MUAnticipates“Brother LeoCup”asNational EngineersWeekKicksOff
Zendrah Bonnick Asst. News Editor
This past December, M On Feb. 23, Manhattan University’s (MU) School of Engineering kicked off its celebration of National Engineers Week (E-Week) with a movie in Leo Hall. Throughout the week, students were able to participate in a variety of events and competitions for a chance to win the the “Brother Leo Cup.”
According to the National
Society of Professional Engineers, E-Week was originally founded in 1951 to recognize the contributions of engineers while promoting the discipline of a STEM education. At MU, the week includes events and activities that help build creativity, teamwork and community.
The Quadrangle spoke with Rich Carbonaro ‘97, Ph.D., associate dean of the School of Engineering, who shared what students can expect from this year’s E-Week events. “From Monday to Friday…We have some games and competitions that are problem-solving events,”
Carbonaro said. “The week culminates with what we call the ‘Battle of the Brains.’ It’s a final build competition where teams are given a challenge, a time limit and an objective… The winning team, accumulating points throughout the week, is going to win the Brother Leo Cup. This is the first time we’re doing that.”
Brandon Hilligoss, a junior chemical engineering major and president of MU’s American Institute of Chemical Engineers
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Brooke Della Rocco Senior Writer
The first Manhattan University (MU) senate meeting of the spring semester took place on Tuesday, Feb. 17, where senators spoke about current issues students and faculty face, as well as the future of campus life.
The Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) opened the meeting, with an introduction discussing several upcoming academic changes. The University-Wide Curriculum Committee (UWCC) has recently approved the reinstatement of the film minor and completed stage one of a revision to the university’s core curriculum. A new attendance policy was voted on as well, which will be present in the student code of conduct and university catalog.
“The way it was before, there were conflicting attendance policies,” Bridget Chalk, associate provost and senator said. “So we proposed one new attendance policy… There is a general expectation in this attendance policy, a student responsibility section, standard absence limits, faculty responsibility and record keeping … Guidelines around excused absences and there’s language around chronic absence and university standing.”
The EAC closed their briefing by mentioning the switch in length of summer courses from seven weeks to six weeks.
Mel Lasky, chief information officer of Information Technology (IT) Services, spoke about the
challenges accompanying the switch to Microsoft. Associate professor of management and marketing, and speaker for the senate, Amir Masoumi, presented the topic by mentioning the response he has received from the campus community regarding the switch.
“People from the administration, faculty, students, they’re complaining,” Masoumi said. “I’m sure there were a lot of issues that have been addressed already, but some of us are still struggling with different issues. The agenda committee of the senate thought having Mel here would be helpful by addressing those issues.”
Lasky spoke about the switch in programs and acknowledged the numerous problems that have risen.
“We felt that in the best interest of MU, that moving to Microsoft was the way to mitigate risk and improve our cybersecurity posture as an added benefit… As well as most companies when you go out into the industry, they use Microsoft and not Google,” Lasky said. “We are working through issues, as you can imagine, with a community as large as we have [and] when you make a platform switch as big as this.”
Lasky addressed the transfer of Google Drive documents to Microsoft, and estimated the switch to take place around August 2026.
The senate went on to discuss residence life and dining service updates, including the development of new lounge rooms on the
Volume CXIV, Issue 6
FEBUARY 24, 2026
The Editorial Board
Laili Shahrestani and Barbara Vasquez
Editors-in-Chief
Maddie Rosado Managing Editor
Zendrah Bonnick Asst. News
Sarah Rolka
Asst. Features Editor
Joshua Reichard Asst. A&E
Emmamuel Sofillas Asst. Sports
Maddie Rosado News Editor
Leyla Mercado Features
Maria Castaño Arts and Entertainment
Zeke Jazwinski Sports
Amy Forster Production Editor
Misha Jabal-Abadi Asst. Production Lois Boateng Social Media Editor
Leyla Mercado, Elaina Batista Asst. Social Media Editor
Alba Kortoci Web Editor
Thom Gencarelli Faculty Advisor
LETTER from the EDITOR
Hello and welcome to issue 6!
We have an exciting week for news this week with lots of stories to cover! First, we discuss the most recent senate meeting, where the Microsoft switch, new lounges in Kelly Commons and dining improvements were mentioned. Jasper engineers also have a big week coming up, with national engineering week and an exciting ARCHtalk, with speaker Dr. Anthony Mercando ‘76, taking place soon. Next we talk about Michael Dowling, the CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health, and his recent talk at MU where he presented his personal memoir. Finally, in our Manhattan Caucus, you can learn more about the growing tensions between the U.S. and Iran currently.
A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan University. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.
The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the University or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle
The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 3.02. All are welcome to come and join the club.
About The Quadrangle Connect with The Quadrangle
Up next in features we have articles highlighting two great campus organizations: the Jasper Dancers and Black Student Union. The Jasper Dancers held a garage sale last Tuesday, a team fundraising ‘tradition,’ for them. BSU hosted a student panel highlighting Black Excellence, specifically in the athletic realm - panelists such as coaches, athletic alumni and current student athletes were featured to share their thoughts during this conversation - definitely a great read!
In our A&E section, you can read all about the holiday spirit that floated around campus during the week with the different club events that celebrated Valentine’s Day. We also have a fantastic Jasper Jams highlighting Hispanic classics written by our A&E section editor herself (so I would trust her opinion)!
Finally, in sports, you can find an introduction to the amazing sports broadcasters and announcers that we have right here on campus, as well as a quick games of the week recap. While baseball found success, men’s basketball took an unfortunate loss against Marist University.
Be sure to check out these articles and stay tuned for our upcoming issue!
See you next time,
Barbara Vasquez
Editor-in-Chief
ManhattanUniversitySenateTalks Curriculum,MicrosoftSwitchand FacultyDiningRooms
either we transition to paper, which has a cost associated with it.”
fourth floor of Kelly Commons. They will be announced as soon as possible, with all students guaranteed access.
Kristell Lowe, vice president of student life, mentioned numerous complaints she has gotten from the community and discussed them openly with attendees. A loss of dining hall mugs topped the list.
“Just to put it in context for you,” Lowe said. “Last spring we bought 400 mugs. In fall, I got the okay to buy 400 mugs, and we just bought another 600 mugs, because they go and never come back…I don’t really have a solution to be really honest with you. It’s
With 1,400 mugs purchased within the last year, the student senate representatives advocated for the future use of paper to-go cups to be implemented.
Additionally, Lowe expressed her distaste with the recent early closings of Locke’s Loft Dining Hall, with food being taken away and areas being packed up before closing time. Lowe expressed her ability to address the issues with the dining service staff to prohibit further unwanted activity, including the reported decline in food quality on weekends.
Faculty senate members made a point to express
their desire to have a faculty dining room on campus. Many senators expressed the added value of establishing a space like this on campus, with Lowe expressing the school’s inability to do so, due to costs.
“I don’t know that we [will] ever be in a position to bring back the faculty dining room,” Lowe said. “It is extremely costly to run, you’re really running a separate office… I do want to do something special for faculty, and we’ve been toying around [with] the idea.”
As the first senate meeting of the spring semester came to a close, senators urged students to get more of their peers involved with senate matters. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21.
MUAnticipates“BrotherLeoCup”as NationalEngineersWeekKicksOff
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
(AIChE), spoke to The Quadrangle about his
experience participating in last year’s E-Week events.
“We actually won the build competition,” Hilligoss said.
“We were the only ones that were able to drill the hole in the water and get the
water landing perfectly in the bucket, so that was really fun.”
While reflecting on last year’s events, Hilligoss shared the success and enthusiasm that surrounded these activities. He also noted that this year, AIChE will host a Jeopardy competition as part of E-Week, adding a fun and engaging challenge for participants.
Ultimately, Hilligoss emphasized to The Quadrangle the importance of keeping events like these student-run, ensuring clubs remain active and involved within the MU community.
“Stuff like this keeps the clubs alive… It gives more opportunities for clubs to host those events and get more people involved,” Hilligoss said.
Carbonaro added to Hilligoss’s comment, further expressing that, under his supervision, he hopes to encourage student-run clubs to take full control in creating and hosting these events.
“We’ve engaged with our student [club] leaders to help plan some of these events…
These were their ideas, and we’re trying to support them the best way that we can and fit them into the programming for the week,” Carbonaro said. Kathryn Jablokow, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering, provided a statement to The Quadrangle regarding the significance of E-Week at MU.
“E-Week gives us a wonderful opportunity to highlight the key role of engineers in society and to recognize the excellence of our engineering faculty and students,” Jablokow said.
Carbonaro agreed with this statement. Describing how E-Week events are beneficial to creating and maintaining a sense of community at the university.
“We feel disconnected at times, and we feel like there’s not as much to do on the south campus… [E-Week] provides some enrichment and some fun… And maybe help students feel just a little less disconnected [by taking part in events like these],” Carbonaro said.
The senate meeting discussed addressing areas of concern regarding dining, IT services and more. MANHATTAN PHOTOSHELTER / COURTESY
Dr. Anthony Mercando ‘76 Returns to MU for Inaugural ARCHtalk Event
Barbara Vasquez Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Anthony Mercando ‘76 is returning to Manhattan University (MU) to headline the school’s inaugural ARCHtalk, with his lecture “AI in Health Care: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” to be held on Thursday, Feb. 26.
The talk will discuss the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the healthcare industry and the different perspectives that need to be considered when dealing with AI in any realm, but especially in a highrisk environment such as medicinal spaces.
Mercando, as a cardiologist of almost 40 years and the current director of AI strategy at White Plains Hospital, specializes in the intersection of the two areas. He shares that there are downsides to AI in the healthcare industry, but the potential for good that still exceeds the bad.
“I hope to show everyone that the good is far outweighing the bad and the ugly, but these are the things that we have to worry about with AI, the things we need to be cognizant of in every aspect of AI,” Mercando said. “We need to learn about AI, because that’s the only way we’re going to know if we’re using it properly.”
The lecture is a part of the university’s ARCH (Analytics, Research, Creativity and Humanity) Innovation Exchange program. The program was created just last summer, according to associate provost Bridget Chalk, and focuses on developing a multidisciplinary approach to education amongst students.
“It was really intended, and remains, a framework for innovation, interdisciplinary learning and real world experience,” Chalk said. “We recognize that we have a lot of different kinds of programming all over
campus that really coalesce with those three themes, and we feel that those bring a lot of value to our students’ education. So, we wanted to have a framework for not only bringing those things together and kind of highlighting those opportunities on campus, but also creating and fostering additional opportunities for students to be innovative.”
With his background in engineering and medicine, Chalk shares that Mercando is a great example of the teachings the ARCH program hopes to instill.
“He, in his entire career trajectory as well as what he’s specializing in now, really embodies what it means to have success come from a combination of different areas of focus in order to create the future,” Chalk said.
The program itself will also focus largely on AI, and preparing students for how to utilize it in a professional, ethical manner. Adriane Bilous, associate director of graduate studies and co-coordinator of this week’s ARCHtalk, spoke more on the hopeful impact of the ARCH program.
“I think it’s [AI] something we have to engage with, it’s not a matter of ‘do we want to,’ because it’s already happening,” Bilous said. “I think it’s in the best interest as a community to really learn how to use it effectively, ethically, especially as part of our Lasallian mission…With ARCH, it’s really about making sure our students are out ahead of it, so they’re more able to not just deal with it, but also learn from it and help others.”
Mercando hopes to emphasize his multidisciplinary approach to thinking within the students that do attend the event, especially when it comes to AI applications. He claims that MU has an advantage in this sense, due to the current curriculums offered at the university.
“This is where MU is going
to shine, because MU has this built into it already,” Mercando said. “You’re learning about ethics, different cultures, religions - all of that has to come together, and MU is ready to do it because they’re doing it already, all you have to do is apply that in AI.”
While he was a student at MU, Mercando majored in electrical and electronics engineering. He became interested in the world of medicine and biomedical engineering specifically after taking an electrophysiology course, taught by Robert Mauro, Ph.D.
Mercando highlighted Mauro as a key role in setting the foundations of his education and career.
“He was my advisor, my mentor,” Mercando said. “He was important to me. I think that it’s important, if you are
interested in doing something multidisciplinary, to get someone on the faculty who’s interested, who can guide you in doing that.”
When asked about the importance of cultivating students’ interests, even if they are interdisciplinary or unorthodox, Mauro shared his thoughts.
“If a student has a particular interest, and if I have some interest in it, then I will work with them to try to develop that,” Mauro said. “I think that’s a really important thing, because sometimes teachers like to think that they’re the only ones who understand stuff, and I am well aware that that’s not me. I always tell the students that I still learn a tremendous amount from listening to them and having them ask questions.”
In regards to Mercando
himself, Mauro had high praise for his previous student.
“He was an incredible student, and he turned out to be an incredible doctor also,” Mauro said. “I think that’s a good thing to be able to say about people you’ve worked with.”
There are high hopes for Mercando’s lecture as well. For Bilous, this event not only marks the inauguration of the ARCHtalk series, but a change in attitude within the university as well.
“I think this is such an important event, because it really does showcase not just ARCH as a bigger set of programs or visions, but it’s also kind of a redefinition of MU,” Bilous said. “I think that’s what’s the most exciting about this.”
Michael Dowling Addresses Manhattan University on the Future of Healthcare and His Irish Beginnings
Brooke Della Rocco Senior Writer
The James Patterson Honors Program (JPHP) welcomed CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health, Michael Dowling, to Manhattan University (MU), to present his memoir titled, “After the Roof Caved In: An Immigrant’s Journey from Ireland to America,” and help motivate students toward advancing in their career paths.
Dowling is a highly accomplished executive, as he has received TIME’s global health recognition and served as president and CEO of Northwell Health for more than 20 years.
The JPHP adds him to a long list of representatives in their speaker series, where they expose students to different influential executives in the industry.
“The JPHP provides selected MU students with personalized coursework and advising, priority access to an alumni mentoring network, and opportunities for community and global engagement,” MU wrote on their Linkedin.
William M. Mooney Jr.
wrote an introduction for Dowling, but was unable to attend the event. Senior vice president of development at MU, Thomas Mauriello read Mooney’s introduction, which praised Dowling’s life journey and accomplishments.
“We both come from Limerick, Ireland,” Mooney wrote and Mauriello said.
“If you know anything about Limerick, you know it is a place that builds character, sometimes out of necessity.
It’s a place that teaches you nothing is given and everything is earned. But while we share a hometown, Michael’s journey is entirely his own and it is without exaggeration, one of the great American stories [of] today.”
As an Irish-American immigrant, Dowling focused intrinsically on how his background and childhood experiences shaped the type of person he is today. Dowling’s family was particularly poor during the time of his upbringing in Ireland, so much so that he used to constantly daydream about what came next in life. His biggest dream was to somehow go to college
one day, even though he recalled not knowing what college really was.
“I believe I had the love of learning,” Dowling said. “My favorite pastime today, as it was when I was a kid, was reading. I read everything. I imagined what it would be like not to be where I was [and] to be someplace else.”
Dowling also credited a lot of his success to his mother, who instilled numerous positive qualities in him. A deaf woman, he described her as the kindest person he ever knew.
“My mother loved reading also,” Dowling said. “She instilled a lot of learning in me. She had books [all] around the place. I never knew where she got them. We didn’t have much money for anything other than books she found.”
Dowling was able to attend college despite his family’s financial struggles, with his academic journey beginning at the University College Cork in Ireland and later Fordham University for his master’s degree. He excelled in his studies to such an extent that he later went on to work at Fordham University as a professor and assistant dean.
Freshman psychology
Michael Dowling, CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health. ENDOFOUND. ORG/ COURTESY
major Elma Lamany, attended the event and expressed the positive impact Dowling left on her.
“I thought the event was really inspiring,” Lamany said. “I came because I wanted to learn from a leadership perspective about how [he was] able to endure such challenges and still become successful.” Dowling emphasized
repeatedly how it took him 40 years to become CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health, providing advice to the students at the beginning of their careers.
“Persistence is key,” Dowling said. “You don’t fail when you lose, because you will lose. There will be loss….You fail when you quit.”
Growing Tension Between The United States and Iran
Elaina Batista
Asst. Social Media Editor
Top military officials have informed President Trump that the military is ready to move forward with attacks on Iran as soon as Feb. 21, but officials say that the president has yet to make a final decision.
Regarding the ongoing Iran negotiations, the president stated on Feb. 19 that “we’re either going to get a deal or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” and projected that a deal may be reached in a “pretty much maximum” of 10 to 15 days. Concerns over oil supply in the event of military action in Iran pushed oil prices up almost 2%.
One source stated “He is spending a lot of time thinking about this”. In Geneva on Feb. 17, Iranian and U.S. negotiators passed notes for three-and-a-half hours. Then on Feb. 18, White House
press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran was expected to provide more details on its negotiating position “in the next couple of weeks.” Then went on to say, “Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with his administration.”
On Feb. 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and provide him with an update on the Iran negotiations. Since the middle of January, the U.S. military has moved its aircraft and naval forces to locations close to Iran, and more carrier strike groups are scheduled to arrive in the area.
Iran’s diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said both sides agreed on a set of “guiding principles,” However, U.S Vice President JD Vance said the Iranians had not acknowledged “red lines” set by U.S President Trump. Some of Trump’s allies, including Israel, think Iran should also agree to strict limits on its ballistic-missile arsenal and end its support for
militias across the Arab world.
A station in central Jordan has emerged as a crucial hub for the U.S. military’s preparation for potential strikes on Iran, according to new satellite images and flight monitoring data. Representatives Gregory W. Meeks of New York, Adam Smith of Washington and Jim Himes of Connecticut said in a statement, “Absent a broader diplomatic framework, military strikes would be destabilizing, dangerous and counterproductive to efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.” Additionally, Democrat Ro Khanna of California posted on X, “Trump officials say there’s a 90% chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress.”
The Middle East has also seen the landing of numerous other U.S. fighter jets and support aircrafts. A group of approximately 30 open-source analysts known as the Military Air Tracking Alliance, saw dozens of fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s and F-16s, departing bases in the U.S and Europe, making their way to
Growing tension between the United States and Iran MEPC.ORG / COURTESY
the Middle East.
Sources say that this is the biggest development of military forces since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Yet in a letter to the U.N. Security Council on Feb. 19, Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the U.N., said that while Iran does not seek “tension or war and will not initiate a war,” and that any U.S. aggression will be countered “decisively and proportionately.”
Jasper Dancers Hold Annual Garage Sale
Joshua Reichard
A&E Editor
Manhattan University’s (MU) Division I dance team, the Jasper Dancers, is getting creative with their fundraising efforts. The cold weather couldn’t stop them, as they held their annual garage sale indoors in Kelly Commons on Feb. 17.
The Jasper Dancers are MU’s DI club dance team that competes locally and nationally while performing events throughout the year for the school community. As they prepare for their busy spring season, they continue to fundraise for their trip to the NDA (National Dance Alliance) nationals in Daytona Beach, Fla.
According to the GoJaspers website, the university’s official athletics website, the team had an eventful 2024-25 academic year, placing highly at the regional NDA competition, and traveling to Florida to compete at the national level. They are looking forward to continuing that progress in the spring semester.
“The Jasper Dancers competed in two events at the Walt Whitman Invitational, Jazz and Hip Hop,” the
GoJaspers website stated. “The team would take home first place in College Hip Hop and third place in College Jazz. Additionally, the team was awarded an Innovative Choreography award.”
With another trip to nationals and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) basketball tournament scheduled, the team has increased their fundraising efforts, planning different events that can help their team meet their monetary goal. The garage sale held on Tuesday, Feb. 17 was their most recent fundraising effort.
Brooklyn Schriver, a senior and co-captain of the Jasper Dancers, was happy with the strong community turnout at the event.
“It was definitely more [people] than expected,” Schriver said. “There was a pretty good turnout, especially with how cold it is. Seeing people support us and buy things was really nice.”
Julianna Bambina, a sophomore and the fundraising coordinator for Jasper Dancers, spoke with The Quadrangle about the event which featured a variety of clothing items and accessories for sale, donated by dance team members, as well as other members of the community.
“We mostly sold clothes and other accessories, like
jewelry, more specifically antique jewelry, watches and cute necklaces and bracelets,” Bambina said. “The clothes were our clothes that we donated, or from our family who gave some away.”
While the sale was originally scheduled to take place in Kelly Commons room 4A, the team decided it would be better to change locations to the second floor outside of the campus bookstore, to get more foot traffic.
For Bambina, the highlight of the event was seeing the joy that they brought to students, and other community members.
“We started in Kelly 4A, but there weren’t as many people there, so we moved down here to the second floor to hopefully get more sales and make more money,” Bambina said. “We were able to make a lot of girls happy. They were on FaceTime, buying things for other people as well, so it made their days too.”
In her new position, Bambina now oversees and organizes the team’s entire fundraising efforts throughout the academic year, including this past week’s sale.
“I’m in charge of all the funds that we raise, and all the money from this garage sale and other fundraisers that we plan… It’s all for nationals in Daytona, Florida, where we compete in our hip-hop and jazz routines in our DI category,” Bambina said. “The garage sale has been a tradition throughout many years on our team, I did it last year as well. I remember doing it as a rookie, and now as the fundraising coordinator, I was able to host it and be in charge of it.”
The team is looking forward to attending the NDA nationals in April as well as the MAAC tournament in March, with the funds that they raised throughout the year.
“We’re really excited for that, and we hope we can raise as much as possible and also
before the MAAC tournament, where all of the basketball teams in the D1 category compete, where our men’s and women’s basketball teams will be and where we will be supporting them,” Bambina said.
While the garage sale has passed, the team has other fundraisers scheduled, like their hot chocolate and cookies event in Thomas Hall on Feb. 27 where treats can be purchased to continue to support the team’s efforts.
“We will be having a hot chocolate and cookies event, which will be in Thomas hall on Feb. 27,” Bambina said. “Everyone can stop by and get hot chocolate. And we will have treats that we will be selling to fundraise for nationals in Daytona. We will be having a lot more fundraisers where students can donate to support us, and they can watch us at the games to see where their money goes.”
Asst.
Jasper Dancers at their annual garage sale fundraiser. JOSHUA REICHARD/THE QUADRANGLE
BSU Hosts a Conversational Panel on Black Excellence
The Black Student Union (BSU) at Manhattan University (MU) held a structured and interactive conversation panel where a group of Black Student Union (BSU) students spoke about black excellence on Feb. 18 in Smith Auditorium.
According to manhattan. edu, the BSU is an organization that provides students cultural diversity followed with the purpose to expand the quality of life on campus and foster a community that provides students the opportunity to voice their opinions, differences, goals and ideas.
The panel was created about two to three years ago as a collaboration with athletics to discuss being a black athlete at Manhattan University (MU), a predominantly white institution.
This year’s panel included the following faculty members: Akeen Baird, athletic liaison, Jon Rodney Lynch, assocaite head coach of MU’s men’s basketball team, Toni-Ann Lawrence, MU basketball alum and assistant athletic director and director of sports medicine and lastly, Waddell RembertJett, assistant track and field coach at MU. Students Briauna Morecny, a freshman finance major, and Tristan Blake, a freshman peace and justice studies major, were also notable individuals who were a part of the conference.
Raya Caamano, a junior criminology and psychology double major and BSU copresident wrote to The Quadrangle about the purpose that lies behind this panel for the campus community.
“The intent behind this panel is to redirect the spotlight onto the struggle that many black student athletes face at this school: issues with identity, belonging, authenticity, etc,”
Caamano wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “The faculty contribute their experience in being a role model to these kids and how they address such sensitive topics with students who find themselves facing issues like these. The campus becomes more colorful every year and MU needs to adjust its lens to make sure everyone is getting their turn to have the loudest voice.”
Addressing that the panel was essentially organized to motivate black students to feel that they have a voice and to find a home within their community within a space where it may feel difficult.
Caamano also wrote how she hopes this panel affects other students besides those who are a part of BSU.
“I think this needs to impact other students more than it needs to impact BSU.”
Caamano wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “People need to become more comfortable listening to conversations about this and turning a blind eye can snowball into ignorance down the line. It is not only up to people of color to create communities in white spaces.”
Through making sure that real life situations are met with on campus attention, this is not just a panel, but a universal conversation that all are invited to take part in that encourages the support of others.
Representing black excellence, the term means something to students on the e-board as much as it does to any student. Black excellence was defined through the sharing of experiences and allowing others the opportunity to feel understood.
Talia Omer, a junior criminology and psychology double major and BSU event coordinator, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle what black excellence meant to her personally before the panel and if that definition shifted after the conversation panel.
“Before the panel, ‘black
excellence’ meant success, hard work and achieving big goals despite obstacles,” Omer wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “I most definitely thought about academic achievement and career success. After the conversation, my definition shifted to also include resilience, community impact and embracing culture and identity, not just individual success.”
Placing emphasis on a moment that stood out to her and motivated her most was knowing that student athletes and faculty got the opportunity to share their past experiences and hopefully impact someone else with similar experiences alongside life.
As the conversation went on, there were multiple occasions where those who attended shared personal stories about individuals who have helped them through hard times, making them feel a deep appreciation for one another.
Toni-Ann Lawrence was a notable name when it came
to such. Making others feel comfortable in their own skin, attendees were able to easily express their admiration for a faculty member. Such truly put into perspective the weight that staff holds when it comes to being an inspiration to young adults. Cammano shared that watching Lawrence see the lives she was impacting was a memory she plans to hold onto forever.
Omer further shared how the panel serves as a reflection of ongoing challenges as well as a reminder of the progress that is being made through student-led advocacy.
“There are definitely still gaps with black excellence being shown and appreciated but Black Student Union has put in a lot of effort to rewrite that narrative by holding events and advocating for black students,” Omer wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Conversations like this are important at Manhattan University because they create
a space for students to share different perspectives and experiences. They help build understanding, respect, and a stronger sense of community on campus. They also encourage students to think more deeply about identity, diversity, and inclusion in their everyday lives.”
As BSU plans to hold more events like this in the future, Caamano shared the following.
“When signing on to this position, I had made clear that I didn’t care if we got no work done or had one event per month, if we walked out of every meeting more of a family than we started, I would feel accomplished,” Cammano wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “This board has 13 people on it, and there are hundreds of students that need to know they can find a family too. More events like these make our voice louder, because in my opinion it’ll never be loud enough.”
Leyla J. Mercado
BSU Hosts a Conversational Panel on Black Excellence JAYLIN AMEZQUITA / COURTESY
Clubs All Across MU Celebrate the Spirit of Love This Valentine’s Week
Laili Shahrestani Asst.
Editor-in-Chief
During Valentine’s week, several clubs all across the Manhattan University (MU) campus celebrated the spirit of love and community by hosting their own Valentine’s Daythemed events. Groups such as the Crochet Club, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the MU chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and MU Players were among those who brought people together and spread love this past holiday.
Each of the clubs held its own distinct events, from crochet rose sales to flower bouquet making, laser cutting and even the Players’ annual V-Day performance. While each event differed, all of them shared the same goal of wanting people to fully embrace the spirit of Valentine’s Day, or helped in highlighting important issues going on around the world today.
The Crochet Club’s rose sale consisted of a table filled with crochet roses, both singlestem and mini bouquets. Students and faculty members were able to pre-order their rose(s) or purchase them upon availability during Valentine’s week.
Grace Nariani, a junior and the secretary of the Crochet Club, spoke to The Quadrangle about her experience with the crochet rose sale and how she felt like all her hard work and effort paid off, because she got to see people leave with a smile on their faces.
“I love how excited people were when they were picking up their roses,” Nariani said. “And they were like, ‘my girlfriend’s going to love this, or my boyfriend is going to love this.’ I’m so happy that we could contribute towards someone else’s happiness.”
Nariani explained how the turnout for the event was incredibly successful, and that
the Crochet Club ended up selling out all of their roses, demonstrating that students and faculty were nothing short of impressed.
“At first we were going to make 40 roses each… And then we ended up making 50 to 60 each,” Nariani said. “We had 40 pre-orders, and then we sold an additional 70 to 80 in person. We sold out by Friday, which was awesome. And it was really successful.”
While a number of people bought these roses for their significant others, Nariani expressed how there were still many who purchased solely for themselves. The concept of “self-love” and doing things for yourself is something that the rose sale also symbolized.
“I think a lot of people can feel lonely on Valentine’s Day… But why not buy something for yourself and make yourself happy?” Nariani said. “Something I love is that a lot of people came over saying they’re going to buy one for themselves.”
On a similar note, Gabriella Morelli, a senior and the president of SWE, explained how her club’s flower bouquetmaking event had a similar purpose - to showcase that people are allowed to get themselves flowers and treat themselves without having to wait around for a significant other. Morelli also emphasized the importance of self-love and how her event helped promote that.
“It’s just a chance to show up for yourself and be with your friends, so you don’t have to wait for someone else to get you something,” Morelli said. “...We just wanted to make a way to explain that you can get yourself flowers, so you can celebrate and do something for yourself.”
In addition to the aspect of self-love, Morelli also spoke about how the event served as a “Galentine’s” party, and that it felt nice to see women helping one another out and spreading the joy of the holiday.
A close-up at the crochet rose bouquet sold at the Valentine’s sale. GRACE NARIANI / COURTESY
“I liked seeing all the girls put their creativity towards this, and also just helping each other out,” Morelli said. “Everyone was helping with the paper that you wrap the flowers in, because it can be a little tricky to make a certain shape, so it was nice to see everyone helping each other… We wanted to do a Galentine’s event to celebrate the holiday.”
Also adding to the spirit of love, MU’s AIAA held a laser cutting event, allowing students to take part in using the laser cutter located in the engineering manufacturing lab. The purpose behind this
event was for people to be able to design and “make wooden cutouts or engravings for Valentine’s Day,” according to the manhattan.edu website. These designs would be engraved into a keychain, and could then be distributed to loved ones or kept for oneself.
MU Players also held their annual V-Day performance, which was a night composed of a variety of collections from Carolyn Gage’s work.
Gage is the “author of twelve books and more than eighty-eight plays…[as well as] an incest survivor, a woman living with a hidden disability
and a lesbian feminist…,” as stated on her own blog. The V-Day performance served as a night to bring awareness to violence against women in the world we live in today, as well as highlight voices such as Gage’s. While the event touched on serious issues and aimed to uplift women, it still held the essence of Valentine’s Day by promoting love and acceptance within society.
Hispanic Classics for a Peaceful February Evening
I have been really into Hispanic rock for the last couple of years, and with it, fortunately, came a lot of new additions to my day-to-day playlist. I wanted to make a playlist with all the Spanish songs I’ve been listening to lately, rock or otherwise, that share a common thread: they’re extremely calming. They have been helping me lately manage the aftermath of study sessions, tests, and essays, and they are so nice to have in the background as you romanticize your life and walk around campus.
Some of these songs I discovered by myself, others remind me of car rides with my parents or Christmas dinners with my family, and some are just so pleasant to the ear, I firmly believe everybody should get to listen to them at least once, so please do so as you read this to affirm my fantastic taste.
On a last note, if you understand Spanish and are heartbroken, maybe this is not the playlist for you, as there is (completely unintentionally, I swear) a common thread of yearning in most of them.
Besame Mucho - Lisa Ono
Of course, you cannot make a playlist talking about beautiful and relaxing music in Spanish without mentioning Lisa Ono. She is a Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova artist from whom I have yet to listen to sing a bad song. “Besame Mucho,” as the name may indicate, is a love song about yearning. She wants her lover to kiss her like it’s the last time they will see each other because she fears their relationship may not last forever, and that she
or her partner may leave. It is a direct and heartfelt message that is accompanied by her soft voice and the characteristic bossa nova sound, creating such a lovely and intimate experience. The lyrics can seem a little sad, but for some reason, Hispanic music just loves having heartbreaking lyrics with the most pleasant or upbeat melodies.
Cementerio Club - Pescado Rabioso
On the topic of heartbreak, this song masterfully and with very few lyrics describes a feeling of immense solitude after a heartbreak. I always picture this song in the background of a humid summer day, where there’s little to do, and even though the weather has been anything but hot lately, it is a song that incites memories of beautiful and somewhat melancholic quotidian moments.
Quizás Quizás Quizás - Lisa Ono
There is no way I could only add one Lisa Ono song to this playlist. I’m sorry, but I truly do not exaggerate when I say she absolutely dominates the “Hispanic Classics for a Peaceful Evening” category I just made up. “Quizás Quizás Quizás,” is a bossa nova cover of the song by the same name originally made by Osvaldo Farres in 1947 (the original version is also beautiful, so after listening to Lisa Ono’s version, go check out that one). It talks about a lover asking the other for a response to their love. It talks about waiting desperately for days for a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ and only receiving ‘perhaps, perhaps, perhaps’ as an answer.
Sabor a Mi - Eydie Gormé
Another fantastic cover on this playlist. This time made by Eydie Gorme y Los Panchos. Gorme has many other fantastic covers with a similar vibe in Spanish (“Piel Canela,”
Maria Castano / COURTESY
being my personal favorite) as a part of her 1964 collaboration with Trio Los Panchos on the album Amor (Great Love Songs In Spanish). She is a fantastic singer, and her voice, accompanied by the chorus of male voices on particular parts of the song, makes you quite literally want to float. The song is, unsurprisingly, about love and yearning, and leaving an indelible mark on somebody, a taste of each other that becomes part of their identity because of how much they loved one another.
A Estos Hombres TristesAlmendra
Just to diverge a little from the monotheme of yearning in this playlist, I wanted to introduce a song
from Almendra, an incredible Argentinian rock band that revolutionized the genre in their homeland. This song is about those melancholic and conflicting Sunday afternoons Spinetta lived through as a kid, playing football and eating with family, yet feeling a sense of loneliness that he couldn’t explain. It is a beautiful song filled with metaphors that ask why we feel sad in the moments when we are carefree and have unlimited possibilities.
Algo Contigo - Rita Payés
A beautiful song about, you guessed it, yearning. It is such a simple melody of mainly Rita Payés’ voice and a guitar, with a trumpet and trombone solo close to the end, that allows the listener some time to just
breathe in the sounds. It is extremely calming and soft, a little sad as it talks about pining and not wanting to die without having something with the person they love.
Usted - Luis Miguel
And to finish on a high note, a Luis Miguel song was more than necessary as the cherry on top of this list. His voice is so decadent in this song, full of passion, so it does not transmit the same peacefulness as the rest of the songs in this playlist, but that was kind of the reason why I chose it to finish this Jasper Jams. I wanted a song that sometimes you just want to scream the lyrics of, while still being one of his most iconic and beautiful ballads.
Maria Castano Arts & Entertainment Editor
Luis Miguel “Romance” album cover.
The Broadcasters Behind Manhattan Athletics
Zeke Jazwinski Sports Editor
A part of sports games that sometimes gets overlooked but can make or break the game may not be what you expectit’s the announcers. Legendary announcers like Vin Scully, Mel Allen and John Madden have the ability to take a game between two ‘unimpressive,’ teams and make it seem like the Super Bowl. At Manhattan University (MU), we have two sports announcers of note ourselves. MU graduate Chris “Smoove” Williams ‘93 and Jason Guerette are two of the current announcers who work with Manhattan Athletics to excite the Jasper community.
Chris “Smoove” Williams, who played for MU and helped clinched the university’s firstever MAAC Championship in 1992-93, spoke with The Quadrangle about how he got his start at MU.
“I played here (Manhattan University),” Williams said.
“I was a communications major and wanted to get into broadcasting, so I first started off doing sales in Philadelphia, then got a chance to come back to Manhattan and work my way up to being an announcer.”
Williams’ broadcasting partner, Jason Guerette, had a similar career path, but instead of MU, he graduated from Seton Hall University. He started off doing radio and then transitioned to broadcasting, to where he found his current home at MU. Guerette spoke about what his favorite moment has been since he started.
“During the COVID season they [the Jaspers] played Quinnipiac here [Draddy Gymnasium],” Guerette said. “They won on a buzzer beater in overtime. I would have to say that would be my favorite moment.”
A lot goes into announcing that many people don’t realize with all the teams, players and coaches. It can take hours to prepare for one single game. Guerette goes into detail
about how he prepares for a game.
“[It’s] a lot of work,” Guerette said. “It takes a lot of hours of prepping charts by looking at stats online and then also talking to both coaches before the game and gaining a lot of insight from that.”
Before Williams ever picked up the microphone, as mentioned before, he built his foundation at MU as a player. He was an important piece of the team that won the MAAC.
“In the title game against Niagara with the score and just 2.6 seconds remaining, Williams sank the gamewinning free throw while propelling the Jaspers to the 1992-93 NCAA Tournament,” according to Williams’ athletic hall of fame profile on GoJaspers.
When asked by The Quadrangle about his favorite moves, to play as a player and to call as an announcer, Williams shared different answers for both, highlighting how differently he now sees the game from behind the mic
Chris WIlliams 93” GOJASPERS. ORG/ COURTESY
rather than on the court.
“I always say good energy from three-point shots, block shots and dunks,” Williams said. “One of those three always gets the crowd going and is fun to call.”
MU has gotten accustomed to having the voices of Chris “Smoove” Williams and Jason Guerette become a familiar and energizing soundtrack for
games at home. In any game circumstance - blowout or nailbiter - these two bring the energy to the crowd, and prove that the right voices can turn any game into a memorable experience.
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Men’s Baseball
Games of the Week
The Manhattan Jaspers baseball team overcame a weather delay and a late push from Norfolk State to secure a 16–10 victory Friday evening at Marty L. Miller Field, opening a four-game series in dominant fashion.
The contest began nearly two hours late due to poor field conditions caused by heavy rainfall in the Norfolk area. Despite the delay, Manhattan (2–3) quickly found its rhythm, breaking the game open in the fourth inning. Andreaus Lewis sparked the offense with a leadoff double before Justin Best drove him home with a line drive to center field. Ryan Lordier followed with a two-run double, giving the Jaspers an early advantage.
After Norfolk State (1–3) trimmed the deficit, Manhattan responded with a decisive seven-run fifth inning fueled by timely hitting and Spartan defensive miscues. Jackson Brinker highlighted the rally with an RBI triple, while Vincent Samuel added a tworun single to extend the lead.
Norfolk State mounted a six-run response in the bottom half of the inning, briefly cutting the margin to three runs. However, Samuel delivered again with another RBI, helping Manhattan maintain control.
The Jaspers sealed the win with a four-run eighth inning, featuring RBIs from Dylan Mayer and Lewis’ second double of the game. Danny Infante later scored Manhattan’s 16th run to halt any comeback hopes.
Lordier led Manhattan offensively with four RBIs and three hits, while Samuel
Photo of Winston scoring 1000th point
recorded three hits and three RBIs. Starting pitcher Connor Throneberry earned the win, striking out seven batters over 4.1 innings as Manhattan secured its highest-scoring performance of the young season
Men’s Basketball
Despite a career performance from graduate guard Terrance Jones, the Manhattan Jaspers men’s basketball team dropped an 84–70 decision to Marist University last Friday night inside Draddy Gymnasium. The loss moved
Manhattan to 12–17 overall and 8–10 in MAAC play, while the Red Foxes improved to 17–10 (11–7 MAAC).
Although the result halted Manhattan’s bid for a fourth consecutive win, the evening still delivered positive news for the program. Following Niagara’s loss to Mount St. Mary’s, the Jaspers officially secured a spot in the 2026 MAAC Men’s Basketball Tournament, set to begin in Atlantic City in two weeks.
Manhattan opened the game with early momentum as Jones scored a quick layup,
setting the tone for what would become a standout night. The teams traded baskets throughout the opening half before junior guard Jaden Winston gave Manhattan its largest lead at four points. The basket also marked Winston’s 1,000th career point, making him the 40th player in program history to reach the milestone. Jones continued to lead the offensive charge, keeping Manhattan within striking distance with a series of layups and mid-range baskets. However, Marist closed the first half on an 8–0 run to seize
control.
The Jaspers fought back early in the second half behind baskets from Winston and Fraser Roxburgh, but a Red Fox scoring surge extended the lead to double digits. Jones answered repeatedly, finishing with a career-high 29 points — the most by a Jasper in a game this season — including four three-pointers.
Anthony Isaac added 12 points off the bench, while Winston finished with 11 points, five assists and three steals in the defeat.
Emmanouel Sofillas
Asst. Sports Editor