The Griffin Mar. 17, 2023

Candidates State Their Cases in Canisius USA Executive Board Debate

Debate Designed to Increase Accountability, Practice Public Speaking

By CONNOR POHLMAN SPORTS EDITOR

Candidates for the Canisius USA e-board quietly filtered into Grupp Fireside Lounge on Saturday, March 11 with their speeches in hand. A collective panel consisting of Jillian Galanti,

Alex Sanker and this present scribe, Connor Pohlman, representing the Undergraduate Student Association (USA), Afro-American Society and The Griffin respectively, were all present to witness the candidate speeches and to question presidential candidate Jahare Hudson.

The candidates are prepared to vye for the positions of president, executive vice president (EVP), vice president of business & finance (VPBF) and the vice president of marketing and public relations (VPMPR).

Prior to the candidates’ speeches, Galanti gave a set of opening remarks to explain the format. Galanti expounded that each candidate would receive five minutes to express their ideas, viewpoints and goals that they would set out to accomplish if elected.

President Jahare Hudson and VPBF Geetanjali Singh are current incumbents, and Hudson is campaigning for re-election. Hudson is set to be the only candidate for the presidential position, while Marja’e Johnson and Gloria Uwizeye are in the running for EVP. Tim Sanders is a newcomer who is running, unopposed, for VPMPR.

Sanders was the first candidate to speak in front of the audience. With a calm and collected manner, he expressed his vision for a better Canisius, emphasizing the importance of community and the Jesuit values that the college holds so dearly.

Succeeding the podium after Sanders was Johnson, who currently

serves as the Facilities/ITS liaison for USA and made it a priority in her remarks to touch on the issues of social justice and diversity. Johnson promised to open the door for students and staff of all backgrounds, colors and creeds, making it known that Canisius should serve as a melting pot of the community.

Finishing out the vice presidential candidate speeches was Uwizeye. She talked about her experience with an international background and how that has shaped her and her vision, shining a light on the importance of accepting diversity from all walks of

pus close at 10 p.m., and let’s be honest, most of us college students aren’t going to bed at 10 p.m.,” Hudson said. “I will continue to bring this issue up at our meetings until a resolution is found.”

Hudson was then questioned about what he believes he has accomplished in his short term as president, as well as what he thinks he could improve upon.

“In my time as president, I have managed to work with all of our clubs and boards, and we have made great progress together. In my short time, I have accomplished a lot, but there is still much work to do, and I know that we have the right people to do it.” When asked about what he believes it will take to continue actualizing his vision, Hudson quipped, “Many more meetings.”

life. Uwizeye believes that practicing this is a necessary virtue that the Canisius community must continue to adopt in order to further the progress being made.

Incumbent President Jahare Hudson took to the podium to cap off the USA executive board debate. One of the focal questions asked by Sanker was about the shortage of food available on Canisius’s campus past a certain time. The growing concern is one shared among many students, and Hudson made it clear that he understands their quarrels.

“Most of the food places on cam-

For the first time ever, senators will also be giving public speeches on April 17 in the Grupp Fireside Lounge from 5 to 7 p.m. Last Saturday’s debate was one of the first dominoes to fall as the election process commences.

Election voting will open on CanisiusLife on April 11 at 9 a.m. and will be available until April 15 at 4 p.m. At 4:30 p.m. the same day, the results from the election will be announced and the candidates will be firmly sorted into place.

MFA Requirements Come to Canisius Students

The new program started for all students

By JON DUSZA NEWS EDITOR

Beginning on March 15, Canisius students are required to set up a multi-factor authentication (MFA) procedure in order to access information from the ‘mycanisius’ website.

The new requirements for students are the same ones which have been required of Canisius faculty and staff for about two years. Students will be required to either answer identifying challenge questions or enter a numerical code sent to another device, like a phone or email, ideally owned by the student.

“There’s a lot you can glean from just getting access to one particular student’s account,” said Scott Clark, director of user services at Canisius’s ITS department in an interview with The Griffin. “If you think about it, you have links to your financial data so you can pay your bills. You have personal information like name, social security number, other private information like addresses, previous residences, maybe.”

Naturally, filling out MFA forms to sign into ‘mycanisius’ creates a new obstacle which students have to go through. “That is one of the reasons we didn’t just put [MFA] in place as soon as it became available. We thought long and hard about the trade-offs,” said Clark. Eventually, as Clark explained, higher admin and ITS arrived at the conclusion that, “The college as a whole also bears some responsibility for not doing their due diligence to help protect data.”

Canisius’s MFA program does feature an option to list a personal computer as a “trusted device.” A trusted device means that one does not have

to go through MFA questions or codes everytime they sign in on their personal computer. Instead, they have to enter the aforementioned information every 30 days.

That said, whenever there is a time shift, like daylight savings time or a trip to a different time zone, the “trusted device” setting resets, and students will have to go through MFA again. “That has to do with the way that the trust relationship is actually saved on the computer. When it’s saved, it has a universal time piece to it, and with daylight savings time, that universal time no longer matches up with the computer.”

Also, the “trusted device” feature will not apply to public computers, like the ones in the Canisius library.

“You wouldn’t want to save your banking credentials on a public computer, for example,” Clark said. “That’s essentially comparable to what you’re

In addition, Canisius will also require students to reset their password for their ‘mycanisius’ account once a year. As the date gets closer to the day where a student has to reset their password, they will progressively get more emails reminding them to reset their password. If the password is not reset, the student will be locked out of their account. In that case, one would have to contact ITS in order to regain access to their account.

Clark suggests that students “set up more than one MFA method, because if you have a failure to access that one method, you have backups

[and] you can still get into your accounts. … Make sure you can remember what your challenge questions are, but also make your challenge questions something that’s not easy to guess.”

“[MFA has] always been one of the concerns we’ve had sort of on the backburner,” Clark concluded, “so we’ve decided that it’s finally time to roll this out.”

doing when you do that with your Canisius credentials.”

When asked if MFA is here to stay, Clark said that “the computer world is ever evolving,” so it is hard to say where technology will go and how the changes to technology will affect security.

MFA will not be required for accounts run through Canisius that are not ‘mycanisius.’ “Let’s say you use the Gmail app on your phone: you’re not gonna get prompted for MFA just to look at your email.”

JABARI BLODGETT

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) is here to stay!

“There’s a lot you can glean from just getting access to one particular student’s account”

“Last Saturday’s debate was one of the first dominoes to fall as the election process commences.”

FESTIVAL OF THE ENSEMBLES

FINE ARTS STUDENTS PERFORMED IN MONTANTE FOR A LARGE CROWD

By DELANEY HAYDEN NEWS REPORTER

On Friday, March 4, 2023, the jazz ensemble, chorale and chamber orchestra held the Festival of the Ensembles in the Montante Cultural Center at Canisius College.

According to Dr. Yvonne Widenor, a professor of art history at Canisius, the students of all three ensembles have practiced weekly since the beginning of the semester, preparing to share their musical talents with the audience. Widenor shared, “My work study students — Rowan Henaghen and Valeria Lee — and I [prepared]

posters, programs and [worked] to promote the concert on social media, via Griffnet and in The Dome,” she said. “Music and art history faculty also [announced] these events in our classes in the hope that more students [would] attend and delight in the beauty of the music and enjoy their time in the ethereal space.” The advertising and preparation paid off as well: even with snowy weather, over 80 people attended the performance. Each ensemble showcased their unique interpretations of a wonderful array of pieces. In the jazz ensemble, guest musicians included David Kelly

on the drums and Mary DiCioccio on the bass, as well as Andy Ansehno ‘45 Music Scholarship Recipient Jacob Fuhnnan on the trumpets with Lucas Watson.

Widenor reflected prior to the concert: “I think that chorale’s performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ will be a fan favorite. I am eager to hear ‘The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’ from the Oratorio Solomon by George Frideric Handel that is to be performed by the Chamber Orchestra and ‘All The Things You Are’ by Jerome Kern an arrangement by Russell Scarbrough that will be a highlight of the Jazz Ensemble’s contribution to the

evening.” Widenor’s predictions came to life that Friday night, as the members of all three ensembles played and sang harmoniously in a concert that left the audience in awe.

“Performing in front of an audience is a thrill for the performers,” she stated. “So I expect that is what motivated them to participate in these ensembles. Seeing the faces of family members, friends, classmates and members of the Canisius College community in [the] audience must make these concerts so special to them.”

Contact Delaney Hayden haydend@canisius.edu

LAST WEEK IN SENATE: STRATEGIC PLANNING UPDATE, DINING CHANGES, CAR BREAK-INS

By PATRICK HEALY MANAGING EDITOR

[Editor’s note: The events described in this article took place last week, the week of March 10. There was no Senate meeting this week of March 17.]

The Undergraduate Student Association held its most recent meeting last Tuesday. Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Sara Morris spoke to the Senate about the Strategic Planning and Prioritization Committee. Morris presented the timeline and charge of the committee.

In describing the type of goals that the committee hopes to formulate, Morris said that increased enrollment is not the way to phrase them. Rather than trying to increase enrollment, Morris said that

a goal might include trying to “have really awesome programs that students want to come to,” which may naturally lead to increased enrollment.

Morris spoke about the various goals so far formulated to, for example, increase community engagement, invest in the physical plant and create more inclusive spaces for students. She said that Jesuit values, especially diversity and sustainability, should be “cross-cutting” — that is, inherently imbued in every objective rather than having its own category.

President Jahare Hudson reported that Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Harold Fields was open to piloting a water fountain program in freshman residence halls, as the Senate had requested a few weeks ago.

Dining Services Liaison Kornacki spoke about

an initiative by the Dining Hall to have more cooking classes, and senators asked her to inquire about increased hours at Tim Hortons as well as options for Ramadan. As far as ITS issues, senators voiced a concern that the GriffPass card readers of campus vending machines don’t work. Quite a few questions were addressed to Public Safety Liaison Ian Gotthelf about what Public Safety is doing to address the increased number of car break-ins.

Executive Vice President Jill Galanti, as usual, provided internal updates for senators on office hours and the upcoming Casino Night to be co-hosted by USA.

FREE TICKETS TO JUNE TECH CONFERENCE FOR CANISIUS STUDENTS

By ALYSSA KORNACKI NEWS REPORTER

The BSides Buffalo is a one-day information, security and technology conference for the Western New York community hosted at Canisius College. BSides conferences happen nationally and attendees come from all over the county. Matt Gracie, an adjunct professor at Canisius College, started the Buffalo BSide conference last year. This event, which takes place in Canisius’s Science Hall, features multiple workshop tracks to attend for the day where experts in cybersecurity and technology will share their knowledge with the community.

This year’s conference will also feature workshops on 3-D Printing, animation, lock picking with local nonprofit organization TOO, and Rusbelt Robotics, who will be bringing robots to experiment with. There will be something for everyone, from high school and college students to chief security officers who have been in the field for over 20 years.

THE WILLOW PROJECT COULD SPELL MORE CLIMATE TROUBLE

By SYDNEY UMSTEAD ASST. NEWS EDITOR

The controversial Willow Project was approved by the Biden administration on March 13. This decision has left many climate activists questioning what comes next, as some have argued that the project threatens Alaska’s ecosystem.

The Willow Project was proposed by the corporation ConocoPhillips, and it will be used as an attempt to cut down the costs of oil by drilling into the National Petroleum Reserve, located on the northern side of Alaska.

CNN reports that this also means releasing “9.2 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon pollution a year.” However, many are split on their opinions regarding the approval for the project.

Some Alaskan lawmakers promoted this as a way for the state to increase job revenue and increase financial stability within their communities. The Guardian writes that some have argued that this push by officials made it difficult for President Biden to refute the project. Nonetheless, activists fear the long term effects of oil drilling and have taken a stance against its approval.

Other Alaskan natives have also expressed concern towards the emerging oil drilling taking place in their state. Residents and tribal members in Nuiqsut — a predominantly Native American Alaskan town — wrote a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland expressing their fears for the project, especially so close to their homes and livelihood.

#StopWillow has become a top trending hashtag on platforms such as TikTok and has led to the creation of a Change.org petition against the project, which now has over three million signatures. The protests also took place outside of social media, as people gathered in front of the White House on March 3 with signs that spoke directly

The conference also includes free lunch, plenty of conference swag and a networking event to meet and greet with people around the community and those involved in the cybersecurity field. The conference uses many local vendors for artwork, programs and swag. This year’s presenters will be from Evans Bank, ZoomBuffalo.com and Tech Buffalo. The event will take place on June 3, 2023, and students can receive free tickets by submitting their resume to this link https://tinyurl.com/bsidesbuffaloresume. They will receive a code for tickets in their emails in a few weeks.

Bring your friends and spend the day enjoying, learning from and celebrating the Western New York information security community!

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to President Biden, some which read, “President Biden: Defuse The Willow Climate Bomb.”

The expansion of The Willow Project may take multiple years to become profitable, as it is still in the early stages of development. However, in an article by The Guardian, Oliver Milan touched on how the Department of the Interior has put some regu-

lations in place to prevent “further drilling, with all of the US’s Arctic Ocean off-limits to future oil and gas exploration.”

Contact Sydney Umstead umsteads@canisius.edu

JOCELYN WILKINS

Tech, tech, and more tech!

Five Tips for a Trip to San Fran

A guide shaped by The Griffin’s very own ACP Spring College Media Conference attendees

By AVA C. GREEN FEATURES EDITOR

Be selective about your footwear. There’s some pretty tough terrain to trek in San Francisco, so make sure your shoes are comfortable and will survive the rain, wind and the steep inclines of the city. While us ed- itors are graceful with our words, we can’t say the same for our general balance and ability to stay upright. A few of us prioritized fashion over functionality and took a few spills as a result. Bumps and bruises are a great — and cheaper — alternative to bringing back souvenirs, though.

Know which way you’re going.

The mean streets of Fog City take no prisoners, especially when you’re a cocky college student with a false confidence in your sense of direction. “I never did actually figure out which [stops] were right and which were not,” said Managing Editor Patrick Healy, who guid- ed us through the city. He found that cross referencing Google Maps, Apple Maps and signs for the bus “usually” worked. Walking aimlessly around a new (and very hilly) city turned out to be just as sweat-inducing and sketchy as you’d think, but what you might not expect is that it turned out to be a great time.

Eat local.

San Francisco is known for its amazing array of cuisine, all of which were enjoyed by our staff this past weekend. The Griffin’s Editor-in-Chief and resident foodie Julia Barth said, “I knew going into the trip that I wanted to get food in Chinatown and some sort of Mexi- can food.” She was pleased to try both and said the dumplings and nachos she had were “per- fect.” On the trip, she condemned others’ deci- sion to eat at a chain while in such a deliciously diverse city. While you’re stuffing your face with the scrumptious San Fran sustenance, let me offer you a bonus tip: bring Lactaid or Tums. You’ll thank me later.

By SARA UMBRELL LAYOUT DIRECTOR

The people are great — make new friends!

The west coast has a way of culminating the crazy — no wonder we fit in so well there! As excited as the staff was to make friends with hundreds of similarly aged, similarly ma- jored people, we also ended up making friends with eccentric locals on the street. From old ladies we affectionately nicknamed “Vera” who we ranted about the bus with to the bus driver with a connection to the Buffalo area and a suspicious bourbon-scented air about him, we made friends to last a lifetime.

Go with the right people. Your travel group can make or break your trip. These people will make the clouds part and the rain subside. They’ll bring you ban- daids when you trip and fall; they’ll make the wrong turns right. The sights and experiences of San Fran are exciting on their own, but shar- ing those moments with your staff and best friends makes it that much better. The Griffin’s advisor and “mom of the trip” Dan Higgins put it best when he wrote to our group chat, “See- ing another part of your country all while doing something you’re passionate about sounds like a good way to spend some time.”

Thank you to the ACP, SELD Office and USA for this unforgettable opportunity: we hope to attend again soon.

Animal of the Week: the Pancake Octopus!

Brought to you by the request of Griffin supporter and enthusiast Lio Salazar, this week’s animal is the pancake octopus. This creature may look somewhat familiar to some of you because of its supporting role in the hit movie “Finding Nemo” as Pearl!

The pancake octopus is found in oceans all across the globe in depths ranging from 430 feet to 7,710 feet. This octopus, like other octopi, is a cephalopod, but it belongs to the cirrate octopods while other octopi belong to the incirrate group. The main difference between them is that cirrate octopus have a small internal shell and two small fins on their head, and incirrate don’t. Cirrate octopus also lack an ink sac, which makes them unable to squirt ink.

Unfortunately, not a whole lot is known about these ocean-dwelling pancakes, as they are difficult to observe in the wild. They are typically found on the sea floor in areas that are very silty and don’t contain many rocks. The typical diet of a pan-

Oscars 2023: A Night of Wholesome Comebacks

By JULIA BARTH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The 95th Academy Awards were held last Sunday, and compared to a spectacle of an event last year due to upsets and an unsettling slap, this year’s awards were relatively calm and — dare I say — emotional.

One of the most emotional wins of the night was when Michelle Yeoh took home her award for Best Actress, the first Asian woman to ever win that category. She was recognized for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a sci-fi movie that cleverly and creatively explored the phenomenon of the multiverse. Yeoh addressed her historic win in her acceptance speech, saying, “For all the little boys and girls who look like me, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities.”

Yeoh’s co-stars, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan, also took home awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor. “Everything” went on to win the award’s major prizes of Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

Taking home the last major award of the night was Brendan Fraser, who won Best Actor for his role in the A24 film “The Whale.” Fraser’s win was celebrated at the Oscars and online because of his recent resurgence as an actor following several years on Hollywood’s blacklist after accusing a former Hollywood Foreign Press Association president of sexual assault.

Despite the sweep in all the major categories by “Everything,” another film took home many prizes for categories in production. “All Quiet on the Western Front,” a German-language film on Netflix, won for cinematography, original score, international feature and production design.

The full winners list, which can be found online on the Oscar’s website, included “Top Gun: Maverick” for sound, “Avatar: The Way of Water” for visual effects and “Navalny,” which took home the award for documentary

feature.

The night continued with a performance from Rihanna of her original song “Lift Me Up” written for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, dedicated to the late Chadwick Boseman. Lady Gaga performed a stripped-down version of her song “Hold My Hand” which she wrote for “Top Gun.”

This highly emotional Oscars tried to lighten the mood by having Jimmy Kimmel as the host, chiming in every now and then with jokes (many of which were about the slap from last year). The jokes felt stale, but what’s an award show without a bit of that?

Another thing of note about this ceremony is the pairing of extremely popular actors to present awards together. I don’t know if the Academy is following trends and popular TikToks, but it didn’t feel accidental that they paired Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield together or Pedro Pascal with Elizabeth Olsen. Just something to think about.

But the theme of the night, to me, was comebacks. All of the major awards went to actors who have been in the business for years and who have rarely won major awards. It was extremely refreshing to watch seasoned, humble actors be recognized for their inspiring performances.

Fraser’s performance and subsequent wins have catapulted him back into the spotlight, and Yeoh waxed poetic on how she never gave up on her dreams, addressing the women in the audience: “Ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you are ever past your prime.”

Ke Huy Quan provided grateful acceptance for every award he won this season, explaining that he’d never thought he would make it as an actor again. “Dreams are something you have to believe in,” he said. “I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there: please keep your dreams alive. Thank you so much for welcoming me back.”

cake octopus consists of the various invertebrates that inhabit the sediment: to find food, this octopus will search the sea floor with its tentacles, stirring up anything that’s currently there. It then entraps food with its tentacles and brings it to its mouth.

The pancake octopus has a variety of marine predators, including sharks, fish, fur seals and sperm whales. To us, the pancake octopus looks yellow or red, and it seems easily visible in the middle of the ocean, right? Wrong. Red light cannot penetrate the oceanic depths where the pancake octopus is found, making them appear dark and allowing them to remain hidden. However, if they are spotted, they can pulse their body, creating what resembles a jet fuel pump to pulse its way to safety.

Due to how little is known about them, their conservation status has not been evaluated yet. But for what they’ve got going for them, and what is known about them, these breakfast-shaped octopi seem to be doing pretty well and hold their own in the deep blue sea.

Mini Red Carpet Rundown: The Oscars

By AVA C. GREEN FEATURES EDITOR

Celebrities stunned on the gray carpet at the 2023 Oscars — dressed to the nines for one of the most prestigious nights in the film industry. Salma Hayek’s Gucci gown was a favorite of the evening with its sparkly fringe from the waist down, and flaming burnt orange color that popped on Hayek’s olive skin and dark hair. The dress did the talking while her hair and makeup took the backburner and were relatively simple and understated — a smart choice considering the keyhole cutout and criss-crossed halter neckline that drew the eye up and down the garment.

The worst-dressed that evening was Olivia Wilde, much to the chagrin of Harry Styles fans everywhere. This look by Gabriela Hearst definitely had a clear point of view, just not one I necessarily want to see. The whole thing is disjointed. It almost looks like a deconstructed gown, but the draping is unflattering, and the hand-painted, black bra underneath is jarring and looks unintentional. The stylist was going for a statuesque style, but this falls flat.

Contact Ava C. Green green98@canisius.edu

Contact Ava Green green98@canisius.edu

The pancake, or flapjack octopus, is unable to squirt ink due to its lack of a functioning ink sac.

Contact Sara Umbrell umbrells@canisius.edu

The west coast has a way of culminating the crazy — no wonder we fit in so well there!

A photo from the staff’s last meal together in San Francisco

THE SYCAMORE RESTAURANT

VIA UNSPLASH

C-Block Makes Waves at the MAACs

Last Monday, March 6, 28 C-Block members headed to Atlantic City, New Jersey along with Canisius’s dance team, cheer team and pep band. These spirit squads tagged along with both the men’s and women’s basketball teams to support them in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) basketball tournament.

Members of C-Block left the Koessler Athletic Center at 4 p.m. on Monday, sharing a bus with the Dance Griffs. After an eight-and-a-half-hour–long bus ride, we arrived in Atlantic City ready for an early morning and long day of cheering on the Griffs. We carried bags filled to the brim in hopes that we would stay the whole week and go to multiple games. This trip was a play-to-stay tournament, meaning that to stay in Atlantic City, either of the Griff teams needed to win at least one game for us to stay another day. All members of the trip were instructed to pack enough clothes and items for a full week in the event that the Griffs would win multiple games, taking us to the championship that would be played the following Saturday night.

Tuesday morning arrived, and we collectively headed out onto the famous New Jersey Jim Whelan

Boardwalk, home of the MAAC tournament. The women started their day off at 10:30 a.m. C-Block was given tickets that placed us on the floor in a grandstand directly adjacent to the Griffs’ bench. We filled the stands with waves of blue and gold.

The women tipped off against Mount St. Mary’s and eventually fell to a score of 54–41. After that, small groups of people branched off to explore during the fourhour break before the men’s game. The realization that this may be our only day in Atlantic City set in quickly, and many — including myself — were determined to make the most of their time.

In the off season, the boardwalk is significantly less full of people and crowds, and there were still plenty of sights to see. A handful of small 99-cent stores were open, as well as an assortment of restaurants, casinos and multiple weapons stores (with unsecured weapons).

Of course, we ventured in. We found ourselves on the beach twice in full socks and sneakers: others even found themselves in the water despite the breezy, 45-degree day. After accumulating 20,000 steps, it was reconvening time.

The men tipped off just past 6 p.m. and started on a hot streak; at the end of the first half, they led Mount St. Mary’s by more than 10 points. The Griff fan section

was electric and one of the best fan environments I have ever been part of. Although we had a smaller number of people than normal, those we brought just happened to bleed blue and gold. We were able to see that in their energy and spirit throughout the game, even when the men lost the 12-point lead they once held.

Unfortunately, after many leads and deficits the Griffs lost in a heartbreaking overtime with a final score of 67–66. After the game, there were many emotional seniors and graduate students as they completed their final game in the blue and gold. The men’s loss ensured that C-Block’s trip would be coming to a screeching halt the next morning, and we would be headed back to Buffalo at 10 a.m., leaving the pep band, cheer and dance teams behind to complete their own showcases. In total, C-Block spent 16 hours traveling to and from Atlantic City and a mere 33 hours in the city itself.

This may have been a short trip, but it was a good trip, nonetheless. Canisius has traditionally been the only school in the MAAC that sends a student section, and the tradition plans to carry on for years to come.

Architecture Around Buffalo: The Packard Showroom

By LUCAS R. WATSON FEATURES CONTRIBUTOR

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Buffalo had a booming automobile industry; out of that came one of the largest rail hubs in the nation. Buffalo hosted automobile part manufacturers Dunlop and Trico, according to writer Dale English for Business First. Buffalo was slated to be one of the largest automobile manufacturing capitals in the country, set to become the next Detroit with extensive rail connections, booming lake connections for freight and other goods and access to an international border by use of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Unfortunately, Ford was turned away by the leaders of the city of Buffalo, and with shifts in the economy, Buffalo fell out of favor by the 1950s.

Peerless, Pierce-Arrow and Packard: these are the three “P’s” of luxury automobiles in the United States. They were among the most coveted cars of their era. Packard’s modern-day equivalent is a Rolls Royce or a Bentley. Due to the position of Buffalo in the nation as one of its largest cities in the 1920s — the eleventh largest in the United States at that time — the population was a market for luxury cars. Thus, Packard came to Buffalo.

The Packard Motor Car Company was founded in 1899 and had a rich history of producing some of the very finest of American luxury cars, exceeding Cadillac in their opulence. The company made automobiles until July 16, 1958, lasting 59 years as one of the United States’s more esteemed motor car companies and hitting its stride in the 1920s and 1930s.

Many enthusiasts still collect old Packards and restore them to their original configuration. They are rather interesting because of their nostalgic grip on the community and iconic design.

Having found a market in Buffalo, and in the northeast as a whole, Packard opened up a showroom at 1325 Main Street and Riley. Our building today, the showroom, was designed by Albert Kahn in 1926. Kahn had designed several buildings for Packard, including showrooms in other major U.S. cities. He also designed a series of factories in the Soviet Union under contract and was quite prolific in Detroit; many of his designs are still seen on the skyline of Detroit and across Michigan today. The building itself is typical of those seen in the ‘20s, with a facade made of Indiana limestone. Most noticeable is the large lettering visible from the street that says “PACKARD.”

By REBECCA NAGEL FEATURES CONTRIBUTOR

There is a water tank on the roof of the building painted with the Packard Motor Cars logo that is still visible today. The property was intended to be the distribution center for the northeast and has a vast amount of space, and it largely embodies the neoclassical style, as a simplistic overview of the details by the National Register of Historic Places describes. On Main Street, it is a hard sight to miss but still one worth slowing down to appreciate. Most recently, the building has been turned into business and apartment spaces by Regan Development Corporation.

The history of automobiles in Buffalo is rather interesting, but an even more prominent company — and the most widely known — is the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, which called Buffalo home. Read the paper next week to learn about the Pierce-Arrow showroom.

Contact Lucas Watson watsonl@canisius.edu

Buffalo’s Best Concert Venues

There are three types of people on this planet when it comes to concerts: people who absolutely love concerts wherever and whenever, people who only go to a concert every few years (and even then, only those with seats — “None of that ‘standing room only’ nonsense”) and those who entirely loathe concerts.

Now that the number of COVID cases has gone down enough to start going back to live music, I have attended many concerts since March 2022 — 11 in total! — ranging in location from places around Buffalo to others in Detroit and Pittsburgh.

The KeyBank Center starts off as my pick for the worst venue. It’s great for people who like bigger artists and assigned seats, but it’s usually the most

expensive venue and the hardest to get a good view without dipping into your college savings.

Next up is Shea’s. I’ve only been to one concert there and paid $60 per ticket to be in the sixth row. I assumed that the sixth row would be super close to the band, but the spacing of the rows had us much further from the stage than we thought we’d be. Shea’s is perfect for plays and musicals, but it definitely lacks when it comes to concerts.

Canalside is a much better location for a concert. I have only been to one concert there, but the experience was memorably pleasant. I went to Kiss the Summer Hello for free with some of my friends to promote a rideshare app. Even with the hot temperature, the pouring rain, being forced to talk to strangers and having to stand up on stage to promote

the app during the time I was there, I believe that Canalside is a nice venue for concerts because it is generally easy to get close to the stage and enjoy the show.

My second favorite venue is Artpark. If you have never been to Artpark, it’s important to know that there are two different stages on the property. The mainstage is a general admission venue that’s mainly standing room, which I prefer because it is cheaper and easier to move towards the front of the crowd. Their amphitheater is a stage with covered seating and a lawn in the back. The lawn is not for the faint of heart and may leave you sore due to the awkward angle of the hill. While I do not recommend sitting on the lawn for Artpark concerts, everywhere else is extremely comfortable and has a great view.

Last, but certainly not least, Town Ballroom is arguably the best venue in WNY. Three out of the 11 concerts I went to this year were at Town Ballroom, and I don’t regret a single one of them. Most tickets are only $20, and as long as you arrive about an hour before doors open, you will be right in front of the stage and possibly even at the barricade. The intimacy of the venue and its affordable ticket prices are unmatched.

As someone who is well experienced in the field of WNY concert venues, my best advice is to buy the tickets, arrive early and have the best time of your life. I’ve seen Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, Sabrina Carpenter and many other popular artists in concert, but the smaller, local concerts are way better than any arena tour I’ve seen.

LUCAS R. WATSON

Contact Maddy Lockwood lockwoo4@canisius.edu

The Packard Motor Car Showroom and Storage Facility is located on 1325 Main Street in Buffalo.

THE GRIFFIN EDITORIAL

Editorial: There’s Always Something To Learn

This past weekend, 10 editors and one staff advisor of The Griffin attended a journalism conference in sunny–though-not-while-they-were-there San Francisco. The Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Spring National College Media Conference joined Canisius students with peers from all over the country including Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and — of course — the host state California. Over the course of three full days, numerous lectures and discussions were led on all topics surrounding collegiate journalistic media. Students had the opportunity to go in depth into photography, feature writing, leading a news team as an editor and learning the ins and outs of being a journalist in college and beyond.

As editors of a collegiate-level newspaper that has been in print for 90 years now, the team can be seen as some of the top writers at the school, so there may be an air of conceit to the point that one may ask, “How much more can they learn?”

The answer: more than any of them could have possibly imagined.

Day one of the ACP Conference, a session on the challenges of being a new writer, as well as an editor to a new writer, was offered by two co–editors-in-chief of a college magazine published twice a semester. They explained that many of us are conditioned to write in a typical academic paper format, but that style is not conducive to the kind of writing needed for a magazine or newspaper: the breaking of that habit can be a difficult process for writer and editor alike. The presenters advised patience on both ends, because we all were first starting out once, too, and writing is something that should be enjoyable and not a cause of stress. They also suggested that there be a lot of communication throughout the editing process: keeping schedules updated to allow time for meetings, filling drafts with comments both reinforcing and constructive and always keeping in mind that everyone is trying to do their best by the publication.

Writers are not automatically effective editors, just as the best editors don’t have to be the writer with the most awards. There’s always room to grow, no matter where you’re starting.

Other sessions during the weekend taught The Griffin editors about the use of artificial intelligence in journalism, with others advice on covering events where the subject may not be something that you are comfortable with or able to participate in. Experts were ready to teach the editors about Title IX and its application to journalism; it can get very tricky, the experts advised, depending on a school’s policy and possibly decrease a reporter’s ability to report on difficult issues. Panels of female journalists gave insight on their experiences with sexism and discrimination in the workplace and advice on how to advocate for yourself. They even attended a session on ways to better cover stories regarding trans and non-binary identities, giving them a slew of new knowledge to take with them through the rest of their lives.

After each breakout activity, many felt they had learned more about what it truly looks like to be a reporter, and that it is, in fact, possible to create a name for themselves in the field. Each day held both academic and personal learning opportunities, and some

felt for the first time as though they were growing into their own skins. Even for our group of editors (some of whom have spent four years studying media and journalism), there was still a lot to be learned. An advisor from another university offered critiques of two editions of The Griffin and gave feedback on improvements he thought we could make in order to be more engaging to readers. While there was nothing wrong with the copies of the newspaper that he had, there were still a lot of suggestions that none of the currently staffed editors had implemented yet. With a negative state of mind, the editors could have easily been insulted by his list of suggestions or felt a little peeved because his ideas consisted of things that he “personally” thought would make The Griffin better. Instead, open minds sat around that round table to listen and take notes from someone who had more experience than they did, and we gained a lot because of it.

He wasn’t ripping into each article and attacking the grammar and content; instead, he pointed out superficial improvements that didn’t cast a negative light on any editors in particular. Just as an editor makes polite suggestions on a contributor’s article draft, this advisor’s critiques were thoughts based on his own experiences in the journalism field. The purpose was to help create a better final product.

No matter how high up you are on the totem pole somewhere, there’s always more you can learn in order to make yourself better: framing things this way can make it easier for you to accept criticisms and use them to your advantage.

The Griffin’s staff excursion to San Francisco was a journey into the field of journalism, architecture and our own personal identity. During a conference about ways to cover a music festival, one headline read “Try Weird Sh*t.” If you’re like some of the editors, something that seems to be so simple as trying new things is incredibly daunting, but we wanted to give it their best shot. Throughout the excursion, they tried new things like attempting (and failing for some) charades.

The editors learned a lot on this trip, and this new knowledge spanned far outside the breakout sessions and conference rooms they spent a majority of their weekend in. They learned more about each other as well. For example, multiple editors have dietary restrictions: two vegetarians and one with severe tree nut allergies. It was also discovered that many of them have birthdays that fall during the later half of the year, especially during the autumn season. Some are originally from different states, and others have multiple siblings in their families. Their experiences allowed them to connect to some incredible people and see firsthand how overcoming social anxiety allowed them to make connections with those they spent every Thursday with. Who knew?

None of the information the editors took in this weekend would have been possible without the acceptance that they didn’t know everything, and anything they were able to learn while on vacation with their friends in San Francisco is a privilege. In our experience, the moments we learn from the most are those that happen when we are least prepared but have accepted the constant flow of knowledge we have in our lives.

Marissa Burr and Sydney Umstead

Mission 100 Days: Meet Your People and Get Involved

By ELIANA DEGLOPPER GRADUATING CONTRIBUTOR

Four years ago when I rang the bell in the admis- sions office, committed to Canisius and ate lunch at Lake Effect Diner, I was unsure if I made the right deci- sion. I anxiously awaited August of 2019 to get to cam- pus and see if I would experience that “feeling” every- one talked about to validate my choice. Within the first two days, I knew I never wanted to leave.

My first experience with Canisius was at “Bio Boot Camp.” It was there that I met my best friend, Mary, and the love of my life, Calvin. I’ve spent nearly every second of the past four years with these two individ- uals: for that alone, I am eternally indebted to Canis- ius. I got involved on campus immediately, joining the dance team, the Society of Pre-Health Professionals, a research lab with Dr. O’Brien, Colleges Against Cancer, the Public Health Committee, volunteered at ENERGY, Danceability and Compeer and, finally, I worked at a consignment store! Life was amazing.

As the story goes, the pandemic began. That same January, my grandpa and papa were both diagnosed with terminal cancer. I quit my job and the dance team, stepped down from my involvement and closed myself off from the world as the world locked down. My papa passed July 13, 2020. My professors were extremely supportive during these difficult times, and Calvin and Mary continued to push me even when I found I no longer wanted to fight for school. I managed to excel academically, remaining a biology major in the honors program. Being drawn to writing, I took my first creative writ- ing class with Dr. Cochrane in the spring of 2020. Dr. Co- chrane changed my life. He opened my mind and heart to the endless possibilities of writing and enabled me to study in Ireland at the Yeats summer school through a full Canisius scholarship, allowing me to visit where my papa was from and visit his family.

I realized that I could combine my passions for med- icine and writing by picking up a creative writing minor.

His class gave me an outlet for my grief. When my grandpa passed away my junior year, I decided to write my honors thesis as a memoir of my grandpa and papa, which I then got to present in front of my nana, family, best friend, boy- friend and all the professors who had supported me along the way. Every professor, peer and advisor has encouraged me to follow my dreams of becoming a doctor, and each has understood the importance of doing so in honor of my grandparents.

Over time, I’ve held leadership positions as the allo- pathic co-chair for the Society of Pre-Health Profession- als and as vice president of the Tri-Beta Biological Society. I have shadowed hundreds of hours with various doctors, gained thousands of hours of clinical experience as a med- ical assistant at two different family medicine practices, had three other jobs, joined The Griffin, been a resident as- sistant for three years, been a CEEP research recipient for three years, been inducted into the TriBeta and DiGamma honors societies, received certifications in CPR, First Aid, Stop the Bleed, QPR, Blood Pathogen Safety, Medical As- sistant Training, John Hopkins Disease Clusters and envi- ronmental health, attended a clinic to help provide care to underserved populations and participated in a trip to learn about patient education with the pre-health department in Ohio. I’ve also attended medical conferences in Syracuse, will get to present my research in Louisville, Kentucky with the biology department, traveled to Atlantic City, NJ with the dance team… the list goes on. Canisius has literally changed my life.

During the worst times of my life, my peers and profes- sors have lifted me up. All of the amazing friends of mine who have provided support over the past few years are not to go unnoticed either; there are just too many incredible and inspirational people to mention. Thank you Canisius, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me more than I ever could have hoped for. Whatever happens next in my career, I know that I would not have changed a thing about my un- dergrad experience. Once a Griff, always a Griff.

March 17, 2023

FOUNDED IN

THE GRIFFIN IS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CANISIUS COLLEGE

Contact Eliana DeGlopper degloppe@canisius.edu

Letters

NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND

If you think the nerds at The Griffin are tryhards, you’ve clearly never met some other college newspaper staffs. Then again, most of them are paid for their work.

The Underground can confirm: 5 a.m. flights are the move. Except for our fearful leader.

The Underground thanks USA for not letting Griffin editors know that Tuesday’s Senate meeting was canceled. Unfortunately for them, inside sources foiled their plot to disrupt the editors’ night! Once again, the USA is leakier than the ceiling of the Griffin office. Both basketball teams lost at MAACs. The tambourine was missing from the Pep Band’s performances at the games. The Underground merely points these two facts out.

The Underground was further outraged by the parking situation at Canisius this week! Why are we paying $50 for a pass when there are not enough spots for everyone? Having to walk farther from Lyons to the Health Center than if she walked from her house made Mrsa Brrr very peeved and tempted to take a certain OL’s advice and park on the lawn of The Quad.

Music

I think music is innate to human identity. The most significant connections I have made in my life have stemmed from discussing music. I met one of my best friends at a party, and when he mentioned John Mayer we sat and talked about the fact that, as talented as he may be, he is also an atrocious human being, and I cited my sourc- es. Without music, I may have never gotten close to him. As a playlist connoisseur, my music taste is all over the place, featuring bubble pop all the way to ‘90s grunge and shoegaze. My music pref- erences, and specifically the hold that the ‘90s music scene has on me, affected even the way I dress and style my room. I’ve been collecting re- cords for years with some pieces that I picked up at flea markets for less than $5, which I’ve used to cover my room with album art. I tend to define periods of my life by what music I was listening to at the time. My personal favorite playlist I have is titled “gaea,” and it’s a tribute to days where I feel called to nature and music.

Sydney Umstead

I’m sitting in a cramped tea house sipping chai while a man with a guitar plays an Irish folk song. His fingers fumble over the strings a few times, but his voice is simple and pleasant, the sort of middle-of-the-road voice I love. A voice that lets you listen to the lyrics without being entranced by the voice singing them.

I tip the ceramic mug right over my face to get the last of the cardamom and cinnamon sludge from the bottom and let it sift into my mouth.

“You are the call, I am the answer / You are the wish, and I am the way / You the music, I the danc- er / You are the night, and I am the day / You are the night, and I am the day.”

It’s 8 o’clock, cold and rainy. I’m wearing my hiking shoes because I discovered the Converse I wear every day had a huge hole in the bottom sole of the left shoe. I found it while I was in London over the weekend.

London pours. I had to sit in the hostel bath- room for a half hour drying my shoes with a haird- ryer, accidentally melting the canvas inside of my shoes in a few spots. But I’m dry now, sitting and drinking the best chai I’ve ever had, savoring every last sip, pretending it isn’t gone even though it is.

And I’m of him, how if I call I know he’ll answer, how it’s night in Glasgow and the sun is still up in Buffalo, and how this music, its lyrics, feel like him, us, and I picture us dancing to it.

I wish for him to be here next to me, and I wish the way between us wasn’t so far.

Maeve Devine

In middle school I was in the band for our musical “The Music Man.” During the rehearsals, in a scene that I wasn’t in, there was a song with a very frequent chorus. Being a fifth grader with hearing problems, I thought they kept saying “fueltopple” over and over. I was used to not hearing stuff, and so I assumed it was a big-kid word. When I told my sister (who was also in the play) about the scene with “fueltopple” in it, she was confused at first and then burst out laughing, telling me it was actually “pick a little, talk a little” — which in my defense doesn’t make much more sense than fueltopple! She kept laughing at me, and I got really embarrassed, which didn’t help my self-esteem, especially about my hearing. Needless to say, that was my last musical.

Patrick

Healy

I think the best quality I got from my dad is his taste in music. Growing up on a strict diet of The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, The Who, Tom Petty, Chuck Berry and even a little Bob Marley stirred in, these legendary influences stuck with me throughout elementary, middle and even high school. Classic rock has and always will be my go- to; my soft spot and my comfort food of music. It puts some pep in my step on long runs, makes me dance my way through chores and shortens the length of any drive in my mind.

Vividly, I remember sitting in this grody little pizza and sub shop in West Seneca with my dad after a rainy spring afternoon spent swimming at the YMCA pool, like we often did. Eating medio- cre fries with too much salt, my dad pointed at a black-and-white picture that was framed on the wall of four guys walking side by side in long dark coats. They all had matching bowl-cut hair and skinny little ties, and they wore huge smiles as they waltzed down a stone-laid street. My dad de- clared prophetically (in the way he tends to over- state common sense phenomena), but with such pride that my brother and I always believe him to be an original genius, “Those lads right there were the best rock’n’roll band in history.”

Astounded at my father’s endless knowledge, I ran straight to iPod upon arriving home and looked them up. I listened to the entirety of “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” at once, lying flat on my back on the carpet of my childhood bedroom, and was instantly in love.

15 years later, give or take, I still wear my love for the Beatles like a badge on my chest — it’s ba- sically a personality trait. My first visit to the Unit- ed Kingdom included two days solely reserved for exploring the band’s birthplace of Liverpool: walking the same streets as them, breathing the musty air of the Cavern Club where they made their debut, standing in the same room as the pi- ano John Lennon wrote “Imagine” on — the ulti- mate

Georgepilgrimage.Harrison’s

handwriting was my first tattoo, and my first dog is likewise named after my favorite Beatle. I joke and say that my next dog will be named McCartney, the one after that Lennon, and then I’ll probably have time enough in this life for one more pup who I’ll no doubt call Ringo. How lucky would I be to live with each of my heroes for a time?

Grace Brown

Do strikes suck, or just school?

By GRACE BROWN CO-OPINION EDITOR

Though the previous foreign correspondence column may have convinced readers that I am here in Scotland primarily to eat good food and observe other women, this is — unfortunately — not the case. Thus, we should also examine the finer details of the British education system, which I have likewise been taking part in, though arguably with less frequency.

Classes at University of Scotland occur, for the most part, only once a week, for two hours. For example, my Hybrid Forms Poetry class meets on Wednesdays from 11:00-13:00 — military time is conventional here — and then dissipates for the next week. No doubt there are readings to complete and responses we are expected to upload before class time, but I honestly believe that less time overall is spent on school work than would be in the United States.

This is not to say that the British higher education system is inferior to that in the U.S.; in fact, I have felt more sincerely intellectually challenged during my time here than I have in a long time. According to my humble observations, it appears that classes at British universities (referred to strictly as “uni”) are less demanding in terms of time but more taxing in regards to brain power.

For example, I was responsible to “read” asemic poetry for the same aforementioned Hybrid Forms Poetry class. Since asemic poetry is composed without written words, opting instead for emotional doodling, I spent very little time actually “reading.” However, during class, I was expected to think very critically about what qualifies art as writing and then produce my own wordless writing, which was one of the most difficult academic activities I have ever embarked upon.

With less time spent physically in the classroom or poring over books, British “uni” students are able to pursue hobbies and personal interests more freely than their American counterparts. In combination with not needing to work one, two, three or more jobs in order to pay exorbitant tuition fees, British students have the liberty of reading what they choose, engaging in vibrant social life and maintaining their physical and mental health.

Even while still working remotely at Canisius’s on-campus Writing Center (in the library, on the main floor near the cura personalis rooms: make an appointment any time at canisius.mywconline.com or just walk in!), I have not had this much free time since I was in middle school. I definitely forgot how much I love reading before bed, taking long walks and lifting heavy weights for longer than the single hour I permit myself in the fast-paced life I lead at home.

As much as I would like to say this abbreviat- ed class schedule and reduced financial burden is the solution to the woes of overwhelmed college students worldwide, British uni students still complain relentlessly of the arduous work they must complete at least once a week. So perhaps college students are naturally prone to grumbles of dissat- isfaction.

Yet more than merely the shortened class time and reduced busy work that has contributed to limited participation for even the most Hermione Granger–esque students, like myself.

On Feb. 1 the National University & College

Union (UCU) declared its intentions to take “industrial action” on 18 previously determined days dispersed sporadically throughout the semester. In layman’s terms, that means that professors went on strike but only on certain days in order to more fairly allocate the missed days of class across the semester.

Since most classes at University of Glasgow meet only once a week and the semester is only 11 weeks long with one week reserved for reading (week six = “reading week”), one canceled class is equivalent to 10% of total class time missed, two days equalling 20% of overall time missed, etc. Even I can do the math.

Needless to say, this strike action had a pronounced effect on the ability of classes to progress through their curriculum according to schedule. Most of the time professors did not attempt to make up for canceled classes or revisit material from classes that would have occurred were the strikes not on; instead, they skipped it entirely and merely progressed to the proceeding week’s material. Professors do always express lament at having to cancel class in order to attend the picket line but state that they feel obligated to partake in the UCU’s industrial action.

As I am neither a Scottish citizen nor a professor, it is definitely not my place to pass judgment on the UCU’s decision to strike or the professors’ decision to support it. I will admit it is a bit frustrating to travel all the way across the Atlantic to take classes only to find myself not taking classes.

However, my annoyance paled in comparison to that of a senior — which here they call a “fourth year” — Scottish student in attendance here at U of G. She told me that the strikes have occurred every single semester she has been enrolled, including years of online instruction during the pandemic. This means her entire college experience has been reduced by at least a quarter due to canceled class/ field trips/educational activities in accordance with the strikes.

Another of my local Scottish friends who has a parent in higher education administration admitted regretfully that the strikes are usually not resolved. Since higher education is free for citizens of the United Kingdom, the university does not lose revenue if students decide not to attend next year as a result of the strike action.

As for international students who do pay tuition, they usually find themselves taken captive by the strikes, having already arrived and paid their tuition fees before they have an opportunity to reconsider on the basis of industrial action. Some international students, though, have put sufficient time, money and energy into obtaining a student visa that sticking around is deemed worthwhile.

Regardless of how unexpected or unpleasant the strikes may make the educational experience of students at U of G, their enrollment decisions generally remain relatively immune to the influence of the strikes. Therefore, though unfortunate, if the strikes aren’t affecting the university’s overall revenue, they will not be very persuasive to the administration.

As of the time of this writing, Feb. 21, the UCU’s industrial action has been “called off” for two weeks, meaning on-campus activities have resumed as per

Contact Grace Brown brown294@canisius.edu

Students of Color Deserve an Inclusive College Experience

By TARIQ LEFEVER OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

Universities are meant to be places of learning and discovery where students of all backgrounds can gain the skills they need to succeed in their chosen fields. However, they are often not inclusive environments for students of color, which can harm their educational experience. To create this for students of color, universities must work to prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives: these can include creating a supportive environment that celebrates diversity and providing resources and support for these students. Universities must also strive to create a curriculum that reflects the varied perspectives of their student body and retain faculty members who represent different backgrounds. These steps are just the beginning to building a university that is inclusive to all students.

Inclusion and diversity are critical issues in higher education today; colleges nationwide have been striving to create a more equitable learning environment that is relevant to every student. The goal is to ensure that they all have the same opportunities to succeed regardless of their background, race, gender or sexual orientation, etc. This is a mandatory part of the higher education curriculum.

All universities may aim to create welcoming environments for their students and staff, but it is important that everyone be made aware of the importance of diversity and allowed to share their experiences, regardless of their background. While the inclusion of diverse populations should be taught from an early age, it is obvious today that this does not always happen, so the importance of this should be instilled in the curriculum at a higher level of education. Diversity in the classroom enriches the educational experience of all students, and every institution needs to ensure that its students are exposed to a variety of viewpoints.

Faculty play a vital role in the success of any educational institution, and without a level of effectiveness, students would not be able to receive the quality education they need to meet their academic goals. They also play an essential role in creating a positive student learning environment by providing resources that are essential for student success; furthermore, faculty are responsible for delivering quality instruction, creating a safe learning space and providing support services such as career counseling, financial aid and academic advising. The role of faculty and staff is to help students succeed. Making sure there are places on campus where learners can get away from distractions and focus on studying is essential for student productivity.

Students are the future of any organization, and it is important that they all develop in a healthy

and positive environment that fosters constructive products. This is only possible if the school has a well-defined plan to realize this goal, starting with a student development committee. This group can be responsible for defining student goals, setting objectives and creating a plan to meet them. Students are the future leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who will shape the future of our world; they have the power to influence others and positively impact society. Their knowledge has the potential to help their communities and create a better future.

As future industry leaders, we as students must be equipped with relevant knowledge and skills, achieved through a wide-ranging curriculum covering various business management aspects. It all starts in the classroom, and we need environments that allow students to ask pertinent questions and receive answers directly from the expert faculty.

It is also necessary to give ample time to research, explore ideas and opinions and work collaboratively with peers. An MBA curriculum will cover more advanced topics, such as leadership and management to be used in the workplace. As the business world evolves, the role of the student must follow. They need to be more proactive and aware of the changes that will take place in the future in order to be prepared for the challenges that will arise. Students must be able to adapt to new technologies and to foresee how these technologies can be used for a business. This will require them to be open to new ideas and learn to keep up with the latest developments. In order to achieve this, programs should focus on building strong relationships, creating a positive attitude and good communication skills.

This comes from the efforts made by universities to be truly inclusive and diverse in their student population through a collective effort among faculty and students. Faculty must create an environment where all students — especially those of color — feel comfortable and supported. Students must actively make a more inclusive campus culture by being accepting and willing to listen to all perspectives of their peers. Through education, dialogue and understanding, universities can strive to become a place where all students feel respected. With commitment from the entire university community, they can continue on their path toward financial aid reform and creating a truly inclusive environment that serves all students.

Contact Grace Brown

Editor Connor Pohlman @connor_pohlman pohlmanc@canisius.edu Twitter: @SportsTGN

Women’s lacrosse takes care of business in home opener

By DELANEY HAYDEN SPORTS REPORTER

On Wednesday, the Canisius College and Robert Morris University women’s lacrosse teams battled during the Golden Griffins’ home opener for the season on the Demske Beach. The Griffs pulled away with the game in hand to earn a huge 12–5 win.

The game was a dedication game for the Morgan’s Message organization to raise awareness on the relationship between athletes and mental health, urging athletes to start treating their mental health as seriously as they would their physical health. Both teams raised money for the organization and dedicated the game to the cause.

Morgan’s Message is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Kurt and Dona Rodgers in memory of their daughter, a former Duke University lacrosse player, Morgan Rodgers, who tragically took her own life.

The organization seeks to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and to equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in high school and collegiate athletics. Before the game, there was a reflection and moment of silence for all those battling mental health struggles, in hopes that they will feel love and support and know that they are valued, appreciated and cared for.

Right as the game started, the Griffs took the lead with five unanswered goals in the first quarter. Senior midfielder Paige Statchura started the Griffs off with their first goal at 13:20 and ended the game with a hat trick, an assist and four ground balls.

At 6:59, RMU’s Kelsey Nelson scored the Colonials’ only goal of the first quarter. Canisius found themselves up 6–2 heading into the half. Graduate student, captain and midfielder Skylar McArthur led the Griffs in goals with four total. Graduate student and attacker Kaitlyn Salce and graduate student and captain Ivy Santana also put numbers up on the board during the first quarter alone. Salce had two goals in total and Santana had one.

Also putting numbers on the board for the Griffs were junior midfielder/ attacker, Caroline Netti with one and sophomore attacker Sophie Socker with one. Socker’s tally marked her first ever collegiate goal.

The Griff’s defensive unit played as a whole and absolutely dominated. Three out of the five goals from the Colonial’s were off of free positions.

Freshman goalie Jody Chu had five saves total with three goals against. With 18 shots on goal, the Griffs made

Softball experiences bumpy road as season continues

By ANDREW CROOKS SPORTS REPORTER

The Canisius College softball team continued their season with a trip to Conway, South Carolina for the Beach Chicken Brawl. Their opponents for the weekend included the Houston Christian Huskies, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

On the weekend, the Golden Griffins won two of their five games against strong competition.

The Griffs kicked off their weekend with a win against Houston Christian by a score of 2–0. Junior Megan Giese tossed a complete game shutout for her ninth career complete game shutout. Sophomore Saige Alfaro and junior Gianna Fazzolari helped lead Canisius to the win on offense.

Alfaro led the way with three hits for the Golden Griffins, and Fazzolari knocked in the two lone runs of the game. In the second game of the day, versus Ohio State, the Buckeyes got the best of Canisius with an 8–0 win.

On Saturday, the Golden Griffins fought hard but undertook two tough losses against Ohio State and Coastal Carolina. Canisius lost 5–0 to the Buckeyes in their first game of the day. Next, they faced the impressive 21–3 Chanticleers who got the best of Canisius in the 5–2 loss. With three hits on the day, junior Christie McGee-Ross helped fuel the limited offense for the Golden Griffins.

The final game took place on Sunday for the Canisius Golden Griffins against the Houston Christian Huskies. Getting back into the win column, Canisius took another game from the Huskies with a 7–4 win, improving to a 9–8 record on the season.

Early hitting production from graduate Nicole Rivait, with three hits and two RBIs, led to a 7–0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. As the game got closer after the bottom of the fifth, graduate student Alexis Churchill shut the door on Houston

Christian’s offense. With two innings of shutout pitching she received her fourth save of the season.

The Golden Griffins will now head to Penn State for the Penn State Invitational. They will play UMBC, Penn State, Cornell and Binghamton across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

All games will take place at University Park, Pennsylvania. This will be the last game that the Canisius College softball team will play before they play their home opener versus Syracuse on Wednesday, March 22.

Contact Andrew Crooks Crooksa@canisius.edu |

CANISIUS ATHLETICS VIA GOGRIFFS

12 and also ended the game with 21 ground balls, out-hustling and out-playing the Colonials who only had 15. The Canisius women’s lacrosse squad will be back in action on their home turf this Sunday, March 19 against Youngstown State, where they are prepared to battle for another big win on the Demske Beach.

Contact Delaney Hayden Haydend@canisius.edu |

Men’s Lacrosse dominates Bonnies for first win of the season

By STEPHEN LAPAGE SPORTS REPORTER

After falling to Quinnipiac last week, the Canisius men’s lacrosse team took on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in search of their first win of the season. The Golden Griffins rallied together in a valiant effort to get the job done, granting Canisius their first win of the season with a final score of 13–5. With the Demske Sports Complex surrounded by snow, the Golden Griffins took the field for their last non-conference game of the season. Canisius started the scoring off in the first quarter as midfielder Hunter Parucki was able to give the Griffins the early lead. The Bonnies struck back within a minute, tying the game at one. The Griffins possessed the ball at the end of the quarter but were unable to score, leaving the scoreboard at 1–1 after the first quarter.

St. Bonaventure scored quickly to start the second quarter, but the Golden Griffins were able to take advantage of two man-up opportunities and took the lead thanks to midfielders Kyle Brunsch and Jackson Webster.

Soon after, the Bonnies scored again, tying the game at three. Parucki scored a buzzer-beater for his second goal of the game, giving the Griffins a 4–3 lead into halftime.

The Griffs came out hot in the second half, as attackman Keegan Kozack scored within 30 seconds. The Griffs’ hot streak was again lifted by Brunsch as well as Colin Kelly. Canisius didn’t falter in their dominance, scoring two more goals before the end of the quarter.

The Griffins continued to roll over the Bonnies as they outscored them in the fourth quarter 4–1. Brunsch, Kelly and Parucki all finished with two goals apiece, setting the tone for the Golden Griffins. Parucki also led Canisius in assists with three, giving him a five-point game.

Canisius looks to continue their dominance as they host Marist on Saturday, March 4 for a noon contest.

Contact Stephen Lapage lapages@canisius.edu |

Ivy Santana runs out onto the field with her teammates cheering her on

CANISIUS ATHLETICS VIA GOGRIFFS Megan Giese prepares herself on the mound

By CONNOR POHLMAN SPORTS EDITOR

After a gritty three-game series, the No. 4–seeded Canisius College hockey team fought through adversity and came out on the winning end against the No. 6–seeded Niagara Purple Eagles. Saturday will mark the first time ever that the Ice Griffs will be hosting the AHA Championship.

In the first game of the series, Niagara just managed to edge out the Golden Griffins, stealing the bout 2–1. Junior Randy Hernandez tallied the only goal for Canisius, while Jacob Barczewski made 34 saves between the pipes.

In a win-or-go-home situation for Canisius in game two, the Ice Griffs put their foot on the gas and did not let up, icing Niagara in a 5–1 rout. Max Kouznetsov, Nick Bowman, Jackson Decker and Brenden Datema can be thanked for their contributions to the Golden Griffin’s scoresheet, while Oliver Gauthier tallied the only Niagara goal.

Heading into game three, the stage was set for a classic Battle of the Bridge to determine who would earn

one of the spots in the AHA Championship.

Less than five minutes into the contest, Glebs Prohorenkovs gave Niagara the early lead, tapping in a centering feed just above the blocker of Barczewski.

Ryan Miotto brought Canisius level with a power play goal at the 15:16

of the first period, burying a one-timer with a pass from David Melaragni.

The teams traded power play goals in the second period, with Miotto notching his second of the game and Albin Nilsson wiring a shot home to tie the game at 2–2.

“It’s 2–2 going into the third period, you know there’s going to be emo-

tion there,” head coach Trevor Large said after the game. “You know that each team is gonna push and get some opportunities.”

With the game knotted at the start of the third period, graduate student J.D. Pogue broke the deadlock, burying the puck into the back of Niagara’s net to give Canisius the edge. Pogue’s goal would be the game winner, as Niagara would be unable to hit the three-goal mark.

Simon Gravel provided the insurance marker just past the midway point of the third to double Canisius’s lead, adding to their cushion and sealing the deal for the Ice Griffs.

The Ice Griffs know that the road ahead will only continue to get more difficult, with Large explaining, “Any championship game has two teams that are hot, and that’s what it’s gonna be. It’s gonna be two teams playing extremely well going toe-totoe in a championship game, and we’re extremely excited.”

Canisius will host Holy Cross in the Atlantic Hockey Association Championship Game at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 18 at LECOM Harborcenter.

Contact Connor Pohlman Pohlmanc@canisius.edu |

Canisius baseball loses two of three in series against Marshall

By COLIN RICHEY SPORTS REPORTER

Over the past weekend, the Canisius Golden Griffins traveled to Huntington, West Virginia for a triple header against Marshall, losing two of their three games by one run each, including a walk-off home run in the second game of the series.

In the first game, Canisius was leading 2–0 thanks to runs from sophomore Jackson Strong in the second and graduate student Dylan Vincent in the fifth.

Marshall stormed back with three runs in the eighth inning, and the Griffs failed to reach home plate in the ninth.

Junior pitcher Matt Duffy struck out 11 batters in the six innings he played, adding to his career total of 178

career strikeouts, which is tenth best in program history.

The second game was a heartbreaker for Canisius, losing on a walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Marshall a 6–5 victory.

The Thundering Herd scored two runs in the first to take an early 2–0 lead, but Canisius responded thanks to seniors Brennan Chrisholm and Mike DeStefano to tie things at two.

Marshall notched three runs in the fourth inning to jump to a 5–2 lead, but the Griffs responded quickly again, scoring three of their own in the following inning. DeStefano plated sophomore Cole Sebastian thanks to a sacrifice fly to cut the lead down to two runs.

With the bases loaded, graduate student Kyle Kush hit his pitch up the

middle for a two-run single, and the game was tied 5–5. After 10 runs in the first five innings, the two teams went scoreless until the bottom of the ninth, when Luke Edwards of Marshall sent a pitch from freshman Felix Morin over the left field wall for a walk-off home run.

The Griffs were victorious in the third game, thanks in large part to the strong pitching from sophomore Peyton Consigli (five strikeouts), senior Tom Peltier (three strikeouts), redshirt sophomore Ethan Hennessy (two strikeouts) and graduate student Brett Kochanski (one strikeout).

Redshirt sophomore Josh Niles gave Canisius a 1–0 lead with his second home run of the season in the second inning. In the fifth inning, the Griffs extended their lead to 3–0, with fresh-

man Mason Cisco scoring on a fielding error and Kush finding home plate thanks to a groundout to first from junior Carlin Dick.

Canisius was up by as many as four runs, with senior Kenny Dodson reaching home after Kush was walked with the bases loaded. Although Marshall nearly pulled off the comeback, scoring runs in the sixth, seventh, and ninth innings, the Griffs were able to hang onto their early lead and win 4–3.

Canisius travels to Kent, Ohio for a three game series against Kent State this weekend, with games at 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.

Contact Colin Richey Richeyc@canisius.edu |

Men’s and Women’s Basketball fizzles out in the MAAC Tournament

By COLTON PANKIEWICZ ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Losses to Mount St. Mary’s by both the men’s and women’s basketball teams in the first round of the conference tournament marked the end of careers for notable Griffs Vannessa Garrelts and Jordan Henderson.

Canisius women’s basketball kicked off the action, playing in the first game of the week against the Mountaineers, a team they were swept by in the regular season.

Despite that, the Griffs paced their opponents in the first half, playing their brand of basketball, as 16 of their 22 points were three-pointers.

Coming out of the locker room tied at 22, Canisius failed to find their stroke until the 6:56 mark, when fifthyear senior Vannessa Garrelts found her way to the basket for a layup.

Even with the Griffs efforts, they were unable to regain the lead following a five-minute scoreless period of time over the third and fourth quarters. Sophomore Cheyenne Stubbs led the Griffs with 15 points, but it wasn’t enough, as Sahar Nusseibeh’s squad suffered their first opening round loss

with her as head coach.

Following the loss, Vannessa Garrelts spoke at the podium reflecting on her basketball career as it came to an end, saying, “I have a lot of pride, my freshman and sophomore year I wouldn’t have been able to say that. I’ve had a lot of self-growth, and I can truly say I left it all out on the court.”

Sophomore standout Cheyenne Stubbs praised Garrelts saying, “It’s been a pleasure, she’s taught me a lot and I don’t think people understand her role, and how big it is. I’m gonna miss playing alongside her.”

Head coach Sahar Nusseibeh finished the press conference by both reflecting on Garrelts and on the end of the season, saying, “I thought we started off really confident: I thought the ball was moving really well. Going into halftime you could call it tournament jitters, and in the second half, unfortunately, we just didn’t bring the fire. Vannessa was one of the best additions I could’ve asked for. I knew she was the leader we needed, and she didn’t have to change herself at all to be that leader.”

The men came out of the regular season winning five of their last six,

WEEK AT A GLANCE

and they looked like they had gotten hot at the perfect time heading into the MAAC Tournament. They matched up in the first round of the tournament against the same Mount St. Mary’s team that swept them earlier in the season.

The Griffs came out strong through the first 15 minutes of action, holding a 14-point lead at one point. Canisius fought off a physical Mount St. Mary’s team that finished the final five minutes of the half on an 11-4 run, as Reggie Witherspoon and his team headed into the locker room ahead 33–26.

Coming back from halftime, Canisius continued their attempt to stay afloat versus the first-year MAAC opponent. At the 13:38 mark in the second half, Mountaineers freshman Dola Adebayo finished at the rim, marking the first time the Mountaineers led since the 15:55 mark in the first half.

The Griffs continued their uphill battle in the second half, trailing at one point by a score of seven. The combination of the Griffs defense holding the Mountaineers to just two points in the last three minutes, and Jordan Henderson’s two clutch baskets in the

last 60 seconds of regulation sent the game to overtime.

In the extra frame, both teams flipflopped leads before the Griffs buzzer-beater attempt to send them to the second round fell short, as they lost by a single point and the game concluded 67–66.

After a 20-point performance in what was his final game of a five-year career at Canisius, Jordan Henderson looked back on his time as a Griff.

“Canisius made me grow up in many different ways; [I’m proud] of my work ethic and my growth vocally as a leader,” he said.

Head coach Reggie Witherspoon summed up the season as a whole, saying, “We had growing pains early on in the season, and we had some guys that were new to us that saw tremendous growth and some guys that were new to the experience of being depended on. There wasn’t a dry eye in that locker room and that’s the foundation you need to build a program: it requires that level of commitment and love.”

Each week, every sports staff member makes their picks for a select number of games for that upcoming week.

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The Golden Griffins celebrating a goal

KEN MOREY