MUHostsSecondOpenHousefor ProspectiveStudents
StudentsandfamiliescametocampusonSaturdaytotaketours,browseclubsand more.
StudentMariaBudelman PresentsResearchat
ACSMConference,Awaits InternationalJournalofExercise SciencePublication
Zendrah Bonnick Staff Writer
On Nov. 8, Maria Budelman, a Manhattan University senior and kinesiology major, presented her research project, “Mind Over Injury: Exploring Mental Imagery as a Game Changer in Athletic Rehabilitation”, at the American College of Sports Medicine’s [ACSM] Greater New York Regional Chapters Fall Conference. The conference took place at NYU Langone Health with Budelman being listed under
the undergraduate original research category. Budelman spoke with The Quadrangle about her research, along with the future publication of her research abstract in the International Journal of Exercise Science [IJES].
Budelman researched the effect of mental imagery on the rehabilitation process for four months, after which she wrote an essay on her research. From there, she presented her work in October at the ACSM conference alongside her research faculty supervisor, Jeff Cherubini, Ph.D., MU professor of kinesiology and
health. Budelman received funding for her research from the Fenton Summer Scholarship program.
“My research was on mental imagery and injury rehabilitation in athletes,” Budelman said. “I looked at how mental imagery can help athletes in their rehab process, cognitively, motivationally, with pain management and with feeling. I looked at those four different factors, and I surveyed 133 athletes from Manhattan University, and from other surrounding
MUBiology Students WinContest at MACUB Annual Conference
Joshua Reichard Staff Writer
Eleven Manhattan University students traveled to Molloy University to attend the 58th annual Metropolitan Association of College and University Biologists (MACUB) conference on Oct. 25. A handful of biology students were recognized and awarded at the event, including two MU students who placed highly in the developmental biology and genetics poster contest. Nicholas Melendez tied for first place and Eloiza Sanchez earned third place.
MACUB is a nonprofit organization of college and university biologists in the tristate area. The organization’s purpose is, “to stimulate dialogue among college and university biologists, provide members with a forum to present the results of their scientific and educational research, and to resolve transfer, and articulation problems between two and four year colleges,” according to the website for this year’s conference.
Along with various panels and presentations from scientists, students who attend have the opportunity to submit posters of their scientific
findings to be judged.
Nicholas Melendez, a junior biology major, spoke with The Quadrangle about the conference and his winning project which focused on the genetic research he did as a biology summer research scholar.
“We utilized RNAi knockdown to underexpress specific genes that were a part of the ABCA transporter family, that work to moderate the efflux of cholesterol out of the cell,” Melendez said. “When knocking those [RNAi] down, we hypothesized that we would see an increase in brain size and neuron density as well as overall concentration of cholesterol.”
Melendez was nervous about the conference and his presentation at first, as this was his first time attending, but soon realized that since the judges have scientific backgrounds, he could speak with them scientifically and they would understand.
“I was a little bit stressed at first, but with repeating the presentation over and over again, you really get to know it at some point,” Melendez said. “Presenting it to judges with a scientific background, it was definitely a lot easier… They usually say you have to limit your use of scientific
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Ultimate Frisbee Team Looks to Spring pg. 11
Volume CXII, Issue 12 NOVEMBER 18, 2025
The Editorial Board
Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief
Emmanouel Sofillas
Managing Editor
Laili Shahrestani Features Editor
Leyla Mercado
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Barbara Vasquez
Maizy Swift
Production Editors
Amy Forster
Asst. Production Editor
Mary Haley
Marketing Chair
Brooke Della Rocco News Editor
Mary Haley Asst. Features Editor
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. All are welcome to come and join the club.
Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mu_quad
LETTER from the EDITOR
Dear Readers,
Hello, and welcome to Issue 12!
First and foremost, I want to thank you all for the love and support you showed us on The Budget Issue. Hearing how much our students enjoyed seeing their own names and interviews in print, as well as the organizations they run and care about covered, was truly special. The messages I’ve received personally regarding this last special issue have meant the world to me, and I truly couldn’t be more grateful for the love we’ve received from the campus community.
Over the weekend, the university hosted its second Open House of the academic year, which served as a wonderful chance to meet prospective students and their families and tell them all about the wonderful tradition of journalism we have on this campus. Events with prospective and incoming students are always some of my favorites to represent The Quadrangle at – it’s so rewarding to see these students get to talk about the things they’re excited for and passionate about.
In Quad news, today we hold our Editor-in-Chief elections for the leaders of our 2026 masthead. Stay tuned for Issue 13, publishing on Dec. 2, for our official announcement and my farewell.
In Issue 12, we have a lot of coverage our staff is eager to share. In news, we cover MU biology students winning a contest at MACUB, student Maria Budelman presenting her research at ACSM and a Manhattan Caucus overviewing the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. In features, we cover a Knights of Columbus event, Save the World Club and a new drive for Friendly Fridge following SNAP benefit cuts and an expensive holiday season. In A&E, we cover MEXSA’s cumbia night as well as a Jasper Jams that aims to “Bring Back Yearning”. Lastly, in sports, we cover a club appreciation contest at women’s basketball and ultimate frisbee as they head into their spring season. We hope you’ll check it all out!
Until next time,
Grace Cardinal
Editor-in-Chief
MUBiologyStudentsWinContestat MACUBAnnualConference
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
vocabulary, but with [the judges] it was very easy to just say to them what I was actually doing.”
Caitlin O’Brien, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at MU who worked with Melendez on the project, further explained the research he was focused on during the summer research program.
“We’ve been screening through genes that regulate cholesterol levels,” O’Brien said. “We’ve been turning down their expression in the brains of flies and seeing how that affects brain development.
Normally those genes help remove cholesterol from a cell, so when we turn down their expression, they can’t perform that same function. We were expecting to see a buildup of cholesterol in the brain, which is what [Melendez] was able to show.”
O’Brien was also given the opportunity to speak on a panel
which focused on career paths in the biology field.
“There were five of us up on stage and we all gave a little window into how we started off in science and how we got to where we are now,” O’Brien said. “Then we had an opportunity for students to ask questions. It was a slightly larger audience, but it’s a story that I share with students in our science seminar course, like ‘how did I get started? How did I end up here?’”
Eloiza Sanchez, another junior biology major, also spoke about her project and the opportunity she had to participate in a collection study in Peru. This informed her poster design focusing on the effect of hybridization on the evolutionary characteristics of ribosomal DNA using a specific plant genus.
“I did [research] with Dr. Antoine Nicholas,” Sanchez said. “He’s the head of the biology department and he studies phylogenetics and genetics… luckily, I was given the opportunity to do a
collection study in Peru, so that was part of my research. I had no idea I was doing this, when I asked him to be my mentor I was just like ‘hey, do you have any research studies open?’ and then he gave it to me and I was very interested in it.”
Sanchez was also a little nervous about the conference, but felt prepared to present her poster to the judges at MACUB largely because of her preparation on campus. She was even able to present her findings on campus before
attending the event.
“I felt pretty prepared, just because we talked about [our research] so much on campus,” Sanchez said. “I was a little nervous, but it went really well… [the judges] were all so nice.”
University Biologists conference.
StudentMariaBudelmanPresentsResearch atACSMConference,AwaitsInternational
JournalofExerciseSciencePublication
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
universities, and I had them answer our questionnaire through Google, which looked at whether or not they had been pushed or suggested by therapists, PTs, family members and coaches to use mental imagery in their rehab process.”
Budelman’s research showed a possible oversight in rehabilitation as it pertains to mental imagery.
“My findings had a lot to do with whether or not they had been prompted to use imagery,” Budelman said. “I found that less than half of the students had ever been prompted, [and] 46 percent were prompted to never use mental imagery in their rehab process. It shocked me, but it also didn’t because I think that this is a tool that is very underutilized.”
Cherubini became interested in supervising Budelman’s research after
he began to recognize her interest in the rehabilitation process.
“I started helping Maria, she was very motivated to look at the topic via a course, Kinesiology 303/Psychology 330, which is sports psychology,” Cherubini said. “She was in that course with me last fall, and as part of the course, the students do a literature review paper, and she looked at imagery and via the work that she did on the paper and our discussions, I recognize that she was motivated and very interested in the topic…really just her interest and motivation is really what drew me to working with her.”
Christie Gonzalez-Toro, Ph.D, associate professor of physical education in the kinesiology department, made a statement on the research conducted by Budelman, while Budelman was also serving as vice president of the Phi Epsilon Kappa honor society.
“Beyond her roles as a student and researcher… She brings innovative ideas and
strong leadership,” GonzalezToro wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Maria’s research provides a holistic approach to the athletes’ rehabilitation process.”
During Budelman’s research, Cherubini was helpful given his past experience in research.
“I did publish a full paper, actually earlier, with a student [Zach Olivan]...and we researched dates looking at mental toughness for Division I women’s basketball,” Cherubini said. “And so to be in that project, I learned more about the journal. I learned more about the process of helping Maria submit an abstract for that journal and for this presentation…one of the goals with Maria would be to get, not just the abstract published, but also the full paper published.”
During the research process, Budelman faced unique roadblocks that she had to work through. After posting her research link on LinkedIn, hundreds of bot accounts filled out her survey, making her data invalid.
“Thank God I had Dr. Cherubini, who was an amazing professor, amazing advisor, to work with,” Budelman said. “He really helped me fish through all of the accounts that were not valid, and we were able to take out all the valid data and throw out the invalid data and invalid participants.”
In the future, Budelman’s abstract will be published in the International Journal of Exercise Science. Additionally, Budelman hopes to further expand upon this research.
Cherubini will also be presenting his research at the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, alongside Budelman, who will present some of her research on rehabilitation. Cherubini’s research, based on a holistic approach to treatment in the rehabilitation process, aligns with Budelman’s research on mental imagery in rehabilitation.
Budelman further elaborated on her goals for the impact of her research.
“My research really broadened my knowledge of how the brain influences healing,” Budelman said. “And with this, I have a very simple goal, which is to not just help patients in the future to heal, but to help them reconnect with themselves and their lives. And that’s what I want to use this research [for] and this mental imagery tool to do in my career.”
MU Students take part in the 58th annual Metropolitan Association of College and
@MANHATTANUNIVERSITY/LINKEDIN
ManhattanCaucus:Longest GovernmentShutdownin U.S.HistoryImpactsVeterans andFamiliesNationwide
The government shutdown is officially over. The shutdown that began on Oct. 1 concluded on Nov. 13, clocking in as the longest-ever shutdown in U.S. history. Capital Hill was shut down for 43 total days, negatively affecting millions of Americans nationwide.
During a government shutdown, federal employees generally fall into three categories. The first is those who have salaries financed through means other than annual appropriations, meaning they continue to work and be paid. The second is those who are furloughed, experiencing a temporary, unpaid leave of absence from work. The third is those who continue to work without pay, also known as “excepted” employees.
During this shutdown, there were 58,000 employees who had been furloughed, 25,000 working without pay and 14,000 who worked with pay. In New York state alone, there were 51,716 federal employees who had not received a paycheck in over a month.
Amid a shutdown, the government still holds limited spending flexibility by prioritizing funding for programs that the president
deemed essential for public safety or national security. Agencies may reallocate available funds to maintain operations, and in preparation for the government shutdown, these agencies published contingency plans in which they laid out presidential priorities.
On Nov. 12, the House of Representatives approved a bill funding the government through Jan. 30, 2026, with six Democrats joining their Republican colleagues to vote in favor of the bill, bringing the final vote to 222 to 209.
President Donald Trump signed the bill Wednesday night, enforcing federal workers to return to work on Thursday.
The bill includes measures to reverse layoffs the Trump administration imposed during the shutdown and institutes protections against further layoffs and backpay for federal employees. The issue of extension on Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire at the end of the year was not addressed in the bill.
Republicans agreed to give Democrats a chance to vote on a plan of their choosing in December in order to extend the increased subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of that month. However, within this package also lives funds for the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP Program) which 42 million individuals rely on.
“The Democrat Shutdown is finally over thanks to House and Senate Republicans. There is absolutely no question now that Democrats are responsible for millions of American families going hungry, millions of travelers left stranded in airports and our troops left wondering if they would receive their next paycheck,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a joint statement following the passing of the bill.
The six Democrats who
voted in support of the bill include Jared Golden of Maine, Adam Gray of California, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Tom Suozzi of New York and Don Davis of North Carolina.
The timing as to when employees will receive their back pay varies, depending on what payroll provider their agency uses and differing pay schedules across the federal workforce. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released a statement on Wednesday saying in it that they
are, “committed to ensuring that retroactive pay is provided as soon as possible.”
Employees from the General Services Administration and OPM are set to be among the first to receive their retroactive paychecks, expected to deposit by Nov. 15. Following them include the departments of Veterans Affairs, Energy, and Health and Human Services, as well as civilian employees from the Defense Department, who will receive their deposits on Nov. 16.
Elaina Batista
Asst. Social Media Editor
Photo of U.S. Capitol Building.
MU Knights of Columbus Host Pro-Life Webinar Screening, Sparking Further Conversation
Maddie Rosado Staff Writer
On Nov. 5, Manhattan University’s chapter of the Knights of Columbus hosted a webinar viewing of American Catholic apologist Trent Horn, who presented pro-life arguments and addressed what he described as flaws in prochoice reasoning. The event aimed to engage students in a structured discussion on abortion from a Catholic perspective.
The Knights of Columbus at MU is an active chapter of the international Catholic fraternal organization, emphasizing faith, charity, unity and fraternity. While already involved in the campus community, the fall 2025 semester marks the official establishment of the Knights as an officially recognized organization on campus.
Patrick Alfareno, a sophomore mechanical engineering major and Grand Knight, spoke with The Quadrangle about the Knights’ mission on campus and how their values align with the perspectives shared during the webinar.
“One of the missions we have as a college council is to help reach out to students and try to create a culture of life,” Alfareno said. “We figured this could be a good start, just having a webinar.”
Alfareno explained how he felt the webinar was just one step in fulfilling the council’s broader mission – to strengthen Catholic values on campus and guide students closer to God.
“We want to bring a stronger Catholic culture onto the campus,” Alfareno said. “We’re hoping we can bring them closer to the truth and closer to God by creating this culture of holiness.”
Alfareno added that the webinar also served an educational purpose, providing more context on pro-life arguments.
“I’m very familiar with a lot of arguments… 90% of what he [Horn] says, I agree,” Alfareno said. “It was for other people who may not know the whole context of abortion and all the types of arguments on abortion.”
The webinar provided an opportunity to hear Horn directly as he explained the reasoning behind his prolife position. He discussed philosophical frameworks that conflict with the pro-life argument, highlighting his disagreements with various utilitarian philosophers, including Peter Singer.
Singer’s work in applied ethics evaluates actions primarily by their consequences from a secular standpoint, which Horn contrasted with his own moral and religious framework that, in his view, upholds the inherent value of human life.
“The solution, however, is not to accept the pro-life view that the fetus is a human being with the same moral status as yours or mine,” Horn said, quoting Singer. “The solution is the very opposite, to abandon the idea that all human life is of equal worth.”
Horn uses Singer’s claims to portray what he views as the extreme implications of the pro-choice philosophical position. He argues that by denying a fetus the status of life through abortion, this position implicitly suggests that some human lives are more valuable than others.
Horn further contended that if one accepts that all human life should be considered equal, then logically that principle would extend to supporting the right to lifesustaining measures, such as end-of-life support.
“A human fetus is a person with a right to life, but not a right to life support,” Horn said. “That doesn’t make any sense, because if they have a right to life, that must mean they have the right to at least the one thing they need to live, which would be the ability to live in the womb.”
Later in his discussion, Horn returned to the utilitarian framework, despite previously disputing its principles. He noted that from his own religious standpoint, God provides humans with freedom, but with that freedom come responsibilities and consequences that must be carefully navigated.
“God gives us freedom, but there are consequences, and we have the responsibility to protect people from acts of violence, including unborn people,” Horn said.
With the Knights’ values aligning with Horn’s arguments, discussions at MU have sparked differing opinions and concerns. These concerns are not new. Prior to the official establishment of the Knights on campus, alumna Rose Brennan ‘20, wrote an OpEd in The Quadrangle in 2019 arguing that the Knights of Columbus’ mission does not fully align with MU’s Lasallian values.
“One of the core principles of Lasallian ethics is ‘respect for all persons’,” Brennan wrote. “The Knights might argue they are supporting the unborn fetus through their efforts, but in my opinion, they must also respect the woman, including her decision to terminate her pregnancy if she decides she is not ready to be a parent.
Trying to commandeer such a life-changing decision because it does not bode well with one’s religious beliefs shows blatant disrespect toward the woman and her right to choose.”
Brennan’s claim emphasizes the conflict between Lasallian values and the Knights’ approach.
As she suggests, attempting to control such deeply personal decisions not only disrespects women’s autonomy but also risks turning faith into an additional source of pressure rather than support.
“Reproductive rights for women in America are already consistently threatened by the government,” Brennan wrote.
“This strain should not be coming from faith as well. In fact, I might argue that a woman who has had an abortion might need her faith more than ever in the immediate aftermath.”
To better understand Brennan’s argument, The Quadrangle reached out to Brother Robert Berger, professor of religious studies, to clarify how MU’s Lasallian values intersect with the discussion of the Knights. He noted that the Knights of Columbus are recognized as a part of the Catholic Church, a distinction that underscores their alignment with broader Catholic teachings.
“The Knights of Columbus are recognized as a part of the Catholic Church, and their
views are consistent with Catholicism,” Berger said.
However, the perspectives of the Knights may not always reflect the full range of Lasallian values actively preached at Manhattan University.
“I teach contemporary Catholicism, and we cover a whole range of topics… Some things that the Knights of Columbus would agree with, and probably some things that they wouldn’t agree with,” Berger said.
As a broad theological tradition, Catholicism allows for varied interpretations, including differing views on when life begins, a key factor in debates over the ethics of abortion.
“In contemporary Catholicism, we talk about the fact that the Catholic Church says life begins the moment of conception, whereas in Judaism, they say it’s after the sixth day of conception… So, again, that’s an arbitrary story,” Berger said.
Berger noted that, given the diversity of perspectives on a college campus, engaging respectfully with differing beliefs is fundamental to the Lasallian commitment to openness and dialogue.
“I think discussions are key, and I don’t think they should be limited to anything,” Berger said.
MU’s chapter of the Knights of Columbus pictured while viewing Trent Horn’s webinar on pro-life arguments. MADDIE ROSADO / THE QUADRANGLE
ManhattanUniversity’sSave TheirtheWorldClubSpeaksto MissionandFocuson ExistentialRisk
Laili Shahrestani Features Editor
Manhattan University’s Save the World Club (STWC) aims to provide individuals with existential risk education in hopes that it will create not only a more informed society, but also help in keeping humanity safe and alive regardless of what threats emerge. In addition to existential risk education, the club serves as an open environment for students to discuss issues regarding the future of the world, and speak about what changes should be implemented.
Existential risks may range across different levels of threats, with some being more intense than others. Regardless, they are known to be some of these most harsh
dangers to the existence of the human race. Roman Einhorn, a junior psychology major, spoke about what defines something to be labeled as an existential risk, and what a few modernday examples are.
“Existential risk is basically any sort of crisis or danger that affects all of humanity,” Einhorn said. “So it’s not really region specific or politics specific.
A good example would be a pandemic, climate change, AI, nuclearization and democratic backsliding. These are things that you see all around the world that are threats to everyone’s immediate quality of life or survival.”
The STWC is a relatively new club on campus, as it was created during the fall 2024 semester with the help of Jay Friedenberg, Ph.D., professor of psychology and the faculty advisor for the club. Friedenberg mentioned how
he worked alongside a few of his students to bring the club to life.
“I taught a course about dictators and disinformation in the fall of 2024, and I picked some of my very good students who were interested in it to help collectively create the club,” Friedenberg said.
When asked about what specifically inspired Friedenberg’s passion regarding existential risk education, he referred back to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global tragedy that followed. Friedenberg spoke to The Quadrangle about why this era in particular catalyzed him to feel so passionately about this issue, and the overall importance of protecting human civilization.
“I think it all started during COVID,” Friedenberg said. “I was living in Manhattan, seeing everything going on, and it
was just really bad. I mean, hundreds of people were dying a day. I felt like the world was totally unprepared to deal with emergency situations like that and so it sparked my interest … What could be more important than the continued existence of human civilization?”
One of Friedenberg’s students, McKenna Baker, a sophomore psychology major, now serves as the president of the STWC. Baker spoke about her experience in starting the club alongside Friedenberg, and why she feels the club’s mission is important.
“I feel like what drew me to start this whole thing with Professor Friedenberg was just being in his ‘Intro to Psych’ class, which was more based on topics such as existential risk,” Baker said. “I think learning more about the risk, which I never really realized in depth, made me want to push for other people to be educated about it, because the more educated someone is, the more willing they are to make a change at a younger age.”
Friedenberg emphasized Baker’s point regarding the importance of actively working toward making a change and getting involved early on.
“Get involved,” Friedenberg said. “Students should get involved so that they don’t just sit by passively while these horrible things are happening. Get involved in whatever way possible. Community service, politics or any organizations you can get involved with.”
While the SWTC is planning to carry out a number of events in the near future, they have already held a “Cards of Utopia” event out on the quad, where students were able to write down a positive vision of their hopes for a better world on a small card. Coryanne Mulvey, a senior psychology major and the secretary as well as the lead creative director of the STWC, touched on some of the student responses given during the event.
“We had recently just done an event where we collected data from students on campus to see what they thought were
the most pressing issues,” Mulvey said. “I know that happiness was a big one. Also climate change, sustainability and inequalities came up, which I think are our big three that we are focusing on.”
In addition to upcoming events, the SWTC has big plans for the spring semester. A new chapter of the SWTC called, “Bridge USA” is in the works, and will operate as a space to both debate and discuss how politics are integrated into existential risk. Jennalyn Canevari, a sophomore political science and criminology double major, as well as the vice president of the STWC, spoke about how Bridge USA will serve as an open and nonjudgemental environment for political discourse.
“Bridge USA has a mission to bridge political gaps on college campuses,” Canevari said. “We talk about how politics intertwine into existential risk based on policies that are made throughout Congress that touch on climate change, economics and things like that. Ideally, this would be a space where we host debates and discussions on policies that are happening in our politics, and students of all views can come have honest discussions.”
While the STWC has many aspirations for their club as it is still fairly new, Friedenberg repeatedly emphasized its overall mission of spreading awareness on existential risk threats and coming up with solutions to combat these dangers prevalent in our society today.
“There’s so many things going on now and the signs are not good – I mean just look at the news,” Friedenberg said. “That’s what motivated me to get students involved and to just create a forum where we could get people to be aware of these things. It’s not to scare people, because I get how it can be scary, but it’s to really think about solutions and how to solve these problems.”
McKenna Baker, president of STWC, pictured speaking to students at a club event on the quad.
FriendlyFridgeSeesIncreased NeedFollowingSNAPBenefit Cuts,HolidaySeason
Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief
With the longest shutdown in government history causing a lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for those around the world and locally in New York City, Manhattan University’s Campus Ministry and Social Action (CMSA) paired with the Friendly Fridge BX to host a holiday food drive for those in need within the community.
SNAP benefits, also referred to as food stamps, lapsed for many on Nov. 1, 32 days into the shutdown. Despite the government reopening on Nov. 12, benefits that lapsed are still being processed in the system and returning to accounts nationwide. In New York, the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance filled SNAP benefits despite the shutdown over the weekend, after an order made by Gov. Kathy Hochul. While this allowed some relief for New Yorkers, the need in the city is still great following weeks without the benefits and the holidays just around the corner.
Fr. Edward Beck C.P, codirector of the CMSA, spoke to The Quadrangle about the inspiration behind the drive in light of the lapsed benefits.
“With the budget cuts [for SNAP], we realized that there’s a lot of food scarcity and food challenged people right now, and we know that students want to be able to give back in some way, and not only students, but faculty and staff [too],” Beck said. “Some faculty and staff have brought their families here with food as a way of connecting to it. We thought, with the relationship we have with Friendly Fridge, which has been ongoing, and the great work that they do in feeding the food challenged people in the area, that if we did the food drive at this time, especially before Thanksgiving, there’s even more of a need. They’re getting like, 200 people lining up for food on the food line… So really, the impetus was simply that we realized there’s a dearth right now and a need.”
The Quadrangle also spoke to Sara Allen, co-founder of
Friendly Fridge BX, to further discuss how the cut of SNAP benefits has affected the need she’s seen at the community pantry in recent weeks.
“I am 100% relieved that SNAP is reinstated,” Allen said. “What’s very upsetting is that SNAP was, from what I observed, treated as a pawn in a game that our government is playing with each other, on a political level, with very little thought to the people that are affected – the families, the children, the senior citizens, moms and dads, anyone… It’s upsetting that it was even a possibility.”
In 2024, SNAP accounted for approximately $100 billion or 1.5% of the total federal budget. Allen expressed her concern that when it came time for cuts, this program accounting for less than 2% of the national budget was axed. From what she’s seen, Allen isn’t entirely trusting that SNAP will be reinstated immediately for families who are in need.
“I’ll believe it when I see it, because from what I understand, there’s been some washing back-and-forth about who is actually fulfilling this program for the recipients,” Allen said. “It’s infuriating that the state had to come in and make it happen while being threatened by the federal government administration with repercussions…we are beyond thankful that people stepped up on a community level, and I just hope that that keeps happening, because people who receive SNAP are barely making it.”
For the drive on campus, CMSA has placed bins in Kelly Commons, Hayden Hall, in the dorms and even outside of their own door. Reverend Andie Raynor spoke about how having the bins in public places around campus pushes the issue of food insufficiency to the forefront of students’ minds.
“The message for our campus community is that food insufficiency isn’t a problem that is far away from us,” Raynor said. “It’s not in some other remote part of the country, people are suffering right here in our community. So it’s very direct that people know that the goods that they’re bringing and putting in these bins, they could participate with us to bring them down to Friendly Fridge and to see the line of people
who are not necessarily the unhoused that you might see in a New York City street, [but] their grandparents and families and people with children who are really suffering, especially with the SNAP benefits being cut.”
Fr. Robert Joerger, the other co-director of the CMSA with Beck, explained that he feels students are invested in the issue of hunger because they know of families in the campus community who are struggling, or may even be experiencing it themselves.
“Everybody knows somebody that’s been touched by this,” Joerger said. “It’s easy to objectify the poor, [to say] “They’re a problem. They’re on the streets.” But when everybody knows somebody that’s hungry, then it becomes a kind of universal thing. And I just think with these SNAP cuts, and how a society can be so comfortable with cruelty…I think in every political [climate], hunger is a common denominator, like sickness. It’s not Republican or Democrat. People see the injustice of this and I think they’re touched by it.”
In addition to SNAP cuts, Allen explained that the holiday season already has families and individuals who may be struggling on tighter budgets than they’re used to.
“During the holiday season, budgets that are already straining get strained even more as parents, grandparents, whoever, want to be able to celebrate these holidays just like the next person, and they’re already struggling to achieve a healthy diet, a healthy grocery list and if you are a person that has children, of course, you want to get your children gifts that they’re excited about, and you should not have to shop in the sale section because your groceries cost too much,” Allen said. “So we definitely see an uptick in people visiting to try to supplement the groceries…if people come here and they pick up a few of these vegetables, tomatoes, blackberries, plantain, broccoli, cucumbers – that is reasonably anywhere from $35–$50 in vegetables that they would pick up at Stop and Shop, Aldis, Trader Joes or wherever, they can take that $50 and put it towards the medical bill, or getting the inspection passed on their car, or get a tank of gas – it helps.”
Allen also shared with The Quadrangle some of the stories she’s heard in recent weeks from families the organization has been able to help.
“We just had a woman come here today. She’s 67 years old. I’m not clear on the exact circumstances, but her benefits got cut,” Allen said. “She has a son that has special needs who lives with her, and she didn’t know what to do, so we loaded her up with a prepared meal, because that’s what we had. We gave her the whole schedule of when to come. Tuesdays are vegetables and fruit, Thursdays are bread and Friday, we get a lot of extra prepared meals from the nearby schools. Riverdale Country, every Friday, brings us at least 20 to 25 big trays of prepared meals from the week past from the cafeteria…You get a lot of mothers who their budget just doesn’t make it, and they can’t get benefits, because if they make just a certain amount too much, they have to not work.”
As for why students should consider donating to the cause, Raynor says it can make them feel like they’re actively contributing to community change.
“There are so many problems in the world right now,” Raynor said. “I feel like
the generation that’s coming through now is so heavily laden with issues, whether it’s war in Ukraine or in Gaza, or it’s the idea of nuclear weapons being tested again, or it’s the destruction of our environment here. There are so many heavy issues that you start to feel a sense of despair that ‘I can’t do anything about it. What can I do to make one drop in a bucket to make a change?’ And this is one thing that you could do, you can pick up that extra can of beans and put it in the bin…so I think that’s hopefully what the students are feeling in this world, which is so troubled. ‘I can’t do everything, but I can do one thing, and this is one thing that I can do’.”
Looking to the future, the CMSA and Friendly Fridge BX are working together to try to develop a relationship with Gourmet Dining on campus, in addition to the donations they already receive from Zaro’s Bakery. Friendly Fridge also has plans to host a 5k fundraiser for the weekend following the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 30, to help support their entirely volunteer-based mission through another year.
The Friendly Fridge helps those in the community by handing out everything from prepared meals to fresh produce for free. GRACE CARDINAL/ THE QUADRANGLE
arts & entertainment
MEXSA’s Cumbia Night Brings Students Together
Emmanouel Sofillas Managing Editor
At a recent campus cumbia lesson hosted by Manhattan University’s Mexican Student Association (MEXSA), students said the dance’s smooth and communal vibe were part of what made the event inviting from the start.
The Quadrangle sat down with the organizers of the event, who said that they decided on cumbia as the dance style for the evening as it is inherently approachable, even for firsttimers.
“Cumbia feels approachable because of its rhythm and atmosphere,” Miguel Ruiz, a freshman finance major and the secretary of MEXSA, said. “People naturally fall into the groove together.”
Melvin Estudillo, a graduate student and the graduate assistant for the club, echoed that the accessibility of the cumbia was important to the event, noting that its structure helps beginners build confidence.
“The steps are fairly trivial and can be learned within a day,” Estudillo said. “This makes it possible for anyone to feel confident.”
The social nature of dance played a major role in the club’s goals for the event. Members emphasized that movement and music create opportunities for students to meet outside of academic spaces.
“Through hosting bailes and cumbia nights, MEXSA has been able to meet students from different backgrounds and actually spend time getting to know each other,” Ruiz said.
Estudillo added that events like these help to form new relationships that might not happen otherwise.
“I personally met new people thanks to our most recent event,” Ruiz said. “It was nice to see so many people coming together with music.”
Those on the E-Board that The Quadrangle spoke with emphasizes how music can set the tone just as much as the dance itself. The group aimed to create an upbeat, welcoming environment shaped by cumbia’s lively sound.
“The music is very much lively and energetic and that is the environment we wish to create during the lesson,” Estudillo said.
Ruiz noted that music helps capture students’ attention and draw them into the experience.
“Its upbeat, unfamiliar rhythm catches people’s attention and naturally pulls them into the atmosphere we want to create,” Ruiz said.
Cultural understanding of the cumbia, its history and what it represents was also a central focus of the night. Organizers said they hoped the event would give students a hands-on connection to Mexican traditions.
“Dancing cumbia lets people feel the music and the atmosphere for themselves, not just hear about it,” Ruiz said.
Estudillo noted the club’s desire to show how open and inclusive Mexican culture can be.
“I hope it shows how anyone from any background can learn Mexican culture and that Mexican culture is very much welcoming,” Estudillo said.
In cumbia, students often react most strongly to the dance’s momentum and partner work. Ruiz pointed to spin moves as a highlight for many newcomers.
“When the timing clicks and the turn flows, it feels rewarding and energizing,” Ruiz said.
Eduardo Perez, a club member in attendance at the event, also pointed to the spins as both essential to the style of dance and a highlight to those learning it. Perez also commented on how the connection between partners performing cumbia is part of the magic.
“That relationship between dance partners, being in sync together… everything just feels right,” Perez said.
The club hopes that attendees leave the event behind still thinking about the experience—and with a desire to return for future events.
“I hope they share with their friends how much fun it was to learn something new,” Estudillo said. Perez concurred.
“I hope they talk about how they can’t wait for the next time
we host an event like that,” Perez said.
The event also served a broader purpose for the organization’s presence on campus.
“Events like this help strengthen MEXSA’s presence,” Ruiz said. “By letting students see us in action—showing up, creating community, and giving people a space to connect.”
Estudillo added that as a relatively new group on campus, every event helps raise visibility.
“I see it as a method of getting our name out there… our presence on campus is seen so much more than it was before,” Estudillo said.
For many organizers, the
event carried personal meaning as well. Sharing cumbia became a way to celebrate their heritage and the traditions they grew up with.
“Teaching it and seeing other students enjoy it makes me appreciate the culture behind it even more,” Ruiz said.
Perez described how his own family’s dance traditions shaped him.
“I am the third generation of Mexican professional dancers and I hope to one day be even a little close to the prestige my ancestors were,” Perez said.
The group also hopes that students walked away with an understanding of the diversity within cumbia itself.
“Even within Mexican culture there are many ways to
dance cumbia… they can all be combined into a beautiful dance with the same roots,” Estudillo said.
Another member highlighted regional differences.
“In places like Mexico City, you’ll see cumbia sonidera with its own style and personality,” Ruiz said.
As the night wrapped up, organizers said their biggest wish was for students to leave feeling welcomed and connected.
“We hope students come in with an open mind, willing to try something new and connect with the people around them,” Ruiz said.
Photo of cumbia event flyer.
Amy Forster
Jasper Jams: Bring Back Yearning
Asst. Production Editor
As the leaves begin their slow descent from the trees, I often find myself strolling through Central Park, reading the stories of love etched into the bench dedications. These tiny declarations are a testament to the fact that love in the city, at some point or another, can be consuming enough that we need to carve it into physical existence. Just beyond the edges of the park, those quiet dedications turn loud, couples sharing scarves, laughing loudly and inconveniently blocking the flow of traffic to stop and stare in each other’s eyes. This reality is in stark contrast to the discussions I have with my friends about the current bleak state of dating in NYC that juxtaposes the cozy energy visible on the streets. Has the general public figured out something we haven’t, or do the colder months just make settling for any Thanksgiving buffer we can find necessary? Either way, this Jasper Jams has a simple mission: Bring back yearning.
Symphonia IX by Current Joys
The cover for this album, an old photo of a young couple in love, fits perfectly with our theme today. The easy, yet almost sad, beat that the song features brings the listener in, preparing them for the hurt this song is about to hit them with. The candor of the first line is startling: it makes you question, what kind of love song would start with the singer upset that they failed to make their lover cry? What you slowly come to understand as the song goes on, is the heartbreak of trying and failing to get any kind of reaction from a person you love. For the singer, this lack of reaction has him yearning for any reaction, even be it tears, to reassure him that they care for him in at least some capacity. Overall, the soothing beat paired with the depth of the singer’s confession really puts you in your feels.
Favorite Lyric: Oh, I would say yes/The need to be the best before the need to rest.
Silver Springs 2004 Remaster by Fleetwood Mac
Was there any way this song would not make the list? The image of Stevie Nicks staring down her ex, Lindsey Buckingham, practically yelling the song at him, is a place I fear we have all been. I like how this song adds a bit of anger to this Jasper Jams. A lot of times, we think of yearning as purely a sad feeling, when in actuality, it can be angry or even happy. The declaration of love in this song is almost made like a threat, positioned as inescapable. There’s something weirdly comforting about thinking we can love so hard it is inevitable.
Favorite Lyric: I’ll follow you down/’til the sound of my voice will haunt you.
Fade into You by Mazzy Star
The acoustic guitar hits so hard in the intro to this song. It, in combination with the lyrics, touches on the need to be closer than physically possible to another person that is so hard to put into words. I don’t know how much I can discuss wanting to literally fade into another person without sounding crazy, but I feel like
we’ve all been there. If you want a song that encapsulates that feeling, but with a soft, almost sad undertone, this is for you.
Favorite Lyric: I want to hold the hand inside you/I wanna take the breath that’s true
Anything by Adrianne Lenker
You know the feeling when you’re so in love with someone that talking feels too insignificant? That’s this song. The yearning, and yes I will use that word because it’s the title, just rings through every part of the song from the chorus to the slightly calming beat. It just gets me all in my feels. Whenever I picture this song, I think of a young couple in love, sitting in a car thinking of themselves as the luckiest people in the world because they get to do ordinary things with each other. Adrianne’s ability to encapsulate such a pure and innocent feeling like first love, vulnerability and longing make this a must-listen.
Favorite Lyric: I wanna kiss, kiss your eyes again/ Wanna witness your eyes lookin’.
Lover, You Should’ve Come Over by Jeff Buckley
Last but certainly not least, we have the most iconic yearning song. Six minutes and 42 seconds of pure heartache and painful bliss. This song is a testament that heartache and unrequited love will always stand the test of time. Jeff Buckley’s declaration of longing, not for the major aspects of a relationship, but for the small, more intimate moments, encapsulates what it feels like to miss a lost love. Nothing prepares you for when Buckley starts passionately begging, bargaining to do anything just to witness her laughter or smile. His attempt to rationalize what’s happened, blaming himself for the break up is emotionally vulnerable and touching. This song rounds out the heartache of missing your person’s unique presence, yearning for them as an individual rather than as a place holder filling a position or purpose in your life.
Favorite Lyric: It’s never over/My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder.
MU Hosts Club Appreciation Contest at Wednesday Night’s Women’s Basketball Showdown
Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief
On Wednesday, Nov. 12, Manhattan University Athletics partnered with the Student Government Association (SGA) to host a club appreciation event at the women’s basketball game. The clubs that had the most students in attendance were entered to win a cash prize, to be added to their budget for the year.
Black Student Union (BSU) walked away from the contest victorious with $100 added to their budget, with Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) in a close second winning $75 and Sigma Delta Tau (SDT) walking away with $50 in third place.
The game itself was a nailbiter, with the Lady Jaspers falling by just two points in the 65-63 game against Fairleigh Dickinson. The student spirit in Draddy Gymnasium was accentuated not only by the determined gameplay from MU, but by the 70 students filling 6th Borough stands for the contest.
Junior Raya Caamano, co-president of BSU, spoke about the liveliness in the gymnasium.
“Since the game was so close, mainly people were just focused on the game rather than the club appreciation,” Caamano said. “But for the most part, the energy was very high, and it was just a good place for everybody to be with their friends, and to bring people together across multiple organizations.”
The event marked an important partnership between athletics and student engagement that the university hopes to continue moving forward. Director of Student Engagement Nicole Brosnan spoke further about the joint goals of the departments.
“Student Life is really working to partner with athletics this year to get more students into Draddy,” Brosnan said. “We have some awesome basketball teams, and we want to make sure that the 6th Borough is lively. Campus is much more fun for everybody
when our basketball teams are playing well and students are going to the games. So we just want to help provide that little incentive to get you into Draddy. Our women’s basketball team loves all of our student clubs. They appreciate all the work that we do, and a lot of their players are in our clubs, so they wanted a celebration. Student Government decided, hey, why not throw in a prize? So then once we decided on that, [it was] pretty easy to get everything together.”
In a year when club budgets are still stretched thin, every dollar goes a long way. Caamano spoke about how she, and the members of BSU, felt being announced as the winners for the first-place prize.
“Honestly, winning almost brought me to tears, because even though it was $100, $100 can really do so much,” Caamano said. “And I think that giving opportunities where, not only can our clubs come together, but our clubs can come together to especially support women’s basketball and other teams, I think it’s really valuable and can be used in both a communitydriven way and also financially driven way. I know that my club personally took a cut this semester. And obviously, that’s not something that everybody wants to hear, but at the end of the day to know that we are working even harder this semester to build that back up, to get to the place that we were before we even got the cut, has been extraordinary.”
Moving forward, Caamano hopes to see more opportunities like this one announced between athletics and other campus organizations.
“I think that more opportunities like this would get even bigger club turnout, [and] even bigger audience turnout,” Caamano said. “And I think it’s really important that we highlight our clubs as well as our athletics, because both of them need their time to shine, no matter what financial stability is behind them.”
Gianna Rutigliano, a junior and vice president of the School of Engineering, helped sign students in at the event. She was also in attendance as a
Athletics and Student Engagement advertised for the game on sandwich boards across campus. GRACE CARDINAL/THE QUADRANGLE
member of SDT.
“I feel like just showing up for [the] school, also just shows your involvement,” Rutigliano said. “I feel like that’s always so important. You can’t get money for the club if you’re not participating in things that they want you to participate in. So being there and showing up, I feel it just gets you more involved, even if it’s not your favorite thing to do.”
Rutigliano also acknowledged the importance of clubs supporting athletics, and vice versa, on campus.
“I feel like it is important, again, it gives you something
to do,” Rutigliano said. “[It] can get you involved in talking to different people and stuff like that. You don’t have to stay within your group and you can also talk to and get involved [elsewhere]... I just love to think at the end of the day, we’re all part of the same school. You have to support each other.”
As for what the extra funds will be used for, Caamano says that BSU intends to funnel it into their plans for Black History Month programming in February.
“We have been fundraising this semester, and we plan
to have more fundraising events,” Caamano said. “Last year, we had 11 events during Black History Month. This year, I want to cut down on the number but improve on the quality of the events. My dream event is to have a formal for BSU, but honestly, that might be shooting for the stars a little bit. But just to emphasize on our point during Black History Month, and really make people aware of our presence [is the goal], and also to [show] high schoolers that are looking to apply here that they are seen already.”
Building for Spring: MU’s Ultimate Frisbee Team Reflects on a Busy Fall Semester
Maddie Rosado Staff Writer
Manhattan University’s Ultimate Frisbee team has been putting in serious work this semester, training for hours on end as they prepare for their spring season.
Heading into fall, members of the Ultimate Frisbee team had expressed concerns about fundraising – the key factor that allows them to compete in both sectional and regional tournaments. Securing enough funds has become essential to the team’s overall success. During the spring 2025 semester, Nicolino Marcoccia ’25 shared these concerns with The Quadrangle while reflecting on his time as a player on the team.
“Our goal is to build off of our successes from last season, when we made regionals but were unable to attend due to a lack of fundraising,” Marcoccia said. “We have to put in a lot of effort and are hopeful that we will not
only qualify for regionals, but make an underdog run in the tournament.”
Marcoccia’s comments in the spring underscored how crucial fundraising once was
to the team’s ambitions. Since then, the team has succeeded in overcoming those challenges. This year, they’re balancing that progress with a new set of priorities both on and off the field.
Keller Peterson, the senior team captain, explained how the team’s focus has since shifted.
“This year, we have saved a lot of money, and we’re going to be continuing fundraising throughout the year,” Peterson said. “However, because we have some money from last year, fundraising isn’t our top priority. It’s more so recruitment.”
Sean Ryan, a sophomore on the team, shared details about their current training schedule and preparation for the upcoming season.
“We practice twice a week at Gaelic Park from 8 to 10:30 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays,” Ryan said. “In this upcoming spring semester, we are going to be adding a third practice on Thursdays, but that’ll be more casual,”
With these consistent practices, players have the chance to focus on refining their skills and dedicating time
to different aspects of the game.
“With two and a half hours of practice twice a week, you really get to dial in your skills, and there’s always time to work on more things,” Ryan said.
Beyond sharpening their skills, the team is placing a strong emphasis on building relationships and fostering a sense of community among players this semester.
“Ultimate frisbee is typically a spring sport in most places,” Ryan said. “The fall is just a lot of practice and getting to know people.”
Despite being in the offseason, the team is already focused on building skills and team chemistry that will pay off in spring competitions. Peterson provided context on the team’s competitive goals and tournaments.
“We have our main tournament at the end of April every year,” Peterson said. “It’s sectionals, which are over in New Jersey, and if we qualify in that tournament, we make it to the regional tournament over in Buffalo.”
While discussing the team’s goals, Peterson also acknowledged some early challenges that caused setbacks this semester.
“We had a pretty rough start getting the ball rolling, which kind of caused a lot of our recruitment issues… our main recruitment space is the club fair at the beginning of the year, and we were unprepared for that,” Peterson said. “So that has had a cascading effect on the rest of the year.”
Despite these challenges, Peterson highlighted the team’s focus on skill-building and expressed enthusiasm for continuing to coach and welcome all players.
“A lot of the people who come onto the team come in with no experience,” Peterson said. “I’ve been teaching people how to throw and how to play for three years now. The first thing people should know how to do is run, catch and throw,” Peterson added. “Those are the core fundamentals of the sport.”
Even with the focus on skills, training and competition, at the heart of the team remains enjoyment and camaraderie, something Ryan agrees with.
“The main goal is always to have fun,” Ryan said. “We’re not a super competitive team, we’re really just in it for the camaraderie, to stay active, and to enjoy each other’s company.”
Keller Peterson pictured coaching MU’s ultimate frisbee team during a training session. KELLER PETERSON / COURTESY
MU’s ultimate frisbee team pictured at their first tournament of the 2025-2026 school year.