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Visit with Buffalo’s poet laureate (see page 1)

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President Stoute Returns to Campus

By SYDNEY UMSTEAD NEWS EDITOR

On April 8, it was announced that President Stoute had returned to campus.

Stoute originally left the campus on March 23, returning roughly two weeks later. In an email sent out by Board of Trustees member Brian M. Murphy, which announced Stoute’s return, Murphy wrote, “We are grateful that circumstances now permit his return to campus, and we thank the community for respecting the privacy of President Stoute and his family during this challenging time.”

While Stoute was caring for family in Trinidad, Dr. Harold Fields, the vice president for student affairs, was temporarily acting in his place. In the email, Murphy wrote that Fields “provided exemplary leadership as officer-in-charge, working seamlessly with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure university operations and initiatives continued to move forward without interruption” during Stoute’s absence.

Stoute released an email shortly after titled “In Gratitude for Family.” In his email, he expressed gratitude for the Canisius community and senior leadership team. “In reflecting on the content of this message, I felt moved to focus on family and the associated concept of home, both of which can mean many things but hold deep personal meaning to me,” he wrote.

Stoute continued to say, “Families are often connected to each other through a place - a home - and our Canisius family is no different.” He added, “Rest assured that I missed my home on Erie’s shores and look forward to coming home to my Canisius family on Wednesday.”

Aitina Fareed-Cooke inspires audience

Nominations are open to submit a student, faculty member or administrator for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award 2025. The nomination form can be found on The Dome, and the submission flier. The nominees should be individuals who demonstrate qualities of “promoting social justice, racial harmony, civil rights, human rights, advocacy for the poor, or non-violence,” according to the nominee flier. The deadline is April 11, and the award will be presented at the Spring Award Ceremony.

The ALANA graduation ceremony, which will occur on May 1 at 4:30 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center, recognizes graduating students of color and their achievements. Students in attendance who fill out the form linked on the flier via a QR code will also receive a stole. The form is due April 25.

By DELANEY HAYDEN ASST. NEWS EDITOR

On Thursday, April 3, Canisius University welcomed renowned poet, artist and creative arts strategist Aitina Fareed-Cooke as part of its Contemporary Writers Series. The event, hosted at Grupp Fireside Lounge, drew a diverse audience eager to experience Fareed-Cooke’s powerful message and artistic insight. Fareed-Cooke, Buffalo’s current poet-laureate and founder of Get Fokus’d Productions, captivated the audience by sharing heartfelt narratives about her journey as an artist dedicated to empowering marginalized voices. She spoke openly about her challenging early life, noting, “We were displaced from our biological family...I was labeled emotionally handicapped. It was deemed that I wouldn’t be able to thrive, which is interesting, because I definitely thrive.”

She recounted her childhood struggles and the transformative power of mentorship and community resources, highlighting an impactful moment with a counselor who introduced her to writing as a form of emotional expression at just six years old. “I was able

to hide behind the characters that I wrote,” she explained, “I didn’t have to say that it was me.”

Throughout her presentation, Fareed-Cooke emphasized the importance of vulnerability and authenticity, describing how her relationship with storytelling evolved from a way to cope and hide to a bold platform for truth-telling. “Our stories are gold,” she affirmed passionately, encouraging listeners to embrace their personal narratives with pride.

In addition to her storytelling, Fareed-Cooke shared insights from her career as an entrepreneur, her extensive work with nonprofit organizations and the crucial role of creative problem-solving. “You have to build muscle to

follow your passion,” she advised, urging attendees to embrace their experiences and actively develop skills in every stage of their career journey. The event concluded with a lively Q&A session, where Fareed-Cooke offered further advice, stressing the importance of authenticity in education and community service. Her inspiring visit reinforced the power of storytelling as a tool for healing, connecting and transforming communities. For more information on future events, visit canisius.edu/writers.

“Our stories are gold.”

Episode One of the Writing Center’s podcast titled The Excessive Podcast has been published. The podcast, hosted by Sara Swenson, features interviews with writers on campus, “talks about writing center work with tutors, and discusses a piece of art or media found in the library,” according to The Dome. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Music and “any RSS-enabled podcast platform.”

Applications are open to nominate a graduating ALANA student for the Annual ALANA Achievement Award. The QR code and nomination form can be found on the award flier. Nominations are due by April 11 at 5 p.m.

Canisius alumnus and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, Adam Zyglis, will speak at Canisius on April 29 in the Montante Cultural Center. The event will include a reception at 6 p.m., and a lecture at 7 p.m.

After Easter Break, D2L will merge courses so that faculty can “merge courses on their time rather than waiting for ITS or COLI to manually confirm merges,” according to The Dome.

April 8 was Canisius Giving Day, and J. Patrick Greenwald, the director emeritus of donor engagement, had “committed to making a $5,000 contribution to the Kenneth Koessler Faculty Development Fund when 75 current or former, faculty or staff members” made a gift on Giving Day,” according to The Dome.

Contact Sydney Umstead

umsteads@canisius.edu

PHOTO OF PRESIDENT STOUTE FEATURED ON THE CANISIUS PAGE

Contact Delaney Hayden haydend@canisius.edu

VIA TOM WOLF

Migration and asylum documentary screening and conversation

By KATIE DUSZA CONTRIBUTOR

On April 5, there was a Migration and Asylum Community forum held in Montante Cultural Center.

This event included a showing of a documentary about the experience of refugees in America, as well as a panel discussion about the film and the subject relating to it.

The documentary titled “Running to Stand Still: Migrants Search for Hope in the Promised Land” is a 30-minute film exploring the humanitarian crisis at the Mexico-United States border.

The film features people from the southern border, putting faces to this heavily politicized crisis. It explores how much hatred and dehumanization this issue is faced with, especially in a country built on immigration.

The showing of the documentary was followed by a panel of five people who took questions about the film as well as other issues regarding migration and asylum. This panel included the filmmakers and local activist organizations.

The panelists included Jennifer Connor, executive director and co-founder of Justice for Migrant Families, Crystal Massey, volunteer engagement manager for the Immigration Justice Campaign, Heidi Ostertag, executive producer of “Running to Stand Still” and Dr. Sriram, director of the political science program at Canisius. Matthew Tice, director of asylum seeker programs at Jericho Road Community Health Center/VIVE was also in attendance.

Beyond the Dome: Scientists criticize return of the dire wolf

Furthermore, the three wolves

“are genetically modified, hybridized modern wolves, gestated in the womb of a domestic dog.”

By SYDNEY UMSTEAD NEWS EDITOR

Reports on April 7 said that the formerly extinct wolf species, dire wolves, have been brought back from extinction through genetic engineering. However, scientists have called into question the ethics of their “de-extinction.”

An article in Vox has criticized the supposed return of these wolves. They write, “The fluffy white canines — Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi — unveiled this week by Colossal Biosciences are closer to something like designer dogs.”

To do this, Colossal Biosciences had edited “the DNA of existing gray wolf cells to include some traits from long-extinct dire wolves (like their white hair and large size) and using them to create viable embryos with cloning technology.”

“It’s the harm that we do to the animals.”

Vox references the moral threat to humanity posed in the film Jurassic Park, where scientists de-extincted dinosaurs, and suggests that the threat of the dire wolves is not humanity-centered. Instead, “It’s the harm that we do to the animals.”

Furthermore, Colossal Biosciences does not seem to

want to stop at the dire wolf. It also aims to “bring back longgone species, such as woolly mammoths, dodos, and Tasmanian tigers,” Vox wrote. In engineering animals such as the woolly mammoth and dire wolf, the DNA is compared to the “genomes of closely related species, such as modern elephants and modern wolves.”

In the case of producing the dire wolves, “cells were extracted from the blood of living gray wolves, and their DNA was modified with 20 edits that the company says are responsible for the dire wolf’s most distinctive physical traits.” Then, “The embryos that would become the animals Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi were then implanted to grow inside large dogs and delivered by cesarean section.”

The business website argues that “extinction is a colossal problem,” and they are the people who intend to prevent species from the threat of extinction. However, skeptics are concerned that “there could certainly be unforeseen health complications in a gray wolf whose phenotype has been altered to resemble a different species, even as most of its genes remain the same,” and that “Whatever suffering they experience will be the responsibility of the company that created them,” according to Vox.

Contact Sydney Umstead umsteads@canisius.edu

Contact Katie Dusza duszak@canisius.edu

“Running to Stand Still”: Humanizing migrants and issues at the southern border

By KAITLIN O’MEARA ASST. COPY EDITOR

On Saturday, April 5, Canisius University and the WNY Peace Center co-hosted a community forum centered around migration and asylum at the southern border. The event consisted of the Buffalo premier of the documentary “Running to Stand Still: Migrants Search for Hope in the Promised Land,” followed by a panel discussion including community organizers, a professor and the documentary’s executive producer. In today’s political climate, immigration has become a very hot topic. The main goal of this event was to provide a more humanizing view of migrants, show what really leads people to immigrate to the United States and what the process of doing so is actually like. Heidi Ostertag, the executive producer, discussed the importance of storytelling as a method of making an argument, which was a big inspiration for the execution of the doc umentary. Composed of “profiles and vi gnettes, simple stories, and [a] non-polemical approach,” as outlined on a flyer handed out to attendees. The docu mentary aimed to show the “human impact of the U.S.-Mexico immi gration crisis.” Much of today’s rhetoric around immigration takes a de humanizing approach to the issue, but everyone at the panel wanted to emphasize the humanity of the people who are forced to migrate in search of a better life and hope for their families.

many immigration and refugee advocates to mitigate this impact while also working towards the implementation of new policies that treat migrants and those seeking asylum more humanely.

Dr. Sriram’s class on refugee resettlement (PSC 338) has a major service-learning component. Usually, it involves having students collect all the necessary donations for a house for a refugee family, but this had to change this semester because the Trump administration suspended the refugee resettlement program. Refugee resettlement goes beyond “picking up people from the airport and teaching them English. It’s helping them with housing, getting them [everything] in the background,” Sriram said. Students learn more about the real life impact of refugee policy on refugees, which often leads to this class having a significant impact on

the immigration system through class discussions or viewing films/documentaries about it, and a completely different thing to see firsthand how it impacts real people. In discussing the impact of classes like SPA 324 or PSC 338, Dr. Reitsma said these courses “help to humanize the issue [and] craft a nuanced understanding of the issue following the Jesuit pedagogy of discernment, reflection, and action. By incorporating embedded intentional service-learning which humanizes the experience of the other, we also learn how to take action, and thus continue the cycle of Jesuit pedagogy.” There is so much more that goes into the process and system of immigration than what is reported on the news, so taking classes like these allows students a better understanding of its nuances and an ability to apply this knowledge to the real world.

Dr. Shyam Sriram, assistant professor of political science and director of the political science program, was the Canisius professor on the panel and discussed with me the importance of humanizing immigration, specifically with putting a human face to the concept of a ‘migrant.’ “When people talk about immigration, or migrants, or asylum, they don’t talk about people,” he said, “They talk about people as if they’re data points.” So often, dehumanization occurs because people are unable to put a face to the concept of immigration, so it is the goal of

the students who take it.

Though I have not (yet!) taken PSC 338, I did take Dr. Richard Reitsma’s SPA 324 class and can confidently say that it has been the most impactful class I have taken at Canisius. The class is centered around immigration and involves service-learning through volunteering with the local non-profit Justice for Migrant Families, where students speak with migrants detained at ICE’s detention center in Batavia. It is one thing to learn about

For those of you who may not be familiar with the U.S. immigration system and its impacts on immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, I encourage you to be aware of the changes being made to the current system and how it impacts real people. One of the panelists discussed how they felt that they were “preaching to the choir” at the event. People there generally didn’t need to be convinced of the humanity and personhood of migrants and refugees – but that what is now important is reaching the “non-choir.” Asserting the simple fact that those migrating to the United States in search of a better life are human is so vital, since it often is not considered by those who view immigration as something detrimental. By writing this article, I hope to reach some of you who may not be in the “choir” when it comes to issues surrounding immigration and show the importance of caring about what is going on. It does not take much to be at least a little bit aware of what is going on at the border and how these changes are impacting real people.

Contact

Kreations by Kizzle steals the (fashion) show

By AVA C. GREEN EDITOR-IN CHIEF

Canisius University’s Afro American Society (Afro) held their annual fashion show this past Sunday, April 6, filling the Montante Cultural Center with one of the most hyped-up, welldressed audiences the place has ever held. The event showcased brands from all over Buffalo, and even collections by student designers, senior Ange Inseza and junior Aniya Hugley. There was no lack of incredible outfits and captivating performances on the runway, but one of the most memorable collections of the night was by Kreations by Kizzle and featured ravishing denim designs.

Markay Walker, the designer behind Kreations by Kizzle, was born and raised in Buffalo, and got his start making clothes for him and his friends to wear at their high school pep rallies’ spirit weeks. In 2017, a friend of Walker’s asked him to be a part of a fashion show she was putting on, and he’s been showing his fashion off all over Western New York ever since.

His runway show on Sunday started with Afro’s Graduate Advisor Shawn Johnson – wearing a striking, spring green jacket covered in patches – walking out waving a giant, bleach-dyed flag with “Kreations by Kizzle” graffitied onto it. The anticipation was immediately up and we were not let down. The looks were cohesive yet unique, imaginative but timeless, practical and fashionable – simply put, they ate.

Almost every piece in the collection featured jeans or denim in some way, staying true to Walker’s love of upcycling, which is, as he puts it, “giving new life to forgotten materials,” and reworking existing clothing items into something new. “[Denim] is tough, versatile and timeless, just like the people I design for. I could make you a whole outfit out of a pair of jeans just like that,” he says, backing that up by an impressive showing at the fashion show.

some high-low, some including a train. It was clear through these garments that Walker is cornering the market pieces that make a statement, but remain marketable and effortlessly wearable. And while these garments prove that Kreations by Kizzle can

Audiences saw variations of a top by Walker that uses the pant legs of jeans as its sleeves, with an off-the-shoulder neckline accomplished by cutting through the upper inseam of the pants. There was also an array of patchwork denim maxi skirts,

be your go-to for day-to-day styles, this collection’s show stealers were the more elevated, albeit less practical, streetwear-chic designs. I was blown away by the first two-piece set that hit the stage. The top was pretty simple in construction and style, but flaunted a giant denim bow tied on the front, blending Walker’s trademark inspiration with trendy motifs. The skirt with this outfit was just as impressive. Maybe it was the dramatic length and train. Maybe it was the slit down

the middle, the way the slit opened with cascading layers of flowy denim or the large bows that continued down the layers. Whatever it was about this outfit, it took my breath away. Every other look was enough to convince people to wear more denim, but this is the look that had us all start to believe that denim can be glamorous. When a twopiece with a similar silhouette came out, we were sold.

This set used a denim fabric with a much lighter wash. The skirt was more standard than the previous one, but had a high slit up the side instead, and an almost asymmetrical waistband. The top was a cropped button-up that was mostly undone, with a pearl overlay as a focal point to emphasize its collar. The two models in these sets posed together, looking like they just stepped out of a high-profile dinner party for distinguished denim lovers.

Afro’s fashion show theme this year was “Crowned: Black women in power,” but Walker made sure that his menswear had a moment on the stage as well. Besides the coat worn by Johnson, the decked out, sleeveless jackets, reminiscent of fishing vests – I say with love – were the standouts for the guys. Two models walked out in the jackets, one in red and one in grey. The scarlet color was instantly eye-catching, but it’s the grayscale one that was my favorite of the two. There were extra pockets, patches and distressing added, and a cheetah print pattern that was bleach-dyed onto some sections. Even with the menswear – which, by nature, can be a bit less interesting than women’s clothing – Walker was able to make every piece just as exciting as the next. You could tell through every outfit that Kreation’s by Kizzle is a love letter to the city, while staying true to Walker’s unique style and perspective.

Walker has always embraced where he’s from, despite his awareness that he and other Buffalo designers may be overlooked coming from a smaller city, he says. “But that’s not stopping me because I know I could be the next big thing from this city,” he said on Daytime Buffalo in 2023. And the clothes he brought to the stage on Sunday was certainly the proof to back up that statement.

Kaitlin O’Meara omeara2@canisius.edu

MARKAY WALKER

By BRANDON GASPAR CONTRIBUTOR

Thank you, Canisius. This is what I got…

When I first stepped on campus as a freshman during orientation, I did not know what to expect. I came from a small, allboys private high school where I was fairly involved, but mainly focused on sports and academics. During orientation, I was nervous because Canisius seemed so big compared to my high school. I made a small bucket list of goals for myself to complete before I graduated. These included various things such as being an orientation leader, a president of a club, giving back to my community every semester and meeting as many people as possible in these four years. I think it is safe to say I’ve achieved all of these goals except one… to write an article for the Griffin, and here we are!

My journey to Canisius was an interesting one. I took numerous tours in high school and had offers to play Division 2 and 3 tennis but took the chance to stay home, save money and go to Canisius. Right away on my first day of orientation, I knew this was the right place for me. The small, tight-knit community, being able to see my family everyday and the phenomenal academic programs were the main reasons I chose Canisius.

Throughout my first year, I was heavily involved and spent most of my days either in class, at a game or event or in the commuter lounge. I met many new people and went to every possible event I could. My second year however, my family life changed drastically.

During my sophomore year my mother, my best friend and the person I talked to everyday, passed away. Losing my mom halfway through the fall semester, compounded with the ever-growing coursework, made sophomore year the most challenging time in my life. From that experience, I learned more

Analee

than I could ever know about myself. Time proved to me that Canisius is my home and my family. I could lean on my friends, the very

ones I met during orientation (one of whom was my soon-to-be-girlfriend), my professors, and my family for guiding me while I was lost in the haze of going from class to the cemetary. Honestly, everything about that time is still a blur to me. Without my friends’ compassion and love, I don’t think I would have made it through. Looking back on my four years, I felt that I accomplished a great deal. I’ve had the privilege to be a part of a few executives

DeGlopper:

The future of USA

By CLÈMENCE BURG CONTRIBUTOR

Energy, passion and determination: three words that perfectly capture Analee DeGlopper, the newly elected incoming president of the United Students Association (USA) at Canisius. With this election, DeGlopper stood out as one of the most engaged and forwardthinking student leaders on campus.

Analee DeGlopper is currently pursuing a double major in political science and criminal justice, along with a minor in history. She is also part of the Honors Program and the Pre-Law Program, designed for students aiming for law school. Outside of academics, DeGlopper also serves as a resident assistant, a leadership position where she supports students in residence life and helps build a safe, inclusive and welcoming community.

This upcoming summer is defining; in fact DeGlopper will be focused on preparing for the LSAT, the entrance exam required for law school. “This is very exciting, a little scary and overwhelming, but I am excited to just start the process and then hopefully in the fall do my application and everything and if that goes well go to law school,” she said.

From vice president to president, it’s just a short step. DeGlopper’s leadership journey has already taken root through her impactful work as vice president of the USA. “It would be a disservice to only talk about half of them,” she laughs. “As a VP, I got to work closely with the entire Senate and all its members. We meet weekly to make sure everything’s on track. What made it special is that I got

to collaborate with everyone. Each senator is responsible for creating a project or event that benefits the entire community, and I had a hand in overseeing all of it.”

Now stepping into the presidency, DeGlopper is ready to take a different role: “The difference between VP and president is that the VP has more specific tasks, while the president has a broader role, especially when it comes to working with the faculty and external partners. I can’t say much yet about our upcoming projects…but they’re going to be so great!”

Beyond student government, DeGlopper is deeply involved in campus life. She’s been part of the Model United Nations for three years now, and is active in the Pre-Law Society and other academic societies which give her the opportunity to connect with a wide range of students across disciplines.

For students considering getting involved in student government, DeGlopper has a clear and open message: “All our meetings are public and take place every Friday. If you’re even slightly curious, come and check it out or send me an email (degloppa@canisius.edu). We’re always looking for new members and fresh project ideas!”

Driven, thoughtful and community-minded, Analee DeGlopper is a rising leader at Canisius whose journey is only beginning. Her ability to balance academics, leadership and longterm goals make her a standout voice in shaping the future on campus and beyond!

Contact Clémence Burg cburg@canisius.edu

boards, the President of C-Block for two years, attended countless Griffs games and trips, and met some of the most incredible people and lifelong friends along the way. I will cherish these memories long after I graduate, and I am grateful to call Canisius my home for these past four years. Through my experience, if I could leave you with a few pieces of advice that I’ve learned that may help you in the future, here they are:

1. Find your niche. I know you probably hear this a lot but it’s true! If you find your niche and something you’re passionate about, it can do wonders for your college experience and growth as a person.

2. Be patient. There will be ups and downs in your college career but it’s important to remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

3. Build a strong support system. It’s important to have people to lean on and know you are not alone. There is no weakness in asking for help.

4. Be yourself, no matter what.

5. Never Give Up. Easier said than done, but a staple to live by; just ask John Cena.

I hope some of these can help you in your college career and beyond. If you see me, give me a hug or say hello. If there’s one thing I can leave you with, it is one of my favorite quotes about life: “Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

Once a Griff, Always a Griff.

Contact Brandon Gasper gasperb@canisius.edu

HELA: More than just graduate school

By DOM LUCYSHYN AND MADELYNN LOCKWOOD

CONTRIBUTOR AND FEATURES EDITOR

The Higher Education Leadership and Administration program (HELA) is a graduatelevel program that focuses on preparing students for a range of careers in higher education. It has become one of the most popular programs at Canisius, drawing a range of diverse students.

Kaycee Viator is a second-year student in the HELA program. As part of the program, she works as a graduate assistant in the Student Engagement and Leadership Development program and as an intern for the University at Buffalo in their community and civic engagement office.

She says, “[HELA] has gotten me a lot of relevant experience within the higher ed field, with my internships and assistantship. And getting hands-on experience within the workplace, and developing myself as a professional after graduation.” This is a common theme amongst HELA students. Many feel that their many opportunities to have hands-on experiences has been a game changer for them.

Another student, Phillip Reutter, serves as one of three full-time hall directors for the office of Student Life. This past summer, he interned at Le Moyne College in their office of Student Development, and if that’s not enough, he also serves as the Canisius Athletics spirit manager. Phil adds, “I really fell in love with the tight knit community that

Le Moyne had, and saw the same aspect at Canisius.”

HELA students also have the opportunity to write a Master’s thesis to cap off their time at the university. Enock Atta-Sah Nimfour, a second-year HELA student, wrote his on something that is directly related to his graduate assistantship in the Griff Center for Accessibility Services. He entitled his “Disability Support Services in fostering a sense of belonging among college students with disabilities.” If a full-length thesis is not what a student is looking for, there is an alternative route which ends with a comprehensive final exam.

The program being ingrained with the Jesuit ideals that Canisius is known for has been a hallmark of the program. All of the students interviewed for this program made mentions of the rigorous aspects of the program that push them to build their own perceptions of the world around them. Experiential learning is also found in two higher education conference trips being included in the program.

If you are interested in the HELA program, then you should take a deeper dive into the program information found on the Canisius website.

Contact Dom Lucyshyn and Madelynn Lockwood lucyshyd@canisius.edu and lockwoo4@canisius.edu

GASPAR AT HIS THIRD CONSECUTIVE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S MAAC TOURNAMENT

THE GRIFFIN EDITORIAL

Your English degree is worthless

Perhaps reading that title raised your eyebrows, or maybe it didn’t because you believe it. If you are like me and have a major or majors in the arts and humanities, you have most likely heard this phrase before. Perhaps you have heard from family members, friends or colleagues that degrees in English, journalism, fine arts, communication, philosophy and history have no value in the “real world.” I know for myself, with a parent who was an immigrant from Asia and came to the United States, pursuing a humanities degree was nearly not an option because the majority of immigrant parents’ reality is that education has always been the key to escaping poverty within their own countries. Therefore, pursuing fields within the sciences was always “guaranteed success.” I began gaining experience in the healthcare field fairly early on, beginning with a job at a Children’s Hospital when I was seventeen going on eighteen years old, and the impact it had on me was significant. At this point, influences from all around me pointed to a career in healthcare, so when I arrived at Canisius, I enrolled in the physician assistant program and began taking classes. Now I love science, and I was not doing too badly in the classes, but the motivation to pursue these classes just wasn’t sticking. I found them extremely boring and bland in some ways, but I now credit my intuition with the gut feeling that we all have that simply says, “NO, not for you.” I grew up loving to read advanced classic literature, writing stories at a young age and aspiring to study English as a child (nerd, I know). Even after switching my major to bachelor of science in psychology, thinking it would be better and save me from having to leave the sciences, I still felt out of place. It was not until I took one English class that completely changed my perspective: creative writing, which was taught by Professor Janet McNally. We wrote stories in class, read stories by various authors and studied writing – most importantly, I found community there. There were people all around me who were passionate about writing and literature, as well as Professor McNally herself, who encouraged me to fully pursue my passion in English. When I consider the narrative that humanities degrees are a waste, I’m confused because there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary. I love this article I read last year called “To Be a Good Doctor, Study the Humanities,” which was written by Angira Patel, a pediatric and fetal cardiology doctor. Dr. Patel begins the article by discussing the case of a three-year-old who was diagnosed with a brain tumor known as medulloblastoma, which typically forms in the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for balance, posture and motor learning. All odds were against the child’s survival, and they passed. Dr. Patel, who was only a resident at the time and new to death, spoke about the grief she felt not only for the family but also for the physician; even when she later became the doctor in charge, she discussed the heavy responsibility of informing

families of deaths. She goes on to discuss her undergraduate major – philosophy – and how it held the same value as her science classes. She stated, “As a philosophy major in college before medical school, I believe I learned what it means to be a good doctor equally from my humanities classes as from my science classes. Studying the humanities helps students develop critical-thinking skills, understand viewpoints of different cultures, foster a just conscience, build a capacity for empathy, and become wise about emotions such as grief and loss. These characteristics define a good doctor.” In the medical field, there is often a perception that there is no room for the humanities; however, as someone who has been working in the healthcare system for five years, I have found that in my brief time working in the hospital, humanities skills are necessary. They are not only necessary for grieving families, but doctors, residents and healthcare workers in general need these qualities from the humanities. Dr. Patel even mentions a study that discovered that the more doctors are exposed to the humanities, the less likely they are to experience negative mental states such as physical and emotional exhaustion.

In the time I have been working in the hospital, the things I have seen have been completely traumatizing. But how much more traumatizing is it for our doctors? The medical profession, in particular, is becoming more dissatisfactory as a result of constant burnout, resulting in an increasing number of unhappy doctors, which has a direct impact on patient care. It’s about more than just treating just patients, it’s about taking care of the people who treat the patients. Yes, science is important but you’re not just treating a disease; you’re treating a patient – a human being. The reason I am emphasizing the importance of humanities in healthcare is to demonstrate how something perceived as insignificant, such as the humanities, has and will continue to drive a healthier lifestyle and environment in one of the most stressful environments in the world – a hospital. Ivy League universities continue to release articles explaining why they now prefer more students to apply to medical schools who have undergraduate degrees in the humanities to become doctors than students with science degrees because students in the humanities foster a more empathetic approach to interactions with patients.

The humanities are more important than ever in this rapidly changing world. Your degrees in English, philosophy, fine arts and all of the above hold weight in the real world. We need more people willing to pursue various career sectors with humanities degrees, not limited to healthcare; we need more people who have a deeper understanding of what it means to be a human being and want to foster that value within the world around them.

-RM

If I’m screaming, why is it so quiet?

By LEYLA AKIL CONTRIBUTOR

If I’m screaming, why am I still expected to write a paper and smile in the hallway like the world isn’t burning?

If I’m screaming, why do I feel like I’m the only one who hasn’t figured out how to pretend everything’s fine?

If I’m screaming, why are professors still assigning midterms like the world hasn’t completely shifted underneath our feet?

I’m a college student. I go to Canisius. I’m preparing for my junior year – and I feel like I’m unraveling.

My life is loud with pressure: home is unstable, school feels like a chore and my mind is always sprinting. I’m told to keep showing up – physically, emotionally, academically – while I feel like I’m breaking in places no one can see. I’m pouring myself into so many things, and I don’t even know if any of them are working. If I’m working.

At Tufts, a student was detained by federal agents for writing an opinion piece about Palestine. Four current UB students and nine recent graduates just had their visas revoked by ICE. They’re being forced out of the lives they built – no warning, no headlines, no outrage.

“If I’m screaming, why does the institution I’m part of expect me to compartmentalize everything – the fear, the grief, the headlines, the family stress – and show up to class like I’m just tired from staying up too late?”

If I’m screaming, why does the institution I’m part of expect me to compartmentalize everything – the fear, the grief, the headlines, the family stress –and show up to class like I’m just tired from staying up too late?

Then I look outside my own life – and somehow it’s louder.

There are bombings in Gaza. Children screaming in the night. Families erased from existence in seconds. We watch the footage on our phones – and then we scroll past it. Post brunch. Share a playlist. Move on.

At the same time, U.S. airstrikes in Yemen are killing civilians. In Sudan and Congo, entire communities are being destroyed by war and displacement, and the world barely blinks. In Burma, genocide continues. And just recently, the U.S. revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and suspended new ones. For now, that means South Sudanese people are banned from entering the country at all.

It’s everywhere. This violence, this dehumanization, this erasure – it’s not a moment. It’s a pattern.

If I’m screaming, why do these tragedies get buried beneath trending audio?

If I’m screaming, why does everyone else keep going like this isn’t happening?

And it’s not just happening “somewhere else.” It’s here, too.

My own brother saw ICE agents on his way home from work. In Buffalo. This close. If I’m screaming, why do people still think this is far away?

I walk around carrying my own weight – and the weight of all of this – and I don’t know where to put it. Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one who hasn’t gone numb. Like I’m stuck in a reality everyone else is choosing to mute. Like I’m grieving things no one will even name out loud.

And then I sit in a classroom, trying to take notes or write essays like the news hasn’t just shattered me again. Sometimes I wonder if anyone – professors included – notices that so many of us are just surviving.

If I’m screaming, why is it so quiet?

I don’t want this to be a thinkpiece. I’m not offering solutions. I don’t have the energy for performance. I’m tired. I’m scared. I’m angry. I’m worn down by the constant demand to act like everything is fine when none of it is.

Most days, I find myself craving one thing: stillness. A second where I’m not expected to be everything. Where the world stops spinning and I can just breathe – in, out – and mean it.

I find myself wanting a class where I’m not expected to pretend I’m okay. A week where I don’t have to push through. A professor who asks not how the assignment is going, but how I’m doing – really.

But even inside that craving, I know this: we can’t afford to go quiet. We can’t afford to stop noticing. Because the moment we stop feeling, we stop seeing. And that’s when the worst things keep happening without resistance.

If I’m screaming – and I know I’m not the only one – maybe someone else needs to hear it. Maybe someone else needs to say it, too.

I’m not okay.

Maybe you aren’t either.

And maybe saying that – out loud, in writing, in public – is enough for now.

If I’m screaming, at least I know I haven’t gone silent.

Canisius University’s final Accepted Students Day (ASD) is this weekend, garnering much excitement across campus. The Institute of Autism Research, however, will be boycotting ASD until admissions agrees to stop using that acronym.

As Accepted Students Days come and go, the school year’s end is being signaled, and with that, come even more conclusionary events for different clubs and organizations at Canisius. Despite our student leaders’ stress as they try to attend banquets, inductions and awards ceremonies, a study by Peter T. Griffon, PhD, shows an increase in these students’ well-being during these times. Dr. Griffon attributes this to the fact that these events help to finally satisfy their social needs Maslow’s hierarchy – needs that these students in particular tend to neglect, often not by choice.

With Easter nearly upon us, The Underground would finally like to announce the Easter egg hunt it will be hosting over the break! This year, in light of recent struggles on campus and in the U.S. economy, this hunt will be for dining staff only and we will be hiding real, raw eggs for them to make our breakfasts with.

With one public safety officer per shift, it appears they are too busy to even answer our several emails for a quote in news.

Seeing that scientists have figured out how to reintroduce the Dire Wolf after being extinct for 10,000 years, The Underground was thinking that the admission staff could use it to reintroduce new students?

By JON DUSZA MANAGING EDITOR

Mission 100 Days: I seen my opportunities and I took ‘em

If I had written something like this during my senior year of high school, I would have suggested to readers: if you have serious reservations about something, do not do it, it is not worth it. I am going to meander a bit, but please bear with me. I assure you that my message has changed in my four years of college.

As a whole, I am incredibly lucky to be able to say that my high school experience was a happy one, with a good group of people, friends and family who I could count on. At the beginning of junior year, I told myself that I would expand my horizons and really try to break out of my comfort zone. My efforts started off well, but COVID put them on hold. Then, during the pandemic and after, seemingly every time I put myself “out there” it completely blew up in my face. I will recount one story that is somewhat humorous and representative. In short, a miserable prom night (I was dragged to prom in the first place, I did not want to go) ended with me literally flat on my back in my friend’s backyard with dozens of people laughing at me. I had slipped on a rock and found myself in the air, legs fully extended, both feet kicking in the air like I was in a cartoon, and I fell. It was a funny moment, I laughed as well. But the lesson was clear. “You know what?” I thought to myself, “why do I even bother?” I went home and was in bed by 11:30.

The rest of senior summer was a good one: luckily I avoided injury from my prom night faux pas. But I remembered that lesson and brought it with me my freshman year at Canisius. During orientation lunch, after the people whose table I sat down at all got up and moved tables, leaving me alone (which happily remains one of the few negative interactions I have had at this school), I resolved to leave orientation. It was quite an embarrassing moment and was not a great beginning to my college career, but what else was I to expect? Of course orientation would be awful, did I not remember the lessons of the previous year?

One Thursday evening during the fall semester of my freshman year, I got a text from the then news editor of this publication, Natalie Faas, asking me if I would like to come to The Griffin office that night to see how publication went. Though I had been writing some short news stories to be published in The Griffin, I said no, maybe some other time. A couple of similar interactions later and I finally relented. To my horror, then Editor-in-Chief Aidan Joly asked me if I was free on Thursday nights and if I would be interested in joining The Griffin staff as assistant news editor. I can still remember my heart rate increasing, my consciousness desperately searching through the filing cabinets in my mind for any excuse and, not finding anything that was keeping me busy on Thursday evenings, I mumbled sheepishly: “I think so.” Guilted into a weekly commitment with this paper, I was once again agreeing to do something that I was not excited about doing. Surely it would be a disaster again. Well, joining The Griffin is my favorite thing I have done in my entire life. I could fill an entire edition’s worth with anecdotes, but I will use just one. It was still my freshman year, and I was walking back to Lyons Hall where my car was parked after a hectic work night at The Griffin As I passed by the doors of Lyons, I came to the realization that I, a terribly shy commuter who spent three hours a day on campus max, who sat in the back corner of each of my classes, had by some miracle foun d college friends. I was truly prepared to go through four years of school with my head down minding my own business, the sporadic return of my childhood friends during breaks were enough to satisfy my social appetite. But by reluctantly joining The Griffin staff, I stumbled into a group of friends, people who have been some of the best friends I have ever had. Through The Griffin, I felt at home on this campus, even though I do not live here – a feeling which I am lucky to have. Through The Griffin, I flew for the first time, and through those same trips that required said flights, I had the most enjoyable travel experiences of my life. Through The Griffin I met Steve from “Blue’s Clues,” a childhood hero. What?! Early my sophomore year, I got an email from D r. Bruce Dierenfield, who asked me, per recommendation of former Griffin Managing Editor Pat Healy, if I would be interested in helping him

do research for a book he was writing about a civil rights activist. As I did with The Griffin, reluctantly, I said I would. Working with Dr. Dierenfield over the last three years – on his book project and on my thesis – has been an experience that, more than being enjoyable, has taught me more about life, and how to deal with myself and others more than anyone could possibly hope for. It is a shame that not every college student can have a relationship with faculty as great as Dr. Dierenfield like I have,

and the fact that I do is one of the luckiest breaks I have had at Canisius. This was 2022. I came to a bit of a revelation on New Year’s Eve of that year. I was walking to a friend’s house to ring in the New Year, and I used that walk as a time for reflection on the year that was, seeing as it would likely be the last quiet moments I would have in 2022, the first full year of my college experience. I thought about where I was, and who I was at the beginning of the year, and was shocked to realize that I had grown a great deal as a person.

For Christmas that year, Santa Claus gave me a book called Plunkitt of Tammany Hall, a manifesto of speeches from George Washington Plunkitt, one of the most corrupt politicians in American history. Plunkitt’s most famous quote came when he was defending his stealing of millions of taxpayer dollars: “I seen my opportunities and I took ‘em.” That quote really resonated with me as words which described my successful first full year of college.

College is full of opportunities: opportunities to make friends, to improve your resume and yourself, to scratch off bucket list items. What makes college worthwhile is seeing those opportunities and taking them. The key is to go about looking for those opportunities, and not expecting them to go wrong, as I thought they would at the end of high school, but expecting the best, for that is where the motivation to take those opportunities comes from. In college, I seen my opportunities and I took ‘em, and as a result, I have grown at Canisius in ways that I could never have imagined.

No personal growth happens by oneself, and there are far too many people to thank personally for making my college experience a shockingly wonderful one, but here are a few. First of all, my parents and brother and s ister (who goes here, hello Katie). I live at home, so I see them every day. The conversations, therapy, advice, love and joy that they give are to me, (not exaggerating here) the best things in the whole world. I love them more than I can fit in t he ten pages of this edition (maybe fourteen would do).

Writing for this paper is the most enjoyable thing I have done in school. For that, I must thank The Griffin’s fearless Editor-in-Chief Ava C. Green. One thing I have learned is that most people – to some extent or another, myself included – fake it till they make it, and there is nothing wrong with that. But that description does not fit Ava Green as editor-in-chief. I have met nobody who is better at what they do than she is, and if anybody has ever gotten any enjoyment out of this paper, Ava Green deserves a great deal of credit for it. And she is a great friend.

Also the rest of The Griffin staff. The Griffin is my “thing,” it is what I spend most of my time at school doing, and it is the core of my social life. I do not want to leave anyone out, so I will not name names, but to literally everyone who has been on The Griffin staff or associated with it: thank you.

The same goes for the professors I have had. I will name a few here who I will remember especially fondly; Dr. Sriram, Professor Kryder, Professor Higgins, Professor Klump, Dr. Chambers; but I extend my deepest thanks to all of the professors I have had. They have all been incredible.

Also thanks to Josh Allen and Aaron Judge for making two childhood dreams come true: Allen for making the Bills a Super Bowl contender and Judge for hitting 62 home runs in a season.

Above all, since this is my written goodbye to Canisius, I thank most deeply the Canisius community as a whole. It is cliche to say, but I thank everybody here. I realize that I am using the words “everybody” and “all” and “best ______ of my life” to describe a lot of things in this article, but I do not think I am exaggerating. Canisius is a truly special place – there is just something about it – and I attribute it to the people at Canisius. My Canisius alumni parents, who told me throughout my youth that Canisius has a certain good vibe to it, were completely right, and I will be forever grateful that I took up their advice. And so to you, dear reader, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Contact Jon Dusza duszaj@canisius.edu

By AVA C. GREEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“My professor knows my name. Is that good or should I be scared?”

Some of my favorite people on this campus are my professors. Being caught off guard is normal when you’ve just been name-dropped by someone whose will you bend to in hopes of receiving a passing grade, but let’s think of this as an opportunity for best-friendship. Or at the very least, that passing grade.

I guess this really all depends on the context of which you’ve been name-dropped. Maybe you’ve been late to class all semester and have garnered a bit of a reputation with this professor. Or your perspective on the class discussion was one of the more unique ones they’ve heard. Our professors know loads of students, and the ways they remember or distinguish us aren’t always going to be for our stellar articulation or how fast we complete tests. This alone should be enough to tell you that regardless of why they know your name, you should consider the fact that they remember you – amidst the mass of former and current students that fill their memory – a good sign that they probably don’t hate you.

One of my English professors a few years ago practically started the semester by ragging on me for submitting essays that were way longer than he’d asked for. While it wasn’t the best first impression I’ve made, it was a foot in the door and an ice breaker. Instead of sinking into the floor, I laughed, apologized and promised to rein it in. Spoiler alert: I did not rein it in. But we ended up having some great conversations during office hours, and by the end of the semester, he was one of my biggest supporters. And today, he submits recommendation letters on my behalf and works with me on writing that isn’t even for his class.

So, even if your professor knows your name because of something a little awkward –talking too much, writing too much, showing up too little or late – it doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It means you’re on their radar. And being on a professor’s radar, if handled correctly, can be the gateway to candid conversations, mentorship or a little more grace when your next assignment is turned in two hours past the deadline.

Contact Ava C. Green green98@canisius.edu

A BABY JON DUSZA. OBSERVE THE EVIL LURKING BENEATH THAT SEEMINGLY INNOCENT SMILE.

JON DUSZA, TEN-YEAR BILLS SEASON

TICKET-HOLDER, POSES IN HIS SEAT AT THE RALPH.

A Place

By BRIANA WASIL CREATIVE CORNER EDITOR

There’s a place I go when all feels lost, It travels with me like a shadow, hovering until I stop

Only then will I carve out the door, White chalk echoing as it paves the ﬂoor

It’s not till I take a step that it will glow like the night

Because something about darkness just strengthens the light I leap through the melting of time

Where past, present and future collide

A lapse of memory and a blast of records

The space between reality where the lost is now discovered It holds me and lifts the air all around

Guiding me in a presence that on Earth, is never found It can be my safehaven and terror

My distaste and longing

The quick changes of a current Brought on by a burning Of a fuel I cannot sustain Nor calmness that can ever be attained I breathe.

Only when I breathe can it shoot at the wind

And all the scars of its long-lasting sins I breathe.

Not from the remains,

But for the remainder of those still here I breathe.

For the one life on Earth that is never fully complete

For my life and theirs; all of those I wish to meet.

Contact Briana Wasil wasilb@canisius.edu

How the Years Change

By KIRA RODRIGUEZ CONTRIBUTOR

Years ago, I looked at her and thought, “Too quirky, too naive.” I nodded and smiled as she spoke, hoping she would face forward in her seat. She doesn’t remember the first time we met. I do. I still remember the excitement in her voice as she told me her name, explaining it wasn’t spelled like the Disney princess. A few years went by. Three, I think. We were in middle school now, sitting in the same first-period math class. She talked to the class, then to me, as we got to know each other on the first day. I thought, “Too loud, too obnoxious.” I rolled my eyes and kept smiling as she continued talking. I remembered her face, her voice, from the day we met on the bus years ago. She didn’t remember mine. Weeks went by, then months, now years. I look at her now, thinking, “Too wild, too weird.” I smile and laugh as she speaks, wiping away the tears and trying to catch my breath. She doesn’t remember the first time we met like I do. I don’t care. That was the past. I remember our bond, one stronger than one created by blood.

Contact Kira Rodriguez rodri162@canisius.edu

Archangel Micheal Casts Out Lucifer

By HAKIM MOSEGI CONTRIBUTOR

This piece took some time and thought when I was creating it. I wanted a biblical scenery of Lucifer’s downfall from heaven, being casted out from heaven, but my ﬁrst thought was seeing the stances in my head - wings, spear, and the poses. Translating it onto paper wasn’t as easy as thinking of it though.

This piece, I had a look at anatomy references to get a bit of twist of the torso and tensions into the legs. The wings were easy to imagine and draw on paper, though getting them to feel weighty but still angelic took a lot of detail. The ﬁgures below didn’t take long either since they weren’t the center of the attention and were smaller ﬁgures in general.

It’s quite a challenge to put something you imagine in your head and put it on a blank page with just pencils. Still, I am quite happy that I’ve accomplished that once more when doing this artwork.

That said, I am not quite finished with it yet. I still need to put a lot of time into the background and especially filling the bottom section. Right now, it’s untouched - and I am still figuring out what to put in the background as well. I took some advice from friends and suggested volcanoes at the lower bottom background and the heavens at the upper section of the background, which are good ideas to use. Divinity at the top and Hell at the bottom; both contrasting themselves.

There’s still a ton of work left and I don’t think it will ever be done, so let’s just say it’s still in progress!

Contact Hakim Mosegi mosegih@canisius.edu

Up, Down, and Around Italy

Editor Briana Wasil

Creative Corner Games

Editor: Colin Richey

Men’s lacrosse punches ticket to MAAC Championship

By Colin Richey SPORTS EDITOR

Following a 12–6 win over Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday, the Canisius men’s lacrosse team clinched a playoff spot in the MAAC Championship. Tied with Sacred Heart with a 5–1 conference record, the Griffs and Pioneers are currently the only two teams guaranteed to be playing in late April.

The Griffs were off to a hot start against The Mount, scoring four of the game’s first five goals, never conceding the lead. The theme from the team’s victory over the Mountaineers was depth, with eight different players registering a goal. Senior Kayden Easter, sophomores Jordan Reed and Mason Wolford, and freshman Peter Biglin all finished with two goals apiece, while senior Jaxon Fridge registered a game-high four assists.

After the game, Head Coach Mark Miyashita discussed the team’s offensive success this season. “The guys are coming together offensively and continuing to gel as they leave their egos at the door when it comes to who’s scoring and who’s getting the assist as they understand that it doesn’t matter. There’s a lot of hidden plays that are going

on out there, and they’re all important.”

Senior goalie Tommy Kunz recorded eight saves, helping the Griffs surrender a season-low six goals against. “Defensively we just did a really good job of exe -

Baseball sweeps Marist, falls to Bonaventure

By Andrew Nowel CONTRIBUTOR

The Griffs traveled to Poughkeepsie for a rainy weekend of baseball where the dreary weather didn’t slow them down. Winning both games of the doubleheader on Friday before the final game getting cancelled due to rain, the Griffs returned to WNY on a two-game win streak.

Canisius got the bats going early in Game 1, scoring two runs in the first inning even before junior pitcher Sam Staerker took the mound. They held the lead the rest of the game as the Marist Red Foxes only scored two runs in the entirety of Game 1. Staerker began the game as the opener followed by senior pitcher Peyton Consigli, who tossed seven innings with no earned runs as the Red Foxes only scored an unearned run off Consigli. His performance earned him MAAC Pitcher of the Week.

Game 2 began with the opposite start as Marist jumped to a quick 1–0 lead in the first inning before the Griffs tied the game on an Owen Silliman walk. The junior from East Aurora continued to find success at the top of Head Coach Matt Maurek’s lineup, slashing .300 in the doubleheader. A homerun from sophomore Eric Weeks, the second of his collegiate career, extended the Griffs lead and they built on it as the game progressed.

The dagger came in the sixth inning led by senior Trent Rumley with an RBI single where he would later score to extend the Griffs lead to 7–2. Even with a Red Foxes’ homer in the eighth inning, it was too little too late as the Griffs defeated Marist 7–4 in Game 2. Rumley, with his performance of seven hits in ten at-bats, seven RBI and five runs scored, earned himself

MAAC Player of the Week.

“I’m hitting in the fourhole, so I understand that my job is to drive in runs, and the last couple of weeks, I’ve been able to capitalize,” said Rumley on Tuesday.

A midweek trip down to Olean was in store for Canisius coming off the cancellation of Sunday’s game in Poughkeepsie. The Griffs were ready to take on the Bonnies and grad student Levi Abbott began the game with two shutout innings for Canisius. However, freshman Brian Smith’s struggles continued as he allowed four earned runs in the third, giving the Bonnies a 4–0 lead. Freshman Noah Albano had pitched spectacularly against the Fairfield Stags in his last appearance, but the Bonnies tagged three more earned runs to make it a 7–0 Bonaventure lead.

The offense came alive in the middle innings for Canisius, shortening down the Bonnies lead to 7–5, but a threerun sixth and seventh put a comeback to bed, giving Saint Bonaventure the 13–6 victory.

The pitching struggles stem from not being able to control the run game of the opposing team, Matt Mazurek said on Tuesday. “We have to clean up some things when it comes to our pitchers holding the runners,” explained Mazurek. “We also have some footwork issues with some of our positioning. I’ll call it the laziness of catching in this day and age with some guys getting comfortable with one leg out where you need both legs underneath you to be able to throw.”

The Griffs return to the field this weekend against the Sacred Heart Pioneers in Fairfield, Conn.

cuting the game plan today.

When we look at the film, we’ll see where we need to be a little bit better on a few little things. But the communication and just the overall execution throughout that unit was amazing today,” explained

Coach Miyashita.

The Griffs have two regular season games remaining, starting with a match in New Rochelle against Iona on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Women’s lacrosse hungry for another win after Fairfield loss

By Paige Apps CONTRIBUTOR

With a later start than usual, the Griffs entered Wednesday’s game hungry for a third straight win, looking to knock Fairfield down to their second loss of the conference. In a 20–9 defeat, the women’s lacrosse team walked away with a few lessons to carry into the rest of the season.

“I think sometimes you need to get your butt kicked and we definitely did. We’ll flip the switch, we’ll learn from what we did wrong, we’ll be proud of the things we did right, and we’ll hopefully grow in those areas. But I think it’s about moving on from that quickly because that’s how this conference is,” Head Coach Russell Allen commented on the outcome of the game.

“While the Blue and Gold are still hungry and looking for their next meal, the team hits the road once again to face Rider on Saturday before Quinnipiac next Wednesday.”

Entering the 2025 season, the Griffs were and still are searching for that victory since 2017. Despite the losing streak, the team has positives to draw from the defeat. Sophomore Maddie Fitzgerald answered Fairfield’s offensive attacks with four goals of her own, aided by freshman Leah Pfieffer’s talent and ability to split the defense. Both senior defender Taylor McArthur and sophomore goaltender Olivia Licardi caused two turnovers apiece preventing the Stags from snatching more goals in the match.

“I thought Leah Pfieffer did a lot of little things ex-

tremely well. It won’t show on the stat sheet that Maddie was finishing on a lot of eight meters because Leah was creating driving lanes for her, because Leah was active in the middle,” Allen stated on the topic of offensive status in the game.

“This is a kid who didn’t see the field as a freshman and has put in more work than probably any kid I’ve ever coached in my life.”

“I think Taylor McArthur has been playing at an All-Conference level this year, this is a kid who didn’t see the field as a freshman and has put in more work than probably any kid I’ve ever coached in my life. And it’s beautiful to see her in her senior year continue to show how special she truly is,” explained Allen.

While the Blue and Gold are still hungry and looking for their next meal, the team hits the road once again to face Rider on Saturday before Quinnipiac next Wednesday.

Kayden Easter looking for a pass

VIA TOM WOLF

Contact Colin Richey Richeyc4@canisius.edu

Contact Andrew Nowel Nowela@canisius.edu

Golf finishes 12th at Abarta Coca-Cola Invitational, Edholm

continues to impress

Despite the Griffs’ bottom-of-the-pack finish at the Abarta Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational, senior Ryan Edholm continues to shine during the final stretch of his collegiate career, finishing his two rounds with an even-par score of 144 in a three-way tie for ninth place.

After a top-ten finish in his last outing at the Carpetbagger Classic, the Tonawanda, NY native was able to notch yet another top finish after hitting back-to-back birdies on his final two holes. The senior’s even-par effort on Monday marked his 12th even-par or better outing of the season. Edholm also leads the Griffs’ squad in career top-20 finishes with 12, including four during his 2024-2025 campaign.

After 18 holes of golf, the Golden Griffins found themselves near the bottom of the scoreboard, sitting in 14th out of the 16-team pool. Canisius’ score of 311 was led by Edholm’s even-par 72, and the seven-man squad sat just five strokes back of 10th place Lafayette.

Leading the charge after a rainy and windy first round was MAAC rival Sacred Heart,

who led the team portion of the tournament with a score of 293 (+5), just one stroke ahead of second-place Villanova.

Day two of the tournament saw both freshman Chase Burgess and sophomore Jake Dantonio post strong second-round performances, with both golfers firing a score of 77 (+5). For Burgess, his second round score was a three-stroke improvement from his first outing, while Dantonio lowered his first round score by five strokes.

On the other hand, sophomore Mikey Takacs fell 19 spots on Monday after a +5 (77) effort on Sunday.

“The Tonawanda, NY native was able to notch yet another top finish”

As a team, Canisius lowered their first round score to 304 in the second round, which lifted the Griffs two spots to finish in a 12th-place tie with Laval with a combined score of 615.

After 36 holes of gold, Millersville’s Timothy Peters, who is ranked 90th in all of Division II, and Merrimack’s Kai-

Jun Huang shared the top spot shooting four-under par (140). Huang later claimed the top individual honor by defeating Peters in a playoff. Through one round of golf, Peters sat in fifth place with a score of 71 (-1) before recording Monday’s best score of 69 (-3) to jump to first place. Huang split his tournament with both rounds shooting two-under par (70).

Sacred Heart held on to its day one lead to be crowned champions of the Abarta Coca-Cola Invitational after a one-under par team performance on Monday, finishing with a score of 580 (+4). Fairfield, another MAAC foe, claimed second place, shooting a combined 585 (+9) after two rounds of action.

The Griffs now look ahead to the one-day New York/ Pennsylvania Division I Quad Match hosted by Mercyhurst University, before heading south for the MAAC Championships in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The Griffin official three-person mock draft

By Sports Crew

Draft Order: Peter, Andrew, Colin

TEN - Cam Ward, QB

CLE - Abdul Carter, EDGE

NYG - Travis Hunter, WR/CB

NE - Will Campbell, OT

JAX - Tet McMillan, WR

LV - Ashton Jeanty, RB

NYJ - Armand Membou, OT

CAR - Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE

NO - Shedeur Sanders, QB

CHI - Mason Graham, DT

SF - Kelvin Banks, OT

DAL - Matthew Golden, WR

MIA - Will Johnson, CB

IND - Tyler Warren, TE

ATL - Jalon Walker, EDGE

ARZ - Grey Zabel, IOL

CIN - Derrick Harmon, DT

SEA - Jahdae Baron, CB

TB - Jihaad Campbell, LB

DEN - Omarion Hampton, RB

PIT - Jalen Milroe, QB

LAC - Emeka Egbuka, WR

GB - Mykel Williams, EDGE

MIN - Nick Emmanwori, S

HOU - Josh Simmons, OT

LAR - Maxwell Hairston, CB

BAL - Shemar Stewart, EDGE

DET - Malaki Starks, S

WAS - Mike Green, EDGE

BUF - Kenneth Grant, DT

KC - James Pearce, EDGE

PHI - Nic Scourton, EDGE

Contact Cassandra Ercoli Ercolic@canisius.edu

Griffs tame Broncs and Bobcats on Demske

After a week of cold rain and snow, Canisius continued their hot streak against MAAC rivals Rider and Quinnipiac.

Canisius started their ten game homestand with a Tabitha von Kolen leadoff triple, and was hit home by fellow outfield er Ella Johel. The Griffs were able to tie the game when first baseman Emily Ilano hit a dou ble to left, scoring Johel.

Johel capped off a 3-for-3 day with a two run homer in the sixth, and finished the game bat ting in three of the four Canisius runs. Sophomore Olivia Man chester struck out seven Broncs in a complete performance, and picked up her ninth win of the campaign.

In Game 2, a Rosie Gomez solo dinger in the seventh tied the game 1–1. It took two ex tra innings, but second base man Bailey Alatorre came up with the walkoff knock, scoring pinch runner Bella Martin after a throwing error by the Broncs. Toria Kover went the extra distance, striking out five in nine innings of work for her second win of the season. The afternoon wins ensured the Griff’s third series win of the season.

a fielder’s choice, scoring Natalie Quonce to get the score to 4-3. That would ultimately not be enough, as the Griffs fell in seven innings.

The team dropped the third game of the series on Saturday. Rider stretched to a 4–0 lead by the third, off a series of singles and small-ball sacrifices. Ilano left the yard for a two-run homer in the fourth to put the Griff’s in the race, and would bunt for

After a set of off days, the Golden Griffins returned to the field Wednesday morning to defend the den against the Quinnipiac Bobcats. A 10 a.m. start might have put other teams to sleep, but early runs and a home run by Quinnipiac’s Ella McGal-

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liard woke the Griffs up. Facing a 3–0 deficit in the bottom of the 3rd, Canisius put four runs together. A series of fielder’s choice plays from von Kolen, Johel and Gomez got the Griffs on the board, and an Alatorre RBI hit-by-pitch got the second run in.

Ilano cleaned up the bases with a two RBI single, scoring Gomez and Ilano. A Johel sacrifice fly in the 4th inning padded

the lead, and a home run by Sofia Escoto capped off the early game, with the Griffs winning by a score of 4-6. Manchester picked up her tenth win of the season, striking out four batters in seven innings of work. Manchester’s season ERA now sits at 2.95, which lands at 11th on the conference leaderboard.

The Griffs’ second matchup against their Hamden, Connecticut rivals was just as close. After giving up a run in the first, a base hit by Alatorre tied the game at one.

An impressive day by Escoto continued in the third. Her RBI single put the Griffs ahead, Escoto ended the day 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBI. Quinnipiac went ahead again in the 5th, but a Gomez blast to left tied the game 3–3. Canisius and Quinnipiac battled into the 10th, but the oncoming women’s lacrosse team’s game against Fairfield forced the game to be postponed.

The team will continue to defend the Demske against the second place Iona Gaels this weekend, and the St. Peter’s Peacocks the following Tuesday, April 15.