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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
SPECIAL ISSUE
NEW YORK, APRIL 26, 2022
e h T
Issue
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Opinions & Editorials
2 Volume CV, Issue 12
THE QUADRANGLE
Anna Woods Managing Editor
Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor
LETTER from The Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor
Angelina Persaud Asst. News Editor
Dear Readers,
Megan LaCreta Arts & Entertainment Editor
Zoe DeFazio Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Jilleen Barrett Features Editor
Karen Flores Asst. Features Editor
Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor
Lauren Raziano Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor
Kelly Kennedy Social Media Editor
Josh Grewal Asst. Social Media Editor
Mars Ross Photography Editor
Adrianne Hutto Production Editor
Jocelyn Visnov Mack Olmsted Asst. Production Editors
Jocelyn Visnov Lauren Raziano Web Editors
April 26, 2022
The Editorial Board
Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief
Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club. Connect with The Quadrangle
mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad
Happy special issue! I cannot believe that we are at the final issue of the semester, including our special issue for this spring, entitled the Uncommon Issue. When deliberating potential special issue topics early this semester, our staff was determined to highlight the uncommon experiences that come with attending Manhattan College--both the good and the bad. I feel that we’ve found a strong collection of stories that help articulate what it is like to be a part of the MC community, and I hope that these pieces help shine a light on the experiences that you, your peers, or your professors face on a daily basis. The Quadrangle is honored to be able to continue its role as MC’s student run newspaper, and hopes to continue its reporting in a way that best benefits our community. Thank you for your continued support, and for the most incredible first semester as your editor-in-chief. I do not take this role lightly, and I am remarkably grateful to be able to return in August. Thank you to our senior writers, many of which have been here since their freshman year. Your contributions to this paper will be deeply missed, but we will continue to celebrate and appreciate you as you start the next chapter of your lives. As this is our last print issue of the semester, continue to look to our website and social media accounts for new information and articles. As always, we will keep doing journalism. Thank you, Jaspers, and good luck as you finish out the spring semester!
Sincerely,
Kyla Guilfoil
Editor-in-Chief
News
APRIL 26, 2022
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Residence Life Announces New Personalized Themed Housing for Fall 2022 Lauren Raziano Web Editor/ Asst. Sports Editor
Starting in Fall 2022, there will be four new unique themed housing communities on campus, announced in a Residence Life email sent out to students in February. AJ Goodman, the associate dean of students and director of residence life, is looking forward to this new personalized housing option for Manhattan College students. “Themed Housing was created to give students options to live together around a shared identity, lifestyle, or interest. It is a housing option offered by many other colleges that allows for students to explore a topic in greater depth through the residential experience.” Goodman wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. Stonewall Suites Theme Housing was the first ad-
dressed in the email. “This community will serve as a supportive and welcoming environment for students who have an interest in being as inclusive as possible as it pertains to sexual orientation, gender identities and gender expression and would find comfort in living with others who have similar interests,” the Residence Life email wrote. Second, the Arts Theme Housing will be for students who want to be engaged in the arts and creative opportunities on campus. “This community will engage in a community that supports the unique needs of both performing and visual artists and their creative works. This community supports the philosophy that the arts are an essential part of a college experience,” the Residence Life email wrote. “Students within this community will be engaged in the vibrant arts community and take interest in forms of artistic expression and cultural oppor-
Students visiting for Accepted Students Day were given the opprotunity to check out the new Higgins Building labs. @MANHATTANEDU/ COURTESY
tunities.” Global Connections Theme Housing is promoted to domestic and international students who want to share cultural experiences and learn about the global community. “This community will welcome students who are passionate about exploring other cultures and sharing their own. This vibrant community will bring together domestic and international students to live with and learn from each other,” the Residence Life email wrote. Global connections will also encourage students to join the study abroad programs. “This community will also support Study Abroad programs and initiatives and students will explore how cultures intersect in the global community,” the Residence Life email wrote. Healthy Living Theme Housing is focused on students who are interested in health and wellness. “This community is ideal for students who are interested in learning about and participating in activities that will lead to healthier and happier lifestyles. Students will learn about nutrition, exercise/physical wellness, stress relief and one’s own health and wellness,” the Residence Life email wrote. Madeline Addington, a sophomore marketing major, is intrigued about how the incoming freshmen will view this new themed housing. “I think that “themed housing” is an interesting idea, but I really think that it only applies well to freshmen. It looks like its main purpose is to make it easier for people to create connections with others in their residence halls.” Addington wrote in an email to the Quadrangle. Addington commented on how she thinks themed housing may be separating people and instead limit the opportunities people have to meet each other outside of their interests. “By junior, senior and even sophomore year, most people already have a solid group of people that they know and an idea of what they value most
at school,” Addington wrote. “A lot of upperclassmen do not need theme housing to have a certain lifestyle. The themed housing also separates people and one of the great things about living in a dorm is that you have the opportunity to meet people with all different types of personalities and interests.” “I think theme housing will make it easier for people to connect with others that are similar to them, but they will not get to meet a lot of different types of people in their dorm halls because they chose to live in a place with people that share their same interests.”Addington wrote. Zach Olivan, current vice president of residential affairs and a residence assistant in Horan Hall, has a positive outlook on themed housing and thinks that it will provide students with an already established common interest. “When entering college, it may be difficult to immediately put yourself out there to make new friends, join clubs, and establish common interests with people,” Olivan wrote in an email to the Quadrangle. “Themed housing gives residential students an opportunity to immediately connect through common interest and develop a sense of community on their floor.” Olivian wrote that themed housing will strengthen the friendships within the Manhattan College community as students will be more comfortable to share their interests. “Not only will it allow students to share a deeper common interest, it will allow for the expansion, creation and formation of new ideas to help the Manhattan College community grow as a whole,” Olivan wrote. “As I say, ‘great minds do not think alike, they think together.’ Now, although themed housing students have similar interests, they all may not think the same, but this new opportunity will allow students to come together more than ever before.” Olivian is hopeful that themed housing will succeed
and have a positive impact on future students. “This will have a major impact on future students,” Olivan wrote. “Students who are struggling to transition into college due to how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their adolescent experience will now have an opportunity to find common ground once more. It will allow future students the space to think creatively, dynamically, and individually, all while enjoying the benefits of living on campus and exploring other interests.” The Arches Living and Learning community will still remain as an option for students who are not interested in themed housing but still want an opportunity to connect with others within their dorm and classroom. Arches students typically live on a few floors together in Lee Hall and take one class each semester of their freshman year that engages them in community learning opportunities. “The Arches [program] will remain in place and we hope that our first year students will take that option. Theme Housing is different from the Arches in that there are no classes required for participation.” Goodman wrote. Although Olivan is graduating, he is looking forward to how themed housing may impact how it will impact the campus community. “I am happy to see Manhattan College Residence Life moving in this direction,” Olivan wrote. “I have seen how the benefits of themed housing can have a resounding impact on other campuses, and I am thrilled to know that we, as a campus community, are moving in the right direction.” Goodman is also looking forward to this unique step forward in the Residence Life housing. “I am excited to see what the Theme Housing program can be here to give students additional options to consider when they are choosing where to live.” Goodman wrote.
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News
THE QUADRANGLE
Women Lead in Clubs & Organizations Despite Gender Ratio
Christine Nappi Senior Writer
Women’s involvement on campus is higher than their male counterparts– despite the college’s male-dominant gender ratio. According to the manhattan.edu facts and stats page, 54 percent of the 3,894 undergraduate students are male, and 46 percent are female, which places Manhattan College in a unique position. Compared to the national average for the 2020-21 academic year, 59.9 percent of college students are female and 40.5 percent are male, as per data from the National Student Clearinghouse research group. Although Manhattan has more male students, a statistic that is seemingly uncommon compared to national reports, women still continue to thrive on campus. More women than men on campus are leading clubs, getting involved, and spearheading change, even though they are outnumbered. Sharon Ortega, the assistant director of student engagement, notes how there are 1,821 students involved in a club, with 648 of them being active club leaders. Of this number, 64 percent of current club presidents are female and 52 percent of current club vice presidents are also female. During her time here, Ortega has seen an increase in female involvement and finds that it’s increased feelings of inclusivity on campus. “Women have an amazing presence on campus,” Ortega wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “As a female, it’s a very proud thing for me. I’ve been at Manhattan College for close to ten years and I’ve definitely seen an increase in female club leaders on campus, so I’m confident that we’re moving in the right direction.” Ortega describes that a number of clubs on campus are working to empower women and help them succeed, such as Women in Business, the Society of Women Engineers, Women in STEM, Sigma Delta Tau, Alpha Pi Phi, the Rainbow Jaspers and Student Government. One organization on campus that advocates for women is the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center. The center advocates for intersec-
tional feminism and social justice and is a welcoming space for all members of campus to go to. Gabriela Sandoval, a sophomore international studies major, is a gender justice advocate in the LWGRC. She’s been working at the center since February 2021 and finds that it is an essential part of campus life. As she notes, the LWGRC acts as a safe space for every different type of self-identifying woman. “I think the LWGRC overall is literally the best place ever, in so many ways, ‘’ Sandoval said. “We help women, we act as a safe space for them, a place for them to reach out for guidance, for mentorship. There are so many opportunities for women to speak out, to learn. In so many ways the LWGRC is a very comforting place for women and has helped a lot of women in so many different ways.” The center was founded in the fall of 2016. It’s establishment was spearheaded by a group of students who were passionate about rethinking consent, sex, and gender on campus, and wanted to provide tools of support for students. Associate professor of philosophy, Jordan Pascoe, Ph.D., helped these students organize plans for the center and ensured that their voices were heard in this process. Pascoe describes that the college was a male-only institution until 1974 and the integration of women into the college was slow. As Pascoe notes, the college simply enrolled women with the assumption of equality without rethinking how everything operates. Due to this, the college’s policies needed to be updated overtime, and the LWGRC became a driving source in advocating for change and justice. “A lot of [the LWGRC’s] early work was really looking at the college’s mission, at the college’s policies,” Pascoe said. “We went back and looked at climate reports on gender going all the way back to the 80s to look at what kinds of inequities people had identified over the course of several decades to look at what policies have been implemented to address those. We needed to kind of rethink some of the ways that our mission applied to these ques-
tions and we needed to rethink policies… and the college sort of decided it needed to take a more systemic approach to solving it.” Pascoe describes how today the LWGRC examines what structures maintain male domination, and works to revise those structures and champion diversity. In Pascoe’s experience, she finds the college to be extremely supportive in these initiatives and making change. “I think that one of the core projects of the LWGRC is organizing in order to see what established systems don’t see that maintain these patterns of male domination, whether its structures that oppress women and people of color, or its simple keeping the numbers of men really high on campus or high in particular fields,” Pascoe said. “I think the current center is doing an amazing job of thinking about including diverse student groups and conversations with different languages and so on and so forth. I think there’s a distinction between saying that fighting against male domination is really hard at the college and saying that seeing the sources of domination are really hard and then actually what can articulate them.” Sandoval finds that the center has been successful with this initiative, and is one of the many organizations on campus that helps empower women and provides them with opportunities. “I know a lot of women are very active on campus, and this just goes to show even though like we are a male dominated campus, women are just as hard working,” Sandoval said. “I’ve never felt as if I couldn’t achieve something because I was a woman. I’ve gotten like endless opportunities here, the same as a man, and I’ve progressed even further than my male classmates. So I think [Manhattan College] cultivates a really strong empowering energy to women on campus.” The Society of Women Engineers, better known as SWE, is a club in particular that advocates for women in engineering, a stereotypically male-dominated field and one of the most popular areas of study at the college. Senior civil engineering majors Ashley Hickey and
The LWGRC was founded in 2016 to generate discussions and action on intersectional feminism and social justice. It’s a welcoming place for women and all genders to collaborate and support one another. CHRISTINE NAPPI / COURTESY Helena Lippolis, the current president and vice president of SWE, describe how the organization serves as a fun and safe environment for female engineers across all concentrations to support each other both in and out of the classroom. “Once you’re part of SWE [and] go to classes, you’ll see other members and I feel like thats a nice, important thing,” Lippolis said. “Sometimes theres classes where you are like one of five girls, so it’s nice to have the support inside the classroom.” Echoing Lippolis, Hickey describes that being outnumbered by her male counterparts doesn’t negatively impact her, but is something to get adjusted to when entering the engineering program. Although she describes the men in the program to be welcoming and supportive, she hopes more females are represented in the field in the future. “Some classes you have like a handful of girls in, like my sophomore year, I had the first class that I was the only girl and it is sort of intimidating like when people pick first you may not be someone that the guys pick first,” Hickey said. “So, it’s definitely nice to have more equal representation and I hope that someday we get there.” Although Hickey and Lippolis describe how women engineers may feel outnumbered
at times, they also describe how men in the engineering department are supportive and are allies of women’s empowerment. Whether it be their male professors or classmates, the department wants the best for them. One organization that advocates for women’s success is He for SWE, a subsidiary of SWE. He for SWE consists of all male engineers who practice allyship for their female classmates and advocate for the inclusion of women in engineering. Jimmy Frawley, a senior civil engineering major and co-president of He for SWE, describes how the organization brings attention to women in engineering, and encourages them to stay and succeed in the field. He finds that He for SWE is important to have at Manhattan because the college is male dominated, unlike the rest of the country, and has a popular engineering program. “I think He for Swe is really just bringing more attention to [women in engineering],” Frawley said. “We are a much more male dominated school and the country has more women in college, so I think part of it is because we are an engineering school, typically. So there’s just more men and if we could talk about it more, shed light on it.” Despite being outnumbered in the classroom at times, Hickey describes that that’s not the
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APRIL 26, 2022
Women Lead in Clubs & Organizations Despite Gender Ratio
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case when it comes to women’s involvement on campus. As she’s noticed, women-led clubs appear to be a “natural thing” on campus. “I definitely feel like most of the clubs are mainly women-run, woman-involved, and I feel like that’s probably just like a natural sort of leader thing,” Hickey said. “We definitely have a good amount of males that are smart and I don’t know, maybe just not as driven to like make change as the females are, but it’s definitely super inspiring.” Lippolis agrees but also finds that the specific reason women are more active on campus is because of a subconscious feeling for women to prove themselves to others. “Sometimes women are more driven or people like to say they’ll care more about their classes and like that, but also maybe subconsciously… you feel more like you have to prove yourself sometimes because you are a female in that role and you do want to show how you can achieve all these things and also handle running events for clubs and like things like that. So it might also just be like wanting to put your best foot forward because you know
that you’re in like a male-dominated industry.” Senior finance and marketing major Sarah Dziewit is one of the many female club leaders on campus. As the President of the Investment Club, Dziewit leads a team of 40 students as they manage a real-time, real-money investment portfolio of $90,000. Similar to Hickey and Lippolis, Dziewit describes being one of only a few females in her finance classes and has felt outnumbered. “At my 9am class, I’m one of two girls and you definitely feel the pressure, sort of all eyes are on you if you’re answering a question,” Dziewit said. “It’s like ‘oh my God, like she actually knows finance.’ So there’s been little instances along the way where it’s like ‘whoa she’s a girl in finance’ where you definitely feel singled out.” Although Dziewit describes that the Investment Club has a tremendous amount of male members over female ones. Although intimidated, she says that that didn’t stop her from joining. Coming into college, Dziewit didn’t know much about finance, but the current members of the club encouraged her to join and made her feel included. As she says, the club works on four investment pitches a year, so team cama-
raderie makes students feel welcomed regardless of their gender. In the club’s 15-year history, Dziewit is only the second female president. Since her freshman year, she’s been one out of five women who are active in the club, but since becoming president, she’s advocated for more gender equality in finance and encouraged more women to join. She finds that her position as president can inspire more women to get involved in finance. “My advisor Professor Annabi is always saying ‘you’re leaving a legacy by being the second woman to lead this club,’” Dziewit said. “And it’s always been important to me just because I felt so minority-like my whole four years, like I want the future girls of the club to take charge and to hold more positions of power. I hope in the future there will be more female presidents… if it inspires any girl that has zero investment knowledge but just wants to learn more about it, that’s all I had hoped for.” As president, Dziewit often communicates with other club leaders in the School of Business. As she describes, the women in the school of business are extremely active and in charge of many initiatives, despite being outnumbered by
The Society of Women Engineers is a group that advocates for women in the engineering fields. SWE is a welcoming and supportive environment for all who join. FRANCESCA BERNHARDT/ COURTESY
men. “You will see that the women on the executive boards are the ones absolutely taking charge, communicating with each other, getting the nitty-gritty stuff done than makes the club function,” Dwiewit said. “I think that despite the amount of men in finance that we have and the men in the business school, the women are the ones that are standing out [and] getting the awards, leading our events and things like that.” Another organization on campus that has a large amount of female involvement is the student government. Of the nine executive committee members, six of them are women. One of these members is Liola Moody, a senior political science and international studies major, who serves as the executive vice president. Although Moody is an active member of campus life alongside other women, she had some apprehensions when coming to Manhattan, given that it was an all male college until 1973 and since then has remained male-dominant. She describes how as a new student in the political science department, male professors and classmates were a bit tougher and combative when she’d answer questions. “Especially in the beginning [of college, guys] were just the first to raise their hand, were the first to participate, had the loudest opinions, the most likely to combat you when you gave your own opinion or your own analysis or something,” Moody said. “As I grew personally more confident within my field, I started to speak up more and kind of like get combative, but I would say that I’ve definitely noticed that the male students are more likely to kind of jump on an answer.” Like Hickey, Lippolis and Dziewit, Moody has found that despite classroom experiences, women are still eager to get involved on campus and be active members of the community. “I do kind of feel like women are a little bit more inclined to get involved on campus, just from what I’ve noticed,” Moody said. “I just kind of noticed there is definitely a consistent pattern of female leaders on our campus and I think that while there definitely some fantastic male leaders, it’s just kind
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of like a natural thing.” Moody notes that women have been encouraged to get involved on campus because other female leaders inspired them to do so. Moody herself had wanted to become executive vice president of the student body after watching a fellow female student hold the position, and was inspired to follow in her footsteps. She also finds that Pascoe and the work done by the LWGRC empowers women to use their voice on campus. “ I think are the women in positions of power who have really made it possible for students to kind of like follow that lead and be able to like also find their own voice that way,” Moody said. However, Moody also finds that there is always room for improvement with women’s inclusion and involvement on campus. She finds that this generation naturally thinks more inclusively but encourages different clubs, organizations, and the school as a whole could focus more on all types of women’s empowerment. “I do think that we could definitely focus a little bit more on women’s issues and kind of just making sure that we’re adhering to that,” Moody said. “We can always have more female voices. We can always have more female black voices, more female Asian voices, more female Hispanic voices. It shouldn’t just be female. I think we have a great platform to start on but I think we can do so much more, and I expect a lot more.” Although Moody finds campus can be doing a lot more for all women, she finds that the college is already headed a step in the right direction. Moody describes how seeing the accomplishments of her fellow female peers, whether they be club leaders or influencing change, makes her feel proud and inspired. “Every single time that I hear or see a woman on campus, like a female student on campus doing something for our campus, doing something for themselves, I always feel really overwhelmingly proud,” Moody said. “I think it’s so amazing.”
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THE QUADRANGLE
Understanding Accessibility At Manhattan Zoe DeFazio
Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor While taking a closer look into accessibility at Manhattan College there were a lot of factors to consider such as mandates set out by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. ADA and Section 504 specifically prohibit discrimination based on disability. New York City is home to many historical landmarks with preserved streets, buildings and construction. While assessing its many parts on how accessible MC is, it’s important to look at all the boroughs and its history. At one point in time, NYC was mainly cobblestone streets and stone pavers. With the city evolving and its gentrification, the area has changed to be easier to navigate, but how far has MC gone to improve its accessibility? Sonny Ago, assistant vice president of student life, raised awareness about NYC’s structure and how it can impact MC students. “The one concern that we have as a community, to be quite honest with you, is that the 242 subway station is not handicap accessible,” Ago said. “So there is no elevator at that station. So in terms of our students who might commute that are either temporarily or permanently disabled, they can’t get off at 242nd Street to actually access our campus.” The Quadrangle previously released “A Look Into Accessibility At Manhattan” by former Editor-In-Chief and MC alum, Gabriella DePinho, in 2018. In the 2018 story, DePinho dived into the past of Manhattan College’s construction that took place in 1922, before The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. The Specialized Resource Center (SRC) is considered a measure that students can take to satisfy any needs regarding temporary or permanent disabilities. “We continue to assess access on an individual basis through an interactive process with each student who is eligible for ADA/504 accommodations. We work with the appropriate departments on campus (public safety, counseling, residence life, health services, etc.) to coordinate a plan that complies legally and meets the needs of the student”, said Anne Vaccaro, director of the Specialized Resource Center. The SRC works to accommodate students’ schedules and dining issues that are tailored to their personal needs. “A student may apply for dietary accommodations through our website. We then
work with the student, residence life, health services, and Aramark to coordinate appropriate and reasonable accommodations,” said Vaccaro. As helpful as the SRC may be, there isn’t a lot of advertisement for the center as opposed to other centers with countless daily emails. Many students may be unaware of the SRC and the specific resources it offers. It can be hard for a new or pending MC student to be aware of the resources that MC can provide. “Students, in general, have expressed a concern with ‘information overload’ via college email,” Vaccaro said. “We provide informational emails for our registered students on a weekly basis. We can certainly explore adding updates to our webpage for the general student population. There would be a significant difference as to what information is pertinent to our students as opposed to the student body as a whole.” Without proper and constant advertisement students can be highly unaware that there is a safe space to be utilized regarding academic or physical disability. “The hesitancy is not for lack of information, rather a personal choice by a student to self-identify as an individual with a disability. We, as the Manhattan College community, encourage students to utilize our department without compromising any confidentiality,” said Vaccaro. Manhattan College’s Public Safety office enforces and ensures safety among the campus community for all students. Pete DeCaro, director for public safety, advises students to use the SRC in order to coordinate a plan in which students can remain safe and secure within themselves. “Security in the residence halls will always be a priority at Manhattan College,” said DeCaro. In the middle of the spring semester of 2021, Manhattan College announced that the bridge entrances from the dormitory buildings, Horan Hall and Lee Hall, would remain closed until further notice, with the exception of move-in weekend for the following fall semester. The decision to keep the entrances closed did not go over well for the majority of Manhattan College’s student body, with a petition being created on change.org at the beginning of the fall semester of 2021. The petition has over 431 signatures and two comments from current students addressing their frustration. The petition states “According to nyc.gov not having a secondary building exit is a legitimate fire safety hazard.” and “Lee and Horan Halls are currently ADA non-compliant.” Esmilda Abreu-Hornbostel,
interim vice president of student life, went on to talk about the bridges and the misconceptions that surround them. “The bridges are fairly misunderstood. There are a variety of different issues at play right now with the bridges. I’ll start with the one that I hope is temporary, and that’s COVID,” said Abreu. “ So when it comes to COVID, we’re checking green passes, and at the main entry. So it seems senseless, obviously, for individuals then to be able to bypass the safeguards that we put in place for all protections via contagion and spread, if we are then entering through bridges unchecked it just wouldn’t make any sense. There’s some good news on the horizon, and we will not have that restraint.” The bridge exits are not emergency exits but rather an extra exit for the dormitory buildings. The actual place to direct and assess a student emergency is located on the staircases of the buildings with the illuminated signs. “We do have an ADA Committee, and the specialized resource center would be the hub making those conversations about [accessibility] possible. And usually, we involve quite a bit of folk and stakeholders from all around campus,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. With advisement from Manhattan College’s ADA committee, both suite buildings are deemed ADA compliant. As ADA compliant as this may be, it may not be the safest nor the smartest option for students who may occupy those buildings. On February 2, three out of the four elevators at Horan Hall remained offline for 18 consecutive hours. Residents who live in Horan Hall can only live on floors five to 11 due to previous issues. All students who inhabit that building had to walk up from five to 11 flights of stairs during those 18 hours without even having the possibility of having the bridge entrances open. “If a student in the residence halls has a temporary disability they should communicate with the Manhattan College Specialized Resource Center. Any student who has difficulty evacuating a building, when warranted, should call Public Safety immediately at 718-862-7333 for assistance,” DeCaro said. Jovanni Rodriguez, a senior communications major, is a student at Manhattan College with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita. AMC is a condition where an individual has curved joints and is unable to move. If Rodriguez waas to stay in one position for a long time his body will mold and hold onto that one position. Rodriguez has undergone 29 medical procedures in his lifetime in hopes to help his
disability and his health overall. Along with multiple procedures, Rodriguez uses a power chair to aid his mobility. His caretaker, Sonia, accompanies Rodriguez on campus and throughout his day-to-day life. “I remember when I mentioned that I wanted to go to Manhattan College, everyone pretty much shot it down, because of its placement on a hill. I went to Accepted Students Day. And what I can say is that it didn’t look accessible. And so I think that discouraged me a lot. But being a student, now, I can say that it is pretty accessible. I can get everywhere,” said Rodriguez Rodriguez can transport himself throughout campus using his power chair through pathways and regular routes that most students use today. He takes advantage of the ramps on campus and takes certain detours to get from one hall to another. “I think the misconception is that it’s not accessible because of how it looks from the outside. If you look at the layout and see what it looks like, I think disabled students would be discouraged because they don’t know where to go.” Rodriguez encourages MC to provide more information for future students with physical disabilities on how students can access routes to different buildings for an easier navigation process. “I wish they made it more clear, like the path I can take to get from point A to point B, without having to figure it all out by myself,” Rodriguez said. “When I was a freshman I had to sort of figure out ‘how can I get here?’ But now it’s all fine. I’m a senior, and I know how to get everywhere.” Initially, Rodriguez planned on attending MC as a residential student, rather than a commuter, which he happens to be now. Rodriguez describes a situation regarding a dorm hall
that limited his desire of living on campus. “When I first applied to MC, I wanted to dorm but it was something that just doesn’t work,” Rodriguez said. “Like, I remember my first year, I had a couple of friends that had invited me to go watch something cool with them. When I arrived at their dorm hall, there was literally no way for me to enter the building. So you know, that made it really discouraging. I don’t think I’ve ever been in any dorm buildings on campus.” Rodriguez also commented on the issue regarding Horan Hall’s elevator incident. Rodriguez verbalized the significance of the situation. If a student who is physically disabled resided in Horan hall when three elevators were offline it could impose an issue regarding personal life and academic life. Rodriguez reflects on his time at MC and encourages students and staff to look closely at accessibility issues. “I don’t think accessibility is a topic of conversation, and I truly believe that it needs to start being one,” said Rodrigues. “And not only from a school standpoint, because ultimately, I think for a lot of disabled students, accessibility is also what determines where they go, to get their education. And sometimes it’s tricky. They could be at the place that they wanted to go. But they can’t navigate because of obstacles. And as a person with a disability, I’ve faced a lot of obstacles in my life. And I’m not one to let that obstacle stop me. And I know of a lot of people with disabilities who also feel the same way. And I do think that we bring a lot to the table if given the opportunity. I mean, we can change the world. I stand firmly behind that. I just wish that people took accessibility more into thought and worked with us personally, to see what works and what doesn’t.”
Many of MC’s main entrances come with steep hills or stairs, making it difficult for new students to find accessible routes across campus. MANHATTAN.EDU / COURTESY
Features
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Students Give Back: Community Engaged Learning at MC APRIL 26, 2022
Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor
The community engaged learning program at Manhattan College offers students ways to learn their course curriculum in an enhanced way by stepping out of the classroom and into the community — putting classroom lessons into practice. While community engaged learning is not necessarily unique to Manhattan College, the college’s location in the heart of Riverdale allows for students to truly make a difference in NYC and see the surrounding areas outside of campus. “There’s lots of community engaged learning programs at different schools, and they’re all a little bit different,” Jacquie Martin, coordinator of social action and campus ministry, said. “But I think, what could be uncommon for us, it’s where we are, right? Like, we’re in this context. Not ev-
eryone is in the Bronx, in this community. And so, being able to really connect with the local community and get to see it in a different way.” The community engaged learning program, which used to be called service learning, has a unique place in the social justice history of the college. Lois Harr, former director of social action and campus ministry with a deep passion for service work, is still teaching the community engaged learning course she has been teaching since the 1990s. The course she teaches is called “Urban America and Catholic Social Teaching,” and counts as a religious studies course. Yet, while students learn about the foundational Catholic social teachings, they also pair up with a local community service nonprofit organization in the area to see these teachings in practice. “That’s what makes community engaged learning different, or what we call service learning, like I said, is that it’s
Meals Clark helped prepare for the POTS organization. JANA CLARK/COURTESY
tied to a course, and it’s supposed to help you learn the course content better,” Harr said. “That’s what officially people will say, and then my interpretation is that it should help you think about how to do things in the rest of your life too. You know, you understand the idea that human dignity, or the common good, or subsidiarity or solidarity are really important. Well, when you leave my classroom, I hope you still think that you know, and, as a peace studies major, you can’t just leave peace, peace and justice studies at the door of the classroom, right? You take it with you and you put an action in the world.” In the course, students write weekly reflections of their community service experience with a final reflection paper to connect the larger ideas of the foundational curriculum of the Catholic principles and the student’s experiences. Jana Clark, senior communications major, is currently enrolled in Urban America and Catholic Social Teaching. She chose to work with POTS (Part of the Solution), an organization which provides various services to the local Bronx community, such as hot meals, job employment opportunities and affordable housing connections. “The courses are focused on Catholic Social Teaching, which teaches us a lot about principles like human dignity, care for another person, things like that,” Clark said. “Having these volunteer opportunities, where people volunteer at POTS, at Bedford Community Service, other places like that, and being in those locations, allows us to actually see what we’re learning in the classroom apply to real life. Going back to the whole principle of human dignity and that everyone deserves equal respect and opportunity, and that there’s organizations that are actually fighting to do that. And it’s really cool to be a part of that.” Clark emphasizes that community engaged learning has helped her strengthen her knowledge and experience within her community. “I think it’s great, because I mean, it allows you to get to
know your community and actually immerse yourself in it, because it can be easy to just stick to campus and like, stick to the area around us, like in the Riverdale area and do things around here,” Clark said. “But having these opportunities lets you expand upon that and really let you immerse yourself and get to know the area that you’re living in a lot better, and also the people too.” Freshmen at Manhattan are also encouraged to register into the Arches program, which is a community on campus where students live in the same building and learn together in ways that expand their experience as freshmen in New York City. Students will take excursions throughout their freshmen year to places in the city, yet are also eligible to take special Arches courses, which include these community engaged learning features. Emmett Ryan, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of English, has an Arches section of the “First Year Composition” course, in which he expands the curriculum of this foundational writing course into a memorable community engaged experience. As part of the course, Ryan takes students to an open mic night in the East Village where they hear people in New York City tell their stories. These stories can work as inspiration for the students, where in some semesters, Ryan assigns the students to write their own book. Yet, the course also lets the students give back to their communities directly, such as with the Riverdale Neighborhood house or with afterschool programs at local high schools, which allows for students to help others while engaging with course materials. “I look at it as a symbiotic relationship. It’s kind of a two way street for learning where my students get a lot out of it and then also, the teens we work with benefit from it as well,” Ryan said. “Because we do, for example, things like college essay writing workshops in the fall. So for juniors and seniors who are applying to college, my students develop a workshop to help give best
practices on how to write an effective college essay, and then provide one on one workshop and support for them throughout the semester, where they can schedule an appointment with one of my students and get feedback on the writing process for that. And, we do other things like that. But the work we do with our partner is centered around writing or literacy. So it’s connected to the English 110 class in some way, too.” These community engaged learning courses truly illuminate the Lasallian values of the college while furthering the mission of social justice on campus, such as the mission of the community partnerships committee of the Diversity Council. “I think it helps us live our principles, and those Lasallian points of the star, you know. The faculty who do it seem to really enjoy it, and they’ve learned a lot about the Bronx,” Harr said. Harr also told The Quadrangle how the American Association for Higher Education regards community engaged learning as high impact learning, something which former provost, William Clyde, and former assistant director of community partnerships, Kathleen Von Euw, really helped grow on campus. The Office of Social Action and Campus Ministry hope to offer more training for professors of these courses in the future and also hopes to be able to help provide robust community engaged learning opportunities for the whole student body. “[We want to focus on] just like giving more support, so that each of the classes that already exist, can be like the best that they can possibly be,” Martin said. “And I think another big thing we think about with all of our community engaged programs, is having it be mutually beneficial. So obviously, the students are getting a lot out of this by having a real experience in the world. But whatever organization, or nonprofit, that we’re working with, we want to make sure that we’re meeting the needs that they have, too.”
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THE QUADRANGLE
Greek Life Brings Community Service to Campus
Angelica Niedermeyer Staff Writer
Manhattan College is home to two fraternities and two sororities, something Catholic colleges are not typically known for having. After the last year of being online and assimilating back to being more involved on campus, these Greek life organizations are thriving philanthropically. The four Greek Life organizations at MC are fraternities Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) and Alpha Phi Delta (APD), and sororities Sigma Delta Tau (SDT) and Alpha Pi Phi (APP). “What is really special about our campus is that because there’s not a lot of them [Greek life organizations], everyone is very dedicated to helping better the college and the outside community,” Samantha Keating, sunshine chair of SDT, said. Keating appreciates that the Greek life on campus is growing so they can then work together as opposed to being rival organizations. Keating attended a post-Springfest cleanup on April 10, which SDT, DKE and APP organized. “A couple weeks ago, DKE organized a community cleanup after Springfest,” Keating said. “The two sororities and DKE were able to go all around campus and clean up trash. I think we filled 8 trash bags. You never realize how much trash is there until you clean it up.” Jamie Robbins, vice president of APP, felt similarly to
Keating. “We want to raise a lot of awareness, but we also shouldn’t just turn our back to these smaller things [cleaning up] because even smaller things help the community in a big way,” Robbins said. APP’s chapter was opened this year, but they haven’t shied away from getting involved. At this time, they are fundraising to get the ground running for future classes. “We have our Earth day event, we are doing a paint and pot. We are going to have terracotta pots and painting supplies on the Jasper lawn and we are also going to have dirt and flower seeds,” APP treasurer Catherine Feeley-Leetz said. “We also try to do things for other causes that we see fit, like raising awareness for domestic abuse against women and donating to clothing drives,” Robbins said. APP is associated with the Alzheimer’s Association, which they will be fundraising for in an event called “The Longest Day,” which will be held online on the summer solstice, June 21. When asked about their relationship with other Greek Life on campus, Robbins and Leetz shared that it is, “blossoming, the way we would have hoped, and honestly exceeding expectations.” As the organizations collaborate for more events together, more people become aware of causes and donate. “We have always been active on campus, and so is the sorority. We have a bigger connection now than we did in recent years. That’s why you
APP sisters at their paint a pot event on Earth Day. ANGELICA NIEDERMEYER/COURTESY
see us move in masses. We did ‘Pie a DKE’ [pieing a fraternity brother in the face to raise funds], that’s a new thing we started doing. That was for International Women’s Day. We raised more money solely because of the entertainment that also came with the charity work,” Frederico Cipriani, president of DKE, said. “We hope to do more in the future. We collaborated on International Women’s Day and I know that APP has just been talking about making that more of an annual event with the collaboration between a bunch of the other clubs and organizations on campus. I hope that’s something we can continue to do,” said Robbins. “I have been more strict on how many brothers should come to each charity event,” Cipriani said. “It looks bad if you only have two people standing at the table. You need more people, because different people donate depending on who they relate to. The whole reason why DKE worked was because we were partnered with the sororities. It helps because there’s definitely no bad blood between any of us and if anything I feel like, especially SDT, we have gotten close over the past few years.” With 36 active brothers, DKE contributes largely to causes that are close to them including The American Cancer Society, Autism Awareness and with a recommendation from an MC professor, Cipripani explained that DKE helped raise a majority of their fund this year for the North West Collision for Refugees. “We don’t do certain events
Juan Posada and Joey Talenti on the Quad raising for Autism Awareness. ANGELICA NIEDERMEYER/COURTESY just because we think it’ll make a lot of money. Our biggest charitable donations have been towards the Afghan refugees,” Cipripani said. “Our philanthropy chair, Joey Talenti, he’s kicking butt right now. I think he really elevated us and has taken it really seriously. You need someone like that. You need a strong philanthropy chair and SDT has that too and they are friends. So, it’s perfect. You can’t make this up.” As for SDT, the sisters focus on two organizations: Prevent Child Abuse America in the spring semester and Jewish Women International in the fall. Additionally, Megan LaCreta, SDT’s philanthropy chair, conducts a vote every month to nominate a philanthropy that is important to the chapter. “We all get the chance to vote on the one that we want to support and every month we have been supporting a different cause. So, we are able to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Friends of Karen which helps families who have children diagnosed with cancer. I think we were able to raise close to 500 dollars [altogether],” says Keating. Through the fundraising of “Bingo Boards” on Instagram and bake sales run by new members, SDT is able to spread the word. They are also hosting a unique event — a five dollar “prom” event. “SDT is hosting ‘five dollar prom’ at An Beal Bocht on Thursday April 28. All of the proceeds will be going to Prevent Child Abuse America. We will be having an open mic night and raffles so we hope to see everyone there!” Nicole Brosnan, an SDT sister, told the Quadrangle. Brosnan said the chance to host these events in person has changed how successful they are able to be. “This year has been great because we get to host in-per-
son events again. Having in-person meetings and activities builds stronger friendships and bonds. In-person activities also help us raise more donations for our philanthropies,” Brosnan said. Ben Bagbek, the president of APD, said something similar in a conversation with the Quadrangle. “There has been a long period of time where the campus has been shut down because of COVID. We have seen recently people start to have events on campus again and we just want to propel that even more,” Bagbek said. “We want to bring campus back to life.” “When I first came here, I actually had this whole negative stigma in my head about fraternities, I thought it was all the nonsense in the movies where they would haze you. But, I got to know these guys before I even considered pledging and these are really nice people, good people,” Dev Harrop-Williams, freshman mechanical engineering major and pledge for APD said. APD has raised money for Ukrainian Refugee Red Cross, National Brain Tumor Society and the Bronx River Alliance. They also ran a fundraising table for the fight against brain cancer in honor of the late MC student Bryan Paredes and had the idea for a mental health fundraiser where they would finance a suicide hotline specifically for Manhattan college. “The Earth Day fundraiser will be hosted with the environmental science program! There will be events we will be hosting with them throughout the month in honor of sustainability and environmentalism,” Bagbek said. The Greek life organizations hope to continue to grow their strong unity on campus and to bring joy and education to MC students.
Features
APRIL 26, 2022
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Meet Jordan Pascoe: the Feminist Philosopher PROFESSOR PROFILE Jocelyn Visnov
Web Editor/Asst. Production Editor Jordan Pascoe, Ph.D., combines her love of philosophy and flair for social justice to challenge social norms and facilitate change on campus. Since joining the Jasper community in 2012, Pascoe has made lasting contributions within the philosophy department and beyond. As an associate professor of philosophy at MC, Pascoe teaches courses which analyze aspects of race, gender, politics and history through the lens of philosophical thinking. She also currently serves as the interim director of critical race and ethnicity studies. While the majority of her teaching revolves around philosophical thinking, her teachings also extend into other academic departments including women and gender studies, labor studies and peace and justice studies. This semester, Pascoe taught philosophy of sex, love and Friendship, as well as Roots: Philosophy. “I teach a lot of classes in feminist philosophy and philosophy of race, as well as philosophy of law,” Pascoe said. Pascoe has extended her interest in philosophy and social justice beyond the classroom. In 2016, Pascoe assisted two students in the early stages of creating what is now known on campus at the Lasallian Women and Gender Center. “My role was primarily really like bringing people together, facilitating conversations,
figuring out what kinds of institutional support we would need to do this,” Pascoe said. The LWGRC celebrated its fifth birthday this year, and has become an inclusive space for students and faculty to discuss topics around race, sex and gender in a safe and judgement-free environment. Within her involvement with the LWGRC, Pascoe has lead activities including the Love in the Dark series and a collaborative student-faculty reading group where they analyzed the works of Jean Baptiste De LaSalle in terms of race, sex and gender, furthering the Lasallian mission at Manhattan College. “If you say Lasallian values are solidarity with the most vulnerable, then you’re going to need intersectional frameworks to analyze vulnerability so you can figure out how to organize your solidarity, right?” Pascoe said. “So I’m sort of like ‘How do we how do we get the like radical feminism and the Lasallian brothers to like, talk to each other?’ That’s kind of my jam.” In addition to teaching, Pascoe also does her own independent academic research and has had multiple essays published. Pascoe is also soon to become a published co-author, with her first book scheduled for release this summer. “It’s on labor in Kant’s philosophy, which no one’s really looked at before,” she said. “And part of what I’m doing in this book is developing an intersectional account of Kant which no one has really done before. So you know, it’s doing
Pascoe has extended her interest in philosophy and social justice beyond the classroom. JORDAN PASCOE/COURTESY a lot with both a feminist takes on Kant, but also with the role of race and slavery. And I’m looking in particular at the role of domestic labor and the way that domestic labor intersects with slave labor.” She explained how much she enjoys working with others and collaborating with different fields of research. “It’s something I think that
Manhattan College does really well because we’re small and the faculty really like each other so we all want to work together,” she said. “Yeah, I just really love getting to work collaboratively.” Along with the LWGRC, Pascoe has also been involved with the LGBTQ+ Student Association and the Pre-Law society. Pascoe facilitates conversa-
tions around sensitive subjects which students may not feel comfortable addressing otherwise. By opening conversations and challenging social norms, she has been able to make a lasting impact on campus.
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Rumors gone wild: The Fleetwood Mac class
THE QUADRANGLE
Zoe DeFazio
Asst. Arts and Entertainment Editor Manhattan College’s album class strikes again. This year Andrew Bauer, director of performing arts, has chosen Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album, “Rumors,” to end the semester with a performance for all. The album class first began in 2017 in hopes to create a fun creative atmosphere for students interested in music. Bauer explains his thought process on what album is chosen. The album must consist of certain aspects in order to be enjoyed thoroughly by all students. “We’ve established certain criteria for what would constitute a worthy album to approach for the class,” said Bauer. “The first album that we did was “Abbey Road’’ by the Beatles. And “Abbey Road” is really the perfect album to study and perform, because it contains a standard rock band. But it also has lots of ancillary orchestrations, such as strings,
This year Andrew Bauer, director of performing arts, has chosen Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album, “Rumors,” to end the semester with a performance for all.
@MANHATTAN.EDU / COURTESY
The album class first began in 2017 in hopes to create a fun creative atmosphere for students interested in music. NPR.ORG / COURTESTY horns. And what we want to do and lots of vocal harmony. So what we want to do is we want to involve the whole performing arts department.” The music chosen must be timeless and classic. Songs that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. Bauer explains the importance of finding classic pieces. The music is more than sounds, but enraptures the audience and musicians into a nostalgic frenzy. “If something is still listened to and vital, and has energy and vitality, you know, that was made 40 years ago, then that’s saying something and we want to find out also in the class, why is this music great music, let’s analyze this and find out what makes it so great. So far, we’ve done rock albums. But I also
have an idea of doing a classical album class. And what I’d like to do is I’d like to study a requiem,” Bauer said. Calista Baker, a liberal arts student, is currently enrolled in this class. Baker is one of the lead singers for the performance. The singers take turns throughout the album. Some singers may sing lead and some may sing to the harmonies and they alternate as the album continues. “This class is so much fun. Everyone is super talented. So it’s really, like, easy for us to all just come together and put together the songs. And this album is such an amazing album. Like it’s so iconic and classic. So all the songs are amazing. And they’re really fun to perform. It’s been really fun,” said
Baker Baker encourages students to join the class in the upcoming semesters, and shares her past experiences and her memories. “I’ve really, I’ve been looking forward to taking this class since maybe my sophomore year when I heard about it,” Baker said. “Because I do singers at MC with Bauer and I’ve just heard from people that were older than me that had taken the class in the past and just seemed like it was gonna be so much fun. I’ve been looking forward to doing it for a really long time. And then having this be the album that we’re working on is really exciting. So it’s definitely been one of my favorite classes I’ve taken.” Stamatis Gaglias, a civil en-
gineering senior, recommends the audience to take a closer look into the music when it’s being performed. “One thing I would say is that when performing live, it sounds very different from recording in the studio. Not saying that. Performing live may or may not stop the recording. It just depends on the song and people finding it. But when listening to the song live, just try to keep in mind that it’s a different experience than listening to it like on your headphones.” Performances will be held Thursday, May 5 at 8pm,Friday, May 6 at 8pm, Saturday, May 7 at 8pm and Sunday, May 8 at 2pm in the Blackbox Theater in Thomas Hall.
APRIL 26, 2022
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Lotus Magazine: Embracing Confidence and Self Expression at Manhattan College Angelina Perez Contributor
Lotus is a Manhattan College-based magazine dedicated to giving artists and those with a creative passion a platform to express themselves. Lilly Brown, a senior economics major is the co-editor in chief of Lotus alongside Jilleen Barrett, and was able to explain the semester-long process it takes to make the magazine come to life. “I definitely think Lotus is a space where people can find themselves creatively and also professionally,” Brown explained. “People join Lotus because they have a vision that they want to see come to life, and we are the only space where you can just come in as a brand new member and say, I have this idea. I want to write this. I want to have this photoshoot, maybe. How can I do that? And Lotus is there to kind of give you all the tools and all the people to execute. And I think that that is super unique, and I don’t really think that happens elsewhere on campus.” Lotus published its first issue in 2017, making the club five years old this year. They feature both Fashion and Beauty and Lifestyle and Opinion based pieces. They currently
run “Yours Truly,” a column similar to a diary entry posted every Wednesday. You can relate to these women as they share their experiences and thoughts through adulthood. “There’s always room for learning and growth with Lotus, which is the best part about it,” Brown said. “You know, even for me, as one of the Co-editors in chief, if I feel like my skills and an area aren’t good enough to execute a task that I need to do for the print, I’ll lean on somebody else on the masthead to help me out with it. So it just becomes very collaborative, especially when we’re getting towards the print date. And that comes from the passion for the publication and the dedication to the magazine.” Lotus offers applications during their meetings and throughout the semester for modeling positions regardless of experience. It can be a great way to expand your portfolio and understand what life will be like for you if you want to enter the field. “When it comes to, you know, people who model for us, we never require any sort of prior experience,” Brown said. “If you are someone who feels comfortable being put on the page, or you’re looking to get into modeling or you’re just like ‘Forget it, I feel super con-
fident today.’ Being a model is open to anyone, I think it really is about finding confidence for people, and yourself which is amazing.” Freshman Xavier Peña, a psychology major, spoke about his time modeling for Lotus’ most recent shoot directed and styled by Mars Ross. “The concept was different but was very creative,” Peña said. “It felt good being the black sheep of the public eye and made me feel confident in a way. A lot of people complimented us; most of the looks we were getting were those of awe.” Michaela Scully, a freshman communication and sound study double major, was the nail artist for Mars Ross’s shoot. “Six hours for two sets,” Scully explained when asked how long the nails took to put together. “Originally I had gone to a Lotus meeting and was talking to Mars about how I wanted to put my nails out there and she suggested it would be a cool addition to this photoshoot. I am very grateful for this opportunity.” Scully is just one of many young artists Lotus helps express their passions behind the scenes, a task that comes with many challenges. “One of the challenges with Lotus is that we are not actually an official school club, so the
Lotus Magazine is hosting a fashion show on the Quad on April 27th from 9 to 10 pm. @MCCOMMDEPT/ COURTESY
A glimpse inside “That ‘70s Shoot.” @LOTUSMAGAZINE.ORG / COURTESY Communication department will give us money to print our magazine, but we are not supported by Student Engagement for the publications,” Brown explained. “So the stylists are responsible for styling their models, and that also goes for the cost of styling them as well. I know our stylist Mars Ross; if she’s able to, she will use clothes that are already in her closet. She has an insane wardrobe; she’s even styled men with her wardrobe. So I think our stylists are very good at being economical about what they do.” Lotus Magazine is hosting a fashion show on the Quad on April 27th from 9 to 10 pm. All are welcome, and they are even pushing Manhattan College student designers to apply and have their pieces shown. “Someone suggested the fashion show at our very first meeting in the fall, and it was totally like an idea that we had no idea we would actually be able to execute and now it’s happening.” Brown said. “Student Engagement is helping us out with getting us decorations, so it’s not like we get no help from the school. We go to them with something that will be a benefit to our community and Lotus and they will help us out you know, so we may not be official but the school still supports us.” Grace Hokodak, a sophomore English education Major, is a participant in Lotus’s upcoming fashion show and was able to shine light on her vision behind her soon-to-be featured pieces.
“I created a vision board on Pinterest of what idea I was going for.” Hodak said. ”It started with bright colored 80s themed, and from there it evolved into color and expression in business attire. I have a lot of bright colored statement pieces that I wanted to pair with blazers and long jackets so I figured that was the best theme for what clothes I had! I also borrowed some clothes from friends who were willing to let me who have a similar style to my theme.” Lotus can give those who need a creative outlet a safe space with no judgment, just flourishment. “I think Lotus is a reminder that you can do some pretty cool stuff with the right people in your corner.” Brown proclaims. “It is scary when you are doing something that you really care about, but you have to do things that scare you a little bit sometimes. If you could just get through it little by little it’ll get done and it’s going to be so worth it.” Lotus Magazine’s masthead applications for Fall 2022 are currently open. Those who share a passion for writing, fashion, and art are highly encouraged to explore the many positions they offer. To keep updated with the progress of this semester and future issues, their Instagram is @lotusmagazinemc.There is always a place for you at Lotus, from behind the scenes to in front of the camera. Editor’s Note: Jilleen Barrett is the managing editor of the Quadrangle
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THE QUADRANGLE
Reel Abilities Film Festival Hightlights Work by Individuals with Disabilities Josh Grewal
Asst. Social Media Editor The Reel Abilities Film Festival was an amazing event held on campus earlier this month. For over 10 years, NYC Reel Abilities has highlighted films made by people with disabilities in order to shed light on their work. Sophomore education major Amanda Uhrig co-chaired the event. Part of her role was picking which films would be shown during the festival, an enjoyable experience that she discussed in an email to The Quadrangle. “It was really the entries that inspired me. It was so hard to choose which films we were showing because every single one had its own inspiring story, truly,” wrote Uhrig. The festival promotes the
work of people with disabilities, while also spreading awareness. Uhrig explained the importance of having knowledge about disabilities. “100 percent, there has to be more information about people with disabilities,” wrote Uhrig. “I’m an education major so I’m taking a class currently with Dr. Zealand about specifically students with disabilities. However, even if you aren’t an education major I urge you to find more information about people with disabilities and educate yourself. Educating people on disabilities in general can get rid of any stigmas or stereotypes that they may have. No matter what area of study you’re going into, you are always going to be engaging with someone with a disability, whether you know it or not.” Samantha Keating, a sophomore education major who also
co-chaired the festival, further explained the event and its importance to her in an email to The Quadrangle. “Personal motives definitely do drive my goals, not only am I pursuing my masters in special education but my younger brother is autistic. Just because somebody has a disability does not mean they are any less worthy of having equal rights and the privilege of having their story told,” wrote Keating. She also touched upon how the school could improve their knowledge and education of people with disabilities. “Hopefully Manhattan College can continue bringing awareness to various issues. Taking on the responsibility as an advocate goes beyond posting on Instagram. Advocating for someone or a group of people is consistent dedication to raising awareness and fighting
Linda Niccol’s film “Poppy” was showcased at the Reel Abilities Film Festival event at MC IMDB/ COURTESY
for equality,” said Keating. Senior Danielle Rivas attended the festival, and discussed her experience watching the films and why she found it important. “I think that these films, like the films that they showed, really highlight the importance of representation and demonstrate how individuals who have disabilities are really further disenfranchised by depictions of their reality that are limiting,” said Rivas. “So like movies that show disabled people, and you’re meant to look at them as their disability as opposed to viewing them as a person who simply has a disability. And I feel like the film festival really brought that to light and that was something that we were able to talk about and have really rich discussions on.” Rivas also touched upon how her major was intertwined with the topic and how it helped to further her curiosity. “I’m in the five year program, my major is adolescent [education]. My master’s is gonna be in special education actually,” said Rivas. “So with
that background, I felt that these films made me feel like even more called into special education. They made me realize how important it is to have advocates for students with disabilities and how important it is for us to just be aware of these issues and just talk about them. I feel like a lot of things become taboo because we’re too afraid to have conversations about them.” Uhrig continues by talking about the deeper meaning behind the festival and how she continues to advocate for individuals with disabilities by giving them a platform. “By showing these films, I hope that we can spread the messages of these filmmakers, writers and actors,” wrote Uhrig. “All of the films shown are made by, about or starring someone with a disability. By hosting this, I’m hoping that people can watch and enjoy but more importantly learn something new.”
APRIL 26, 2022
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Art from Recyclables Competition Celebrates Sustainable Initiatives on Campus Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief
A recycled material sculpture competition took place on the quadrangle to raise awareness for sustainable practices and to celebrate Earth Day last Friday. Sara Mandelbaum, who constructed a sculpture out of recycled glass, took first place in the competition. Overseen by Julian Silverman, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, the competition began on March 30, when the five participating students received their assigned recycled material. From there, the artists created their sculptures, which were unveiled on the quadrangle on April 22. The competition, made possible by a small grant from the Victory Noll Sisters, was run by Silverman and the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES), of which Silverman is the program director. Erin Clinton, Amanda Taub-Runo, Sara Mandelbaum, Wade Wiedemann and Sabrina Beharry were the student participants behind the competition’s sculptures, and each was assigned a specific type of recyclable material to use. Clinton, a student in the school of engineering, designed a sculpture out of plastic
recycled materials. Meanwhile, Taub-Runo, also an engineering student, unveiled a sculpture made of recycled paper, and featured a small panda paper figurine. Wiedemann, an environmental studies major, developed a sculpture out of recycled fabrics. For education student Beharry, a sculpture made of recycled metal came to life. Mandelbaum, an education major who won the competition, made her sculpture out of recycled glass. The resulting piece was entitled “Fragile Beauty.” “At first I thought of items that people bought that are made of glass, like jars and camera lenses,” Mandelbaum told The Quadrangle. “This encouraged me to take on the challenge of taking items that would be discarded and repurpose them into something useful. This led to my concept of a vase with flowers, as this can be found at many people’s houses as a centerpiece.” Mandelbaum explained that she created the sculpture using a glass soda bottle, crushed glass and colored glass pieces. To give the soda bottle a unique effect, Mandelbaum used the crushed glass to layer over the bottle’s surface. Then, she glued colored glass onto sticks and twigs in order to make a varied and colorful collection of flowers. Mandelbaum is grateful to
The official flyer used to advertise this unique contest. JULIAN SILVERMAN/ COURTESY
Sara Mandelbaum’s winning sculpture was constructed completely out of recycled materials and entitled “Fragile Beauty” JULIAN SILVERMAN/ COURTESY have won a competition that aligns so closely with an important issue. “I feel honored to be recognized as it shows me that my message of items that seem useless can be transformed to have a new purpose was well received,” Mandelbaum wrote to The Quadrangle. “The goal of my project was to have people be aware of the fact that everything can have beauty and value to it, and I felt that this concept was heard. Everyone in the competition today did amazing, and I’m glad that we all were able to create art to support the action of recycling.” Silverman explained that the competition was meant to encourage recycling and sustainable initiatives on campus, as well as embodying Lasallian principles and those in the Pope’s Laudato Si.
Silverman said that while the college does have a recycling bin, not everything that ends up in the bins gets properly recycled. “We wanted to, you know, demonstrate that there was really value to those kinds of materials and that you can do not only fun things with them, but meaningful things too,” Silverman said. The idea for the Art from Recyclables competition originally came from Pamela Chasek’s environmental politics class in 2007. Chasek explained that she teaches this course, POSC223, each year, and part of it includes encouraging students to propose different environmental issues to tackle on campus. “We brainstormed ideas as a class, then I passed around a list of sub-topics and students got to choose which subtopic
they worked on,” Chasek wrote to The Quadrangle. “Each group wrote up a paper that included an assessment of the situation and recommendations… The students did everything. I just guided the projects.” While it took a few years for the project to come to fruition, Chasek is happy to see it happening on campus. “I think it is important to raise awareness about how much waste we produce on campus and how we can reduce our consumption and waste production,” Chasek wrote. “Subsequent classes have also addressed this problem by way of looking at food waste and composting, move-out-ofdorm waste and how clothing and furniture could be donated or reused by future students, among other ideas.”
Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Jessie Rising Named Valedictorian of the Class of 2022 Katie Heneghan Senior Writer Jasper Baseball beat Canisius Senior Pitcher Jessie Rising of the Manhattan College softball team was recently named the Valedictorian of the Undergraduate Class of 2022. As a student-athlete, Rising has gone above and beyond the expectations of her peers, teammates and professors. In her four years at Manhattan, Rising has accumulated quite the resume of credentials in order to be named valedictorian. As an athlete, Rising leads the defending MAAC Champion softball team as captain. She’s shared some of her favorite memories alongside her teammates in Jasper green and white. “My favorite memory is and forever will be winning the MAAC tournament last year,” Rising said. “The moment was something that I will take with me when my career comes to an end in a few weeks. I remember seeing the smile on my teammate’s faces, and the pride my family felt. It made all of the hard work worth it, and it was a dream come true for the little girl who started playing softball. There are only 21 Manhattan College jerseys in the world, and I’m honored to have worn one of them.” As a student, Rising has stayed heavily involved in the School of Science and beyond, earning numerous accolades on her way to valedictorian.
“I am president of the Biology Honor Society (TriBeta), President of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Honor Society (ASBMB on campus), Vice president of the pre-health honor society Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Epsilon Sigma Pi, and a peer academic tutor for the Center of Academic Success. I also participated in research with Dr. Machingo in the Biology department as well as a self-study on bird strikes at the Higgins Engineering building with Dr. Shockey,” Rising told The Quadrangle. Biology professor, Dr. Bruce Shockey, writes his high praises for Rising. Beyond her excellent academic track record, Shockey believes Rising has always been a valued member of the classroom and mentor. “Ms. Rising especially excelled as an impromptu class mentor, gravitating toward students who were not keeping up in class. For example, she has ended up at lab benches where struggling students worked and essentially became that person’s lab partner in order to help them along,” wrote Shockey. In acting as a mentor to students, Shockey says Rising also has become a great help to her professors as a whole. Rising often volunteered to serve as a spokesperson on behalf of the School of Science and Biology Department at Accepted Students Days and Orientation activities.
Jessie Rising posing for her softball team headshot. GOJASPERS/ COURTESY
Senior Pitcher Jessie Rising makes a name for herself on the mound and in the classroom. GOJASPERS/ COURTESY “Jessie is one who likes to help her peers in the classroom. But she is also a great help to her teachers. Jessie helps by working hard and serving as a role model for the less motivated. She teaches by example, not by persuasive arguments. She gets to work and invites others to follow,” Shockey said. As President of the Tri-Beta Biology Honors Society, Rising has volunteered countless hours of community service. “These activities included gathering toys for underprivileged children at Christmas and her volunteering over 100 hours as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Hotline,” wrote Shockey. Jessie’s teammate, sophomore Mollie Charest, has admired Rising since her early days as a Jasper. Charest detailed Jessie’s profound impact on her personally, and the Jasper softball team as a whole. “Jessie has become the person that I am proud to look up to both on and off the field. She shows leadership on the field, always picking up our teammates when their down. No matter the situation, Jessie always has a smile on her face, as her giggles and humorous comments never seem to fade,” said Charest. Charest recalls a moment on the field Jessie displayed her true character as a team player saying, “I went through struggles during my first few years at Manhattan, and I let it get the best of me on the mound. The moment that will stick with me forever was my freshman year when a timeout was called, and Jessie ran in from the outfield to give me words of affirmation. She has changed me as both a
player, as well as a person in general. Our team is beyond fortunate to have had a teammate like Jessie, and have created life-long bonds with her. Jessie is the person that and my teammates know will be there for us at a drop of a dime. Jessie is the definition of a true “teammate”, as she is someone that we all aspire to be.” Balancing a successful academic and athletic career over the last four years has been no easy task, however, Rising finds her balance on the field by using Softball as her release from everyday stressors. “Being a student-athlete is not easy by any means. Keeping my priorities straight was easy when I kept my goals in mind. I dedicated my career here to using the sport I love as a release and capitalizing on the fantastic education here at Manhattan College. Here, we are able to be students before we are athletes, which made this possible for me,” Rising said. Rising has maintained a strong appreciation for the college and the people who have helped her reach this successful crossroads. As for advice to her fellow classmates, Rising has a few words of encouragement. “If I could give advice to my fellow classmates, I would tell them to be kind to those around them and to embrace their little victories on their way to their life goals,” Rising said. “To the underclassmen, have fun, make a lot of memories, but also take advantage of a top-tier education. And to everyone, remember to walk by faith, not by sight. God uses all things for good.” Upon graduation and the
completion of her softball career, Rising will move on to graduate school at Thomas Jefferson University to become a physician’s assistant. Her teammates and professors believe she has a bright future ahead. Mollie Charest describes finding out Rising was valedictorian as remarkably moving. “I remember the exact moment that I got the message that Jessie was named valedictorian,” Charest said. “Although I had no doubt in my mind that Jessie would receive it, I couldn’t help but catch a tear running down my cheek. The biggest smile overtook my face, as I was beyond proud. Jessie has overcome many obstacles in life, but she has done nothing but use those obstacles as fuel to exceed expectations. Jessie deserves this, she worked for this, and I know she will continue to do big things in life,” Rising continues to emphasize her appreciation for the college and those who have supported her these last four years. She accredits many of her accolades to the support she has received. “I’m incredibly lucky to be a part of the Biology department, as they have given me all of the tools, and an abundance of knowledge that has given me so much confidence going into my career,” Rising said. “Being surrounded by my Manhattan College family as well as my family at home is being surrounded by people who truly believe in me. My brother has been my biggest motivation and I am honored to be the valedictorian this year.”
Sports
APRIL 26, 2022
15
The Differences Between the Women’s and Men’s Rowing Teams Explained Jilleen Barrett & Kelly Cwik
Managing Editor/Features Editor & Staff Writer The Manhattan College rowing program is not just categorized by different genders - the teams are also housed under completely different departments at the college. While both teams have common experience, there is one uncommon factor: the women compete in NCAA Division I while the men participate in meets with club status. The men’s team reports to student engagement and receives their funding from the Student Government Association, similarly to other clubs on campus. Contrasting to this, the women’s team is run by and receives their funding from the Manhattan College Athletic Department. As a club team, the Men’s Club Rowing Team is not compelled to follow rules and guidelines set by the NCAA. Instead, the team must follow the rules and guidelines established by either the institution or the collegiate club conferences. The men’s team does not receive any athletic aid while the women’s team receives a small amount of athletic scholarship to obtain potential recruits. However, an anonymous source familiar with the program claims that “the men’s team has a seemingly larger budget.” Upon hearing this claim, the Quadrangle decided to do a comparison between the two teams to investigate how they operate, and the main differences between the way they are treated by the school. The Manhattan Men’s Club Rowing Team has a total budget of 69 thousand dollars according to John Bennett, assistant vice president of the Office of Student Engagement. Bennett wrote to the Quadrangle what the team’s expenses are. “The overwhelming majority of the men’s crew budget goes towards expenses directly related to getting the boats in the water - from boathouse rentals, payments for the boats themselves, to transportation,” Bennett wrote. “There are also smaller expenses, though they all add up, of things such
as registration fees, meals and uniforms.” The Women’s Rowing Team has many of the same expenses. Rental of their boathouse in Overpeck, NJ costs about 25 thousand dollars a year and truck rentals costs about five5 thousand dollars. In an email to the Quadrangle, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Marianne Reilly gave a lay out of what both teams have covered in their budgets. “Both teams have racing shells, oars, coaches launches, trailers and ergometer rowing machines purchased from within their budgets and fundraised donations … MC Athletic and Student Engagement Budgets fund the above plus all uniforms, regatta entry fees, travel expenses, launch gas, etc.” When asked about the time commitment of the rowers and coaches, Bennett is definite in saying there is no difference in the expectations. “There is no difference in how they act, our expectations, their practice times, or the overall time required for them to commit to the team as compared to our other Division I student-athletes, which is to say, it’s a huge commitment for them and all our D1 student-athletes,” Bennett wrote. The Women’s Varsity Rowing Team has a part-time head coach, Alex Canale, and one volunteer assistant coach. When discussing the differences in the team’s budgets, Reilly addressed how much the head coach is paid. “I don’t want to put numbers out there to insult people but that way, but I can tell you it’s nothing to make a living on,” said Reilly. “It’s about 20 thousand dollars.” Reilly did not disclose how much the men’s coach makes. She did, however, address why the women’s coach is not working full time. “I’ve considered this position for a full time elevation,” she said. “That’s not always my call, you know, I can think of all the reasons why to petition for it. Especially when it has the capability of bringing in numbers of people that want to row and they don’t ever have to be a rower. You can be just a good athlete. And if you’re taught the skills, you can row.” Reilly spoke about how a friend of hers worked at the University of Massachusetts
The Manhattan College Women’s Division 1 Rowing Team on the water in November 2021. @MANHATTANROWING/ COURTESY as a rowing coach, and how she learned about equity in athletics from that coach’s experience. “So we had a dear friend who used to coach UMass rowing,” Reilly said. “And one of the reasons why UMass women’s rowing took off was to balance the UMass football program … when you have football, you have a lot of men in your athletic program … Rowing has the potential to bring it and if you have a novice program and a varsity program, you can bring up to 80 people into a program. So it is something that’s on the table for discussion.” As for scholarships for the rowers themselves, there is a definite difference between the two teams. “The NCAA permits a Division I school to get up to 20 full scholarships. We do not even come close to that — we’re probably at about three,” Reilly said. “The men’s program has [none], because they’re not a varsity program.” Although the NCAA allows scholarships to be given to up to 20 athletes on a team, the school only has enough for three of the women’s rowers. Reilly explained that it is not possible to give more until they are able to strengthen the program, which she says they plan to do. “The college gets a certain amount of money for pro-
grams,” Reilly said. “So it’s nice when you sprinkle it across the board to everybody. You give everybody a little piece of the pie, but no one gets filled … You have to look at what you want to be good at and focus your attention there. Does that program have the full time staff that it needs, does it have the assistant coaches that it needs, does it have the scholarship allotment and the operating budget? And then what’s the potential for fundraising? What’s the potential for alumni relations and that camaraderie and stuff? … So there’s a struggle, there’s a plan to make this better … there’s a plan that we’re trying to enhance our programs.” She continued. “All of the programs are important to us, but there are programs that we have to put an emphasis on and then have expectations that they’re going to have a return on that investment,” Reilly said. “That’s really important. Rowing is not there yet.” In addition to the budgets being slightly different, there are some logistical discrepancies between the way the two teams operate given the women’s team is Division I and the men’s operate as a club. According to John Bennett, the men’s team does not have the privilege of getting priority registration as Division I athletes do, their roster is not regularly updated on GoJaspers and they do not get blocked off
time in the weight room. They do, however, get the chance to compete against Division I teams despite being a club themselves. “All the regattas that the men’s crew team participates in are against Division I teams — there can be an outside perception that that is not the case based on how they’re labeled here, but that’s just a misconception,” Bennett wrote. “This is far from an intramural; they’re at meets against Power 5 schools, Ivy League schools, etcetera and more than holding their own.” While the teams’ budgets may look different in some ways, Reilly spoke in person with The Quadrangle about some of the ways the rowing teams share a common experience with one another, including when they travel to tournaments together. “You’ll see that parents from both the men’s and the women’s side come together and they have pregame tents and they bring the food and everything, and so it is like one big family even though one’s varsity and one’s a club. And so that’s what we try to achieve — we never try to make one feel, you know, superior to the other ... They should both have a really nice experience,” Reilly said.
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THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan Shortstop Makes Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist Victor Franco Staff Writer
David Bermudez, a transfer from Rider University and a current Manhattan College graduate student, has been put on the watchlist for the Brooks Wallace Award. The highly prestigious award given by the College Baseball Foundation (CBF) aims to recognize the top college shortstop at the national level. Bermudez has helped MC Baseball compete with other top schools in Division I baseball. During an interview with Bermudez, the Quadrangle gained more insight into who Bermudez is and his goals with the team. Bermudez’s earliest recollection of when he began playing was by the age of five when he began following his older brother’s footsteps. “Being the younger brother I always wanted to do what he was doing, so I picked up a baseball,” Bermudez said. Bermudez did not know it at the time, but following his brother and picking up a baseball led to him finding a passion that would stay in his life forever. “Baseball has had a huge impact on my life, it is who I am as a person and also has taught me to balance more in my life,” Bermudez said. Before coming to play for Manhattan College, Bermudez
made a name for himself at Rider University in New Jersey where he was consistently a player who could lead and perform in critical moments. This same ambition has crossed over in his educational career in MC. Bermudez is in progress to complete his MBA with a concentration in Business Analytics. Coming into a new team, Bermudez admits that the transition was not an easy adjustment at first, but he soon found his place and started to build chemistry with his new team. “I adapted very well because the coaches and teammates were a great environment to be a part of,” Bermudez said. Christopher Cody, the Assistant Coach for the Jaspers baseball team acknowledges that Bermudez’s mindset is what makes him stand out at the Division I level. “Bermudez brings intensity every day, whether it be to practice or in games,” Cody said.. That translates to results. Dave’s stats speak for themselves.,” Cody said. Bermudez’s current stats consist of 39 runs scored, 54 hits, 13 doubles, 8 home runs, 91 total bases, a .664 slugging percentage. Along with this Bermudez holds a 12-game hitting streak. These stats have led Bermudez to be the top player in all these categories in the MAAC. Against St. Peters earlier this month Bermudez alone had 22 RBI’s, 22 scored
runs, and a home run which led the team to victory. Michael Cole, head baseball coach for Manhattan College has also seen the work that Bermudez has put to maintain an educational and athletic career simultaneously. “Being able to juggle athletics and academics at the Division I level is very difficult. David has been able to do it at an elite level both in the classroom and on the field,” Cole said. Bermudez predicts the team to accomplish great things once they get to the playoffs. “I don’t think as a team we’ve played our best baseball, which is good because I think we are going to hit our stride going into the playoffs,” Bermudez said. Bermudez believes there are many ways to personally improve so that he can contribute more to the team. “I think as a whole there are always improvements to be made on all aspects such as speed and hitting,” Bermudez said. Throughout the season playing for MC, the coaches have also observed positive changes in his game that can lead the team to more wins. “David was such a great addition from day one. As the year has gone on, I have noticed his voice taking charge when the rest of the group needs it,” Cody said.
home competition. . The Steakhouse declined to comment on any matters regarding the team or their relationship with the restaurant. Several local delis and restaurants have confirmed that players on Manhattan College sports teams have open tabs that are paid for by “coaches” or other employees within the athletic department. Two local delis, Gourmet Market & Bagel and Best Deli both confirmed that the team has an open tab that is paid regularly by a “coach.” An employee who goes by the name of “Joe” confirmed that the tab is paid regularly as well. These restaurants are highly popular among students and are often referred to as staples in the community. However, Marianne Reilly, director of the athletic department, shot down these claims. “There is not an ‘open tab’ for student-athletes in the [men’s basketball] program to order food and meals at various locations without a coach purchasing the food/meal,” Reilly wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. Reilly explained that the men’s basketball program has certain mentorship opportunities in which meals are often
shared between coaches and students. “[The men’s basketball team] has a mentoring program where coaches are paired with a number of students on the team to check in with and ensure that things
Bermudez has helped MC Baseball compete with other top schools in Division I baseball.
GOJASPERS/ COURTESY Being a leader has become natural to Bermudez because he ultimately wants his team to excel and persevere through the season. Bermudez has always been ambitious not only in the field but in the classroom too, he has continuously been nominated MAAC All-Academic Team honoree due to his grades and performance on the field. “The way Bermudez goes about his business on a daily basis has really rubbed off on his teammates. He is a blue collar kid that does things the right way on and off the field,” Cole said.
Being the ideal student athlete has always led him to be recognized by his teammates, coaches, and on a national level. The MAAC has also recognized Bermudez’s talents as they named him “Player of the week” earlier this month. Not only this but Bermudez has outperformed many other players in the conference. As the season continues, Bermudez keeps a level headed mind as the team continues to compete in the MAAC.
are going well with treats and team bonding. Sometimes it is done as a breakfast or lunch depending on a student schedule, which is permissible with NCAA rules,” Reilly wrote. The question still remains of where this specific funding
for pre-game dinners comes from - may it be a coach, donor, or gift of the Steakhouse. This is an ongoing investigation that the Quadrangle intends to continue reporting on.
Pre-Game Meals at What Cost
Anna Woods & Caroline McCarthy
Managing Editor & Sports Editor Food insecurity has been a topic of conversation in the Manhattan College athletic department this school year, as teams have faced issues with designated practice times interfering with shortened Locke’s Loft hours, resulting in lack of dinner for many student athletes. The men’s basketball team, however, seems to have found a loophole. At a fundraising event in the fall semester, as well as in multiple interviews with the Quadrangle, head coach Steve Masiello has expressed his concern with his players’ inability to receive substantial meals at the schools’ dining hall. His push for further funding to the program is meant to aid in more “team meals” that will help strengthen their bond as players, while also providing adequate meals. Since this time, two sources have confirmed the men’s basketball team congregates at Jake’s Steakhouse, a popular restaurant just south of Manhattan College’s campus, for a “pregame meal” prior to every
The Steakhouse declined to comment on any matters regarding the team or their relationship with the restaurant.
JAKESSTEAKHOUSE.COM/ COURTESY
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Volume CV, Issue 12
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Manhattan College Hosts First In-Person Accepted Students Day After Two Year Hiatus Maddie Johnson Senior Writer
Accepted Students Day Returns After a two years hiatus, Accepted Students Day is in person at MC. @MANHATTANEDU/ COURTESY
Booster Vaccine Required for Manhattan Students for the Fall Semester Students who are enrolled for on-campus classes in the fall 2022 semester must receive a booster vaccine by Aug. 1. Employees of Manhattan College also must receive their booster vaccine by June 15. Students that are enrolled in on-campus classes in the summer of 2022, who will reside in residence halls for summer break, and those participating in college activities over the summer must receive their booster vaccine by June 15th. For students with exemptions from the booster, hrnews@manhattan.edu wrote in an email that “Employees
and/or students with an approved exemption are required to test weekly (every 7 days) and wear a facemask indoors. On-campus testing is still being offered in Smith Auditorium, and additional testing days may be added as the year progresses.” The interim vice president for student life, Esmilda Abreu-Hornbostel, spoke about what the process was like to come to such a vital decision for Manhattan College students and staff for the upcoming semester. “[The co-chairs to the provost, Tamara Britt, student life] and myself had been wanting to be responsive to the changes in the city,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “When the city changed
IN NEWS:
IN FEATURES:
Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor
Booster Vaccine Requirement for Fall 2022 on pg. 1
MC Students Win Media Award on pg. 10
their requirements and lifted some of their constraints … We said, ‘This is the opportunity to revisit and reshape our policies because we have a little bit more flexibility’.” One Manhattan is basing its decisions on city regulations as well as the numbers that they see on campus, regarding COVID-19 cases on campus and transmission rates amongst students and staff. “We’re constantly taking a pulse of what’s happening on campus,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “What we were noticing was steady decline cases and a really solid foundation of health. We knew we could start __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
This year marked an extraordinary set of Accepted Students Days for Manhattan College. The college opened its campus to high school students on March 30, April 6 and April 23 for informative in-person sessions about the school’s facilities and departments. This time around, Accepted Students Days were crucial to growing the Jasper community considering this has been the first time Manhattan College hosted the event since the spring of 2020. For Ben Boivin, this year’s Accepted Students Days were critical for the school to showcase their welcoming community in a more personal way that beats marketing online. Boivin is a Manhattan College alumnus and has worked in the Undergraduate Admission department for almost a decade, starting out in 2012 as an admissions and financial aid counselor, then working as an associate director in 2018. He is currently the director of undergraduate admissions after returning two years from getting his degree to become a senior copywriter. His experience as a student and employee for the admissions department has shaped him to be an expert when it comes to promoting Accepted Students Day and knowing what students and parents are looking for. “One of the signs I’m seeing is that people seem to feel like New York City’s back. I think people have been scared of New York City for a long time now and I honestly still think New York City is scared of itself, but I think students are super excited to get back in person,” Boivin said. According to Boivin, each event had a great number of
IN A&E:
Jasper Jams Spring Edition on pg. 12
attendees, with the last day, on April 23, being the highest. The first day, March 30, hosted about 550 attendees while the second day hosted less with 400 attendees. Remarkably, the last day is expected to set a record as the most attended Accepted Students Day of all time at Manhattan College. “The third one coming up this Saturday, April 23 is the biggest we’ve ever had in history at Manhattan College,” Boivin said. “It’s 425 students registered right now with about 1600 guests registered. So, if 60% of the people registered actually attend, which is pretty common, we’re going to actually have more people in the third one than the first two combined.” Strategically, Boivin explained hosting one of these days on a Saturday and closer to May 1, the date when high school students have to finally choose a college, is a game changer when it comes to raising the number of attendees. “We look at our competitors like Fordham and Iona and look at their schedules and see when they’re doing things and we are doing ours later in the season because the majority of our students don’t deposit until the very last minute. We decided on April 23 because that’s giving students one more week to make the final decision and because we have so many students still registering up to the date, we think it shows students are still really interested in coming to Manhattan College.” Along with picking a date close to May, the admissions department made the executive decision to not mandate masks for accepted students coming to visit campus for the day. Although there were mixed reactions from faculty and students, with some feel__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS:
Jasper Dancers Make History at Nationals on pg. 14
s . Y
Opinions & Editorials
2 Volume CV, Issue 12 April 26, 2022
The Editorial Board
Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief Anna Woods Managing Editor
Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor
Angelina Persaud Asst. News Editor
Megan LaCreta Arts & Entertainment Editor
Zoe DeFazio Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Jilleen Barrett Features Editor
Karen Flores Asst. Features Editor
Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor
Lauren Raziano Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor
Kelly Kennedy Social Media Editor
Josh Grewal Asst. Social Media Editor
Mars Ross Photography Editor
Adrianne Hutto Production Editor
Jocelyn Visnov Mack Olmsted Asst. Production Editors
Jocelyn Visnov Lauren Raziano Web Editors
Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club. Connect with The Quadrangle
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Booster Vaccine Required for Manhattan Students for the Fall Semester CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 being a little bit more flexible and that meant [dropping] the mask mandate.” Often when mask mandates were dropped across the nation, states noticed a steady incline of COVID cases. Abreu explained how that trend transferred over to Manhattan College as well. “We noticed almost immediately after the mask mandate got very relaxed, the cases started going up,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “So we said, how do we create an environment that’s healthy … So boosters came up for two reasons, the first reason with the masks and the second reason is that the CDC has now defined a fully vaccinated person as a person who has the first dose, the second dose, and the booster. So that’s a fully vaccinated person, according to the CDC, so we said okay we will be fully vaccinated on campus and that was some of the logic behind our decision to bring boosters.” On March 29, the FDA approved the 2nd dose of the vaccine for certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50. With that being said Britt affirmed that as of “right now” there are no intentions of changing the vaccine requirements for the upcoming semester if the 2nd boost of the vaccine is recommended by the FDA for adults. With the mask mandate looking like it will not be in place during the 2022 fall semester, it raises the question of what to do with students who are not “fully vaccinated” and who are supposed to be wearing masks indoors. Tamara Britt, vice president for external and legal affairs, general counsel and chief of staff to the president spoke about how the mask mandate for not fully vaccinated students will work. “We are debating and this is tough,” Britt said. “We do have the campus ambassadors, we do currently have the past system. If we continue that that will be a way to enforce, but we’re also looking at potentially rolling back that system as well. So all of this is up in the air, but right now, what we’re trying to do is get through the semester, make sure people get to do what they need to do, take their exams, and go on about their business.” The booster vaccine has brought controversy across the country, raising questions such as if the first 2 shots work, “why do I need to take another one?”
MC students will be required to get their booster shot for the Fall 2022 semester. MANHATTAN.EDU / COURTESY or about people worrying about the “side effects” of the vaccine. Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department, Pamela Chasek wrote in an email to The Quadrangle about her support for the booster vaccine requirement for students and staff for the fall semester. “I support the booster requirement,” Chasek wrote. “I think that students, faculty, and staff should do whatever is necessary to stay healthy and to ensure that those around us, especially those who are elderly and immunocompromised can also feel comfortable and stay healthy.” The booster vaccine seems to be getting approval from the political science department as Winsome Downie, professor of political science, also verbally spoke on the vaccine by showing her support. “I think it’s a good idea and the reason I say that is my husband’s a physician and so I’m getting a medical perspective from him aside from what I read in the paper myself, but COVID is not going anywhere, it’s not gone,” Downie said. Manhattan College has been receiving high praise from faculty since the start of the pandemic for how it handled COVID precautions. “I do appreciate the fact that the college has been very, very good at maintaining this COVID portal to at least remind us because it’s very easy to forget to go get another test, I think that has been very helpful … It’s just one of those things that we realize is helpful and especially it’s a way of considering older people, these professors, your grandparents or older relatives,” Downie said. “I think helping us to be sensitive to the fact that we need to be at least protecting our elders or caring for our fellow human beings and so on is a good thing and I certainly support that.”
For students curious about Daily Symptom Tracker for the upcoming semester, Britt says that One Manhattan will reevaluate this decision but as of now students will need to continue to update their Glance Apps throughout the end of the semester. “[The Daily Symptom Tracker] is something that’s up for discussion as well,” Britt said. “Definitely through the end of this semester [students will continue to update their green pass], and then we will reevaluate like we do everything else. We don’t just say this is what it is, and there’s no further discussion, we do reevaluate you know, in some cases, it might take the form of a survey in some cases it might take the form of going to whatever the representation is, so student government, faculty council, etc.” The COVID pandemic is full of the unexpected. With that being said, throughout the pandemic, we have seen numerous spikes in COVID after a steady decline in cases. Abreu-Hornbostel said that although reverting to past restrictions is not ideal, it is about the health of the students and staff on campus. “I hate the idea of bringing restrictions back or limitations back but … if that is our first line of defense, and it has been, then we would have to bring back the masks,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “My hope is that we will start creating some sort of homeostasis … so that’s my hope. I say I can’t say for sure that is going to be what it is. We’ve already seen shutdowns again, in different countries, we’ve already seen folks going back to certain mandates in other regions and we just need to be responsive but I’ll tell you this, we won’t do anything that doesn’t make sense for our campus.”
News
APRIL 26, 2022
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Manhattan College Hosts First In-Person Accepted Students Day After Two Year Hiatus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ing unsafe and others believing making visitors wear a mask wasn’t necessary, Boivin ultimately saw the mask mandate as putting Manhattan College at a disadvantage over other schools. “We don’t want that to appear like we are not following science because I think we definitely want to follow science, but at the same time we don’t want to be the only ones you know wearing masks,” said Boivin. “We could walk down the road to 225th street and there is a Target with families who go unmasked, and then we head to our campus and suddenly we’re forced to wear masks. So it’s just a weird look and I think that it’s better to
make masks optional.” The communication department was present throughout the three dates to show the equipment, resources and various concentrations students have available to them. Chairperson Michael Grabowski, Ph.D., shared the rundown of how students later in the day get to tour the communication facilities with him after learning more about the School of Liberal Arts. “Students interested in the School of Liberal Arts meet with the dean and a panel of students and then students who are interested in a particular discipline can go off with a representative for a discipline and talk with them in a space,” Grabowski said. “I took the students who were interested
in communication down to Leo hall, I showed them our facilities and brought them into the television studio and had a conversation with them about the core program and communication in the six concentrations.” This year the communication department has seen a decrease in the number of students declaring themselves communication majors and attendance at communication-related events at Accepted Students Day go down. Grabowski shared several reasons why he thinks interest in studying media has dropped while interest in psychology has spiked. “We’ve seen a decrease in the number of students declaring themselves communication majors,” Grabowski said. “We’re seeing this at the same
Students visiting for Accepted Students Day were given the opprotunity to check out the new Higgins Building labs. @MANHATTANEDU/ COURTESY
time that we’re seeing an explosion of students declaring as psychology majors and I think that speaks to the signs of the times that for the last couple of years, Mark Zuckerberg has had to testify in front of Congress and right now there is a question about disinformation. I think it’s incredibly important to study this field given all of that, but also given the past two years of pandemic, it makes sense that many students are interested in studies of psychology because of the incredible mental health crisis.” In an emailed statement, the chairperson of the psychology department, Zella Moore, Ph.D., said the number of those wanting to major or minor in psychology have grown in response to mental health issues that erupted from the pandemic. “While high school seniors and new admits have recently expressed a great deal of interest in joining the psychology department, our somewhat higher numbers are still within a fairly normal range for us,” Moore wrote. “It does appear that the pandemic has had an impact on psychology numbers across the country (at both undergraduate and graduate school levels), as compromised mental health and overall wellbeing have been tragic consequences of the pandemic.” Engineering chairperson, Anirban De, Ph.D, was also present throughout Accepted Students Day. With those interested in engineering, De explained students were given the opportunity to look at the labs designed for various engineering fields, including
civil and environmental. Afterwards, attendees were taken to see Manhattan College’s newest science center, the Higgins Building. De discussed how these events are vital to representing Manhattan College’s engineering program. The chairperson pointed out the school doesn’t have as many funds and resources as other schools and therefore depends on in-person events to advertise the college well. “We do not have the glitter and the glamor and the kind of the marketing strength that some other schools with a lot more resources have. But, when they actually get to see us in action, they go to the classrooms, they go to the labs and talk to us they understand the strength. They start appreciating our strengths,” De said. In light of being able to host Accepted Students Day after two years, Boivin has reflected on how a small institution like Manhattan College needs in-person events to genuinely show how the school operates and welcomes prospective students eager to study in New York. “I think it is impressive to families that we’re willing to take time out of our day. We have deans, faculty and current students that give these families a personalized experience because it’s just something you don’t get from other places. Every college in the country talks about tight knit communities and close knit campuses and those cheesy words, but I think that Manhattan College really proves it during Acceptance Students Day.”
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Green Pass System Update: Daily Symptom Tracking Remains Kelly Kennedy
Social Media Editor The daily symptom tracker system will stay in place until at least the end of the semester, despite various COVID-19 requirements being lifted throughout the semester. Since the beginning of the pandemic, MC has put multiple testing, vaccine and symptom tracker protocols in place. By completing all of these requirements, students obtain a green pass which allows them to be on campus. Orange pass status is given to students who do not follow the rules, and red pass status is for students who tested positive or have been in close contact with someone positive for COVID-19. Those with orange or red passes are not allowed to attend class or be on campus. Pete McHugh, director
Maria Thomas
Symptom tracker or “Green Pass” system will be the main way Manhattan College handles COVID-19 cases and contact tracing. “At least through the end of the spring 2022 semester, everyone should continue completing the daily symptom tracker accurately and honestly in order to receive a green pass,” McHugh said. “This is the best way to systematically review who has tested positive on campus, who may be a close contact, along with individuals experiencing symptoms. It has been beneficial to Health Services and is something that may be continued in the future, although that hasn’t been determined.” It is not confirmed how much longer the green pass system will be in effect. “Things are changing rapidly, locally and across the country. So there’s no definitive
answer yet except to say that we’re going to keep watching the data to be sure we would make the right decision,” Schreiner said. Schreiner is confident that the Daily Symptom Tracker will keep students and faculty safe. “It depends on the community, the users because back to our One Manhattan principle of we’re all in this together,” Schreiner said. And with the mask mandate lifted, it is very important that students and faculty keep track of their possible COVID-19 symptoms, and stay home if they feel sick. For now, tracking your symptoms daily through the Glance App is the only thing vaccinated students need to obtain a green pass. But come Summer 2022, booster shots will also be required. Tamara Britt, vice president
for external and legal affairs, general counsel and chief of staff to the president, summarizes how the student’s input is always valued and will be reevaluated in some form next semester. “[The Daily Symptom Tracker] is something that’s up for discussion as well,” Britt said. “Definitely through the end of this semester [students will continue to update their green pass], and then we will reevaluate like we do everything else. We don’t just say this is what it is, and there’s no further discussion. In some cases, it might take the form of a survey, in some cases it might take the form of going to whatever the representation is, so student government, faculty council, etc.” *Editors Note: Tamara Britt interview compiled by Isaiah Rosario.
The Search for a Dean of SoLA
Senior Writer
Since December, a committee made up of various faculty members and one student representative have been searching for a new dean for the School of Liberal Arts. The committee is chaired by Donald Gibson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Business. Additionally, it has five professors from the school of liberal arts, one professor from the school of science and one professor from the school of education and health. There is also a VP representative, Barbara Fabe, an administrative representative, William Walters, a student representative, Devaughn Harris, and Provost Schreiner. The search has been a detailed and timely process, with the initial candidate pool topping 100 applicants from
Dr. Cheryl Wilson STEVENSON UNIVERSITY/ COURTESY
of media relations & strategic communications, clarified the rules for surveillance testing for the rest of the spring 2022 semester. “Individuals who have an approved vaccine exemption are required to continue obtaining a COVID-19 test every 7 days to receive a green pass,” said McHugh. With surveillance testing no longer being a requirement for students, “orange” pass status will no longer be something that students and teachers have to worry about. “Part of why we don’t worry as much about surveillance testing is because people are paying attention to their symptoms and reporting them in and staying home if they have them,” Provost Steven Schreiner said. With both the mask mandate and surveillance testing requirements lifted, the Daily
various institutions across the country. To start, the committee came up with a position description and posted ads to encourage a wide range of candidates with diverse backgrounds in education. The large pool of responses is then sorted by the committee, who collectively determines a group of seven to ten candidates. Then, virtual interviews are conducted with each of the individuals, until the committee can narrow it down to three finalists. In the case of the running for dean of liberal arts, the three final candidates who have been selected are Cheryl Wilson, Ph.D., Dr. Cory Blad, Ph.D., and Dr. Paulette Meikle, Ph.D. Blad has served as the interim dean of the school of liberal arts for the 2022-2023 school year, since Keith Brower, Ph.D., stepped down from the position last year. In addition to this job, Blad is a professor of sociology at the college. Wilson is a professor of English, and currently serves as the dean of humanities and social sciences at Stevenson University, located outside Baltimore. The university is similar in size to Manhattan College, with total enrollment around 3,000 students and 800 graduate students. Since 2016, Meikle has been the associate dean of the college of arts and sciences at
Dr. Paulette Ann Meikle UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS/ COURTESY University of Arkansas. Additionally, she is a professor of sociology, and received her Doctorate from Mississippi State University. Once the committee selected these three candidates, each was invited to campus for a day of interviews, a tour of the school, and a dinner with the president. Students across all disciplines were encouraged to attend open sessions, in which they could ask the candidates questions and get a sense of each individual’s goals and priorities. Then, all students who were in attendance were emailed surveys to complete, with opportunities to provide commentary on their opinions of each applicant. In the end, it is the president who determines which candidate will be selected as dean, but all student and faculty
feedback is taken into consideration, according to Provost Schreiner and Dean Gibson. “It’s a pretty rigorous process, and it has lots of community input because these positions, as you know, are really important across campus. It’s a leadership position that leads the school and actually helps lead the whole college, if you will, to the future,” said Schreiner. Dean Gibson, who was appointed chair of the search committee, spoke to the importance of student involvement in ultimately selecting a candidate. “I think having an undergraduate student on the committee was very important — DeVaughn was very active in each of the interviews. And I think it also reminds the candidates that it’s the students that are really our focus, and it also exemplifies that at Manhattan College, we really emphasize the importance of students and that they are vital to the way we teach and the way we want to run our schools,” Gibson said. At the start of the search, senior philosophy major DeVaughn Harris was asked by the chair of his department, Sarah Scott Ph.D., to be a part of the committee. Harris jumped at the opportunity to participate in such a vital and influential process. “I feel like it’s important for a student representative to
Dr. Cory Blad MANHATTAN COLLEGE/ COURTESY be a part of this kind of search because students bring a perspective that is necessary to the table,” Harris said. “Sure, faculty members and administrators were students at one point, so I imagine that they can offer some insight, but nobody knows what it’s like to be a SoLA student better than the actual students. I’m honored to have been chosen as that voice for my peers.” Once the president makes a decision, more background checks will be done. Although the process of finding a new dean is a scrupulous one, it is expected that the position will be finalized by the end of the semester. *Editors Note: DeVaughn Harris interview conducted by Katie Henegan.
APRIL 26, 2022
Quad 10
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MOST INFLUENTIAL SENIORS
The Quad 10 is similar to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list, but on a Manhattan College -scale. The ten follwoing members of the graduating class of 2021 were chosen by the executive board of The Quadrangle as some of the best and brightest seniors MC has to offer.
Interviews compiled by: Jocelyn Visnov, Lauren Raziano, Karen Flores, Jilleen Barrett, Megan LaCreta, Kyla Guilfoil
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THE QUAD TEN have an interest in PR, especially because of the entertainment aspect of it.” Mejia has made significant contributions with her involvement in MC’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She began as a Junior Board member during her sophomore year, then took on the role of Social Media Coordinator her junior year. Ally finally served as PRSSA President for the past year, leading
the club through various skill building activities and organizing events with Executive Board members. During her final semester, Mejia has been working as a Remote Scripted Entertainment PR intern at NBCUniversal. She has recently accepted an offer to become a full-time Communications Coordinator with Peacock Streaming Services starting soon after graduation.
Along with PRSSA, Mejia has also worked with Residence Life serving as a Resident Assistant in Jasper Hall, and was part of the Summer 2020 W.I.S.E Fellows. “My advice is to get involved on campus in any way that you can.” Mejia said. “I think we have some really great clubs here that provide such great opportunities.”
Ally Mejia
Ally Mejia has taken her passion for PR all throughout campus and beyond. She came into her freshman year confident that the Communication major was right for her. “I originally knew I wanted to do communications. I just wasn’t sure which area in particular,” Mejia said. “But then after doing the Intro to Communication course with Dr. Thom Gencarelli, I realized that I did
Liola Moody
Liola Moody has certainly left her mark on Manhattan. The political science and international studies student has fittingly been a major figure in campus politics, serving as the Student Body Vice President and Chief Justice of Student Court. However, the accomplishment she is most proud of is founding Turnstyle, Manhattan College’s student-run thrift store. Turnstyle opened in the Fall semester, and quickly gained a reputation of being a go-to stop for fashion-forward Jaspers to donate and purchase secondhand clothes. The store also features the work of student creators, selling everything from handmade tote bags
to buttons to crochet beanies. Funds from the store are donated to local charities. “It was the hardest project I took on, and also ended up being the most fruitful,” said Moody. Always advocating for causes important to her, Moody’s attitude towards life is deeply inspired by her grandmother, who was the first female producer at ABC. “I’ve heard stories of her standing up to really insane sexism and misogyny and forces and institutions that were really built to keep her in a very specific spot,” said Moody. “She fought really hard to open up her own opportunities. And I would say that I definitely
tried to do the same not just for myself, but for others.” While Moody managed to find her spot at Manhattan, her path wasn’t always the easiest. She offered advice to the next generation of Jaspers, and encouraged them to explore all the possibilities their time in college has to offer. “Everything is going to change every year, semester, month, day,” said Moody. “College is not a concrete place. You change your major, you change your interests, you go from club to club. I’ve been involved in so many different things. The person I was freshman year to senior are two completely different people, and that’s a really good thing.
So don’t come in thinking that you have to be this one person that you thought you were going to be. You’re allowed to change things and it’s very good to change.” Moody’s next project is yet to be decided, but it is certain to be just as impactful as the work she’s done as a Jasper. She hopes to go into nonprofit work or to work in foriegn or domestic policy. She offered a few wise words to others graduating without a set plan. “There’s no way that it’s not going to work out at the end of the day,” said Moody. “There’s a place for all of us in this world; we will find that it’s just a matter of looking.”
Jana Clark had no idea what she would accomplish by the time she completed her communication degree at Manhattan College, her concentration being public relations. “Coming into college, I didn’t really know where I wanted to do and I kind of picked PR [public relations] on a whim, not exactly knowing what it would entail,” Clark said. “But over these past four years, I’ve really grown to love it.” After taking several coursSydney Waitt from small town Maine was ready for the city-life Manhattan College. Waitt is graduating with a double major in peace and justice studies and political science. “My college experience here I feel has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for better people around me, better professors, and just like such an overwhelmingly loving and close knit community,” Waitt said. As a freshman, she was a member of the Manhattan College Green Club, the Love Your Melon Club, the Just Peace Club and has continued to be a part of Scatterbomb as a standout comedic talent.
es on public relations which required her to do group work, Clark felt she became better prepared for the leadership roles she pursued at MC. She was involved with Campus Ministry and Social Action, went on L.O.V.E Dominican Republic and led L.O.V.E Flint, spent a year as the vice president of philanthropy for Sigma Delta Tau, pursued an internship through W.I.S.E, held the position of president of Lambda Pi Eta, held three positions in In the following years, Waitt became an intern at the women’s center, LWGRC, and started a talk show on WRCM Rocks called “Call Him Mommy” with Maria Thomas. Waitt was a part of Campus Ministry and Social Action retreat L.O.V.E Trips, and was scheduled to attend the Israel and Palestine trip sophomore year, which was canceled due to COVID. She will be leading the Kairos retreat before she graduates. “I also was a part of the L.O.V.E trips, so I was going to go on L.O.V.E Israel and Palestine my sophomore year, but then this lovely bout of COVID hit, literally the school
the Public Relations Society of America, was a member of the Pen and Sword honor society, co-coordinated the MC chapter of HerCampus. Most recently, Clark served as vice president of communication for the Student Government Association. She co-authored the initiative for the campus-wide walkout in protest of the lack of mental health resources at the college. Clark believes being so involved during college helped shut down on Wednesday and we are supposed to leave Friday. So I never got to go,” Waitt said. “But my experience with the L.O.V.E group was amazing and it’s one of the things that COVID kept from me.” While COVID impacted some of her college experience, Waitt was also able to work as a student assistant for the Digital Arts and Social humanities program. Waitt is grateful to Manhattan College for providing her with a strong support system and the connections it has brought her. “I say this probably every day to my roommates and friends but I’m just gonna miss
prepare her for the real world opportunities she plans to pursue in public relations after graduation. “I would still say I’m a pretty introverted person … [but] what I’ve been involved in and the different leadership experiences that I’ve taken part in have really allowed me to grow as a person as a leader and just become more confident in myself and my skills,” Clark said.
Christine Nappi transferred to Manhattan College as a second semester freshman, and has never looked back. By following in her parents footsteps by becoming a Jasper, she instantly felt at home on campus, and finally found the sense of community she had always wanted. “Having come from a different school, I can truthfully say that there is no place like Manhattan College.” Nappi said. Nappi quickly immersed
herself in the MC community and became involved with various clubs on campus and has held numerous leadership positions. Christine served as the Features Editor for the Quadrangle for two years, recently stepping down to serve as a Senior Writer for her last semester. She was also a Campus Correspondent for Her Campus at Manhattan and the Treasurer of the Manhattan College Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of
America. Nappi is also an active member of Sigma Delta Tau, a student worker for the Communication Department, and was a part of the W.I.S.E. fellowship program. Nappi is a communication major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing. She has held multiple internships and recently accepted a job offer to work as a full-time hybrid Account Coordinator for 5WPR beginning in the fall.
Jana Clark
Sydney Waitt
Christine Nappi
the people around here, we’re not like the fanciest school but, by far we have like the most wholesome and welcoming community,” Waitt said. “For someone to be in a small town their whole life in Maine and then come here and make friends and the connections I’ve made and you feel as comfortable as I have, it means that Manhattan College is a very special place.” Waitt is aspiring to attend the University of Glasgow, Europe next semester to achieve her masters in their human rights and conflict resolution program.
Nappi’s number one piece of advice for underclassmen is to get involved on campus and find clubs that interest you. “At Manhattan College, it’s so easy to get involved on campus and you’re just instantly welcomed into a community of people that support you and want the best for you and want to see you succeed, but also they want to help you get there.”
Quad 10
APRIL 26, 2022
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Interviews compliled by: Jocelyn Visnov, Lauren Raziano, Karen Flores, Jilleen Barrett, Megan LaCreta, Kyla Guilfoil
Ciara Coyle
Isabel Frazza
Kevin Rojas
Devaughn Harris
Mamady Ballo
Ciara Coyle was 15 years old when her high school teacher introduced her to a cosmetic chemist. Previously unaware of the profession, Coyle came to realize what she wanted to do in life: work at Estee Lauder as a cosmetic engineer. After four years at Manhattan College, the only school in the country with a chemical engineering program, Coyle can finally say she achieved her dreams. After graduation, she will be working at Estee Lauder, where she interned during the summer of 2021 as a hair Isabel Frazza is graduating as a peace and justice studies and religious studies major with a minor in Philosophy. In fall 2022, Frazza is set to attend Yale University Divinity School to pursue a masters degree in religion with a concentration in women, gender and sexuality studies. Frazza has an accomplished list of academic achievements. In 2022, she was the Pope John XXII Peace Studies Medal Recipient, and from 2019 through 2022 she has been the recipient of the Fr. Anthony Rubsys Award for Religious Studies
care research and development intern. She will be starting as an associate engineer for the company. Coyle didn’t think she’d make it this far, though. Held back by imposter syndrome, she said she always felt unsure whether she would be able to complete her degree. “I waited for the day where I would get one test grade … that was too low for me to pursue [the rest of the coursework],” Coyle said. “In chemical engineering specifically, usually if you drop a class you’re a full Scholarship. Frazza has membership into the TAK Religious Studies Honor Society and the Epsilon Sigma Pi Honor Society, which is considered the highest scholastic honor that can be earned by a Manhattan College student. “Most notably, Manhattan College has impacted my life because of the people I have met during my time here. In the classroom, I have learned so much and I have a better understanding of complex issues because of my interdisciplinary studies across the School of Liberal Arts,” Frazza wrote to
year behind … I really did not think I’d make it this far.” Not only is Coyle making it to the finish line, she also held a number of leadership positions along the way. At Manhattan College, she was a W.I.S.E fellow, a participant on the L.O.V.E El Paso trip, a member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) as well as SWE for Scouts, the vice president of the Pen and Sword Honor Society and held two board positions for Sigma Delta Tau, including president. In addition to these, Coyle The Quadrangle. Frazza was an active member of the Manhattan College Senate, being a secretary during the 2020-2021 school year and Senator during her 2021-2022 year. She was also a member of the Manhattan College Debate team and participated in the 2021 Regional Ethics bowl Competition. She was also a member of the Student Government Association, first joining as the freshman class vice president and later serving as the School of Arts vice president her senior year.
also started the Cosmetic Engineer and Chemist Society. She says these experiences have helped her get to where she is today. “I feel like my imposter syndrome has completely changed,” she said. “I have academic based knowledge and cosmetic engineering that no one from any other college would ever have the opportunity to get in. I get to walk into a job confident that I know what I’m doing.”
Kevin Rojas is graduating with a degree in political science and is pursuing law school with the hopes of becoming a lawyer within the realm of immigartion and civil liberties. He recalls that the reason why his family could stay in America is because of the help from an immigration lawyer and he hopes to be able to help “the next generation of people coming [to America] since they deserve
the chance at a better life.” Rojas currently serves as the Student Government Association president. One of the things that he says he will miss the most from Manhattan College is the community. As president, he was able to connect with various clubs and organizations ranging between the fraternities and sororities to the different cultural groups like the Muslim Student Asso-
ciation and the Black Student Union as well as the Student Veteran Organization. He said the opportunities provided to him here at MC helped him sharpen his abilities to connect with many diverse groups of people, network and also with his public speaking skills. He hopes that students take advantage of the vast opportunities and connections that being a Jasper can bring to some-
one. “Actually making the initiative to go out is sometimes the hardest part. But once you do you get to like, see them so many different walks of life. And that’s been something that’s probably gonna stick with me moving forward. No matter how uncomfortable you might get, it’s definitely worth it in the end,” Rojas said.
Devaughn Harris has made his own unique impact on Manhattan College. A senior majoring in philosophy and minoring in history, Harris has also served as a resident assistant, a member of the Diversity Council’s student life subcommittee, the Student Government Association’s Vice President of Residential Affairs, president of the Philosophy Club and even a client services technician for the college’s IT department. Harris explained that his interests come together in a myriad of ways, and that all of his roles connect to his passions and the way he views the world, and ultimately grounds
him in the community around him. Harris will be attending the CUNY Graduate Center after he receives his diploma from MC in May to begin a doctoral program in English with a specialization in composition and rhetoric. Ultimately, Harris hopes to teach English at a university level, and create the kind of welcoming environment for future students that he experienced at Manhattan. At MC, Harris has demonstrated his academic prowess both in the classroom and as a Branigan Scholar. From February 2020 to August 2020, Harris
worked with Adam Koehler of the English department to conduct research on the literary tools of African griot tradition applied to the musical artist Donald Glover’s career in order to show the importance and ubiquity of storytelling in today’s digital landscape of the internet. Harris shared that he has been grateful to experience such good relationships with students, faculty and staff across campus over the last four years. He has been impacted by all of these groups, and leaves MC with an appreciation for its community. “Going into these last four
weeks, it’s really just trying to take account and try to take stock of everything that’s been impactful and important here, and it’s hard to because there’s so much but at the same time, it’s worthwhile,” Harris said. “I definitely wouldn’t be who I am right now at this moment talking to you with the words that I am if I didn’t have the experience what I did, and you know, there’s so many people that have been a part of that, and I can’t name them all because it’s probably a really long column, but just a big thank you.”
Mamady Ballo has spent her time at MC not just bringing opportunities and support to her peers, but also to people across the globe. As she approaches graduation with a degree in international studies focused on African and Middle Eastern studies, Ballo also finishes out her time as the president of the Black Student Union, member of the Diversity Council, representative of the Campus Life Committee and the student representative of the college’s Shared Governance Group. Beyond MC, Ballo has worked as a Civic Engagement intern at the Northwest Bronx
Community and Clergy Coalition and a field organizer for John Sanchez’s campaign for New York’s 15th Council District. Further, Ballo is the CEO and founder of the NGO Help Kids in Cote d’Ivoire, having worked for the organization since early 2015. Using this extensive background in public service work, Ballo is working to find a fulltime position in the private sector. Her goal is to pass the Foreign Service exam and become a diplomat in Western Africa, Senegal or Mali. Ballo shared that she is most proud of the work that she has been able to do for the
BSU. As president of the group for the past two years, Ballo has overseen the group’s advocacy efforts and success in building a better community for all Jaspers here on campus. “I’ve been able to contribute to major milestones on BSU and that’s my proudest, greatest moment: making people feel comfortable, changing the campus culture, meeting so many new individuals and hoping to make their journey here at Manhattan College so much easier,” Ballo said. Ballo emphasized that what you put into college is what you get out of it. She encourages other students to not be
afraid to create the spaces that they do not feel are created yet, and to use the support of those around them to develop change. She hopes that incoming students are not afraid to put themselves out there and stay true to themselves. “Always be you,” said Ballo. “Be the best version of you, the absolute best version of you. Don’t change yourself, for anyone. College is a growing experience. You’re gonna find people who are going to love you for who you are. They’re going to accept you for who you are. Just be the best version of you and always represent yourself.”
While at Manhattan, Frazza completed her senior honors thesis, studying the treatment of LGBTQ faculty at Catholic secondary schools. “I am going to miss the people the most — from the classmates who became close friends, to the faculty who helped me grow as both a student and person, and all of the friendly faces that I have become so used to seeing around campus during my time here,” Frazza wrote.
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Christine Nappi
Senior Farewells
THE QUADRANGLE
Staff Writer | Features Editor | Senior Writer The one thing I wanted to do when coming into college was to write for the school newspaper. As the shy, nervous, excited, but ultimately determined freshman I was, I made it my mission to introduce myself to the editor of The Breeze, James Madison University’s student-led newspaper, and apply for a staff writer position. Having written for my high school paper, I decided that I was going to be a journalist when I grew up and wanted to pursue the art of storytelling and news reporting at JMU, a big state university in Virginia. I was excited to attend my first staff meeting of The Breeze. I was starry-eyed, filled with hope, and couldn’t wait to write my first piece for the Arts & Culture section, the section I was hired at. But unbeknownst to my naive self, writing for The Breeze was challenging, competitive, isolating, and intimidating. I only met with and knew the other writers in the Arts & Culture section alone. I felt like I had to battle to cover the stories I wanted to, and felt more intimidated than welcomed, given that I only had my high school journalism experience to fall back on. I felt intense pressure to write in a timely manner and after receiving tons of edits from editors, needed to put everything else aside and rewrite my story as soon as possible. Toward the end of the semester, the editors told us they would need to start letting people go from the staff. There were too many of us and some were supposedly not as strong of writers as others, which stripped away any opportunity for us freshmen to learn the ins and outs of journalism. While The Breeze is an incredibly impressive, robust, and well-written student newspaper, I ultimately did not enjoy a single minute of writing for it and had a major identity crisis; I questioned everything I thought I would be, the career path I had my heart set on, and questioned the person I dreamt of being. Maybe I couldn’t be a journalist after all. Among other reasons, aside from my experience with The Breeze, I decided to transfer to Manhattan College for the second semester of my freshman year. JMU is a great institution and will always have a special place in my heart, but the school just wasn’t for me. Manhattan on the other hand was closer to home, smaller, and just seemed like it’d be a better fit for me. Given my identity crisis, I also decided to switch my major from journalism to public relations, thinking I would like it more. But I didn’t want my experience with The Breeze to be the end-all-be-all with my relationship with journalism. I still loved storytelling and wanted to commit to my dream, and promise to myself, of writing for my college’s newspaper. Despite feelings of apprehension, I still felt compelled to write for The Quadrangle. I remember reaching out to The Quad’s then Editor-in-Chief, Taylor Brethauer, over Facebook. I felt so awkward sliding into her DMs (lol) to tell her I was transferring and wanted to join The Quad. I questioned if she would even see my message or respond. But she did– and she couldn’t have been more excited and welcoming. Even though I was a random stranger, Taylor was eager to have me join the staff and invited me to The Quad’s winter workshop meeting, which took place a few days before the spring 2019 semester began at Manhattan. The people on The Quad were the first people I met at Manhattan College– and gave me the best impression of the type of community we have at this school. When deciding where I wanted to transfer, my mom, a second generation Jasper, suggested I look at Manhattan College because the community of people is something I wouldn’t find anywhere else. She couldn’t have been more right– and I discovered that at the first winter workshop meeting with The Quad. Coming into the meeting, I was instantly welcomed with open arms and appreciated how each person really took the time to get to know me, even though I was a new addition to the staff. The Quad members took the paper seriously, going over important news on campus, who would be covering what and things like that, but they didn’t forget to have fun too, cracking jokes with each other every other sentence. I could tell right away that The Quad was really just a big family, that just so happened to print a paper each week. Leaving that first meeting, I was confident that writing for The Quad would work out. I remember writing my first article on the Dorm Wars event held in Draddy, and at the meeting that week, I got a massive round of applause from each staff member for having my first official byline. I struggled to find that feeling of community and care for each other at The Breeze but was glad that I finally found a group of people who simply just wanted me to learn, have fun, and ultimately do journalism. Since day one The Quad has been so supportive of me and has helped me pursue my passion for writing– all while putting a smile on my face in the process of it all. During my time with The Quad, I reported on some groundbreaking and heartwarming stories. I told the stories of alumni, who now lead the New York Stock Exchange, work for the MLB, own their own business, and developed the COVID-19 vaccine– showing the community that our Jaspers are impressive people. I wrote compelling profiles on remarkable students and professors who influence campus in more ways than one. I reported on how the college adapted to COVID-19 while upholding its commitment to the Lasallian Mission, and told the stories of how Riverdale Rises amid pandemic setbacks. I got to cover springfest and interview the performing artists (and had a major fangirl moment). I had the chance to explore the archives and write about my family legacy, learning more about my grandfather who was a fellow Jasper back in the day– something I would’ve never experience had I not transferred here. This by far was my favorite article I ever wrote. Regardless of what story I was writing, I enjoyed every minute of it because I was pursuing my passion for storytelling, all while entertaining, informing, and inspiring readers with each word I wrote. For my first three years writing for The Quad, I was a not a scholarship recipient. However, this didn’t stop me from doing journalism and doing what I love. I was eager to cover campus news and get more writing experience, simply just because I loved doing it. The reason why I love writing and storytelling is because I get to meet new people and hear their stories– realizing in the process that there is more to a person than just whats on the surface. I’m happy to say that in my final semester of college I became a Quadrangle Scholarship recipient, which motivated me to keep sharing important stories with the community. Writing for The Quad has introduced me to the most amazing and inspiring people, and I felt honored to share their stories with the rest of campus. Writing for The Quad has also brought me close to my amazing colleagues and fellow staff members. I am proud to call each member of our staff a close friend of mine, and I am going to miss each one of them dearly. By now, given how much I’ve spoken about journalism and given how long this farewell is, you’re probably thinking that I did end up pursuing journalism after all. But I can’t lie– having that identity crisis and questioning my career choice was really a blessing in disguise because I fell in love with the public relations profession. I’m extremely honored and excited to say that I’ll be working full-time at an amazing, industry-leading PR firm this fall (alongside one of my fellow Quad members too!) Although I’m not pursuing journalism, The Quad has taught me valuable skills that I will take with me into the PR industry and onward. As I end this article, I want to leave readers and my fellow Quad members with a piece of advice: never give up and keep doing what you love. Cheesy, I know, but it couldn’t be more true. Chase that story, uncover the truth, be the voice for the voiceless, and keep writing! But most importantly, don’t forget to take advantage of your time here at Manhattan College. This is a special place, with amazing opportunities and even more amazing people. College goes by so fast, so don’t forget to soak up every opportunity, memory, and enjoy your time here. And to my fellow graduates: although you may not know what the future holds, Manhattan College has prepared you for any challenge that comes your way.
APRIL 26, 2022
Katie Heneghan
Senior Farewells
Staff Writer | Web Editor | Senior Writer
It’s difficult to explain my gratitude for The Quadrangle over the last four years. The Quadrangle special talent scholarship was my deciding factor in making a college decision. That decision has brought me lifelong friendships, a wonderful job and an invaluable experience to receive a Bachelor’s Degree from a great college. Every Tuesday at 4 p.m. I’ve been fortunate enough to be greeted by an amazing and intelligent group of my peers who support and uplift each other to become the best writers, students and advocates they can be. I owe all my love to our corner of the Bronx, and I couldn’t be more grateful for what the college, and this scholarship has provided me. To my peers on the newspaper, keep doing journalism and don’t take life too seriously. You all do such amazing work and I’m so inspired by each and every one of you. To Manhattan College — I hope you continue to give prospective students the opportunity to write through the Quad Scholarship, as it’s a reason so many of my peers and I are here. Thank you for the memories! Keep experiencing the uncommon, Katie Heneghan
Maddie Johnson
Staff Writer | Web Editor | Senior Writer
I came into quad thinking I would write monthly, not weekly, and strictly for one section, but I grew to absolutely love the paper and appreciate what we do as student journalists for Manhattan College. I am going to miss writing for the quad immensely and am so grateful that the paper has given me the strong set of skills and determination I need to work for the public relations agency. I am going to miss all the incredible masthead members and writers that have encouraged me to put out amazing work and I wish them the best of luck in the future!
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Features
THE QUADRANGLE
Congratulations to our 2022 Catholic Media Association Student Journalism Award Winners Best Presentation of Faith on Campus - Single Article--First Place “I Wasn’t Raised Religious. Here’s How I Feel About Attending a Lasallian Catholic College,” Jocelyn Visnov
Best Writing - News--Third Place “Manhattan College Faces $10M Budget Deficit, Results in Furloughs, Pay Cuts,” Gabriella DePinho, with reporting from Anna Woods
Best Writing- Series--Third Place
“Hangry in Horan: My Experience in Quarantine,” Jilleen Barrett. “Quarantine Conditions Dire as Students Go 24+ Hours Without Food,” Lauren Raziano & Jilleen Barrett. “Jaspers Quarantined in Westchester Hotel as Horan Suites Reach Maximum Occupancy,” Caroline McCarthy
The Catholic Media Association, established in 1911, acknowledges the work of those in Catholic media through its award programs. As a global network of Catholic communicators, the CMA recognizes the diversity of media available today and facilitates a wide variety of honors programs for its members and those in related professions. CATHOLIC MEDIA AWARDS /COURTESY
Features
APRIL 26, 2022
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The First, Not the Last: MC PRSSA Participates in the Bateman Case Study Competition Nicole Rodriguez Senior Writer
Four students from the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Ally Mejia ‘22, Jana Clark ‘22, Michael Ficaro ‘22 and Madison Mulkigian ‘23, represented the college for the first time with their group submission for the 2022 Bateman Case Study Competition. Originating in 1973, the Bateman Case Study Competition allows PRSSA members across the nation to exercise the analytical skills required for public relations problem solving. This year participating student teams were challenged to research, plan, implement and evaluate a public relations campaign for the Lymphoma Research Foundation centered on raising awareness for resources currently available to those diagnosed with the disease. Additionally, students were tasked with educating adolescents and young adults while revamping campaign efforts toward eradicating lymphoma. “The Bateman Case Study Competition continues to be a way in which our students can put their communications skills to the test and really make a far-reaching impact through creative campaigns,” said Jeneen Garcia, PRSSA senior vice president of programming, in a story posted on the organization’s website on Oct. 14. “The work the Lymphoma Research Foundation is doing in its effort to eradicate lymphoma is
The logo used by MC PRSSA in their social media campaigns for the competition. @MCPRSSABATEMAN/ COURTESY
Maddie Mulkigan Mike Ficaro, Jana Clark and Aly Mejia set up a table in the Kelly Commons to talk to students about their work in the Bateman competition. @MCPRSSABATEMAN / COURTESY inspiring and I know their mission will be a real driving force in the work that results from this competition.” The college’s student team underwent a four month long preparation process for their campaign submission. Beginning in late December and concluding in late March, the preparation process consisted of extensive brainstorming, researching, planning and writing. “Our team met on a bi-weekly basis where we would discuss what tasks each team member needed to complete in order to make our plan a success. Our preparation entailed a lot of research, planning, and preparing for how we would implement all of our strategies,” Clark said. “We had a few weeks to implement our strategies which involved creating Lymphoma-specific social media pages to raise awareness of Lymphoma on our campus, create awareness videos, write press releases and more.” Mejia further explained the preparation process detailing the various objectives and tactics they set to implement within their campaign.
“Some of these tactics included a social media campaign, a tabling event in Kelly Commons, and a research survey designed for college students. After our implementation period, we had to evaluate each tactic and do a ton of writing,” said Mejia. Both Clark and Mejia noted how their public relations courses at the college effectively prepared and provided them with the hands-on experience necessary for competing. “One class in particular, Strategic Planning with Dr. Arshia Anwer definitely came in handy when creating our campaign for the Bateman Competition,” said Clark. “In this class, students had to go through a very similar process of creating a strategic plan for a client and then submitting it to be reviewed and voted on. This class provided my team and I with everything we needed to know about what goes into creating a strategic plan and how to execute it successfully.” While the team had prior knowledge regarding how to put together a public relations campaign and the guidance of their faculty advisor Arshia
Anwer, Ph.D., the group faced challenges such as gathering research participants. “One of the biggest challenges was receiving research participants for our survey. Something we had to keep in mind was the size of our campus especially when competing against larger state schools,” Mejia said. “While we worried that our participants and sample sizes would be greatly smaller, we discovered in terms of ratio percentages, we were actually quite similar to other campaigns submitted in the past.” Another challenge the team faced was implementing their campaign strategies. “In my opinion, one of our biggest challenges was implementing our strategies. Prior to this competition, we only had to write about what strategies we would use to execute our plan, not actually carry them out. It definitely threw us for a loop but I think we pulled it off and did the best we could,” Clark said. Despite the challenges they faced, the team was honored to be the first group at the college to submit a campaign for the
Bateman Competition. They hope their submission paves the way for future groups to feel confident enough to compete. “Do not let other big schools intimidate you. While it may sound cheesy, we are small but mighty,” said Mejia. “We have talented PRSSA members that are willing to put in the hard work, do not be intimidated.” The Bateman Case Study Competition served as an opportunity for the group to take everything they learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world. It also served as a great opportunity for the college’s chapter to collaborate and potentially receive recognition for their talented executive board members. “This is a big competition that a lot of PRSSA chapters participate in, so we thought it was time for Manhattan College’s chapter of PRSSA to get the ball rolling for future members to also feel encouraged to join the competition,” Clark said. “We may have been the first, but we hope we are not the last.”
Features
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THE QUADRANGLE
Jaspers Host Take Back the Night Event on Campus Alexandra Velez Contributor
The annual Take Back the Night event, hosted by the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center, raised awareness about gender-based violence and taught techniques to help support survivors. This student-coordinated event consisted of speakers and students on campus that shared their stories. The overarching message of the event was that survivors are never alone, even though the situation they may be in can feel very isolating. A large part of the event covered sexual violence on college campuses since college students are three times more likely to be attacked. Kate Behrens, a double major in English and sociol-
ogy, was one of the primary leaders of the event. She first started getting involved with the LWGRC by helping with #MeTooMondays, which helps sexual assault survivors learn techniques for healing and provides a support group. “I think the fact that I don’t know that much about sexual violence on campus really speaks volumes because it’s covered up. I know about a few occurrences here and there, and they’ve been covered up so it’s hard because you can’t develop an opinion,” Behrens said. Multiple students have disclosed during interviews at Take Back the Night that they have reported to the school and hardly anything is ever processed. “And it’s not exclusive to our school, and especially if you don’t have spaces like
Take Back the Night or [#MeToo] Mondays … [and] they can only go so far when we have an administration that is tirelessly covering these up,” Behrens said. Ciara Dalton, a junior psychology major with a business minor, is a member of the Take Back the Night committee. Dalton was in charge of the Clothesline Project that took place on the quad, which raised awareness about sexual assault through clothing. All the shirts on the clothesline were written by survivors or in honor of survivors. This gave the shirts anonymity, which inspired a bigger turnout. “So it’s kind of sad to see a lot of people come to the table and be like, which color should I choose? … Like it’s great that we have so many shirts but it’s sad that we have some issues,” Dalton said.
Dalton disclosed that she has filed a report to the school because she was sexually assaulted on campus during her sophomore year. She reported the assault to the school several months later, and although the school’s policy states that a report like her’s is supposed to be handled within 60 to 80 days from filing, Dalton’s lasted four months. This is because there has been a decline in staff, so most of the people handling these issues are volunteers. “There wasn’t a lot of support for the victim,” Dalton said. “It was more like these are what we can do so that the school doesn’t get sued. And that was it. And again, when you report it’s not like the other person that you’re reporting anything happened to them yet. So I still had to see that person on campus every day for months until it was over.”
The LWGRC helps victims of assault and is currently working on reforming the Title IX policy in place at MC. Maya Lloyd, the director of Outreach and Engagement at Hope’s Door, a non-profit domestic violence agency in Westchester County, was one of the speakers at Take Back the Night. “It’s important to have these types of events here to raise awareness because I’m sure there are so many people that just don’t have the confidence or don’t feel like they can kind of come out and tell their story,” Lloyd said. “So I would just say continue to have these events. And continue to stand in solidarity with supporters with survivors, excuse me. So that’s the best way to go about that.”
Students React to End of Mask Mandate VOICES ON THE QUAD
Anna Woods
Managing Editor
COVID-19 regulations are changing on campus with the end of the mask mandate, which ended on April 9. However, it is up to the discretion of professors, departments, offices and hosts of large events to mandate masks. The Quadrangle published a piece about professors’ opinions of the end of the mask mandate. In this follow-up, students from several schools of study spoke about their feelings on the issue.
Isabelle Tomás ‘24, Undecided major
Maren Kain ‘22, Communication major
Have you decided to keep wearing a mask? If yes, why?
Have you decided to keep wearing a mask? If yes, why?
I have decided to continue wearing a mask for the time being. I’ve found it makes me feel more comfortable. The idea of people not seeing my face (especially if I wear sunglasses) and being able to not be perceived is comforting to me in moments where I’m tired, stressed or just generally not in the mood to interact with people. On a less anti-social note though, I like the mask because although COVID cases have lessened, I don’t feel ready to let go of the mask and the extra security it provides me when I wear it.
I will keep wearing my mask. I am immunocompromised and take medications that affect the ways my body responds to vaccines and my ability to fight off viruses. I feel as if wearing a mask right now is not just something I do for myself and my health but something I will continue to do to keep other vulnerable members of our community safe.
How do you feel about the end of the mask mandate on campus?
I’ve been vaccinated and boosted and have gotten COVID twice since returning to campus in the fall. It’s frustrating to me to be so close to the end of semester, currently recovering from COVID, and see administration make such an unnecessary, reckless call. Especially if you are not going to give me, a highrisk, chronically ill individual, the option to attend my classes remotely while actively trying to recover from COVID.
In terms of the mandate being lifted, I’m still on the fence about whether or not it’s too soon to go maskless. Maybe I’m paranoid but I do feel it’s a little too soon, especially with summer approaching, but we’ll see!
How do you feel about the end of the mask mandate on campus?
Kevin Plut ’23, Engineering major Have you decided to keep wearing a mask? If yes and you feel comfortable why? I no longer wear a mask outside of required classes. I’m comfortable with the vaccines and find it easier to breathe with my asthma. How do you feel about the end of the mask mandate on campus? I am happy about the end of the mandate.
APRIL 26, 2022
Arts & Entertainment
Saint Russo Rocks the Stage
Mack Olmsted
Asst. Production Editor They rock, they roll, they are Saint Russo. Saint Russo is a band made up of five Manhattan College students, started by MC seniors lead guitarist Joseph Bruno and drummer Stamatis Gaglias. The idea of the band began back in Bruno’s and Gaglias’ sophomore year. They always talked about starting a band, but it wasn’t until their last semester when they realized it was the last chance to form a band and rock out. So they reached out to their friends, senior Dylan Cruz and junior Patrick Harnedy, who wanted to join them. Cruz is the rhythm guitarist, and Hardnedy plays bass guitar. Later on they met senior Joseph DiOrio who had what they were looking for in a vocalist, and together they made a sound that was thrilling. The band performs a variety of songs from throughout the decades, ranging from 60’s classics to today’s modern hits. Saint Russo takes inspiration from The Beatles, AC/DC, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Led Zeppelin. They like to take techniques that other artists use and put their own spin on it to make it unique. Saint Russo have only been performing on stage for a little bit over two months. Since then they had a few gigs and have been having a good time. When asked about where the name
Saint Russo came from, DiOrio had an entertaining story. “We were playing at the old Irish restaurant, it was the first night that we met, and so I was like, ‘Alright, they’ll hear me and see if it’s a good fit, and towards the end of the night we actually ended up all jamming,” said DiOrio. “I kept thinking that his name was Joe Russo, even though it’s not, it’s Joe Bruno, so I probably said it six to seven times in the one span of that night introducing him and everything. I butchered his name all the time. And then we were messing around with some other names and we decided to kind of find a pun on that because it’s something symbolic that we came up with.” The musicians have a passion for their art, and all have practiced for years. While they have fun performing together, they also have a strong commitment to the craft. Gaglias described what practice is like for the band. “Our first rehearsal was in the music room at Thomas Hall, and we only had one hour to practice. That was our first time all playing together, we were all playing, our ears were ringing so loud. It took me like a couple days just to get back to normal base level. But we’re always scrambling trying to find a place to rehearse because if the band room is not open, then we have to figure out whose garage is available to rehearse so it’s always an adventure”
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Joseph DiOrio, Dylan Cruz and Patrick Harnedy performing live on stage. DYLAN CRUZ/COURTESY Gaglias said. The band has had a few performances so far. Their most recent gig was at An Beal Bocht on April 7th. There was a great turnout, with people even waiting outside in the pouring rain to see the band live on stage. “I didn’t even realize how many people were there,” said Bruno. “We were just focusing on playing, and I could only kind of see what was directly in front of me and it didn’t seem that big. I didn’t realize how many people were there and how many people were outside. I was actually told that in our four years of Manhattan College people haven’t ever seen that place that packed, which was definitely pretty cool.”
While nerves can certainly be something to worry about, the band managed to overcome the stress of performing. As Cruz explained, all the time they spent practicing paid off and helped them to put on a successful performance. “I’ll be anxious or tense or something. But for this gig, I especially think we prepared enough. I felt confident in the material that I really just let loose and I focused on actually putting on a performance and looking animated and energized,” Cruz said. When asked about what they would say to anyone thinking about starting a band, DiOrio had some advice. “In the beginning you have
to keep the fire hot, so practice, hang out, get plans down and refine your craft,” said DiOrio. “It’s hard dealing with the schedules of multiple people. It’s hard to get it figured out. It’s like a really big thing. Just start playing as much as you can and meet people who play the same style as you.” Saint Russo plans to have at least one more performance. They are currently in talks with Student Government about a possible future performance out on the quad one more time before most of them graduate. For future updates with Saint Russo keep up with them @ saintrusso_ on instagram.
Goodie Bag - Still Woozy The song “Goodie Bag” has my heart. Still Woozy also has a very distinct sound with groovy guitar strums and smooth vocals. Still Woozy is also known as Sven Eric Gamsky, a singer from Oakland, California.
Dayglow is an indie alternative singer from Fort Worth, Texas also known for their song, “Can I Call You Tonight?”
Jasper Jams: Spring Sounds Like Sunshine! JASPER JAMS
Angelica Niedermeyer Staff Writer
This is my first Jasper Jams, and I am so excited because sharing and receiving music recommendations is one of my favorite love languages. When MC’S radio station WRCM was up and running, junior Katie Martone and I had a show on Tuesday nights called “Soundtrack Sunshine.” Although I miss sharing music over the radio more than anything, this week’s Jasper Jams is giving just as much sunshine! These songs will make you want to blast your car radio, sunglasses on, driving with the windows down. How To Fly - Sticky Fingers My first pick is a song that I heard on the radio the day I came home to New Jersey for this Easter break. Released in 2014, “How To Fly” by Sticky Fingers makes you want to bop your head and sway to the reggae type beat. Sticky Fingers is
an Australian indie rock band and sadly is on hiatus from playing. Let’s Go Surfing - The Drums This song is the definition of happy-go-lucking vibes. The whistling in the beginning matched with the fast drums and catchy guitar makes you want to dance and go surfing! The Drums are a 2008 Brooklyn originated indie-pop band. High School Lover Cayucas This song was included in the television show “Outer Banks” and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. Its nostalgic upbeat chorus makes you want to get up and dance to it. Cayucas is a twin brother duo from Santa Monica, California. Daft Pretty Boys - Bad Suns Bad Suns has to be my favorite band. I honestly do not remember a time not knowing them. In high school, Bad Suns was always playing in the car
with my friends. I even had a CD of their 2016 album, “Disappear Here.” During my sophomore year of high school, my friends and I saw them play at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. It was life changing. Goddess - Sleeping Jesus “Goddess” by Sleeping Jesus sounds like a gentle breeze. The lead singer’s voice serenades you as the guitar hits some sweet indie chords in this dreamy love song. Sleeping Jesus was started by Nick Elstad in Minnesota and is now a five-person band. Season 2 Episode 3 Glass Animals Glass Animals has to be one of the most distinct sounding bands. The lead singer’s soft voice and their funky techno-beats make them stand out. This song incorporates sounds of water droplets and video game sound effects perfectly placed to flow with the rhythm. Glass Animals is a British indie rock band formed in 2010.
Heaven Falls / Fall on Me - Surfaces This song is an immediate mood changer. I would play this song driving on the Garden State Parkway coming home from high school and just vibe. This song is full of positive energy and sunny rays. Surfaces is a duo band from College Station, Texas. What is cool about Surfaces is that they incorporate a lot of genres together. This song in particular has steel drums which adds to the calypso style. Hot Rod - Dayglow “Hot Rod” by Dayglow’s catchy chorus and contagious beats disguise the break up lyrics of the song. That does not mean you can’t dance to it!
Tungs - The Frights What’s funny is that a boy showed me this song and even though he did not last, this song totally did. “Tungs” by The Frights was played on repeat in my car and in the shower. The charming lyrics and righteous vibes make you want to restart it and relive the excitement.
Scan here to listen!
Arts & Entertainment
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THE QUADRANGLE
Knot a Lot Going on at the Moment: A Quarantine Hobby Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor
Sitting across from Kelly Commons Starbucks, Isabel Cameron sat crocheting her latest project - an intricate wedding cape specifically designed for her sister’s romantic woodland themed wedding next year. A project of this stature takes Cameron about 40 hours to complete and uses an estimated 1500 yards of yarn. But even before all of this, Cameron has created a prototype using scrap materials to test out the design and fit her sisters’ measurements. “I feel like a lot of the time when you have hobbies that are like creating things everyone’s like, ‘Oh you can sell that,’ but that would really take away why I do it,” Cameron said. Cameron has chosen to keep her hobby to herself and avoid the unnecessary stresses of needing to meet a certain demand. She occasionally makes gifts for her friends and family, but rarely sells her pieces unless she has no need for them. A crocheted shirt, for example, would take 4 or 5 hours
for Cameron to make, not to mention the price of materials, and would still be priced at $30. If priced any higher, Cameron feels no one would pay, despite these fashions taking over spring trends. “Definitely fashion trends are going backwards right now,” Cameron said. “Like the 2004 Y2K look is very in,” Cameron also feels the crochet look is making a comeback because of consumers’ ecological consciousness and their desire to support small businesses. “Additionally, everyone is a lot more environmentally friendly and environmentally conscious about the things that they do, so fast fashion is still very much a big business but people are more aware of handmade garments,” Cameron said. Crocheting was not a lifelong passion of Cameron, but rather a new hobby she picked up during the COVID-19 quarantine. She found her time was best spent creating things that are tangible and enjoyable to look at. It was a few weeks into the semester when Cameron’s friend, Gina Ricardo, approached her on the quadran-
Cameron’s crocheted uterus uses yarn to explain her thoughts on on abortion rights and the bible. ISABEL CAMERON/COURTESY
Ricardo’s handmade sweater will be modeled in the Lotus Fashion show this Wednesday night. GINA RICARDO/COURTESY gle and expressed interest in learning more about crocheting. The two sat on the steps of the quad while Cameron taught her the basic stitches - which soon formed a close-knit relationship between the two girls and their craft. Ricardo claims that the rhythmic pattern and familiarity with the stitches helps calm her ADHD. According to the Anxiety Resource Center (ARC) the repetitive motions and hand movements associated with knitting and crocheting aid in the mind’s relaxation, and tend to provide calming relief. In terms of ADHD, those who use the repetitiveness of crochet tend to focus better than their counterparts who do not. “I’m like a very, very antsy person,” Ricardo said. “When I’m talking to people or when I’m watching a show or video I usually have to be eating or doing something with my hands. I found that this is a very healthy outlet for me.” Though Cameron and Ricardo admit to focusing better with their needles in hand, they would find it “disrespectful” to
bring their work to class with them. “I haven’t thought of doing that. I have thought when I’m in the middle of a project like ‘I really want to bring this to class’ but I would never ask [a professor] to do that,” Cameron said. Ricardo thought about selling her merchandise, and even started an Instagram page to use as a platform, but soon found it took away from why she chooses to crochet. Now, if she has a piece she wants to sell, you can find it on her personal account’s story. “I have more followers on my actual instagram,” Ricardo said. “So if I want to sell anything I’ll just put it on there.” Like any artistic hobby, there is room for creativity. Cameron has found herself making an array of obscure projects, including a faux-prosthetic leg for her dog and a uterus tapestry as her final project for her religion class. The class, taught by Natalia Imperatori-Lee, PhD, focused on sexuality and rape culture, and had an open-ended final
that allowed students to use their creativity. Cameron decided to dedicate her project to the issue of abortion rights, and took to her yarn. “I made a crochet tapestry that was about abortion rights, and there’s a quote in the catechism of the Catholic Church which basically says that your conscience, your internal conscience is the word of God,” Cameron said. As she explained, your conscience is God speaking to you, telling you what is right and wrong. “My argument and like the project I made was, if your conscience is telling you that, no one can tell you that it’s wrong. And so I made a tapestry with a uterus picture,” Cameron said. The uterus showed how a past-time hobby can take on a new form when intertwined with academics. Cameron’s work can be seen hanging in Imperatori-Lee’s office. As for Ricardo, her bags, shirts and accessories will be featured in the Lotus Fashion Show this Wednesday.
Sports
APRIL 26, 2022
The Jasper Dancers Make History at Nationals
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Megan LaCreta Arts & Entertainment Editor The Jasper Dancers made history at the NDA Nationals Competition in Daytona Beach. Fl., making the D1 Jazz finals for the first time in program history. The team also ranked fourth in the nation for D1 Hip Hop, continuing a legacy of success in the genre since winning first place at their most recent Nationals competition in 2019. Despite facing a team inexperienced on the Nationals stage and pressure to match their previous victory, the Dancers pulled off a performance they were more than proud of, as senior co-captain Imogene Donovan described. “In the past, we counted ourselves out for Jazz, saying we just don’t have the technique when we had very strong like jazz dancers, but it just wasn’t our time yet,” Donovan said. “I think this year really set a standard. I don’t see this team placing anything below finals for the future, and I’m just very proud that it just finally happened, especially being the first time dancing in three years.” Co-captain Madeline Donohue, agreed. “We obviously were hoping with everything in us to come back with another title, and I will say that myself and every single person on that team and our two coaches prepared in every right way and did everything that we could,” said Donohue. “You just really don’t know who’s gonna go down there and compete or what crazy teams from across the country are going to be there or what team has been practicing tirelessly, just as we did in 2019 when we jumped from 11th place in the previous year up to first place.” The team certainly puts in the effort, attending late night and weekend practices in the lead up to Nationals. They start learning choreography for the competition in the Fall semester, while also learning routines they perform at Jasper Basketball games as a part of the Spirit Squad. As part of the Spirit Squad,
The Jasper Dancers at Nationals in Daytona @MANHATTANCOLLEGEDANCETEAM/COURTESY the Jasper Dancers fall under Student Engagement rather than the Athletics department, a distinction that has led to occasional challenges for the team. They don’t have access to the department’s athletic trainers. They also don’t have priority class registration, like members of teams under Athletics have, and struggle to find a time to practice where members don’t have to show up late or leave early due to class. Donovan noted that the team also struggled with scheduling spaces to practice, and even had to compete with intramural basketball games while preparing for Nationals. “It is very hard to stay focused, no matter what’s going on around you, but especially when a ball is rolling into the middle of our practice area while we’re dancing,” Donavan said. “And on top of that, like sometimes they would ask us to leave the court and go on the D ring, which then we don’t have full space… We are not at the top of the list at all.” Athletics Director Marianne Reilly explained why the Jasper Dancers are not a part of Athletics at Manhattan in an
email to The Quadrangle, emphasizing the school’s respect for the team as athletes. “The structure [of Athletics] is different at many institutions - some [dance] programs are included in athletics, others in Student Engagement/Activities. We do respectfully look at these programs as student-athletes and they are as committed to their specialty as many of our varsity program members. The NCAA does not include Dance or Cheer as part of its NCAA sponsored sports, but like I said before some institutions house spirit teams in areas outside of athletics,” Reilly wrote. The co-captains explained that while they are proud members of the Spirit Squad, not being considered an athletic team also resulted in a lack of enthusiasm and support from peers, as Donohue described. “It’s frustrating that there are still people at our school who don’t even know that we won a national championship or don’t even know that we compete,” Donohue said. “They’re like, ‘Where are you guys going, basketball season’s over. What are you guys up to?’ It’s like, oh my goodness, the big-
gest part of our season. Getting that recognition and getting the support from our school would feel incredible and obviously that’s not something that we’ll see in our time.” They also noted that support feels lacking from the men’s basketball team. Before Nationals, the dancers held a showcase to perform their competition routines for the school. While the women’s team, who Donovan described as the dancers “number one fans,” could be seen in the stands, the men’s team was notably largely absent, which Donohue addressed. “It’s disheartening and frustrating to not see any members or a few members there supporting you when you would have to leave your job early or leave class early or do these things just so you could be a part of your team and do what you love,” Donahue said. “It is really frustrating to not see that when we’re putting our whole lives aside just to support them to try and get other people to support them, that they can’t take a little bit of time to also be on our side of the ring supporting.”
Despite the many struggles the Jasper Dancers have faced, the co-Captains are deeply grateful for their time spent on the team, Donohue for five years and Donovan for four. “You just grow so much being part of this team, and getting to watch the people around you grow and the team grow over these past five years has been like nothing short of… gratifying, but like that that word doesn’t even have enough magnitude to explain what I’m saying,” Donohue said. “It has honestly been the utmost pleasure to be a part of this team and to be captain of this team for the past two years.” “I love that these people are my family, like my home away from home, and I’m just so incredibly grateful for all of them,” Donovan said. “Truly, my college experience is the Jasper Dancers.” For those looking to join the Jasper Dancer family, the team is holding open workshops on April 24th and May 4th to dance with them and learn more about the program.
Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Grace Lipponer ‘22 and Meghan Rodin ‘22 to Wrap Up Final Lacrosse Season Nicole Rodriguez & Jilleen Barrett Senior Writer & Managing Editor/Features Editor The Manhattan College’s Women’s lacrosse team has had a season full of strong wins and challenging competitors. As the team anticipates a strong finish at their last regular season game Sunday, April 24 against Niagara University, senior captains Grace Lipponer and Meghan Rodino are set to wrap up their final season. Head coach Jenna Dingler reflected on the season so far and what the team was able to learn from both their non conference and conference games. “We learned a lot from our early non-conference games and we’ve had some good experiences out on the road as well as playing some new non-conference teams,” Dingler said. “It really prepared us well for our conference game, so we felt strongly going into our first conference game - a tough game, a tough loss against Canisius by one.” Dingler also highlighted
the team’s historic win this season against Monmouth. “It was a big learning experience for us and we were able to capitalize after that at Monmouth for a really big road win, first time beating Monmouth since 1997, so that was a really huge highlight for our team this season,” Dingler said. This year the team has taken a new approach with their offensive strategy, differing from previous seasons. “I think that something that’s been different this year is that we are focusing more on freelance, which is basically just not going by player formation, but just kind of working together like sending picks for each other moving around the file from the outside,” Rodino said. “So to meet each other it’s more of just a free flowing movement as opposed to like a standard set play.” Additionally, the team has worked together tremendously to ensure overall success. “The offense has been meshing really well together this year,“ Lipponer said. “We definitely try to set each other up for success on the field, just like passing wise and looking out for each other.”
With a strong team spirit at play this year, Lipponer attributes finishing her impressive college career on such a high note to the support of her teammates and coach. GOJASPERS/COURTESY
Meghan Rodino playing lacrosse. GOJASPERS/COURTESY
With a strong team spirit at play this year, Lipponer attributes finishing her impressive college career on such a high note to the support of her teammates and coach. “It was really a great senior year. I couldn’t have done it without all my teammates and coach of course just always supporting me,” said Lipponer. “It’s been a really awesome way to go out and the team together this year too has always been awesome. The chemistry on the field off the field has been great.” With their time as student athletes coming to a close, Lipponer and Rodino hope to take the skills that they have acquired the past four years beyond the field. Lipponer, a childhood special education major, noted the similarities between the skills needed in lacrosse and her future career as an educator. “I think definitely [through]
performing under pressure and working with a team I realized what a huge skill that I’ve gained after being a part of this program that I think is really gonna help me succeed in my life as a teacher,,” said Lipponer. Rodino, a marketing major, similarly recounted her time as a student athlete and the abundance of skills gained which she hopes to carry into the real world. “In relation to being a student athlete, there’s an abundance of skills that you learn from time management to communication. I think communication is a really, really big one that we learn, just being honest with each other and also on the field you have to use communication 24/7,” said Rodino. Both Lipponer and Rodino have grown since their freshmen year into their current roles as team captains which has positively influenced and
contributed to the team’s family dynamic and successes this season. “They’ve really stepped up and taken advantage of the fact that they are a solid group of captains and they’ve learned a lot from having a really challenging last two years with competing not only against other teams, but competing against the pandemic,” Dingler said. “I think that they’ve really taken that and attributed those lessons to really wanting to create a more family team culture this fall and that has stemmed so much or translated so much to the success of the spring because of how close the team got in the fall. That really trickled down from the captaincy and from them stepping off and using their experience from the last three years as well on the field to our successes this year.”