Issue 12, Fall 2018 - The Quadrangle

“We Do Journalism”

the Quadrangle

Visit Our Website mcquad.org

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924

Volume XCVIII, Issue 12

FREE

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Updates on Undergraduate Commencement Upset Megan Dreher Features Editor

Fall Comes to Riverdale The trees are changing color and students are bundling up. Picture taken of main campus from the perspective of Leo Engineering Building.

TAYLOR BRETHAUER / THE QUADRANGLE

Chief Justice DePinho Revamps Student Court Sophia Sakellariou Staff Writer

The Manhattan College Student Court is a branch of Student Government that’s intended to play a crucial role on campus. According to the school’s site, it serves to preside over cases referred to by the dean of students or her designee involving parking tickets, residence hall write-ups and any other disciplinary incidents or complaints.

Senior Anthony DePinho is tired of the way things have been done in the past, and is looking to make some changes in his newly appointed leadership role as Chief Justice.

“The way things are right now with the Student Court is that it’s meant to be a body that students can come and appeal cases to the Court of any kind, but the reality right now is that we pretty much are only looking at parking ticket appeals that students receive from Public Safety,” DePinho said.

Parking tickets or any other traffic violation tickets received on campus are administered

by MC’s Public Safety, not the NYPD. If a student feels they don’t deserve the ticket they were given, they go through an appeal process with Student Court and may try to appeal their ticket.

IN NEWS:

Results from the Annual FED Cup on p. 5

It has also been customary that the Public Safety office sends a representative to the Court’s meetings since their knowledge on parking regulations and passes serves useful when reviewing appeals.

In the past this representative has been a supervisor, but this year, office personnel began to be a part of the process. The court is looking to strengthen the communication between the Public Safety office and Student Court.

This is one of the many changes DePinho has begun to implement, including the process of applying to be on the court.

“The way it worked previously was that current members of the court would come up with a list of names of people that they would nominate and the list was brought to Student Government assembly and voted on,” DePinho said. “It became kind of insular. People were pulling in other people that they knew or just contacting only people that they would know so it was very closed and not very open to the campus at all. So this year, when I stepped into the role of I wanted to make the process for adding new justices something more transparent and open,” DePinho said.

There are ten positions on the court— one Chief Jus-

IN FEATURES: Club Dining for Women Comes to MC’s Campus on p. 7

tice, six Associate Justices, one clerk, and two Sergeant at Arms. The Chief Justice oversees everything involving the Court and the Associate Justices are the other voting members along with the Chief. The clerk is responsible for taking notes during an appeal and to write down the final decision that is sent to Public Safety. The Sergeant at Arms essentially keep order in the courtroom and usher students in and out of the room.

In order to achieve his goal of making the process of getting on the Court more transparent, DePinho advertised the Court at MC’s Club Fair and at Student Government meetings at the beginning of the semester. An online application was also sent out for about a week through the MC Announcements. Students who filled out this online application where then interviewed by DePinho and Student Body President Jaycie Cooper. After candidates were interviewed, a final list of candidates was brought to the assembly and approved.

“We had about eight or ten really strong applicants and I was really blown away, but we could only take four, so it was a really tough decision. The students who came through that __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

The Manhattan College Student Government has started a petition in order to change the 2019 Spring Commencement location from Draddy Gymnasium. This petition comes after an announcement made by the college that students will only be receiving two tickets for family and friends to gather inside of Draddy, and an additional two tickets for the alternate viewing locations.

In just 24 hours, the petition garnered over 2,000 signatures. As of 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, there were 2,478 signatures.

Students commented on the petition as to why this location change is crucial, as the two ticket limit inside of Draddy is insufficient for their perspective guests.

“I am the first person in my family to go to college, and it wouldn’t have been possible without my parents, grandparents, and siblings. To have them at my graduation would be to honor them for helping me do something that was never a possibility for them and it is absurd that I need to choose between family members for graduation tickets,” said Samantha Wilson, a petitioner and graduating senior.

Those that signed the petition, including community members, family, friends and alumni of the college, stated other reasons for the unfair change in the comment section as well.

“I am signing this petition because this practice is exclusionary. Families are not just mother and father. They include siblings, grandparents and extended family that have supported the graduate’s journey possibly from birth to this moment. It is a culminating event which opens the door for the next chapter - the ‘real world.’ This includes putting all the theory and knowledge

IN A&E:

Manhattan College Players Perform “Present Laughter” on p. 9

gained at this institution into practice as they go to work and start finding their place in society,” said Carmen Vazqueztell, a member of the surrounding community.

This petition comes after considerable pushback from students who were surprised about the decrease of tickets available, considering that the Class of 2019 is one of the largest graduating classes in the college’s history. “[The] goal of the petition was to spread awareness of the issue and gain power in numbers for when the problem is reassessed,” said Bailey Shaw, a student representative who has spoken to administrators about the issue at hand.

While most of the administrators that were invited to meet with students who wished to voice their concerns, Shaw felt as though there was no solution in sight.

Alternate locations were proposed, such as Radio City Music Hall, where Pace University hosts their graduation, or the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden, where both Iona and New York University host their graduation.

Though Shaw did not see administrators push for immediate change, she hopes administrators will hear students’ concerns and act in the near future.

“I hope that everyone’s families and loved ones are able to see them graduate in person and be in the room where it happens. We will continue to fight on and hopefully the administration will do what’s right for its students.”

Student Government plans to have administrators in attendance at their upcoming assembly meeting at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 14 in Kelly 5C. All students are welcome to voice their concerns.

This topic will continue to be covered in upcoming issues of The Quadrangle. Please continue to follow for more coverage.

IN SPORTS:

Women’s Soccer Reflects on Their 2018 Season on p. 11

Opinions & Editorials

2

the Quadrangle Volume XCVIII, Issue 12 NOVEMBER 13, 2018

The Editorial Board

Taylor Brethauer Editor-in-Chief Stephen Zubrycky Managing Editor Jack Melanson News Editor

Gabriella DePinho Joseph Liggio Asst. News Editors

Megan Dreher Features Editor

Lauren Schuster Asst. Features Editor

Rose Brennan Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor

Alexa Schmidt Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

John Jackson Sports Editor

C. Garrett Keidel Asst. Sports Editor

RikkiLynn Shields Catherine Goodyear Social Media Editors

Anja Pollozi Photography Editor

Alyssa Velazquez Production Editor

Samantha Walla Asst. Production Editor

August Kissel Michevi Dufflart Web Editors

Mohsin Ahmed Shannon Gleba Copy Editors

Abby Crowell Distribution Manager Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. 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 College or the student body.

Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.

Connect with The Quadrangle

mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad

THE QUADRANGLE

LET T ER TO

The Editor

RABEA ALI writes: Dear Manhattan College Community & Quadrangle Staff, I wanted to first take a moment to thank Gabriella DePinho for her article last issue on the Muslim students search for a prayer space and the Quadrangle staff for the coverage. As always, pursuit of the truth, well done folks. I’m proud to be a friend of many of y’all in these moments especially.

As the end of the semester nears, I ask of us all to consider one element of our Lasallian values and think critically. Inclusivity community, one of the core principles of Saint John Baptist De La Salle’s teachings. I speak on behalf of my fellow Muslim students on campus who are struggling to find adequate and accessible prayer space between classes to fulfill their daily prayers when I ask, are we doing our duty as Lasallians if we cannot provide such a location? I ask only for you all to think critically and encourage open dialogue. The Muslim Student Association can be contact at muslimclub@manhattan.edu and I can be contacted at rali01@manhattan.edu for thoughts.

Best, Rabea Ali President, Muslim Student Association

Sign up for our monthly newsletter by scanning the QR code.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN LET T ER OR OP-ED Letters to the Editor or an op-ed may be submitted to thequad@manhattan.edu by Saturday at noon to be considered for publication. Profanity, vulgarity and hate will not be published. The Quadrangle reserves the right not to publish a letter.

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Opinions & Editorials

3

LET T ER TO The Editor JAYCIE COOPER & HALEY NIGHT INGALE write: To the Editor: The Class of 2019 is the biggest yet to graduate from Manhattan College, and as a result, will only receive two tickets for their loved ones to attend Commencement. Draddy Gymnasium, the College’s historic Commencement location is limited in space and will not allow more than two tickets per graduate.

While we are proud of the recent increase in enrollment, we are extremely disappointed by the negligence this school has shown towards its students, their families and friends. Instead of inviting families to celebrate the successes of their loved ones, the school’s response has been to decrease the number of tickets provided to each student. We believe this is not an appropriate response by any means and this issue deserves to be addressed by the administration whether that be in the form of an increase of tickets or a venue change.

On Monday, October 29th, students noticed information regarding the 2019 Commencement was available on the Manhattan College website. To the students’ surprise, under the ticket tab, it read, “Graduation announcements, two tickets and instructions for commencement will be distributed...” Immediately, all student communication platforms were overwhelmed with words of disbelief and disappointment. In the past, students had been allotted three tickets for Commencement. Why should this year be any different?

When Student Government was made aware of this issue, we knew it was our responsibility to advocate for the student body. One student in particular, a member of the assembly, was significantly angered and decided to take the first step towards change for the students of Manhattan College. In the matter of hours, a proposal was drafted with possible solutions, all of which shared a similar goal -- to increase the number of tickets. The student scheduled a meeting with the necessary administration to voice the immediate concerns of the students. The meeting ended on a note of uncertainty about what could be done.

That evening, frustrated by the lack of feasible solutions, we began to brainstorm other ways we could advocate for the students. We needed a way to represent the number of people impacted by the decrease in tickets. At approximately 11 PM on the same night of the meeting, we decided a petition was a step in the right direction. Within minutes, the petition was shared all over social media and had hundreds of signatures and comments from students and their families. In less than 24 hours, the petition gained over 2,000 signatures.

We feel it is important to share some of the most pressing comments posted within the petition: “I love Manhattan College and I will cherish the experiences that I had as a student here. It saddens me to know that my thoughts and opinions regarding this institution will be tarnished by the commencement ceremony that has been planned for us.”

“Manhattan College should be ashamed of themselves for this decision. They will also cause their new alumni to potentially turn around on the school upon graduation, and not get the donations which keeps the school funded. I hope Manhattan College goes back on this decision and does right by the students, who’ve done right by them” “My daughter is graduating and now her little sister (who wanted to be a Jasper), can’t see her graduate.

My youngest daughter now has no interest to attend Manhattan because of this.”

“With the current condition of the school (mold in the dorms, old buildings that are falling apart, etc) you’d think they’d have the money to at the very least give their future alumni a proper send off” These are by no means outlying sentiments. The Class of 2019 received an e-mail from Provost Clyde, acknowledging calls and e-mails from the Manhattan College community. Unfortunately, the e-mail failed to address the actual problem and gave no solution. This problem arose due to a lack of planning that is to be laid directly at the feet of the administration. Most of the administration view this problem as something that merely affects the graduating Class of 2019. However, what they fail to recognize is the impact this will have on our future alumni, the image of the institution, and the Jaspers to come. This issue does not just affect the graduating class and their families but threatens the longevity of the school we love so much.

It is our hope that moving forward, if nothing else, this movement will guarantee a better graduation for the future students of Manhattan College. We are thankful to the members of the Manhattan College community who have spoken out and advocated for change.

We must not end here, though. As Helen Keller says, “Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much.” We, as the Manhattan College community, are tasked with continuing our efforts to hold administration accountable. Student Government hears you, and we will continue to fight for you. We are optimistic that every call, e-mail, signature and voice will make a difference and ultimately, we will be able to guarantee a memorable Commencement for the Class of 2019 and beyond.

Please join us this Wednesday, November 14 at 12:00 PM on the fifth floor Kelly Commons as we further discuss Commencement with the members of Manhattan College administration. Our power and voice lies within the student body.

Yours truly, Haley Nightingale Vice President of Club Administration, Student Government Jaycie Cooper Student Body President, Student Government

News

4

THE QUADRANGLE

Chief Justice DePinho Revamps Student Court __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 process were really great and showed a lot of interest in this goal. Some of them had done some really great work who were transfers and had worked in previous student governments and they brought in all these ideas and all this energy so we’re trying to channel that and I think if we continue to do that the court will continue to grow stronger,” DePinho said.

Freshman Liola Moody, a political science and international studies double major, went through the process and is now a Sergeant of Arms on the Court.

“I heard about the Court through a Student Government meeting and there was an email sent out a few times with information about it. I was surprised that we had anything like this on campus,” Moody said. “The idea of being apart of something where you’re actually helping people or being apart of something more really interested me. If someone is having a problem with an RA they can come to us and we can give those people a voice who don’t know they have this option to have a voice and I like how I can be a part of that process,” she said.

Along with making improvements to the application process, DePinho hopes to

change the role of the Court as well. At the moment the Court is predominantly a traffic court, and he hopes to expand the jurisdiction of the types of cases that the Court oversees.

“If you go on the college website or if you go into the Constitution of the Student Government, any student who feels that a fellow student has violated the Student Code of Conduct can submit a complaint in writing to the Student Court. This is all in the Constitution, I’ve never done any of this. I’ve been on the court for four years and we’ve basi-

that they had this option I feel like we could do a lot more,” DePinho said.

In order to promote this expansion, the Court is trying to talk to some administrators on campus to see how they can go about expanding the types of cases they look at.

“I actually contacted the Dean of Students and spoke to him about these kind of issues and concerns that we have and ways that we’d like to see the court develop so we’ll see what happens with that. We’ve also talked about an information session and flyering or sending

main goal is to become more of a presence on campus and to let students know that they are here to help.

DePinho said, “I go to Student Government assembly meetings and we’ll talk about the Student Court there and some people still don’t like fully understand what we do even within the student government.

If fellow members of Student Government don’t know what we do, how is the rest of the student body going to? It’s like if Congress didn’t know what the Supreme Court was up to. We are the third branch

------------------------

I want students to know that the Court is not as intimidating as it sounds. It’s other students there listening to you and understanding the exact same scenario you are in versus an adult who may not be as easy to relate to,” Moody said.

-----------------------cally only ever looked at parking tickets so this is a right that students have that they don’t know about,” DePinho said.

He continued.

“I think there’s enough of an interest within the student court and I think if people knew

out information about what students are capable of with this court,” said DePinho.

The Court would also like to set up an official channel, such as a Google form that would provide students with a more direct line to the Court. Their

of the Student Government.

There’s the executive branch, which is Jaycie and her executive board, then there’s the assembly which is the legislative body and the Senate, and then there’s us, but we have just been this under the rug kind of

group that meets periodically and doesn’t have a clearly defined purpose,” he said.

“I want students to know that the Court is not as intimidating as it sounds. It’s other students there listening to you and understanding the exact same scenario you are in versus an adult who may not be as easy to relate to,” Moody said.

The court usually hears between five and ten cases per meeting in Kelly 4.09. The times of these meeting vary in order to make them more accessible and to accommodate commuters who are most often the recipients of the traffic tickets the court appeals.

As far as the information sessions and flyering the Court plans to pursue, students can look forward to seeing such happenings next semester.

DePinho said, “We’re really hopeful that we can make some changes, we’ve got a core group of really dedicated students that want to see these things happen and want to give other students a chance so we’re excited for where this could potentially go. There’s obviously a lot of work to do between now and then, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Join the Quadrangle WE’RE LOOKING FOR WRIT ERS / GRAPHIC DESIGNERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS / VIDEOGRAPHERS Inquire by email at thequad@manhattan.edu

Q

News

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

5

Mold Spreads to AC Units in Jasper Maria Thomas Staff Writer

On Oct. 8, The Quadrangle published a news story which detailed the many dorms in Horan Hall that had experienced the growth of black mold. Residents of these dorms had no other option but to move out of the affected rooms.

In the true nature of mold, the problem has now grown and spread across campus to Jasper Hall.

Kailee Stephens is a sophomore and psychology major at Manhattan College. Unfortunately, it was only after Kailee and her roommate, Raashi Dev, suffered adverse health effects, that they found a large amount of spores growing in their air conditioning unit.

“I was cleaning my room one day and I just happened to look in my AC and that’s when I saw it. There was a lot, and it was black,” said Stephens.

According to an article published by WebMD, “inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath.

In people with asthma who are allergic to mold, breathing in spores can also cause asthma attacks.”

For Stephens, this description of symptoms could not have been more accurate.

“Two or three weeks ago, I got what felt like the flu. I had a really high fever, a cough and

I was getting really bad sore throats every other day,” she said.

Stephens said these symptoms have been persisting for a month.

“I have really bad asthma too, so I’ve been having a lot of asthma attacks. I thought it was just my allergies at first, but it was way worse than it usually is. It was pretty bad,” she said.

The office of Residence Life took the situation seriously, as the girls were moved out of their afflicted room the same day that they reported the mold. Stephens and Dev only wish the situation was handled with more compassion. Once the room has been checked and the mold has been cleaned, they will most likely have to return to their previous room.

“We don’t want to [move back] because we live in the last room on the wing and it’s way smaller than all other rooms in Jasper,” said Dev. Dev said they are still speaking with AJ Goodman, Director of Residence Life, in hopes of coming to a resolution.

Two other Jasper Hall residents, freshmen Mia BritoKarcher and Deidre Ballesty, are having a similar issue to Dev and Stephens. They live on the floor that Stephens and Dev were moved to.

“We found the mold a month ago. I sent a picture to my dad to make sure, and he said it was mold,” said Brito-Karcher. “It smelled in the room, and we’re not dirty enough for there to be smells. We had a friend who knows about this stuff come look at it, and he said it was

definitely mold, and showed us how to clean the filter.”

After cleaning the air conditioning themselves, BritoKarcher filed a work order, which explained that there was mold in their air conditioning and that they needed a new one. After receiving no response, Ballesty filed a work order. With more time passing and no answers received, the girls filed a third work order and included photos of the moldy AC. “Then they said they came here, but they never did. If we have a problem that is actually a health concern it should be fixed. We always have someone hanging out in here, and no one ever heard a knock, no one ever said someone came by, there was never a note left, and no one ever contacted us at all. RA Mike Kiely was here when we were cleaning it, and afterwards he said they told him they came, but they never did,” Ballesty said.

Even after cleaning the moldy AC with bleach, soap, water and sponges, the girls became ill.

“Mia has been sick since we got here. We had really bad headaches before we had seen the mold, and then when we got sick we had headaches, coughing, sore throat, and runny noses. We’ve been taking medicine for colds: Vitamin C, tea, Dayquil, Nyquil, Advil, things that should make a cold go away, but it has not,” Ballesty said.

For many students, going away to college is a scary thing.

For the students affected by this dilemma, there are scarier

Freshmen Mia Brito-Karcher and Deidre Ballesty’s moldy AC unit in Jasper Hall.

MIA BRITO-KARCHER/ COURTESY

Sophomore Kailee Stephens and Raashi Dev’s moldy AC unit in Jasper Hall.

RAASHI DEV / COURTESY things to think about.

“I pay a lot of tuition, which is probably enough to have

people check for mold before students move in,” said Dev.

FED Cup 2018 Results Garrett Kiedel Asst. Sports Editor

Manhattan College has made a name for itself in the past few years with its success Fed Cup Challenge. This year, the results were not favorable at all with Manhattan College’s team being eliminated after the first round.

Zoe McGreevy, a senior economics major, previously described the Fed Cup Challenge.

“It is a college wide challenge, that kinda acts like a club, in which a group of students and a faculty advisor get together to create a 15 minute presentation. We also prepare for 15 minutes of questions when we compete at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York at the end of October.”

Last year, the team made it to the second round of competition out of approximately 40 schools who competed. They were defeated in the second round after competing against

schools with reputable histories in the competition like Pace University. This year, the team hoped to build off of the already solid results they had last year, but came up short when they were eliminated after the first round.

Senior global business major Diego Miguens commented about the results of this years competition.

“It was definitely disappointing. It was my second year doing the competition, so I definitely had higher expectations than last year. But I know we did a lot more work this year compared to last. We met a lot more this year and that makes me proud. Not only did I learn more, but the new members were able to as well and know how high the bar is for Manhattan College next year. Hopefully they’ll be able to take what they learned this year with them next year and make it to the finals.”

Richard Gerling is a sophomore economics and finance major who competed in the Fed

Cup for the first time this year.

He commented on how one of the biggest strengths of this year’s team was chemistry.

“One of the major strengths of the team this year was our chemistry. We met every morning at 6 a.m., did work until 7:30 and then got breakfast together and then went back to working until 9 or 10 a.m. So we’ve all become really close friends, which really showed in the presentation.”

McGreevy also had high praise for how the team worked together.

“Everyone on the team is extremely hard working, extremely motivated to learn and to teach. We all specialized in different topics and not only were people focused on learning their topics, but they were also focused on making sure everyone else was understanding it as well.That was the best aspect of our teamwork,” he said.

Miguens saw the team as extremely strong for this year’s competition, looking back at

how the team worked together.

“I think we are all just so smart and talented and our capabilities are so expansive that sometime we could even bump heads with each other. We would all be saying something that is right but just in different ways. All of those moments we used as constructive criticism to better us in the long run,” Miguens said.

One of the biggest positives of the competition is the vast array of lessons and real world experience gained through the whole experience.

“From the Fed Challenge, I’ve learned how to speak in front of people,” said Gerling.

“We went to JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs and presented, so doing it in front of two judges was a lot less stressful.

Additionally, I’ve learned how to work with a team and developed time management skills.

Towards the end right before the competition, I was meeting with the team for six hours a day, which was a lot especially when I’m taking six classes.”

Gerling will be one of the returning members for the competition next year, and has taken over the role of leading the group.

“This upcoming year, I’ll be leading the team. It’ll be hard to follow Zoe, as she was such a great leader and really was able to make a great team.

So hopefully, I’ll be able to do as well as her and have a good upcoming year. For this upcoming year, we’ve begun meeting already two times a week in the morning for an hour each time.

We have a lot of new members joining, so the team is growing despite that four seniors are leaving. This past year, we met in the spring semester and summer, so hopefully by starting this early, we’ll be able to have an even stronger showing next year,” Gerling said.

Editor’s Note: Richard Gerling is a contributor for The Quadrangle.

Features

6

THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College Students Respond to “Did you Vote? Why?” VOICES ON THE QUAD

Nicholas Reda (LEFT) Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering “I did not vote this term because I did not really educate myself about the candidates or their policies, but I would vote in future elections if I educated myself.”

Leonardo Vega Sophomore, Civil Engineering “I did not vote because I had five tests in one day on the day of elections. I would vote in future elections if I had time to. I kind of already knew who the candidates were, I just didn’t have time to.”

Hamilton Espinoza (RIGHT) Sophomore, Business Management “I did not vote because I did not think we had to vote for midterm elections. I am not educated in it, and I have not had to vote in the past years, so I didn’t know anything about this.”

Diego Miguens (LEFT) Senior, Finance and Global Business “No I didn’t have time. I am from New Jersey and not registered in New York. I didn’t get [an absentee ballot] it probably went to my house and not to here.

Once I move back I’ll vote.

Victoria Adams (RIGHT) Freshman, Economics “I did not vote because I didn’t get the absentee ballot because I am from Massachusetts.”

Karthik Maddur Senior, Electrical Engineering “I went to a site and voted from the site that’s closest to me. I am a commuter, so school 30 in Yonkers was the polls closest to me, so I went there and voted.

I have a very busy schedule because I have a lot of things to do on campus, so I went there five minutes before it closes so I ran in there with my little slip and luckily I made it on time. As long as you are in the building before 9 p.m. you can vote. I went in, and the process ran pretty smoothly and I was talking to the people for about five minutes then voted and submitted it and that’s it. I am a citizen but my mom isn’t, she is a green card holder and she usually reminds me that you have the right and you are lucky enough to vote in the United States. It is just to show your representation in the United States and voice your opinion. Your opinion matters towards anything that you want and anything that you feel. I feel like in one of the toughest times the country is going through you should definitely show your support towards the nation, towards your goals, and whatever you think is right.”

Ryan Tuadek Senior, Chemical Engineering “I voted right next to my house; there is a retirement home that’s a minute walk and I went there and voted. Voting is important because essentially you are given this one chance to say what you feel matters and what you feel means to you. It is really the most impactful thing you can do as an individual citizen at east and if you feel voting matters you should go vote no matter what party you are.”

Connect with us.

Interviews Conducted by Catherine Goodyear, Social Media Editor.

@mcquad

@mcquad

mcquad.org The Quadrangle

Features

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

James Patterson Scholars

7

Every year, the James Patterson Scholarship is awarded to 20 deserving juniors and seniors across all disciplines. It specifically looks for people with high academic achievement, leadership qualities and a desire to pursue education in some way: whether it be teaching, pursuing higher education or something else entirely. It is also based on involvement in activities on campus that are tied to the college’s mission.

In order to apply, a student must be sent an invitation by the Office of the President based on academic performance. The main part of the application, which was the most heavily considered, included a 500 word essay about the applicant’s goals after graduation. There are also a series of questions about the applicant’s major, past and current leadership roles and involvement on campus.

Here are some students that received the scholarship.

Miguel Diaz Junior, Mechanical Engineering Why did you apply for the scholarship?

“Originally, I didn’t know anything about this scholarship. The invitation from the President’s Office was what introduced me to this scholarship, and after that I was intrigued by such a prestigious scholarship and I was hoping that it could help me pursue my dreams in being able to pursue higher education as well as my other interests. Before receiving this scholarship, there was a very real possibility of not being able to afford my junior year at Manhattan College; this scholarship saved me from that situation and stress.”

How do you feel about receiving the award?

“To be honest, this scholarship did a lot for me. My family was fearful of the idea that we wouldn’t be able to pay the next year. We were all wondering what we could possibly do next so that I can continue pursuing education. Not a single person in my family has graduated college, and that is mostly because none of them had the opportunity, so the fact that I am in college now and I am doing well is important to us. This scholarship saved me, saved my family from not having another person who didn’t have the opportunity to pursue their goals. On top of that, this scholarship is very prestigious and I am incredibly honored that the people who chose me decided that I wrote a superb essay and that I have leadership potential.”

Taylor Aloisio Junior, Childhood Education Why did you apply?

“When I first heard about this scholarship, I decided to apply because I thought that this would be a great way to further my education. By being recognized for my hard work and dedication to my school work, and receiving this money as a reward, I knew that it would lessen the burden of the amount of money my parents and myself would have to pay to go to school here. Also, the name James Patterson is a name I knew very well. My grandfather is a very big reader and James Patterson is one of his favorite authors. I knew that if I received this scholarship from him, my grandfather would be extremely proud and excited that his favorite author is recognizing his granddaughter for her achievements in college thus far.”

How do you feel about receiving this award?

“When I found out I received this scholarship, I was so excited and honored to be one of twenty students that was picked for this award. I am an education major and I have such a love and passion for teaching that I always give 100 percent into anything and everything that comes my way. Through receiving this scholarship, it is really nice to be recognized for all of the hard work and passion that I put into everything I do.”

Kelly Kret Junior, Mechanical Engineering What made you apply for it?

“Well the application looks for students who are involved around campus, and I’m involved in a couple different clubs/departments. Just to name a few, I work for Campus Ministry, I am part of the E-board for SWE, I was an orientation leader, and I’m helping to start Extra Special Prom on campus this year. So I’m a mechanical engineering major and I’m looking to work in biomechanics and prosthetics. I wrote about these goals and my plans to achieve them! Being that Mr. Patterson is a writer, I expected English majors to be favored, but I figured I’d give the application a shot!”

How do you feel about receiving this reward?

“I’m honored! It’s really encouraging to be recognized and have someone believe in and support me in my goals. Manhattan is lucky to have alumni who continually give back and I hope to do the same one day.”

Interviews Conducted by Alexa Schmidt, Asst. A&E Editor.

New Campus Organization: Dining for Women

Nicole Rodriguez & Maria Thomas Staff Writers

The Manhattan College Chapter of Dining for Women is a new campus organization with the purpose of bringing awareness to global women’s issues while engaging in a communal way on campus. Founded by junior biology major Shannon Forty and sophomore peace and religious studies major Ireland Twiggs, Manhattan College’s chapter of Dining for Women began this semester, holding their first monthly meeting in October.

Chapters of Dining for Women all over the country gather monthly for meals and reflection to share in education and solidarity with women worldwide. Every month there is a different theme highlighting organizations chosen by

Dining for Women to be featured grantees. The theme for the month of October was Queens-based organization “Women for Afghan Women” that works to end violence against Afghan women and children in both New York and Afghanistan by providing them with services, education and advocacy.

For the month of November, the theme is “WISER International,” a Kenya-based organization that works with adolescent girls across rural Kenya to overcome poverty, HIV/AIDS, and violence.

Forty and Twiggs spoke of what inspired them to create a chapter of Dining for Women at Manhattan College.

“I attended a meeting of my mom’s chapter of Dining for Women in Westford, Mass., and I was so inspired. I felt like it was something that could be a great part of Manhattan’s

message of ‘Concern for the Poor and Social Justice,’” said Forty.

Similarly Twiggs, upon the mention of this organization, knew it was something that she wanted to take part of.

“I love the idea of sharing food with a community on campus as we reflect and discuss issues that affect women around the world everyday,” said Twiggs.

Camryn Holly, a sophomore communication major who recently attended the chapter’s first meeting, believes that Dining for Women will expand her perspective and compassion for others.

“It’s important to be a part of Dining for Women because you’re actually making a difference in women’s lives across the world from you, who are going through completely different experiences” Holly said.

While this group is doing

important and unifying work on the MC campus, the work is not always easy. By tackling issues like women’s rights, violence against women and equal education opportunities, members of this organization show true dedication and hope for a better future.

Twiggs said, “Sometimes the material gets heavy or uncomfortable, but I think the uncomfort and reflection help create a stronger knit community as well as enable you to grow as a person and inspire you to work with the communities and not for.”

Holly agreed with Twiggs, saying, “It might be challenging for some people to hear about the issues being discussed. At the first meeting we watched a pretty informative video on what women in other countries go through and it might be difficult for some people to see how bad those conditions can

be.”

On Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m., Dining for Women held a screening of the film “Half the Sky”, which portrays gender-based violence in Sierra Leone and sex trafficking in Cambodia.

More films of this nature will be shown throughout the year in hopes of inspiring change.

Forty and Twiggs believe the group will continue to gain momentum as the year progresses. Monthly meetings will act as the core of their presence on campus, and the group aspires to hold other activism events outside of their meetings. These activism events would include guest speakers relevant to women’s rights and trips to see organizations funded by Dining for Women.

The next Manhattan College Dining for Women meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Arts & Entertainment

8

THE QUADRANGLE

Delta Kappa Epsilon Hosts Inaugural Fall Fest Rose Brennan A&E Editor

When it rains, it pours. And even when it doesn’t rain, it snows.

This was the sentiment that described the first-ever Fall Fest, hosted by Manhattan College’s Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. After being rescheduled due to inclement weather, the festival was held on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. on the campus quadrangle. And as several students engaged in traditional autumn-themed activities, the first snow of the year fell from the sky.

The Fall Festival had several attractions for people who attended the Fall Fest. Brothers were selling traditional autumn treats like candy apples and apple pie, and there were stations for pumpkin painting, cornhole, and “pie a brother in the face.” Each activity came with a suggested donation, all of which went to the American Cancer Society.

Junior Timothy Hebert is the social chair of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He said that part of the idea for Fall Fest came from a desire to publicize the fraternity.

“I had just been given the position and I was looking for new ideas to promote our presence on campus,” Hebert said.

Some of the previous activities on campus hosted by Delta

the Dominican Republic, so apparently here in the Northeast, it’s very nice to have pumpkin painting, pumpkin carving and all that stuff,” Garcia said. “So [Bradley] thought it would be a great idea to just have it here on campus, and I agreed with him and I said, ‘You know what, let’s make some movements, let’s go, let’s do this.’”

Like many of their past events, Delta Kappa Epsilon worked with a charity. For Fall Fest, the recipient of all donations was the American Cancer Society.

“It’s one of the philanthropies that we’re trying to help out and give back. Me personally, I’ve had my aunt, who suffered from breast cancer, so I feel like giving back to it and trying to raise money and raise awareness and also trying to do something about it,” Garcia said.

He continued.

“Since we have the platform to do it and we’re in a position where we can do something about it, events like this can help out,” Garcia said.

Several members of the fraternity aspire to make Fall Fest an annual event, one which will grow with each passing year.

“We want to make it a bigger bake sale and I think the biggest thing we want to do is … have more live music and … make it on a weekday because right now, people aren’t walking around too much,” Bradley said. “We want to have it so

Kappa Epsilon helped lay the groundwork for the Fall Fest.

“We’ve had carnivals in the past and it was kind of taking that as our base and implementing more of a fall feel … just building upon that,” Hebert said.

Though it is Hebert’s job to oversee events such as Fall Fest, he admitted that the idea was not his own. Sophomore Anthony Bradley, a newer member of the fraternity, was the brother with the original idea for Fall Fest. Bradley said his inspiration for the event came from his love of folk music, as well as the autumn season in general.

“I was sitting there listening to my folk music and I’m like, “Huh, a harvest festival would be a good idea,’” he said. “I really like folk music and I love fall, and it came from my love of that.”

In addition to coming up with the idea for the event, Bradley also lent his efforts to the bake sale by contributing 18 homemade apple pies.

“That was about … seven hours [over two] days,” he said.

“It’s my mom’s homemade recipe; it won an award back home.

And it’s not as good as hers, but I did my best.”

Unlike Bradley, Delta Kappa Epsilon’s president Guillermo Garcia was not familiar with the traditional fall activities celebrated in the northeastern United States.

“I’m not from here, I’m from

ABOVE: Anna Schuster paints a pumpkin at the inaugural Fall Fest.

BELOW: Mike Vinci pies Peter Maassmann in the face to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

ROSE BRENNAN/ THE QUADRANGLE people are walking by and are like, ‘Oh hey, harvest festival!’”

Garcia also hopes to expand the event to the point where multiple clubs and contribute and collaborate with Delta Kappa Epsilon.

“It’s a big quad,” Garcia said. “We can have more clubs joining, more stuff, and make it more of a bigger event.”

Evaluating Tradition and Perspective in “A Place for Us” THE BOOK NOOK RikkiLynn Shields Social Media Editor

“Sex and the City” star Sarah Jessica Parker, better known as Carrie Bradshaw, recently launched her own imprint, SJP for Hogarth, alongside publisher Molly Stern of Crown and Hogarth. The first novel published under Parker’s new imprint was “A Place for Us” by Fatima Farheen Mirza– a novel that exemplifies storytelling at its finest and is strikingly lifelike.

“A Place for Us” is centered around all things love, acceptance and identity. The novel begins by unfolding the lives of an Indian-American Muslim family, who, at the beginning of the novel, are all gathered together in their California hometown for the eldest daughter, Hadia’s, wedding.

Hadia’s wedding, however, is the first in the family to go against the tradition, and rather abides by true love.

It is at Hadia’s wedding that Hadia’s sister Huda notices their brother, Amar, the youngest of the siblings, who decides to reappear in the lives of his family after not being seen or heard from for three years.

While the siblings parents, Rafiq and Layla, worked hard to pass on tradition and culture to their children, they must now come to learn, understand and accept what choices and treachery lead to the disappearance of their son– all on the day of their eldest daughter’s wedding to a man outside of their own culture.

The day of Hadia’s wedding brings to light a struggle all of the children have faced and continue to face– the fight between exposing one’s true identity or one that is expected and must be upheld in a traditional household. “A Place for Us” allows the reader to see the life of each character through their own eyes, also putting the entire family dynamic into perspective from different points of view.

Mirza has a fantastic way of spanning the novel across decades, beginning with the culture, tradition and bonds that brought the entire family together, to the disputes and differences that ended up tearing them apart. Among the three siblings, the constant strive to reconcile with their present culture alongside the faith and traditions of their parents epitomizes what it means to be a Muslim-American family.

It isn’t quite often that a book this wonderful tip-toes into your life. Mirza’s novel is a written with love and compassion for all things, and as all of the reviews say, is truly a book for our times. After coming across this novel through Sarah Jessica Parker’s Instagram once, and purchasing it on my Kindle after her third or fourth post, it was clear from the first page that Mirza and her storytelling encompasses something truly special.

A Place for Us is more than just words on a page. A Place for Us is a living, breathing,

“A Place for Us” is a novel that spans across generations and cultures bringing people together through tradition.

RIKKILYNN SHIELDS / THE QUADRANGLE piece of work that allows the reader to feel every single connection and every single heartbreak throughout the entire novel. Not only is this story an unforgettable journey, but

the message behind the story comes at the right time– a person’s behavior, words, or appearance by no means is a true indication of what they’re sincerely feeling of experiencing.

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

9

Manhattan College Players Present “Present Laughter” Lauren Schuster Asst. Features Editor

Lost keys, British accents and secret love affairs filled the Black Box Theater this weekend as the Manhattan College Players put on their fall main stage production “Present Laughter,” written by Noel Coward.

The show centers around the character Garry Essendine, a famous British actor who has just turned 40. As Essendine reluctantly approaches middle age, everyone around him seems to be eager to share their opinions about his lifestyle, all before he leaves for a trip to Africa with his acting troupe.

While he is no stranger to the stage, senior Matthew Peters, who plays Essendine, found this role to be particularly fun to play.

“I think it’s just really fun getting into the character and being really extra,” Peters said.

“Before the show, I start walking around as my character and everybody gets really annoyed, but I think just the most fun thing about it for me in this show is really ... getting into that character and just being this very outgoing, flamboyant type of person.”

For Peters, a great deal of preparation for the show involved getting to know his character better.

“There’s layers,” Peters said. “Whenever I get a character I always try to find this one vulnerable part about them and with him, he comes across as this arrogant, egotistical actor, and he is, but then it’s also because he just wants an intimate relationship and that’s what his goal is.”

Freshman Amanda Vetrano made her Players mainstage

Matt Peters plays Garry Essendine, a famous British actor who has just turned 40. The play was performed in the Black Box Theater in Thomas Hall over the past weekend. Three out of 5 performances were sold out.

GABRIELLA DEPINHO / THE QUADRANGLE debut as young debutante Daphne Stillington, the first of Essendine’s many lovers to be introduced in the show. “[My favorite part] about this show in particular is probably the cast,” Vetrano said. “I really loved getting to know everyone, and it was my first mainstage show at a college and it was really overwhelming, but everyone was just so kind and welcoming. And it’s just such a good show, it’s so funny and everyone is so talented.”

The show’s director, Martin Marchitto, agreed that the cast is a large part of what makes this show what it is.

Junior Megan Lawlor plays Joanna Lyppiatt, the wife of one of Mr. Essendine’s closest friends, who also seduces Mr. Essendine.

PAUL FUCAO / THE QUADRANGLE

“My favorite part about the show is that I think that it is perfectly cast,” Marchitto said. “I think every role is absolutely perfectly cast, and I really like the chemistry that the cast members have with each other.”

For Marchitto, this show was also bittersweet, as it was the tenth and final production he would direct for the MC Players before starting his new job as artistic director of a nonprofit theatre and education center in Connecticut.

“I love creating good theater with people who are committed to creating good theater and so it has just been a joy, and I’m

sad that this is my last production, but I’m certainly going to miss them all,” Marchitto said.

Junior Gabby Kasper, the show’s assistant director, found that this show in particular gave Players the chance to explore some rarely touched upon themes.

“I think this show is different than other shows we’ve done in the past, just because it’s so motivated by sex, but in a very subtle way.” Kasper said. “So it’s a really fun show to do just because you get to talk around all these subjects and you’re alluding to things, and it is a really sexual show, everything is motivated by

sex, that’s the whole point. But it’s also fun because it’s really meta, because it’s about an actor, so it’s about the theater in general … and how ridiculous it can be sometimes.”

While the show requires a great deal of dedication in the form of months of rehearsals and preparation, for Kasper, it’s all worth it.

“What I really like about [doing a mainstage production] is how it consumes you,” Kasper said. “It takes so much of your energy and it takes so much of your time and it’s exhausting, but it’s so rewarding in the end.”

The show was Martin Marchitto’s tenth and final production as MC Players. He is starting a new job at a non-profit theatre and education center in Connecticut next semester.

GABRIELLA DEPINHO / THE QUADRANGLE

Arts & Entertainment

10

THE QUADRANGLE

Cedric St. Louis on Music, School and Balance ROCK THE QUAD Gabriella DePinho Asst. News Editor

Cedric St. Louis was a name I had heard a few times prior to the Sanctus Artem art show on Nov. 3. I had heard him perform at Coffee House in October and Quadchella in September and had him on my list of people I wanted to interview for this column. After seeing him perform at the art show, I knew I needed to reach out to him immediately.

His performance was a highlight of the show for me.

He performed three different songs, all unique in their own ways. Two of the songs had features from friends of his and the third one, he was up there taking charge of the stage by himself.

Though late at night and deep into the performances, he got the whole of Hayden 100 riled up and excited.

St. Louis is a junior chemical engineering major who recently put out his own EP titled “This Can’t Be Real,” and has been making music since high school. The coolest thing about his music is that it grows with him over time. While his current EP is nothing short of awesome, I can’t wait to listen to the music he creates next.

The Quadrangle: When did you first start getting into music?

Cedric St. Louis: Around high school. I really didn’t listen to music too much early on in my life, but when I got to high school, I started listening to a lot of Nicki Minaj and I really liked her wordplay. I thought it was so clever how she would use one word and make it mean something completely different so I was just like, ‘yo, I want to try and do that.’ So I started making songs and would record them with the microphone on my laptop - horrible quality - and I thought it was so good.

I was showing my family mem-

bers and they were like ‘yeah!’ but it was probably garbage, but they were still supportive anyway. That’s when I would say it hit me that I really like doing this.

TQ: What would you say was your first “successful” experience writing music? When did you first start getting into writing music more seriously?

CSL: So on SoundCloud, I have like three mixtapes up and then this EP. Each one is different, and it just goes to show how much I’ve grown.

The first one is about drugs, money, getting girls and keep in mind, I’m gay. That’s not anything I’m about. The second one is more about how I was feeling and things were going in my life. The third one is like, “I’m depressed” and this is real and I’m rapping about how I’m feeling and how everything is changing and I’m not ready for it. I feel like that one - it’s called “Candid” and I named it that because I felt like it was just a snapshot of my life at that moment - that one is when I really started to put all of my energy into my music because I went into the studio for that one. The beats weren’t mine but I still worked really hard on that one so I guess that’s my most “successful” project.

TQ: When did you start doing your own beats with your own lyrics?

CSL: On this EP. This is the EP that’s really like studio time and my beats and my lyrics - I mean they’ve all been my lyrics but better lyrics, you know?

I wanted to put this one on iTunes and Apple Music and I can’t do that if they’re not my beats and I feel just posting on SoundCloud, people probably wouldn’t really listen to it as much, whereas when it’s on their own streaming app, they can just look it up and listen to it easier so I just had to, I needed to learn to make beats.

I started using GarageBand on my phone. It really didn’t start out well, you know, everything

takes practice, but we were able to get it good enough, good enough to be on my EP. TQ: What is this EP about and what does it mean to you, now that you’re a junior in college and actually, also, how long have you been working on it?

CSL: This EP is named “This Can’t Be Real” because of the journey I went through making this EP and balancing school and everything else that’s been going on in my life.

I started working on it like a year and a half ago. The first thing I do is find the beats. So I’m like, what can I make? What sound am I trying to show or create? Then I write the lyrics - that takes some time because it’s kinda hard writing lyrics for me. It depends on how I’m feeling. After that, I’m like, “Oh, people should sing on this.” What I was trying to do with this EP was make it catchy and make it like “oh it’s stuck in my head, let me listen to it again!” With my other songs on SoundCloud, you didn’t really get that. It was a listen to it once and forget about it kinda thing. With this one, I really wanted to make it stick so I was like I have to make catchy songs. That’s why there’s three features on it because they sing catchy choruses that people would remember and play again. As far as the different songs on it, each song is completely different. I was going to post a “single” to show off the EP but not one song shows off the entire thing because they’re all so different.

TQ: What was it like getting people to feature on the EP? Did you collaborate with them to come up with their parts or had you written it already and just asked them to hop onto the song?

CSL: I wrote it already and I kinda had an idea in mind of who I wanted. So what I do is I sing the song, everything - I can’t sing obviously - but I sing it and I think about who would

sound good on it. All these features, they’re all my close friends. We have Kyra, who I’ve been friends with her since middle school, Sabrina, who’s on “You Like Him,” we’ve been friends for three or four years now and Ruth, as well, we’ve been friends since way back. I met her at a performance and ever since then we’ve always talked about music and stuff.

I’m just putting these singers onto songs I think they’d sound the best on and I think it really worked.

TQ: When did you start performing your own music?

CSL: My very first performance was when I was fifteen.

It was this “Winter Warmup” and that’s actually where I met Ruth. I was terrified but I had put together this five minute medley of “Candid,” of the whole EP. It would switch and I had dances and I had practiced and everything. I was so so proud of that. I invited all of my friends but nobody showed up but my aunt, and I was just like “oh okay.” I wish I had a video of that but no one recorded that. Ever since then, I was a little hesitant to perform, not sure if people were going to like it, but I’ve been pushing myself because how else are people going to hear my music if I don’t perform it? I’ve been trying to perform about once a month. I’ve really only been doing it on campus but still, I’m achieving my goal.

TQ: Is music your long-term goal and chemical engineering your backup plan? What’s the plan or at least, what’s the dream?

CSL: Oof, that is really a battle I am having right now.

Chemical engineering is so time-consuming, and then music is time-consuming too, because if you really want to succeed, you have to push yourself, more than others. It’s not just me making music, there are so many other people. It’s such a competitive field, whereas chemical engineering, there’s

Cedric St. Louis is a junior chemical engineering major who recently put out an EP titled “This Can’t Be Real.”

GABRIELLA DEPINHO/ THE QUADRANGLE this safety of getting a job after you get a degree because there is such a demand. So, I’m kind of doing chemical engineering but doing music, failing at doing both, being lazy. I just want to be able to be happy in the end and I feel like music would make me feel like that. I guess chemical engineering is the backup but I’m still getting this degree because you just need one to survive.

Cedric St. Louis’ music can be found under his name on Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, Apple Music, Google Play, YouTube, Deezer and SoundCloud.

Scan the QR code above to see a Quad-exclusive performance by St. Louis on our YouTube channel.

What’s In Your Bag?: Eva Vredenburgh Alexa Schmidt Asst. A&E Editor

Carrying a backpack with you at all times is almost like an unwritten rule at Manhattan College. It’s easy to carry everything with you, especially when you’re running from classes, to meetings, to work or to practices, rather than having to go back to your room to grab something.

Sophomore Eva Vredenburgh is a finance major who carries some treasures in her backpack. It includes: two pairs of headphones, a calculator, Tums, Advil, band-aids, lip

gloss, hand cream, sunglasses, snacks, money, textbooks, a notebook and a laptop.

“You never know when you might need anything. Like a band-aid, or if it’s sunny out, sunglasses, and you’ll need lip gloss all the time, especially after you eat. You have to reapply! All important things,” Vredenburgh said.

One thing she can’t go without is her notebook that she made over the summer.

“I took cutouts from Vogue, and Elle, of my favorite pages and colors that I liked, and then laid them over my notebook and put clear masking tape over it. I saw that idea at a bou-

tique,” she said.

Another colorful item in her backpack is her laptop, covered with a variety of stickers.

“One of my stickers is the state of Georgia, because I have family there, and I visit there a lot, Glossier stickers and lots of basic Brandy Melville stickers that all girls have on their laptop.”

A student’s backpack can say a lot about them. Whether a student be an engineer, a business major or part of the liberal arts program, the mystery of what people carry around with them is real, and surprises can always be found.

All of Vredenburgh’s belongings that can be found in her bag.

ALEXA SCHMIDT / THE QUADRANGLE

Sports

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

11

Women’s Soccer Reflects on Their 2018 Season WOMEN’S SOCCER SEASON RECAP Pete Janny Staff Writer

The Manhattan College women’s soccer team entered the 2018 season with lofty expectations after having rode last season’s success en route to a MAAC Championship appearance. In a season that can best be described as “enigmatic,” the program faced no shortage of adversity.

The team’s 2018 campaign endured many unforeseen bumps in the road which resulted in an overall record of 3-8-4, with a 2-5-3 showing in the MAAC. This year’s eighth place MAAC finish can be attributed to a variety of factors ranging from offensive futility, to injury issues, to mere misfortune.

Manhattan’s biggest bright spot was their consistent success in the defensive facet of the game. Their knack for stymieing the opposing attack became habitual as the season wore on and helped keep games tight.

Under head coach Brendan Lawler, Manhattan has always been steady defensively. The importance of building a defensive identity is something that Lawler preaches right from day one of training camp.

“Three of our team goals are fight, defensive organization and then what we call winning the moment of transition,” said Lawler. “The team has bought into those things and it really is a team effort.”

The team forced overtime in seven of their 15 games this season; a shocking number that is borderline inconceivable.

This number becomes even more perplexing when considering the 2017 and 2016 teams only played two and three overtime games, respectively. The players were mostly unconvinced by the notion that the

additional overtime minutes had any bearing on the team’s plummet in the standings. According to some players, the high stakes moments associated with overtime games were more taxing from a mental standpoint than anything else.

“I think it was more of a mental toll if anything just knowing that at most we have to play another twenty minutes,” said junior goalkeeper Camryn Nici.

Sophomore midfielder Bri DeLeo concurred with Nici and believes their experiences growing up had readied them for the physical demands at the collegiate level.

“I think we have all the tools to get our bodies back to where they have to be,” said DeLeo. “When we were younger we used to play tournaments in which we had to play four games in two days. It’s different on this level but I believe it’s more of mental toll because you have to get yourself in the right mindset.”

The reality that most of Manhattan’s games were decided by the slightest of margins leaves Lawler and the players disappointed, yet motivated to come back better.

“It’s motivating that we know what we have to work on in order to make us better and prepare us for those types of situations that we were constantly put in,” said DeLeo. Lawler is optimistic that his team’s competitiveness is a harbinger for better days ahead.

“It’s frustrating knowing the fact we were right there but couldn’t quite overcome the injuries,” said Lawler. “With that being said, it’s also just as motivating to be so close.”

The Jaspers felt the full effects of the injury bug this season forcing Lawler to constantly shuffle his lineup. The inconvenience of never hav-

Nineteen of 23 eligible Jaspers placed on the MAAC All-Academic Team.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY ing everyone at full strength at the same time made it challenging to establish any chemistry. Despite this nuisance, different players were able to showcase their versatility when their team counted on them the most.

“We played 10 different people in the backline, including two different shapes in the backline as well,” said Lawler.

“The team has bought into those things and it really is a team effort when people can be interchangeable in those spots and still defend very well.”

Nici and DeLeo, two returning members from the 2018 team, figure to play key roles in 2019 and as veterans will be expected to take on leadership duties.

“Being a goalie I need to be more focal in order to be a better lead communicator,” said Nici. “So I think that’s what I need to improve on the most.”

DeLeo expects every member of next year’s team to lead in some capacity.

“All of us as a whole need to lead and we need to have a

[LEFT] Junior Caleigh Farrell scored her first collegiate goal against Iona on Oct. 17 [RIGHT] Sophomore Bri DeLeo’s two goals on the season tied her for the team lead GOJASPERS / COURTESY

short memory of this season,” said DeLeo. “Whether you think it was frustrating or motivating it’s on to the next and dealing with what we have now going forward.”

Lawler is fully confident in Nici and DeLeo’s ability to lead by example.

“I’ve known them for a while through the recruiting process for two-to-four years,” said Lawler. “They’ve developed in pretty much every way whether that be on the field or off the field with their willingness to step up and do what’s needed when asked of them. I think they’ll just continue to develop in the ways they have.”

The end of the season was met with good news as the program received recognition for the strong academic stature of their players. Of the 23 players eligible, 19 of them were placed on the MAAC All-Academic Team. This exclusive club includes MAAC student-athletes who have completed at least two semesters at their respective colleges with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0

scale. Nici and DeLeo, two of the team’s 19 representatives, gave some insight into how they are able to successfully balance the demands of school with their responsibilities as Division 1 soccer players.

“We’ve always been student-athletes throughout our whole lives so it’s nothing that different,” said Nici. “We all want to compete in having a really smart team and competing for the highest GPA on campus and I think we really hold ourselves and each other accountable for our grades.”

DeLeo expressed similar sentiments.

“You have a want to do it because you want to be there with your team. In order to do that, the other half of it is wanting to be there in the classroom,” said DeLeo. “Ultimately, they balance each other out.”

Manhattan enters the offseason having learned a lot from this season’s hardships and with renewed hope for a more prosperous future.

Senior Annie Doerr’s goal in the 87th minute lifted Manhattan over Jacksonville on Aug. 31 GOJASPERS / COURTESY

Sports

12

THE QUADRANGLE

JASPERS RETURN TO THE COURT

Junior Gabby Cajou scored a career-high 28 points against LIU Brooklyn on Nov. 6.

GO JASPERS / COURTESY

Women Open with Win vs.

St. Francis Brooklyn John Jackson Sports Editor

Manhattan Madness may have been on Oct. 30, but Draddy Gymnasium held host to some additional madness on Nov. 6 as both basketball teams opened their regular season in a nighttime doubleheader.

The women’s basketball team got things started off in the earlier of the two games as they took down LIU Brooklyn by a score of 61-46. The young team that features only one graduate student and no seniors was able to create havoc on the court for the Blackbirds.

“We just want to have constant energy, constant effort,” head coach Heather Vulin said in a postgame interview with Go Jaspers. “And I felt like they gave that to us tonight.”

That energy came from the get-go for the Jaspers. The Blackbirds took their first and only lead of the night at the 7:52 mark of the first quarter on a layup by sophomore Tia Montagne for the first points of the game. Junior Julie Hoier responded with a layup of her own 14 seconds later to tie things up at 2-2. There was one more back-and-forth between the Jaspers leading the game at 4-2 and the game being tied at 4-4 before junior Gabby Cajou’s first two points of the game gave the Jaspers an early lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.

The Jaspers ended the first quarter with a comfortable 19-5 lead thanks to a team effort.

Six players contributed to their 19 points, seven players contributed to their 13 rebounds and four players contributed to their six steals.

“Pressing consistently definitely helps us create havoc for the defense,” Cajou said in a postgame interview with Go Jaspers. “It gives us an opportunity to just let teams know that we’re here to play, we’re here to fight from the start.”

The second quarter was more competitive as a whole,

as evident in the teams’ point differential of two, but it was all Jaspers for the first two minutes. After already cementing a 14-point lead in the first quarter, Cajou and freshman D’Yona Davis built it up to a 21-point lead by the 8:00 mark.

However, the Blackbirds started fighting back with a barrage of shots. Freshman Shyla Sanford, sophomore Ella Vaatanen and freshman Kiara Bell combined for 11 points in less than three minutes to make it a 26-14 game. The Jaspers got back four of those points before the conclusion of the half on a jumper by junior Tuuli Menna and on a couple of free throws from Cajou.

LIU showed some life in the second half. That began in the third quarter which was the only quarter of the game in which the Blackbirds outscored the Jaspers.

Sophomore Jeydah Johnson kicked off what turned into a dominant quarter for her when she sunk a three-point shot at the 8:43 mark. Sophomore Courtney Warley went on to make three of four free throws before Johnson struck again with a jumper. Johnson also managed six points from the 3:38 mark to the 2:04 mark to give her a total of 11 points for the quarter.

While Johnson scored 11 points and the Blackbirds outscored the Jaspers 18-13 in the quarter, the Jaspers still held a 43-32 lead going into the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, the Blackbirds chipped away at the Jaspers’ lead for the first few minutes. After a layup by Vaatanen at the 7:02 mark, the Jaspers led by eight which was their smallest lead since the 4:02 mark in the first quarter.

However, they kept things under control and Cajou contributed 11 points of her own.

At the end of the game, Cajou had amassed three rebounds, four assists, one block, five steals and a career-high 28 points in 35 minutes of play.

Cajou is no stranger to being a spark plug for the team

BASKETBALL HOME OPENERS: Women St. Francis 46 Manhattan 61 Men Elon 62 Manhattan 56 as evident in her career 398 points, 100 steals, 177 assists and 130 rebounds in 61 games over the last two seasons. What was somewhat different for her was producing results from the starting lineup rather than doing so off the bench. The reigning MAAC Sixth Player of the Year started this game after only starting in one of the 31 games she played in last season.

“I feel like it’s kind of the same,” Cajou said in her interview with Go Jaspers in response to whether this new role is different. “I’m kind of the spark plug from the start so I feel my teammates help surround me with that energy.”

The defensive effort by the Jaspers was a strong one as they had an impressive 22 defensive rebounds and 23 steals.

Furthermore, they held the Blackbirds to a mere 46 points.

They only managed to hold their opponents to 46 points or less in five of their 31 games during the 2017-2018 season and only once in 30 tries during the 2016-2017 season.

“We really want to create chaos with our press and our defense, and we definitely accomplished that tonight,” Vulin said in her interview with Go Jaspers .

The Jaspers lost 73-65 over the weekend on the road against St. Francis Brooklyn to fall to 1-1 on the season.

They play their next game at 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 14 in Albany against the University of Albany before coming home to defend their court against Stony Brook University at 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 17.

Thomas Capuano had a team-leading 10 points against Elon on Nov. 6. GO JASPERS / COURTESY

Men’s Drop Home Opener to Elon Pete Janny Staff Writer

The Manhattan College Jaspers opened their season vs. the Elon University Phoenix on the night of Nov. 6 at Draddy Gymnasium. The showdown marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs in what was an exciting, hardfought affair. The Phoenix, led by four seniors, were able to escape Draddy Gymnasium with a 62-56 victory over the Jaspers.

The Jaspers found themselves in an early hole when Elon senior forward Tyler Seiberg rattled off seven points to open the contest. Elon extended their lead to eight at the 13:34 mark when freshman guard Kris Wooten attacked the hoop to make the score 113. Manhattan’s poor first half shooting (8-31 FG, 25.8%) left them facing a 32-21 deficit at the halftime break. The biggest positive from the opening stanza was Manhattan freshman guard Samir Stewart’s solid play as he tallied a team-leading seven points on 2-of-5 shooting from long range.

“With four seniors starting I thought they showed some experience early,” said head coach Steve Masiello.

“I thought we got some good looks around the rim. We just didn’t convert.”

The Jaspers came out of the break looking more relaxed as they cut the Elon lead to seven points at 41-34 with 12:16 remaining. Manhattan sophomore guard Nehemiah Mack caused fits for the Elon defense as he dropped all of his 10 points in the second half alone. Facing an 11-point deficit late in the half, Mack set up sophomore forward Edube Edube for a big three before connecting on one from long range himself to cut Elon’s lead to five with 6:05 to play. The Jaspers’ comeback attempt was then in full force due in large part to their strong defensive play and success on the boards.

“We did a good job taking care of the ball and were very good on the offensive boards,” said Masiello. “The guys came out and set the foundation for how we want to play as a team.”

The Jaspers creeped to within three with 3:49 remaining after freshman guard Tykei Greene drove to the hoop for two and senior guard Thomas Capuano drilled a three ball.

Manhattan threatened again when freshman forward Warren Williams converted on his layup attempt to again cut the lead to three with 1:50 left to play. The Williams’ layup marked the third and final time that Manhattan cut Elon’s lead to just three. Elon put the finishing touches on this one when senior guard Sheldon Eberhardt came up with a steal and finished a fast-break layup.

The Jaspers shot a putrid 32.3% from the field for the game while out-rebounding the Phoenix 36-35. The Jaspers made their presence felt on the defensive end as they forced 18 Elon turnovers while only coughing it up 12 times themselves.

“Give our team credit. We turned them over 18 times and got 20 more possessions,” said Masiello. “The problem was we shot 32 percent. I’m not sure how many nights we’ll shoot 32 percent but we did tonight.”

Capuano and Mack paced the Jaspers in scoring with 10 points each. Capuano also recorded a career-high eight boards to go along with four assists.

The Jaspers are coming off their second game of the season which was on the road against the University of Maryland-Baltimore County on Nov. 12. They resume play on Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m. as they take on Coastal Carolina in Highland Heights, KY. Looking ahead, the Jaspers won’t return home until Dec. 1 when they play Fordham in the two teams’ annual “Battle of the Bronx.”