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VOLUME 58, ISSUE 50 | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

President-elect Dowd anticipates duties Fr. Robert Dowd views presidency as another opportunity to serve Notre Dame community By PETER BREEN Associate News Editor

In professor Phil Gleason’s Core course during the mid-1980s, Fr. Robert Dowd could tell he was cared for. Gleason, who taught history at Notre Dame for 47 years and died in January, inspired students to think about important issues and the meaning and purpose of life, Dowd added. “He was somebody who I think modeled what is best about Notre Dame. And that is just a deep commitment to growth and insight — and also, I think, an openness to ideas,” Dowd, who is succeeding current University President Fr. John Jenkins on July 1, told The Observer in an interview last week. Like many Domers, Dowd’s affinity for Notre Dame began young.

He grew up a 45-minute drive west of campus in Michigan City, Indiana. His mom and his dad, a 1956 Notre Dame alum, would bring Dowd and his little sister to football games when they were kids. As an undergraduate student, Dowd majored in economics and psychology. He lived in Grace Hall and played in the dorm’s intra-hall basketball league. The Oak Room on the first floor of South Dining Hall, with its free coffee refills, was his go-to hangout. “It was a great time. It doesn’t mean it was easy,” Dowd said about his undergraduate years. “There was a lot of soul searching that I did, probably not unlike a lot of students today.” Dowd considered becoming a high school teacher or going on to graduate school and pursuing life

in academia. Ultimately, he entered Moreau Seminary after finishing his bachelor’s degree in 1987. “I decided to enter the seminary and that brought me a lot of peace. It really did,” Dowd said. “It really felt like I was in the right place, and that never really went away.” Africa was in political upheaval when Dowd requested to spend some of his seminary formation on the continent. In 1991, he relocated to Nairobi, Kenya for 18 months and became fascinated by what was going on. “I was especially interested in the role that religious institutions might play during the time of political change,” Dowd said. “Would they support efforts to develop democratic institutions or would they hinder those efforts?” see DOWD PAGE 4

Courtesy of Rob Baranko

Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees elected associate provost Fr. Robert Dowd to be University President Fr. John Jenkins’ successor in December 2023.

Students bring science to public library event By SOPHIA DAVIS News Writer

The main branch of the St. Joseph Count y Public Librar y hosted its 32nd Science A live event Saturday, becoming a hub for children to exclaim at bubbling test tubes and create their “brain” in a bottle. From stage events like Pa leo Joe’s techniques of fossil collection to tables discussing the Great La kes ecosystem, k ids and parents of a ll ages opened their minds to the expanse of science. Wanda Dudley, a program coordinator for the event who tries to “add a little spark le” wherever she goes, worked a longside a team to inv ite more than 40 ex hibitors in an effort to teach the communit y the “ama zing things that science has to offer.” “We tr y to bring a little more diversit y to the stage shows,” Dudley said. “A ny thing from the physics of ba llet to science you can do at home to an awardw inning pa leontologist. [The event is there to] engage the

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audience, the k ids, the parents and have fun learning at the same time.” Dudley said the event had an ama zing turnout. She added that while this is her first year coordinating it, Notre Dame has been a part of the event for many years. Indeed, Notre Dame clubs, departments and lab groups were found throughout the librar y to create looks of wonder and curiosit y. The Universit y’s Rocketr y Club took participants to new heights show ing off their latest rocket. W hile the Universit y’s participants were there to prov ide a glimpse into science at Notre Dame, many of the groups said they had a goa l of becoming more engaged w ith the South Bend communit y as well. Diane Wright, a program coordinator for Notre Dame’s neuroscience and behavior major, led an activ it y where k ids hit a target while wearing glasses that distort v ision. Wright spoke about the

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“group of students who are rea lly dedicated to ta k ing neuroscience into the communit y and show ing people just ever yday things you can do to improve your brain hea lth.” Doctorate student Joshua Mora les ta lked about the importance of outreach for the Jaffe Lab, which has participated in Science A live in the past, bringing solid-state chemistr y to new audiences. This year, the group made batteries out of limes and da zzled people w ith fool’s gold. “Ta lk ing w ith the people, and seeing the smiles on their faces, that’s the reason why we do a ll of this,” Mora les said. The Notre Dame Chemistr y Club president, Cecilia Leber, and v ice-president, Julia Florek Carlson, said there was push to prov ide members more volunteering opportunities. “It seems like we have a lot of excitement w ith people see SCIENCE PAGE 3

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South Bend plans intake center By AYNSLEE DELLACCA News Writer

Mayor James Mueller inv ited the South Bend communit y to an open discussion Tuesday evening about the placement and overall concerns for the New Day Intake Center. The meeting took place at LaSalle Academy, a public middle school, in dow ntow n South Bend. Mueller hosted this meeting as a result of a postponement from last Thursday, Feb. 1, when fire marshal Gerard Ellis arrived one hour after the original meeting began and forced communit y members to clear the building. The gathering at the Beacon Resource Center was so large, it had exceeded the capacit y limit for the building. The project to launch South Bend’s first homeless shelter has been in progress since 2016 and began under former mayor Pete Buttigieg. It took a large step for ward when the South Bend Communit y School

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Corporation approved the cit y’s purchase of a threeacre plot of land to host the center. Before this plot of land, several locations in different areas of the cit y had been offered and all had been turned dow n by the count y. According to executive director of the Department of Communit y Investment, Caleb Bauer, the plot of land used for this project must adhere to the follow ing requirements: the site must be located w ithin cit y limits, at least three acres, located w ithin a quarter mile of a bus stop or bus line, be an undeveloped or vacant lot, not contaminated w ith chemical pollution or categorized as a wetland zone and available for the cit y to purchase. The location under debate is located on North Bendix Drive, roughly a quarter a mile away from the Bendix Drive bus stop. The New Day Intake Center, see SOUTH BEND PAGE 3

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THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

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Notre Dame Leprechaun Ryan Coury hypes up the crowd at halftime in the Feb. 10 men’s basketball game against Virginia Tech. The Irish won 74-66 to snap a seven-game losing streak and total 10 wins against Virgina Tech since their first faceoff in 1973.

Peter Mikulski

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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Swabbing Table Lobby Table A Duncan Student Center 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Swab to join bone cancer registry.

Mardi Gras Mambo Student Center Atrium 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Partake in traditions with the Student Diversity Board.

Business and Finance Mini Career Fair Decio Commons Spes Unica Hall Noon - 2 p.m.

Build-A-Zoo Rice Commons Student Center 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Enjoy a movie, food and photos.

Valentine’s Book Swap Pop-Up Le Mans Reignbaux Lounge 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Bring, get a book.

College Dating 101 101 DeBartolo Hall 8:15 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Join Students for Child-Oriented Policy as Jason Evert speaks.

Self Love Workshop Innovation Idea Pod 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Learn to love yourself this Valentine’s season.

PrismND HangOut History Makers Room LaFortune Student Center 8:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Attend the social.

BSA Karaoke Night Student Center 2nd Floor Atrium 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Celebrate Black History Month.

Black History Month Annual Show Mainstage Theater Washington Hall 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. Attend BSA’s event.

NEWS

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

Author speaks on poverty in America By KAELEIGH PICCO News Writer

“Why all this American poverty? I’ve learned that this question requires a different approach,” Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist and author Matthew Desmond writes in the prologue his latest book. “To understand the causes of poverty, we must look beyond the poor. Those of us living lives of privilege and plenty must examine ourselves. Are we — we the secure, the insured, the housed, the college-educated, the protected, the lucky — connected to all this needless suffering?” Desmond raised those questions in a visit to campus Thursday to a bustling Morris Inn Smith Ballroom to speak about the book, “Poverty, by America,” released March 2023. The book has been

South Bend CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

sponsored by Catholic organization Our Lady of the Road, would prov ide shelter and other resources to those in need. This new building would replace Motels4Now and become South Bend’s first low-barrier homeless shelter. “We began this work about three and a half years ago in response to an urgent need in our communit y, w ith people liv ing in tents w ith no water (and) no sanitation during the pandemic shutdow n,” assistant professor of moral theolog y at Notre Dame and the founder of the Catholic Worker Communit y that runs Our Lady of the Road, Margaret Pfeil, said. “Since then, we’ve been able to build the staff, raise funding both for operations and capital cost and to make plans to build a more permanent facilit y to meet this need.” According to the Department of Communit y Investment, a low-barrier shelter is a “point of entr y for chronically homeless indiv iduals that prov ides shelter prior to their transition

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in the major and in the club for wanting to go out in the communit y and do more outreach,” Leber said. “We definitely want to keep those opportunities available.” With the help of other club members, they brought acidbase chemistr y to Science A live. Junior Sara Murray, the socia l outreach coordinator of the club, spoke of some of the k ids’ reactions to blow ing up

well-received, and featured on two of president Barack Obama’s reading lists. The lecture is part of the Poverty Studies Distinguished Lecture series, presented by the Center for Social Concerns, the department of sociology and the Initiative on Race and Resilience. Desmond is a professor of sociology at Princeton University, the author of four books and contributor to the New York Times. His 2016 book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” which won the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, Carnegie Medal and PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for nonfiction. Research and the inf luence of “Evicted” prompted Desmond to speak with policymakers across the country, realizing the need to collect

national data on eviction, to adequately address fundamental questions about American poverty. These national discussions resulted in Desmond’s founding of The Eviction Lab, a Princetonbased research institute with aims to conduct research on and advocate for the implementation of stable, affordable housing, “promoting economic mobility, health and community vitality,” according to the institute’s site. While in “Evicted,” Desmond took a personal approach, following eight families in Milwaukee as they struggle with the threat of losing their homes, “Poverty, By America,” seeks to answer why these families are subject to such economic turmoil, widening the lens to examine the entire United States. Exploring how Americans

knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor, Desmond argues in his book that it is financially secure who exploit the poor, designing a welfare state that gives the most to those who need the least. Desmond, who grew up in a small town in Arizona, began by sharing how he grew up facing the harsh reality of American poverty, how his family was forced to declare bankruptcy. The author touched on how today, despite increased government spending, poverty has been steadfast and the poor continue to be exploited. Yet, rather than focus on the poor, Desmond compelled those attending to examine the issue from a different approach. Quoting novelist Tommy Orange, he said, “Kids are jumping out the windows

of burning buildings, falling to their deaths. And we think the problem is that they’re jumping,’ doesn’t that represent poverty in America?” Desmond left the audience with encouragement, urging those who wish to fight this cause to advocate for the strength of labor unions and work with community leaders to improve legislation on housing and zoning laws. “We build laws around our communities. These walls are made out of laws … we need to find ways to empower the poor, to build power in our communities,” he said. “If you’re a student fed up with insipid justifications and stories with how things are the way that they are, this is your fight.”

to permanent housing.” The low barrier status would also allow homeless indiv iduals who may not necessarily be sober to find shelter. Several representatives from Our Lady of the Road emphasized guests would not be permitted to have illegal or chemical substances in possession while stay ing in their care. Concern raised by communit y members mainly included the close prox imit y to various churches, schools and small businesses, since the center would be located inside a residential zone. Several residents liv ing on the west side of the cit y, where the site being proposed is located, argue the new addition would endanger the small businesses and families who live and work in that area. “The proposed site to relocate the homeless population bet ween the South Bend school corporation w ill not benefit the surrounding residents and patrons on the far northwest side,” local resident Kathleen said. “Placing 80 plus homeless people w ithin 1,000 feet of Boland Park, 2,000 feet from a productive small business — namely Tom’s Car

Care Center, 2,000 feet from Corpus Christi Church and School and 3,000 feet from Grow ing Kids (Learning Center) is not in the best interest of the general public, nor is it in the interest of our little citizens who are in the care of others during the day.” Kathleen did not disclose her last name during public commentar y. A large portion of the concern focused on the safet y of the children w ithin that area, as a child’s daycare is located w ithin 2,200 feet of the potential location. “I live literally t wo minutes away from the motel. I cannot go to the grocer y store, to the gas station; I can’t send my kids through the neighborhood. I’m out there all the time picking up trash, needles, drugs. You push them away from the motel, then they come into our neighborhood … W hat are you going to do for the neighborhood? ” local resident Jaqueline Ross said. Bauer mentioned during his presentation “there are few parcels of land w ithin South Bend cit y limits that are not w ithin 2,200 feet of a licensed daycare or public or private school.” Workers from and

supporters of Our Lady of the Road also spoke up during the discussion, advocating for the community to have compassion and empathy for homeless individuals. “This is a human rights issue … these are human beings, and using descriptors like ‘animals’ and ‘a blight’ is disgusting and completely dehumanizing. If the roles were reversed, I assure you would want the dignity of being treated with respect in return,” Our Lady of the Road worker Sophia Wilson said. According to Our Lady of the Road executive director Sheila McCarthy, their current intake center, Motels4Now, has served a total of 712 guests since August 2020. Each guest averages a four-month stay, and around 120 guests stay each night. Out of those guests, 78% of them have transferred into permanent housing and successfully escaped homelessness, with over 200 of these individuals finding housing placements with staff help. “W hat’s really incredible is when someone gets a room key and is able to shower and be able to sleep in a bed, their life gets so much better. They become so much more calm. They’re able to reconnect

with a doctor with medication, take care of legal issues. The world just sort of opens up for them,” McCarthy said. Saint Mary’s College senior and ministry assistant Kathleen Hannon attended the postponed Thursday meeting and the Tuesday evening meeting in support of Our Lady of the Road. Hannon has volunteered at Our Lady of the Road for almost two years and believes the community will benefit with the new edition of the New Day Intake Center. “We still have the reality that there are so many more folks experiencing homelessness in South Bend, so the need for something a little bit more large-scale, to help more people, is essential,” Hannon said. “T he new day Intake Center is essential in that it’s going to help with the Catholic Worker mission of meeting people’s needs, helping people get back on their feet and feel a sense of community and love, which Motels4Now is doing, but it’s got to keep expanding a little bit in order to accommodate more people.”

a balloon with citric acid and baking powder. “A lot of the kids can understand the basic parts of it,” she said. “Some of them will yell out, ‘Oh, it’s going to explode!’ And, obviously, they’re getting at the point.” For some, bringing science to kids is rewarding on a more personal level. Thirdyear graduate student Mawuli Degbevi of the Tsui Group, who demonstrated the properties of quantum dots, did not have a lot of opportunities like Science Alive growing up. For him, the

event is a chance for “showing [the kids] the potential of what they can do with science.” The potential of science is expansive and, with the Go Research Group, colorful. Doctorate student Ibu Akintola, working with the organization and part of the aerospace and chemical engineering department, explained the science behind the mesmerizing plasma globes and how a tesla coil can be used to reveal the colorful array of gasses like argon and krypton. Kids spun in circles staring

at the ceiling lights with “diffraction glasses that split white light into different colors using the prism mechanism,” marveling at the rainbows it created, Akintola said. Akintola also discussed the importance of Notre Dame reaching out into the community. “It’s always a great way to just introduce kids to whatever they’re doing, whether it’s science, art, anything,” Akintola said. “I think the kids really enjoy just experiencing what other people are doing.”

Doctorate student Sam Porter with the Nuclear Science Laborator y and the physics and astronomy department, echoed the importance of bringing Notre Dame science to younger audiences. “Kids as young as 8 years old can understand the basics of nuclear science,” Porter said. “I think this does a really good job of showing people that a lot of the basics of science is really accessible.”

Contact Kaeleigh Picco at kpicco@nd.edu

Contact Aynslee Dellacca at adellacca01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Sophia Davis at sdavis24@nd.edu

NEWS

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

Dowd CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

When he returned to Notre Dame in 1993, Dowd worked in Campus Ministry and as an assistant rector in Flanner Hall. He was ordained a Holy Cross priest in 1994. In 1996, he went off to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied for a master’s degree in African studies and a doctorate in political science. Dowd joined the Notre Dame faculty in 2004 and has taught political science ever since. Much of his research focuses on religion and politics in Africa.

Notre Dame’s 18th president Since coming on the University’s

faculty, Dowd founded the Ford Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity and held leadership positions in the provost’s office and Congregation of Holy Cross. Though he didn’t expect it, Dowd said he knew he had a chance of getting elected Jenkins’ successor. He regards the presidency as just another opportunity to serve the Notre Dame community. “I would ask everybody to pray for me, just because I think that we all need prayers, and I certainly need prayers as I prepare to take on this new responsibility,” Dowd said. Dowd said he wants to be an accessible and approachable president who distinguishes the urgent and the important smartly. “Not everything that’s really important is urgent and not everything

that is urgent is really important,” he explained. In Dowd’s opinion, Notre Dame has changed in five major ways throughout the decades he has lived under the Dome. Firstly, the physical footprint of campus has expanded. The student body also is more serious and accomplished. Thirdly, the student body has become more racially and ethnically diverse. “But we have more work to do,” Dowd said about the student body’s diversity. The University’s research profile has grown thanks to faculty and staff, who’ve gotten grants and done research that is making a difference in the world. Finally, Notre Dame has realized the importance of articulating its Catholic mission.

With the original Oak Room lost in a late-1990s renovation, Dowd passes time on campus these days working in the Main Building, walking around the lakes or in Cavanaugh Hall, where he resides. For fun, he likes biking and exploring the bike trails around South Bend. Dowd also enjoys reading. Two of his favorite authors are St. Augustine and David Brooks. Along with basketball, Dowd played baseball and softball when he was younger. Growing up in Indiana, Dowd can get away with cheering for both the Chicago Cubs and White Sox. He has been chaplain of the Notre Dame baseball team for the last few years, although he’ll have to give that up.

“We had to go to the bullpen to call in a new chaplain,” Dowd said. Dowd is also a Chicago Bears fan and a fan of Notre Dame football. He said he has attended pretty much every home football game during his time on campus. “We’re going to continue to do our best to compete at the highest level while maintaining our integrity,” Dowd said. The main thing Dowd wants students to know about him is he cares about them deeply. “We’ll be thinking all the time about how we can make Notre Dame a place where everybody can really thrive and make the most of their potential,” Dowd said. Contact Peter Breen at pbreen2 @nd.edu

DIANE PARK | The Observer

Cupid’s arrows at Notre Dame By CADE CZARNECKI, THOMAS DOBBS and LILYANN GARDNER From the Archives Researchers

The Notre Dame community has often held a mirror to Valentine’s Day, revealing multifaceted reflections on love, courtship and the holiday’s commercial sheen. This retrospective delves into the musings and machinations of students across decades, from tongue-incheek guides for lovelorn Domers to critical contemplations on the nature of love. We trace the history of Feb. 14 on campus, a date marked by both cynicism and celebration, through the voices that have shaped Notre Dame’s discourse on this polarizing day of romance.

A How To Guide: Valentine’s Day at Notre Dame Feb. 14, 1989| Ian Mitchell | Feb. 14, 1995 | Kim Massman | Feb. 13, 2007 | Chris Mueller | Feb. 2, 2010 | Molly Madden | Feb. 10, 2012 | Brenna Williams | Researched by Cade Czarnecki While many Notre Dame students lament Valentine’s Day, some Domers throughout the years have offered their advice on how to improve the day of love. In 1995, the famed “Love Goddess” received numerous questions asking how to make Feb. 14 in South Bend a day to remember. Her advice —filled with subtle quips — painted a picture of what a possible romantic evening could look like for a couple as well as for any lonely bachelors. Dinner suggestions for a couple included the Morris Inn (for cheapskates per Love Goddess) or the LaSalle Grill (for those with a little extra coin in their pocket per Love Goddess). She emphasized that flowers and opening doors were a must, but the Love Goddess also recommended going out for coffee

after dinner in order to spice up the night. For those without a date, the Love Goddess provided a game plan: take a shower and then head to the bookstore. She suggested that an examination of the items being bought by a person of potential love interest would tell a potential significant other all they needed to know. While not having quite the same notoriety as the Love Goddess, a student in 1989 also shared their vision for the perfect Notre Dame Valentine’s Day date. Their recommendation entailed calling an unknown peer, using a pickup line, taking the peer to the dining hall and then ending the night watching television in LaFun — a night likely put forth in jest but a potential reality for those stranded on campus on Feb. 14. Writing in a slightly more wholesome and less comical tone, Brenna Williams ‘12 suggested in 2012 that single Domers should head to the Huddle with their friends, pick up a pint of ice cream and then find a large television to watch a movie. Finally, taking a middle road between humor and legitimate wisdom, an article that originally appeared in Penn State University’s Daily Collegian was republished in The Observer, and it suggested that on Valentine’s Day, a single person should take someone out who has always been there for them. That someone should be “someone you find interesting” and “someone you like more sober than drunk.” While well-intentioned, one wonders what experiences the author may have had to lead to this wisdom. They offered some insight into their true beliefs about Valentine’s Day by characterizing the holiday as one that “yields as many hurt feelings as it does happy nights.”

A Call for Organic Love: Notre Dame’s Criticisms of Valentine’s Day

Feb. 14, 1985 | Amy Stephen | Feb. 14, 1994 | Kenya Johnson | Feb. 12, 1996 | Dan Cichalski | Feb. 13, 2006 | Associated Press | Researched by Lilyann Gardner “Love makes you blind” is a common phrase of speech, but it becomes especially relevant with critics of the famed Feb. 14 holiday who believe the masses have unwittingly fallen into a consumerist trap rather than being struck by cupid’s arrow. Members of the Notre Dame community have echoed this sentiment and emphasized that big corporations have commercialized Valentine’s Day to the point that gifts are not being given out of love but out of obligation. The resulting pressure to find the perfect gift has thus created an inauthentic relationship culture. Amy Stephan ‘87, Project Manager for The Observer in 1985, aired her concerns by writing, “The sad thing is that Valentine’s Day makes us translate our affection into dollars and cents. Cliched as it may sound, most people show their ‘love’ in little ways. They shovel someone’s sidewalks, help out with homework, even take out the garbage. Not very romantic, but a little more real than a rose and a song.” These Valentine’s Day disparagers claim the holiday overshadows the importance of showing devotion everyday and drives people without a relationship to search for love in all the wrong places. Video-dating services and printing personal ads in the 1990s quickly transformed to dating apps in the 2000s and were deemed as means of rushing a relationship that is meant to form organically. Observer sources held the belief that individuals must have patience, and only then will everything in the love department work out accordingly. In the meantime, however, Dan Cichalski ‘98, Accent Copy Editor,

shared his way of passing the time. “I’ll celebrate this holiday with some of my best friends, to whom I’ve grown a lot closer in recent months. And I’m sure that some day I’ll like Valentine’s Day again. I’ll be married and look forward to sharing the day with my wife.” It seems that destiny as opposed to roses and chocolate might just be the key to making Valentine’s Day a little less bleak.

From Star Wars to Heartstrings: A Valentine’s Day Change of Heart Feb. 14, 1994 | Eric Ruethling | Feb. 14, 1995 | Eric Ruethling | Researched by Thomas Dobbs In the span of a year, the perspective on Valentine’s Day held by Eric Ruethling ‘96 had undergone a subtle yet telling transformation. Initially, the day evoked in him nothing short of disdain. Having never been one for sentimentality and preferring the action-packed realms of Star Wars over traditional Valentine’s Day activities, he found the day’s romantic gestures particularly off-putting, as they were at odds with his straightforward, nononsense demeanor. “There are no days in the year that I have more dislike for than Valentine’s Day,” he declared, a sentiment rooted in the memories of compulsory card-giving that clashed with his youthful, rebellion-infused ethos. Ruethling’s childhood protest was a silent one, marked by whining against a mother’s insistence on spreading cheer “TO EVERYONE” — an egalitarian approach to affection that his peers seemingly did not reciprocate, judging by the sparse harvest of cards he reaped. Fast forward a year, and we witness a shift, albeit not towards a wholesale embrace of Feb. 14. While the commercialization of affection — “a corporate invention” that commodifies primeval emotions — remains a thorn in

his side, his diatribe has softened, mellowed by a growing awareness of the complexity surrounding the concept of love. No longer wielding his pen with a bitter edge, he muses on love’s elusive essence, a philosophical approach that hints at maturation. “We live in an age where love can be bought and sold,” he reflects, acknowledging the materialism that taints the day‘s purportedly romantic core. Yet, his critique now spares those who seek to imbue their gifts with genuine sentiment, suggesting a nuanced understanding that true affection may indeed be expressed, albeit occasionally, through material means. Reflecting on John Alexander Joyce’s poignant line, “I shall love you in December, with the love I gave in May,” our once vehement critic of Valentine’s Day now seems to entertain the possibility of love’s constancy through the seasons. Though Ruethling maintains a healthy skepticism toward the day’s overt commercialism, he no longer dismisses it outright. He stands on neutral ground, proposing that love — authentic and unmarred by materialism — might indeed exist beyond the confines of a single calendar day. Ruethling’s journey from contempt to contemplative critique mirrors the evolution of many a young heart, learning that the world, in all its commercial clamor, might still harbor pockets of genuine emotion worth celebrating. “I am not against the truly meaningful gift,” he admits, a concession to the possibility of authenticity amidst the cacophony of capitalism. It is a stance that recognizes the imperfections of Valentine’s Day while holding out hope for what it might yet represent. Contact Cade Czarnecki at cczarne3@nd.edu, Thomas Dobbs at tdobbs@nd.edu and Lilyann Gardner at lgardne2@nd.edu

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

INSIDE COLUMN

The long goodbye Claire Lyons Viewpoint Editor

There are 97 days left. Then, ever y thing changes. The final countdow n started last Friday, marked by the celebrator y senior class 100 Days Dance. And I don’t know about anybody else in the class of 2024, but for me, the countdow n started early this semester. The 100 Days Dance just made the passing time more palpable. There’s this thought that keeps f loating around in my head: This w ill be one of the last times … I ever do print production in The Obser ver office or I lose at O’Rourke’s triv ia or I laugh w ith a friend in the dining hall or [insert activ it y here]. Ever y interaction is weighed dow n by a compulsive need to do the mental math, to measure how close I am to

the end. And even though I tr y my hardest to silence the sound of seconds slipping away, the countdow n is still there, ticking away, a metronome turning ever y joy ful moment half-sad. If I know our days together are numbered, why do I keep counting? To be honest, I’ve been thinking about this question for the past t wo weeks, tr y ing to come up w ith some piece of adv ice to distill into an Inside Column, and I still don’t have an answer. I just feel nauseous. For the majorit y of my life, I’ve subscribed to a philosophy of detachment. Admittedly, this decision to hold people at a distance is, for the most part, a coping mechanism that stems from experiencing grief at an early age. But as lonely and unhealthy as it is, it definitely makes leav ing places easier. To be honest, though, I’ve

completely sucked at detaching myself in college. It’s exactly like when Fleet wood Mac sings “Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’ / ‘Cause I’ve built my life around you” or when The Pogues sing “Can’t make it all alone / I’ve built my dreams around you.” I’ve built my entire adult life around Notre Dame, and there w ill be a giant Notre Dame-shaped hole in my life when I graduate. That’s probably the most attached you can possibly be to a place. This long goodbye — to the person I am today and to all the people in South Bend I love — is somehow the worst grief I’ve experienced, and the actual goodbye hasn’t even happened yet. (Plus, we all know pregriev ing doesn’t work.) But here’s the thing: For all the tears I’ve shed (and w ill shed) this semester, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s better to attach yourself

and feel the pain than f loat through college alone. Because here’s the other thing: None of us are getting out of this unscathed. As much as we kick and scream and drag our feet, the fight against time is not something we w ill ever w in. We might as endure it together. We don’t have a choice when or how life w ill emotionally devastate us, but we do have a choice in who and what we choose to grieve and who we choose to do it w ith. I’m proud to have tied myself to Notre Dame, The Obser ver and all the people here in South Bend I adore. I just hope when the time comes, I’ll be ready to let it go. You can contact Claire at clyons3@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Dear You: A love letter to single people Joy Agwu Lessons I’ve Learned From Media

Hello, You. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it should come as no surprise that today’s lesson w ill be about love. W hat might be surprising is that the most important lesson I’ve learned about love actually comes from … You. That is, “You” as in the Netf lix show. The series is a psychological thriller that follows Joe Goldberg, an unassuming young man who becomes dangerously obsessed w ith the women he dates. Joe wants to be a good guy, and he truly seems to think that he is, but because he is so prone to obsess and idealize the women he claims to love, he is always disappointed when they don’t live up to the person he built inside his head. More often than not, this disappointment causes his actions to spiral into a series of dark events w ith deadly consequences. But hey there, you, don’t run just yet. The most important lesson I learned about love didn’t come from Joe, it came from Marienne Bellamy, a woman Joe becomes obsessed w ith in season three of “You.” In episode 10 of that season, she imparts a crucial piece of adv ice to a woman she suspects is in an abusive

relationship: “[I]f there is ever ... even for a f leeting moment ... a tiny voice in your head, and that tiny voice is saying ‘I deser ve better,’ listen to her. That’s your partner. That’s your real true love. And if you betray her long enough, you w ill lose her.” Most of us want to fall in love, and how could we not? Most of media’s “Happily Ever Afters” center around relationships. The princess gets the prince, and v ice versa. There is this underly ing sense that a relationship is supposed to complete you, and if you are not in a relationship w ith “The One,” you are not whole. This narrative is supposed to make romance appear as a prize or an enhancement, but I’ve started to think that this narrative leads us to be complacent. After a prolonged time being single, you might start to believe that something is w rong w ith you. Or, at the ver y least, that you’re lacking in some way. If you come to take on this mindset, you’ll start to think that since love is so amazing, you should accept it from any person that w ill offer it. Even if that person doesn’t treat you w ith the respect you deser ve. Even if that person’s character is not ver y admirable. Even if that person repeatedly asks you to compromise on your values

or principles in order to make them happy. This mindset of complacency is profoundly damaging. At best, it encourages young people to accept a life of discontentment. At its worst, it encourages them to stay in relationships that are tox ic or even abusive for the sake of feeling “loved.” Hav ing never experienced love myself, I won’t claim expertise. But I know what it’s not — and it is not something that should make you feel as if you are contorting yourself and your values for the sake of another person. W hen Marienne gave her adv ice to the woman in “You,” she was reminding her that being loved is less important than remembering that you are already someone worth lov ing. In the w ise words of Shakespeare, “To thine ow n self be true.” Take the time to know and love yourself to the point that you simply cannot and w ill not accept any mistreatment, because that would be mistreatment to your innermost partner and first soulmate. I acknowledge that we are inherently social creatures, and it makes absolute sense that most of us feel an innate desire to love and be loved. I just need you to know that that love should never come at the expense of being your authentic self. No one is

perfect. In a relationship, you w ill always have to give a little, but you should not feel as if you must give up ever y thing that makes you, you. A healthy relationship enriches and supports your grow th. It doesn’t erase your indiv idualit y. It’s about lov ing and being loved for who we are, f laws and all. Don’t give up on love. Just don’t let the prospect of any love at all make you w illing to lose yourself, your true partner. You are amazing, and you deser ve someone that can fully appreciate that. Happy Valentine’s Day, You. Sincerely, Me Joy Agwu is a senior at Pasquerilla West, originally from Bowie, Maryland. She is pursuing a degree in philosophy with a minor in constitutional studies. In her free time, she finds great pleasure in consuming media and reflecting on the deeper meanings behind the content she encounters. Whether you have recommendations for TV shows, movies, podcasts or any other form of media or if would like to further discuss an idea presented in a column, feel free to reach out to her on Instagram @JoyfulJoyousss. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

Women in Gaza: An urgent reproductive justice crisis in need of feminist attention Grace Sullivan I.M.P.A.C.T.

On Oct. 7, H AM AS — the Arabic acrony m for the Islamic Resistance Movement — killed 1,400 and took several Israeli’s hostage. W hile this is not the first conf lict that has occurred bet ween Israel and Palestine, this attack has gained global attention and initiated an ongoing full forced militar y attack on Gaza which is often referred to as an open-air prison due to the strict border restrictions that make it nearly impossible for Palestinians to leave Gaza. Palestinians have been under Israeli occupation since 1967 where their materials, resources and rights are controlled and mandated by the state of Israel. There is so much histor y to unpack to fully understand the events that took place on Oct. 7 and why Palestine and Israel ex ist the way they do today. In this article, I am going to be focusing on the current ongoing reproductive rights crisis being faced by thousands of women and children. This is not to disregard the ver y important histor y that prov ides essential context for the conf lict that is often ignored by Western mainstream media. Here is a great resource that prov ides a succinct outline of the histor y of Palestine and the Israeli occupation. It is worth ever y bit of your attention. As of Feb. 10, 28,064 Palestinians have been killed, and 67,611 have been injured since October 7. More than 17,000 of these deaths in Gaza have been women and children. Women in Gaza are being confronted w ith extremely limited resources for pregnancy, miscarriages,

prenatal and postnatal care, nutrients and general menstrual products. However, this reproductive crisis is not only a sy mptom of the ongoing Israeli militar y attack on Gaza. Prior to Oct. 7, according to the UNFPA, 94,00 women lacked sexual and reproductive care. Access to sexual and reproductive health materials was extremely limited before the airstrikes, and consequently pregnant and menstruating women are left w ith no reproductive health resources, further stripping them of their bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. According to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, an estimated 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza urgently need prenatal and postnatal care while 180 women are giv ing birth daily. Around 15% are likely to encounter complications during pregnancy or childbirth and w ill be unable to access life sav ing ser v ices that could ensure the safet y, health and well-being of mother’s newborns. As stated in the United Nations rapid gender analysis of the situation in Gaza, hospitals and health centers that prov ide sexual and reproductive health and rights serv ices have suffered severe damage due to airstrikes. Additionally, this report indicates that the crisis w ill result in a dramatic increase in maternal and infant mortalit y and morbidit y which not only threatens the bodily autonomy of Palestinian women, but also undermines the progress of health ser v ices that were prev iously being made in Palestine. In addition to a lack of sexual and reproductive health ser v ices, the deteriorating access to food and water

in Gaza is causing mothers to suffer and be unable to prov ide enough breastmilk for their newborns. A lack of adequate nutrition and dehydration have severely increased the risk of maternal deaths. This has placed Palestinian women and girls in the impossible position of deciding whose life needs sav ing more — their ow n, their unborn children or their newborns. Palestinian women and children are being forced to make impossible decisions, but they do not have a choice. Women and children are the primar y v ictims of Israeli airstrikes and militar y attacks who are being given the impossible task of sur v iv ing in a war zone. Another layer to the multidimensional reproductive crisis in Gaza is menstruation. Over 690,000 menstruating women and girls in Gaza do not have access to basic sanitar y products such as pads, tampons or any other alternative. Many women are using period-delay ing pills, but this resource is both limited and has dangerous side affects. With a lack of water, hygiene products and privacy, women and girls are unable to have their basic needs met as they are just tr y ing to sur v ive. Reproductive rights in Gaza is a feminist issue. Women’s rights in Gaza is a feminist issue. Palestinian rights are a feminist issue. Western media w ill never accurately convey the ongoing crisis occurring in Palestine, so it is important now more than ever to use your voice to raise awareness about this ongoing conf lict and seek out resources to educate yourself on this historical issue. W hile large statistics have a profound impact in raising

awareness, it is important that ever yone remembers that each number represented by the Palestinian death count by Israeli attacks is a human being who has been under Israeli occupation for 75 years. You cannot justif y genocide, human rights abuses and the denial of basic resources that humans need to sur v ive. Palestinian women and children should not be pay ing the price of settler colonialism w ith their lives. This prevalent, ongoing social justice issue needs more attention than it is getting. You can not stop v iolence w ith v iolence, t wo w rongs do not make a right and above all there is absolutely no justification for murdering non-combatants and civ ilians. Feminists must continue to raise awareness about this issue as reproductive justice for Palestinian women means reproductive justice for all women. As Nelson Mandela once said, “Our freedom is incomplete w ithout the freedom of the Palestinians.” Speak out, raise awareness and organize to fight for a ceasefire and secure justice for Palestinians. See relevant links compiled by Grace Sullivan online at ndsmcobserver.com. Grace Sullivan is a sophomore at Notre Dame studying global affairs with minors in gender and peace studies. In her column I.M.P.A.C.T. (Intersectionality Makes Political Activist Change Transpire), she is passionate about looking at global social justice issues through an intersectional feminist lens. Outside of The Observer, she enjoys hiking, painting and being a plant mom. She can be reached at gsulli22@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

NOAH KAHAN CONCLUDES ‘STICK SEASON’ WITH ‘FOREVER’ By MICHAEL ASKINS Scene Writer

On July 8, 2022, Noah Kahan released his single “Stick Season,” which kicked off a journey that would take him from a lesser known indie-pop artist to the chart-topping, Grammy-nominated folk-pop artist he is today. The title refers to what Kahan calls “this really miserable time of year when it’s just kind of gray and cold,” a term that he says is “very specific to where I grew up.” The song, and the album that followed, illustrate this idea of working through hard times, from failed relationships to depression and complicated feelings about hometowns. Kahan cemented these themes with the first deluxe edition of the album entitled “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” that brought seven new songs into the story. In the wake of this release that brought him and “Stick Season” new attention, Kahan collaborated with several artists to put out new versions of many of the songs on the album. Most recently, Sam Fender joined Kahan on “Homesick,” bringing a new verse and a new perspective to the song while Kahan’s fellow Grammy Best New Artist nominee Gracie Abrams lent her airy vocals to the track “Everywhere, Everything.” Announced by Kahan as “the final pieces of Stick

Season,” the new deluxe, “Stick Season (Forever),” collects the previous collaborations along with two new ones and the brand new song “Forever.” Kahan stated that “Forever” is about perspective and how “a place can remain the exact same physically but becomes totally different as our lives and our experiences change.” “Forever” starts as a slow, emotional reflection on a darker time in his life, hoping to one day mean “anything to anywhere, to anyone,” and uses minimal production and instrumentals that shift halfway through to a more upbeat, lively reflection on better times. The song is about how the word “forever” can feel like either a finality or endless possibilities depending on your perspective. The first of the two new collaborations sees Brandi Carlile join Kahan on “You’re Gonna Go Far,” a song about letting go of our loved ones and of our hometowns. It is a song to which many of us as college students can easily relate, both leaving home as freshmen to go off to college and preparing to go out into the world as seniors, in many cases leaving our hometowns for good. The song feels like permission, telling you that it is okay to leave when you feel like you cannot while also depicting the pain of letting go of someone you love, knowing that what is best for them is to leave. The addition of Carlile to the track puts new emotion and punch behind the already hard hitting lyrics.

“Paul Revere,” the other new collaboration with Gregory Alan Isakov, also deals with complicated relationships with hometowns. In it, Kahan and Isakov fantasize about leaving, “One day I’m gonna cut it clear / Ride like Paul Revere,” but in the end realize that they cannot. Kahan had performed “Paul Revere” live with Isakov before and fans speculated this collaboration would soon follow, but it was left alone until now, where it became the final piece of “Stick Season.” While “Forever” is the last original song on the album, the way Kahan ordered this release places “Paul Revere” with Isakov as the end of the album’s tracklist. There is something fitting about the final lyric of “Paul Revere” being “If I could leave, I would’ve already left.” Picking these two songs to be the collaborations that conclude the story of “Stick Season,” along with “Forever,” encapsulates the theme of hometowns and the emotions that surround them. Kahan wrote the album in part as an ode to his small hometown of Strafford, Vermont, but it has become an ode to hometowns worldwide. Many of the same feelings that Kahan has toward Strafford I have for Hanford, California, and people around the world have for small towns everywhere. Contact Michael Askins at maskins@nd.edu

‘MR. AND MRS. SMITH’ AND ITS CAPTIVATING HUMANITY By AYDEN KOWALSKI Scene Writer

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith” does not need its sharp and varied action and espionage to succeed. The action in the series can feel incidental beside the central romance; this is a love story about two people who happen to be spies. While its tonal experimentations may not always land for the audience, its confrontation between the cold, corporate and inhuman with its central love and warmth makes the show resonant and relatable through its impossible scenarios. The best element of the show is the central romance between the Smiths, which unfolds through unusual yet resonant and believable dialogues and encounters, as well as relatable difficulties that feel genuine. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s performances as John and Jane, respectively, are naturalistic and outstanding, fully selling the audience on their relationship during all its turns. Their jokes and attraction are as palpable as their frustration and concealed self-hatred. Their dialogue is so clever and convincing that their relationship needs no espionage action around it to be compelling. A late-night conversation in an early episode in which the two begin to explore their feelings for each other is more enrapturing than the car chase and interrogation immediately preceding it. The show does wait a long time before unveiling many

of the motivations for the two. While Glover and Erskine embody their motivations perfectly throughout, the audience could have known sooner without disengaging from the narrative, and the show would have avoided the massive exposition dump it eventually needs. The espionage element of the show effectively amplifies the show’s tensions. The faceless “company” for which the Smiths work presents a dehumanization that juxtaposes with the achingly real romance. The chatbot interface the Smiths use throughout the show, named Hihi, is one of the most persistent examples of this juxtaposition, as Hihi compresses the Smiths‘ human complexity into their pure corporate success. The insecurity of the world of espionage builds upon the Smiths’ relational insecurity to heighten the tension, with uneasy music and cinematography bringing the audience into the anxiety of the show. The lavish yet cold sets in which many key scenes unfold also unsettle the audience and bring viewers into the emotional experience of the leads. Sometimes, though, the unease the show creates can distance viewers instead of intriguing them, to the detriment of the romance. As for the action scenes, while they are good, they are seldom as compelling as the dramatic conversations that are the center of the show. The final episode is the exception for this, as it features the show’s most extensive action sequences and loads them with great emotional weight, making them by far the show’s most evocative fights.

The marriage of the show’s romance, which could carry a story by itself, with its genre elements makes magic. A couples therapy session takes on a comedic dimension when the disagreements are between spies who cannot explain the work situations that are dividing them. A debate on having children takes a twist when the Smiths have to guard the infantile, foul old man Toby, played by Ron Perlman, who needs the same care as their hypothetical child would. Truth serum makes two appearances in the show, once for comedic effect and once in one of the emotional climaxes of the show, a moment that may bring the audience to tears. Not all the show’s scenarios succeed, such as a spy scene early on extending a gross and uncomfortable sexual joke, but for the most part, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” builds upon the excellent foundation of the romance with its espionage and action concepts, serving as an excellent example of how to build a genre piece around a unique idea — here the relationship between these specific characters. “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” is a romantic adventure worth joining. The genre elements are not exemplary, but they are also not the point of the show. This is a story about two people with genuine and genuinely messy flaws falling into and fighting to sustain a relationship. No matter the circumstances, that story is captivating. Contact Ayden Kowlaski at akowals2@nd.edu MARISSA PANETHIERE | The Observer

SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

ND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Notre Dame women’s basketball battles past Florida State in double overtime By J.J. POST Associate Sports Editor

It took a v illage for Notre Dame women’s basketba ll on Sunday afternoon. Play ing on t he road against a Florida State squad riding a t hree-game w inning strea k, t he Irish found t hemselves in a heav y weight batt le. It took four players scoring at least 18 points, t wo overtimes and nearly 100 points, t he ACC’s highest-scoring offense eventua lly defended t heir top spot against t he conference’s second-best in Ta lla hassee. Early on, it seemed t he Irish could be at risk of getting run out of t he building, as t he Seminoles raced out to an early 16-6 lead. Florida State was shooting 60% from t he f ield and 75% from t hree-point range midway t hrough t he f irst quarter, stark ly contrasting Notre Dame’s 18%

and 0% splits in t he same categories. The Irish worked t hemselves back into t he contest t hough, leaning on a ten point quarter from graduate student g uard A nna DeWolfe, who found her rhy t hm early while t he rest of t he Notre Dame roster shot 21% in t he game’s f irst frame. A fter t he game, head coach Niele Ivey praised DeWolfe — who a lso had eight fourt h quarter points and hit a crucia l t hreepointer near t he end of t he f irst overtime period — for perhaps her best performance of t he season. “I felt like t his was her night,” Ivey said. “She rea lly shined in t his moment. She stepped up t he conf idence today. I’m rea lly proud of what she brought today and she made some big shots.” DeWolfe wasn’t t he only Irish player who made a major impact as Notre

SMC BASKETBALL

Sports Writer

Before the Saint Mary’s Belles battled the Alma Scots on the hardwood last Saturday at the Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex, head coach Melissa Makielski presided over a celebration of athletic and academic success spanning the last four years. One at a time, seniors Elle Deardorff, Nyah Porter, Mary Kate Gareau and Athena Samson proudly marched out to half-court, arms linked with beloved family members. Adorned with bright smiles and bouquets of white daisies and purple tulips, the class of 2024 seniors received recognition for their commitment to the program and maintaining its values before the last home basketball game of their careers. Capitalizing on the emotional high of the pre-game ceremony, Deardorff hit a three at the top of the key right after the opening tip to energize the crowd and build early momentum. Known for playing up-tempo and aggressive on the fastbreak, the Scots responded with a

leaders. They rea lly stepped up and helped us today,” Ivey said. Sonia Citron capped off a quartet of particularly critica l Irish performances. Like Hida lgo, t he junior g uard struggled w it h an unusua lly ineff icient outing, f inishing 7-21 from t he f ield. But when she was needed most, her seven points in double overtime marked t he most by any player in t he f ina l frame, t wo of which came v ia a pair of t hree t hrows t hat put Notre Dame a head w it h four seconds remaining. A fter t he Seminoles racked up 48 points in t he f irst ha lf, t he Irish defense dug in t heir heels over t he game’s f ina l t hirt y minutes. Florida State didn’t crack double digit points in eit her of t he game’s t wo overtime periods. The Seminoles were held w it hout a f ield goa l for t he f ina l four minutes of double overtime.

Wit h t he w in, t he Irish w ill now look a head to perhaps t heir toughest test yet — a v isit from No. 3 NC State on Thursday. Notre Dame’s histor y w it h t he Wolfpack in t he Ivey era is longer t han most teams. The Irish topped t hen-No. 3 NC State 69-66 in Sout h Bend in 2022, t he team’s f irst statement w in w it h Ivey as head coach. But t he Wolfpack would get t heir revenge later t hat year, handing Ivey her f irst NC A A tournament loss in t he Sweet 16. The teams split a pair of matches last season. Their f irst matchup of 2023-24 w ill likely prove a v ita l one for ACC tournament seeding. First tip is set for 6 p.m and t he contest w ill be broadcast on t he ACC Net work. Senior sports writer Jake Miller contributed to this article. Contact J.J. Post at jpost2@nd.edu

HOCKEY

Alma Scots overwhelm SMC By JOHN BAILEY

Dame eventua lly batt led t heir way to a si x point ha lftime def icit and later a double overtime w in. Freshman phenom Hanna h Hida lgo had an uncharacteristica lly ineff icient day shooting t he ba ll, f inishing just 7-25 from t he f ield, but got to t he free t hrow line for 14 foul shots, ma k ing 13. Outside of her 27 points, Hida lgo’s a ll-around contributions met her usua l high standards, amassing seven rebounds, nine assists and f ive stea ls. Senior for ward Maddy Westbeld was v ita l, chipping in 19 points as well as a team-high 14 rebounds. Westbeld’s 47 tota l minutes marked t he most of any player on t he f loor Sunday. A fter t he game, Ivey highlighted t he importance of Westbeld — and DeWolfe — on and off t he court, veteran inf luences on an ot her w ise genera lly young squad. “We have some great

f lurry of quick baskets off of Saint Mary’s turnovers and missed shots. Alma’s Taylor Sas excelled in driving coast-to-coast in transition, leading all players in points (20) and finishing tied for first on the Scots in rebounds (9). Though the Belles went on to struggle from three-point range, finishing the game 3-17, they found success attacking the paint and drawing fouls. Two successive makes from freshman Avery Schiesser at the charity stripe helped Saint Mary’s end the first quarter trailing 23-20. Throughout the second half, the Belles and Scots traded baskets, with a Deardorff triple tying the score at 25. The Belles then suffered a prolonged scoring drought, tallying only two points in nearly seven minutes as Alma jumped out to a 37-27 lead. Strong playmaking from freshman Annie Restovich broke the Belles out of their shooting slump, finding junior guard Lauren Gumma and Samson for easy, open

Disciplinary disaster dooms Irish in Wisconsin By TYLER REIDY Associate Sports Editor

Notre Dame’s task should have been challenging enough this weekend. Visiting No. 4 Wisconsin, the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten, already required poised, crisp hockey from the Irish. Add about a full game’s worth of Irish penalt y minutes, and a successful weekend in Madison ultimately demanded nearperfect play from Notre Dame. Perhaps more significantly, positive results necessitated mistakes from a Badger team that rarely makes any. But Wisconsin’s discipline, aided by over 20 total minutes on the power play, held up. As a result, Notre Dame dropped both Friday’s and Saturday’s games at the Kohl Center. “It cost us both games I thought, taking major penalties,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “I don’t know where that came from all of a sudden, because we

haven’t been doing that. It was a big factor in both games, the penalties that we took.” The weekend’s outcome means that Wisconsin w ill end the regular season as the only Big Ten team to take all 12 available points from the Irish. Though Notre Dame competed well in all four games, it often couldn’t get out of its ow n way. “A big part of [the season series] was us beating ourselves,” Jackson said. “[Wisconsin is] a good hockey team, there’s no question about that. But I get more concerned about the things that we’re doing.” Now riding a three-game losing streak, Notre Dame’s postseason hopes took a major hit in Madison. The Irish sit at 14-14-2 overall w ith an 8-10-2 Big Ten mark, still barely holding on to fourth place in the conference. Meanwhile, Wisconsin kept the heat on front-running Michigan State, remaining w ithin 5

points of the Spartans by improv ing to 22-6-2 overall and 13-4-1 in league action.

Irish fumble series opener with wayward second half Notre Dame couldn’t have draw n up a much better start to the weekend. Friday’s game opened w ith consistent pressure from the Irish, bookended by a few tremendous saves from graduate student goaltender Ryan Bischel. In the first period’s final 12 minutes, Notre Dame’s makeshift third line went to work. With senior forward Grant Silianoff still on the shelf, junior for ward Tyler Carpenter skated w ith the third line for a second consecutive weekend. His line mates, juniors Justin Janicke and senior Hunter Strand, teamed up for the opening goal. Off a broken play near the blue line, Janicke found the puck and broke in on a 2-on-1. He slid see HOCKEY PAGE 11

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DAILY

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

CROSSWORD | WILL SHORTZ

HOROSCOPE | EUGENIA LAST Happy Birthday: Go above and beyond the call of duty. Your actions will set the stage for what’s to unfold this year. Make positive change your priority. Eliminate what is causing you grief or expanding your debt. Let go and free yourself of what’s weighing you down. Embrace life, and choose to be happy and content. Make intelligent life choices, and everything in your life will flow. Choose balance; simplify and gratify. Your numbers are 9, 13, 23, 28, 34, 41, 46. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Participate in events that offer a platform to share ideas and solutions and assume a responsible position to make a difference. Don’t overreact; take a low-key approach, and anyone who challenges you will underestimate your power. Choose words over fistfights, and positive change will transpire. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do something physically challenging to offset overthinking what’s stressing you out about work, reputation, or situations you can’t change. Redirecting your energy will positively impact how you address matters later in the day. A change of heart is apparent. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Bypass what’s happening around you and focus on what’s happening inside you. Address issues that give you something to look forward to and eliminate stress. Refuse to let outside influences decay your thoughts and weigh you down emotionally. Choose brain over brawn. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Loosen up, plan to have some fun, get back to basics, and get together with people who make you laugh. Use your imagination and run your ideas and concerns by those you know will have something worthwhile to contribute. Make health, love, and romance a priority. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t change the dialogue to suit your needs. Stick to the truth and say no to unnecessary change. Deepen your knowledge and update your skills to maintain your position and reputation. If you fall behind, charm will not bail you out. Do your best. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Pay attention to people you love. Nurture relationships and show interest in what loved ones are doing. Plan a get-together or attend a reunion and distribute open invitations to ensure you maintain essential connections. Say no to temptation, and don’t promise the impossible. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Participation will help you gain insight into something that concerns you. Observation is your best route forward. If you act before you think, you’ll be stuck cleaning up a mess instead of putting a concrete solution in place. Know your strengths and weaknesses and make things happen. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t trust what you hear; go directly to the source and assess the situation firsthand, and you’ll gain insight into how to turn a negative into a positive. Embrace change and eliminate what’s weighing you down. A romantic gesture offers promising results. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll receive plenty of information and suggestions, but before you respond, find out what’s true and decide what’s applicable. Use your wisdom and experience to filter your expenses and whittle your list to fit your budget. The changes you make will ease stress. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Get organized. Rethink how you use your space, and you’ll devise a plan that makes your life easier. Focus on decluttering and formulating how you can remedy the temptation to make spontaneous online purchases you don’t want or need by the time they arrive. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Say no to extremism, debt, and indulgence. Make wise choices that liberate you from whatever holds you back. Explore what brings you joy and integrate it into your daily routine. Control your life instead of letting someone else operate your stop-and-go button. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take a hard-nosed approach to life and put your stamina and insight to the test. You can bring about change and make a difference in how you earn or handle your cash and your life. Be ready to follow through, and don’t look back. Birthday Baby: You are analytical, purposeful, and pragmatic. You are competitive and gallant.

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SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

ND MEN’S BASKETBALL

Irish snap losing streak against Virginia Tech By JAKE MILLER Senior Sports Writer

GRAY NOCJAR | The Observer

Irish freshman guard Markus Burton dribbles past a defender in a matchup against Virginia Tech on Saturday, Feb. 10. The Irish captured a 74-66 over the Hokies, snapping their seven game losing streak.

Notre Dame men’s basketball returned to the win column for the first time in over a month on Saturday with a 74-66 win over Virginia Tech. Coming into the game, Notre Dame had lost its last six contests against the Hokies, including the last game of former head coach Mike Brey’s tenure in last season’s ACC Tournament. Freshman guard Braeden Shrewsberry had an especially impressive night on both sides of the court. Shrewsberry finished with 12 points on 4-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Shrewsberry played especially well alongside fellow freshman guard Markus Burton on defense. The backcourt played aggressive man defense while pushing the tempo and driving the transition offense. Burton’s aggressive defense led to a career high six steals. He added 16 points, despite missing all five threes he attempted. The Irish shot 54.2% in the

second half, while tallying their second-highest assist count of the year with 14. They recorded their second-lowest turnover total of the season with eight and managed to outrebound Virginia Tech 34-28. Notre Dame had to battle to stay in the game, though. Even though head coach Micah Shrewsberry’s defense played well in the first 10 minutes, a hot Virginia Tech shooting performance allowed the Hokies to build an early lead. Virginia Tech hit five of its first six three-point attempts. At the same time, late in the first half, the Irish went on a 1-12 shooting stretch to extend the Tech lead to 9. Virginia Tech shot 57.7% in the first half. Notre Dame came out of the locker room ready to play in the second half. The Irish got Kebba Njie involved quickly. The sophomore forward scored seven points in just a few minutes, helping the Irish extend their dominance in the last few minutes of the see MBB PAGE 11

SOFTBALL

Irish post 3-2 record in season-opening NFCA Leadoff Classic By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor

After an offseason reset, the newest iteration of Notre Dame softball began its 2024 season this weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida. The Irish split two games on Friday and did the same on Saturday. They finished on Sunday with another victory to bring them to 3-2 after their first weekend of play. The Irish began their season against a Central Arkansas team that, like them, received votes in the initial top 25 rankings. Graduate transfer Alexis Laudenslager quickly endeared herself to the Notre Dame faithful, mowing through 6.1 scoreless innings while allowing just 1 hit and striking out 7. However, Sugar Bears starter Bailie Runner was equally stellar, taking a 4-hit shutout into the seventh inning. Then the Irish found their breakthrough. With senior infielder Mac Vasquez at second with one out thanks to a single and a bunt, senior infielder Cassidy Grimm delivered a go-ahead RBI double. Junior catcher Rachel Allen immediately doubled the lead with a pinch-hit run-scoring single. Junior infielder Jane Kronenberger tacked on another run to make it 3-0. Head coach

Deanna Gumpf turned to another new arm to finish the victory, with freshman Kami Kamzik recording the last two outs. However, Notre Dame’s bats would continue their sluggish start in the team’s second game against South Alabama. The Irish found themselves in an early 4-0 hole after two innings, with junior pitcher Shannon Becker pulled after just 1.1 innings of work. Sophomore Micaela Kastor kept the team in it, scattering 6 hits over the her 4.2 innings in the circle. But the Irish managed just 3 hits, with a triple from junior catcher Carlli Kloss (who then scored on an error) the team’s only offense of note. The Jaguars won by a 5-1 final. Once again a slow start proved too much to overcome, this time Notre Dame found themselves facing a familiar 4-0 deficit after three innings. Playing in front of a national audience on MLB Network, the Irish were sloppy out of the gates, with two of Utah’s forced runs coming on an error and a wild pitch. Kamzik had her “welcome to college softball” moment against the top-20 Utes, who teed off for five runs in just 1.1 innings. Notre Dame was staring at a mercy rule loss going into the bottom of the see SOFTBALL PAGE 11

SOFIA CRIMIVAROLI | The Observer

Notre Dame softball opened this weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida. The Irish posted a 3-2 record, beating Central Arkansas, Iowa and Liberty with losses to South Alabama and Utah.

SPORTS

MLAX CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

starting quarterback Tyler Buchner. Before his days calling signals for top-10 football teams, Buchner was a highly sought after lacrosse recruit, committing to play the sport for Michigan several years ago. There’s naturally some rust to shake of since he hasn’t played the sport competitively since high school. But his natural talent is still there. “He’s working really hard every day. He’s got a great attitude. He’s been a great teammate, you know, so there’s I can’t think of anything to ask of him that he’s not doing right now,” Corrigan said. “And I, you know, I’ll be

MBB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

first half to go on a 14-0 run. Notre Dame never fell behind after that, as the Irish closed the game with a big, confidence-boosting win. Micah Shrewsberry was thrilled with the outcome, giving all of the credit to his players. He said he was happy to his young squad’s reaction to the big win. “That’s cool for me to see, and how excited that they are for each other is all that matters,” Shrewsberry said. The fans showed up as well with 7,394 in attendance, including many students who

Softball CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

sixth inning but started to find their stroke. Kronenberger drove home two in the sixth and Kloss got one more back in the seventh. It wasn’t enough for Notre Dame to make a full comeback, as the Irish still fell 9-3. However, Notre Dame scored three runs in the first three innings against Iowa after not scoring at all before then. Granted, those runs came after Iowa jumped Kastor for three runs in the opening frame. The teams traded runs in the third before both teams put up zeroes in the next two innings, with the Hawkeyes maintaining their narrow lead. However, Iowa slipped up in the sixth. Sophomore pitcher Paige Cowley worked a walk at the plate, and after a fielder’s choice, Kloss singled and senior infielder Karina Gaskins walked to load the bases. Iowa’s Devyn Greer uncorked a wild pitch that allowed two runners score, giving the Irish their first lead of the game. Becker sealed the deal with a shutdown seventh, getting the Irish back in the win column. The Irish ended the weekend the way they started it — a 3-0 win in which all of their runs came in one inning. Like against Iowa,

NDSMCOBSERVER.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | THE OBSERVER

surprised if at some point he’s not playing for us because he’s got some abilities. He’s got great athletic abilities that the poise and athletic confidence.” Figuring out the future for the Irish is vital. Of those four returning leading scorers, two are graduated students and one is a senior. Next year there will even more turnover. That amplifies the excitement surrounding this season. The Irish have already broken through. Now they look to build on momentum and create another season for everyone who has been a part of the history of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse to celebrate. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

came out for a T-shirt giveaway. Burton thanked the fans after the game. “Today we showed the fans we kept fighting and we’re still here,” he said. The Irish look to build momentum Wednesday when they welcome Georgia Tech to Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame beat the Yellow Jackets in the teams’ first meeting of the season, a 75-68 Irish overtime win. The Ash Wednesday/ Valentine’s Day showdown tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST on ESPN. Contact Jake Miller at jmille89@nd.edu

though, this time Notre Dame’s offense didn’t wait to strike. Grimm started the scoring with another RBI double. Junior outfielder Emily Tran, 0-6 in her first two years at the plate, delivered her second hit of the weekend with a bunt single, then stole second. Kloss brought her home to put an exclamation point on a weekend in which she hit .400 and drove in three runs, two of them coming on a single to plate Grimm and Tran.Laundeslager and Kastor delivered a combined 2-hit shutout, with each striking out 3 batters. Laundeslager is Notre Dame’s best bet to replace graduating ace Payton Tidd, and she got off to a good start with a 2.03 ERA over 13.1 innings pitched during the weekend.The Irish return to action next weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, for the Jacksonville/University of North Florida Invitational. The Irish play Samford and Jacksonville on Friday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. They face Samford (again at 11:00 a.m.) and North Florida (at 4:00 p.m.) on Saturday and Mercer on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The North Florida game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Associate Sports Editor J.J. Post contributed to this article. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

Hockey CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

the puck right-to-left for Strand, who f licked it home in rhy thm for the 1-0 lead. Nine minutes after Strand scored his fourth goal of the season, he earned the secondar y assist on Carpenter’s fifth. Once again, the play ran through Janicke, who snuck a centering feed through traffic to the top of the crease. There, an offbalance Carpenter banged the puck in, doubling Notre Dame’s lead. Throughout the second period, a change in momentum boiled underneath the ice. Senior defenseman Zach Plucinski ex ited the game w ith a 5-minute major for grabbing a facemask, sending Wisconsin to a long power play while dow n t wo. However, Notre Dame killed off the major, generating several odd-man rushes in the process. As the game reached its midpoint, the Irish still appeared ver y much in control. But in the period’s final minute, the proverbial levee broke, and Wisconsin woke up. The Badgers scored t w ice in 15 seconds, w ith centermen Christian Fitzgerald and Dav id Silye combining to tie the game. Fitzgerald’s tally resulted from a 2-on-1 made possible by senior defenseman Drew Bavaro toepicking at the Badger blue line. Silye’s strike, a sharp-angle rebound goal, followed poor coverage from Notre Dame at the front of the net. A mere 78 seconds into the final period, Silye scored again for Wisconsin’s first lead. After a battle below the goal line, Notre Dame lost him at the top of the goal crease, and Cruz Lucius found him for a tap-in goal. Over the game’s remaining 18 minutes, Wisconsin would hang on to the slim advantage, thanks in large part to another Irish major penalt y. With 8: 07 left, freshman defenseman Henr y Nelson laid a textbook hit from behind and earned an early ex it. As the 5-minute penalt y expired — and just nine seconds after Jackson pulled Bischel for an extra attacker — Carson Bantle buried an empt y-netter to

SMC BB CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

jumpers. At the half, Alma led Saint Mary’s 40-33. The Belles continued to feed the hot hand of Kate Restovich in the second half, nabbing a quick stealand-score before hitting a contested three-pointer to cut the deficit to just three, 45-42. Unfortunately, St. Mary’s

make it 4-2. With four unanswered goals in the night’s last 21 minutes, Wisconsin would w in by that score. “We played prett y well at times [Friday] night, but you can’t take that many penalties and expect to w in — and our penalt y kill did a great job,” Jackson said. “But the problem is that [Friday] night, it was almost a whole period worth of penalties, so you’re playing shorthanded when you could be play ing 5-on-5. And we’ve had our challenges scoring to begin w ith, so when we’re shorthanded — and we had good chances even shorthanded — but when you don’t finish, you’re chasing the game all the time and it’s really hard to play that way.”

Offensive woes, penalties down the Irish again in Saturday loss Against Jeff Jackson’s w ishes, Notre Dame would play that way some more on Saturday. After the Badgers jumped ahead on William W hitelaw’s breakaway goal six minutes in, the Irish took three minor penalties by the end of the second period. But the score would hold at 1-0, as freshman for ward Cole Knuble rang the post in tight before Wisconsin whiffed on a couple yaw ning cages during a power play. As Notre Dame’s penalt y kill remained perfect despite overuse, its muchmaligned man-advantage unit found the t y ing goal early in the third. With 15: 01 remaining, senior for ward Landon Slaggert parked himself at the top of Wisconsin’s goal crease. There, he stuffed home a loose rebound for a greasy goal, his team-best 17th of the season. The tie game, however, would last no more than 5 minutes. Knuble’s slashing minor put Wisconsin on the power play half way through the third, leading to a goahead, redirection marker from Simon Tassy. The goal from Tassy, who got under the skin of several Notre Dame players late in Friday’s game, kicked off a stretch of mental deterioration from the Irish. Wisconsin would score again w ith 6: 08 left to

offense went cold again, with Sas’ scoring prowess and Molly Deurloo’s dominating two-way interior presence catapulting the Scots to a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Despite Deardorff and Restovich’s best efforts, tallying 18 and 17 points respectively, the Belles were unable to bounce back from a disappointing third quarter, falling to Alma 78-63.

play on a controversial sequence. The officials ruled that an Irish defenseman pushed Badger for ward Owen Mehlenbacher into Bischel’s crease, where he remained as Saw yer Scholl tucked in a w raparound finish. Jeff Jackson challenged the play, believ ing that Mehlenbacher remained in the crease for too long. “Bischel wasn’t allowed to play his position,” Jackson said. “W hether the guy got pushed in, he had plent y of time to get out of the crease. That’s my biggest complaint.” The call on the ice stood, solidif y ing a goal that would stand as the game-w inner. Moments later, Henr y Nelson received yet another 5-minute major and game misconduct. After initially committing a minor for kneeing, he cross-checked a Badger to the head postwhistle. The sequence left Notre Dame w ith four players (five w ith Bischel pulled) for the remainder of the game. Knuble scored a power-play goal in the final 4 minutes after Wisconsin took a minor penalt y, but the Badgers held on for a 3-2 v ictor y and series sweep. Up next, the Irish w ill take on No. 8 Minnesota in their final regular season series at Compton Family Ice Arena. Back in November, Notre Dame split w ith the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis. Minnesota resides 8 points ahead of Notre Dame in the standings and w ill pose a major test for an Irish team coming off perhaps its most mentally ta x ing series to date. “Our veterans have to lead, and our young guys have to follow,” Jackson said. “If it’s the older guys taking the penalties, it’s one thing, but it seems to be a lot of the younger guys right now that are taking a lot of the penalties. They’re going through their first years as players, and sometimes they make bad decisions. It’s unfortunate because they’re all good players, and they all can contribute to our team. But they have to recognize how much they hurt us when they take stupid penalties.” Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu

Inefficient scoring once again proved to be the team’s downfall, finishing the game 22-66 (33%) from the field. The Belles look to snap their seven-game losing streak on the road against Albion College (16-8, 10-5 MIA A) on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Contact John Bailey at jbailey9@nd.edu

THE OBSERVER | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM

TITLE DEFENSE IRISH BEGIN CHASE FOR BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

CHRISTINA SAYUT | The Observer

MEN’S LACROSSE

Irish return with stacked roster, championship pedigree, high expectations By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Editor

“It was great to get all the way there and it was something that that not just our team celebrated but I think the last 35 years of Notre Dame lacrosse, the last 45 years of Notre Dame lacrosse, we’re celebrating together. So that was terrific.” Those were the words from Notre Dame men’s lacrosse coach Kevin Corrigan when asked to reflect on an offseason defined by a championship glow. After many great teams before them fell just short, the Irish went all the way in 2023, capturing the team’s first national championship. The Irish were a top dog all season, a team with one of the best rosters in the nation who stepped up in the biggest of moments, winning their semi-final game in overtime and surviving a comeback scare in the final. What the Irish did last season does and doesn’t matter as they get set to begin their

championship defense, starting Wednesday night against Cleveland State. Perhaps the only thing harder than winning a title is coming back and winning it again. The Irish were plenty banged-up by the time they threw their sticks in delight after the trophy-winning 13-9 victory over Duke on May 29. They’ll have a target on their backs in the eyes of the rest of the college lacrosse. And the hangover that can come from winning it all can linger as well. “There’s some part of human nature that wants to be satisfied and content with that and there’s some part that wants to use that and say, ‘This was great. Let’s get back there,’” Corrigan said. “And I think you just got to kind of acknowledge both of those things and, and try to keep focus and everybody on let’s see, let’s just get back and do the job ... you don’t you don’t start on second base, you know, because you won the

championship last year.” But the experience is nice to have, especially considering how much of it will still be around in South Bend this season. Each of Notre Dame’s four leading scorers from last season are back. So is starting goaltender graduate student Liam Entenmann, one of the country’s top net-minders. With the Cavanaugh brothers Chris and Pat back to lead the attack, the Irish are as formidable as ever. “I think they understand the challenge of, you know, getting them in their teammates, you know, to where we need to be. And so I think they’ve been I think our preseason has been very good that way,” said Corrigan. Still, it is a new roster, with new faces to the program and familiar ones who could step into bigger roles. Junior midfielder Jalen Seymour and sophomore midfielder Max Busenkell were mentioned by Corrigan as returning faces

who could help fill the void from some of the players the Irish did lose. Their significance is also amplified by the importance of the team shaping its midfield, a major focus for Corrigan during the threegame exhibition season. “You don’t want your midfield groups to be the sum of its parts. You want it to be more than that, right? And so you have to find those guys that do things, you know, with the ball that do things off ball that make the people around them better, right to bring out the best qualities of the people they’re playing with,” Corrigan said. However, there are a lot of new players with the Notre Dame lacrosse program. The Irish have nine freshmen this year and the importance of developing young players is paramount for every club. That’s how teams stay on top. Some of them won’t have to wait very long to get into the spotlight. “As, freshmen part of their

job is just to keep getting better every day,” Corrigan said. “And part of their job is to see where they you know, where they have a chance to compete. For playing time and then ... to get in and play their role.” The Irish specifically mentioned four-star recruits Andrew Greenspan (face-off) and Shawn Lyght (defense) as some of the contenders to have immediate playing time. Lyght is the cousin of former Irish football cornerback Todd Lyght, but isn’t even close to the most pertinent connection the Notre Dame lacrosse and football teams have. For starters, freshman midfielder Jordan Faison was a surprise contributor at wide receiver in the fall, and Corrigan also mentioned him as someone pushing to get on the field. And of course, there’s one of the most covered lacrosse transfers in the country, former Irish and Alabama see MLAX PAGE 11