Graduate Student Workers Protest Grievances Against GSAS Administration
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
Graduate student workers (GSW) rallied outside of the William D. Walsh Family Library on Sept. 17 to protest grievances against Fordham University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). The grievance topics included issues with GSW health insurance, payment cycles and Graduate Student Council (GSC) officers’ compensation.
“We’re out here today because despite that excellent contract that some people in this very crowd worked extremely hard to get and fought really hard for, the administration of Fordham University has been seemingly waging a systematic campaign to disregard that contract, to disrespect it and ultimately to disrespect us as workers and as students here at Fordham University,”
Fordham Administration Reacts to Drop in Ranking
By NORA MALONE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Fordham University has dropped six spots in the 2026 U.S. News and World Report Best National Universities ranking. Fordham is now placed at number 97 out of the 436 National Universities, dropping from their position of 91 last year.
“We are proud to continue being recognized as one of the nation’s best universities. It speaks volumes and reinforces our commitment to standing for what matters most: making lives better through education and service,” said University Spokesperson Jennifer Petra in a statement to The Fordham Ram. “While it’s disappointing to see Fordham’s ranking slide, it’s important to look at the U.S. News & World Report rankings with perspective
as changes in methodology over the years have impacted how universities—particularly, private universities—fare.
Fordham’s new strategic plan is focused on enhancing areas where we are most likely to move the needle on key metrics to improve our ranking, and we are resolute in securing Fordham’s standing as one of the nation’s premier institutions.”
Fordham is tied at 97 with Florida International University, Rutgers University-Camden, Texas Christian University and University of Colorado Boulder. Fordham last rose in the rankings in 2021, when the University went from 74th to 66th on the list.
According to the report, Fordham is also ranked 10th in International Business, 25th in Best Undergraduate Teaching
SEE RANKING, PAGE 5
said Molly Crawford, a Ph.D. candidate in the GSAS theology department and one of the Fordham Graduate Student Workers Union (FGSW) chief stewards.
In the spring of 2024, FGSW and Fordham reached a contract agreement after almost two years of bargaining sessions. But now, a year into that contract, FGSW is again
Commuting Students Association Hosts Second Annual Inauguration
By NORA MALONE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Fordham University Commuting Students Association (CSA) held its second annual inauguration on Monday, Sept. 15. The event highlighted the new members of their executive and general assembly boards. Twenty-seven new board members were inaugurated at the event.
“Inauguration marks the beginning of their leadership, setting the tone for the impact they are responsible for bringing throughout the school year,” said Jasmine James, FCRH ’26, executive board vice president. “It emphasizes that being elected into their positions is not the finish line, but the beginning of their journey to serving the commuter community.”
The inauguration consists of an Executive Board pledge, a general assembly pledge, pledging signing and receipt of certificates by CSA members. In addition to the executive board,
September 24, 2025
Nap Pod Introduced to Promote Commuter Student Wellness
By RAEANN GOPAUL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
When Kellen Zeng, GSB ’25, the former president of Fordham University’s Commuting Students Association, told Grace Shin, FCRH ’28, about how she had been sleeping overnight in the library during finals week because her commute home wasn’t worth the lost study time, Shin, a former 2028 United Student Government (USG) Class Senator, realized Fordham’s commuter students needed more support.
The conversation, which occurred in November of 2024, sparked an initiative that culminated this month when Fordham introduced its first napping pod, located in the McShane Campus Center at Rose Hill. The pilot program represents a new approach to addressing wellness concerns among the university’s commuter population.
Commuter students, who make up a significant portion
SEE NAPPING, PAGE 5
Fordham Launches Bronx Green Jobs Initiative
By LALLEYAH CAMARA ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University broke ground on an approximately $16 million project on July 10. The Bronx Green Jobs Center is a new initiative aimed at connecting Bronx residents to jobs in the continuously growing green economy.
“Fordham’s first-of-its-kind hub will deliver best-in-class job training and employment services in sustainable industries, provide high-quality classrooms and convening spaces for local community organizations, and support aspiring entrepreneurs in launching new green businesses,” said Travis Proulx, vice president of External Affairs, in an email.
The center will open in the fall of 2026 and will be housed in a vacant industrial building — a former billiard hall and, more recently, a carpet store. Located at 585 Fordham Road, the
Rcenter “will feature modern lab and learning environments for hands-on training, New York’s first dedicated green economy entrepreneurship center, a welcoming event space capable of hosting up to 200 attendees, and a streetside café offering locally produced goods,” Proulx said in the email.
In a press release, the university specified that the
center aims to address specific areas of green efficiency such as electronic vehicles, solar energy efficiency and urban farming and agriculture.
“The start of construction on the Bronx Green Jobs Center is an exciting first step in this initiative that will combine our deep expertise in STEM education and our SEE GREEN PAGE 5
Over 50 graduate students, many holding signs, gathered in front of the William D. Walsh Family Library.
SIENNA REINDERS/THE FORDHAM RAM
Tania Tetlow and community partners unveiled the new center on July 10.
MARISOL DIAZ FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
SEE CSA, PAGE 4
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS
McShane Campus Center
Sept. 19
6:15 p.m.
On Friday, there was a fire alarm in the McShane Campus Center. The supervisor and FDNY responded. The investigation revealed there was no smoke or fire. The supervisor reset the alarm panel.
Fordham Preparatory School
Sept. 2o
12:06 a.m.
On Saturday, the supervisor observed strobe lights activated inside Fordham Preparatory School. The supervisor entered the location. The alarm panel indicated smoke detector common room #8. There was no smoke or fire. The supervisor resent the alarm panel and notified the Prep watch engineer to respond. It is noted that FDNY responded to Campus and stated that they were responding to Hughes Hall.
Loschert Hall Sept. 17
2:20 p.m.
On Wednesday, the resident assistant of Loschert Hall reported a strong smell of marijuana inside the residence hall. The supervisor responded. The resident assistant located the offender. The offender covered the room’s smoke detector to prevent the smoke detector from working.
An Inside Look at Fordham’s On-Campus
By JORDAN DONEGAN STAFF WRITER
Fordham University’s oncampus shuttle at Rose Hill has been in place for over a decade, but many students say they are unaware that the shuttle exists. University spokespeople said they will focus on “clearly identifying the campus shuttle” as part of the university’s rebranding initiative.
The on-campus shuttle, which runs from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, transports around 50 Fordham community members across campus per day, according to Deputy University Spokesperson Jane Kidwell Martinez.
First introduced to the Fordham community in 2010, the service is run by Public Safety and is staffed by student workers. Martinez said that the service is a safe way for students, particularly those with mobility issues, to travel across campus.
“It is a safe, convenient way for community members to travel on campus,” Martinez said in an email to The Fordham Ram. “Particularly those with mobility or
accessibility issues. Many community members chose to utilize the on-campus shuttle during inclement weather.”
Martinez says that Fordham community members can identify the shuttle as a white Honda or Toyota minivan with a Fordham logo. According to Martinez, there are “designated” shuttle stops at the front of most buildings on campus.
Students can utilize a mobile app called TransLoc to track the shuttle’s exact location, according to Martinez.
Mary Byrnes, director for the office of disability services (ODS), told The Fordham Ram in an email that in order to properly use the app, students should be sure to select “Fordham University” when initially logging in. She also said the app only allows its users to view routes when they are in the vicinity of Fordham University.
According to Byrnes, the on-campus shuttle has also been regarded as an important aspect of making Fordham’s campus more accessible for students with disabilities.
“An on-campus shuttle is definitely important,” Byrnes said. “There are many people
with mobility issues who would benefit from it.”
While Martinez described the service as a safe and convenient way for students to access different parts of Fordham’s campus, Byrnes said that the shuttle can often be unreliable because it is driven by student workers.
“Public safety does and tries its best to have this supplementary service available from 7:30 am-7:30 pm, but it is driven by student workers, and student workers are not always available, unfortunately,” Byrnes said.
According to Martinez, the shuttle is not wheelchair accessible, despite being utilized by a large number of Fordham community members with mobility disabilities.
Kathryn Cox, FCRH ’27, said she utilized the shuttle service daily after she had a hip operation last spring. Cox found out about the service through her athletic trainer, and said that the service was “so slow, but so helpful” in terms of getting her across campus.
Cox said that she was able to access the shuttle service by calling Public Safety, and did not need to utilize the
TransLoc app. “I just called Public Safety … they picked me up at the corner of Campbell and dropped me off wherever I needed,” said Cox.
Jeremy Andre, GSB ’28, said that he was unaware that Fordham had an on-campus shuttle service, despite being an employed driver of Fordham’s Intercampus Transportation System since last February. Andre said that he wishes the university advertised the service more.
When asked how he would use the service, Andre said, “Just [for] getting to class and moving across campus … It’s not super inconvenient, but just having that option would be really nice.”
As Fordham works to increase community awareness of the shuttle service, Byrnes said that the shuttle remains a crucial component in terms of making the campus more accessible for students with mobility issues and disabilities.
“Public Safety is a great partner and is always willing to help out the community when possible, so that is why Public Safety tries to provide this student-run shuttle whenever possible,” Byrnes said.
This Week at Fordham
Wednesday Sept. 24
School Supplies Service
Lowenstein 307 3 p.m.
members of the Fordham community they we make school supply care packages for neighborhood kids and include notes of affirmation, as part of our fall 2025 Ignatian service programming.
This map of the Rose Hill campus shows the locations where the on-campus shuttle stops.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM Follow The Fordham Ram on X, Facebook and Instagram.
Fordham’s Student Life Council Hosts Invited Guests
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University's Student Life Council (SLC) met for the first time this semester on Sept. 17 to host invited guests and go over initial plans for the year. Several items were scheduled to be presented by members of the community. Two of the individuals were not present at the meeting, but the third, Isabella Marino, FCRH ’26, brought up the process of starting a club. She noted that the link on the United Student Government (USG) website was from 2022 and could no longer be accessed. Marino had reached out to USG, but hadn’t heard back.
Executive President of USG, Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, shared that the issue with the link has been brought up, and the correct one should be under Committees/Operations on the USG website. Assistant Dean for Student Involvement Catharine McGlade also had mentioned that usgopsrh@fordham.edu is the direct USG email for club questions, and that students in the same situation should reach out to that one instead of the main USG email.
The first invited guest, the inaugural Dean of Arts and Sciences, Jessica Lang, Ph.D., made an appearance at this SLC meeting to share a little bit about herself and to field any questions from the council.
Sean Huynh, FCRH ’27, who is the vice president of the AI club at Fordham, asked what Fordham is doing about
artificial intelligence (AI) and the increasing presence of it in society. Lang handed the question off to Judith Jones, a professor in the philosophy department at Fordham. Jones noted that the university and faculty are not approaching this problem with a top-down approach, but with a general policy.
“The University has opted to have an AI policy that allows maximum flexibility and academic freedom for our many schools, faculty, and students whose teaching and learning and professional work require very different interfaces with AI,” Jones shared in an email to The Fordham Ram at a later date.
The next invited guest to speak was Senior Associate Dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill, David Swinarski, who discussed his new position within the arts and sciences department at Fordham and the overall restructuring of the department.
The final invited guest was Fordham’s new Director of Dining Business Operations and Contract Management, Orla Fitzsimons. She began by describing her role, noting that she is a liaison between Aramark — the university’s food service — and the Fordham community. Fitzsimons then fielded questions from the council.
Hannorah Ragusa, FCRH ’26 the chief communications officer for the Resident Halls Association (RHA) at Fordham, asked about how the new
delivery robots were holding up on campus. Fitzsimons mentioned positive reviews overall and shared that the robots recently gained the ability to transport drinks as well as food.
To begin with discussing SLC business, the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Rose Hill, Christopher Rodgers, noted that SLC functions both as a council and as a town hall, and that anyone who shows up can bring up a topic. Rodgers also shared that if someone wants to speak on something, then they can email ahead of time to slc@fordham.edu.
Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life, Charles Clency, then presented the August monthly intoxication report. There were 15 students transported for intoxication and four who refused medical attention (RMA) since the beginning of the semester. In comparison, in 2024 at this time, there were 11 intoxication transports and three RMAs. The year prior, there were 24 intoxication transports and six RMAs.
The representative for the Campus Activities Board (CAB), Aishna Gaikwad, GSB ’26, noted the upcoming Family Weekend event on campus. The event runs from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26 at Rose Hill; there is a list of events available on the Fordham website, as well as a place to reserve tickets for the events.
Hjertberg then updated
the council on USG. Despite initial issues with Information Technology, the class of 2029 senate elections were successful. Hjertberg shared that there would be special elections for the classes of 2026 and 2027 senate at the USG meeting the next day on Sept. 18. Hjertberg also mentioned a new major USG proposal adjustment: There will now be four proposal writing teams to ensure proposals get written and executed in a timely manner.
Vice President of Operations for USG, Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28, shared that the new club form for this semester will be available on the USG website until late October. Pathak also noted that in an effort to make the club process more transparent, there would be weekly updates given at the
USG meetings on where each club is in the club process.
Executive President of RHA, Anna Calendrillo, FCRH ’26, mentioned that RHA General Board elections were posted on Sept. 19, and that special elections for the remaining seats will be open to vote until Thursday, Sept. 25.
Following updates, transfer student, Diana Carroll, GSB ’28, an audience member, asked about the residential room checks. A Resident Assistant (RA) Justina Diaz, FCRH ’26, responded to the question, sharing that the RAs can’t go into drawers, closets, etc. Clency chimed in to note that there are usually room checks during fire drills, and two usually happen per semester with one announced.
The next SLC meeting will be held on Oct. 15.
USG Holds Special Elections for Open Senate Seats
By SOFIA SEMPER COLUMNIST
The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Sept. 18 for special elections and to discuss the university’s strategic plan with Fordham's administration.
Fordham University’s Vice President and Chief of Staff Michael R. Trerotola spoke to USG about the University’s strategic plan, which he said hopes to deliver on “the promise of Fordham.”
There are three parts to this plan: centering students, advancing research as well as academic excellence and forging community. The first part — centering students — focuses on empowering and inspiring first-year students, according to Trerotola. He explained that retention is a key part of their plan and that they hope to lower the number of students who transfer out of Fordham.
With this goal in mind, Trerotola announced that his office hired a Vice Provost for Student Success to better align student services and academic records. They hope to
enhance experiential learning, such as internships, for all students, to leverage New York City as a launchpad for students’ careers and make Fordham ’s education more accessible.
For the second part of their plan, advancing research as well as academic excellence, Trerotola said that Fordham plans to design distinctive academic programs, launch cutting-edge STEM programs and cultivate collaborative and interdisciplinary research beginning with the professors and then students.
The last part of their strategic plan is centered around building trust in the Fordham community through transparency and integrity. This part of their plan has already been put in motion, specifically with the Class of 2029, with emphasizing the “One Fordham” motto.
Trerotola alongside President Tania Tetlow want Rose Hill and Lincoln Center students to have the same Fordham experience.
Trerotola opened the floor for discussion and questions from USG members. Vice President of Dining and Facilities Maddie
Ando, FCRH ’27, asked if Ram Vans would be free under the effort to unite both campuses. Trerotola said that this idea has been discussed before, however, it would be too costly for the University to maintain.
USG Vice President of Budget and Finance Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26, asked if students should expect another tuition increase with the addition of all of these programs. Trerotola said that, looking at the University’s financial data historically, an increase will eventually happen, but it will not be a drastic change.
Senator Whitney Egbe, FCRH ’28, suggested that they start offering financial aid scholarships but on a percentage basis so that the scholarship amounts increase when tuition also increases.
Executive Vice President Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, asked how Fordham is preparing for retention debt and possible budget cuts in the current political as well as financial climate. Trerotola said that he and his office are constantly
vigilant and preparing for these types of situations.
Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, said that Fordham had recently hired a Director of Federal Relations, as reported by The Fordham Ram in February, who works in Washington D.C.
USG held special elections for two open seats on the Class of 2026 and Class of 2027 senate after Trerotola’s presentation.
Kabir Patel, GSB ’26, and Karam Youssef, GSB ’26, ran for the 2026 Class Senate Gabelli seats and were both elected.
Patel explained that he is very grateful for his Fordham experiences so far and, in his last year here, he would like to give back to the Fordham community by being part of USG and working on initiatives that will change the student experience for the better.
Youssef stated that he has seen the difference that USG can make through his own work on different committees when he sat as a sophomore senator, and that he would like to have the
chance to continue to make a difference on campus.
The Class of 2027 senate special elections had four students running for only two available Gabelli seats. Ashley Garcia, GSB ’27, and Carter Soderberg, GSB ’27, were both elected to fill the two positions.
Garcia explained that she is a first-generation college student, and she was denied medical accommodations from Fordham this fall. She said that the system failed her and that it is failing others as well. She explained that, if she were elected, she would work to make sure students are never denied accommodations. She also plans to expand community mentorship programs in the Bronx.
In his speech, Soderberg explained how his time on USG was cut short due to an unexpected health diagnosis. However, he said that from his experiences, he learned teamwork and resilience that he plans to bring to USG. He specifically wants to help students with disabilities. USG will meet next on Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
Fordham ’s Student Life Council (SLC) met on Sept. 17.
EMMA LEONARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
GSWs Allege Shortcomings by GSAS Administration
alleging unfair treatment of GSWs by the university.
GSWs are compensated with a stipend — a fixed sum of money — that is paid in twoweek pay cycles throughout the course of the academic year, according to Dakota Hampton, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the theology department. However, on Aug. 8, when students received their first paychecks, they only received a week’s worth of compensation. Hampton said that in past years, regardless of the first pay date, they have always received two weeks’ worth of compensation in each pay cycle. He also said that the university did not inform GSWs that this year’s payment would be different.
At the rally, Alex Gruber, a third-year Ph.D. student in the theology department, read a testimony by an FGSW union member about the personal effects of the altered pay cycle.
“Receiving only half of my expected paycheck in early August was more than a minor inconvenience. It was a destabilizing event,” Gruber said, reading the testimony.
“By the time August arrives, that first paycheck is not a cushion, but a lifeline. It is what allows us to pay rent, buy groceries and begin to recover from the strain of
three months without income.
To receive only half of what was expected created a level of stress and financial insecurity I had no ability to plan for.”
Speakers at the event also talked about recent issues regarding GSW health insurance.
Students are typically notified by the administration shortly before their university-provided health insurance expires so that they can go through the proper steps to reenroll in the program, according to Hampton. However, students did not receive an email this year until almost two weeks after their coverage ended on Aug. 22. In an email read by sixth-year Ph.D. candidate Matthew Siebert at the rally, Nick McIntosh, also a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate, said he did not discover that he was without insurance until he went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription.
“This is not a minor oversight. It is a grave error, exposing graduate students to serious financial and medical risks. I’m disturbed when I consider how long I might have been uninsured before someone took notice and informed me,” Siebert said, reading an email that McIntosh sent to the university on Aug. 28.
Crawford also talked about ongoing issues regarding GSC officers’ compensation and the effect they have had on the current GSC president,
Anya Wang, GSC ’26. Last spring, GSAS determined that the work of the GSC president and vice president should be compensated as service rather than work. The administration and FGSW are in ongoing discussions regarding this compensation.
The university has addressed several of these claims in a fact sheet given to The Fordham Ram by Justin Bell, vice president of marketing and communications.
In response to the claim that “instructors are receiving half their paychecks,” the fact sheet stated that because the GSW fall assignments started on Aug. 2, midway through the two-week payroll period, they were only to be paid for one week’s worth of work on their first pay date of Aug. 8.
The fact sheet also responded to the issue of GSC officers’ compensation. The statement clarified that GSAS does intend to pay GSC officers, but that the compensation should reflect the roles’ definition as service rather than work.
In response to the claims regarding GSW health insurance, university spokesperson Jennifer Petra said that the university is not aware of any situations in which students have lost their health insurance coverage. Petra also said, “GSAS (and the University) continue to adhere
to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement (labor contract) signed in May 2024 and have worked with the union to resolve any differences that may arise.”
Aside from the rally, FGSW is also making its voice heard through a petition aimed at Ann Gaylin, vice dean of GSAS. The petition includes a letter that details recent actions by the administration and their impact on GSWs.
The letter asserts that the administration has failed to care for GSWs as whole people, a value central to Fordham’s
mission of cura personalis. Rally speakers echoed this, saying recent actions conflict with the university’s Jesuit identity.
“The teachings of the Catholic Church on social justice, on workers’ rights, the right to have a union, of living wage to be able to support a family, those all matter a lot to me,” Gruber said. “And to be at a university where I see those values being preached by administrative officials, but not carried out on the ground for graduate students, deeply disappoints and frustrates me.”
Commuting Students Association Welcomes New Members
each class year has its own general assembly board. These boards include a president, vice president, program coordinator, marketing coordinator and treasurer.
Liyana Khan, GSB ’28, the incoming sophomore board president, said, “I wanted to have experience in marketing, treasury, and program coordinating, so running for president would give me the opportunity to experience all. I wanted to be challenged, have an opportunity to grow as a leader, and contribute to CSA as much as possible.”
CSA hosts year-round events to build community and offer resources for commuter students.
They prioritize accessibility, often scheduling events midafternoon so students have time to commute home.
Adam Lahoumah, FCRH ’29, ran for first-year board vice president, alongside his friend Martin Rastenis, FCRH ’29, who ran for first-year board president.
“When we were running around campus collecting ballots, we talked with fellow commuters ranging from freshmen to seniors, and we realized that they, too, agreed with our observations and could relate how life as a commuter is not easy at Fordham,” Lahoumah said.
“This inspired us to be a part of the freshmen board to help the incoming freshmen
transition to Fordham in an environment that, despite being far from campus, has access to necessities, opportunities to socialize and make friends, and most importantly, to be a part of the Ramily.”
Beyond events, CSA also works with university administration and the United Student Government on initiatives to change or add resources to the university. CSA has already had successes this year with the debut of their nap pods in McShane. These pods can be booked via 25Live and provide students with a place to rest between classes.
“Seeing our idea come to fruition was incredibly fulfilling,” said Khan. “It serves
as a reminder of what we are capable of doing when we are able to commit meaningful change.”
Previously, CSA has worked with the university to improve the commuter student experience by pushing class registration time back to 8 a.m., and last year, it was able to get the William D. Walsh Family Library to offer study rooms earlier in the day for students who may have early online classes.
CSA believes that the initiatives they bring to campus benefit the entire student body, not just commuters.
“I hope to bring new ideas to CSA as to what they can do for not just commuters, but even those in the dorms can enjoy as well,” said Jeremy Batista, GSB ’29, first-year board treasurer. “I also hope that after the conclusion of the school year, people will embrace the commuter life and realize that they can still get the ‘college experience’ whilst commuting from home.”
The inauguration was hosted in Bepler Commons and prioritized recognizing and honoring the incoming board members and starting the year strong.
“It is important to recognize members of CSA through an event like this because a lot goes on behind the scenes in planning events and advocating for commuter concerns,” said Senior Board
Treasurer Lana Santiago, GSB ’26. “However, it’s also great to share that moment of recognition among other individuals who are here for the same initiative, that is, to represent the commuter population at Fordham.”
At the first inauguration last year, then-President Kellen Zeng, GSB ’25, highlighted a desire to make the event a longlasting tradition. The current board echoes that idea and wants the event to continue to grow.
“This celebration is not just to recognise the roles of commuting students and their elected positions, but also to create a strong sense of belonging and visibility within the wider campus community,” said Joanne Pan, GSB ’27, executive board class program coordinator. “By having this inauguration, it helps us to foster connections between commuting students and faculty.”
At the center of the event was a desire to recognize and uplift CSA members for their hard work and dedication.
“Recognition is powerful. It validates the hard work of our members and leaders while inspiring others to get involved,” said Jasmine Peña Garcia, FCRH ’27. “This event ensures that everyone sees the value of their contributions in making CSA stronger.”
FROM CSA, PAGE 1
Students gathered outside despite the rain.
SIENNA REINDERS / THE FORDHAM RAM
Members of Fordham’s Commuting Students Association pose for a photo at their second annual inauguration.
ANALISA BROWN-BEEBE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
New Nap Pod Now Available to Students
FROM NAPPING, PAGE 1
of Fordham’s student body, face unique challenges that residential students don’t. Long commutes, compressed schedules and limited access to private rest spaces create barriers to academic success and overall well-being.
Shin’s involvement began when she reached out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) in November of 2024, proposing a wellness room for students facing hardships. Her timing proved fortunate.
“To my blessing, Jeffery Ng [director of CPS] informed me that some alumni had made a large donation to CPS, and Jeff wanted to use it for my proposal,” Shin said in an email.
After discussions with the Office of Student Involvement, facilities and CPS, the team decided to start small and focus specifically on commuter wellness. The napping pod concept emerged from months of research conducted alongside members of the Commuting Students Association.
The team considered multiple locations, including a dance room in McShane, a library space during 24/7 finals and midterm hours and other campus areas, before settling on the current McShane location.
“After doing months of
research, in the month of February we had a couple of places we could place it,” Shin said. “We had also reached out to some vendors, asking if they were willing to do a pilot program before actually purchasing it, and they were more than happy to come along.”
The current napping pod requires advance booking on Room 25Live and a signed waiver before use. Since its September launch, the pod has attracted users beyond its intended audience.
“I’ve personally seen it being used by members of faculty in which I think says a lot for itself,” Shin said.
For Shin, seeing the project come together in under a year shows that campus change is possible. “I personally think that this is a big step for the Fordham student community as a whole. Commuter students especially!” she said. “I’m proud of the work and time that I have put into this initiative, and seeing it play out in under a full year can hopefully show people that making change on campus is completely possible.”
The future of the napping pod program remains uncertain. Plans for additional pods or expansion to Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus depend on feedback from the current pilot program.
“Currently, I’m unsure as to what the future of these nappods will look like,” Shin said. “We’re going to see how the one nap pod plays out for the community and based on the feedback, we will compensate as necessary.”
Student reactions to the napping pod have been largely positive. Commuter students, in particular, see the initiative as addressing a long-standing need on campus.
“As a commuter student for the past four years I believe that it is extremely important for commuters to have these personal spaces,” said Heidi Lucero-Camano, FCRH ’26.
Genesis Alcantara, FCRH ’26, shares similar enthusiasm for the program’s potential. “I hope to see more of these spaces around campus in the future and I think it is a great start,” she said.
Their sentiments reflect the challenges faced by commuter students who do not have the luxury of returning to a dorm room between classes. For commuters like LuceroCamano and Alcantara, Fordham’s campus becomes their temporary home for extended periods, making access to private rest spaces crucial. Initial reactions from other students have been positive, though limited, according to Shin.
As midterms and finals are approaching, Shin hopes to see the pod fulfill its intended purpose. “I’m hoping to see it used for its purpose later on during midterms and finals,” she said.
The napping pod initiative represents more than just a place to rest — it is a recognition that commuter students face distinct challenges and deserve specialized support and it marks an important first step toward addressing commuter wellness at Fordham.
New Bronx Center Promotes Community and Sustainability
GREEN, PAGE 1
ties to our Bronx community to help power the future of New York’s green economy,”
said University President Tania Tetlow in the press release.
The project is being funded
in part through investments by Fordham University and public and private contributors such as the New York State
Fordham’s Standing Declines in New U.S. Rankings
FROM RANKING, PAGE 1
and 77th in Best Value Schools. Additionally, the Gabelli School of Business full-time MBA program is ranked 58th in Best Business Schools.
U.S. News and World Report ranking focuses on student outcomes, academic resources and University
reputation, according to their website. Student Outcomes is 52% of the calculation, broken into subcategories.
The second largest section is Peer Assessment, which is weighted at 20%.
Previously, factors such as acceptance rate, alumni donations and class size were
taken into account. Since the update in 2023, these are no longer included in the calculation.
On its website, Fordham highlights not just its U.S. News and World Report ranking but also rankings by The Princeton Review and Poets&Quants.
Dormitory Authority, New York City Economic Development Corporation, New York City Council and the One Girl Foundation.
“We are engaged in many conversations with major donors, philanthropic foundations, and others to pursue funding that supports the renovation as well as ongoing programming and student support,” Proulx said.
As another one of Fordham’s efforts to work with Bronx community members, Fordham University has coordinated community-driven processes to develop the center.
“Between now and when doors open, we will continue
to engage a diverse coalition of partners, including employers, organized labor, community- and faith-based organizations, and leaders in the environmental justice field, to make sure that this hub meets the needs of the community and our climate,” Proulx said.
As always, Fordham remains committed to supporting the Bronx community through initiatives and projects like this one, according to Proulx.
“The Bronx Green Jobs Center is a part of Fordham’s commitment to supporting our Bronx community and embodies one of our main characteristics as a Catholic Jesuit institution,” Proulx said.
FROM
The nap pod is located on the second floor of the McShane Campus Center.
SOPHIE MASELLI / THE FORDHAM RAM
A mock-up of the center shows what the building will look like after rennovations are completed.
TRAVIS PROULX FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Cunniffe houses Fordham’s administrative department.
MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham Commemorates Constitution Day with Required Event
By SIDNEY BLASCO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fordham University hosted a Constitution Day event at the university’s Lincoln Center campus on Sept. 17 to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution on that same day in 1787. The event involved conversations regarding the Supreme Court’s past and upcoming terms.
Dr. Robert Hume, professor of political science and vice dean for faculty affairs, led the event, which aligned with the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) specific requirement that all educational institutions receiving federal funding must hold a Constitution Day program.
This federal requirement has limited guidelines for what the educational event should entail. “The U.S. Department of Education does not direct or control particular curricula or lesson plans,” according to the DOE website.
Hume decided to focus on how Supreme Court Justices’ political standings influence their policy decisions, what role politics and law play in
the courtroom and how the Constitution can be interpreted in vastly different ways.
One of the main focuses of Hume’s presentation was how each Justice’s political beliefs and personal interpretation play a large part in the Supreme Court’s decisionmaking. Students were asked their thoughts on whether or not they thought law and politics play a role and whether they think it should.
“It was very interesting [to get] background knowledge as to how much politics and law influence Supreme Court outcomes,” said Sebastian Orth, FCRH ’26.
Hume said his main goal was to give students a “fuller perspective of the range of factors that influence judging,” and to understand how much room there is in interpreting the Constitution.
Hume does not see the Constitution as a “one size fits all” and instead thinks it is up to each individual to decide how to approach the Constitution and its meaning. Hume wants students to fully understand “what the Constitution means, what’s in the scope of the power of government institutions [and]
what the scope for rights and liberties are.”
He believes judges strive to act as professionals who can put aside their political views while making decisions that affect the nation. Still, he said that “in areas where judges have discretion and their professional values might point in a number of different directions, it’s also reasonable to think
that politics might fill in some gaps.”
In addition to complying with federal law, this event left students with broader knowledge of the judicial system. “I thought it was very interesting talking about different types of [Supreme Court] decisions,” Orth said.
Orth also said he would have liked for pocket Constitutions to be handed out. In 2023 and
2024, Fordham handed them out to students at different locations around campus, but the initiative wasn’t continued this year.
“I’m interested in studying law eventually,” Orth said when asked why he decided to attend. “I’m also taking a constitutional law class currently, so I thought that this would be a very good supplemental thing to attend.”
New IHOP Franchisee Wants to Give Back to Belmont
By JACK MCDONALD ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
The Broccoli family’s large influence in the Belmont neighborhood stemmed from one particular business in the neighboring East Bronx. Gino’s Cafe, at the corner of Allerton Avenue and Boston Road, opened by Domenic Broccoli’s father, named Gino Broccoli, in 1957, was the family’s first entry into the restaurant business.
Domenic would go on to graduate from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 1980. A few years after his graduation, Gino passed away, and Domenic took over the business with his mother, Jean Broccoli, and wife, Donna Broccoli.
Later, his children, Gia, Dominique and Louis, would also help transform the business from a small Italian restaurant with just 60 seats to a 500-seat restaurant and event venue. In fact, Gino’s Cafe is featured in “A Bronx Tale.”
Domenic’s daughter, Gia Broccoli, graduated from Fordham University in 2003 and assisted with the family business while boarding at Fordham. However, in 2006, Domenic changed gears and entered into the franchise business at the same location, opening his first IHOP.
The IHOP saw such success that Domenic expanded the franchise and opened five other locations throughout the Bronx. His fifth location, located at the corner of Park
Avenue and East 189th Street, largely serves the Fordham University student body.
“I’ve been looking to open an IHOP in the Fordham community since 2007.
Everyone knows about Fordham Road, it’s a thriving community, but the area was locked up by another franchisee,” said Domenic, when asked what inspired him to open up in Belmont. This site was originally built as the Fordham Station Post Office, which is still engraved in stone on the building.
“I was told by David Rose, the President of the Fordham BID [Business Improvement District] that Fordham is not well served as to sitdown restaurants, other than Applebees,” said Domenic.
“We seat 170 people, whereas most places are to-go or they have little dining areas.”
He also said he knows a lot of people in the Belmont community, who accepted him with open arms.
“I’m a Bronx boy at heart,” Domenic said. “I have a lot of friends that have Italian restaurants and businesses on Arthur Avenue.”
The new location has faced some struggles with parking. Domenic said there is currently not enough parking to satisfy his guests. However, he recently brokered a deal with the indoor parking lot directly across the street, which will provide discount parking for guests.
He is also working with the NYC Bronx Community Board 6 and the NYC Department of Transportation to clean up Park Avenue and possibly
get metered parking.
Domenic also reflected on giving back to the Fordham community. He described meeting Gregory Pappas, Fordham’s assistant vice president for student affairs, in the 1990s, through a local organization that put on job fairs for handicapped and underprivileged people in the community. Domenic was also president of the Allerton Avenue Business Community for over 20 years.
“I joined the BID, and I had meetings with them trying to think of ways to help the community,” he said.
Since then, he has held several job fairs at his new IHOP and has reached out to Roosevelt High School to see if they can get students involved in working at the restaurant.
Domenic is connected to both Belmont and Fordham University. Just about every year, he goes to the Fordham Football Homecoming game with his cousin Eddie Fabiani, who played for the Fordham Rams in the 1970s.
Broccoli also recently hired Maggie Vaughn, FCRH ’26, to work on the communications team at IHOP. Vaughn and Pappas have coordinated an
event at Fordham to raise money for cheerleading and dance at the Sept. 27 football game against College of the Holy Cross.
They also had an idea to host an offense vs. defense pancake-eating contest with the Fordham football team.
“If Nathan’s [Famous] Hot Dogs can do it, why not IHOP?” Domenic said, laughing.
Until then, the Broccoli family holds a significant piece of Fordham close to their hearts as well as the opening of the Fordham IHOP is just one step in the right direction.
Robert Hume, Ph.D. presents 2025 Supreme Court cases to 12 students at Lincoln Center.
SIDNEY BLASCO FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Domenic Broccoli’s New IHOP at Fordham Plaza is one of the ways he gives back to the community.
MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM
Clearing the Air Around the Turmoil At the CDC
By MICHAEL DUKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Why is it that Americans question and debate everything?
It doesn’t matter if you have two Americans talking about the economy, foreign relations or the MLB. Somehow, Americans will find a way to disagree with no hope that the middle-ground will ever appear. This is especially true with politics.
However, one of the greatest examples of how political contention strangles our nation is healthcare. To explain what I mean by this, think about how some Democrats, like Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on the debate stage in 2016, have shown that they’re divided on the best course when it comes to American healthcare.
Taking this sentiment a step further, ask yourself if you agree more with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Bernie Sanders when it comes to healthcare. Better yet, ask yourself if you can bring up either of those two people during a Thanksgiving dinner and honestly say that everyone will have the same take or conclusion.
This is my point: when it comes to healthcare, it is an incredibly disputable topic that seems to be evolving more and more. This evolution has proven to take a darker turn. Take how United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered on a street not too far away from our own Lincoln Center campus, for example.
Healthcare is so contentious that even a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing devolved into heated debates between RFK Jr. and lawmakers on Capitol Hill because of recent developments at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you watched it, you might find that it was very similar to something you could witness at your own Thanksgiving dinner.
The question that Americans like myself are asking is this: Why are we so divided on healthcare today? What are the nuts-and-bolts and the basis for it?
If you’re observant, you might note that people started to pay more attention to healthcare when RFK Jr. was chosen to be in charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Moreover, people started to pay more attention to healthcare when the revolving doors of employment at the CDC started to spin.
For background, the nowformer Director of the CDC, Susan Monarez, was fired by President Donald Trump in late August. Amongst many of her duties that she held, she was responsible for “[P]rotecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad,” as the HHS put it in a release on X that announced her departure.
After she was fired, Monarez’s Attorney, Mark Zaid, claimed that Monarez was “targeted” for her refusal “to rubber-stamp
unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated public health experts.”
Though Zaid didn’t advance or clarify exactly how Monarez was asked to “rubber-stamp” such directives, a White House spokesman responded to Zaid’s statement, saying that she was “not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again.”
However, a week after the White House offered its explanation, Monarez wrote a charged commentary in the Wall Street Journal. She explained her departure from her point of view, which has also been disputed by Kennedy.
In her article, Monarez expressed how employees relayed to her that the CDC needed to “take immediate steps to rebuild public trust,” relating to vaccines. Monarez added that she was told by RFK Jr. that she would have to resign or be
fired if she did not “compromise science itself.”
However, Monarez missed the opportunity in her piece to explain in detail what she meant by this. Instead, she opted to discuss another important issue in America: distrust of the system. Specifically, Monarez wrote about the neartragedy in early August at the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters, when a man fired off hundreds of rounds because he distrusted COVID-19 vaccines.
While the event in August could have been a lot worse, it proves that the stakes are high and leaders in our government need to tighten their grip on the reins by eloquently and clearly explaining their actions. If they could do so, we could get back to arguing about policy. Monarez’s concern about future handling of leadership relating to healthcare also heightens the notion that it doesn’t matter if you
agree or not with Republicans or Democrats on this issue. What matters is what comes next.
While the road ahead at the CDC seems to appear steady with Jim O’Neill’s appointment by RFK Jr. to be the acting director of the CDC, it does appear that the problem with healthcare today is one that relates to public messaging. Monarez and RFK Jr. have their own takes on whatever actually happened at the CDC that led to her departure. Above anything else, we need RFK Jr. to take a step back to regroup and examine what has been working and what hasn’t. He needs to do this because Americans voted for stable politics, not “he-said-she-said,” drama.
Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is a business administration major from Scottsdale, Arizona.
No One Needs Another Tacky Brand
By EMILY MITTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
There seems to be an unspoken rite of passage in modern times between becoming a celebrity or even an influencer and starting a business of sorts. As these public figures grow a large fanbase, it is logical to assume that their team urges said celebrities to begin their own business, due to the fact that they will have consumers from day one and can easily gain profit. What I believe celebrities and their teams fail to consider, however, is that products produced by a celebrity that are clearly promoted to be a “cash grab” or are an item that makes no sense for said celebrity to be the face of, such as Blake Lively’s Blake Brown launch, will not sell as expected. I believe that the most important factor as to whether a celebrity brand will fail or succeed is the authenticity of the product.
To begin, let’s look at the example of a celebrity business that has succeeded wonderfully: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez. Rare Beauty is a popular celebrity beauty brand that has successfully earned its current valuation (2024) of over $2 billion.
Determined to empower everybody to feel beautiful and “rare,” Rare Beauty’s mission statement says, “We are on a mission to help everyone celebrate their individuality by redefining what beautiful means. Our vision is to create a safe, welcoming space in beauty — and beyond — that supports mental well-being across age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, cultural background, physical or mental ability and perspective.” To further prove their true commitment to bettering the world, Rare Beauty even donates 1% of their sales to mental health services globally. Built on a foundation of self-acceptance, positivity and community, it is easy to see that this makeup brand is not just a cash-grab, but truly making a difference for its consumers daily. Now, let’s compare this to the brand that I introduced previously: Lively’s Blake Brown Launch. To begin by looking statistically at this company, when it was first launched, the projected sales were stated to be $100 million, but as of May 2025, this projected value drastically decreased to $15 million. The major issue that this brand faced was that instead of focusing
on the products themselves, it appeared to be another way to spotlight Lively. While this celebrity spotlight initially brought in sales due to the face associated with the product, it unfortunately did not keep its consumers wanting more. The products appeared to be a side character in the plot of marketing, with the true promotion alluding to be Lively herself.
Celebrity brands that are built on the authenticity of the products themselves are clearly astronomically successful, so why is it that not all celebrities create a product that they are truly passionate about? After all, upon doing
minimal research and crosscomparison between brands, it is easy to see that passion is the secret behind success. The issue that I believe is present when celebrities release unthought-out brands is a desperate cry for relevance. Instead of taking time to perform research, connect to and build passion behind the product, the majority of these celebrity brands are quickly tossed together in an attempt to stay afloat.
Overall, celebrity brands can either be an immense success or another brief 15 minutes of fame for their endorser. The true indication of whether the business
itself will succeed beyond its initial release boils down to authenticity. If a celebrity, stepping into the role of a producer, can not truly connect and advocate for its consumers, the business that follows will only run as long as word of mouth allows it to. The creation of a business always has the potential to succeed, but even if your name is already on headlines, authenticity has to be present to make the sales match their expected projections.
Emily Mitton, FCRH ’29, is a journalism major from Lisbon, New Hampshire.
Several high-ranking officials inside the CDC have been fired or left their jobs since President Trump took office.
COURTESY OF CDC.GOV.
Starting a new business seems to be a right of passage for many up-and-coming celebrities these days.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
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OPINION
Editorial | Free Speech
Hey... So That’s Authoritarianism!
Almost immediately after taking power in October of 1922, Benito Mussolini decided it was necessary to stand upon his autocrat’s pulpit and speak to the entirety of the Italian people as their new prime minister. The resultant speech was, of course, nothing more than one of his typical tirades full of authoritarian drivel.
However, despite this overall nonsensical nature of his address to the nation, there was indeed a single major through-thread that laid out his emerging authoritarian playbook naked and bare for all to see: his persistent attacks on the free press.
In short, Mussolini demonized them over and over again, calling them “the enemy of the people” for providing “the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted … political coverage of your favorite [leader]” (presumably referring to himself). Moreover, he threatened swift action against those who did not buy into and champion his narrative of Italian exceptionalism, promising to revoke outlets’ access if they do not fall into line with party thought and effectively replace them with far-right organizations who were previously kept on the margins. Finally, in a true show of authoritarian strength, he declared that he would openly reign-in every corner of the free press using the bureaucratic arms of his administration. In other words, investigations would be suddenly opened against publications that he and the party did not like; networks would only be given approval to conduct business if they fell in-line with party thought, and his own ideologues would be sicced onto the airwaves so that they could make promises about “[using] every resource … throughout [the] government to identify, disrupt,
dismantle and destroy these [left-wing] networks (of influence).”
Except, it wasn’t really Mussolini who spewed all this authoritarian nonsense or oversaw all these unnerving attacks on the free press and free speech nearly a century ago — it was actually President Donald Trump. In other words, Trump has been talking like an authoritarian and wielding political power like an authoritarian. In fact, there is perhaps no better evidence for this slip into authoritarianism than the shadow that his administration actively sought to cast across the world of television comedy this past week: the removal of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from American household’s airwaves due to comments he made regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
To set the scene, the story of Kimmel’s current censorship at the hands of the Trump administration really begins with the story of television giant Nexstar Media Group: one of the largest owners of American Broadcasting Company (ABC) affiliates — the channels that actually air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” — across the nation. More specifically, it begins with Nexstar’s current attempt to complete a massive $6.2 billion acquisition of fellow media giant TEGNA. In brief, because such a huge transaction would indelibly shakeup America’s media landscape and pose major anti-trust concerns (the merger would pave the way for Nexstar to become the the broadcaster for 80% of American households), the merger, rather reasonably, requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
It is through this need of approval that Trump has been able to repeatedly stick his hand into the media cookie jar, as he has appointed a personal attack dog to head
the FCC: Brendan Carr, a MAGA-loyalist who once authored a chapter in Project 2025 about aligning America’s media apparatus directly with Trump’s ultranationalist vision. With Carr occupying this top-spot and being the person responsible for signing off on all media mergers, he has been able to leverage his power (i.e. this need for his approval) to consistently get media companies to wholly accommodate the Trump administration’s wishes and agenda. This is precisely what he did in reference to Kimmel. Consider for a minute what Kimmel’s comments about the Charlie Kirk situation actually amount to. Kimmel was in no way celebrating Kirk’s death, nor was he even attempting to give voice as to why so many on the left are upset with Kirk’s growing mythologization and sanitization — namely, the scrubbing away of his long history of hateful rhetoric and his (ironic) prior statements about firearm death being a necessary evil. Instead, Kimmel was specifically looking to criticize the manner in which conservatives were quick to blame Kirk’s assassination on their typical host of leftist demons in order to score cheap political points (of course, the killer has now been revealed to have no coherent political ideology), as well as how Trump’s seeming lack of grief does not necessarily mesh with his administration’s very public demonstration of and call to mourning. This is what is key in all of this — instead of taking an isolated moral stance on political violence, one that is well removed from anything pertaining to the Trump administration, Kimmel rather choose to call Trump out directly for his response’s apparent disingenuity as well as his team’s readiness to turn
Kirk’s assassination into a cog in their broader project of demonizing America’s left. In other words, Kimmel was effectively challenging their proscribed narratives, engaging in an exercise of free speech that ran contrary to party thought. Thus, it was no surprise that, just prior to Kimmel’s suspension, Carr went onto the conservative personality, Benny Johnson’s, talkshow and made it abundantly clear that Kimmel had to be repudiated by media organizations for challenging the Trump administration’s narratives. His actual verbiage was as follows: “These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead … We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” The mafiosoesque subtext of this is obvious for all with eyes to see… Take Kimmel off the air, or you will find licenses revoked and mergers rejected.
As a publication whose constituent ground is irrevocably comprised of the right to free speech and a free press, The Fordham Ram cannot sit by idly and stay silent about this disgusting erosion of everything we stand for. Thus, it is the opinion of this editorial board that everyone must take direct action which makes it apparently clear that the rights to free speech and a free press are non-negotiable. Reach out to Nexstar company representatives to let them know that bending the knee to authoritarian maneuvers is unacceptable and cowardly; reach out to your local congressional representatives and demand that they voice your concerns directly to those in the Trump administration; and, most importantly, everyone must continue speaking their own minds, as they cannot silence all of us.
Cancel culture is a phenomenon that has existed in our society since the rise of social media in the early 2000s. The efforts to “cancel” an individual or a company can be attributed to the desire to hold people accountable for their actions. But in practice, it can create a culture of hate, where people are constantly searching for inconsequential actions that would allow us to deem someone “canceled.”
Merriam-Webster defines cancel culture as “the practice or tendency of engaging in mass canceling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure.” In this context, cancel means “to withdraw one’s support for (someone, such as a celebrity, or something, such as a company) publicly and especially on social media.”
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in June 2022 concludes that 51% of adults in the United States say that calling people out on social media holds people accountable. In contrast, 45% of U.S. adults say that calling people out on social media punishes people who don’t deserve it.
Social psychologists have created explanations for the actions of the “canceled” and the “canceler” when it comes to cancel culture. According to an article by Collin May, a lawyer and adjunct lecturer at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, the “cancelers” typically take action to seek guilt or an apology from the individual being canceled,
By KATE STOVER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
My entire life, I’ve been told that if I worked hard enough, I could someday have a career that would allow me the freedom to be utterly self-sustaining. I believed in the American dream, in the promise of a lifetime of relishing in the fruits of my labor and in education. When I entered high school, I began spreading myself thin. As I saw it, this was me working to give myself the security of a good education and a high wage.
Yet, semester after semester, I find myself veering farther from this perception of imminent success. The job market is squeezing, the cost of shelter and food continue to rise and young, newly graduated Americans are now over two times more likely to be unemployed compared to previous generations. While it can be easy to chalk this change up to natural cycles of economic recession and slower hiring, the growth of the artificial intelligence industry and the enactment of
OPINION
From the Desk | Sienna Reinders
Why We Need to Cancel ‘Cancel Culture’
which often manifests in the target responding in the desired manner, even if they don’t believe they need to. Compliance by the target can be explained by the criminal law psychology of false confessions, according to May. Citing Saul Kassin, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York, May explains that two of the types of confessions outlined in criminal law psychology can apply to cancel culture: Compliant False Confession and Persuaded False Confession.
The former involves a brutal interrogation, sometimes with misrepresentation of evidence and threats, that causes the accused to reach a breaking point and confess, even though he knows he is innocent. The latter involves the accused initially believing he is innocent, but results in him beginning to doubt his innocence and experiencing internalized guilt after a brutal interrogation.
In the context of cancel culture, the interrogation component is exhibited by the pressure and public attacks by the media. The false confession is represented by an apology or statement provided by the individual being “canceled.”
Additionally, because of the fast-paced nature of content sharing on social media, details about the accused individual’s alleged actions travel at a rate that prevents the individual from being able to address every allegation
directly. As a result, most individuals resort to providing a public apology to defuse the situation, even if they don’t believe their actions warrant an apology.
Cancel culture can be explained by several factors, including anonymity, lack of accountability and dehumanization. On social media, individuals can hide behind an account that doesn’t have to give any insight into who they actually are, allowing them to stay anonymous. Consequently, individuals are not held accountable for what they say on social media because other users do not know who they actually are. Additionally, being able to hide behind a computer screen creates a detachment from other users and a sense of dehumanization. The absence of a face-to-face personal connection creates a lack of empathy as users don’t recognize a real-life human on the receiving end of their comments, and also don’t immediately and directly observe the personal and emotional effects of their words.
In application, there are many examples of cancel culture in our society, from the canceling of brands to the canceling of celebrities and influencers. But the question that arises is whether these situations of “canceling” an individual or a company are justifiable.
Monica Lewinsky is said to have been on the receiving end of one of the first situations of modern cancel culture. After her affair with former President Bill Clinton was revealed, she
received significant backlash from the media and society because her actions were perceived as morally wrong. As a result of the societal response, Lewinsky experienced mental health struggles. While her experience occurred decades before the actual use of the term “cancel culture,” it involved the use of the internet to spread backlash and hate, which is indicative of the evolution towards modern canceling through social media. However, people also claim that her “canceling” was not justified, as her situation involved an unbalanced power dynamic between her and Clinton.
In a recent example, Sydney Sweeney has received significant backlash after a collaboration with the company Dr. Squatch, which involved a new men’s body soap created from Sydney Sweeney’s actual bathwater. Critics claim that Dr. Squatch’s product sexualized Sweeney, in turn normalizing the sexualization of women in society.
The validity of Sweeney’s “canceling” is called into
The Jobless Generation
harmful government policies by the Trump administration cannot and should not be ignored.
Perhaps where AI poses the most threat is in practically eliminating entry-level labor, particularly in datarich industries, like software development and financial services. This may be why over a quarter of computer science graduates are now describing themselves as “very pessimistic” towards the job market, according to a recent survey from Handshake.
Additionally, the ethically questionable methods used to train AI have made it such that AI is almost too good at mimicking human thoughtpatterns and writing styles, putting even those outside of the data-driven world of business and software under threat, too.
But certainly, AI isn’t the only driver of a tough job market. The policies of the Trump administration have also led to job cuts and slower hiring, and these could continue into the foreseeable future. Notably, the
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has cut nearly 60,000 jobs from the federal government and initiated a federal hiring freeze until Oct. 15, 2025, with the possibility of renewal. This freeze harmfully limits both the creation of new federal jobs and the replacement of employees who have left or retired from existing positions. And ultimately, those hurt the worst by these federal choices are the ones who have not yet had the chance to gain experiences that would give them a leg up in a competitive market.
Even outside of the federal government directly, intimidating legislation by DOGE and the grant cuts by the federal government are making it harder for people to get jobs in other sectors as well. Universities face hiring freezes as higher education is put under the microscope, research has been defunded and people everywhere are at risk of losing jobs in retail and construction due to tariffrelated increases in the cost of imported commodities.
question, however, when you learn that a year ago, a similar product line involving a candle called “Jacob Elordi’s Bathwater” was created shortly after the release of the movie “Saltburn,” in which Elordi starred. The comparative social response to these two products — significant backlash for Sweeney and no negative response for Elordi — begs the question of whether cancel culture results in the picking and choosing of its victims. There are instances where individuals or companies should be held accountable for their actions, but people should consider the context before publicly shaming someone on social media. The psychological effects of cancel culture are detrimental, and its actual application does not hold people accountable to the extent that we want it to. Instead, we should approach issues with grace and the understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that maybe these mistakes can create an opportunity for individuals to learn and grow.
These cuts have created an environment of stress for college students and recent graduates. The fear of unemployment is palpable on Fordham’s campus, and one only needs to go so far as any Fordham Career Fair to find students as young as 18 exhaustedly networking with employers, perhaps fearful that any lost opportunity to do so could cost them four years down the line. The race to acquire internships, not for the sake of meaningful personal experience, but for the sake of mere resume-boosting, carries a
similar air of anxiety. This competition and pressure is not fair. Students should be able to learn and grow while in college without feeling a need to prepare years in advance to — maybe — acquire an entry-level position. And as pressures continue to rise, we mustn’t hold blameless the factors which have led us here. Instead, recognizing them will be the first step in creating a more equitable job market.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM Graduating increasingly causes nerves as the job market worsens.
Kate Stover, FCRH ’28, is an economics and humanitarian studies major from Columbia, South Carolina.
By ANDREW KELPE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
For Generation Z Catholics raised in a world of consistent novelty, ephemeral nonsense and social media spectacle, the appeal of “traditional” Catholicism is paradoxical. It embodies both that which is ever ancient and the ever new. It draws young people today because it is not reducible to mere nostalgia, but instead it provides structure in a world that feels otherwise nonsensical.
The impulse toward tradition is more widespread than we might imagine. In a world marked by economic instability, political uncertainty, moral relativism and the constant public persecution of Christians, Gen Z is turning to the Catholic Church for direction and reassurance. Many have found the tradition that the Church offers servers as an anchor amidst cultural turbulence. They are rediscovering practices like the rosary and novenas, faith sharing and the liturgy of the hours, and finding a certain rigidity that upholds them in these trying times.
Traditional Catholicism is still sometimes reduced to a caricature of itself. For many, this looks like a fiery attachment to the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) or the online presence of so-called
Trad is Trendy
“rad-trads,” but that’s a distortion. While many young Catholics find solace in the TLM, “tradition” is not tied solely to liturgical form. It is an entire ethos where reverent worship, Marian devotion, a seriousness of the sacramental life and even some ascetic practices are being recovered as though they were items we stored in the attic awaiting a new love.
Still, the stereotype persists because the loudest voices online are radically traditional (and perhaps elsewhere), but the reality of what is ongoing at parishes and within communities like Fordham is far more nuanced. Sure, some students, like myself, prefer a TLM and others prefer a reverently celebrated Novus Ordo, but what unites us is the fact that we hunger and thirst for transcendence and stability, which contemporary religion fails to provide.
The paradox — something we’ve inherited as Catholics encountered as though it were new — was captured long ago by St. Augustine, who wrote, “late have I loved you, O beauty ever ancient ever new.” The line may well serve as the motto for this movement. For a generation that shops vintage, restores film cameras and listens to vinyl records in an era of limitless streaming, it makes sense that Gen Z would “thrift”
their faith as well. Just as the world shifts towards ridiculous and oftentimes revealing fashion, the youth of the Catholic Church are in search of timeless style. This is not to say, however, that tradition is trendy in a shallow sense, nor is it a nostalgic kind of “dress up,” but more so that it’s meant to stand the test of time. It has survived precisely because it is not easily disposable. It ages well, so to speak.
Traditional Catholicism is not immune to pitfalls. Legalism, rigidity and sectarianism have marred the movement at times, and critics are right to worry when piety hardens into ideology. Yet Gen Z may be better equipped than we think. For all their irony and online wit, young Catholics are serious about faith. They see the risks of radicalization play out every day on social media, yet they also know that comfort and compromise have failed to inspire. They want to be challenged. They want to be called to holiness. This call to holiness is not a call to indulge in the constant stream of dopamine hits that the contemporary and secular world offers them. Rather, it is a call to carry the cross of Christ, and in doing so, embrace the discomfort of its weight on the shoulders, and Gen Z has figured this out. The obstacle to what many
are seeking, Gen Z has illuminated as the path forward into a more meaningful and therefore deeper faith. To call this movement radical is not entirely wrong. I’ll contend that is precisely what the Church needs. Tradition, when embraced authentically, is a living inheritance, a way of seeing the world in which eternity breaks into time. If that feels countercultural, then it only proves how far we’ve drifted. Gen Z Catholics have not fabricated traditionalism. They’ve just rediscovered something that
was otherwise hidden from them. Like a chest tucked away in the attic, it was always theirs, waiting to be opened. That is why they find it compelling — not because it has been marketed to them, not because it is fashionable, but because it is beautiful, demanding and real. In a world of constant change, they are choosing what endures.
Andrew Kelpe, MTS ’26, is a theology graduate student from St. Louis, Missouri.
Gen-Z is increasingly drawn to the traditional beauty of the Catholic Church.
ANDREW KELPE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
ABIGAIL ADAMS/THE FORDHAM RAM Fordham University celebrates Palm Sunday.
More Trouble Than It’s Worth? The End of the De Minimis Tariff Exemption
By DECKER ROSSI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Tariffs are, truthfully, an exceedingly complicated topic, but their political quality can, most substantially, be boiled down to the simple fact that it is a tax, and any position for or against a tariff in that regard can be understood as a position that is for or against a tax. Even so, whether or not it is cloaked by such lofty ideals such as “national security,” “American interests” or “protecting our domestic industry,” it is still a tax; in the same way that a tobacco tax or a gas tax or congestion pricing is a tax on those goods with the goal of disincentivising their use. A tariff is simply that tax on imported goods, with the primary goal of disincentivising the purchase of foreign goods — this is its most immediate effect, and anything which comes after has the tariff as its cause. The stated
intent of these tariffs — most particularly tariffs on goods previously covered by the de minimis exemption — are unnecessary, and their purposes could have most certainly been achieved through other, more precise means without the convulsions that have since happened: the scalpel, not the sledgehammer. To this, what can be said other than “talk smack, get smacked.” While there is a necessity to consider the productivity and macroeconomic implications of this, space demands I do not do so here. Originating in the SmootHawley Act of 1930, this exemption had the express purpose of streamlining the customs process. The de minimis exemption allows packages under a certain price to enter the U.S. without an import tax. The exemption began as a way to “improve administrative efficiency and to avoid expense and inconvenience
to the government.” In 1990, Congress sought to use the exemption to facilitate international trade, further increasing the threshold beyond what was needed to offset inflation. The exemption in its current form, increased in 2016 from $200 to $800, and its use by large-scale e-commerce companies to avoid import duties is arguably outside the original intended use of the exemption.
However, of course, we are observing the same reaction to the elimination of de minimis (which is the imposition of a tariff) now as we did in 1930 to the passage of Smoot-Hawley: Countries which had maintained amicable trade relations with the United States raised their tariffs. The shrinking of those available foreign markets drove the country further into the depression, allowing us to learn that the presence of reduced trade barriers allows higher levels of scale to be both reached and profitable, which improves the well-being for all, owing to more available goods and reduced cost for those goods. The effect we are seeing is to be expected — countries are responding, as is their absolute right to do so, and are suspending their shipments as a way to cope with the increased cost of doing business. The volume of foreign trade — while for American consumers, this means an increased cost in smaller, more expensive goods — means decreased revenue for those industries which the U.S.
depends on exports. These are, principally, agriculture, chemicals, consumer technologies and machinery, all of which re-enter as factors of production and contribute in their whole to decreased prices by virtue of production-at-scale. This itself may, and perhaps is already, causing layoffs and non-hiring as the mass of business slows, something which could have been easily avoided. It is indeed fortunate that we have not yet experienced a recession, but we should perhaps remind ourselves that non-implosion is not success, and that economies thrive on stability.
There is one argument in favor of the exemption of de minimis which perhaps is the strongest: curbing overconsumption. The greatest users of de minimis are those companies which are as well the greatest contributors to this crisis. There is, indeed, an addiction to stuff that is both cheap and one-time use which is sold on Shein, Amazon and Temu which is horrendous both for wallets as well as the environment — and this is independent of the allegations of human abuse by all of those companies — that is itself an abuse of de minimis since they are not one-time uses. A prime example of this is fast fashion. The elimination of de minimis can curb overconsumption by reducing consumption; but, at the same time, this is more like performing surgery with a sledgehammer, as it affects at the same time small businesses who
depend on imports with less volume that do not contribute to this crisis.
The purposes of the de minimis exemption could perhaps have been satisfied and their economic goals have been met if our executive administration was able to rise above its standards, but it seems that the policy of the day is the chainsaw rather than the scalpel, and our wallets scream with the consequences. If the goal was to reduce overconsumption of environmentally destructive goods, something like the Jones Act that requires goods sold on the U.S. market be made in such a manner (for instance, clothes be made of natural fibers). If the goal is to return de minimis to its intended purpose, then reducing the exempted value would accomplish that goal admirably, as it did in the past. If the goal is indeed to reshore American productive industry, I would again call for a reference to the Jones Act as a model of carefully restructuring priorities and laws rather than obliterating them. This is a problem that is easily solvable if separated out into its component parts and dealing with them with tact and proper consideration rather than sweeping decrees — but as these things are well beyond this administration’s expertise, thus have they delivered us the elimination of de minimis.
Decker Rossi, FCRH ’27, is a philosophy and economics double major from Arlington, Virginia.
The Trashing of Eco-Consciousness: Why Recycling Isn’t Trendy Anymore
By CAITLIN WONG CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Do you all remember when you bought that Hydro Flask that is sitting somewhere in your kitchen right now? In 2019, popular culture saw a tremendous increase in climate and environmental activism. As unfortunate as it would be to call it a “trend,” in many ways it already has been. I cannot recall the last time a woman on my TikTok For You Page showed me where I could take my mason jars to buy pasta to avoid single-use packaging. All jokes aside, there are many reasons why the ordinary person has become discouraged in their personal eco-friendly and recycling strides, causing the rapid social decline of this “trend.”
A worry that I have always had, which is shared by many others, is that household recycling put out for collection does not end up in the hands, or the facilities, that it is said to. It’s not an irrational worry. In 2022, only 9% of plastic waste used by Americans was successfully recycled. In 2024, it was reported that only 24% of recycled materials were actually recycled.
The rest of it was lost to landfills, incinerated (yikes — the ozone!) or left polluting the environment. On top of that, the recycling and manufacturing facilities that we trust to handle the byproducts are not required to provide information on what precisely happens with the recycling brought in. There are surely plenty of products being made with these new recyclable materials, yet we still do not know how much is being reused and how much is displaced.
The blame isn’t only on the “system”: Americans aren’t recycling! In 2018, the plastic recycling rate was a whopping 8.7%, which decreased to 5% by 2021. Even at its most “popular,” the push to recycle did not see great results. Most New Yorkers should be familiar with the intricacies of sorting and recycling, but nothing is safe from simple human errors, leading to many items that could have been recycled being discarded, since they were plastic water bottles that ended up in a paper-recycling facility, which will now end up in a landfill.
For these reasons, I have
always felt scorned by the recycling processes in my home. No one casually taking care of the recycling in their home is going to think that their individual or household efforts are making any kind of statistically significant, below-the-p-value, difference in the environment. Fordham even does a good bit of the work for us, with campus housing providing all the necessary, various waste recycling receptacles. Even so, there is not enough confidence in students to be washing their yogurt containers
and removing the foil lid, nor confidence that the recycling will end up where it’s supposed to. In my experience, many don’t even know that it could cause recycling issues.
All of this considered, it is important not to let our spirits drop and to continue in our individual efforts to keep our planet clean. There is word that global efforts have contributed to an ever-so-slight healing in the ozone layer as of Sept. 16, and have projected that the large hole discovered over the Antarctic could be
once was years ago.
healed to its former state by 2066. No matter how small, all contributions and efforts are appreciated, needed and helpful in this extremely real crisis. Continue to bring your mason jars around, continue to fill up your Stanley from your BRITA! And, from one anxious student to the next, we would be making a much scarier world for ourselves by not trying.
Caitlin Wong, FCRH ’27, is a psychology major from Union, New Jersey.
The push towards recycling certain materials like plastic and cardboard is not as strong as it
COURTESY OF MICHIGAN.GOV
COURTESY OF SOURCING JOURNAL
Over 30 countries suspended mail service to the U.S. due to the new rule.
CULTURE
FALLing into the NYC’s Best Eats
By LARA EJZACK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Now that we’ve entered the “ber months,” arguably the best time of the year in New York City, the conditions are ideal for traipsing around the city. However, appetites tend to get worked up when you have to walk over 70 blocks because your subway line stopped running (speaking from experience).
So to avoid spoiling a perfect day by a bad case of being “hangry,” I’ll be taking a swing at making a perusable list of the best eats in the distinct downtown neighborhoods south of Central Park, doing my best to highlight some lesser-known eateries.
Hell’s Kitchen
Masseria Caffè: This coffee shop is a frequent study spot of mine after Lincoln Center classes. If anyone has extra time before boarding the Ram Van, this is the perfect local spot to kill some time. They have quality Italian café food, seasonal lattés and — the real selling point — a student discount.
Empanada Mama: Moving down Ninth Avenue, we have our next fuel stop. Don’t be fooled by the humble font on the store front: Empanada Mama is churning out some of the best pick-me-up empanadas for a steal. I highly recommend this if you’re just looking for something to take
the hunger edge off while staying on-the-go.
West Village Coppelia: It would be wrong to make a list of New York City dining spots and not mention a diner. Coppelia brings on diner vibes with a Hispanic twist. The atmosphere is always buzzing with chatter among customers and friendly banter between the waitstaff. The classic diner foods are given a facelift with the addition of latino flavors and the tres leches cake is an absolute must-have.
Café-Flor: The West Village has coffee shops down, and let’s be honest, if the breeze is breezing, the air smells like leaves and the lightning of a coffee shop is just vibey enough, getting a pumpkin spice latte is basically obligatory. This shop covers every coffee shop niche — plants, dim lighting and an eclectic mix of seating options — and combines it all into one big aesthetic held within four walls.
East Village Veselka: I may be biased from my eastern-European heritage, but I believe that a pierogi is the perfect comfort food and one that every citizen should be required to experience at least once. The cold weather just brings about a desire for dough and cheese, and if nothing else, this restaurant can deliver
on both of those fronts. It expertly executes a cuisine that many aren’t often familiar with, and it is perfect to be followed by a quick stroll on Broadway for pastries.
Dumpling N’ Dips: I’ll give you one guess as to what this place specializes in. This substreet level dumpling depot provides ample options for both specialty dumplings and (you guessed it) dips! They also have noodle bowls that are sure to give you a great bang-to-buck ratio.
Chinatown
Tasty Hand - Pulled Noodles: Keeping with the ultra-literal restaurant names, we have our next stop on the list. Chinatown is perfect for any economical students that are looking for a cheap meal after checking their first month of college bank statement and realizing that those Metro-North tickets add up. Although it’s cash only, this restaurant’s pricing is phenomenal given the amount of food that comes with each order. The seating is mostly outdoor, so it’s important to go on a dry day, but the street is packed with color and design that is ideal to look at while struggling to use chopsticks.
Dreamers Coffee House: I stumbled upon this hole in the wall coffee shop while waiting for my reservation at another restaurant, but it was so cute, I almost didn’t want
to leave when my table was ready. Offering specialty coffees with Asian flavors, good music and a games corner, this tiny room immediately won a place in my Apple Maps guide. The location is near the pier with the swings that look at the Manhattan bridge that took the internet over. This list could be about four times longer with all of the spots I have saved from last year, but this abbreviated version should provide a good starting point for anyone
in the lower-Manhattan area. For anyone who is looking for a quick coffee and pastry, I would recommend sticking to the West and East Village, but ye be warned, sometimes just those two items can equal the price of one whole meal.
I send you all off into this newly-autumnal world wishing you all quick train rides, coffee with reasonable prices and restaurants that have very good lighting. Stay hungry, Rams!
Best Buddies And Best Memories
By ARHANA KARSALIYA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Now that school is in full swing, all the clubs here at Fordham University are starting up again. One of my favorites has to be Best Buddies. Best Buddies is a nonprofit that focuses on building oneon-one friendships, leadership opportunities and inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). At Fordham, the club takes on that mission and really brings it to life. Students get to meet buddies from the community, and those relationships end up meaning so much more than just a “club activity.” Best Buddies is not an organization where you meet peers with IDD, but rather where you develop meaningful bonds and friendships with the “buddies” in the community. What I love about Best Buddies is how it breaks down barriers. College life can feel like its own bubble: you go to class, hang out with friends, join some clubs and stay busy. Best Buddies asks you to step outside that bubble and connect with people who might have completely different experiences, but who want the same things: friendship,
laughter and someone who cares about them. It doesn’t feel like charity or “helping” someone; it’s about friendship. Both sides gain something real, and it’s awesome to see how much it changes people.
Best Buddies adds a lot to the culture at Fordham because it makes inclusion something we live out, not just something we talk about. When you see buddies and students hanging out at events, going to games or getting food together, you see what real connection looks like. Those small moments spread an even bigger message that Fordham is a place where everyone belongs.
Another cool aspect of Best Buddies is the way it teaches leadership without feeling like “leadership training.” Students take on the role of planning events, making sure their buddy feels welcome and keeping things organized. But it’s not about titles or being in charge. It’s about showing up, being dependable and leading with kindness. Those lessons stick with you way beyond Fordham. And honestly, Best Buddies brings out some of the best energy on campus. The events
are fun, positive and full of laughter. When you’re around it, you feel the difference and it’s uplifting. It reminds everyone of what Fordham stands for: being people for others and finding ways to make sure everyone feels valued.
What is most powerful, though, is how the club changes
the way people think about inclusion. You see firsthand that people with IDD aren’t defined by their disability; they’re friends, teammates and people with amazing personalities. That perspective then spreads into other parts of life.
With so many clubs and opportunities at Fordham,
Best
stands out to me because of how real its impact is. It’s not about just joining something for your resume; it’s about creating friendships and spreading a culture of kindness. That’s why Best Buddies is my favorite club and why I think it makes Fordham a better place for everyone.
COURTESY OF @BESTBUDDIES
Best Buddies focuses on fostering meaningful relationships.
Buddies
COURTESY OF @VESELKANYC
New York City has many great places to eat for a great price.
CULTURE
Who’s That Kid?| Carter Soderberg GSB ’28
Carter Soderberg’s Fight Back to Fordham
By ANDREW MASSIE FEATURES EDITOR
When Carter Soderberg, GSB ’28, received his cancer diagnosis, the doctors assured him that his illness was “curable cancer,” saying he had a 90% survivability rate. But what followed was anything but simple.
For the sophomore, the past year has been defined by long hospital stays, relentless chemotherapy and an unwavering determination to return to campus.
“Believe it or not, chemo sucks!” Soderberg wrote in a January update to friends and family. “These days are rough, I don’t see any use in lying about it … But you know I have to get through it.”
His treatment regimen often meant five straight days of six-hour infusions, leaving him exhausted and immunocompromised. Yet even while confined to infusion rooms, he found ways to stay himself, bringing his pillows, electric blanket and, most importantly, his mighty sense of humor.
The months were scarred by moments of hope and heartbreak. Scans early this year showed his lung tumor had “slightly decreased” and no new nodules had formed, but doctors discovered “two new nodules on [his] liver that are ‘concerning for metastatic disease.’”
Soderberg met the news with courage. As his mother, Christina Soderberg, recalled, after hearing a grim prognosis at MD Anderson Cancer Center, the top cancer hospital in the United States, Soderberg looked the doctor in the eye and said, “I’ll take those tiny odds and be your success story.”
That perseverance carried him to Indiana University’s Simon Cancer Center, where Dr. Larry Einhorn — best known for treating cyclist Lance Armstrong — saw progress where others had not.
“That, he said, is not failure, it’s progress,” Christina wrote, pointing to Soderberg’s dramatically lowered tumor markers.
By late May, Soderberg endured a grueling sevenhour surgery that removed a
massive abdominal tumor and part of his liver. Surgeons described his tumor as largely scar tissue, evidence that chemotherapy had worked.
Through it all, Soderberg leaned on faith, family and community. “Please know, the love coming my way is seriously the way that I am able to keep as positive as I am,” he wrote in January.
Friends shaved their heads in solidarity, his Fordham Mock Trial teammates sent care packages and his younger sister shared emotional tributes after his surgery.
“He is the very definition of grace under pressure,” his sister Macy Soderberg wrote. “Carter is our hero, resilient, wise beyond his years and strong in a way that feels touched by something divine.”
Now, Soderberg has returned to Rose Hill. Fully enrolled once again, he’s back living with his five roommates and serving as a senator for the Gabelli School of Business in the United Student Government.
Soderberg gives thumbs up at the UT Southwestern Medical Center
His path has been marked by pain, perseverance and refusal to give up on the future he imagined for himself.
“Soon enough I’ll be walking, surrounded by friends,
Soderberg has also rejoined Fordham’s Mock Trial Club, picking up where he left off before his treatment.
A Cross Between Art And AI
By MAGGIE GARZA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In “A Living Poem,” artist and poet Sasha Stiles invites audiences to examine their relationships with artificial intelligence (AI), something that is increasingly relevant with the advent of ChatGPT and other AI programs. The exhibit, on view at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from Sept. 10 through the spring of 2026, features a single projector displaying a poem that is rewritten every 60 minutes. The poem is produced using a specific language model that receives unique prompts and is accompanied by a set of visuals and sounds. Stiles created this piece using a program called Technelegy, which the museum describes as her alter ego, an AI program that enhances her own voice and writing style.
One of the first projections that appeared onscreen during my viewing of this exhibit read “Once a poem finds you, it rewrites you,” followed by a second projection with the stanza “Look at a poem / and it looks back. / Read a poem / And it reads you. / Whisper a poem / and it leans in to listen. / Remember a poem / And it remembers / Everything you forgot.” What is fascinating about each of these textual displays is that they speak to both the power of poetry and the power of artificial intelligence. In a world where poetry is able to impact a person so deeply that it changes an
aspect of who they are, artificial intelligence is now working to modify an individual’s essence, through enhancing their writing style or improving upon their ideas. I interpreted these projections as Stiles’ and Technelegy’s questioning of whether poetry and AI function in similar ways, and what the benefits and drawbacks of those similarities are. Can AI and poetry work in tandem, as Stiles appears to suggest, or should we be wary of that collaboration?
One of the other themes that “A Living Poem” speaks to is the human body and its relationship to art and technology. Another display that appeared during my visit read: “Please pay attention to the poems beneath your ribs: core, beat, shiver, lung, twinge, flutter, flesh, cell.” In this projection, the piece seems to argue that human sensation is valuable, which is ironic, coming from a work of art that was made with AI. However, this is the type of complexity that Stiles leans into throughout the piece. She reminds us that there are sensations that AI will never be able to experience, and it is those aspects of our humanity that we must lean into in order to preserve our autonomy. It is also those things that are the most poetic, in that they convey a range of human emotions that are unadulterated by AI.
Language is another theme that “A Living Poem” explores.
into my timely graduation where all of this will be nothing more than a blip in the past,” he said.
For Carter Soderberg, the fight continues, and so does the life he refused to let cancer take away.
One of the projections during my viewing of the exhibit read, “Language began as longing and still is,” while another read, “I open my mouth and exhale a truth still waiting for us to arrive.” Both of these statements point to the notion of language as a tool for grasping our reality, something that humans and AI struggle with in different ways. For humans, we are not always able to arrive at certain truths or forms of expression, just as AI is not always able to, even though that is what it is designed to do and is becoming more adept at doing so. Another screen read,
“This isn’t output, it’s afterglow.” This made me reflect on the process of using language to formulate one’s ideas, a process which is often time-consuming — unless one is using AI, perhaps. The “afterglow” or satisfaction that the program appears to be referring to is something that humans uniquely experience whenever they arrive at a new conclusion. Stiles makes the viewer question whether AI experiences this too, as AI is known to be something that often hits stumbling blocks in attempting to describe things. Ultimately, “A Living Poem” gives audiences a lot to think
Intelligence to create a piece that speaks to its viewers about in regards to artificial intelligence. With each new iteration of the poem, perhaps new questions appear or stay the same, begging the question of whether AI is generative or innovative. I personally think that Stiles was successful in capturing our relationship with technology, one that is full of hope and disappointment alike. Her choice to make this piece using AI captures the complexity of being able to view AI as both a tool and a cautionary tale, and makes audiences and artists consider the role that it might play in creating new forms of art.
COURTESY OF @SASHASTILES
Stiles blends, poetry, humanity and Artificial
CULTURE
How to Find Love in Reading Again
By CATHERINE DUCKENFIELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I’ll be honest — I haven’t always loved reading. When I was younger, the importance of literacy, comprehension and the hope that we would find joy in reading was impressed upon myself and my brother by my dad. Naturally, he indulged in purchasing my brother and I the full collection of the Great Illustrated Classics, composed of the traditional canon modified to accommodate the reading level of children in grade school. At first, I thought that the entire lot of books would be thoroughly boring, so I would watch SpongeBob on our living room television instead.
Ironically enough, it was when I judged one of the books by its cover — “The Picture of Dorian Gray” — that my passion for reading was born. The excitement that rushed through me as I would leaf through the pages and scan each and every word was a very unique feeling that I believe can only be experienced by reading physical books. I also love the olfactory essence of books. I always tend to secretly sniff the inside of a book, sometimes gaining a sense of nostalgia. While books can be and obviously have been used as props by some people as a rather performative means to communicate to others that they are cultured and intelligent, I think it’s foolish to turn them into status symbols. People should avoid misappropriating books, instead simply reading them because they like the story.
I haven’t tried listening to
audiobooks, but might give it a try. Honestly, it might be much like listening to a podcast, which must be why it appeals to many. One thing I would definitely be weary of is the sound and tone of voice of the speaker. I think books belonging to certain genres require a specific kind of voice, and I’m curious to see if that is a reality. Listening to someone droning on in a monotonous voice would be an absolute nightmare. I am interested in getting an e-book reader, especially for travel to reduce excess bulk while packing. Even if you’re not traveling long distances, having an e-book reader is highly convenient for anyone who commutes frequently. Also, I’ve learned that you can use your local library card to check out books and read them on your personal e-book for free — a great way to engage with public libraries nowadays. My preference for reading physical books definitely reflects my learning style. Flipping through pages, holding a book open, my thumb and forefinger straining to keep it propped open while reading and lying in bed and squinting at each word on a page with extreme focus during a nighttime road trip are each examples that reflect my aptitude for kinetic learning — learning by doing. I’m also a very observant learner. As opposed to listening to books, reading words on a page offers me more of an opportunity to deeply engage with and comprehend any story I’m reading. I definitely enjoy the feeling and tactileness of physical pages; it offers
a truly immersive experience, in my opinion.
In terms of what helps me retain information while I read, creating a perfect reading atmosphere is crucial, no matter what type of reading I’m doing. If I’m in my room at home or my dorm, I like to have ambient, cozy lighting, maybe a lit candle, a nice squishy chair to sit in and the perfect room temperature so that I don’t start dozing off. If I’m doing serious reading for a class, I typically like to be in a library that’s dead silent; I personally can’t risk being distracted by external noises. Similarly, if I’m doing a reading for an English class, a café atmosphere is ideal. It has hints of coziness that my room has, but it being a public space where others are doing their own work motivates me to stay on task.
To wrap up, I do want to
touch on something that’s been affecting me and definitely lots of other people as well — I don’t read as frequently as I’d like to. For one, it is difficult for me to balance reading for pleasure with my academic and extracurricular commitments as a college student. It feels as if there’s only so much that I can do with my time, and I feel bad that I don’t usually devour books like I know I can. To combat this reality, I have set time aside for personal reading every night, 30 minutes to be exact. This way, I am sure to remain consistent and make progress. Of course, I’m not 100% consistent, but I make sure to read as much as I can. Additionally, I like to remind myself at times when I have the urge to pick up my phone and go on social media, or even do just about anything in order to fill intermittent
There
Editor’s Pick | Music
The Life of a Billionaire
By VIOLET WALLACE ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Even if you were living in exile, news of superstar songwriter Taylor Swift’s engagement to football star Travis Kelce would have found you. Swift and Kelce both took to Instagram, posting photos of a flower-filled proposal with the caption: “Your English teacher and P.E. teacher are getting married.” Naturally, the internet erupted in equal parts celebration and thinkpieces. But among the noise was one recurring take: Could one of the world’s most famous billionaires honestly compare herself to one of the most notoriously underpaid professions?
That moment captures the paradox of Swift. For nearly 20 years, she has translated ordinary emotions (first crushes, heartbreak and self-doubt, for example) into songs that feel universal. At the same time, she has built an empire that places her in the highest tier of global wealth. Last fall, Forbes declared her a billionaire, cementing her not just as a cultural figure but as an economic
one. She is both the songwriter who makes fans feel seen and the executive who shapes the industry around her. Her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” reflects that dual role. Alongside the music, fans are met with a dizzying number of vinyl editions: retailer exclusives, color variants and collectible covers. For some, this is part of the joy of being a fan, an immersive way to engage with her world. For others, it raises sharper questions about how art and commerce now coexist. Buying an album is no longer just about the songs; it is about participating in a cultural economy where fandom and consumerism are tightly bound. Swift’s billionaire status also complicates the way we talk about her artistry. On one hand, it is the ultimate symbol of her success: proof that a woman who wrote songs in her bedroom can rewrite the industry’s rules, and own the master recordings of her music outright. On the other hand, it places her in the same category as tech moguls and hedge fund
executives, figures who often feel far removed from everyday life. That contrast can be jarring.
Fans want to see her as the narrator of their own experiences, but it is harder to square that image with the reality of someone who can sell out stadiums in minutes and whose net worth rivals small nations. This doesn’t make her work less meaningful, but it does change the cultural frame through which we interpret it.
Despite all this, people will still buy in because Swift represents something larger than the products she sells. She embodies the idea that it is possible to be both extraordinary and relatable, both a global brand and a familiar voice in your headphones. That is why an engagement caption can spark laughter and critique, and a vinyl release can feel like a personal gift and a corporate rollout.
Being a “Swiftie” in 2025 means accepting these contradictions. She is an artist, a businesswoman, a fiancée and a billionaire, all at once. To engage with her work is to
free time throughout the day, I simply choose to crack open a book instead. This is easier said than done, but if practiced consistently, I’m sure that I’d be able to get through books at a faster pace and with more ease while avoiding screen time and improving my mental health.
Overall, the realm of literature is vast and plentiful, and there’s so many options to fit the preferences of different readers. I myself will remain true to my word that physical books are the G.O.A.T., but I may be proven wrong if I receive the e-book reader that’s been on my mind for Christmas this year. My final message to you is that your ability to read is a privilege, and there is certainly something out there for you — experiencing the joy of reading isn’t something anyone should pass up on.
recognize the cultural weight of someone who shapes the music industry and the way we think about celebrity itself.
not just
This is
an album title. It is also a reminder of what it means to perform and to profit on the world’s biggest stage.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
are many ways to read – physical books, audiobooks, kindles or all of the above – which works best for you?
CULTURE
Changing Leaves and Changing Times
By ANNA GAYTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Autumn in New York is officially here. You may find yourself falling back into that familiar feeling: The air is a little cooler and the sun seems to wave goodbye a little earlier. For those experiencing the shift in seasons for the first time, it’s a fleeting beauty worth savoring. To those who know it all too well, I hope you find comfort in its return.
I grew up in a picturesque small town here in the northeast, and fall transforms the quiet valley into a destination hotspot. Complete with multigenerational family farms filled with pumpkins of all shapes and textures, orchards decked with every kind of apple and corn mazes that might have a few tricks waiting for you, it would be the perfect backdrop for a fall romance novel. Once you step off a hayride, the scent of apple cider doughnuts and maple pecan pie wafts through the air, drawing crowds toward the humble farm stand. The flavors this time of year are unmatched — whether it’s biting into a sticky candy apple or anticipating plates of turkey and stuffing later in the season. While you can’t bring every piece of that magic to Fordham, it’s certainly worth it to take a trip somewhere where you can get a taste of
the country living. Whether you drive to New England or take the Metro-North to Sleepy Hollow, it’s worth the time.
On campus, there are plenty of ways to embrace the season too. Hanging up festive decorations, treating yourself to a pumpkin spice latte or watching a scary movie can instantly set the mood.
That’s not to say I’m happy summer is gone. I love summer and I am not ready to say goodbye either, I don’t think I ever am. It went by so fast. I could’ve sworn a minute ago I was admiring the kelly green leaves. Sometimes, if I close my eyes, I can still feel the salt water on my skin and the waves crashing beside me, but two things can be true at once. You can miss your favorite flowers and love the blazing colors of autumn’s leaves.
Therefore, if change is getting me down, I try to find comfort in spending time with people that keep my fire going. This can look different for everyone. For some, it could be thrifting for cozy sweaters, leaf peeping in Central Park or maybe even getting in one last game of spike ball on Edwards Parade. When the mornings are cloudier and the days are shorter, those rainy nights feel a little more inviting. Trying new recipes, sharing them with friends or gathering for a football game are also some
staple fall activities. Football isn’t just about knowing every play, and there’s tons of fun in the snacks. Whether it’s the new charcuterie board you just made or the buffalo chicken dip straight out of the oven filling your cup with more than just soup this autumn can help ease into the changing times.
Staying busy is another good way to adapt to change. Even if it’s a small thing, try to break up your time and the hard parts will hopefully fly by. So, going off of that, perhaps I am a bit too eager, but I already
have all my Halloween costumes planned. I know I’m not the only one who does — especially with the annual Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade coming up. Additionally, right here in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden is getting ready for Fall-O-Ween, running from Sept.28 through Oct. 27. It is really a treat how many things New York has to offer this season. Broadway is also buzzing this season, with a wave of new shows opening and plenty of rush tickets and student discounts available. I heard “Beetlejuice”
is coming back (just to say his name three times). The New York Film Festival is also back, which runs from late September through midOctober. Plus, Halloween isn’t the only time to dress up; New York Comic Con is happening in early October. Finally, if you’re looking for something delicious, the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival arrives in October too.
Fall can remind us that there is beauty in change. Autumn is a time worth celebrating, and there’s always celebration in New York.
Conan Gray Has Us in a Trance With ‘Vodka Cranberry’
By MOLLY O’CONNOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER
There’s nothing I love more than when a song captures me so perfectly that I simply cannot help but listen to it on repeat to no end. My most recent musical hyperfixation of this kind has been “Vodka Cranberry” by Conan Gray. Beginning with the soft riff of the guitar, we are immediately transported to the world of the song. The first verse explores all of the little things that Gray is noticing in his partner as the relationship spirals out of his control. With his master’s degree in yearnology, Gray is no stranger to the art of noticing. “It’s in the way you say my name / So quick, so straight, it sounds the same / as the time we took a break,” he sings, calling attention to the slightest changes in tone of this person, showing him how they truly feel.
When he reaches the first chorus, it’s like the first breaking point as he desperately asks this person to “speak up” because he cannot bear to sit in the uncomfortable silence of their relationship any longer. “I know you hate me,” Gray proclaims, begging
them to just admit what he already knows. “Speak up, don’t leave me waiting. Got way too drunk off of vodka cranberry.” He’s just sitting and waiting to be left, drowning his sorrows in liquor and watching this person pretend everything is fine. Finally, when he feels like he’s had enough, he ends the chorus saying, “If you don’t end things / then I will.”
The second verse starts with “Now I look dumb, and you look mean,” showing how he feels stupid for staying in this relationship that is obviously long over. However, he still doesn’t hate this person; he just knows that from an outsider’s perspective, his partner looks mean. After remarking on how they slowly took back their things, Gray says, “Yeah, I noticed that. Yeah, I notice everything you do.”
When we finally reach the bridge of the song, Gray repeats “I will,” talking about how he will end things if the other makes him, even if he might not want to. After he entrances us with angelic riffs, he hits a note so high, scientists saw his voice land on the moon. Watching him hit that note live at his VMAs
performance is life-altering and a must-watch.
My obsession with this song led me to explore the rest of the “Wishbone” album, Gray’s most recent work, released
this past August, and believe me, it is worth it. I was never a Gray fan necessarily, but consider me recruited because wow, what a masterpiece. Conan, I’m so sorry, but I
was not familiar with your game. Everyone, especially the yearners, needs to give this album a listen, particularly if you’re a “Vodka Cranberry” or Conan Gray fan.
COURTESY OF @CONANGRAY
Conan Gray put out the song “Vodka Cranberry” in July of this year after a five-year hiatus on releasing music.
ANNA GAYTON FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
The fall season officially began on Monday, Sept. 22 and will end on Sunday, Dec. 21 when winter season begins.
The Most Glamorous Week of the Year
By EMILY MCCALL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
New York Fashion Week kicked off last week with runways ranging from small designers like Fang NYC and RÙADH, both of whom only had their New York Fashion Week debut this week, and big names, such as Calvin Klein, who had Anna Wintour herself sitting front row. Every designer offered a unique experience for their audience to ensure that their designs would be the most talked about following the event. Themes, walks, make-up looks, set and accessories all played an important role.
The best accessories, in my opinion, were featured in Rachel Antonoff and Susan Alexandra’s rightfully named “Best in Show.” Celebrities, dressed in dog-inspired attire, walked alongside adoptable rescue dogs generously provided by Animal Haven, a nonprofit shelter for abandoned pets. This not only brought publicity to the quirky and colorful clothes designed by Antonoff and Alexandra, but also offered a chance for forgotten dogs to have a chance in the spotlight and, hopefully, find their forever homes. Even though this was only their second year doing this style of show, the pair plans to make it an annual event. It will be something to look forward to for the next New York Fashion Week.
When I view runway looks, I feel that I should be looking at art, not just fashion. Many designers are able to capture this concept phenomenally through their materials, silhouettes and aesthetics of the models’ looks. The Fashion Institute of Technology, for instance, had one of the most diverse and whimsical shows I have seen this season. Each graduate was able to design and display five features each, and with all of their different styles, it made for a truly captivating act featuring 90 total looks. This ranged from menswear to ballgowns and monochrome to colorful 3-D additions. None of the pieces looked alike, though there were clear themes to each student’s contributions. They were each unique, eccentric and beautifully designed in their own way.
Not all designers focused on producing otherworldly looks. Toteme, a brand focused on Scandinavian style, kept its show very clean and simple, much like their line. The looks are certainly beautiful and masterfully crafted, but I much prefer when looks are more eye-catching and distinctive. Having basics is important for one’s closet, but it is something everyone has seen before. In the fashion industry, it is especially essential to stand out as a brand to gain traction on designs.
Even with the number of
big names present, there were still some notable absences. American brands that had previously dominated the New York Fashion Week runways, such as Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren, did not present during this time, but instead opted to show their collections separate from and prior to the week-long event. Seeing these two famed lines not included in the festivities of fashion week raises the question of whether scheduling each show within the same time period will continue, or if brands would prefer to be more individual to stand out from their competition.
Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to attend any events myself, but there are so many ways for students to get involved with New York Fashion Week. With the number of designers coming to New York to showcase their designs, there are certainly a large portion of them that will require extra hands to help out backstage. Sending out resumes or emails offering help can never hurt; you may even earn a short-term internship to add onto your resume, as well as expand your knowledge of working in the fashion industry. Even if you’re not interested in pursuing a career in fashion, it can still be a great way to build connections and have fun in the city.
Overall, New York Fashion Week was an exciting time
that had the whole city buzzing. The designers, models, guests and even the local New Yorkers all came dressed to impress, showing off their individuality. It is a time not just to talk about clothes, but to highlight ways for one to express themselves through fashion. No two runways looked alike and that is what makes this week feel so special. Now that it is over, though, it is time for us to tune into London Fashion Week and see how their looks compare.
The Fordham Ram Crossword
ACROSS
COURTESY OF @STYLEDUMONDE
New York Fashion Week had the whole city buzzing with the newest looks.
Lang Leads the Way: Goal Seals Rams’ Victory
By GIANNA TETRO STAFF WRITER
When they traveled down to the nation’s capital, the Fordham University men’s soccer team brought more than their gear and game plan; they carried with them the determination to make a statement in conference play. On Saturday afternoon in Washington, D.C., the Fordham Rams struck with haste against the George Washington University (GW) Revolutionaries and never looked back. They secured a 1-0 win against their fellow Atlantic 10 (A-10) conference competitor.
Defender Daniel Lang, a sophomore, provided the Rams’ spark immediately, finishing just four minutes into the match off the setup from graduate student defender Lukas Gatti. For Lang, it was more than just a goal; it was a tone-setter.
“The goal was obviously a very nice feeling,” Lang said. “It was early into the game, so it set the tone. It gave me a lot of confidence going into the game, and it’s obviously easier for the team to play with a lead.”
That early breakthrough gave the Fordham Rams the foundation it needed, allowing them to dictate the game’s rhythm while leaning on their defensive organization for protecting
its advantage. The win lifted the Rams to a 4-22 overall record and kept them unbeaten thus far in conference play.
Heading into the match, Fordham looked to build on a solid opening stretch of their season, with the A-10 schedule promising tough challenges. Going into the game against GW, the Rams were tested but confident. Senior forward Bennett Leitner noted that the first seven games had been “a great test to see how we’ve come together.”
Despite some turnover on the roster, he felt the team had meshed well, adding that the demanding early schedule “built confidence” with three wins and two ties. Bennett explained that much of the foundation was built in the summer, when many players joined United Soccer League League Two teams to stay competitive and in shape. The intense summer preparation was necessary, given Fordham’s grueling opening stretch of five matches in two weeks. With nearly a third of the roster consisting of newcomers (freshmen, transfers and international players), the Rams needed time to settle into their identity. GW offered the Rams a chance to prove they could earn results on the road, a crucial test of
Athletes of the Week
Sophomore attacker Andras Toth continued dominating in the pool this week. On Saturday against Mercyhurst University, a 31-7 Rams win, Toth netted six goals, three assists, five steals and two blocks. In Sunday’s doubleheader sweep over Bucknell University and Mount Saint Mary’s University, Toth scored a total of ten goals, along with seven assists, seven steals and two blocks. Toth has helped lead the way thus far for a Fordham University squad that has now won 47 straight MidAtlantic Water Polo Conference matches in the regular season.
Senior Nevena Kolarevic was one of two Fordham University Women’s Tennis players accepted into the 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American Championships, and made history. Kolarevic won her first round match against the University of Alabama’s Maria Andrienko 6-4, 6-2, becoming the first Fordham Ram to ever win a match at the ITA All-Americans, a wellrespected tournament with several pros on their champions list. She then defeated Sacramento State University’s Catherine Walker 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 to advance to the Round of 64, where she was defeated by Louisiana Tech University’s Zoie Epps.
consistency in a conference race where each and every point matters.
Lang’s opener gave the Rams some early breathing room, but the game was far from comfortable for them. While playing with the lead, Fordham had to balance chasing a second goal with staying tight defensively. The Revolutionaries were pressuring for an equalizer, but they were thwarted by Fordham’s back line. Rams goalie Tristan Stephani needed just three saves to keep the clean sheet, thanks to steady protection in front of him. At the other end of the pitch, GW’s keeper, Tom Macauley, was kept busy, registering 10 saves to deny the Rams a lead extender.
The matchup carried plenty of bite. Both sides combined for 27 fouls as well as a myriad of yellow cards, reflecting the tension of a tight A-10 contest. Tempers
flared late, culminating in a red card for GW, which ended any hope of a lastminute comeback for the home team.
While the Rams squad celebrated the victory, it was made clear that “VCU is gonna be way more difficult … [they’re] a good team … so we have to continue what made us strong,” as Lang noted. He also mentioned keeping “defensive shape” because while they didn’t “concede many chances… [they] have to be better in finishing our chances…A 1-0 lead won’t be enough for every game.”
The victory was not only a milestone for the players but also for Head Coach Carlo Acquista, who, in his seventh season, has captured an A-10 championship and made multiple NCAA tournament appearances. However, one box was kept unchecked:
leading Fordham into a road match against the GW Revolutionaries. That changed this weekend as Acquista not only coached his first game at the GW soccer field, but left with a shutout win as well. In a highly competitve conference like the A-10, every point is precious, whether at home or away. Fordham’s capability to strike early with resilient defending offers a blueprint for the road ahead. If the Rams can pair their sturdy defense with sharpening their finishing, this trip to D.C. could be remembered as the start of something bigger. The Rams return home to show the Bronx what they can do as they continue their season. Next up, the Rams play Virginia Commonwealth University on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. before visiting Loyola University Chicago Oct. 4.
Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis
Men’s Golf
Andras Toth Sophomore Water Polo
Nevena Kolarevic Senior Tennis
Fordham’s Daniel Lang played hero against George Washington University Saturday. COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
All Rise: Aaron Judge Surpasses DiMaggio
By JACQUI LYSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
With his 47th home run of the season on Sept. 12 in Fenway Park, Aaron Judge passed Joe DiMaggio with his 362nd career home run to notch the fourth-most career home runs in Yankees franchise history.
At the top of the first inning, (on a 0-1 count) Judge hit a 468-foot drive off of a fourseamer against Lucas Giolito, with an exit velocity of 112.6 mph. This historic home run was the first run of the game that led to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in game one of the three game series.
As of now, Judge holds the fourth spot on the Yankees all-time home run list with 364 home runs behind Lou Gehrig in third, with 493. Mickey Mantle is in second with 536, and Babe Ruth with the first spot with an impressive 659 home runs. Ruth has the third most career home runs in Major League Baseball history.
To compare, DiMaggio took 1,736 games through his 13 seasons with the Yankees to achieve 361 home runs, and Judge took 1,137 games to achieve 363 home runs. Judge is currently in his tenth season as a Yankee, and his career is ongoing.
As the 32nd player chosen overall, Judge was drafted to the Yankees in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft. After beginning his career in the minor leagues, he had his debut game with the Yankees on Aug. 13, 2016, against the Tampa Bay Rays. Hitting his first home run in his debut game, Judge kick-started his career as an outfielder in New York.
Judge’s success began early as he was awarded American League Rookie of the Year in 2017, broke DiMaggio’s record of 29 for most home
runs hit in a season by a rookie with 52, and was the first rookie to win the Home Run Derby. Judge has also been chosen for the MLB All-Star team seven times, and he currently holds the American League record for most home runs in a season, with 62, achieved in 2022. Judge has won the American League Most Valuable Player (AL MVP) Award twice, for the 2022 and 2024 MLB seasons. Now in his 10th season, Judge has become an official team captain and earned his spot as one of the Yankees’
greats with his stats and his numerous franchise and MLB records. His milestones this season are far from over as Judge has a chance to win the AL MVP award, for the third time, this season.
The 2025 MLB regular season is almost over and the leading candidates for this year’s AL MVP award are Judge and Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. The skills of the players, both offensively and defensively, and their personal and team achievements, decide the winner of this year’s award.
With 48 home runs and achieving the fourth spot on the Yankees all-time home run list, Judge is a strong candidate to win the 2025 AL MVP award. Raleigh leads the league with 57 home runs so far. Judge, on the other hand, currently leads the league in batting average (.328), on base percentage (.453) and slugging percentage (.676). As a team, the Yankees would need to make the playoffs to help Judge’s chances, and he would need to keep up his hitting performance in these final games. This season Judge was placed on the injured list and missed ten games in late July because of an elbow injury. His time off paired with possible “voter fatigue,” due to his previous wins of this award, could negatively impact his chances of winning AL MVP for the 2025 season.
Aaron Judge has had a substantial impact on the Yankees from leading the team to the 2024 Major League Baseball World Series to his most recent 263 home-run record achievement. With his ongoing career with the franchise, he can very well continue to make history as an established New York Yankee great.
Who Runs the World? Álvarez Vs. Crawford
By ETHAN BESS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As the world saw this past Saturday on Netflix, Terence Crawford defeated Canelo Álvarez to become the first boxer ever to be an undisputed world champion in three different weight classes. It serves as a signifier of the uphill battle that Crawford has had to endure since being a kid in Nebraska. The overall theme of the fight comes from the fact that these two boxers were considered the best of their era. Álvarez was coming into the fight with a record of 63-2-2 with 39 by knockout and Crawford was coming into the fight with a record of 42-0 with 31 by knockout. This fight was projected by some to be the pinnacle of boxing within the last decade, and it did not disappoint.
As the day of the fight approached, the significance of the fight was big. There were many interviews with both parties through their respective camps and representatives. There were advertisements, weigh-ins and trash talking between the two boxers. Crawford was undefeated and had moved up two weight classes over the course of a year to challenge Álvarez for the undisputed middleweight title. Álvarez was riding a six-fight winning streak coming in and had only suffered two losses in his entire career, the first being to Floyd Mayweather in 2015 and the
second being to Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight in 2022. The two men were some of the most famous boxers in the world and it was set up to be a legendary bout. Some people, before the fight even took place, were saying that if Crawford won this fight, it might have made him better than Mayweather.
Although the media was set in stone about the battle, Crawford was actually the underdog in the matchup. According to a study conducted by Yahoo Sports, Álvarez was favored -160 to Crawford’s +145. It just goes to show that even in a fight where both are considered the best in their class, it’s hard to pick a clear winner. However, many people, including boxing experts, predicted that this fight would go
a long way and possibly even into the 12th round. As time continued to pass, everyone was waiting for the fight of the century to take place.
The date that the fight took place was Sept. 13, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. So much time had passed until fans were finally able to get the fight that they were wishing for so badly. Some time had passed before we were able to get to the Álvarez-Crawford main event, and it was one for the ages. It started out pretty well for Álvarez as he was more aggressive throughout the first two rounds of the fight. The third round was evenly drawn as shown with punch count and stamina, although Álvarez did land a powerful punch in the beginning of the round that knocked
Crawford around. The fourth and fifth rounds were pretty even, with a pretty strong effort from both in terms of stamina and punches thrown. Shortly after the sixth round, things started to sway in one direction.
Crawford began to land more punches, and to fight more conservatively and defensively while Álvarez was still trying to keep the offense going, but the effort to continue to drag on was making him tired. It caught up to Crawford as well, but he was able to right the ship quicker than Álvarez could. Shortly after the seventh round is when it started to become clear that Crawford was going to win the bout. He landed more punches than Álvarez at 165-132, had higher power accuracy and had
an even or higher round score in each of the last three rounds such as 10, 11 and 12. As the fight ended, the two boxers embraced in center stage and gave each other the respect that they deserved. It became clear after the decision: Crawford had defeated Álvarez for the undisputed middleweight title of the world.
We had seen an explosion in media coverage and revenue for this bout, and for good reason. This was marketed as the “battle of the century” and had many great moments throughout. Furthermore, the purse for this matchup was extremely high. Álvarez apparently made $100 million for the fight and Crawford apparently made $10 million. Crawford, however, said that he was not doing this battle to make money, but rather to cement his legacy against an excellent boxer. It goes to show in this world that although they can be rare, there are many people out there that do the craft because they love it and aren’t always in it for a check. It is projected that Álvarez might retire, however he has said that he does not yet have a decision.
In summary, the bout between Álvarez and Crawford brought about many moments that will be talked about a lot throughout boxing history. One must ask the question, since Crawford is now 42-0 with 31 knockouts on his record along with holding a championship in five weight classes, “is Terence Crawford the greatest boxer of all time?”
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Aaron Judge surpassed Joe DiMaggio on the all-time New York Yankees home run leaderboard.
COURTESY OF @TBUDCRAWFORD
Terence “Bud” Crawford defeated Canelo Álvarez on Sept. 13.
By KURT SIPPEL STAFF WRITER
The tunnel outfit walk has been showing off players’ personal styles and depicting messages through their outfits.
On Sept. 14, Haley Hopkins alongside her teammates from the Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) wore shirts that read “pay them what you owe them.”
Hopkins, the president of the NWSL’s Players Association, wore this to show solidarity with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) as the leagues continue to fight for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The WNBA All-Star weekend was the first time the players warmed up wearing “pay us what you owe us” attire. This came after a mid-July meeting with over 40 players who met with league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
“But I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity. We could have really kind of gotten into a deeper dive of everything,” said Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty after the first meeting. “Based on their most recent proposal, we just aren’t able to get to a place where we’re actually even talking about the same thing.”
Erin D. Drake, the senior advisor & legal counsel for the
The T-Shirt Says It All
Women’s Basketball National Player Association (WBNPA), spoke at Sportico’s RISE event on Sept. 17 about what it was like to prepare the players to have their voices heard through the t-shirts.
“It was an opportunity for players to speak in their own voice about how they were feeling. As a staff for them, all we do is prepare for when their iron wants to strike,” Drake explained at the Sept. 17 event.
The WNBA is not new to protesting by using t-shirts as their mode of delivering their message. In 2016, after the killing of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, Minnesota Lynx players wore t-shirts that read “Black Lives Matter” to protest police brutality.
One of the main divides of
the CBA with the league and the players involves revenue sharing. As the league grows bigger, the players want a split of the league revenue when business is booming.
The league is currently only splitting 9.3% of the revenue with the players compared to the other four major league sports, which are exclusively male, that receive an almost exact 50/50 split.
Right now under the current CBA, the WNBA is not getting any shared revenue for jerseys, merchandise and ticket sales. It also adds more questions surrounding the revenue split due to the fact that the WNBA signed a brand new television rights deal that will bring in over $200 million per year.
The players are not going to
see any of that money under the CBA. The other five teams have all paid $250 million to buy the right to have an expansion team in the coming years.
In the last few seasons, the WNBA has experienced record highs in not only viewership but also ticket sales. These things combined have led to a record evaluation for the league.
The franchise value is up by almost 180% with a collective value of over $36 billion. Even with these groundbreaking increases, Engelbert has been reluctant to provide for the revenue split that the players have been looking for.
“We’ve been building a new economic model, quite frankly, leading women’s sports to build that model with our new media rights deals and with all the
corporate partnerships,” said Engelbert during the WNBA draft. “So yes, we want to have a fair deal for all, but it has to be within the confines of a sustainable economic model.”
What is happening today will only lead to one thing: a lockout when the players and the league won’t see eye to eye. If they continue to be dissatisfied, the players association can come together and put in a full work stoppage that will delay or cancel the 30th WNBA season.
And if this happens, the direct effects would be felt immediately. This would end all of the foot traffic that the WNBA brings to the cities that it plays in. It would delay the first season of the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo as expansion franchises.
Lockouts can be harmful for leagues, and this can set teams back for years. Right now, this would be poor timing for the WNBA who now have momentum in front of them, working in the teams’ favor. There will never be a concern if the CBA decides to pay the players a fair share of the revenue the players believe they are owed. It’s a lot more than just a t-shirt to the players; it’s about getting the respect and the share of the revenue they believe they have earned. At the end of the day, the players are the reason people tune into the games every night, so without the players, there is no WNBA.
Four Wins For Liverpool: Formidable or Fortunate?
By AARYAN SAMA STAFF WRITER
If goals after the 83rd minute didn’t count in the Premier League, Liverpool F.C. would have zero wins out of four. That being said, Liverpool has four wins from four. Late heroics have been a consistent factor for the Reds in every game so far, with winners ranging from the Premier League goal of the month-winning free-kick from midfielder-turned-makeshift full-back Dominik Szoboszlai against last year’s runners-up Arsenal F.C., to a 99th-minute winner from former Chelsea F.C. youngster Rio Ngumoha, who was 16 when he scored against Newcastle United F.C. While Liverpool fans are over the moon, many believe that they have been fortunate and their results don’t reflect their performances so far.
Despite winning the league last year, Arne Slot initiated a rebuild this summer window with almost half of the squad different this season. Given the tragic death of Diogo Jota this summer and the departures of attackers such as Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz and Ben Doak, Liverpool’s frontline this year is entirely different. The Frenchman Hugo Ekitike came in from Eintracht, Frankfurt, for around 95 million euros and has been off to a great start, with three goals and one assist for
Liverpool so far. However, this wasn’t even their most expensive attacking signing of the window.
Liverpool bagged its dream man on deadline day, with Alexander Isak finally signing with the league winners after months of negotiations with Newcastle. As of Matchday 4, he hasn’t had an opportunity to debut yet, but many are confused about how he will line up besides their other attacking options.
In regard to the defense, Liverpool brought in two fullbacks, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. Both of their starts have been controversial, with Kerkez looking shaky and aggressive and Frimpong being injured. Ibrahima Konaté has also been under questioning but picked up form after the first two games, even though he looks likely
to leave for Real Madrid CF next year. Liverpool almost signed the English national Marc Guéhi as the next starting center-back, but Crystal Palace F.C. pulled out of the deal at the last minute. Many might argue that Liverpool’s biggest signing this season would be the German superstar Florian Wirtz, who arrived from Bayer 04 Leverkusen this summer. Fans have also debated his start, as many believe he hasn’t yet lived up to his hefty price tag. Given the amount of change the Liverpool squad must go through, it can be inferred as one of the reasons why Liverpool has struggled so far. They’ve also played four difficult teams, with AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal both having a 100% win rate besides the Liverpool fixtures.
Newcastle also played with aggression due to the drama over the last few months regarding the transfer market, and Burnley played with an almostimpossible-to-penetrate low block with five defenders at the back.
However, there have been some worries. One is Mohamed Salah’s role in the future of Liverpool, as his contribution to the team’s play has drastically reduced this year. He has recorded two goals and one assist in four games, which is generally a good record. However, this doesn’t compare to his stellar performances last year. He has been instrumental in a few moments of play in the season, but for most of the game, he has had trouble receiving the ball from the midfield and carrying it forward. Given Trent AlexanderArnold’s somewhat problematic
departure this summer, the right side of the pitch does not operate like it used to, and Salah might have trouble adapting to the new system. That being said, he is still the man he was last year; he just needs the tactical freedom to prove it.
Now that the squad is fit, Arne Slot has some significant decisions to make regarding what the starting 11 will look like for the season. There are not many players whose starting spots are guaranteed, given the team’s exceptional squad depth. Their options can also be considered a double-edged sword, as players such as Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Ekitike would be wasted on the bench. The first four games have proven that Szoboszlai needs a starting spot and is instrumental in Liverpool’s creative output. Still, many wouldn’t start him over Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch or Florian Wirtz. How Liverpool’s attack lineup will be determined is also a big question, as Ekitike and Isak are both strikers, but either can also play on the left instead of Gakpo. If all four were to start, they’d probably have to lose another midfielder in the lineup. With the next league game being the Merseyside derby, Arne Slot has a lot to figure out about keeping Liverpool’s current form consistent while improving the performances on the pitch, irrespective of results.
KURT SIPPEL FOR THE FORDHAM RAM A man holds up a “PAY THE
WNBA Playoffs.
COURTESY OF @LIVERPOOLFC
Liverpool F.C. has won all four of their last games, with late heroics as the common factor.
Volleyball Crushes CCSU in Non-Conference
By JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
Before Fordham University
Volleyball’s final match of the non-conference season, the message from Head Coach Ian Choi was clear: “We gotta win.” In Saturday’s bout with Central Connecticut State University, the Rams did just that.
Fordham advanced to 6-4 overall with a 25-14, 25-15, 2512 shellacking of the 1-11 Blue Devils as the Rams’ built on their impressive start to the 2025 season.
For some teams, winning isn’t the top priority during nonconference play. For a Central Connecticut club struggling to find its footing, the concern is not the opponent: “I don’t necessarily think it’s prepping for [Fordham] ... We’re 1-9, we haven’t finished games, we have a lot to focus on on our side … regardless of who the opponent is” said Head Coach Alyssa Broccoli before the Blue Devils’ losses to Fordham and Fairfield University last weekend.
For a Fordham team that recognizes the importance of heading into the Atlantic 10 (A-10) gauntlet with a win and a well-rested team, the sentiment couldn’t have
By GRACE McCARRON SPORTS EDITOR
Lots of sports fans have that random team that they have no personal connection with and no real reason to support, but they find themselves nursing a soft spot for. Mine, as a girl who grew up in New York and is deeply devoted to the Mets, is the Los Angeles Angels.
I can’t quite explain this fascination. What I can explain, and often think about, is that this franchise is its own special kind of comical. You would think a team that once featured Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, two surefire Hall of Famers with three Most Valuable Player awards each and two of the great players of their generation, in the same lineup, would be able to at least pull together a winning season in recent years. You’d think wrong. It’s been 10 years since the Angels had a winning record, and 11 since they made the playoffs. It’s the longest drought in Major League Baseball, and the third-longest in major North American sports, behind only the lowly New York Jets and Buffalo Sabres.
In that last, unremarkable playoff appearance, the first and thus far only of Trout’s illustrious career, the Angels were swept by the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 American League (AL) Division Series, and the Royals would go on to clinch the AL pennant. Their last playoff win? Oct. 22, 2009, in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series with the New York Yankees. I was two months away from turning five. I’m now a junior in college. The Yankees, of course, would go on to win the pennant and the World Series.
I think the best way I can explain this fascination is that the Angels are pretty easy to
been any more different.
“We’re in-season now — we gotta win, that’s the goal,” said Choi prior to the match.
To get the job done, Choi’s Rams did what they’ve done all season: rely on their strengths to overpower opponents at the net.
For a Fordham team that leads the nation in blocks per set, that starts defensively — and when you say “defense,” you can look no further than the superstar blocking tandem of senior Audrey Brown and junior Tatum Holderied.
Holderied ranks as the best per-set blocker in the country, while Brown is first among all right-side hitters in the same stat
— when they combine above the tape, they form an impenetrable wall.
Against the Blue Devils, that wall led the Rams to a 14-block outing in just three sets. It’s Fordham’s seventh straight match with double-digit blocks, the longest such stretch in program history. Brown matched her career high eight blocks, while Holderied contributed six.
Fordham’s success extended beyond its block, though. Entering play, Choi emphasized the team’s biggest spot for improvement: getting its middles involved in the offense.
After running their middles just 17 times out of 152 attacks in
their loss to Temple University, the Rams didn’t exactly run a middle-heavy offense Saturday, but did combine for a .466 hitting rate when going middle.
While sophomore Sophia Kuyn was most impactful in the center of the floor, hammering five kills, freshman middle blocker Sophia Oliveira got a big ovation from Fordham’s bench as she rose up for her first career put-away late in set three.
Behind its middles, Fordham posted its most efficient scoring output of the season, hitting .307. Leading the Rams offensively was junior outside Erynn Sweeney, with 10 kills on 23 errorless attacks, good for a career-best
.435 hitting percentage.
Sweeney continues her ascension as Fordham’s top attacker, just a year removed from sitting out the entire 2024 season. Choi, who has worked closely with Sweeney during her career, called this season an “inflection point” for the California native, recalling her emergence into a starting spot: “Hey, there’s this opening for a spot. You have autonomy over your ability to get the spot, but it’s ultimately up to you to see if your mindset can prepare you for this spot.”
The early-season returns do well to determine whether Sweeney has risen to the occasion: “She has. To her credit, she has.”
The Rams enter conference play at an inflection point of their own. After a brutal start to A-10 play last year, the graduation of its best player, and a last-place preseason ranking, Fordham will need to prove its mettle against reigning conference champions Loyola University Chicago.
The journey back to the postseason begins Friday at 5 p.m. in the Rose Hill Gym, with coverage on ESPN+. The teams will meet again Saturday at 2 p.m., wrapping up the Rams’ threeweek-long homestand.
Overtime: A Special Brand of Bad
root for. The players are lovable. I don’t know of any baseball fan that hates Trout. Some might hate Ohtani these days, especially after he traded in Anaheim for Chavez Ravine, signed that massive contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and promptly won the World Series in 2024, but he’s so good at what he does that it’s tough to hate him too. They’ve had many other great players in their history: Nolan Ryan, Vladimir Guerrero, Albert Pujols and others. There is seemingly always someone to watch with the Angels, even while they fail year after year to make any noise. Once upon a time that was Anthony Rendon, who signed a seven-year, $245 million contract with the team in 2019 … and has since played a mere 257 lackluster games for the team. Many fans bemoan the fact that Trout remained loyal to the Angels, signing a 12-year, $426.5 million contract extension in 2019, and has still only seen one postseason appearance since his 2011 debut.
There’s even more heartbreak if you go back in time a bit. There have been several
collapses. If you’re into baseball history, you might be familiar with the 1995 one, as it’s up there with the most disastrous collapses in the sport’s history. I’ll try to summarize it for you. In mid-August, the Angels had a 10.5-game lead for the AL West. From Aug. 25 to Sept. 3, they lost nine games in a row while the Seattle Mariners began to surge, but they still had a six-game lead. Then they lost nine more in a row from Sept. 13 to 23, and all of a sudden their first place lead was gone and the Mariners had a three-game lead. They held on to force a one-game playoff with the Mariners, but lost and their season was over. I don’t know if it’s possible to encapsulate how bad that is, but think of the pain you would feel if that happened to your team.
Surprisingly enough, the Angels do have some whimsy and positivity to them. The franchise is the only one in MLB to have never lost 100 games in a season. During their one World Series title run in 2002, their unofficial mascot, the Rally Monkey, came back into the spotlight
after a 2000 debut. Fans deemed the primate a goodluck charm as the monkey would appear on the jumbotron late in games where the team was behind or tied. When this happened, the team went 24-16. Game 6 of the World Series was the monkey’s peak, as it appeared in the seventh inning when the Angels were down 5-0 to the San Francisco Giants, and they came back to win 6-5 and clinch the title the following game. There were signs in the stands for this monkey. This season, the team had a home run fire helmet, placing it on the head of players who hit home runs in celebration and as a tribute to Los Angeles-area firefighters.
In 2018, Guerrero became the first player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame with an Angels hat on his plaque, a big deal at the time since he spent more of his career with the Montreal Expos. I realize this article might make you want to continue ignoring the Angels as many do these days, but there are, as there have been throughout their history, reasons to keep watching. The 2025 squad
seems tight-knit. There’s content of them at Disneyland. There’s some feel-good stories. Outfielder Jo Adell is having himself a great bounceback year after several lackluster seasons, having hit 36 home runs at the time of this writing. Taylor Ward is having himself a 30+ home run season too. Zach Neto is perhaps one of the most underrated shortstops around. Reliever Ben Joyce only played a month this season before needing seasonending shoulder surgery, but he can throw 105.5 miles per hour, something we don’t see every day. There’s some great Immaculate Grid picks if you comb through the history of their players. Part of the reason I love baseball so much is that something new can happen every day, giving the community more and more to talk about. You can never be bored. The Angels encapsulate that, in both the good and bad ways. This is only a small summary of the insanity that’s gone on over in Orange County, but maybe it will give a look into why I appreciate the ups and downs of this faraway ball club.
Senior Zoe Talabong is approaching 90 career kills.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
The Angels organization has wasted the career of many all-time greats such as Mike Trout.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM