the Quadrangle
ManhattanUniversityheldacareerfairlastweekwherestudentswereabletolearn moreabouttheirfuturecareersandmakesolidconnections.
ManhattanUniversity RecognizedAmong TopRegionalSchools
Emmanouel Sofillas Managing Editor
Manhattan University has landed at No. 28 among Regional Universities North and No. 35 in Best Value Schools, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
The recognition highlights the university’s academic reputation and student experience. But while the numbers are impressive, faculty and students say what makes the university stand
out isn’t always something a ranking can measure.
Angelo Devito, a visiting assistant professor in the School of Engineering, pointed to the university’s mix of small-school connections and big-city opportunities.
“We’re a small community, and that’s part of our strength,” Devito said. “Students know their professors, and we get to know them. We also offer engineering, which is rare for a college of our size in this area. On top of that, a lot of our faculty bring years of experience from industry, so students get a taste of the real world while they’re still in the classroom.”
Devito emphasized MU’s Catholic and Lasallian traditions, which he believes give students a sense of purpose and belonging, while the location — just a train ride from Midtown — opens doors.
“The proximity to New York City is a big plus,” Devito said. “Students can go to the theater, museums, or internships. That’s not something rankings really capture.”
Students across campus
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DisruptEverything –aDiscussionof BusinessStrategy, CreativityandHow ToWin
Mary Haley Marketing Chair/Asst. Features Editor
Bestselling author James Patterson ‘69 returned to Manhattan University for his second event as a part of the James Patterson Honors Program (JPHP) on Monday, Sept. 29. This time, he was accompanied by Patrick Leddin, Ph.D., a Wall Street Journal bestseller, among other titles, to the event. Together, they wrote their newest book: “Disrupt Everything And Win: Take Control of Your Future,” a self-help-esque narrative teaching the importance of understanding one’s purpose and remaining adaptable in an increasingly unpredictable world.
With the book being officially released on Sept. 29, according to Patterson’s official Facebook page, this event marked the duo’s first discussion publicly of their work together.
According to Patterson and Leddin, disruption is completely inevitable, but it is up to us to garner the skills necessary to take advantage of disruption in our lives to live a good life. Their advice to students was to embrace uncertainty, lean into their strengths and view disruptions as potential catalysts for personal and professional transformation.
“We’re in the age of disruption,” Patterson said. “Whether we like it or don’t like it, [disruption is] happening every day we wake up and there’s something new…the book is about how to deal with negative disruptions. Like, if the government shuts down, how do you deal with that as
Manhattan Media Network Showcases “Boro Bits” and “On the One” Pg. 8
a human being? What you know, and the book actually will get into some things that you can do, or you get fired from your job, that’s a negative disruption. Then the other side of it are positive disruptions, things you can do. You’re either going to manage disruption or disruption is going to manage you…So it’s important that at every level, people buy into the mission of this school and take it further and talk about it and make it better and better and better.”
Patterson explained to the packed crowd on the fifth floor of Kelly Commons that the book took three years to complete, having to navigate specific publishing expectations including being 300 pages. The authors also had other standards they set on their own terms – not wanting it to be a “boring business book,” Patterson said.
The author duo wanted to combine the importance of storytelling and narrative with advice on readers’ careers and life goals. Leddin, even with a background in business, explained that at the core of his work, he has a wholesome approach.
“I thought years ago about ‘what’s my purpose on earth?’,” Leddin said. “I provide ideas and insights to help people live their great purpose.”
The book urges readers to think about their own lives, with short workshops about assessing life, key behaviors and career, among other exercises. One of the workshops listed was for readers to create their “mission statement.”
Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., who moderated the event, asked Patterson about what MU’s
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Volume CXII, Issue 6 OCTOBER 7, 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
LETTER from the EDITOR
Dear Readers,
Hello, and welcome to Issue 6!
Since we last checked in, campus has been abuzz. This past week alone, we’ve welcomed James Patterson back for a second visit, this time with Wall Street Journal bestselling author Patrick Leddin to discuss their new book, “Disrupt Everything – and Win”. Campus also hosted its annual fall career fair, which returned to Draddy Gymnasium for the first time in a few years. The event was not only a chance for students to speak with potential employers and network, but to meet with various alumni who came back to recruit for their current employers as well.
As we head into midterms season, The Quadrangle has hit an expected lull when it comes to finding news around campus. While our accomplished editors and writers do their best to scour for stories from the university and community week to week, we’re always looking to showcase voices outside of those we normally represent. If you know of a student or alum with an interesting story or recent success, or know of another news story that The Quadrangle has yet to cover, please reach out to us at thequad@manhattan.edu. We always love hearing from you, and are more than happy to receive pitches from the community!
In addition to our GoFundMe, The Quadrangle has more exciting fundraisers, community events and issue releases coming your way for the rest of the semester. To stay up to date, follow our Instagram at mu_quad, X at mu_quad and Facebook at The Quadrangle. We update all three with stories, news and events regularly, so be sure to check it out to stay caught up!
As mentioned, this week in news we bring you James Patterson’s most recent event on campus, Manhattan University’s 2026 U.S. News & World Report Rankings and a Manhattan Caucus covering a meeting with top military officials in Quantico. In features, we talk Alpha Beta Psi’s mindfulness event and cover MU’s annual Family Weekend. In Arts & Entertainment, we cover Scatterbomb’s first performance of the year and Manhattan Media Network’s newest Instagram series, along with a web exclusive Jasper Jams. In sports, we cover the new season of men’s flag football and overview the Games of the Week.
Until next time,
Grace Cardinal
Editor-in-Chief
DisruptEverything–aDiscussionofBusinessStrategy, CreativityandHowToWin
mission statement meant to him. Patterson replied with a personal story.
“When I went here – this is between us – nobody in their right mind who’s accepted Manhattan would even consider Iona, Siena or Marist, it just wouldn’t happen,” Patterson said. “You would come here… and we need to go back to this notion of ‘this is the place to be.’ The reputation needs to [at] some extent, catch up with how good the school is.”
In the age of artificial intelligence, the concern of job-security and the threat to higher education and creativity persists. Patterson and Leddin made sure to address these concerns, especially to an audience largely made up of college students.
Chalk raised another question to the authors.
“We’re talking about being human,” Chalk said. “We’re talking about the importance of being human, of human relationships, of connection, of love. I think that kind of is in contrast to perhaps the biggest disruption that we’ve all been talking about, that 25% of CEOs are out there just openly admitting that much of their jobs are going to be taken over by AI. How do we use the tools that you’ve developed and disrupt everything to think about [artificial intelligence]?”
Chalk is a professor of
English at MU and an author herself. In a separate interview with The Quadrangle, she voiced her opinion on AI from the perspective of a higher education administrator and a writer.
“I don’t think that creative things made by AI will ever have the same effect in the world as things created by humans, because humans know what it means to be human and to feel, perceive, think, to all of a sudden be overcome by a memory from 25 years ago that has literally nothing to do with this present moment,” Chalk said. “There’s a certain lived experience that humans have, that I think is worth really committing to. And I also think that the categories of joy and pleasure and beauty and the way those intersect with learning and living a good, fulfilling life. Only humans can have that.”
Chalk reflected on how the book’s themes of disruption directly relate to students’ futures. She noted that the uncertainty students face when choosing majors or planning for careers is both daunting and liberating.
“For our students, the jobs that they’re going to have in ten years, probably at least 50% of them haven’t been invented yet,” Chalk said. “When you’re trying to plan for your future, that can be scary because you don’t know what you should specialize in, what you should focus on, how you should prepare yourself. But I think it’s also quite exciting. It can
instill an innovation mindset in our students and encourage them to prepare themselves across a range of different fields and areas of interest.”
Her comments echoed Patterson and Leddin’s call to embrace uncertainty as a pathway toward creativity and adaptability.
The event was a requirement for all mentors and mentees who are a part of the JPHP, but it was also highly attended by other students and faculty. Marina Stavrou, a junior mentor in the program, came to the event not knowing what the book was about, and said she left inspired.
“He [Patterson] has been giving back to the [Manhattan University] community,” Stavrou said. “He started this book release at this school, which he credits so much to making him the person that he is, and I think it’s great… It shows that we are regular people right now but we can be so successful, which is exactly what this book is about. Also, it’s not just any type of novel –it’s about how to better yourself and get through hardships.”
The event resonated with Stavrou not only in regards to his connection to the university, but also in her transition to MU after transferring from Binghamton University.
“The reason why I wanted to be a mentor is to help students, because I’m also a transfer student,” Stavrou said. “When I transferred last year, it was very hard for me to fit into this community, not because
Two JPHP mentors passing out books at the event. MARY HALEY / THE QUADRANGLE
it’s not a great community, but because it’s just like starting new and later, it’s already so scary and hard. I just hope I can take James Patterson’s own advice and say ‘yeah, look guys, I’m qualified, disrupt your lives.’”
The JPHP has brought a new honors class to the university and events to mark on calendars. The funds from this program sponsored by Patterson go to staffing and infrastructure on campus, the James Patterson Speaker Series, other program events and YouTube videos showcasing alumni careers and professional experiences.
Michele Saracino, Ph.D., director of the JPHP, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle what it meant to her to have the opportunity to spearhead this
new initiative on campus.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this program,” Saracino wrote. “Working with Mr. Patterson, university stakeholders, and most of all the students at Manhattan, in developing initiatives that benefit the honors students and the entire campus community is both exciting and inspiring. My only hope is that the enthusiasm around the program and Manhattan University continues to grow, making our community better and better.”
The next event featured in the James Patterson speaker series will feature Meta’s Chief Marketing Officer Alex Shultz. The event, a part of his book tour, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 9 at noon in Smith Auditorium.
ManhattanUniversityRecognizedAmongTopRegionalSchools
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expressed pride in the new recognition but agreed that the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Maria Santiago, a senior chemical engineering student, shared her experience with the university.
“Honestly, when I heard we were 28, I thought, okay, cool,” Santiago said. “But to me, it’s about how close everyone is here. I’ve had professors who stayed after class with me for hours, and classmates who’ve become family. I’ve also landed internships in the city that I probably wouldn’t have gotten at another school. That kind of support doesn’t show up on a list.”
For sophomore business major David Chen, the Best Value ranking felt personal.
“My parents were nervous about sending me to school in New York because of the cost,” Chen said. “But Manhattan worked with me on scholarships, and it’s made a huge difference. I get to study in the city without my family stressing about every day.”
Other students pointed to the campus itself. In the past few years, Manhattan University has opened the Higgins Science Center and renovated several academic buildings.
Aisha Khan, a junior majoring in communication, had a previous family member go to the university and has seen the changes firsthand over the years.
“The new science center is beautiful, even if I’m just walking through,” Khan said. “It feels like the school is investing in us. But what really makes this place special
is the energy. You go from class to a play on campus, or hop on the train downtown for a concert. It’s the mix of community here and the city right outside that makes Manhattan feel unique.”
Devito said he’s proud of the rankings but believes students’ experiences tell the real story.
“Rankings can tell part of the story,” Devito said. “But what really matters is the community, the traditions, and the experiences students carry with them after they graduate.”
For Santiago, she shared about the lasting impact the university will have on her.
“At the end of the day, you don’t remember a number,” Santiago said. “You remember the people, and the professors who believed in you. That’s what I’ll take with me when I leave Manhattan.”
A photo of the Manhattan University chapel spire. EMMANOUEL SOFILLAS / THE QUADRANGLE
ManhattanCaucus: TopMilitaryBrass Summonedto Quantico
Asst. Social Media Editor
On Sept. 30, 2025, hundreds of the nation’s highest-ranking military commanders were called to the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, VA, for a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, without being told the reason in advance.
Commanders traveled in from around the world, including Honolulu, headquarters of Indo-Pacific Command and Stuttgart, home to European Command, all using military and commercial flights – a cost running into millions of dollars. The event itself was about 90 minutes, and some current and former defense officials feared the security risk of hosting nearly all of America’s top officers in the same room.
“It’s also an inexcusable strategic risk to concentrate so many leaders in the operational
chain of command in the same publicly known time and place, to convey an inane message of little merit,” one former senior defense official said in a report from Politico.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promoted the new name of the department (the Department of War) and attacked “toxic leaders,” who he accused of lowering standards to make the Defense Department the “woke department.” Hegseth then stated that he will be introducing 10 new directives involving physical fitness, new grooming requirements and a return to “the highest male standard” for combat positions.
Hesgeth proceeded to comment on what he claimed to be “fat generals”.
“It’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the world.
It’s a bad look,” Hegseth said, as reported by Politico.
“Simply put, if you do not
meet the male level physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a PT test or don’t want to shave and look professional, it’s time for a new position or a new profession,” Hegseth continued in the meeting.
President Trump’s portion of the event included topics such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico, denouncing unauthorized immigrants and criticizing diversity, equity and inclusion. He also mocked “sleepy Joe Biden” and “radical left lunatics” while promoting his administration’s policies. He then floated the idea of using American cities as “training grounds” from the military and to “handle” the “enemy from within … before it gets out of control,” per Politico.
Nonetheless, Trump stated that his administration would be committing $1 trillion in 2026 for the military. He also repeatedly discussed nuclear weapons during his speech.
“I rebuilt our nuclear,” Trump said. “I moved a
submarine or two, I won’t say about the two, over to the coast of Russia just to be careful, because we can’t let people throw around that word…I call it the N-word. There are two N-words, and you can’t use either of them.”
Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), an Army veteran who served in Iraq took to X and posted, “Deploying US troops against US citizens in American cities isn’t just unprecedented and unconstitutional – it’s UNAMERICAN. Every freedom-loving American Patriot, regardless of their political party, must speak up NOW.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) called the resources used for the meeting “totally unjustified,” and an “exercise in chest thumping”. However, on the other side of the aisle, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), said that “there needs to be more warfighter training,” claiming that the US doesn’t do enough flying training. He was in favor
of the talking points in Trump’s speech.
According to multiple officials who spoke to ABC News, 200 to 250 National Guard soldiers in Portland, Oregon, started reporting for duty on Wednesday and receiving basic military training on how to handle civil unrest in the Democratic-run city. There were no talks about how to deal with China or how to manage the war in Ukraine and Gaza.
Elaina Batista
BetaAlphaPsi PresentsThe PracticeofPresence
Maizy Swift
Production Editor & Asst.
Social Media Editor
On Oct. 1, Beta Alpha Psi invited Amanda Sanseverino, Ph.D., professor of accounting at MU, to conduct a meditation session based on the “practice of presence” in De La Salle Hall.
This session was open to all Manhattan University students, and first introduced the practice of meditation, alongside the fundamentals of mindfulness, which can be used in one’s day-to-day life.
Sanseverino had been interested in mindfulness from a young age, sharing how she randomly bought a book about Zen Buddhism, sparking her study of the practice.
“The first time I actually meditated was when I was 16 or 17 years old,” Sanseverino said. “I was walking around in Manhattan, and there was one of those stores with the incense burning and I walked in and picked up a book. I didn’t even know what it was, but it ended up being a book on Zen Buddhism…I just found myself really interested, so I started trying to meditate and since then, I have learned a lot more about what goes on with the mind, both intellectually and from external sources.”
Sanseverino shared that since her passion for mediation and mindfulness began, they have become an important part of her daily life. Furthermore, Sanseverino felt that by sharing this practice, it could potentially help others use it in their own lives as well.
“I think that a lot of people go about their lives thinking that this is just how it is, and even if intellectually they can step back know that that’s not true, a common experience is to think ‘I’m the type that gets stressed’, ‘I’m the type that gets anxious’ or ‘I’m a perfectionist,’” Sanseverino
said. “And the takeaway is that it’s not just this way. This is one avenue for experiencing things differently in a way that serves you better.”
Since becoming a professor, Sanseverino has utilized the practice of mindfulness in her teaching style. She shared how mindfulness and meditation is a valuable tool that she hopes students can use within their daily life, during stressful or difficult times.
“Even if somebody doesn’t develop a consistent meditation practice or mindfulness practice, maybe there will be a day three years later when someone’s experiencing heavy loss or there’s something very challenging, and the skills will be valuable,” Sanseverino said.
The president of Beta Alpha Psi, Andrew Berg, a senior finance and accounting double-major, spoke about why he felt this was an important collaboration for the organization to hold.
“I think it [meditating] helps with alleviating a lot of our academic and mental stress, especially since we have so many things going on,” Berg said. “It gives us the opportunity to be more mindful and to really take a good, needed break, and really focus on ways that we can reduce stress and come together as a community.”
For Berg, the biggest takeaway from what Sanseverino shared was not only how to meditate, but also how to truly enjoy living life in the present moment.
“I valued her [Sanseverino] emphasizing being in the present moment, because I feel like a lot of us, especially me, are always thinking about ‘oh, what event do I have next?’, or ‘what will the rest of my week look like?’, but I feel like it was a nice six or seven minutes just trying not to think about anything else and just really absorbing all of my senses around me during that time,” Berg said. “I feel like
Flyer for the first Practice of Presence Event with Beta Alpha Psi. @BAP_MANHATTAN/ INSTAGRAM
that definitely reduced a lot of my worries for the day.”
Tri Pham, a sophomore economics and finance doublemajor and also a member of Beta Alpha Psi, shared how Sanseverino’s teaching style is what made the event seem interesting.
“I had a couple classes with Dr. Sanseverino, and I just really loved her presence and I always wondered how she became who she is,” Pham said.
Pham also shared how
he believes there are many stereotypes around the practice of meditation. He emphasized how Sanseverino’s story helped to show that anyone from any background can take part in this practice, as she is someone who comes from the world of business and accounting.
“She [Sanseverino] caught me pretty off- guard when I found out she was hosting this mindfulness event, because it’s not something that I would associate her with, especially as a professor of accounting
in a business school,” Pham said. “You would think maybe an English professor would host, as business people are so numbers-focused, so she really changed my perspective. I’m just really interested in what she has to share.”
Beta Alpha Psi plans to host two more events with Sanseverino that will include an introduction to meditation, along with a 15-minute meditation session which will be held on Oct. 16 and 17 at 10 a.m.
MUHostsAnnualFamily Weekend
Misha Jabal-Abadi Contributer
Manhattan University held its annual Family Weekend on Sept. 27 and 28. Whether students chose to stay on campus or explore the city, there was an agenda full of various activities, ranging from small meetings to professional sports games. Some highlights included Friday night’s Yankees game, Pancakes with the President on the quad, an MU women’s soccer game against Mount St. Mary’s and the Sigma Delta Tau family potluck in Jasper Lounge, among much more.
Nicole Brosnan, the director of Student Engagement and an organizer of Family Weekend, spoke to The Quadrangle in regards to the planning of the event.
“I know it’s mostly freshmen families who come, but it’s always very nice to let people know that their students are being well taken care of here,” Brosnan said. “They’re adjusting, they’re having a good time and they want to share the new life and friends and everything that they built for themselves here.”
The Quadrangle spoke with student attendee Isaiah Merisier, a senior electrical engineering major who mentioned he was excited to spend time with his sister. Merisier spoke about how Family Weekend is a great opportunity for students who are out-of-state.
“I think it’s fun, because for me, sometimes my family will come and they’ll see me, and then they’ll go,” Merisier said.
“But I know for people that have out-of-state families, it’s really nice for them to come.”
Family Weekend also allows for prospective students to see and get a feel of what the Jasper community is like. Prospective business freshman, Alexia Merisier, the sister of Isaiah Merisier, spoke to The Quadrangle about her experience during the weekend as well.
“I think Family Weekend allows me to see the school without just coming to an open house or something where I would usually be a little too busy to come to,” [Alexia] Merisier said. So I really enjoy this, to get an opportunity to walk around the school.”
With an agenda full of activities, it may be hard for one to choose which activities to attend. But that was not an issue for [Alexia] Merisier, who was looking forward to attending the sports event listed for that day.
“I’m excited to go to the girls’ and boys’ basketball event that’s at two o’clock,” [Alexia] Merisier said. “I’m excited for that. We’re also going to go to some soccer game. Excited for that too.”
Following the women’s soccer game against Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday, during which families were able to get free food from Tacos El Poblanitos and Mr. Softy, many families broke into small group activities. One of which was the Delta Kappa Epsilon and
Students took pictures with Brother Jasper at Pancakes with The President on the quad. MISHA JABAL-ABADI/THE QUADRANGLE
Sigma Delta Tau (SDT) family potluck. Allyson Haskins, a junior double major in marketing and communication as well as a member of SDT, told The Quadrangle why she had looked forward to the event.
“It’s basically a way to
bring all our families together,” Haskins said. “It’ll bring the fraternity and the sorority closer, and also bring all the families there too.”
Many students who sat out some of the day’s activities took advantage of the time to show their families around the campus. Freshman mechanical
engineering major, Luca Caria, was excited to show his family the O’Malley Library. Like others, Luca had been looking forward to seeing his family. “I just like to spend time with my family, and show them around the campus,” Caria said.
The DKE Fraternity and SDT Sorority Family Potluck. MISHA JABAL-ABADI/THE QUADRANGLE
Scatterbomb’sFirst PerformanceOfTheYear ShowsClub’sProgression
Contributor
Scatterbomb, Manhattan University’s improv club, hosted its first performance of the fall semester last Friday. The theme was “workforce,” and the members, all of whom came dressed up as different professions to embody the theme, put in the work to ensure the event ran smoothly.
The Quadrangle interviewed members of the club about their first event of the season, including the club’s new president.
Jason Matute, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, has been a member of Scatterbomb for three years, and this semester stepped into the position of president. The club is growing rapidly, as Matute shared with The Quadrangle, leading the team to develop a new method of performing to accommodate its larger size.
“We have a really big group
now, around 23 people,” Matute said. “We divided them in half so we could have two random groups and use that to have people practice within their group for them to have a better chance to connect and bond with each other.”
Matute went on to express how the group has exponentially increased in size since he first joined, and because of this growth, Scatterbomb was able to establish its first fully-staffed E-board.
“When I joined my freshman year, there were just four people in the club,” Matute said. “This year, we have roughly 12 to 14 new members, therefore, an E-board is needed.”
Giada Dougherty, a sophomore communication major and the public relations manager for Scatterbomb, emphasized how bonds with her new castmates help with performances, using her own experience as an example.
“I was in a good number of scenes with my good friend Nick Melendez,” Dougherty
JASON MATUTE
said. “This was his first show, and he initiated a scene with me and for someone new, that takes a lot of guts. He did it and executed it flawlessly.”
Dougherty further told The Quadrangle about the community within Scatterbomb and how heartwarming it is to see how people interact with one another.
“My favorite part is not even from the show,” Dougherty said. “After the show, seeing the members and everyone’s friends that came out for the show congratulate them, especially with all the new people; seeing people go up to them and give them compliments, it’s encouraging not just ego-wise but it also makes you have more confidence that your ideas are funny and good.”
Dougherty also shared her appreciation for the audience.
“We want to do more things for the audience moving forward,” Dougherty said. “Because our audience is the most important part. Without an audience, we can’t perform.”
Antonio Coffaro, a sophomore majoring in computer engineering, has been a member of the club for two years. Coffaro also showcased an appreciation of the club’s audience and the community within Scatterbomb.
“My favorite part of Friday’s show was hearing the audience laugh,” Coffaro said. “I also enjoyed performing alongside my friends.”
Moreover, Coffaro shared his opinions about the first show of fall with The Quadrangle.
“I thought the performance went really well overall,” Coffaro said. “If there’s something I’d like to improve, it would be having even more ideas come to mind in the moment while on stage—the more creative we are, the more energy we can bring to the show.”
As they look towards the rest of the year, Scatterbomb has been invited to perform at a Comedy Club in the city on Oct. 15, less than two weeks from now. As for their next on-campus gig, the club’s next performance is scheduled for Oct. 17, and the theme is still to be decided. Look out for more information about these events on Scatterbomb’s Instagram page, @scatterbombmu.
Erioluwa Akin-Salami
The members of Scatterbomb were divided into two groups for this year’s performance, allowing them to practice more effectively and gain a closer bond with each other.
/ COURTESY
This semester, Jason Matute stepped into the role of president of Scatterbomb after having served as a member for three years. JACK ALCOCK / COURTESY
Manhattan Media Network Showcases “Boro Bits” and “On The One” arts & entertainment
Brooke Della Rocco News Editor
Manhattan Media Network (MMN) surprised viewers last week when they posted the first episodes of both “Boro Bits” and “On The One” series via their Instagram page.
While both segments are continuations of the “Sidequest Summer” series, “Boro Bits” is a short-form episode series, taking students through each of the boroughs of New York City and showcasing the diverse events the city has to offer. The series proves to be very spontaneous, aligning with the major interests of the student population at Manhattan University.
The first episode covered the Ashtin Martin F1 car event located in Grand Central Terminal, featuring Liam Zaglauer as host.
“On The One,” explores a more specific series of events, happening along the 1-train subway line that cuts directly through Manhattan, with the last stop being MU’s campus.
The first episode showcased Avelia Liberty, or Acela II, a new train that launched service between Washington, D.C. and Boston this past week. The train passed through Penn Station while MMN documented it, collaborating with MU’s Train Club to make the field trip possible.
Sophomore Mathew Zheng, creator of both shows, and host of the first episode of
AURELIANO MORALES / COURTESY
“On The One,” described how he originally thought up the concepts.
“I realized with a lot of university social media pages, they’re really only centered on the campus or the general area [around campus],” Zheng said. “They don’t expand further beyond that. Because of how accessible the city is and that there’s always events going on, I thought it’d be great to showcase some of it. We can achieve this by having a series that gives us more freedom as creators, to go out and do more than just what’s around Riverdale.”
Zheng mentioned how spontaneous his ideas are, aligning with the major interests of the student population at Manhattan University. The Ashton Martin F1 car event was actually discovered, planned, organized and shot all on the same day.
The concept of the videos is derived from “Street Talk,”
a form of qualitative research accomplished by interviewing people in public spaces and sharing on social media.
“With social media, you need to be out there, you need to be engaging,” Zheng said.
“I’ve seen that that model works really well.”
Liam Zaglauer, host of “Boro Bits,” expanded upon his experience and how important Zheng’s commitment has been.
“I had a great experience hosting Boro Bits,” Zaglauer wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “I would like to thank Mathew Zheng for the ideas, the location and the camera work and editing. Without him, Boro Bits would have never happened. He has been the man behind all of the Sidequest Summer videos this summer and a bunch of other Manhattan Media Network videos.”
Vice President of MMN, Aureliano Morales, explored how these series align with the club’s greater purpose.
“From a leadership perspective, it was important to show off more places in NYC, especially [with] being named Manhattan University,” Morales wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “I think [it’s important], showing the school that there is stuff out there that you can go to with just a subway ride away, and have fun while you are here at Manhattan.” In the future, Zheng hopes to collaborate with more groups around NYC in order to foster greater relationships with outside communities.
Morales elaborated on the future of the series and the club.
“We can show the small businesses and the true side of New York through these series,” Morales wrote. “I think New Yorkers deserve to be in the spotlight and show off what they bring to the city. They are what makes New York City special. The audience should expect bigger and crazier vids coming soon.”
Manhattan Media Network producing one of their many series.
From left to right: Matthew Zheng, Aureliano Morales and Sadie Fox, members of Manhattan Media Network.
Jaspers Flag Football Looks to Take Next Step
Emmanouel Sofillas Managing Editor
The Manhattan University flag football team wrapped up tryouts recently and is turning its attention to the season ahead. Now, in just its second year of competition, the Jaspers are aiming to build on their early progress with a deeper roster, more discipline and a stronger sense of direction.
The program itself is still young, but players said it already feels like the group has taken major steps forward. Last season gave the Jaspers their first taste of tournament play, and with that came lessons about what works on the field and what doesn’t. For junior mechanical engineering major Matt Coyle, much of this season will come down to shaping the team’s attitude.
“The most important thing for any sports team is not the want for a win, as most people assume, it’s the hate for loss,” Coyle wrote to The Quadrangle. “I think once that gets spread through the team, that would erupt us into a better team.”
Coyle said his goal is to see MU reach the championship game at its Maryland tournament while playing as many games as possible during the year. For him, the team’s ceiling is not just about talent but about learning to respond to challenges together.
The Jaspers lost several players following the end of last season, which Coyle admitted left some holes. He said he believes the program has made
up for those losses by bringing in new faces who are committed to giving everything they have.
“We added a troop of very athletic guys who are willing to put 110 percent and want to be part of a winning team,” Coyle wrote. “We are going with more simplicity to not confuse anyone on the field.”
That simpler approach, he added, is meant to keep the players focused on execution rather than complicated playcalling. For a program that is still in its early years, clarity can be just as important as creativity.
“We’ve learned a lot over the past two years during our games and practices, and I think this is going to be a culmination of the work we have done,” Coyle wrote. “The results of that should be pretty exciting.”
Sophomore Anthony Mantineo said his sights are firmly set on tournament play in Maryland. Last year, the Jaspers came up short of their goal, and Mantineo told The Quadrangle that he wants to see the team break through this time around.
“My hopes for this season is to make it farther than we did last time in our tournament in Maryland,” Mantineo wrote to The Quadrangle. “I hope that we can take it all.”
To get there, he said Manhattan has worked on key adjustments, particularly on defense.
“One improvement that we made was to have a defensive scheme and incorporate new coverages,” Mantineo wrote.
Defense has been a point of emphasis for the team since last season, when opponents were able to exploit breakdowns in coverage. Mantineo said the changes will give the Jaspers a stronger identity and allow them to compete against more polished programs.
While wins and losses are important, not every player views success purely in terms of results. Sophomore Gavin Constantine said the
best part of flag football has been the camaraderie and the opportunity to build new connections.
“The most exciting thing about the team for me is being able to form new friendships with the new members,” Constantine wrote to The Quadrangle.
That bond, he explained,
makes practices more enjoyable and games more meaningful. For a team still carving out its place at Manhattan University, the friendships may be as valuable as the touchdowns.
As the season begins, MU’s players say they are motivated not only by the chance to compete, but also by the opportunity to shape the future
of a young program. They know the challenges ahead will be steep, but with new recruits, the Jaspers believe they are positioned to take a major step forward.
*Editor’s Note: Grace Cardinal contributed to reporting.
Photo of the advertisement for flag football tryouts. @MANHATTAN_FOOTBALL / INSTAGRAM
Games of the Week
Andrew Mannion Sports Editor
Women’s Volleyball
After some big wins in the early season, the Manhattan University Women’s Volleyball team had a rough week. The team went 0-3, losing to Canisius, Iona and Marist. Despite what the record says, most of the games were competitive.
Against Marist, the game went to five sets. Manhattan was able to win the first set by a dominant seven points and start the game up one set to none. With back and forth runs to start the game, MU found the final groove in the set by winning five straight points.
Later on in the game, the Jaspers were down 2-1 and found themselves in a must-win set. They went on to do exactly that, winning by a comfortable five points. However, they would drop the fifth and final set by a score of 15-10
In their game against Iona, they dropped a hard fought five set game. After dropping the first two sets, the Jaspers would respond by sweeping the next two sets by score of 25-19 and 25-18.
In the decisive fifth, the Jaspers took an early lead on a block from Kaczynska and Morreale, but Iona responded with an 11-2 run to pull away and take the victory.
recorded 25 assists and four aces, while VanDyke added 10 kills and three aces.
Men’s Soccer
Kaczynska led the Jaspers with 15 kills, 13 digs, and four assisted blocks. Emmons
The Manhattan University men’s soccer team was able to strike a draw against Rider on a road trip down to New Jersey.
Sophomore midfielder, William Fagerberg, scored for Manhattan just 12 minutes into the game after intercepting a Rider throw-in. For the majority of the match, the Jaspers dominated possession and pace, holding a 1-0 lead well into the second half.
At the 77th minute, Rider was able to strike back with a goal of their own to knot things up. Just moments later, Rider’s Ibrahima Keita was issued a red card for denying a scoring opportunity. This gave Manhattan a man-up advantage heading into the final minutes of the game.
Unfortunately, the Jaspers were not able to get another goal and settled for a tie against the MAAC rival. With their MAAC record now at 0-1-1, the team will look for their first MAAC win against Merrimack.
Women’s Soccer
The MU women’s soccer team fell to Niagara on Wednesday afternoon. With a quick comeback after going down 2-0 in
the first 30 minutes, the Jaspers put together a valiant effort.
Down 2-0, Scarlett Smith scored her second goal of the season off a Mayah Wheeler assist late in the first half to cut the deficit to one for the Jaspers. Manhattan maintained their momentum into the second half, and Lauren Ahearn’s goal for the second consecutive game, set up by Amaya Hill, gave them an equalizer in the 75th minute. However, Niagara responded with a bicycle kick to give them the game winning goal. The Jaspers fell to 2-3 in the MAAC and will take on Siena as their next opponent.
Will Fagerberg scored the Jaspers’ lone goal in the twelfth minute. VINCENT DUSOVIC/ COURTESY