2.26.14

Photographer speaks on Shroud of Turin pg. 4

Subway removes chemical from bread pg. 5

Chang saga nearing its end pg. 5

‘NEVER STOP LEARNING’ PUBLIC SAFETY LIEUTENANT HITS THE BOOKS AT ST. JOHN’S PG. 4 TORCH PHOTO/SHANNON LUIBRAND

Photo of the Week

2

Managing Board XCI

Kieran Lynch, Editor-in-Chief

Mitchell Petit-Frere, Managing Editor Shannon Luibrand Features Editor Natalie Hallak Chief Copy Editor Kyle Fitzgerald Online Editor Jenny Chen Asst. Chief Copy Editor

Samantha albanese Entertainment Editor Diana Colapietro Photo Editor

Olivia Cunningham Asst. Features Editor

Stephen Zitolo Asst. Sports Editor

Briawnna Brown Asst. Entertainment Editor

Angelica King Advertising Manager

Gina Palermo Designer

Edward Warrick Asst. Art Director

jim baumbach

Advisor Talia Tirella Asst. News Editor

Christopher Brito News Editor Jon Perez Sports Editor diamond watts-walker Art Director Alexa Vagelatos Asst. News Editor

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Features 990-6445 News 990-6444 Opinion 990-6445 Sports 990-6444

Entertainment Trends of New York Fashion Week The Torch reviews the lastest fashion trends from New York Fashion Week

Lifestyle Pg. 8

Lifestyle Student in 17 St. John’s student was featured on Seventeen magazine.

Lifestyle Pg. 11

Sports Xavier defeats Johnnies Xavier Musketeers beat out St.John’s at Madison Square Garden 65-53

Sports Pg. 18

ILLUSTRATOR’S CORNER | OPINION PG. 15

The Torch is the official student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University. All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.

To contact The Torch by mail: The Torch, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY 11439

The Torch is typically published on Wednesdays, approximately 20 issues throughout the academic year.

Circulation per issue is 3,500 copies distributed free on campus and through mail subcriptions.

TORCH PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER BRITO

A wooden chair was oddly wrapped with caution tape on the stairs by Marillac Hall.

Think Outside...

News

3

Dems prez: GSA talks continue

Students, administrators continue to discuss ‘Spectrum’ group KIERAN LYNCH Editor-in-Chief The president of College Democrats says that strides have been made toward forming a LGBTQ organization in the year since student dissatisfaction with current programs came to light.

Multiple meetings have taken place since the beginning of the fall semester between administrators and members of the College Democrats to find a solution about forming a group, College Democrats President Luis Quiñones said.

Dean of students Dr. Daniel Trujillo confirmed that the meetings included students along with Dr. Kathryn Hutchinson, vice president of the division of students affairs, and the late Pamela Shea-Byrnes, vice president for University ministry and events.

The students at the meetings were from College Democrats and the “How You Doin’?” monthly support program.

“This is a topic that touches our University community in many ways,” Trujillo said in a statement. “I greatly value the commitment and compassion of our students. We will continue our partnership on this matter to discuss ideas to improve upon resources and opportunities for students here at St. John’s University.”

The meetings have helped those involved move closer to forming a group under Trujillo’s department – a big step for students who had originally hoped to form an organization under Student Government, Inc., Quiñones said.

“I think our conversations helped,” Quiñones said. “I think after we had a couple of the conversations they realized, ‘Look this is a problem.’ We just needed to find a way of finding out how we’re going to deal with it.”

Talks between the sides have involved the formation of the “Spectrum Initiative,” according to Quiñones; which would have three goals: serving students, conducting Vincentian service and educating the St. John’s community on LBGTQ people and its issues.

“It would work closely with administration, but it would also be student run,” Quiñones said. “Something that really isn’t being done right now.”

The “How You Doin’?” program, which is held about once a month, has had more regular meetings over the past year and has been opened up to more student involvement, according to Quiñones. He cited a barbecue last fall and advertising around campus for meetings as a sign of progress.

Quiñones said “How You Doin’?” has long been run by administrators, but students have become more involved in planning this school year.

In addition to “How You Doin’?” the University also currently provides a Safe Zone program for students. It gives LGBTQ students an opportunity to speak to trained administrators in a private environment. Students who spoke to the Torch about the program last year took issue with it, saying it perpetrates an idea that LGBTQ students should accept being ostracized by the University and should handle their issues behind closed doors, away from the community.

The Torch first reported on student dissatisfaction with the University’s stance toward a gay-straight alliance in mid-February 2013. At the time, the University said in a statement that it “…would not recognize a gay alliance,” while Hutchinson said her door “is always open” to discuss issues with students.

Since then, a Torch update at the end of the Spring 2013 semester cited Quiñones saying he thought administrators were warming up to the idea of an alliance.

St. John’s is one of two universities in the 10-school Big East Conference that does not recognize a gay-straight alliance. It is also the only instiution among Vincentian Universities (DePaul and Niagara being the others) that does not recognize an alliance.

Torch

Briefs

COMPILED BY TALIA TIRELLA Assistant News Editor

160 candidates for new SJU president The St. John’s Presidential Search Committee has identified more than 160 candidates and an unspecified number have been asked to go through an interview process, according to an email sent out by the University on Monday.

The committee expressed its gratitude to the University community, saying that the input it received so far has been key to keeping the process moving in the right direction.

The candidates have been identified through nominations to the University website, advertisements in various higher education publications and outreach efforts conducted by Bill Funk, the Committee’s search consultant.

Input for potential candidates was collected in focus groups and through feedback on the presidential search website. The committee also released the Presidential Leadership Statement in early December and asked members of the St. John’s community to recommend potential candidates.

The deadline for submitting applications was Jan. 30, and the Committee met throughout January and February to discuss and evaluate the submissions.

Candidates were narrowed down to those whose experience and qualifications most closely align with the attributes outlined in the Leadership Statement, according to the email.

A select number of candidates have now been invited to participate in interviews with the Committee. After interviews take place, the Committee will then recommend candidates to the Board of Trustees for further evaluation.

The Committee’s email also stated that the chosen candidate pool is full of strong individuals who are both lay and religious persons. Candidates have held notable leadership positions in the past, including those of sitting presidents, deans and provosts, the email said.

The Committee said it will continue to inform the University community with any further updates pertaining to

Follow us: @SJUTorch

PHOTO/TORCH FILE

Students have voiced concern over the lack of a gay-straight organization at the University since last year.

Schwortz talks Shroud of Turin 4

Famous photographer shares research on historical cloth

ALEXA VAGELATOS Assistant News Editor

Renowned photographer Barrie Schwortz spoke to students on Monday in the Little Theatre about his decades-long research on the Shroud of Turin, a centuries-old cloth with an image of a crucified man believed to be Jesus of Nazareth.

For Barrie Schwortz, he had no idea what he was getting himself into when he agreed to be the documenting photographer of the 1978 Shroud of Turin Research Project team.

As a young adult, Schwortz was a self-employed commercial illustrator, and most of his work focused on advertising, editorial illustrations, magazines illustrations, etc.

An opportunity to be a photographic consultant on a project with Los Alamos National Laboratories opened his interest in the Shroud. He was told that scientists at Los Alamos and SANDIA Laboratories had taken a photo of the Shroud that was taken in 1931, and were able to see the natural relief of human form through raising the image into 3D space. With the question of how this was possible in mind, Schwortz was among many people who were asked to join a team to do research on it.

Schwortz turned the opportunity down at first. The only thing that really kept him interested were the properties of the image. With the push from team member Donald Lynn, Schwortz joined the team. He often questioned what he

PHOTO/IMEIDA RELATIONS

Barrie Schwortz spoke about his experience with the 1978 Shroud of Turin Research Project team on Monday evening.

was really doing. He had little knowledge of Jesus and his crucifixion.

“Go to Turin and do the best job that you can do. God doesn’t tell us in advance what the plan is, but one day you’ll know,” Lynn had told him.

After five years and a short trip to Turin, Schwortz did not feel finished after the STURP had ended. He wasn’t convinced that the Shroud was authentic, and so for 17 years after the trip to Turin, he continued to do research. When

the last piece of evidence came in that proved it had to be real, he knew he had to share it.

His inspiration to build his website, www.shroud.com, came from friends, and tabloids stating that the Shroud was a painting. It was then that he started to realize what his real purpose was on that team.

Schwortz stated that he didn’t feel weird sharing all of his information, because to him, he felt obligated to do so.

“There are a billion people on this

planet that had more of right to be in that room than I did, and I was the one put there. For who? Not for me. The website was a way of reaching out and making that information freely available to everybody.”

“I had a long career of all kind of work, but that work came and it went and it’s gone,” he said.”But the Shroud lives on well beyond me and it so it becomes my legacy. And that’s like a gift from God.”

students paid $5 at the door to get in.

They also had the opportunity to enter several raffles. Local businesses such as Allstate, Kaplan, Midtown Bookkeeping and the Barlian Corporation all donated items to be raffled off, such as gift certificates, gift baskets, and a gold bracelet.

Food was donated from several local businesses and families as well, from establishments such as Qdoba, Bagel Oasis, Regina’s Pizza, Tango Steakhouse and the Enriquez Family.

“The event is really cool, and I think you can see that a lot of effort went into it and that a lot of people put in hard work to make it successful,” Louise Donohoe, a senior who has mutual friends with Nichols, said.

“I don’t know Hayden personally but I heard about the situation and wanted to help,” sophomore Luis Santos, a computer Science major, said.

As far as Hayden’s condition is concerned, he is currently in post-rehabilitation care at the Transitional Learning Community in Galveston, Texas, according to his mother Malinda Moller.

“This is the facility that will continue improving his physical health and will initiate the vocational and occupational rehab that God willing will enable Hayden to return to St. John’s to complete his bachelor’s degree,” Moller said.

“I am hopeful Hayden will be able to return for the 2014-15 school year.”

Although the brothers have raised $2000 so far, they would like to continue helping Nichols and his family. They have made a GiveForward account that will continue to accept donations for Nichols. If you would like to contribute, the account can be found at giveforward. com/Hayden.

Bio Honor Society raises funds for injured student TALIA TIRELLA Assistant News Editor The Biology Honor Society held a fundraiser on Friday for sophomore Hayden Nichols, a St. John’s student who was severely injured last semester after falling several stories from a balcony.

The Hayden Nichols Fundraiser Dance featured several raffles, food and live entertainment, including a DJ, belly dancing and a performance by the St. John’s Improv Club, a club Nichols was a part of.

Senior George Kunkel, the President and Founder of the Phi Sigma National Biology Honor Society at St. John’s, set the event up with the help of his brother Nicholas Kunkel, who is the media production director of the society. Nicholas was a friend of Nichols and the two brothers felt a need to help out in any way they could.

“It came to us after visiting Hayden in the hospital for a few days after his accident,” George Kunkel said. “We needed a tangible way to assist him with medical expenses.”

Over Christmas break, the brothers visited local businesses and asked for their assistance in order to fund the event and provide the means to make the event a fundraiser, according to Kunkel.

Nicholas made the flyers for the event and a promotional web banner that was

featured on the Biology Honor Society website. He also came up with the idea for the YouTube video that was posted on St. John’s Central, and starred in the video as well, as it was set to an original song which he wrote and performed.

In the spirit of fundraising, St. John’s

TORCH PHOTO/TALIA TIRELLA

The Hayden Nichols Fundrasier Dance featured live entertainment and food.

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Subway removes controversial ingredient

Sandwich franchise in Marillac Hall takes away ADA chemical CHEYANNE GONZALES Contributing Writer

The University’s Subway franchise has removed a chemical used in their bread various that media reports have said is found in yoga mats, synthetic leather and shoe rubber.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is a common ingredient approved by the FDA used as a food additive for bread improvement that is commonly used in fast food chains, restaurants, and supermarkets, according to Subway’s website.

Resident General Manager of Campus Dining, Michael Gulczynski, told the Torch in an email that ADA is safe, but the Subway in Marillac Hall is removing it from its bread.

“This process began last year and is nearly completed -- we have already developed an improved bread formula, conducted extensive performance and consumer testing on it, and pending final government approvals we should comTORCH PHOTO/ICHEYANNE GONZALES plete the entire conversion process with- Subway removed azodicarbonamide, an ingredient also found in yoga mats and shoe rubber, from its bread dough. in the coming weeks,” Gulczynski said.

“It’s a good thing and it pressures bucks has been in the process of elim- ing to accommodate the needs of the According to Subway, it started reother fast food places [in] the way they inating ADA from all of their products. students, by providing what is important moving azodicarbonamide in 2013 and make their food,” Mui said.

“Single or multiple restaurants, such and ensuring satisfaction to the students,” will complete the conversion in the comFreshman Falisha Walcott said that as Subway, are placed on campus to Gulczynski said. “The safety and health ing weeks.

Subway is not the only food chain to ADA’s removal will have students think- provide variety, balanced offerings, and of every guest is our highest priority.” meet the needs and desires of students,” The Director of Media Relause ADA. It is commonly used in pop- ing about what they eat.

“I think this change will start to make Gulcynzki said. “We take into consider- tions,Elizabeth Reilly said in an email, ular chains such as Starbucks, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Arby’s, Burger King and people think what is in our food,” she ation various items that are important to “The University is working closely with students to ensure satisfaction, including Chartwells on this matter and reminds Dunkin Donuts, Subway’s website said. said.

The product may be approved in the the cuisine offered, service style, and students to visit dineoncampus.com/stSophmore Eva Mui believes Subway U.S., but has been banned in Australia pricing, just to name a few.” johns to share feedback on their campus made the right decision by taking the iniand Europe, according to the FDA. Star“Campus Dining Services are work- dining experience.” tiative to remove ADA.

Federal prosecutors to take away Chang’s home and funds CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor The Jamaica Estates home of the late Cecilia Chang is in the process of being sold, bringing the sad saga of the disgraced former dean another step closer to being done.

The 82-34 Tryon Place estate will be sold as part of an ongoing settlement agreement and the U.S. government will collect 60 percent of the sale as well as the $434,616.55 from a bank account Chang allegedly had opened in a former student’s name, according to a Daily News article published on Feb 15.

William J. Gullotta, the assistant U.S. Attorney in forfeiture suit, told the Torch he wouldn’t disclose the exact terms because the continuing settlement hasn’t been completed yet.

Stephen Mahler, who is representing Chang’s son Steven, said the reported terms were “more or less” accurate.

Part of the ongoing settlement is that Chang’s family wouldn’t concede to admitting to Chang’s alleged crimes.

“We’re not admitting to anything and they’re not making us to,” Mahler said.

“Compromise is sometimes the best way to do things.”

“It’s not official yet but it’s in the process of being settled,” he said.

Chang, former dean of the Center for Asian Studies and vice president of International Relations at the University,

was arrested in 2010 and faced a federal trial fall 2012 on charges that she stole University money, mostly through fraudulent expense reports, and forced international scholarship students to act as her personal servants.

Chang — who was fired by the University in June 2010, three months before she was arrested — committed suicide in her home a day after testifying November 2012.

Prosecutors argue in their suit that because the forced labor is alleged to have taken place in Chang’s residence, “the property is liable to condemnation and to forfeiture to the United States,” according to the court documents.

Chang’s home was listed for sale at $1.495 million in October and taken off the market shortly thereafter, according the real estate website Zillow.com.

Activities for the international students, according to the lawsuit, included cooking, cleaning and laundry, and students were warned that their scholarships would be in jeopardy of being revoked if they told anyone what they were doing.

The University and scholarship students could have potentially applied to the government for some restitution, but the Daily News reported that hasn’t taken place.

A University spokesman has “no information to share regarding this matter at this time.”

TORCH PHOTO/IDIANA COLAPIETRO

The Jamaica Estates house where Cecilia Chang committed suicide.

6

SJU community sympathizes with Ukraine

Violence in Kiev elicits reaction from students and faculty alike AMANDA UMPIERREZ Contributing Writer St. John’s students and faculty alike sympathize with the victims of the recent violence in Kiev after protests escalated between the Ukrainian government and activists.

Last week, the three-month long peaceful protests turned into a battlefield between the Ukrainian government and demonstrators resulting in 82 deaths from Feb. 18 to Feb. 21, according to the New York Times. This magnitude of violence was worst Ukraine’s history since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Dr. Luba Racanska, a Government and Politics professor, identifies with the placid protesters with students across the west.

“I don’t think to blame the protesters for speaking out, we in the west should identify.” Racanska said. “These are young people, like students at St. John’s, who which I assume would say we are for freedom, for rule of law, we should be able to speak out.”

The protests began in November when President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine settled in a trade deal with Russia, a decision that up roared Western Ukraine, who had hoped to partner up with the European Union instead.

Freshman Anatoily Anchakov, a psychology major, expressed the violence between both the government and the protestors were bound to happen.

“It’s been struggling, the government, so overtime they could not handle it and it got to the boiling point, everything popped and things got real,” An-

chakov said.

However, after a compromise Yanukovych signed on Feb. 21, agreeing to limit his presidential powers and the release of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from prison, the ashamed president fled his compound that stood outside Kiev. Since then, both sides of Ukraine, along with former allies and supporters of Yanukovych, have come together to completely limit the evicted president’s powers.

According to the New York Times, after Yanukovych evacuated his home on Feb. 22, Ukrainian parliament voted to reduce all of his presidential powers into no control in an effort to boost the government. In spite of lacking any powers within the government, Yanukovych remains president of Ukraine since he has yet to publicly resign.

Ukraine announced an arrest warrant for the president on Feb.24. Once found, Yanukovych will be arrested on charges of mass murder for the killings of at least eighty-two people in Independence Square last week and may also face corruption charges on acts of embezzlement, as reported by the New York Times.

Yulia Tymoshenko was imprisoned in August 2011 and was set to complete a seven-year sentence, which some believe to have been politically motivated by Yanukovych, according to CNN news. Tymoshenko endured two and a half years in prison on charges of abuse of power as prime minister after reportedly agreeing to a pricey deal with Russia on natural gas.

Since reaching sovereignty more than two decades ago, people anticipated for Ukraine to become a member of

PHOTO/IGOOGLE MAPS

Independence Square in Kiev before violence erupted in the Ukrainian capital.

the European Union, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The eastern side of Ukraine, which seemed to be dominated by Russian politics, was more inclined to side with Russia.

Sophomore Joseph Brandt, a government and politics major, is from western

side of Ukraine and fears the recent violence was a huge setback for his home country.

“I’m worried because it signifies that basically Ukraine’s fight since 1991 has been for nothing,” Brandt said. “It’s worrisome that the country has been so divided.”

Scientist speaks on link between poverty and disease

BILL PHAM Contributing Writer

A science expert explained to students that there’s an imperative link between poverty and public health threats during a biology seminar Wednesday in Sullivan Hall.

Dr. Henri van den Hombergh, a United Nationals International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) senior advisor on immunization programs, detailed the hazardous connection between diseases and poverty.

“Among the most common consequences for these people living in extreme poverty, infectious diseases do not only cause them physical and mental damages, they also hurt the economy by weakening the health of the country’s workforce,” Dr. Van den Hombergh said.

According to Peter Hotez’s book, Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases, among 6.6 billion people living on this planet, approximately 1 billion people live on less than $1 per day and 2.7 billion people live on less than $2 per day.

With the support and commitment to eradicating diseases from numerous worldwide public health organizations, help is being carried out.

Regarding immunization programs, efforts have been made to keep the overall immunities of masses up. Celebrities

have joined this effort to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination. Another strategy is through learning marketing practices from companies such as Coca-Cola.

“I was particularly struck by the speaker’s focus on gender issues as they relate to the efficacy of vaccination programs.”

Dr. Timothy Carter

“I liked the speaker’s analogy for selling [Coca-Cola], and to me it means marketing in poorer countries for vaccination may be a good strategy,” Dr. Irvin Hirshfield, an associate professor, said.

However, there are still more challenges at hand.

“I was particularly struck by the speaker’s focus on gender issues as they relate to the efficacy of vaccination programs,” Dr. Timothy Carter, professor of biological sciences, said. “Since vaccination begins in very early childhood and mothers are universally the primary caregivers of young children, the fact that many women are also critically important wage-earners in poor nations often restricts their access to clinics where vaccinations are administered. Most can’t afford to lose a day’s wages, which is often the case when they seek out these services.”

Nikita Sumzin, a biology major, raised his concerns about the on-going

anti-vaccine mentality.

“It’s very easy to read a meme on Facebook in a matter of seconds and get turned off by some vaccine scare related to MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) or HPV (Human papillomavirus), but it requires a significant amount of time and critical thinking capacity to read and dispel bad science,” Sumzin said. “Avoiding cancer screenings is a risk that affects one individual. Avoiding vaccinations for pediatric patients doesn’t just affect the children, but endangers everyone in contact with them. That is a whole other level of recklessness and irresponsibility.”

“Avoiding vaccinations for pediatric patients doesn’t just affect the children, but endangers everyone in contact with them.”

Nikita Sumzin

Within an hour lecture, the audience was exposed to the complexity as well as rewarding aspects of global public health work. The most important aspect from this lecture was how the diseases and poverty are associated.

Hirshfield, who is also a senior research fellow at the Vincentian Center, emphasized its importance.

“The work of Dr. Van den Hombergh is in line with a major mission of St. John’s, which is to combat poverty,” Hirshfield said.

PHOTO/FACEBOOK.COM

Dr. Henri van den Homebergh said on Wednesday that infectious diseases also hurt the economy by weakening the health of the country’s workforce.

Opinion Staff Editorial XCI KIERAN LYNCH Editor-in-Chief

MITCHELL PETIT-FRERE Managing Editor

7

Illustrator’s Corner

CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor SAMANTHA ALBANESE Entertainment SHANNON LUIBRAND Features Editor JON PEREZ Sports Editor

FLAMES OF THE TORCH SJU community extends support abroad In recent weeks, both Venezuela and Ukraine have entered into a spiral of lethal conflict and civil unrest due to unconformity with the status quo in the countries’ governments.

That being said, the University community extends its unwavering support for the victims and students, faculty and staff members who have ties to those countries.

Rev. Joseph L. Levesque C.M., interim-President of the University, issued a personal note of support to University community on Tuesday.

“In light of the escalating crisis situations in Ukraine and in Venezuela, I am reaching out to the St. John’s community today to offer an assurance of support,” he said. “On behalf of the St. John’s family, our hearts and prayers go out to the Ukrainian and Venezuelan communities in this time and struggle.”

After reading about what’s going on in both states, the most captivating detail is that the majority of protesters were students like us: young, bold and full of ambitions.

Sometimes we forget how powerful the voice of the youth is and the ability we have to rally around social causes.

For instance, many of the folks involved with Relay for Life aren’t grayhaired individuals. They are students volunteering and raising money to fight cancer.

Another example happened over the weekend, when the Biology Honor Society put together a fundraiser dance for

a fellow Johnny who was severely injured. It’s a group of young individuals banding together and deciding to make a difference.

That makes an impact no matter if it’s for one person or for a group; for one town or for a whole country.

The Torch admires the courage of the protesters for fighting for what they believe in and staying put until progress is made.

Unfortunately, in Ukraine, progress wasn’t even considered until its government killed over 80 people and injured countless more in the capital of Kiev.

And that didn’t stop until the heads of the European Union, U.S. and Russia intervened politically.

Hopefully, Venezuela can learn from the worst tragedy Ukraine has seen since its split from the Soviet Union in 1991 and become more proactive in listening to the changes their protestors are shouting for.

As Levesque mentioned, students who feel they may need assistance during this challenging time should consult with the Center for Counseling and Consultation, the department of Campus Ministry or the Residence Life staff.

Nevertheless, now is a better time than ever to appreciate what we have here, at St. John’s and this country, in the midst of so much tragedy abroad.

Here’s to the hope that changes come about sooner rather than later for all who strive for peace, equality and believe in the spirit of the youth.

EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opinions

expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.

TO CONTRIBUTE

Mail letters to: The TORCH, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439 Submit letters via email to: torcheic@gmail.com

All are welcome to contribute to the Torch.

Please include your full name, year, and college (or department). Letters have a limit of 500 words and may be edited for content, grammar, or space. Unverifiable or anonymous letters will not be published. All letters are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board of the TORCH.

TORCH ILLUSTRATION/ EDWARD WARRICK

8

Think Outside...

Lifestyle

The new king of ‘Late Night’

BRIAWNNA JONES Assistant Entertainment Editor

The mood was right. The city was hype. New York was ready. Subway stations were filled with advertisements welcoming the return of the Tonight Show to New York by its very own comedian Jimmy Fallon.

The clock struck midnight and the intro began filled with everything New York City. It was official the Tonight Show was back home.

Fallon stepped from behind the regal curtains, nervously smiling at the cameras. Standing on the floor of stage, with a single frame shot, it gave all that were watching a true glimpse to past of what used to be late night television.

Fallon spoke of his upbringing in Up State New York, and how his comedic dreams finally came true. Remembering those before him he mentioned the greatest of all time Johnny Carson and former Tonight Show host Jay Leno.

As the opening monologue continued, the energy in the room changed as things became extremely sappy. What was once a light hearted welcome to the show quickly turned into a heart-warming acceptance speech with Fallon pointing to his parents in the audience and shouting out his wife and daughter.

After his last remark, of watching the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and wondering if any kids were staying up late to watch him, he thanked the crowd.

The crowd went crazy and Fallon redid his entrance and thus his stint on the Tonight Show began.

The first show was full of surprises from the now famous money skit featuring the who’s of who of show business.

Every one from Robert De Niro to Kim Kardashian came out and gave Fallon a hundred dollars for proving them wrong and becoming the host of the Tonight Show.

Will Smith was the first sit down interview were the pair recreated the one of the most watched videos on YouTube the “Evolution of Dance” remixing it with the style of the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” The show ended with a rooftop performance from popular band U2. Rolling with the thunder of the first episode, Fallon kept things going with a slew of A-list celebs. Throughout the week viewers got a dose of Bradley Cooper, Emma Thompson, and Tim McGraw playing a very entertaining game of charades.

The always-funny Will Ferrell, doing some Olympic-esque figure skating to the Downton Abbey theme song, and more random laughter filled skits. Ending the week with a sit down interview the ever so fabulous FLOTUS, Michelle Obama on Thursday discussing all of the “first” of her life. The week would not be complete without Fallon teaming up again with his partner in crime, Justin Timberlake on Friday night for another hilarious Hip-Hop History skit.

Not only were the stars shining bright in the skits, but the musical acts

PHOTO/NBC

St. John’s Students in Morocco during their 10-day stay over Christmas break.

were amazing as well. Lady Gaga, Arcade, and Kristen Wig(as Harry Styles) graced the stage as well with their amazing vocals. Social media went wild and

every skit over the week went viral proving that Jimmy Fallon is much more than just Jay Leno’s replacement.

Kyle’s Column: Getting sick abroad

KYLE FITZGERALD Online Editor

Need some free advice today? Well, Kyle “Walks Everywhere In The Rain Even Though He Knows He Will Eventually Get Sick Because Of It” Fitzgerald has some just for you in this one-of-akind situation: If you walk in the rain, wind and snow (sometimes together) you will eventually come down with some debilitating virus.

How do I know this? Well, maybe it’s because I walked in the rain, wind and snow for hours on end on more than a half dozen occasions.

I woke up on an ill-fated Friday morning with a blistering headache and a sharp pain in both of my ears. Struggling PHOTO/KYLE FITZGERALD to reach for my phone, I asked my AmerCanadian Cafe where Kyle found comfort after becoming sick while in England. ican crony Erick to pick up some items that were supposed to help me recover.

If you’re sick for two weeks, then out of being sick. When you’re sick An hour or so later I walked down the the hours start to pile up a bit. Using my abroad, you sort of have this craving to three flights of stairs to be greeted by Ercalculator app, I streamed approximately be surrounded by comfort and familick and he said I did not look good.

2,655 minutes of television. Converting iarity. Well, believe it or not, I actually He was right.

What does one do, or what can one this into hours, that would be 44 hours encountered something a bit closer to my ethnic region. do, when horribly sick while studying (I think?).

Needless to say, I didn’t go out much, On my way to the Headingabroad? I certainly didn’t have the eneror at all.

That’s not even counting the ly-Carnegie Stadium for class, my gy or strength to walk up hills for hours, Canadian senses kicked in (I’m one-quarso I used my best judgment and stayed Olympics, either.

But, believe it or not, there was one ter French-Canadian) and just so hapin my bed streaming television on my maybe-positive experience I could take pened to come across this Canadian computer.

café. Of all the places I’ve come across in the UK, this was certainly the least expected.

So I entered this incredible establishment. Behind the counter was a lady from Toronto. Sporting the traditional and stereotypical politeness inherent in Canadians, she instantly detected my American accent (not like I was trying to hide it, though).

And then I ordered. What on Earth would I ever order at a Canadian café?

Oh, I don’t know, maybe a maple syrup latte?

Words could not express my joy in such a warm, intoxicating and welcoming beverage. I ever so delicately held this intoxicating concoction in my hands while I drank out of it. And the world seemed to turn a tad slower as I did.

While I understand that time and medicine are probably the reasons why I am not sick anymore, I am tempted to – and absolutely will – give full credit to that maple syrup latte at the Canadian café.

Even in Leeds, the great nation of Canada is being represented.

Kyle Fitzgerald is studying abroad in England this semester and writing about his excursions each week.

Lieutenant leading and learning on campus

9

SHANNON LUIBRAND Features Editor Lieutenant Ralph Pascullo sits at his desk, leaning forward with his arms folded. The St. John’s logo is sewn into his jacket resting over his heart. His NYPD badges hang on the wall in a picture frame above his head.

The 61-year-old is surrounded by papers, books and photos of his family. He smiles wide, his eyes glistening as he talks about his three children and wife. A photo of him from decades ago is part of a collage made for his police department retirement. He sports that same genuine smile.

Pascullo is the current St. John’s Department of Public Safety Lieutenant and Training Coordinator. But that’s not all he is. He also is a student.

Decades after he completed his bachelor’s degree, Pascullo decided to take advantage of the opportunities his position at St. John’s provided him. One of those opportunities being—free classes. He is in his second semester now, on track to receive his masters degree in Criminal Justice Leadership by 2016.

“I am obviously a non-traditional student,” he said. “I am the oldest person in the class.”

Also a family man, Pascullo can’t help but brag about his three children and wife. His son is getting his second masters degree at St. John’s, his first daughter is a nurse and his youngest daughter, still in high school, loves to help others.

He said all his children are passionate about education.

“I think they are proud I went back to school,” he said.

Pascullo said he always wanted a masters degree. This semester he is taking Constitutional Law and Public Administration. People will often ask him in his classes, why are you here? He was a leader in law enforcement for nearly three decades.

“I just tell them, never stop learning,” he said. “Never be still. Keep moving forward until you can’t move forward anymore.”

At first Pascullo said he was intimidated by the classroom, but now he is excited to hear what professors think about the field in which he spent most of his life working.

“The professors are so knowledgeable that they bring up things that I never thought about,” he said. “I might have done it in principal, but now I want to learn exactly what the experts think about it.”

Pascullo, originally from Flushing, joined the Police Academy in 1973. He worked hard, even went back to school at one point to get a four year degree. He advanced through the ranks.

“I was a good street cop I believe and I did get promoted,” he said.

He was assigned to the most elite unit in the NYPD, the Emergency Service Unit.

“When people need help they call the cops,” he said. “When cops need help they call ESU.” As a result, of being in that group, Pas-

TORCH PHOTO/SHANNON LUIBRAND

Lieutenant Ralph Puscullo, former NYPD, in his office in the Public Safety Building on the St. John’s University campus.

cullo became the task force leader for New York State FEMA Urban Search and Rescue. He said that meant he got to respond to all sorts of disasters in and around the United States including Hurricane George, the first World Trade Center Bombing and the Atlanta City Bombing during the 1996 Olympics.

Pascullo spent his career doing everything from defusing hostage situations, responding to bombings and fighting terrorists. He was on scene during the attempted subway bombing in 1997 that inspired the book, “Jihad in Brooklyn: The NYPD Raid that Stopped America’s First Suicide Bombers.”

He is also currently security for a member of a North African royal family. He retired from the NYPD in 2000 as Deputy Inspector, Executive Officer of the Special Operations Unit, after 28 years of service.

“I really have to say I had the greatest ride in the world in the NYPD,” he said.

Pascullo said he was at the top of career at the time of his retirement. He did not want to retire, but he had a heart attack.

“Once the medical condition occurred the career was over,” he said.

The morning of his heart attack Pascullo had come from a midnight tour of duty. It was a difficult situation he said, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a barricade hostage; a man was holding a knife to his daughter for six or seven hours. Wearing a heavy vest in the summer and negotiating behind locked doors was not unusual for Pascullo. But when he came home that morning he suddenly felt a burning feeling in his chest. He called the ESU and told them he thought he was having a heart attack. He was right.

Two stents later, the Police Sergeant came to his bedside in the hospital and told Pascullo his career was over.

“I wasn’t prepared for what happened.

I was still right in the prime of what I was doing. Happy with what I was doing. No intentions of leaving. And

then one day you are told it’s over,” he said. “One day you wake up top of your game and the next day some guy comes in and says you know this is finished.”

Pascullo said it was devastating. He spent a few months at home, but he couldn’t sit still. He got a job at Shea Stadium as the Chief of Security. Still not satisfied, he also took a side job as the Inspector General’s Under Cover Agent for the Off Track Betting Corporation for the City of New York.

Despite being retired, on Sept. 11, 2001, Pascullo went straight to Ground Zero to help. He said in all his years of service, he never saw anything like it.

He can remember flying down Flatbush Avenue to deliver supplies to Ground Zero in a helicopter not long after the towers were hit. They were the only aircraft in the air and Pascullo said they were probably the first people in history to see what the towers looked like after they had first gone down.

“Never expected anything of that magnitude,” he said. “I don’t think anyone did.”

A very large percentage of people he

“

Never be still.

Keep moving forward until you can’t move forward anymore.

”

knew died that day.

“That was a tough time,” he said.

“When September comes around, you start to think about it.”

Pascullo said his position at St. John’s has been more than he could ever imag-

ine. He knew some people at St. John’s from his time in law enforcement and knew of the tuition remission program for the children of employees. His children were almost college age so he decided to try and get a job at the University. Next thing he knew, he was a Public Safety Officer. He started at the bottom, moving up the ranks quickly. He is now a Lieutenant, the highest uniform rank in Public Safety. He cannot speak anymore highly of St. John’s.

“I think it saved me from what I missed in the Police Department,” he said. “It is a pleasure to be here. It is such a pleasant place to work.”

Pascullo has now been at the University for almost 10 years. And because nearly 75 percent of the Public Safety Officers at St. John’s are retired NYPD or New York Corrections Officers, Pascullo said it feels like home.

“That brotherhood is very, very hard to find any other place in the world,” he said about the NYPD. “Here at St. John’s though, I have to say, it comes close.”

The Department of Public Safety also appreciates Pascullo.

“The Department of Public Safety and the St. John’s University community are extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable individual on our team,” Lieutenant Thomas Lawrence, the vice president of Public Safety, said. “Lt. Pascullo’s passion and enthusiasm to ensure the safety of our campuses along with the training and experience obtained during 30 years of service with the NYPD is unmatched.”

Pascullo said St. John’s is a great place to work.

“It is my savior,” he said. “It has educated my children. It has provided an income. It has provided a place where I can feel comfortable, like nothing ever happened.”

And soon he will hold a masters degree from the University he loves.

“I always felt that you should never stand still in life,” he said. “You should always try to improve.”

10

Nostalgia with modern twists at NYFW

PHOTO/STYLE.COM

Designers Jill Stuart and Milly front their feminine side for the Fall season.

LAURICE RAWLS Staff Writer Despite cold weather and a fair amount of snow, New York Fashion Week trudged on earlier this month and delivered a new crop of trends for the upcoming fall/winter season.

Though looking forward to another season of polar vortexes and blizzards may not seem appealing at the moment,

designers showed great clothes and trends that won’t make it so bad.

One reoccurring item were fur coats.

They appeared on runways less like the pimp coats of the 90s and more streamlined. Jill Stuart and Milly kept the trend light and feminine with soft colors from white to a dusty purple. On the opposite side, Band of Outsiders and Hervé Léger

by Max Azria gave off a more edgy feel with biker jackets and dark stripes.

The trend of loose-fitting clothes has also resurfaced from the 90s. The DKNY

PHOTO/STYLE.COM

Donna Karen celebrated the 30th anniversary of her DKNY line with diversity.

PHOTO/STYLE.COM

Rodarte show a blast from the past with Star Wars prints on the finale dresses.

show was the show that displayed this really well. With the eclectic cast of half models, half people pulled from the streets, the show was already notable, but her display of loose, edgy, urban sportswear is bound to catch on. From the over-sized coats to the flowing skirts, the looks were in equal parts interesting and wearable.

Another designer commonly noted for creating wearable clothes, Alexander Wang, also had a more loose fitting style to each look.

Unlike Donna Karen’s overall loose, relaxed feel, Wang opted for a more boxy structure in his outerwear, sweaters and shorts, only broken by baggy pants.

The trends of graphic tops and nerd paraphernalia seem to be staying around, with both popping up at a few separate shows. Rodarte, always a place where you can find something quirky, closed their show with dresses displaying images of Luke Skywalker, C3PO, the Death Star and even Yoda.

The “Star Wars” theme even showed up in the Preen show during London Fashion Week with the repeated motif of Darth Vader’s helmet. Graphics got equally as interesting.

At the Opening Ceremony show hands were the clear inspiration. The show included several garments with hands as the repeated pattern. Other looks displayed prints that mimicked the flowing lines of fingerprints. When fall and winter come around it is easy for most people to fall into wearing mostly black or gray. This season designers tried to brighten the uniform of dark clothes with a pop of color. Both Diane Von Furstenberg’s and Rag and Bone’s show featured red and purples to battle a monotonous feel to the collection.

Overall, New York Fashion Week has foreshadowed to an upcoming season of reemerging trends from the 90s and a bright, fun twist to modern styles.

PHOTO/STYLE.COM

Top: Band of Outsiders Middle: Alexander Wang Bottom: Rag &Bone

St. John’s student stars in Seventeen

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PHOTO COURTESY/CHLOE CORIOLAN

PHOTO COURTESY/CHLOE CORIOLAN

Chloe Coriolan began asking her parents to go on casting calls at 12 years old.

Chloe Coriolan is also very active on campus in her sorority Gamma Phi Beta.

OLIVIA CUNNINGHAM Assistant Features Editor

In middle school, 12-year-old Chloe Coriolan began begging her parents to take her to Seventeen magazine casting calls.

Her mother and father always refused, but Coriolan never gave up on her childhood dream, and seven years later the bubbly sophomore has just earned her fourth appearance in Seventeen.

“When me and Chloe met and became roommates, one of the first things she said is that her biggest dream was to be in Seventeen magazine,” Danielle McMullen, Chloe’s roommate, sorority sister and best friend said. “Within only a few months she accomplished it!”

Coriolan entered the Beauty Sweetie contest the summer before she came to St. John’s.

“It was very long,” she said. During the competition, “we had to create our own videos and every week the viewers would vote.” In November, the winner was announced.

“I was in DAC eating dinner when I won,” Coriolan said. “So much has happened I don’t remember all of it. I was really confident.”

As the winner of the Beauty Sweetie contest, Coriolan received her own webshow, an appearance in Seventeen and $10,000. In April 2013, she made her first Seventeen appearance, which was followed by two more as a Beauty Sweetie and her most recent, an advertisement for Keds.

“Seventeen calls and says ‘you’ll be in this issue, come for the photoshoot’ about a month ahead of time,” Coriolan explained.

Her year-long contract with Seventeen lasts a few more months, and she is hoping to be able to renew it for another year.

Robin Wallace, a social and video strategy specialist at Hearst Media, said in an email, “Chloe is a rare natural on camera who has a genuine curiosity to learn and be the best she can be in all that she does.”

Even before entering the contest, Co-

riolan was active on YouTube. In 10th grade, she created her own channel and started learning filming and editing techniques using Google and YouTube.

“I taught myself,” she said. “It was my own personal project. I put everything I had into it.”

“She is not only extremely talented, but has worked incredibly hard for each opportunity,” McMullen said.

With over 100 videos and almost 17,000 subscribers, Coriolan continues to post videos, ranging from beauty tutorials to Q&As about college and sorority life, about four times a month.

In the videos, “I try to be as relatable as possible,” Coriolan said. “It’s kind of an art form.”

Her favorite look is “natural, with a little bit of shimmer or pop. I want to be able to enhance what I have.”

“College is really hectic,” Coriolan said, but she still makes time to maintain her YouTube channel and to participate in service and community-building events with her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta.

Since signing her contract with Seventeen, Coriolan has changed her major from psychology to communications. In the future she’d like to pursue a career in front of the camera, perhaps with a talk show or a beauty segment on E! News.

“I would like to do anything in entertainment or beauty. My goal is constantly changing. If I could do that it would be awesome,” Coriolan said. “I want to be in front of the camera.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that she will meet much success in her coming years as both a personality and professional,” Wallace said.

Although her parents never encouraged Coriolan to attend casting calls as a child, she says that they are very proud and supportive of her Beauty Sweetie win and her pursuit of her dream career.

“That’s the best feeling, when your family and friends are supporting you,” she said.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” McMullen said. “I get to be there to share in all of her successes and excitement.”

For Coriolan, her career at Seventeen “was a dream come true, even better than what I wanted.”

PHOTO COURTESY/CHLOE CORIOLAN

Chloe Coriolan poses for an advertisement in Seventeen magazine for Keds.

12

‘Things Happen’ at G-Eazy’s listening party LORRAINE BALLERO Staff Writer Emerging San Francisco rapper G-Eazy held a low-profile listening party for his new album “These Things Happen” to the glee of many local fans last Tuesday night. Sponsored by Spotify and featuring DJs from Hot 97.5, the party was an intimate way for fans to meet and greet G-Eazy before his tour makes its way to New York next month.

Gerald Gallum, better known as G-Eazy, has been working the scene with a unique rap style reminiscent of 1950’s pop and “dapper look.”

Participating in events like SXSW and joining fellow rapper Hoodie Allen on a couple of his tours, he has gained more popularity and fans throughout the country.

His appearance on the 2012 Warped Tour boosted his status as an up-andcoming force in the rap world, and many stars like A$AP Rocky and Drake have taken notice.

Critics have taken a liking to his style and reiterate their emphasis on keeping up with him throughout his career.

His most recent These Things Happen Tour with opener Rockie Fresh, set to take off on Feb. 21, may prove to be his most successful so far, with dates like San Francisco, Seattle and Boston sold out. New York fans, however, found themselves waiting in 18 degree weather to maybe be lucky enough to enter the

exclusive event. Once inside, G-Eazy’s 6’4” presence was hard to miss as he casually made his way through the crowd to greet people and thank them for attending the event.

There would be no performances from him tonight, but it was clear the night would be all about him, his music and how this album would solidify his presence in the rap world.

The DJ pumped out the new songs into a house party-like atmosphere as people danced and got to know G-Eazy’s new sound.

The mix of his new and old songs kept the party alive. Fans were able to talk to “G” and get pictures, autographs, and share the experience with other fans.

Skizzy Mars, a New York City rapper, also attended the event and later posed with him in a picture with his close friend on Instagram.

The whole night was an enjoyable experience overall, but what struck people throughout the room most about G-Eazy was just how humble he was the whole night.

During a night all about you, with your own sound pumping through speakers and people singing along to every lyric, you’d expect to find yourself pumped up on pride and arrogance.

G-Eazy was different in that he genuinely thanked fans for coming out to support him, shook hands with old friends and gave advice to other emerging rappers in the room. Most of the time, you could find him chatting up in a small group of two or three people, smiling

TORCH PHOTO/LORRAINE BALLERO

G-Eazy performing at his listening party sponsored by Spotify and Hot 97.5. and always listening. While the album’s tour is sure to be amazing and G-Eazy’s release date has yet to be announced, the future is certainly brighter than ever.

Odom to flee Charlie Sheen Thicke and JoJo’s back RAWLS the US to wed again Patton split LAURICE Staff Writer Its looks like Lamar Odom is fleeing the country after his alleged drug addiction went nationwide and marriage to youngest Kardashian sister, Khloe, came to an end.

In an effort to redeem himself his image as sixth best man in the league and loving husband, 34-year-old Odom is heading to Spain to play basketball.

PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The former Clippers forward was seen at LAX last weekend heading to sign a new gig with Spanish team Laboral Kutxa for the next two months.

Spotted looking much healthier than before, paparazzi and crazed fans could not help but notice the large chunk of ice on his wedding finger.

During a press conference with his new team Odom told US Weekly, “Who knows? We don’t know exactly if [the divorce is going through].

Only time will tell. I hope not. But even if we were divorced, she would always be my wife.”

In the world of Hollywood’s irrational thinkers , there is their leader Charlie Sheen. The “I’m Winning” funny man is looking to marry his girlfriend Brett Rossi, an already-married porn star.

The 48-year-old “Anger Management” star will soon take his fourth walk down the aisle, after proposing to Rossi during a Hawaii getaway.

PHOTO/INSTAGRAM

However, there are a few problems blocking their eternal happiness. For starters, Rossi, whose real name is Scottine Ross, is still married to her husband.

The pair has been separated for nearly two years, but Rossi failed to file the paperwork until Jan. 30, 2014.

But don’t fret; Sheen is fully aware of the circumstances. His publicist released a statement to E! News saying, “Charlie and Brett have absolutely no secrets between them.” Although the details on the upcoming nuptials are a secret, Sheen has revealed that there will be absolutely no pre-nuptial agreement.

After over 20 years together as a couple, Hollywood duo Robin Thicke and Paula Patton have decided to split.

Although the choice to separate was shocking, everyone from family to fans had suspected trouble in paradise after Thicke’s memorable 2013 MTV Video Music Award’s performance with Miley Cyrus.

The couple has been together since

PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

high school, where they met in 1993 in their early teenage years. However, it seems things went sour for the R&B crooner and actress when Thicke was spotted getting intimate with a mystery woman in the club back in January.

Despite the stigma that is associated with divorce, the pair released an official statement Monday expressing their love for one another will live forever.

In the statement, the two tell the public, “We will always love each other and be best friends; however, we have mutually decided to separate at this time.”

Compiled by Briawnna Jones

For the millions of us silently praying for the return of Jojo back to our iTunes accounts and television screens on Valentine’s Day, Jojo released an EP called “#lovejojo” to announce her arrival back on the music scene. The former teen sensation has been out of the spotlight for quite some time and has recently signed with Atlantic records.

She opens the EP by covering Anita Baker’s infamous “Caught Up In The Rapture” and even added her own twist. The song has an upbeat vibe with just enough space to hear her beautiful voice and ability to reach a range of notes.

Jojo also covers Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home” with a military marching beat and an added soft vibe. In closing, Jojo brings us to church in her rendition of the gospel song “Glory”, where she slows things down and shows her ability to rift with grace.

Although the EP is only four songs, Jojo reminds of why we all loved her so much and shows how talented she truly is. While we remember Jojo for singing songs telling boys, “to leave, get out” and reminding them “It’s just a little too late,” this time she may just be showing us how great it feels to fall in love.

Although there has been no official release date of an album, this EP has forced fans new and old to continue biting their nails while waiting for more.

13

The leading ladies of the Olympics

The American ladies of the Sochi games who wowed us and stole our hearts.

PHOTO/TWITTER.COM/NOELLEPIKEUSPACE

Noelle Pikus-Place cheering on the US Speed Skating team with her family.

SHARON TONG Staff Writer The Olympics may be over and our guilty pleasures of keeping up with “Sochi problems” have been priceless. The United States did not top the list with the most overall medals or gold medals but there were a few female athletes who had us glued to our screens and even touched our hearts.

Noelle Pikus-Pace, Skeleton – It has been quite a tough journey for Pikus-Pace and her career. The 32-yearold Utah native began her career in 2001 but accidents and taking time off to raise a family has forced her to miss several seasons, one of which cost her chances at the 2006 Turin Olympics. After finishing fourth at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Pikus-Pace announced her retirement and the next would be filled with life-changing events. She gave birth to a son in 2011 but after suffering a miscarriage in 2012, Pikus-Pace’s husband encouraged her to give one more shot at the Olympics, so the Pace family of four packed their bags and joined Noelle in touring Europe as she raced in several

world cups, before going for her last race in Sochi. She finished in second place, graciously, with her family to celebrate a 15-year journey.

Gracie Gold, Figure skating – Dubbed as the “Golden Girl of figure skating,” 18-year-old Gracie Gold of Chicago earned her spot on the Olympic team when she won first place in the U.S. Figure Skating Championship (yes, the one with all the controversy). Gold moved to California to be under the tutelage of legendary skating coach Frank Carroll (who coached Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek) just last fall and so far, the improvements have been obvious. Even though the American women did not medal at the individual figure skating events, Gold scored the highest, finishing in fourth place. We’re counting on her to put her last name for the real thing in 2018!

Lauryn Williams, Bobsled – If you love track and field, you know you’re already rooting for Lauryn Williams— can you believe she got into bobsledding only six months ago?! With the encouragement of fellow track and field teammate Lolo Jones to join bobsledding,

PHOTO/INSTAGRAM

Elana Meyers and Lauryn Williams pose on Instagram with their medals.

Williams, along with Elana Meyers, the veteran who won silver in Vancouver, were heavily favored to win gold in the two-woman event. All hopes were on the 30-year-old sprinter-turned-bobsledder, who won silver and gold at the 100-meter dashes in Athens and London Olympics, respectively, to make history as the first woman to win gold in both the summer and winter Olympics. Williams and Meyers pushed their way to the fastest times in the first two runs and were only one-tenth of a second from making history, finishing second and making Williams the fifth Olympian ever to medal in both summer and winter Olympics. This may be her last Olympic games but this definitely paves the way for the American women to win gold at the next winter Olympics.

Erin Hamlin, Luge – Fellow New Yorker Erin Hamlin has always been the favored American to medal in luge. The Oneida native made history when she won gold at the 2009 FIL World Luge Championship, becoming the first American to do so. Sweeping the gold medal for Hamlin was highly anticipated at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, but she

finished in 16th place, the highest for the American women. In a sport which mostly Germans dominate, Hamlin captured the bronze medal and made history as the first American woman to medal in Olympic luge, ending the 50-year drought for the Americans. At 27 years of age, Hamlin is eyeing for another run at the 2018 Olympic games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, hopefully turning that bronze into gold.

Polina Edmunds, Figure skating – There are moments where you’re shocked by a score and then there are those moments where you’re shocked by just how young or old an athlete really is. This was a case of the latter. Though 15-year-old Polina Edmunds was not the youngest figure skater at the competition (that went to Russia’s Yulia Lipnitskaya [who is only 18 days younger]), she made her senior international debut at the games and finished in ninth place— not bad. Going to Sochi also meant going back to her roots as her mother, Nina, is originally from Russia and was also a figure skater. The Russian media already loves the Bay Area native’s diligence of Russian culture.

‘Golden Girl’ (and Cover Girl,) Gracie Gold scored a top spot at the Olympics.

PHOTO/INSTAGRAM

14

TORCHCOMICS 26 February 2014

Tuesday Taco Time

Diamond Watts-Walker

Inappropriate Cat

Lucia Burrafato

Posing With Jim

Parking Trouble

L.A.B.

John Inzetta

Sports

Think Outside...

15

McArdle looks to lead Red Storm to new heights BRANDON MAUK Staff Writer

St. John’s lacrosse enters the season as a hungry bunch as they finished 9-4 but failed to qualify for the Big East tournament last season. The No. 19/18 Red Storm began the 2014 campaign with expectations of a Big East tourney appearance as well as a qualification into the NCAA tournament.

“I’m more interested in getting the wins we need to get to get us into the Big East tournament and if we can find a way to win some games to put ourselves in a position to put us in an NCAA tournament, you know,” head coach Jason Miller said. “Those are lofty expectations; it’s going to be really hard for us to do that. But at the same time, we’d all be pretty disappointed if it didn’t happen.”

If they do have a successful year in 2014, you can bet senior attackman Kieran McArdle will be one of the biggest reasons why they end up where they finish. He was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy last season as he led the Big East and was second in the nation in points, grabbing the Big East Attack Player of the Year award.

PHOTO /ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Kieran McArdle has a bright future, but is putting his future aside for this year.

“I work hard on and off the field, not only during practice but during my own time,” McArdle said. “I share the ball on the field, working hard to make the guys around me better.”

The senior has already gotten off to a hot start this season, scoring 12 points in the team’s first two games, a win against Holy Cross and a close loss to No. 13 Yale. He’s now the second leading scorer in school

history and needs three points to achieve the 200 point milestone for his career.

“The biggest impact that he has is the ability to make everyone around him better,” Miller said. “Sometimes, the times that he’s not out there are the times where we realize how important he is to us. The numbers are reflective on making everybody else better. So he’s got that

ability through not only his performance but his work ethic to really make everyone around him better.”

McArdle tries to set an example for the other players through his work ethic and style of play. After leading the country in assists last season, he already has seven through the first two games.

“Doing all things right, just working hard in practice, going hard in certain drills and just set a good example for them,” McArdle said. To win, the team needs to “Just stay focused all season, work hard in practice and make it translate onto the field.”

“We try to stay true to who we are. First and foremost, we want to be a blue-collar group, a hard working group, a scrappy group,” Miller said. “The only way to be able to achieve our goals is to go out there and work hard every single day and get better every day.”

McArdle has set higher expectations for himself and the team this season. He says he expects to again be a Tewaaraton finalist as well as be a First-Team All-American. He wants to end his career with a Big East championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. After college, he will be going pro as he was drafted 5th overall to Major League Lacrosse by the Florida Launch.

Johnnies can’t create offense at Yale MICHAEL TRAVIGNO Staff Writer

The No. 19/18 St. John’s lacrosse team lost its first game of 2014 season falling to No. 13 Yale on the road Saturday afternoon by a 10-6 final.

YALE ST. JOHN’S

10

6

The Bulldogs are known for their shutdown defense, ranking sixth in the nation last season in scoring defense with 7.94 goals against and Saturday was no different. St. John’s (1-1, 0-0) fought throughout the game to stay in contention but Yale’s defense was too much for the Red Storm.

“I’m not sure we had our best stuff today,” St. John’s head coach Jason Miller said. “A lot of that had to do with a very good Yale team, solid in every aspect.”

Senior attackman and reigning Big East Offensive Player of the Week Kieran McArdle led the Red Storm with a game-high 5 points netting 2 goals and dishing 3 assists. Junior attackman Eric DeJohn scored his first goal of his St. John’s career while senior defend-

er Drew Viscusi recorded a team-high four turnovers.

“Yale has a lot of strengths,” said Miller. “We’re not happy with the outcome by any stretch, but we can take some positives out of today and continue to work better.”

St. John’s started the game strong finishing the first quarter with a 2-2 tie. Despite the Johnnies best efforts, Yale continued to keep a multiple goal lead. St. John’s looked to have momentum heading into the fourth quarter after McArdle’s unassisted goal with 47 seconds remaining.

The Bulldogs sophomore attacker/midfielder Michael Bonacci squashed any hopes for a comeback with a goal with 8 seconds left in the third quarter giving Yale a 9-5 lead.

“We’re not where we want to be,” said Miller. “But I know our guys will be ready to get back to work on Monday.”

After a shaky first career start for freshman Joseph Danaher, the young netminder rebounded nicely finishing the game with 10 saves.

“I thought Joe Danaher

rebounded nicely against a pretty explosive Yale offense,” Miller said.

Despite last year’s 10-9 upset victory, the Red Storm have had a tough time facing the Bulldogs over the years, 1-7 all-time including 0-4 on the road.

St. John’s will look to bounce back against a tough Sienna team on March 1 at DaSilva Memorial Field at 1 p.m.

“This game is always close, always hard fought,” said Miller. “I expect no different next week.”

PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

St. John’s Lacrosse can’t stop Yale offense as ten players score a point to give the Bulldogs a 10-6 win over Johnnies .

16

Ladies recent struggles continue

JULIA QUADRINO Staff Writer

The St. John’s women’s basketball team fell to the Creighton Blue Jays by a score of 65-62, handing the Red Storm its first losing streak of the 2014 calendar year.

CREIGHTON ST. JOHN’S

at the half shooting 48.1 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from the 3-point arc, and sinking all 5 free throw attempts.

St. John’s couldn’t get back on track Sunday afternoon as both their offense and defense was dominated by the Blue Jays (17-10, 11-4).

Despite ranking second in the NCAA

in 3-point defense, the women surrendered 7 of the 12 (58.3 percent) treys attempted by Creighton, while failing to score any of their 3 of 12 attempts (25.0 percent) until the second half.

When they last faced Creighton on Jan. 8 while on the tear of their life, the Johnnies beat up on the Blue Jays with

help in part by the dominating performance of junior Amber Thompson, who combined for 11 points and 12 rebounds.

The women will look to get back to their winning ways at home on Feb. 26 when they face Marquette at Carnesseca Arena.

65

62

Amber Thompson was limited by the Creighton (17-10, 11-4) defense in the first half, going just 1-4 from the field with 2 turnovers. Aliyyah Handford’s Big East player of the week winning shot was practically silenced to open the game as well, scoring just 4 points in the first in this tale-of-two-halves contest.

“It was a tough loss today but I’m proud of the way we fought back at the end,” said head coach Joe Tartamella in a release. “They have three great scorers who came out and did just that against us. Creighton is a very aggressive team, especially at home where it’s a great atmosphere.”

The Red Storm threatened in the second half, becoming seemingly an entirely new offensive team after falling to as much as a 20 point deficit when trailing 50-30 at the 10:56 mark. St. John’s closed the gap to just 4 points with under a minute left by going on a 24-8 run, but failed to finish the job.

The Johnnies got out to a 4-2 lead to open the first half, but it would be the last lead they would have for the rest of the game. At the 14:23 mark, the Blue Jays scored 10 unanswered points to go up 18-6 and would eventually lead by 12

Aliyyah Handford has put the team on her back this year as she leads the team in scoring.

TORCH PHOTO/DIANA COLAPIETRO

Party like it’s 2011! Johnnies mirror KBA’s old squad MICHAEL TRAVIGNO Staff Writer

The St. John’s women’s basketball has been turning heads with their impressive play this season. The Red Storm is currently ranked No. 22 in the nation with a 19-6 record while sitting on top of the Big East thanks to a program-leading 11 consecutive wins against conference opponents.

This season is reminiscent of the 2011-12 women’s team that stormed all the way to the Sweet 16. This year’s team is looking for a deeper run in this year’s tournament.

One person carries the success of two years ago to this young team and that person is redshirt senior guard Eugeneia McPherson. The junior guard at the time was a vital component to the triumphs of that historic season.

McPherson was the only Johnnie to play and start in all 34 games that season averaging 11.8 points per game while adding 3.1 rebounds. When asked about the similarities between this season and two years ago McPherson said, “We still try to get out and run. We still try to be a transition team.”

Thanks to big games in the past, McPherson’s leadership has been pivotal this season. “Being in the position before, playing in Big East tour-

naments and a Sweet 16 gives me more under my belt to be a leader,” McPherson said.

This year’s team is full of young talent, but the emergence of sophomore guard Aliyyah Handford has really taken the Red Storm to the next level. Handford is leading the Lady Johnnies with 16.1 points per game and has been named Big East Player of the Week twice this season.

Some would say that St. John’s success this year in the Big East is due to the conference realignment. Top teams such as Notre Dame and Connecticut are no longer on the schedule for St. John’s but don’t tell this team that this conference is any easier.

“I think it’s a pretty competitive conference, McPherson said. “I think it’s even more dangerous because anybody can win any game. Alliyah Handford added, “It doesn’t matter who we play or where it is. We can beat anyone as long as we play as a team.”

Like any good team there must be chemistry not only on the court but off it as well. This team has built a great camaraderie off the court that has helped them gel this season.

“Everybody hangs out together off the court,” said Handford. McPherson added, “This might be one of my favorite years as far as being with my team off the court because we’re closer this year than any other year.”

TORCH PHOTO/DIANA COLAPIETRO

Eugeneia McPherson was an integral part of the team’s success in 2011-12.

17

St. John’s falls to Xavier 65-53 at MSG

First home loss since Jan. 16 throws NCAA hopes into deep Big East run MICHAEL TRIVIGNO Staff Writer

After a strong start to February the St. John’s men’s basketball team dropped its second game in a row Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden 65-53 at the hands of Big East rival Xavier.

The Red Storm’s (18-11, 8-8) lack ST. JOHN’S XAVIER

3

0

of presence in the paint combined with a poor shooting display from behind the arc and the free throw line proved to be the difference maker. Because of the loss, St. John’s failed to take sole possession of third place in the Big East standings and dropped to sixth.

“We were disappointed with the lack of resistance on the defensive end of the floor,” head coach Steve Lavin said. “Offensively we struggled to find a rhythm.”

St. John’s struggled at all ends offensively finishing the game with a 36.7 shooting percentage including 2-of-16 from behind the arc. The Red Storm also struggled from the charity stripe shooting 53.8 percent and had no transition game to speak of, as they had zero fast break points.

Sophomore forward JaKarr Sampson finished with a team-high 14 points and

five rebounds. After missing Saturday’s game against No. 9 Villanova due to the birth of his first child, senior forward Orlando Sanchez finished with 11 points and four rebounds. Junior guard D’Angelo Harrison struggled from the field finishing with just four points on 1-of-11 shooting.

St. John’s freshman guard Rysheed Jordan suffered a tough week dealing with a death in the family and was a game-time decision, but came off the bench to finish with 11 points and three steals.

“He wanted to participate,” said Lavin. “He did the best he could under the circumstances.”

The Musketeer’s (19-9, 9-6) started the game on fire shooting 56.0 percent in the first half. The Musketeers finished with four players in double-digit scoring and were led by freshman forward Jalen Reynolds who finished the game with career-highs in points and rebounds with 17 and 16 respectively. The Musketeers dominated the paint as well outscoring St. John’s 38-22.

“We weren’t pleased with our defensive effort tonight,” Lavin said. “Defensive creates a lot of our offense and we didn’t have a sustained effort that we have become accustomed to in the past 13-14 games.” Junior guard Jamal Branch added, “We didn’t do a good job communicating and 56% (opponent shooting) in the first half is not us and not acceptable.”

With the season coming down to

TORCH PHOTOS/JALEN MILLER

St. John’s will have to streak again if it hopes to be NCAA-bound in March.

its final two games before the Big East tournament, the Red Storm’s 0-5 start in conference play could be a potential backbreaker to making the NCAA Tournament.

“Every game is like a champi-

onship game,” junior guard Phil Greene IV said. “We have a lot of basketball left and we’re going to be prepared and ready to make the NCAA tournament.”

Blank’s crew in a deep rut after loss to UK STEPHEN ZITOLO Assistant Sports Editor

The St. John’s baseball team’s struggles continued on Sunday afternoon versus the No. 30 Kentucky Wildcats at the Old Dominion Baseball Tournament as the Red Storm were blown out 13-0.

KENTUCKY

13

ST. JOHN’S

0

St. John’s couldn’t get anything going in any aspect of their play on Sunday. On the offense side of things as they left eight men stranded on the base paths. The pitching staff struggled as well as the six pitchers who saw action combined to give up 10 earned runs and walk 10 batters.

Behind the struggling pitching staff it didn’t help that three errors were made that forced three more runs across the plate.

The Red Storm’s (1-5) loss to the Wildcats (5-2) marked their fifth straight loss and their schedule wont get any easier as they have eight straight road games until retuning home to Jack Kaiser Stadium.

Kentucky first

baseman A.J Reed continued his recent offensive tear versus the Red Storm as he belted two home runs on the afternoon, bringing his numbers for the weekend to five home runs and 11 RBI’s.

The Wildcats were able to get St. John’s starting pitcher Ryan McCormick for five runs in five innings, as he served up both of A.J Reed’s homers and was given his first loss on the season.

Kyle Cody started the game for Kentucky as he pitched six scoreless innings against St. John’s and was credited with his first win on the season.

The sixth inning was where disaster struck for St. John’s.

The Wildcats were able to send 10 players to the plate, while scoring six runs on four hits, a walk, and two errors.

Before the inning ended the Johnnies used two relievers and at the end of the top of the sixth the Wildcats lead 11-0.

Freshman designated hitter Troy Dixon had the best day at the plate for the Red Storm as he went 2-for-3.

Blankmeyer had to make numerous trips to the mound to get new pitchers and the five pitchers who came out of the bullpen, Mike Sheppard III, Matt Hennie, Matt Clancy, Shawn Heide and Thomas Hackimer, struggled for the Johnnies giving up five runs in four innings of relief. St. John’s will try and get back in the win column on Friday Feb. 28 as the head down to Boca Raton to play Florida Atlantic

TORCH PHOTO/DIANA COLAPIETRO

The Men’s Baseball team struggled offensively as they were shutout 13-0 by Kentucky.

SINCE 0-5 The St. John’s men’s basketball team began its Big East schedule in a dismal fashion, losing its first five games. However, since the 0-5 start, the Red Storm have gone 9-3, including a win against then-No. 12 Creighton on Feb. 9 at Madison Square Garden.

Jan. 18

Jan. 23

Feb. 1

Jan. 25

Feb. 4

Feb. 9

Feb. 13

Feb. 16

Jan. 28

Feb. 18

Feb. 22

Feb. 25

(18-11, Big East 8-8)

RECORD

Since Jan. 18

W 9 L 3

2

2

16 PPG 5.6 RPG 3.4 APG 3.4 BPG

REMAINING GAMES Remaining Games 6 March 8 @ Marquette 12:00 PM (16-11, 8-6)

March 2 @ MSG 12:00 PM (11-18, 3-13)

HARRISON SAMPSON

JORDAN

OBEKPA

*Since the Dartmouth game

Previous Meeting 6

WON 74-59 LOST 75-77

RPI

52 SOS

35 TORCH ILLUSTRATION/MITCHELL PETIT-FRERE

Freshmen adapting to States DANE HOLT

Contributing Writer The women’s tennis team has been on a tear lately winning four straight with a season record of 5-1. I had the opportunity to speak with Khrystyna Pavlyuk, Anna Morozova, and Nastya Polyakova some of the international players on their success this year and how they have adapted to New York and American culture. Being from overseas, the young ladies each chose to come to New York, because of the opportunity to experience what the city has to offer.

“I really like shopping here,” Nastya.

“There are so many different stores and everything is cheaper than it is in Russia.”

“When I was young I knew I would be in New York,” Khrystyna said. “I don’t know why but I had a feeling and everything I expected of New York is here”.

“I love New York, I come from a small city and now that I’m here I couldn’t imagine living in a small city again, here everything is attractive,” said freshman Anna Morozova.

While they love New York and the cultural differences it is their passion and preparation for tennis that have them playing well. Senior Khrystyna says that she has embraced the role as a leader for her teammates.

“I am more mature, patient,” Khrystyna said. “I definitely feel like the older one of the group.” Being that this is her last year she ultimately wants to

succeed on and off the court because tennis has raised her.

Nastya and Anna are a combined 10-1 at second and third singles and I asked them about their success.

“I just start very strong at the beginning and don’t let my opponent come back,” Nastya said. “I play smart and it is enough to beat some good tennis players.”

While Nastya was strategic with her response, Anna was more direct and straightforward.

“I’m Russian,” Nastya said. “I feel like I have to be the best, I just can’t lose”. With a winning attitude the freshman did acknowledge how she

looks up to her teammates Nastya and Khrystyna in their leadership roles and hopes to carry the tradition in years to come.

The team will travel down south during spring break and will play at Tulane, South Alabama, and USF. This road trip can start setting them apart from other teams in the conference if they continue their hot play.

“Recruiting internationally allows my staff and I to tap into a wider pool of talent,” Betrand said. “I think the international students add great value to the university by bringing different cultural practices, languages and perspectives.”

TORCH PHOTOS/DANE HOLT

Morozova and Pavlyuk are playing for more than just their jersey.

Burner and Reed ready to go

AISHA QUINONES Staff Writer

After a week hiatus, the St. John’s softball team prepares for their upcoming matchup against Alabama at Birmingham set for Friday Feb. 28th as a part of the Sixth Annual Bulldog Invitational, players Erin Burner & Jackie Reed along with head coach, Amy Kvilhaug recently gave personal insights on what’s expected of this team for the 2014 season.

“I think we’re in a good position in

terms of our chemistry,” head coach, Amy Kvilhaug said. “Everybody is on board and the wheel is spinning in the right direction for us.”

Kvilhaug says that there are areas that can help the team this year that weren’t there last year.

“Our defense has improved and the amount of production from our offensive lineup has gotten better from top to bottom.” Pointing out that depth is something of considerable significance this season, giving her the ability to “mix & match” in reference to the roster.

TORCH PHOTO/DIANA COLAPIETRO

Erin Burner has one of the more potent hitters on the team this year.

Something that wasn’t much of an option in comparison to last season, where she described they were “thin” in some areas.

“Everybody wants the same thing and everybody has the same goal,” Kvilhaug said. “First reach the Big East tournament in Illinois, compete for the Big East championship, and move on to the NCAA tournament.”

After recently landing on the Big East honor roll for the second straight time, junior Erin Burner is ready to turn this team into a winner.

“Definitely going to the Big East Tournament because it’s something that we are all working towards.”

Solidifying Kvilhaug’s point that the overall goal is the same amongst the entire team. Burner also shared a few thoughts on what’s she’s learned from teammate, Jackie Reed, throughout the past few years. “[Our goal is] to never give up,” Reed said. “That there are always other opportunities.”

As Reed gets ready for her final year, she’s noticed a couple of differences that can benefit the team this year.

“The chemistry is really good, it goes beyond just verbal communication. We understand each other so the overall communication is really great. Things between Erin & I are really good.”

With their sights collectively set on the same goal, the St. John’s softball team seek to continue on accomplishing their mission gearing up for their five game swing in Athens, Georgia.

Torch Sports

Storm

Cast

Leavin’ their Mark McArdle on Big East Weekly honor roll

Senior attacker Kieran McArdle had game-high five points in St. John’s 10-6 loss at No. 13 Yale on Saturday, resulting in his being named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll.

McArdle led the Red Storm with two goals and three assists in their season first road contest, playing a huge role in five of the Johnnies six goals on the day. He took his career points mark to 196. McArdle is shy of becoming just the second player in program history to reach the 200-point plateau. St. John’s point’s leader Mike Bolger is the only other player in school history to achieve the feat.

Bolger achieved two St. John’s records with 219 points and 122 assists in his legendary career, McArdle has averaged 6.00 points per game in St. John’s opening two contests. He leads the BIG EAST in points and is tied for the Division I lead.

McArdle also leads the Big East in assists per game at 3.50, which puts him at sixth in the nation.

Blowin’ in the Wind

“I told him that we’re all here for him, and if there is anything to do for him, we got him. He told me he’ll be alright.”

-D’Angelo Harrison on Rysheed Jordan

Headin’ this Way

Red Storm upcoming schedule

Men’s Basketball Mar. 2

DePaul* at Marquette

Mar. 8

Women’s Basketball Feb. 26 Mar. 1

Marquette DePaul

Lacrosse Mar. 1

Siena

*WSJU Radio

12 p.m.

12 p.m.

7 p.m.

1 p.m.

1 p.m.

19

WBB DROPS TWO STRAIGHT PG. 17

SPORTS FEBRUARY 26 2014 | VOLUME 91, ISSUE 18 |

TORCHONLINE.COM

KISSING IT GOODBYE? NCAA HOPES DANGLE ON BIG EAST TOURNEY AFTER LOSS PG. 18 TORCH PHOTO/JALEN MILLER