Volume 104 Issue 22

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 104, Issue 22

CPS Hosts Conscious Dating Workshop

By AVA CARREIRO

November 30, 2022

TheFordhamRam.com

CSA Hosts Annual “ThanksGive-Away”

By CEARA PERRY

DIGITAL PRODUCER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Wednesday Nov. 16, Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) held a virtual workshop on conscious dating.

The workshop was an initiative to educate students about how to approach relationships from a place of awareness and acceptance.

The workshop was led by Sarika Persaud, Ph.D., supervising psychologist and assistant director of training at Fordham CPS, and Peter Goldie, a trainee therapist at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus.

Persaud said that this initiative is important because relationships give our lives meaning. According to Persaud, when someone encounters struggles in their relationships, it can be very stressful since human beings are inherently social. She added that “learning about how to navigate others’ expectations and live a life connected to what brings you intrinsic joy is probably one of the most important things we

On Nov. 17, the Commuter Student Association (CSA) hosted its annual Thanks-Give-Away event. This year’s event was “CSAturday Night Fever” theme, complete with 70s disco music, arcade games, colorful lights and decorations.

Thanks-Give-Away annually features performances from Fordham dance and a capella performing arts groups, a raffle, food and an opportunity for commuter students to get to know each other. At the raffle portion of the event, prizes such as senior ball tickets, AirPods and speakers were given away.

A ticket to the DONOHUE event includes an

By SOFIA entry DIGITAL to the raffle.

The prizes givPRODUCER en away at this event were gifts from campus organizations such as Ram Vam, Public Safety and the Office of the President.

The event is primarily a fundraiser for Part of the Solution (POTS), a local nonprofit organization and close community partner dedicated to combating poverty and hunger in the Bronx.

SEE CPS, PAGE 3

SEE CSA, PAGE 5

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Hostile Terrain 94: A Vigil for Lives Lost was displayed at Lincoln Center last year in the Ildiko Butler gallery.

Rose Hill Hosts Workshops to Welcome “Hostile Terrain” Display

By SOFIA DONOHUE DIGITAL PRODUCER

Last year, Fordham University’s Ildiko Butler Gallery displayed an exhibit titled “Hostile Terrain 94: A Vigil for Lives Lost.” Hostile Terrain 94 (HT94) is an art project sponsored and organized by the Undocumented Migration Project

(UMP). This year, the exhibition will be located on the Rose Hill campus, and the installation process is projected to begin in February 2023.

The exhibition includes over 3,200 handwritten toe tags that each represent a migrant who died while attempting to cross the Sonoran

Desert of Arizona between the mid-1990s and 2019. The tags are placed on a 16-20 foot long map of the Arizona/Mexico border, each tag accurately reflecting the location where the migrant died. Each tag includes the name, age, sex, cause of death, condition of body and the location of recovery for each person.

SEE HOSTILE, PAGE 6

Update on Fordham’s Diversity Action Plan

By SAMANTHA MINEAR ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY PIA FISCHETTI/ THE FORDHAM RAM

CSM kicked off the Week of Action by participating in the “Clothesline Project” to show support for survivors.

United Student Government’s CSM Hosts Biannual Week of Action

By EMMA KIM

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Fordham’s United Student Government’s Committee on Sexual Misconduct’s (CSM) biannual Week of Action will occur from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2. The week includes different events

each day from Monday to Friday.

The purpose of the week is to help increase awareness on Fordham’s campus about sexual harassment and assault.

Farah Elrakhawi, FCRH ’24, chairperson of CSM, believes that Week of Action goes beyond

just the committee and members.

“It is so important. Clothesline project and different events that are visual representations and symbolic,” said Elrakhawi.

Elrakhawi explained that events like these are supposed to give SEE CSM, PAGE 5

In summer 2020, the university released a plan to “[address] racism” and “[educate] for justice.” This action plan included a pledge to develop admission strategies to recruit a more diverse student body, increase attention to the diversification of faculty and develop and cement stronger partnerships with organizations in the Bronx.

As of the last update posted in spring 2022, the enrollment of non-white students steadily grew. For example, the recruitment of Asian-identifying students increased from 14% to 16%. The Office of Admissions also continued their participation in the National Recognition Program Scholarship program, which provides scholarships to Hispanic, African-American and indigenous students.

“I have noticed a push for SEE ACTION PLAN, PAGE 4

in this issue

Opinion

News

Page 4

Fordham Hosts Lecture on Civil Rights featuring Patricia Sullivan

Psychedelic Drug Usage in Mental Health Treament Should be Normalized

Culture

Page 16

Sports

Fordham Jetès Put on a Stunning Performance of Nutcracker

Page 11

Page 24

Men’s Basketball Extends Win Streak to Five

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Nov. 20 Queen’s Court 10:10 p.m.

There was a smoke alarm in the Queen’s Court deli. The supervisor and FDNY responded. An investigation found an Aramark employee was cleaning the pizza oven. The steam activated the smoke alarm. The room was ventilated, and the alarm was reset.

Nov. 20 Loschert Hall 11:45 p.m.

A student reported the theft of their laundry from Loschert Hall.

The supervisor responded and interviewed the student who said they placed their laundry in the washing machine then went for pizza. When the student returned, someone had removed five pairs of jeans valued at $1,350. The student declined to notify the NYPD. Nov. 21 McShane Campus Center 11:00 a.m.

A student reported the theft of their scooter from the front of the McShane Center. The student stated they parked the scooter on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, at 3:15 p.m., and when they returned at 4:45 p.m., the scooter was gone. A review of video footage shows the offender riding off on the scooter into the garage. The scooter was located and returned to the owner.

Nov. 25 Rose Hill Gym 8:45 p.m.

Public Safety observed six males riding scooters on the side of Rose Hill Gym. The males stated they observed scooters alongside the Rose Hill gym and wanted to take them for a spin. The males were guests of a student. The group was directed to exit campus. The scooters are secured in the Public Safety Office.

Follow us on Instagram! @thefordhamram If you have an event you’d like to be featured, email us: fordhamramnews@gmail.com

Nov. 30, 2022

USG’s Diversity Action Coalition Hosts Student Activism Panel

By MICHELA FAHY By ISABEL DANZIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER NEWS EDITOR

On Nov. 28, United Student Government’s (USG) Diversity Action Coalition (DAC) hosted its third annual student activism panel. The panel featured student activists, all of whom participated in various social movements while in college and high school. The participants included: Andy Diaz, FCRH ’25, Kellen Zeng, GSB ’25, Liz Shim, FCRH ’23, Jillian Douglas, FCRH ’25 and Nicola D’Abundo, FCRH ’26.

The panel was moderated

by Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, vice president of diversity and inclusion and chair of the Diversity Action Coalition.

Al-Omoush started the panel discussion by asking the participants what activism means to them. D’Abundo began by saying that advocacy meant using your voice to stand up to others. He said that without passion, activism is hard to maintain.

Douglas said that activism is about supporting marginalized people. Douglas started getting involved in activism after her sports shut down due to the pandemic. Shim said that activism was about supporting vulnerable people. Shim serves as USG’s vice president of sustainability, and she said that sustainability is highly connected to activism, as many marginalized communities are the most at risk of the effects of climate change. Zeng said that it’s important to shine a light on issues that matter.

Al-Omoush then moved the conversation to how each participant got involved in activism, and all the participants shared their experiences. Zeng said that she got involved through volunteering with nonprofits. Diaz said that the best way to get involved is to find groups to work with, and he stressed the importance of collaboration in activism.

“Activism can’t function without collaboration,” said Diaz.

Shim said that students should attend protests and get involved in movements in their areas.

She told a story about how she bumped into a protest in Flushing during the Anti-Asian Hate movement while walking home. She said that even though she wasn’t planning on participating, she did because the cause was important to her.

The conversation then turned

COURTESY OF AYLA D’SILVA FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

(L-R) Liz Shim, Jillian Douglas and Nicola D’Abundo, three of the featured speakers on the DAC panel this past Monday.

to what it means to be a good ally.

Douglas started the conversation by telling a story about how she transferred schools in high school.

At her new school, she said she noticed how English as a second language (ESL) students were othered within the school community. She shared how she created programs to help students adapt to the school. In that instance, allyship to her meant helping people who have barriers in their way. Shim said allyship takes on a “we’re all in this together mentality.” Zeng said that allyship means being aware.

She spoke about the importance of being intentional about activism and understanding how to use your privileges and voice to help productively advance the agenda of others. She said oftentimes allies need to remember that they have to listen to the group they are helping and not dominate the conversation. Diaz agreed with Zeng and emphasized that allies should not lead conversations but rather try and amplify them.

Al-Omoush then pivoted the conversation to address social media and how it changed activism.

Diaz said that social media activism should be used intentionally. He said that there’s a difference between “sharing a pretty graphic” than sharing “links to mutual aid resources.” Douglas said that it is

easy to share resources on social media, and she said that people should be educated on the issues they are posting about.

“Don’t post anything if you don’t understand the context,” said Douglas.

D’Abundo pointed out that many times social media posts only go out to someone’s followers, meaning that the length that the message can spread is limited.

The panelists then discussed what Fordham could do to improve their activism on campus.

Shim encouraged the university to expand its course offerings. She mentioned the ongoing efforts to get the university to offer an Asian American Studies minor. Douglas said Fordham should increase its engagement with the Bronx community and work on educating students on the history of the Bronx.

D’Abundo said Fordham students need to be aware of their presence in the Bronx. He encouraged the university to start diversity training for all students.

Zeng mentioned that she thought Fordham did a good job in the number of cultural clubs and their activity on campus, but also said that she thought there was too much red tape on campus and that it was extremely difficult to enact change on a university

level, which she said she believes is a big issue at Fordham.

The panel then opened for audience questions. An audience member asked the panelists how activism varies between visible identities, like race and invisible identities, like sexuality or gender identity. Zeng responded by emphasizing the need to verbalize hidden identities and bring them to the forefront of the conversation.

The event ended by raffling off the books “How to be an AntiRacist” and “At the Dark End of the Street.”

Al-Omoush said hosting a panel like this is important because it fits into DAC’s goals.

“One of DAC’s priorities is to uplift student voices, and that’s exactly what we’re doing [at the panel]. We’re amplifying the student voice,” said Al-Omoush.

Al-Omoush said that she hoped that the attendants of the panel learned that activism takes many forms. She said that she liked learning more about her fellow students and the work they have done.

“Three of the members of the panel were [on] USG,” said AlOmoush. “I didn’t understand the breadth of their other extracurriculars and their roles outside of USG, so it was really nice to hear that.”

This Week at Fordham Wednesday Nov. 30

Thursday Dec. 1

Friday Dec. 2

Friday Dec. 2

Sunday Dec. 4

WBB vs.

Fairfield

Carols, Cookies, and Cocoa

Jerk and Jollof

Leya and Thoom @ Rodrigue’s

Festival of Lessons and Carols

Rose Hill Gymnasium 5:30 p.m.

McShane Center Gallery 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

McGinley Ballroom 5:30 p.m.

Rodrigue’s Coffee House 9 p.m.

Rose Hill Campus 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Women’s basketball is facing Fairfield this week in a basketball doubleheader. Join the Rams to watch the competition for the A-10 heat up!

Stay until 7:30 for the men’s basketball game.

Come learn about the USG Student Experience Committee and how to join with refreshments including cookies and hot chocolate. The event will include a performance from the Hot Notes.

Fordham’s CASA is hosting Jerk and Jollof, an event with Fordham’s MSA. There will be food, activities and music. The menu for the evening will be posted on their Instagram account, @fordham_casa.

For this week’s Rodrigue’s concert, the coffee house and indie music venue will be hosting Leya and Thoom.

Make sure to get there early if you want a front row seat to good music and cheap drinks.

Fordham’s annual celebration of the season will be happening on Sunday, with performances from the Bronx Arts Ensemble. Fordham’s university choir will also be featured.

NEWS

November 30, 2022

Page 3

CPS Focuses on Conscious Dating in New Workshop FROM CPS, PAGE 1

can spend time learning.”

The workshop covered a wide range of topics, including understanding why people enter relationships, theoretical perspectives on the role of love, cognitive defusion and relationship structures.

The presentation explained that humans tend to enter relationships either for reproduction and fulfilling societal expectations, having a lifelong friend/companion or learning more about oneself through the use of another person.

Along with this is understanding what it means to enter a relationship consciously.

In the workshop, Persaud said that we need to embrace our nature as social creatures with an innate need for connection, which can explain why we enter relationships. She also discussed how entering relationships consciously can help create greater psychological flexibility in how we think about our relationships.

Persaud dived into the theoretical perspectives on the role that love plays in our lives, citing three different theories: psychodynamic/psychoanalytic, humanistic/existentialist and behavioral. These theories provide reasoning that can resonate with different people regarding the impact that love has

on humans.

The presentation presented the question “does love cause suffering?” Persaud explained that love does not cause suffering. Instead, things that are often confused with love, cause suffering. This includes the environment of the relationship one is in, choosing the wrong person to seek a relationship with, codependency and not communicating one’s own needs.

Cognitive defusion is the act of creating distance between a thought, feeling or action. In the workshop, Persaud defined this term and explained how it occurs when a person labels their thoughts as just thoughts — not a reality. Instead of wondering if thoughts about yourself are true, she recommended that you should ask yourself, “Which thoughts are useful for me to construct a life of value for myself?”

Goldie went on to discuss different types of relationship structures, such as monogamy, coparenting, platonic, swinging, poly-fidelity and polyamory. He explained that each of these structures are valid and touched upon certain ways to negotiate these relationship structures: openness, mutual respect, honesty, trust, consent and destigmatization.

Reflecting on the workshop, Persaud shared that “college is a time where family relationships

COURTESY OF UNSPLASH

CPS’s workshop focuses on teaching students about ways to cultivate healthy relationships in college.

are changing, people are learning about what really matters to them, and different relationships are being explored.”

She said, “It can be difficult to disentangle all of the directions you’re being pulled in, so it’s important to learn how to connect with yourself and

United Student Government Discusses Emergency Preparedness on Campus

By ISABEL DANZIS NEWS EDITOR

On Nov. 17, United Student Government (USG) held its weekly meeting. The meeting was led by Executive Vice President Ava Coogan, FCRH ’25. Coogan opened the meeting with public concerns, but there were none. The meeting then went into delegate updates.

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) shared their plans to host a “Holiday Extravaganza” in December.

USG then welcomed guest Robert Fitzer, associate vice president for Public Safety, who gave a presentation. Fitzer was asked to come and give a presentation about Fordham’s active shooter awareness by Executive President Santiago Vidal, FCRH ’24, in light of the recent shooting at the University of Virginia. Fitzer said that active shooter situations typically last between 7-10 minutes

and that each situation “is hard to predict.” Fitzer also added that “timely intelligence is critical,” meaning students should report suspicious behavior to Public Safety. According to Fitzer, Public Safety officers are trained to respond to active shooter situations. All Public Safety officers are retired police officers and receive alert training from the NYPD counterterrorism unit during university breaks.

Fitzer said that in active shooter situations, people should follow the “run, hide, fight” formula. The first thing that people should do is run. If they are not in a situation where running is possible, people should hide and barricade doors. As a last resort, they should fight, turning things in the room they are in into weapons.

In the case of a situation at Fordham, Public Safety will send out a text notification to everyone on campus. The blue

lights around campus double as speakers and will announce the situation. Public Safety officers will respond first to the situation and NYPD will follow.

“We’re going to be the first through the doors. You’re going to see us first,” said Fitzer.

Public Safety officers are armed. Fitzer also spoke about the “Ram Path” program. This is a pilot program in which the university partners with local businesses on Arthur Ave. Students and Fordham community members can seek shelter in businesses that participate, and those businesses will call Public Safety. Participating businesses have stickers on their windows marking their involvement. Fitzer also said that the university is not experiencing a rise in threats.

Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, vice president of diversity

ground yourself during difficult emotional moments to learn how to navigate relationships with wisdom.”

When asked what students should take away from the conscious dating workshop, Persaud said that spending time getting to know yourself is one of the most

valuable gifts you can give yourself.

She added that “If you can sit with yourself with compassion and presence, you will become naturally attractive to others, and you won’t have to worry about pleasing people or being validated in order to feel good.”

and inclusion, presented a budget for an upcoming Diversity Action Coalition event. The tabling event will give students hot chocolate and cookies during finals. The budget was approved.

Alex Chavez, GSB ’23, vice president of finance and budgets, opened the issue of USG’s remaining budget for the 2022 fall semester. USG has to either spend the remaining money this semester, vote to roll over their budget to next semester or vote for the money to go back to

the general student activities fund.

USG is the only club that can elect for their extra money to roll over to the following semester, and according to Chavez, have in the past.

USG’s excess money comes from canceled or postponed events this semester.

A concern was raised about the FCRH Dean’s List as the Gabelli Dean’s List receives a ceremony for their accomplishments, while FCRH does not.

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Public Safety discussed Fordham’s prepardness in the case of an active shooter.

NEWS

Page 4

November 30, 2022

Fordham Continues Diversity Action Plan FROM ACTION PLAN, PAGE 1

diversity at Fordham,” said Vincent Vitanza, FCRH ’24.

“As an orientation leader, a lot of our training happens with OMA [Office of Multicultural Affairs], and we are trained on how to make the experience more inclusive and welcoming for the incoming freshmen.”

Although an updated report has not been published for fall 2022, Rafael Zapata, the chief diversity officer, said he is prepared to publish a report soon and is working on an update letter to the campus community.

“Thanks to the work of our admissions team, and the myriad faculty, students and staff across Fordham that support those recruitment and yield efforts, we are making significant progress on undergraduate student diversity: The incoming class consists of more than 46% domestic students of color,” said Zapata.

“Various staff development opportunities are taking place across the university, some supported centrally by the Office of Human Resources, and others sponsored more locally at the division, school and depart-

mental levels.”

A common critique of the university’s administration is the degree of separation between Fordham and its Bronx community. However, since the launch of the initiative in 2020, there has been an increased effort to bridge that gap.

“We are working with our colleagues in finance on an ongoing effort to promote business relationships with minority and women owned businesses in the local area,” said Zapata.

However, some students are unaware that this initiative exists at all, which may damper the university’s success.

“I didn’t know about this goal specifically, and I do think it’s been pushed to the shadows since its original publication,” said Vitanza. “I think the university [should] restate this goal.”

Despite this, Zapata restated an emphasis on students thriving more than anything else, and the overall development of the student body as a whole.

Students can expect a full update when the full letter to the community is released.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Fordham created a plan in 2020 to foster diversity on campus, they plan to update the community on their progression.

Fordham Hosts Lecture on Civil Rights Featuring Patricia Sullivan

By GRACE GALBREATH STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

In addition to giving a lecture, Sullivan visited a Fordham history class.

On Nov. 15, Fordham hosted a lecture featuring Patricia Sullivan, Ph.D., titled, “Robert Kennedy, Civil Rights, and the Racial Reckoning of the 1960s.”

The event, open to the public, was hosted at the Lincoln Center campus.

Sullivan is currently a history professor at the University of South Carolina.

She published many books, like, “Justice Rising: Robert Kennedy’s America in Black” and “White and Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement.”

Sullivan said it is important to share this history with a younger audience.

“History is always relevant to the present and understanding it is the first step. This group was very interested in the discussion and they had really good questions and comments about facts from that period, the relationship of the Kennedys to the FBI and what students can do today,” said Sullivan.

While at Fordham, Sullivan also met with Bentley Anderson’s, S.J., Understanding Historical Change class and spoke with his students. She highlighted the encounter, saying, “I’ve known Bentley Anderson for a long time and coming to his class and being engaged with his students was definitely a standout

moment for me.”

Sullivan also mentioned meeting professor of African American studies and history, Mark Naison, Ph.D. “I got to meet someone I’ve admired for a long time, Mark Naison, who is also in the African American Studies department.

When I was in graduate school I read his book, ‘Communists in Harlem during the Depression.’

The book had a huge influence on me,” said Sullivan.

Farah Elrakhawi, FCRH ’24, attended the lecture on Tuesday, “Professor Sullivan’s talk on the Kennedy brother’s roles in the Civil Rights movement was incredible. I absolutely loved her.

Not only did I grow to admire her as a person, but as an incredibly knowledgeable historian who clearly knew exactly what she was talking about.”

Both Sullivan and Elrakhawi mentioned that in 1967, Robert F. Kennedy gave the commencement address at Fordham.

Sullivan said that in his speech, “He [Kennedy] urged the graduates to hear the voices of the poor and the disadvantaged, to participate in public life, and to remember the difference one person can make.”

Associate Professor of African and African American Studies, Mark Chapman, Ph.D., strongly encouraged his students to attend the lecture.

“The African American studies department was proud to present Dr. Patricia Sullivan’s research on the role of Robert F. Kennedy during the civil rights movement. It is important that Fordham students are exposed to the work of scholars who have examined this critical period in American history.

The presentation of this lecture is consistent with Fordham’s mission to educate students for the work of justice,” said Chapman.

Chapman also commented on the importance of hosting lectures such as Sullivan’s for Fordham students to attend, “We hope that Dr. Sullivan’s lecture serves as a reminder that one person can make a difference in the world.

RFK’s growing commitment to racial and economic justice should inspire us all to work for a more equal and just world.”

Sullivan said that young people are the future. As a college professor, she finds students to be engaged in history and humanities.

“One of the things I loved about coming to Fordham and going to other colleges is that it was one of Robert Kennedy’s favorite things to do. He felt that young people who had the opportunity to get a good education were in a wonderful position to be engaged and really had a responsibility to be active in their times and in the problems and challenges of their society,” said Sullivan.

NEWS

November 30, 2022

Page 5

CSM Raises Awareness about Sexual Assault and Harrasment FROM CSM PAGE 1

people comfort, especially survivors, which is a group that is often unrecognized. “People don’t really say they are a survivor. It is an uncomfortable thing to disclose. It is a big issue in our culture, not just Fordham. Week of Action is very available and in your face in a good way. It is very symbolic and permanent for the week,” said Elrakhawi.

The Clothesline Project is not just at Fordham. According to Elrakhawi, the project has “been going on for a while.” The project involves asking students and others to write words of affirmation and encouragement to survivors of sexual assault and harrasment on white t-shirts.

“The white t-shirt is a blank canvas. We hang it up with purple and blue ribbons all week.

We have a poster that has designs and phrases if they can’t think of anything. They can write anything uplifting and empowering,” said Elrakhawi.

Last semester, when the CSM did The Clothesline Project, it rained and snowed while they were hanging up on Edward’s

Parade. Despite this, the shirts all stayed together. “It was very symbolic,” said Elrakhawi. “The shirts survived, and the message survived. We always do it no matter what the weather is. The shirts stay up. It is very symbolic of survivors’ strength and resilience.”

Molly Ewing, FCRH ’25, a member of CSM, said she hopes that the Week of Action makes survivors feel welcome and accepted on campus. “Our clothesline project is an impactful way for our community to send a message of strength and love to survivors,” said Ewing.

“I also think this week is a time for education and awareness for everyone on campus. Many people do not realize the number of people impacted by this issue.”

In addition to The Clothesline Project, there are other events throughout the week. One of the biggest events during the week is the keynote speaker, Marlee Liss, from Toronto.

Marlee Liss’s sexual assault case was the first in North America that concluded with restorative justice in the courts.

Restorative justice is a different way of dealing with crimes in

the justice system.

According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, restorative justice works “to address the dehumanization frequently experienced by people in the traditional criminal justice system” and “seeks to examine the harmful impact of a crime and then determines what can be done to repair that harm while holding the person who caused it accountable for his or her actions.”

Ewing said she is most looking forward to this event. “I have heard many amazing things about her from students who were here a couple of years ago when she came for CSM’s Week of Action. She will be talking about restorative justice and her experiences with it as a survivor of sexual assault,” said Ewing.

Emily Kennedy, GSB ’24, another member of CSM, said she hopes that overall this week brings more awareness to the topic. “This week is important to me because it is a week-long demonstration of the need for more support for survivors of sexual misconduct. The programs

COURTESY OF PIA FISCHETTI/ THE FORDHAM RAM

CSM’s programing includes both interactive and speaker events. and events our team has been working on will hopefully show the Fordham community how important it is to support each other and be mindful of topics not often talked about,” said Kennedy.

Elrakhawi said that her biggest hope for the week is that students learn the importance of awareness. “The responsibility falls on all of us. There are definitely groups and people that are disproportionately impacted. The responsibility falls

on all of us to combat it and prevent it,” said Elrakhawi.

Elrakhawi emphasized that sometimes the easiest way to take action is accountability within people’s own circles. “I think that the best way to reinforce that is accountability within ourselves first, our friends and when we see something, say something … Accountability within our social circle is the most important because that is where we can make the biggest impact,” said Elrakhawi.

CSA Hosts “Thanks-Give-Away” Event for Commuters FROM CSA, PAGE 1

A ticket to Thanks-Give-Away is how CSA fundraises, with one hundred percent of the proceeds going to POTS. The event broke the fundraising goal set by CSA, raising over $2,000 for POTS, not including contributions from donors such as Fordham Toyota and Coca-Cola.

Giving back to the community is especially important to commuter students, said Alessandra Carino, FCRH ’23 executive president of

CSA, “since we are the Commuting Students Association, and many of us are New Yorkers, native to New York City, even native to the Bronx, it is very powerful to be able to give back to our home.”

Whether or not attendees of the event are commuters, engaging with this event is impactful to the local community. “It’s really important to look outside of campus and see the impact that we can make on the community we will be living in for four years,” says Malia Guebli, FCRH ’23, executive treasurer of CSA.

According to Carino, events like these are important to commuter students, as the event provides an opportunity for them to come together and form a community both as commuter students and as New Yorkers.

Carino said, “having a common identity is helpful to cultivating community.” She added, “we have a very particular college experience.”

“We don’t dorm on campus, so it’s harder for us to make friends and feel con-

Fordham Hosts “Living the Mission” Event

By SOFIA DONOHUE DIGITAL PRODUCER

On Nov. 16, the Division of Mission Integration and Ministry hosted a panel titled “Living the Mission.” The event was organized by Robert Parmach, director of Ignatian mission initiatives, and Vanessa Rotondo, associate director of campus engagement and senior advisor for Ignatian leadership. The panel was moderated by Fr. John Cecero, vice president for mission integration and ministry. The panel’s purpose was to have the event’s attendees dig deeper into Fordham’s mission, inspire each other as a call to action and become reaffirmed in the Jesuit identity.

Parmach noted that the event was not a lecture, rather, a presentation and a space for conversation among friends.

There were three panelists: Dr. Renaldo Alba, associate director of STEP/CSTEP, Benedict Reilly, FCRH ’23, and Angela

Flynn, officer manager in the Office for Student Involvement at Rose Hill.

The panelists began by addressing the first question: “What strikes you about Fordham’s mission statement?” Flynn began the conversation, sharing that Fordham students’ yearning for knowledge stands out to her.

“My whole experience in all of my classes has just been so fulfilling for me … it taught me a lot about knowledge being a burden. When you know something, there’s decisions to make. I wanted to know more, even if it complicates life,” said Flynn.

For Reilly, the Jesuit aspect of Fordham’s mission statement spoke to him the most. He reflected on the story of St. Ignatius, specifically, how his life was transformed after he was struck by a cannonball. Reilly analyzed three main elements of Ignatius’ narrative: the source of the cannonball, the can-

nonball’s impact and Ignatius’ recovery and life afterwards.

Reflecting on Ignatius’s recovery after he was struck, Reilly invited the audience to consider God’s role in everyday life. Reilly reminded the audience that God was truly at work throughout Ignatius’s life, however, just because God is at work doesn’t mean that we should live independently from him.

“When we’re thinking about the mission and integration, these 85 acres are not the boundaries of this mission,” said Reilly.

Alba reiterated the importance of looking for God in all things. An aspect of the mission statement that most profoundly resonated with him was the fostering of intellectual, moral and religious development.

“Living the mission and fostering this moral intellect strikes me. A lot of [the service work] that I’m engaged in, I get a lot

nected,” said Katya Drohan, GSB ’25, a commuter student.

“At events like these, we all can get to know each other. Even if we’re not from the same areas, we can all relate to each other in that were commuters, and we just want to have fun,” The event is traditionally held on the Thursday before Thanksgiving.

Thanks-Give-Away occurring at night is important to the nature of the event, as it brings commuter students together at a time after they typically leave campus.

The interactive atmosphere of the event is meant to create a sense of togetherness to form as a kickoff to the holiday season.

“Community is the most important part of college, no matter if you are a commuter or not,” said Christina Figura, FCRH ’25.

The consistent success of the Thanks-Give-Away event fundraiser can be seen as an indicates growth for the program and organizers say they hope for more positive impact in the future.

out of it and it helps me become a better person,” said Alba.

On par with Reilly’s discussion of Ignatius’ cannonball, Alba discussed his own “cannonball moment” when he traveled to the Dominican Republic after graduating from high school. While in the Dominican Republic, Alba began to recognize what privilege looked like as well as the separation between groups of people.

Adding on to Flynn’s ascription of knowledge as a burden, Alba noted that, in college, he began asking himself difficult questions: “I was burdened by what I saw, and I felt like I needed to do something.” Alba concluded by stating that, although he hasn’t been able to find a concludable answer to his questions, he’s beginning to accept that not every question has an answer.

“It’s now 20 years after undergrad that I’m starting to sort of understand what it means to let go and let God,” said Alba.

Audience members were directed to take a few minutes of silence for individual reflection. Attendees were presented with the question “What three takeaways from the panelists resonate with your Fordham experience?”

Cecero noted that a recurrent idea throughout the panel was the idea that God meets us where we are. According to Cecero, often, people think conversion looks like Ignatius being struck by a cannonball; however, sometimes conversion happens in the gentle awakening of an interest or desire. Cecero recited a quote from Ignatius: “Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words.”

According to Cecero, the panelists are an embodiment of the quote. “[The panelists] are passionate about what they believe in, and that’s where love is most eloquently expressed,” Cecero concluded.

Students were encouraged to share their thoughts and takeaways from the panel. Many students discussed the uniqueness of Fordham’s community, referring to Fordham as “a family.”

A few students had worked with the panelists, and they expressed their gratitude for the impact they’ve had on their Fordham experience. The event concluded with table discussions where students were encouraged to become acquaintanced with those around them and discuss their thoughts on the panel and how they can live Fordham’s mission.

NEWS

Page 6

November 30, 2022

New Exhibit Aims to Honor Lives Lost at the Border FROM HOSTILE, PAGE 1

Additionally, the tags are color coded: White tags correspond to the information of identified individuals, while orange tags correspond to the information of unidentified individuals. The project is directed by anthropologist Jason De Leòn who currently works as a professor of anthropology and Chicana/o Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The exhibition commemorates the thousands of lives lost at the border while simultaneously raising awareness of the U.S. Border Patrol’s 1994 immigration enforcement strategy known as “Prevention Through Deterrence.” This policy aimed

to discourage undocumented migrants from crossing the border near urban ports of entry.

By closing off crossing points, individuals attempting to cross the border are forced to cross through more remote and depopulated regions.

The policy’s goal was for the desert’s natural environment to act as a deterrent, however, the desert’s “hostile terrain” doesn’t stop migrants from attempting to cross the border. As a result, thousands of migrants have lost their lives.

Aidan Auel, FCRH ’23, noted the significance of the exhibition as well as the act of filling out the toe tags.

“The display is effective by

showing the deaths at the border caused by U.S. policy in a physical way and a three-dimensional way. It really helps people see the scale of the issue that you don’t get when you look at a statistic. However, the act of filling out the tags is equally as important as the final tag. The goal is to bring people together to reflect and bear witness to this humanitarian issue in a variety of ways,” said Auel. This semester Auel and Michelle Moughan, FCRH ’23, serve as lead exhibition coordinators for the Hostile Terrain Project.

The pair have been working closely with Fordham’s Center for Community Engaged Learning

(CCEL) and Carey Kasten, associate professor of Spanish, who organized the exhibition at Lincoln Center. Students have been given the opportunity to contribute to the exhibition by filling out tags.

Auel and Moughan have visited over a dozen classes and clubs to get students involved with the project.

“Students are often very moved by this project. Many find writing down the names of those who passed on the border to be humanizing, bringing to the front of the conversation the individual lives lost rather than just the statistics,” said Auel.

On Nov. 14, CCEL hosted a workshop for students to gather to fill out toe tags. The

COURTESY OF FORDHAM UNIVERISTY GALLERIES

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Students learn about the Hostile Terrain display at Lincoln Center.

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workshop gave students the opportunity to learn more about the humanitarian crisis at the border while promoting conversation about the issue.

“One of the highlights of the workshop was a discussion facilitated by Carey Casten, who provided her perspective on this project. We discussed the importance of having conversations about this issue and working to not only educate people about the crisis at the border but humanize those affected by U.S. border policy, especially the policy of Prevention Through Deterrence,” reflected Auel.

Students can view updates on the project and get involved on @ht94fordham on Instagram.

The display aims to honor people who died in hostile conditions at the American and Mexican border.

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OPINION

November 30, 2022

R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918

The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses.

Website TheFordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu Editor in Chief Ava Erickson Managing Editor Hanif Amanullah Editorial Director Sebastian Diaz Production Editor Michael Sluck Multimedia Director Pia Fischetti Business Director Matthew Colucci Copy Chief Amanda Yarolin Assistant Copy Chief Hannah Boring News Editor Isabel Danzis Assistant News Editors Emma Kim Samantha Minear Opinion Editors Nicole Braun Taylor Herzlich Assistant Opinion Editor Michela Fahy Culture Editors Kari White Ilaina Kim Assistant Culture Editor Elisabeth Murray Sports Editor Nick Guzman Assistant Sports Editors Thomas Aiello Maddie Bimonte Social Media Director Frances Schnepff Digital Producers Ava Carreiro Justin Charles Sofia Donohue Visual Director Nicoleta Papavasilakis Photo Editor Nick DeSilva Graphics/Illustrations Cory Bork Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorial reflects the editorial board’s opinions or views.

Opinion Policy The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Fordham Ram. Submissions Policy The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject or edit any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. No part of the The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

Page 7

From the Desk | Ava Erickson

In a Windowless Room, Inspiration Is on the Walls I have sat at many desks in my life. The one in my childhood bedroom where I practiced my times tables and filled out countless college applications, my freshman year dorm desk where I discovered I was bad at biology, my current desk which is uncomfortably small to accommodate my NYC apartment and my go-to desk in the periodicals room in the library where I study and people-watch out the window. But I think my favorite desk, and the one it makes the most sense to write my From the Desk at, is my desk in the Ram office (which I will add is in the basement and has no big windows to romantically gaze out of).

The “editor in chief desk” is in the back corner of the office, which allows me to see everything that’s going on from my chair — which is one of the more comfortable chairs in the room, a perk of being the editor in chief. Over the past year I spent many hours observing this room, and I found that the things in it are truly a testament to what makes the Ram so special.

So, with that being said, here are some of my favorite things in the Ram office that I can see “from the desk.”

The Archives. For many years the Ram’s archives were stored in beautifully bound maroon books.

As time went on, and budgets tightened, the print issues were stashed in file cabinets which now line the walls of the office. Several interesting issues are framed on the wall, and random old papers scatter the room. These archives are a testament to the incredible legacy and longevity of The Fordham Ram. I had the privilege to serve as editor in chief for the 104th year of this paper, an

astounding number that wouldn’t be possible without all the amazing and dedicated staff members, writers, contributors and readers before us. Our archives are a time capsule of the university. You can pick any week in the past 100 years and find out what was going on at Fordham. The history contained in these archives is priceless.

Quote by Loretta Tofani.

On a piece of printer paper tacked to the wall is a quote by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Loretta Tofani, the first female editor in chief of the Ram: “Journalism is supposed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Since Tofani graduated in 1975, many women have held the position and now, in fact, the majority of our staff is women. Tofani is an inspiration to me as throughout my life I struggled to speak up. I am soft spoken and I’ve been criticized for my “ditzy” vocal fry, but the Ram empowered me to share my voice, and I thank Loretta Tofani for paving the way for me and all the women on the Ram staff.

Center Spreads. The Ram sometimes prints center spreads that include a compilation of photos tied to a specific theme. Copies of these spreads, which contain photos of Fordham and the Bronx, are hung up on the walls throughout the office reminding me just how lucky I am to go to school here. As cliché as it sounds, when I first started at Fordham, I never would have believed I would be the editor in chief of the school newspaper — I was a biology major after all. But I was able to find my passion, and now I can’t imagine my time in college spent in any other way. These spreads are a symbol of the wonderful and

life-changing experience I’ve had at Fordham, at the Ram and in New York City.

The Printer. My fellow staff members are probably shocked to read this is one of my favorite things. In fact, on my first production night as editor in chief, the printer broke. As the culture editor the year before, I remember the printer breaking all the time, but it was never a big deal. Someone else always ended up fixing it, right? Well, that first night when the light turned red and pages stopped coming out, I realized, in a moment of panic, that the person who had to figure this out was me. Recently, the printer broke again. I calmly went through the problem-solving steps the IT department taught me and mulled over possible back-up printers around the school we could use.

It wasn’t until later that I realized how symbolic this moment was for me. This year at the Ram taught me a lot about dealing with problems as a leader — from small things like the printer breaking to difficult ethical questions. So, I thank everyone on staff this year

for your patience, because I made a lot of mistakes along the way.

Everything Else on the Walls. In addition to old issues, AP style guidelines and formatting rules, the walls of the Ram office are covered in pictures and notes.

They range from heartfelt messages to inside jokes I can’t even begin to explain. These are a testament to the sense of community the Ram fosters.

The Ram office is a place where you can create; laugh; struggle; share ideas; discuss morals, politics or life; fail and succeed. While I am endlessly proud of the skills and talents of everyone at the Ram, it is really the community that made this year so special.

Michael, thank you for being the calm voice of reason in times of chaos and Hanif, thank you for your constant words of encouragement and positivity. And to the rest of the staff, I am so proud of everything you did this year. I can’t wait to see what you do next, both for the Ram and beyond.

Good luck everyone, and please keep hanging things on the walls of McGinley B52.

Editorial | Free Speech

Speak Up, But Not at Fordham As per the university’s instruction, students who are working under the Office of Residential Life (ResLife) as Residential Assistants (RAs) are not allowed to speak to media or student-run press regarding matters related to ResLife.

The Fordham Ram is concerned about a recent development in the policy handed down by Dean Christopher Rogers, updating the instructions to prohibit RAs from speaking publicly about all Fordham-related issues, not just those specifically tied to ResLife. This information was confirmed by an RA who chose to remain anonymous.

Since Fordham is a private institution, it has the legal right to regulate the speech of its community members. However, their exertion of this right has been a point of contention for years.

In 2021, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) ranked Fordham among its “10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech” after it had also ranked the university in its list in 2017 and 2018. While it managed to avoid being ranked in the 2022 list, being listed for nearly half of the past six yearly lists does not put Fordham in the clear regarding issues of free speech.

In the particular case of 2021, FIRE cited the university’s prohibition of a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter as well as the university’s well-maintained and well-publicized legal defense against the student club for about five years now.

The history of the legal affair between SJP and the university is a years-long showcase of the extent to which the university actively suppresses student voices, as it has funded a well-equipped legal team to successfully appeal court rulings supporting the student organization’s existence. The university’s unwillingness to accept the club on campus and its active struggle against the student organization is one of the strongest, most recent examples of the university Even university faculty members have criticized the university for the large financial expenditure undertaken in order to keep the legal case afloat.

At least one other student-led political organization on campus has had issues being recognized by the university: the Fordham chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, whose application for official club status seemingly became stagnant during the administration review, while other club applications made around the

same time were approved.

Additionally, in 2014, the student organization Students for Sex and Gender Equality and Safety (SAGES) decided to distribute condoms (alongside informational pamplets) anonymously, fearing repercussions from the university, which prohibits the distribution of contraceptives on campus.

The university publicly criticized SAGES via its social media pages for the Dean of Students Office.

With a minimal platform, the club became inactive at the end of the spring 2020 semester.

Another well-known example of the university’s troubled relationship with “free speech” is the Austin Tong case. In this particular example, Tong, a student who posted an image of himself on Instagram holding a rifle in commemoration of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, was placed on academic probation and barred from entering campus

by the university in 2020.

Tong’s vocal resistance to Fordham’s decision as well as his legal case against the university garnered national coverage from organizations including Fox News and the National Rifle Association as an issue regarding free speech.

Free speech at Fordham is a bipartisan controversy. With as many cases as there are for students struggling to find a platform at the university, it becomes clear the university must make changes to provide students a space to express themselves.

As its policies stand, student voices are perpetually at the mercy of university decisions; any expression the university deems “unsuitable” could result in punishment against the student who spoke. If Fordham wants to avoid ending up on future FIRE rankings, it needs to rework its policies regarding student expression and free speech on campus.

OPINION

Page 8

November 30, 2022

American Commitment is Needed to Fight Climate Change

By SAMANTHA MINEAR ASST. NEWS EDITOR

At the 27th U.N. Climate Conference (COP27) in Egypt this November, the United States faced scrutiny for not following in the footsteps of countries like Scotland, Germany and Belgium, who committed various amounts of money to fighting climate change. Instead, in the days following, the Biden administration unveiled a multifaceted plan to “[tackle] climate change,” which involves “bolstering climate resilience” and “engaging all of society in the climate crisis.” His announcement is a sincere declaration that the United States is dedicated to financially supporting the fight against climate change.

European countries have shown up to so-called climate fights in more ways than one.

For many of these states, they are on the front lines, battling the effects of climate change alongside nearby developing countries, who have fallen victim to the ricochet.

However, given America’s tumultuous political climate, climate change issues have become partisan and political. This politicization makes

it tremendously difficult to enact real, positive change for those who need the most aid.

Thankfully, the Biden administration heeded advice from its European allies and pledged a series of grants to various different funds and organizations across the globe, including $100 million to the Adaptation Fund — an NGO dedicated to climate resiliency — as well as roughly $28.6 million to the development of early-warning systems in Africa. This is a fantastic start to what many believed would be a terrible let-down from the United States, with the administration facing pressure from what was then a fastapproaching midterm election alleging a “red wave” on the horizon.

Climate change has been on the forefront of most countries’ minds for a while and for a good reason. In 2021, Congress introduced a bill which would enable the president to declare a climate emergency. Many countries across the world, including Spain, Portugal, Canada and Argentina have declared climate emergencies, which is defined as “[an acknowledgment] that humanity is in a climate emergency,” a term

used to describe the threat of global warming and climate change.

Truthfully, the United States is far behind in the worldwide efforts to combat climate change. As the “greatest country in the world,” there is a certain expectation to lead the way so others may follow. It is disappointing that the United States has failed to declare a climate emergency, or even pass legislation making that declaration a possibility, all because the ever-so-extreme conservative party has made it their mission to slander any attempt at doing so.

I believe America is making the right decision by aiding its European neighbors and developing countries who have been experiencing the brunt of climate change. The Biden administration has made it clear that climate change is at the top of their agenda, despite naysayers from Capitol Hill trying to contest science.

Since there is a lack of a unified front against climate change in the United States, I think it is easy for distrust to breed from across the Atlantic, with many international leaders disapproving of the United States’ historically noncommittal approach. After

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The U.S. did not contribute money to fight climate change at COP27 in Egypt.

all, former President Donald Trump withdrew from the longstanding Paris Agreement just a few years ago, which was ultimately a slap in the face to every country who had worked with the United States to create something fruitful and mutually beneficial.

It remains to be seen if Biden’s words will spur concrete action. The financial contributions he has committed will undoubtedly help those in need, but more needs to be done to fill the gaps

where the United States has floundered in the past. Ultimately, if the United States wants to maintain its hegemony and keep its edge over global competitor China, it’s going to have to earn its keep by leading the pack in the fight against climate change and global warming.

Samantha Minear, FCRH ’24, is an international studies and communications major from Long Branch, N.J.

Musk In Over His Head, Evidenced by Prank Accounts

By ZACHARY BADALAMENTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

From electric cars to rocket science, the business acumen of Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has appeared practically infallible before his latest venture. Despite his history of financial success as the richest person in the world, Musk has faced a considerable amount of economic turmoil trying to navigate the aftershocks of purchasing Twitter in October. Looking back on Twitter’s recent month of economic disrepair, the Musk mania that has unfolded paints the multibillionaire as being completely out of his element.

For a man who knows the intricacies of rocket science, Musk has shown that understanding the inner workings of a social media company is far more complex.

The driving factor behind the Twitter upheaval is Musk’s desire to make the company profitable, which has ended up being a very lofty goal due to the company’s perennial economic failures. Over the course of Twitter’s history, the company has consistently posted annual net losses. Even in 2021, when Twitter saw a 35% increase in revenue from the prior year, the company managed to lose $221 million in operational expenses. Without any sort of paywall for its use, Twitter generated around 98% of its an-

nual revenue that year from advertisers. The advertising revenue that was generated in the past was contingent upon a level of censorship across the platform. Musk publicly and adamantly denounces censorship, and this has triggered half of Twitter’s top 100 advertisers to remove themselves from the app. This loss, coupled with the additional interest-gaining $13 billion worth of debt Musk accrued from banks in order to meet Twitter’s $44 billion asking price, has made its goal of profitability that much more unattainable.

For all of the stories heralding his business acumen and predictions of Twitter’s future success, Musk has positioned the company to be headed more likely toward bankruptcy than prosperity. Only a few days following the finalizing of the purchase, Musk revealed in a tweet his plan to revamp the verification process: the infamous $8 verification program. Prior to the new plan for verification, users were judged and granted verified account status on an individual basis.

The way the plan had previously been functioning allowed for Twitter to minimize the amount of parody accounts of celebrities, athletes, politicians and companies. Under the guidelines of Musk’s new plan, the process of verification went as follows: in exchange for $8 and no proof of identity,

any user could receive verified status across the platform with any username.

In a deleted tweet from Nov. 1, Musk states that the idea for the $8 verification enrollment program was fueled by his hopes to eradicate Twitter’s caste-like system between “Lords,” those verified, and “peasants,” those who are not.

Despite his so-called care for the welfare of those on his platform, the program resulted in extreme consequences to those both on and off the platform, appearing to have been rushed to release in attempts to quell the ever-growing mountain of debt facing the company. With the blatant lack of attention to the real identities of users signing up for the subscription service, parody accounts have run rampant throughout the site.

From Nintendo’s beloved character Mario to an account posing as Apple advertising its new product, Apple oxygen, these fake accounts can mask how seriously harmful they are.

A “verified” account posing as Eli Lilly & Co., a chief distributor for insulin in North America, announced that the company would henceforth offer insulin for free. Following this statement, the price of the company’s stock dropped from $368 a share to $352 in the span of a day. Clearly not anticipating the potential for the subscription service’s failure, Elon Musk and Twitter were

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Musk’s verification plan was ill-conceived and led to financial consequences.

forced to concede to their mistake as the service was promptly paused on Nov. 11 following the pharmaceutical company’s stock collapse. In attempts to save face and get out in front of the narrative, Musk has scrubbed his Twitter of any mention of the program.

To a college student with some understanding of the world of social media and of the existence of internet trolls, the outcome of the verification debacle could have easily been predicted. Despite his attempts to save face and rid his account of any reference to the program, the blunder of creating a verification subscription service without any identification requirement is obvious and points to Musk being out of touch with the users who frequent his platform.

Although the stock price of Eli Lilly has since recovered, such a significant, immediate drop of the market value for a

company can lead to mass layoffs. A prime example of such dire consequences can be seen in Twitter, with more than 50% of its workforce losing their jobs following the change in ownership.

It is too early in Musk’s tenure as owner of Twitter to make conclusions regarding his ability to run the company.

Musk is consistently painted as having almost otherworldly levels of business intellect, which is a foolish notion, but one we often bestow upon wellknown billionaires. Now that the world has experienced his shortcomings, it exposes his flaws and humanity in the professional world. As the famous saying goes, he may have bitten off more than he could chew.

Zachary Badalamenti, FCRH ’25, is a journalism major from Oakland, Calif.

OPINION

November 30, 2022

Page 9

Close Relationship Between China and North Korea is Cause for Concern

By SARAH KENNY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

There are a lot of important events recently happening on the international stage, specifically involving North Korea.

In mid-November, North Korea launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that flew into the waters west of Japan. This is the first missile North Korea has launched over another nation. This activity is a contrast from the last few years when missile launches and nuclear tests were put on pause due to the pandemic and meetings during Trump’s tenure.

At the same time, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) passed two constitutional amendments at the CCP meeting that gave him an unprecedented third term and paved the way for him to reign for an extended amount of time.

These recent events are important because the futures of these two countries are connected in a delicate dance. China is North Korea’s main trade partner, but with North Korea having access to the “Nuclear Weapons Club,” they are not just any old trade partner. While North Korea has been building up its nuclear arsenal for quite some time, China’s position in the world under the direction of Xi seems to be shifting toward gaining more power and threatening the United

States’ position as a leading superpower in the world.

The takeaway from these current events is that China is heading down its chosen path full steam ahead, and North Korea seems to be less and less willing to work with the United States to denuclearize. China’s continued rise to the top of the world food chain could lead to a deepening of the relationship between China and North Korea.

One way I could see this increased relationship occurring is through North Korea’s inclusion in a Chinese economic and foreign policy called the One Belt, One Road Initiative, known more colloquially as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI, launched in 2013, is an economic and foreign policy in which the Chinese government funds foreign infrastructure projects. However, it’s more than just Chinese banks writing checks for projects around the world. These deals also establish special economic zones and free trade. They are billed as a “modern-day Silk Road,” but these networks would benefit China more because they would increase their influence across the world, which could help them become a superpower over time. As China’s BRI expands and strengthens the country’s diplomatic connections around the world,

these countries may be less swayed to compete for American interests. After all, it is difficult to switch paths and answer to the United States if you are paying back a lengthy debt to China.

This relates to North Korea because once the BRI networks have been solidified, North Korea could become a recipient of BRI infrastructure funds and join the extensive Chinese networks. This would benefit both states economically, especially North Korea because of the long-term financial impact of international sanctions. A deepened relationship would also benefit Chinese security because they would have better access to North Korean leaders to keep their nuclear program in control.

So why hasn’t this happened yet? Why is North Korea not already a member of the BRI network? I believe it’s because neither country has been in the right position to make it happen. China launched the BRI in 2013, so it will take time for these trade routes to be established and maintained. Xi has also only been in power since 2012, and if he was still making adjustments in 2022 to further solidify his control over the government, then the timing may not have been right to wade into the politics of bringing North Korea into the BRI. In addition, North Korea may not have been ready to completely turn its

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China’s BRI could strenghten the country’s relationship with North Korea.

back on the West. Joining the BRI to spur its economy in spite of ongoing UN sanctions would be a complete and utter turn away from the Western-led world order. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was open to dialogue with the United States for denuclearization as recently as the Trump administration. It would take a shake-up of the unipolar world order for North Korea to join the BRI. It seems, though, that the winds have changed. North Korea is continuing its nuclear activity, and Xi is the definite leader of China.

Clearly, China is confident it

can force a bipolar world order with a Chinese sphere of influence and an American sphere of influence. A recent meeting between Xi and Kim is evidence that the relationship between their nations is headed in the direction of a world where Chinese interests are considered as important as American ones.

Though I merely theorize as to how North Korea could move away from appeasing the West and toward China, no one can deny that our international politics are shifting.

Sarah Kenny, FCRH ’24, is a political science and history major from Seattle, Wash.

Maxwell Frost Represents Generation Z and the Future of Congress

By EVAN McMANUS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The election of Maxwell Frost to Congress is a watershed moment in American politics. It is a sign of how powerful a force Generation Z has become within the electorate. Democratic Congressman-elect Maxwell Frost will be representing Florida’s 10th Congressional district. At just 25 years old, he will be the first Congressional representative that is a member of Gen Z. His top priorities are increasing gun regulations, implementing Medicare for All and taking measures against climate change. All of these positions are ones that resonate with young voters. Youth turnout during this election was at 27%, which was the second highest in 30 years. Even at 27%, the effect of the youth vote was felt nationally. Voters between ages 18 and 29 voted for Democratic candidates in the House of Representatives by a whopping 62% compared to 35% for Republicans. This newfound youth enthusiasm is happening at a crucial time within the Democratic Party.

The current Congress has the oldest members in American

history with an average age of 60.7. The leadership of the Democratic Party is dominated by politicians like Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Chief Whip Jim Clyburn, who are all in their 80s.

Gen Z is disconnected from this group of politicians. The youth today are worried about issues like abortion, inflation, gun control and climate change. However, when members of Gen Z see the leadership of the Democratic party being dominated by older members, it does not inspire confidence or excitement.

For all the legislative prowess that Pelosi has, she has trouble connecting with Gen Z. A political party whose leaders are dominated by old faces does not inspire confidence in the creation and implementation of new ideas, which is what our young people crave. The leadership of the House Democrats seem to understand this. After all, some older party members are stepping down from their leadership roles. Whoever is replacing them will have to consider how to make Gen Z feel like the party is more in touch with their concerns. I

would suggest that they look to whom young voters respond positively.

Some politicians that seem to inspire young voters are younger politicians with progressive ideas, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Frost. Instead of creating apathy, these younger politicians inspire — but it is not just because of their younger age. They know how to communicate with a younger base of constituents. Both politicians use social media as a way to engage with their voters, and social media is home to Gen Z. When voters feel like politicians are making the effort to reach out and listen, like with Ocasio-Cortez’s Instagram Q&A’s and livestreams, then they are more likely to want to support them. Both politicians have also used social media to seem more relatable and genuine by tweeting about lighthearted subjects. These are the politicians that the youth are relating to and the Democratic Party should take note. Now that there is change going on in the upper levels of leadership, the party should do more to promote voices like OcasioCortez and Frost.

With the election of Frost,

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Maxwell Frost is the first member of Gen Z to be elected to Congress.

Gen Z now has a voice on the floor of Congress. When the House is debating taking measures on gun control, a former March for Our Lives organizer will be in the room. Members of Gen Z are now entering adulthood and we don’t need to depend on adults to take action for us anymore. If Gen Z feels like their representatives don’t care about the issues important to them, they have the power to start running for office. To some, the election of one Gen Z representative may seem small since he is only one of 435 other Congress members, but I think that this point of view is incredibly short-sighted and ignores the influence that a young representative can have on people

outside of Congress.

At the moment there is only one Gen Z representative in Congress, although he can inspire others to join him. Gen Z is already engaged on many levels of the political process, which is impressive for such a young generation. Politicians like Frost can inspire younger people to run for office. Eventually, more members of Gen Z will be elected. For all we know the election of Frost could be the start of a political wave that fundamentally changes Congress. It is up to Gen Z to make that future a reality.

Evan McManus, FCRH ’25, is a political science major from Dover, Mass.

OPINION

Page 10

November 30, 2022

N.I.L. Deals Are Not to Blame for Sexism in Women’s Sports

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American gymnast Olivia Dunne has an N.I.L. partnership with Forever 21.

By MADDIE BIMONTE ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

In July 2021, the Supreme Court laid down a unanimous decision that would drastically alter the college sports landscape forever: the ability to pay college athletes. The decision arrived after heated debates, stating that college athletes were now able to be paid for use of their name, image and likeness in the form of N.I.L. deals.

These deals were used to justify the unpaid nature of college sports, as many athletes put in time and

effort just like professional athletes, yet go uncompensated.

I will admit there was major concern on my end when this decision was made, specifically toward how equal the N.I.L. deals would truly be when it comes to women athletes.

Historically, women’s sports have taken a backseat to men’s in terms of pay, attention and overall treatment, not just at the professional level but at the collegiate level as well. Take, for example, the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament in 2021,

where women were given substantially less in gift bags, equipment space and coverage.

With the rise of N.I.L. deals, women were finally able to receive compensation for their hard work on and off the field, which is especially important when their sports are underfunded. According to a CNBC article, while football is miles ahead of every sport in terms of N.I.L. deals, six women’s sports are in the top 10 among all college athletics for N.I.L. compensation.

I personally see this as a resounding win for women’s athletics, particularly because of the attention these athletes receive in their respective sports. These college athletes have become celebrities in their own right, with some, like NCAA gymnasts Sunisa Lee and Olivia Dunne, garnering huge deals. While some may view these deals as exploitative, I disagree. It isn’t necessarily the deals that are exploitative, but rather the people that idolize them.

Creepy sports fans who launch inappropriate comments toward these women athletes are a separate entity from the deal itself. Some of the deals these women athletes are getting include Nike, athletic wear brands, Beats by Dre and others, with many athletes posting photos on social media in brand partnerships. We must remember that if a woman posts anything in this day

and age, they will most likely receive some sexual comments. The N.I.L. deals themselves should not be blamed.

The sponsors of these N.I.L. deals currently seem to be giving equal opportunities to women athletes alongside men. Women are not being barred from Nike deals, although they may be solicited by other brands to do swimsuit or lingerie deals more often than men. Of course, if women athletes are only offered the latter deals mentioned, then it would be discriminatory behavior, but women athletes are being presented with opportunities by other giants in the sports industry. They are not forced to take these swimwear deals.

Unfortunately, women in all career fields can be sexualized for what they post on social media. Even the most tame posts can garner unwarranted attention from others. It does not necessarily matter what N.I.L. deal a woman takes; she most likely will receive at least one untoward comment.

However, I think that these deals can do more good than harm because of how they can promote women’s sports as a whole.

As mentioned, women’s sports are in need of help in terms of funding. So many male-dominated sports receive higher amounts of funding from schools and women’s sports are often the first to get

cut in instances of budget issues.

With more N.I.L. deals shedding light on women’s sports, more companies may be inclined to help women’s sports succeed as well as sponsor more tournaments for these athletes.

Viewership for women’s sports has begun to drastically increase.

ESPN announced that in the 202122 season, three separate women’s sports championships brought in the biggest audiences in more than a decade — volleyball, basketball and gymnastics. As more of an audience develops for women’s collegiate sports, more revenue will be generated.

As women decide to enter into N.I.L. deals, there should always be some caution as to what deal they are signing, just as anyone should have caution as they approach any contract. The deals themselves, though, have been a key building block to the funding and promotion of women’s sports over the past two years.

Public opinion will never be perfect, but at the end of the day, women collegiate athletes are finally getting the attention and pay they deserve as a result of N.I.L. deals.

Maddie Bimonte, FCRH ’24, is a journalism major and political science minor from Raleigh, N.C.

Future of Tourism: Airbnbs Won’t Replace Hotels

By SAISHA ISLAM

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Airbnbs grew in popularity as a cheaper alternative to hotels because they offered users a more private experience with more personal space during the pandemic. Although this rise in popularity has added a new perspective to the traveling experience, I don’t think Airbnbs will ever fully replace the traditional hotel industry.

While Airbnbs are less expensive than most hotel experiences and offer other benefits like privacy and space, they do have some issues. First of all, checking out of an Airbnb may be more expensive than expected due to hidden cleaning fees and unreasonable checkout requirements such as “doing the laundry and vacuuming before departure.” This issue will hopefully be remedied with a new feature on Airbnb.

In December, Airbnb will allow users to see the total price of their experience prior to checkout, including cleaning fees.

Airbnb also plans to get rid of unreasonable requirements and make sure that the processes that add up to these fees are clearer. Although this solution will improve initial user experience with transparency during checkout, being more upfront about excessive cleaning fees and checkout requirements will probably draw some users away from the start as they see exorbitant prices.

Additionally, there has been

a growth in the purchase of properties and transformations of long-term homes into shortterm spaces for Airbnb. This boom in Airbnb properties is outpacing demand in many locations with occupancy rates dropping in “31 of the top 50 largest U.S. short-term rental markets from July through September.” While the rise of Airbnb properties in some spaces overcrowds demand, Airbnb states that there is still strong and growing demand and a rise in bookings and revenue overall.

This growth in Airbnb properties and choices has induced competitiveness among hosts and given more power to users. Hosts are now paying more attention to their reviews and users’ experiences on their properties. Airbnb properties with more laborious cleaning fees and checkout requirements will suffer in a market where there are more choices which are easier on users. Due to this, hosts are now looking for more ways to make their properties stand out and, in the future, decreased Airbnb booking prices may occur in more competitive spaces.

On the other hand, hotels are a constant which have grown to offer a wide variety of benefits to guests. Although hotels were hit hard during the pandemic, many have adapted and are steadily recovering. Traditionally, hotels are common and often integral parts of a person’s travel experiences. There

are numerous choices depending on a person’s travel budget.

While Airbnbs can be cheaper than a hotel experience, hotels often include multiple amenities which can help a traveler on their journey such as restaurants, spas, parks, gyms, pools and other services within the same building or close by. Hotel staff can also help guests with booking, transportation and any other travel plans in someone’s itinerary. Often, hotels are found close by a city’s landmarks or popular attractions which makes it easier for guests to travel around. Hotels also provide a feeling of safety and comfort to guests which is appealing. Fees for cleaning services and other things such as Wi-Fi or for resorts may add up in hotels, but unlike many

Airbnbs, there aren’t checkout requirements or excessive cleaning fees.

Personally, I feel as if I have more experience with hotels which offer a feeling of adventure and comfort on travels.

I’ve been in many different hotels, each which offer a new experience and a great way to meet other travelers. Hotels were also a great help in getting to difficult destinations or for suggestions on other interesting places to go. Also, at times when I went on a trip to an unfamiliar place and needed a place to stay, many hotels were flexible and available as safe choices.

While Airbnbs are growing in popularity, they won’t replace the traditional hospitality industry. The new feature

on Airbnbs which lets users view cleaning fees and makes sure checkout requirements are reasonable will make Airbnbs more reliable with users but may turn them away from the start.

The boom in Airbnb properties can outpace the demand in some locations and create a more competitive market which makes it harder for hosts. Hotels, on the other hand, are a constant which have been adapting to pandemic conditions and can offer multiple convenient services under one roof which allow them to survive in the industry.

Saisha Islam, FCRH ’25, is a biology major from New York, N.Y.

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During the pandemic, Airbnbs grew in popularity as a cheaper alternative to hotels with a more private experience.

OPINION

November 30 , 2022

Page 11

American Two-Party System Intrinsically Restricts Liberties

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Since 1994, 59 countries around the world have expanded reproductive rights.

By LINDSEY OSIT

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Since 1994, 59 countries around the world have expanded reproductive rights, yet the United States continues to push in the opposite direction.

America’s two-party system promotes a divisive culture that opposes individual liberties. When each individual is forced to embody only one school of thought that completely contradicts another separate, competing entity, these individuals lose sight of the democratic foundations of popular sovereignty, equality and freedom. The recent ruling to overturn the nation’s abortion rights resulted from a series of unfortunate proceedings: the election of a far-right president, that president’s later appoint-

ments to the Supreme Court and the court’s ruling on the precedent case Roe v. Wade.

While some countries’ recent expansion of reproductive freedoms resulted from grass-roots movements, others were the product of lobbying by advocates and doctors. Colombia’s ruling occurred after years of feminist protests, while the West African nation of Benin decriminalized abortion after reports surfaced on the dangers of illegal procedures.

In the United States, the issue does not lie in a lack of activism; hundreds of protesters gathered across the country as word spread of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Access to medical information on the dangers of illegal abortion has not been restricted. Thus, the destruction of human rights can be attributed to

a broader issue at hand, one that lies in the structure of the government in which long-standing stability largely inhibits the possibility of sweeping reforms.

Bipartisanship has remained at the center of the U.S. government since its inception. However, its historical efficacy often obscures its current drawbacks to the public. When voters are required to identify as either Republican or Democrat (or as an independent voter), they automatically restrict themselves to a caged ideology.

Though a large portion of voters might be more moderate than the polls indicate, the very nature of our system polarizes them. Voters are led to believe that representatives aligning most strictly with their designated party are the best choice, even if those representatives’ agendas are hardly indicative of the majority’s beliefs. Ultimately, we are left with politicians who lean so far in one direction that they nearly fall off the spectrum. Moderate voices are silenced, and names like Donald Trump predominate.

The same two-party system that led to Trump’s presidency enabled Republican domination of the Supreme Court. With only two parties, one will always have the upper-hand majority in the court. And by using his presidential power to appoint justices

that leaned as far to the right as himself, Trump exacerbated this imbalance. The former president appointed Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, three of the five conservative justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Though Trump lost the 2020 election, Roe v. Wade’s reversal revealed the consequences of his term in office.

If the Supreme Court had not ruled to rescind women’s reproductive rights, our nation would not be backtracking in liberties while other countries progress. If that court had not been the most conservative Supreme Court in the history of the U.S., that decision would never have been made. Trump caused the imbalance by appointing conservative justices; had he never been elected, the Supreme Court wouldn’t be what it is today. And if America’s bipartisan structure did not promote a cut-throat, divisive competition between Republicans and Democrats, it’s unlikely that such a polarizing figure would have won the election. This series of events put America on a different path than neighboring nations, but the first domino to fall wasn’t a single act. America’s political system values two narrow viewpoints over the individual’s voice; each

side’s purpose has become to dominate the other, and it’s not surprising that the prevailing party’s victory was a loss for the rest of the country.

Nor is it surprising when considering other nations’ political systems and the value they place on human rights. According to the 2021 Human Freedom Index, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and New Zealand are all included in the top ten freest countries in the world — countries that are thus progressing toward more reproductive freedom. Is it a coincidence that all of these countries use a multiparty system? When multiple parties are considered, constituents’ voices are better represented by elected officials. They are no longer forced to choose the most radical-minded candidates.

In America, Democrats are only likely to win representation when selecting the most liberal-minded candidates; the same goes for Republicans and their conservative representatives. In the case of Roe v. Wade, polarization caused conservative ideology to rule supreme and deprive women of their liberties.

Lindsey Osit, FCRH ’24, is a journalism major from South Windsor, Conn.

Psychedelic Drug Usage in Mental Health Treatment Should be Normalized

By ALLY DUGAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

There is plenty of research to support the benefits of psychedelic drugs. This research has likely contributed to the recent legalization of some psychedelics, such as mushrooms, which Colorado most recently legalized in early November. Skeptics believe that these drugs are harmful, a belief which can be traced back to the 1970s War on Drugs. However, as research has shown, psychedelic drugs are relatively harmless

compared to drugs like alcohol and tobacco, two things that society has only deemed “harmless” due to how economical and normalized they are.

In order to better understand why some drugs are being legalized, we have to start looking at the research of individual drugs instead of grouping drugs as a whole.

In early November, Colorado passed a proposition to allow regulated use of psychedelic mushrooms. Possession of psychedelic drugs for people over 21 has been decriminalized,

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Colorado passed a proposition to allow regulated use of psychedelic mushrooms.

and allowed for the legalization of limited use of psychedelic drugs. Proposition 122 passed with 53 percent of Colorado voters supporting the initiative.

Denver, in 2019, became the first U.S. city to decriminalize psilocybin.

The new proposition titled “Natural Medicine Health Act of 2022” only allows for the use of psilocybin at state-regulated centers — retail sales are not allowed and use of psychedelics are prohibited in public, schools or while operating a vehicle.

In recent years, there have been violent and deadly acts that have been blamed as part of a mental health crisis by politicians. 1 in 5 Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. However, with little to no help to solve this issue, Colorado has taken it upon themselves to address this, believing that a turn to natural medicine could improve their citizens’ lives.

The document explains that “Colorado’s current approach to mental health has failed to fulfill its promise. Coloradans deserve more tools to address mental health issues, including approaches such as natural medicines that are grounded in treatment, recovery, health and wellness rather than criminalization, stigma, suffering and punishment.”

Psilocybin has been substantially studied recently and found to have therapeutic and anti-anxiety effects. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) announced psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy.”

Even long before then, in 2006, a double-blind study examined the acute and long-term psychological effects of a high dose of psilocybin in comparison to methylphenidate, an FDA approved drug. The study found that people treated with psilocybin reported that they experienced a “mystical” feeling, which contributed, long-term, in positive changes in attitudes and behavior.

In February of this year, Johns Hopkins, an institution dedicated to helping uncover the effects of psychedelics with $17 million in funding, noted in a study that psilocybin treatment for major depression was effective for up to a year for most patients.

In the first study, researchers showed that treatment with psilocybin was effective in adults for a month. A followup study, the one published this year in February, was conducted, in which it showed the effectiveness in a year.

Back in 2020, Johns Hopkins Medicine published a breakthrough study that showcased how two doses of psilocybin, along with supportive psychotherapy, resulted in rapid and large reductions in depressive symptoms.

Another important argument for the legalization of psychedelics is how the drugs will benefit the economy. Standard or traditional mental health treatments are not working.

The mental health crisis costs

the global economy $1 trillion a year. Money contributing to these standard treatments is a waste, especially since these treatments or medicines do not have long-term effects on people.

In January 2022, it was examined that the market for psychedelic substances is projected to grow from $2 billion in 2020 to $10.75 billion by 2027. By saving money from not using traditional and non-effective treatments and legalizing a drug that is easily accessible and has proven effects long-term, this would help the economy substantially, which is a concern for most Americans aside from mental health. It is important to note that taking these drugs, like all drugs, can have risks. Without guidance and regulation, drugs can be dangerous as their effects vary from individual to individual. However, under regulation, psilocybin is proven to have extraordinary effects and positive experiences for people seeking an alternative to standard medicine.

Colorado and other states that are in the process of legalizing psychedelics will set the tone for the rest of the nation, depending on the area. My hope is that people become aware of the positive effects of psychedelics, rather than assuming that all drugs are intrinsically bad.

Ally Dugan, FCRH ’23, is a communications and culture major from West Chester, Penn.

CULTURE

Page 12

November 30, 2022

Our Story Provides a Safe Space for Students to Share

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

Stories filled Bepler Commons on Nov. 17, crafted by the impassioned speakers and their mentors, who together make up the club of Our Story. The evening marked the culmination of a semesterlong process, where the members of Our Story sought candidates for their speakers, and then worked with those selected to transform their experiences into stories that would enrapture their audiences.

As Magdalena Yank, FCRH ’25, the president of Our Story, explained, “Our Story is so important because it is one of the few spaces on campus where students can comfortably share an extremely personal story with a very understanding, non-judgemental audience. There are few times where we get to listen deeply and connect with others, and Our Story gives all students in the Fordham community an opportunity to do just this.”

The actual event conveyed just this, as the lack of flashy music or offensively bright graphics created an intimate atmosphere.

The event was quiet, understated.

The speakers and their mentors sat in two rows off to the side of the “stage,” watching as whomever had the floor told their tale.

Friends, roommates and even a few parents filled the audience, quietly cheering on whomever they had ventured all the way to Faber Hall for. “Stage” is in quotes, as rather than a raised platform, the stage consisted of a cleared space of floor, a microphone and a screen onto which a presentation was displayed. Even the voices of

the Our Story members, and the speakers were lower, quieter. The intimate, quieter atmosphere demanded that its audience close their mouths and listen. Lean in.

Strangely enough, they did. It’s a feat that the Our Story team should be proud of.

And, it’s a feat that was accomplished only through great effort. The process of creating the Our Story event took months.

The first half of the process consisted of finding their speakers, which requires both a nomination and application. “The reasoning behind this process is that we try to find people who have a story to share and are eager to tell it,” said Yank. “Our goal is to get a diverse group of speakers, but also speakers who are truly interested in the entire process and who do not have another platform to share their story.”

Once the candidates were selected, the second half of the process began. Yank explained, “Mentors and storytellers meet one-on-one about 3 to 5 times over the span of a month for as much time as they need (typically around an hour or less per meeting) in order to develop their stories.”

All of this work comes to a head at the end of the semester, when Our Story hosts their main event and invites the student body to hear their speakers’ stories.

The story that each speaker told ranged widely from one another, but each revolved around this semester’s theme, “Rose-Colored Glasses: Stories of Revelation.” As these stories were personal for each speaker, I will only mention them briefly. Julia Leahy, FCRH ’23, discussed her rise to TikTok stardom — and shamelessly plugged her account, @morepestoplease, as,

after all, it does pay her rent — and discussed her struggle with an eating disorder. It’s a disease that many young people, especially young women, know too well. Emilio Grillo, FCRH ’25, discussed his struggle overcoming rejection from an Ivy school, and how he found peace in the community he discovered at Fordham. Leah Glaser, FCRH ’25, explained the difficulties she faced as a child with cerebral palsy that loved sports, and her triumph as she won a gold medal for the United States as a member of the U.S. Women’s paralympic soccer team. Hadley Silvas, FCRH ’25, recollected on how she clung to music during hard times of her life, especially when her father passed.

Noran Shabana, FCLC ’23, ended the event, explaining the trauma of moving from NYC to Cairo and back again, as well as her struggle with mental health. Each of these

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Our Story sought to foster hope and give students in the Fordham community a safe space to share their stories.

speakers stepped onto the stage to do one of the bravest acts any of us could ask of another: share their experiences with absolute strangers.

To Yank, this is one of the most magical aspects of Our Story.

“Being able to put together and experience the main event each semester is very special to me. It is an incredible experience to see how all of the stories come together from the beginning, when we choose the storytellers, to the end, when the stories are shared at our main event. I love being able to create a community within Fordham of people who appreciate and express a strong sense of vulnerability,” said Yank.

Although I had never met any of these individual speakers before, I felt as if I had gained some insight into a very specific moment in their lives. Their vulnerability, to parrot Yank, made me reflect on my own. If I had taken that stage, what would I have spoken about?

Would I have had the courage to discuss my more vulnerable moments in front of people?

When the event ended, Yank invited audience members to write down onto Post-it notes a word that described how they felt after listening to the speaker’s stories.

Passing the packs of yellow and pink Post-its down through the lines (and scrambling in their bags for the pens they swore were in there), they scrambled a short word or two onto the small piece of paper and stuck it to a wall at the back of the room. Sentiments of gratitude, hope, pride and awe for the speakers, as well as the mentors who had worked alongside them, decorated the wall in hues of pink and yellow.

“Enola Holmes 2” is an Exciting and Youthful Mystery

By AMELIA SILVESTRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Enola Holmes 2,” released at the end of October 2022 and directed by Harry Bradbeer, is a well-thought-out, fun and captivating mystery film. The sequel to “Enola Holmes” picks up right in the action; we follow curious and clever Enola, played by Millie Bobby Brown, as she navigates the journey to create a name for herself and find a place of her own as a young, female detective in Victorian England.

I was excited to see that “Enola Holmes 2” carried the fun, lighthearted and exciting tone from the first film into the sequel, further exploring the characters and placing Enola in interesting and unique situations. Not only is the story captivating, but the cinematography is beautiful, with a smooth and warm quality that further enhances the film.

Enola breaks the fourth wall throughout the film, speaking directly to the audience and looking at the camera. Breaking the fourth wall was also a prominent feature in “Fleabag,” a television series that Harry Bradbeer also helped direct. The film’s creators make

this creative decision carefully and deliberately, avoiding muddling the effect by overusing it. It is done skillfully and occurs just enough in “Enola Holmes 2” to draw the audience in, making you feel as though you are solving the mystery with Enola and are part of her journey. We see the world from Enola’s perspective, hearing her internal dialogue through narration and feeling as though we are interacting with her through the screen.

The portrayal of multiple strong female characters whose personalities and strengths differ and complement (or sometimes contradict) one another authentically shows the theme of female empowerment. Throughout the film, these multidimensional women are role models for Enola and display physical strength and intellectual courage to the audience of young women. Familiar characters Enola, her mother Eudoria and Edith display how there is not simply one way to be strong.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times from 2020, Brown shares, “There’s definitely very different perspectives throughout the film — philosophies of women from women. Enola has

her own philosophy that she’s learning. How does she want

to live her life?” These themes hold true in the sequel, growing

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“Enola Holmes 2” was a fun and captivating sequel with strong leads.

and developing as Enola evolves.

The first “Enola Holmes” film, and the character as a whole, is adapted from the young adult book series “The Enola Holmes Mysteries” by Nancy Springer.

The book series’ young adult rating may be why this film could appeal more to younger audiences. Yet the sometimes slightly childish humor does add to the feeling of youth in the film, helping it appeal to a younger audience while still captivating older viewers with complex characters and a complex mystery.

Being a mystery film, the planning that goes into creating an exciting mystery within the storyline and then placing clues and hints about it that are subtle enough to be sewn throughout the film and then connected only later on is truly admirable. I did not feel like the clues were spoonfed to the audience; instead, they were revealed deliberately, taking us through Enola’s thought process with interesting visual sequences.

The storyline, great acting and cinematography create a balanced film, lending itself to humor, intrigue and an overall exciting tone. “Enola Holmes 2” is an exciting, heartfelt and empowering journey to witness.

CULTURE

November 30, 2022

Page 13

Editor’s Pick | Film & Television

Every Woman Shouldn’t Have To Be An Anti-Hero

By NICOLE BRAUN OPINION EDITOR

“It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero.”

Um, actually it’s not. I love it.

I like to be a little nervous when I’m watching TV — the edge of my seat is my favorite place to be. And when I’m watching my beloved anti-heroes, I feel no shortage of anxious energy.

Anti-hero shows are a form of escapism. I know I’m never going to be a mob boss like Tony Soprano, a cartel lawyer like Saul Goodman and I am 100% positive I’ll never be a cartoon horse and washed-up sitcom celebrity acting opposite esteemed character actress Margo Martindale like Bojack Horseman. Yet I love being immersed in their high-stakes worlds, knowing that I can easily shut off my screen and resume my normal life.

An anti-hero “is characterized as a rebel who stands apart from society and societal expectations.” Technically, by this definition, not all anti-heroes are blood-thirsty, money-grubbing people — but aren’t they more fun that way? This more extreme understanding of the anti-hero in our common lexicon is, in large part, thanks to the era of prestige TV. Prestige TV is defined by a provision of a more elevated watching experience to the

viewer; it isn’t simply turning on the television and watching anything that’s on. No, it’s more like engaging with an art form.

But think about who is often excluded from this anti-hero conversation… female characters, of course! Though show creators definitely experimented with archetypes in the first decade of this new TV era, they didn’t really test the waters in terms of whose perspective they were telling these stories from.

Thankfully, in recent years there has been a shift to more femalecentric stories. Some examples are Annalise Keating of “How to Get Away With Murder,” an alcoholic lawyer covering up dangerous secrets; Elizabeth Jennings stars as a KGB agent living in 1980s’ D.C. in the criminally underrated “The Americans;” and Eve and Villanelle as the morally compromised intelligence agent and the assassin she’s meant to find in “Killing Eve.” That said, when TV critics and pop culture writers so thoughtfully shed light on the plight and disregard of the female anti-hero, they often do so in a sexist way and miss the point of their existence entirely. Pop culture writers will sometimes deem very normal, if chaotic, female characters as antiheroes. They are put in the same category as Russian sleeper agents and international assassins, when

in actuality they’re just normal people making the same stumbles as you and me. In championing female anti-heroes, writers indict regular women.

No character embodies such ironic analysis as the main character of the eponymous show “Fleabag.” I won’t get into specifics lest you haven’t seen it yet (though you really need to fix that), but the gist of the show is that Fleabag has a struggling career, makes terrible decisions and falls in love with the wrong people. That sounds pretty… normal, right? So why do these characteristics make her “unlikable”? Why do they make her an anti-hero?

On the perception of her main character, creator and star of “Fleabag” Phoebe Waller-Bridge said, “I think that a woman not giving a s**t about what people think in a certain moment — being undercutting or self-aware —weirdly means that she’s a profoundly unlikable person.”

Women are already held to such high standards in society — the way we think, behave and look is dictated by a white patriarchal system. The list of expectations we must strive to meet is both endless and endlessly contradictory, so we can’t help but fall short of meeting them. We can’t help but fall outside of society’s accepted margins and consequently

become anti-heroes just by living our ordinary lives.

To give you another example, and I’m so sorry for what I’m about to say here, but… take a look at the show “Girls.” Yes, yes, I know! The show is insufferable, but please bear with me here for a second. What is “Girls” about? It’s about women trying to grow up and become the people they want to be. For six dreadful seasons, we watched the four most annoying girls to ever traipse around the Big Apple live their lives as emotionally messy twenty-somethings.

Are they annoying? Yes. Does that make them anti-heroes?

No. They are just young women learning to live in this complicated world of ours, and for all her many, many flaws, creator and star of the show Lena Dunham is somewhat admirable (I’m sorry) for her portrayal of such realities. “Girls” doesn’t shy away from the raw, naked (literally) truth of growing up, and that makes people uncomfortable, but it does not make the characters societal subversives.

In this sexist understanding, aren’t all women anti-heroes?

No one can deny that Fleabag and the characters of “Girls” are chaotic and polarizing, but they are also enigmatic and charming in their own flawed ways.

They may be unlikable, but that

doesn’t make them anti-heroes.

There is another interesting paradox in how we see male versus female anti-heroes: We are supposed to like our difficult female characters in spite of their “terrible” qualities, but we love male characters because of them.

Viewers watched Tony Soprano kill a man with his bare hands, yet he and the adjective “unlikable” are not inextricably linked.

But female characters sometimes throw their friends under the bus and cheat on their partners. Yet, they are the moral disgrace?

I don’t mean to condemn the anti-hero archetype, as it is an important and entertaining trope that lets viewers analyze the different moral and ethical gradients of our not-so black and white world. But the regular women we see on screen do not deserve that title. Unlikeable does not equate to criminal; annoying and unpleasant women are not on the same moral level as men with drug empires, and we should not give them labels that suggest as much. There are definitely female anti-heroes, but we need to be more thoughtful about which women deserve that title. We need to think about why we are relegating normal characters to be among such dangerous company just because they do not meet our ideal standards of womanhood.

New Instagram Account Finds Flossers at Fordham

By KARI WHITE CULTURE EDITOR

When Nicole Braun, FCRH ’24, began her Instagram account, “flossed.n.found,” on Sept. 17, she wanted to convince people that she was not, in fact, crazy. The prevalence of discarded flossers around Rose Hill, in the parking lot of the retail store where she works and at various other locales, has haunted her for years. Her friends’ and family’s indifference to (and occasional contempt of) the mounting threat of these flossers drove Braun to launch “flossed.n.found,” which she hopes will serve as a means of collecting data about littered flossers and raise awareness about the very real danger they pose.

“I just wanted to make people laugh, and wanted to document this weird occurrence that I see.

Why are there so many flossers on the street? I still don’t know the answer. But, I think I’ve convinced people that I’m not crazy.

That I’m not the only one who sees them. Which I think is a victory,” said Braun.

Braun’s inaugural post on “flossed.n.found” featured a close up of a flosser, the small pieces of plastic that hold a taut piece of floss on one end and often include a toothpick on the other, against an asphalt background. The caption describes where she found the flosser, “Outside Dealy Hall,” as well as the date and time, Sept.

16 at 3:48 p.m. Not only does the

caption record this flosser into what has become a compendium of dates, times and locations of littered flossers, it also expresses the questions driving Braun’s passion to document these flossers: “Who are all these people flossing in public? And then littering??? Neither are acceptable, but together they’re insane.”

The following images featured on the Instagram document similar occurrences of the flossers littering campus, as well as some farther afield. Braun manages to include the date and location of each flosser, and rarely neglects to mention the time that these flossers were spotted. More impressive, however, is Braun’s recruitment of other individuals. Most of the pictures featured on the account do not originate on her phone, but come from submissions of other people that have spotted the flossers.

This is a particular point of pride to Braun, whose hope to prove to others the prevalence of these flossers served as her sole motivation in starting the account.

“No one believed me,” said Braun, recollecting on her previous exasperation at her friends’ ignorance. “‘You guys watch, I’ll show you.’ And I did.” If the dozens of submissions serve as proof, then she has certainly proven the ignorance of her friends wrong.

Dulling the glimmer of Braun’s newfound stardom, however, is the controversy that has dogged the account since its inception.

Some critics have complained that noticing flossers so frequently might result from a larger issue of focusing too heavily on the ground and neglecting to pay attention to the world around them. “The reality is,” Braun explained, “sometimes when it’s raining, you’re just shuffling along … It’s not that big of a deal to just look down and see something.” Other critics have argued that any account documenting litter should also invest some of their energy into throwing away the aforementioned litter. To them, Braun takes a less defensive stance: “That’s a valid point.”

Braun hopes to incorporate that criticism into her vision for “flossed.n.found’s” future: “I started this account to just make my friends and myself laugh, but I do think that there’s now a greater opportunity to bring attention to this unique type of littering.” In her view, this account could become a vessel for drawing attention to the weighty environmental and moral implications of littered flossers.

“Flossing is something you should do in the privacy of your own bathroom,” said Braun.

“Even if you use something that’s meant for children, if it helps your dental hygiene… whatever. Just throw them out. Or, again, use them in the privacy of your own home. Just because you use a tool maybe meant for children doesn’t mean you can’t grow up and throw out your trash.”

The shift in perspective that

Braun has undergone has appeared, not only in the ways in which she speaks about flossers and floss-er’s, but also in the tone of her Instagram captions. The featured few, who spot flossers, snap a picture and send these pictures to Braun, receive the honor of being called one of Braun’s “foot soldiers.” The belligerent and explicitly militaristic imagery is not lost on Braun. Rather, she encourages it.

“I initially started doing that as a melodramatic way of getting people involved in my crusade, but now I think maybe … it should be a tiny war against this weird piece

of trash that litters our streets,” said Braun.

Whether or not Braun has convinced her family and friends that she is not, in fact, crazy, is still up for debate. However, through her whopping 31 posts, she has successfully proved her point that flossers do indeed litter Fordham’s Rose Hill campus to her 70 followers. Big things lie in store for Braun as she continues to document (and hopefully dispose of) these odd little bits of plastic that haunt campus. Anyone using and irresponsibly discarding their flossers in public has been warned.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Braun posts pictures documenting flossers found all around Rose Hill.

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November 30, 2022

Studying Abroad | Paris, France

A Final Hurrah in Belgium as the Semester Abroad Ends

By EMMA LIPKIND COLUMNIST

Since I was pretty young, I always imagined how amazing staying alone at a hotel would be.

The peace and quiet, the bed all to myself and most importantly the ability to sing in the shower without people hearing — it sounded like a dream.

So when I booked the Goezeput Hotel for a single night in Bruges, Belgium, I was absolutely thrilled to fulfill the fantasies of 12-yearold Emma. A solo trip had also been long overdue, and as this was probably my last chance for a weekend getaway before I head back home, there couldn’t have been a better time. Except, maybe if it weren’t the holiday season so I could’ve paid a bit less … but onwards and upwards.

Now, you might be wondering: Why Bruges? What’s in Bruges?

Both great questions. In short, I was looking for Christmas markets, peace and quiet and beautiful scenery. Frankly, I’m over museums, expensive activities, monuments and history. There’s enough of that in Paris. So, after asking around and doing some research, Bruges seemed to fit the description, and off I went.

The journey was relatively easy compared to some of the other train experiences I’ve had (remember Milan?), and soon after dropping my things off at the hotel, I was ready to take on the

town. I plopped myself at the first charming café I found for some matcha, sipping it outside to really get into the winter spirit.

It took me a second to readjust to being alone. Feeling aware of people perceiving me as a solo traveler, I felt watched and vulnerable. In the past, and especially in New York, I became accustomed to being alone except for when I wanted company, but in Paris it’s the other way around.

I finished my matcha and embarked on the next task: head to the Christmas market. What’s beautiful about traveling alone is that I don’t have to plan 10 steps ahead or stick to a plan — if I wanted to, I could spend 45 minutes wandering along the canal all the way to the top of the city. And that’s exactly what I did.

Headphones blaring, sun peeking through tree branches, swans floating in the canal, I found myself practically giggling from joy. It was so fun that I started questioning if I’m really the extrovert I thought I once was, because not talking to anyone and just observing my surroundings was reviving me.

The feeling of myself that I seemed to lose upon arriving in Paris suddenly reappeared in Belgium. As magical as my two days were, I doubt it had anything to do with the physical place, but rather the fact that I reconnected with the version of myself I’ve been missing.

After spending the majority of night one in my hotel room, I embarked on a journey to see Brussels early the next morning.

But first, I stopped for a bagel.

What can I say? I’m homesick.

It was in the main square of Brussels that I felt that magical feeling I expected from the start. I stumbled upon it, only to find a giant Christmas tree surrounded by white and gold buildings and huge crowds. I got as close to the tree as I could, and just when the gratitude was washing over me, a light show complete with music and projections took over the square. Suddenly, gratitude and disbelief were punching me in the face. Even though I was disappointed this didn’t happen earlier, it’s probably better this way.

I left the Christmas epicenter with a few hours left in Brussels and the biggest smile I’ve had in a while. When I finally got back to my host mom’s apartment, I felt the relief of being at home. Things suddenly fell into place.

With all of that being said, this is also my last article for this column. To end things off, I considered recapping the semester, looking ahead to graduation or even talking about all the things I wish I did differently. Instead, I think my trip to Belgium says everything. I finally had that out-of-body moment, the awakening, when it hit me how lucky I am to be in this moment and in this experience.

As my friends recently described

me, I’m a realist. That was probably very clear in my articles — I am not going to sugarcoat the truth nor pretend like my lived experience isn’t reality. At the same time, I can recognize the impact studying abroad has had on me, for better or for worse. And because of my realist perspective, it’s clear that what people said in the beginning was true: I changed, I learned innumerable things about myself and I’m going to miss Paris like crazy. Sure, would it have been nice if it were a bit less stressful and overwhelming? Of course. But I know that

this is how it was supposed to be, and that doesn’t take away from all the amazing things I’ve done, wonderful people I’ve met and incredible places I’ve seen.

So, like I said earlier, onwards and upwards. Thank you for coming along with me on this insane journey. I hope I offered something beneficial to you, whether that be a laugh, an unspoken understanding or a sign to study abroad (or maybe to stay home). Now I just have to get through finals and go home, where I’m sure I’ll look back on this much more fondly.

As they say in Paris, à bientôt.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Emma Lipkind reconnected with herself on her solo-trip in Bruges.

Studying Abroad | London, England

Learning to Dwell in the Present While Abroad

By JAMISON RODGERS COLUMNIST

There has been an idea, perpetuated by social media, that has taken root in our society

that we must always be “hustling” or “grinding.” Essentially, this idea is that success is measured in how many hours of work you are putting in or how hard you are working.

COURTESY OF JAMISON RODGERS FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Jamison Rodgers learned the importance of slowing down while abroad.

This pervasive rhetoric has started to bubble to the surface as we approach the end of the semester and thus, the end of my study abroad experience.

I have witnessed this idea of constantly looking ahead, and being consumed by the stress of reaching your next goal, take over the student body here in London. There are never ending conversations in the student lounge about internships for next semester, who has or has not heard back after an interview and plans already made for next summer. Aside from the nagging pressure to get your ducks in a row for the upcoming semester, there is also this persistent feeling of not having done enough or worrying over not taking full advantage of the study abroad experience as you listen to classmates recount their travels and experiences from this past semester.

It is easy to let other people’s stress infiltrate your consciousness and cause feelings of panic or franticness. It is natural to compare yourself and what you are doing to what you see on social media or hear in the student lounge. To help soothe these worries, I have made a concerted effort to remain present and soak up the last remnants of this experience.

The most prominent example

of forcing myself to be present and simply enjoy where I am right now was my solo trip to Paris a few weeks ago.

I departed from St. Pancras International on my own very early on a cold November morning. After taking in the scenery of the French countryside from the train, I wound my way through the antique city streets of Paris. I strolled along the peaceful banks of the Seine river, browsed the shelves at the original Shakespeare & Co. bookstore and climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Later in the trip, as I sat on the steps of the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre listening to the peaceful strummings of “La Vie en Rose,” I took a minute to simply be present in the moment I was experiencing instead of focusing on what I had to do next.

Some other ways I have forced myself to be present instead of getting swept away into the hustle and bustle of this time of year is by making time to unwind with my friends. This has taken shape in going to Christmas markets and taking in the decorations all across the city to going out to dinner to just sitting on the couch and watching Christmas movies.

This stress is not unique to study abroad, but it does have

a tendency to rear its head during the holiday season as we try to balance work and holiday activities. There also tends to be an influx of questions about what your plans for the future are around the holidays as you catch up with family and friends. It can cause an overload of nerves, so this article is simply to remind you it’s ok to not be constantly “grinding” and to take a moment and be present with what you have accomplished so far and where you are right now.

This article is technically supposed to be my semester wrap up and goodbye to study abroad, but I felt it was important to share that reality has a way of working its way into even the most idyllic of experiences. It is hard to believe that three months have come and gone in the blink of an eye and my study abroad experience is coming to a close. While I have loved my experience abroad and would choose to study abroad again in a heartbeat, it has gotten to the point in the semester where I am getting the itch to wrap up my classes and head home for the holidays.

Until that end inevitably draws this experience to a close, I will be making a deliberate effort to remain present in every moment and try to shut out the rest of the noise.

CULTURE Rose Hill Symphony Orchestra Shines in Fall Concert

November 30, 2022

By ZOE KAROUB

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Classical music has stood the test of time as a way to transport audiences into another world, one that allows each listener to project their imagination onto the wordless melodies. Movies, TV shows and ballets are a few examples of how classical music continues to inspire modern audiences. Live symphony orchestras especially maximize this power with the help of a staggering variety of sounds that surround an enraptured audience.

On Sunday, Nov. 20, members of the Fordham community filtered into the Fordham Prep Leonard Theater to enjoy the talent of Rose Hill’s own Symphony Orchestra. The group performs once a semester, so catching them in action is an almost rare experience.

This semester, friends, family and faculty who took advantage of the opportunity were transported into worlds like the Czech Republic and Spain over the course of an hour.

The program consisted of three classical selections, accompanied by brief descriptions of their origins. Smetana’s “The Moldau” is inspired by the shifting sounds and rich history of the Moldau River, the longest in the Czech Republic.

Each movement of the piece corresponds with the flowing

movement of the river through different locations in Central Europe. The third movement of Fauré’s “Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande” is a haunting selection that also formed the background music for a play by Maurice Maeterlinck in 1898. Finally, the concert ended with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio Espagnol,” a celebration of Spanish folk music. Director of Orchestral Ensembles Andy Bhasin lovingly dedicated this last piece to his one year old daughter in the crowd. At the end of each selection, the student performers were met with enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience.

Each musician seemed to wholeheartedly connect with this semester’s selections. Violinist David Moran, GSB ’25, said, “This was my second concert, and it was by far my favorite. The best part about it was our music selection, which I thought was wellplanned. ‘The Moldau’ meant a lot to me, as it is a traditional Czech piece about a river which flows through my country.”

Students like Moran are part of an incredibly passionate group of Rose Hill’s population. The Rose Hill Symphony Orchestra is made up of 58 musicians. According to the Music Department website, students do not need to audition in order to join the group.

Additionally, all majors are welcome. This fact stands out

to the students, like clarinetist Gabriel Roman, FCRH ’25, who wish to continue their music education alongside other interests. “The Fordham Orchestra offers the opportunity for non-music and music majors alike to come together and produce music. This fall’s

concert went wonderfully and has been my most enjoyable performance at Fordham,” said Roman.

In preparation for the fall concert, orchestra members devoted a substantial amount of time to perfecting the pieces. “For this performance, the students

COURTESY OF ZOE KAROUB/THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham Orchestra’s Fall Concert showcased student musical talents.

Page 15

had to prepare for two rehearsals each week, submit individual playing exams and attend multiple coaching sessions, often outside of scheduled rehearsal times. Our performance is a direct result of the dedication and hard work of all our students this semester,” said director Bhasin.

This semester marks Bhasin’s first as Director of Orchestral Ensembles, a role that also includes conducting the Lincoln Center Chamber Orchestra.

Bhasin comes to Fordham as a violinist and conductor with an impressive resume. He has traveled globally, performed in renowned settings and worked under legendary composers, such as John Williams.

Bhasin’s expertise, as well as the dedication of the orchestra members, were obvious to audience members like Madison Gakopoulos, FCRH ’25. “I thought the quality of the performance was fantastic. It was wonderful to see the months of hard work come to fruition in a great concert,” said Gakopoulos.

If you missed the fall concert, be sure to catch the Rose Hill Symphony Orchestra for their next performance in the spring.

Until then, the Fordham Music Department is hosting several performances of the various music groups on both campuses. Check their website for more detailed information, and don’t miss your chance to experience all the talents that the Fordham community has to offer.

Branch Out with These Underrated Italian Spots in the Bronx

By HANNAH DEVLIN & MICHAEL SLUCK

When choosing a spot to eat on Arthur Avenue, there are a few popular places that jump to mind. Enzo’s, Simon’s Deli and Bagels, Estrellita Poblana III and Full Moon Pizza are a few Fordham student staples.

While it may be easy to stick with what you know, there are a slew of Italian restaurants that decorate Arthur Avenue.

And because it can be overwhelming to choose a dining location, we’ve conveniently listed some of the ones that stand out.

For the purposes of trying new things, we’ve neglected to mention a few of the most popular choices — like Enzo’s, Mario’s and Michalangelo’s — to highlight some of the less well-known, but equally delicious, options.

Ann & Tony’s restaurant is a quaint restaurant with big portions and friendly staff members. The restaurant has been in the family for five generations, and although the ambiance and decor of the restaurant isn’t anything too fancy, it provides its visitors with a sense of nostalgia. The serving

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Gerbasi offers student discounts and a rotating specials menu.

sizes are generous, and leftovers make a great lunch when on a college student’s budget.

Plus, the restaurant is usually pretty quiet, which means that the service is fast.

Emilia’s is another one of our personal favorites. The restaurant has indoor seating, as well as a spacious heated back patio. With murals of Italian landscapes painting the walls, the indoor seating is definitely idyllic, but the patio is nice on sunny evenings.

On most nights, the restaurant isn’t too busy and the food is delicious (especially the gnocchi with burrata cheese).

Gerbasi offers Fordham students a discount on Mondays through Thursdays, and is a perfect place if you want something out of the ordinary.

Staff members take the time to read the specials menu to each table and make note of their own recommendations.

Arthur Avenue restaurants tend to offer the same dishes at each place, but with a rotating specials menu, Gerbasi is a great restaurant to visit if you are looking for something different. (And the chocolate mousse cake is wonderful, by the way.)

Although a popular lunch

spot for visitors, Zero Otto Nove is often overlooked among Fordham students. The restaurant cooks their pizzas in a wood-burning oven and uses its fish and meat ingredients from Arthur Avenue shops.

The indoor seating provides a great ambiance with its high ceilings and white brick walls.

Zero Otto Nove — the area code of Naples — has traditional Italian dishes, as well as unique dishes.

If you’re looking for something a little less formal, Dominick’s is a delicious alternative, with the classic Italian selection of other Arthur spots.

When faced with so many options, it can be tempting to stick with old favorites. Many students never venture beyond Enzo’s or Mario’s, despite the variety of other options available on Arthur Ave. As the semester comes to a close and a new year begins, challenge yourself to try something new.

A year ago, there was an advertisement at the end of Arthur saying that if you ate at one restaurant per night, it would take more than 70 years to eat at every restaurant in New York City. With so many options, don’t limit yourself to just a few.

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November 30, 2022

Smushie is a Smash Hit at Rodrigue’s Coffee House

By CLAIRE KRIEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Friday, Nov. 18, Rodrigue’s Coffee House hosted a mini concert right on campus. The headlining artist was Smushie, an independent Chicago-born artist, who was accompanied by a new Fordham-filled band, Crotana. Smushie’s music leans towards the Indie Pop genre. I listened to his hits on Spotify and my two personal favorites were “Suepuff” and “Complete Annihilation,” but all the songs carried the same melancholic and easy-to-listen-to feel.

I reached out to the artist via Instagram before the concert to find out how he came about playing at Fordham. According to Smushie, this is not his debut at Fordham. He has performed on our campus twice now, the first time being when he was just 18-years-old. He played with a friend of his in another band, and then last year he came back again to do a proper show with his band Berta Bigtoe. Smushie was able to keep in contact with the presidents of Rod’s, and they managed to set up this show.

He was super excited to come back and be able to perform at

Fordham again. He commented, “Every show feels different, but I’ve been enjoying going kind of nuts on this new track called ‘Kernel Shmegegge.’”

Smushie’s passion for his music was apparent in how enthusiastic and energetic he was during his set. However, when asked what his favorite track was he remarked he did not think he had a favorite song. He said, “I’m having a ton of fun playing this other new song called ‘Field of Dreams.’ I wrote it after watching the movie, which is a freaking ridiculous movie, and I really resonated with the line ‘ease his pain,’ so I developed my own story based on that and laid a lil demo to the tape.” I was lucky enough to be able to hear “Field of Dreams” during the performance, and the song definitely deserved the hype. There wasn’t a single person who wasn’t at least nodding their head along to the song.

One of the Rod’s Presidents, Beckett Zinn-Rawthorn, said the opener Crotana is new to the scene with Friday night being their debut performance. However, they did not appear to be new to performing at all. The group’s music was splendid acoustics paired with the melodic voice of

the lead singer, falling in line with the same genre as Smushie’s.

Vice President of Rod’s, Aine Mullaly, was one of the guitarists for the band and was cheered on by her peers in the audience. One of the best parts of the concert was the true community that was present in the coffee house during the set.

President Zinn-Rawthorn commented on the community of Rod’s, saying that, “The community effort that goes into the concerts is integral to the spirit of Rodrigue’s.” Any member of Rod’s can pitch a concert idea, and Zinn-Rawthorn said there are rarely ever objections to anyone’s ideas. From there, it is purely a community effort to put the show on. Whether it be publicity or the sound system for the shows, it is all coordinated by Rod’s members. The music scene at Rod’s has been around for years, and it brings joy and lots of awesome noise onto campus.

The concert itself was a smashing success. Crotana’s opening music got the crowd amped with their eerie and melodic cover of Drake’s “Just Hold On We’re Going Home” and a few other songs they wrote themselves.

Crotana’s music was a lot more drum heavy than Smushie’s,

making it the perfect music to move along to, even though we were all smushed into the main room. After Crotana, there was a quick 15 minute intermission, and then Smushie started their set.

The community of Rod’s that Zinn-Rawthorn spoke to me about was truly prevalent as I watched the show. Everyone there was dancing, laughing and fraternizing with each other and every single person had a content smile on their face as we all listened to the merry music that Smushie was playing. With the spotted graphics being projected over the band, it was a euphoric image of the band while they played. That paired with the groovy, laid-back songs made for a truly invigorating set.

The member on the keyboard even pulled out a saxophone and a flute for a couple songs, two

instruments I didn’t know could get a crowd so excited. After finishing the set, and doing one final encore, it was safe to say that everyone could have listened to the band for hours more if given the opportunity.

If you haven’t taken advantage of Rod’s free concerts, I wholeheartedly recommend going to at least one. A free show paired with the fun care-free ambiance of Rod’s is a breath of fresh air compared to the usual steep prices that come with activities in the city.

Be sure to be on the lookout for the next free concert, or just stop by the coffee shop to take part in the beloved Rod’s community.

And of course, be sure to listen to Smushie’s music on whatever streaming platform you use; his music is out-of-this world and is great to listen to if you are looking for new music.

COURTESY OF CLAIRE KRIEGER/THE FORDHAM RAM

Chicago-born and energetic, Smushie is a familiar Rod’s favorite.

Fordham Jetés Put on a Stunning Performance of the Nutcracker

By REGINA MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Saturday, Nov. 20 and Sunday, Nov. 21, the Fordham Jetés performed their classic rendition of the Nutcracker. As a club, the Jetés perform this show every year as Christmas approaches. The entire show lasted almost two hours and was easy to follow because the dancers were very expressive, telling the story through their movements. The level of detail in the show was impressive, from the intricate costumes to the beautifully designed set, and all of the ensembles were well-choreographed and synchronized. My two favorite scenes were the snow dance and the coffee dance, and it was clear in every scene that the performers were experienced dancers and put a lot of energy into the show.

The Jetés hold class three to four times a week, with a requirement for members to attend at least two. Once parts were announced after auditions, some dancers picked up extra rehearsals for their scenes. Sophomore Lauryn Williams, who played Clara in the Sunday performance, estimates that the dancers with the most scenes spend up to 10 hours a week rehearsing for the show. With this being such a large time commitment, I asked her why she would choose to be a part of the Jetés rather than apply to the Alvin Ailey School of Dance at Fordham

Lincoln Center. She responded, “I decided to focus on my academics in college and I didn’t want a BA in dance … the Jetés fit easily into my schedule, and was a fun and low-pressure environment to practice.”

For as much of an intense

commitment the Jetés are, getting a degree in dance is even more so, and since that was not her goal, Lauryn found the Jetés worked better for her as an activity outside of her schoolwork. Most of the Jetés practiced ballet formerly

at companies in a competitive environment, and joining a ballet club as opposed to a formal program is a way for them to enjoy their hobby without the stress and expectations the competition brings.

As a student-run club that

COURTESY OF JULIETTE ROWE/THE FORDHAM RAM

From choreography to intricate costumes, the Jetés have put on a passionate Nutcracker performance.

puts on productions such as the Nutcracker, the Jetés need to be on top of their game at all times. Time management comes easily to many of the dancers, being that most of them come from a dance background. Williams said, “In high school, I would be practicing six days a week, so coming to college it was easy to stay motivated because the Jetés is relaxed compared to what I was doing before.”

The discipline that the dancers come to college with enables them to put on shows like the Nutcracker, and camaraderie in the group keeps them motivated.

Putting on the show and running the club is a very collaborative effort, and each dancer I spoke with stressed to me how imperative each person in the club is to putting on the performance. In the Nutcracker, each scene was brought to life by a student choreographer. Choreography positions are open to each dancer once they have been a part of the Jetés for one semester. In addition, the executive board carries out and plans weekly activities.

President Colette DeBenedittis said, “I like being in an administrative role, but in that role I still stand behind other dancers in rehearsal and learn choreography from them.”

The Nutcracker would not run as professionally as it did without the hard work of each dancer.

For now, the season will wind down a bit before the next show this spring, when Jetés plan to premier Peter Pan during their 2023 Spring Showcase.

CULTURE

November 30, 2022

Who’s That Kid? | Nolan Chiles, FCRH ’23

Page 17

Senior Expresses Self Through Instagram Art

By NICOLETA PAPAVASILAKIS VISUAL DIRECTOR

Bingus has a floppy head, a floppy nose and socks for hands, which are great for puppet shows. Bort has a five-head, a pointy nose and two left feet, so turning right makes him very uncomfortable. “He just looks like a Bort,” says Nolan Chiles, FCRH ’23. He came up with Bingus’ name while watching a YouTube video on funny cat names. Chiles liked the quirky name of the hairless cat he found. Bingus and Bort became the alter ego duo, animating his thoughts in a visual journal.

“I like to journal and drawing is a good way of expressing profound ideas or thoughts or even silly ones,” said Chiles.

Chiles is a cell and molecular neuroscience major, with a Catholic studies concentration: a seemingly polar adjacent to the arts. But Chiles insists “there are absolutely elements of creativity in science.” Chiles taught himself how to code for his research over the summer. He created

a computational model of the fruit fly smelling circuit in the brain. This could help in discovering new drugs to treat cancer. He is also exploring how different visual scenes and contexts are encoded in different brain pathways using artificial neural networks (a.k.a. code).

“That’s a really boring sounding thing, but you have to approach problem solving in really creative ways, so I spend a lot of time not in front of the computer screen, just mentally thinking through how I want the flow of the program to go before actually writing the code,” said Chiles.

He believes that engaging with a subject beyond the textbook, through different disciplines like art, not only makes the learning process become more interesting, it also makes information more digestible.

The last time Chiles took an art class was in eighth grade. It was a requirement to graduate.

At his high school, Fayetteville Manlius, students were selected to take art. He wasn’t one of them.

Chiles hasn’t opened a sketchbook since middle school. His

art class heavily focused on hyperrealistic drawings, which averted him from the subject.

He recalls going through the painstaking effort sketching a stapler with perfect proportions. But since he’s picked up the pencil again, he’s taken up a different style.

He adds color and shadow with watercolor, a freeform paint that spreads unpredictability across the image. Chiles uses an ink pen to outline and accentuate the wavy figures.

It’s not exact science.

“That’s why I like Bingus and Bort because they are purposely squiggly and messy,” Chiles said.

Most people keep their journals private, but Chiles made his account, @bingus_n_bort, on Instagram, where he shares his animated journal and imagemaking process. “I feel like it’s something people can relate to,” said Chiles. Rather than expressing his thoughts in long-winded paragraphs, he does so through his animated creatures, accompanied by a simple phrase or play on words. Some don’t have any words at all. He just lets the images do all of the talking.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Chiles shares his cathartic doodles with the world via Instagram.

Rams Review Film | Landis Hall

In Praise of an Underrated Director, Elaine May

By LANDIS HALL COLUMNIST

In 1961, the comedy duo of Mike Nichols and Elaine May disbanded at the height of their success. Naturally, both members continued their careers in the film industry.

Nichols would impress critics and audiences alike with his directorial debut “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” before skyrocketing into the canon of great American filmmakers with his follow up “The Graduate.” In comparison, May’s experience in the film industry was far more troubled, and she’s only directed four features to date.

Her final film, 1987’s “Ishtar,” was a critical bomb that many at the time deemed to be the worst movie ever made. Yet I maintain that May is not only an under-appreciated director but also completely deserving of a spot within the pantheon of American film artists. Her oeuvre examines masculinity, politics, relationships and class through a satirical lens, deftly balancing sardonic humor with heartbreaking gravitas.

May’s debut, “A New Leaf,” plays like a macabre screwball comedy: after losing his fortune, a wealthy playboy plots to murder his wife-to-be and collect on her inheritance, a plan complicated by his growing feelings for her. Her follow up, “The Heartbreak Kid,” follows a shallow salesman who cheats on his newlywed wife with a college student on their honeymoon. Bitingly satirical, both

films showcase May’s thematic interest in masculinity, featuring self-absorbed male protagonists who don’t get what they want but rather what they deserve. “A New Leaf,” in spite of its grim premise, is a far sweeter movie than one would expect, while “The Heartbreak Kid” is more akin to watching a car crash in slow motion. Her third film, “Mikey and Nicky,” is a gangster picture starring the acting powerhouse of Peter Falk and John Cassavetes as the respective titular characters. After stealing money from a Philadelphia gangster, Nicky calls upon his childhood friend Mikey to help him evade a mob hitman (Ned Beatty). Both of the leads turn in career best performances, with Falk providing a cool and collected counterpoint to Cassavetes’ volatile paranoia. The film showcases May’s singular, actor-centric directorial style. She would often leave the camera running for long after the scene was through, encouraging improvisation among her actors and adding a sense of documentary realism to her films. “Mikey and Nicky” is no exception as May shot well over a million feet of film. Edited down to a mere 106 minutes, the result is an intimate, character driven take on a familiar genre. After a nearly 10 year hiatus from the chair, she would direct her final film, “Ishtar.” What started out as a debt of gratitude to May from producer and star Warren Beatty soon descended into a quagmire marked by both high

production costs and tensions among the cast and crew. The film stars Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as two dimwitted musicians who, after accepting a gig in Morocco, find themselves in the crossfire between a leftist militia group and the CIA. The film is not May’s finest, but it’s certainly not one of the worst films ever made, as it is both a razor sharp satire of the Reagan years and a loving ode to male friendships.

Beatty and Hoffman, cast against their respective types as the smooth talker and the innocent dimwit, manage to inject their characters with just enough simplemindedness so as to not become too juvenile, and the film shines in its moments of physical comedy.

Unfortunately, the combination of the exhausting shooting schedule and the ravenous manner in which the critics attacked the film proved to be too much for May, and despite working intermittently in screenwriting and acting, she hasn’t directed another film since.

In spite of her short-lived career, I maintain that Elaine May is one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of American cinema. She was a pioneer of both comedy and cinema, flouting traditional gender roles and defying all expectations of what women in the film industry could be.

Part of the reason why the studios never gave her the full support she deserved was that her work deconstructed the

very patriarchal foundations upon which the film industry was built. Despite the growing prominence of women’s rights movements during the New Hollywood era, May and her subversive body of work never had the same initial impact as many of her male contemporaries. Thankfully, as evidenced by the Criterion Collection’s 2019 release of “Mikey and Nicky,” there seems to be a shift on the part of cinematic tastemakers towards recognizing May and her efforts. I can only hope that wider appreciation for her work continues to grow, as I strongly believe that her films have aged like fine wine, taking on even greater significance now than they did during the ’70s and ’80s.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Elaine May’s work as a director falls under the radar of many film conoisseurs, but her work deserves praise.

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SPORTS

November 30, 2022

Page 19

Squash Handles Busy Weekend Swimming and Diving Competes at With Three Wins Bucknell Invitational

By MADDIE BIMONTE

By NICHOLAS RAPTIS

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

After a four-game weekend, the Fordham squash team took three out of four matches from Nov. 18 to Nov. 20.

The wins came from the University of California, Berkeley, at home in Rose Hill, while they traveled to the Hackley School in Tarrytown, N.Y. for matchups against Washington University in St. Louis, George Washington University and Northeastern University. Northeastern would be the only team that would get the best of the Rams.

On Friday, the Rams defeated the Golden Bears 5-4 in the Bronx after going up 3-0 early. Cal, playing with six players, could not outlast Fordham in fifth and sixth position, ultimately giving the Rams a decisive victory.

Sophomore Sofia Arseniev locked things down in fifth position, defeating Zachary Slonim in three games, with scores of 11-1, 11-7 and 11-4.

In sixth position, sophomore Robert Cruikshank also knocked down his opponent, Daniel Yang, in three games, 11-4, 11-6 and 11-0.

Fordham opened their matches at the Hackley School with ease, taking the first match against Washington University in St. Louis, 7-2.

The Rams made quick work of the top of the order with freshman Adham Nassar winning against his opponent Rohan Sampath in first position 11-3, 15-13, 7-11 and

11-7. The number two and three positions were locked down by the Rams with freshman Nicholas Gilman and junior Henry Frawley winning their both matches in three games.

The fifth, sixth and seventh positions also saw victories for the Rams in three sets.

George Washington was next up against the Rams, who also went down swiftly, 7-2.

While the Rams lost at the one spot, Gilman and Frawley secured two huge wins at the two and three.

The rest of the Rams efforts would come from the bottom half of the lineup as fifth through eighth position swept their matches in three.

The last match for the Rams over the weekend wasn’t what they hoped for, as they lost to the Northeastern Huskies 5-4.

Wins from Gilman, Frawley, Arseniev and Cruikshank helped get the Rams close to winning, but the losses at fifth and first position were too great to make up.

Now, the Rams are 10-4 on the season as they gear up to take on their last slew of matches for the fall season. They’ll be taking on Yale University’s club team, the University of Connecticut and Swarthmore College all at Rose Hill starting at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 3.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Rams showed out for three out of their four games last weekend.

Athletes of the Week

Kaitlyn Downey

Graduate Student Women’s Basketball

Abdou Tsimbila Junior Men’s Basketball

Off to a hot start to her final year as a Ram, graduate student Kaitlyn Downey was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the third time in her career this past week. Prior to the Las Vegas Classic, Downey averages a double-double, which she tallied in four contests, tied for fourth nationally, with 15.4 points and 10.0 boards, the latter number 42nd in the country. Her 19 assists (4.8 per game) are second-most on the team.

Fordham is currently riding a five game winning streak, and Abdou Tsimbila has been a big presence for the Rams this season, especially in their win against Harvard last Sunday. The junior netted his first double-double of his college career against the Crimson, scoring 16 points and adding 15 rebounds, both career-highs. He included five blocks and currently ranks second on the team in blocked shots.

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s Sports section honors two athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

STAFF WRITER

Last weekend, the Fordham Swimming and Diving team traveled to Pennsylvania to compete in the three-day Bucknell Invitational.

The women’s team has been on a hot streak, entering the competition with an undefeated record.

While the men’s team is not undefeated, their 3-1 record is also extremely impressive this season.

Day one of the competition ended well for the women’s team. At the end of the day, they scored a total of 316 points. This was enough to put them in second place out of eight, with only Bucknell sitting ahead of them. They were not far behind, though, as Bucknell scored only 400 points.

The 500 individual freestyle, 200 medley relay and 200 individual medley races were the strongest events of the day for the women. All these events had multiple Fordham athletes competing in the finals.

For the 500 freestyle, sophomore Emilie Krog had the best time for the Rams with 4:55.80. This time earned her third overall in the event.

Senior Clare Culver came sixth overall with a time of 4:57.67. In the 200 freestyle event, sophomore Zoei Howard, sophomore Jessica Zebrowski, senior Alison Lin and graduate student Megan Morris combined to score sixth in the 200 relay with a time of 1:34.94. In the 200 individual medley, sophomore Leire Martin finished in fourth, while her sister Ainhoa Martin came in fifth place.

Fordham was also very competitive in the diving events, where graduate student Millie Haffety secured second place in the one-meter dive with a score of 271.55. Next was graduate student Lilia de Oliveira Pelaez, who came in fifth with a score of 239.60.

The women also placed second in the 400 medley relay behind the efforts of Martin, Zebrowski, Howard and sophomore Emma Shaughnessy.

With this strong performance on day one, the women’s swimming and diving team set a solid tone for the rest of the tournament.

Over on the men’s side of the competition, Fordham scored 216 points after one day of action. This placed them in fourth place, right in the middle of the pack among eight teams in the tournament.

An astounding six different Rams scored in the 50 freestyle event, including freshman Christian Taylor,

who took fifth place with a time of 20.47, and graduate student Taras Zherebetskyy, who finished eighth with a time of 21.01.

The highlight of the night came during the 200 freestyle relay finals when the team set a new school record with their performance. Taylor, Zherebetskyy, Chao and junior Noah Altoff worked together to beat the previous record set in 2018. Their time of 1:20.87 was fast enough to beat the old record of 1:21.10.

The Rams also won the finals in two other events. In the 500 freestyle, freshman Ethan Newberry won the “C” final for Fordham with a time of 4:37.36. For the 200 individual medley, junior Alex Wilhem was able to win the “B” final with a time of 1:50.96 while Althoff won the “C” final with a time of 1:53.14.

After the second day of competition, the women’s team remained in second place behind Bucknell with an overall score of 726.5. The men were still ranked fourth among their competition, scoring 523 points overall.

Among the women’s team, five different athletes scored in the 400 individual medley, the Martin sisters both finished in the top three, with Leire Martin winning the event with an impressive time of 4:16.17 and Ainhoa Martin finishing third at 4:24.77.

The second day also saw positive results for the women in their relay events. The 200 medley relay team between Leire Martin, Shaughnessy, Zebrowski and Howard finished first overall with a fantastic time of 1:42.34.

While the men’s team overall did not make any progress in the standings, a new school record was set in the 100 butterfly event. With a time of 47.87, Raptis broke the old record of 47.98 that was set in 2018

by Joe Mercurio.

In the 200 free, Kanjanakaset grabbed ninth overall while also securing a victory in the “B” final. Two of his teammates joined him in scoring for the event. Wilhelm finished twelfth with a time of 1:42.31 and Newberry placed twenty-first after finishing in 1:44.40.

In the 200 medley, Raptis joined Taylor, Onu and Zherebetskyy to take home third after finishing the event with a time of 1:29.73.

The final day of the tournament did not see much movement in the standings, at least for Fordham. After the full three days of competition,

the women’s team ended in second just as they had started with 1,151.5 points. Similarly, the men’s team ended in fourth just as they had after day one. Their final total was 726 points.

The women competed best in the 1650 freestyle and 100 freestyle events. Culver was the best female performer for Fordham with a time of 17:02.39, earning fourth place.

The 200 butterfly event was equally as strong, with four Rams scoring in the event. With a strong performance of 2:03.78, Zebrowski was able to finish second overall.

A highlight of the night for the team overall came when Ainhoa Martin competed in the 200 breaststroke event. With a spectacular time of 2:13.49, she secured first overall in the event. This was the only event that Fordham won on the third day at Bucknell.

The women’s team also had a strong showing in the diving events for the night. Seven different members of the team scored for the 3M diving event. Scoring best on the team was Haffety, who placed fourth overall with 250.80 points. Oliveira Peleaz was next, scoring 231.90 and coming in eighth overall.

The strongest event of day three for the men’s team was the 100 freestyle event in which six members of the team scored. Zherebetskyy took home seventh overall with a performance time of 45.18, and Kanjanakaset was next best in the event with ninth overall and a time of 45.53 seconds, also winning the “B” final in the process.

In the 200 butterfly, Raptis had another strong showing, placing third behind a time of 1:48.02. He was followed by sophomore Daniel Badawy and junior Ryan Davidoff.

The pair finished in 1:54.07 and 1:58.73, respectively.

Similar to the women’s team, the last event that the men were scheduled to take place in was the 400 freestyle relay. However, a false start from one of the team members forced Fordham to be disqualified from the event. The Rams did not score in this event.

The Fordham Swimming and Diving team will get a muchneeded rest after a long matchup against Bucknell. Their next event will be Saturday, Jan. 21, when La Salle University is scheduled to face off against the Fordham Rams in the Bronx.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY

Wednesday Thursday Nov. 30 Dec. 1

Friday Dec. 2

Saturday Dec. 3

Men’s Basketball

Maine 7:30 p.m.

Youree Spence-Garcia Invitational Youree Spence-Garcia Invitational Connecticut/ Swarthmore 11 a.m./2 p.m.

Tulane 1 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Fairfield 5:30 p.m.

Manhattan 2 p.m.

Men’s Track and Field Women’s Track and Field Squash

Sunday Dec. 4

Monday Dec. 5

Tuesday Dec. 6

Wagner 6 p.m.

SPORTS

Page 20

Water Polo Wins Second Straight Championship, Falls in NCAA’s

By LOU ORLANDO STAFF WRITER

“The goal is to win a conference championship.” That’s something Fordham Water Polo head coach Brian Bacharach said before the season. It’s become a mission statement for a Fordham team loaded with talent and coming off a championship just last season.

Prior to last year, the Rams had never reached the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) finals.

Now, the program boasts back-toback MAWPC championships.

Fordham entered the MAWPC Championship as the #1 seed, boasting an undefeated record in-conference. Still, with tournament play spanning Nov. 1820 with three games in as many days, the path to the finals was no cakewalk.

Fordham’s playoff run began with a quarterfinals matchup against McKendree University.

With McKendree having already played earlier in the day, the Rams came out the gates strong and held a 7-2 lead by the end of the first quarter. They would never relinquish the lead, as hat tricks from graduate student Nir Gross, sophomore Lucas Nieto Jasny and junior Christos Loupakis secured the Rams’ 15-6 win in their inaugural playoff matchup.

It was much of the same on Saturday night as the Rams cruised to a semifinals win over Salem University. Once again taking a 7-2 lead by the end of the first quarter, Fordham’s offense continued to roll, culminating in a 19-8 win. This time, four players netted hat tricks as sophomore Jacopo Parrella and freshman Balazs Berenyi joined Gross and Jasny, who also added three assists in his six point effort.

For the second straight year, Fordham had reached the finals.

The only thing in their way was a red hot Bucknell University team, coming off a win against an excellent Naval Academy team and an upset win over the #2 seed George Washington University. Facing an early deficit, sophomore George Papanikolaou scored three times in the first quarter, giving Fordham a 3-2 lead. The Rams scored the first three goals of the second quarter as well behind markers from Parrella, Nieto Jasny and sophomore Luca Silvestri. Trailing 7-4 after one half of play, Bucknell scored the first three goals of the third quarter, reducing the Fordham lead to just one.

Back-to-back goals scored from Loupakis and senior Jason Hiremath left the Rams with a three goal lead heading into the final quarter of play.

A Thomas Lercari save on a Bucknell penalty shot was the final dagger as the sophomore’s fantastic stop drew a deafening uproar from the home crowd and ignited the Rams, who outscored Bucknell 5-1 in the final frame to seal the championship.

Needless to say, Bacahrach loved what he saw, saying, “I think we withstood a lot of adversity.” Despite numerous ejections from some questionable officiating, Fordham stood strong on the biggest of stages. “They never wavered for a second on Sunday. It was fun to be a part of.”

For the first time in program history, Fordham celebrated a water polo championship in front of their home fans. Highlights of the

November 30, 2022

Varsity Scores & Stats Football Fordham Colgate

52 38

Fordham New Hampshire

42 45

Women’s Basketball Fordham 95 Wagner 48 Fordham Washington

62 71

Fordham South Dakota

78 65

Men’s Basketball Fordham UIC

79 65

Fordham Holy Cross

67 53

Fordham Stonehill

71 60

Fordham Harvard

68 60

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Rams dominance continues with back-to-back championships. celebration included members of the coaching and training staff jumping into the pool as a packed out Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center echoed with applause.

“Every time I think about it, I still get a smile on my face,” said Bacharach, reminiscing about the win just days later. “I know the guys appreciate it.

That’s a memory you don’t forget.”

It’s been a long road leading up to this. “I remember vividly my first years at Fordham and how hard we fought just to get to this point.”

Fordham had fallen in the semifinals of the MAWPC championship four consecutive years prior to their first finals appearance in 2021.

“The ability to get to win conference championships is not something you get to do every day. It took Fordham a long time to get to this point. You certainly don’t take it for granted.”

Gross was named MVP of the MAWPC Championship, on top of his MAWPC regular season MVP. The 2021 Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Player of the Year transferred to Fordham after three seasons at UC Davis, and made an immediate impact. Gross posted six goals, two steals and drew six ejections through three tournament games. “It’s sometimes subtle what he’s doing and what he’s causing,” noted Bacharach. “The respect he commands from multiple people on defense, that’s what opens up an outside shooter. I’m not sure we’ve ever had anyone who can open up the outside quite like Nir does.”

Gross was far from the only impact player in the tournament.

Parrella and Papanikolaou both posted four goals in the championship game and Papanikolaou led Fordham with 14 points in the tournament. Highlighted by his 14 saves in the championship game, Lercari’s tournament play gives him the second most saves in a single season in program history.

With the season coming to a close, Lercari falls just 12 saves short of Bailey O’Mara’s 351, set in 2019.

“I think that speaks to the season he’s had and probably a little quietly,” said Bacharach, who has spoken highly of the sophomore’s play throughout the season. “He has worked so hard to get to this point.

I really am proud of Thomas.”

Fordham’s championship earned them an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament and a rematch with Princeton. Ranked #8 in the nation by the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) polls, the Tigers were the best team on the east coast according to the national rankings.

Furthermore, Princeton held the upper hand in recent matchups, defeating Fordham last year in the opening round of NCAAs and

mounting a five goal comeback earlier this season to defeat the Rams by one.

Fordham battled with Princeton University in a thrilling back and forth game. Princeton held a slim lead for most of the game, taking a 9-8 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Rams’ defense stepped up when it mattered most, holding the Tigers scoreless for the entirety of the quarter. With the score still 9-8, Papanikolaou found Silvestri for the game-tier with 23 seconds left. The squads entered overtime, where the Tigers jumped ahead first, grabbing a 10-9 lead in the first overtime period. The Rams bounced back in the second three-minute overtime period, with Papanikolaou netting one early to tie things at 10. Each side had a chance to take the lead in the final minute, but after a missed shot by Fordham, it was Princeton who held it for the final possession.

Drawing an exclusion, Princeton took advantage of the one-man advantage as Roko Pazaric netted the game winner with three seconds left.

It was a heartbreaking loss for a Fordham team that took one of the best teams in the nation into overtime. Still, after losing by nine goals last year in the very same NCAA round, the Rams are moving in the right direction.

Fordham finishes the season with a 26-8 record. Despite quite a slow start, the Rams had one of the best stretches in program history, winning a program-best 15 straight games towards the end of the regular season. Including tournament play, the Rams were an undefeated 19-0 in conference play, establishing themselves once again as the most dominant team in the MAWPC. Parrella led the team with 80 goals while Papanikolaou led with 146 points and 90 assists, all career highs. Lercari posted 339 saves, second most all time, and a 9.87 GAA. This year also marks the final season for the following players Gross, Curtis Vidinoff, Hiremath, Daniel Lynch and Paul Pittion.

As they continue to win, pressure on Fordham will only increase. It will be difficult to repeat that success for a third straight year, particularly with MAWPC MVP Gross departing, but Fordham’s young and ever-improving core as well as a stable coaching staff led by back-to-back Coach of the Year winner Bacharach will ensure that they remain one of the best teams in the MAWPC. But let’s just table all that for next year. Back-to-back championships don’t come around very often. It’s time for Fordham to enjoy their moment.

Women’s Swim and Dive

Men’s Swim and Dive Bucknell Invitational

4th/8 teams (726 pts.)

Squash Fordham Cal

5 4

Fordham 7 Washington University in St. Louis 2 Fordham George Washington

7 2

Fordham Northeastern

4 5

Water Polo Fordham McKendree

15 6

Fordham Salem

19 8

Fordham Bucknell

14 7

NCAA Playoffs Fordham Princeton

10 11

–Compiled by Maddie Bimonte

Bucknell Invitational

2nd/8 teams (1,151.5 pts.)

News & Notes Fordham Athletics Releases Annual Report The Fordham University athletic department recently released their list of accomplishments and highlights of the 2021-22 year.

These accomplishments include: Softball won the Atlantic 10 championship, Water Polo captured its first ever Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) title, Women’s Tennis advanced to the A-10 championship final and the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams won the Metropolitan championships.

Fordham Football’s Season Comes to a Close After a 9-2 season, the Fordham Football team lost their opening round FCS playoff game against the University of New Hampshire, 4252. It was the first time the Rams had made the playoffs since 2015.

Follow us on Twitter at @theram_sports

November 30, 2022

By THOMAS AIELLO

SPORTS Overtime: The Fork in the Road

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

If this serves as a template of a thank you, good. That’s what this is supposed to be. ​​So many sports figures have been at a crossroads in their life: LeBron James jumping ship from Cleveland to Miami, Luis Figo leaving Barcelona for Real Madrid, Johnny Damon choosing the Yankees over the Red Sox or Primetime Sanders being on both sides of the Dallas Cowboys’ two rivals: San Francisco and Washington.

But they always had people close, telling them where to go when the fork in the road came along. Pointing out their mistakes and working to fix them, pushing them into making smart decisions at the fork in the road.

Rewinding to March 2021, I came to a fork in the road following my time in quarantine in O’Hare Hall. I placed myself out of favor in WFUV. I wasn’t doing anything productive with the career path I wanted to choose. My ambitions of working in the world of sports media were there, but I wasn’t doing any of the things I was supposed to be doing.

I had a decision to make: make something out of my Fordham tenure to pursue the career I

wanted, or be useless and work a 9-5 job with an hourly wage.

To play the words of Yogi Berra, I took the fork in the road.

My good friend Ryan Gregware, who also just so happens to be my current boss at WFUV, told me that I was being lazy (to my face, I might add) and needed to get my act together. One of those avenues was to write for The Fordham Ram. I had another friend who was in the newspaper and just so happened to be the sports editor of Volume 103: Alex Wolz. I pitched an idea about my experience in a quarantine dorm at Fordham (which he liked) but redirected me to the future (and fabulous) editor in chief of Volume 104, Ava Erickson, who was running the culture section at the time.

So beyond that, I slowly started becoming a consistent writer for the sports section of Volume 103.

I wrote over the summer about three or four times all while playing catch-up with WFUV. By the

time we got to fall 2021, I had found a new passion: writing.

I kept writing blog pieces, eventually moving to feature pieces. My first two were about the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness protocol and what an athlete’s mindset is like.

By the time December rolled in, it was finals time and I had seen applications for Volume 104 staff positions. I was in a good spot at that time: I was a key member of the basketball broadcasts for WFUV, as well as a consistent talent for other opportunities, I was working for the sports information department, and was doing decently well in school and social life.

I was assigned to help work a camera for a soccer game at Jack Coffey field, and was stopped by another good friend of mine in the broadcast booth: Volume 103 Managing Editor Dylan Balsamo. One of the other assistants in the sports section, Michael Hernandez was also in the room and I was talking to them

about the Ram. Both of them, especially Dylan, encouraged me to apply. I felt unsure of myself, I didn’t know of the other applicants in consideration, and zero clue about being an editor for a publication.

So I filled out the application, conducted my interview with Rachel, Vanessa, Hunter and Erica on Zoom and received an email that had my name next to “assistant sports editor” for Volume 104.

As myself, Nick and Maddie put it jokingly: All three of us were very UNQUALIFIED to run the sports section. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing.

But we had help: Hanif was a very efficient managing editor for this volume, keeping everyone on their toes and troubleshooting with precision. Michael and the copy team had milked their red pens empty every Tuesday night catching all of our formatting errors, all to help make us better.

Sebastian, Hasna and Matt all

Page 21

played key roles in organization, troubleshooting and the business side of things. Pia, Nicoleta and the social media crew got things onto platforms in timely manners while making the posts look professional.

Alex and Dylan would come by every-so-often to check in on us, help with any InDesign problems we had, discuss things happening with the Fordham sports teams, entertain us and always look out for us.

How could I forget my sports people? For Nick and Maddie: I really don’t understand how lucky I was that you guys were my editor and fellow assistant for this volume. Though I graduate this coming May, you both are going to flourish in whatever you choose to do. Thank you for teaching the three G’s, the USMNT, life in the south and one liners that pack powerful laughs.

To the entire Volume 104 staff: You have been a new branch of family for me, everyone on the staff is awesome and will continue to shape the world with positive change. It’s been a true honor working with the best staff this publication has ever had.

I would like to think most of the decisions in life I make are good, but the next time I come to a fork in the road, I’ll be taking it.

NFL Midseason Report: A Look Across the League

By NOAH HOFFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The first 12 weeks of the 2022 NFL season have come and gone, and a lot has been learned about the 32 teams in the league.

There have been some massive surprises as well as some massive disappointments to start the year in both conferences.

The AFC East has been the strongest and most consistent division in the conference. The Miami Dolphins at 8-3 hold the division tiebreaker over the rival Buffalo Bills. After some quarterback controversy in the middle of the season with Tua Tagovalioa having a series of concussions, the Dolphins have cemented themselves as true contenders. The Bills have had some key victories over the Chiefs and Ravens. However, injuries could prevent the preseason Super Bowl favorites from accomplishing their goal. The New York Jets are one of the surprise teams of the season, boasting an impressive 7-4 record. Carried by its young stars on defense and possibly finding a solution at quarterback with Mike White, the Jets will look to continue to turn heads during the stretch run of the season. Last are the New England Patriots at 6-5. Second-year quarterback Mac Jones has regressed, but head coach Bill Belichick has had his defense looking like one of the best in the league at times, making them a potential seventh seed sneak into the playoffs.

After a 2021 season that had each of the AFC North teams putting up eight in the

wins column, it has not been the same competitive division this year. It has been another up-and-down season for the Ravens, with one week having them looking like a Super Bowl contender and Lamar Jackson a potential MVP, and the next not being able to consistently put offensive drives together.

This roller coaster has landed them at 7-4 and atop the division, for now. Right on their heels are last year’s AFC champion Bengals, also with a 7-4 record, but without the tiebreaker. The early offensive line struggles have died down, allowing star Joe Burrow to flourish once again. Along with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase coming back from injury, the Bengals are in a prime position to steal the division and make another deep run. Both the Browns and Steelers lie at the bottom of the division looking towards next year.

The AFC South looks about the same as it has the last few years.

The Tennessee Titans hold the top record at 7-4, holding the keys to their own destiny. After an 0-2 start to the season, the Titans rattled off seven wins in their last nine games on the backs of running back Derrick Henry.

Midseason hire Jeff Saturday has the Indianapolis Colts settled at the number two spot in the division at 4-6-1, in a clear rebuilding year. In the back end of the division are the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans at 4-7 and 1-9-1, still struggling to find an identity.

The AFC West has been nowhere close to the juggernaut division that it was hyped up

to be at the start of the season.

Patrick Mahomes has his Kansas City Chiefs in a comfortable position at the top with a 9-2 record, the best in the entire AFC. The Los Angeles Chargers have been mediocre, finding themselves at 6-5 and second in the division.

The two disappointments have been the Las Vegas Raiders and Russell Wilson’s Denver Broncos which see them riding the back of the bus in the division.

The NFC East has been the best division in all of football.

At the lead of that division are the Philadelphia Eagles with a 10-1 record. Undefeated up until their week 10 loss to the Commanders, the Eagles have looked like the best team almost every week. Right behind them are the Dallas Cowboys at 8-3; their defense was able to carry them to wins when Dak Prescott was out. Since his return, the Cowboys have looked like one of the better teams in football and a potential threat to the Eagles. Third in the division are the New York Football Giants at 7-4. Some early season onescore wins have put the Giants in a prime position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Last but certainly not least in the division are the Washington Commanders with a 7-5 record. Holding a record that would be first in the NFC South, the Commanders led by Taylor Heinicke hope to sneak into the playoffs or potentially even leap to the top spot in the division.

The NFC North this season has finally seen the downfall of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. After a massive

Thanksgiving win over New England, the Minnesota Vikings are in front at 9-2. The purple and gold have looked like contenders for much of the season with their only two losses coming to the Eagles and Cowboys, but with the division in their grasp, they hope to put themselves in prime position for a playoff push. Sitting second in the division is the Detroit Lions at 4-7. Head coach Dan Campbell has improved his team since last season’s three wins but still is a ways away from contention. Third and fourth in the division are the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears at 4-8 and 3-9, respectively.

Aaron Rodgers clearly does not own the division anymore as the Packers are spiraling after losing five in a row midseason. Justin Fields has been the lone bright spot for the Bears this season as he looks like someone that can be built around.

The NFC South has been absolutely abysmal this year, with no one in the division holding a

winning record after 12 weeks.

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in first with a 5-6 record after a disappointing loss to the Browns this past weekend. Age has finally caught up with Brady, but the rest of the division is just as bad leaving his team in first once again. The Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers are all in contention for the number one spot as the Falcons are just half a game back at 5-7, with the Saints and Panthers both at 4-8.

The NFC West has almost been as disappointing as the AFC West. With the mid-season acquisition of Christian McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers are in first with a 7-4 record.

The Seattle Seahawks and the surprising emergence of Geno Smith find their team in second with a 6-5 record, while the Arizona Cardinals and last season’s Super Bowl winners Los Angeles Rams round out the bottom of the division with 4-8 and 3-8 record.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs find themselves atop the AFC West.

Page 22

By MICHAEL MATUCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At the beginning of the NFL season, there was one team that stood above the rest of the league: the Buffalo Bills. This past off-season, the Bills went out and made their already stellar team even better by signing Super Bowl champion outside linebacker Von Miller.

Through the first seven weeks of the season, Buffalo appeared unstoppable, with their only loss to the Miami Dolphins in 95-degree heat. In that seven week stretch, Buffalo beat some of the best teams in the league. The opening game of the season against the reigning Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams was a great win to start off.

Another important comeback win was against the Baltimore Ravens where Buffalo won the game on a walk-off field goal. While all the Bills wins were impressive, one victory stands out above the rest: taking down the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs in their home.

Continued success is never allowed in Buffalo, and the wheels began to fall off the Bills wagon once they went to East Rutherford, N.J. to face the Jets. The Bills receivers were lost in the sauce all game

SPORTS Are the Buffalo Bills Back? long. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and the rest of the Jets defense held the Bills receivers to zero passing touchdowns. The Bills defense also had no ability to stop the Jets running game. Throughout the game, Jets running backs combined to have 174 yards and one touchdown on the ground. The Bills had no ability to gain any true momentum throughout the game.

Another thorn in the Bills side that occurred during the Jets game happened on the Bills final drive, when Josh Allen injured his UCL on his throwing arm. Since that injury, Allen has not looked like himself. Throughout his career, Allen has looked impeccable in the red zone. This season, however, something is off. Allen has thrown five red zone interceptions in the last six games, and his injury is no help to this problem.

As the Minnesota Vikings game kicked off in Buffalo in week 10, the outlook for the Bills appeared to be good. At the end of the first half, the score was 24-10 in favor of the Bills. However, the Bills collapsed in the second half. Throughout the rest of the game, the Bills were only able to score on two field goals while the Vikings were able to mount a 23-point comeback as

Dalvin Cook rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown. Allen did not look like himself yet again. He had another red zone interception along with a fumble in the endzone with 37 seconds remaining after the Bills defense was able to hold Kirk Cousins on fourth down at the half-yard line. Panic was beginning to set in for Buffalo fans.

The Bills were in dire need of something to go their way. However, they had nearly seven feet of snow in their way. Upwards of 77 inches of snow fell in Buffalo forcing the NFL to move the Bills game on Nov. 20 against the Cleveland Browns Ford Field in Detroit. Going into this game, the Bills knew they had to dig themselves out of the situation they had put themselves in. The Browns turned out to be the rebound Buffalo needed in their 31-23 victory. In this game, the Bills were able to score a second-half touchdown for the first time since that staple win against the Chiefs in week six. Allen was able to keep the interceptions away and throw a touchdown to reciever Stefon Diggs.

The Bills entered Detroit for the second time in five days on Thanksgiving, looking for another win. Buffalo wanted to prove they

Club Sports: November Wrap-Up

By ALLIE COPPOLA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The club sports teams here at Fordham have had a busy month as the end of the semester approaches. Many teams finished up their seasons and look forward to the spring, while some have remaining matchups in the final weeks of the year.

The hockey team had the busiest month of all, including some single matchups and their East Coast Showdown tournament. They began the month on Nov. 5 with a home game against Quinnipiac University, falling to the Bobcats 10-5 despite a valiant offensive effort. They bounced back a week later with a strong 6-1 win over Columbia University, preparing them for their eventful following weekend.

On Nov. 18, the team traveled to Aston, Penn. for the East Coast Showdown with matchups against Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Harrisburg, Kutztown University and Neumann University to close out.

The Rams finished the weekend with a 2-1 record, defeating PSU Harrisburg 6-3 and Neumann 7-5, but falling to Kutztown 6-3.

Club President Bryce Vitale, FCRH ’25, is happy with the team’s performance and is grateful for the experience. “The time that the boys spent together in Pennsylvania was critical for the growth of our team and we had lots of fun at the tournament.

With the season arriving at the halfway point, I am excited to see how we continue to become stronger as one unit on and off the ice.”

Vitale is looking forward to the spring season and is confident that the team will continue its success, despite the loss of part of the team. “Although we will be losing a few impact players for the study abroad program, I think we should be able to compete very well against the more difficult opponents in our division. From now until March we will be preparing to get to nationals and win the title.” They’ll travel to Northford, Conn. for another game against Quinnipiac on Dec. 4, closing out their incredible season with an exciting rematch.

In the weekend before Fordham’s Thanksgiving break, the men’s lacrosse team hosted the City College of New York (CCNY) and Columbia in a round robin event at Murphy Field on Nov. 19. They swept the day with a dominant 9-2 win over CCNY and an 8-3 win over Columbia, ending the season on a high note. Earlier in the month, on Nov. 6, the women’s lacrosse team traveled to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. for Marist University’s round robin event alongside New York University for their final two games of the fall season. They handily defeated the latter in a 15-0 rout, but lost a hard-fought game to Marist by a 10-6 score. Both teams look forward to busier schedules in the spring, as lacrosse is primarily a spring sport.

Back on Nov. 6, the women’s rugby team played Stony Brook University in their league semifinal matchup, with wins against SUNY Maritime and SUNY New Paltz in the previous weeks propelling them to the top of their

division. Although they lost 6712, the team is incredibly proud of how far they’ve come compared to previous years, and they look forward to the future of their program.

The women’s squash team began their season on Nov. 5 at Vassar College as the fourth team in a round robin event.

They matched up against Vassar, Northeastern University and Boston University (BU). Both the Vassar and Northeastern matchups resulted in 8-1 losses, but the BU contest ended with a much closer score of 6-3. Though they had a tough start, there is plenty of room for improvement and time to turn it around.

Rounding out the contests in November, the baseball team hosted Montclair State on the 13th in a Sunday doubleheader. They split the games, losing the first 3-0 and winning the second 4-1. They finished their fall season with a 6-6 record, an impressive outcome against some tough competition. They’ll also have a busier spring season.

The final club team with a November event was the ultimate frisbee team, as they participated in the Hudson River Rumble on the 19th. With wins against two Cornell teams and one against Sarah Lawrence College, they swept the day adding three wins to their fall record. They finish the season with a 5-2 record, joining the success of many other club teams this Fall.

Fordham’s club sports programs have seen overall success this fall, and many of them look forward to even busier spring seasons.

were back to a national audience, as games on Thanksgiving typically have high viewership numbers.

Detroit was also hungry, as they were on their first three-game win streak since 2017. Buffalo wanted to demolish the worst defense in the NFL for all to see. The Lions came to play, as Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown were in sync all game long. St. Brown recorded 122 yards and a receiving touchdown. This also coincided with Allen and his receivers having a connection all game long. Diggs and Isaiah McKenzie combined for 173 yards and two receiving touchdowns. However, there were still some struggles for Allen. He threw another red zone interception and

November 30, 2022

had many other errant throws during the game. The game ultimately came to kicker Tyler Bass, as he was able to hit a 45-yard field goal to win the game for Buffalo.

Even though there are still many challenges the Buffalo Bills will have to overcome in their upcoming games, there is no need to sound the alarm just yet. This time last year, the Bills had a 7-6 record and were still able to make a deep run into the playoffs. As long as Buffalo is able to secure a playoff spot, they will be able to blossom then. As the Bills await the return of many injured players, fans know they will have to bear the winter storm to come out stronger as a team and push for a championship.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The Bills have bounced back with two wins after a rough stretch.

Relax and Rejuvenate

By TAYLOR MASCETTA STAFF WRITER

Let’s get one thing straight.

The two-week stretch postThanksgiving break is the single worst time of the year. You’re ripped away from the warm comforts of your home, filled with turkey, football and quality family time, only to be greeted with never-ending final projects the moment you step back onto campus.

It’s awful, but it all leads up with the sweet release of Christmas break. Thanksgiving break is just a taste of what’s to come — much needed downtime and actually getting over ten hours of sleep.

This got me thinking. One thing that’s often overlooked in athletics is the importance of rest. Not just physical, but mental as well. Taking a break from everything can make the most difference come race day.

My coach reminds our team to prioritize sleep all the time. It’s been a mantra that haunts me when the clock strikes midnight. I still get about eight hours a night (coach, my bedtime is 11 p.m., I promise!), but I also take this as a reminder to relax. After all, athletes are always going, going, going. Most of my mornings consist of rolling out of bed around 6:50 a.m., then practice, then lift, then either work or class. On top of that, I’ve got podcasts, homework and live shows to work on. My coworkers tell me they don’t know how I do it. To that I say: I’m used to the grind.

But, I’m also used to burnout.

The last stretch of this year’s cross country season was the most tired I’ve ever felt in my life. I’d only have time to squeeze in a half-hour nap in the most dire of situations and live off Starbucks cold brew. While I enjoyed every second of it (except for the times I practically fell asleep standing up), I knew that the

eventual break would do wonders for my mental health. I tend to get overwhelmed very easily, so taking a step back from everything over Thanksgiving felt liberating. I got to eat home-cooked meals, finally crack into my new Pokemon game and watch Michigan absolutely demolish Ohio State in “The Game.”

Nothing better than that.

Athletes often feel pressured to keep pushing forward, even as their bodies and minds scream at them to stop. While pushing for one more rep often makes you stronger, it’s also important to know when to stop while you’re ahead. Constantly aiming to do the absolute most usually results in crashing and burning more frequently than success. I know this firsthand with running. If there’s a tugging in your foot, pause and check it out. Take a day off or crosstrain if necessary. Don’t run another five miles and give yourself an easily avoidable stress fracture.

Been there, done that.

I always think that the most successful people have enough trust in their training to know when to take a break, so they can come back fresher than ever. It’s important to look from the outside looking in, see all the awesome things you’re doing and acknowledge that you deserve to slow down every once in a while. You’ll enter more races with a relaxed mindset, rather than one cluttered with stress.

Rams, we’re in the home stretch now. Two hard weeks, and then we get a month to sit back and recharge. Everyone deserves it.

SPORTS

November 30, 2022

Page 23

Football Ends Season With Loss to New Hampshire in FCS Playoffs

By NICK GUZMAN SPORTS EDITOR

All good things come to an end. A long, grueling and memorable season for Fordham Football has now concluded following a tough 52-42 loss against the University of New Hampshire last Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Championship.

The Rams earned their sixth ever championship appearance and first since 2015 following a 9-2 regular season that was capped off with a 52-38 win over Colgate University at Jack Coffey Field on Nov. 19. Senior quarterback Tim DeMorat tossed six touchdown passes while graduate student running back Trey Sneed totalled 230 yards rushing as Fordham secured their postseason bid.

DeMorat’s performance was one that Fordham fans have become accustomed to seeing.

In a season where he threw for 4,891 yards and 56 touchdowns, DeMorat was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year last week. Both of those marks led both the Patriot League and the entire FCS. Colgate matched the Rams throughout much of that contest, but Fordham were able to keep the Raiders at distance in the fourth quarter. An interception from graduate student Ryan Greenhagen sealed the win for Fordham, who were drawn against New Hampshire on selection Sunday just 24 hours later.For Fordham, a postseason berth is a reward for a recordsetting offensive season that saw the Rams fall just short of a Patriot League title following an overtime loss to the College

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Led by Tim DeMorat, the Fordham Football team concluded what was a historic season. of the Holy Cross on Oct. 29. For New Hampshire, a successful run in the Colonial Athletic Conference earned them the right to host the Rams on Saturday, with the winner advancing to face that same Holy Cross team that Fordham were so eager to meet again.

But on Saturday in Durham, the Wildcats had all the answers for the Rams. Fordham turned the ball over three times, including a fumble on their opening possession of the game inside New Hampshire’s 10-yard line

by Sneed. DeMorat threw two interceptions, both in the first half, allowing New Hampshire to take a 28-21 lead into halftime.

The Rams started the second half of the game slowly as well, allowing Heron Maurisseau of

New Hampshire to break a 71yard touchdown on the half’s opening play.

The Wildcats kept Fordham at bay throughout the third quarter, entering the fourth quarter with a 42-28 advantage.

With their season on the line, the Rams answered immediately in the fourth with a touchdown from senior receiver Fotis Kokosioulis to cut the deficit to seven.

After a New Hampshire field goal put them back up by 10, freshman defensive lineman Peter Chalhoub and the Fordham defense forced a fumble to give the Rams the ball back. But Fordham turned the ball over on downs, and New Hampshire extended the lead to 17 on their ensuing possession thanks to a Dylan Laube

touchdown run.

Fordham got a touchdown back late, but it wasn’t enough as the Rams fell to New Hampshire 52-42. After the game, Fordham head coach Joe Conlin said, “It’s tough to win on the road as it is, but it’s certainly very difficult when you spot them 21 points in the first quarter … I just didn’t think we executed like we needed to execute to win a playoff game against a good team on the road.”

Although this has been a successful season for the Rams by most measures, you can’t help but think about what could have been. In their two regular season losses to Ohio University and Holy Cross, Fordham had a lead late in the fourth quarter but couldn’t secure the victory.

Those two games could have

swung so easily in Fordham’s favor, which would have changed the entire outlook of this season.

Instead of facing the Wildcats in the first round, the Rams could’ve had a marquee FBS win, a Patriot League title under their belts and a bye to the second round. But the Rams couldn’t seal the deal, giving the end of this season a different outlook.

In the end, Fordham’s defense let them down for large stretches this season.

While DeMorat and company led the entire FCS in total offense, the defense sat dead last in the Patriot League in nearly all defensive metrics, whether it’s total defense, touchdowns allowed, rushing yards allowed or passing yards allowed.

Despite this, the offense still turned the ball over in key areas and couldn’t convert on big fourth downs against New Hampshire. Neither unit played to their best of their ability against the Wildcats.

This also felt like it should have been Fordham’s year for another reason: so many of the key contributors from this team were either seniors or graduate students.

With an the year of COVID-19 induced eligibility, there’s no telling whether players will stay at Fordham or try their luck elsewhere in the transfer portal.

But for players like DeMorat, Greenhagen and Kokosioulis, the professional ranks could be on the horizon, as well as seniors using their fifth year elsehwere.

Either way, this Fordham team will look a lot different come next fall. And despite some tough losses this season, the Rams gave their loyal fans a lot to cheer for.

Women’s Hoops Shows Grit “East To West”

By COLIN LOUGHRAN STAFF WRITER

The holiday season often brings much travel and an increased sense of self. For the average individual, this time of year typically warrants a trip “home” that reminds them of just who they are.

For Women’s Basketball however, it was a stretch of both home and away affairs that allowed for the proper self assessment for the Rams.

The Rams split east coast games against Princeton University and Wagner College before the Las Vegas Holiday Classic where they did the same against relatively nuanced opponents, the University of Washington and the University of South Dakota.

Coming off of Nov. 17’s loss to a nationally ranked Maryland team, Fordham traveled to New Jersey for a bout with Princeton that they would ultimately lose by a final of 70-67. Much like their previous games, the Rams kept things close throughout.

There were 15 lead changes and five ties throughout the contest.

Additionally, graduate student forward Kaitlyn Downey made history by scoring her 1,000th career point.

Ultimately however, Princeton’s win came in shootout fashion. The Tigers shot 53.8% on the night, and were greatly aided by a pair of 19-point performances from Grace Stone and Kaitlyn Chen.

The women in maroon benefitted from Downey’s scoring all game long. She poured in 19 points, and graduate student Megan Jonassen also performed well with 15 points.

Graduate student Asiah Dingle and senior Anna DeWolfe struggled greatly against the Tiger defense.

Dingle shot 5-18 from the field, and DeWolfe was only able to collect 6 points on a 3-6 day from the floor.

Overall, Fordham didn’t have the firepower to outlast Princeton in an offensive slugfest.

After a close loss to the Princeton Tigers, Fordham returned to the friendly confines of Rose Hill for a game against Wagner that went exactly according to plan.

The Rams won by a bold mark of 95-48 and had five players with double figure scoring marks by the final buzzer. The team’s 59 first half points set a school record for most points in any half of the program’s history.

Dingle bounced back from a lackluster game against Princeton

and led all scorers with 20 points.

Downey continued to roll against Wagner, and collected a healthy combination of 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in what was a prolific team win.

Once Wagner left the premises, Fordham set their sights on the Las Vegas Holiday Classic. Women’s hoops battled with Washington in their first Sin City match. However, the Huskies bested the Rams by a score of 71-62. Washington crashed the boards with ferocity.

They grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and collected a total of 43 boards. The contest was won in the paint. The Huskies shot 50% from inside the perimeter while Fordham could only shoot 31.4% on two-point attempts.

Dingle and DeWolfe contributed 24 and 22 points respectively, but Washington’s Emma Grothaus led her team to win with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Even after a loss to the Huskies, the Las Vegas trip ended on a high note that allowed the Rams to get key contributions from two members of their core.

Fordham defeated South Dakota by a mark of 78-65 to improve to 4-3 on the young season. South

Dakota kept the first half of action close, and even outscored the Rams by a margin of 10 in the second quarter.

However, phenomenal second halves from Dingle and DeWolfe ensured a maroon win. The backcourt duo became the first pair of Rams in the Atlantic 10 era to score 25 or more points in the same game.

Dingle finished with 27 points and was a pristine 8-of-8 from the

free-throw line. DeWolfe netted 26 points, and matched her personalbest of six threes.

Fordham’s latest stretch of contests saw them show team grit “east to west.”

They returned to the Bronx to play Fairfield University at home Wednesday night before traveling to Riverdale on Saturday for a rivalry match with the Manhattan College Jaspers in the Draddy Gymnasium.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Anna DeWolfe and the Rams have faced tough competition.

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November 30, 2022

Men’s Basketball Extends Win Streak to Five

By THOMAS AIELLO ASSISANT SPORTS EDITOR

The goal this year for the Rams has been one thing: play 40 minutes of Fordham basketball. That’s been the brand head coach Keith Urgo and his staff are trying to build at Rose Hill. But what exactly does that entail?

Beyond the extremely physical style, run n’gun offense and infectious culture, the current state of affairs of “Fordham Basketball” includes a five-game winning streak headlined by a sweep at the Tom Konchalski classic.

The multi-team event (MTE) was the first one Fordham has hosted since 2018, but it’s all part of Director of Athletics Ed Kull’s vision to raise Fordham’s profile in college basketball.

The event was named after Tom Konchalski, the super scout who wrote the High School Basketball Illustrated (HSBI) for high school basketball recruiting. A name heralded all over the nation as the man who college coaches would call when they had a question on a player.

The MTE began against the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) on Nov. 19, the first ever meeting between the two teams. Coming in, Fordham was seen as the far superior opponent and with good reason. But the Flames punched Fordham in the mouth, getting out to a 14-7 lead in the opening minutes and went up by as many as 14 in the first half.

Former Duquesne University Duke Toby Okani led the way for the Flames with 21 in the game, but was the only player for UIC in double figures. Fordham slimmed the lead down to seven going into the break with two threes by senior Kyle Rose and freshman Will Richardson hitting a long ball in the final moments of the first half.

But a key factor was graduate student Khalid Moore, who sat all but four minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. Urgo admitted in the post game press conference that the staff had contemplated putting Moore back into the game with those two fouls, but the decision to sit him paid dividends.

The second half was an onslaught, which began via graduate student Darius Quisenberry scoring a tough layup. Fordham started to step up their physicality in the paint, drawing a number of fouls to accumulate 19 free throw attempts in the game. Moore went bonkers in the second half, scoring all 14 of his points and hitting a huge three to tie the game at 51.

Junior Antrell Charlton was Fordham’s main facilitator, ending the evening with seven dimes, seven boards and seven points.

His role in helping the Rams shoot north of 55% from three in the second half pushed Fordham in front for a 79-65 victory.

Game two of the MTE was an old school Patriot League matchup between Fordham and the College of the Holy Cross, a team the Rams hadn’t seen since December 2005. Beyond dominating the Rams on the gridiron, the Crusaders had won the last six meetings against

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Abdou Tsimbila had a career day in his college career, propelling Fordham to a win over Harvard.

Fordham on the hardwood.

The Rams got off to an 8-4 start with two threes from Kyle Rose and never relinquished the lead. Fordham dominated the Crusaders in every facet of the game: rebounding, shooting at all three levels, blocks and steals.

Kyle Rose led the way with 15 points, Quisenberry was two assists away from a triple-double (which would have been the first ever in Fordham Basketball history), Moore added 10 points and senior Rostik Novitskyi added 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Fordham’s perimeter defense was also elite in this game, holding Holy Cross to 23% shooting from distance, including the Crusaders going 0-8 from three in the first half and 32% overall from the field.

Game three was a much closer contest than expected in the MTE, as Fordham played first time division one program Stonehill College. Similar to Holy Cross, Fordham took a lead and never relinquished it.

Moore took charge in this game, scoring 24 points on 69% shooting from the field. Junior Abdou Tsimbila turned in one of his better games in his college career, as the center snagged 12 rebounds to contribute to the Rams’ 37 total boards to Stonehill’s 19 in the game. Richardson posted five points and three assists off the bench with Novitskyi throwing up eight points and five rebounds of his own.

Playing their third game in four days, the Rams did look lethargic at times against Stonehill.

Fatigue was a factor no question, and Fordham should have washed Stonehill away by more than 11 points, but for Urgo’s team wins are wins.

Quisenberry was named the tournament’s most outstanding player while Moore and Rose made the all-tournament team with Quisenberry.

Following a nice layoff during Thanksgiving break, Fordham returned to the Rose Hill Gym to host one of their biggest out of conference challenges: the Harvard University Crimson.

A side led by Tommy Amaker, who in his 16th season as head coach is one of the most respected mid-major coaches in the world of college basketball. Since 2007, Amaker has brought seven regular season titles to Harvard and led the Crimson to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2012 to 2015.

The Crimson came into Rose Hill last Sunday as a true test of mental toughness for the Rams.

Beyond Arkansas, Harvard is the closest replication to any of the teams Fordham will see in this coming Atlantic 10 season.

This game included tons of extra baggage as well: In four of the last five meetings, Fordham beat the Crimson once when Harvard was the 22nd ranked team in the AP Poll in December 2012. They also once played Harved in a series of baseball games to determine which school would keep magenta as their school colors.

Fordham also honored iconic administrator and longtime director of athletics, Frank McLoughlin, with an official enshrinement ceremony of the floor in his name.

The hardwood will forever display “The Frank McLoughlin Family Court” in recognition of the six decades of service he gave to the school as an administrator and basketball player.

On top of all that, McLoughlin spent 1977-1985 as the head coach of the Harvard men’s basketball team.

There was pride on the line, plus a benchmark for Urgo’s team to see where they were.

The game was a battle from the start; both teams traded leads four times and were tied at seven different points throughout the game. Both teams in the first half were not hitting shots. At one point, the game didn’t see a field goal in almost three minutes until Sam Silverstein nailed two free throws to extend Harvard’s lead to three until Darius Quisenberry tied it seconds later.

Silverstein was Harvard’s main catalyst, with 17 points on 6-14 shooting overall despite Chris Ledlum being the name everyone highlighted before the game.

It is worth noting that Harvard had just beaten Loyola University Chicago last Friday, another A-10 team.

Harvard hung tough, even leading with 1:53 left in the first half. But it was a 7-0 Fordham run to give the Rams breathing room heading into the break.

Charlton hit consecutive jumpers and Tsimbila dropped in a layup to end the first half.

Fordham’s start to the second half started with a 9-4 run, fueled

by a three from Rose and a lob from Charlton to Tsimbila for a monster dunk four minutes in.

The Rams and Crimson traded blows throughout the second half, even getting as close as two points, but Fordham went on a 10-0 run to end the game and seal an eight point victory, 68-60.

Despite getting only four bench points, Quisenberry, Moore and Rose all hit double figures. Charlton led the team in assists with six and didn’t commit any turnovers.

But the star of the show was Abdou Tsimbila. He posted a 16 point, 15 rebound, five block effort, by far his signature game in college.

As a freshman at Penn State in 2020-21, Tsimbila played just under five minutes per game in 16 games. When he transferred to Fordham, Tsimbila was still a major work in progress but picked up some steam once 2022 rolled around, starting the final 11 regular season games. The team went 6-5 in that stretch, and he was a major force on the defensive end alongside Chuba Ohams.

This year, he’s been thrusted into a starting role, and has been a capable pivot in the middle.

As Keith Urgo put it in the press conference Sunday, “We think Abdou can be the defensive player of the year in this league.”

But another interesting thing to note in the Harvard game is Fordham’s ability to adjust.

The first six games, fans have been treated to a run and gun offense. But they reverted back to their form last year under Kyle Neptune: a slow, gritty, defensive minded team that uses timely shot making by milking the clock.

Come A-10 play, Fordham will need to adjust more often than they already are. The ability they showed to play multiple styles while sticking to their main philosophies is a good asset to have.

The last four games have shown the team’s capabilities on both ends, thus winning the Tom Konchalski Classic only emphasized that Fordham is here and ready to fight in the conference.

Their next game is Wednesday against the University of Maine.

The Rams then travel for the final time until after New Years to New Orleans to face the Green Wave of Tulane University.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

McLoughlin dedicated over six decades of service to the university as a player and administer.