Lucas Watson gives us his final Architecture Around Buffalo of the year, highlighting Public School No. 46
Senior Editor-in-Chief Julia Barth says her final goodbyes as a student in her Mission: 100 Days
Canisius softball stretches their win streak to eight with a sweep of Manhattan
According to an email to families as well as posts to social media on Thursday evening, Canis- ius College officially announced that it has received approval from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Board of Regents for university designation. Beginning August 1, the institution will be rolling out its university title and a new branding strategy.
In a statement, President Steve Stoute said, “This achievement reflects the work of so many at Canisius to expand our academic programs and provide greater opportunities for students to ac- cess our transformative education.” He continued, “We’re pleased that our name will more closely reflect how we view ourselves — as a comprehensive university with a breadth of excellent academic programs. I am grateful to all of our dedicated fac- ulty and staff whose hard work made this possible.”
According to the release, Canisius is able to receive this distinction because of its vast educational opportunities, specifically regarding its grad- uate programs, which in recent years reached the threshold set by NYSED to qualify for a university. The potential name change has been in administra- tive discussions for months now, with Stoute himself addressing it at his State of the College speech last fall.
Additionally, The Griffin reported in the March 3 issue that the banner of the school’s website had been changed to read “Canisius University” for a short time. The incident, while described by Stoute’s Chief Communications Officer Eileen Herbert as a test, nevertheless was an example of the speculation which has surrounded a potential name change over the last few years.
In an interview with The Griffin two days prior to the announcement, President Stoute addressed the topic and said that the college had already put in their petition with the Board of Regents. Before he would officially make the change, Stoute cau- tioned, the college must first “plan for and articu- late why this is important. The other institutions [in the Buffalo region] — and this is not a criticism — in my opinion have missed an opportunity. To me, it is more than a name change: it is an opportunity to restate the value proposition, re-articulating in a new, compelling, exciting way why Canisius University is where leaders are made.”
Referencing the college’s recent sesquicenten- nial anniversary, he noted, “When we do this, we will be Canisius University for likely another 150 years. We have to do this intentionally and strategically. That is what has taken us time.” This once-in-a-gen- eration moment is something, Stoute said, he hopes “we can all celebrate in the months to come.”
President Stoute discussed this and other topics with The Griffin before his Tuesday town hall, including the renovation of Lyons Hall, 2023-24 enrollment and a reflection on his first year as President:
One of the most prominent issues that Stoute
spoke on was that of the reconstruction of Lyons Hall. He started by saying that “Lyons Hall will be offline for the foreseeable future,” and he later clarified that it will not be back in operation for the 2023-24 academic year. Stoute emphasized his trust in the Strategic Plan and Prioritization Com- mittee (SPPC) to reimagine Lyons Hall. It is a con- versation they have “not yet started,” but he recog- nized the building’s importance on campus.
This semester, admissions has had to move to Science Hall because of the damages Lyons faced in the blizzard. Stoute noted that this relocation “is not in the best long-term interest in the institu- tion,” which is why administration is going to work with Admissions over the summer to make their accommodations more suitable for their work. “We want to ensure that our prospective students and parents have the best welcome to Canisius and the best experience when they are here,” he said.
Despite this, Stoute said that enrollment num- bers are not any different for the upcoming aca- demic year than they were at this time last year.
dress the lack of diversity among professors and staff on campus. At a meeting of the Undergraduate Student Association (USA) this semester, Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Fatima Rodriguez Johsnon showed the statistics that demonstrate the lack of faculty of color on campus. With a grow- ing student-of-color population, she noted that ac- ademic departments need to keep up in order to ensure the best education for all students.
Stoute agreed with this sentiment, saying, “It’s important for us to have a faculty that more closely reflects the current student body.” He noted that administration doesn’t have much say in who the departments hire, but he hopes that they “pay par- ticular attention to those processes.”
Sustainability has also been an important issue for Stoute and the college, and this year, USA Sus- tainability Chair Genevieve Fontana has taken the initiative with making Canisius a more sustainable campus. Stoute commended her for her successes, and he noted that the college has taken a more active approach to being more environmentally friendly. He said that 66% of energy at Canisius is from renewable sources, citing a contractual agreement the school has with a solar farm in South Buffalo. He also discussed the school’s dining service, Chartwells, saying, “Our partnership with Chart- wells has led to a significant increase in recycling and recyclable materials. We are currently discuss- ing a long-term partnership to invest in sourcing food and growing food in ways that add to our sus- tainability goals.”
“The number of deposits is about single-digits down from last year,” he said. “It is not statistically signif- icant, the difference between last year where we were at this time and this year.”
Admissions will also be seeing a change come next fall, when Canisius officially goes test-free. While the response has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Stoute said he has “encouraged internal and alumni leaders to understand rationale for decision,” asking that they ask the college admin- istration how the decision could help to “eliminate barriers to what we know is a world-class education and creating significantly more opportunities for capable, committed students to achieve their full potential.” He pointed out that the change will not take effect until fall 2024 and, thus, the results of the reform cannot yet be measured.
Something that Stoute said he also wanted the SPPC to focus on is how our current faculty can ad-
When asked if “RISE” (Renew, Inspire, Serve and Empower) would remain his presidential slogan, Stoute said the phrasing may change but that the underlying values would remain the same. He did, however, double down on the college’s long-stand- ing “Where Leaders are Made” tagline. This defini- tion of leadership is “not about a title, a position; it’s about how you commit to serving others. ‘Where Leaders are Made’ will be how we talk about Canisius and its distinctiveness in the market. This is where leaders are made, and this is how we do it. This is what our society needs: values-based lead- ership.”Stoute took some time at the closing of the in- terview to reflect on his first year at Canisius. When asked to give himself a grade, he gave himself a B-. He is proud of his accomplishments, including his determination in getting to know students, faculty and staff, as well as having us as an institution go test-free.
“There is work that remains to be done,” he added, continuing that this includes “establishing a foundation that will allow us the firm footing — the solidity — to move forward in bold, ambitious ways.”
Editor’s Note: The News Section would like to thank the scribes of this article, seniors Julia Barth and Pat Healy for their work this year, both for their strong leadership of The Griffin and their writing for the News Section this year. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts and wish them all the best in the future.
Contact The Griffin grffn@my.canisius.edu
By J.P. DUZA, A.C. GREEN, M.E. LOCKWOOD NEWS EDITOR, FEATURES EDITOR, ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
Prior to his public question and answer session, Burns sat down for a few minutes with some members of The Griffin and fielded their questions.
Burns was asked about the very nature of the interview he was partaking in and the dynamic of speaking to students who knew him as a unique childhood role model but were no longer little children. “It’s easier now,” he said. “When you were four and somebody said ‘That’s Steve!’ and we had to talk, it was weird. First of all, he’s not acting the same, he doesn’t look the same, where’s the dog? I couldn’t viably present Steve to a four-year-old: that’s an age group that is so profoundly literal. … They were a bit disappointed ultimately because I couldn’t deliver the show. … It’s much easier to talk to you all now.”
From a kid of that age group, Burns got what he considers to be his favorite piece of fan mail ever, a letter from a little boy named Scott that read, “Dear Steve, I want to be a pizza, love Scott.” Burns said, “I just thought it was really cool that he would share that with me.” He also talked about a piece of fan mail that he received from an older fan: an 8x10 of a playboy model. “I went on a date with her,” said Burns.
He then talked a bit about his own experience watching children’s television as a child. “I was a Sesame Street guy. I remember watching Mr. Rogers and being pretty transfixed by it, but
it wasn’t my favorite. I’m much more a fan of his now than I was then. … I think he was the greatest there ever was by far.”
That admiration for Mr. Rogers was one of the key thoughts that went into the making of “Blue’s Clues.”
“‘Blue’s Clues’ is an homage to Fred Rogers,” Burns explained. “He had the sweater every day, I had the green-
striped shirt; he used the trolley, I would Skidoo. And with the direct address and respect for the kids, philosophically he was kind of the grandfather of the show.”
The process which went into filming “Blue’s Clues” was quite different from Mr. Rogers’ show, however. Whereas Mr. Rogers filmed his show on an actual set, “Blue’s Clues” was filmed in a completely blue room with no corners. “It was like a void with a camera,” he said. “My experience of the show was that it was extremely small. And when they told us: ‘Hey, you’re beating Sesame Street,’ I was never able to personalize it.” The show became more than just talking to a camera in a blue room when he began to work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with all the personal connections that came through that. “That’s when the way I felt about what I was doing changed profoundly.”
Burns still has some relics from the show. He said that he had taken a few of the famous green-striped shirts when his time on the show ended, though he does not wear them around, saying that they are very uncomfortable. He also has one of the famous Thinking Chairs, the big red chair where Steve would often sit. “Is it as comfy as it looks?” Burns was asked.
“No,” he replied. “It’s still cool, though… I read books in it.”
Contact J.P. Duza, A.C. Green, M.E. Lockwood duszaj@my.canisius.edu
green98@my.canisius.edu lockwoo4@my.canisius.edu
As the spring semester comes to a close, News staff for The Griffin reflected on their favorite articles this year. Some are just beginning their journey at Canisius, and others are preparing to say goodbye.
Each writer is dedicated to reporting their stories; without them, the paper would neither be the publication that it was this year nor what it will become throughout the years.
As this year featured events like a major storm which destroyed a campus building, Editor-in-Chief Julia Barth noted those coverages as some of the most notable and also included an article on President Stoute’s inauguration, which featured both a preview and interview with Stoute himself, written by Jon Dusza. “Covering President Stoute’s first year at Canisius was pretty memorable,” Barth said. “It was so great to be able to sit down with him multiple times this year, too.”
Managing Editor Patrick Healy stated,
“Our Lyons Hall coverage comes to mind for me,” when asked about his favorite News piece this year.
Both Barth and Healy are passing down their positions this year, and they will be missed on staff greatly. They have bestowed their legacy to Ava Green and Jon Dusza, respectively. Dusza, notoriously called “Duz News” in the office — who has recently accepted a position as managing editor for the upcoming academic year — stated that his favorite piece of news was entitled “Dining hall dishwasher destroyed in explosion.”
“It was an article that I enjoyed writing: the topic was interesting and slightly funny, which makes it stand out in my mind,” said Dusza. News section contributors were also fun, interesting and informative throughout this year in News. With each article, the writers brought forth their hard work. Now–Assistant News Editor Delaney Hayden stated that her favorite article she
wrote this year was “Living Out Dr. Martin Luther King’s Light, Leadership & Legacy.”
“Getting to know Mr. Williams [Bennie Williams] more, as well as learning more about the mission of the ALANA center and all the events they host made me very proud to attend an institute who makes the greatest efforts to be so inclusive of everyone, looking to honor and remember all different cultures, backgrounds and walks of life,” said Hayden. Hayden also noted her gratitude for the paper and contributions done by all the writers.
News Contributor Alyssa Kornacki covered the story “Free Tickets to June Tech Conference for Canisius Students.” Kornacki touched on why this article was her personal favorite of hers and plans to attend the event alongside her father who is an alumni of Canisius College. “Talking to Matt Gracie [a professor in the Cybersecurity department], who was incredibly passionate about the program, was amazing,” said Kor-
nacki.
News contributor Sam Chapman stated his favorite article came into being when he wrote about Canisus switching to testfree admissions. Chapman made the front page and said he was so excited that he “grabbed probably 15 copies of it to make sure I could prove that it really happened.”
Chapman also covered a “Beyond the Dome” story about President Biden pardoning federal marijuana charges and said the article got “a comically positive response.”
As this year at Canisius comes to an end, there have been multiple news articles that exemplify each staff writer and their own news-writing abilities. This year in the news has certainly been an eventful one, and The Griffin thanks the contributors who made it possible.
Contact Sydney Umsted umsteads@canisius.eduWednesday, April 26 marked the unveiling of the 71st Quadrangle, Canisius College’s annually published literary magazine which showcases art of all forms from the school’s past and present students, staff and faculty. Celebrating the short stories, poetry, pictures and drawings from the campus at large, Grupp Fireside Lounge was alive with the palpable joy exuded by writers, photographers, artists and those appreciating the gifts of all three.
Quadrangle 71’s theme, “In Progress,” was described by Co-Editor-in-Chief Grace Brown as an opportunity to “applaud the different incarnations of ourselves.” Brianna Propis, also a co-editorin-chief, expressed that “In Progress” is an “ode to the messiness of college,” typified by the journal’s cover of an all-too-familiar coffee-stained page.
The journal is spiral bound, an aesthetic decision incorporated by Quadrangle 71’s book designer Cassanna Dwyer and design advisor Ben Dunkle to capture the theme’s essence by resembling the many notebooks or sketchbooks inevitably possessed by its contributors.
Inspired by Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree,” Dwyer adorns the 144 pages of the Quadrangle with “simplistic, yet captivating illustrations” from apple cores to high-top shoes.
The readings from student contributors were the heart and soul of the unveiling. The opportunity to hear the inspiration and intentions behind a writer or artist’s work is a pleasure rarely bestowed, but invariably appreciated by attendees. From Hawa Saleh’s “The Desperate Attempt” about representation to Sam Marcotte’s tear-jerking “Loss, a Footnote after Rebecca Lindenberg,” hearing the emotion and inflection of an artist provided a remarkable voice that simply reading the ink of the page does not capture.
Dr. Mick Cochrane, who is in his 22nd year serving as the faculty moderator for the Quadrangle, described the journal as a “remarkably bright and distinctive star” that shines upon Canisius. Tasked with ensuring the light of the Quadrangle never extinguishes, the event concluded by introducing Mason Bowes, Maeve Devine and Emma Radel as the adept co-editor-in-chiefs of the 2023-24 academic year’s 72nd edition. All are encouraged to grab a copy of this year’s magazine outside the Quadrangle club room on the second floor of the Richard E. Winter Student Center to enjoy over 100 diverse works from the campus community.
Contact Courtney Lyons lyons32@canisius.edu
By PATRICK HEALY MANAGING EDITOR
A town hall meeting between President Steve Stoute, vice pres- idents and faculty and staff took place on Tuesday at Montante Cul- tural Center. Shepherded by the newly appointed Chief of Staff Cece Gotham, the top Canisius officials took turns updating the academ- ic and administrative audience on their various departments and dis- cussing the direction of the college.
Vice President for Business and Finance Tim Balkin began by report- ing that the long-awaited surface parking lot next to Science Hall is complete, and that Catholic Health is moving out of Science Hall, which means another hundred parking spaces for Canisius.
Preempting obvious questions about the status of the damaged Ly- ons Hall, Balkan said “the future of Lyons Hall will be tied to the strategic planning committee. There isn’t anything more I can tell you.”
Moving to the future, the third- year business and finance chief said “the major capital investment this summer is replacing Demske Field, which is at the end of its useful life” after 15 years. “It will be ready by early August and will be usable for another 12 to 15 years.”
Next, Vice President for Enrollment Management Danielle Ian- ni took the stage to report that, as
of Tuesday, Admissions was 63% toward its goal for fall 2023 en- rollments and that a record 43 admitted students put down their deposit in the most recent Accepted Students Day. As for graduate ad- missions, Ianni is “feeling optimistic: [we are] right where we need to be.” Based on a “significant increase” in international applications, graduate applications are up 22% and registrations are up 42%.
Ianni then moved to the results of the past year’s branding survey. She revealed that the plurality of respondents were alumni, and that there is a divide in the market between what alumni and prospective students value.
All groups agreed, however, that job outcomes were the most important measure. Ianni asked the audience to report how their programs contributed to better profes- sional outcomes for students. The survey also found that Canisius’s location in Buffalo is a positive draw for most groups. She encouraged the audience, “We need to lean into the city and be proud of it.”
President Steve Stoute, whose remarks concluded the pre-ques- tion portion of the town hall, echoed Ianni in saying, “We must lean into what it means to be the Catholic, Jesuit, urban institution in Western New York.” The first-year president noted, “We can change many things, but we’re not moving.”
One of the branding points on
the table — and one of the most prominent phrases used to promote the college — is “Where Lead- ers are Made,” which is displayed on the entrance to Lyons Hall and the VillageTheTownhouses. survey group revealed that “Where Leaders are Made” is a popular phrase, especially among alum- ni. Ianni said that the college needs to modernize its meaning, because for prospective students, leadership is “not an executive suite, but within clubs and the classroom.” Stoute doubled down on “Where Leaders are Made,” saying it would remain a key aspect of the college’s market- ing. The president challenged the assembled faculty and staff to think further about it, given that “every- one talks about leadership, [but] what is different about how we form leaders?”
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Thomas Chambers asked what the role of a modern liberal arts education is in our society, to which Dr. Sara Morris, vice presi- dent for academic affairs, jumped up to say that “employers want crit- ical thinking.” She concluded that people who can be “clear, crisp and concise in oral and written communication understand what information you can trust, integrate infor- mation from other places and learn new things.”
Contact Patrick Healy healyp@canisius.eduBut it is the end of an era. Bed Bath & Beyond is stripping down its big blue signs, clearing out aisles of linens and closing hundreds of stores, for good!
will indeed have an effect on Bed Bath & Beyond stores close to home.
However, according to many ma- jor news outlets, chain stores includ- ing TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and Ross have scooped up some vacant stores. Other companies like Burlington, Five Below, Nordstrom Rack and Planet Fitness may also fill up the emptied spaces, according to retail landlords and real estate analysts.
gin on April 26 with “deep discounts.” Customers can shop online, in stores or using the Bed Bath & Beyond app.
College students who bond over the fact that we all go to Bed Bath & Beyond to get all of our dorm supplies for the upcoming school year are fac- ing the reality of missing out on restocks from the store. Students of all sorts love a store that has tons of coupons for comforters, supply drawers and more! Contact
The company filed for bankruptcy this past Sunday and announced that it will begin closing its remaining 360 Bed Bath & Beyond stores and anoth- er 120 buybuy BABY locations, which are part of the franchise. On top of the new closures, Bed Bath & Beyond al- ready has closed 400 stores over the past year. This final round of closings
Bed Bath & Beyond revealed on its website that closing sales will be -
The store’s closing sale started on April 26 and runs until May 24. Cur- rent Canisius students (and prospec- tive ones, if you are reading this!) may want to stock up and save on some dorm supplies or even items for your room back at home before it’s too late!
As spring turns into summer, many college students will be moving out and finishing another year; this year, I am one of those students. The college experience is one that I heard many stories about from the adults in my life. It was glamorized in some ways, but I had no idea what to realistically expect. However, after my first two months away, I quickly realized that my college experience was painting a picture that no one told me about.
For context, I am a biology major with hopes of one day becoming a physician’s assistant, and I didn’t really have much knowledge on what my life would look like as a biology major until I was thrown into it. The first semester was a fever dream; it felt like I was living in a fantasy world. College was exciting and new — I was able to meet new people and make friends that were from different places with different experiences. It was a semester that feels fake as I look back on it. I constantly ask myself, “Did that really happen?”
The second semester hit me like a slap in the face. I came back for the spring, and a new reality set in. Classes got harder, and my brain started to become my enemy. I was doing more work than ever before and not seeing the results. I would tell myself in the mirror out loud, “Maggie, you need to put on a smile and a happy face: You are in college and no one feels like you do,” and I honestly thought that.
These feelings of anxiety were the first I had ever experienced in my life, and I constantly beat myself up for feeling that way. I pushed these feelings down because I didn’t want others to see that I was having a hard time. So many people told me, “College years areis the best years of your life and nothing matters. Enjoy it!” Yet I felt the opposite. I was having fun, but I was also constantly in fight-or-flight mode. The mask of normalcy slowly began to fade away, and I realized that I no longer could hide and pretend like everything was okay.
About halfway through the semester, I dove into self-care and therapy after hitting a breaking point with the stress I felt. Therapy is something that I was terrified to tell others about, thinking it showed too much vulnerability and showed weakness. I later realized how wrong these ideas were. In fact, meetings with my therapist are one of the things I look forward to the most during my stressful weeks. I learned how important
positive self-talk is to building self-confidence and facing anxiety. I also learned to think of anxiety as a friend rather than a weakness.
My anxiety is a friend who wants to protect me, but I usually don’t need that protection. Telling anxiety to take a break is important. This shift in my self-talk began my journey in rebuilding self-confidence and helped me to break the cycle of fighting with my brain. I also learned meditation, and getting off my phone played a key role in getting me to a place where I am equipped to cope with these feelings. I can proudly say now I have gotten through this hard time, but it was a difficult journey to get here.
As I have gone through this process of rediscovering myself, I gained more perspective on how some ideas of college that are put on many students aren’t healthy. These ideas force many students into a box of what college should look like; however, the college experience is different for everyone.
Normalizing mental health and feelings of stress and anxiety needs to be prioritized. The more and more people I’ve talked to, it has shown me that I’m not alone — many have experienced similar feelings to mine. Shedding light on mental health in college to have meaningful conversations has been a goal of mine throughout the year.
While it seems like my second semester was full of stress, I was able to make so many awesome memories with my friends. I am lucky to be surrounded with people at school who allow me to “debrief” and talk about how I feel. In life, it is important to find small moments of happiness in the struggle. Once learning this perspective, I was able to find so many more things to be proud of and grateful for.
So to all the college students, high school seniors entering college and even adults outside of college, my advice to you is to find joy in the stressful moments. Also, write your own story independent of anyone else. It is okay to be scared, to feel nervous or to not be happy all the time. Normalizing these ideas is important in allowing people to share their experiences more openly. College is the time to figure yourself out and live life to the fullest. It is a time where growth comes out of struggles, and it’s important to remember that, at the end of the day, everything will be okay.
Contact Maggie Donner donner2@my.canisius.edu
On Sunday, April 23, Steve Burns traveled all the way to Buffalo to be the subject of a question and answer event hosted by the Student Programming Board (SPB) and to talk to Canisius students about his career starring in Blue’s Clues.
The event was off to a late start as event coordinators accidentally sent Burns to the wrong location by fault of a typo. The start was even further postponed as Griffin staff members Jon Dusza, Maddy Lockwood and myself had the opportunity to interview him before the Q&A. Steve was incredibly kind and eager to meet us.
SPB members Mike Kaplan and Emmalee Sekuterski kicked off the Q&A with questions about the origins of “Blue’s Clues.” Steve gave Maddy, Jon and I the scoop about the intentions and influences of the show, which was to create a connection-based program that would directly address and engage the viewer. He even said that he first thought the show would be “too smart” and “not Barney enough.” On stage, though, he mostly talked about his audition process and how he didn’t really know what he was getting himself into.
Steve Burns said he went in thinking he’d be voicing a character on the show. Hit with the shock of being a main character, he took a more serious and less conventional approach to the audition than he had originally planned. Producers loved it, and, after making him appear less grungy and more kid-friendly, he was on board.
Being in the role brought Burns lots of pride and joy, but ultimately isolation, too. Oftentimes, filming would just be Steve on an empty set talking to a camera and cartoons that would be added in post. He noted that every time he asked the viewer, “Will you help me?” he was always secretly worried that they would say “no.” He talked about what a big responsibility it was to be so popular with so many kids in their most formative years.
Coming off of his time on the show, Burns lost his love for acting and sense of purpose, fell into a depression and dove back into making music. He talked about the time period right after the show, when rumors of his death were circulating — how it scared his loved ones, shocked him and made him feel like his death wasn’t a rumor, but rather it was preferred or even desired by people.
In September of 2021, Steve released a video for the 25th anniversary of the airing of the “Blue’s Clues” pilot on the Nick Jr. Twitter account to check in on his old viewers and reminisce on how far they have all come. He told us on Sunday that this was not only a sentimental moment for Burns, but a way for him to mirror the show’s old values of connection, just on a newer and more modern medium. He attributed much of the success of “Blue’s Clues” to the threads of earnesty, simplicity and respect that run through the heart of the show. Steve Burns gave his viewers someone who needed them and listened to them: an accidental educator and an intentional listener, Steve Burns brought the Canisius community together with nostalgia and reminded us that listening is an act of giving.
Contact Ava Green green98@my.canisius.edu
By LUCAS R. WATSON FEATURES CONTRIBUTOR
Founded in 1838 — just six years after the incorporation of the City of Buffalo — the Buffalo Public School District became New York State’s first free public-school system funded by local taxes. In the near–two centuries since, it has founded various public schools, some of the most notable being Lafayette High School, Fosdick-Masten High School Park (known as City Honors today) and various others, all renowned for their striking and beautiful architecture. Interestingly, today’s building is known as the oldest public school building in Buffalo still in use. Public School No. 46’s land was donated by a French man named Monsieur Louis Stephen LeCouteulx de Chaumont in 1839 in an effort to promote organized education. Monsieur LeCouteulx arrived in
Buffalo in 1804 to get repaid for loans he had made to finance the American Revolutionary War. He became the first permanent Roman Catholic in Buffalo and became one of the most prominent citizens of early Buffalo. In part of one building, he established the very first drugstore in the country and later the Holland Land Company, which surveyed and owned most of the region and also appointed him a local agent for selling land in and around Buffalo. To entice Catholics to move to the village, he donated a plot of land in 1829 on Main and Edward Streets for Buffalo’s first Catholic church and school. He is the namesake of the St. Louis RC Church in Buffalo (Michael Riester). This triangle-shaped lot between Elmwood Avenue, Virginia Street and Edward Street has been in continual use, and it serves as a home to multiple
public schools since its layout.
Public School No. 46 was built in 1888 by H.H. Little, whose work can still be seen around the City of Buffalo in houses, buildings and even in his family’s mausoleum in Forest Lawn Cemetery. The school building is a two-and-one-half story, five-bay brick structure with a two-story, one-bay, half-hip roof wing extending from the south facade. It also has a two-and-one-half story, one-bay, gabled roof wing attached to the north facade. The rectangular plan with a hip roof features the Romanesque Revival style, which differs from the Richardsonian Romanesque style with Medina sandstone adorning the other side of the building. This building is fraught with details, and it is one of the more beautiful and hard to miss buildings on Elmwood Avenue.
During its history as a school, the building housed the Veteran’s High School for veterans resuming their education after World War II. The school remained at this site until 1949 when the program was discontinued. During a seven-year vacancy, the building was vandalized, and in 1953, the north wing was damaged by fire, but the building was eventually remodeled in 1955 and reopened as temporary quarters for Public School No. 36. Since then, it has stayed as an educational institution, now as the Adult Learning Center for those wishing to get their GED.
To wrap up, I would like to say that my first year writing for The Griffin and the student body about the various buildings, hidden gems and rich history this city has to offer has been a pleasure. I encourage every single one of you to explore, see what the city has to offer and experience the rich culture that Buffalo can offer you: there is so much more than what meets the eye.
I look forward to continuing Architecture Around Buffalo for the foreseeable future, and I will miss writing for all the readers over the summer. I can’t wait to share even more new gems and hidden bits of history and architecture across Buffalo to share with all of you. I thank all of you for the opportunity and support since starting this weekly column in the fall.
Contact Lucas R. Watson watsonl@canisius.edu
By SARA UMBRELL LAYOUT DIRECTOR
Say hello to the largest rodent in the world, the capybara! Standing at a height of roughly two feet tall at the shoulders, this unique animal was once thought to be related to pigs. But after further research, they’re actually closer to our pet guinea pigs! The capybara is found in South and Central America, and it is often referred to as “the water pig.” They can make their home on the riverbank, near ponds and even in marshes. As long as there is standing water, the capybara can thrive.
Water is a crucial part of life for these giant rodents, not only because they need to drink it, but the plants they eat are mostly aquatic as well. Capybaras are also excellent swimmers and stay underwater to avoid potential predators. Another reason the capybara is so dependent on water is that they have naturally dry skin, so constantly staying wet helps keep their skin healthy.
The diet of a capybara consists of various and usually aquatic grasses and plants. During dry spells they munch on reeds, grains, melons
and squashes. Capybaras also eat their own feces, as it carries good bacteria to aid them in digesting the thicker fibers they may eat. Similar to ruminants like cows and goats, capybaras will also regurgitate their food and chew it down into smaller pieces to make it easier to digest.
Capybaras typically live in groups of up to 10, with one dominant male, a couple females and a few younger males. During the wet season, though, that number may go up to 40 as groups come together to help care for the young and protect them from any lurking predators. The main predator is the jaguar, but humans have been known to hunt them, too.
As the capybara usually lives in the rainforests of South and Central America, their habitat is known for being destroyed by deforestation. As of right now, deforestation is the main threat to the capybara, although some groups have started hunting them for meat, even using their teeth as an ornament. Hopefully deforestation slows down so these not-so-little guys can keep doing their thing.
Last week, I wrote a club spot- light and event teaser highlighting Unity’s efforts to put on the first drag show ever being held at Canisius Col- lege. This week I am back to report that the production, emceed by in- ternationally famous drag queen Mrs. Kasha Davis, was not only a jaw-dropping performance but also an important conversation about in- dividuality, self-acceptance, sobriety and reconciliations.
Mrs. Kasha Davis opened the night with crowd interactions, ami- cably poking fun at those who dared to sit in the front rows and drawing particular attention to Dr. Jonathan Lawrence, a religious studies profes- sor, who bravely sat front and center. Drawing the audience in was no great feat; she made her grand entrance, sparkling in a floor-length, true Cani- sius blue-and-gold gown and a vo- luptuous bright orange hairstyle. Intertwined in the dialogue with the crowd were dad jokes and, more im- portantly, commentary on drag’s place in the world and its importance to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Mrs. Kasha Davis commended the campus and the progress it indi- cated in helping the show happen. She even acknowledged the irony of a drag show happening in a per- formance center which previously served as a Catholic church. This drag show happening in a time where almost 10 states across the country are actively implementing and draft- ing anti-drag laws, Mrs. Kasha Davis summed up her thoughts in a con- cise and powerful way, saying, “Drag is not a crime.”
While I focused on the dad jokes being told (and how many I could steal), most others were impressed by her multiple fabulous dresses as she changed between each perfor- mance. Aside from the fantastic per- formances put on by the drag queens and the drag king present, there were real and important conversations that arose. Mrs. Kasha Davis shared her experience getting sober, her past eight years of sobriety and her journey of acceptance with both her family and herself. None of the conversations were particularly lighthearted, but rather they provided a moment of si- lence in the audience as she demon-
strated drag can be more than a loud expression of art.
Following two performances from each of the queens and the king, there was a question-and-answer portion moderated by the Unity executive board. The conversation followed all of the performers’ journeys through- out their careers. They all shared personal anecdotes of how drag has influenced their lives until this point, messages of positivity for those who want to get into drag performing and encouragement to those who want to express the truest versions of them- selves. And so, the extremely success- ful night finally closed out with a hope- ful message for future drag shows at the school.
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Mrs. Kasha Davis summed up her thoughts in a concise and powerful way saying, “Drag is not a crime.”Mrs. Kasha Davis on stage at Montante Cultural Center.
Well, this is my final Griffin editorial, and in I think fitting fashion, I’ve titled it pretentiously and written probably too much.
The Griffin and its predecessor, The Canisian, have been around for nearly 100 years. An editorial has appeared in nearly every issue, and I’ve had the honor of taking up since 2021 this task formerly fulfilled by Griffin greats including Scott Sroka, Larry Vilardo and many others who will meet at tomorrow’s editors reunion.
In the first edition of this academic year, I wrote that “the way I ran the Opinion section last year was not ideal. … It is my intention that editorials again, as much as possible, reflect the opinion of a majority of editors rather than the beliefs of an appointed opinion czar.” Well, this time, I’m going to write one last time as an appointed opinion czar, about the lessons I’ve learned from commenting on Canisius weekly for the past few years.
Taking a stance
I began writing for The Griffin in 2020 with obnoxious articles about national politics. As the years went on, my articles decreased in length and geographic scope, but increased in efficiency and impact. Rather than 2000-word articles on international problems, I wrote 750-word criticisms of things at Canisius.
It was a bumpy transition. Still biased by my political interests, I initially thought tuition and other monetary matters were the most important thing. But if a student is at Canisius, that means they’re willing to invest heavily in their education. They are probably more concerned with how resources are distributed and, more broadly, in getting their money’s worth. I began to care more about talking to people on the ground rather than analyzing budgets and abstract theories of education.
I realized that, over years of writing columns, I had built up networks and knowledge that made me qualified — as much as a student could be, anyway — about Canisius’s issues. I waited, like a good democratic citizen, for our elected student government to take the lead on these issues. USA senators, though, are concerned with the day-to-day operation of their committees and student clubs. I didn’t have quite that administrative burden and didn’t have to worry about elections, so I could take long-term, perhaps even unpopular, views.
Though the fact that Griffin editors are not elected poses questions about accountability, one of the benefits is stability. As long as it doesn’t lead to stagnation, our stable position should give us the time and legitimacy to research and take informed stances on issues that affect the entire college. Our main job is to be informed about these issues, and so it always seemed a waste to me that we let that useful perspective go to waste.
Other editors are afraid that advocacy undermines our objectivity, but I think it’s actually more dishonest to claim that we don’t have opinions about the events we experience and people we report on. We should obviously collect and report information, but, like arbitrators, we should also render judgment in important matters. To shun the latter function would be to deprive others of the perspective of potentially the most informed people on a problem.
One instance of this clash in journalistic perspectives occurred last year. In February 2022, three people were chosen as the final candidates to succeed President Hurley. I went to their public forums and asked each a question about what I perceived to be their biggest weakness. After, like professional newspapers do, I wanted to write an endorsement of a certain candidate (I won’t say who it was, in case President Stoute reads this rag), but the previous editor-in-chief shot it down.
I was frustrated. I didn’t want us to be mere middlemen in the decision. I think I was the only student who attended all three forums. I was certainly the only one who asked questions at all of them. I believed that I had as much knowledge
By TARIQ LEFEVER OPINION CONTRIBUTORabout it as any other student, and I also possessed perhaps the largest platform of any student, and so I felt I could really make our undergraduate voice heard.
In part as a protest to the editor and because I simply needed content for that week’s editorial, in the editorial I posed five questions to each of the candidates. It turned out to be the best article I’ve written for this paper. By proposing questions rather than answers, I avoided a direct endorsement and continued rather than concluded the dialogue that the public forums had begun.
President Steve Stoute asked in Tuesday’s town hall, given that “everyone talks about leadership, what is different about how we form leaders?” Through my experience in The Griffin, I have something of an answer to that question. Which is ironic, because my response is that the best education doesn’t provide answers, but instead poses questions — questions about the world, others and most importantly, yourself.
Posing a question
At our age, we don’t know what we want to specialize in, so rather than focus on filling our brains with knowledge of a single field we might not pursue, we should focus on finding a field we might enjoy and, in the meantime, increase our capacity to hold and process knowledge we gain in that career.
In philosophy classes, I learned, through the example of the great thinkers, to shoulder the burden of proof to defend my own arguments. In history classes, I was shown how seemingly factual events can be interpreted in various, conflicting ways. Political science classes showed me that the world is so much larger than my own country. All three made me less sure of myself.
Yet, I feel more confident in my discomfort. A liberal arts education teaches us to both know that we don’t know everything and to forge ahead regardless. As in an essay, we must weigh the evidence, acknowledge the existence of opposing arguments and make a decision.
In Tuesday’s town hall, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Sara Morris defended a liberal arts education, in part, by arguing that “employers want critical thinking,” and people who can be “clear, crisp, and concise in oral and written communication, understand what information you can trust, integrate information from other places and learn new things.”
That’s true. The way I’d put it is that research universities provide answers, while liberal arts colleges provide questions. The former prioritizes the production of information, and good scholars are produced only secondarily: the latter focuses on the molding of scholars, and good information is produced as a result of that process.
In life, we’ll be confronted with situations we weren’t trained for, with limited information and infinite downsides, but we’ll have to make a call regardless. Being open to new information will allow us to more quickly gain expertise in a new area and make a decision based on the most updated information rather than potentially outdated information we learned as an undergraduate.
Especially in the internet age, we are surrounded by information. The people who can ask the right questions — whether to other people or even to a search engine (or ChatGPT) — will be better off than those who gain field-specific knowledge that might change with new research. Our kind of education is more versatile than ever. Just as I might trade in speculative stocks for more secure assets as I age, I hope to do less asking and more answering as I gain life experience. But for now, I’ve been pretty successful leaning into my lack of knowledge.
My Canisius education in general — and especially writing for The Griffin — has permanently shifted my perspective towards the world. It will be odd to no longer think about the next Canisius phenomena to complain about or praise in this column (and, allegedly, in the Notes from Underground) every week, but I’ll apply the same process to my next institution and beyond. Who takes this editorial opportunity next remains, coincidentally, itself a question without an answer, but, no matter what, they probably won’t be as long-winded. —PH
Historically, college athletic departments have been dominated by white administrators who have perpetuated a culture of exclusion. The lack of diversity in these positions is not due to a lack of qualified candidates of color but rather systemic barriers that prevent them from advancing. These barriers include implicit bias in the hiring process, limited networking opportunities and a lack of mentorship programs. Additionally, many college athletic departments prioritize winning over the victories that come with diversity and inclusion. This can lead to a homogenous leadership team that fails to represent the diverse student body. It is imperative that colleges make a concerted effort to address these issues and actively recruit people of color into administrative positions within their athletic departments: this will not only help create a more inclusive environment for student athletes but also bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table that can ultimately benefit the entire institution.
According to recent studies conducted by the NCAA, there is a significant lack of diversity in athletic administration at Division I institutions, particularly in decision-making positions and head coaching roles for black individuals. The study shows that at Division I institutions, 95.3% of athletic directors are white, and only 2.9% are Black. This lack of diversity impacts the experiences of Black athletes and the overall culture of sports. Despite initiatives to promote diversity, the lack of progress in this area is concerning, and more action is needed from institutions to ensure equal opportunities for all athletes. Black athletes in
big-time college sports have expressed their concerns about this, and the absence of diversity in athletic administration can have a negative impact on their experiences.
In response to these concerns, the NCAA has implemented new initiatives. These initiatives include the establishment of the Office of Inclusion as well as the Diversity and Inclusion social media campaign and forum. However, these alone are not enough to address the systemic issues at play. It is up to individual institutions to take action to ensure that they are providing equal opportunities for all athletes, regardless of their race or ethnicity. This includes colleges located in urban areas prioritizing community involvement in their athletic decision-making processes. It is crucial to recognize that the experiences of community leaders are invaluable in shaping the athletic culture of the school: they bring a unique perspective that others may lack, and their involvement can help ensure that decisions are made with the best interest of both the athletes and the community in mind. Additionally, community leaders can serve as role models for the athletes, providing guidance and mentorship that extends beyond the athletic realm.
It is clear that there is a pressing need for change in athletic administration at Division I institutions. While progress has been made, there is still a long way to go in ensuring that all athletes are able to have a positive and inclusive experience in college sports. It is up to us as a society to demand change and work towards a more diverse and inclusive future for all athletes, especially those in college.
Editor Grace Brown brown294@canisius.edu
Editor Marissa Burr burr2@canisius.edu
Page 5
April 28, 2023
FOUNDED IN 1933
THE GRIFFIN IS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CANISIUS COLLEGE 2001
Contact Tariq Lefever lefeverk@canisius.edu
THE GRIFFIN GLADLY ACCEPTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. LETTERS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO BROWN294@CANISIUS.EDU
Sources in the Alpha Sigma Nu induction say that the audience was murmuring about how the chapter treasurer’s stature and hair height made the college president look short. Highlevel ASN sources say this treasurer will not be at the next induction.
After three years of being The Underground’s prophet, this is the last of Pay Heavy’s notes. He expects his Notes to one day form the basis of a religion.
Turns out the school that Mrsa Brrr is transferring to has a whole section of their newspaper dedicated to things like The Underground. Will Mrsa Brr make a reappearance in the zip code 14063?
Shingles, asking for a friend, wants to know when is a good time to return…certain things…that someone may have acquired over the last year from campus. This may or may not include borrowed pencils, thoroughly appreciated–and now hand washed–silverware from the dining hall, and perhaps a Mac screen from The Griffin. There is also a couch, but we won’t talk about that just yet.
A year at Canisius and I feel… fine? Is this the time for sappy and bittersweet memories? Tears that plop on a page as one reads? I suppose those are not for me.
I guess I’ll let my dad be correct once: I love it here. I hope that he got his celebration out of the way, not a moment more.
Campus is great. I have friends at arm’s length. That is absolutely wild from my neck of the woods. Usually, if you wanted to see someone, you would have to drive, call or meet up at school. So having the ability to hang out with friends brings me tears of joy.
I think that Canisius is fine. It feels like a house. Not quite home… yet. More like moving in and trying to find things out of boxes. I am at the “We are still ordering takeaway, and the plates, napkins and silverware are in boxes,” phase here. I have met the neighbors and made friends, but I am not fully ready to call Canisius home yet.
I do know that it is the people that make a place home. Not the house itself. And the people I have met have been phenomenal: I have known these people for less than a full year, and I fully trust them.
I wish to dedicate something to some of the phenomenal people I have surrounded myself with. I hope my simple offering of words can cover what eternal gratitude I have for them.
To my next semester roommate, who has enlisted me to “exterminate” all the bugs, I cannot wait. May our laughter and combined chaos reign supreme.
To a specific floor mate, may summer be as brief as winter break, and just remember that we will meet again. Also never forget, I am always a text away.
To my neighbor, go Bills! I will miss running into you, and thanks for being great. Hopefully we can hang out more next semester.
To a treasured friend, I cannot wait to catch up and hopefully meet inside your flat. I am, also, absolutely beaming at the possibility of meeting your cat.
To my newfound family that leaves soon, whether that be transfer or graduate, I will miss you. I am exceptionally grateful to have met you, and I wish you well.
To The Griffin, the ones that inspire me to use my pen when my voice fails me, I love you. You fill my Thursdays and force me to be confident in my abilities. May the only flood we get in the office be a flood of Readers’ Rite submissions.
To my parents, sorry dearies, but I suppose I will leave my heart here now. I hear Buffalo has that effect on people.
To my pets, my darlings, I wish that we could be together. It appears, however far we may be, I will think of you as you will think of me: always. Augi, I love when you come to visit and so do my friends. Gingy, I wish you could visit more, and I miss you the most.
To the reader, who may have no connection to me or any correspondence outside of a simple hello, thank you for reading. And I hope today is the start of a strong streak of good luck and prosperity.
I recognize that this is only year one and that I have at least three more to go. It is just in the madness that surrounds finals and the wrapping up of the semester, I find calm in reflecting on how much I have gained. It would be too easy to lump everything together, but it would be unfair to simply say that. There are so many memories from this year that deserve their own recognition. People, just like memories, deserve their own recognition. And again, dear reader, thank you for your support and for you as a person.
Yours wholeheartedly, sincerely [and with rizz], Elizabeth Shingler.
Contact Elizabeth Shingler shinglee@my.canisius.edu By MARISSA BURR OPINION EDITORIt’s 9:50 a.m. I’m walking down Hughes Avenue with my backpack hung on my back. I see the student houses to my left and our campus to my right. The sun’s rays feel like a warm hug on my face.
It’s 12:58 p.m. My class is chatting as my professor enters the room. Some ask each other about the homework and some ask each other about their plans for the night. She quiets us down and we begin our uninterrupted, 80-minute lesson.
It’s 4:30 p.m. I sit on the bottom floor of the library and type until my frail fingers feel like they’re about to fall off. I buy myself a bagel as a reward.
It’s 7:15 p.m. My friends and I gossip, probably a little too loudly, wherever we find ourselves. In our dorm, as freshmen. In the library, as sophomores. In the kitchen, as seniors. I never get sick of rehashing the same things over and over with them.
It’s 9:27 p.m. The Griffin is at its “peak fun time.” We’re either debating a topic or being vulnerable or sharing funny stories. In those moments, my smile feels permanently plastered on my face.
It’s 11:17 p.m. “The Uber is three minutes away,” someone shouts as I wonder what characters I’m going to see that night. It’s the best guessing game.
100 Days articles ask us to sum up our experiences at Canisius. That is precisely how I would sum it up. A collection of moments seared into my memory not
because they were so grand and monumental, but because they were small and special to me. A handful of little moments like these, and so many more, are what I extract from the depths of my brain when I want to relive the times I was happiest in the last four years. And it’s these in-between moments that I think are going to be the hardest to leave behind.
When I sat down to write this article, I thought of all the people I wanted to thank. There’s so many, from my family to my professors to my roommates to The Griffin staff and all my other Canisius friends. But I couldn’t get this nagging thought out of my head to thank people that I didn’t know, that I don’t really know. You know, the people you might say “hi” to in the halls, the people you see out every weekend, the strangers in the tunnels, the people you had a class with once, the people that somehow continue to weave in and out of your life for years.
I think of this eclectic assortment of people. In my imagination I put them all in a room together, except the room is the palm of my hand and I’m carrying them with me wherever I go. Because how do you let go of people who made you feel things? How do you leave behind people who fundamentally changed you, even in the tiniest of ways? I don’t want to.
Coming to Canisius seemed like a tough decision at the time. Both my siblings went here, and I didn’t want to seem like I was just settling. Four years later, I can look back and say I was certainly not settling, and that it was the best decision I’ve made. I’ve grown more than
I ever thought in four years, and if high school graduate Julia could see me now, she’d be moved to tears with pride (and she’d love how funny I am).
If you’ve been a frequent reader of my work in The Griffin, you know I like to get sentimental. Being at this school and leading this paper have been the greatest honors of my life. But it’s the people I’ve met doing it along the way that have crept their way into my heart and stuck themselves there like glue. I will never forget the late nights publishing The Griffin, the kitchen conversations at 166 Hughes, the many nights out around Buffalo (some — admittedly — more dingy than others), the dorm hangouts in Dugan, the late-night library study sessions, the figuring-ourselves-out in Frisch, the walks to and from classes and everything in between.
So, to end, I’d like to thank my family, my roommates, my closest friends (especially my Griffin people — I couldn’t have done any of this without Patrick Healy and the rest of the staff by my side), my lovely
and intelligent professors (shoutout to Dan Higgins and Dr. Fajardo-Heyward for not getting sick of me when I registered for your classes semester after semester, and to Dr. Wanzer and Dr. Irwin for being wonderful professors and people) and the incredibly talented and hardworking staff of Canisius who has helped me more than they know.
But most of all, I’d like to thank everyone else. Those people I mentioned before. Those who say “hi” to me in the halls. Those who always showed up to my parties. Those who I’ve laughed with and complained with and made lasting memories with. I will miss you the most.
I hope I’ve left a positive impact on the Canisius community, and though I am devastated to be leaving, I will be forever grateful that I found a place with people that I love enough to call “home.”
Contact Julia Barth barthj@canisius.edu975 days ago I moved into my sixth floor dorm room in Bosch Hall. My whole life was ahead of me, and despite the difficulties surrounding the pandemic, I was hopeful that things would only be getting better. Now I sit in my apartment that I share with a significant other and I’m writing my final article for The Canisius Griffin. Some things obviously had to go right in order for me to get here, right?
Honestly, I believe that it was actually everything going horribly wrong that got me to the place where I am.
For starters, the roommate that I had originally as a freshman moved out within a month due to unforeseen differences in our living styles. We don’t really talk anymore, but I still wish her well. After all, if I didn’t have the whole room to myself, I wouldn’t have been able to hang out with my future best friend Brenda who was living across the hall. I’ll be moving back in with her in about a month, so I’d call the roommate situation a win in the end.
During my first year, I also thought it was a good idea to take 18 credits and work two work-studies and a full-time retail job. I managed to survive doing
that for about six months before I missed a midterm exam and it snapped me back to the reality that no normal human should be doing this. Cue a little dip in my mental health while trying to process the fact that I wasn’t invincible, as well as one in my physical health just from sheer exhaustion. But, that money I’d built up allowed for me to survive later on with no job at all in an attempt to focus on healing from trauma.
Which brings us to the worst thing that happened to me during my three years as a member of the Canisius community; if you’ve been following along with my columns all this time you know that I’m talking about my sexual assault. I allowed two guys to move into my apartment and within a week the newly-graduated Canisius student shattered everything I knew and sent me into a downward spiral that would continue for over a year. I’m still processing, and while it has gotten better, his ten minutes of pleasure not only almost killed me, but forever tainted the institution I thought I’d earn my bachelor’s degree from. I hope it was worth it.
In the midst of dealing with that overflow of emotions, I was slowly realizing that I didn’t want to be a kindergarten teacher anymore–the career I’d decided on back in middle school. I loved kids, and still do, but especially now I cannot fathom spending the rest of my life in a classroom and
being entrusted to teach the future world leaders everything they’d need to know. So I changed course–literally courses haha–and became a creative writing major. I haven’t looked back, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in almost 21 years.
Note, I said one of them. The top decision was writing for the very publication you’re reading right now. The Griffin opened its arms to me right away, and within a semester I went from having the title “Opinion Contributor” follow my name in the byline to “Assistant Opinion Section Editor” and then ending it with the super cool one you’ll see at the top of this article. I’ve gained experience as a writer, as well as a traveler and friend. Each Thursday night has made me a better person, and I can say with absolute certainty that I would go through every horrible experience I’ve endured in the last three years if it meant that I was able to be an editor with this year’s group. That’s how amazing they are.
So thanks, both editors and readers, for making my time at Canisius worth it. It wouldn’t have been possible without you. Forever thankful, Marissa.
Last Friday, Canisius held onto their lead despite a valiant comeback attempt by Quinnipiac to secure a 7–6 win.
The Griffins went two for three at home against Quinnipiac, moving into second place in the MAAC standings with a 9–3 conference record. Canisius also won both matchups against St. Bonaventure this week to improve their overall record on the season.
After being down 1–0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Griffs scored at least one run in five straight innings, taking a 7–2 lead going into the final two innings.
Junior Max Grant got on base in all five plate appearances, including a solo home run to open the scoring for Canisius. Senior Brennan Chisholm also hit a solo home run before sophomore Josh Niles recorded an RBI single and graduate Kyle Kush generated an RBI double to take a 5–2 lead.
Graduate Dylan Vincent hit a tworun homer in the seventh inning, giving the Griffs a five-run lead heading into the eighth inning. Quinnipiac generated a comeback, plating their first six batters in the ninth inning to cut the score to 7–5.
An RBI single suddenly made it a one-run game, but the team ultimately fell just short of the comeback. Junior pitcher Matt Duffy started for Canisius, striking out 11 batters through six innings, improving his starting record to 4–0 on the season against MAAC opponents.
The next matchup between Canisius and Quinnipiac on Saturday was less of a nail-biter. The Griffs stormed out to an early 6–0 lead in the first inning, and the team was up 9–0 by the
end of the third.
The final score was 15–9, with the Griffs securing another run in the fourth and five runs in the sixth.
Overall, Canisius recorded 17 hits while senior pitcher Chris Pouliot posted a career-high 11 strikeouts. Junior Ty Wevers went 3 for 5 at the plate with four RBI (both season highs) while sophomore Jackson Strong hit his seventh home run of the season (tied for the team high) and batted in a pair of runs.
Despite their momentum, the Griffs couldn’t complete the threegame sweep, falling to the Bobcats 10–8 on Sunday. Canisius initially had a 3–2 lead after two innings, thanks to a home run from Strong and an RBI
from senior Kenny Dodson.
A grand slam from Quinnipiac catcher Keegan O’Connor opened the scoring floodgates for the Bobcats, registering seven runs in the fourth inning with 10 batters being sent to the plate.
Down 9–3, the Griffs fought back, recording three runs in the fourth, a run in the seventh and a run in the ninth, but Quinnipiac was able to hold onto the win with a run of their own in the ninth to secure the 10–8 victory.
Canisius hit a home run in all three games of a series for the second time this season, first doing so against Iona earlier this year. Strong extended his hitting streak to six games, during which he had driven in seven runs and
connected on five extra-base hits.
Canisius swept St. Bonaventure in a double-header on Tuesday, winning 9–7 and 3–2. After initially being down 1–0 to Bonnies, the Griffs responded with a four-run inning, highlighted by a double steal.
After more back and forth between the teams, Canisius eventually secured the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth, plating three more runs to take a 7–5 lead. A two-run sixth inning would improve their lead to four runs, which would be cut in half thanks to a two-run seventh inning from St. Bonaventure.
In game 2, Canisius was off to an early 2–0 lead thanks to Chrisholm and Strong using an RBI single and sacrifice fly to secure two runs in the first inning. St. Bonaventure quickly tied the game with a two-run hit in the second inning.
Over the course of the next five innings, only one run would be scored, and it gave Canisius the 3–2 victory. Dodson was walked to load the bases before sophomore Cole Sebastian was also walked, allowing sophomore Trent Rumley to reach home and give the Griffs the lead.
Canisius stole eight bases in game 1 and five in game 2 while also pitching a one-hitter in the second contest to improve their overall record to 17–18 on the season.
Next up on the Griffs’ schedule is Saint Peter’s, who they will play this weekend in a three game series at the Demske Sports Complex, starting with a 3 p.m. contest this Friday.
Contact Colin Richey Richeyc@canisius.edu |After finishing in sixth place as a team last fall, the Golden Griffins returned to Florida last weekend to compete in the MAAC championship.
Mike Donner and Shane Broad led Canisius last year, posting top-five finishes and earning All-MAAC honors, but this year it was sophomore Ryan Edholm who led both the Griffs and most of the field after his three-round performance.
Sophomore Ryan Edholm finished the tournament with a 216 stroke total, marking the lowest three-round MAAC Championship score in Canisius’s history Edholm, who placed dead last for the Griffs in the MAAC’s as a freshman, flipped the script in his second year.
“It meant a lot to come back after last year and post the number I did. I played terribly last year and let the team down a little in my opinion, so it meant a lot to come back and help the boys out,” said Edholm.
Canisius came out of the gates on Friday shooting a 296, finishing three strokes better than their Friday last year.
Sophomore Ben Ramold started hot, shooting a 73 (+1), while teammates Edholm and Broad followed closely behind with 74s (+2) each.
It was over days two and three where Edholm posted a combined five birdies and an eagle while holding himself to just three bogeys, finishing the tournament even par and tying for a fifth-place finish.
Senior standout Shane Broad ended his collegiate career placing 20th in the tournament after finishing with a combined total of 222, marking backto-back-to-back MAAC Championships that he finished in the top 20.
Reflecting on his four years with the Griffs, Broad said, “Being at Canisius meant a lot, especially playing on this team. Throughout my years, we’ve had a really good group of guys where we could all hangout and joke around but be serious when practice and tournaments rolled around. Having the op-
This past weekend, the Canisius College softball team went to Jersey City and Manhattan to play four conference games. On Saturday, they took on the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, and on Sunday they played the Manhattan Jaspers.
These games would give the Golden Griffins a chance to take sole possession of first place in the MAAC.
In game one versus the Peacocks, junior Gianna Fazzolari and senior Sophia Recorsio both led the way for the Golden Griffins. They each compiled two hits in the first game of the day. This gave Canisius a 10–2 win in their first game of the weekend.
During game two, both sophomore Saige Alfaro and freshman Rylee Alfaro had three hits and one RBI. The sisters led the way offensively for the Golden Griffins in another impressive offensive performance for Canisius.
The second game ended in a 9–6 win, improving the conference record to 10–2.
On Sunday, the Golden Griffins looked to extend their win streak to 8 games with a sweep of Manhattan. Canisius proceeded to sweep Manhattan to continue the win streak with two wins by a score of 3–0 and 5–3.
In game three on the weekend, junior Megan Giese continued a season of dominance with a complete game shutout against the Jaspers. On offense, the team was led by a two-run homer by graduate Nicole Rivait which drove in two of the three runs in the game.
In the final game on the weekend, sophomore Toria Kover took the win with five scoreless innings. Sophomore Rosie Gomez drove home junior Christie McGee-Ross twice on the day. This included a two-run home run by Gomez in the first inning to kickstart the scoring for the Golden Griffins.
After the dominant weekend, the softball team holds claim to an eight-game win streak and a ninegame win streak in conference play. They are now 12–2 in the MAAC and own sole possession of first place in the conference.
By STEPHEN LAPAGE SPORTS REPORTER
With only six conference games remaining in the regular season, the Golden Griffins are in complete control of their own destiny. If they proceed to win the rest of their conference games,
By CONNOR POHLMAN SPORTS EDITOR
A pair of event wins and numerous top-10 finishes served as the highlights for the Canisius men’s and women’s outdoor track teams in the UB Alumni Invite Saturday at the UB Track Stadium in Buffalo.
Junior Maura Jordan took first in the 200-meter dash, posting a time of 26.93. Jordan also placed third in the women’s 100-meter dash, finishing with a time of 12.55.
Senior Olivia Moran also picked up an event victory on Saturday, taking first in the women’s 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:40.98. Junior Jules Jones also placed third in the race, crossing the finish line in 4:43.17
Senior Marissa Silba claimed fourth in the women’s 5,000-meter run, crossing the finish line in 18:49.53 while fellow senior Rylee Campeau took sixth 19:17.64
Junior Katie Gawronski placed second in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, posting a time of 1:09.00.
On the men’s side, senior Andrew Perreault placed second in the 5,000-meter run, turning in a time of 14:58.48.
Junior Ronan McDonald and freshman Joe Pivarunas posted a pair of top-10 finishes in the men’s 800-meter race, with McDonald claiming sixth (2:03.57) and Pivarunas finishing eighth (2:06.03).
Seniors Richard Moore (4:00.31) and Tom Appenheimer (4:02.20) gave the Griffs a second pair of top-10 results as the duo placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 1,500-meter run.
Freshman Arthur Hartel claimed ninth in the men’s 200-meter dash, posting a time of 25.83 while fellow freshman Brody Jones claimed ninth in the men’s 400-meter dash, posting 53.53.
Canisius earned two of the top four spots in the men’s 4x400 relay, with the pairing of Appenheimer, Moore, Jones and junior Kevin Board claiming third (3:40.29) and the team of McDonald and fellow juniors Royce Breslawski, Nick Dauphinee and Collin Rice placing fourth (3:44.29). Canisius is scheduled to take part in the historic Penn Relays, scheduled April 27 to 29 at Benjamin Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Contact Connor Pohlman Pohlmanc@canisius.edu |
The Canisius College men’s lacrosse team traveled to Fairfield, Connecticut to face the Sacred Heart Pioneers in their final match of the regular season. After a hard-fought game, the outcome was unfavorable to Canisius, losing 15–8.
Both teams combined for a total of 8 goals in the first quarter. The scoring started just 6 seconds in by Sacred Heart, establishing the tone of the matchup early.
The teams traded goals back and forth, but the Pioneers were able to come to lead after the first quarter, 5–3.
Sacred Heart continued their dominance in the second quarter as they scored 6 unanswered goals before Canisius was able to net two of their own, cutting the Pioneer lead to 6 goals. Sacred Heart was able to score one more goal, giving the Pioneers a 12-5 lead at halftime.
The teams went back and forth in the third quarter, adding two goals each. Sacred Heart held onto a
Attackman Colin Kelly was able to lead the Griffs in the game for scoring, adding two more goals to his season total. With his two goal effort, Kelly became just the 5th player in Canisius history to reach 40 goals in a season, the first time since 1997.
Face-Off Specialist Micah Hanson won 11 faceoffs in the contest, giving the freshman a new Canisius College men’s lacrosse record for faceoff wins with 194. Hanson’s accomplishment is a record breaker, topping the old record of 187 face-off wins, which was set by Joe Maier in 1996. Canisius ended the season with an overall record of 2-13 and a MAAC record of 1-8. The Griffs finished with two wins, tying the amount from the previous year.
14-7
going
fourth quarter, where
Golden Griffins needed a strong push to stay in the game.
Sacred Heart scored first in the final quarter to extend their lead to 8
goals, but the Griffs were able to quickly score to try and flip the momentum. Unfortunately, it was too little too late as the Golden Griffins fell to the Pioneers by a score of 15-8.
The team will push to improve their record next year as they recover from a grueling spring and look to strengthen their group for next season.
Contact Stephen Lapage lapages@canisius.edu |