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NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
Volume CXIV, Issue 5
Jeremy Loffredo ‘19 Returns to MU for a Discussion on Journalism, Censorship and Middle Eastern Politics MU Hosts Annual Family Weekend
Sarah Rolka Asst. Features Editor
Manhattan University invited Jasper families to campus for the school’s annual family weekend festivities. @MANHATTANEDU / INSTAGRAM
Nishat Parvez, Ph.D., Joins Communication, Sound and Media Arts Department At the start of the fall semester, Nishat Parvez, Ph.D., joined Manhattan University’s (MU) communication, sound and media arts department as a new hire. Since the end of MU’s 2026 spring semester, the department has seen significant turnover. Founding chair Thom Gencarelli, Ph.D., retired at the end of last spring, followed by the retirement of Michael Plugh, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, over the summer. Michael Grabowski, Ph.D., a professor of
communication, sound and media arts and director of MU’s game design program, served on the hiring committee that selected Parvez for the one-year visiting position. After Gencarelli announced his retirement, Grabowski noted, the department knew it needed to bring in additional faculty to help cover his courses. Plugh’s retirement, announced partway through the search, made that need more urgent. “We were really in desperate need of someone to cover the courses that two people were teaching,” Grabowski said. Arshia Anwer, Ph.D., associate professor of communication and a member of the hiring committee, explained that the department was down to two full-time faculty
IN NEWS:
IN FEATURES:
Maddie Rosado Managing / News Editor
Jaspers Rally Manhattan Caucus: UN General Assembly for Cheer Team Fundraiser pg. 4 pg. 8
covering six concentration areas by the end of last year. The committee prioritized finding someone suited to MU’s mentorship-driven model over any single subject specialty. “The final candidates that we had were actually from three different subject areas,” Anwer said. “They were not all journalism candidates… because it was not subject oriented when we started [searching]… but there needed to be that oneto-one mentorship aspect [within our candidates].” Beyond subject expertise, Grabowski emphasized that the committee also sought candidates with teaching experience and broader communication skills, including multimedia production and __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
On Sept. 22, the departments of religious studies, communication, sound and media arts, and history, political science and international relations came together to host a discussion with independent journalist Jeremy Loffredo ’19 on journalism, censorship and Middle Eastern politics. The conversation centered on an arrest that has come to define much of Loffredo’s recent career. In 2024, he was shackled and imprisoned by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on charges of “endangering national security and aiding the enemy during wartime,” according to TRT World. The arrest followed his reporting that Oct. in the northern occupied West Bank. After seeing a video posted to Twitter (X) by PBS NewsHour Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent Nick Schifrin about an Iranian missile landing near the Mossad (Israel’s national intelligence agency) headquarters, a strike not reported by other Western or Israeli media, Loffredo went to neighborhoods around the headquarters to document how Arab-Israeli citizens were hiding from the strikes under underpasses while Jewish-Israeli citizens sheltered in reinforced, military-provided bomb shelters.
IN A&E:
Lotus Magazine Staff Completes Fashion Week Internship pg, 10
After publishing the story, he was stopped at a routine checkpoint outside Nablus and imprisoned. He recounted his solitary confinement, eventual release and trial during the event. Since then, he has returned to Lebanon every couple of months but has been denied a visa to return to the occupied West Bank after four tries. That reporting and arrest were part of what drew Danica Mason, a senior political science major, to organize the event. Mason reached out to Loffredo directly to invite him to speak about his work regarding the Middle East. “I felt inviting Loffredo would give him a platform to speak about his experiences and his work, which focuses on giving a voice to people whose voices might have been suppressed by their government or by the media,” Mason said. Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., professor and chair of the history, political science and international studies department, shared with The Quadrangle her thoughts on the event. “I thought it was really eye-opening,” Groarke said. “It was interesting to hear from somebody who’s been in Israel and Palestine. I think the fact that he was arrested for committing the crime of journalism is concerning.” Loffredo also reflected on his own time as an MU
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IN SPORTS: Dee Dee Davis Promoted to Recruiting Coordinator
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SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
Volume CXIV, Issue 5 September 29, 2026
The Editorial Board
Barbara Vasquez Editor-in-Chief Maddie Rosado Managing Editor
Maddie Rosado News Editor
Leyla Mercado Features Editor
Zendrah Bonnick Asst. News Editor
Sarah Rolka Asst. Features Editor
Maria Castaño Arts & Entertainment Editor
Zeke Jazwinski Sports Editor
Joshua Reichard Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Emmamuel Sofillas Asst. Sports Editor
Misha Jabal-Abadi Production Editor
Lois Boateng Social Media Editor
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LETTER from the EDITOR Hello everybody and welcome back to issue 5! We have a ton of great articles in this issue, as per usual. But, I want to specifically highlight some of the columns in our news sections -- the Manhattan Caucus and City Spotlight, our new column allowing writers to bring some of the stories of the city to The Quadrangle! In our web-exclusive City Spotlight, our new writer Cienna Rydman attends Climate Week NYC, covering the Port of Long Beach’s recent iniatives and even speaking to Long Beach, CA mayor Rex Richardson. This is an amazing opportunity for our writer and The Quad is so proud to encourage this sort of work. Additionally, our Manhattan Caucus covers the recent UN General Assembly meeting and its accompanying protests.
Leyla Mercado Asst. Social Media Editor
Jayden Gonzalez Nicky Lombardo Photo & Video
In features, you can read about MU’s annual Family Weekend celebration, getting a behind-the-scenes look at the planning behind the event.
Nishat Parvez Faculty Advisor
Aureliano Morales Web Editor
In arts and entertainment, learn about Lotus Magazine and a recent Fashion Week internship opportunity that select members attended. You can also find our staff’s movie review on Bring Her Back, the acclaimed 2025 horror film from the directors of Talk to Me.
About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization 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.
Finally, sports wraps us up with coverage on Dee Dee Davis’ recent promotion to recruiting coordinator for women’s basketball. Davis is one of the school’s most well-known accomplished women’s basketball alum, nearing almost 3 million followers across social media. We wish her luck in her new role! That’s all from me this week -- give this issue a read, and stay tuned for next time! Sincerely,
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 2 p.m. in Kelly Commons. All are welcome to come and join the club. If interested, please email thequad@manhattan.edu!
Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mu_quad @mu_quad mcquad
Editor-in-Chief
WEB EXCLUSIVE City Spotlight: Port of Long Beach Showcases “Port of the Future” Vision for Climate Week NYC progress and economic senators, supporting Port of Long Beach are not mayors from multiple CEO, noted the Cienna Rydman progress mutually exclusive. states and leadership importance of Contributor Launched in 2009 by representatives from ports in relation to the international non- the ports of New York, partnerships. The Port of Long profit Climate Group as New Jersey, Seattle “Now all of you Beach in California a parallel event to the and Oakland, CA. know that ships are presented its “Port of annual United Nations important to With a history very the Future” initiative General Assembly to of ports, aren’t they? But environmental at Climate Week NYC, drive urgent climate leadership spanning just as important as the ships themselves which runs Sept. 20 action issues regarding two decades, are the partnerships,” through Sept. 27, and the global environment, port executives Hacagaba said. “We’ve consists of more than this year’s event drew emphasized that demonstrated to the 1,500 events to showcase leaders from across the sustainability and a vision of doubling political and industrial economic expansion world that you can grow green, and we’ve got big cargo while becoming spectrum, including rely heavily on plans for the future.” _______________________ the world’s first zero- California assembly teamwork. At the emissions port; proving members, CONTINUED ON state event, Noel Hacegaba, MCQUAD.ORG that environmental .
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THE QUADRANGLE
Jeremy Loffredo ‘19 Returns to MU for a Discussion on Journalism, Censorship and Middle Eastern Politics
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student, saying the event gave him a chance for the kind of open dialogue he didn’t have while enrolled. “I feel when I was here, I only learned about … contemporary politics of the Middle East when I would ask,” Loffredo said. “I was never assigned any particular books on the subject other than in history classes, which is not contemporary. So when I was invited to come here, I thought it’d be so great to have conversations about those subjects back at MU.” Before the event, Loffredo spoke with The Quadrangle about his imprisonment and what he called the “courage threshold” journalists face in the Middle East, a threshold he described as its own form of censorship. “It just puts things into perspective,” Loffredo said. “As an American journalist, they’ve made the courage threshold so high that you need to be willing to go to jail if you want to go to Israel and report on what they’re doing. For Palestinians, the courage threshold is so high that you need to be willing to die if you want to keep reporting … They have censorship enforced by ground-to-air
missiles, they’ve killed 250 journalists in Gaza.” During the discussion, Loffredo offered a different framing of censorship, drawing on Julian Assange’s writing. “Julian Assange wrote in a book [‘When Google Met WikiLeaks’] that he sees censorship as a cause for celebration, because it shows that the power structure is so weak [for a government] that they need to care what people think,” Loffredo said. “They’re just trying to make sure that they don’t lose control of the narrative.” Groarke connected that idea to press restrictions closer to home, pointing to a recently reversed press ban at the White House. “This week we watched Trump ban some journalists from the White House and then the courts forced him to allow them back in,” Groarke said. “We see a lot of news organizations closing or consolidating, and a free press is really important to a democracy because people can’t decide where they stand on issues if they don’t know what’s going on. I think it’s really concerning that we see all these different ways around the world that freedom of the press is being challenged.”
Groake described the ban as a First Amendment violation rooted in “viewpoint discrimination.” “I think it’s a fairly clear violation of the First Amendment … because the president was denying them access based on what we would call viewpoint discrimination,” Groarke said. “He doesn’t like their reporting, so they can’t come to the White House. That subverts the main purpose of the First Amendment … I think they just report facts that he doesn’t like.” Loffredo argued that the language used to describe the occupied West Bank and the war in Iran shouldn’t be as contested as it often is, saying journalists are bound to use the terms international law provides. “My view on these things in the Middle East is, I try to stay as close to international law and whatever those bodies are saying,” Loffredo said. “Palestinians in the West Bank are living under a military occupation. It’s not as controversial as people speak about it … saying what they say is really just a journalistic duty, it’s not really an opinion; it’s just taking the bodies who are the authority on these things and using that as the language.” When asked why a
country might censor its own history, Loffredo pointed to self-interest. “A country would want to censor its own history because they have incentive that the country supports its own policies in different places,” Loffredo said. “So, if you subject everybody to the truth about a certain conflict, then they might not support the next one. It’s just a matter of propaganda.” Loffredo also described what drives him to keep reporting despite the risks. “I feel the least I could do is – if my profession is journalism, I can try to educate people,” Loffredo said. “I think adding as much information as possible to the ‘humanities encyclopedia,’ so we have accurate information there and it’s not only filled with war propaganda. I think it’s
good for the future that we have things to look back on, ‘what was right? what was wrong?’” Mason closed the discussion by asking Loffredo how journalism can offer a message of peace and hope. “A message of hope is if people could be lied into supporting these wars and these occupations, people can [also] be ‘truthed’ into opposing them,” Loffredo said. “If people can be lied into a war, that’s really sad, but this also means that people don’t like wars … I feel like the goal of journalists is to give people the facts on the ground. The hopeful message is that it doesn’t have to be like this. And all journalists can report as much as they can, that’s truthful.”
Jeremy Loffredo (left) and Danica Mason (right) during the discussion. SARAH ROLKA / THE QUADRANGLE
Nishat Parvez, Ph.D., Joins Communication, Sound and Media Arts Department __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
communication theory. Parvez’s résumé combined that professional journalism background, including
reporting experience in Bangladesh, with a doctorate from the University of Oregon. “We saw the professional journalism experience, but it was also [her] global
Nishat Parvez, Ph.D., a new hire in Manhattan University’s communication, sound and media arts department. NISHAT PARVEZ / COURTESY
experience [that stood out],” Grabowski said. “Working as a reporter in Bangladesh, and then studying and earning her Ph.D. at the University of Oregon, we knew that this was somebody who understood and had the ability to teach cross-cultural skills in addition to the foundational skills of journalism and communication.” Parvez explained what drew her to MU was less the position itself and more the students and colleagues she met during her campus visit, the final stage of the hiring process. “It seemed like the students were, and still are, very curious to learn,” Parvez said. “And the way the colleagues were talking to them was fascinating to me.” In her current role, Parvez teaches introduction to integrated marketing, digital storytelling, and media theory and research. She also advises three students in an independent study course and serves as the faculty advisor for The
Quadrangle. “My goal is to teach them not just theoretical knowledge in the book pages, but also to prepare them for the future they are going to have,” Parvez said. Anna Franchi, a sophomore communication major with a focus in integrated marketing, is taking Parvez’s introduction to integrated marketing course. Franchi highlighted how Parvez has adapted to a new campus while teaching a course she had not previously taught. “It’s very obvious she’s very passionate about what she’s teaching,” Franchi said. “She also wants to connect with each individual [student] on a personal level.” That emphasis on personal connection also carries into Parvez’s goals for her first year at MU. “I don’t think of myself as a person who just gives a lecture,” Parvez said. “I just want to be a mentor. That’s what I wanted to be to the students at MU, whichever department they are from.” Mark Pottinger, Ph.D.,
chair of the department of communication, sound and media arts, noted that the hiring committee’s expectations extend beyond the classroom. As the position is a oneyear appointment, the department hopes to expand it into something long-term depending on enrollment trends, which have challenged the department in recent years. “We hope to expand this visiting position to something much longer,” Pottinger said. “But we have to see how things move forward, especially with incoming students.” Looking toward the future, Parvez hopes to contribute most through journalism. “I would love to teach any kind of journalism [courses at MU],” Parvez said. “If the department really wants the major to be very strong, [specifically] in journalism, I am here to help them,” Parvez said. *Editor’s note: Nishat Parvez is the current faculty advisor for The Quadrangle.
News
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
Manhattan Caucus: World Leaders Meet at UN General Assembly Zendrah Bonnick & Grace Mckeown Asst. News Editor & Contributor
On Sept. 22, UN General Assembly world leaders met and discussed their nation’s developments, foreign policy, and opposed the stances or actions of other nations. As a consequence of the gathering of national leaders, the public organized in protest to address multiple world leaders who have been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity and were present at the UN General Assembly. In a statement issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has had a warrant issued for his arrest since Fall 2024. However, despite this, Netanyahu was present at the event. Protests took place throughout NYC between Sept. 22 and 28, focusing on human rights concerns related to the Iran war, the Gaza Strip, and perceptions of the UN’s effectiveness. Netanyahu presented a speech to the UN General Assembly on the defense of Israel and his intention to target Iran and Hezbollah. The ICC warrant stated, “[Netanyahu] —Allegedly responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts from at least 8 Oct. 2023 until at least 20
May 2024.” Beyond the allegations made by the ICC, many civilians, various journalist and political organizations which include the UN Commissioner of Inquiry, have all accused Israel of enacting genocide against the Palestinian people. In addition to this, Netanyahu has been accused of creating an apartheid state in the Gaza Strip and West bank, targeting and trapping civilians. The Israeli Prime Minsters denied the accusations made by several nations, the public, and organizations dedicated to the study of genocides, stating Israel is enacting, “opposite of genocide.” The Health Ministry has stated earlier this summer that there have been over 73,000 documented killings of Palestinians since Oct. of 2023. The Israeli Prime Minsters’ speech was met with numerous world leaders walking out of the general assembly. Public opinion regarding the Israeli’s prime minister, have been increasingly oppositional on the global scale. Some of the protestors to the UN General Assembly, and U.S. President Trump and Prime Minster Benajamin Netanyahu included: celebrities, lawmakers, the old and the young who organized in a protest for the lives of people thousands of miles away. Different forms of protests ranged throughout the day, with a sit-in on First Avenue, marches from Bryant Park to the UN. The sit-in included over 400
Protestors march in the streets holding a Palestinian flag. GRACE MCKEOWN / THE QUADRANGLE
people, the Jewish Voice for Peace and NYC Democratic Socialist of America were event organizers. U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions and alliance with Netanyahu has also been a driving force for protestors. At the Assembly Netanyahu reinforced that they are aligned, “{We have] No greater partner than President Trump,” In the same speech the Israeli Prime Minster also referred to Palestinian and Iranians as their opposition in the “Battle against barbarians.” “I have a big decision to make... will a deal be made that allows Iran to rebuild into the greatest country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the middle east or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic republic and do it quickly never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again,” President Trump said at the UN General Assembly. The statement was reminiscent of a post the president made earlier this year, on April 7, the U.S. president stated, on Truth Social, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” he wrote. “... Now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran! Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope for future greatness or generations?” He added. The initial post on Truth Social by the U.S. president raised public objections from the public. In response to his statement of Iran earlier this year, the Raphael Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, a nonprofit, nongovernmental research institute that research and documents genocide, and risks or crimes against humanity, issued a statement.
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Man holding up sign protesting against Netanyahu while marching in NYC GRACE MCKEOWN / THE QUADRANGLE “In just one year of this administration’s virtually unchallenged brutality against immigrants and trans people at home and support for one of the world’s most brutal genocides abroad, the U.S. government seems to have begun to embrace genocidal thinking in all of its conduct at home and abroad,” the institute stated, adding that the United States “is on its way to becoming a genocidal state” and describing such states as those that incorporate “genocidal thinking, genocidal strategies, and genocidal tactics” into government and policy. The U.S. President went on to describe recent developments and plans for the U.S. “But I believe [they] will make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to,” President Trump told the U.N., referring to the midterm elections. He added that “in the very near future massive munition plants will be open,” with 18 plants under construction, which he said would allow the U.S. to supply allies with missiles and ammunition “at a much faster rate.” In protests earlier that week, the NYC-DSA hosted a conference at the John F. Kennedy Airport, demanding the halt of explosive and cargo shipments that are military aid sent to Israel. During the protest, they were told by the NYPD to be moved or arrested; from there, 103 people were
detained. Aljazera spoke to JVP organizer Jess Frankel Carrel at the protest. “We don’t want our tax dollars spent bombing children. We want them to fund schools here... Many of my comrades were arrested, and we will stay here. We will stay fighting until the genocide is over,” Carrel told Aljazeera. Among group of people that were arrested were actor Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder, the city councilman were Chi Osse and congressional candidate Darializa Chevalier. Later that day, a march broke out from Bryant Park, which was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement and The People’s Forum. These protests had thousands of marchers, opposing the use of tax dollars on bombing children, calling for justice not genocide. On the day of the assembly, President Trump called on nations to “join us enforcing the complete economic isolation of Iran” until it ends attacks on commercial shipping, abandons its nuclear ambitions and stops supporting terrorism. He also claimed that “a few weeks ago, we ended the war in Gaza,” adding, “My great honor to settle 8 wars.” Contrary to this, there have been numerous reports of attacks by the Israeli Defensive Forces in the Gaza strip days after the U.S. president made this statement. With six reported deaths of Palestinians the week the president’s statement was made.
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THE QUADRANGLE
Career Paths Begin at Manhattan University
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, Manhattan Univeristy hosted their first Career Fair of the semster. With over 40 vendors, students were able to network with compaines from various fields and work towards securing that coveted summer internship. With other careers fairs on their way, students can look forward to more networking opportunities, or explore the different paths open to them. After the Career Fair, a group of selected Alumni; Vaiden Ferraro, Sarah Lavin, Caitlyn Coherty, Anthony Capote and Nicole D’Andrea, came to share their career journeys. Following after, students were able to engage in a Q&A with the panelists.
Misha Jabal-Abadi Productions Editor
@MANHATTANEDU / INSTAGRAM
Features
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
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Behind the Scenes: Family Weekend Misha Jabal-Abadi Production Editor
Manhattan University’s (MU) legacy event, Family Weekend, took place Sept. 25 to Sept. 26. This year’s event centered on MU’s Lasallian heritage and values by opening its activities to staff, administration and faculty in addition to students and their families. Family Weekend gives families a chance to see how their students are adjusting to campus, while also showcasing how the MU community comes together. All students were invited to participate in the weekend’s events regardless of whether their families were in attendance. Antoine Orr, assistant director of wellness and recreation and head coach for club basketball, shared with The Quadrangle that the weekend gives students a chance to step outside the classroom and connect with the broader community. “It’s an opportunity to put the books down, meet new people, share stories, get familiar with what’s happening currently and what the first two weeks have been like for someone who’s a freshman or a transfer student,” Orr said.
Through careful planning and collaboration, the team behind this year’s Family Weekend worked to bring student families closer to the Jasper community. Nicole Brosnan, director of student engagement, noted that the weekend allows staff and faculty to meet with students’ families and show them how their children are growing within the campus community. “Let them know that we appreciate them and we understand it can be scary trusting us to have your students here,” Brosnan said. “We want to make sure that you could see that they’re doing well here and they’re thriving and they’re having a good time.” Kristell Lowe, vice president of student life, shared that the weekend also gives students a chance to show their families the community they’ve become part of and the work they’ve done since the start of the school year. “Family weekend is about appreciation for your family unit, for what your family has done for you to be able to attend college, and you know, maybe live on campus or anything,” Lowe said. Lowe has led much of the planning behind this year’s activities, working
Banner for Family Weekend. @MANHATTANEDU / INSTAGRAM with other staff members to grow Family Weekend into an event the wider community can enjoy. As part of an effort to tie legacy events more closely to MU’s Lasallian roots, organizers built a community service component into this year’s schedule. Following breakfast with Frederick Bonato, MU’s president, a florist was invited to lead a flower-arranging activity,
with the arrangements donated to the Methodist Home and Waldo Sanctuary. “I really think people want to do good for others, so let’s give them an opportunity,” Lowe said. “Our activity, which is right after the breakfast and the pancakes with Bonato, the activity is [where] the floral designer is going to give some tips and rules on how to arrange a beautiful flower arrangement. Each family
that wants to participate is going to be able to make an arrangement in a creative way.” Planning a legacy event of this scale takes time and coordination, and organizers thanked everyone involved in bringing this year’s Family Weekend together. The Jasper community invites all students to take part in future events and continue building on that spirit.
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THE QUADRANGLE
Jasper Lens: Family Weekend
On Sept. 25-26, Family Weekend arrived to Manhattan Univeristy. Through many activities throughtout the day, including the annual Family Weekend Yankee game and Jaspers BBQ, families and students were able to enjoy a day of fun and excitement.
Misha Jabal-Abadi Production Editor
@Manhattanedu Instgram
Features
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
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Jasper Pride on Display: MU Cheerleaders Rally Campus Community Reyna Orlova Contributor
Manhattan University’s (MU) cheerleaders hosted a fundraiser on the quad Wednesday, Sept. 23, where students could purchase a slice of pie or pay to pie a cheerleader. The stand offered pumpkin, pecan and apple pies, along with plates of whipped cream for students who wanted to pie a cheerleader. Grace Arias, a senior civil engineering major, shared with The Quadrangle that the event reflected what cheerleading is meant to represent on campus. “The purpose of being a cheerleader is to show your school pride… and to try and bring everyone together with that Jasper pride,” Arias said. “Being approachable, being someone who can go and talk to anyone from any grade, major, anything like that.” Arias continued to explain that the cheerleading
community’s bonds extend beyond the team itself to the broader student body, representing a web of school pride among all grades and majors, even if that pride sometimes comes with a plate of whipped cream to the face. Krysha Amanda de Guzman, a senior double majoring in political science and criminology, shared that the cheer team is receiving a scholarship for the first time this year. An exciting addition she credited with boosting the team’s overall morale. “It just started this year – we’re actually getting a scholarship for the cheer team,” de Guzman said. “A select few individuals are going to be getting scholarships during the season.” Arias noted that the “pie a cheerleader” event is an annual tradition for the team. Her teammate, Ree Civil, a freshman criminology major, noted that the proceeds support the team’s finances. “This is to raise money to help funds be less for
A cheerleader being “pie-d” during the event. REYNA ORLOVA / THE QUADRANGLE the team,” Civil said. “And also to be able to afford our uniforms and be able to go to Daytona [Fla.] with the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams.” Civil also shared that more opportunities to engage with the team are coming soon. The team held an open gym Thursday, Sept.
Jasper cheerleaders at the “Pie a Cheerleader or Buy a Pie” fundraiser. REYNA ORLOVA / THE QUADRANGLE
24, from 8 – 10 p.m., and will host a special session for children interested in cheer on Oct. 17. Additionally, two MU students also shared their impressions of the team to The Quadrangle. Rafael Romano, a senior mechanical engineering major, explained he
associates the cheerleaders with campus energy. “[When I think of the cheerleading team,] I think of high energy,” Romano said. “I think of the sporting events here on campus, and then I think of a lot of fun and positivity.” Blake Perkins, a sophomore exercise science major and a member of the men’s volleyball team, echoed that sentiment. “Cheerleading is a good sport,” Perkins said. “It’s really important, especially to the school culture.” Other members from the Jasper community alike noted that MU’s cheerleaders carry a strong sense of school spirit in their interactions across campus. Even those outside the team acknowledged the sense of acceptance and enthusiasm the cheerleaders bring to Manhattan University’s student body. Arias and de Guzman continue to invite students of any flexibility or training level to contact the team through @manhattan.cheer on Instagram, whether they’re looking to support the cheerleaders from the sidelines or join the squad themselves.
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THE QUADRANGLE
Fashion Finds: More MU Students Show Off Their Fall Fashion Joshua Reichard & Riley Kopceuch Asst. A&E Editor & Contributor
Campus finally feels like fall, and as the first official week of the season begins, students across Manhattan University (MU) are saying goodbye to their summer wardrobes and taking out their fall clothes. The Quadrangle spoke to Dylann Grant, Matteo Santonocito, Cassia Lutete, Liseth Mata and Victor Vocal about their fall inspired outfits and what they like wearing during this time of year. Dylann Grant marketing major
‘30,
The Quadrangle: What inspired your outfit today? Dylann Grant: Well, I knew it was going to get a little bit cold, so I wanted to get my fall clothes out early… I’m trying to get into the fall spirit. TQ: What are wearing today?
you
DG: These pants are Vintage Refuge, my shirt and my top shirt are both vintage Hollister… My shoes are from Primark. TQ: What brands do you lean towards in the fall? DG: I am big on Hollister and Abercrombie. My whole wardrobe for the fall is honestly Hollister and
Abercrombie. I feel like they have really warm clothes and they really fit the fall spirit. TQ: Describe your late summer and early fall style in two words. DG: Warm and cozy. Matteo Santonocito ‘27, mechanical engineering major The Quadrangle: What inspired your outfit today? Matteo Santonocito: I think it is just the first day that it is starting to get cold outside, so I was really excited to throw on a sweater. It is one of my favorite sweaters. I wanted to keep it something basic and blue. TQ: What are wearing today?
you
MS: My pants are chino pants from Ralph Lauren. I’m wearing Onitsuka Tiger shoes I got in Japan. My sweater is from Aimé Leon Dore, it was a collaboration with Drakes. My shirt is from Hugo Boss, and my watch was my grandfather’s, it’s from Tissot. TQ: What brands do you lean towards in the fall? MS: Definitely I would go for Ralph Lauren. They have a lot of great layering pieces. You can look at any of their catalogs; the template is right there. You can even
Liseth Mata poses with her comfy fall outfit.
Victor Vocal shows off his fall Dylann Grant poses for the flannel. camera with her vintage outfit.
JOSHUA REICHARD / THE QUADRANGLE look at the [Ralph Lauren] bear and dress up the same. I like keeping things cozy, but also showing a little prep. TQ: Describe your late summer and early fall style in two words. MS: I would probably say “coffee date,” like dressing up like I’m going to a coffee date. Cassia Lutete ‘27, public health major The Quadrangle: What inspired your outfit today? Cassia Lutete: I am going for more of a 2000s vibe, and I think that’s how I usually dress. TQ: What are wearing today?
you
CL: This top is from Princess Polly, these [pants] I thrifted from MyUnique, I’m wearing flip flops from Amazon, this bag I got from Depop and a bralette I ordered from SHEIN. TQ: What brands do you lean towards in the fall? CL: I don’t know if I have any specific brands, but I tend to wear a lot of jeans Cassia Lutete with her 2000s Matteo Santonocito shows off now, I stop wearing skirts and shorts. I like wearing inspired fall outfit. his “coffee date” inspired look. low-rise jeans, and maybe a long sleeve with a bralette JOSHUA REICHARD / THE QUADRANGLE showing. Oh, and UGGs and
furry UGGs are super cute during the fall. TQ: Describe your late summer and early fall style in two words. CL: Dark grunge. Liseth Mata ‘27, biochemistr y major The Quadrangle: What inspired your outfit today? Liseth Mata: Honestly, fall. It’s my favorite season, and I did know that today was the end of summer, the first day of fall, and it was breezy outside. I have a long day, so I was like, I’m going to go comfy, warm colors, cute kind of vibe. TQ: What are wearing today?
you
LM: My outfit is from Amazon and Brandy [Melville], I have UGG slippers, and then this [bag] is my mom’s. It’s Vince Camuto. TQ: What brands do you lean towards in the fall? LM: For sure Brandy [Melville], even though it’s pretty basic. I always go for something comfortable. UGGs are really good too. Aside from that, I’ve been shopping a bit more at Subdued, they have very nice clothes, similar to Brandy [Melville] but more
stylish clothing. TQ: Describe your late summer and early fall style in two words. LM: Warm and cozy. Victor Vocal ‘30, political science major The Quadrangle: What inspired your outfit today? Victor Vocal: I was already running kind of late, so I grabbed whatever was there, but I like flannels, they’re really nice for this weather. TQ: What are wearing today?
you
VV: I’m not too sure where my pants are from, but this is an Abercrombie flannel and Timberland shoes. TQ: What brands do you lean towards in the fall? VV: I’m not one for specific brands, as long as it’s not going to make me too hot or too cold. I like flannels, I like a lot of waffle kit shirts, sometimes I’ll still wear them in the hot weather because “fit over weather.” TQ: Describe your late summer and early fall style in two words. VV: Comfy and baggy.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
Arts and Entertainment
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Lotus Magazine Members Participate in Fashion Week Internship Misha Jabal-Abadi Production Editor
Lotus is a student magazine centered around the fashion industry, where club members work together to publish magazine issues every semester. Members have the opportunity to make and source clothing pieces for photoshoots and their annual fashion shows. With its growing and welcoming community, artists can collaborate with one another to create a form of self-expression that is true to themselves and their cultures. One of their goals, as stated on their website, is to allow anyone a space to feel represented and beautiful. “At Lotus, we want every person to feel beautiful and have a space to show it off. All shapes, sizes, colors, ages, genders, sexualitieswhatever you look like, wherever you’ve been, the way you express yourself needs to be represented.” With a focus on the inner workings of the fashion industry, Lotus is a club for fashion enthusiasts who want to learn more about how a magazine works from the inside. Sienna Gallus, a senior majoring in psychology and the Editor-inChief of the magazine, looks for different internships throughout the year and shares the opportunities with members who show great interest in the industry – much like the one from a few weeks ago. A Fashion Week internship is a short-term, immersive position where students and aspiring professionals assist behind the scenes during major global fashion events. Just weeks ago, four members from the Lotus team got a chance to participate in one of these roles. While it was an unpaid opportunity,
members got to work behind the scenes and experience firsthand what goes on during a fashion show. For those who are interested in learning what goes into a show like this, this internship gives them the opportunity to work with designers and bring their visions to life. Gallus expresses her excitement about this year’s participants. “I was especially excited about two freshmen who decided to come,” said Gallus. The internship was a one-time experience for only one show, but during that time, students were able to get fully immersed in the experience. They worked in a variety of positions such as stage manager, VIP seating, greetings and more. This internship was fast-paced, but it reflected just how fastpaced the fashion industry itself is. A freshman studying communications, Jonah Montoya, was one of the four who participated in it this year. When asked about the internship, he shared the variety of roles he could choose from. “You were able to work with the show, check people in, help the models get dressed, and kind of run the program,” said Montoya. Gallus, who also took part in this internship, worked in different parts of the show. “I was present, and I did backstage managing, as well as VIP seating, and I really love dressing the models and doing the quick changes,” shared Gallus. When The Quadrangle asked Montoya for his opinion on the internship, he expressed just how much of an opportunity this was. Not only was he able to get experience, but it allowed him to see firsthand the importance of time management skills, adaptability and more. “I felt like it was a really fulfilling experience to get
Fashion Week poster. @FASHIONWEEKONLINE / INSTAGRAM a lot of information about the fashion world,” said Montoya. “It’s something that I had never been used to or accustomed to, being from Colorado.” Getting to work behind the scenes allows people to get a deeper understanding of how much work it takes to keep everything running smoothly. “I thought that it was really interesting to see all the moving parts [of the
show],” said Montoya. “All the systems that it takes and how many people it takes to get something going and to host something [at this scale].” With more opportunities to come from Lotus, Gallus provides two recommendations for students who could be interested in joining the club to experience the behindthe-scenes of the fashion industry.
“Be flexible and be true to yourself,” said Gallus.
Arts and Entertainment
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THE QUADRANGLE
Movie Review: Bring Her Back Zendrah Bonnick Asst. News Editor
“Bring Her Back” is a film directed by Michael and Danny Philippou, popular Australian YouTubers and directors of the critically acclaimed horror film “Talk to Me.” The film follows two siblings: Andy, the eldest, played by Billy Barrett, and his stepsister Piper, played by Sora Wong. After the death of their father, the siblings are sent to a foster home. Andy is waiting to take custody of his sister next year, when he turns 18. Their foster parent, Laura, who is played by Sally Hawkins, also fosters another child, Oliver, who does not speak and is played by Jonah Wren. The movie is a story of abuse, gaslighting, loss and grief, told through a lens of supernatural horror. Upon arriving at the foster home, the siblings were surprised to see the house was already equipped with accessibility features for the visually impaired. Piper is visually impaired herself, so Andy assumes it’s for her. However, both siblings are saddened to learn the accessibility features in the home were left there after Laura’s daughter passed away after drowning. As the siblings explore the property, they find a drained pool and a locked shed in the backyard. In the pool, Andy and the viewers see Oliver for the first time holding Laura’s cat, which is aggressively trying to escape him and has to be taken away. Later, she tells them that Oliver has selective mutism, a fairly uncommon mental health condition that inhibits a person’s ability to speak, usually linked to anxiety or trauma, and most commonly found in young children like Oliver. Over their time at the foster home, Laura becomes increasingly adamant that Andy confides in her and grieves his father openly. At one point pressuring him to kiss his father’s body at
his funeral, claiming it was “tradition.” Andy didn’t even want to look at his father. He was uncomfortable and reluctant toward this, not only because he had only just met Laura and she insisted he kiss his father’s body, but because his father was abusive. His father used to hit him before his death, and it was Andy who found him on the floor of the shower, which he used to stop Piper from hearing Andy’s abuse. No two children have the same experience with their parents, but in abusive households it’s not uncommon that siblings will lash out against each other. Once, when Andy was 8 years old, he hit Piper and has regretted it since then. Despite this, Andy and Piper’s relationship is strong, with Andy being protective of Piper, and Piper trusting Andy. Their strong sibling bond continues until Laura very gradually begins to isolate Piper from her brother. In their distance, Andy explores the property and runs into Oliver, who seems aggressive and hungry. Upon talking to him, Piper realizes Oliver does not react to things normally. He acts as though he is disconnected from reality. In one instance, Andy attempts to feed the child. He hands him a piece of fruit stuck to the knife that cut it; Oliver eats the fruit. Andy also gives him paper and a pen to write with; Oliver writes the word “Bird.” And after hearing a strange noise, Andy turned around, horrified at the sight of Oliver chewing the knife. Andy takes the knife from him and runs to take him to the hospital. When he steps out of the property, Oliver starts violently convulsing, and his stomach starts protruding like something is trying to escape him; it’s at this moment Andy hears a voice say, “She’ll die in the rain.” Laura brings them inside, and they don’t go to the hospital. The supernatural element in this film is tied to Laura’s loss of her daughter, attempting to “bring her back” at the expense of
Movie poster from “Bring Her Back”, designed 2025. @EMPIREDESIGNSTUDIOS / INSTAGRAM multiple children’s lives. As the film goes on, it becomes clear Oliver was simply her first attempt at a conduit for Laura’s daughter’s spirit, and Piper was supposed to be the perfect one. After his interaction with Oliver, Laura uses her background as a counselor to get information out of Andy while he is vulnerable. Throughout the film, she quietly preys on the children, using their susceptible status as recently orphaned to her advantage. Laura’s use of Piper’s visual impairment to manipulate her further is part of the tragedy in the story, which starts with little things that seem almost comforting, like when she said Oliver had curly red hair in response to Andy’s attempt to reassure his sister by saying he is “cute and smiling at you.” Oliver
does not smile in the film, and his hair is shaved to a buzz cut. Andy remains distant from Laura, so he goes to the social worker who placed him and his sister there. In the office, he sees a picture of Oliver with the words “Missing: Connor Bird” written above it. Andy goes home to get Piper, but before he can, Laura stops him; he tries to escape, but Laura drowns him in a puddle. Eventually, Piper becomes concerned about where her brother is, so she searches the house. She puts her hand on the head of someone who Laura says is Oliver, and immediately notices he doesn’t have curly hair and that Laura has been lying to her. Piper continues her search and finds Andy’s body. She knows when she feels his braces and
is immediately devastated before Laura quickly knocks her unconscious. Laura takes the girl to the pool and attempts to drown her, repeatedly stating “please let me do this...” a chillingly banal statement, asked as if she was asking for a simple favor, not for a child to surrender their own life. Oliver watches both of them, his stomach protruding more than it ever has, and his mouth and body are still covered in blood. The voice of Laura’s daughter speaks through Piper and stops Laura from drowning her long enough for Piper to escape. Oliver leaves shortly after her, convulsing once again until the police find him as he gives the last frightening spoken line in the film: “I’m Connor...Connor Bird.”
Sports
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
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Dee Dee Davis Promoted to Recruiting Coordinator for Women’s Basketball Ariana Cariddo Staff Writer
On Sept. 1, Dee Dee Davis, assistant coach for Manhattan University’s (MU) women’s basketball team, was promoted to recruiting coordinator. Heather Vulin, head coach of the women’s basketball team, spoke with The Quadrangle about the matter. “I think her investment in this program has been an incredible influence on the athletes, her love for the university and how much she believes in MU,” Vulin said. Davis began her career as a player for the Jaspers, spending five seasons with the program before transferring to the University of Rhode Island for her final year of eligibility. She was a member of two MAAC [now Metro] Championship teams in 2022 and 2023, and averaged 15.4 points her senior year, according to GoJaspers.com. When Vulin was looking for a new assistant coach, Davis’ experience with the program made her a natural candidate. As a team captain and standout player during her time at MU, Davis had already demonstrated the leadership qualities Vulin valued and wanted to continue developing. After completing her playing career, Davis returned to MU as an assistant coach in the fall of 2025, bringing her back to the program where she spent much of her collegiate career. Now, she has taken on another role within the program as recruiting coordinator. “She’s an all-time great for the program’s history,” Vulin said. “There’s no better person on staff because she played for me. She loves basketball and she loves Manhattan. So, it’s really a joy to work with her.” Davis has been connected to MU basketball for nearly a decade, first as a player and now as a coach. Her relationship with Vulin has remained a constant throughout that time. Vulin was the coach who recruited Davis to MU, and she has since watched Davis develop from a college
athlete into a team captain, graduate and now member of the coaching staff.
“Going from athlete to coach has been nothing short of a full-circle moment,” Davis said. “For Vulin to recruit me back then and for her to just watch my growth. She’s really seen it all.” Davis’ time as a studentathlete at two different programs gave her a firsthand look at the college basketball experience from multiple perspectives. She understands the process of choosing a school, adjusting to a new program and finding a role on a team. Those experiences now shape the way she approaches recruiting, allowing her to understand what coaches look for in prospective athletes while also considering what athletes want from their next program. “I think everyone in college athletics talks about being a family, but for me, it was important to see what that really meant,” Davis said. “When I came to home games and saw alumni still showing up and supporting the program, that spoke volumes. I felt that sense of community and family, and I think every student deserves that, especially when they’re leaving home for the first time.” That true sense of family and community is what Davis hopes to bring to prospective student-athletes. With all of her experience at the university, both on and off the court, she understands the community MU has to offer. For Davis, recruiting is not only about finding athletes who can contribute to the team but also helping them navigate their journey and careers for the next four to five years, and beyond college. “I want them [prospective student-athletes] to understand that they will be taken care of long after their time here is over,” Davis said. “I’m living proof of that. Coach V has always advocated for people while they’re here, but also after they transition out. That’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.” Davis’ commitment to
Dee Dee Davis has been promoted to recruiting coordinator. @MANHATTANWBB / INSTAGRAM building connections extends beyond the basketball court. Throughout her playing career, she developed a strong social media presence centered on her experiences as a studentathlete, allowing her to connect with an audience beyond the MU community. That experience has given her firsthand insight into how people communicate, build relationships and find community online. These are skills she now brings into her role as recruiting coordinator. “My wife’s friend encouraged us to start sharing our lives online,” Davis said. “We stayed consistent, and eventually it created a life of its own. Now we have nearly 3 million followers, and we’ve always wanted to spread love through laughter.” Social media has become more than just a platform for Davis; it has become a way to connect and build relationships, which is something she hopes to carry into the recruitment process. Today, college athletic recruiting has shifted heavily to social media. It’s one of the main sources that prospective student-athletes use to
figure out what school is the right fit for them. “I get a lot of girls that reach out to me through social media,” Davis said. “For those that I can respond to, I do immediately, where I ask them to send me what I need.” Social media has been a helpful tool for Davis as recruiting coordinator because it keeps her in the loop on what’s happening in the basketball world online and what that means for recruiting the next class of athletes. Rather than only telling recruits about MU, Davis can use her own experience to show them what being a Jasper can look like. Looking forward as recruiting coordinator, Davis now has the opportunity to shape the future of the program she once played for. Her experience as a former Jasper, a transfer studentathlete and coach gives her multiple perspectives on how to recruit future Jaspers. For Davis, her new role is not just about recruiting; it’s about finding the future Jaspers who will both shine on and off the court during their time at MU. “I want to win a championship,” Davis said.
“That’s what it’s been since I set foot on this campus seven, eight years ago. My job now is to help and be impactful in my new role, and that’s to recruit the next generation of Jaspers.” The championship goal has always remained the same for Davis. Even though she is no longer an athlete, she is eager to be a part of the program and help build the team up so that they will win their next championship. Her focus is no longer just on what she can accomplish on the court, but on finding the players who can help take the Jaspers to the next level. “At the end of the day, the student comes before the athlete. I think graduating our players and helping them find internships and careers beyond this place is really important to me.” After once being an athlete searching for the right school to call home, Davis is now on the other side of recruiting, where she can help athletes who were just like her decide if MU is the right place for them.
Sports
13
THE QUADRANGLE
Games of the Week Nicholas Melendez Staff Writer
Men’s Golf The Jasper’s men’s golf team traveled to Seekonk, Mass. this past weekend to compete at Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate. This three-round tournament lasted Saturday, Sept. 19 to Monday, Sept. 21. Jaspers opened the Saturday with consistent pars from junior player Robert Leo Arnorsson. On holes one-nine, Arnorsson sunk a pair of birdies on the first and ninth holes, then he anchored a par on seven of the following nine on the backside. In the second round on Saturday, Arnorsson logged
six birdies throughout and six under par for a 65. Later on, Sunday, Arnorsson logged another five birdies, one bogey on the front nine, followed by another five pars on the backside. The Jaspers kept up the momentum with Aidan Talent recording two birdies on the first five holes during his beginning position in the tournament. On the back nine, Talent secured five more birdies, and one bogey on the 13th hole, logging a five-underpar phase. In Talent’s second round, he logged five pars on the front nine holes and sank par on seven of the nine holes on the backside. Junior Akshay Mandadapu circled back in his second and third
rounds, logging two evenpar days. Sophomore Carter Sica concluded one over par following a spectacular backnine performance with one bogey and two birdies. Women’s Golf Manhattan’s women’s golf team traveled northbound to Canton, Mass., on Monday, Sept. 21 through Tuesday, Sept. 22, to compete in the Red Bandanna Invitational hosted by the Eagles of Boston College. Jaspers started off the second invite of the year with junior Lara Dommach sinking a pair of birdies on the back nine, right after she sunk par for eight out of the front nine during the first round. Following this, junior Leonie Krausse, landed a birdie on the 16th green following a par on six of the front nine in her debut Red Bandanna Invitational arrival. During the second round, Krausse didn’t stop the momentum of her performance, anchoring down par on five of the first six holes, then catching a pair of birdies on the 12th and 15th. Junior Maddison Long, came back on the subsequent portion of the front nine, capturing five of the last six, and seven of the beginning eight sinking par in the second round. Dommach landed an eagle on the ninth hole, following her first birdie of the second day on the eighth hole of the third round. Women’s Soccer
Match Day post from Women Golf Team @GOJASPERS/INSTAGRAM
This past Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Jaspers women’s soccer team traveled northbound to
Robert Leo Arnorsson, #65 from the men’s golf team. @GOJASPERS /INSTAGRAM Poughkeepsie, New York, to compete with the Marist Red Foxes that afternoon. The game started off with Marist missing a couple shots within the first few minutes, right as senior Molly Brunk made her first save of the night during the 19th minute. Following this, during the 21st minute, newcomer Baileigh Johnson produced a shot though opponent Samantha Graf recording a save for the Red Foxes. The offensive zone was churning up constant pressure, though Brunk remained present with none of the players reaching the Jaspers’ final line of defense. Other saves were generated from Graf in the middle of the three shots, senior Olivia McMaster, made for
the team. During the second half, a difference in synergy was noticed as both sides mixed for three shots in the opening 90 seconds, Brunk had her second save of the evening during this moment. About 15 minutes passed before another attempt at a shot could be made near the net. The Red Foxes pushed their way to the final defense line after newcomer Logan Smith received a red card that put the Jaspers at 10 on the field. In response to this, Brunk made two saves in 40 seconds in the 82nd and 83rd minutes. Neither side could score a goal which left the game at a 0-0 draw.