Issue 10, Spring 2021- The Quadrangle

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Volume CIII, Issue 10

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NEW YORK, APRIL 13, 2021

Cory Blad Promoted to Interim Dean for the School of Liberal Arts Mid-Semester Nicole Rodriguez & Samantha Walla Production Editor & Senior Writer

Jaspers Return to VCP The MC baseball team makes their return debut at Van Cortlandt Park.

BRIAN ASARE/ THE QUADRANGLE

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Update Caroline McCarthy, Jocelyn Visnov & Kelly Kennedy

Asst. Features Editor, Asst. Production Editor, & Asst. Social Media Editor

With the fall 2021 semester announced to be fully in-person, Manhattan College officials are urging all faculty, staff and students who are eligible to get the vaccine before the start of the semester.

In an email to the Manhattan College Community on March 19, President Brennan O’Donnell thanked the college’s students, faculty, and staff for their ongoing support and cooperation as the college navigated it’s way through the pandemic.

He then announced that the college plans to fully return to

IN NEWS:

MC at Model UN Conference on p. 4

in-person instruction in a safe and secure environment during this fall 2021 semester.

“Medical experts are increasingly confident that the vaccine will be available to everyone who desires to receive it this summer,” O’Donnell wrote. “We also note that the CDC has recently started to adjust its guidance for fully vaccinated people, another good sign of the improving situation.”

Though the vaccine is not currently a requirement to return to campus in the fall, administration is encouraging vaccinations.

“Many in our community have already received the vaccine, and we strongly encourage all faculty, staff, and students to be vaccinated as soon as they are eligible,” O’Donnell wrote.

IN FEATURES: A DYFRENT Approach on p. 5

According to the COVID-19 vaccine section of the New York Government website, 12 million New Yorkers are already eligible for the vaccination as of March 26 at 3:31pm.

The site reads: “Over 12 million New Yorkers are now eligible for the vaccine. Eligible groups include doctors, nurses and health care workers, people age 50 and over, first responders, teachers, public transit workers, grocery store workers, public safety workers and New Yorkers with certain comorbidities and underlying conditions.”

Though these qualifications better suit the faculty of Manhattan College, President Joe Biden echoed O’Donnell’s prediction in a social media post on __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Cory Blad, Ph.D., professor of sociology, has accepted the position of interim dean of the School of Liberal Arts for the 2021-22 academic year, effective March 1.

Blad first joined Manhattan College in 2009 and has served as the chair of the sociology department since 2016.

He has held a variety of significant college-wide service positions including the role as the deputy chair of the Council for Faculty Affairs, co-chair of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, member of the Middle States Accreditation Committee, and member of the Diversity Council.

Dianna Cruz, assistant Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, believes that Blad is a great fit for this position.

“I was very happy to learn that Cory Blad would be stepping in as the Interim Dean of the School of Liberal Arts. He brings a positive energy and a strong commitment to the role.

His past experience as a Professor and Department Chair only adds to the quality leadership and vision he’s already demonstrated,” said Cruz. “It’s apparent he wants what is best for SOLA and the students and has already worked diligently on laying out the path to achieving that goal.”

In preparation for his interim role, Blad stepped away from the classroom and his teaching responsibilities.

“I had to basically drop my teaching responsibilities just because of the time involved.

I’m still teaching an independent study, which I’m thankful for, because it’s hard to make a clean break and this semester was going really, really well,” Blad said. “I had a great Roots class, that I was really surprisingly emotional to leave. The senior seminar in sociology, we generally divide up responsibilities as faculty, but you know, I

IN A&E:

Crocs Invasion on p. 9

had three mentor students that I was working with, and we had to kind of go through transition and getting them tied in with other people to do their work.”

Students who have taken his courses, like junior history and peace and justice studies major Eunice Nazar, are thankful for what they have learned under his instruction.

“I was grateful to have taken Professor Blad’s course on Migration, Globalization, and Culture,” Nazar said. “Professor Blad is engaging, inspiring and his lectures were powerful.

I loved his class. He is an amazing professor who is devoted and deeply passionate, he has taught me so much. It was great learning under him.”

While the shift from professor to interim dean is significant, Blad is hopeful for the future in his new role in administration.

“It’s just hard when you spend your whole career teaching, and that’s basically the huge portion of your job, to not be able to do that anymore is a little bit heartbreaking, in a lot of ways, and more so than I really anticipated I think,” he said. “I’ve still got a tie back, and I’d love to get back in the classroom, once I kind of figure out the context of the job.

It’s a pretty significant transition and I’m not ashamed to say that there’s still a lot I don’t know, there’s still a lot of learning. We’ll see what the future brings.”

Despite the significant transition, Blad will continue to put forth his values and teaching style into his work as an interim dean.

“You can change positions, but you really can’t change what you truly believe in and what you think is important in life. And for me, it’s openness, it’s transparency, it’s engagement.”

As interim dean, Blad plans to maintain communication and transparency among students, __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

IN SPORTS:

Jasper Talk with Chloe Davis on p. 11

Opinions & Editorials

2

the Quadrangle

THE QUADRANGLE

LETTER from The Editor

Volume CIII, Issue 10 April 13, 2021

The Editorial Board Anna Woods Editor-in-Chief

Maria Thomas Managing Editor

Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor

Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor

Kyla Guilfoil Asst. News Editor

Jilleen Barrett Arts & Entertainment Editor

Kelly Cwik Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Christine Nappi Features Editor

Caroline McCarthy Asst. Features Editor

Pete Janny Sports Editor

Colleen McNamara Asst. Sports Editor

Lauren Raziano Social Media Editor

Kelly Kennedy Asst. Social Media Editor

Brian Asare Photography Editor

Emily Hollar Production Editor Asst. Photography Editor

Nicole Rodriguez Production Editor

Adrianne Hutto Jocelyn Visnov Asst. Production Editors

Madalyn Johnson Katherine Heneghan Web Editors Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization 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

Dear Readers, Happy Tuesday! We’re in the home stretch folks. The weather is getting warmer and the end of the semester is just out of reach. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to decompress than to have attended the virtual Phoebe Bridgers concert on Sunday. It has easily become one of my favorite memories at MC. I want to thank Student Government and Student Engagement for putting the concert and Q&A together.

They have worked tirelessly this year to ensure that every student can stay engaged no matter what corner of the world they are in.

I also want to give a great big shout-out to our ever so talented Jasper Dancers who won 4th in the nation in the Jazz Division at Nationals this past week. This issue covers some other great achievements that members of the Manhattan College community have made such as a triumphant win made by our Model UN Team.

I hope you all enjoyed our special issue of the Triangle and are looking forward to our next special issue that will be coming out soon. You’re going to be GREEN with envy that you are not a Quad writer. I hope everyone has a great week and is taking care of themselves.

Until next time.

Sincerely,

Anna Woods

Editor-in-Chief

Join our weekly meetings via Google Meet by scanning the QR Code.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN LETTER 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.

News

APRIL 13, 2021

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COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Update __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 March 11, where he claimed all adult Americans will be eligible to get the vaccine no later than May 1.

William McGrath, professor of religious studies, recently received both doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

McGrath qualified for the vaccine because he is an in-person instructor.

McGrath does not have fond memories of his vaccinations, as he experienced numerous side effects and had difficulty scheduling appointments.

“So from the very beginning, I just felt bad. And then, you know, my arm hurt,” McGrath said. “I just felt like a wounded animal. I got on the train and rode it home, went right to bed, watched a movie

and just tried to chill, but it was like, I sort of started shaking, like I sort of had a fever.”

However, the vaccine has helped ease the major stress of contracting COVID compared to last fall.

“I think I feel a lot better than I did this past fall, let’s just put it that way. I thought this past fall was a huge gamble,” McGrath said.

Even with the side effects, McGrath claims that it was all worth it and urges others to get vaccinated as well. McGrath feels much safer to teach in-person classes now than he had before.

I would definitely encourage people to do it. You got to be brave, you know, it’s gonna suck. Bring a friend, bring somebody to support you, call your mom, call whatever, call somebody. But, you got to be brave. You gotta do it.”

He also hopes that an in-

According to the COVID-19 vaccine section of the New York Government website, 12 million New Yorkers are already eligible for the vaccination as of March 26 at 3:31pm.

COVID19VACCINE.HEALTH.NY.COM / COURTESY

connect with

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crease in vaccinations will bring back a sort of normalcy to campus, something students and faculty definitely miss.

“Well, my understanding is, it’s been hard times. And obviously, this is something you know, much more than I do.

But my understanding is students feel isolated. I think [vaccinations] will open the door for group activities. And that’s what we all miss. That’s what I certainly miss,” McGrath said.

Heidi Laudien, a professor in the English department, is among the professors who were fully vaccinated at an off campus location.

“My experience getting the vaccine was relatively easy,” she wrote. “I got the Moderna vaccine at the end of January at a community center in the city (Wall Street area). I feel quite safe teaching in person classes at Manhattan College. Students, faculty and staff seem to

be abiding by all of the safety protocols in place.”

Ireland Twiggs, a senior double majoring in Peace and Justice Studies and Religious Studies, is one of many students who has already been fully vaccinated. Twiggs shared her experience finding a vaccine appointment during a time of such high demand.

“I received my vaccine at Yankee Stadium at 3 a.m.”

Twiggs said. “I actually follow Governor Cuomo on Twitter. I just kind of got lucky in that I was on Twitter one day, and he had posted that they were opening the 24/7 vaccine clinics at Yankee Stadium for Bronx residents, and that Friday or Thursday the Javits Center was opening up. So, the next day when the appointments went live, I logged on to so much which was the platform that they had appointments.”

Staying up-to-date with vaccine and appointment availabil-

ity will help citizens better plan for receiving a vaccine of their own. Twiggs shares her advice for students who may be struggling to find an appointment.

“I would just say if you’re serious about a vaccine, just be diligent about looking and, you know, checking on all platforms,” she said.

As of March 28th, the college has implemented a vaccination portal that community members may use to upload their vaccination card.

To make a vaccine appointment in New York City visit NYC Vaccine Finder via vaccinefinder.nyc.gov or by calling 1-877-VAX-4NYC. To make an appointment in New York State visit am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health. ny.gov or by calling 1-833-NYS4-VAX).

As of March 28th, the college has implemented a vaccination portal that community members may use to upload their vaccination card.

WEILL CORNELL / COURTESY

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News

4

THE QUADRANGLE

Cory Blad Promoted to Interim Dean for the School of Liberal Arts Mid-Semester __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 faculty, staff and administration alike.

“One of the things that I think is unnecessary is creating barriers that don’t necessarily need to exist and a lot of that very quickly transitions into power dynamics that also don’t need to exist. There’s always going to be some semblance of a hierarchy in any organization, but at the same time, it doesn’t have to operate in a non-responsive kind of detached way,” Blad said. “We should be able to talk and I should be able to listen to immediate concerns. I should be able to have the opportunity to learn from, frankly, everybody that I am essentially responsible for, you know that goes for faculty, that goes for staff, that goes for students, that goes for everybody that has a connec-

tion with the School of Liberal Arts.”

Blad is not only grateful for having the opportunity to assume this administrative role, but also for the patience and understanding both his colleagues and students have shown during this rapid transition period.

“I can’t thank students, colleagues, staff, enough. Everybody has been incredibly helpful and everybody has been really patient, which is great.

There are a lot of answers that I don’t have. There are a lot of things that I’m still learning,” he said. “Knowing that I have a little bit of space to figure those things out is invaluable. I just really appreciate the patience that everybody has shown. I’m excited about the future. I’ll be more excited about the future once I get my feet completely underneath me in the present.”

Cory Blad, Ph.D., professor of sociology, has accepted the position of interim dean of the School of Liberal Arts for the 2021-22 academic year.

MANHATTAN.EDU / COURTESY

MC Prevails at Model UN Conference Megan LaCreta Staff Writer

The Manhattan College Model United Nations team recently triumphed at the 2021 National Conference during the week of March 28. Despite facing unprecedented challenges this semester, the team brought home the Outstanding Delegation award— the highest honor awarded in National Model UN— for the first time in the college’s history at the New York conference.

This semester, the 14-student team represented Iraq at the conference, which was held online due to the pandemic.

Pamela Chasek, Ph.D., chair of the political science department and Model UN advisor, made the decision to run the course virtually in order to properly prepare for the virtual conference. However, the online format came with its own challenges. Chasek noted that it was more difficult to create the team mindset online.

“It was tough for our delegation to become a team, because we were never in the same room all semester. In fact we were never in the same country all semester,” Chasek said.

“Usually we do a lot of team building exercises through the semester because we are a team, and that was a little more complicated to do without being in the same place.”

Carolina Perez is a senior political science and international studies major, and was head delegate for the Manhattan College team, alongside fellow senior Luis Garcia. Pe-

rez said that, while the online conference ran very smoothly, the students this year missed out on interacting with Model UN participants from different schools from around the world.

“It definitely was different than other years because you have a more social aspect, because you’re able to see people in person and network with people,” Perez said. “But it was great that we had chat functions and everything so even though we weren’t in person it was still very similar to the actual conference itself.”

While the social aspect is fun, Model UN is a lot of hard work. Esha Jan, a junior political science and international studies major with a minor in Arabic, expressed the amount of work that goes into the Model UN course, as well as participating in the conference.

“You need to submit a position paper for your committee to the National Model United Nations before the conference on your country’s position on the different topics and what the country is proposing, which requires extensive research,” Jan wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “You need to learn about writing resolutions, negotiating and have to work on your public speaking skills.”

Perez agreed, saying “Even though the paper we write is only two pages, it is the most research that you do for any paper, aside from my senior seminar paper.”

Students taking the Model UN course begin their research over the winter break, and start the arduous process of getting into character as diplomats of

the nation they’re representing, Chasek explained.

“What we found for Iraq is, if there was a motto, it’s, ‘we’re back, and we want to engage the international community after all these years of war,’” said Chasek. “We’ve had all of these problems but we want to be an active part of the Arab world, we want to be an active part of the international community, and we want to be in a position to bring countries together, so that no country goes through what we had to go through.”

Public speaking and acting is also an important aspect of the Model UN experience.

Chasek noted that a unique challenge the team faced this year was that many of its members had never experienced a Model UN conference before, since last year’s spring conference was cancelled due to the pandemic. It was necessary to build confidence among the team members in order to succeed.

The pandemic impacted the team even further when three members came down with COVID over the course of the conference, two of whom were unable to participate due to the severity of their symptoms.

However, the pandemic was not the only obstacle the Model UN program encountered. In August, Chasek found out the program’s funding had been completely cut.

“I found out in August that my budget was zero,” Chasek said. “As a result, we were unable to participate in the fall conference. I don’t want students to have to pay fees to do this, because then a lot of stu-

dents who want to do it won’t get the opportunity.”

Thankfully, alumni of the Model UN program, spearheaded by George Fontas ‘02, were able to fundraise the amount necessary to cover the fees of the spring conference.

Perez expressed that while she appreciated the alumni’s efforts, the lack of funding for the program on behalf of the college was another disappointment in her abnormal senior year.

“There were definitely moments where I was concerned about whether or not I’d be able to do the conference,” Perez said. “This senior year, we’re not having the same graduation, we’re not having the same Honor Society induction, so I just would have felt like it would have been another thing that I would have lost because of the pandemic. And so learning that we had gotten our whole funding cut was upsetting, but once the alumni were able to fund it for us, it was just incredible and I’m so grateful for them.”

Despite all of these obstacles, the Model UN team came together to win the Outstanding Delegation Award.

“It was very rewarding because, despite all the challenges that we’ve had to face, they brought us together and made us want to work harder to get an award, so I guess I couldn’t have asked for a better last conference,” Perez said.

Sophomore Joanna Canigiani and junior Liola Moody received the Distinguished Delegates in Committee award for their work in the Commission on the Status of Women.

Jan also was recognized when she was selected to chair of the World Health Organization simulation.

“I am proud to have been chosen to be on the dais as the chair for the World Health Organization,” Jan wrote. “This allowed me to run the committee during formal sessions and ensure that everything in the committee ran efficiently.”

Perez and Jan both reflected on their experiences in the program.

“I feel like joining Model UN was one of the best decisions that I could have made while at Manhattan. Not only did it introduce me to some of my closest friends, but it strengthened my relationships with professors,” Perez said.

“Do Model United Nations and do it as many times as possible,” Jan wrote. “It is an incredible experience that makes you a more knowledgeable global citizen. It enhances your skills, allows you to meet and work with people from all over the world, and helps you grow as a person.”

Students interested in Model UN should contact Pamela Chasek at pamela.chasek@ manhattan.edu. The program runs as an extracurricular in the fall semester, and as a course in the spring semester.

Students looking to advocate for the benefit of the program can reach out to the Dean of Liberal Arts, Cory Blad, Provost Steven Schreiner, or President Brennan O’Donnell.

Features

APRIL 13, 2021

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A DYFRENT Approach: Merging Art and Design with Information Kiersten Thompson Contributor

With two forward moving arrows, the logo of the brand DYFRENT represents the future and forward thinking.

Jeffrey Bartlett ’21, a marketing and finance major, and Desmond Cole ’21, a marketing major, founded DYFRENT in 2018, which is a consulting and e-commerce company that helps brands develop further through embracing creativity.

In addition, DYFRENT also sells clothing, art and photography.

After Bartlett acquired skills like clothing design, photography and videography from the internet for free, he realized that he could utilize those skills to not only create a brand, but he could use those skills to help others.

“I basically started designing clothes and I try to be as creative as possible taking pictures, making videos, and I figured out that I could acquire all these skills, one, for free online and then two, that I can create my own brand first and then sell those skills,” Bartlett said.

According to Bartlett, DYFRENT addresses the problem of information asymmetry, where lack of information leads to inequality.

“We feel like information asymmetry is a really big issue with our generation,” Bartlett said. “I think that’s where a lot of the issues in our society stem from… I want to create a culture that embraces knowledge, that embraces information and progress and to do that, and connect with people, we use art and design, information and knowledge.”

In March of 2020, Bartlett and Cole participated in Manhattan College’s Innovation Challenge, earning first place and receiving a cash prize of $3,000. The Innovation Challenge is a competition where students can pitch their business ideas in a “Shark-Tank” style format with three top place winners and an “Audience Favorite” award. For those competing, business workshops and mentoring from faculty and alumni are available. According to Donald E. Gibson, Ph.D, Dean and Professor of the O’Malley School of Business, the purpose of the competition is to help students launch startups as well as help students gain entrepreneurial skills.

“We believe that all students can learn to think more like an entrepreneur, even if they do

not necessarily seek to start up their own business,” Gibson wrote via email. “The competition fosters creative thinking, business skills, and presentation skills. Our overall purpose is for Manhattan College students to launch successful startups!”

A year prior to the competition, Bartlett and Cole had already developed their brand and launched DYFRENT Consulting. They stood out in the competition because of their experience and ability to attract an audience.

“They impressed the judges with their consulting business that they had already shown could attract clients,” Gibson wrote. “They showed that they had a different approach to branding and marketing consulting, and unique artwork.”

The Innovation Challenge helped introduce Bartlett and Cole to mentors Winston Peters ‘02 and Ed Dintrone ‘83.

Winston Peters, an adjunct professor in the business school, graduated from MC in 2002 as a civil engineering major. After obtaining a job at Turner Construction right out of college, he became bored with his job.

Peters had many friends who were creatives and was able to apply his engineering experience with high budget projects, logical thinking and problem solving, to eventually creating

his own consultancy, MyÜberLife consulting group, with other MC alumni.

“We focus on the creative community so that they can be more business minded, so that they can sustain their creative endeavors because we believe that the creative community, [is] where real change actually occurs,” Peters said. “We’ve been helping creatives be more business minded and also with those insights we also help corporations be more culturally adept to actually understand what’s going on in culture, how culture impacts their business, how culture impacts innovation, how culture impacts customers.”

As Peters describes, him and his partners created a sister company, WÜLF University, focusing on speaking to “students, creatives and people who want to be entrepreneurs.”

This experience teaching and speaking to students led to his start teaching at MC in the summer of 2020 as an adjunct professor.

Peters met Bartlett and Cole at a workshop where he spoke with business students. He was able to utilize his experience in consulting to help Bartlett and Cole with DYFRENT. He is currently doing an independent studies course with Bartlett on reimagining the business of education.

Peters advises that for those seeking to be entrepreneurs, to be mindful of the why and to understand the risks of different careers.

“There’s a risk of being an entrepreneur, there’s risk in having a corporate job but the most important thing is finding fulfillment, understanding where you will be fulfilled and again that fulfillment can come in the form of having a corporate job or it can be starting your own business and starting your own brand,” Peters said. “But if you are looking to start your own brand, I would say you have to figure out what your why is, people focus on the what and the how but don’t really understand the why of what they’re doing.”

Bartlett’s main focus at the moment is on building DYFRENT. Having already been ahead of some of his classes, Bartlett thinks that college did not prepare him to be an entrepreneur.

“I don’t go to school to be an entrepreneur,” Bartlett said.

“First I was a finance major and then, marketing, and the whole time I was ahead of whatever we were talking about in class ... I’ve been kind of like ahead of the curve and so, school and class has not helped very much.”

DYFRENT has a website that sells clothing as well as

artwork and photography, some of which are created by Bartlett and Cole. Their instagram features their clothing, quotes called Gem of the Day, and their podcast. They recently released an interview with Craig Lyon, Former Head of Nike Basketball Signature, Innovation and Marketing.

Bartlett wants to help other brands in the future, develop the clothing side of the brand, and push DYFRENT’s message that focuses on tackling the problem of information asymmetry and helping creatives. However, the current success of DYFRENT wouldn’t have been possible without the pair developing the skills they did, growing a reliable audience network and learning from their failures.

“You can have those skills just by figuring out those interests and doing those things over and over with the frequency, and then you master skills and network,” Bartlett said.

“You go on LinkedIn, make a nice profile whatever, go connect, go talk to them, that’s how you get opportunities and there’s tons of business opportunities on LinkedIn, and the most important thing is you just have to fail fast and work now, using your youth to your advantage.”

Young entrepreneurs, Jeffrey Bartlett and Desmond Cole founded their brand, DYFRENT in 2018. DYFRENT is a consulting and e-commerce company that helps brands develop further through embracing creativity.

SARAH MILANO / COURTESY

Features

6

THE QUADRANGLE

MC Hosts Easter Blood Drive VOICES ON THE QUAD

Lauren Raziano Social Media Editor

Manhattan College held an emergency blood drive on Wednesday, March 24 in Smith Auditorium from 12-6 p.m. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the blood drive was only open to the Manhattan College Community and all participants were required to have a green pass, wear a face covering and have their temperature taken before attending.

Conor Reidy, Manhattan College’s Director of Campus

Ministry and Social Action has been involved in the blood drive for the past four years.

Reidy plays an active role of getting the New York Blood Center onto campus.

“I communicate with the New York Blood Center, I reserve the spaces on campus, I get the word out and the day of, I help with logistics,” Reidy said.

There were 45 donors at the blood drive for a total of 135 blood donations. Each person can donate up to three people.

There are different types of blood donations people can do

–– whole blood donations, or the ALYX machine.

“We had 33 whole blood donations as people who come and donate the entirety of their blood, and then we had six people donate on the ALYX machine,” Reidy said. “The ALYX machine takes double the amount of blood, but it returns your plasma and your platelets.

So, six people donating actually equals 12 donations,” Reidy said.

The COVID-19 restrictions on campus was a main factor that limited participants from donating.

“Due to our COVID-19 policies on campus currently, which requires off campus personnel to, everyone has to fill out a green pass,” Reidy said.

“We weren’t really sure how to go about ensuring that everybody who would be coming on campus to donate would be able to know how to submit a green pass in order to be on campus.”

Despite the limited number of participants, Reidy is hopeful that in the future more members of the Manhattan College community will come and donate blood.

“Hopefully in the future Manhattan College can once again become a really strong donation site,” Reidy said. “I was always really proud that Manhattan College was always the second highest university donor in the Bronx. It always makes me happy that we have such a strong commitment to the New York Blood Center and to something that very tactically changes lives.”

The next blood drive hosted by Manhattan College is April 29, so everyone who donated this time will have the opportunity to donate again.

Gabriela Sandoval Freshman | Economics Why did you decide to donate blood?

“I donated blood because it has been on my bucket list for awhile and just any opportunity to help people out, I think you should just go for it.”

Harikrishan Nair Senior | Biology Why did you decide to donate blood? What did you tell a student who is hesitant to donate blood?

“I donate blood because it is something that everyone can do if they want to and to help save lives.”

What would you tell a student who is hesitant to donate blood? “ If someone is hesitant about it, just think that for the blood you are donating you are helping save three lives.”

Br. Daniel Garner FSC Assistant Director | Graduate and Fellowship Advisement Why did you decide to donate blood?

“I donated blood because I think that it is part of our duty towards our fellow human beings, to provide something that we can to help them in life threatening situations.”

What would you tell a student who is hesitant to donate blood?

There were 45 donors at the blood drive for a total of 135 blood donations.

NEW YORK BLOOD CENTER / COURTESY

“I would encourage everybody on campus to donate because it is helping other people in ways that take very little away from our own self. It is a great opportunity to be a person of service which goes back to our mission here at Manhattan College. I am a member of the Gallon club, so I donate a gallon of blood every year so I am a regular donor to this particular process both here and abroad. I am really committed to donating blood as a service to fellow humanity.”

Arts & Entertainment

APRIL 13, 2021

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Jasper Jams: Our Favorite Classics JASPER JAMS

Katherine Heneghan & Gabriella DePinho Web Editor & Senior Writer

It’s undeniable that some incredible music is being written nowadays; however, many of us grew up listening to our parents’ or loved ones’ favorite songs and value them in a deeper way. The music we love - and feel is worth recommending stretches across decades and genres. This week, we’re dedicating this column to “dad” or “mom” music.

Katie’s Picks: Mar y Jane’s Last DanceTom Petty and the Heartbreakers Some say this song references drugs, I say it’s a song about losing a relationship.

One thing is for certain –– this is a great song. Tom Petty is a rock and roll legend, with unique vocals and a distinct sound. It’s a perfect tune for this time of year, almost on the brink of summer, and ready for a change.

Rhiannon Mac

-

Fleetwood

How could you talk about classics without talking about

Fleetwood Mac? Stevie Nicks’ iconic vocals in Rhiannon make anyone feel like the main character. It’s the perfect tune for walking to class, sitting down to write a paper or finally getting around to cleaning your room. I first discovered my love of Fleetwood Mac when I realized the song Landslide was in fact not written by The Chicks.

Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones This is one of my Dad’s favorite songs, so when I get homesick, this is a perfect, relaxing pick-me-up. The Rolling Stones changed rock music forever, and if you’re going to listen to one classic rock band, it’s got to be the Stones. You might know them because of Paint it, Black or Satisfaction, but Wild Horses is a beautiful ballad that will surely remind you of warmer weather.

With A Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles In this second semester pandemic slump, we all get by with a little help from our friends. This song embodies friendship, happy days, and community camaraderie. I can’t recommend the album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” enough. Rolling Stone magazine calls it the greatest album of all time, and this song is one that makes the album

come together. When recording this song, The Beatles surrounded drummer Ringo Starr and coaxed him into leading the vocals and stood by his side for moral support. Even the greatest rock band of all time gets by with a little help from their friends.

Rock the Casbah - The Clash It seems like every song on this list came out of the U.K, but this British rock band is a fan favorite. This song reminds me of dancing around my kitchen with my Mom as a little girl, and I can’t help but dance everytime I hear it to this day. The song tells the fictional story of an Arab king banning rock music, and the people listen and dance anyways. Some say it’s a political reference, I say it’s a great ballad to sing in the shower.

Gabs’ Picks Don’t Stop Me Now Queen When I was 10 or 11, I inherited an original iPod from my sister loaded with 0.69 cent songs and free downloads of the week. This was one of the less than a hundred songs on the device and it quickly became one of my favorite songs, making me, what I believed to

be, a very classy middle schooler. This song goes hard and is still one of my favorites to put on to hype myself up.

Black Dog - Led Zeppelin I did not have much of an education in classic rock before I came to Manhattan College, and it became apparent I needed to learn. So, as I worked in the Office of Admission typing up information in January of sophomore year of college, I spent each day listening to the discography of a band I felt like I should know better. So out of the whole day of Led Zeppelin, I present you with this one track that gets heavy playtime on my Spotify account.

You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC I learned that I was more uneducated in the classics than I thought when I joined Players and became a member of the crew. As we built and painted sets, the music played switched between classic rock and country. This was one of the few songs pre-self-education that I recognized without anyone having to tell me the band name or title.

are effectively about trying to convince a girl that sleeping with the singer and their music will somehow change their lives, which isn’t a compelling argument; however, the song is incredibly catchy.

Take A Chance - ABBA So this isn’t exactly a classic in terms of classic rock, but I had to add it to the playlist.

Growing up, my parents played a mix of The Beatles, Angolan hits from the 1970s, and ABBA’s Gold album — that’s it.

So in terms of “dad” music or “mom” music, this is what it was for me. I was eight years old, in the backseat singing along to every ABBA song, without knowing what they meant; at 21, I’m still singing their songs with my mom.

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Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners This was one of the many classics I was taught about by my Players’ peers. The lyrics

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8

Arts & Entertainment

THE QUADRANGLE

Performer Profile: Meet Alexandre Ikama PERFORMER PROFILE

Shannon Gleba Senior Writer

Freshman Alexandre Ikama has been playing the clarinet since he was young, and plans to continue pursuing music here at Manhattan College in the orchestra and jazz band.

Ikama began playing the clarinet during the fourth grade when he decided to take after his sister, who had been playing the clarinet before.

“Well, you know, it was just like, my sister used to play it,” Ikama said. “And I wanted to be like my sister. So I just kept playing, and I became better than her, just kept playing and playing.”

Since that time in his childhood, Ikama stuck with the instrument and joined a number of different groups to master the clarinet. While he lives in Queens, his commitment brought him to Brooklyn to hone his skills.

“My school didn’t have a band,” Ikama said. “But I joined the All-City Orchestra band in Brooklyn during the school year, and during the summer, I would be a part of the Summer Arts Institute. So that’s the only way I was able to play because like my school didn’t really have a band.”

The Summer Arts Institute required Ikama to audition each year, but the hard work was worth it to him because it

was also a social opportunity.

“It was fun, I made new friends and all that,” said Ikama.

The audition process to be awarded a performing arts scholarship at MC was very similar to the auditions Ikama had in the past. However, because the auditions took place during the pandemic, he had to perform in a virtual setting.

“It wasn’t too crazy, it was normal, it was like a normal audition,” Ikama said. “I just came in, played my pieces and some scales. It didn’t feel weird. It was just that it was virtual so it was like, a little bit different.”

After earning the scholarship, Ikama chose to be a part of both the Orchestra and the Jazz Band at the College, which are also now rehearsing virtually.

“It is completely different because the teacher can’t really hear me because I have to mute myself,” said Ikama. “It’s like, it’s a little bit different because I’m not in like the crowd of people where I used to, or I’m usually used to.”

Although the group cannot hear one another when they perform, each member gets time with the orchestra leader after the group meets over Zoom.

“After the Zoom call, [the leader] comes with me individually to work on like, specific parts,” said Ikama. “So I don’t feel really excluded from it,

even though I’m not I can’t be on campus during that.”

In respect to the jazz band, Ikama sees his involvement as a way to explore new genres that he never had the opportunity to before.

“There’s a lot of genres that haven’t really touched yet, specifically jazz,” said Ikama.

“That’s why I picked it. I never really got into jazz, but I really want to try something different.”

While Ikama had to audition after the pandemic took full effect, he was thankfully able to commit to Manhattan College before on-campus visits were cancelled.

“So, I went to an open house and went to a basketball game last year,” said Ikama. “I liked the campus and I decided I want to go here.”

Going forward, Ikama is not exactly sure what role music and the clarinet will play in his adult life. He is currently undecided in his major, but is not positive if music will be part of his career plan.

While Ikama may have some uncertainties in his future, there is one thing for sure –– Ikama is ready to come to campus, and to start taking classes in a typical classroom environment.

“I think that’s what I want,” said Ikama. “I just want to be in person again. It feels better to learn in person.”

Freshman Alexandre Ikama has been playing the clarinet since he was young, and plans to continue pursuing music here at Manhattan College in the orchestra and jazz band.

ALEXANDRE IKAMA / COURTESY

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APRIL 13, 2021

Arts & Entertainment

9

Crocs Invade Campus FASHION FINDS

With the summer season around the corner, students are ready to rock their warmer footwear, including Crocs. Crocs are considered one of the world’s 10 largest non-athletic footwear brands, but some students like to live life on the risky side and opt for the “sports” mode, with the back strap down. Crocs can be paired with any outfit and other students go for a low key look with “chill” mode, with the back strap up for easy slide in and out activities. To make Crocs more personalized, some students choose to add Jibbitz, which are small charms of letters, images, characters, or pop culture references that can be popped into the air holes of the Crocs. As a college student, Crocs are a great way to have a versatile shoe which can add a pop of personality to any fashionable fit.

Interviews compiled by Lauren Raziano.

Madeline Addington, Freshman Marketing Major

Diana Lopez Nar varro, Freshman Psychology Major

Chris Iannace, Sophomore Civil Engineering Major

What color are your crocs?

My crocs are green.

What color are your crocs?

I have lilac colored crocs!

When did you purchase your crocs?

My favorite jibbitz were ones that spelled out “Jasper” but I lost the J so I don’t want to wear just “asper.”

When did you purchase your crocs?

My friend gifted them to me as a part of a big christmas Croc exchange in 2018.

What color are your crocs?

Chris Iannace: Green, I usually get different colors every time.

What is your favorite outfit to pair your crocs with?

My favorite outfit to wear crocs with is jeans and a comfy sweatshirt or shirt.

Sport Mode or chill mode?

I always use chill mode, unless it’s snowing.

When did you purchase your crocs?

I got these at some point before last summer.

What is your favorite jibbitz?

What is your favorite jibbitz?

My favorite jibbit has to be Piglet, he’s I usually don’t wear jibbitz. so cute.

What is your favorite outfit to pair What is your favorite outfit to pair your your crocs with? crocs with?

I have no fashion sense really, so I I usually pair them with some nice wear my crocs with anything and all sweats and a sweatshirt. They’re a the time. It doesn’t match most of the comfort shoe. time. But my friends say sweats and a cardigan. NEVER WITH SOCKS, Sport Mode or chill mode? people who do that sicken me.

Chill mode all the way.

Sport mode or chill mode?

Sports mode all the way, it’s the only answer.

Sports

10

THE QUADRANGLE

COVID Season Ends in Heartbreak for Women’s Soccer Pete Janny Sports Editor

Friday’s quarterfinals matchup against Rider had been a long time coming for Manhattan women’s soccer. It was their biggest game since 2017, but not under regular circumstances. Instead of their usual Fall slate of games, they had to adjust to playing competitive games in the spring thanks to the pandemic. The thrill of championship soccer was in the air in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

In some ways, Friday’s game felt like the start of a new era for Manhattan soccer. It was their first postseason game since 2017, when they lost 5-1 to Monmouth in the MAAC Championship. The return to the postseason provided a fresh breath of air and newfound hope for the program, who went 3-2 in the regular season.

Manhattan got off to a fast start. In the 14th minute, senior Bri DeLeo deposited a shot in the back of the net from 20 yards out to give Manhattan a 1-0 lead. The goal was DeLeo’s ninth of her career and was an important counterpunch to a Rider team that beat Manhattan 3-1 on Easter Saturday.

Manhattan carried that 1-0 lead into halftime. As the underdog fifth-seed, the Jaspers looked keen on pulling off the upset over four-seed Rider.

However, with the home crowd behind them, the complexion of the game turned in favor of the Broncs in the sec-

ond half.

After getting off six shots in the first half, Rider got on the board in the 48th minute when Mackenzie Rodriguez found the back of the net.

The Broncs kept applying pressure to keep Manhattan goalie Kim Mains busy in net.

Mains, now a junior, finished with seven saves in the game to mark the end of her first season as a starter.

Rider got the game winner off Mains in the 68th minute with Hannah Freeman doing the honors. Freeman made a nice touch just outside the box to free herself up before firing a shot that curled past a diving Mains.

Despite falling behind, Manhattan played a great final 25 minutes to keep things interesting.

Junior striker Eve Montgomery directed two hard shots on net, one of which forced the Rider goalie to make a diving save for a Manhattan corner kick.

Graduate student Tia Painilainen also had a chance later in the half, but the shot sailed over the net to end the threat.

A former Arizona Wildcat, Painilainen concluded her third season with Manhattan by tying junior Bri Floyd for the team high in assists with two.

Although fatigue began to set in, the Jaspers’ attack kept going until the buzzer sounded.

DeLeo, who has been a stalwart in the midfield ever since her freshman year, had

Manhattan College’s Women’s Soccer number 6, Kaitlyn Cooke attempts goal against Rider.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY one last chance in the box with 25 seconds left to keep Manhattan’s season alive. However, the shot was blocked by a few Rider defenders, effectively ending Manhattan’s hopes.

Both teams were evenly matched on Friday in the high stakes matchup. Each team registered 15 shots with nine shots on goal apiece. Manhattan ended up edging Rider in corner kicks 13-6, but simply couldn’t take advantage with their set piece opportunities.

“Unfortunately, two of their

shots found the back of the net,” head coach Brendan Lawler said after the game. “Soccer’s tough that way and it doesn’t always bounce your way.”

In some ways, Friday’s loss also felt like the end of an era.

The senior class took the field for the last time after helping the team advance to the MAAC Finals in 2017 when they were only freshmen. Sharing that moment together was special, especially after the pandemic cancelled their fall season.

“It’s always tough finding

Manhattan Women’s Soccer team ends their season 3-3.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY

the right words to thank the seniors,” Lawler said. “They were so good during a global pandemic and we just thank them for all they did.”

The Jaspers will now have a quick turnaround with the Fall season just around the corner.

Lawler and his players seem ready for that challenge after dealing with everything the pandemic threw at them. From a coaching standpoint, Lawler learned a lot from the schedule changes.

“In some ways I learned to be jealous of spring sports,” Lawler said half-jokingly.

“They get to bring their players through the fall instead of throwing them into the fire.”

Not having to be thrown into the fire was important for the freshmen on the team.

The absence of competition in the Fall allowed them to acclimate to a new school and new team at a slower pace. Looking ahead, they are expected to hit the ground running for the Fall season, which will likely be normal again. Given the extra year of eligibility for all student-athletes, the team is projected to feature a similar balance of veterans and younger players that will be able to build on their chemistry.

“The players were resilient and they never complained.

Whenever anything came up about playing, they never complained about the schedule and were just excited about getting to play again.”

Sports

APRIL 13, 2021

11

Jasper Talk: Chloe Davis Embracing Her New Chapter JASPER TALK Shannon Gleba Senior Writer

Chloe Davis is a center back for the Manhattan College women’s soccer team fresh off her first season in Riverdale.

Hailing from Salado, Texas, Davis was a heralded recruit out of high school who chose to take her talents to New York City.

During her freshman year, Davis has adjusted to being a Division I student athlete playing far from home with the help of her teammates and coaching staff.

TQ: During the recruiting process when you were looking for schools, what were some important factors to you? What parts of Manhattan College made it feel like it was the right fit?

CD: Academically, I really needed extra help. I felt like I could succeed here academically because of the support they gave me and the resources they have. Then also, another is that I’m from Texas, so the location.

I really wanted to explore the country and see a different place. And so I thought, what better than New York City?

TQ: Can you describe the culture shock of moving from Texas to New York City? How has that adjustment been?

CD: I think the biggest adjustment is not having a car.

Just being able to walk everywhere is so nice. Back in Texas, you have to have a car to get really anywhere. The winter was so brutal this year, I was so cold. It’s definitely a faster pace up here for sure.

TQ: How challenging has it been to be the starting center back as a freshman, and how is it different from high school soccer?

CD: I was definitely so nervous for my first game, but my teammates have been so great in helping me come in and fit into that spot. I recently tore my ACL around a year ago so this was my first season finally coming back from that. Everyone has been great supporting me in that role.

TQ: Did having more time to prepare in the fall make the adjustment easier for you?

CD: Yeah, it actually worked out in my favor because I came in August and I wasn’t really 100 percent with my knee and so I had to do rehab and go through that process. And so when January came around, I was 100 percent ready to go for the season, so it was really nice.

TQ: What were your coping strategies when you had that long break from competition?

What was it like not having the

regula student-athlete experience?

CD: It was honestly kind of nice. I did not realize how much time I had last semester.

Like now I feel like I have no time at all to do things.

TQ: What are your favorite activities to do when you have free time?

CD: My roommates and I like to explore the city and go to different restaurants, especially now that it’s indoor seating it’s really nice. And then, we just go to Van Cortlandt a lot, especially now that it’s nice weather.

TQ: How would you describe the relationships with your teammates?

CD: They’re good. It is so nice to find a team who is so accepting and they don’t care what grade you are. It is just like everyone is one big family.

TQ: What has it been like to learn from other veteran defenders like Gemma Perez and Sydney Harwood?

CD: They have been so helpful. If I have a question or anything, they will just help me out and stuff, it’s nice having both of them. To have two seniors next to me, I feel safer and it’s just nice knowing that they have my back.

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Chloe Davis is a center back for the Manhattan College women’s soccer team fresh off her first season in Riverdale.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY

Sports

12

THE QUADRANGLE

Williams and Nelson Garner Third Team AllMAAC Honors Christina Katsamouri Contributor

Warren Williams and Ant Nelson of the Manhattan men’s basketball team were selected to third team All-MAAC, marking their first awards as Jaspers. The league released the All-MAAC teams in the aftermath of the regular season that saw Manhattan compile a 6-12 record league play, good for a 10-seed at the MAAC Tournament.

Williams averaged 11.5 points and 7.3 rebounds-pergame on his way to earning postseason honors. He started in all 20 games, averaging 26.8 minutes per game while shooting 56.8 percent from the field; the latter of which was fourth best in the MAAC. His season-high in points was 20 against both Monmouth and Fairfield, and he finished third in the MAAC at 7.3 reboundsper-game.Williams’ defensive skills led him to finish with 32 blocks with an average of 1.6 per game.

Williams praises his coaching staff and teammates who are always there to guide him and take him to the next level.

“I couldn’t be an anchor if my team doesn’t allow me to be one,” Williams told the Quadrangle in an interview after the season. “All-teams awards really show the hard work you put in throughout the season.”

Junior guard Ant Nelson, a transfer from Seton Hall, led his team averaging 13.4 points-per-game in making 19 three-pointers. He played all 20 games and averaged 31.7 minutes-per-game. He had 3.1 assists-per-game and was also mostly reliable from the freethrow line where led the team at 75 percent. When scoring a career-high 27 points against Rider, Nelson went 3 of 4 from three, as well as 8 of 8 from the free throw line, to lead Manhattan to their first win of the season “I can always do a better job being a vocal leader but I am still learning,” Nelson said when reflecting on his first season at Manhattan.

The team finished tenth in the MAAC before losing to Fairfield 59-58 in overtime during the opening round of the MAAC tournament. Nelson closed out his season with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Although not the

Williams averaged 11.5 points and 7.3 rebounds-per-game on his way to earning postseason honors.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY

Ant Nelson and Warren Williams were selected to third team All-MAAC, marking their first awards as Jaspers.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY ending he wanted, Nelson was encouraged by how hard the team worked to improve as the season went along.

“Towards the end of the season was when we got better and if we carry it to the next year it’s gonna look great,” Nelson said.

While very grateful for their awards, their biggest challenge for next year is a better season for the team overall. After not

reaching their main goal this year of winning a MAAC Championship, Nelson and Wiliams are looking forward to trying to make good on that challenge, while continuing to develop their relationship both on and off the court.

“It was a tough year,” Williams said after playing amidst a global pandemic. “Having a new team, a lot of transfers coming in, we had to work on

our chemistry.”

The men’s basketball team can’t wait to get back on the court, hopefully with Jaspers fans watching them in-person again. If they can manage to win their first MAAC Championship since 2015 next season, Williams and Nelson will likely be a big reason why.

Junior guard Ant Nelson, a transfer from Seton Hall, led his team averaging 13.4 points-pergame in making 19 three-pointers.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY