the Quadrangle
Studentswerewelcomedtocampusforthefirstweekofclasses.
ManhattanCaucus:From ImmigrationReformto IranStrikes:ASeasonof Change
Elaina Batista Asst. Social Media Editor
Although Manhattan University recessed for the summer, the world beyond campus carried on.
Immediately after Donald Trump won the election, the president promptly took action, vowing to alter the political landscape of not only the nation, but also the entire world. Since the start of President Trump’s second term, he has signed 196 Executive orders, many of
which have to do with foreign policies.
One of the most significant changes the US has seen from this administration is the way it has addressed immigration.
Almost immediately after being sworn into office, Trump and his administration overturned former President Joe Biden’s policy which restricted community areas such as churches, schools and hospitals from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This order shifted ICE’s priorities from primarily targeting individuals with criminal backgrounds who entered the country illegally
to viewing all undocumented immigrants as criminals regardless of their history.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt elaborated on this concept in a press briefing back in January.
“Of course, the…criminal drug dealers, the rapists, the murderers, the individuals who have committed heinous acts on the interior of our country and who have terrorized law-abiding American citizens, absolutely, those should be the priority of ICE,” Leavitt said. “But that
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
FrederickBonato Appointed22nd Presidentof ManhattanUniversity
here, because I already know that this is where I want to be.”
Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief
President Frederick Bonato, Ph.D., has been named the 22nd president of Manhattan University. The permanent appointment was announced to the campus community in mid-July via a press release from Stephen Squeri, ‘81, ‘86, chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Bonato moves into this position after spending 10 months as the interim president, a position in which he began in September of 2024. Bonato is the successor of Milo Riverso, Ph.D., who stepped down after serving only one year in office. Bonato is now the fourth president students have seen at the university since 2022. Given the recent turnover in this position, and at the university as a whole, the newly-appointed president hopes to restore stability for students and the wider campus community.
“Higher ed is a very challenging environment right now, but we have too much to offer here to not exist for another 172 years, at least,” Bonato said. “So stability is important, and that’s a lot of different things coming into play, but the other thing is to continue to help strengthen the community, and that means all the different parts coming together. Anything I can do to help make that stronger, I’m going to do.”
Bonato made it clear that he has no plans to vacate his position any time soon.
“I want to be here for the rest of my career,” Bonato said.
“I’m saying that bluntly. I don’t see this in any way as a stepping stone to any other position. I’d be happy to end my career
So far in his tenure, Bonato has worked on a multitude of projects, both directed at restoring tradition and ensuring the university is wellequipped to move into the future. Some of these projects include a revamped first year experience, the development of an IBM skills build program and more.
“The biggest project that we’re working on right now, and it’s just something I’m personally jazzed about, is the first year experience,” Dean of Students Gerarda Shields, Ph.D., told The Quadrangle. “The idea of creating a series of curated activities, whether they’re explicitly for freshmen, or encouraging them to be part of the campus community, I see that as a model, not only for the first years, but also for our sophomores, our juniors, our seniors and graduate students, where the goal would be to create experiences that highlight each year as you move through Manhattan University.”
The Quadrangle also sat down with Interim Provost Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., to speak about some of the interdisciplinary projects being worked between her office and the president’s.
“We’re working on a lot of different things,” Chalk said. “One thing that will be talked about soon is a new interdisciplinary hub where we will attempt to accelerate innovation and collaboration across all different departments… There’ll be news about new interdisciplinary majors that will be launched for next year in various areas, with regards to emerging technology and bringing our strengths in business, engineering and
Volume CXII, Issue 1
SEPTEMBER 2, 2025
The Editorial Board
Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief
Emmanouel Sofillas Managing Editor
Brooke Della Rocco News Editor
Laili Shahrestani Features Editor Mary Haley Asst. Features Editor
Leyla Mercado Arts & Entertainment Editor
Barbara Vasquez Maizy Swift Production Editors
Amy Forster Asst. Production Editor
Mary Haley Marketing Chair
Andrew Mannion Sports Editor
Owen McWalters Asst. Sports Editor
Barbara Vasquez
Web Editor
Maizy Swift
Elaina Batista
Asst. Social Media Editors
Thom Gencarelli
Faculty Advisor
About The Quadrangle
A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan University. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.
The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the University or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle
The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 4.12. All are welcome to come and join the club.
Connect with The Quadrangle
LETTER from the EDITOR
Dear Readers,
Hello, and welcome to Issue 1!
I hope all of you on campus have had an amazing first week of classes, and I hope that the rest of you found some time for rest and relaxation this summer!
Over our season off, The Quadrangle earned multiple awards from the Catholic Media Association, once again making us a nationally recognized publication. We had writers win first place in categories including Best Article About Faith on Campus and Best News Reporting, second place in the category of Best Investigative Reporting, third place in Best News Reporting and Best Investigative Reporting, and last, but certainly not least, honorable mentions in the Best Article About Faith on Campus and Best Investigative Reporting categories. We couldn’t be more proud of our accomplished writers and hope that you’ll join us in congratulating them on these incredible achievements! If you’d like to check out the winning stories, they’re all linked in the bio of our Instagram.
Speaking of Instagram, with the new academic year comes new advancements. I’m happy to announce that The Quadrangle has launched a brand new channel on our Instagram account that you can easily join via our bio. This channel will be live five days a week, and is dedicated to bringing breaking news, web exclusive content and highlights from our weekly issues directly to your DMs. We’ll be experimenting with this throughout the fall, and we’d love to have you follow along!
Not only was campus abuzz with the excitement of new classes this week, but with the hum of production equipment and set design galore. The university was thrilled to welcome “Law & Order: SVU” to campus this past Wednesday for the filming of an episode, and students couldn’t have been more excited to witness TV magic happening in real-time and for the chance to catch a glimpse of the beloved Mariska Hargitay on the quad. I can say with confidence that this was certainly a first week back to remember!
We’re so happy to be back, and we’re even happier that you’re here. As I enter my final semester on campus and leading this publication, the work that we’re putting out week to week feels all the more important. Cheers to another fall of fantastic journalism, and the readers who make it all worth it.
Until next time,
mcquad.org
@mu_quad
@mu_quad mcquad
Grace Cardinal
Editor-in-Chief
FrederickBonatoAppointed22ndPresidentof ManhattanUniversity
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
liberal arts together.”
A recurring issue that both Bonato and faculty addressed is the issue of siloing in higher education and the plans to fix the practice at MU. In addition to this reform, Bonato has already made major strides for faculty, including reinstating benefits and raises.
“There had been some freezes on certain benefits for faculty, including some raises for promotions and raises across the board,” Chalk said. “President Bonato, when he came on, made the determination to reinstate those in recognition of the hard work of our employees…He’s also created an environment where senior leadership is in pretty constant communication, so that we’re aware in a holistic way of what’s going on at the University. In higher education, there is a very common problem with what we call siloing over different departments and areas doing their own work, and not really being aware enough of what other areas are doing. And I think with President Bonato, we have started to work more closely together, and there is more constant communication and more collaboration across different areas.”
While the president has already made strides in his 10
months on campus, the work isn’t yet over.
“I think that higher education is evolving really, really rapidly,” Chalk said. “And I think that in this field as well as in many other industries, we’re probably not going to recognize what everything will look like in five years. I’m really excited and hopeful for preserving our core mission and our experience for undergraduates, but also providing different sorts of more flexible programming, a more diverse set of offerings that engage with emerging technologies and changes in the workplace, and I think there are some great things on the horizon, in line with those priorities.”
As for what Shields hopes to see, an emphasis on returning to tradition is most important.
“What I would like to see, and this will take time, is the resurgence of tradition at Manhattan University,” Shields said. “It’s something that as an alum, I hold dear, and those memories have stayed with me for decades, and I hope for a lifetime, and I wish that for our students.”
While Bonato has found ways to stay connected with the campus community electronically through a presidential newsletter and a new Instagram page, there are
no plans of stopping there.
“They’re talking about a podcast, they’re talking about some videos,” Bonato said. “We just talked yesterday about me doing a cooking thing, teaching students how to make sauce. Everyone has their own recipe. I have my own and cooking is one of the things that I do to relax, and I like it a lot... But just more and more social media. I don’t know if I’m ready for TikTok, but it is a place that young people go to. I’ll start to get in there somehow. I’ll need some training, but that could be a good thing too.”
For Bonato, the highlight of his role is getting to interact with students. In his tenure, the president’s favorite moment has been leading the graduation procession into Draddy Gymnasium – something he’s already looking forward to with the class of 2026.
“I was so honored to lead a procession into our graduation at Draddy and seeing all the happy students and happy families – that’s what really makes it worth it for me, and that’s why I’m here, to see that and help people change their lives in a positive way,” Bonato said. “But that’s the place where you can feel it, and you could see it, and it’s just really exciting to me, and I’m looking forward to the next one.”
Bonato identified his biggest achievement in the role
so far as “having people come together”.
“Big organizations, including higher ed, can easily become siloed,” Bonato said. “It seems to be a natural thing that humans do, but I have to remind everyone, and myself, all the time that we are all in it together, and it doesn’t matter what your role is. If you’re a professor, you’re an assistant, you’re working in the cafeteria, it doesn’t matter, you’re all in this community together. Everybody plays a part, and I like to think I’ve helped people stop and think about that a little bit.”
Shields says she’s excited
for Bonato to continue in this role, and feels that his experience will set up his office and the MU community for success.
“Dr. Bonato’s experience both as an educator and administrator, he has experience with working with populations in transition, and I believe that with that experience, he’ll be able to, I like to use the term navigate, and be able to navigate us in a way that’s towards commerce ease and towards the horizon, and being able to start to anticipate what’s over the horizon to position our students for success,” Shields said.
ManhattanCaucus:FromImmigrationReformtoIranStrikes:ASeasonof Change
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
doesn’t mean that the other illegal criminals who entered our nation’s borders are off the table.”
While the administration was making these changes on the domestic level, attention quickly shifted overseas as the United States launched airstrikes in Iran. On June 22, the US military struck three of Iran’s nuclear facilities. According to President Trump, those strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s
nuclear enrichment facilities.
However, a US intelligence assessment claimed the attacks only set the country’s nuclear program back by a couple of months, as reported by CNN
Along with changes to immigration policy and escalations with foreign affairs, on July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law, which is estimated to increase deficits by $3.4 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. The law will increase
federal spending by $325 billion, which will mostly be focused on the military and immigration enforcement. The process of getting this bill signed into law, however, was not a seamless process.
Although the Republican Party has the majority over the house, there were still some Republicans who voted against the bill, including Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. The House of Representatives narrowly approved the bill in a 218–214 vote, but its passage was delayed when
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered the longest speech in the chamber’s history. The speech lasted for eight hours and 33 minutes.
More recently, a devastating shooting in Minneapolis on Aug. 27 killed two children and injured 18 others. Police identified the suspect who opened fire outside Annunciation Catholic School as 23-year-old Robin Westman. The gunman opened fire through the windows of a church at the school, killing one 8-year-old
and a 10-year-old. Westman was later found dead due to a selfinflicted gunshot wound.
This shooting resparked the debate over American gun laws, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison pushing for change on federal gun reform, with specific hopes to re-evoke the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994.
For more information on these issues and and updates on local and national politics weekto-week, search ‘Manhattan Caucus’ on mcquad.org.
President Frederick Bonato served 10 months as interim before being appointed to the position full-time.
@MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY
Features
Jaspers Return from Study Abroad with Rave Reviews
Barbara Vasquez
Production Editor / Web Editor
As summer break comes to a close, many students are arriving on campus after a three-month long break from academics. Some students, however, continued their education during summer overseas with Manhattan University’s study abroad program.
At MU, a variety of courses come with the opportunity to take them while abroad, including language, religion and engineering classes. Matthew Schule, a senior communication major with minors in both philosophy and art history, ventured to Italy this past summer to gain credit for RELS 216: Saints and Catholic Imagination, taught by Br. Robert Berger.
“As a philosophy and art history minor, the Renaissance and Italy have been huge in terms of things I’ve learned about, especially in terms of western history,” Schule said. “It was absolutely insane to be able to go there and actually see some of my favorite artworks that I’ve studied for the last four years here at Manhattan. To finally see them in person was just a really incredible experience.”
Schule was able to go abroad with the help of the Major John H. Mark Jr. ‘00 Scholarship, which provides study abroad tuition assistance to a select number of applicants. After checking his email and
seeing the scholarship was being offered, Schule applied.
“I was just so honored and it meant so much to me,” Schule said. “It made me appreciate the whole experience a lot more.”
Daniela Ramirez, a senior psychology major with minors in criminology and general business, also received the Major John H. Mark Jr. ‘00 scholarship, along with the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, granted by the U.S. Department of State.
Ramirez traveled to Amsterdam to earn credit for SOC 315: Comparative Criminology: U.S. and The Netherlands. Upon her arrival, she was able to visit the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and even the International Criminal Court [ICC], a major intergovernmental organization.
While Ramirez was already interested in the subject matter, she was also appreciative of the professor teaching the course, Madeleine Novich, Ph.D. Ultimately, Ramirez felt motivated to take the opportunity after receiving support from her mother.
“The thing that inspired me most was that back at home, my mom would always tell my siblings and I that she wants us to go away,” Ramirez said. “She knows none of her kids like to be sitting down. She always tells us to travel, to explore and to learn new languages.”
Ramirez shared with The Quadrangle that even when
she was unsure of taking the leap and putting down a deposit for the trip, she had a strong support system that gave her the confidence to do so.
“Even though I told them [friends and family] that ‘I still don’t know if I can go or not’, they told me to secure my spot, because you never know,” Ramirez said. “So, I secured it. And I think it was the best decision I have ever made.”
Other students held similar motivations for going abroad. Ty Jackson, a junior communication major with a minor in film, traveled to Madrid this summer to gain credit for SPAN 340: Spanish Civilization. Jackson’s main reasoning for studying abroad was similar to that of Ramirez, in the familial sense.
“One, I feel like there are very few opportunities where you can visit the world like this,” Jackson said. “This was the first time I’ve ever been to
Europe, which alone made it really special. But also, my dad is a fluent Spanish speaker, and having that connection with him really helped.”
Jackson noted that his experience was great overall, but was elevated by sharing his time with fellow Jaspers.
“I think the highlight of the trip, honestly, was sharing the experience with all the other people, most having never been to Spain,” Jackson said. “Sharing that exposure with everyone was really special.”
Schule shared a similar sentiment to Jackson with regards to his trip.
“Honestly one of my favorite parts of being abroad was being abroad with so many people from Manhattan [University], and getting to meet so many other students,” Schule said. “I met so many great people and I absolutely loved Brother Rob. He was an absolutely amazing guide to
have for Florence and Rome.”
After experiencing their summer abroad, all three students felt that if the timing and opportunities were right, they would definitely do it again. In addition, they all recommend the same for others who may be interested in looking into the study abroad experience.
“If you have the chance to go abroad while you’re at Manhattan, I would highly, highly recommend doing it,” Schule said. “Honestly, the sooner you can do it, the better, just because it really changes a lot about how you see the world and how you understand your education. It could definitely show you a lot in terms of the kind of direction you want to take your life in, career wise, as well as what kinds of experiences you want to be having.”
Daniela Ramirez and Matthew Schule were recipients of the Study Abroad Major John H. Mark Jr. Memorial Scholarship, along with
SPAN 315 students studied in Madrid this summer, visiting sites such as the Almudena Cathedral. TY JACKSON / COURTESY
Voices on the Quad: Back to School Edition
Gabriella Dickson Staff Writer
On Aug. 25, students were officially welcomed to the Manhattan University campus to either start their journey as a Jasper or continue on with their lives here. Kicking off the new academic year, The Quadrangle spoke to members of the campus community on their feelings about starting a fresh semester.
Josephine JeanBaptiste, senior, chemical engineering major
The Quadrangle: How did your summer go?
Josephine Jean-Baptiste: Honestly, I just took a couple of summer classes just to get the ball rolling. This is going to be my last semester, so just making sure that everything is solid.
TQ: What are you looking forward to the most this year?
JB: I mean, I think the pep rallies are always a good time. Or Manhatty’s Day.
TQ: How does it feel to be back on campus?
JB: It’s great. I’m living in Chrysostom Hall, so it’s so close to my classes. It’s a really good spot to be in, and you can see what’s happening on the quad whenever they have events.
TQ: How do you think MU is preparing you for the outside world?
JB: Well, I can only speak for engineering, but we have to learn professional development, where we learn how to do interviews and get ready for the workforce. Also, I recently started taking a class, which is actually like a philosophy and religion class combined, so it helps with getting prepared to think in different mindsets.
Henry Foster, freshman, business major
The Quadrangle: How did your summer go?
Henry Foster: My summer was good. It was mainly just saying goodbye to friends. We went to Mexico for our senior trip, and then me and my
parents moved out here, so I stayed with them until it was time for college.
TQ: What are you looking forward to the most this year?
HF: Probably the club fair. I don’t know anything about the clubs here, so I’d have to find out when I go there, and then I’m probably going to join one. I don’t know which one yet though, I’ll just have to see what I like!
TQ: How does it feel to be on a university campus as a freshman?
HF: I’m in a dorm, and I like my roommates. The freshman dorms are way nicer than I expected. They might even be better than the sophomore dorms, but I like it so far. You have a lot of freedom to do what you want, for instance doing things on your own schedule.
TQ: Would you say it’s a hard transition from living with your parents?
HF: It’s not hard, it’s just different because of the things you have to do. Like, your mom isn’t telling you to clean your room, and all that other stuff moms do. But I think it’s good because you learn how to become more independent.
TQ: How do you think MU is preparing you for the outside world?
HF: I think, from what classes I am taking, there’s a lot of stuff offered that I didn’t learn in high school. There were no business classes in high school, and the classes I take now actually relate to the career I want to go into. And the programs here too, they’re a good gateway into getting employed.
Andrew Bauer, director of performing arts and MU Singers
The Quadrangle: How did your summer go?
Andrew Bauer: My summer was great. I did a lot of writing. I’m a composer, so
I write music. I also spent a lot of time studying musical scores that we are going to be using this semester for our big concert of Lessons and Carols with the Singers and the orchestra.
TQ: What are you looking forward to the most this year?
AB: For me, the most exciting upcoming event would have to be Lessons and Carols. But also, we’ve got so many things that are coming up. On Oct. 17, we’re going to be having an art opening night here, and a big party with music, food and getting together, not only to celebrate the musical performing arts, but the visual arts, because music and visual arts really do go together in a beautiful way.
TQ: How does it feel to be back on campus as a professor?
AB: Well, it’s the beginning of a new year. And it’s always
like a whirlwind of dealing with people’s schedules, and having to modify things, change things and then just letting students know what we’re going to be working on this semester. And the first week is always like dipping your toe in the water, just trying to get the process going again.
TQ: How do you think MU is preparing the students for the outside world?
AB: I mean, we have a terrific alumni network, especially in the area of the business school and the area of engineering. We have a whole mentoring program here, where recently graduated engineers come back and mentor other students, and it happens in all the disciplines as well. So we prepare people very well here, and the stepping stone is sort of made easier by the contact with the alumni and their support, bringing us into the working community.
Henry Foster, a freshman at MU getting food from Kelly Commons. GABRIELLA DICKSON/THE QUADRANGLE
Andrew Bauer, Director of Performing Arts and MU Singers.
WRCM Welcomes New Board for the 20252026 Academic Year
Laili Shahrestani
Features Editor
We Are College Music (WRCM), Manhattan University’s very own student-run radio station, has introduced their new board members for the 2025 - 2026 academic year. Senior Ronan York is the club’s new president, while Sam Wofford is the vice president. In addition, senior Billy Walker was announced as the tech director, senior Barrett Palmieri is now the secretary and senior Lucia Kobayashi has been labeled as treasurer. Lastly, junior Grace Coutu was announced media manager, and junior Sadie Fox has taken over the position of web master.
This year will be York’s first-ever term serving as the president of WRCM. He expressed his utmost admiration for the club to The Quadrangle.
“I just have a lot of passion for WRCM and have a lot of love for it,” York said. “We have lots planned for this year.”
A number of representatives from the new executive board spoke with
The Quadrangle in regards to the overall mission of the club, and what the group is trying to achieve. Palmieri, who is a firsttime member of the WRCM board, expressed not only his enthusiasm for the upcoming year, but also what he believes is the main goal of the club.
“I mean, to me, our club is here as a way to share interests and build ourselves with one another, because that’s why we’re here at college,” Palmieri said. “It’s to help each other along. Our mission statement, you could say, is to just ‘listen and share’.”
WRCM has no shortage of upcoming ideas and events that they are planning to bring into the new year. In previous years, WRCM may have only been labeled as a college radio show, however, several board members spoke about how now, the club will be transitioning into a new era of expansion, where factors other than just radio are going to be incorporated. WRCM has plans to continue collaborating with the Manhattan Media Network, in hopes to continue filming their radio episodes, which allows for more exposure by creating an outlet to be posted on online platforms. In addition, WRCM has future plans to DJ
several more music bashes and events around campus this year.
Wofford spoke about his time on WRCM over the course of the past few years, and about his excitement regarding how the club is transitioning beyond the walls of just radio.
“I’ve been in WRCM since my freshman year,” Wofford said. “It was the first club I joined. I feel like the past four years have been very transformative for the clubit’s kind of grown up with us. It started as simply radio, and it was very independent, but now it has become so much more collaborative ever since we took on our new roles. I just love how it’s become more than just college radio, and it’s like something that we get to share with the whole campus.”
In addition to the expansion of the club through DJ sets and film, York shared how he is excited to announce that they will be bringing back their magazine, which was once a huge aspect of WRCM.
“WRCM used to have this thing called, The Magazine,” York said. “We had our own magazine, which received a really good pull. Recently, we were going through the archives, and so this year as the running president, I decided we should bring it back.”
Several WRCM board members emphasized that at its core, the club is a place where students are able to openly practice their freedom of expression, and use the club as an outlet for creativity. Several board members expressed how they are hoping to see a positive turnout of prospective students at the first meeting because of this very reason. York spoke a bit about the sense of freedom that comes with joining the club, and how it allows for anyone who wants to join to have a space to authentically be themselves.
“I think WRCM is a very good form of freedom of expression,” York said. “There are people who do the show and just play music for the whole entire time, and there are also people who do the show and just talk for the whole entire time. There is so much freedom.”
Palmieri added onto the
idea that WRCM is attempting to be an open space for any student who is interested, and is a space for them to express themselves in whatever way they choose to, whether it be through music or speech. He went on to speak about how the club also pushes students to grow as an individual and embrace who they are.
“All clubs only go as far as the students push them,” Palmieri said. “But WRCM, specifically to me, just felt like a place where there was guidance, direction and I could also be super creative. I could talk to people on my show, play music, have a psychedelic rock show or a funk show. I just love sharing music.”
With all the new ideas that WRCM is currently working on, the new board is looking forward to a year full of hard work and dedication in hopes of making the club grow even further. Walker, who currently also serves as the president of Manhattan Media Network, expressed his passion for not only WRCM, but for keeping up the momentum and drive when it comes to the betterment of the club.
“We are one of the clubs that I really feel like is for having fun,” Walker said. “It’s a nice little escape from your everyday life, in the sense that you literally just sit in the radio booth for an hour, talk about whatever you want and play whatever you want. Recently, we just broke ground by recording our shows, and I’m just really excited to try and do more, with that being my main goal. There really is a lot of momentum at the moment with WRCM, and I’m excited to see how many people join us.”
While WRCM has been around for a while now, Wofford spoke about how previous years will be incomparable to the upcoming year, in the sense that the new board has so many ideas for the campus community.
“Last semester, we held a bash and it was really fun,” Wofford said. “But that was just the beginning. That was the trial run. We were just getting our feet wet. This year, WRCM is going way harder.”
If you are interested in joining WRCM or learning more about the club, follow @ wrcm.rocks on Instagram.
The logo for We Are College Music Radio.
Broadway Show Review: Moulin Rouge!
Flynn Myers Staff Writer
Broadway’s “Moulin Rouge!” has been performing since July 2018 and has grown in popularity since then. Currently starring Christian Douglass as Christian and Ashley Loren as Satine in the tragic love story, some other notable cast members that have performed in headlining roles were comedian Wayne Brady as Harold Zidler and actor/singer Taye Diggs as the Duke of Monroth.
On Aug. 22, I had the pleasure of seeing “Moulin Rouge!” for the second time. The performance was at the well known Al Hirschfeld Theater, which had charming decorations throughout the buildings and a unique theater set up. When walking in, it’s hard not to notice the bright red letters spelling out “Moulin Rouge!” Not only was the name on the stage, but an intricate stage design with a big heart with layers of smaller hearts on the inside and a bar set up to the right. A blue elephant was right above it as well and most iconically, a red windmill to the left of the stage. I was entranced by the set up of the room, and as I found my seat, there were characters slowly sashaying onto the stage in order to grab the audience’s attention.
To start the performance, a group of three dancers suddenly took to the stage. As the spotlight hit performer Christian Douglas as the American poet, Christian, it was signifying his dramatic entrance into the play. Douglas has amazing vocals throughout the whole musical, showing a diversity in his vocal range from high pitched to lower.
As the play progresses (which I will not spoil completely) we are introduced to a number of characters
who help push the story forward, more specifically the “sparkling diamond” or her true name, Satine. Satine, played by Ashley Loren, steps into the role of a dancer at the Moulin Rouge. She’s provided an in-depth character analysis in the play that discusses her rise to popularity in the club and her start as a street performer, aspiring to always be something more and most importantly survive.
The chemistry created between Satine and Christian is unmatched, as Christian’s romanticism clashes with Satine’s dream to be seen as herself. I found that their strong stage presence amongst one another was felt throughout the crowd and I remained at the edge of my seat, eager for whatever was to come.
While the story unfolded, I enjoyed the creative dance numbers and knew most of the music which enhanced the musical completely. The audience interacted with the stage and characters as if we were all a part of the show and the music was a big highlight of the performance, with each song fitting cohesively with the story being told about all the characters.
My favorite part about the musical was the background changes and the costumes. The background and props went from the gray streets of Paris to the colorful inside of the Moulin Rouge. Reds, golds and purples lit up the stage which really grabbed my attention. The set was a key component in the musical and I was looking forward to seeing every single background change.
Another major component of the musical were the costumes. The first costume that really grabbed my attention was the sparkling diamond as Satine slowly came down held by a swing in a bedazzled, sparkling dress. From that point on, I was immediately hooked to the costume designs as dramatic upper class dresses, sparkling
A picture of the mural in progress. FLYNN MYERS / THE QUADRANGLE
corsets and suits with skirts filled the stage. There wasn’t any part of the play that was really lacking in my opinion. Coming from a person who loves musicals, I can confidently say that “Moulin Rouge!” is one
of my favorites. The detailed backgrounds, strong vocals, precise dance routines, catchy music and finally, the story created a joyful atmosphere that connected to the audience.
I think that many people should
go see this play, as it creates a different experience for all who see it.
Jasper Dancers Revamp Audition Process
Leyla J. Mercado and Barbara Vasquez Arts & Entertainment Editor, Production / Web Editor
Manhattan University’s Jasper Dancers are finding a new rhythm through the introduction of a revamped recruitment process for prospective team members. With previous years relying solely on a traditional audition process, the team has now turned to a common application and northeast recruitment events to find new team members.
With collegiate-level dance gaining an ever-growing number of followers, MU’s dance team hopes that these new tactics make the team bigger and stronger.
Madeline Donohue, head coach of the dance team, is also an MU alumna who was a Jasper Dancer for five years.
Currently in her second year of coaching the team, Donohue told The Quadrangle what prompted the reinvention of the recruitment process.
“Coming into last year, we had lost a large graduating class and in addition to that, there were some members who decided to not return to the team,” Donahue said. “Going into last season, we didn’t realize what a small number of dancers we had, but we were hopeful going into tryouts.”
In the past, the Jasper Dancers felt discouraged from recruiting, which affected the team’s numbers. Additionally, the dancers are recognized by the school as a club rather than part of athletics, despite competing at a D1 level, which has affected their funding.
“We were kind of always told no, when we were asked, which as the sport continues to grow, definitely hindered our ability to get some dancers,” Donahue said. “We dance at
The Jasper Dance team at NDA nationals, 2025. @MANHATTANDANCETEAM / INSTAGRAM
such a high competitive level, there’s not a large number of people, except for maybe one or two by the luck of the draw, that are already enrolled in Manhattan and able to dance at the level we need them to unless we seek them out.”
With their new style of recruitment, the Jasper Dancers hope to gain strong technical and skill-based members who can surpass their legacy as a top-performing group. Emily Babio, a childhood education major and Jasper Dancer of three years, hopes that future generations of dancers bring a new energy to the team.
“I’m really excited to see how these new recruits change the Jasper Dancer name and title,” Babio said. “Maybe one day, these recruits will finally bring us home another national
title, maybe they’ll change athletics’ mind and we’ll be considered a sport or get some sort of recognition by athletics, who knows. I think as far as the team right now, it’s really exciting to think about recruits and to have that in the back of our mind in the next couple of years, and how they’re gonna change our team dynamic.”
As for the coaches, they’re looking for recruits who already have their footing in the sport, and who are excited to work to better themselves and the team.
No matter what the future holds for the Jasper Dancers, they’ll have a strong system of support from current and previous members alike.
“I can’t wait to be a proud alumni watching all of them do this, because at the end of the day, I’m always going to be a Jasper Dancer,” Babio said. “It’s always going to be a part of me. Watching them take this team and succeed with it is going to be so worthwhile.”
The Jasper Dancers will be holding in-person tryouts at Draddy Gymnasium on Sept. 6 as well as college prep clinics on Oct. 26 and Nov. 15.
“We are looking for technically-trained, well-versed dancers who aren’t afraid of challenges,” Brylee Watkins, assistant coach of the team, said. “Beyond skills, we look for people who truly love dance and are willing to put in the work it takes to be a top team. Traits like hard-work, dedication and determination are standout in our minds.”
Games of the Week
Andrew Mannion Sports Editor
Men’s Soccer
Manhattan University
Men’s soccer was back at Gaelic Park in style on Tuesday, as they delivered a 6–0 thrashing against New Jersey City University powered by the three first-half goals of Martin Rodriguez. The win moves the Jaspers to 1–1 and marks the program’s first hat trick since 2023 and the first at Gaelic Park since 2008.
The Jaspers set a tone just three minutes into the game. The two played in unison, won the ball and forced Rodriguez to finish a great play – which was the first goal of the game – with power and precision. The interruption by offside led to the same trio going again a few minutes later but this time leading to a different scorer. Hamilton’s ball and AsplinRowley’s pass allowed Martin to get his second goal and make it 2–0.
Manhattan did not loosen its grip on the ball towards
the end of the first half when sophomore midfielder William Fagerberg delivered a free kick that Gregory Sprenkel headed home for his first goal in for the Jaspers. Soon after, Fagerberg was fouled in the penalty area; Hamilton took the spot kick and with a little feint and quick shot, he scored the fourth goal, and the home side went into the half up by 4–0.
The assault went on after the break. In a 34-second blitz, Rodriguez got his third goal but then laid the ball off for Thiago da Silva, whose shot was the last and the final highlight of the game, showing Manhattan’s quickness and decisiveness in counter-attack.
Rodriguez was good for four shots on target and an assist for his 63 minutes of play, leading him to enter the Jasper hall of fame by his name. Hamilton played 72 minutes, and his goal combined with two assists, making him the attacking spark from the midfield. Fagerberg came off the bench and played 36 minutes; he shot four times and also provided an assist for the Jaspers.
Women’s Soccer
Manhattan University
Women’s soccer drew 1–1 at Wagner to move to 1–1–3.
The Jaspers started fast as Kaylee Stowell and Amaya Hill generated three early looks. Hill broke through in the 29th
minute for her first goal of 2025.
Jaspers goalkeeper Julianna Mosca preserved the lead, but the Seahawks’ Izzy Gomez equalized 90 seconds after restart. Manhattan finished with 15 shots—their most since Aug. 19—while Hill rattled the post in the 75th. Mosca made three saves, tying her season high, senior Nevaeh D’Aloia logged her first two shots of 2025 and Hill posted highs with seven shots, five of which were on goal.
Women’s Volleyball
Manhattan University
Women’s volleyball won one game and lost another at the Johnson Center in New Mexico. Manhattan lost the first game to the Lobos in three straight sets (10–25, 21–25, 16–25) but was able to fight back and win the second match comfortably against Houston-Christian University (25–22, 29–27, 25–19).
The Jaspers were very united in the game against HCU. On the opening serve of the game, senior setter Sarah Emmons also managed to get the team’s only ace. Helenn Montilla and Hanna Kaczynska contributed with a few points while Katie Powers hit
a cross-court kill. The Jaspers finished the game with six blocks and 24 kills on 86 swings, while Emmons distributed 20 assists.
The game against HoustonChristian University proved to be a start over, and the Jaspers reset very quickly. Montilla’s first ace set the tone, Kaczynska added another and the serve pressure of Manhattan kept the two teams trading sideouts. The Jaspers, down 15–13 in the second set, made a 7–4 run of which the last point was an Emilia Kuzniar kill and they then decided the tiebreaker on a Teresa Garza ace. Two four-point runs opened up the third set considerably and Emma Francesconi terminated the match at the point of the winning run. Kuzniar created 39 assists, while Kaczynska and Fiona VanDyke were responsible for 27 of the 43 kills of Manhattan combined. The Jaspers dominated the service line 7–1 in aces and hit .326 in the second set. Abby Morreale was the pillar on the net for the Jaspers with nine blocks across both matches.