Largest campus residence hall opens its doors to first-year students
Sister Thea Bowman Hall officially opened its doors Aug. 21. The new first-year residence hall, which houses more than 500 students, also includes a new office for Counseling and Psychological Services and is home to the Health Professions Residential Learning and McConnell Scholars Program communities.
The residence hall is named after Sister Thea Bowman, an educator, evangelist and voice for social justice. Bowman, who is one of seven Black Catholics on the canonization path for sainthood, was a voice for inclusivity and racial justice within the Catholic Church.
Construction of the building began in fall 2024 and is continuing throughout the current academic year until completion. During the week of Sept. 8, work on the side of the building facing City Avenue, including the courtyard and gateway tower, will continue. Elevators three and four are expected to be inspected and ready for use in coming weeks, which may include more fire alarm testing.
“While a few finishing touches remain, including exterior stonework, courtyard and gateway landscaping and the indoor/outdoor lounge, the building has already become a vibrant home for students,” Kevin Gfeller, associate director
of public relations in the Office of Marketing and Communications, wrote in an email to The Hawk. Gfeller collected information from the Office of Administrative Services, the Office of Facilities Management and the Office of Residence Life.
For current resident Hannah Lowe ’29, the difficulties of living with the construction are worth it for the finished product.
“Beautiful building, but you can tell that it’s not done,” Lowe said. “And obviously construction, and the faulty fire alarms and just the construction in general is loud. It is annoying, but I know it’s needed. I’d rather be in a finished building and get all the work done now than it be prolonged.”
Accessibility and inclusion were top priorities in its design, Gfeller said. Some of the ADA-compliant amenities include accessible entrances to the building, private bathrooms for residents with medical accommodations and spaces for students with hearing impairments.
The building is also on track for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Some sustainable features include stormwater management systems and furniture crafted from repurposed trees that were removed during construction.
“It is also believed to be the largest structure in Philadelphia to be heated and cooled entirely by geothermal energy, which will soon be paired with solar panels,” Gfeller said.
Sister Thea Bowman Hall is the first gender-inclusive first-year residence hall on Hawk Hill. Enio Grabocka ’29 said the gender-inclusive design has helped support his social life.
“Due to it being a co-ed floor, you get the opportunity to interact with a bunch of different people,” Grabocka said. “We just did dorm tours on the fourth floor, and now, every one of us is very close, and we all hang out every day.”
Sister Thea Bowman Hall, Gfeller said, is now the largest building on the Hawk Hill campus at 222,000 square feet. It houses 40% of the first-year class.
“The building was designed to bring the students together through flexible lounges, study spaces and gathering areas that make it easy to collaborate on group projects, attend programs or simply spend time with friends,” Gfeller said.
The community fostered in the building has been supportive for Lowe during her first few weeks on campus.
“It’s so welcoming because everyone’s in the same situation,” Lowe said. “That made me feel better, knowing that people are there for you.”
The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University
Athletics welcomes women’s rowing head coach.
The exterior of Sister Thea Bowman Hall undergoes construction, Sept. 5.
PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
SEPTA funding crisis distresses campus community
LUKE SANELLI
’26
Digital Content Editor
Joseph Bergkoetter ’29 has used SEPTA to travel from his home in Northeast Philadelphia ever since he was a toddler. But the instability that affected his first-week commute, caused by cuts to SEPTA’s service and operations, was new.
“On my first week of school, I was late for class twice because two trains got canceled,” Bergkoetter said. “So, I realized I couldn’t afford to do that anymore. Now I’m waking up at 6:30 to go to a 9 a.m. class because I’m getting one train early just in case there’s a cancellation or lateness, because there so often is.”
Fortunately, due to a Philadelphia judge’s Sept. 4 ruling that mandated SEPTA’s service cuts be reversed immediately, relief may be in sight for Bergkoetter and thousands of other SEPTA users. The ruling
said SEPTA’s cuts discriminated against low-income riders and riders of color, but did not eliminate the possibility of fare increases.
SEPTA announced the same day they would be asking Gov. Josh Shapiro for $394 million dollars from the state’s Public Transit Trust Fund, which funds infrastructure projects all across the state.
The funding request was granted Sept. 8, meaning SEPTA will have enough money to cover the budget deficit and be funded for the next two years, and service cuts would be reversed by Sept. 14. There is still no long-term plan for funding SEPTA.
SEPTA receives funding from local, state and federal governments. However, disagreements between state Democrats and Republicans over how to fund SEPTA have contributed to a two-month delay in producing a statewide budget and a $213 million budget deficit for SEPTA.
As a result of the deficit, SEPTA cut 20% of its service as of Aug. 24, affecting bus routes and the regional rail.
Nancy Komada, Ph.D., former director of the Office of Student Transitions, worked closely with commuter, transfer and first-generation college students during her career to help connect them to resources and find success at St. Joe’s.
Komada said SEPTA cuts could cause commuter tardiness, which negatively impacts students’ academic health, and was also concerned about the possibility of increased fares.
“They might be challenged to buy books, and sometimes they’re challenged to buy SEPTA transfers,” Komada said. “If it goes up 21%, that’s even tougher.”
Kadie Keeys ’29 said she noticed certain departure times were removed from SEPTA’s app, and worried about the possibility of fare increases. However, Keeys also felt her
commute wasn’t as difficult as others who had their local bus routes cut.
“People [had] to find whole new bus routes because the buses that they would usually take to work or school [were] just not there anymore,” Keeys said.
Christopher Close, Ph.D., professor of history, uses the regional rail to get to Hawk Hill. Close said he would have been much more affected by the additional proposed January cuts, which will now be averted. Still, Close said SEPTA’s funding crisis should have always been avoided.
“I just think this is a politically created crisis that is driven by people in the state house who see no electoral benefit at all to funding SEPTA and want to punish Philadelphia for the politics that people in Philadelphia have,” Close said. “There’s no reason that any of this has to happen.”
New access control measures require IDs to enter campus buildings
SOPHIA GALANTE ’26 News Reporter
The Office of Public Safety & Security announced the implementation of a new access control system for all university buildings. Starting Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. all university buildings will require a valid Hawk ID card for entry.
Follow up emails from Public Safety Aug. 26 and Sept. 3 reminded members of the university community the updated method is “being implemented to ensure our facilities are as safe and secure as possible.”
Card readers at the entrances to campus buildings grant access with a valid Hawk ID, supporting either a tap and swipe function depending on the building, wrote Brandon Pasquale, director of Public Safety, in an email to The Hawk. Pasquale called the new swipe system a “best practice.”
“Many universities across the country have adopted similar access control measures as part of standard security practice,” Pasquale said. “Restricting access to campus buildings helps deter theft, vandalism and other security-related incidents.”
The protocol for missing Hawk IDs was laid out in the Aug. 12 announcement: Anyone who needs a Hawk ID card must visit the Customer Service Office in room 238 of the Campion Student Center. There will be a $25 fee for replacing any Hawk ID cards.
“It’ll definitely make me feel more safe,” Moura-Sanchez said. “During class, you don’t have to worry about anything [or] anyone coming in.”
Ana Soler ’27 said while she recognizes the new system was put in place for safety,
Hannah Moura-Sanchez ’29, said the new entry system will put her and others’ minds at ease, especially being new to Hawk Hill.
not being able to get into the library without an ID after she left it at home was a hindrance.
“I find it more of an inconvenience than a help, but that's just me,” Soler said.
Pasquale said the ID access control system also helps Public Safety respond more efficiently to situations by knowing
who has access to campus buildings.
“Campus safety is always our top priority, and security measures are reviewed on an ongoing basis,” Pasquale said. “The ID access initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen safety while keeping campus accessible and welcoming.”
GRAPHIC: BLADIMIR LEMUS ’26/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: BLADIMIR LEMUS ’26/THE HAWK AND BELLA PRIVITERA ’26/THE HAWK
Editor-in-Chief Hannah Pajtis ’26
Managing
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*Section Editor, Assistant Section Editor or Team Manager
Editorial: A call for equitable public transit
Public transportation is a lifeline for thousands of Philadelphians, connecting communities with schools, work and essential services between the city itself and surrounding areas. Yet, SEPTA, as the public transit authority, is facing a massive budget deficit. Although the issue has been temporarily addressed as a result of a court order and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Sept. 8 approval of state-allocated funding, the combination of a 21.5% fare increase and service reductions will continue to impact the daily commute of at least 800,000 SEPTA riders.
Since the start of the 2026 fiscal year, SEPTA has implemented measures to reduce its $213 million deficit. These measures initially included eliminating 32 bus routes and five regional rail lines,
as well as implementing a 21.5% increase on rides. These significant changes have had serious consequences for those who rely on public transportation to work, learn and live in Philadelphia.
As the school year began, early data showed the impact of these reductions. District officials reported that, in just three days, 63% of Philadelphia schools saw an increase in late arrivals and 54% reported more absences than seen in previous years.
Low-income Philadelphia area workers and students across the city and surrounding suburbs have been most affected by these reduced services, while those with access to alternative transportation options, such as rideshares, are able to adapt more easily. Inevitably,
these changes exacerbate existing inequalities in access to education and highlights the importance of affordable and equitable transportation. SEPTA’s budget deficit is undoubtedly a challenge, and the solutions are not easy. While we acknowledge the ongoing efforts to resolve this issue, a longlasting, effective and equitable fix to public transportation shortcomings is not only necessary but vital so that all community members feel equally supported.
Affordable and reliable public transportation is not a luxury; it is a necessity for many who don’t have other transportation options and by extension, critical for the regional economy and general well-being of our community.
When ‘thoughts and prayers’ mean nothing
Even God’s house isn’t safe
ANASTASIA KUNICKA ’28 Hawk Columnist
The start of college should be an exciting time for new students. This should have been no different for the incoming first-year students at Villanova University moving their belongings into their dorms Aug. 21. What started out as an exciting day for the hundreds of parents and students quickly created national headlines about the university going into lockdown over what turned out to be a shooting hoax. While no one was hurt, the terror was real as everyone braced for the familiar nightmare of automatic gunfire.
Less than a week later, this nightmare became yet another reality when a shooter opened fire inside a Catholic school’s church in Minnesota, killing two children and injuring 21 others. The symbolism is chilling: Wake
up, America. Even God’s house isn’t safe from America’s obsession with guns.
Vice President JD Vance’s response to this tragedy was to call upon the public to “Join all of us in praying for the victims!” Are the prayers enough, Mr. Vice President? Tell me when they become enough to bring back someone’s child or stop the years of trauma ahead for those who survived.
The same empty phrase of “thoughts and prayers” isn’t bulletproof. It doesn’t protect children in schools, kneeling in pews or on a college campus. It’s a political cover, nothing more — a way for leaders to look compassionate while doing absolutely nothing. We still haven’t learned from our mistakes from Sandy Hook or Uvalde or the hundreds of other school shootings that have occurred.
This should not be normal. This doesn’t happen at such a high frequency anywhere else in the world. However, it will continue to be normal if America
continues to elect officials into office who would rather bow to the gun lobby than protect lives while communities across the country are left shaken. It is not enough to send sympathy tweets. Change requires policy and the courage to confront a culture that normalizes gun violence.
No amount of prayer can shield us from the next bullet. Keep forcing people to consider security plans instead of scripture and evacuation drills instead of hymns.
Is wind power as dangerous as Trump claims it is?
Work order decision not reflective of wildlife safety data
CATIE JONES ’27 Guest Columnist
President Donald Trump put stop work orders on $679 million worth of federally funded offshore wind projects Aug. 29. Trump claims this decision was due to the cost of wind energy and the amount of birds it kills. But are these genuine concerns about wind energy, or is this just an excuse for Trump so he can back his friends in the fossil fuel industry?
While offshore wind energy is considered a more costly alternative to other renewable energy sources, experts believe as the industry matures, costs will decrease. Regarding wind energy’s impact on the bird population,
the numbers are shockingly lower than one may expect. Annually, an estimated 1 to 3 billion birds die per year from human activity, but only about 0.05% of this estimation is attributed to wind turbines. The top three killers of birds are actually cats, building collisions and vehicle collisions. Based on these numbers, using the effect on the bird population as an excuse to halt grants to these wind projects is not a valid enough reason.
In terms of positive environmental impacts, offshore wind farms can create artificial reefs, displace fishing and become protected marine areas. The major negative effects of wind turbines consist of increased noise pollution and habitat displacement caused by these sites, but that is not why Trump canceled these funds. Trump instead
based his reasoning on statistics that are not as consequential as he wants his followers to believe. This decision was based on his refusal to accept renewable energy sources and instead stay loyal to the fossil fuel industry that financially backs him. Ultimately, Trump’s decision is not based on genuine concern for cost or wildlife but a deliberate attempt to undermine renewable energy.
GRAPHIC: HANNAH PAJTIS ’26/THE HAWK
Crozer shutdown leaves Delco in a ‘healthcare desert’
Healthcare gap widens with no end in sight
CAROLINE KELLY ’26 Guest Columnist
While it’s already been a few months since the closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center, it seems Delaware County is still only in the beginning stages of chaos. Longer ambulance rides and waiting room times are putting residents in dangerous positions and doctors are under more stress than usual. As many news outlets have noted, Delaware County, one of the most densely populated metro regions in America, is now considered a “healthcare desert.”
Crozer Health, a four-hospital health system, was acquired by Prospect Medical Holdings in 2016. Prospect, a for-profit company, is based in Los Angeles and has bought out multiple hospitals within California and the Northeast. At the time of this purchase, Prospect was already in serious debt, which only increased. In 2018, Prospect took out a $1.1 billion loan against its own holdings, of which nearly $457 million was paid to investors, with CEO Sam Lee pocketing about $90 million of that.
All of this occurred as Prospect’s holdings began to deteriorate, including the four-hospital Crozer Health system.
In 2022, both Springfield and Delaware County Memorial Hospitals closed. In early 2025, Prospect filed for bankruptcy and, a few months later, announced Crozer-Chester would close. Despite community backlash, Crozer shut its doors in early May, leaving staff out of work and thousands of patients with one less option for emergency needs.
What happened to Crozer is undoubtedly a failure to the nearly 600,000 residents of Delaware County who are now served by only two hospitals: Riddle and Mercy Fitzgerald. It puts everyone, especially low-income households, in a precarious position.
This also comes at a time when many are worrying if they will remain eligible for Medicare benefits.
Healthcare workers and public officials have warned there are nowhere near enough healthcare resources. While Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and lawmakers have mentioned drafting legislation that would prevent corporations like Prospect from buying hospital systems, it will likely take years for anything to get signed into law and will not undo the damage already inflicted upon Delaware County.
Global spending on prescription drugs
When will healthcare afford the priceless?
OLIVIA LUTZ ’26
Guest Columnist
Healthcare systems worldwide confront the tense conflict where life-saving medications are increasingly unaffordable, forcing patients and loved ones to assign costs to priceless human lives.
Global prescription drug spending reaches outstanding figures while patients struggle to access essential treatments. For example, Humira, a biological treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, costs patients $7,300 on average without insurance for a two-week supply. Among other speciality medications, Biogen’s medication, Spinraza, treats spinal muscular atrophy for $750,000 for the first year, with subsequent annual treatments costing $375,000.
In 2020, global spending on prescription drugs was expected to reach $1.3 trillion, with the United States alone accounting for approximately $350 billion. In 2024, overall national prescription spending was expected
to rise by 10% to 12%. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the average cost is already 2.78 times more than in 33 other countries.
Yet more viable options exist within this complex landscape.
Generic and biosimilar medications can cost up to 85% less than brand-name drugs. Amjevita, Cyltezo and Hadlima offer identical therapeutic benefits at a fraction of the price of Humira. If necessary, patients should explore these FDA-approved alternatives with healthcare providers.
Manufacturer assistance programs also provide relief across financial barriers. Commercially-insured patients can access Humira for $0 monthly through the Humira Complete program, though restrictions apply.
Government programs offer additional support, such as the “Extra Help” Medicare program, which assists low-income patients with deductibles, copayments and premiums. Beginning in 2025, Medicare beneficiaries will not pay more than $2,000 out of pocket annually before Part D coverage kicks in.
There are also strategies for people to yield significant savings, such as utilizing mail order services, comparing pharmacy prices and researching prescription discount programs.
Global prescription drug spending requires reform in how treatments are
priced and marketed. When healthcare systems struggle to afford life-altering treatments, there is an important question to ask: How long before medicine becomes truly priceless — and therefore worthless — to those who need it most?
The power of equine-assisted psychotherapy
How horses are helping trauma survivors reclaim their lives
LAUREN DAVIS ’26 Guest Columnist
Over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to intern at Operation HOPE. Operation HOPE specializes in equine-assisted psychotherapy, a transformative approach that helps individuals heal from trauma by harnessing the unique connection between humans and horses.
Horses possess an extraordinary sensitivity to human emotions. As prey animals, they are highly attuned to non-verbal cues, having the ability to detect changes in body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. This allows horses to respond authentically to the emotional states of the people around them. This natural sensitivity makes horses ideal therapeutic partners as they allow individuals to receive immediate and honest feedback.
For trauma survivors, engaging in this unique bond offers a non-judgmental
and supportive environment to explore feelings, reestablish trust and practice emotional regulation. Individuals can also process their emotions in a safe, non-verbal space that promotes self-awareness and emotional healing.
One of the most profound aspects of equine-assisted psychotherapy is its reliance on hands-on, experiential learning. Activities such as brushing the horse, leading them through obstacles and creating relationship-based tasks can empower individuals, helping them develop confidence and giving them control over their environment. Each task completed with the horse represents a metaphor for overcoming personal challenges.
For many trauma survivors, these activities allow them to gain control over a physical, external process they may not feel they have in other areas of their lives. By overcoming challenges with horses, individuals begin to see their resilience reflected in their progress with the horse. For many survivors who have
found traditional therapeutic methods insufficient or even overwhelming, this approach may be highly effective.
By caring for and working alongside horses, individuals cultivate empathy, patience and resilience. These essential life skills translate into everyday interactions,
helping trauma survivors build stronger relationships and healthier boundaries. Developing this resiliency involves not only understanding personal challenges, but also learning how to bounce back and adapt. Horses, as resilient animals themselves, serve as a model for building this strength.
GRAPHIC: BLADIMIR LEMUS ’26/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: JORDAN SHARER ’25/THE HAWK
Cooking up the ‘magic of love’
Chef cultivates home, healing through ancestral cooking
JOHANNESBURG - When Nonhlanhla “Noni” Moroenyane arrived in Johannesburg from the Eastern Cape in 1994 as a 9-year-old, she didn’t dream of becoming a celebrated chef. The word “chef” didn’t even exist in her village, where young girls and women were just expected to cook for their families.
Moroenyane had been raised by her great-grandmother in Emjikelweni village, near the town of Sterkspruit in Eastern Cape province. Her home — a single-room mud house nestled between the Maluti and Drakensberg mountains and bordered by the Orange River — had no fridge or pantry Meals came directly from the land and were prepared by her great-grandmother.
“We just went out and picked what we could, and we prepared a meal from foraging, from picking different herbs and greens — and boom, a meal is created with so much love,” Moroenyane said.
Thelessonsfromhergreat-grandmother — how to nourish from the land by listening toplantsandancestors—nowformtheheart of Moroenyane’s work.
Known today as Chef Noni, the 40-year-old is a celebrated indigenous food revivalist in Johannesburg, herbal healer and founder of Noni’s Home Dish, a culinary businessandteachingplatformonsocialmeda that blends ancestral wisdom with community healing. She hopes her autobiography, “The Journey to the Beginning,” and a cookbook, “Noni’sHomeDish–TheGreatGrainMother’s Way,”willbepublishedlaterthisyear.
Becoming Chef Noni
After graduating high school in 2003, Moroenyane couldn’t affordfurthereducation, so she worked as a waitress, credit controller and eventually pharmacist assistant afteran employerpaidforhertogotoschool.Butthe thread that carried her through these years was her connection to food.
“While I’m doing all of this, I’m a single mom,” Moroenyane said. “I’m studying, I’m working and I’m also doing the food thing on the side. So, when the children are
sleeping, I’m taking orders, I’m preparing them and delivering them. I’m also putting together events around food, and then I decided, ‘I don’t like being here anymore. I really love this food thing.’”
Moroenyane quit her job in 2019 without savings for rent. Her landlord offered her a lifeline: 10,000 rand (about $558) to buy a stove and pots.
“He was like, ‘I see it in your eyes. It’s OK. You can quit your job, even if you owe me money. One day, you’ll pay me, but go follow the dream,’” Moroenyane said.
A home-grown philosophy
Moroenyane graduated from culinary school in 2020, cementing her title as “Chef Noni.” Soon after, she launched Noni’s Home Dish, honoring the spirit of her great-grandmother’s kitchen.
“The only thing I could think of when I ate food was home,” Moroenyane said. “I was raised by my great grandmother, and we had nothing … She would make bread, and if bread was all we’re eating the whole week, you could feel her spirit in there.”
That sense of love and nourishment became the foundation of her business. It draws on her upbringing of knowing how to transform wild amaranth greens, pumpkin and native grains, like teff, sorghum, fonio and millet — which she calls her “living ancestors” — into deeply nourishing meals.
“I’m wanting to really take the magic that [my great-grandmother] had with preparing food, the magic of love, of comfort when you have absolutely nothing, and that food just becomes everything,” Moroenyane said.
Moroenyane’s cooking, which is now entirely vegan, is rooted in her belief that “food is medicine, and medicine is food.”
“There are whispers that show up,” Moroenyane said. “There are spirits that show up in my kitchen … a beautiful voice that says, ‘OK, I know you made that last week, but let’s do it like this this time. Add that. Stop. Now, add that.’”
Healing through food
Noni’s Home Dish has become a touchstone for people eager to reconnect with forgotten food traditions. Moroenyane
teaches children about ancient grains and runs cooking classes for youth without access to formal schooling.
Moroenyane also participates in seed exchanges with other like-minded members of the community, seeing these exchanges as sacred acts of preservation and reciprocity. To her, seeds carry indigenous knowledge, history and ancestral power.
“There’s information and wisdom in there, indigenous knowledge that lies in every seed that has been here,” said Moroenyane, pointing to seeds in a glass jar on her dining room windowsill waiting to be planted in the ground.
Moroenyane’s three children are growing up with the same land-based wisdom. She teaches them to cook with grains, forage for greens and understand the spiritual role of food in their heritage.
Indigenous plants and seeds “are
very important to us,” said Moroenyane’s 9-year-old son, Selassi, whose favorite food is his mother’s falafels, made of pearl millet, mushrooms, mung bean, chickpea flourandafreshherbmix.“Seedsgivefood”
Cheri Lopez, founder of The Journey Home Project, a Johannesburg NGO serving unhoused youth, photographs Moroenyane’s food. They met in 2019 while collaborating on food security projects during the covid-19 pandemic.
“She taught me about indigenous foods, what grows here, what the value of what is meant to grow here, when we go back to our ancestors, what she teaches me about the land, about the soil, about the grains, about how they have a spiritual meaning,” Lopez said,“Ididn’tunderstandthatuntilI’vebeen around her”
Lopez credits Moroenyane with helping her and many others understand that food is both fuel and a return.
“We’ve talked about this a lot lately, that we’re feeling an urgency,” Lopez said. “The time is now We have to teach as much as we can to as many people as we can For Moroenyane, that urgency carries a spiritual weight.
“My prayer is that the seeds I have given out somehow make it to the ground, to the soil, and that the rains fall and that the sun nourishes and the soul nourishes and protects the information and the wisdom in there, the indigenous knowledge that lies in every seed that has been here,” Moroenyane said.
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For Chef Noni Moroenyane, seated in the dining room of her home in Johannesburg, “food is medicine, and medicine is food.” PHOTOS: MAXIMILLIAN MURPHY ’27
CARA SANTILLI ’24, M.A. ’26
Copy Chief
Noni Moroenyane holds a grinding stone she found while clearing weeds in the garden of a house she had just moved into. She now uses the stone and the slab to grind seeds and other ingredients, honoring traditional food preparation methods.
Veteran skater pushes forward new generation of skateboarders
DURBAN, South Africa – Durban Skate Park used to be the stomping grounds of some of the most gifted skateboarders to hail from the area.
Thalente Biyela, Khule Ngubane and Dlamini Dlamini, now professional skateboarders, once skated the stairs, rails and drops of the park, located along the Durban Beach Front Promenade. These were the hometown heroes of Durban, said Melusi Mashawana, a cashier at Durban Skate Park. They’ve since moved out of Durban.
But a new generation of Durban skateboarders is rising to fill the exodus.
“This is why it’s important for us to nurture them and give them the platform to shine and be themselves,” Mashawana said.
Twenty-five-year-old Mashawana, a veteran skater of 10 years began working at Durban Skate Park in July 2024. As a teen, he sought skateboarding as an escape from the violence, gangs and drugs that surrounded him in Durban Point, an area at the southern end of the Durban beachfront.
“I had to spend most of my time, if not all of my time, at the skate park to get away from that, to realize that I'm bigger than that,” Mashawana said. “I don’t have
to become my environment. I can be something better and try to be something better. And then I pursued skateboarding, which saved me from all that.”
Now Mashawana is looking to support a new generation of skaters. In 2020, he and a college roommate, Pacific Kihangula Jr., founded Hidden Junk, a skate brand that hosts events for local skaters.
“It ventured out from being a thrifting company to becoming a skateboarding brand which is focused more on community development,” Mashawana said.
The Durban area is rich with talent, said Mashawana. Some of them also work at Durban Skate Shop, including Keegan Linda, who was taught by professionals such as Ngubane and Biyela in his younger days.
“All those guys are good skaters, all sponsored skaters,” Linda said. “They taught me a lot.”
Linda said he believes the key to boosting the Durban skateboarding scene is an influx of competition, which the city lacks.
“When there is competition and [skating organizations] come out, you actually see that we do have skaters in Durban,” Linda said. “But we don’t have a lot of competition compared to any other city.”
Skateboarding can also be expensive, Linda acknowledged. The starting cost for a new board can be 1,500 rands (about
$84.82), a prohibitive cost for many young South Africans, he said.
But the skateboarding community often comes together to help one another. That’s how Linda got his first board.
“I had a friend, he was selling his one for 20 bucks, and then I got that,” Linda explained. “A friend had spare wheels. I got that from him. So, my friends helped me out with my first skateboard.”
Mashawana said this experience is common in the skater community.
“If I have a pair of shoes, and you don’t have a pair of shoes, I’m going to give you my pair of shoes,” Mashawana said. “I’m going to give you my board. That’s how it worked for the most part of my skating career.”
Mashawana said he is trying to capitalize on the rise of skateboarding culture, not just in Durban but in South Africa. In that rise, women skaters have joined the scene, entering what has long been a male-dominated sport.
“Skating in SA is the best thing ever,” Mashawana said. “Here, it is literally at its peak because a lot of people are tapping in. There’s a bunch of females skating. A lot of kids growing up, they’re skating.”
Menelisi Luthuli, who is new to skating, said he appreciates Mashawana’s efforts.
“A lot of people are saying good things about the things that he’s doing,” Luthuli
said. “They’re feeling the community, they’re feeling the love, they’re feeling the fostering growth that’s behind all of this.”
As Mashawana works to grow the Hidden Junk brand, he said he hopes Durban’s new talent will reignite the vitality of their hometown heroes.
“That is my role in skating — to show South Africa that there is a skateboarding scene in Durban, and it’s alive,” Mashawana said. “It’s high time that it’s given the support and the attention that it deserves.”
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Melusi Mashawana, co-owner of the skate brand Hidden Junk and a cashier at Durban Skate Park, takes a break to practice. PHOTOS: FINNEGAN CROWLEY ’27
Durban Skate Park, located at North Beach in Durban, draws locals, especially young people, to the park.
SAHR KARIMU ’26 Photographer
Melusi Mashawana, co-owner of the skate brand Hidden Junk and a cashier at Durban Skate Park, performs a skate trick called grinding.
Latte artist pours his passion into every cup Double shots and dreams
CARLINA HERSHOCK ’26
Special to the Hawk
DURBAN, South Africa – Latte champion Vincent Majola took his first sip of coffee at the age of 18. At the time, he was cleaning tables at a South African coffee chain, Mugg & Bean, and said he knew nothing about coffee.
But as Majola, now 30, witnessed the baristas making cappuccinos, he was captivated by the artwork created on the drinks.
During one of those shifts in 2016, Majola asked a coworker to show him how to make a cappuccino.
“Since then, I didn’t turn back,” Majola said.
Latte art, which became Majola’s specialty, refers to the designs created on the surface of a cup of coffee by pouring steamed milk and microfoam, or finely textured milk, into the drink. Majola learned his craft by watching YouTube videos.
“And then the fear, the love, the passion for latte art came about,” said Majola, who can now turn the top of a latte into an ostrich, eagle, dragon or African lion, among others.
Bean Green barista Jennifer Kuzwayo, who has been working in the coffee industry since 2008, said she has never seen anything like Majola’s latte art.
“I can’t even explain it,” Kuzwayo said. “At his age, he’s such a good latte artist.”
In early June, Majola competed nationally at the Specialty Coffee Association of South Africa championship after placing first in the regional competition in April. SCASA is a nonprofit membership organization that was created to foster a community of coffee professionals and
enthusiasts throughout South Africa.
In 2023, Majola came in second place at regionals and nationals. Majola was hopeful 2025 would be his moment to take home the gold but ended up with silver again.
“I was very hungry for the win,” Majola said.
Majola will keep trying, with the hope of representing South Africa overseas in an international competition, an opportunity awarded to the national winner.
That perseverance has been a part of Majola’s journey from the beginning. Most people don’t even drink coffee in the Black township of Ntuzuma where Majola grew up, he said.
But ever since those early days at Mugg & Bean, Majola has been on a mission. While working in 2020 at African Roots Cafe Restaurant, a Durban coffee shop and restaurant, he decided to start his own coffee business.
The coffee at African Roots was unlike anything Majola had ever tasted before. The richness and intensity of the coffee inspired Majola to begin making his own. But because of the covid-19 pandemic, shops were closed, and Majola didn't have the funds to start a business.
In July of that year, Majola came up with the idea of creating and selling T-shirts with the slogan “Nodoze,” which means “no sleep.” He got the name from “NoDoz,” a brand of caffeine tablets used for mental alertness and energy boosts, altering the spelling and punctuation to put his own twist on it. It became the name of his business as well.
Eventually, Majola was able to buy a coffee machine and a grinder and began hosting pop-up events. He eventually earned enough money to buy a food trailer in 2023. Now, Nodoze Cafe is thriving as a cafe on wheels that brings the coffee experience to events, corporate gatherings and weddings.
“I wanted to share the passion and love for coffee to my community, also to give back to the Black township because they are less privileged,” Majola said.
Company teaches community to turn trash to treasure
CARLINA HERSHOCK ’26
Special to the Hawk
RANDBURG, South Africa – Along a stretch of antique shops that line Long Road sits Upcycle, the storefront for a company that makes the old new again.
Upcycle creates and sells a wide selection of items handmade from non-recyclable waste.
While upcycling may sound similar to recycling, there is a difference.
“Recycling is when you are going to turn your plastic into another [raw material],” said Gabi Theron, who helps run the shop and is in charge of quality control for the company. “Whereas upcycling, you
are using something old and you’re making something new out of it.”
That bank billboard sign that once hung above a building and was headed for the trash? It’s now a double-lined, water-resistant shopping bag that retails for 80 rands ($4.50) at Upcycle.
Founded in 2006 by Winnie McHenry, Upcycle’s mission is to transform waste into usable items, from scrunchies made out of old clothes to drinking glasses crafted from Savanna Dry cider bottles to planters made from billboards.
After graduating with a certificate in interior design, McHenry taught unemployed people how to make candles,
mosaics and other handmade crafts. She also ran a website and business, Crafty Corner. But the cost of the material was often a deterrent for the people she wanted to help the most.
“In South Africa, I very quickly realized that people don’t have the money to put product or put money back into their business,” McHenry said.
So, McHenry turned to waste. That way, people wouldn’t have to spend money on resources, and any sales were pure profit. Upcycle was created from that understanding.
“It wasn’t like I woke up one day and decided that’s what I want to do,” McHenry said. “It was a process of things, that problem solving, to make sure I could save the planet and help these people at the same time.”
For sale at Upcycle's physical location in the Johannesburg suburb of Randburg— there’s also a thriving online store — are items such as aprons,hats, lamp shades and hair accessories, all upcycled from trash. The most popular items are laptop bags, messenger bags, diaries and drinking glasses, Theron said.
May Maoko, store manager and head of community training initiatives, began working at Upcycle in 2016. Corporate interest in sustainability has grown considerably since then, he said. Companies like Nedbank and Going Green now work with Upcycle, sponsoring community-based projects and buying back products.
“There has been a very huge, positive
development,” Maoko said.
The company also holds beginner and advanced sewing classes for women in local townships and rural areas who are taught how to make products out of waste from their communities.
Sewing manager Bongi Vilakazi, who has been working at Upcycle for almost 10 years, is responsible for mentoring her team while overseeing daily operations. About 14 women work across the two sewing centers. One of Vilakazi’s favorite parts about this work is witnessing the pride the women take in what they have created.
“Every time I find someone who doesn’t even know how to use a sewing machine, their faces when they start using the first product that they make, it’s that feeling. It’s awesome,” Vilakazi said.
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May Maoko, Upcycle’s community trainer and store manager, stands outside the Johannesburg-based organization’s store, which promotes sustainability through upcycled products.
PHOTOS: HELENA SIMS ’25
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Latte art champion Vincent Majola pours steamed milk into a cup of coffee at The Bean Green Coffee Roastery where he has begun training aspiring baristas in the craft of coffee design. PHOTO: HELENA SIMS ’25
‘Still serving his purpose’ Family helps to keep healer’s touch alive
DURBAN, South Africa – For the past 26 years, Malik’s Health Massage has been a staple for alternative medicine in central Durban, offering a variety of services, including dry and wet cupping, acupuncture and massage therapy.
Although a stroke took his ability to speak in 2022, Malik Cassim is using what his wife Sadia Cassim calls the “gift in his hands” to continue helping patients in the practice he founded in 1999. He has helped ordinary people as well as members of the Zulu royal family, including King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu.
“He just touches people, and he knows where the pain is,” Sadia Cassim explained. “[He has] a sixth sense. He just knows.”
Unable to speak or walk, Malik Cassim instructs employees on what patients need, primarily through hand gestures. They push him on a rolling office chair to the treatment tables so he can see patients.
This was Cassim’s third stroke. He recovered from one in 2013. When he had a second one in 2022, his family rushed him home from the shop and used alternative medicine techniques to reverse it, his 21-year-old son Junaid Cassim recounted. Cassim’s family encouraged Malik Cassim to rest, but the next day, back at the shop, he
suffered a third stroke. This time, doctors at a hospital where his family took him were unable to reverse the effects. He has been slowly recovering since then — but his speech has not returned.
Before his last stroke, Cassim saw more than 50 patients a day. Patients lined up early in the morning, stretching out into busy Prince Edward Street. His specialty — perhaps ironically — was assisting stroke patients, helping them further along in their recovery when traditional medicine had stalled.
Originally from Sri Lanka, Malik Cassim came to South Africa as a refugee in 1999.
He knew no one then — and had no money. But his grandfather had been an Ayurvedic doctor, trained in the traditional Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda, a holistic approach to healing that aims to harmonize the body, soul and spirit. Cassim eventually trained with alternative practitioners in Japan as well.
Sadia Cassim said her husband learned he was able to help people in ways traditional medicine couldn’t.
“He heals people,” said Sadia Cassim, looking at her husband as she helped to tell his story. Malik Cassim nodded as his wife spoke.
Cupping is the shop’s most sought-out service. The practice of cupping stems from
ancient China and West Asia and is used to provide pain relief, relaxation and improved circulation. Dry cupping uses suction cups to pull the skin upward. Wet cupping adds small incisions to draw blood into the cups.
“It’s drawing out the acids,” explained Mariam Cassim, Malik Cassim’s 19-year-old daughter, as eight cups pulled blood from the back and shoulders of a patient recovering from a frozen shoulder and tendinopathy.
Malik Cassim had identified the areas where the cups should be placed, and Mariam Cassim oversaw the procedure from there.
Mariam Cassim has been helping her father since she was in fifth grade, practicing cupping on her father as he directed her. She shares his passion.
“I was always inspired by what he did and how he helped people,” said Mariam Cassim, who also sees women patients who are most comfortable with a woman practitioner.
While business is down — in part because of the covid-19 pandemic and rumors about Cassim’s health — the practice still sees 20 to 30 patients a day. Sadia Cassim plays a big role in the continued success of the business. She now helps her husband communicate with patients and assists with cupping and massages.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Malik Casim’s son, Junaid Cassim, also works at the shop. He originally wanted to be a physiotherapist, but after his father’s
last stroke, he decided to continue following in his father’s footsteps. He realized there were plenty of people learning to help through traditional medicine but no one like his father.
“I can help people in the way he helped them,” Junaid Cassim said.
One of the hallmarks of Malik’s Health Massage is its low cost. Patients are charged 50 rands (about $2.80) for dry cupping and 100 rands (about $5.59) for wet cupping. That is about a quarter of the price compared to competitors, Junaid Cassim said.
“It’s not about the money,” Junaid Cassim said. “It’s more about helping the people get better.”
And that has been Malik Cassim’s mission all along, Sadia Cassim said, as her husband sat off to the side in his office chair, waiting for the next patient.
“The fact that he could make a difference in someone’s life, that was his drive,” Sadia Cassim said.
HELEN MONEK ’26
Special to the Hawk
Malik Cassim, owner of Malik’s Health Massage, waits in front of a treatment table for the next patient. PHOTO: CARLINA HERSHOCK ’26
Malik Cassim, using what his wife Sadia Cassim calls the “gift in his hands,” presses on a patient’s back to show his assistants where cups should be placed. Cassim lost his ability to speak following a stroke in 2022.
PHOTO: CARLINA HERSHOCK ’26
Malik’s Health Massage, an alternative medicine practice in Durban, offers a variety of services, including dry and wet cupping, acupuncture and massage therapy. PHOTO: CARLINA HERSHOCK ’26
Discovering ‘The Joy of Painting’
Following a Bob Ross tutorial for the first time
LUKE SANELLI ’26
Digital Content Editor
For the first time in my life, I wanted to throw something at Bob Ross’ happy little forehead.
I’ve been watching Bob Ross’ TV show, “The Joy of Painting,” on YouTube since middle school, entertained by the permed hippie persona as he paints landscapes in a calm, soothing demeanor. I had no interest in painting at the time, like plenty of other “The Joy of Painting” viewers. Lots preferred to only watch the show, enamored by Bob Ross himself.
“It was almost the exact opposite of what television typically is and what you go for,” said Steve Rossi, assistant professor of art at St. Joe’s. “There’s nothing really funny about it. There’s nothing really ironic about it. But what was engaging was his sincerity.”
Still, Bob Ross was all about encouraging viewers to pick up a brush, even if few of them did. So, one Sunday afternoon in mid-March, I did what Bob Ross asked and painted alongside him for the first time.
Preparation
In addition to having never followed a Bob Ross tutorial before, I’d never painted before, either. I started drawing four and a half years ago, but that’s it. Rossi gave me some advice for artists trying out a new medium.
“Give yourself permission to be a beginner,” Rossi said. “A lot of times, people have a really refined end product in mind, and when you’re thinking about the end product, it’s going to lead you through to a frustrating process to try to get to a refined end product.”
I also spoke to Emma Matza ’25, president of St. Joe’s Art Club, for advice and words of encouragement before I headed on this Bob Ross-ian endeavor.
“Be really open and not so critical of
yourself,” Matza said.
My next step was gathering the materials. I decided to follow the 1990 episode, “Blue Winter,” which I found on YouTube. Luckily, it only required three colors: Titanium White, Midnight Black and Prussian Blue.
The hiccups
Bob Ross discusses in his tutorials that he uses a style of painting known as the “wet-on-wet” technique. The painter wets the canvas with a thin paint before painting on layers of very thick, oil-based paint. The technique enables the artist to blend color easily and complete the painting quickly.
Unfortunately, Toland Hall — where I’d gone to paint my masterpiece — only had acrylic paints, which are completely wrong for Bob Ross’ style. I also didn’t have a fan brush, which is essential to painting evergreen trees like Bob Ross.
However, after a minute on Google and Reddit, I concluded acrylics could be easily used in place of oils. I also figured another brush could probably be swapped out with no problem.
Finally, I was ready to paint just like Bob Ross. I was only missing the right kind of paint, the liquid to wet the canvas, one of the essential brushes and years of experience.
“Blue Winter”
With my setup complete, I tried embodying Bob Ross’ serenity. Rossi likened it to meditating.
“It’s really nice, the way that he’s modeling that tranquil creative process,” Rossi said. “I think there’s real value in that.”
After a calming breath, I began following along, watching as Bob Ross started mixing his blue and black together to create a color for his sky.
It started going horribly wrong when I laid my brush to the canvas, finding I bungled the paint ratios by using far too much black, plunging my overcast scene
into a land of perpetual darkness. I did my best to blend the color into the canvas to mute it, but the paint didn’t blend as much as it was dragged across the canvas. While I was floundering with my sky, Bob Ross had moved on, already painting a happy little cloud.
Later, Bob Ross was in the middle of painting evergreen trees, and I was smacking my fat liner brush against the canvas with the elegance of a drunk toddler.
I never fully appreciated how fast Bob Ross painted. The entire episode, I was playing catch up, rewinding the episode and getting smudges of paint on my laptop’s keyboard from frantic pausing. I knew I was fully screwed when, while dunking my brush between cups filled with soapy water to clean off the paint, I tapped my two-inch brush onto the canvas and tiny bubbles appeared on my sky.
At the end, Bob Ross said to the camera,
“And there we have a finished painting.” I stared at my computer in disbelief. I yelled back at Bob Ross, “That’s it?” My painting did not look like his. My sky was black, my trees were blobs of paint and I couldn’t quite tell where my pond ended and my snow began. I was discouraged.
But there’s another Bob Ross motto: “Talent is nothing more than a pursued interest.” Skill comes with practice.
Following this tutorial opened my eyes to the potential joy of painting, one I can develop and foster for years to come. Yes, painting may be difficult now, but that’s OK. I’ll try to remember when painting gets tough that I won’t make mistakes — only happy accidents.
Currently in Pop Culture: The return of Ariana Grande
(2024) and “Wicked: For Good,” which will be released this November.
An actress, pop star and entrepreneur, Ariana Grande is unstoppable. With a once-in-a-generation voice and chart-topping hits, Grande has become one of the most influential artists of her generation. Since her start on Nickelodeon, Grande has won two Grammys, launched a successful business and starred in one of the most successful films of 2024.
Grande has continually grown and shown her vast creative abilities. Now, for the first time in nearly seven years, the “thank u, next” singer will step back on stage in 2026, performing 26 shows across North America and the UK. Her long-awaited return will promise fans who have stood by her every step of the way an unforgettable experience.
Where has she been?
Since her Sweetener World Tour in 2019, Ariana Grande has taken a step back from being a pop star, shifting her focus toward acting and other creative avenues. While she has continued to release music, her public presence as a pop star has been less prominent, devoting more time outside the recording studio to acting. Over the past six years, she has appeared in three major films: “Don’t Look Up” (2021), “Wicked”
Grande has also begun to flourish in the business world, launching her beauty brand, r.e.m. beauty, in 2021, which offers a range of vegan and cruelty-free products inspired by her signature looks. The brand has been well-received, earning her the Cosmopolitan Reader’s Choice Award for the Best Celebrity Beauty Brand in 2023. Grande also has a fragrance brand, Ariana Grande Fragrances, which includes several best-selling products such as “Cloud” and “thank u, next.” Grande has truly built a massive empire by expanding her career beyond the entertainment industry.
Her biggest hits
“The Way” (feat. Mac Miller)
With her debut single, “The Way,” Grande introduced the world to her powerhouse vocals and impressive range. Featured on her debut album, “Yours Truly,” this catchy anthem became a fan favorite and solidified her place in the pop music world. Now certified six-time Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, the song remains a nostalgic reminder of her early start and launch into stardom.
“thank u, next” Shortly after her breakup with comedian
Pete Davidson, Grande released “thank u, next,” which quickly topped charts worldwide. Rising to No. 1 on the global Spotify charts, as well as debuting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, this anthem will go down in pop culture history. The music video alone reached a record-breaking 55.4 million views in the first day. Catchy, playful and iconic, Grande’s breakup anthem has become an instant classic.
“Break Free” (feat. Zedd)
Working with producer Zedd, Ariana Grande released another hit on her second album, “My Everything.” The electrifying track received over 1.2 billion views on YouTube and went certified five-times Platinum in the U.S. Its upbeat vibe and powerful vocals helped solidify Grande as a standout act early in her pop career.
“One Last Time”
Also appearing on “My Everything,” this song, co-written by David Guetta, became the anthem for the survivors of the 2017 Manchester attack, where, at one of her concerts, a homemade bomb device killed 22 people and injured over a thousand. After the traumatic event, the song was re-released, with all proceeds going toward the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, dedicated to helping the victims and their families. Now certified
four-times Platinum, the emotional song brings a sense of nostalgia, healing and reflection, serving as tribute to the past and a reminder to find strength with community.
Luke Sanelli ’26 shows off his Bob Ross-instructed painting “Blue Winter” from an episode of “The Joys of Painting.” PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: MOLLY DETTLINGER ’27/THE HAWK
OLIVIA GASPARRO ’27
Features Columnist
Spread your wings beyond the library with these local cafe spots
BRYAN BALMORES-JUMARANG ’27
Feature Reporter
DOROTHY DANBURY ’27
Copy Editor
Sometimes, studying in the library gets a little repetitive. When the same four walls start closing in and you need a change of scenery, why not fuel your study sessions with a snack or drink from some amazing local cafés?
Whether you’re cramming for an exam, meeting up with your study group or just need a cozy spot to tackle that research paper, these cafés and shops offer the perfect blend of caffeine, atmosphere and student-friendly vibes.
Hawk Hill
Green Engine Coffee Co.
Address : 16 Haverford Station Road, Haverford, PA 19041
This airy, art-filled space is perfect for students who need room to spread out their materials. Green Engine buzzes with energy and offers plenty of different seating areas and amazing seasonal beverages. Just a heads up: It can get loud during peak hours, so bring headphones if you need to focus.
GET Café
Address: 246 Haverford Ave., 2nd floor, Narberth, PA 19072
GET Café isn’t just about great coffee — it’s about community. This cozy spot emphasizes inclusion and diversity with its representation of staff members with disabilities. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming rather than library-quiet, making it perfect for casual studying, group discussions or just hanging out when you need a low-pressure environment.
Manayunk/Roxborough
Volo Coffeehouse
Address: 4360 Main St., Philadelphia, PA 19127
Volo Coffeehouse offers a lovely open atmosphere and is located right
in the heart of Manayunk’s charming Main Street. The area’s unique shops and scenic views are great for study breaks. Their beignets are a highlight and will satisfy your craving for a sweet treat. The combination of great coffee, tasty treats and a walkable neighborhood makes it ideal for those days when you want to mix studying with a mini adventure.
Unity Java
Address: 5312 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19128
Unity Java serves excellent single-origin coffee while employing people in recovery and those returning from incarceration, all at living wages. They even offer a community fridge with free fresh produce for local residents. It’s the perfect spot to study while supporting a business that’s making an actionable difference.
University City
Greek from Greece
Address: 107 N 33rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Don’t let the name fool you — Greek from Greece is so much more than coffee. This spot serves up authentic Greek Mediterranean bowls, all-day breakfast and incredible pastries that will fuel your study sessions in the most delicious way possible. Whether you’re grabbing a quick gyro bowl or settling in with some baklava and textbooks, Greek from Greece brings a taste of Greece right to University City.
Green Line Cafe
Address: 4239 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
This small café is tucked into a cozy row home just off our University City campus, giving it that perfect neighborhood hideaway vibe. Their house-baked cookies and muffins are absolutely incredible. Plus, they offer a variety of vegan and gluten-free options, so everyone can find something delicious to accompany their caffeine fix.
Lancaster Mean Cup
Address: 398 Harrisburg Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603
For our Lancaster Hawks, Mean Cup is a student paradise with tons of seating options — no more hovering around waiting for a table to open up! Whether you need to spread out solo study materials or meet up with your whole group project team, they’ve got the space to accommodate. The abundance of seating means you can actually settle in and get comfortable for those marathon study sessions without feeling rushed to give up your spot.
South Philly
Hey! I Am Yogost
Address: 124 N 10th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
To those who want to visit Chinatown, Hey! I am Yogost’s offerings range from their rice yogurt to their mochi yogurt beverages, along with a selection of flowery and fruity drinks. Two of their fan
CROSSWORD: Back to school
BRENNAN DILLENBECK ’28
Hawk Staff
Across
favorites are their matcha mochi yogurt and their strawberry milk slush beverage!
Green Eggs Café
Address : 33 S 18th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
Around 18th and Market, you might see someone eating Crème Brûlée French Toast with a cheesy hash brown outside of Green Eggs Café. While it’s not typical to study at a Green Eggs Café, their food hits well in the soul and in the brain.
1 Something you should mentally keep about you going into the school year.
4.A fruit commonly associated with back-to-school season and teaching..
5.A Greek letter that sounds like it could describe this school year.
7.One of the seven dwarves, and what one might feel during an 8 a.m. class.
8.The last name of the comedian who stars in the movie, “Back to School.”
9.When the Hawk will die.
Down
2.The first week of classes is also called “____ week.”
3.“___” o’ “___,”; an introductory course.
6.The academic building that’s home to Einstein Bros. Bagels.
GRAPHIC: BELLA PRIVITERA ’26/THE HAWK
JOHN OTTOBRE ’25
Last year, I realized I needed to get in better shape, so I hopped on YouTube to search for workout programs. A random video opened with an ad for “75 Hard,” a fitness trend created by entrepreneur Andy Frisella in 2019.
The challenge lasts 75 straight days, no breaks. Each day requires two 45-minute workouts (one outdoors), following a diet with zero cheat meals, drinking a gallon of water, reading 10 pages of nonfiction and taking a progress picture.
It seemed simple enough.
Turns out, I wasn’t as mentally strong as I thought. I broke pretty easily less than two weeks later on the Ocean City, New Jersey, boardwalk when I saw fried Oreos.
Earlier this year, I decided to try again, this time shrinking the window to 14 days. If it worked, I’d extend it into summer. To help ensure success, I talked to two people
who had completed the program.
Grinding for results is in Shawn Cullen’s blood. The 21-year-old South Jersey athlete had been training since childhood. After ending his football career at Delaware Valley in 2023, he wanted a new challenge, and 75 Hard appealed to him.
“It wasn’t just a week thing or month-long thing,” Cullen said. “It was actually 3 1/2 months of consistent work.”
Like Cullen, I’d played sports growing up, so I knew I had the background. I started by building a meal plan of eggs, chicken Caesar wraps and turkey burgers — about 1,240 calories and 129 grams of protein per day.
I also talked to John Miller, a family friend who completed the program.
Miller warned me that 75 days of consistency would be rough. I asked him if two weeks could really make a difference.
“It takes two weeks to break a habit and two weeks to make a habit,” Miller said.
“I’d say fourteen days is the minimum baseline of feeling the effects of it.”
So, I followed the rules: one workout indoors, one outdoors. The first few days, I was exhausted and tempted to quit, but I kept thinking of Cullen’s words: “Stay persistent, stay consistent and when you feel like giving up, don’t think about tomorrow, don’t think about the future. Just think about the task that you have to complete right then and there.”
By the end of the first week, I was better at scheduling workouts and finding time to read before bed.
By the final days, the routine felt natural. I wasn’t burned out or fatigued, and I felt stronger, both mentally and physically. On my last day at the gym, I even hit personal records on bench press, incline dumbbell press and tricep extensions.
weeks wouldn’t be enough for major transitions or improvements, but I’m happy with the progress I made. Next up: 75 days.
I knew going into this that just two
New faces, same goal for men’s basketball
NICOLE FRANZ ’27 Guest Columnist
After a long offseason of transfer portal activity and noteworthy signings, the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team is finally set to ramp up for the 2025-26 season. The 16-man roster will showcase six exciting new talents to Hawk Hill, each of whom represent the first-year or sophomore class. Closing out on the most successful season under head coach Billy Lange (22-13), expectations are high for this new era of Hawks basketball. A number of exciting additions were made to the team over the summer, the most notable being the acquisition of sophomore guard Deuce Jones II. As the recipient of the 2024-25 A-10 Rookie of the Year award, the former La Salle Explorer’s first year was nothing short of impressive. Jones II led all conference first-years with averages of 12.5 points and 2.8 assists per game
while maintaining an efficient field-goal percentage of 39.7%.
The Hawks will experience a boost in interior presence with the addition of sophomore center Jaden Smith. A season-ending surgery limited Smith to 11 total games played in his first-year season at Fordham University. Before Fordham, Smith averaged 8.3 rebounds and 5.0 blocks as a senior at Kenwood Academy High School. Smith will serve as an exceptional addition to the frontcourt, whether he plays alongside or as a backup to projected starting center and graduate student Justice Ajogbor.
Another key addition to the team is sophomore center Al Amadou. Amadou redshirted the 2024-25 season to develop his skills off the court. As Chestnut Hill Academy’s all-time leader in blocked shots (235), Amadou will provide some much-needed size to this guard-heavy roster. Sophomore Big East champion
Glover-Toscano is also making the move to Hawk Hill. The transfer guard from St. John’s University has three years of eligibility remaining following his former team’s appearance in the NCAA tournament this past March.
Accompanying these experienced collegiate players are two promising firstyear guards: Owen Verna and Austin Williford. Verna, a top-40 recruit from the state of California, is sure to be a spark off the bench. The Dana Point native averaged 10.8 points and 2.2 assists across his high school career. The versatility of Williford’s game will be an interesting addition to the team. As a senior at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, the First Team All-Conference player averaged 16.8 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and 2.6 steals per game, indicating his ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
Jaiden
ILLUSTRATION: LUKE SANELLI ’26/THE HAWK
Special to the Hawk
GRAPHIC: MOLLY DETTLINGER ’27/THE HAWK
Q&A with Kevin Gruber
TESS MARGIS ’26 Assistant Sports Editor
Kevin Gruber was named head coach of the women’s rowing program Aug. 26. Gruber has more than 25 years of coaching experience. Most recently, he was assistant coach at Villanova from 2023 to 2025. Prior to that, Gruber was the head coach at the University of Delaware for 11 seasons, where he led the team to seven top-four finishes at the Coastal Athletic Association Championship. Gruber has also coached at Connecticut, Southern Methodist University, the University of Charleston, West Virginia University and Bates College. The Hawk sat down with Gruber to learn more about what inspired him to get into coaching and what his goals are for his new position.
How did you get into rowing?
My brother rowed. Watching him do it was my introduction.
What made you want to get into coaching?
I picked it up as an undergraduate, which isn’t atypical in our sport. I had a great academic experience, but a lot of my time was spent talking and thinking about rowing. As I got to the tail end of my undergraduate years, not being exactly sure what direction I wanted to go professionally, and knowing how much time I’d spent talking and thinking about rowing, coaching just seemed interesting.
You have a master’s degree in athletic coaching education from West Virginia University. Did you have any coaching experience before you got that degree, and
has that helped you in your coaching career?
I got done undergrad, and I landed my first coaching job coaching freshmen men at Bates College … I had a great mentor who I worked under that first year coaching, which just made me even more into it. I spent one year there, and then from that Bates connection, I had a connection to West Virginia University for that grad assistant position where I pursued my master’s while coaching … It wasn’t just the coursework, but you were with all these other coaches all the time talking about coaching and bouncing around ideas, sharing experiences. I thought that was as valuable as the coursework was.
How would you say your previous experience in coaching has prepared you for this role?
Seeing a lot of different things and different ways of doing it has given me a pretty broad perspective on how this can work … You just pick up a little here and a little there. You end up with a pretty big toolkit from which to pull from.
What new concepts or refreshers do you plan to bring to the team?
I’ve had so much respect for St. Joe’s as a competitor for many, many years. The first time I remember being on the Schuylkill for a scheduled duel against St. Joe’s, I was with UConn in spring of ’09. And then as head coach at Delaware all those years, our season opener traditionally was at St. Joe’s. That was 11 years I was opening against St. Joe’s, so I have so much respect for the program. Part of it is definitely going to be me learning from them about what they’ve
done that’s worked well or what they like. Certainly, I’m going to have my ideas, the things I’ve done in the past that I’ve liked. It’s going to be some kind of meshing of things they’ve done and some new ideas for me … I told the team on day one, I’m going to keep an open mind, I’m going to learn. You’re going to do the same thing, and, together, we’ll grow and get faster
After being an assistant coach at Villanova for the past couple of years, what are you looking forward to most about being back in a head coaching role?
I enjoyed my time at Villanova immensely. I’ve been an assistant for many years at many different places. That role is crucial in moving things forward and just getting things done to help the team keep moving in the right direction. The role is so crucial, but it is different. I did miss just driving the culture. You’re supporting the culture as an assistant coach, and that is so important. But as a head coach, you’re really driving the culture. You’re leading the team meetings, you’re the voice.
How do you plan on cultivating a positive team culture here?
I always think it’s a subtle process. Like, how are you walking into the room every day? What kind of body language are you bringing into the room every day? What kind of language are you using every day? What kind of tone are you using every day?
I don’t think it’s always got to be these big, epic team meetings or trust falls. Practice is two of my favorite hours of the day, and I try to make it so that athletes can see that, and hopefully they’re feeding off that
energy. It’s not a whole big show. I’m happy to see them every day, and I hope they’re happy to see each other, and it starts there.
The team was pretty successful in the A-10 championship last year with Varsity 8 winning bronze. How do you plan to capitalize off of this?
Hopefully carry that momentum.I respected what they’ve done here. They’ve shown a lot of speed. I’m three days in, but clearly we have some fit athletes who like to work hard. You just want to keep building on that, keep the momentum going, keep them enjoying their training and feeling motivated to keep at it. Some of it is just not getting in the way of what they’ve already been doing.
GRAPHIC: JORDAN
Headshot of women's rowing headcoach Kevin Gruber. PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS