Fordham Closes its Graduate School of Religious Education
By JACK MCDONALD ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
The Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education (GRE) ended operations on Aug. 15. Two degrees and three advanced certifications have been moved to the Graduate School of Education (GSE). All current GRE students who are in good academic standing by maintaining a 3.0 GPA will be eligible to complete their academic programs through GSE. The GRE faculty have also been relocated to GSE. Cited reasons for the closure include low salaries for ministry professions and declining enrollment, which have led to financial challenges for the school, according to Francis McAloon, S.J., acting dean of GRE.
McAloon shared his thoughts on the closure. “It is fair to say that since the SEE RELIGION, PAGE 5
Fr. Patrick Ryan, Former McGinley Chair, Dies at 85
By JACK MCDONALD ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Patrick Ryan, S.J., died on Aug. 9 at the age of 85. Fr. Ryan was the former Laurence McGinley Chair ahead of the current chair, Thomas Massaro, S.J.
He died of respiratory failure at Montefiore Hospital in Norwood, according to Fordham Now. Ryan was known amongst the Fordham community for his fostering of interfaith dialogue.
As a missionary in West Africa for almost 50 years, Ryan was known by students for his friendly and humorous nature. Most recently serving as the McGinley chair from 20092022, Ryan made his lectures both academic and accessible for the student body. Massaro said he wants to further the tradition implemented by Ryan.
“He had an exemplary way of dealing with people of all ages–students, faculty colleagues,
New Delivery Robots Spark Widespread Debate
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Starship Technologies made its Fordham University debut on Tuesday, Aug. 26, with nine new food delivery robots accessible to students on the Rose Hill campus.
In partnership with Grubhub, the order-ahead app that Fordham has used for years, these robots provide students remote access to five on-campus
Students and faculty, some dressed in shirts showing support, listen to speakers at the rally.
By NORA MALONE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
On the final day of classes for the 2024-25 academic year, a group of students, faculty and staff gathered outside Walsh Family Library to rally for community solidarity. The rally was sponsored by the American Studies Department
and primarily organized by faculty.
The invitation to the April 30 rally said, “Whether you’re a student, faculty member, staff, or administrator, your voice matters. Together, we can send a powerful message that our University must remain a space for open inquiry, free speech,
and in support of due process for our vulnerable colleagues.”
The event was spurred on by several executive orders issued by President Donald Trump in April, including Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education and Restoring Equality of SEE RALLY, PAGE 5
food establishments: Bronx Bagel Company, Così, Dagger John’s, The Grotto and Urban Kitchen.
To purchase the food, students can only use dining dollars or a credit card since meal swipes do not currently work with this system. Each robot can be tracked in the Grubhub app and takes 30 to 40 minutes to arrive. Upon arrival, students get a text telling them that the robot is at the pickup location outside the building they have chosen. The student must then click a button on the Grubhub app, “I found the robot — Unlock” to get their food and must click a button once more once they have taken their food out, “Send the robot away.”
Despite the university’s promotion of the positive aspects of the new system, there are some complications that students have noted, both in terms of technology and student opinion. The Fordham Ram is currently awaiting a response from the university’s administration on their official statement.
While the delivery system
claims to have access to the aforementioned five establishments, all of the order-ahead options typically provided from these places are not available. For example, students do not have a way to simply order soup from Così via the robots; if they want soup, they have to choose the “Taste Two Combos,” meaning they would only get a “Half Soup” alongside a sandwich, salad or another “Half Soup.” Dagger John’s doesn’t have anything available to order, making it unavailable as an option altogether. Drinks are unavailable to order via robot across all locations. Aside from the various technological issues, many students have expressed displeasure with the university incorporating this system on campus. Many student believe the university spent a large amount of money on the robots. Elisabeth Snyder, FCRH ’28, complained about the potential of university money going towards the new system, especially following recent tuition increases. “Is this
NORA MALONE/THE FORDHAM RAM
One of the new Grubhub robots delivers a food order to Finlay Hall.
SEE ROBOTS, PAGE 4
EMMA LEONARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS
On-Campus
Aug. 30
4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, a student reported that they were the victim of an internet concert ticket scam. The student said they received a message from a fellow student offering free concert tickets if they sent a copy of their Fordham ID and email address. Further discussion led the reporter sending $10 via Apple Pay to the offender. The reporter discovered the offer was a scam. The supervisor contacted Fordham Information Technology to assist in tracking the offender.
On-Campus Aug. 30
10:00 p.m.
On Saturday, there was a broken water pipe in The Grotto Deli in Queens Court. The supervisor responded and notified the watch engineer and facilities to respond and repair the pipe.
On-Campus
Aug. 30
On Saturday, a student walked into the Public Safety Office to make a report after walking from Planet Fitness located at Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse. A male appeared to be following them. The student walked faster, and the male began to run after the student until they reached the Applebee’s on Third Avenue. The offender then walked away, and the student went to the Public Safety Office to report the incident. Public Safety canvassed the area for the offender. The student declined the NYPD.
Off-Campus
Sept. 2
7:40 p.m.
On Tuesday, a Fordham community member reported the theft of items from their vehicle. The investigation revealed the reporter parked their vehicle in the garage on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at 12:25 pm in the lower level of the parking garage. When they returned on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, at 8:15 a.m., they discovered property missing from the vehicle. The vehicle was unlocked. The supervisor called the NYPD to respond.
Apricity Rocks Clinton Hall
By ANDREW MASSIE FEATURES EDITOR
Inside Clinton Hall, students pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, some standing on benches, others craning through the front windows for a view.
By the time the six-piece band Apricity struck its first note just past 11 p.m., the cramped Bronx venue was filled beyond capacity, and the audience was already singing back the hooks.
The band’s name, Apricity, comes from a word meaning “the warmth of the sun in winter.” On Saturday, that warmth was literal: bodies pressed close, condensation formed on the windows and a low haze of bass vibrated through the floorboards.
“We’ve only had four full practices together, but every time we play, we grow,” said singer Toleeya Napolitano, GSB ’26, her voice hoarse but proud as she packed up cables after the show. “Everyone was interacting, singing along. That’s when you know it’s working.”
The group members’ beginnings were almost accidental. In March of 2025, between Satin Dolls rehearsals and midterms, CoLead Singer Sophia DerrigPalumbo, GSB ’27, messaged classmates she barely knew with a simple question: “Want to start a band?”
Two weeks later, they had an hour-and-a-half set booked at Clinton Hall.
“We didn’t even know if we’d get the slot. We had no reference material, nothing to send them,” said Cole McCrickard, GSB ’27, one of the guitarists. “But they took a risk on us.”
That first show was rehearsed in a rush. This year,
their preparation was hardly more relaxed. Members worked summer jobs across time zones, meeting again just before classes began.
“It’s been a lot of trust,” said Napolitano. “We practice individually, then when we come together you can tell everyone has put the work in.”
The band’s lineup reflects their strong range: vocalists Napolitano and DerrigPalumbo, McCrickard and Andrew Szabo, GSB ’27, on guitars, James Dougherty, FCRH ’27, on bass and James Higgins, FCRH ’26, on drums.
Apricity mostly performs covers. “Feel-good music,” Napolitano said. “Songs people can sing along to, something that reminds you of childhood or car rides.”
Yet the band resists playing songs only by the books. Higgins, who only picked up drums a year ago, said the band thrives in improvisation, and that it’s what makes them unique. “We jam a lot,” he said. “That’s probably my
favorite part, we don’t feel tied down to studio versions.”
The singers’ contrasting styles give them range, from Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse” to Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire.” On Saturday, the crowd demanded an encore, chanting until “Sex on Fire” closed the night.
“We weren’t sure what to end with, because people loved every song,” DerrigPalumbo said. “But ‘Sex on Fire’ won by a landslide.”
For Griffin Grace, GSB ’27, the concert was a surprise discovery. “I honestly didn’t know a thing about the band,” Grace said. “But if the atmosphere is good and everyone’s having fun, then they’re a good band.”
Jack Betten, GSB ’26, showed up just for the thrill of live music. “There’s not enough of it at Fordham,” he said, smiling. “It’s way better than a DJ. You’re watching them play it live. The energy is different.”
Others came because they
knew the players. Mary Kate Raleigh, GSB ’26, called the show “incredible,” adding that “it honestly exceeded every expectation.” Her friend Alex Hwang, GSB ’26, who lives with Higgins, said, “It was the best night I’ve ever had here. Everyone looked like they were having the best time.”
The band’s ambitions stretch past Arthur Avenue. “We’d love to play in Manhattan, maybe downtown this semester,” Derrig-Palumbo said. They also hope to invest their modest earnings of $650 from the $5 door cover into equipment of their own.
For now, their schedule is campus-centric: a homecoming show, a Halloween set and maybe a “darty” or two. “We want to book gigs on big weekends, when everyone’s out,” Napolitano said.
As Clinton Hall emptied late into the night, the band lingered, still buzzing. “We’re growing every performance,” Napolitano said. “This is just the beginning.” Wednesday Sept. 3
This Week at Fordham
the home season opener, Fordham will play Monmouth. As well as passing out glow sticks to help “light up the night,” students will also receive a Fordham t-shirt to wear to home games this season. Monday Sept. 8 Sizzle! Marketplace and Community Dining Hall 6:00 p.m. Sizzle Night, where
Apricity performs “Hella Good” by No Doubt.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Left to right: Cole McCrickard on guitar, Andrew Szabo on guitar, Toleeya Napolitano on vocals, Sophia Derrig-Palumbo on vocals, James Higgins on drums and James Dougherty on bass.
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham Ram
Fordham to Create ‘Veteran and Military Family Center’
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
The language lab in Fordham’s Keating Hall, room B25, will be converted into a veteran space called the “Veteran and Military Family Center.” Renovations are set to begin in January, with hopes of it being completed in the spring.
“The focus will be to create an environment where our military-connected students have a place,” said Matthew Butler, executive director of the Office of Military and Veterans Services (OMVS). “It gives them an opportunity to organize, find a sense of community and understanding for their unique experiences that they’ve had growing up.”
The room is already being used as an office by Juvie Segovia, PCS ’22, who is the operations manager of the Veterans and Military Family Center. Students are also able to use the space to study and hang out at this time. The room will be closed, however, during renovations.
Once renovated, the center will include a community table for socializing, a study space,
a soundproof conference room for counseling services and amenities like printers and coffee machines. The primary purpose of the center will be to help military students connect with services and resources, such as non-profits and organizations that assist veterans.
The creation of the new center is intended to increase Fordham University’s support for their military-connected students and subsequentially increase the military population at Fordham. Before 2009, 35 military-connected students were attending Fordham, according to Butler. Now, that number has increased to 600, and Fordham has an initiative to continue to grow that population over the next three years.
Fordham University is a Yellow Ribbon school; this means it has an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide financial assistance to veterans and military dependents. As a result of the support the university provides for military students, in 2024, Fordham was ranked the 23rd best college for veterans in the
country and the best college for veterans in New York by Military Times.
“We have to continue to do more,” Butler said. “Our community is growing. We want the community to grow and we are intentional about that. So, if we are going to promise an education, we are also going to promise the support that our military service members and families deserve.”
There has been a center for all military-connected students at the Fordham University Lincoln Center campus since 2015 that has served all students across both campuses. According to Butler, they have been hoping to make a veteran space at the Rose Hill campus since 2014.
Segovia, who is an army veteran herself, felt there was nowhere to go between classes when she studied at Fordham as a commuter student. She utilized the veteran center at Lincoln Center on days when she had classes there; however when she was at Rose Hill, she spent most of her time in the library. Segovia
hopes that the new center at Rose Hill can provide the same type of “haven” she found at Lincoln Center.
“Our goal for this center is to really mirror and mimic the resources and events that they’re doing at Lincoln Center for Rose Hill,” Segovia said.
Aside from providing a lounge space, Segovia hopes to host events for military students in the new center. Their first event will be a potluck and movie night that will take place on Sept. 19 in room B25.
Sofia Jimenez-Flores, FCRH ’28, is a military dependent participating in a work-study at the Veteran and Military Family Center. She says she is very excited for the new space at Rose Hill.
“I’ve actually been to the Lincoln Center Space … I do love it, but I don’t like having to take the Ram Van all the way over,” Jimenez-Flores said. “Rose Hill being the home campus, I definitely think it’s time for something like this.”
According to Segovia, the
Ram Staff: Hopes for New Semester
new center has an emphasis on providing resources for military dependents. Since the space at Lincoln Center primarily caters to veterans, OMVS hopes to expand events and resources to military dependents through the Rose Hill center. They also hope to employ current military dependents to provide students the ability to advocate for what they want and need, according to Butler.
Butler acknowledged that veteran students bring unique perspectives to the classroom and value to the Fordham campus. He hopes that the new center will help military students to become more connected with the Fordham community. “What we want to create is a place for our military-connected students to have a real connection with the university, in a way that gives them the best chance to succeed, that gives them an opportunity to orient, and like I said, launch from, into the community, into the Fordham community,” Butler said, commenting on the new space.
In a university provided mockup, students spend time in the “ Veteran and Military Family Center. ”
A visual mockup shows students in the proposed new space.
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
This semester, I’m looking forward to working with a great new team and reading all of the cool and interesting articles from our writers!
This semester, I’m looking forward to working with a great new team and reading all of the cool and interesting articles from our writers!
This semester, I’m looking forward to working with the new executive copy editors to make The Ram be the best it can be.
This semester, I am looking forward to working with the news editors and collectively investigating important topics in the Fordham community. I am excited to work with the new writers and interview interesting people.
Isabella DeRosa, FCRH ’26, Culture Editor
Sarah Verrastro, FCRH ’28, Copy Chief
Mia Tero, FCRH ’26, Culture Editor
Stuart Cremer, FCRH ’26, Opinions Editor
Andrew Massie, FCRH ’27, Features Editor
Sienna Reinders, FCRH ’28, News Editor
Delivery Robots Begin Service to Students
FROM ROBOTS, PAGE 1
what we raised our tuition for? … We could’ve used this money on improving the dorms, or doing anything to better the campus and instead we bought robots?” said Snyder. Olivia Peto, FCRH ’28, noted potential alternatives to the delivery service. “I think if they really wanted a delivery thing, they could pay students to do it,” Peto said. She also shared that another student had already brought up this idea in a more formal setting. “Our friend’s ground-floor [project]was a student delivery service … like,
students would deliver food on campus. And I was like, ‘That’s a really good idea,’” she continued. Leah Renshaw, FCRH ’27, utilized the robot delivery service over the weekend. Upon inquiry as to how the process went, Renshaw shared mixed reviews. “My experience using the robot was not terrible. It was able to accurately find where I was. The instructions were a little bit unclear, and I wasn’t sure that I needed to go back into the app to be able to get the robot open, but once I figured that out it was pretty easy to use,” she said. When asked why she hasn’t
used the robots yet, Emily Green, GSB ’28, mentioned that the payment method deterred her: “It’s stupid… you have to use your dining dollars for them.” When asked if they would use the system if meal swipes were included as a payment option, the responses varied. Snyder said she would use the robots if meal swipes could be used, but specified the circumstances. “If I was sick or if it was really cold and I didn’t want to go outside … but only if they changed it to meal swipes though because I’m really stingy with my dining dollars,” she said. When interviewed about
the delivery system, former United Student Government (USG) vice president of facilities and dining Mike A. Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, shared a similar sentiment to other students. “I do believe that meal swipes would be an awesome addendum to the implementation,” he said. There is hope for meal swipes to be added as a payment option. During her interview, current USG Vice President of facilities and dining Madeleine Ando, FCRH ’27, confirmed that this addendum is in the works, but cannot confirm a timeline for the implementation. Ando also voiced strong
support for the robots, citing her work as a committee member for the USG Diversity Action Coalition (DAC) on increased accessibility for those with disabilities on campus as a reason. Ando shared, “Our stance is these robots will allow for greater accessibility to food options on campus.” However, Ando noted that this system isn’t just helpful for those students with disabilities, but all college students as well. “We’re onthe-go students, and they allow us to be on-the-go and get nutritious food for wherever we are on campus,” said Ando.
This is a developing story.
The Fordham Community Mourns Fr. Patrick Ryan
fellow Jesuits–that I admired and strived to imitate over the years,” Massaro said. “I cried more than a few tears as I concelebrated his funeral mass, and I will miss him dearly.”
Ryan was a New Yorker at heart. Born on Aug. 11, 1939 in Woodside, Queens, to Tipperary native Patrick “Paddy Lacken” Ryan and Manhattan native Nancy Ryan (formerly Anna Kennedy), he had a profoundly Irish upbringing.
Paddy Lacken, as he was known in Ireland and New York, was a member of the Irish Republican Army, serving as Captain in the C Company of the 6th Battalion, Tipperary No. 1 Brigade, 3rd South Division. Strongly against the Anglo-Irish Treaty during the Irish Civil War, Lacken was captured by pro-treaty forces in 1923 and sentenced to execution. According to
novelist Peadar O’Donnell, Lacken was “mistakenly transferred to Harepark Camp in the Curragh.” Orders were sent for his release, but his fellow prisoners kept him hidden.
Following his immigration to the United States, Lacken remained a strong Irish nationalist. His family was also heavily involved in the Gaelic Athletic Association.
Ryan lost his father at the age of four and entered the Society of Jesus, colloquially known as Jesuits, at 18, after graduating from Regis High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He was ordained a priest 11 years later in the Fordham University Church.
Ryan lived in West Africa for 26 years, notably serving as president of Loyola Jesuit College in Nigeria from 1999 to 2005.
“He so loved Africa, as we attested by the homily, by
Father Ugo Nacciarone, at his funeral,” Massaro said. “He built bridges between the churches in the USA and West Africa, where he served in many roles during decades as a missionary in Ghana and Nigeria.”
Back at Fordham, Ryan worked as a political science professor and vice president of mission integration and ministry in the early 2000s, before being appointed as the McGinley chair several years later. Ryan was beloved by students and cared for his community.
“He [Ryan] lived in Walsh Hall residence with many students over the years as well,” Massaro said, “which demonstrates his commitment to contribute to campus life in a variety of ways, including as a celebrant of countless liturgies on campus.”
He was also beloved by the religious community on campus. “He contributed
much to the Jesuit community at Spellman Hall and even to the scholastics who live in Ciszek Hall, not to mention Murray-Weigel Hall where he spent the last two or so years of his life,” said Massaro.
Political science Professor Nicholas Tampio said he appreciated Fr. Ryan’s talent for staging interfaith dialogue.
“Father Ryan would deliver learned lectures that spanned how the Abrahamic religions understood marriage, death, and war,” Tampio said.
“The dinners afterwards on Arthur Avenue were some of my favorite experiences at Fordham. Father Ryan showed by example how people from different faiths could interact respectfully and as friends.”
University Church Sacristan Augustine Preziosi, FCRH ’23, GSAS ’26, first became a student of Ryan’s in 2020.
He worked with Ryan in liturgies throughout New York
and considered him a great mentor.
“I spent a great deal of time with him and his friendship is something I will deeply cherish my entire life,” Preziosi said. “He cared very much about my spiritual and professional growth, but also my parents and brother. Never did he not end a conversation asking me to give his best to my family and fiancee.”
Preziosi described Ryan as having the type of wisdom that never made another feel unintelligent.
“He was a great companion of Christ, and as my friend, he did everything he could to help me become a more faithful servant of Our Lord,” he said.
Ryan’s Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in the University Church on Aug. 16. At his request, Ryan’s cremains will be transported to Ghana, where he will be laid to rest.
FROM RYAN, PAGE 1
Opportunity and Meritocracy.
“I’ve been very concerned about what’s going on in higher education ever since the first executive orders were issued calling for the dismantling of DEI, of attacks on black studies, but also on the idea of mass deportation of immigrants,” said Mark Naison, Ph.D, who helped run the rally. “I’m 78 years old, a full professor, what are they gonna do to me? But then to see all these young faculty members come forward this way was so moving to me.”
Both students and professors gave speeches at the rally, including students from the Fordham Young
Student Rally for Support in April
Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) and Fordham Students Against ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), both nonuniversity-affiliated clubs.
“One of the faculty organizers actually reached out to me and asked if YDSA wanted to help out, and they asked if I wanted to speak. And I told them that we would absolutely be willing to come out and help them organize speeches [and] chants,” said Matthew Smith, FCRH ’27, co-chair of YDSA. “My reason for coming up and speaking today is to remind people that these problems don’t stop the second you leave campus. People are not going to stop getting deported when you go back
home. This is going to continue, and we need to keep fighting it.”
On April 19, the faculty organizers wrote a letter titled “Fordham United for Core Principals,” which called on President Tania Tetlow and Fordham University to “actively defend these principles, on our campuses and in solidarity with those threatened elsewhere.”
One hundred twenty-three professors signed on to the letter.
According to Tetlow, who was present at the rally, she has met with many of the faculty organizers. “I wanted to be with the faculty, students and staff and hear from them first-hand about how they are handling the
FROM RELIGION, PAGE 1
pandemic, the university’s supplement to GRE [has] increased,” he said in an email. “Before [the] pandemic, the university’s support remained constant and limited.”
McAloon noted that the shrinking of the GRE is challenging for a Jesuit university. While two degrees in Christian spirituality were transferred to GSE, some programs were closed.
“There is hope that in the next couple of years, we may be able to reopen the MA [Master of Arts] in Religious Education and the MA [Master of Arts] in Pastoral Studies,” he said.
According to McAloon, no GRE faculty were asked to leave the university, and all were granted positions within GSE.
The Faculty Senate, Fordham University’s elected representative body of university faculty, convened on March 28 to discuss the integration of the GRE. According to the
current political climate. Brilliantly and bravely,” she said.
On April 10, Fordham signed an amicus brief challenging the Trump administration’s visa revocations. On April 22, Tetlow signed a public statement from the American Association of Colleges and Universities, which called for “constructive engagement.”
Since then, the University has updated its informative webpage, The Current U.S. Administration and Its Actions, but it has not made any more public statements.
Candela Latina, a Latino dance club at Fordham, also performed at the rally.
“Our group is made up [of a lot of] immigrants [and] students [whose] parents
are immigrants. After everything that’s happened in the administration, it’s a very anxious time and a lot of people have felt it very deeply,” said Andrea Colón, FCRH ’25, who was a member of the group. “So I was like, immediately, I need to be a part of this because we need to show solidarity with everyone who is going through this with us.”
The rally lasted for about an hour and had around 80 attendees.
The Fordham Ram will offer continuing coverage of all student protests and rallies. Find updates on our website and in print.
Additional reporting was done by Caitlin Thomas.
Faculty Navigate the Closure of GRE
integration proposal provided by University Provost Dennis Jacobs at the meeting, teachout plans will be provided to GRE students whose programs will not continue into GSE.
A special meeting of the Faculty Senate was called on April 4. The senate expressed a “deep concern about the University Administration’s de facto closure of the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education” without sufficiently consulting faculty. According to the meeting’s resolution statement, “GRE faculty [should] be assured of the integrity of their tenure and receive adequate material support to continue their important work.”
The final resolution read “THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Senate expresses deep concern about the University Administration’s de facto closure of GRE, without appropriate consultation with the GRE faculty or the Faculty Senate, in violation of University Statutes.” The
senate declared integration was not recognized under University Statutes and has called on the administration to provide adequate resources to GSE faculty during the merger.
One senator noted how challenging the process has been for the GRE faculty. According to Faculty Senate minutes 526, the senator noted, “the process gives the strong impression of having proceeded with the intention to cause tenured faculty to leave Fordham, and to weaken tenure protections at the University.”
Jacobs followed up by saying his office “stands ready to support a successful transition for every faculty member when there is a fit for all involved: the sending unit, the receiving unit and the faculty member.” He also does not anticipate that any currently tenured GRE faculty member will lose employment with the university. Jacobs refers to
this integration as a “merger,” where faculty and select programs will be transferred from GRE to GSE.
According to Jacobs, an informal discussion occurred amongst two GSE divisions to establish a fourth wing of GSE to house GRE.
“The same depth of collaboration with GSE would not happen if GRE came in as a 4th division,” he said. Jacobs also noted the Center for Catholic School Leadership and Faith-Based Education already serves as a fourth branch of GSE.
This center will house Christian Spirituality programs previously held by GRE. Some programs will be merged into existing programs, such as the Doctorate of Ministry program, which will be housed under the Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy branch of GSE. According to the senate minutes, these programs “mutually reinforce each other around the theme of leadership.”
According to the minutes, the university administration announced the cancellation of future enrollments for GRE students and publicly announced the school’s closure. A faculty senate member said this was done without assuring GRE faculty were educated on these issues, according to the minutes.
“In spring 2025, the faculty of the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education (GRE) and the Graduate School of Education (GSE) voted in support of the proposal to integrate GRE into GSE,” said Jacobs in an email statement to The Fordham Ram. “The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the proposal in April 2025, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Fordham’s academic offerings in Christian spirituality, ministry, religious education, & counseling.” Jacobs looks forward to the acceleration of GSE in the near future.
PHOTOS BY NORA MALONE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Students gather outside of the Walsh Family Library.
President Tania Tetlow and other faculty members attended the rally.
Associate Professor Mark L. Chapman spoke at the rally.
Some attendees dressed in shirts to show their support.
OPINION
Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918
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Editorial | Gerrymandering
The Redistricting Arms Race
During the early hours of Aug. 23, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick rose from his upholstered leather chair to stand before a hushed and tense Texas State Senate chamber. Not only did his grave demeanor echo the image of a judge, but so too was his mission — he, after all, stood before this assembly in order to bang a gavel against his desk and put forth a binding ruling. However, Patrick did not lay down judgement and punishment upon a single lawbreaker. No, he instead sentenced the American democratic ideal of oneperson, one-vote to a death march, declaring that Texas House Bill 4 (HB-4) had passed and was to be sent to Texas Governor Greg Abbott in order to be signed into law.
Of course, on its own, the content of HB-4 is egregious and undemocratic enough. After all, it establishes a new, highly-gerrymandered congressional map whose sole purpose is to ensure that Republicans gain an electoral edge in almost nearly every one of Texas’ 38 congressional districts — this being accomplished via a process of “cracking” and “packing” liberal communities across and into conservative strongholds. However, HB-4’s blatant and systematic gerrymandering becomes all the more abhorrent when one considers the context in which this new congressional map was passed, as Texas Republicans continued to champion the bill despite their knowledge that its passage would trigger a political arms race.
In other words, HB-4 was pushed through despite many Democratic governors fervent threats that its enactment would force them to explore the possibility of retaliatory redistricting efforts in their own states so as to counter HB-4’s increase in Republican representation.
In fact, California has already passed a measure that calls for a special election to consider new congressional maps that would create more blue-voting districts, while figures like New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have declared that they will ensure their states would follow suit with similar measures.
Yet, at the end of the day, after all these efforts to grab onto more and more political power have either been made law or have been left by the wayside, what else has occurred but a gross and pathetic degradation of the idea and practical realities of a participatory democracy? What else has happened other than a silencing of the people’s voice — a stunting of their role and their importance democratic process?
Sure, we can sit here and act like children/our politicians by arguing about who did what first… Democrats have, after all, blamed this wave of gerrymandering on President Donald Trump’s declaration that he was “entitled” to a larger Republican presence in Congress through redistricting, while Republicans have pushed the moderately misleading narrative that their actions in Texas were a necessary retaliation to Democrats’ longtime sole weaponization of gerrymandering (in reality, both sides have historically engaged in gerrymandering, with Republicans having actually benefitted from such a practice more often).
Regardless of this blame game, the bottomline is that our political leaders seem unsettingly comfortable with actively disenfranchising certain groups of people in the name of scoring points in this political arms race. Namely, Texas Republicans raucously celebrated the disenfranchisement of the 4.8 million Democrats as a
major win for America and the Trump agenda; California Governor Gavin Newsom certainly beamed his moviestar smile as he began the process of leaving 6 million Californian Republicans wholly without representation; Florida Governor Ron Desantis took it upon himself to boisterously claim that he feels it is perfectly “appropriate to do a redistricting in the mid-decade,” something Florida has never done, if it means breaking up Democratic strongholds; and Hochul delivered the following dystopian line with with great seriousness and passion when talking about the necessity of fighting in this gerrymandering arms race: “The reason we are able to draw the lines is because we’re Democrats, because the majority of people in the state elected us to be leaders, and when we say that we can’t use that power to the fullest, then we’re abdicating the responsibility that we all have.” At the end of the day, the reality is — to use an old cliche — that two wrongs do not make a right. Playing political hardball is all well and good until it actively undercuts the very foundations of the democratic process that this nation was supposedly built on.
This all then begs the question: What can we, as ordinary citizens, do to slow down, if not outright stop, this erosion of our chance to have a meaningful political voice? First and foremost, the solution begins with bombarding the Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott — the man who is preparing to knock over the first domino in all this by signing HB-4 into law. Use any means of communication you can to tell him and his staff that this bill, this affront to the American democratic conscience, cannot become law under any circumstance. Fill his inbox, his mailbox and his answering machine with your demands and voices, lest they be muzzled by this rapidly approaching wave of disenfranchisement. If Abbott and his team is unresponsive, then find the next state and next governor that is considering participating in this political arms race, and let them know that this race is going to come at the cost of the political power of the American people. For democracy to survive as both an ideal and a practiced principle in this country, you cannot turn a blind eye and stay silent on this matter. Speak up before you cannot.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans for NY redistricting.
COURTESY OF NY.GOV
OPINION
No Such Thing As ‘Free’ Speech
When you live in a country where freedom of speech is enshrined in the Constitution as the first fundamental right of citizens — prohibiting the federal government from making any law abridging citizens’ speech, press or peaceful assembly — it can be easy to take such fundamental freedoms for granted, to think that free speech really is free. For a long time, it didn’t seem like I had to do anything to maintain my fundamental right to express my identity, my beliefs and my opinions.
Respect for the will and rights of all subjects under the government is the foundation of our democracy and our government. Therefore, the American government should not be able to exist without respect for the rights of everyday citizens.
The pluralistic nature of the American government allows for many points of access. Our system of checks and balances prevents abuse of power. If respect for the rights of the people is so ingrained in the United States government, it would help explain why the United States has remained a democratic nation at times when other governments lapsed into authoritarianism or despotism. Despite its simplicity, this story helps explain how and why many Americans have enjoyed freedoms that people in other countries have been denied.
It’s the easiest to ignore all the ways in which this story has worked when it stops working. I’ve been as confused as everyone else I know about the shifts in
the American political landscape in the past 10 years. How can a government violate what seem like the fundamental rights of its people and stay in power? How can the president issue an executive order that attempts to dictate which people get the privileges of citizenship, openly contradicting over a hundred years of legal precedent and an amendment to the Constitution? How can the president withhold federal funding from universities in retaliation against peaceful protests?
Since I started as a staff writer for the news and opinion sections in Volume 106, being part of The Fordham Ram has been a great experience. The things I’ve learned here and the people I’ve gotten to work with have changed my answers to these questions. It’s strange to think back to this time a year ago and wonder what I would be doing now if I hadn’t decided to join the mailing list for the opinion section. As I’m writing this, the alternate-reality version of myself that isn’t on staff at the Ram is most likely sleeping. Even though I’ve lost one or more hours of sleep for the Ram, I’m so glad to have been a part of this. These days, I’m more able to recognize exactly what makes free speech so important and what free speech costs. In my one semester as Assistant Opinion Editor, we broke news on a lot of politically charged stories and published many students’ strong opinions on those matters.
Working with the whole staff, especially Indranil Kar and
Abigail Adams, to ensure we were representing each student’s voice fairly alongside all the pertinent facts was a lot of work, but I would do it all over again.
Looking forward to the semester ahead of us, I’m excited to take on more responsibilities, even though I’m going to miss our former Volume 107 staff members. Sitting next to and being able to commiserate with Allison Schneider, a former Assistant Opinion Editor herself, always made the occasional curveballs we got in the opinion section easier to handle. Being on staff at a newspaper makes you realize how much work it takes to accurately and effectively communicate information to any audience, even at a small newspaper run by college students. Ram production nights are long and exhausting, no doubt about it, but I choose to show up because I have so much fun with all these wonderful people and because we all care about doing this job and doing it well.
I titled this article “No Such Thing As ‘Free’ Speech” because I thought it sounded cool, but also because the times we live in have made it incredibly obvious that free speech is not free. It requires a collective investment on everyone’s part that ensures everyone has access to their basic needs and the opportunity to exercise their rights. This investment shows up in a lot of ways, often in how we spend our time and money. When that investment isn’t enough, the rights of everyone begin
to gradually and then rapidly erode. That’s why it should alarm everyone that the Trump administration and Congress have forced the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to shut down.
In signing a recession bill into law, President Donald Trump clawed back $1.1 billion of federal funding for public media, earmarked for the CPB for the next two years. The CPB funds over 1000 public radio stations and hundreds of public television stations. Seventy percent of this funding goes directly to local public media stations, and almost half of the grantees are rural. While some of these stations are finding other ways of raising money, including listener donations and community initiatives, the ones in
rural areas without consistent revenue from donations are likely to be hit the hardest. Public radio stations run by universities, too, are being impacted by these cuts, including Fordham’s own WFUV. These stations give millions of Americans vital access to news, public media, educational materials and all the other information they need to fully exercise their rights. Now more than ever, freedom of speech requires the investment of our collective time and effort.
Public media is an important pillar of this collective investment. Even though poorer and more rural communities will likely be the most impacted by CPB’s closure, everyone will be at a disadvantage. When anyone is uninformed, everyone is worse off for it.
The Narrow Path Forward for Universities’ Federal Funding
By MICHAEL DUKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After months of hearing about how the government is withholding federal funding from some universities, recent headlines are showing some promising developments for those who hold the largest stakes in having funding returned. Affected students, professors, faculty and administrators at the universities in question can now sigh a breath of relief knowing that federal funds will be returning.
Since the start of the year, schools like the University of California, Los Angeles, Utah State University, Harvard, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania and others have seen their federal funding cut for a multitude of reasons, which align with the platform President Donald Trump was elected on. When the government began to cut funding from schools earlier this year, outrage from some groups was more than apparent. The American Council on Education stated on their website that they “strongly oppose the Trump administration’s decision to cancel $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University.”
The Association of American Universities echoed this, saying in their own release that “recent administration actions could destroy our global scientific leadership.” The group added that “Massive cuts to research funding and other administration policies are putting the longstanding partnership between U.S. universities and the federal government at serious risk.”
Despite criticism of the
government’s actions, it is more than reasonable to assume that researchers or heads of programs that are dependent on funding are thrilled that it will be returning. However, the baseline for why there are now feelings of relief is due to agreements that have been made between the White House and, specifically, some of the country’s most elite institutions.
In the case of Columbia University, administrators struck a deal to pay the United States government “$200 million to settle claims related to discriminatory practices.” An additional $20 million of the settlement is stated to be distributed to “resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish Columbia employees that occurred on its campus following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.”
Aside from the monetary aspect of the settlement, Columbia is now committed through the agreement to ensure “privacy, dignity, and fairness in women’s sports.” Administrators will now also be focused on fostering “new faculty appointments to promote intellectual diversity.”
Even aspects of student safety are covered in the Columbia deal, as the university will “enhance its campus safety” through measures like prohibiting masked protests, maintaining its own on-campus security department and cooperating with the NYPD. Other aspects of the agreement will be monitored in the future by an “independent Resolution Monitor and an Administrator. In a similar deal recently struck between the government and the University of Pennsylvania, the institution had to recommit to ensuring Title IX compliance. In a Department of Education release about what the university is expected to do following the agreement, the government has made it clear that the settlement focuses on the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX compliance; mainly concerning the university’s definitions of male and female, requesting that the university adopt “biology-based definitions.” However, for Brown University the price tag of their deal is one-quarter of Columbia’s, as the school will be paying out $50 million over the next 10 years. This amount
will specifically go to “state workforce development organizations that comply with antidiscrimination laws, supporting regional economic growth and career opportunities.”
While Brown’s deal goes a distance that Columbia’s doesn’t, with one example being how the university will be “adopting definitions of ‘male’ and ‘female’ from President Trump’s Executive Order 14168,” there is an aspect of Brown’s deal that is identical to Columbia’s.
In the White House’s statements about both Columbia and Brown’s settlements, each includes a line that reads: “The agreement ensures Brown will not engage in unlawful racial discrimination in admissions or university programming. Brown will provide access to all relevant data and information to rigorously assess compliance with its commitment to merit-based admissions.”
Each page from the White House report also states that the settlements “restore fairness, merit, and safety in higher education.”
With these two similarities alone, there’s no need to debate over what the government sees as its own gains from the settlements. However, it’s also very easy to consider that on the university side, there is a different perspective. Harvard University is a very good example of this.
Unlike other institutions that have already struck a deal, Harvard chose not to play ball with the government. Instead, they chose to position themselves differently from how other universities did to gain back their own funding.
When $2.6 billion was cut in
research funding at Harvard, the school immediately deemed the action illegal. Not only is the school actively pursuing a legal fight against the government over the cuts, but Harvard’s attorneys also stated in response to the cuts that the school is being targeted over issues that they’d resolved. A letter sent to the government in April by Harvard’s attorneys stated that the government’s demands are “in contravention of the First Amendment,” and “invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court.” In response, Trump called for the university to agree to a $500 million settlement.
While you cannot speculate too much about a legal fight, and cannot say anything for sure until a judge rules or a settlement is reached, one bet you can make is that funding will return to Harvard, the same as it did with Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania and Brown.
The Trump administration has made one thing clear: Federal funding for programs can return, but universities need to compromise. Critics who want funding to return are right, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t return. Everything comes with costs, and universities should realize this and mitigate their own costs that directly affect employees or researchers who are dependent on funding.
Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is a business administration major from Scottsdale, Arizona.
Universities aim to reach settlements on funding.
COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN
The Epic Highs and Lows of New Student Orientation
By GABRIELLA KOCZKO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
If it wasn’t evident from the exciting chaos of move-in day, hordes of small groups on Edwards Parade or echoing cheers of upperclassmen, New Student Orientation was in full swing last week. In a true display of school spirit, 250 student volunteers cut their summers short to prepare and lead the effort of welcoming the class of 2029. Despite the early mornings packed with training sessions and the task of moving in hundreds of first-years, many orientation leaders, including myself, will attest that orientation is the best week of the year.
Going into my third year of orientation, I considered myself intimately familiar with the program’s inner workings. Training groups are broken into 25 groups of 10, each consisting of two captains, to help facilitate training on a more personal level. Four student worker orientation coordinators lead the training and serve as the backbone of the operation. Within each training group, partner pairs are created that will lead a small group of first-year students together, forming bonds that will outlast orientation itself. Each team competes for points that can be acquired in various ways to make the process more lively. So while the day’s majority was filled with presentations from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Information and Technology, Campus Ministry, the Office of Prevention and Support and more, activities were
sandwiched to strengthen team bonding and keep energy high. Points could be acquired from winning a dance battle, donating nonperishable goods to Part of the Solution (POTS) or hitting as many spots as possible during the campus-wide scavenger hunt. Additionally, each training day brought an exciting night event, such as a murder mystery dinner at Enzo’s, partner prom, Olympics and trivia. Each activity created an atmosphere of unity and anticipation that strengthened the orientation team, truly exciting us to welcome the class of 2029.
A new and highly-anticipated change to the program was introduced in the “One Fordham” initiative, which was aimed at uniting Rose Hill and Lincoln Center. During a day of joint training, Rose Hill leaders traveled downtown to hear an address from President Tania Tetlow, where she emphasized the university’s goal of building a more unified Fordham University community. To execute this, Rose Hill’s first-years and orientation leaders would travel to Lincoln Center on the last day of Orientation for a welcome party at the Plaza. Though there was an air of uncertainty with the adjustment, we remained steadfast in ensuring that the President’s Office and the Office for Student Involvement would execute the mission successfully.
After a week of training, it was finally time to use our newfound Fordham knowledge, school spirit and strong teamwork. On Aug. 24, at
6 a.m., the orientation team excitedly gathered at the cafeteria before moving new students in. As a program veteran, I and one other student were assigned as building captains to Alumni Court South. Together, we managed the 30 Orientation Leaders, helping the new students move in, ensuring each student had a warm and loud Fordham welcome to begin their year. Though an exhausting day, move-in will always be a cornerstone of the program, with leaders competing to move the most minifridges, various sports teams coming in to assist and a palpable presence of being a Fordham family.
After moving in, the program ran seamlessly. From countless small groups of first-years moderated by their orientation leaders, to assisting in Campus Ministry’s Welcome Mass or enjoying the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ New Queer Student reception, the show of orientation
leader support was constant and unwavering. Never was this energy higher than at ‘the clap out,’ when the entirety of the orientation team gathered outside the Moglia Stadium to cheer on the new students as they began their Fordham journey.
The final event of this year’s orientation was the newly announced One Fordham Welcome Party at Lincoln Center, which unquestionably cemented this year’s program as the most fun. Students were given travel assignments by coach bus, Metro-North, subway or Ram Van. At 5:15 p.m., after ensuring students were boarded onto their assigned bus, we headed for Manhattan. Upon arrival, we were greeted with cheers from Lincoln Center leaders, great food, drag bingo and a silent disco, which was my favorite. Though many of us were uncertain about the decision, this event was the most memorable and
one I hope is included in the program for years to come.
Orientation has always been my favorite facet of my student involvement, as in no other organization is a love for Fordham so evident. With this being my last time volunteering, it was hard to ignore the bittersweet energy that followed each event; yes, this was one of my favorite years, but it was also my last. Nevertheless, I am forever grateful to New Student Orientation for welcoming me in my first year and giving me a true Fordham family for the next three. So in the spring, when the Orientation application drops, consider applying. In the meantime, take a moment to savor the lingering energy on campus, and of course, continue to welcome the class of 2029 warmly!
Gabriella Koczko, FCRH ’26, is a history and American Catholic studies major from Long Island, New York.
The Hot Topic of New York City’s Record-Breaking Summer
By KATHRYN-ALEXANDRA ROSSI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It should hardly shock anyone that the upward trend of global surface temperatures would reach such a point that it would shatter another record, but few could have predicted it would happen on the same day as the consequential New York City Democratic mayoral primary. The trend of our responses to hot summers is the most telling of our deficiencies as a society. June 24 was, for anyone with the misfortune of being outside, New York City’s hottest day since 2012. I, a serial hoodie and sweatpants wearer, spent most of that day outside in the New York Botanical Garden, sweat dripping down my back and boiling my skin, all for the sake of botany. It was quite uncomfortable to say the least. Even inside the buildings that were open on Fordham’s campus, the soupy air followed. While it was cooler inside, there was very little to do but simply simmer — that is, if one is lucky enough to have AC available, which many do not. As I was boiling myself alive
for science, I also managed to ponder: why do we have this weather? What are our dearest federal leaders — suffering this same heat in the swamps of Washington D.C. — and state leaders, doing to respond to these heat waves? As it turns out, not very much — though, in fairness, they have their hands tied on most counts by lobbyists. New York City and New York State government officials issued guidance and cooling centres, as wet-bulb temperatures climbed above 95 degrees. The city’s urban architecture only made this particular heat wave even worse (due to the urban heat island effect), about which very little can be done without treading on the toes of private property owners. It should be beyond any sort of discussion and debate that our emissions have accelerated the feedback loop of global warming. The Trump administration has decided to spit in the face of solid scientific evidence and declare that our collective carbon emissions do not endanger public health. While they cite economic
concerns, it must be said that the cost of environmental regulations most certainly does not outweigh the eventual cumulative cost of unmitigated climate change, which is projected to reach $38 trillion per year by 2049.
Of course, there remains the question: On whose shoulders does the burden of action fall upon? Some would say that it is not the government’s responsibility to create and enforce environmental regulations. But if not the government, then who? Corporations like ExxonMobil have already demonstrated the inability to regulate themselves, even when they are aware of the harm caused by their business operations. I ask the reader to recall their life. How many times have you left dishes in the sink for someone else to clean, left trash out, passed by the homeless for someone else to aid or turned your nose up at someone looking for help? If there was “somebody else” to pick up our mess, it would have happened already. Alternatively, of course, the other option is to do what our
parents, grandparents and great-grandparents did: punt the problem to our children and plug our ears. The role of government here is trying to force a correction that otherwise simply will not happen fast enough, if at all. This itself has only occurred under public pressure, something which companies are not beholden to in the same way our governments are.
What does this have to do with heat? The answer to this, dear reader, is everything. The heat is a symptom: how do we choose to respond to it? I once again call attention to the federal government declaring that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas
emissions are not dangerous to public health. That is one decision with potential ramifications far beyond what anyone could suspect. Contrarily, the announcement by the New York Power Authority to construct further renewable energy beyond its initial goal, made in the face of this heat wave and public pressure, is a decision as well. We have a choice that comes down to essentially this: do we continue down an increasingly dangerous path, or do we realize we’ve screwed up, face reality and fix our mistakes?
is a philosophy and economics
Kathryn-Alexandra Rossi, FCRH ’28,
major from Arlington, Virginia.
June 24 was New York City’s hottest day since 2012. MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM
COURTESY OF FINN PAPPALARDO/THE FORDHAM RAM
More than one thousand first-years partook in New Student Orientation this year.
MEET THE STAFF
NORA MALONE | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Nora Malone is a junior from Brooklyn and Boston, but currently calls Washington, D.C. home. She is a medieval studies and English double major with an honors concentration in American Catholic Studies. She joined The Ram in Volume 105 as a contributing writer before becoming News Editor for Volume 106. She is honored to take up the position of Editor-in-Chief for Volume 107.
SOPHIE MASELLI | PRODUCTION EDITOR
Sophie Maselli is a senior from Milford, Connecticut, majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. She began working for The Ram during Volume 105 as an opinion writer and copy editor, and then added on the position of Digital Producer for Volume 106. Sophie is now excited to work as Production Editor of Volume 107! Outside of The Ram, you can find her listening to show tunes or writing a future bestseller.
MARY HAWTHORN
| MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR
Mary Hawthorn is a senior from Greenwich, Connecticut, majoring in political science and English with an honors concentration in Catholic studies. She served as the Photo Editor for Volume 106, and is eager to start her role as Multimedia Director for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Mary enjoys playing on the Fordham women’s squash team, volunteering with Fordham Circle K and spending time with friends.
SIENNA REINDERS | NEWS EDITOR
Sienna Reinders is a sophomore from northern California, pursuing a double major in journalism and political science and a minor in Spanish. She started at The Ram as a contributing writer in Volume 106 and joined the staff as an Assistant News Editor for the first semester of Volume 107. Now, she is thrilled to take on the position of News Editor for the second semester of Volume 107.
EMMA LEONARDI | ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Emma Leonardi is a junior from Washington, D.C. and is a English and psychology double major, with a minor in journalism. She was a staff writer and an Executive Copy Editor. Emma is now proud and to transition into the role of an Assistant News Editor. Outside of The Ram, Emma is president of Read That @ Fordham, a book club she founded on campus. Emma enjoys watching the New York Mets.
ABIGAIL ADAMS | ASST. OPINION EDITOR
Abigail Adams is a senior from Alexandria, Virginia, majoring in philosophy with a double minor in political science and economics. She first joined The Ram as a contributing writer for Volume 106 and now serves as an Assistant Opinion Editor for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Abby enjoys reading and re-reading C.S. Lewis and hosting dinner parties with her friends.
MIA TERO | CULTURE EDITOR
Mia Tero is a senior from Eliot, Maine. She is double majoring in journalism and communications and culture studies. She joined The Fordham Ram as a contributing writer for the News and Opinion section for Volume 106 and is joining The Ram Volume 107 as the Culture Editor. Outside of The Ram, Mia enjoys spending time with friends, reading and exploring the city.
ISABELLA DEROSA | CULTURE EDITOR
Isabella DeRosa is a senior from Wayne, New Jersey, majoring in psychology on a prelaw track and minoring in journalism and Italian. She first joined The Ram as a contributing writer her first year and as an Assistant Culture Editor for Volume 106, and is excited to return as a Culture Editor for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Bella spends her time reading, frequenting RamFit and exploring NYC with her friends.
JACOB WOLFER | MANAGING EDITOR
Jacob Wolfer is a senior from Fairfax, Virginia, majoring in English and history on the pre-law track. He first joined The Ram during Volume 106 as a copy editor and contributing writer, and will serve as Managing Editor for Volume 107. Jacob enjoys spending time with friends and coaching baseball during the summer for his high school coach’s travel team.
JONAH RING | EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jonah Ring is a senior from Norfolk, Virginia, pursuing a degree in theology, philosophy and art history. He originally joined The Ram via Sports his first-year, eventually becoming Volume 106’s Sports Editor. However, for Volume 107, he will begin the exciting work of Editorial Director. When he is not writing painfully pretentious articles for The Ram, Jonah can often be found wandering through some art gallery while listening to Flipturn, Kendrick Lamar or Miles Davis.
NISHANTH ADUMA|BUSINESS DIRECTOR
Nishanth Aduma is a junior from Hyderabad, India, majoring in finance. He joined The Ram as a contributing writer for Volume 106 and now serves as Business Director for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Nishanth enjoys exploring NYC, cooking Indian food, watching movies and and running in the New York Botanical Garden. He can also be found at the LITE center in Walsh Library, trying out new VR simulations.
ANDREW MASSIE | FEATURES EDITOR
Andrew Massie is a junior from Denver, Colorado, who is majoring in journalism with a minor in political science. He joined The Ram as a contributing writer for Volume 106 and now serves as the Features Editor for Volume 107. Andrew looks forward to collaborating with The Ram’s talented team to produce stories that interest and resonate with students.
STUART CREMER | OPINION EDITOR
Stuart Cremer is a senior from Mountain View, California, majoring in English with a creative writing concentration and minoring in philosophy and environmental studies. They joined The Ram on Volume 106 as a staff writer for the News and Opinion sections. They are excited to be serving as an Assistant Opinion Editor for Volume 107.
LORESA ZEQIRAJ | ASST. OPINION EDITOR
Loresa Zeqiraj is a sophomore from Yorktown Heights, New York. She is double majoring in international studies and English on a pre-law track. She first joined The Ram as a contributing writer for Volume 106 and is now excited to work as an Assistant Opinion Editor for Volume 107!
ERYNN SWEENEY | ASST. CULTURE EDITOR
Erynn Sweeney is a junior from Cypress, California, majoring in international political economy. She joined The Ram as a copy editor for Volume 105, became an Assistant Opinion Editor halfway through Volume 106 and will serve as an Assistant Culture Editor for Volume 107. Outside B-52, she loves playing Just Dance, searching for new books on Goodreads and finding the best iced coffee spots in NYC.
MEET THE STAFF
GRACE MCCARRON | SPORTS EDITOR
Grace McCarron is a junior from Manhattan, New York, majoring in journalism and minoring in American studies. Outside of The Ram, she is a beat reporter and on-air host for WFUV Sports, and a University Ambassador campus tour guide with Rose Hill Society. She has been a contributing writer in The Ram’s sports and culture sections since her first year and is so excited for her role as Sports Editor for Volume 107.
JAMES NELSON | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
James Nelson is a sophomore from Millburn, New Jersey. He first joined The Ram as a firstyear, serving as a contributing sports writer for Volume 106. By the end of his first year, James earned the title of Staff Writer. Now, James will serve as an Assistant Sports Editor. Outside of The Ram, James enjoys training in martial arts and cooking.
JULIA CHOLERTON | EXEC. COPY EDITOR
Julia Cholerton is a sophomore from Gig Harbor, Washington, studying English and classical civilization. She is excited to serve as an Executive Copy Editor for Volume 107. Julia is a part of Sláinte, Fordham’s Irish Dance Team, and is interested in reading, crafting, traveling and exploring museums.
CAROLINE LEHMAN| EXEC. COPY EDITOR
Caroline Lehman is a senior from Laurel, Maryland, studying political science and journalism. She first joined The Ram as a copy editor and contributing writer for Volume 106, and is excited to serve as an Executive Copy Editor for Volume 107. In addition to The Ram, Caroline enjoys being outside, staying active, crafting, traveling and consuming arts and entertainment across mediums.
MEGHAN CATTANI | PHOTO EDITOR
Meghan Cattani is a senior from Manasquan, New Jersey, and is a marketing major with a minor in new media digital design. She loves all things creative, including photography, music and writing. This is Meghan’s first year on The Ram as Photo Editor and she is beyond excited to join the team. On campus, Meghan is also involved in New Student Orientation, Rose Hill Society and MODE Magazine.
HANNAH SULLIVAN | DIGITAL PRODUCER
Hannah Sullivan is a sophomore from Boston, Massachusetts, majoring in English. She was a contributing writer to the Culture section for Volume 106 and is joining The Ram Volume 107 as a Digital Producer. Outside of The Ram, she enjoys knitting, crocheting and watching movies.
JACK MCDONALD | ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Jack McDonald is a sophomore from Eastchester, New York, pursuing a degree in marketing. He first joined The Ram as a contributing news writer for Volume 106 before becoming a staff writer later in the semester. He now serves as an Advertising Director for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Jack is involved in the Fordham Gaelic Society & Gaelic Football team, Catholic Life at Fordham and the Student Alumni Ambassadors program.
IAN NELSON | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Ian Nelson is a sophomore from Hyde Park, New York, who is majoring in English. He joined The Ram as a contributing writer in the Sports section for Volume 106, and will serve as an Assistant Sports Editor for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, he spends his time watching sports and movies, while also being an avid golfer.
SARAH VERRASTRO | COPY CHIEF
Sarah Verrastro is a sophomore from Monroe, Connecticut, who is majoring in English. She joined The Ram as a copy editor for Volume 106, and is now serving as Copy Chief for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Sarah is involved in the Ampersand writing and bookclub, Rambling House creative writing club and the design team for the Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal. She can also be found with her head often buried in a book.
EMILY TONNA | EXEC. COPY EDITOR
Emily Tonna is a senior from Long Island, New York, majoring in English. She joined The Ram as a copyeditor and contributing writer for Volume 106, and looks forward to joining the staff as an Executive Copy Editor for Volume 107. Outside of The Ram, Emily has written articles for Fordham’s Relish Magazine and The Paper. When Emily isn’t trying to reach 2,500 word count essays in Walsh Library, she can be found playing her guitar, scavenging for new vinyls to collect.
INDIGO TOWERS | EXEC. COPY EDITOR
Indigo Towers is a sophomore from Frankfurt, Germany, majoring in English and philosophy. She joined The Ram for Volume 107 as an executive copy editor. Beyond The Ram, Indigo enjoys creative writing, volunteering at an animal wildlife center and reading sci-fi short stories, like "The Ones who Walk Away from Omelas."
HANIYYAH USMANI | DIDGITAL PRODUCER
Haniyyah Usmani is a junior from the Bronx, New York, and is currently undecided in her major. She joined The Ram as a copy editor and opinion writer for Volume 105 and was a Digital Producer for Volume 106, which is the role she is excited to continue for Volume 107 alongside the amazing staff!
MOLLY O'CONNOR | DIGITAL PRODUCER
Molly O’Connor is a sophomore from Weymouth, Massachusetts, majoring in English. She joined The Ram as a contributing writer for the Opinion section for Volume 106, and she’s so excited to serve as a Digital Producer for Volume 107! Outside of The Ram, Molly loves to dance, go to concerts and Broadway shows and eat all the New York bagels she can get.
VIOLET WALLACE | ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Violet Wallace is a junior from Washington, D.C., majoring in economics with a minor in digital technologies and emerging media. She is excited to join The Ram for Volume 107 as an Advertising Director. Outside of The Ram, she works on the design team for Fordham Undergraduate Research Journal and loves exploring the city.
By CATHERINE DUCKENFIELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I have lived in a dorm for four semesters at Fordham, and I always look back on old pictures of my freshman and sophomore year dorms, marveling at how I decorated them, but also reflecting on what I would tweak. What I always prioritize when I first move into a new dorm room is transforming it into a home that speaks to my personality and routine, and I think this is what most people want to achieve, too!
As per my taste in decor, I’d recommend not purchasing a ton of stuff just for the sake of using it for a temporary slice of time. Instead, think of allocating your money towards items that will serve their purpose for a long time, perhaps even past college. For example, I bought a set of wire baskets that I use to store my snacks and yarn in. While I understand it may be more economically viable to purchase decor or storage items that are cheaper and low-quality, it would be substantially beneficial for you to invest in items that look good and can serve their purpose for a long time. I know your pockets might hurt, — mine do too — but it’s certainly worth it. Also, I believe the less barren your walls are, the better. Populating your walls — and you can use more than just posters — adds lots of personality to your dorm. I’m not
CULTURE
Dorm Decor 101
only referring to walls that are totally blank, but also taking advantage of the perimeter of the wallspace around your closet or door, for example. If you like posters, you could get some solely to fulfill the look of a color scheme or aesthetic you like. Finding posters of your favorite music artists or movies is a great option as well. You could always hang up niche poster-like things like vintage maps, postcards, etc. There are so many options for what you could put on your walls besides posters, too. You could potentially use picture frames with photos of things or people that remind you of home, or that depict something that might bring to life the aesthetic you’re going for. Another way you could add some dimension to your walls is by using wall hangings. If you’re a tapestry person, go ahead and hang those up, probably where you have plentiful wall space. In order to mount all of these things, I’d recommend using command strips for things you need to hang up. As for posters and prints, I use rolls of scotch tape on the corners of whatever I’m sticking on my walls. Definitely do not use wall putty. It could very much be a nightmare taking it off the walls, and I know you definitely don’t want to be fined for room damages. When taking decor down, be gentle, as you want to avoid damaging the walls and your decor, even
with virtually fool-proof things like command strips and hooks (which come in handy and in many different sizes).
My first year, I lived in Martyrs’ Court LaLande. As you might be able to imagine, it was a shoebox. One of the things I’ll always recommend is to take advantage of the space under your bed. To do this, raise your bed as high as it can go, and you’ll have given yourself lots of space. Typically, this space is used for storage, but what I like to do is line storage containers that I store my winter clothes and other things I don’t need on a daily basis in flush to the wall, leaving some space for a short bookshelf, a shoe rack, or anything that might be useful or decorative for you. Bed skirts also make your dorm roomier and help to conceal what’s under your bed if you don’t like the look of it.
I’d also recommend taking advantage of the space on top of your desk. Consider purchasing a desk hutch — it may also be called a desk bookshelf. I got one for my sophomore year dorm, although I had much more space there than I did in Martyrs’. It helped me save a lot of space, and it was a convenient area in which I could store my notebooks and school books, my journal, personal books, little knick-knacks and trinkets like my grandmother’s Olympus film camera and so much more.
There was space on top as well, so that’s where I put my pothos plant! If you do happen to get a desk hutch, whatever you store in it is up to you, of course. Last, but perhaps most crucially, I will always preach of the transformational wonder ambient lighting can bring to your dorm’s atmosphere. Please refrain from using the overhead fluorescent lighting unless you really need to, and instead, look into getting a few lamps. Maybe a sunset lamp, an interestingly shaped lamp like one in the shape of a sphere, a Himalayan salt lamp or maybe even a vintage bankers lamp. Fairy lights also add a cozy twinkle, but if you’re into LED lights, then consider those. I find these alternatives
have made my dorms in the past feel less like an operation room and more, well, like a room. If you have no idea where to begin with decor and how you’d like to organize and decorate your dorm, Pinterest is my go-to app for inspiration. Your first search could be as simple as “sage green dorm inspo” or “vintage-inspired dorm design,” basically something niche that speaks to what you’re aiming for. Slowly but surely, you’ll go down a rabbit hole, finding tons of inspiration to help you curate your dorm. Dorms are sacred spaces, and I hope that I’ve given you the inspiration to create your own sanctuary that you and others can enjoy.
Who’s That Kid?|Sophomore Embraces Opportunities On and Off Campus
By SARA H VERRASTRO COPY CHIEF
Kate Stover, FCRH ’28, is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. A dedicated student from the honors program, she made her first year at Fordham University, and in the northeast, one to remember.
Coming to New York City for school was always a dream for Stover. Luckily, it was a dream come true. “I only went to New York one time before I moved here. I also never toured Fordham or any other school in New York, I just kind of showed up blindly,” she said. “I wanted the opportunity of living in a larger urban environment and being able to meet more people. It seemed like if I was going to take the leap into adult life, it might as well be somewhere as wonderful as this.”
As an economics and humanitarian studies double major, Stover demonstrates a fierce desire to help people above all else in her future career. Her bubbly personality, creativity and hardworking initiative allows her to succeed in her many endeavors, especially when it comes to interacting with others.
At Fordham, Stover is very
involved in student life on campus. She is an editor for the Fordham Political Review, a tour guide and a member of the debate team, participating in tournaments on some weekends. As for her more creative side, she submits original photography and writing to the Ampersand literary magazine. At the beginning of the spring semester, she was accepted into the Black Sheep poetry group, an umbrella group of Fordham Experimental Theater (FET), where poets can share their work with an audience.
Stover is also a leader within the honors community as a co-leader of the Outreach and Recruitment committee within the Student Activities Council (SAC). “We put on programming to try to reach out to mostly high school seniors who are applying to or have applied to Fordham, and getting them to understand the honors program before they make a decision on whether or not to commit,” said Stover. They also host events for incoming honors students. For example, the committee provides the First Year Picnic during the spring semester and a presentation at Spring Preview for admitted students. Other
committees within SAC take on other aspects of student life, such as planning events for current students.
As for off-campus, this past school year, Stover worked at Milk Bar in Manhattan, as well as tutoring young students in reading skills. She will be continuing with the tutoring this fall semester, this time in math skills.
Despite her busy schedule, Stover still makes plenty of time to have fun with her friends. “I think I incorporate a lot of social time into things I have to do anyway, like I have to eat, so I eat with other people,” she said. “Or, I have to do my homework, and I hate doing my homework alone, so I do it in rooms with other people.” She is also a big fan of hanging out at the Applebee’s right outside the Third/Webster Avenue Gate on the weekends — especially when there are half-priced appetizers after 10 p.m. Clubs are also an important aspect of Stover’s social life, as they form communities that are separate from academic life. “I think it’s just about balance and finding ways to spend time with people. Errands and everyday life activities can also be social,” she said. This past summer, Stover
stayed on campus to be a student worker in the Office of Admissions, which she will be continuing throughout the school year. In her free time, she volunteered at Part of The Solution (POTS), — a local non-profit organization in the Bronx that helps fight poverty and hunger in low-income families and individuals. Additionally, she continued working at Milk Bar and expanded her knowledge of all NYC has to offer. Stover emphasized that her busy schedule is not for everyone, and it is important to take care of yourself first. “I feel like I just have to strike a balance
between doing things that fulfill me and doing things that I enjoy, but find more draining,” she said. Finding balance is not something Fordham students have to do alone; campus resources like Counseling and Psychological Services are here to help navigate the craziness of college life. Fordham provides for any student mental health needs. Stover has a bright future here at Fordham and beyond, boosted by her dedication to everything she sets her mind to. You can find her running around campus with big plans and always a smile.
SARAH VERRASTRO / THE FORDHAM RAM Sophomore makes the most of her time at Fordham with extracarriculars
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Using decor for your dorm will help make it feel like home
CULTURE
BACK IN THE BRONX: Returning Students Share Their First Week Musts
By BRIDGETTE LEAHY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Calling returning Rams! New Rams! Nothing screams a warmer welcome back to school than the smell of fall entering the university, the pep of cheer from our orientation leaders and the kickoff to Fordham fall home games. As we approach each school year, the streets of the Bronx come back to life and Fordham students return to campus with big plans, backpacks and positive, higher spirits. Whether it’s the thrill of a football game at Jack Coffey Field or the comfort of grabbing a hot slice on Arthur Avenue, the first week is packed with anticipation and tradition.
As a proud junior now, I am excited to express my gratitude to Fordham for the community, my friends, extracurricular activities, lovely professors and the beautiful campus that awaits me. My favorite part about returning to New York is definitely the numerous activities I can get involved in. Whether it’s on campus or off campus, New York is the place to be a college student.
For returning students, the start of a new academic year is more than just a fresh syllabus. It’s a reunion — with friends, with the city and with the rhythm of campus life. “There’s something magical about that first walk down
the main path at Rose Hill,” said Lily Chitambar, FCRH 27. “Everything feels familiar, but new at the same time. And of course, the first football game brings everyone together — whether you know what’s going on or not, the energy is electric.”
Similarly, Fordham Football goes beyond the sport. The season opener serves as an unofficial kickoff to the year, uniting old friends and welcoming new faces. It’s a place that feels like your second home. Once you are in the stands, cheering with everyone, dressed up in Fordham merch with Ramses, you really are a faithful Ram. Even for those less inclined to head to the bleachers, there are countless ways to plug into campus life during the first week. Fordham’s Welcome Week events, club fairs and open houses give students opportunities to explore their interests, meet new people and discover hidden gems — on and off campus. The club fair was my favorite way to meet new people and find new clubs like The Fordham Ram and WFUV News.
Approaching off-campus, Fordham’s Bronx location is empowering — a new, diverse world for Fordham students. Being part of New York City gives students the ability to explore one of the most vibrant urban landscapes in the world.
Many returning students share their go-to off-campus spots like the ever-iconic Arthur Avenue. My closest friends always enjoy a chicken parmesan at Full Moon Pizza (now Mezza Luna Pizza) or a cannoli from Arturo’s Pastry. There are endless spots and cuisines to try, as the Bronx is known for its Little Italy.
Beyond the Bronx, many students enjoy hopping onto the Metro-North or the D train to explore other boroughs. Popular first-week destinations include Central Park, Bryant Park or Washington Square Park for a peaceful catch up before classes ramp up — sometimes even last minute summer night movies, Smorgasburg in Brooklyn for a weekend food crawl, the High Line or Chelsea Market for urban strolling and shopping, pop ups, Museum Days at the Met or Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) with free student-ID entry or, of course, Broadway shows for a cultural taste of New York City.
Some advice I’d like to give to all incoming students is to always say yes to new opportunities, even when you are unsure. First-year students and transfers are finding their path to setting up a new chapter. You don’t have to feel pressured to complete everything in the first week; you have the whole year to explore the campus. Returning students, explore
boldly, but also give yourself grace. It’s not always essential to know the answers to every question, but with time and experience, you will know.
Students also recommend finding a favored study spot early, learning how to navigate transportation or subways and building a routine that balances academics with exploration. Fordham is in a rare spot where the campus feels tight to the community, but also a part of the massive city. You can study at Eddies and then catch a Yankees game that night. That is the Fordham way.
As the Keating bell tower
chimes and students pour into Hughes Hall, Keating Hall and The McShane Center, the campus is once again alive with movement and momentum. Whether it is your first week or your last first week, Fordham’s return is a celebration of place and possibility. So grab your MetroCard, download the Fordham app and don’t be afraid to get lost — in the city or in a new opportunity. After all, the first week only happens once a year. And according to those who’ve been here before, you won’t want to miss a second.
Word to the Wise: What I Wish I Knew My First Year
By GIANNA TETRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Everyone knows that starting college is a mix of excitement and anxiety. From the chaos of move-in to the endless icebreakers at orientation, it can feel like you’ve been thrown into a completely new world overnight. The first year of college is often the first real test of independence as you balance classes, friendships and sleep (or lack thereof) and figure out who you are in the process. For many, it’s stressful to walk onto campus and not know anyone, while for others, it’s just as challenging to form a better version of themselves knowing too many faces. Either way, everyone is trying to figure themselves out and manage everything without burning out, which at times can feel impossible. But let’s remember, everyone was a first-year once, and who better to hear some advice from than those who’ve already been through it? Returning students have the wisdom, hacks and survival tips that can make the transition smoother. Here is some of their best advice to help every first-year student not just survive, but thrive in college. First off, what everyone
doesn’t want to think about when they start college: the academics. Where are your classes, who are the best professors and how to avoid getting stuck with an 8:30 a.m. class in Faculty Memorial Hall (FMH)? It’s a battle of perfecting the class schedule and making time for everything else. Gunnar Smith, GSB ’26, says one of the best things to do to get ahead in academics is “introduce yourself to your professors after class early in the semester and add something unique about yourself that they can remember.”
Building that connection can pay off later when you need an extension on an assignment, or a recommendation letter. Without it, most professors won’t remember you and may be less willing to help. Moving on to what everyone wonders about the second it finally hits that they are at college: the social and community aspects. The overwhelming feelings of how to make friends, how to use the meal plan and how to make the most out of the first year. Adjusting to a new campus is all about putting yourself out there.
Cristina Stefanizzi, FCRH ’27, shared, “Spend the least amount of time in your room as possible in the first few weeks
… join clubs, sit in lounges, talk to people in line — it’s the best way to make friends and make Fordham feel more like home.”
College life also gets a lot easier when you know the little tricks. Adam Abdel-Razek, FCRH ’28, keeps it simple: “Use Grubhub, spend your dining dollars, make friends with people on your floor.” Dining halls can get packed at peak hours, so try going at off-peak times or using meal swipes at other places, such as Urban Kitchen, Così or Dagger John’s when you can.
Of course, thriving in college isn’t just about academics and friendships; it’s also about taking care of yourself. Wellness often gets overlooked, but it’s what makes everything else possible. Sleep is usually the first thing to go, yet it’s the foundation for focus, mood and overall health. Eating well matters too, even when dining halls and latenight Pugsley Pizza become tempting. Balance is key: grab fruits, veggies and protein when you can.
Mental health is just as important. College can bring stress, loneliness or homesickness, which are all normal. Staying busy, building connections and relying on
a support system can help, but so can utilizing campus resources such as the Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). Exercise also works wonders for stress relief, whether through the gym, intramurals or even just a walk across campus. And don’t underestimate the power of small habits: journaling, meditating or setting aside time to recharge can make it feel more manageable. Whether feeling on top of the world or nervous about starting college, independence comes with its ups and downs. Everyone gets homesickness,
stress or doubt at some point, but the combination of academics, community and wellness helps make the transition smoother.
As a final reminder: no one has everything figured out in their first year, and that’s okay. College is about exploration, growth and learning what works best for you, both inside and outside the classroom. The advice shared here can help you get started, but ultimately, your journey is your own. Lean on these tips, stay open to new experiences and trust that you’ll find your own path forward.
Upperclassmen reccomend Fordham’s best must-do’s to underclassmen
BRIDGETTE LEAHY FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Upperclassmen share the variety of ways to succeed at Fordham.
ISABELLA DEROSA/ THE FORDHAM RAM
CULTURE
My Back-to-School Supply Shopping Ritual
By ERYNN SWEENEY ASST. CULTURE EDITOR
“The first day of school.”
This is a phrase that holds so many memories for me. When I remember my first days of school growing up, I think of my mom making me pose for a photo in my Catholic elementary school uniform in front of our home. I think of how I tried not to get my new white shoes dirty as I ran across the grass at recess. I think of walking by myself to school for the first time, driving by myself to school for the first time, running late for my 7:45 a.m. class and hoping the traffic lights would work in my favor.
I think of the desks I sat at and the hallways that I walked through. I think of my classmates and my teachers. I think of the simultaneous sadness and excitement, the anticipation and the uncertainty that came with returning from summer vacation to begin a new school year. But more than anything, I think of shopping for school supplies.
For me, going shopping for back to school carried something akin to the magic of Christmas — I truly would look forward to it all year and eagerly await the day when I could wander through the aisles of Target for hours on end, deliberating over which notebooks and pens to buy.
School supply shopping became a ritual that included my mom, my sister and me. We would make a whole day out of it, and when that day arrived, we would strategize to
head to Staples first (they had the best planners and pencil cases) and Target afterward (they had better notebooks and craft supplies). We would bring a list sent to us by our teachers and cross things off as we went along, everything from scissors to red pens to sticky notes to number two pencils (Dixon Ticonderoga, to be exact).
Since I had an older sister who was always shopping for the supplies two years ahead of me, I knew how things worked. I knew that once I made it to third grade, it was time to graduate from liquid glue to glue sticks. Fourth grade meant we would learn to write in cursive and primarily use a pen instead of a pencil. Fifth grade meant I could purchase the 64-pack of crayons (with so many new colors and a built-in sharpener in the back) instead of the normal 24 one. Sixth grade meant it was time to transition from wide ruled to college ruled notebooks, with one graph paper for math class (hello, algebra!). Seventh grade meant a one-inch binder, and eighth grade meant a three-inch binder or maybe even a multilayered folder to organize the worksheets for all the different classes I would one day get to take.
In the hopes that everything would match, I would choose each item based on another, making sure, for example, that my composition book and pencil case were the same color scheme. Once we came back home from the
store, I would lay out everything I had gotten to see how things fit together.
In short, I took school supply shopping very seriously. However, as I got older and school became incrementally more stressful, I strayed away from this ritual of school supply shopping, which seemed childish and unnecessary. As the anxiety of high school and college rose and the future seemed increasingly up in the air, my joy for school supply shopping dwindled and the space that I held for it was rendered obsolete.
When I stopped this ritual, I really missed it, and as I reflect on my younger self, it is easy to see why.
The effort I put into choosing school supplies as a kid was my way of dealing with all the good and bad emotions that accompany change; it was my way of trying to find something certain in all the uncertainty. There was something quite pure and powerful about this preparation — because afterwards, once I had everything laid out, I felt a little less scared and a little more excited for the change that was about to come in a new school year. The sense of organization gave me something to look forward to, providing a way to mark the passage of time.
This is the power of a ritual — it helps us to transition, to approach something new with intention. Rituals do not change the situation; they change us, and they change our focus from the “what” to the “how.” Just as my
childhood ritual of collecting school supplies was less about the act of shopping itself and more about the intention behind it, I believe school is not so much about what we study, what classes we take or what grades we receive, so much as it is about how we approach our education and learning. School supply shopping is a pathway toward intentionality in my schoolwork. It is a ritual that reminds me to frame education in a way that makes sense in a larger context beyond the narrow boundaries of my own life and desire for success. When I look at it in this way, I realize school supply shopping is anything but childish. With this wonderful opportunity we are receiving in a college education, I believe that approaching our classes in intentional ways is one of the most mature things
we can do.
So this year, I went shopping for school supplies again. Here are some of the things I purchased and the reasoning why I did so:
A decomposition notebook from the New York Botanical Garden (the butterflies remind me of my grandma, and the spiral is set up in such a way that it can lie flat at any point along the pages).
BIC Pens (I love the way they look on paper, and they last for a long time before they run out of ink).
A planner (prioritizing organization helps me to be more present in the moment).
To-go coffee cup (so I can have something to look forward to in my 8:30 a.m. class).
A graphing calculator (for my dreaded statistics class).
Here’s to a year of intentional learning, one day at a time.
First Day Outfits: Self-Expression at Its Finest
By JULIA BURNHAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As college students, we all treat the first day of school as something different. Whether it’s a profound start of a new era or simply the beginning of a new semester, an intention is always there. For many students, this intentionality can be reflected in our outfits.
For me, it was the former. I wanted to wear something sunny, an outfit that reflected the positive energy I hope this school year will bring. College students often don’t wear fancy outfits to class, and most at other schools wear sweatpants and leggings, but Fordham University is different. Most people wear cute, more formal outfits. My friends wore denim and a simple top. Therefore, I wanted to reflect this energy without going too crazy. The overall trends on social media in particular this summer are pretty similar to the rest of the year, at least in my experience. I do not follow them too closely, but I feel like I’ve seen a lot of animal prints, polka dots and lace detailing.
Jean skirts, long black boots and boatneck tops are also staples. I, of course, had to buy a deer-print maxi skirt from Urban Outfitters and a polkadot top from White Fox for the new school year. My style has become much more urban in the past two years. Since moving to New York City, I have shed a lot of the Midwestern aspects of my personality — including my old style. My high school wardrobe was ridden with athleisure, as it was much more common to see loungewear in my classes than jeans and a sweater. It took a while for me to adjust to Fordham’s vibe, but it led me to become far more authentic and vibrant in my own skin, as opposed to trying not to stick out. College has made me grow in many different ways, and my fashion is no different. I used to put a ton of effort into my first day of school outfits in high school. It was such a big deal to wear the perfect trends, and I loved to dress “basic,” so I did. I was under the impression that I needed to look perfect in order to be cool, which was not true. When we
are younger, we have a false impression of how much people care about what we wear and what we do, especially in a time of so much social change like teenagehood. It is easy to believe peers are perceiving us much more than they actually are. As a psychology major, one of the first things I learned about was the spotlight effect, which is a phenomenon where someone thinks others are only focused on them, when in reality, people only focus on themselves. Therefore, people aren’t judging us or perceiving us nearly as much as they are judging themselves. We should be who we want to be and look how we want to look because it sets an example for both ourselves and others. This includes outfits for the first day of school. Being at Fordham, I’ve started to calm down with my first day outfits. Obviously, during my first-year I was super nervous, so I obsessed over my outfit. Since sophomore year, my first classes have been a chill day to meet my new classmates and have a new start. Once I settled into college, I felt way
more comfortable in my environment and didn’t feel the need to look perfect. For my first day of school outfit this year, I decided to pair a dainty yellow top with lace trim and some simple jean shorts. I wanted to be comfy yet stylish, and I wanted to look my best for my new classmates. And guess what? I felt amazing because I dressed intentionally for the way I wanted to feel. The outfit you wear to your
first day of class always holds a lot of weight. It’s the start of a new chapter, one people post about on their Instagram stories and maybe even go out in. First impressions of your classmates can be really scary, but to know everyone’s in the same boat is comforting. The most important thing to be (and dress like!) is your most authentic self, because that’s always what matters the most.
JULIA BURNHAM FOR THE FORDHAM RAM First day of school outfits allow you to express yourself to new classmates.
MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM Back to school shopping is a fun way to prepare for the upcoming year.
September 3, 2025
CULTURE
“Heartbreak High” is a Need to Watch
By HANNAH SULLIVAN DIGITAL PRODUCER
The summer before I went to college, my Netflix account recommended a television show: “Heartbreak High” — a silly little Australian teen drama painted in pastels and Pinterest boardworthy outfits. On a whim, I decided to start it, and after the first episode, I was in love. I was determined to finish it before I moved in for my first-year and finished both seasons just in time.
This summer, I decided to go back and rewatch it, missing the drama and insanely attractive cast of the show, and I realized how much the themes of the show had an impact on me.
The show follows the highs, but mostly lows, of Amerie Wadia, a high schooler who mapped out the hookups going on at her school, which resulted in her and her classmates having to attend an extra course called Sexual Literacy Tutorial (SLTs) — affectionately called SLUTS. Amerie has to deal with the social consequences and new animosity from her childhood best friend, all while navigating boy drama — as all high school dramas need.
I love Amerie Wadia, and I love that she is objectively not a good person. Amerie is selfish, mean, judgmental, insecure, inconsiderate and cares too much about what others think — just like every other teenager. This is one of the things that “Heartbreak High” captured perfectly: what
it is like to be a teenager and young adult. However, Amerie is by no means a bad person. She is loyal, outgoing and eager to fix her mistakes and grow from them. Throughout the show, Amerie’s past mistakes, and the mistakes she actively makes, catch up to her. She is forced to deal with the consequences, but with some very deserved crash-outs, she owns up to them and works hard to make amends and accepts the consequences. The show emphasizes the idea that no one is a bad person for making mistakes, and once you realize you made one, to own up to the consequences, apologize and grow from the experience. “Heartbreak High” also emphasizes that everyone is capable of growth; it just sometimes takes a lot of patience and understanding because no one can be simply boiled down to a bad person. (Except for Chook (Tom Wilson). Chook is just simply a horrible person.)
The show also shows what healthy friendships should be. As a result of Amerie’s map, she loses the rest of her friends, leaving her alone and a social pariah. However, she finds close friends in Darren (James Majoos) and Quinni (Chloé Hayden), who stand by her despite their own names being involved in the map scandal. Darren, Quinni and Amerie’s friendship is one based on forgiveness and support and stands to be a healthy example of what friendship should be. In season two, especially, the group is tested
when each person starts dealing with their own respective problems and struggles to see eye-to-eye like they once did, resulting in a brief breakup to take some time apart. However, despite any brief disagreements, the time apart helps each of them to learn and come to an understanding with each other, bringing them closer together. Out of all the friendships in the show, Harper (Asher Yasbincek) and Amerie really show what true friendship is. Despite any animosity and pain inflicted towards each other in ways only teenage girls can do, they make amends and continue to protect each other in their own ways.
While the characters’ dynamics with each other create the main plot of the show, the ideas covered in SLT class are given a generous amount of screen time as well. The show wraps up genuine sexual education like sending explicit images, toxic relationships, sexism in self-defense classes and healthy communication in a way that feels genuine and casual. The show also criticizes traditional sexual education and demonstrates a more nuanced approach that does not simply rely on fear but rather on genuine education.
“Heartbreak High” changed the way I viewed relationships. Watching this show right before my first-year felt like a sign that I wish I had recognized earlier. A lot of the themes in the show really resonated with me after a rough first-year, and
rewatching “Heartbreak High” as a comfort show helped these ideas to really sink in. Everyone makes mistakes, and real friends can forgive and support you in becoming a better person. The show really does an amazing job of hammering that point home, as almost every character becomes more redeemable by the end of season two. Including the themes of friendship, the
show’s sexual education aspects play like a background tape, but I love it because the show makes it accessible and educational in a way that feels genuine and covers important topics.
For me, “Heartbreak High” is a must-watch because the themes of the show are important for everyone to hear, and best of all, wrapped up in pastels, Australian accents and a gorgeous cast.
“Weapons”: The Horror Movie that Birthed a Gay Icon
By ELIZABETH CORALLO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Leave it to the internet to turn a woman who kidnaps 17 children into a gay icon. It’s been nearly a month since “Weapons” was released in theaters on Aug. 8, and I’ve already seen countless memes about how the movie’s antagonist, Aunt Gladys, is now a gay icon and a popular figure in drag. My personal favorite is a meme with the caption, “Gays will say ‘she saved my life’ and it’s just Aunt Gladys from ‘Weapons’” with a photo of the iconic red-headed witch underneath. It’s terribly ironic considering the fact that the only time we see Gladys directly murder someone is when she invades the home of the principal of the elementary school where the kidnapped kids attend, and murders both him and his husband. The only gay characters in the entire movie were murdered by her, and we see her do it. But I guess it was iconic?
The movie as a whole was disturbingly creepy, wildly
uncomfortable to watch at many points and the perfect blend of thriller and mystery to kick off the spooky season. The concept is already a hard pill to swallow — 17 third graders randomly go missing on the same night, all leaving their houses at 2:17 a.m. and never returning. But the truth about what happened to the children is so much more disturbing and supernatural than you can imagine. There was a lot of build-up throughout the movie about what was going on in the town, including a few jump scares and characters running creepily in a T-pose. The movie was only gory towards the end, which I prefer to see in horror. A movie that relies too heavily on gore becomes dull and gross, not interesting and nail-biting. The violence in the movie was appropriate for the context of the scenes, especially at the end when the children tear Gladys limb from limb. That was a satisfying, but nonetheless a nauseating, watch.
The movie is divided into different chapters; we see
the same events from various different perspectives and how everyone’s stories intersect more than they might realize. It started with a chapter for the third grade teacher of the missing kids, Justine (Julia Gardner), followed by one of the parents of the missing children, Archer (Josh Brolin). We saw a local cop, Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), followed by James (Austin Abrams), a homeless drugaddict. Lastly, we saw Alex’s chapter (Cary Christopher), who was the only child in the third-grade class who didn’t go missing. We then learn that Alex’s Aunt Gladys is the mastermind behind the entire kidnapping operation, using mind-control and witchcraft to keep herself and the children alive.
The best part about this movie is its originality. There’s no movie that I can truly compare to “Weapons” because the plot and the characters we meet are extremely unique, especially Aunt Gladys. She’s a ruthless, heartless villain in a goofy clown wig who uses a tree branch to control people’s
minds. Although we get a full picture of her villainy, I wish we had learned more about her backstory. Why does she survive on mind-control?
How did she figure that out?
How old is she?
This movie was addictive
and shocking, and I can’t wait to watch it again. I also can’t wait to see more from Zach Cregger in the future, as this is the first film of his I’ve seen, and as an avid horror fan, I’ll definitely be back for more.
COURTESY OF
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM/@HEARTBREAKNETFLIX
“Heartbreak High” debuted in 2022 and is awaiting the release of season three.
“Weapons” received a whopping 94% percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” proves that her 15 minutes of fame are far from being over. Carpenter begins the album with the banger of a single, “Manchild.” Within the song, Carpenter sings about a certain archetype of man, the manchild, a guy who is not all there mentally and relies on looks to get by. Carpenter also does some self-reflection, in which she acknowledges her part in choosing to interact with these men: “Oh, I like my boys playing hard to get / And I like my men all incompetent.” However, in true Carpenter fashion, she proclaims in the same verse that the men are the overall problem, singing, “And I swear they choose me, I’m not choosing them.” The upbeat popcountry feel of the song, alongside her witty lyrics, as always, adds to Carpenter’s repertoire of feel-good dance music.
The second single, “Tears,” is probably the weakest of the album. It does have good moments, such as the callback to the “Manchild” lyric of “Said your phone was broken/ Just forgot to charge it” with a response of “Remembering how to use your phone gets me oh so (Oh so), oh so hot.” However, the whole song feels like a way to satirically give a man instructions on how to correctly treat women. It is very onbrand for Carpenter, but it also seems like she might be trying to profit off of people knowing her music as being overly sexual, as she sings in the chorus, “I get wet at the thought of you / Being a responsible guy
(Wo)man’s Best Friend
/ Treating me like you’re supposed to do / Tears run down my thighs.”
“My Man On Willpower” might be one of the best songs she’s ever written. It is very reflective of the female experience when facing one of the most common and universal problems in the dating world today: the goal to be nonchalant. Men tend to think that women want a man who doesn’t want them, because they have trained us not to trust their intentions if they are too forward. The soft voice and catchy tune make this song beautiful, but the meaning really makes it one to stick in your head.
The fourth track, “Sugar Talking,” is a sultry criticism of a man who relies on apologies to get out of any real consequences for his repeatedly awful actions. One of Carpenter’s best lyrics is within this hidden gem, “Yeah, your paragraphs mean sh*t to me / It’s verbatim what you said last week.” Carpenter has always been the queen of well-phrased lines, but this one really takes the cake, at least as far as her seventh studio album goes.
The song with the longest title, “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” is a great example of how a toxic relationship continues to survive despite the acknowledgement of the situation being detrimental for everyone involved. A lot of women get criticized for remaining in toxic situations, but Carpenter perfectly encapsulates the feeling of trying to break up but not being able to when she sings, “And when I reach to pull the plug / I swear, it starts working out.” A plain guitar and some of the best
vocals she’s ever produced, alongside her carefully crafted words, create mid-album perfection.
As someone who recently went through a breakup, Carpenter’s “Nobody’s Son” is the perfect post-split anthem for all the girls who feel like they’ll never find the right guy. The sentiment that Carpenter presents in her chorus, “Probably should’ve guessed, he’s like the rest, so fine and so deceiving / There’s nobody’s son, not anyone left for me to believe in,” puts that feeling in words in such a beautifully poetic and melodic way.
“Never Getting Laid” is a great representation of trying to hope for the best for someone, but also still deeply hating what they did to you. Here, Carpenter’s witty humor and cheekiness work in harmonious balance within this song. A great lyrical example of this is in the second verse: “Us girls are fun, but stressful, am I right? / And you’ve got a right hand anyway.” These are the Carpenter innuendos that are perfect; ones that you would never guess on first listen, but if you played it on repeat enough, you would notice and chuckle.
The eighth track, “When Did You Get Hot?” is a good listen for when you’re finally ready to get back out on the dating scene. However, Carpenter perfectly curates the tracklist because the ninth track, “Go Go Juice,” is a reflection of being back out in the world but still being broken-hearted. The juxtaposition of these songs is perfectly placed and adds to the ambience of the overall album.
“Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry” is perfect for girls who
are entering their “I hate all men” villain era. It showcases a girl treating a man like men usually treat women, stringing them along.
Carpenter brings in some “Nonsense” inspiration with her track, “House Tour.” She sings, “I promise none of this is a metaphor” in the middle of making multiple innuendos in a song that is a metaphor in and of itself.
The final track, “Goodbye,” might be Carpenter’s best song
of all time. The whole melody, every note, feels very Abbaesque. “Goodbye means that you’re losing me for life / Can’t call it love then call it quits” and “Can’t have your cake and eat it too / By walking out that means you choose goodbye” are some of my favorite Carpenter lyrics of all time. The song is perfect post-breakup; not too sad, but the perfect mix of emotions. You can laugh over it, you can cry over it and you can get over it by listening to this song.
The Fordham Ram Crossword
6. NUMBER OF OSCAR NOMINATIONS AWARDED TO “WASHINGTON”
7. LAST NAME OF POLITICIAN CURRENTLY RUNNING FOR MAYOR
8. “SCARY MOVIE” ACTOR 10. FAMOUS LOS ANGELES DODGERS ANNOUNCER
5.
9. ACTOR THAT PLAYED HAWKEYE ON “M*A*S*H”
10. FIRST NAME OF FORMER FORDHAM FOOTBALL COACH AND NFL EXECUTIVE
COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM/@SABRINACARPENTER Carpenter released her new album “Man’s Best Friend” in August of this year.
Sweeney Shines as Volleyball Opens Season
By JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
During Fordham University Volleyball’s tumultuous 2024 season — one mired by injuries, inconsistency and a brutal conference schedule — virtually nothing stayed the same.
Amid the chaos, just one storyline remained unchanged. It wasn’t newsworthy. It would stay unmentioned on every broadcast. It was never written about in an article.
For 27 straight matches, next to the name “Erynn Sweeney” on the scoresheet, there were three familiar letters: “DNP.” Meaning did not play.
The then-sophomore outside hitter, after playing in select matches as a freshman, reserved herself to the sidelines for an entire season. She walked her sister, Lauryn Sweeney, to centercourt for her senior day. She put in maximum effort during warmups, while knowing she wouldn’t play. She sat and learned behind an outside hitter group that was as deep as it was skilled. She watched as thengraduate student Whitley Moody rewrote the record books, and was present when Moody tallied her program-record 25 kills in a four set match last season.
10 months later, in her first match in two years, Sweeney nearly broke that same record.
The 5’11” pin-hitter has a wiry frame and big shoes to fill. Having emerged as the team’s best option to fill the hole left by Moody — the team’s all time kills leader — and as the heir apparent to Lauryn Sweeney — who won
countless awards last year for her impact as a leader — Erynn has assumed an elevated role on and off the court.
During the Rams’ last game last season, Fordham emptied its bench. Everyone who was healthy played, except Sweeney.
“Coach Ian [Choi] always tells me: ‘just keep working,’”
Sweeney said later that night. Choi, who is entering his eighth season with Fordham, has seen Sweeney’s work pay off.
Sweeney was rewarded with an opening night start as Fordham traveled upstate to square off with Binghamton University on Friday, Aug. 29. After lineups were announced, Sweeney smiled and laughed alongside senior Audrey Brown while the Bearcats’ hype video played, as though she wasn’t moments away from the biggest match of her career.
The smile didn’t wear off her face all night.
In the opening frame, Sweeney did something her middle school self could’ve never imagined: at the service line, she led Fordham on its longest run of the night, opening up a 9-1 lead and forcing a Binghamton timeout.
“For most of my 12’s year, I could not serve over the net. I worked so hard everyday at practice – carefully listening to the technical corrections of my coaches … to figure out what I was doing wrong, going to the park with my dad to get extra practice time — but nothing seemed to work,” wrote Sweeney.
In 2025, on the Division-I stage, she recorded her team’s first ace of the season. She did
Athletes of the Week
In a tough season opener loss against the Boston College Eagles, graduate student linebacker James Conway was a bright spot for the Fordham University Rams. Conway was the team leader on defense as he recorded 17 total tackles, nine of which were solo. With his performance, Conway extended his Patriot League career tackles record, which he set last November, to 453. He will look to build on this number when the Rams take the field for their home opener at Moglia Stadium against Monmouth University on Sept. 6.
In their first week of competition in the 2025 season, junior Erynn Sweeney was a major contributor to the Rams’ efforts. She recorded a double-double in the Friday opener against Binghamton University, notching 27 kills and 15 digs and helping Fordham University Volleyball to their first win of the season. The following day, Sweeney led the Rams with 12 kills against Lehigh University. She added another seven kills against the University of Connecticut to close out the weekend. Sweeney and her fellow Rams will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 5, against Northeastern University.
not record an error until her 19th serve of the game.
Sweeney has traveled anything but an easy road to showcase her skills at this level, but for Choi, her mindset and character have allowed her to excel.
“Erynn has just been an amazing human being to coach,” said Choi. “She’s been through a lot with the sport and I’m so proud of how she’s responded to the adversity. I think almost any Division-I athlete can tell you how many times they’ve considered quitting … but Erynn has consistently and intentionally made decisions to frame these challenges in a productive way.”
Sweeney, as though channeling years of hard work and patience into one performance, did not stop after leading the Rams’ early charge. In a tight set two loss, she came up clutch once more, hammering six kills, including three kills in a span of five plays to give Fordham a late lead.
In set three, Fordham trailed early — until Sweeney rotated to the front row. Rattling off three consecutive kills, Sweeney brought the Rams even with the Bearcats. They didn’t look back, winning 25-22.
Set four was when a ‘great night’ became a chase for history.
As Binghamton threw its best punch, Sweeney, who had not
subbed out all game, was leaping higher than anyone to bury kill after much-needed kill. Late in the frame, she put the team on her back, finding holes in the back row, floating off-speed attacks over blockers or simply overpowering the defense with a line-drive spike. She finished the set with eight more kills, bringing her total to 25. Twenty-five, the all-time program record for kills in a four set game. Twenty-five, as set by Whitley Moody, the best player to don the Fordham maroon in program history.
The Rams, however, couldn’t pull off the set four win. Instead, Sweeney helped lift the team to an enthralling set five win. She elevated and delivered a kill to bring the team within one, 7-8, after they fell behind early. The next play, she skied and rejected an attack, tying the match. Fordham was never behind again. The Rams cemented the win, 15-10, on an emphatic kill from senior Zoe Talabong. Sweeney got the first touch.
The California native finished the night to a roaring ovation from her team, having lifted Fordham to a season-opening win. She logged 27 kills, 15 digs and seven block assists. Her previous career highs were three, two and two, respectively.
“It doesn’t surprise me that an
athlete forged in such a unique way to approach difficulty has finally found her footing with this historic performance,” said Choi.
Sweeney ranked T-2nd in the nation in kills and fourth in the nation with 31.5 points on a day nearly every Division-I team played. Sweeney leads the Atlantic 10 (A-10) in kills and is second in points.
Sweeney humbly called it “a good team win.”
Despite the unforgettable outing, Sweeney wasn’t alone in making history. Junior Tatum Holderied — after missing most of the 2024 season with injuries — appears to be healthy, to say the least, swatting a program record 15 blocks vs Binghamton. Behind Holderied, the Rams broke their all-time team record for total blocks in a game, with 18. After three matches, Holderied leads the entire A-10 with 2.27 blocks per set.
Sweeney would continue to pace the Rams offensively in their final two games of the weekend, which resulted in losses to high-caliber Lehigh University and University of Connecticut teams.
Sweeney and the Rams will play their next three matches this weekend at the Big Apple Tournament, hosted by the Columbia University Lions.
James Conway Graduate Student Football
Erynn Sweeney Junior Volleyball
Monmouth 6 p.m.
Columbia Invitational
Princeton Invitational
Junior Erynn Sweeney had a historic weekend for Fordham Volleyball to open the season.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Tommy Fleetwood Breaks No-Win Curse
By IAN NELSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Sometimes it just isn’t your day. Even for the best golfers, success is no guarantee. This is a given when competing at the highest level because every person you compete against is equally as good. But for the best of the best, victory will surely come. And for Tommy Fleetwood, it was just his time.
From Aug. 21 to 24, the PGA Tour Championship was held in Atlanta, Georgia, at the East Lake Golf Club. The best golfers remaining after the tournament’s field was cut down to 30 players, all vying for the major share of a purse worth $40 million. The favored player going into the weekend was world number one, Scottie Scheffler, an 18-time winner on the PGA Tour. However, at the end of day one, it was Russell Henley with a two-shot lead over Scheffler after an impressive round of 61 (-9).
Day two saw little shift in the standings with Henley remaining in the lead, now at -13, although his lead was solo no more. Tommy Fleetwood with opening rounds 64 and 63 jumped up to match Henley going into day three.
Saturday and Sunday are the biggest days of any golf tournament. Two days where even the smallest mistake can derail everything. Despite the pressure, if you can keep calm and minimize
mistakes, you may find yourself going home a champion. And who would know more about minimizing errors in the late stages than Fleetwood. Going into this tournament his exceptional career was blemished by his inability to close. According to ESPN, his 30 top-five finishes on the PGA Tour without a victory was the most for any golfer in the last 100 years. These top-five finishes included six runner-up finishes. And over his 12 year career on the PGA tour he had accumulated over $33 million in career earnings, the most by any golfer without a PGA Tour win.
It had been a long road to his first win, yet Fleetwood
always faced his struggles and close-calls with a positive attitude that garnered him a large fanbase. After his most recent close loss at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, he said in a post-round interview, “You know, we move on. There’s another week that’s next and I’ve just got to reflect on today and obviously keep pushing forward and try and put myself in that position again.” Even after a heartbreaker, Fleetwood’s ability to look to the future was met with admiration from his fans as well as his competitors. Somehow, even though his play was often better than the person who would go on to beat him, Fleetwood consistently
managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Heading into the Tour Championship, one can only imagine the pressure that had built up after 12 years worth of close calls.
Starting the final round, Fleetwood shared the lead with Patrick Cantlay, while Scheffler and Keegan Bradley nipped at their heels. After beginning his round with a birdie, his nearest challenger, Cantlay, started off poorly. After nine holes, he was three behind Fleetwood.
Despite a bogey at the 10th, Fleetwood remained two up for the majority of the back nine, with the field continuing to struggle on the East Lake
layout. When Fleetwood made consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th, his victory seemed a sure thing. With a bogey at the 15th, his lead dropped to two. But soon enough, Cantlay bogeyed the 16th to fall three back, and with pars on the 17th and 18th, Fleetwood finished -18, three up of Cantlay and Henley.
Speaking after his round, Fleetwood stated, “You just keep learning don’t you … This wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve been, but I feel like I’ve had a great attitude to ride it all out.” He also acknowledged his inconsistency, saying, “I was a bit erratic at times, but I was really proud with how I found my swing again on the 11th.”
To close out the interview, he said, “I’m proud of what I’ve done before, whether I’ve won or lost. I’m proud of my career and this doesn’t change that. Hopefully this win is the first of many to come. I’m just so happy I got it done and can continue to be the best I can be.”
Now, with his standing as the highest grossing player without a win gone, Fleetwood will look to add more wins to his record. But in golf, even for the best, a win never comes easily. In Fleetwood’s case though, another victory will surely come.
The Summer I Watched a Lot of Baseball
By MOLLY FRIEDMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
From power-hitting surges to tense playoff chases, it’s been a dramatic summer for New York baseball. Both the New York Yankees and New York Mets have proved to be well-rounded teams with some prominent areas for growth, keeping them out of the top spot in their respective divisions. The two teams faced each other twice this season in the historic Subway Series. The Yankees and Mets each walked away with 2-1 series wins at home.
As of Aug. 31, the Yankees have a 76-61 record heading into the tail end of the season. The team is second in the American League East and holds the top wild card spot. The Yanks are hungry for that top spot, only three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays, who lead the AL East. Winners of six of their last 10, the Yankees recently snapped a nine-game road win streak.
Despite a short stint on the injured list due to a flexor strain in his right elbow Aaron Judge is having another powerful season, currently hitting .321 with 42 homers and 96 RBIs. Judge also joined the top five for most home runs of any Yankee player. Trent Grisham has also been a standout player this season, hitting .246 with 28 homers and 57 RBIs. Grisham has been clutch in many key moments this summer, hitting
multiple grand slams for the team. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has also had a well-rounded season and is trying to join the 30-30 club. He has 26 home runs and 25 stolen bases with about a month of play left. Lastly, rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler has impressed with a 2.61 ERA.
In addition to some shining stars on the field, the Yankees prioritized being aggressive at the trade deadline — something they’ve avoided in recent years. The general manager, Brian Cashman, brought seven new players to the clubhouse at the deadline. The goal was to revamp the pitching and improve infield defense. So far, new players Jose Caballero, Ryan McMahon, Jake Bird and David Bednar are some names that joined the Yankees. So far, they have made a definite impact. Caballero has been picking up the slack at shortstop, McMahon has been dazzling at third base and Bednar has added depth to the relief pitching.
It has not been all big hits and smart moves for the Yankees this season. The team went through its typical summer and post-All-Star break slump. They lost multiple series in a row and were swept twice, once by the Boston Red Sox and once by the Toronto Blue Jays, who are both in the American League East. This is unfortunate because those are the teams the Yankees are battling with for a playoff spot. The
defense over the summer has also been below average. They have the ninth most errors in the league with a whopping 76. Anthony Volpe alone has accounted for 18 fielding errors, the second most in the league. He is hitting .210, which is below his career average. Despite his potential, both the coaching staff and fans are losing patience.
Across town in Queens, the Mets have had a decent season; their current record is 76-63, and they are second in the National League East, six and a half games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. With such a big gap behind the Phillies, the division title might be out of reach, but the team is still squarely in the Wild Card race. They are currently holding the final Wild Card spot in the National League behind the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs. Pete Alonso, or Polar Pete as he is known in the dugout, has had a recordbreaking season. On Aug. 12, he surpassed Darryl Strawberry for the most home runs of any Mets player in history, 253 and counting. He continues to be the Mets’ most consistent power hitter with an OPS of .868 and a slugging of .518. Francisco Lindor has also had a historic season, reaching the milestones of 1,500 career hits, 250 homers and 200 stolen bases. He set a clubhouse record of eight leadoff home runs this season. Outfielder Brandon Nimmo
has provided steady production for this team and tied the Mets’ single-game RBI record of 9 RBIs on April 28. This team would not have their potential without significant prospects such as Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong making their respective major league debuts this year. They both made their first major league starts in the last few weeks. After his first three starts, McLean has an ERA of 0.89. In his most recent start, he threw eight shutout innings against the Phillies to lead the Mets to a 6-0 victory. The Mets put up an impressive 19 runs against the Marlins on Aug. 29, backed by five calm and efficient innings from Jonah Tong. This season in the minors, he had an inspiring 1.43 ERA. These two young stars could add a lot of productivity to this Mets team in the coming years.
While Juan Soto has surged, other areas have faltered. The starting pitching and the bullpen have been incredibly inconsistent this season. Injuries and subpar starts from players such as David Peterson and Kodai Senga have led to a middle-of-the-pack team ERA of 3.86. The Mets were also fairly active at the trade deadline, acquiring big names such as Ryan Helsley, Cedric Mullins and Gregory Soto. Midseason acquisitions often inject new energy, but that hasn’t been the case for the Mets. Helsley made four blown saves after joining the Mets, which put pressure on
the rest of the team to compensate. Gregory Soto has been mediocre at best; there is nothing to write home about. Lastly, the Mets broke the record for the most home runs in a single month in August, but ended the month with a record of 11-17. This statistic implies a fundamental disconnect between power production and execution on the field and from the bullpen.
Looking ahead, the Yankees have a demanding schedule for the remainder of the season. They have two series against the Baltimore Orioles, one against the Boston Red Sox and one against the Toronto Blue Jays, all teams in the AL East. The Yankees have struggled against the Blue Jays this season with a record of 3-7. To give themselves a solid chance at the league title, they need to perform against this daunting adversary. The Mets are also beginning a challenging stretch in their schedule. They have two series against the Philadelphia Phillies, which will determine the league title. The Mets need to be efficient with their power hitting and use the strong bats to their advantage.
Both of these New York teams have set themselves up well heading into the season’s final stretch. In the race to October, it’ll come down to who can execute under pressure — when it matters the most.
Professional golfer Tommy Fleetwood hoists the PGA Tour Championship trophy.
What Could be the Future of MLB Expansion?
By KURT SIPPEL STAFF WRITER
During the Little League Classic between the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners, Robert Manfred, the commissioner of the MLB, went into the broadcast booth.
Manfred dropped a major bombshell — the MLB is looking to expand, with a possibility of geographical realignment of teams.
Social media went into an uproar over Manfred’s comments, with some believing that this might be the end of the American (AL) and National (NL) Leagues. Many of the classic AL and NL teams are projected to be moving into the same divisions.
The realignment is being advertised as a way to give the players extra rest and shorter travel times. It is also a way to set up better matchups when it comes to the playoffs and television ratings. Manfred detailed his idea live: “That 10 o’clock timeslot where we sometimes get BostonAnaheim would be two West Coast teams,” Manfred said. “That’s a problem for us sometimes, [because it] becomes a real opportunity for our West Coast audience.”
Certain games taking place across the United States start too late for those on the East
Coast, and too early for those on the West Coast. Instead of getting an East Coast vs. West Coast matchup late at night, now games would become regionalized to cater to specific audiences.
This new model has worked wonders for the NBA, which relies on its regional rivalries to sell its playoffs. After the NBA made the switch, the professional sports association saw a 12% rise in viewership last year. In recent news, the NBA secured an 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal with the postseason format they have been using, which has proven to work for their teams nationwide.
This geographic realignment would also help the MLB immensely with interest in its
postseason product. Last season, there was an 18% increase from the season before in divisional series viewing. This had a lot to do with the teams that were playing against each other.
The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have a long standing rivalry, with other opening rounds including big names like the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Other matchups in the AL included the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians in the Midwest, and the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals.
The truth behind the realignment is that its purpose is to avoid the opening rounds of matchups that viewers are less likely to tune into. Television
providers are not willing to pick up the NL Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves and Padres, these other games that do not excite the fans.
There is no doubt that MLB saw this deal and felt like they were being left in the dust. Earlier this year, news broke that ESPN was stopping Sunday Night Baseball after they opted out of the last three years of their deal. There have been reports about a new deal that might be on the horizon, incorporating media outlets like NBC and Netflix. It is safe to say that the MLB’s current product is just not working anymore.
While fans are afraid that some signature rivalries like the Mets and the Braves might
no longer exist if they get split up in this new plan, others are excited for centralized games across each coast.
The question is: will the positives outweigh the negatives if the MLB is unable to maintain a large viewership and media deals?
Without viewership, they will no longer be able to exist. The MLB is banking on these changes to help get more money into the sport and eyes on the game to grow it even further.
As the MLB makes these changes, it is also considering expanding to two brand new cities that will help grow the game and start brand new regional rivalries. The possible city expansion includes Salt Lake City, Utah and Charlotte, North Carolina, which both have great sports cultures that have been built up over the years with their NBA and National Hockey League (NHL) teams.
These new teams would help change the landscape of the MLB after realignment and start new rivalries if the MLB attempts to force the old ones to end. Currently, the MLB is not in it to end rivalries; after all, it makes them the most money. It is taking a swing at trying to make a product that is more palatable for the companies that air the games.
MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM
Rob Manfred teased an upcoming MLB expansion during the Little League Classic.
By IAN NELSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Fordham Water Polo Begins Season 4-0
On Saturday, Aug. 30, the third-ranked Fordham Water Polo team began their season at the Bruno Classic, hosted at Harvard University. The two day event featured several top-ranked opponents including ninth-ranked University of the Pacific and Harvard, who started the season ranked No. 18, with Long Island University (LIU) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) rounding out the field.
On day one of the classic, the Rams secured wins against MIT and Harvard.
Against MIT, the game started off slow. A low scoring first quarter had the Rams leading 2-1 before they turned it up in the second quarter, scoring eight times to build a 10-4 halftime lead with sophomores Luca Provenziani and Andras Toth each netting hat tricks in the first half. The Rams remained in control in the second half, scoring five times in both the third and fourth quarter to cap a 20-8 victory.
In the second game, Fordham faced off against Harvard. The Rams took a 5-2 lead after the first quarter via a pair of goals by senior Balazs Berenyi. Graduate student Matthew Bonello
DuPuis made three saves in the second quarter to keep the lead. The Rams led 11-8, but would score three of the first four goals to open the final frame, before going on to win 15-11.
On Aug. 31, the Rams completed a perfect weekend. The Rams opened the day by beating Pacific, before defeating LIU. Going into day two, the Rams
would be faced with their biggest challenge of the weekend in ninth-ranked Pacific. The Rams led 3-2 after the first quarter. They went on to score the first three goals of the second quarter to build up a 6-2 lead. Pacific mounted a small comeback to bring the score to 8-6, but a goal by junior Barnabas Eppel with 0.1 second left in the quarter gave Fordham a 9-6 lead at the
half. The Rams scored the opening four goals of the third quarter for a 13-6 lead. Fordham went on to win 18-14. The team was led by sophomore Andras Toth with a game-high five goals for Fordham. In their second game of the day, the Rams dominated, scoring seven times in the first half, while netting six in the third quarter and five in the fourth for a blowout win,
25-5. Next up for the Rams is the Princeton Invitational from Sept. 6-7. Fordham will face defending national champion University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Santa Clara University. In addition, the Rams will have an exhibition contest on Sept. 6 against Ferencvárosi TC, a Hungarianbased club team that recently won the Champions League.
Overtime: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and Baseball
By GRACE McCARRON SPORTS EDITOR
Even with the great advances made in sports medicine over the years, some injuries and conditions remain mysterious. As time goes on and baseball players begin and end their careers, new issues arise that the sport must unpack and attempt to remedy. In recent years, there has been one that pops up among pitchers that has the potential to derail careers: thoracic outlet syndrome.
To baseball fans, thoracic outlet syndrome can elicit a sense of extreme uncertainty. This comes from several examples of past players who have experienced the condition. To those in the New York area, the first case that might come to mind is former New York Mets star pitcher Matt Harvey. Harvey was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome in 2016 after struggling during the season, coming off three ace-caliber seasons since his rookie year in 2012. Harvey was never the same pitcher, due to both the surgery he underwent for this condition and other injuries. Another prominent example in recent memory is the 2019 World Series Most Valuable Player, Stephen Strasburg. In 2019, Strasburg became the first pitcher in MLB history to record five postseason wins in a single season without a loss. Two years later, he
began experiencing shoulder and neck issues and underwent surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. He never returned to his stellar form, appearing in only five games in 2021 and one in 2022 in what would be the last game of his career. He retired after the 2023 season having not appeared in a single game that year due to nerve-related issues with his thoracic outlet recovery.
Thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when blood vessels or nerves in the thoracic outlet region (the upper chest between the ribcage and clavicle) are compressed. This causes pain in the shoulder, arm or hand. The three types, arterial, neurogenic and venous, all have different implications.
Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, the kind that struck Harvey and Strasburg, occurs when the nerves are compressed in the thoracic outlet area.
On Aug. 16, Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler was placed on the Injured List due to a right upper extremity blood clot near his right shoulder. The following week, the team announced his diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome and that he would miss the rest of the 2025 season after getting decompression surgery. Venous thoracic outlet syndrome occurs if a vein is pinched, forming a blood clot in the thoracic outlet region. If all goes as expected during his surgery, Wheeler could be able to return for
the start of the 2026 season. However, this doesn’t guarantee that he will return as the same Wheeler that Phillies fans have come to recognize as a cornerstone of their rotation. Since joining the Phillies in 2020, Wheeler has put together a 69-37 record with an earned run average of 2.91 and 1,094 strikeouts. He’s been a mainstay in National League Cy Young races over the past few seasons. While Philadelphia has one of the deepest rotations in the game, Wheeler’s consistency will be sorely missed as the team pushes for a deep playoff run.
Thoracic outlet syndrome might be unfamiliar to those outside the baseball realm because it is fairly unusual. About one to three per 100,000 people are affected
by the condition. The scariest part of thoracic outlet syndrome for Major League Baseball is how much remains unknown. While surgery usually allows players to return to games, it is not a surefire solution.
Watching some of the great pitchers of their eras go down with this mystifying condition is but a small concern for MLB. The sheer rarity of the condition makes it difficult to know how to move forward and ensure a higher rate of successful returns to the sport. It remains to be seen how Zach Wheeler will look upon returning from his surgery, but any fan of baseball should hope he returns to his dominant form, a pleasure to watch every five days.
COURTESY OF DIEGO TRESA/THE FORDHAM RAM
MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM
A Fordham water polo player celebrates the team’s fourth consecutive win.
MLB All-Star Zach Wheeler is one of many pitchers dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome.