The Hawks' Herald 10/10/22

Talking in The library Covid-19 boosTer vaCCine CliniCs aT rWU

Native American mascots

Jeannette White Herald Reporter

Native American sports mascots have long been a hot button issue in America, and this was the topic of thefirst Fall 2022 Talking in the Library event, which was held with writing studies professor, Brian Hendrickson and guest speaker, Kevin Blackistone, a professor from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Blackistone is also a columnist for the Washington Post, a regular on ESPNs Around the Horn and has been featured on NPR and PBS NewsHour. Blackistone recently co-wrote and produced the documentary film “Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting.” He normally writes about cultural issues and their relationship with sports. The event began with a moment of silence taken for the land acknowledgement from the Indigenous people. The land of Roger Williams University is with the Pokanoket Tribe whose land and waters university community members benefit from today.

Blackistone has been doing land acknowledgements at events for the past 8 years in recognition for Native Americans. The film presented that there is “scientific evidence that these mascots are harmful to natives.”

Mascots of Native Americans only increase stereotyping,which can result in lower self-esteem with identity, depression and anxiety. “Most of what we know about Indians is wrong,” Blackistone said. “The battle has been asking for the world to see “us” for who we are.”

Blackistone grew up in Washington D.C. and

his family had season passes to the Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Washington Redskins. Blackistone recalled that he “lived and breathed with the team.” The team was part of his “identity” because it represented his hometown. He did not have much thought regarding the name of the team until he covered a Superbowl game in Texas.

At the SuperBowl, he wore his Washington football gear while Native Americans were protesting the use of mascots. Since then, he has “cleansed his wardrobe from Native mascoting attire.” Blackistone feels that as a black male living in America that he should have “sensitivity to Native Americans.”

in 1965, Blackistone’s father wrote to Edward Bennett Williams, the President of the Redskins, to stop displaying confederate imagery at home games and for the “dixie” song to be removed. This has aided Blackistone’s understanding for the Native American’s fight to change their mascot.

Williams responded with

“I agree with your suggestion and will see that it is carried

out.” However, the relationship between Native American mascots in the sports industry has been complicated by teams offering money to gain the tribe’s support for use of the mascots. Many football teams including the Washington Commanders attempted to do this, but they were unsuccessful.

The documentary film’s purpose is to raise awareness against racism towards Native Americans and for audiences to gain a greater understanding of Native history. Filmmakers are currently trying to attract distributors for theatrical and educational packages.

“Imagining the Indian” has been shown at many film festivals across the country. This past August the film was shown at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. This month, the film will be featured in Toronto, Canada at the ImagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival. The film recently won an Audience Choice Award at the 2022 Soo Film Festival.

Lily Neves Herald Reporter

To help minimize the spread of COVID-19, Roger Williams University partnered with the Bristol Fire Department on Monday, Oct. 3, and Tuesday, Oct. 4 in the Field House to administer COVID-19 booster vaccines to students, faculty and staff. According to COVID prevention and Response Coordinator, Kathleen Yorks, as of Sept. 28, when registration closed, 331 out of a max capaci ty of 380 people had registered, which includes a mixture of students, staff and faculty.

When asked why only the Pfizer vaccine is being offered, Yorks said “it’s the new bivalent vaccine which covers the omicron strains which are all the newer strains.”

Additionally, Yorks said, “People who’ve had Moderna previously can have Pfizer. You can mix them up, it’s not a problem at all.”

At the clinic, the Pfizer vaccine was administered free of charge by a combination of nurse practitioners who work for RWU and Bristol EMTs, said Yorks.

The university chose to host a vaccine clinic because “[the leadership team] all just believe in the science and we really think the vaccine makes a difference.” said Yorks.

Clery reporT:

RWU releases their 2022 annual security and fire safety report

Kassidy Hart Features Editor

Each year Roger Williams prepares an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report also known as CLERY.

The fire safety report statistics show no record of fires over the last three years until 2021 where there was one fire in Willow Residence Hall.

The crime statistics for 2021 show a decrease in reports of previous years in the following areas; drug law arrests (In 2020 this number was two cases; 2021 shows one case), liquor law violations (In 2020 there were 310 cases recorded; 2021 cases dropped to 262) and drug law violations (In 2020 there were two cases; 2021 had one case). The areas in which the report has an increased number in 2021 is rape (Cases rose from one in 2020 to five in 2021) and fondling (In 2020 there were three cases recorded; 2021 had seven cases).

The recorded statistics for hate crime shows that there has been no offenses from 2019-2021.

The safety and security on campus this year includes a Director of Public Safety, three Shift Commanders, and 19 full time officers, nine that are EMTs. There is also a Manager of transportation and Parking who is responsible with the tasks of enforcing local, state and federal laws along with the policies of the campus.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) responds to reports of criminal activity or any other concerning behavior on campus. Recently they have partnered with Rave Guardian to improve the safety of the campus. Rave Guardian is a safety tool that is used as an app on your phone. The app has easy emergency communication access as well as other safety features.

Other procedures carried on from last year’s CLERY Report are “Timely Warnings”, which are alerts to the community on campus of crimes that seem as

though they may pose a serious threat to safety, these alerts are in line with the rules of the Clery Act. Along with these alerts the University has also put into place an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that sets a procedure and plan for when there are sudden emergencies on campus. The campus also has an Emergency Information Hotline as well as an RWU Alert which is a mass notification system.

The Medical Amnesty Policy is a policy that was put into place to keep students safe when it comes to drugs and alcohol. This policy states that if a student calls for help for any emergency involving drugs or alcohol the Office of Student Conduct will not pursue any sort of disciplinary actions.

“This Annual Security & Fire Safety Report provides vital information to prospective and current students and employees about campus safety and security along with campus crime and fire prevention and safety awareness programs.”

Public Safety emergency phone number: (401) 253-3333

This number can also be found on the back of your student ID Scan the QR code to check out RWU’s CLERY Report

admissions C ommiTTed To inCreasing nUmber of enrolling sTUdenTs reCeiving pell granTs

Jimmy Sadowski News Editor

A trend among colleges and universities in recent years across the country has been trying to increase the number of students enrolled that receive Pell grants. Pell grants are used as a measurement for the number of lower-income students attending universities.

While there is no formal initiative at Roger Williams University, Vice President for Enrollment Management Amy Tiberio said, “RWU Admissions wants to increase the number of students who receive Pell grants because we look at diversity in different aspects, and socio-economic diversity is really important to us.”

Tiberio added, “A lot of students that are eligible for Pell grants tend to be from marginalized populations that have historically been kind of excluded from higher education so it’s really important that we create as much access as possible for those students.”

Several methods have been undergone at admission to increase enrolled students with Pell grants.

Tiberio said admission counselors get assigned to different geographic territories they have expertise in for recruitment efforts and go to college fairs and schools in those areas. Admissions spends a lot of time in lower income areas which Tiberio said includes cities like Fall River, New Bedford and Providence.

Financial aid appointments are also offered as one-on-one Zoom meetings or in-person sit downs with families and walking them through the process. “We offer these meetings in Spanish and Portuguese for families where that might be their first language to try and be as accessible as possible,” said Tiberio.

The university also provides a reduced deposit amount for Pell eligible students because the regular enrollment deposit amount can be a “burden for families that don’t have the [economic] means,” said Tiberio.

The Wall Street Journal reported that while over 125 colleges across the country made a commitment with the American Talent Initiative in 2016 to try and increase the number of lower income students who enroll at high-performing schools by 50,000 by 2025, the numbers have been trending downward in the last two years. The peak was 2018.

Tiberio said according to admissions data, RWU experienced its peak of those enrolled with Pell grants in 2019 at about 23 percent. The year prior in 2018 it was approximately 20 percent.

Then COVID hit in 2020 where the number went down to 21 percent and dropped to a low of 18 percent.

“That was one of the unfortunate consequences of the pandemic,” said Tiberio. “We saw that at Roger Williams and all across higher education that low income students just were not enrolling in college. The pandemic was a huge detriment to the progress that we have been making prior to that.”

This year Pell grant students enrolled has gone up again to 20 percent which Tiberio said has been what the number has been close to the last five or six years.

The way in which Pell grants were implemented was changed slightly for students who enrolled this fall.

Now the amount of institutional grant aid awarded to Pell grant students has increased in an effort to retain students and better support them financially according to Tiberio.

scan the QR code to read the rest of the story at rwuhawksherald.com

CampUs garden in The Works

Lily Neves Herald Reporter

As the semester begins, new ideas for innovation have been brewing among faculty, especially physics professor, Dr. Jennifer Pearce, who wants to jumpstart a campus garden that would be involved with the food studies minor.

Pearce said she became involved with this initiative because she is going to be teaching a food science class next semester which will have involvement with the garden. Additionally, her introduction to the food science course will also be able to count as a CORE 101 lab science course.

Some of those involved include Bon Appetit, people who are involved with sustainability programs on campus and food science students.

According to Pearce, the gardens will most likely be

food gardens, including herbs like mint, lemon balm and possibly some apple trees. She did not rule out the possibility of a flower garden when she said that she wants to take into consideration what the campus

rWU english and CreaTive WriTing hosT a “book nook”

community wants as she has sent out a survey to faculty members and what the students in her class would like to be involved in.

Since gardening is so seasonal, Pearce said she

Creative Writing set out to do with their first Book Nook.

Nestled in a corner of the third floor of the Global Heritage Hall sat a set of tables stacked with books ranging from history, music, fiction and textbooks. Taking inspiration from a previous event put on by the department a few years back, the Book Nook was started as a way to continue the tradition of “swapping” around books to new owners. Throughout the last week of September, students, faculty and staff were able to donate reading materials to the Book Nook and were also encouraged take any books that piqued their interest.

Senior intern Sydney Lauer spoke about the mission of the Book Nook and how it got started.

expects the fall to be a planning semester so the team can begin planting in the spring and begin to establish the plants, so that in another year to year and a half, a significant amount of food will be able to be harvested.

“Getting out in the air and out in the sunshine and digging in the dirt is very good for you mentally and physically even beyond the food you get out of the garden,” said Pearce.

“I see it providing a lot of support for our campus community…growing those bonds between the students and the faculty,”

Pearce has high hopes for the garden: “I think even if we didn’t get a lot of food out of the garden, just the act of all of us coming together with a shared goal that’s something that’s very visible on campus would help provide for that mental well-being of people that work here as well as the students.”

as an intern for the department, when we were talking about the Book Nook, my face lit up, I was very excited” said Thomas. “I just wanted people to enjoy what I enjoy. I know a lot of people like reading as much as I do.”

The Book Nook was held from Sept. 25 to 30 and while there are no plans to hold another this semester, both Lauer and Thomas hope for it to return in the near future.

Sam Elwell Managing Editor

Having access to reading materials is a very important way to stay educated and entertained. However, for some people, it may be difficult

to find certain books or even too expensive and having free access to these materials can be a godsend too many whether they be casual or avid readers. That’s what the interns from the Roger Williams University Department of English and

“Last semester there was a little scuttle about it, and this semester was really us putting it into action,” said Lauer. “Really just wanting to have a space or an event where people can just donate or take books.”

Another department intern, Sophia Thomas, spoke on her excitement when starting this project.

“With it being my first year

Physics professor Dr. Jennifer Pearce amongst the wildlife behind GHH. Chloe Noyes/ The Hawks’ Herald

Scan the QR code to check out the “Book Nook” YouTube video

The English and Creative Writing department at RWU hosted a space for people to donate and take various reading materials Sam Elwell/ The Hawks’ Herald

neTflix’s “do revenge” pays homage To pasT Teen C omedies

Jeanna Langan Herald Contributor

During the late 90s and early 2000s, there was a certain type of film genre that ruled the screen: the teen comedy. There seems to be nothing made over the past 10 to 12 years that has really been able to capture the energy that films like “Clueless,” “10 things I Hate About You” or “Mean Girls” were able to create. That is until the new Netflix movie “Do Revenge” premiered last month.

The main plot of “Do Revenge” consists of 2 girls, Drea and Elenor (played by Camilla Mendes and Maya Hawke respectively) that help each other get revenge on those that have wronged them. For Drea it is her ex boyfriend who sent a scandalous video of her around school, and for Elenor it was the girl that outed her as a lesbian. A few other characters include Drea and Elenor’s new love interests and the 90s queen herself, “Sarah Michelle Geller” as the school’s principal.

One of the things that makes this movie feel the same as the older teen movies we are all so nostalgic for is the fact that “Do Revenge” makes sure to include plenty of homages to those movies, including a scene where Elenor gets a tour of the different social cliques like in “Mean Girls.” In addition, almost every outfit takes inspiration from the style of “Clueless” by using

bold colors, plaid skirts, and a unique fashion-forward style. Another major element that makes “Do Revenge” feel like a true teen movie is the soundtrack. There are a few songs that are obvious callbacks to the time period when this genre ruled the screen like “Celebrity Skin” by Hole. There are also songs that come from modern artists that are used brilliantly to emphasize the emotions the characters are feeling, with one example being “Brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo. This song is used when Drea realizes everyone is on her ex-boyfriend’s side and she is thinking about how much she hates high school.

A huge aspect of what makes the movie work is the chemistry between the cast, most specifically from Camilla and Maya. Even though the two of them are doing some terrible things, the connection they share makes it all seem fair and justified, which in my opinion most of it is. What could have been a very dark and serious movie becomes an instant comedy in the way that the actors bring either big zany performances or the way they downplay every situation they are in.

With all of these elements combined: the crazy plot, the nostalgia factor, and the acting, this movie is an instant teen classic. It is two hours of pure chaos and camp that should not be missed by anyone.

ARTS &

“bee and pUppyCaT ” revie W: loW-sTakes spaCe

Grant Soedler Arts & Culture Editor

The question of what entertainment can and should be is becoming a bigger and bigger question in today’s world. While mediums like film and television are and always have been great ways to express artistic talent and critique political and economic stances in unique ways, the demand for entertainment to serve strictly as a means of escapism is quickly becoming very large in a world where some new depressing piece of news is a click away in our pockets. So while ideologydriven and politically-heavy films will remain some of the most important pieces of media creative minds have to offer, there will always be a place for shows like “Bee and Puppycat.”

“Bee and Puppycat: Lazy in Space” is an adult animated fantasy-drama series that debuted on Netflix on Sept. 6. It stars Allyn Rachel as the titular character Bee, an airheaded but cheerful young woman in her early 20s who is unable to keep a steady job. One day while heading home after being fired yet again, a strange catlike creature named Puppycat falls from the sky on top of her, and she takes it upon herself to look after him. However, due to Bee’s poor financial status, the two are forced to go on a number of space-faring and cosmos-spanning temp assignments over the course of the series while attempting to make ends meet. Originally a kickstarter-funded web series released on Youtube from 2014-2016, “Bee and Puppycat” was created and written by Natasha Allegri, also known for working on Cartoon Network’s “Adventure Time.” The Netflix series, differentiated from the original with the subtitle “Lazy in Space”, serves as a soft reboot, re-adapting the series for a new audience.

The first thing one will likely notice about “Bee and Puppycat” is its artstyle. The style, quite frankly, is adorable, with simplistic, “chibi” character designs, a consistently soft color palette, and a frequent use of animal-like features throughout. This style is complemented very well by the show’s laid back and whimsical tone, with events in the story often feeling very nonsensical yet calming. This is something probably best exemplified by the way that Puppycat only speaks in a sort of pseudo-gibberish (provided by the Vocaloid program Oliver) that sounds barely comprehensible to any average viewer but can be understood by every character within the show as if he were speaking in regular English. This tone combined with the show’s nonchalant characters and lofi-esque score helps to make watching any episode of “Bee and Puppycat” an extremely soothing experience. I could see myself rewatching the series during some busy week just to relax, letting the tranquilizing soundtrack and low-stakes plot slowly lull me into a state of zen.

However, even though I just described the plot as “low-stakes” that isn’t exactly the case. Despite its cutesy appearance and simple-sounding premise, “Bee and Puppycat” features many deeper plot elements and moments of high action.

Read the rest at rwuhawksherald.com by scanning the QR code.

Netflix’s

The new animated series has quickly become one of the most popular cartoons on Netflix. Courtesy of Netflix

WhaT WoUld a Chinese invasion of TaiWan mean for The UniTed sTaTes ?

Nick MacKoul Herald Reporter

As of September 2022, there are roughly 40 armed conflicts being fought across the world, ranging from very major wars with casualties in the millions, or minor conflicts that have only seen a couple hundred or so deaths. Some of these are very well known, such as the Syrian civil war, notable combatants including the Syrian government, the Free Syrian Army, and Kurdistan, or the Yemeni civil war, with Saudi Arabia supporting the Yemeni government, fighting against the Iranian sponsored Houthis. Most notably was the Russo-Ukrainian war, which began on Feb. 24 of this year, and made Russia the butt of international condemnation, as well as causing a natural gas crisis felt around the world. However, one theater of the world feeling massive tension under the threat of an invasion is Taiwan, which is currently under heavy threat of invasion against neighboring China.

Ever since the fall of Taiwan on the Chinese mainland at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, they have been seen as one of the last remnants of the cold war, making a war between the two sound like a decent possibility. China has the biggest army in the world, and Taiwan has some of the most advanced tech, so it sounds like generally an equal match. However, it seems as though China might be able to come out on top, according to websites that measure military power, such as globalfirepower. com. This is entirely contingent on whether or not America would get involved or not, but assuming this is a 1-1 deal, China is expected to win. But, what would this mean for the East Asian theater, or even the United States?

I think one of the lesser known consequences of a Chinese takeover of Taiwan is the expansion of their exclusive

economic zone (EEZ). This zone stretches from the coast of a coastal nation out to 200 nautical miles into the sea. China has been very picky about what is theirs, and what is someone else’s when their EEZ is brought up. The most notable example of this greed is the South China sea dispute, specifically the debate over who should own the mostly uninhabited Spratly Islands. These islands, despite being largely uninhabited, are currently claimed by the neighboring nations of Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, China and Taiwan. The argument over who owns the islands can already be intense enough, but if China were to annex Taiwan, they would be able to exert more control over their EEZ, as Taiwan has an EEZ separate from China. China is also a fan of building artificial islands, usually complete with air bases or other military installations, annexing the island would most definitely skew the balance of power in the region.

One of the scarier consequences of a Chinese victory would be the amount of tech Taiwan has within their borders currently. Of course, technology this advanced would

be very helpful in defense, but if China were to get their hands on some of it, and combine it with their already huge military, they might get that much closer to matching the US in army strength, as we are near unanimously considered the strongest nation in the world. However, the downsides to this are not just limited to warfare. Taiwan is currently one of the biggest producers of microchips in the world. China getting their hands on this supply would most likely lead to a cybersecurity disaster on the US populace, along with any other Chinese enemy that gets these parts from Taiwan. The US is currently trying to mitigate this by funding domestic microchip manufacturing.

I generally think of myself as a very anti-war person, even taking into account all the pros that come with war, such as the creation of new jobs for US citizens. But the idea of a China and Taiwan war sticks out to me. Would I be willing to support a war if it means possibly eliminating the threat of a cybersecurity attack? It is overall a very confusing situation to talk about, which seems to be the norm when it all comes down to politics.

preparing To “do iT

So it is time for you and a special someone to do the deed. Here are some fun and useful tips to prepare.

1.

Keep condoms close to where you plan to do it. You don’t want to ruin the mood by stopping mid makeout sesh to grab a condom from a bag or wallet. Make sure you put a condom or two by the bed or couch so things can stay hot and heavy.

2.

Brush your teeth, put on deodorant and keep it all clean.

Your partner will thank you if you brush your teeth before you start kissing, especially if your dinner consisted of pizza with extra garlic. Smelling nice and being clean also helps keep you in the mood so you are not constantly wondering how you smell.

3.

Get yourselves in the mood.

Start hinting at things getting frisky early in the day. When the times comes later in the day, it will be easier to get yourself and your partner in the mood for sex.

Stacy

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan could have grave consequences for the United States. Courtesy of Yan Ke on Unsplash

Kristen Hearrold khearrold920@g.rwu.edu

Why yoU shoUld learn To sUrf

Jack Aviles Herald Reporter

If you have ever debated learning how to surf, here is why you should. If you like going to the beach, being in the ocean, tanning and other things of the sort why not add in some surfing? It is great exercise and an extremely fun, addicting sport. The first wave you catch will change you for the better. There is no greater feeling than standing up on your board and gliding along the face of that first wave. You will want to do it again, again and again. This is a good thing though because it is an activity that takes you out into nature.

This brings me to the peaceful aspect. Being outside in nature is a great thing. It allows you to clear your mind, get physical activity and learn more about the world around us. Surfing in particular allows all of this. Sitting out in the ocean with nothing around you and nothing to worry about except for catching the next wave is a great experience. It allows me personally to forget about all of my other worries for a couple hours, in a healthy way. I am sure many other surfers can testify.

Additionally, the physical aspect is a blast as well. Being able to workout in a fun way like surfing, makes it so much easier. If you are looking for more interactive workouts this is the perfect choice for you.

There is constant movement involved from paddling out, paddling into waves and surfing them. Furthermore, it is an adventurous workout. You are always looking for new and better places to catch some waves.

Surfing is also a very humbling experience. You really get to understand just how powerful the ocean is. Once you start to progress and start surfing on days with bigger waves the stakes become way more real. Wiping out on more powerful waves is very scary. It can hold you under the water for lengths of time and you need to be able to control your breathing and stay calm. There are also rip currents that can pull you out, wind that can push you down the beach, etc… The ocean is beautiful but can also be a monster and surfing really teaches you how to respect it. When things get out of control you need to know when to put your pride aside and call it a day.

However, I believe surfing is one of the best sports to participate in. You learn how to respect nature and how to act when in it. You also get a ton of physical exercise and it is great for mental health, giving you the opportunity to clear your mind in a healthy way. It also just looks really cool. If you are looking for a new activity I highly suggest you take surfing into consideration, you can thank me later.

OPINIONS

The shell paTh needs Care

Jocelyn Jackson Opinions Editor

The Shell Path is considered a notable location on campus and is always viewed in a positive light. This is due to many factors including the view of the bridge, frisbee golf and overall the best place to escape and take a breath of fresh air. This area is also known for its infamous bonfires and often a place where students host parties.

Although it is memorable for the great community experience, recently it has been the cause of an issue affecting the qualities that contribute to the enjoyment the Shell Path has to offer. Unfortunately ever since move-in, students do not have the ability to enjoy the beloved beachfront to its fullest due to an increase in litter scattered over the majority of the path.

Personally, I find this upsetting because those who hang around in the location seem to be taking advantage, knowing that there are no true consequences for their actions. The shell path a is shared space for everyone to enjoy and it should be treated as such.

One Saturday after trying to dodge beer cans on the trail, I found Kensie Mohr, Lucas James and Olivia Biagiotti, three freshmen who decided to take action to help their college community. Each had at least two trash bags filled with cans and were in the process of attacking the bulk of the litter which was in the clearing that surrounds the trail.

“I’m always down there, I always do my homework down there. Even though you didn’t make the mess you can still help out,” Olivia Biagiotti explained. The three friends were aware of the issue since they arrived on campus. “It was one of the first days we walked down there and we saw piles of cans scattered in the reeds, especially in the field,” James recalled, suggesting that this has been an ongoing problem since early in the semester. “At first we’d grab a handful or two, but one day we decided to step it up a notch.” This day happened to be National Clean up the Coast Day, which motivated the group to dedicate their day to reducing the litter in the area.

Several peers took notice of their selflessness,“We met somebody down there who was walking along Shell Path at that time. She asked, ‘Can I help you?’ We gave her a trash bag, she was there for between a half hour and an hour,” Biagiotti said. “Anyone who was walking or running down there said ‘Thank you for doing that’, people definitely seem to take notice.” This goes to show that the scattered litter is impacting the community that appreciates and respects the land.

Each person in the group seemed hopeful that their actions are impactful and raise awareness about littering. “The couple of times we have walked past there, there’s not as much trash as there was before, so it’s like people saw that somebody or people did something good and thought, okay why should we mess it up again,” Kensie Mohr said. Although the three had the mission to eradicate the excess of trash, they also hope their dedication will influence others to keep the area litter-free. “Once you see trash on the ground and you’re at a party, you’re like ‘okay I can throw another can there because nobody’s going to notice, but if it’s clean and you’re the first person to throw a can down, you don’t wanna be that guy” said Lucas James.

The group also shared their frustrations with other peers for their lack of responsibility when using the location. Mohr discussed the situation metaphorically suggesting, “You don’t throw a party in your house and then leave the trash everywhere, you clean it up or have people throw it away,” exploring the way these students believe there are no consequences for their actions but in reality it ruins the Shell Path’s natural beauty. Mohr also said “I guess it’s just very personal to us especially because this is a beautiful school and it’s on a beautiful bay. To be on this bay is a privilege and it’s painful to watch people not care about the environment that’s impacting us.”

The three plan on continuing to pick up trash as necessary but for now they remain hopeful that the behaviors of students who occupy Shell Path will change.

haWks remain C onfidenT despiTe ToUgh loss

Mia Pantono Herald Reporter

Roger Williams University’s Women’s Soccer fell short in an offensive contest against the Bridgewater State University (BSU) Bears, 5-4. It was a difficult loss, but head coach, Tim Moody, is confident in his team’s ability and anticipates a positive record.

From the moment the whistle blew, it was a battle for momentum. The Bears began the scoring within the first five minutes. Shortly after, the Hawks responded with a beautiful goal by senior forward Leah Yucius. The Hawks would score again in the first half from a header off of a corner kick. The Bears responded with another goal with 18 minutes remaining in the first half, but senior forward Bianca Robbins would push the Hawks ahead at halftime with a breakaway goal, leaving the score 3-2.

Five minutes into the second half, first-year midfielder Julia Robbins would score off a rebounded save, further extending the Hawks lead, 4-2. Unfortunately, this would be the

Hawks final goal of the game. Despite a tremendous defensive effort, the Hawks could not regain momentum. The Bears would score three goals in the second half and top the Hawks with a final score of 5-4.

“We got in a great position, 4-2 up. We have good players and we are a good team, we just didn’t finish them off. We have a lot to take away from today’s game. In the end, it’s a learning experience”, Coach Moody said.

Despite the trying loss, Coach Moody has great confidence in his players. “We have a lot of very talented players. We also have a lot of new players on the team. Even with our ups and downs, I think at the end of the year we’ll have a good record”, he said.

Coach Moody and the Hawks are ready to work in preparation for their next matchup. “We expect to be better. We have talked about what we need to work on and we expect to win the game”, he said.

The Hawks will face their next opponent Curry College on Tues. Oct. 11.

They currently have a 5-7-1 overall record.

leah WhearTy says joining Cross C oUnTry in C ollege Was “a given”

health.

Amanda Walsh Herald Reporter

When you look at the statistics of the Roger Williams University women’s cross country team and see that their season has been a success so far. With a win at the Ron Ouellette Invitational, hosted by the University of New England, to three runners reaching top ten status in the program’s history (junior Caitlin Boufford in 6th, with first-years Adriana Franzese and Katie Flaherty in 9th and tied for 10th, respectively), it is clear the Hawks are having a season to remember. But a team is more than the performances they put up. What is the women’s cross country team like behind the statistics?

“Cross country is definitely something that’s super important in my life,” said senior Leah Whearty, who has been running for the Roger Williams cross country team since she was a first-year. A runner since she was in elementary school, Whearty said “joining cross country in college was… a given.” “It’s always been something that’s very cathartic to me.” Whearty also that running has been great for her physical and mental

Whearty also highlighted the comradery that cross country offers. “The team is a sense of family,” Whearty says. As a veteran on the team, Whearty has had a hand in sculpting what the team is today. Her hard work and determination at practice has been inspiring, but perhaps even more motivating is her and the rest of the runners, cheering for their teammates at both practices and meets. Whether it be a fast and experienced runner like Whearty, or a beginner, the feeling of family is felt and reciprocated throughout the team.

When asked about how she feels about the rest of the season, Whearty was enthusiastic. “I think we have a really strong team this year, we have a lot of fast girls… I feel good about it.” Going into her fourth Conference meet, Whearty said that she thinks they “have a pretty good chance of doing really well at Conference.” The Hawks have not won the Conference meet since 2019, and would love to bring home the trophy this year, and they are looking stronger than ever.

The cross country teams will lead the Alumni 5k on Oct. 15, on campus. Then, the Hawks wrap up their regular season at the Commonwealth Coast Conference meet on Sat. Oct. 29.

Senior Bianca Robbins led the team in shots with 6 during their Oct. 6 game against Umass Dartmouth. Courtesy of RWU Athletics

First-year Sarah Newman during RWU’s loss to Bridgewater State University. Courtesy of RWU Athletics

Cross country has always been an important part of Leah Whearty’s life. Courtesy of RWU Athletics