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Volume CI, Issue 4
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NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
MC Takes Action to Fight Food Insecurity Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
Baseball Is Back! As opening day nears, final repairs to the VCP field are being made. Read more about it in Sports. BRIAN ASARE/ THE QUADRANGLE
Leo Burglaries Stopped, Suspect Arrested C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor
A recent string of burglaries on south campus have been stopped due to the joint efforts of the New York Police Department’s 50th Precinct and Manhattan College Public Safety. Leo Hall, which houses the School of Engineering as well as the communication department, has seen a recent string of burglary attempts on Dec. 26, 2019, Jan. 5, 2020 and Jan. 29, 2020. A suspect was arrested by the NYPD in the early morning hours of January 29th, and is currently involved in what is being described as an ongoing police investigation. According to Director of Public Safety, Peter DeCaro, the same suspect was also arrested for the burglary of Leo Hall taking place on Jan. 5th, but was released due to new NY State bail laws. The accused suspect has been linked to all three burglaries between Dec. 26, 2019 and Jan. 29, 2020. Manhattan College students did not receive a notification of the burglaries through the campus alert system. DeCaro confirmed this was because there were no students, faculty or employees in the
IN NEWS:
Catch up on the Iowa Caucus on p. 4
building at the time and “there were no threats to students or other members of the college community”. There have been no reported lost, stolen or damaged goods at the moment. David Erosa, associate director of Public Safety, described it as an ongoing investigation. The Quad contacted the Office of the Dean for the School of Engineering for a comment regarding possible property stolen or damage, but they declined to comment, also citing the ongoing police investigation. According to DeCaro, the accused suspect is a career criminal whose motive was to enter the building and look for small items with no direct targets. “When I learned of the burglary, I immediately checked all of our facilities in Leo and confirmed that nothing was taken from our areas. The communication department has extra security features to protect our student equipment and facilities,” said Michael Grabowski, Ph.D., Chair of the communication department. Grabowski also mentioned an attention to safety of Leo with respect to the construction next door. “I am concerned about
IN FEATURES: Students travel to Texas-Mexico border to on p.6
the security lapses caused by the construction of the STEM building next to Leo and Leo Science and Engineering renovations. Several times I have seen construction crew members prop open exterior doors that should be closed and locked,” he said. Leo Hall is currently fitted with multiple forms of security. The building gets locked by Public Safety between the hours of 11 p.m. and midni along with monitoring by security cameras, a burglar alarm, and routine round completed by public safety officers throughout the night. Grabowski hopes that efforts to restore the security of the building will soon be in place. “It is my hope that these concerns are addressed, and the completion of construction will restore a secure environment needed for the college,” said Grabowski. Public safety urges Manhattan students to stay aware of their surroundings especially while entering the ID swiping entrances of Leo Hall and RLC. When carding into the building, be conscious of who you may also be holding the door for, and allowing into the building(s).
While some students may dislike the offerings of Locke’s Loft, they are probably highly unaware of how many students may wish they had the funds to eat there. Food insecurity - the inability to consistently obtain meals and nutritious food items - is a growing issue facing college students. Students may be scraping by to pay tuition so they may not have the funds to know when or where their next meal will come from. This insecurity is not a visible one, but there are ways for others to help. After Richard Satterlee, vice president for student life, attended a conference where food insecurity was an issue that was discussed, he came back to campus and brought the issue to the attention of several administrators. Satterlee had them take a webinar by the Educational Advisory Board about a variety of insecurities that college students face but in the end, administrators agreed that food insecurity was the one they could try to tackle. Members of this ad hoc food insecurity committee include, Charles Clency, the director of Residence Life, Marilyn Carter, the director of Commuter Serves and Outreach, and Lois Harr, assistant vice president and director of Campus Ministry and Social Action, as well as representation from the Dean of Students’ office and the Multicultural Center. “This [issue] is impacting campuses all over the country, regarding [how] expensive college [is] today, but we wanted to make sure we were aware and looking into how this might be impacting students on our campus here at Manhattan College,” said Clency. The first initiative the group came up with was #JaspersFoodShare. The hashtag allows
IN A&E:
people to share, over social media, when events or club meetings have left over food. “So it was like, don’t let food go to waste - we just throw it away after a certain point - and also somebody, maybe, with a need can get a meal. That’s all good but that’s kind of like, well if you’re lucky enough to be around when we luckily happen to have some food left over, is that really a way to address food insecurity for people?” said Harr. Another initiative that popped up last spring was one to create a mini food pantry in the Multicultural Center. Non-perishable food items were collected and then made available to students who may have needed them. “I think we got off to a late start and marketing it and so on and so forth. So I had all this food and so we said okay, what are we going to do with it? We had this initiative going on, so what we ended up doing was last year, I did healthy snacks for finals week for commuters and we put out the bags [of groceries] and they went, they went immediately,” said Carter. The newest initiative was just recently announced to students. Resident students received an email from Residence Life on Jan. 31, informing them of a new initiative to “Swipe Out Hunger at MC.” Resident students now have the option to donate any amount of Jasper and Dining Dollars to help out any other MC students who may be facing food insecurity. As of right now, this program does not accept swipes into Locke’s Loft. “Food Insecurity among college students is real, and a new report from Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights the breadth of those affected. There are potentially millions of students at risk of __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
IN SPORTS:
Players recognized Jasper Baseball returns to Van at KCACTF Cortlandt Park on on p. 10 p. 14
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the Quadrangle Volume CI, Issue 4
THE QUADRANGLE
LET T ER from The Editor Hi readers!
FEBRUARY 11, 2020
The Editorial Board Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
Maria Thomas News Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons Anna Woods Asst. News Editors
Alexa Schmidt Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor
Jilleen Barrett Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Christine Nappi Features Editor
Jessica McKenzie Asst. Features Editor
Pete Janny Sports Editor Managing Editor
Caroline McCarthy Asst. Sports Editor
C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor
Samantha Walla Production Manager
Brian Asare Photography Editor
Sophia Sakellariou Production Editor
Emily Hollar Asst. Photography Editor Asst. Production Editor
Kelly Kennedy Nicole Rodriguez Asst. Production Editors
Madalyn Johnson Katherine Heneghan Web Editors Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news 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.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the first few issues! Everyone has been writing so much that there hasn’t been room for me to write to you. This week we wrote so much that we’re publishing 16 pages, instead of our usual 12. I have some exciting news for you but before I get there, I want to recognize some particular members of our staff who have been doing a great job. Samantha Walla, our Production Manager, has been making fantastic graphics for both Manhattan Caucus and for “Struck by Q-pid,” in addition to the work she already does. Her work is super important and I am so grateful to have such a reliable PM. Rose Brennan and Megan Dreher have done a fabulous job so far with Manhattan Caucus. They have committed themselves to breaking down the overflow of information regarding the election in ways that are digestable and meaningful for students. August Kissel and Rose Brennan have taken what was once a funny, “Hey what if?” idea and made it a real thing that we’re all excited about. I can’t wait to see what they do with “Struck by Q-pid” and I hope you have fun following along. Pete Janny and Alexa Schmidt have been wonderful Managing Editors. Whenever I have a question or need a favor, they are always so willing to help me out. I would not get this job done without them. Pete Janny and Caroline McCarthy have been doing a great job keeping the Sports section filled. What was once our weakest section is now consistently robust and diverse. Maria Thomas and Christine Nappi have stepped into their roles as section editors with enthusiasm and curiosity and I am so proud of the work they have done so far. I could go on forever about how wonderful this staff is but I hope you could already tell just from the quality of the work they have been doing week to week. Now for the exciting news: We will be announcing the SpringFest artist in next week’s issue! We already know who it is and we’re so excited to tell you! Make sure you pick up a copy next week to read all about it! Happy reading!
Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief Sincerely,
Connect with The Quadrangle
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SUBMIT YOUR OWN LET T ER OR OP-ED Letters to the Editor or an op-ed may be submitted to thequad@manhattan.edu by Saturday at noon to be considered for publication. Profanity, vulgarity and hate will not be published. The Quadrangle reserves the right not to publish a letter.
FEBRUARY 11, 2020
Opinions & Editorials
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Meet Your MatchMakers! Seniors August Kissel and Rose Brennan lead the match-making service now known as “Struck by Q-pid.” Participants filled out a Google Form answering questions about themselves, and the two MatchMakers set up dates based on the answers.
Name: “Hotter Than” August Kissel
Name: “Will You Accept This” Rose Brennan
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Major: International Studies, minors in Spanish and Re-
ligious Studies
Favorite Color: Yellow Ideal Date?
Going to an art museum! I get nervous (like we all do before a big date) and art museums always have the magic to calm me down. My personal favorites and recommendations include the Met, because who doesn’t love an endless supply of art and a rooftop with a view? Or going to the MoMA on one of their Free Friday’s. There is always something to talk about as you stroll through or you can copy the poses of the pieces!
Favorite Place to Eat around Campus?
I LOVE Greek Food! Greek Express is my recommendation all day, every day! The atmosphere is cute, the food is great and always vegetarian friendly! My go to order is feta and dolmades for an appetizer, and either the falafel pita or the orzo salad for dinner. Another great thing to try if you really love cheese is Halloumi.
Why did you want to be one of the match makers?
As a member of the Quad for the past four years, we have always had a really professional relationship with the MC community, as we should as a student run college newspaper. I loved the energy that this new service has brought to the paper and the new connections we are going to make with our community. I also have been in the dating app world and if you’re anything like me you find to be terrifying, so if I can provide a less intimidating service I’m happy to help! I also just have loved reading through profiles and working to start matching folks up, I want to go on friend dates with everyone who has sent in a form, they all seem so brave and sweet!
Major: English and Communication with a concentration in journalism Favorite Color: Red Ideal Date? I think New York City is the most romantic place in the world. I’ve never been to Paris, but I think I’ve seen enough. I would love to spend the day walking around Central Park, going to get lunch or dinner in the area, maybe go to a museum, go shopping, or really anything as long as I’m with that special someone. Except ice skating. I hate ice skating. Favorite Place to Eat around Campus? I am a Yokohama Sushi girl! I’ve been on countless dates there: the food is reasonably priced and yummy, and it’s usually not too loud, so it’s a great place all around. Why did you want to be one of the match makers? As cliche as it sounds, I believe in the power of love, and I believe it is the most beautiful thing in the world. And I am so thrilled that my fellow Jaspers are open to trying out something new and crazy … we’d never think we got the response that we did. I’m one of the few in my generation that has actually never used a dating app, so I thought it would be interesting to take a deep dive into this matchmaking game to kind of see what it holds for all of these potential matches. This is all new to August, me, and all of you that signed up, and I can’t wait to go on this journey with you all!
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Manhattan Caucus:
THE QUADRANGLE
Io-what the Heck Happened? Rose Brennan & Megan Dreher Senior Writers
Many thought that the upheaval of the 2016 Democratic National Convention was the messiest display ever showcased by American Democrats. But the DNC may have just been unseated by the 2020 Iowa caucuses. On Feb. 3, exactly nine months before Election Day, the 2020 primary season kicked off in Iowa. But this “kickoff” was just about as disastrous as it could have been, akin to the ball getting kicked into the stands and hitting two spectators in the face. Usually, when the doors close at the Iowa caucuses at 7 p.m. local time, initial polling numbers are less than an hour away. But hours upon hours passed, TV commentators said the same things over and over to fill dead air and the rest of America fell asleep without knowing who claimed victory in the initial primary vote of 2020. The night ended with a whopping zero percent of Iowa districts reporting their polling numbers. Polling numbers were announced sporadically throughout the week. Initial numbers were announced on Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. with 62 percent of districts reporting. Gradually, more and more districts reported, and the final count was released on Feb. 6, but the final count was deemed too close to call. This technical difficulty was largely blamed on the failure of the new Shadow app, used by the caucuses to have an electronic tally of the re-
sults. However, the approach to counting the votes soon went from 21st century to 19th century, as polling place after polling place resorted to paper ballots. Several news outlets reported Shadow’s funding from previous and current Democratic presidential candidates, including former mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Vice President Joe Biden. Since 2000, every Democratic candidate that won the Iowa caucus went on to secure the party’s nomination for president. If this remains true, then it is good news for either Sen. Bernie Sanders or former mayor Pete Buttigieg. As of press time, the race has still been deemed “too close to call,” but both candidates were in a dead heat for first place with 100 percent of districts reporting. Buttigieg currently has 13 delegates pledged to him from the caucuses, while Sanders has 12. Both Sanders and Buttigieg separately declared victory in the caucuses. Buttigieg said, “Iowa, you have shocked the nation. By all indications, we are going to New Hampshire victorious,” in both his victory speech the night of the caucus and later on his official Twitter account. Sanders, however, waited until the following day to declare victory. When he made the statement, he was ahead of Buttigieg by 6,000 votes with 97 percent of precincts reporting. “When 6,000 more people come out for you in an election than your nearest opponent, we here in Northern New England call that a victory,” he said. In addition to Buttigieg and Sanders, three other candidates left Iowa with at least a
few pledged candidates in their pockets. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts placed third with eight delegates. Biden placed fourth, in what the New York Times described as a “damaging blow” to his campaign. Nevertheless, he received six delegates in the caucus. Finally, Sen. Amy Klobuchar placed fifth with a grand total of one delegate. Usually, the Iowa caucuses would be enough excitement for one week. But quite a lot happened in the realm of politics this week: a State of the Union address, an acquittal of impeachment for President Donald Trump and the ninth Democratic Debate, which was held in Manchester, N.H. four days before the New Hampshire primaries. This time, seven of the twelve remaining candidates qualified for the debate: Biden, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Sanders, businessman Tom Steyer, Warren, and businessman Andrew Yang. Despite a lackluster performance in the caucus, Klobuchar performed quite well at the debate, delivering some of her one-line zingers in addition to some criticism for Buttigieg, one of her main rivals for the moderate Democrat vote. Warren also stood out for her comments on race in America, and made it a strong talking point. Unfortunately, aside from that, she essentially faded into the background for most of the debate, which could be troublesome for her heading into the New Hampshire primaries. Biden also had a lackluster performance at the debate, which unfortunately has come to be expected. He simply is not as strong of a speaker as
his fellow candidates, but he nevertheless has the name recognition and national polling numbers to do well in the primary season. This week has been nothing short of a whirlwind of chaos for American politics in general, particularly as it relates to the Iowa caucus. Hopefully, the impending New Hampshire primaries will go off without a hitch. And, unfortunately, it is quite likely that the American
public will have final polling numbers from New Hampshire before Iowa. Editor’s note: Rose Brennan is an editorial intern at The Riverdale Press.
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Manhattan College Takes Action to Fight Food Insecurity __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 being food insecure, which means students do not have access to nutritious, affordable food,” said Residence Life in the email. The email also provided students with a link, www.tinyurl. com/SwipeOutHungerMC, where students could input their information and list what kind of donation they would like to make. Notice of the new available pool of funds - which has seen several donations and was estimated to be over $500 by Harr - will be sent out to those who may need it. “AJ [Goodman] is crafting a note that we would send to the commuter students - the thinking is, if you’re a resident student, you have to have some kind of meal plan. So one would think you might not be having a lot of food insecurity if you’re a resident student. The commuter student population some of them have meal plans - but some of them, they might be more the students that we’re talking about in our community that have food insecurity,” said Harr. Those who need the service will be able to submit their need through a web page. Funds will then be allocated on a case by case basis. “What happens from here is that the Dean of Students is working on giving people who made need this service [access to it] because we think that folks’ confidentiality and conference should be private,” said Clency. So far, some student reaction to the new initiative has been positive. “I think it’s good. It solves - not solves - but seeks to solve
a national problem. It’s an example of somewhere on this campus, getting to a problem and solving it as quick as they can, rather than going through loopholes. And I think if it works, even if we just help one person, it’s better,” said senior Rabea Ali. However, not everyone is familiar with the issue which can make support from students hard to garner. “Initially, I found it a bit surprising. It’s one of those things that I’ve never heard of being a problem before. You know, I’ve never had a friend or student here talk to me and say they can’t afford food here,” said junior student Alex Van Vollenhoven. However, Van Vollenhoven believes a balance needs to be found between what are students’ responsibilities and the institution’s responsibilities. “I think that I was [initially] responding to is more of an institutional problem with the entirety of colleges in the U.S., but the school is still as a whole, it still has that responsibility to reach out to the students directly and not rely on us to help each other,” said Van Vollenhoven. “The school in general should be more open about what kind of problems the campus is even facing before they try to take up these initiatives, you know, because, it’s one of the things you don’t hear about much.” Ali feels the school has found a sufficient enough balance. “I think that [believing the school should be more active in funding the cause] shouldn’t minimize other people’s efforts. I would also argue that Jasper food share, as a concept, is an institutional thing. Because it is different departments, dif-
ferent bodies, like chipping in, so in a way it is institutional. It’s just previously that money and that food wasn’t being used to its best efficiency,” said Ali. The issue of food insecurity and the roles every person and body on Manhattan College’s campus play in solving it, is of concern to the school as a Lasallian institution. The issue of food insecurity brings four of five Lasallian core principles to the table: respect for all persons, concern for the poor and social justice, inclusive community and quality education. In terms of quality education, it is known that hunger can impact a student’s ability to learn. “I mean, food insecurity is not just giving someone food but it’s a whole concept. I mean it plays on the academics. If you’re sitting in class and you’re hungry, you know, you’re thinking about math, are you thinking about, okay, I gotta find some way to stop my stomach from growling,” said Carter. The privacy of the website request for funding helps expand the inclusivity of the program for students in the community. “When you have things where people have to physically go or ask, people just don’t feel very comfortable having to do that.This will be different because it’s all online. And it’s all like you do it to the emails and money will digitally be transferred from the fund to your card. So you go to the dining hall and you just swipe your card. It’s nothing distinguishing anybody from anybody else, so it just seemed more inclusive,” said Harr. While this is the committee’s latest initiative in regards to the issue of food insecurity,
The email that was sent to Manhattan College students regarding Dining Dollar donations. MANHATTAN COLLEGE / COURTESY the group of administrators are going to continue working to come up with new ideas to bridge the gap on this insecurity as the year goes on. Regardless of Manhattan College’s status as a Lasallian institution, Carter believes the issue of food insecurity is one that students and administration should care about. “I’m a human being. I think it’s the social worker in me, the teacher in me that I went to
school for that, that reacts to the needs of other people. We are a Lasallian school, we’re here to help. That’s one [part] of the mission statement is to help others, to help mankind, so they sort of go hand in hand. We have a group of people who feel the same way and sort of think the same way, so we decided we’re going to do everything that we can try to make this work,” said Carter.
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Features
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THE QUADRANGLE
Welcoming Strangers: Jaspers Without Borders Caroline McCarthy Asst. Sports Editor
Riverdale women and two Manhattan College students found community alongside asylum seekers during their service trip to Brownsville, Texas in January. This trip, organized by Marti Michael, provided food, clothing, and supplies to migrants living in the encampment at Matamoros, Mexico. Matamoros is home to the largest migrant camp to date, with over 1,500 people living in tents for months at a time. They are waiting for their chance to apply for entrance to the United States. “I have been traveling solo to and across the border for the past year, helping asylum seekers,” Michael said. “I have always been a social activist and when the stories broke in the media and I saw the conditions in immigration detention and at the time last year, when detainees were released by ICE, my heart would not let me stay home and watch it on TV. I had to go and help.” Michael’s efforts were recognized by friends who asked to accompany her on the next trip. Her selflessness and inspiration to serve brought together many Riverdale women, volunteers previously serving at the Overground Railroad in Ohio and Manhattan College Students Ireland Twiggs, a junior peace studies and religious studies double major and Anna Rosario, a senior international studies major with minors in Spanish and peace studies. Twiggs met Michael through their work at the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Center. Twiggs is an assistant at the center and Michael is on the board. Twiggs initially became involved in this effort through a supply drive for asylum seekers sent on 30 hour bus rides with no food, toiletries, or fresh clothing. Even after reaching America, their journey still isn’t done. The people on these buses frequently have children, and still have to endure over a days commute with no living essentials. “When migrants are sent to their sponsors they are put on a bus for hours with nothing. So [Marti] started a donation drive, and I held a donation drive on campus for the Overground Railroad,” Twiggs said. While living with these sponsors, asylum seekers wait for their official hearing. This drive benefitted the
migrants bused to sponsors in the U.S. for over 30 hours with nothing. Twiggs called on the Manhattan College community and her own family for donations while Michael found donors in the community. Together they collected items such as sanitary wipes, food, toys for children and clothes. After the drive, Twiggs and Rosario felt an overwhelming need to accompany Michael on her next trip to the border. “I’m really passionate about immigration rights and the issues at the border, being hispanic myself. I led L.O.V.E. El Paso in January of 2019, and that really sparked my interest in that part of the world,” Rosario said. During her initial trip, Rosario worked in migrant shelters in El Paso, helping those who had been released by ICE. Duties included giving them clothes, food, a place to stay and other miscellaneous tasks. For Rosario, that meant helping with showers. “I would help women cut their pants off [before showering] because they had ankle bracelets on. They had to be monitored and it essentially looked like they were animals,” Rosario said. These ankle bracelets are provided by ICE to track asylum seekers as an alternative to detention. “When migrants get released by ICE, after they go through their weeks or months at the detention centers, after going through the legal process of seeking asylum they need to contact their sponsors,” Rosario said. Michael also assisted in contacting sponsors and assisting migrants released by ICE last year at the Overground Railroad in Ohio. “This experience really helped shape my adult faith,” Rosario said. “It made me want to be a warrior for social justice.” Twiggs has also participated in L.O.V.E. trips such as L.O.V.E. Ecuador and L.O.V.E. New Orleans, and is also leading L.O.V.E. Bethlehem this March. She found similarities in her service trips through social injustice and the dangers of ostracizing people from each other. “Bethlehem and Mexico were actually my two case studies for my peace major because both of them have border issues and both of them have walls,” Twiggs said. “I’m exploring the idea of what a border is and how it marginalizes certain communities.” “I think the education and the training we received from
going on and leading L.O.V.E. trips really helped us with the Brownsville trip,” Rosario said. This year, the women spent a week in Texas traveling the international bridge by foot everyday to give food and supplies to the migrants living in the camps. Rosario recounts that it costs about one U.S. dollar to get into Mexico and about 30 cents to get back into the States. “You get stopped halfway through [the foot bridge] for border control to check your passport. You go through, it looks like an airport area, then they scan your documents to make sure they’re legit,” Rosario said. “We really didn’t have any issues because we had World Central Kitchen stickers on everything we were bringing with us,” Twiggs said. Lugging wagons of food and supplies, volunteers crossed the bridge to the encampments where they worked alongside World Central Kitchen, a
Manhattan students Anna Rosario (left) and Ireland Twiggs (right) join a protest in the U.S. side of the border. MARTI MICHAEL/COURTESY program primarily dedicated to serving food to those in need during times of natural disasters. “There is no typical day volunteering,” Michael said. Volunteers also spend Sundays volunteering at the school, doing chores at the refugee shelter run by the Sisters of Providence, and the teachers of the group spent time teaching refugees from the Congo who had traveled
to Mexico English and Math. Some even spent a day at immigration court to observe proceedings. “Everyone is human. We are all the same,” Michael said. “I am Jewish. All religions have a similar teaching-welcome to strangers. Treat the stranger as you would want to be treated.”
[ABOVE AND BELOW] The Jaspers Without Borders group volunteers. MARTI MICHAEL/COURTESY
Features
FEBRUARY 11 2020
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Her Campus Chapter Celebrates Anniversary
For those interested, you can visit hercampus.com/school/manhattan to learn more. KELLY KENNEDY / THE QUADRANGLE
Nicole Fitzsimmons & Kelly Kennedy Asst. News Editor & Asst. Production Editor
On Jan. 29, Manhattan College’s Her Campus chapter reached its one year anniversary of being relaunched. The blog has grown tremendously and has proven itself to be an effective space for students to express themselves over the past year by providing a creative outlet by women, for women.
Her Campus is an online women’s magazine that allows students to have the freedom to write about whatever interests them most, whether that be fashion, beauty, academia, fitness or anything in between. The online chapter that had been previously established was inactive until junior elementary and special education major, Michaela Carnesi, relaunched the site in the fall of 2018. After transferring from Muhlenberg College and contributing to Her Campus at that institution, she felt that MC would benefit from
having a public blog where students could write about topics that matter to them. Currently, Michaela Carnesi is the Co-Campus Correspondent for Her Campus. What makes Her Campus so unique is that it is not a registered student organization, meaning that the blog does not necessarily have to adhere to the Student Engagement rules. Through the blog, students have been able to express themselves in matters from sexual health, school work, lifestyle, to politics. The growth
of the chapter at MC in the past year has allowed for greater representation of different topics. “Our articles are not censored by the school, giving us more of an opportunity to write about topics that matter to students,” Carnesi said. Alongside their ability to write about almost any topic, students that write for the blog gain a sense of individuality by expressing themselves freely. Assistant Editor Katie Doyle found that aside from gaining more writing experience, Her Campus allowed her to find the voice she had been missing in her writing. As an English major, most of her writing assignments consist of long and structured essays that need to follow a thesis. When writing for Her Campus, her thoughts are able to flow more naturally and she can insert her personal voice more directly into her writing. “The other night, I was at a bar with my boyfriend and his parents watching the Super Bowl, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna write about this, like being the only woman at a bar… how I experience the Super Bowl differently, stuff like that.’ So I think it’s just, opened my mind up to the fact that we can write about anything we want. And any experience that we have is a valuable experience to be part
of our network” Doyle said. The blog has expanded greatly in size and popularity over the past year. The MC chapter was chosen to be a part of Her Campus March Madness due to increasing page views and social media growth. Carnesi highlighted the fact that this was a major goal for the blog from the start. Staff Writer Jess Villano has seen the growth of Manhattan’s Her Campus first hand. “I’ve been writing for Her Campus for quite a while and just the sheer number of writers and people interested in it has increased. It’s growing in size and popularity on campus, but besides that, I think the magazine has grown in the topics that are being covered. More and more writers are taking on more complicated projects and transitioning from just a female demographic to cover current events in the media” Villano said. At the end of this semester, Christine Nappi will be taking over as Campus Correspondent. In the future, members are planning on fundraising and emerging more into the MC community. Editor’s Note: Christine Nappi is Features Editor of The Quadrangle.
Cycling Studio Brings Wellness to Riverdale Samantha Walla Production Manager
Riverdale isn’t the capital of trendy, health-conscious fitness facilities, but iLiv Cycling on West 238 Street is the first green spin studio that offers affordable cycling classes and acai bowls for the community without compromising on quality. After a period of construction, iLiv opened in July 2019, offering classes seven days a week in the morning and evening. Rates are $17 with a student rate of $13. The team behind the family business has aspired to open a fitness facility for sometime. Christopher McCray and his mother, both personal trainers, and wife, Raidirys, a dancer, owned a facility on Long Island but didn’t have a hand in designing the concept. For iLiv, the concept seemed to develop on its own. “The construction took several months and then we started to implement the vision but it kind of took its own form. The color schemes happened on its own, the infrastructure happened on its own, the concept of the acai bowls… Things just kind of started to
bloom in here.” The spirit of the studio is a direct reflection of the lifestyle that Raidirys and Christopher live, which brings the “My husband and I are vegan,” said Raidirys. “At home we’re super plant-based, we’re practically raw, and doTERRA, the essential oils, is something that is very important to us. We wanted to facilitate that somehow in the community.” Despite owning in Long lsland, the couple returned to Riverdale, Christopher’s hometown, to serve the community. “We realized we were sitting on something very awesome, because we’re not only providing fitness that’s easy, fun gets the job done, but we’re also providing an environment that’s friendly, calm, comforting and scientifically proven healthy for the mind,” said Raidirys. iLiv has found that many members of the community are thrilled to have a business prioritizing health and positivity in the neighborhood with so many long-standing businesses. The studio’s next step is outreach. They hope to hire interns to work with marketing and interacting with interested
customers and teachers. The studio hopes that the community will be able to take advantage of the location and prices instead of traveling to Manhattan for expensive cycling classes. “I think it was a combination of both me and my husband putting our life experiences together. He’s always been a business owner, within himself he’s very forward thinking,” said Raidirys. “I was a party girl from New York City, I lived in the city most of my life. So that’s really all I knew. And I think merging the the experience that I’ve had, the culture that I’ve had, and also his desire to like do something impactful.” iLiv has already connected with Manhattan College students and organizations, and hopes to continue to do so in the future. Katie Doyle, a junior English major, organized a promotional class for the writers of Her Campus. “Everyone at iLiv was so kind, and our instructor, Karim, was so engaging and enthusiastic, and we had a great time,” said Doyle. “Our writers had so much fun writing about the event afterwards, and the articles turned out great.” Junior Emily Anderson also
caption SAMANTHA WALLA / THE QUADRANGLE took a class with Karim. “I really liked Karim, he did a really good class,” said Anderson. “The instructors were all really nice.” The owners of iLiv also have plans for the space next door to become a vegan cafe and apothecary. “You’ll be able to come in and get your plants, get your crystals, get your healing line,” Raidirys said. “We’ll have some consultations, understanding what’s best for you and how that works with Western medicine.” The space is currently used for events while the kitchen
comes together. The events will range from poetry nights to nights focusing on negative affirmations that can affect womb-health. Despite the changes and extensive preparation that both businesses require, iLiv is excited to bring their energy to the Riverdale community. “I think that we’re still satisfied with what we’re providing,” said Raidirys. “We’re providing aroma therapy, mental health, and fitness and wellness. And then [next door], we’re providing nutrition, you know, and love, I think.”
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What’s New with the LWGRC? Anna Woods
Asst. News Editor Tucked away in the corner of the 3rd floor of Kelly Commons lies the Lasallian Women and Gender Research Center or the LWGRC. A room where women can come for advice, find a safe space and to advocate for gender equality here at Manhattan College. This semester, the LWGRC hopes to continue to make a difference on campus. For the 2020 spring semester, Ashley Cross, Ph.D., will be stepping in as Co-Director. This role was previously filled by Jordan Pascoe, Ph.D, and Nataia Imperatori-Lee, Ph.D, who are both currently on sabbatical. Cross is currently an English professor here at MC and is excited to get more involved with the center and everything they’re doing. Cross says she is most excited to be a part of the wonderful community that makes the LWGRC. “The great work the center does on campus and off [is what drew me to this position.] I also have a long history of working on women and gender issues on campus, as I develop the Women and Gender Studies minor and have been teaching classes about women and gender issues since I started here in 1996,” Cross said. She continued. “The chance to work on women and gender social jus-
tice issues with graduate assistant Jo-Ann Mullooly, the wonderful Gender Justice Advocates and interns, and all the clubs and groups with whom we partner and collaborate--to be part of this community and make changes on campus on women’s and gender issues. One of the things the center does is work to bridge groups and academic schools and to build community through its educational programming and healing efforts.” With a new co-director comes many new projects. Most recently, the LWGRC came together to get free menstrual products in many of the women’s bathrooms on campus, as covered previously by the Quad. Senior Carly Brownell, just began working at the center this semester. “The biggest, most recent accomplishment of the center was helping to get free menstrual product dispensers in several bathrooms on campus as a way to help combat period poverty on campus,” Brownell said. “On this same theme, I am hoping to continue to work on addressing both period poverty and the stigma around talking about periods on this campus.” This semester the LWGRC has many exciting projects in the works for students to look forward to. Women’s Week is March fourth through 12 and includes Take Back the Night, with chicana poet
Rachel McKibben and the Clothesline project, as well as events on women and the vote; an Activism Excursion to the Leslie Lohman Museum of Art: The Future is Queer; a WRCM live show of bands fundraiser; a women and STEM event with Clare Bruff, Senior Manager, Leadership Development and Diversity at American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME); a women and Business event on Women and the Blockchain; “Agitating The Charism: Sex and Manhattan College” with Dr. Judith Plaskow (Religious Studies), Gabby Kasper, and Alyssa Zduniak; Agape Latte with. Dr. Stephanie Powell. Other events happening this semester include a Period Party, Love in the Dark, #Metoo Mondays, playwright Eva O’Connor, artist Malak Mattar with WAGS, events with the Veterans on inclusion in the military, a LaSallian Workshop on consent, an event with Sanctuary Families on the Equality Model, Freshmen Women’s Circle, and continued work on sexual assault support resources on campus. This is just a small taste of the work being done. And all of this is student-led. It’s wonderful to take part in all this.” “The best way to stay up to date in terms of events and programs is to follow us on instagram @MC_LWGRC,” Brownell said. Jo Ann Mullooly, a graduate
Ashley Cross Ph.D., will be taking over as co-Director as the previous two co-directors are on sabbatical. MANHATTAN COLLEGE / COURTESY assistant in the center, says “I would encourage every student to visit the LWGRC at least once this semester. You will see what all the fuss is about. I’ve met so many wonderful students this semester that have found a home in our space on campus. Many of them stopped simply because of word of mouth. Some knew to come visit us because they
were seeking advice, words of encouragement, or during peak stress weeks of the semester. The faculty, staff, and students involved with the space are some of the kindest people on this campus, and I’m not just saying that because I work there! There is a very special ambiance when you enter the space.”
Big Ideas In February Tiny Talk: The Future Is Africa
Jessica McKenzie Asst. Features Editor
Manhattan College students were treated to a Tiny Talk called “The Future Is Africa” on Wed., Feb. 5 by sophomore early childhood education major, Mamaby Ballo. Tiny Talks are held every other Wednesday in the Multicultural Center. Ballo is the CEO and founder of Help Kids in Côte d’Ivoire, a non-profit organization that aims to pay for one year of schooling for children in a safe and innovative space. The organization was founded five years ago when Ballo was thirteen years old, visiting family in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa. So far, the organization has reached over 2,000 kids. “I fell in love with the kids’ energy. They were happy with what they have, running around and playing, and that’s
what brought me to start a nonprofit to help them,” Ballo said. Ballo made it clear to her standing-room audience in the Multicultural Center that though Africa is poor, it is not the jobless, malnourished continent that much of the media portrays it to be. It actually has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Since 2000, the number of African children enrolled in primary schools has increased from 6 million to 150 million. “The future Africa leads to its population growth, technology advancement, infrastructure growth and economy boom,” Ballo said. Africa contains 54 countries, natural resources that hold 30 percent of the world’s known mineral reserves, over 1,500 languages and about 1.216 billion people. The population of Africa is estimated to increase from 1 billion in 2016
to 3 billion in 2065. “Africa will start to look like Dubai. It will start to look like Egypt. You will want to travel there,” Ballo said. Tech startups across Africa have raised over 129 million and investment fundings in 2016. Africa is home to many entrepreneurs, such as singer Akon. Akon has started his own cryptocurrency and solar panels, creating a multimillion dollar company. Akon owes much of his success to his sister, Khady Thiam Gueye. Countries across Africa will now be changing their currency for the first time since 1954. France will have 50 percent of their reserves. Another successful entrepreneur is Nigerian Temitope Ogunsemi. He founded Krystal Digital, a fast-growing educational technology company that has reached fifty schools.
South African Mosa is another entrepreneur that Ballo admires. Mosa is the co-founder of a solar business that works to provide clean, affordable energy and West African countries. Ballo holds an admiration for the successful women of Africa. She shared that the tallest building in Africa is 55 stories, built by 50 female architects. “Women in Africa have recently found an improvement in governmental equality, they are actually being treated fairly,” Ballo said. Africa holds notable achievements in medicine and dentistry. Cape Town University has been declared the number one spot for its dentistry and as Western medicine. Countries such as the U.S. and France rely on the continent of Africa for medical issues such as the cure for malaria. 16 countries in Africa report higher ratings
of vaccinations than the U.S. alone. Though Africa has had many astounding achievements that are often overlooked internationally, Ballo acknowledges that the people of Africa are the reason for every one of Africa’s successes. “The people In Africa are the core to everything. They are the main reasons people travel [to Africa],” Ballo said. On March 8, Ballo will be hosting a Women’s Day brunch to fundraise for providing menstrual hygiene products to 300 young women of Côte d’Ivoire. This event will take place in The Conversation Room at 653 Malcom X Blvd from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. “Africa is an opportunity that is being shaped by and for the African people,” Ballo said.
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Painting, Healing and Resistance August Kissel & Samantha Walla Senior Writer & Production Manager
Malak Mattar is only twenty years old. She is studying political science in Istanbul, Turkey. She is also traveling the world presenting her artwork about the feminine experience in state undergoing a territorial dispute. Mattar grew up on the Gaza Strip. In 2014, during a period of bombings and attacks, Mattar began trying to seek refuge from her daily experience the war taking place outside of her door. It was here she discovered water color painting. For 51 days, Mattar was kept at home with her parents with no electricity, no water and no access to food. During this time, Mattar lost relatives and neighbors who were close to her, spending her days listening to a small radio that reported the number of people who had been killed. “I was looking for anything to just distract myself… having nothing to do, but just that radio,” said Mattar. “So I looked, I opened that gift box that I got from my school and I suddenly had these watercolors. It was like I never thought of opening it. But at that time, I think, ‘I’m just gonna grab it. I’m gonna just give my time.’ And then I started drawing and sketching.” At this time when Mattar and her family were under incredible stress and found it difficult to talk, Mattar was able to express her feelings through art. “I felt like I felt better. Like, it felt like art has been kind of a therapy. So I’ve started painting And that time I do not care of whether I will be bombed or not, or I will be killed or not. I just wanted to make more art. So, I find myself just speaking through my artwork,” said Mattar. These pieces focus on themes regarding peace, death, belonging, and the female experience within these realms. One year after Mattar began painting, her art was featured in a solo exhibition, and after that her art began to travel the world without her. They were featured in France, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and the United States. “It was almost like my paintings were more free than me. I would send my paintings anywhere but I would not be there in person,” said Mattar. This was tied to her citizenship and living on the Gaza Strip. Mattar’s ability to travel was hindered by both the surrounding conflict and her position as a woman. These struggles have informed the subject matter of her paintings.
“I only paint women, because it’s basically I am a woman myself, I feel like I need to support myself. And I also need to empower and support the other women who don’t have this, like this has this blessing of freedom,” added Mattar. Due to societal and state expectations, Mattar was not anticipating the opportunity to travel the world with her art. Therefore she made a deal with her parents, that if she was the top of her class, then she would be allowed to study in Turkey and with that visa be able to begin travelling with her art. Mattar sometimes studied for 17 hours a day with her goal in mind. Mattar finally achieved a GPA of 99.3, the highest in Gaza Strip and the second highest in Palestine. Mattar was soon on her way to live and study in Turkey, but she did not know that her studies would be easy compared to the process of traveling. Mattar has since begun studying political science in Turkey, as her university has no fine arts program. However, Mattar continues to study while travelling the world telling her testimony about what it was like growing up in Palestinian territory, and how it influences herself and her art. “I’m really interested in the ways in which you practice freedom, in the ways you practice mobility and the ways in which you practice feminism,” said Roksana Badruddoja, Ph.D., a professor of sociology and women and gender studies at Manhattan College. “The idea of naming women and believing women and then constituting our identities into the larger Palestintian history I think is really, really important. So your practice of feminism, I think, is seminal.” Mattar’s art differs from traditional Palestinian art, which typically features embroidery, women and Palestinian culture. Her influences included Pablo Picasso and Rosie the Riveter, as well as Palestiniant artists such as Nabil Anani. “And in all my artwork, I always try to do the bigger image of life in Palestine is not only what you see in the media, but it’s also a complete life where people adapt itself under occupation and under siege,” said Mattar. “So despite everything we call the scene in space, still have this leftover culture tradition and this product that you are posting in and you can simplify your life to your country and that feeling that you belong and all the stories that you were born to me and as a student, I always every morning at school, they like the main I was singing the national anthem at the Coliseum. And day by day you feel the love.”
Malak Mattar takes inspiration from a variety of art styles including American icon Rosie the Riveter. MALAK MATTAR / COURTESY
“The Survival of the Dove” by Malak Mattar. MALAK MATTAR / COURTESY
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M.C. Players Gain Recognition and Honor at The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Gillian Puma Senior Writer
The Manhattan College Players found themselves taking their talent outside of Manhattan College, taking on a new stage for The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. A select number of students from the Players were chosen to perform at the festival in Cape Cod, Mass. Respondents from the festival come to see the musicals and plays performed throughout the year. After watching the students perform, the respondents nominate certain cast members to compete in the festival. The festival had sever-
al different workshops for students to participate in. Camryn Kidney, Maren Kain and Jenn Bueti competed in the Irene Ryan competition, while Maria Summerville competed for the Richard Maltby Jr. Award for Musical Theatre Excellence. Kathryn Ronan was nominated for stage management and Alyssa Zduniak competed in dramaturgy. The Players took home some honorable mentions, with Kidney and Bueti reaching the semi-finals for the Irene Ryan Award; Summerville won 2nd Honorable Place (3rd place) for the Maltby Award. Bueti and Kidney made history by being the first MC students to make it to the semi-finals. They were two of 36 semi-finalists chosen
Maria Summerville accepted 2nd Honorable Mention for the Richard Maltby Jr. Award at the KCACTF. MARIA SUMMERVILLE/COURTESY
from a group of 220 participants. Summerville was nominated for the Maltby Award when respondents saw her performance as Little Becky Two Shoes in the MC Players production of “Urinetown”. “I had to prepare two songs to perform at the festival to compete against all the other students nominated for other shows at their colleges”, Summerville said. Summerville competed against students who were musical theatre majors at their respective colleges. “I was definitely the odd one out,” she said. “It didn’t faze me at all though because the other Manhattan students had camped out in the theater to get front row seats.” Summerville was surprised by the turn of events, as no one from Manhattan College made it past the preliminary rounds in five years for the Maltby Award. “I only packed one stage outfit because I didn’t expect to make it past round one,” she said. “I had no expectations going into it, so when my name was on the list of finalists I was in shock.” When the award ceremony occurred that Saturday, Summerville was slumped back in her seat eating a bag of trail mix. Hearing that she won 2nd Honorable Mention was a surprise and one she took with pride. “It was unreal to know that the hard work I had put in was paid off. J.R. was so proud of everyone that was there and I know that we would have never achieved what we did without him” she said. While the performers get the spotlight, the stage managers make sure
The M.C. Players take a picture on the Cape Cod Community College stage, where their talents were exhibited for the KCACTF. MARIA SUMMERVILLE/COURTESY everything went smoothly for the event. Ronan was the only stage manager present for the festival. As stage manager, Ronan’s responsibilities include making the rehearsal schedule, coordinating with the production team and making sure the show runs smoothly. “I was nominated for my work on Dead Man’s Cell Phone and I was able to go to the festival and present my stage managers book and then get more feedback and compete for a fellowship,” Ronan described the process. “KCACTF also accepts volunteer stage managers to help run their events, so I volunteered and was assigned to the design and tech management expo,” she continued. Her responsibilities in the volunteer position were to keep time for the responders during the performers
presentations. Director James Ryan Caldwell (J.R.) shared his pride in his students performances. This was also Caldwell’s first trip to the KCACTF as a professor. “They were auditioning against students from fouryear conservatory schools with classes dedicated to acting and singing,” he said. “If they were intimidated, they didn’t show it. They kept cool heads and focused on their work and did very well overall,” he said. Caldwell also shared that this was a bonding experience for all of the students that participated. “I would say it was extremely successful not only because of their performances, but in the way they were able to grow closer as a group,” he said.
Join the Quadrangle Weekly Open Meetings TUESDAYS @ 4 P.M. IN Kelly 412
FEBRUARY 11, 2020
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Expanding Art Through MC
Sanctus Artem is a club on campus that promotes the expression of all art forms. RYAN ASKIN/ COURTESY
Christine Nappi Features Editor
If you are looking for a relaxing, freeing environment to express artistic skills, then Sanctus Artem is the club for you. Sanctus Artem is a place where students can practice any kind of art, such as fine, visual, performance and literary art. The organization has been on campus for the past four years and is open to all students, regardless of artistic ability. “We run workshops every Tuesday that try to get people on campus involved in any kind of art that they’re interested in,” club co-president Ryan Askin said. “We try to make it inclusive of all art.” The club hosts art work-
shops on Tuesday afternoons in Hayden 109. These workshops range from traditional drawing and painting classes, to splatter painting and video-editing. In addition to workshops, Sanctus Artem also partners with Coffee House, which is held one Thursday each month, to sponsor students who want to practice performing arts. Sanctus Artem also holds two art shows a year, where students can submit pieces of visual art to be displayed, or can put on performances such as singing or dancing. The goal of the club is to give students a space to practice any form of art freely. “Our mission is basically just to provide some kind of creative space for a campus that’s dominated by the opposite aspects [like] business,
engineering,” Sanctus Artem Communications Secretary Grace Brakenhoff said. This semester, Sanctus Artem is hoping to grow their membership on campus. According to club Co-President Mariajose Blas-Perez, Sanctus Artem is planning to introduce “jam sessions” into their artistic mix. These jam sessions, held in the Thomas Hall performing arts room, are a more casual version of Coffee House. BlasPerez hopes jam sessions will be a way to spark commuter interest and involvement in the club. In addition, Sanctus Artem will also be expanding programs that include other forms of expression, such as literary art. “A lot of the projects that we’ve done in the past have been more traditional art in the sense of a lot of drawing and painting,” Blas-Perez said. “We’ve been trying to incorporate more writing because we know some people love writing poetry.” While the club is internally expanding their activities, they also hope to expand externally as well with their involvement on campus by spreading art to other clubs. They are planning on working with various organizations such as the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center, the Muslim Student Association, the Black Student Association and the Green Club. Despite the misconception of art not being a prominent aspect of
these organizations, Sanctus Artem strives to show how art can be seen in anything. “Sometimes people are like, how are you going to incorporate art, but we can literally do anything,” BlasPerez said. “That is always a lot of fun, finding ways to work with other clubs and stuff like that.” The club is particularly looking to work with Take Back the Night, an international event held to help end sexual violence. Students can submit pieces of art to be displayed during the event, which will take place March 22. According to Blas-Perez, if students are looking to submit art for the event, Sanctus Artem can assist them and provide guidance while they create it. In addition to increasing student involvement and expanding art throughout the whole campus, Sanctus Artem will also be continuing a collaborative workshops series with business professor William Foote, Ph.D. Foote, having been classically trained in the art of drawing, held this series last semester with the club and Sanctus Artem is planning for it to continue. Foote will be sharing his artistic knowledge with the club for no additional cost. Members of the club find Sanctus Artem to be an important aspect of the college community for all it can offer to students. It encourages students to practice and
enhance their art in the college community. “We struggled a lot to find the space to do art for a long time, and I feel like having Sanctus Artem on campus definitely brings an aspect of being artistic on campus,” Askin said. “It’s allowed me to have my own creative outlet on campus. Now I can actually go somewhere and do art with people and bounce ideas off each other.” In addition to encouraging art, Blas-Perez describes the club to not only give students a space to practice art, but also promote the awareness of it. “The goal is to bring more art awareness, and art that isn’t just painting or drawing. [It’s] doing pretty much anything,” Blas-Perez said. “Anyone can really do art, even if you don’t know you can always learn.” Sanctus Artem encourages more students to join for all it has to offer them. According to Brakenhoff, the club also has the ability to introduce students to new people. “I didn’t fit in on campus at all, but I took a risk and went to a Sanctus meeting and now I’m the communications secretary,” Brakenhoff said. “It’s honestly a really nice way to meet people, not just artists specifically, but all kinds of creative types. It’s a super chill environment and the lowstakes, creative vibe is really nice.”
Black History Month Begins with Opening Dinner Jessica McKenzie & RJ Giannicchi Asst. Features Editor and Contributor
A celebration of Black History Month was set in motion at Manhattan College campus on Feb. 6 with an Opening Dinner in Smith Auditorium. The event was hosted by the Multicultural Center and the Black Student Union. Students were served African rice, chicken, vegetables and plantains as they viewed many inspiring faces of Black history on the projector slideshow. This includes figures such as Michelle Obama, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King Jr. and Fredrick Douglass. Hayden Greene, director of the Multicultural Center, explained to the full auditorium of students and faculty that Black History Month started with the work of Carter G. Woodson in 1926 when he
created Negro History Week. He was on a mission to teach the history of the African American heritage in schools. Eventually, an entire month was dedicated to the remarkable history of African Americans. It was decided that February would be Black History Month to coordinate with the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. “This is an opportunity for us to come together and talk about the power of the contribution of Black people in this country who have elevated and added to the fabric of our nation.… Black history our history, regardless of your identity. That is what we hope comes across profoundly,” Greene said. Gregory Cowart was the keynote speaker for the event. A graduate from Howard University, Cowart is a project manager of the physical plant at Manhattan College. He is also an ordained minister and the son of a Black Panther. Cowart spent his speech at the dinner challenging the
audience to think about the fact that they were chosen by a higher power to make an impact using his belief in God and belief in the student body of Manhattan College. “What will you do? How will you be a history maker?” Cowart asked. “History is made by those who persevere, not those who give up, not those who missed their opportunity … But those who look for opportunities.” Another person honored during the Opening Dinner was President of the Black Student Union, senior communication major, Pauly Paulicap. Paulicap has only been President of the Black Student Union for one semester, but he has learned the tremendous importance of Black history in a short time. “The older I get, the more educated I become about Black history. I’m starting to celebrate it more and more. [The Black Student Union] gives students a sense of home and community on campus. It provides them an opportunity to be somewhere where they’re
Head of Physical Plant Gergory Cowart delivers inspiring speech during Black History Month Opening dinner. JESSICA MCKENZIE/ THE QUADRANGLE comfortable, and they can freely express what they feel,” Paulicap said. At the end of Cowart’s speech, the night closed with the talents of singer and producer Okema T. Moore. Moore sang four original songs for the audience to close the
Opening Night Dinner, all with messages of empowerment. “Some people complain … that we don’t need a month to be proud to be Black. No, we don’t. The idea is that we take a month to remind those who are not Black that we matter,” she said.
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D&D Comes to Life in MC Players Production of “She Kills Monsters” Lauren Schuster Senior Writer
In the latest Manhattan College Players’ production “She Kills Monsters,” the popular fantasy role-play game “Dungeons and Dragons” (D&D) comes to life on stage bringing unexpected revelations for young school teacher Agnes Evans, played by Megan Lawlor. Agnes’ life was extremely average until one day her parents and her teenage sister Tilly, played by Madeline Byrne, die suddenly in a car crash. Realizing that she never took the time to get to know her little sister properly, Agnes decides to play a Dungeons and Dragons module that she found scribbled in one of Tilly’s notebooks while packing up her bedroom. “[Agnes] is just trying to pick up the pieces after her entire family dies in a very tragic car crash and she spends the whole show trying to get to know her sister because she couldn’t do it while she was alive,” Lawlor said. “She realizes what she missed out on while Tilly was alive and she does her best to get to know her as well as she possibly can, and I think her willingness to immerse herself in this ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ world which is so foreign to her and really submit to the experience, that’s really cool.” During Agnes’ D&D adventure, she discovers the characters that Tilly has created to accompany them. The character Lilith, played by Caroline Shea, is based on Tilly’s real life friend Lilly and is Tilly’s girlfriend in the game. It is not until Agnes discovers this that she realizes her sister
never got the chance to come out to her as a lesbian when she was alive. “[Tilly] is 15, she died when she was 15 and she was a huge D&D nerd, and she was a closeted lesbian and her sister had no clue,” Byrne said. “Basically, Tilly is super duper fiery, super duper good at what she does, but very unwilling to let Agnes in.” Lilith’s character is a leatherclad demon queen who knows her way around any whip or axe she can get her hands on. For Shea, who not only plays the character of Lilith, but also served as the show’s fight choreographer, this meant lots of fun fight scenes. “[My favorite part about my character is] the axe, because also, as fight choreographer, I was really happy that I got to play with an axe,” Shea said. “It was my favorite weapon of the show so I was really glad that I got that character, and also she’s just very honest, she’s brutally honest.” As self-described “nerds,” many of the cast members were already familiar with D&D before the show, so bringing it to life on stage was all the more fun for them. “I’ve been playing [D&D] since sixth grade,” Byrne said. “I think that [in the show] they’re doing AD&D, that’s what my dad played, and my dad taught me on that system and then I did first addition and second addition and three point five and then five so I have a lot of weird knowledge, and I’m not even going to lie, some of it I’m like ‘that’s a little inaccurate but we’re just going to let it slide, it’s okay.’ But it’s really fun, I knew a lot about D&D though so it was kind of nice knowing that the show was about D&D.”
Caroline Shea, as Lilith, Madeline Byrne, as Tilly, and Maria Summerville, as Kaliope, serve as the show’s leading close-knit team of adventurers. EMILY HOLLAR/THE QUADRANGLE Shea was certainly no stranger to the magical world of Dungeons and Dragons either. “I knew a lot [about D&D],” Shea said. “I’ve also done this show before, I’ve been in the show and I’ve choreographed the show before, and I was a nerd as a child, so I played D&D.” While Lawlor does have a great love for D&D, she would not consider herself to be quite as much of an expert as some of her castmates. “Honestly, as much as I love D&D, I’ve only been playing Dungeons and Dragons for about a year and a half now,” Lawlor said. “It was kind of only natural that I started playing D&D because I love all that nerdy stuff, but I’ve been playing for a little while so I had a
Agnes, played by Megan Lawlor, does not understand her sister, Tilly, played by Madeline Byrne, at the beginning of the play but comes to know her through her D&D module. EMILY HOLLAR/THE QUADRANGLE
good background, but it was also really cool to see Maddie, who plays Tilly, she knows so much about D&D. It was really cool to kind of have that mix of people, like Maria knew nothing, Maddie knew everything and I was like ‘I know a little bit, I can kind of help, but I’m really excited about it.’ So, it was cool to have a mix of experience with D&D.” For Lawlor, there were many different reasons to love the show. “I love doing shows with Players, I’ve been doing them, it’s my last play that I’m going
to do with Players, so I’m emotional,” Lawlor said. “But I think this show in particular, the way that it addresses queer issues, with Tilly coming out to her sister, after she died, but also it’s just a fun show about D&D that makes fun of it, but in a loving way. You know, when you hear people talk about nerdy things it’s always like ‘yeah roast those guys,’ but this show takes a really loving hand to the world of geekery and really embraces that, and as a huge nerd who loves Dungeons and Dragons myself, it was only natural.”
Nicholas Chiofalo plays Chuck, a high school student who serves as Agnes’ Dungeon Master. EMILY HOLLAR/THE QUADRANGLE
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MC Students Reflect on the Life of Kobe Bryant The Quadrangle spoke with a few students to get their reaction to Bryant’s death and to reflect on his legacy. Pete Janny Sports Editor
The death of former basketball player and global icon Kobe Bryant is hard to come to grips with. TMZ broke the news last week that Bryant and eight other people, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, died in a helicopter crash at a mountain in Calabasas, California, which is located about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. No one on board stood a chance of surviving the crash as it is said that the impact resulted in debris being spread out the length of a football field. Just like that an icon and hero was taken away from this earth at 41 years old. 2,500 miles away from New York City, in Los Angeles, California, is where the sadness has hit the hardest. Born in Philadelphia before spending a portion of his childhood living in Italy, Bryant was drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft
and went on to spend the entirety of his 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant was adored by Lakers fans from the moment he arrived and his popularity continued to grow with each passing season. When the final buzzer sounded on April 13th, 2016 at the Staples Center, Bryant’s career officially came to an end on a night where he scored 60 points to lead the Lakers to a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz. It was only fitting that Bryant ended a legendary career with a legendary performance as celebrities showed out in full force that night to witness his greatness one last time. Bryant’s resume was proof of just how special he was. He retired with five NBA championships won, 19 all-star appearances, and as the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer; just to name a few of his accomplishments. Lakers fans spent the days after Bryant’s death gathered outside the Staples Center, bearing flowers and decked
Sophomore Kamren Corrica reflects on the death of basketball star Kobe Bryant. KAMREN CORRICA/ COURTESY
out in his jersey in memory of their hero. Celebrities who had a personal relationship with Bryant such as Jimmy Fallon, Ellen Degenneres, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ice Cube, just to name a few, all delivered emotional tributes on television in honor of their beloved friend. Breathtaking Murals surfaced in places as far away as the Philippines. Soccer games in Europe were overtaken by signs and chants for a man who often expressed his love for their sport. Even the Australian Open became more about Bryant than it did tennis at times. Perhaps the most poignant act of remembrance came when LeBron James took the mic at midcourt prior to the Lakers’ first game since Bryant’s death on Friday, January 31st. James, clearly overcome with emotion, reminded fans that the night was just as much a “celebration” of Bryant’s life as it was a memorial. The overwhelming global response this tragedy
has elicited is a reminder of why it is just as much an international nightmare as it is a national one. Kobe Bryant may be gone, but his legacy will live on for generations to come.
Mike Micek ‘23:
Where were you when you heard about the news and what was your initial reaction? I was watching a basketball game here at Manhattan. My friend Louis told me and I was so surprised. I didn’t want to believe him but he told me it was true. What will you remember most about Kobe Br yant? He was very inspiring. I liked how he taught younger people how to do things the right way. I liked his tenacity and I feel like that’s one thing the NBA doesn’t have today. In the era of Kobe and Shaq, there was more contact. However, nowadays they’ve pushed away contact. Favorite Kobe moment?
His last game [in 2016] when he dropped 60.
Kamren Corrica ‘22:
Where were you when you heard about the news and what was your initial reaction? I was at home getting my hair done with my mom when it popped up on the news and said to myself ‘no way, that’s fake.’ What will you remember most about Kobe? How hard he worked. I can’t even fathom how hard he worked. His drive for excellence was insane. Is this the most shocking celebrity death in your lifetime in your opinion? Yes, because it was out of nowhere and he was only 41 years old. Favorite Kobe moment? When he tore his Achilles [in 2013] and stayed in the game to hit two free throws.
Freshman Mike Micek reflects on the death of basketball star Kobe Bryant. PETE JANNY/ THE QUADRANGLE
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THE QUADRANGLE
The Jaspers Are Coming Hom Gabriella DePinho & Michevi Dufflart Editor-in-Chief & Senior Writer
Excitement is growing in the Bronx near 242nd Street and Broadway. As the sunlit hours of the day grow longer and the temperatures slowly climb, there’s a long-awaited return for one group of Jaspers. After four seasons of traveling over 60 miles to every home game, the Manhattan College baseball team is ready to call Van Cortlandt Park home again; and hopefully this time, it’s for good. Third Time’s A Charm The last time the Jaspers played at Van Cortlandt was the 2014-2015 season. The next four seasons were then played at Dutchess Stadium, a minor league ballpark in Wappinger Falls, NY. However, this was not the first time the team played outside of its familiar Bronx territory. When the college moved from its downtown campus to its cozy corner of the Bronx, the Jaspers’ home field, Manhattan Field, was located
right on campus, where Draddy Gymnasium now stands. As war time encroached, the fields were razed and barracks for engineering and other educational purposes were built. The Jaspers were homeless for the first time since Manhattan Field was first opened. For a few years, the Jaspers bounced around. At some point in the mid-1940s, Van Cortlandt Park became the Jaspers’ home. This lasted for a little over 30 years. “Since leaving Vannie in 1978, Jaspers traveled from John F. Kennedy High School to Newburg for their home games,” wrote a reporter for The Riverdale Press in the story, “Jaspers are Happy to Call Van Cortlandt Park Home,” that was published on March 26, 1998. After leaving Van Cortlandt in 1978, there were internal discussions in 1979 to demote the Division I team to Division II. Ultimately, that plan was never acted on and the team remained in the Division I league. In the 80s and the 90s, the team played their home games at Roberto Clemente State Park, which is now known
as Riverside Park. A story published in Newsday by Joe Stevens on March 20, 1998, “Manhattan Comes Home” also detailed that the team had played home games at Breslin Field in Lyndhurst, New Jersey and at Fleming Field in Yonkers. The Jaspers made their first return to VCP in 1998, making it the first time the team had a home field in the Bronx in 20 years. Van Cortlandt’s field was magic for the Jaspers. The team won the 2006 MAAC tournament against La Moyne which is now a Division II team - and then went on to play in the NCAA tournament. Despite the magic, the field fell into disrepair and the team left for Dutchess County. The team’s third, and hopefully final, return to the park was the work of several people, including Marianne Reilly ‘82, Director of Athletics at Manhattan College. Getting the team back was her number one goal upon her arrival in 2016. In fact, when she first met the team, she recalls telling them this exact goal. Now, three years later, this goal has become a reality for her and the athletes who were traveling thousands of
Manhattan College president, Brother Thomas Scanlan, sits in his own lawn chair watching a home baseball game. MC ARCHIVES / COURTESY
miles in a season. What’s In A Homefield Advantage Junior catcher Matthew Padre expressed how much he enjoyed playing in Dutchess Stadium because the facility was nice, but as the season went on, the travel wore him and his teammates all out. “It was a good place to hit. Turf was fast. Found a couple of base hits when maybe you shouldn’t have. But as far as getting up there, it was kind of tough at times,” said Padre. The team was hit hardest on the weekends with a doubleheader on Saturday and another game on Sunday. Early Saturday morning, the Jaspers would sometimes leave campus at 6 a.m. to travel to their home game slated to begin several hours later. Head coach Michael Cole explained how the schedule played out on such a weekend. “We would have breakfast on the bus on the way up [on Saturday.] Then [we’d] play a doubleheader which usually doesn’t finish until 5 or 6 o’clock and then we would drive back and [we’d] get stuck in traffic on the Tappan Zee [Bridge]. So we’re pulling into [Draddy Gymnasium] at 9 o’clock from a home game,” said Cole. By the time the team arrived home, it would be less than 12 hours before they had to get on the bus and repeat the same procedure for their Sunday game. Cole expressed that at that point almost every game was like an away game for his team. So while Dutchess provided the team with a temporary home for the past few years, these athletes are excited and ready to come back. However, the end of the long bus rides is only part of the reason why. Graduate student and infielder Richie Barrella says that playing in VCP is a dream come true for him. “Ever since my freshman year I’ve heard about this magical place called Van Cortlandt Park where the Jaspers don’t lose baseball games. So like just thinking ... [about] getting back on that path is just ideal and exciting for me being a fifth year,” he said. A true home field back in VCP means that these Jaspers will be traveling a whole lot less and spending more time with their peers and the community as well. “The opportunity for our guys to just kind of walk across Broadway to play a place that they can call their own, I think is huge for everybody in the program and for our school and for the students to come and watch games,” said Cole.
Students also share similar excitement to cheer on a team that has been gone for so long. Since the Jaspers will be playing in a New York City public park, games will also be open to Bronx locals trying to catch some college baseball. “I would probably say we are the only Division I baseball team that will play in a New York City public park. And I think there’s something special about bringing baseball back for the convenience of the players and for the team, but it’s also for the community of people who want to go over to the game, whether it’s a student or resident of Riverdale,” said Rob Walsh, strategic advisor to the college’s president. While every team loves having the home field advantage for the fanbase and familiar playing grounds, Van Cortlandt offers different advantages. “It’s definitely got to be one of the best home field advantages in the country. You think any team is going to pull up the Van Cortlandt Park and want to play on that field? They’re going to walk into the stadium thinking like what is this place? They’re going to hear the subways, they’re gonna smell all whatever you smell,” Padre said. What It Takes to Slide to Home Plate But what does it take to get a Division I baseball team back in the Bronx? The team already had a permit to practice on the VCP fields in the fall but moving from practices to NCAA games is no easy task. One of the first steps for Reilly was having a partnership with the New York City Parks Department. As the new athletic director, she knew she had to develop a good relationship with them. “I met with the parks department and there were things that they wanted us to do [like] make sure that we trimmed grass, the weeds. We kept the back looking nice, so that’s our partnership,” said Reilly. The next step was to invest in renovating the field. “The investment so far is about $100,000. And we probably have another $100,000 that we have to raise over time to make sure that we keep the field maintained that we’re sharing with other groups. And I think that’s neat. I think that’s pretty special,” said Walsh. The school has the longterm dream of building a $2 million collegiate stadium in Van Cortlandt with the support of the Parks Department and with the understanding that it is a community stadium. For now, the Jaspers are just happy
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me: Baseball Returns to VCP
During the 1998-99 season, players use coolers and crates for makeshift bench space at VCP game. MC ARCHIVES / COURTESY that the necessary renovations to the field are being made. “We reskinned the entire infield, which 85 percent of the game takes place in the infield, so that was really important and that was done top notch,” said Reilly. Part of the reskinning included pitching and leveling the entire area so water would not pool, as well as resodding the area. The dugout will also have an overhang. Other renovations include redoing the mound, the home plate
area, the bases, and mending and installing new fences. The additional fences were provided to assure that the public would not walk through the dugouts, making the focus the actual game. Reilly once thought that having a private facility would be great, but then she thought about the impact of having a public field. “Wouldn’t it be great if we now take our facility for our student athletes and we start to infiltrate the community? Now
the community comes and sees a game that you normally would see on campus, right in their backyard, and to me, that might be more powerful,” said Reilly. 2020 Vision Cole has high hopes for the team and the coming season in VCP, noting that the talent level of the current team is compatible with the potential of the Manhattan teams from 20062012, which played in the park. With the consistent talent level
and the new comfort of the home field, things are looking good for the Jaspers this season. “It’s not a pro setup. But again, it’s ours. And our guys, I think relish playing at home… we don’t need the greatest thing in the world to be a successful team,” said Cole. Cole, Padre and Barrella are all in agreement that the environment of VCP is different from other stadiums in the conference and they are ready for the mix of magic,
hard work, and excitement to get the season started. “Before I even got here all those guys talked about the grind of VCP and how you really have to take hold of that and really love that and really love the field because you know, it’s not going to be the best. It’s not going to be the greatest thing ever, but it’s yours and you got to take pride in that and wear that,” said Barella. Gone are the days that students and community members could not enjoy Manhattan baseball in their local park; in are the days when everyone can walk down across Broadway to enjoy a game of baseball. The first home game is a double header against the University of Albany on March 7th. The first game starts at 12pm, followed by a game at 3pm.
--------------------------------------------[LEFT] The work to restore the baseball field to top-notch playing conditions is under way. BRIAN ASARE/ THE QUADRANGLE
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THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan Crushes Niagara With the 1994-95 Team Back on Campus MBB: MANHATTAN 77, NIAGARA 59 Pete Janny Sports Editor
On a night Manhattan honored the historic 1994-95 men’s basketball team that made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament, the current Jaspers (1010, 6-5 MAAC) played with extra motivation en route to a lopsided 77-59 win over the Niagara Purple Eagles (7-15, 5-6 MAAC) that was shown live on ESPNU. Manhattan only trailed for 14 seconds in this game in rewarding the Manhattan faithful and the heroes of the 1994-95 team with one of their more complete performances of the season. Manhattan’s easy win was guided by the Jaspers’ bully mentality in the paint. Pauly Paulicap and Warren Williams stole the show with 20 and 14 points respectively on a combined 13of-15 shooting from the field with eight rebounds apiece. All in all, it was a total team effort from Manhattan that featured stellar execution on both ends for the home team. The game plan going in was to do damage down low against a Niagara team that was only averaging 27.5 rebounds-per-game due to their lack of height. Manhattan outrebounded the Purple Eagles 41-29 on this night with the team’s size advantage best exemplified by a fast start from senior Pauly Paulicap. Paulicap, who only scored three points in the win over Iona, supplied Manhattan’s first nine points in this one. Niagara had no response for Paulicap’s imposing presence down low as Manhattan kept running the offense through him in the early stages. He made four of his first five shots, including a nifty hook shot at the 16:49 mark that put Manhattan up 9-4. Moments later, the Manhattan lead was pushed to 13-6 when one of Paulicap’s signature rejections led to a crafty layup on the other end for sophomore Elijah Buchanan. The Purple Eagles entered the game shooting a proud 36 percent from three on the season but were forced to adjust their style of play against Manhattan. High pressure applied by
the Jaspers’ on the perimeter limited Niagara to only five three-point attempts in the first half, two of which dropped. With his team down 199, Nick McDonald hit his second three of the night at the 9:32 mark of the first half that sparked a 9-3 run for the visitors to cut the Manhattan lead to just four. Even during this positive stretch, Niagara still had to earn everything with Manhattan not giving them anything easy. Already restrained from three, Niagara was also struggling to get any easy looks down low against Manhattan’s height. As a result, the Purple Eagles were forced to score their points off of tough mid-range shots. These difficult circumstances prevented Niagara leadingscorer Marcus Hammond from getting on the board until the 6:11 mark of the first half. Hammond, who entered the game averaging 13.5 points-pergame, only scored nine points in this game. Led by Paulicap’s 12 points, Manhattan sat with a 34-25 lead at the break. A surprising narrative of the first half was Manhattan’s lethality from the free throw line. Despite coming in with only a 62 percent average as a team from the line, the Manhattan players were a combined 8-of-9 from the charity stripe in the first half. After only scoring two points in the first half largely due to picking up two early fouls, sophomore Warren Williams played like a man on a mission in the second half. With the way Manhattan was feasting on Niagara inside all night, Williams’ breakthrough was predictable. Williams’ first basket of the second half came a little less than two minutes in when Buchanan dribbled his way into the paint before setting the big man up for an easy layup. Williams wreaked havoc again the next time down the court when he kept a Manhattan offensive possession alive with two offensive rebounds before converting an and-one that stretched the lead to 41-32 after his made free throw. Head coach Steve Masiello knows the Manhattan offense ascends to new heights when Buchanan passes the ball the way he did on this night. “He’s a tremendous passer
Some of the former players and coaches of the 1994-95 men’s basketball team congregate at halfcourt for a group photo during a halftime ceremony for their 25th anniversary. GOJASPERS / COURTESY and probably has the best feel on the team,” Masiello said of Buchanan, who finished with seven points, five rebounds, and three assists. “He’s such a good scorer but when he sets the table early we are really good and I want him to do more of that.” There’s no need to remind Masiello of the talent his frontcourt possesses. Masiello is grateful to have players of the caliber of Williams and Paulicap on his side. “I think they are the best two-headed monster in the league,” Masiello said of the dual threat of Paulicap and Williams. “They are both very different but they are both very effective.” While it never seemed likely that Niagara would fully come back, they at least managed to hang around. The Purple Eagles hit four of their first seven shots to open the half and were still playing hard. Niagara’s kryptonite was their inability to hit enough threes. “When you get the lead you have to suffocate the threepoint line and I thought we did a good job of that tonight,” Masiello said after his team held Niagara to 3-of-14 shooting from three. Looking to bury Niagara for
good, Manhattan unleashed a 14-3 run that started with a three from sophomore Christian Hinckson with 11 minutes left. The run culminated with an emphatic alley oop slam by Paulicap with eight minutes left off a feed from the perimeter by senior Tyler Reynolds that made the score 65-44 and sent Draddy into a frenzy. A little less than a minute later, junior Nehemiah Mack hit his third and final three of the night that swelled the lead to 22. Mack, who paced the team in scoring with 15 points against Iona, has solidified himself as a vital cog of this team. Masiello was effusive in his praise of Mack after the game. “He’s so solid and makes every right play,” Masiello said of Mack, who finished with nine points. “He takes unbelievable pride in his role and doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.” Manhattan cruised the rest of the way with their lead growing to as high as 25 three times. The Jaspers ended the night at 43 percent (24-of-56) from the field, including 35 percent from three (8-of-23). Joining Paulicap and Williams in double digits was sophomore Samir Stewart with 12 points. For Masiello, his philosophy has always been
based on the importance of getting better every day. He knows the results will come if his players continue to work hard each day. “I don’t think we’re peaking yet,” Maisello said. “I just feel like we’re doing the right things and are trying to get better everyday.” At halftime, members of the 1994-95 team were honored at halfcourt alongside former Manhattan head coach Fran Fraschilla in recognition of the 25th anniversary of their upset win over Oklahoma in the first round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament. In addition to winning a school-record 26 games that season, the team lives on in the annals of college basketball as the first at-large bid in MAAC history. The only other MAAC team to achieve that feat was the 2011-12 Iona Gaels who led the nation in scoring that season. Manhattan will face Iona (612, 4-7 MAAC) in New Rochelle this Friday at 7 PM. The Jaspers snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Gaels earlier this month when they beat their rival 72-49 at Draddy Gymnasium.