has recorded a point. Giampa doesn’t believe he’s done much differently compared to the four-game pointless stretch he had at the beginning of the season.
“Nothing has really changed,” he said. “I think the key to that was not changing anything, not changing the way I play. You know, still doing the
Volleyball
By Colin Richey SPORTS EDITOR
right thing, still doing the little things. I think it was just a matter of time before pucks started going in the net.”
Canisius begins a four-game road swing later this week, starting with a trip to the U.S. Air Force Academy for a two-game series. The Falcons, who finished just above Canisius in the AHA preseason coaches’ poll, currently sit in last place in At-
lantic Hockey, with only two points taken from their first two games.
The puck drops in this weekend’s series in Colorado on Friday at 9:05 p.m. EST for game one and at 3:05 p.m. on Saturday as the Griffs look to keep their momentum going in AHA play.
punches ticket to MAAC Championship
The Canisius women’s basketball team has rebranded themselves for the upcoming season, emphasizing their “blue collar team with gold standards”.
The Lady Griffs have just three returning players from last season. With many new faces, Head Coach Tiffany Swoffard had to help the team find a new identity. “We’re going to be gritty and embrace hard work. We call ourselves the ducks because they paddle really hard under the surface, but they’re calm and composed above water,” says Swofford when asked about this year’s team mantra. “We talk a lot about our Cs, and so when we address building championship behaviors, we do it with an intentional focus on the Cs”, continued Coach Swofford.
The team’s emphasis on the three Cs – community, communication, connection – encapsulates the image of this team, and helps players focus on how to achieve a successful season. “If we can excel in those every day, the end result will be positive for us,” says coach Swofford.
Creating team chemistry among so many new people means a major focus is trust. With players owning their respective roles to the best of their abilities, there are opportunities for everyone to see success on the court. Coach Swofford mentioned that, “We intentionally recruited this team so that we’re putting five players on to score at a time, and so my guess is that we could potentially have a different
“The team’s 10–4 MAAC record currently ranks them fourth in the conference
WEEK AT A GLANCE
Canisius Sports for this upcoming week!
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The Canisius FIFA team has been sweeping the competition this season. Star player and team captain Maji David-Maji has led the Griffs to a phenomenal start to the season, which leaves him tied for first in the league. This lead puts him ahead of other major competitors like Iona, Niagara University, and SUNY Albany.
David-Maji is a senior business economics major. He started his journey on the team this year with one goal in mind. “I want to help win a championship for the school,” David-Maji explained. He has an incredible level of dedication to the team, even managing to win matches while on the road with Canisius Men’s Basketball. “I’ve been playing since FIFA ’08. I feel great, I have been playing really well, but every week the competition gets tougher, so to be undefeated is a blessing,” he said.
David-Maji is tied for first in the league with a 6–0–0 record. “To keep the streak going, I just need to keep my head down and grind out every game like it’s the grand final, and to trust myself in clutch time,” he stated. David-Maji will continue his season next week as he enters the first round of the playoffs.
Men’s
Basketball uses Arizona loss as learning experience
By Andrew Nowel CONTRIBUTOR
The Canisius Golden Griffins opened their 121st season of men’s basketball against the Arizona Wildcats this past Monday. The Wildcats entered the game ranked number 10 in the country; but with new Head Coach Jim Christian at the helm, the Griffs fought hard in the ranked battle, but came up short in the 93–64 loss. It was a slow start for the Griffs, as the Wildcats jumped out to a quick 13–0 run before junior forward Gianni Thompson scored the first two points of the season for Canisius. Less than six minutes into the game, the Griffs were down 20–4 at the media timeout. Simple mistakes were showing during the first half as turnovers led to Wildcat points, but Coach Christian anticipated a learning curve for the team going into the game.
“ We’ll have to get better, and we will.”
leading score every night,” highlighting just how much depth this year’s team has.
The team’s season opener is on the road against Pittsburgh, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m.
Contact Colin Richey Richey4@canisius.edu
“Anytime you play a good team, they expose things. They exposed a lot of things for us. We’ll have to get better, and we will,” said Coach Christian in his postgame interview.
GRIFF PICKS
Each week, every sports staff member makes their picks for a select number of games for that upcoming week.
Volleyball in a huddle during a game
VIA CHLOE BRREN
Contact Peter Neville Nevillep@canisius.edu
Matteo Giampa jumping into teammates arms after scoring
VIA CHLOE BREEN