On Sunday, a student reported they were robbed while walking on Southern Boulevard from Bedford Park Boulevard. The supervisor responded. The student said that they were approached by a male wearing a surgical mask and armed with a knife. The offender demanded property and removed the student’s necklace, iPhone, and wallet. The supervisor contacted the NYPD who responded and prepared a report.
Fire Alarm
Oct. 19
5:09 p.m.
On Sunday, there was a fire alarm in Alumni Court South. The supervisor and FDNY responded. The investigation revealed that students’ cooking triggered the alarm. The supervisor ventilated the area and reset the alarm panel.
Aggravated Assault Oct. 18
4:45 p.m.
On Saturday, a student reported a suspicious male was trespassing in Walsh Hall. The offender tried to gain access to the reporter’s room by banging on the door. The supervisors responded, observing two males exiting the elevator in the lobby. The supervisors attempted to stop the males. One of the males started a violent struggle with the supervisors. Public Safety was able to detain the offender, but the other unidentified male exited out the lobby entrance. The supervisor reviewed the video captures the males entering the building walking in behind a student who swiped them into the building. FUEMS responded and treated the supervisors. The NYPD responded. The offender was identified as a 15-year-old and issued a juvenile report and released to a family member.
The Quiet Room Where Fordham’s History Is
By ANDREW MASSIE & SIDNEY BLASCO
In William D. Walsh Family Library’s Archives and Special Collections, the past is not a file on a screen.
It has heft and smells faintly of paper and glue. It simultaneously invites caution, curiosity and patience, the way a thousand-year-old book does when a student lifts its cover for the first time.
Fordham University’s archive is a working room, not a museum. Faculty schedule visits for classes to come, and the staff lays out the materials they request.
“The biggest users are history classes, medieval studies, some of the classics professors,” said Director of Libraries Linda Loschiavo.
The collection runs wide: Rare books, documents, prints, Jesuit literature, even a logbook that includes a July 4, 1776 , entry by George Washington, according to Loschiavo. The point, she and her colleagues say, is access with care.
That “care” is real. “It really is more by appointment only,” Loschiavo said, because handling originals takes preparation by a small team. “We have one special collections and archives librarian, and we have one conservation librarian, and that’s it.”
For those in medieval studies, the draw is as practical as it is romantic. “We have an amazing collection of facsimiles, which are high quality copies of medieval manuscripts,” said M. Christina Bruno, associate director of the Center for Medieval Studies. They let undergraduates learn the habits of handling and reading without endangering originals.
There are also differences in physical contact. Bruno calls it “something viscerally really fun … you get to handle something that’s like a thousand years old and it’s actually a little scary.”
facsimiles that reproduce every scrape and shimmer from originals held in private libraries and monastic archives. “Everything is absolutely original, except we do have one collection of facsimiles, which a donor has given us,” Loschiavo said. They are art objects in their own right. “One volume of something could easily be $15,000, $20,000.”
For students, that means they can get close to the look and feel of the real thing. “You can get up close and personal and get the experience of what it is to actually go through and handle such material,” said Malena Sullivan, FCRH ’26, who interns in the department and works on conservation and repair.
The work has pushed her toward a career path. “Not every university gets to have such a wonderful collection,” Sullivan said. “I feel really lucky that I get to take a part in preserving some of that.”
materials in advance, orients students and watches them handle what they came to see.
The staff’s footprint is small by design and budget, so all visits begin with a request.
Although housed together, the distinction between archives and special collections matters: “Archives” are the university’s own records, minutes, presidential files and catalogs, while “special collections” are the rare books, manuscripts and singular objects. Keeping the two together makes instruction easier, but it also means less shelf space.
The argument for resources is really an argument for the kind of education Fordham says it offers. “You’re never going to read a book … that doesn’t thank the archivists,” said history professor Christopher Dietrich. “The work that they do to preserve the past so that the rest of us have a chance to interpret it is really, really critical.”
at the library in 1971 and stayed for 54 years. “In 1971 , I took what I assumed would be a temporary job at the library, and liked it,” he said. Wares returned for the first time last week to visit after retiring.
The conservation table has foam cradles, soft pencils and careful hands. It looks like a conservation triage. Sullivan described it as “almost like being in a hospital and figuring out what treatment each patient or each book needs,” from custom boxes that keep spines visible to in-house repairs on circulating volumes. History professor Daniel Soyer said the great thing about primary sources is that they connect directly to lived experience. For many students, he added, “it’s really exciting to be in the actual archives and to hold in your hand pieces of paper that people wrote a hundred years ago.”
Follow The Fordham Ram on Instagram, Facebook and X @TheFordhamRam
Wednesday Oct. 22
2025 Women’s Fair
Fordham Law School, LC 8:30 a.m.
Attend the 9th Annual Fordham Women’s Summit this week. This year’s Fordham Women’s Summit is designed to empower students to take their next steps, no matter where they are in life.
For safety purposes, Bruno added, “we watch people very, very closely. We give them a tutorial on how to properly handle manuscripts.” This ability to hold historical items becomes the on-ramp to serious work.
The Special Collections also holds a remarkable set of
Graduate student Lily Carlisle, FCLC ’23 , said the easiest wins are simple. Assign a visit. Build it into syllabi. “Writing features on specific holdings in the archive is a pretty good idea,” she added, because stories spark interest. Bruno agrees that the door opens widest when classes go as a group: the staff pulls
In his classes, students learn from the “raw materials” of history: letters, reports, photographs and the justifications Fordham has used over decades for whom it honors.
The archives also hold institutional memory that runs deeper than the current campus conversation. Michael Wares, FCRH ’ 69 , started
This Week at Fordham
Wednesday Oct. 22
“Drop Dead City” Screening
McNally Amphitheater 6:30 p.m.
Join The Deadline Club for a screening of the acclaimed documentary that explains NYC’s 1975 fiscal crisis, punctuated by the famous New York Daily News headline: Ford to City: Drop Dead
Thursday Oct. 23
“Wicked” Discussion
Pope Auditorium 6 p.m.
Join Gregory Maguire, the author of “Wicked,” to talk about how spirituality and art intersect in his creative life, his approach to faith and how “Wicked” translated to stage
Sunday Oct. 26
Trick or Treat for Children
Walsh Library 1 p.m.
Both English and Spanishspeaking volunteers are needed to help host the Halloween Trickor-Treat celebration for children of our Bronx community. Everyone is encouraged to dress up!
If the archives sound like a quiet place, it’s because they are. But they are busy-quiet. When asked what would help most, students and faculty land on the same two needs: more outreach and a little more room.
The shelves keep filling, and the past keeps growing. Even in the digital age, paper takes space.
Monday–Tuesday Oct. 26–27
Rose Hill Blood Drive
McShane Center Ballroom 12 p.m.
Consider donating blood at the blood drive this semester. Every donation has the power to save up to three lives. Donors will receive a $15 e-gift card and a t-shirt on both days of the drive.
A 100-year-old Fordham pennant preserved in the university archives.
ANDREW MASSIE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Lillian Hertel Awarded Obama-Chesky Scholarship
By JORDAN DONEGAN STAFF WRITER
Lillian Hertel, FCRH ’27, turned a middle school passion for activism into becoming the first Fordham University student to be awarded a lifechanging scholarship that's for young and emerging leaders in public service.
This past summer, Hertel, who is double majoring in political science as well as environmental studies, was awarded the highly competitive Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service.
Awarded to 100 students, this scholarship is a twoyear and two-part leadership experience program dedicated to advancing the careers of young leaders in public service through both an academic scholarship for college or a travel stipend for 10 years.
Created by former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama and co-founder and current CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, the program says it aims to help young people interested in public policy become global citizens and discover more about the areas of public policy they are interested in and further aid them in launching their careers in public service, according to Hertel.
For Hertel, this scholarship is both “helpful” and also “valuable,” as she plans to
utilize this money to help fund the rest of her Fordham education and her travel plans to kick off her future in public policy.
“I think the most valuable thing is going to be getting to travel,” Hertel said. “I’m really excited about being able to develop as a person through travel as much as I am excited about being able to use this as a career opportunity.”
The Minneapolis native, who is spending the semester studying abroad in Paris, began her journey in public service in middle school, where she developed an early passion for activism.
“I've been involved with activism for like six years or so,” Hertel said. “I started in middle school with the March for Lives Walkout, and then, [while in highschool], I started an organization to make it easier for other people to get involved in activism in high school as well, because when I was initially trying to start out, it was really hard.”
For Hertel, it was her early activism and advocacy work that led her to apply for the “competitive” scholarship.
“It had kind of been on my radar for a while,” Hertel said. “I didn’t always think that I would apply just because I don't know how many people apply exactly, but in high school, I think when I had been researching scholarships
to apply for, it had come up with some of the searches. I was like, okay, I can apply for them when I’m a sophomore in college.”
When Hertel reached her sophomore year of college last academic school year, she decided to apply for the program, which she submitted her application for in late March of 2025. However, Hertel did not find out that she had been awarded this scholarship until July. Hertel described the moment she found out she had received the scholarship.
“I ran … out and I told my mom, and she got super excited and started jumping around and hugging me. So it was fun. It was a good day,” said Hertel.
Hertel said that she is most interested in the legal side of public policy, specifically environmental and climate laws.
“The legal sphere is definitely my root,” Hertel said. “I like that I have access also to learn about how academia and all these things could be used to help public service, to, kind of narrow down what in law that I want to do.”
According to Hertel, one of the main components of the two-year program is the summer voyage, where recipients are given a travel
segment to be used for travel payments, that way they do not have to “bother” non-profit organizations. Recipients are also awarded a separate stipend from Airbnb for housing, as long as each student makes the argument for why they should be allowed to visit the different organizations and people they want to visit over the summer.
“People go to a bunch of different places,” Hertel said. “I think they have people in all seven continents, and then in a lot of states across America. So it’s very individualized … It’s very much about getting a couple different experiences and to get a broader perspective.”
Hertel says that for her summer voyage, she plans on traveling to Norway to learn more about environmental law, but also more about her personal Norwegian heritage.
“[I want] to go to Norway and either work with the government or nonprofit in the sphere of environmental law,” Hertel said. “People hit a couple different locations to kind of compare different approaches to their public service issue. So I'm still trying to figure out if I want to go somewhere else, and if so, where else I would go.”
While Hertel currently does not know if she wants to travel to multiple destinations, she is considering a couple of different places.
“I think it would be nice to use my French, just because I'm doing an internship and taking classes in French now,” said Hertel. “I’ve been looking at Senegal and Cote D’Ivoire as well, and their agricultural practices, but I haven’t, like, firmly decided on anywhere other than Norway.”
USG Meets with Career Center to Discuss New Opportunities for Students
sites like it.
By ANNA GAYTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Fordham University Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Oct. 9, to discuss the expansion of experiential learning opportunities with Annette McLaughlin, director of the Career Center and Cheretta Robson, the senior associate director of Rose Hill. McLaughlin and Robson had shared that the launch of Experiential Learning, an extension of RamConnect, a new part of the platform where professors and companies can post real projects for students to engage with. McLaughlin added that the platform is easily accessible to students of all majors.
Alongside the introduction of the internship promise, every undergraduate student will have the opportunity to participate in an internship, which includes research and experiential learning, starting with the class of 2029. They also shared other resources for students, such as the cocurricular resume, Pathway U and professional development
USG Vice President of Sustainability Ayden Johnson, FCRH ’27, then presented a budget request for the upcoming sustainability week events.
Events include a “Rio” movie night, Eco-Trivia and a Plant a Seed event. Various prizes and giveaways will be at each event. Sustainability week will take place from Oct. 20 to 25. The budget request was approved.
Vice President of Gabelli School of Business (GSB) Dean’s Council, Hunter Gholson, GSB ’26, presented a budget request for upcoming International Business Bridge events. Spirits of Culture and Community event will take place on Oct. 30 to celebrate Halloween. The academic subcommittee will be tabling at the event. The budget request was approved.
The second proposal was for an Outreach Event with Pedro Arrupe Volunteers (PAV). The budget request was approved for that event as well.
The USG then voted VIVA: Mexican Student Association as September Club of the month. Contemporary Science Fiction and Rodrigue’s Coffee House were also nominated for the
award. VIVA gained official university recognition in the Spring 2025 semester. VIVA shared in their essay that their recent work with Mangutio’s Snack Bar, a woman-owned business local to the Bronx, helped culminate an oncampus community that celebrates Mexican culture.
In addition, VIVA said they had a strong start to the year with stellar attendance, great publicity and lively events.
USG Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, discussed plans for the upcoming President-Student Advisory Council Meeting on Nov. 1 after the administration reduced the frequency from multiple meetings per term.
The meeting will give USG members the opportunity to meet with University President Tania Tetlow to discuss the new five proposal groups. Hjertberg added that any senator with proposals ready for discussion will also have the opportunity to share them with the president.
Separately, Hjertberg said he is coordinating with Abby Paulson, director of Federal Relations, to train students to
advocate in Washington, D.C., for priorities such as federal work-study and need-based aid.
Joshua Somrah, the new assistant director for Student Leadership and Engagement, as the new USG advisor, reminded everyone that Family Weekend 2025 is scheduled for Oct. 24 to 26.
Vice President of Operations Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28, was not present. Siri Bhat, GSB ’27, shared that Operations and Budget will be announcing a “Packets and Pastries” event soon and that club packets are due on Nov. 1. There is also planning for a club social event where board members from a variety of different clubs can come together.
Bhat also spoke in place of Vice President of Budget and Finance Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26. About $13,000 was awarded, but with sanctions, only $9,528 was allocated.
Senator Ava Cascella, FCRH ’26, debriefed her meeting with Nicole Vaughan, assistant director of Residential Life, regarding concerns about summer housing at the Rose Hill campus. This included timeline and logistics for busy families, expanding who is eligible for early move-in. Cascella reported that there have been efforts to update cart inventory for summer move-in and move out, and that while it is up to the Academic Calendar Committee to change move-in dates for students, there is a possibility to add more student groups to early move-in.
Air conditioning will not be able to be implemented in any capacity to Loschert and Alumni Court South Halls. In an email, Cascella clarified that, “Loschert and South, are not set up to withstand the power for central air conditioning and AC units. However, students are still able to make requests to bring their own portable ACs and [requests] typically always get approved.”
Vice President of Gabelli School of Business Hunter Gholson, GSB ’26, shared that the International Bridge Program will host “Spirits of Culture and Community,” an event set to take place on Oct. 30 in Hughes Lobby. Gholson also shared that Outreach will be co-hosting an event with some Pedro Arrupe Volunteers (PAV) on Oct. 26.
The Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service was founded in 2022.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM NOW
Members of The Fordham Ram Talk with President Tetlow
FROM PRESSER PAGE 1
led to issues with class schedules and difficulties transferring between classes. Now the university has one dean of Arts and Sciences, Jessica Lang, who has four vice deans answering to her.
“ I’m very excited for our new dean and very excited about the progress I hope she can quickly make to really unify the campuses academically,” Tetlow said.
Beyond the school of Arts and Sciences, the university is also going to be expanding its technology-oriented offerings. In addition to the new STEM building at the Rose Hill campus, a new AI research incubator is set to
be built at Lincoln Center, thanks to a $1 million donation by an alumnus.
Tetlow discussed how the university is handling the AI boom and how it could be integrated into classes. The Gabelli School of Business just launched a Master’s of AI, and some Fordham Law classes are piloting the use of AI for legal writing.
“[What] we’re thinking about with undergraduate [is] how to both navigate AI and teaching,” said Tetlow. “[And the] faculty themselves really have the autonomy to decide that. They are piloting it in different ways, whether to insist that you not use AI so that you can learn basic skills without
it, or teach you how to use it. And you need a mix of both.”
The president also provided details about the rebranding that occurred over the summer. According to Tetlow, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities surveyed members of Gen Z and their knowledge of what it means to be “Jesuit” and what they care about, and the conclusions they drew impacted Fordham’s rebrand.
“What we learned is that fewer and fewer young people know who we are. [And we] assume that we can say ‘Jesuit’ and from that our audience will understand academic excellence and social justice, and brilliant teaching,
and all the rest. [But] we can’t rely on that anymore,” Tetlow said. “ Changing the ‘F’ is the least of it. It was really about developing ... a language to describe who we are in our Jesuit identity, which is how we stand out. It is what matters most about us, but to translate it into the language of a younger generation in a way that will resonate with them.”
The rebranding process tested various forms of messaging through focus groups. According to Tetlow, the conclusion Fordham came to is that they need to double down on their Jesuit identity, but they need to explain it more clearly. It’s too early to know the impacts of the rebrand, but the president shared that the University has seen an increase in applications this year.
Tetlow also discussed the recent U.S. News and World Report rankings, which had Fordham drop from 91 to 97. She said that U.S. News has shifted the criteria over the years, which has harmed private universities.
“We focus on rankings because we know that it still matters to some, and we focus on the areas that aren’t a distraction from core mission, but where we agree that they matter. And for us, a lot of that is about retention and graduation rate,” she said.
“Right now, our focus is on getting the admission rate down because while that’s no longer part of the rankings, we do know that something students look to as they’re
choosing a school.
While the university has seen an uptick in applications, there has been a decline in international applicants from India and China, primarily in the graduate school. Last semester, Fordham started a task force in reaction to the visa revocations that were taking place across the country, and they have continued supporting students into this year. According to Tetlow, international students had the same rate of visa success as last year.
“This year I spoke to the orientation for incoming international students to make very clear to them personally how eager we are for them to be with us — of how welcome they are as full members of our community, how we are better because we have people from all over the world to teach us all about the fact that we are not the only nation in the world,” she said.
Tetlow did discuss rising costs nationwide, but did not definitively say whether or not tuition will increase this year.
“The ball game for us is providing the excellence you deserve at a price we hope you can afford,” she said. “And that is a more and more miserable process every year.”
In reference to federal funding cuts to student aid, Tetlow said that she wished more attention had been given to the government’s efforts to cut back on financial aid.
“[It was] the most shortsighted move in the world to cut back on educational opportunity in this country,” she said.
Joshua Somrah Returns to Fordham Five Years After Graduating
within Student Affairs,” Somrah said in an email.
He also said that he greatly appreciated working with Student Affairs at Gonzaga and decided he wanted to apply for a new job in Student Affairs in the summer of 2025. Somrah also longed to return to New York, especially as a member of the Fordham alumni body.
“I looked into different job opportunities at Fordham University and eventually applied for the Assistant Director for Student Leadership and Engagement position,” he said.
The position of assistant director for Student Leadership and Engagement serves as the principal liaison between the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA). The position is responsible for leading key initiatives between both departments, which foster co-curricular activities in line with Fordham’s Catholic, Jesuit mission. Somrah reports to both Juan Carlos Matos, assistant vice president for Student Affairs for Diversity and Inclusion in OMA and Catharine McGlade, Ed.D., assistant dean for Student Involvement in OSI.
“[M]ost of my time has been spent on training or reading
through various files to get myself accustomed to the work I will be doing,” Somrah said when asked what he had done so far in his role.
His time is split between OMA and OSI, and he is formally part of both departments. Within OSI, Somrah acts as the co-advisor for Fordham’s United Student Government (USG). He is responsible for attending USG Senate meetings and has personally met with each member of the executive board to become better acquainted with them and their work on the board.
“In these one on ones, I will schedule a time with the Committee Chairs to attend at least one meeting for each USG Committee during the Fall Semester, so I can see the great work that is being done first hand instead of just hearing about it at a Senate Meeting,” Somrah said.
He also takes on an active leadership role within OMA, especially through first-year orientation programming.
“Within my role in OMA, I have started co-facilitating the remaining Civility and Community presentations for the first-year students, and I have started scheduling other training sessions with different groups on campus,” he said.
FROM SOMRAH PAGE 1
President Tania Tetlow holds a mug of coffee that reads “I was a Guest on Freakonomics.”
NORA MALONE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Joshua Somrah worked as a resident director at Gonzaga University before being hired by Fordham.
JOSHUA SOMRAH FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Students Share Their Favorite Homecoming Weekend Events
The Saturday tailgate proved to be a highlight for many students, including Decarvalho, who attended for the first time this year after skipping it previously.
“I’m so grateful that I went this year because I did have a lot of fun,” Decarvalho said. “I suggested to everyone to start off their day there just because you get to meet everyone and there’s a lot of friendly people who will have you over at the tailgating event, and you will get a bunch of free food and make a bunch of new friends.”
For transfer students like O’Dell Holland Fincher Jr., FCRH ’26, Homecoming Weekend offered a unique lens through which to
view Fordham’s campus culture. Having experienced life at another institution, Fincher noticed something distinctive about Fordham’s approach.
“One thing I did this year that I didn’t do last year was attend more of these events,” Fincher said. “As a transfer student, it’s been interesting to see the differences between colleges and what each one values.”
What stood out most to Fincher was Fordham’s commitment to bringing students together.
“At Fordham, I’ve noticed a strong emphasis on community; they’re always hosting events to bring students together, whether it’s the entire class or specific grades,” he said. “Going to so many senior
events and seeing how many more are planned really shows how much Fordham values keeping its community close.”
But Fincher’s connection to Fordham runs deeper than his transfer student experience. As a third-generation Ram, Homecoming Weekend held special significance that bridged past and present.
“I feel like homecoming is a crucial part of attending Fordham,” he said. “Seeing how many people take pride in the school from alumni filling the tailgate lot, eager to talk with current students, to the energy surrounding the football game really showed me what makes this place special.”
The weekend’s careful attention to inclusivity also
resonated with Fincher.
“In between the tailgate and the game, Fordham hosted events through various clubs to make everyone feel welcomed and included, which I really appreciated,” he said. “Even after the game, walking down Arthur Avenue and seeing alumni and students celebrating together felt like being part of something bigger; a culture that can’t and shouldn’t be replaced.”
For students, Homecoming Weekend represents something deeper than social gatherings; it embodies Fordham’s commitment to community.
“It’s just like a unity kind of thing, especially with the whole school being cura personalis, which means for the better of
the whole,” Decarvalho said. “It just really brings everyone together, especially the seniors with the people in the real world that they have already experienced and are going through what they’re about to go through.”
The weekend also served as a bridge between current students and alumni, reinforcing the lasting bonds formed at Fordham. Students consistently reported that their friends enjoyed the events and felt welcome, with activities available at every corner.
As the weekend concluded, students left with renewed connections to their campus community and memories that will last well beyond their time at Fordham.
Fordham’s Jesuit Mission Priorities Confirmed
Integration and Ministry.
The Examen was born out of an idea from the Dicastery for Culture and Education in Rome, which was receiving complaints that Catholic universities weren’t following the Catholic mission. They reached out to the Superior General Arturo Sosa Abascal, S.J., and asked if he could initiate a protocol where Jesuit universities could routinely prove they are remaining on mission.
The first Mission Priority Examen was seven years ago, and only United States Jesuit institutions took part. Through the process, they created the seven characteristics of Jesuit higher education, which schools now use to evaluate themselves.
“The Dicastery for Catholic Education [has] shared the protocol with other Catholic universities, and in that way, the
Jesuits became a leader in this,” Cecero said. “And did them a tremendous favor of doing this work.”
The Examen involves surveying groups of students, faculty and admin, a self-study report by the University and inquiries made by other Jesuit universities.
“It really is an opportunity; it’s not an accreditation in the way Middle States is for us. It’s an Examen, an Examen is a self-reflection, and that’s what it is intended to be,” said Cecero.
“A moment for the university to really step back and ask itself about its mission and then to make some commitments based on that.”
Fordham’s previous Examen led to the foundation of the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL), after the university found they needed to improve their service learning programs.
This year’s self-report highlights four mission priorities: implementing the mission through people’s entire Fordham journeys, supporting faith, engaging in research that matters alongside transformative teaching and forming a multi-faith community.
The consensus from the peer reviewers was that the mission of the university is clear to members of senior administration, but may need more work and focus to better connect with faculty and students. Cecero said that the surveys they did also came to that conclusion, so it is one of their main goals for the next seven years.
“One of the things campus ministry is going headstrong into is working much more closely with residential life. We’ve always had somewhat of a presence in the residence halls, but we’re really doubling down on our presence
in residence halls,” he said.
The university is also starting a series of small group encounters with faculty and staff to allow them to connect with each other and Fordham’s mission.
After its self-study and peer reviews, Fordham sent its report to the provincial of the Jesuit province Joseph O’Keefe, S.J., who wrote a summarizing cover letter and sent it to the Superior General in Rome for review.
“[The Superior General’s] feedback to us was that he wholeheartedly endorses our Jesuit and Catholic identity, he was impressed with our honesty and transparency in the Examen and with our dedication to the core Jesuit values,” said Cecero.
This year was the first Examen opened up to global Jesuit universities, though only U.S.-based universities were required to take part.
“The MPE is always an opportunity to select areas for community focus in the near term,” said Rev. Philip Judge, S.J., Executive Director of Campus Ministry, in an email.
“The two I find most promising in Campus Ministry are the call to forge community across faith and cultural traditions even as we emphasize our Jesuit and Catholic roots.”
Cecero emphasized the importance of taking the mission priorities and utilizing them in all aspects of Fordham, from first-year orientation to graduate-level research.
“We’re not educating students here primarily to fill slots, we’re educating students to be transformative leaders in the world, and that’s what matters,” he said. “So in order to be transformative leaders in the world, they have to be taught in a way that is transformative.”
PHOTOS BY RAEANN GOPAUL FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Students dance at Fordham’s annual President’s Ball on Edwards Parade. Fordham’s football team played Dayton at the Homecoming Weekend game.
USG Discusses Family Weekend and Sustainability Week
By ANNA GAYTON & SOFIA SEMPER
The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Oct. 16, to review budget requests and proposal team initiatives.
Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, and Executive Vice President Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, presented VIVA: Mexican Student Association with the September Club of the Month Award.
Vice President of Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) Mary Hawthorn, FCRH ’26, presented two budget requests for the FCRH Dean’s Council’s upcoming events: their Mindfulness and Midterms event and their Study Abroad Discussion Panel. Hawthorn explained that her Student Success Subcommittee is organizing an event to help students deal with stress during midterms, and they are requesting funding to give away resources such as stress balls,
tea bags, coloring books and donuts. The Study Abroad subcommittee will be hosting a roundtable student discussion panel where students can ask other students questions about different study abroad programs they have participated in. The subcommittee is requesting funding for decorations and snacks for the event. Both budget requests were approved by the Senate.
Hjertberg presented a budget request for two new tables that USG can use for events or tablings. Senator Karam Youssef, GSB ’26, explained that during a tabling hosted by the Class of 2026 senate earlier that day in the McShane Campus Center, their table unexpectedly broke. Lastly, Vice President of Operations Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28, requested funding for a cookie platter for her Packets and Pastries event where studentsww can ask the Operations Committee any questions they have regarding the Operation Packets.
Hjertberg stated that USG
hosts the annual Big Four event with the Fordham Rose Hill Campus Activity Board (CAB), Commuting Students Association (CSA) and Residence Hall Association (RHA); however, none of the other clubs reached out to them about the event this year, leaving USG with extra discretionary funding. Hjertberg explained that they now have $2,900 in discretionary funds and he hopes to use about $2,000 on a new event.
Vice President of Facilities and Dining Maddie Ando, FCRH ’27, suggested that she, along with multiple other vice presidents, could use the funding for a wellness event that they have been planning.
Senator Ava Cascella, FCRH ’26, suggested they use the funding to host an event similar to RHA’s “Under the Tent” formal, since RHA has decided not to host it anymore.
Hjertberg explained that the formal may be a more expensive event than USG could afford; however, Cascella stated
that the administration normally helps with additional funding. Senator Whitney Egbe, FCRH ’28, proposed the possibility of USG hosting a charity event, and using the extra funding to purchase raffle prizes as incentives for students to donate.
Assistant Director for Student Leadership and Engagement Joshua Somrah reminded cabinet members that Family Weekend is this weekend, October 24 to 26. Tickets are available online.
Vice President of Student Life and Experience Luc Angus, FCRH ’26, announced that club suite applications will be opened soon, and they are trying to clean out the current club suites for new clubs to apply for the space.
Vice Chair of the Budget Committee Siri Bhat, GSB ’27, gave a tutorial on how to use Fordham’s purchase request form. Bhat also mentioned that the club sports budget increased to $60,000 up from $33,000 and expressed her
thanks to Rose Dara, assistant athletic director for events, intramurals and club sports, as well as leaders from Rose Hill’s club sports team who made this possible.
The Vice President of Sustainability, Ayden Johnson, FCRH ’27, reminded everyone that sustainability week will be October 20 to 25. More information can be found on their Instagram page. Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Laila Sayegh, FCRH ’27, announced that there is an event in the works to have professors speak on their experience with Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
Sayegh mentioned she is looking to compile a list of restaurants that have sent in their Certificate of Insurance for food handling for students, and organizing ordering food for events on campus. Hjertberg shared that Dean Catharine McGlade, assistant dean for Student Involvement, is also trying to make a list.
Daniel Ott Promoted to Senior Associate Dean at Lincoln Center
By JACK MCDONALD ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Daniel Ott, Ph.D., was recently promoted to senior associate dean of Arts and Sciences at Lincoln Center. He previously served exclusively as an associate professor of music theory and composition. His courses include ear training, music composition and music theory. This year, Ott is teaching on a reduced schedule to accommodate serving in both positions.
In an email, Ott spoke on his experience as a professor of music and related it closely to the collaborative arts. “I like to think that working with others comes as a natural part of my artistic expression and now, also, in an administrative role within the university,” he said about how his background in
music education affected his approach to his role as dean.
Ott’s education includes a Bachelor’s of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music in 1997, and a Master’s of Management from 1999 as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts in 2004, both from The Juilliard School.
He is an award-winning composer whose pieces have been heard at music venues including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Much of his work includes ballet pieces. In fact, Ott has recently been commissioned by the New York City Ballet, according to his official university profile. He received the Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts & Letters and the Morton Gould Young Composer Award from the American
Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation.
Ott described the visibility of the music department at Lincoln Center as strong, citing that students are often invited to perform at concerts or Fordham-hosted events. Fordham recently opened the Rev. Robert Grimes, S.J., Music Studio at Lincoln Center as a resource for students.
“Something I hope all students know is that you don’t have to be a music major, or even minor, to do any of those things,” Ott said. “Musical activities at Fordham are open to all who have the time, interest, and desire to make music!”
Ott also said that Fordham’s music department is alive and thriving at both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center. He emphasized that faculty in the music
department are always open to assisting students.
“Students on either campus are welcome to drop me a line, or reach out to the Music Program offices,” he said.
Ott is a member of the Lincoln Center faculty, but also frequently teaches at Rose Hill out of necessity. He explained that because the music department has a small faculty, he is often needed at both campuses.
Ott currently teaches “Music Theory III,” a core requirement for music students.
“I wanted to teach this class because I have taught most of the students before, either last spring in Music Theory II or in another class,” Ott said.
Next semester, Ott will be teaching “Music Composition,” which lies in his area of specialization. It is also a course that he
designed from the ground up.
“It also involves a close collaboration with an outside musical ensemble with whom I have a close professional relationship, so I consider it my ‘baby,’” he said.
Courses taught by Ott in the past include Introduction to Musicianship/Ear Training & Sight Singing, Diatonic Harmony, Counterpoint, Music Analysis and Chromatic Harmony.
Ott practices in the area of concert composing, wherein he composes music for orchestral, vocal and chamber ensembles, more in line with the classical tradition.
“I am especially fond of composing music that will be choreographed, and have written a number of contemporary and modern ballet scores,” Ott said.
Daniel Ott in his office in Lowenstein Center at Fordham’s Lincoln Center Campus.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM NOW
Club Sports Funding Proposal Passed by Student Life Council
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
The Fordham University Student Life Council (SLC) met for the second time this semester on Oct. 15 to hear from Rose Dara, the assistant athletic director for events, intramurals and club sports alongside several other club sports leaders.
Dara requested an increase in allocation of money from the student activities fee to club sports from $33k to $60k.
“The current allocation we have … doesn’t nearly cover our expenses, and it leads our clubs to have to pay a significant amount of dues, a lot of fundraising, a lot of alumni and donor outreach,”
Dara said. “We are just looking to cover our expenses, some of our safety concerns like having a mandated trainer at rugby events, [and] wrestling matches.”
Dara was joined in support by several club leaders. Isabella Sill, GSB ’26, spoke on behalf of the club volleyball team as their current president.
“As of now, all our nets, both for intramural and club, are just falling apart and might break at any second,” she said.
Sill also discussed current fundraising options for clubs, noting that all of their efforts
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture hosted author Blair Braverman at the McNally Amphitheater on Oct. 9. The event included a presentation by Braverman, a Q&A and a book signing. David Gibson, the director of the Center on Religion and Culture, moderated the discussion.
Gibson began the event by introducing Braverman, who is a musher — a person who drives a dog sled — writer and social media influencer. She is the bestselling author of several novels, including “Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube,” “Dogs on the Trail” and “Small Game.”
Additionally, Braverman is a contributing editor for Outside Magazine and a contributing writer for various media outlets, such as The New York Times, Vogue and This American Life.
After finding Braverman on social media and also reading her book, Gibson said he was struck by the interconnectedness of her Jewish identity in her life as a musher, specifically in being an outsider in the places where she mushes.
haven’t been enough.
“It’s been difficult for us, especially this season,” she said. “We aren’t really able to pay for it out of pocket since we have been fundraising for the past few years, but we don’t get a lot of money from Fordham.”
Sill continued by explaining specific financial problems as well.
“Since we are a new club, it’s kind of hard to get donors from alumni … so the only money we really have is from fundraising ourselves or from Fordham,” she said.
Tessa Hofheimer, FCRH ’26, president of Fordham Women’s Rugby, shared their experiences with funding.
“We can’t afford athletic trainers with the dues and the fundraising that we have, so we pay FUEMS … every injury that happens, all they can do is really send them to the hospital, so we end up losing a lot of our players throughout the games, on injuries that could be dealt with on the sidelines, by an athletic trainer,” Hofheimer explained.
“We could also be disqualified right now by not having the proper safety protocols” added Hofheimer. “In order to be competing at the level that we are, we really should have and need athletic trainers on the side for player safety.”
When asked if the new increase would also lead to an increase in the fee that all students pay every year to make up the whole student activities fee, Vice President of Budgets and Finance Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26, assured the council that it would not. The Student Activities fee was increased after the United Student Government had passed a referendum in recent years due to a campus-wide need for more club funding.
There were also several questions from the council in regards to the increase. The associate director for campus center operations, Stephen Clarke, wanted to know if the increase would be enough, or if Dara would have to come back in coming years to request more.
“It’s not nearly enough, but we wanted to see where we can meet you guys in the middle,” Dara answered.
Jenna Cook, the assistant dean for seniors at the Gabelli School of Business, asked what would happen if the current number of club sports teams decreased.
“We have a very rigorous process for accepting new clubs. They have a two-year probationary period where they don’t get any funds and they have to prove that they’re kind of self-sufficient
within their means,” Dara responded.
Following the questioning period, the increase was put to a vote. The new budget was passed unanimously in an open vote format.
Aishna Gaikwad, GSB ’26, shared the Campus Activities Board (CAB) updates. She noted that they are gearing up for Family Weekend, and specifically shared that CAB has invited both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center groups to participate in Maroon Main Stage. These performances will take place on Saturday, Oct. 25, starting at 8 p.m. in
Blair Braverman Shares Stories from Her Life as a Dog Sledder
After Gibson introduced her, Braverman gave a presentation about her life as a dog sledder. She explained that she does long-distance dog sledding, traveling between 100 and 1,000 miles at a time and often participates in races. She emphasized that there are few women in long-distance mushing, and even fewer who are Jewish, meaning she is a minority among the community.
Throughout the majority of the presentation, Braverman discussed her relationship with her sled dogs, sharing several stories. She first talked about when she got stuck in a blizzard while mushing, saying that her lead dogs — the two dogs in the front of the team — refused to continue moving.
Knowing that there was a shelter a couple of miles up the trail, she decided to switch the dogs’ positions, hoping that another dog would be able to lead the team. She explained that the only dog willing to keep moving was Harry, who is blind.
“He led us all the way to the shelter that day. He was the only dog on the team who didn’t need to see the trail in order to trust his instincts and
find it,” Braverman said.
Braverman also said that she always mushes alone, meaning she and her dogs must endure problems and dangers. Braverman cited specific situations she has found herself in: crossing rivers, reaching areas with no snow, temperatures of down to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit and becoming surrounded by wolves.
She also explained that the biggest challenge with mushing is keeping the team safe. Because she has no reins and no braking system, she has no physical way to stop the dogs.
“Everything the team and I are doing together is because of communication and it’s things that they’re choosing to do,” Braverman said.
Braverman introduced her lead dogs, showing photos of them. She said Peppi is brilliant and once traveled 800 miles across Alaska as the only dog pulling the sled, and Jenga, while often playing pranks on the other dogs, is a genius. She talked about a time when Jenga led Braverman’s team and several other teams through
a glacier by finding the rough patches of ice.
She also talked about Willow, who enjoys bounding through deep snow, Colbair, who will eat anything, and Refried, who would often “sing” to motivate the rest of the team. Braverman added that after Refried died, her other dogs also began to sing.
“I realized that the dogs felt her absence, and even though … no other team has ever sung while running, my team started to do that because they felt Refried’s absence and were starting to fill that silence with their own songs in her honor,” Braverman said. “She changed the culture of the entire team.”
Following the presentation, Gibson led a Q&A, asking Braverman several pre-planned questions and questions that audience members had written on note cards.
Gibson first asked what motivated Braverman to begin mushing, to which she said she was inspired by a book she read as a kid called “The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto.” She also explained that she doesn’t like adrenaline and considers herself to be a very nervous
Fordham Preparatory School's theater.
Nicole Vaughan, the assistant director for housing operations shared that Resident Assistant (RA) applications launched on Oct. 15, and will be due in January, with the deadline for those going abroad in mid November.
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Christopher Rodgers announced that the position of vice president and dean of students has been accepted by Kevin Williams, who will begin work in his new position in place of Rodgers in November.
person, but that this trait motivates her passion.
“I think, if I’m going to be nervous, I might as well be doing something really exciting with it, something that I feel good about,” she said.
In response to a question about how she communicates with her dogs, she explained how she is able to read her dogs’ body language and notice subtle differences like changes in the way their ears bounce. She also answered a question about whether she identifies as a writer or a musher, saying that she identifies as both and that mushing is what she does, but writing is who she is.
To close out the discussion, Gibson had asked Braverman where she finds wonder.
“I mean, dogs are pulling me through the wilderness,” she said. “There isn’t one thing about that that isn’t just like the most miraculous thing I can think of. It feels fake at times because it’s so beautiful. It’s all wonder out there.”
After the event, several attendees stuck around to get their copies of Braverman’s book signed by her.
Fordham ’ s Student Life Council met in McShane 311 on Oct. 15.
EMMA LEONARDI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918
The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses. Website
TheFordhamRam.com
Email Address theram@fordham.edu
Editor-in-Chief
Nora Malone
Managing Editor
Jacob Wolfer
Production Editor
Sophie Maselli
Editorial Director
Jonah Ring
Multimedia Director
Mary Hawthorn
Business Director
Nishanth Aduma
News Editor
Sienna Reinders
Features Editor
Andrew Massie
Assistant News Editors
Emma Leonardi
Lalleyah Camara
Opinion Editor
Stuart Cremer
Assistant Opinion Editors
Abigail Adams
Loresa Zeqiraj
Culture Editors
Mia Tero
Bella DeRosa
Assistant Culture Editor
Erynn Sweeney
Sports Editor
Grace McCarron
Assistant Sports Editors
Ian Nelson
James Nelson
Copy Chief
Sarah Verrastro
Executive Copy Editors
Indigo Towers
Emily Tonna
Caroline Lehman
Julia Cholerton
Photo Editor
Meghan Cattani
Digital Producers
Haniyyah Usmani
Molly O’Connor
Hannah Sullivan
Advertising Directors
Jack McDonald
Violet Wallace
Staff Copy Editor
Jordan Donegan
Faculty Advisor
Beth Knobel
Editorial Policy
The Fordham Ram’s editorial reflects the editorial board’s opinions or views.
Opinion Policy
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Fordham Ram.
Submissions Policy
The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject or edit any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.
If you don’t regularly find yourself engaging with student journalism, you might have missed what happened at Indiana University last week. In what can only be described as a PR trainwreck and a gross intrusion on the rights of the press, the university terminated the Media School’s Director of Student Media and barred the school’s newspaper, The Indiana Daily Student, from publishing their print edition.
Like many university papers across the country, The Indiana Daily Student had already cut down their print production. Namely, they had historically printed on a weekly basis, but late last year the university scaled them back to seven special editions per year, ultimately citing budget concerns. These special editions also came with stipulations, with the idea that they were to be tied to campus events and included tie-ins like maps and schedules. But this is where the problem lies.
According to the now-former Media School director, Jim Rodenbush, the university had been inquiring about the
OPINION
Editorial | Intellectual Freedom
In Defense of Print
inclusion of news articles in these special editions. Eventually, the tension over these news articles culminated in the university telling Rodenbush to remove all of them from the upcoming homecoming print edition. Rodenbush refused, saying it was the students’ choice what to publish. Consequently, in what can only be deemed an egregious breach of the principle of free press, the university fired him for this decision, writing in their letter, “Your lack of leadership and ability to work in alignment with the University’s direction for the Student Media Plan is unacceptable.” The next day, the university barred The Indiana Daily Student from printing their paper, directing them only to publish online.
This then begs the question: What exactly were they planning to put in the homecoming edition? What could have been so controversial that the university would react so aggressively? And that’s the kicker, nothing. Absolutely nothing was to be of exceptional note. Even Rodenbush couldn’t think of anything in particular. The Indiana Daily
Student was simply doing their job: reporting what happens on their campus.
Why then would the university engage in such a blatant and direct violation of First Amendment rights? After all, it is well-known and well-established legal precedent that student editors at public universities have the right to determine what content they publish.
As always, the answer likely boils down to a pervasive and all-consuming fear of the media; one that has only gotten progressively worse over the years. Journalism used to be viewed as a beacon of truth, but that role has now been clouded and obscured by distrust. But the solution to this breakdown simply is not silencing people.
After all, student media is essential. The Ram has belabored this point already, but it nevertheless demands reiteration. Even just looking at the past two years, without student journalism, the coverage of the encampments and of the visa revocations would have been slim to none. Student journalists simply have this unique
ability to be wholly immersed in a university community and be able to break down, dissect, and report on every single one of its nooks and crannies. If you don’t understand how something at a university works, ask a student journalist, they probably know.
And, in light of all of this, The Ram will keep writing and printing, because it’s what we do best. Even in this era of our online world, there is value in a print paper. Whether you read it front to back or use it to wrap gifts, it’s physical proof of journalism. Because it’s not about the money — universities spend more than enough money on frivolous pieces of paper — it’s about power. First the print edition, what next? The website? Social media? These things don’t exist in the vacuum. So, if you’re reading this on your phone or your laptop, take a chance on print. Hold the paper in your hands and understand that a team of 30 people spent over 20 hours making it, because the information in it matters.
And who knows, maybe you’ll learn something.
You Can’t Sit With Us: Fordham’s Clique Problem
By MARIAM AHMED CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Are Fordham University students cliquey? Think about it.
I certainly think so, but I’d argue that it’s not really even our fault. Cliquey-ness just happens by design. Let’s face it, no one is really going above and beyond to connect with others outside their pre-established social groups, unless it serves their own purposes. That’s what we’re taught. The concept of networking, building resumes and looking presentable on paper and in person is bleeding into the groups we stick with at Fordham. We go where we are praised, seen and made comfortable and that’s where we remain because doing anything more requires extra effort, an arduous task nowadays. There is a clear distinction between students at Fordham. Of course, there is going to be a visible divide between Lincoln Center and Rose Hill students, as Lincoln Center students have their own separate traditions, groups, activities and campus. Fordham College at Lincoln Center caters more to performing arts students, who bask in creative spaces and thrive in the city atmosphere. They don’t feel the need to integrate into Rose Hill activities, a sentiment similar to Rose Hill students’ attitudes towards Lincoln Center. This isn’t just an observation, it’s evident by students’ lack of awareness of the campus opposite theirs. Furthermore, despite the fact that Gabelli School of Business (GSB) and Fordham College Rose Hill (FCRH) students share the same campus, they definitely don’t share the same
lifestyle or mindset. I could say that this comes from what they learn in classes or even what they experience personally, but conversations rarely go past a “Hey, how are you?” before people walk away. Additionally, depending on the student’s individual majors, some students have less free time than others, so they stick with people who share similar academic interests and courseloads. Opposingly, those who are eager to make friends or have experiences go out and make it a routine.
These are just the recognizable divides though — the majors, the schools and the groups that form around similar lifestyles. The real question is, how do cliques even start? We have elements outside of academics that separate us too, such as the clubs we join, the groups we participate in activities with and the sports teams we’re part of. Unfortunately, these factors are enough to keep people from branching out. Fordham students become cliquey because they’re comfortable in these groups. When one is comfortable, there is no desire to change because it doesn’t feel necessary. Fordham students settle
for friend groups where they’re seen and understood the most. Isn’t that true? A GSB student probably won’t share or understand a FCRH student’s struggle with physics, but another FCRH student they consistently study with might. Most Fordham studentathletes don’t associate with non-athletes because they see their teammates every day, and that takes up enough of their limited time already. Similarly, clubs and organizations are designed for people to get to know each other here at Fordham, but do we really make each other feel welcome, seen and supported? Most people who already know each other on campus at Fordham stick together, and that remains consistent. When we acclimate to these groups, we’re not truly aware that we need to put ourselves out there. By doing that, are we becoming different people?
From what I’ve seen, networking and making friends here at Fordham has almost become performative. Although this is a subjective observation, it certainly deserves some thought. We don’t all have the same opportunities or interests, so we naturally gravitate towards those who share them. When we have to reach outside of that comfort zone, we put up a front to appear more appealing. This internal divide keeps us connected. To explain further, we’re clouded by fear, judgement and rejection, so we stick to what we think suits our wants, even if it’s not who we really are deep down.
Honestly, I fear we’ve forgotten how to connect with each other on a deeper level, making it difficult to broaden our circles beyond our friend groups. Conversations are surfacelevel, people chase popularity and social highs while barely remembering each other’s names, all to fit in with people who are stuck in the same routine, without actually connecting. Finding your people at Fordham certainly takes some time, but it almost makes you reflect on what we’ve normalized as socializing. At Fordham, we make more memories with strangers than we realize, which reflects the constant brand to network, but also the inability to truly connect.
STUART CREMER/THE FORDHAM RAM
Students at Lincoln Center and Rose Hill often do not feel the need to integrate with the campus opposite theirs.
Mariam Ahmed, FCRH ’26, is a psychology major from Yonkers, New York.
OPINION
The MTA Says Courtesy Counts, But Will It Make Subways Safer?
By BRIDGETTE LEAHY STAFF WRITER
We all ride the subway throughout New York City; it’s a staple of New York, whether you’re a native or just visiting. Not to mention, it is the cheapest form of transportation in all of the city, besides most New Yorker’s two handy fast-paced feet. That said, how safe are the subways? Does the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Courtesy Counts campaign stay true to its message?
Let’s break down what the MTA Courtesy Counts campaign actually means. Acting Chief Customer Officer and Senior Advisor Shanifah Rieara stated, “In our busy lives, it’s easy to forget that your own individual behavior can have an impact on your fellow riders’ commute, and even their day, so why not be courteous?”
Despite what the MTA Rules of Conduct state, not everyone in the city abides by Rieara’s reminder. Safety and courtesy come first in this city, especially
for those with disabilities. These are principles which “reminds customers what a difference it can make to keep the doorway clear, or give up your seat to someone who needs it,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer and Senior Advisor Quemuel Arroyo.
In a city of millions, small spaces on subway platforms can be excruciatingly uncomfortable. Without any direct instructions, New Yorkers follow a silent script every day. This unspoken code of conduct controls how we commute, share space or even communicate. This ethical code isn’t taught; it is observed, becoming almost muscle memory. When riding on the subway, stay out of the way of the doors, let other passengers pass through and off, give up a seat to anyone who needs it more than you, don’t stop in the middle of a traffic area and always watch your surroundings. How comfortable should individuals feel on the subway? Some are comfortable enough
to breakdance or freestyle to music. Personally, I say that’s going too far. I like to feel safe, or at least have the hopeful feeling of safety, on the subway. Subway rides can be exhaustingly long, so why make it a hassle or uncomfortable for someone? We all have a place we need to get to at the end of our ride. New York City Transit claims that, post-pandemic, they have stepped up, focusing on faster, cleaner and safer service for customers. I can’t complain about the hard work these MTA workers have put into transporting all of us to where we need to go. However, the image of New York City public transportation is illustrated by specific individuals who make it uncomfortable for other passengers to ride the subway. The “Don’t be someone’s subway story” advertisement on the subway really focuses on the presumption of safety that many have unfortunately broken.
The feeling that you might not feel safe on the subway is unnerving. As we have seen on the news, violent and sometimes deadly assaults in subway stations and cars make people less likely to take the subway past a particular hour, and it really does impact the city. In this campaign encouraging riders to not become someone’s subway story, is the MTA really doing all it can do to promote safety? Is encouraging bystanders to intervene when they notice unsafe
behavior good enough of an effort? Keeping subways safe is a lot easier said than done. When an unexpected incident emerges, most are not ready to react right away. We can address this issue by creating boundary checklists for situations when someone’s behavior warrants concern.
For instance, imagine someone on the subway is publicly disrespecting and endangering others. This could include noticing aggression, threats of violence, harassment and disorderly conduct. A New Yorker will usually mind their own business — until someone disrupts the collective flow or crosses a moral line. At this point, the city’s unofficial “mind your own business” motto should flip; bystanders should intervene or call for help.
New Yorkers are able to share the chaotic, confined spaces of mass transit by adhering to this principle of respect for public spaces. So, it’s a practical ethic built on coexistence. It can spark debates when tourists visit, unaware of the unspoken rules of New York; however, safety and respect are the number one priorities for New Yorkers.
With the 34 new illustrations, the MTA is promoting the hope that the subway becomes safer for New Yorkers. Riders will continue to see MTA ads on the subway displaying messages such as “If you don’t make the
train, don’t make it wait,” “Let’s clear the air,” “Leave some seat for the rest of us,” “Pull the plug,” “Watch your backpack,” “Seats are for butts, not your bag” and “Take your trash when your ride is over.” The Courtesy Campaign is “a great reminder of who we are as New Yorkers, the way we would like to be treated and the way we ought to treat each other,” said NYC Transit Senior Vice President of the Subway Demetrius Crichlow.
Ultimately, this campaign was launched in accordance with increasing mass transit ridership. Earlier this month, the New York City subway reached its highest post-pandemic single-day total for paid rides in a row. On Wednesday, Sept. 20, subways recorded 4,179,902 paid rides, surpassing the previous post-pandemic high of 4,144,828 set just a day before, on Sept. 19. This is a significant improvement over that post-pandemic high. The MTA Metro-North also celebrated its ultimate high of 192,103 rides. While the MTA Courtesy Counts campaign is not the whole solution to the lack of mutual respect and safety on our subways that can come with increasingly busy subways, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Bridgette Leahy, FCRH ’27, is a journalism major from Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
COURTESY OF THE NY POST
Some new subway ads make fun of the MTA’s Courtesy Counts campaign.
OPINION
Jane Goodall Was a Friend to All, Chimps Included
By MICHAEL DUKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Earlier this month, Jane Goodall, Ph.D., passed away at the age of 91.
For those unfamiliar with Goodall’s research and relevancy, the Jane Goodall Institute describes her as a “UN Messenger of Peace and world-renowned ethologist, conservationist, and humanitarian.”
Admittedly, I didn’t know much about Goodall before I wrote this article. However, after reading more into Goodall’s story, it’s honestly perplexing to me that we didn’t talk more about her before she passed away.
Goodall became renowned early in her career for her research, which allowed her to travel from her home in England to East Africa, where she had begun her research into wild chimpanzees.
For 65 years, she studied chimpanzees, and later became a beacon and force for promoting matters ranging from human rights to animal welfare and environmentalism.
In the 1960s, Goodall traveled to Tanzania and made one chimpanzee famous. When she arrived at the Gombe Stream National Park, she named the chimp David Greybeard and began to observe him and other members of his group.
Aside from befriending the chimpanzees she was studying, she found that chimps are not herbivores, but are
omnivores. While that doesn’t sound particularly shocking by today’s standards and general understanding, she stuck by her research which went against the grain of scientific thought and understanding at the time.
To say the very least, that alone is an inspiring feat because of how she willingly chose to go against the rigid orthodoxy that separated humans and nature, and she was a key player that brought the two together. Her findings have helped shape many things today ranging from veganism to government protections for endangered species.
To go a step further on why Goodall’s research was significant, it was because she was a woman in the scientific community at a time when women were expected to stay at home, keep homes tidy and children in line. To understand the difference between now and then better, banks would refuse to issue credit cards to women, courts wouldn’t allow women to sit on juries and Ivy League instruction and education was more than out of the question for women.
With the significance of how Goodall’s research was striking on that fact alone, it was striking for other reasons as well.
Goodall discovered that chimpanzees use tools for their daily activities. For example, one chimp that Goodall observed would use a grass rod
to assist in finding and obtaining termites for food.
To underscore why this matters, Goodall had found that chimps make the tools that they use, a behavior previously thought to be exclusive to humans.
As fascinating as this was when she discovered this, and as fascinating as it still is today, it was a remarkable finding because of how it helped close the gap in how we perceive animals. It also was the bedrock that helps explain the unexplainable to the rest of us: why she cared so deeply about her research.
By all means, Goodall’s discovery humanized chimps and has helped shape how we treat animals today.
It is because of Goodall that research centers and foundations have been so focused on animal welfare. By all means, it is not unreasonable to assume that organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), The Humane League or others would not be as prominent or relevant as they are today if it was not for Goodall getting the ball rolling.
With a curriculum vitae as impressive as Goodall’s, there’s a large takeaway to be had. That being that, there’s always something more that you can be doing.
At the time when Goodall passed away, she was on a speaking tour. Before this, she had started Roots & Shoots, an organization that is designated to “[empowering]
young people to affect positive change in their communities.”
Beyond these, and because of her work, she had even received the Medal of Freedom from former President Joe Biden earlier this year.
When you look back at Goodall’s work, it’s a powerful story because she was a woman of passion. She didn’t let obstacles get in her way, didn’t take no for an answer, and she kept moving forward. It’s because she kept moving forward that she became a household name, even at an age where other people were sitting back and enjoying retirement.
For students like myself, even though I have different passions from that of Goodall, I want to lead a life similar to that of Goodall. Or, at a
minimum, have the grit she had. For every student, graduation is impending, and it is only a matter of how much time we have ahead of ourselves until then. After that, we focus on questions relating to life at large; like when we will buy a home, marry or retire.
What Goodall’s story provides us with is a different method of thinking: forcing us to ask questions like “What’s next?” “What can I do that matters?” Or even: “How do I make a difference today because of the grit and passion that I have, which no one can compare to?”
Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is a business administration major from Scottsdale, Arizona.
COURTESY OF @JANEGOODALLINST Goodall paved a new path for conservationists in her chimpanzee research.
By EMMA KELNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It’s 11:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night. You’ve spent the whole day either in class or doing homework, and you’ve finally finished everything you needed to do today. Now, you’re absolutely exhausted. The question is, do you go to sleep right away or do you do something to help you relax, like watch television or play video games? My answer is to go to sleep, but many people may disagree with me.
This question has been plaguing young workers in China for a long time, but has recently spread to young people around the world, and it’s known as “revenge bedtime procrastination” (from the Chinese “bàofùxìng áoyè”). In this phenomenon, people know that staying up late is bad for them, but they do it anyway because it helps them take some time for themselves. Unfortunately, putting off sleep has some incredibly detrimental effects on one’s health.
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night, and as students, we need even more. In the short term, sleep deprivation can lead to feelings of tiredness, slower thinking, trouble focusing, poor memory, worse decisionmaking and increased feelings of stress. Usually, people cope with these effects with caffeine. In moderation, caffeine can be good for you, but it’s important to remember not to drink too much of it. Generally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily for adults. With that being said, many experts suggest not drinking even that much caffeine every day.
OPINION Sleeping Less, Doing More
Some suggestions for controlling caffeine intake include paying attention to consumption, avoiding energy drinks and cutting caffeine intake over time rather than all at once. Unfortunately, caffeine does not help reduce the long-term effects of sleep deprivation, which include increased risk of health conditions like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and certain mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety. These are the effects people should be most wary of when purposely depriving themselves of sleep.
I interviewed some firstyears in my dorm building, and they had all experienced revenge bedtime procrastination. “I don’t put off sleep to get my homework done, but I usually stay up kind of late to play games on my phone or scroll through Instagram,” said Aubree Wu, FCLC ’29. However, Addison Featherstone, FCLC ’29, puts off sleep not to scroll, but to finish her homework, compensating for her scrolling during the day. “I do put off sleep to get work done, but I always aim to get at least six hours of sleep. Sometimes, if it’s getting too late, I go to sleep, but then I wake up earlier the next morning to finish my work from the day before,” said Featherstone. Wu only has class a couple of days a week, so most mornings she wakes up late to compensate for the late bedtime. Featherstone has 8:30 a.m. classes most mornings, but she’s found that she feels fine the next day as long as she’s had her daily Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino. College students should be making more of an effort to manage their sleep schedules.
I’ve been writing about circadian rhythms in school papers since middle school, and as a result, I’ve been working on optimizing my sleep schedule for years. Here are some of my personal tips and tricks on how to minimize revenge bedtime procrastination.
First of all, don’t do any school work after a designated time. Pick a time to stop doing school work, and stick to it. My time is 9:30 p.m. because I’ve that found it gives me enough time to get ready for bed (including showering, flossing and brushing my teeth), watch an episode of whatever show I’m watching (right now, it’s “Seinfeld”) and read a little bit of my book before I go to sleep at about 10:45 p.m. The reason people aren’t going to sleep earlier is because they want to “reclaim” their time and do something they enjoy. If you put room to do something you enjoy into your daily routine, you’ll have no reason to stay up too late. Secondly, don’t look at your phone after your designated bedtime … and maybe shut off most of your lights, too. Melatonin, the hormone that
controls your sleep-wake cycle, is produced in your brain’s pineal gland when your environment gets dark. Unfortunately, environments rarely go dark anymore. Not only are people almost always on their phones, which decreases melatonin production, especially in adults, but also, bright overhead lighting in most college dorm rooms suppresses melatonin onset. Of course, as previously mentioned, I watch an episode of something on my iPad. Still, I put it far from my face and shut off most of the room lights. Third, go “dark” right before you go to bed. For about 30 minutes before going to bed, I’ll read my book or write in my journal. I have a little reading light that I’ll clip onto my book, and I’ll turn it on to its lowest and warmest setting. The first 45-ish minutes of my routine are dedicated to me — showering, brushing my teeth and watching a show — but these activities go on with bright lights directed at my eyes. Reading a book before bed is relaxing and gives my brain
half an hour of blue-light-free time. Similarly, journaling is a great way to get your thoughts from the day out of your head so that when it’s time to lie down and go to sleep, your mind isn’t racing at 100 miles per hour. Lastly, it’s all about consistency, consistency and more consistency. The most important part of your bedtime routine, whatever it may look like, is consistency. You’ll be fine as long as you go to bed and wake up at about the same time each day (within about an hour) and get a reasonable amount of sleep. If you take anything away from this article, it should be that sleep is essential, but there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to your bedtime woes. It may take some time, but if you work at it, you’ll definitely find the routine that works for you. That routine will help you reap the rewards of activities you enjoy without having those activities take away from how much sleep you get.
The Fight for Freedom in Nepal’s Youth-Led Revolution
By GABRIEL CAPELLAN STAFF WRITER
I’m very proud of our youngest generations, Generations Alpha and Z. We’ve come up with brainrot like “Linganguli,” “6-7,” “FAH!” and so much more. We’re really one of a kind when you take a step back and notice how much social media has enabled us. You know what’s the most recent thing
I’m proud of Gen Z for? The revolts across the world where we stand up to corrupt systems and injustice. We’ve seen it happen in Indonesia, Palestine, Madagascar, Morocco, Peru and most recently, Nepal.
Nepal’s youth overthrew their government, burned their parliament building, elected an interim prime minister and cleaned the streets of Kathmandu in the span of four days. Four days, as in 96 hours. In just 96 hours, they ran through historical events that would normally take years to unfold. To say this is an incredible feat would be a criminal understatement.
The country faced many problems prior to the revolt;
high youth unemployment and underemployment rates left recent college graduates mismatched to market needs. The government’s inability to diversify beyond tourism and remittances has tanked investments in the country, and Nepal’s economic growth is expected to fall below 1%. The youth felt as if their future was being robbed before their eyes, without a chance to save it. The former government was also riddled with corruption, with several high-ranking officials under investigation or facing criminal charges.
British YouTuber, Harry “wehatethecold” Jackson, uploaded a YouTube video of Nepal’s revolution during his brief time in the country. He vlogged his experience in the country, seeing protestors get closer to the parliament building as they pushed back the police, destroyed police cars, tore apart military gear and burned their parliament building. In this video, he notes the humanity of the Nepali protestors as they constantly took care
of the injured people in the protest and gave out water to people who needed it because they were thirsty or had tear gas in their eyes. Throughout the video, he’s running with the protestors as they try to avoid tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades as the military tries to break up the crowds.
When I first saw this video, I was glued to it. You can see the spirit of the youth everywhere, with people having their cameras out, capturing burning rubble, protestors pushing the line closer to the parliament building and people showing their outrage with the current government. You can hear in multiple instances, “F**k Oli,” who was the Prime Minister of Nepal at the time.
The people of Nepal came together for such a beautiful cause, and I’m a fan of taking down corrupt systems. Their outrage, passion and courage were something I appreciated deeply, even though I was watching these people fight for their futures from the comfort of my room. I remember
thinking to myself, “Damn! I really wish I were there. How cool would it have been to see a country united fighting back?”
And you know what’s the cherry on top that proves this was a revolt championed by the youth? The Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger flag from Japanese manga and anime “One Piece” being flown. I’m an absolute fan of the show, so when I saw the Jolly Roger in front of the burning parliament building, I shed a tear.
The show “One Piece” follows our main character Monkey D. “Straw Hat Luffy” Luffy as he travels with his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, in order to become the King of the Pirates. Luffy travels to different islands with their own societies and finds a way to liberate people from their respective struggles. These struggles include usurpation, human trafficking, slavery, genocide, racism, conspiracy, racketeering, organized crime and so much more. While Luffy himself doesn’t call himself a hero, he is a man who stands up to
people, be it other pirates or the corrupt World Government, who are taking away the freedom of others. His commitment to standing up against all oppressors is shared by the rest of his crew, since they each have their own “impossible” dream they want to achieve. This ideology of the show constantly reminds the viewers of this, and in Nepal’s case, it allowed young people to use the Straw Hat Jolly Roger as a symbol for these beliefs, to stand up to those who are taking away the freedom of others. I love this show since it has never failed to give me this feeling of inspiration and I’m elated that Nepalese citizens represented this in their protest. I think Gen Z as a whole is standing up to these corrupt powers, and we’ve seen the Jolly Roger flown in other countries, like Indonesia and Palestine. This is a massive win for the Nepali’s and their future, hopefully America can learn a lesson from this.
Gabriel Capellan, FCRH ’28, is a journalism major from the Bronx, New York.
Emma Kelner, FCLC ’29, is an undeclared major from Staten Island, New York.
Students use revenge bedtime procrastination to regain lost time from their day.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
OPINION
The Students Say: What Is the Most Pressing Issue Facing The United States Today?
The Narrative Against Conservatives Needs To Stop
A Gallup poll from 2024 found that 80% of Americans believe we are divided on the most important values — a record high since polling began in the early 90s.
While that figure is concerning, what’s more concerning is that the pollsters admitted that “public skepticism about national unity isn’t new.”
While this poll is somewhat old, it is still relevant. But, there is a crucial question we still need to ask about today’s political climate: What is causing our division? Going further: is it natural or unnatural?
We find our country in a massive and unnatural divide because of the rampant abuses and falsehoods spread by the fourth estate: the media. Irresponsible, untrusted and biased reporting has led to a crisis that has only stimulated violence against conservatives.
It is not a surprise for conservatives that tensions have escalated into violence against them. We’re called fascists, authoritarians and “far-right,” at every turn. If you think it’s okay, you should ask Erica Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, about how these phrases have contributed to the hurt that her family is going through.
It is more than clear that unhinged bias is a problem. It even comes from the top, as the Biden administration pressured Meta to censor some content related to COVID-19. However, the most interesting thing to us is that Thomas Jefferson saw the root of all these problems hundreds of years before we began to live through this. Jefferson once said, “The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them; inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods & errors.”
This is the overarching problem: People believe anything and everything. What’s worse is that what people believe to be “facts” are actually targeted ploys meant to discredit conservatives. Some examples are the Hunter Biden laptop, the Russia collusion hoax, the “mostly peaceful protests,” the Jussie Smollett “story,” the downplaying of crime statistics, the intentional coverup of the political affiliations of high-profile criminals and much more. However, the biggest lie that the media has sold is the cover-up of former President Joe Biden’s doddering mental acuity.
On that issue alone, it proves that when the facts are put on a stage — or a debate stage, in Biden’s case — the media’s lies crumble.
Ultimately, there is another big story that demonstrates the media’s spectacle: Jan. 6.
To be clear before you read on, it is our club’s position that defending illegal actions, the murder of Ashli Babbit or anything else that has come from that day is just plainly wrong. Full stop.
Despite the fact that President Donald Trump urged the crowd to “peacefully and patriotically make their voices heard,” things went chaotically wrong and need to be investigated. From the FBI agents in plain
clothing, to the questionable service of “justice” to many who were indicted and jailed, to Nancy Pelosi acknowledging fault for the lack of preparation of the national guard on Jan. 6, there is a lot to talk about that has been conveniently neglected by the media.
What we’re seeing is a trend where topics are being misrepresented or intentionally morphed as a means to endorse and justify violence against conservatives.
It’s plainly unfair that every conservative has been roped into being called an insurrectionist because of the careless actions of some.
As it is, there has been an alarming amount of political violence against conservatives recently. The two attempted assassinations of Trump, Kirk’s recent assassination and the attempted assassination of Representative Steve Scalise are just some of the examples of the most high-profile victims.
On the issue of Kirk, he lost his life due to a radicalized left-wing individual who took out his anger in the most violent form, rather than practicing civil discourse. In a way, Kirk’s assassin proved himself wrong and proved us right. But it doesn’t even stop there, as governmental agencies and officials are also being targeted.
For example, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have seen a 1,000% increase in targeted actions against them, and now are being doxxed. Because of the media’s rhetoric, we have seen videos where officers are assaulted, politicians have flaunted their “authority” and attempted to forcefully enter federal offices and even a recent shooting at a Dallas ICE facility. In that last case, the perpetrator’s motive was to kill ICE agents. Instead, he killed three detainees. The fact is that violence is fostered and grown by how unchecked “journalists” have made claims that compare conservatives to Nazis and fascists, ICE to the Gestapo and everyday Republicans to authoritarians. Maybe these journalists should take a trip to communist China to see what real authoritarianism looks like.
What all of this supports is that we are in a crisis of confidence. More accurately: We are in a crisis of confidence in one another.
Despite how it seems that this trend is irreversible, we need to come together as a country. It’s the only way that our problems can be solved. There used to be a time when we could get a cup of coffee with our neighbor despite political differences.
Most importantly, we need to come together as a university community. This is something our club has already taken a swing at through our launching of the Petition for a Framework For Civility.
The best step to take right now is to take a step back and listen to what your neighbor has to say or offer. We’re in this together, and divided we’ll fall.
The Executive Board of the Fordham College Democrats
The American Dream Has A New Price Tag
For previous generations, the American Dream was an affordable goal. The expansion of the suburbs and the growth of the service economy, along with the increased globalization of industry, afforded the average American the ability to realistically achieve homeownership and financial stability, even for those without an advanced degree.
The modern day, however, paints a vastly different picture. Rising rent prices, stagnating real wages and higher inflation rates threaten the future of the average earner. The upwardly mobile working class of the past made way for the downwardly mobile college graduate. These new workers enter a job market filled with fake job postings, “entry-level” jobs that actually require years of experience and a “low-hiring, low-firing” corporate environment. All the while, wages fail to keep pace with price increases, and the current administration does nothing to address the issue.
The Trump administration’s economic policy is short-sighted, sacrificing the future of the nation to line the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. Emphasizing deregulation, downsizing federal programs and cutting taxes for the highest earners all fail to address systemic issues. Improving national economic health and lowering the cost of living for average Americans starts with securing the programs that currently promote upward mobility, investing in infrastructure that ensures long-term growth and regulating industry to guarantee a fair deal for consumers.
Congressional Republicans have instead proposed a budget that cuts no less than $600 billion from Medicaid and $287 billion from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Cutting essential welfare programs in the name of “fiscal responsibility” fails to consider the economic impact of allowing lower-income Americans to fall further into poverty. Every dollar cut from SNAP can cost taxpayers up to $20 over time. Current cuts threaten local communities and businesses that rely on these benefits from customers to stay afloat. Cutting Medicaid spending could increase the number of uninsured people by up to 14 million by 2034. Without any financial backing, families are left to choose between health and hunger, thereby limiting their ability to contribute to local economies. The overwhelming costs of healthcare and food threaten growth. Communities develop when people are capable of investing in themselves and others. Regulatory bodies essential for protecting consumer interests have come under fire from Republican legislators and the current administration. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an agency responsible for protecting consumers from predatory monetary practices, has seen its funding targeted for massive cuts. Crippling organizations such as this has been a key part of the Republican playbook under the current regime. We believe deregulation does not necessarily promote economic growth; it can endanger citizens by permitting unfair business
practices and costing regular people money.
Beyond financial institutions, environmental deregulation will also cost the average American money. Recently proposed repeals to Environmental Protection Agency regulations could result in Americans incurring up to $275 billion in additional annual healthcare costs. Regulatory bodies serve to save consumers money both directly and indirectly. Broadly repealing wellreasoned regulations serves only to benefit corporations no longer bound by sensible rules.
Trump’s reiteration of Reagan-era “trickle-down” economics has failed to manifest gains for the working class. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” provides negligible benefit to middle and lower-income Americans, while massively benefiting the already wealthy. Analysis of past legislation by the Trump administration reveals that corporate tax cuts did not result in increased wages.
Trump’s economic policy fails to promote the growth of the working class. Strong regulations on financial institutions, fair taxation practices that ensure the wealthy pay their share and strong social safety nets provide the working class the ability to achieve upward mobility and financial gain. Creating an economy for all is not an impossible goal. America can work for all Americans, not just the rich.
The Fordham College Democrats serves as an organizing body for progressive students on campus, connecting them to opportunities to help their local communities and involve themselves in politics. The organization has proudly worked to provide a space in which open dialogue among the left is fostered and all people feel welcome to express their viewpoints. Most recently, our organization has provided members opportunities to participate in the mayoral campaign in support of the Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani. Through campaigning for progressive politicians and educating individuals on economic policy, especially within New York City itself, our organization can help mitigate the impact of poor federal governance on our local communities, lowering costs and enfranchising as many New Yorkers as possible. Local activism, when enacted en masse, is one of the most powerful tools for change in a democratic society.
Ultimately, the Fordham College Democrats is an organization that works to promote ideas associated with the Democratic Party. Consequently, we cannot tolerate ideologies that promote hate, violence or discrimination against any members of our campus community or beyond. However, unlike the current leader of the Republican Party, we do not hate our opponents. The goal of the Democratic Party is to serve all people in this nation, not just its supporters. Only through a shared desire for the well-being of all will our nation survive.
The Executive Board of the Fordham College Republicans
Jayson McArdle, GSB ’29, is a finance major from West Orange, New Jersey.
Atacus Jarrett, FCRH ’28. is a political science major from West Chester, Pennsylvania.
October 22, 2025
CULTURE
How to Make the Most of Your Halloween
By SAMANTHA DIAZ STAFF WRITER
It feels like the semester has just started, but time is flying, and we’re already over halfway through October. Now that we’re closing in on the spooky season, here are some of the best ways to spend your Halloween.
Of course, you need to dress up for the occasion. The weather is starting to change, the leaves are starting to fall and that means Halloween is right around the corner. If you haven’t gotten your costume yet, now is the time to do it.
It’s not just a holiday for kids, but a fun time for adults too. It’s exciting to continue to dress up and act like your favorite movie character or pop culture reference that others can understand. Bonus if you get some candy along the way.
There will be a lot of iconic costumes this year. People will probably be dressing up as Aunt Gladys from “Weapons,” newly engaged Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Elphaba and Glinda from “Wicked” or even as a Labubu. If you’re not into the costumes, it’s also nice to incorporate fall colors or wear your favorite horror merchandise. If going all out like this in
person isn’t your thing, then you could move the celebrations online. I like to update my social media profiles to look Halloween-themed, with black, orange and purple colors. Sometimes I’ll even change my profile picture to match my favorite horror movie character or someone who’s adjacent to being a horror icon. If not, it’s okay to keep it to something simple too.
Now for my personal favorite tradition. If you’re a horror fan like me and you love to watch horror movies, committing to a full 31 days of horror movies is something you should try out! This is my fourth year doing a full month of horror movies, and honestly, I had to start in September and might go over into November. That’s how excited I was about doing it this year in honoring the classics. I usually make my own specific list including my favorite horror movies, ones I’ve never seen, and at least one franchise classic, whether it’s “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” or “Scream.” Sometimes I’ll also watch more lighthearted movies, like “Edward Scissorhands” or “Beetlejuice.”
Even if you can’t fully commit to the 31 days, I say commit to some movies for the entire
month. Many people like to create and publish their own lists, so you can always follow what you or a friend are watching for Halloween.
Now, when it comes to Oct. 31, there’s multiple things you can do. One, go out and celebrate Halloween, and two, watch the horror movie of all horror movies. If you’re feeling extra brave, go on a horror movie marathon that will last the night!
Let’s start with Halloween. If you’re looking to celebrate, the best thing to do is spend it with your friends (and safely!). Whether it’s a costume party or simply getting together, it’s always fun to hang out, especially since this year the holiday falls on a Friday, making it a true Halloweekend. If you don’t have any Halloween plans, that’s alright too. You’re never too old to go trick or treating, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Besides, you’re bound to see older people trick or treating without any judgement. Sometimes it’s also fun to hand out candy to kids who are trick or treating. It’s always adorable to see little kids dressed up as mini versions of superheroes or princesses. Some costumes are so cute, they deserve all the candy you
Who’s That Kid? | Rachel Servidio
have on stock.
But once all the Halloween festivities are over and night falls, the perfect way to end the night on Oct. 31 is by watching a horror movie. Except, it has to be one of three iconic movies: “Scream,” “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween.” Even though I’m a big fan of “Friday the 13th,” the best movie to watch on Halloween night is “Scream.” It’s one of the most iconic horror movies and probably the first one people think of when they think about horror movies. If horror movies aren’t your thing, there’s a lot of television you could also watch surrounding Halloween themes from different sitcom episodes or even slightly spooky shows like “The Twilight Zone” or “Black Mirror.” It’ll give you some Halloween vibes without scaring you too much. Whatever you do plan this Halloween, make sure to have lots of candy and enjoy it, because once it’s Nov. 1, it’s time to get ready for Christmas!
Senior Brings Creativity and Connection to Student Life
By MOLLY O’CONNOR DIGITAL PRODUCER
The struggle between figuring out your career, deciding what extracurriculars look best on your resume and fitting in things you actually like to do is a constant battle for college students. They are often asked to give up their passions in the name of financial security, which can make college life a lot less enjoyable. Rachel Servidio, FCRH ’26, however, has found a way to bring her interests in her school work, extracurricular activities and other jobs while also shaping her creativity into marketable skills for the job market after graduation.
As a communications and culture student with minors in film and television, as well as digital technologies and emerging media, Servidio has found a path to combine her creative passions with interesting and useful academic pursuits. On campus, she has been involved with Fordham Flava, Humanities Student Alliance (HSA), The Fordham Ram and MODE Magazine. Off-campus, she has a graphic design internship with Orion Magazine.
Initially, Servidio came into college not knowing what she wanted to study, and it took a little while for her to figure it out. After settling on communications, Servidio thought she might lean into public
relations. However, after taking a class in public relations, she realized she preferred more visual aspects such as social media and digital design, so she added her two visual minors. Growing up, Servidio said she was always an artsy kid, spending hours on arts and crafts projects and consuming a lot of media. “When it comes to more tangible, physical media I think I like that more and that’s what kind of drew me,” she said about what drew her to graphic design.
Through her positions, she has brought her creative talents to the table with graphic design, public relations and journalism. Working with the career center through the Humanities Student Alliance for three semesters, Servidio was the co-president for HSA, handling public relations tasks, like making fliers for networking events and creating reels for the career center’s social media accounts. In addition, she helped plan HSA events, reached out to alumni to connect them with students, and helped students with resumes, cover letters and interviews.
As one of the fearless leaders of Fordham’s only hip-hop dance team, Servidio dedicates a lot of her time to dancing, choreographing, leading and advertising for Flava as the public relations manager. She’s been a member of the team since the spring of her first year, joining because she
missed dancing after taking a short break in her first semester. “I’ve been dancing since I was three, and when I took that break off from dance … I realized I missed getting around and moving and having something to go to,” Servidio said. Flava can be an intense time commitment, with practices four times a week and many performances, but for Servidio, the people and the style make it all worth it. “I love the people, I love the vision, I love how it’s different from other styles of dance on campus … so we get to create the things we want to create,” she said. “The most valuable part of Flava has been getting to meet new people only because it’s then changed me as a person. I don’t think if I had not joined Flava I would be myself.”
Servidio has a graphic design internship with Orion Magazine, which she described as “a nature and culture focused magazine which bridges that gap between culture, art, poetry, and nature.” She got the internship as a part of Fordham’s Serving the City program through Handshake. As a graphic design intern, she’s currently working on 10 graphics for the company, including ad graphics for the online articles, cover photos for social media and graphic design for their e-newsletter, working mainly with Photoshop and Adobe. The internship has many opportunities to
connect with members of different departments, and has even allowed her to write, with her mini movie review set to be published in the upcoming winter issue. It is certainly keeping her busy amongst all of her other work, but she enjoys it and feels it is worth it.
“I like it because I get to scroll through the website and see my work,” Servidio said. With her plate filled to the brim with activities, it can be difficult to juggle it all. “Knowing that I’m proud of the work that I’m doing, and especially with Flava I want the people that I’m leading to also be proud of that end result,”
Servidio said about what motivates her to mentally manage all of her positions and work. She added that being a part of the creative vision in her PR and graphic design positions is fun and
motivating for her.
When she’s lucky enough to find some free time in her hectic schedule, Servidio likes to spend it with friends exploring what New York has to offer without stressful distractions.
“Exploring the city, I don’t do it that often, but even staying around here, going to the botanical gardens, taking a nice walk without music, without distractions, I think is really nice,” she said.
In the future, Servidio hopes to continue working for a culture-based magazine and work somewhere she can showcase her journalistic and digital design skills, similar to what she is doing in her internship. Her well-rounded but still specially curated student life is setting her up for success after graduation, where she will keep creativity and connection at the core of her life and career.
RACHEL SERVIDIO FOR THE FORDHAM RAM Rachel Servidio is one of the leaders of Flava, Fordham’s only hip-hop group.
MEGHAN CATTANI /THE FORDHAM RAM Dressing up for Halloween isn’t just for kids.
CULTURE
Up, Up & Away: Getting Lost in Love
By ABIGAIL ADAMS ASST. OPINION EDITOR
Growing up, I could never get past the opening scenes of “Up.” At six years old, my parents had to carry me out of the movie theater sobbing. The sped-up life of Ellie and Carl touched my ever-nostalgic heart. I would occasionally give the movie another try, but would be done for around the 15-minute mark.
And so, when my friend Gabriella Chinnici, FCRH ’27, suggested we go to the Manhattan School of Music’s recent performance of the “Up” soundtrack, I was a little hesitant. The jumpy notes of the background music always remind me of scenes of Ellie and Carl decorating their home, or running up the hill to read under the tree together. Nevertheless, I gave in and bought tickets the day of. Yet, I failed to realize that while the orchestra was playing the soundtrack, the movie would be cast simultaneously onto a giant projector above the concert. And so, I would need to face my fears of intense sentimentality overtaking me.
The lights dimmed in the auditorium as people of all ages around us hushed their voices. Ellie and Carl meet in the treehouse to the intense delight of the elementary-aged kids sitting in front of me. Ellie’s joy and spunkiness is profound mixed with Carl’s quiet nature. Flash forward, they
are getting married, and the famous scenes of their lives together begin. They lie on a picnic blanket watching the clouds overhead and they read together on their comfy chairs in front of the bay windows. My tears really begin flowing as the scenes displaying their pregnancy and eventual miscarriage are shown on the big screen. But even with this suffering, the joy they have remains. They are still determined to reach Paradise Falls, the mythical location which brought them together in the first place. However, each time they have saved up enough money to go, they urgently need it to fix some calamity. A flat tire, a broken leg, a tree falling down on their house. However, they are not depicted as sad due to these sudden alterations of plans. Ellie still seems delighted to put on Carl’s tie each morning as they grow old together. This juxtaposition between the life they imagined and the life they lived really struck me. How often do I set a vision that I cannot control nor that comes true? But instead, the beauties of life are found so deeply in the ordinary. Ellie and Carl laugh together as they drive around their red car. They waltz together in their candlelit living room. They wipe the windows of their home, smiling at each other. What a beautiful picture of life we need in an age that constantly expects us to influence the whole world.
Ellie recognized this joy as she displayed their lives in their shared “My Adventure Book.” While Carl is back in the home following the craziness of their escape from Muntz, he sits on his chair one final time to look through the book. He is dismayed knowing that the “Stuff I’m Going To Do” section is empty. But, as he is closing the book, a page slips and he sees that Ellie had placed photos for this section. Black-and-white photos depict them sitting outside or celebrating birthdays together. The point was that their life was one, even if so different from what they had imagined. Their smiles sitting on the couch together holding hands are worth more than any grand adventure to a faroff place. Ellie simply signs the bottom of the final page as “Thanks for the adventurenow go have a new one!” Man, oh man.
Rightfully so, Carl treasured this house that contains all his precious memories with his love. Especially once Ellie passes in the film, he guards the house with everything. As real estate developers build skyscrapers around his home, Carl remains firm and does not accept any sum to hand it over. The house is a symbol of the adventure of life he had with Ellie. During his and Russell’s adventure to Paradise Falls, Carl fights for the house to remain with them, holding onto it through everything. His goal is
driven by the image that he and Ellie created — a home on top of Paradise Falls.
However, while Carl is fighting with the infamous explorer Charles Muntz on top of his blimp, The Spirit of Adventure, Muntz cuts the hose, and the house plummets to the ground. While Carl may be sad, he simply says, “It’s just a house.” His material possessions mean little now, as what truly matters is the life he lived with love.
The weekend of this performance, my home friend, Clare Waldron, was at Fordham visiting. Waldron’s aunt has a unique story. She is a former NCAA champion and high point holder at Villanova University who left fame and fortune behind to become a cloistered nun of the Poor Clares. This epitomizes to me the holy indifference in letting
go of control. This is what the movie “Up” is all about. While most of us will perhaps not choose quite as radical a path, these stories together exemplify that our life really is all about sacrifice, and only in self-gift will we find true joy. As I think of my impending graduation, my mind naturally turns to all the grand things I could do. While all of this is exciting and great, there is so much beauty in a simple cup of coffee with my mom on our back porch together or a walk around Eddies with my best friends. Life is so meaningful, and often this meaning is found in the most hidden of places. The spirit of adventure is discovered in much more than a resume or Instagram. Instead, true joy is found in the love we share and receive in our lives.
(The Best) Four Years of Your Life
By AVA PASTORE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The best four years of your life. A time of consistent change, friendship making, lesson learning and bittersweet memories. I remember my first day on Fordham University’s campus, moving into my dorm room in Alumni Court South, antsy to get settled with my roommate. Would I be good at this? Will I make my mark? Will I be able to keep up with my grades? Will I land my dream job after graduation? All important questions, but there’s one I’ve always asked myself and continue to ask up to this day: Will I meet the right people? In my 21 years on this Earth and my three and-a-half at Fordham, something has become abundantly clear. The people always make the place, and these same people are the ones who truly decide whether college is the best four years of your life.
College is an interesting place, filled with strangers all united by the same stresses and excitement. Newfound freedom comes with more responsibility, and the short weekends make for even longer weeks. But the great
thing about college is that no one walks this four-year path alone. Whether it’s the person you met in your class, a pregame in your first-year dorm hall or someone you accidentally stumbled upon along the way, any strange face could become a light in your life — all you have to do is look for it.
The beauty of these four years is in their mystery, the unknown — something I have always had a problem with. I prefer my life planned out in a weekly calendar, but college taught me to treat being unbearably busy as a privilege. Time doesn’t come back, but the people that you spend it with will stick around. This is where I prefer to store my memories: in the people that I make them with. Inevitably, college provides a space where you can meet a multitude of people, but only a handful of the right people.
People are always in our lives to teach us something, and college is the ideal place to learn. Some people are in your life solely to drag you down, while others make it their life’s goal to lift you up, and this is how college memories are preserved: by
spending time with those who want to watch you thrive, succeed and simply be happy with you. These four years have allowed me to form the most gratifying, cherished and special friendships that I know will last outside of the Fordham gates. These years have also thrown me curve balls that are just as important in order to grow. When all is said and done, my time at Fordham will have given me more than I could ever ask for. I will look back at college with a smile on my face, and what a privilege it is to have something to miss.
In my time at Fordham, I have certainly learned a lot in the classroom, but I’ve learned even more about myself. College is not just class, extracurricular activities and social life; it’s the things that surprise you, the things that don’t always appear to be the “best.” The fall-out with someone you trusted, the awkward encounters with a familiar stranger and the strength with which you get through the hard parts. In reality, it is these lessons that make college the best, most transformative and messiest years of your life.
Everyone tells you to live
AVA PASTORE FOR THE FORDHAM RAM College is a place where strangers quickly become your family. that I’ve made at Fordham for the world, and I will definitely be choking back tears when I turn my tassel in May. But if I do it right, the people who were meant to be there all along will follow me to the next, even more daunting chapter: The rest of the best years of your life.
in the moment, enjoy the present and appreciate it before it’s gone. But if we spend too much time fearing the future, we’re gonna waste the now. College can be classified as the best four years of your life because of how it sets you up for the rest of it. I wouldn’t trade my memories
MEGHAN CATTANI/ THE FORDHAM RAM In Disney’s “Up,” Ellie and Carl are dedicated to one another their whole lives.
October 22, 2025
CULTURE
The New Grounds Café is the Place To Be
By JORDAN DONEGAN STAFF WRITER
I first learned about Grounds Café by covering its opening stages for a news article. It is a café on Hughes Avenue, created by a Fordham-based organization called Her Migrant Hub, which aims to improve access to mental health care for immigrant women across New York City. The special and compelling part of this café is that it was created in partnership with a community group of women based at the Church of Mount Carmel called the Grupo de Mujerres Latinas (GML). The primary purpose of this café, which I learned through various interviews, is to support the women of the GML by providing them with a safe and empowering space, as well as to allow Fordham students to connect with the Bronx community.
When I first entered the café, I had just gotten out of an 8:30 a.m. Constitutional Law class, and was desperately in need of caffeine to get me through an assignment that I had due at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon (I know, poor planning on my part). Stressed and trying to keep my eyes open, I was greeted with the familiar smell of brewed coffee and two smiling faces standing behind the barista counter. As I approached the counter to take a look at the
menu, I was welcomed by a very sweet “Hello, what can I get for you?” from a smiling woman who appeared to be about my age. Behind her was another woman, kindly smiling at me, who appeared eager to make me my much-needed coffee. The young woman who greeted me turned out to be a 20-year-old named Joana who explained the menu with the utmost precision and care. Joana walked me through both the food and drink menus, as my empty stomach started to rumble.
The drink menu consisted of many lattes, americanos, matchas, cappuccinos, various assortments of teas and a mint lemonade. In terms of food, they offered carrot cake, large or small conchas and a fudge oat cookie bar. I decided to go with my goto, a vanilla latte, and I can say with certainty that it was one of the best lattes I have ever had (definitely better than any form of coffee I have gotten from Starbucks or Dunkin’). Deciding my food order took quite a bit of time and thinking, as all of the options looked equally appetizing. After a lot of contemplating, I decided to go with the fudge oat cookie bar, which I now know was the right decision. When I bit into this oat bar, I could practically taste Willy
Wonka’s candy shop; I wish I could find words to describe how truly incredible this pastry was. I soon learned that all of their pastries are hand made by the café’s operator, and I can only imagine how much time and dedication it takes for her to create such appetizing pastries.
After I paid for my food and drink, I found a table right next to the barista counter to sit at and study. I pulled out a very aesthetically-pleasing white chair that was stripped with thin gray-ish lines that created a beautiful pattern on the chair. Each table was decorated with small, clear vases filled with what appeared to be neon-green flower petals. These added a very nice touch to the scenery I was surrounded by while trying to complete my assignment. In addition to the flowers on my table, hanging on the wall in front of me were four posters of different women that contained writing in Spanish, which I unfortunately could not read. When I asked Joana about the meaning of these posters and their significance, she told me that they were posters that were in place as part of an explanation of the different stories of the women who worked there. One of the posters showed a woman holding a baby, and another showed a woman gardening.
While I was completing my assignment, I kept looking up at each of the posters, inspired by the work of these women and their stories. After a long time of studying at the café, I reluctantly began to pack up my stuff, knowing I had a class to get to. I did not want to leave the wonderful coffee smell, nor did I want to have to say goodbye to the inspirational women working behind the counter. While I was on my way to class, I noticed one more detail that caught my eye. On one of the counters, there was a suggestion box laid out where customers could suggest new additions
to the menu. I felt that their menu was already equivalent to my dream coffee shop menu, so I did not put anything in the box. However, it was a testament to how dedicated these women are to provide each person who enters the café a welcoming and including space. If you happen to be on Hughes Avenue or in the Belmont area, I strongly encourage you to check out Grounds Café and learn more about their story. Whether you’re desperately in need of caffeine or just want to find a space to study over a cup of coffee, this place will welcome you with open arms.
Inside the Brooklyn Flea Market: Finds, Foods and Flair
By JACQUI LYSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Right under the Manhattan Bridge archway, vendors set up their booths for the 17th season of the Brooklyn Flea Market. This flea market takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Booths range from beautiful jewelry, vintage clothing and bags, to mesmerizing handmade art.
Entering the flea market, I was immediately engulfed by the catchy music playing throughout the venue. The primarily 90s music created a lively atmosphere that was pleasant to listen to while walking around. As this flea market only occurs during the weekends, there was a sizable amount of people surveying the many booths filled with countless treasures. Most appealing, there was a laid-back energy to the market, as I felt in no way rushed or crowded during my experience.
Although it is not huge, the Brooklyn Flea Market creates an atmosphere that encourages people to stay and hang out. On the outskirts of the market, there were vendors offering food and drinks. Across from the food vendors, benches allowed people to sit while enjoying their
refreshments. From coffee to grilled cheese, there were many options for sustenance for any time of day.
There was also an array of vintage clothing that was primarily made up of many different jackets. From eccentric fur jackets to handpainted denim jackets, I was impressed with the high level of fashion of the goods at this market. Based on the flea markets I’ve been to in the past, I have never seen such an impressive style of clothing as I saw at the Brooklyn Flea Market.
Along with the clothing there was no shortage of accessories either. The sunglasses and beautiful bags were perfect additions to the flair of the clothing. Most prominently, many booths contained large amounts of jewelry. Gold and silver, new and old, you name it. I, myself, did purchase a beautifully unique gold ring. However, the distinguished nature of the goods also comes with an equally high price. Although not everything at this market is highly priced, a good amount is, which is something to remember when coming to this specific flea market.
Many booths also contained outstanding handmade art.
One booth in particular was filled with crochet goods. The abundance of crocheted flowers, in particular, was adorable. People had the opportunity to purchase either individual flowers or a beautiful bouquet of them. Next time I find myself at the Brooklyn Flea Market, I will definitely stop by the gorgeous flowers again and maybe even purchase an everlasting flower bouquet.
New York inspired art was everywhere as well. One booth contained records that had iconic pieces of the New York skyline drawn on them, while another artist created minimalist depictions of staple New York imagery. For example, his depiction of the Flatiron Building was recognizable even though it was created with minimal straight lines. Posters were everywhere as well with the designs being inspired by a vendor themselves or taken out of an iconic magazine. I would highly recommend stopping by the Brooklyn Flea Market for its very lively atmosphere and impressive lineup of goods. I had a great time at this flea market as it wasn’t overwhelming or daunting in any way. Being able to walk around to look at
The Brooklyn Flea Market takes place every weekend from 10am to 5pm. doesn’t require a spending mindset either. The joy of listening to catchy music outside while looking at unique items with friends or family is enough. This was my first time at such a flea market, but definitely not my last. I had so much fun walking around and admiring what the vendors brought, and I will definitely be back. I highly recommend stopping by the Brooklyn Flea Market on the weekends, between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to explore all it has to offer.
art and clothing with friends was such a fun and casual way to spend time together during the weekend. Not only is this flea market a fun place to hang out, it is also a provider of a beautiful view of the Manhattan Bridge. There are so many places to shop in New York, but finding these unique spots makes it all the more fun. Ditching the name brand stores, for at least a day, and choosing to explore the unique lineup at this beautiful outdoor market is worth it. Coming to this flea market
JACQUI LYSON FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
JORDAN DONEGAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Grounds Café is right outside the Rose Hill campus.
CULTURE
Firefighting the Flames of Burnout
By LARA EJZAK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Shorter days, lower temperatures and skyrocketing stress levels are all hallmarks signifying the arrival of midterm season. Even the school Wi-Fi gives out under all of the pressure these days. Entering the deep end of approaching due dates, how does one keep their head above the waters of bluebooks and Blackboard submission email notifications?
As if the sudden 20 degree temperature drop wasn’t enough to ruin the morning walk to Faculty Memorial Hall, knowing that you’re walking to an 8:30 a.m. exam on top of that makes the trek that much more daunting. Not only are the academic stressors inviting crashouts and breakdowns, but for many students, involvement in university clubs and grappling with balancing social and school engagements can inflate that stress.
“I think it’s balancing the tests with your extracurriculars,” said Gabriela Jammar, FCRH ’26, when asked about the most difficult part of this period in the semester.
Jammar is an integrative neuroscience major, and while I may not know what that entails, simply hearing her say that phrase gave me secondhand anxiety. As a pre-med STEM student, the senior is juggling exams, labs and lining
By JORDAN DONEGAN STAFF WRITER
Last Friday night, I did not dance on tabletops, nor did I max out my credit card, but I did get to walk right through Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
I have been trying to explore various parts of the Bronx and New York City, and the opening of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Light Trail at The New York Botanical Garden seemed like the perfect opportunity. Living in O’Hare Hall, we have been constantly seeing the eerie blue and purple lights flash outside of our window as they become covered with the ominous fog machines all month, so we decided to check it out for ourselves, and I can say with certainty that everything I experienced exceeded my expectations.
As a fan of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (I watch it every year), this light trail has been on my bucket list for a long time. We had to book tickets in advance for a specific time we wanted to attend the trail, and while I was confused at first as to why we had to do this, I now understand why the trail is so popular. The trail quite literally takes you through an almost complete reenactment of the movie’s plot, and while it does not include all of
up post-undergraduate plans.
Not only is Jammar facing perpetual tests, but she explained, “especially as a senior STEM major, you’re volunteering.”
While volunteering may appear to be a possible unnecessary addition to all of the academic tasks, for any student looking to enroll in medical school, it’s a nonnegotiable.
However, Jammar offered some wise, experienced advice to avoid faltering under the weight that these couple weeks hold.
“Definitely have recharge days built into your week,” said Jammar.
As counterintuitive as it may seem to take your foot off the gas of preparing for school, giving yourself a reprieve after an especially difficult day of test taking will give you something to look forward to and a chance to become motivated for what’s next.
Jammar clarified that she realized how hard it is to listen to and honor any rest and relaxation advice in times like these, admitting she is speaking from a more “do as I say not as I do” model. Still, coming from someone who studies brains for a major, it would be in one’s best interest to adopt this counseling.
The sheer amount of work that has to be done around this time is overwhelming,
and the duration that it persists adds another element of dread.
Frustration over the drawn out nature of midterm season was vocalized by Quinn van der Hoeven, GSB ’28, who said, “I’d rather have it all in one week.”
She went on to discuss an undisputed pitfall of university students nationwide: unhealthy sleep schedules.
“Just sleep. Don’t drink all those energy drinks,” said van der Hoeven. “Set a limit for when you’re going to bed.”
Ironically, the business student made this claim mere minutes after gushing about Bloom energy drinks and going into detail about how many she had in her dorm at that very moment.
It is a common college behavior to pull all-nighters when preparing for big tests, but this strategy has been proven faulty by science time and time again. Sleep is an irreplaceable necessity for proper brain function, and robbing yourself of it negates the edge gained from extra study time.
Jammar had tapped into her own neuroscience knowledge and echoed van der Hoeven’s sentiments.
“I think that sleep is the biggest thing,” said Jammar. “You can only go for so long on adrenaline.”
There is no cure-all for midterm stress, and most
of these solutions and tips seem self-evident. So why is it that they are so hard for students to accept and implement?
As these student testimonies displayed, the recommended course of action is well known, but not well practiced. The question is not what should we do, but rather when will we start doing what we know we should? How much of the mental burden is on behalf of the student procrastination and irresponsibility, and how much of it is a result of the unrealistic expectations from universities?
The NYBG’s Halloween Festivities
the scenes from the movie, I felt an instant sense of nostalgia when I saw staged scenes with some of my favorite characters of whom I had forgotten about over time.
The trail itself took us about 40 minutes to complete, but we did make frequent stops to take pictures and enjoy the scenery around us. When we began the trail, we were greeted with a luminous sign that read “Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail,” which was positioned directly in front of the gift shop. I overheard a dad on our tour say to his child, “what a classic Disney move, positioning the gift shop right at the entrance to make you try and buy stuff,” which I found rather humorous and accurate. The sign was surrounded by the dark blue and violet lights that I could see from my dorm, which Alex and I followed to continue on with the trail.
After we avoided the Disney money-vacuum gift shop, we followed a group of children and their families to the beginning of the light trail. We noticed that there were decorative lamp posts surrounding us, which we soon realized were recreations of the famous pumpkin lamp posts from the movie (the ones you see during the famous
“This is Halloween” song). We followed the posts down to the lights themselves and listened to the “Boogieman Song” from the end of the movie as it blasted through the speakers. I immediately felt as if I was in Halloweentown itself and kept wondering where I could find Jack Skellington.
As we continued walking through the trail, we began to see statues of famous characters recreating their most popular scenes, such as the Halloweentown mayor screeching through his famous megaphone. We were soon surrounded by the witches of Halloweentown, who appeared as though they were flying right next to us on their broom sticks. However, little did I know that we would soon stumble upon my favorite part of the light trail: a plastic jack o’lantern sitting on a gray brick post with fog machinefilled bubbles spilling out of its mouth. Many of the guests, including myself, were trying to pop these bubbles. While this might not have actually appeared in the movie, it was a very fun and interactive element that the Botanical Gardens decided to include. I wish my phone camera could have fully captured the scene, but it is something you have to see in person in order to grasp
These questions would require a separate article diving into research studies and whatnot, but unfortunately, this student writer has midterms of her own. If I’m supposed to practice what I’ve preached here, I deserve a rest.
If you are looking for action to combat burnout, find the soonest open day in your midterm schedule and plan something special for you to work towards. Take a walk in Central Park, get a sweet treat or go to a rage room. Or maybe just take a whole day to nap.
the full experience. We soon began to notice more bright and colorful lights coming into the air, and the decorations shifted from Halloween to Easter. At first, I said to myself “why are there Easter eggs on the side of the trail?” but I soon realized this meant something thrilling: We were transitioning from the initial Halloween side of the movie to the Christmas side. And there they finally were! Jack Skellington and Santa Claus, standing amid the bright blue lights with a Christmas tree behind them. As we continued walking, the Halloween decorations began to reappear, symbolizing the point in the movie where Christmas
and Halloween finally clash. One of the last scenes I remember seeing was Jack Skellington in a Santa costume, standing proudly in front of a bunch of presents wrapped in neon Halloween wrapping paper.
The Light Trail at the New York Botanical Garden is an experience I would highly recommend. Not only is it a very accurate reenactment of most of the movie, but it is also interactive. If you’re looking to see Jack Skellington, or any of your other favorite characters, in real life, or you just want to get outside and see some holidaythemed lights before the weather gets too cold, this is the light trail for you.
As stress piles high, it is important to take care of yourself.
MEGHAN CATTANI / THE FORDHAM RAM
JORDAN DONEGAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
See Jack Skellington at NYBG’s “ The Nightmare Before Christmas” Light Trail.
CULTURE
The Group Project Survival Guide
By ARHANA KARSALIYA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Group projects are like social experiments disguised as homework. You never know what kind of team you’re getting until it’s too late. Will it be a dream team, or a disaster movie? There is always that one person who ghosts the group chat, the overachiever who color-codes everything and the rest of us just trying to make it to presentation day without losing it. With midterms in full swing, your teamwork skills are probably being tested, so here’s how to make it through the chaos (and maybe even enjoy it a little).
Let’s be honest, every group project has “that person.” You know exactly who I’m talking about. The one who disappears until the day before the presentation and suddenly texts, “Hey, what do I need to do again?” Or the one who takes control of everything like they’re running for office. I’ve seen both kinds, and honestly, they teach you patience.
Edie May, FCRH ’29, gave a perfect example of how unpredictable group projects can be. “The irony … is that today in my class, my sustainability teacher assigned us an article about why GenAI is bad for the environment,” she said. “Then, in class, while we were thinking of a ‘chain of effects’ that comes with using AI, my partner used ChatGPT.”
It’s the kind of situation that’s so ridiculous, all you can do is laugh.
When it comes to surviving a group project, communication is everything. The biggest mistake people make is assuming everyone is on the same page. Spoiler alert: they’re not! My group usually starts a shared Google Doc and a group chat right away. I also swear by using a shared calendar because it’s the only way to keep track of deadlines and who’s doing what. The trick is to keep the messages short and clear. Nobody’s reading a paragraphlong text about font choices. Also, if your group has that one person who never responds, try using humor to get their attention. Something like, “Hey bestie, not to be dramatic, but the entire grade depends on you.” It’s cringy, but surprisingly works.
Balancing work in group projects can be tough, especially if you’re all juggling different schedules. The key is being honest about what you can handle. If you know you’re terrible at designing slides but great at research, say that. Don’t volunteer to do something you’ll end up hating.
Calysta James Washington, FCRH ’29, shared her top three survival tips for making group projects go smoother. “First, make sure you have everyone’s contact information,” she said “Second, divide
up the work so everyone knows their part. Third, set earlier deadlines — like if something’s due at 11:59, tell everyone to have their part in by 8:00. That way whoever’s submitting has time to put it all together,” she said.
Honestly, that’s solid advice most of us could use.
If you want to get creative with assigning roles, try making it a mini game. One of my professors once had us draw our roles out of a hat, and it was actually fun. I ended up being “Team Leader,” which basically meant “Chief of Sending Reminder Texts.” Another time, my group and I matched roles with our zodiac signs. The Libras got presentation design, the Virgos handled the research and the Sagittarius in our group just made memes for the slides. It weirdly worked.
There are good things about working in groups, even if it doesn’t always feel like it. You learn how to collaborate, deal with different personalities and manage time better. Sometimes, you even end up making new friends. I once worked on a marketing project with two random classmates and now we grab coffee every week. Group projects also push you to see things from different perspectives. When you’re working alone, you only see your way. In a group, someone might point out an idea
you never considered.
Of course, there are also the downfalls. There’s always a risk someone won’t do their part, and you’ll have to pick up the slack. Or the group can’t agree on anything, and meetings turn into debates that go nowhere. It can also be frustrating when one person tries to take credit for everything. I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t control other people’s effort, you can only control your own. So I try to focus on what I can contribute and let the rest go.
In the end, group projects are kind of like reality shows. There’s always drama, twists
and at least one emotional breakdown, but somehow, it all comes together in the end. The key is keeping things organized, communicating clearly and not taking everything too seriously. Laughing through the chaos helps.
So the next time your professor says, “You’ll be working in groups,” take a deep breath and remember, you’ve got this! Whether your group is full of overachievers, procrastinators or complete strangers, it’s all part of the college experience. You might even end up with a funny story to tell, or at the very least, a new appreciation for solo projects.
The Crash and Burn of a Showgirl
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
As a longtime Swiftie with a consistent annual Spotify Wrapped featuring mainly Taylor Swift songs, Oct. 3 was possibly the worst day ever. I was looking forward to “The Life of a Showgirl” since its announcement, but at 12:42 a.m., I had to face the hard truth: I hated it.
I have never disliked an entire album of Swift’s before; in fact, whenever I was asked to rank her previous eleven albums from best to worst, it proved to be one of the most difficult tasks I had ever faced. But out of the 12 songs on album number 12, not one has made it to my favorite songs playlist.
The closest to a favorite that I have is “The Fate of Ophelia.” The lead-off track has a nice beat and earworm lyrics, both of which have since been helped by the music video and trending TikTok dance. But the best song on the album needing a catchy dance to help it along should not be the case for a seasoned singer-songwriter like Swift.
“Elizabeth Taylor” might be my least favorite song on the album, and that’s saying a lot because there are some truly awful ones. This is where it started to go downhill for me; I may be able to get behind “The
Fate of Ophelia,” at least a little bit, but the second song left me with no want to replay, making me hesitant for the remaining 34 minutes of music.
“Opalite” is in the middle of “The Fate of Ophelia” and “Elizabeth Taylor” in terms of likeability for me. It’s catchy and not unlistenable, but it doesn’t stand out as good nor bad. On a usual album, you’d expect one of these types of songs, but when it’s an album with as many misses as this one it’s not great to have something so “bleh.”
“Father Figure” is heinous. Originally, I thought it was about Swift reclaiming her masters, and back when I had this perspective I was willing to give her a pass. Who am I to say how she should process one of the biggest moments of her life? Now, I’m not so sure it is, and without that situation connected to it, the lyricism is just crude and downright bad.
As an actual eldest daughter, you would assume Swift would know how to write a song titularly about that experience. Not only does it miss the mark entirely, but the lyrics serve as a permanent reminder of just how many millennial tendencies she has.
“Ruin the Friendship” is just a weird song to have on an album whose potential first listener was your new fiancé, and
that’s really all there is to say about it.
I am okay with “Actually Romantic,” as it was another not-good-but-not-awful listen. It seemed similar to other songs with commentary on girl friendships that she’s done in the past, and it’s one of the only ones I could see myself listening to again.
“Wi$h Li$t” was just south of tolerable. It’s catchy, and I can see it becoming a trend on TikTok, but in my current stage of life, I just couldn’t imagine listening to it and being able to relate, which has always been my marker for a good Swift song.
And here’s the one that should’ve been kept in the vault permanently: “Wood.” How does one produce and publish a song such as this one when she knows her parents, and his parents, will be listening to it? I am not against sexually explicit songs in the slightest (I’m a Sabrina Carpenter fan as well) but this one was not only more explicit than most, but anatomically graphic and poorly written.
“CANCELLED” is similar to “Wi$h Li$t” in that it is the most likely to become trending on TikTok. I can maybe relate to this one a little bit more, but I wish Swift kept out the cringy Generation Z lingo.
My second favorite on the
album was “Honey.” Again, the lyrics were not her best, but at least this one I could relate more to, and was more tolerable to listen to.
Ending with “The Life of a Showgirl” was an interesting move, as it was not only Swift’s voice on the track but also Carpenter’s. The problem with it was I was more attracted to Carpenter’s lines than Swift’s, as the musical theater
theme felt more on-par with Carpenter’s voice. But just like “Eldest Daughter,” I feel like the lyrics failed to live up to the titular meaning. If you like this album, I am by no means saying you should be ashamed of that. As many people have been quick to point out, Swift made this album to be more fun and carefree. It’s just not an album for me.
COURTESY OF @TAYLORSWIFT
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM Group projects help us to see things from new perspectives.
“The Life of a Showgirl” was released on Oct. 3.
Bob Dylan Continues to Change the Times
By CAMILA RANCANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“Folk songs were the way I explored the universe, they were pictures and the pictures were worth more than anything I could say.” This quote from Bob Dylan’s memoir encapsulates the nature of “How Many Roads: Bob Dylan and His Changing Times, 1961–1964.” An exhibit that takes you through Dylan’s start in 1960s Greenwich Village, and his incredible trajectory throughout his first three years in New York City.
The exhibit comes from the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which serves as the primary venue for the Bob Dylan Archive. Displayed at New York University’s Gallatin Galleries is a variety of pictures, manuscripts and documentary films, outlining Dylan’s early career and the vibrant folk scene in 1960s Greenwich Village. Mark Davidson, the curator of the exhibit, noted, “The exhibit centers on Dylan’s music as a lens through which to view some of the most defining events of the 20th century.”
“How Many Roads” highlights folk music’s impact on the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing the stories behind “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Death of Emmett Till” as well as the correlation with the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963.
Bob Dylan got to New York City in January of
1961, immediately flocking to Greenwich Village, known for its artistic community of writers, comedians, playwrights and musicians. He began playing anywhere he could find an audience including cafes and clubs like Gerde’s Folk City, Cafe Wha? and the Gaslight Cafe. Here he would meet key Village figures like Dave Van Ronk, Fred Neil and Mark Spoelstra. Later that year, Dylan met his girlfriend Suze Rotolo who introduced him to the city’s cultural and political scenes.
Suze Rotolo worked for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and became a big influence on Dylan’s political consciousness. His musical roots were in traditional blues and folk, but he began experimenting with his lyrics and messages. He wrote his song “The Death of Emmett Till,” a bleak retelling of Till’s murder and the trial that allowed his killers to walk free for a CORE benefit in February of 1962. On a radio show, he explained that the chord progression and melody were modeled after “Bus Driver,” a song by folk singer and civil rights activist Len Chandler. The impact Chandler had on Dylan is not only significant because it influenced one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, but because it illustrates how important music is for awareness.
“Blowin’ in the Wind,” with its vague spirituality and
critique against the culture, allowed for it to become an unofficial anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. The song was derived from an African American spiritual called “No More Auction Block,” which expressed suffering, hope and passion. Dylan felt that “Blowing in the Wind” followed the same feeling, but it was particularly powerful because it delivered a powerful, ugly message, in an elegant way. It did not impose opinion, rather it asked questions and allowed the listener to answer those questions. However, it was not Dylan who transformed the song into an antiwar anthem. The folk group, Peter, Paul and Mary, recorded the song in 1963, a year before Dylan released his recording. Their version of the song was decorated with harmonies, calling back to the communal aspect of spirituals, giving the song further nuance and appealing to a wider range of audiences, with the song reaching #2 on the pop charts.
Music had become a major component of the Civil Rights Movement, for its role in inspiring courage and hope, as well as representation in mainstream media. On Aug. 28, 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom drew more than a quarter-million people to Washington D.C. to demand civil and economic rights for African Americans. The March on Washington
featured speeches from several civil rights leaders, most notably Martin Luther King Jr., who delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. The march also held performances by several artists like Joan Baez, Odetta, Peter, Paul and Mary and Bob Dylan, whose songs were broadcast nationwide.
Music has the unique ability to transmit messages, critiques, emotions and dreams as well as generate a communal vision or ideology, as it did in the 1960s. The presence of music at the march was therefore vital. The Freedom Singers, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan came together for a performance of “Blowing in the Wind,” literally and figuratively emphasizing the importance of coming together for a cause. One year later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.
In October of 1963, after
just two years in New York City, Dylan sold out Carnegie Hall. He performed his recently completed album “The Times they are A’Changin’” to some 3,000 people. Suze Rotolo is quoted saying, “During the concert, the audience hung on every word Bob spoke and sang and when it was over they gave him a raucous standing ovation. Backstage with Albert Grossman, Dave Van Ronk, Terri Thai and others, I watched and absorbed what was happening. We all sensed a sea of change and it was exhilarating.” “How Many Roads: Bob Dylan and His Changing Times, 1961-1964” captures how music, politics and art came together to shape a generation. Dylan’s songs captured his observations of a country in flux and became anthems for justice. His early years in Greenwich Village speaks to the power of music, not only in melody, but in ability to question, unite and inspire change.
The Fordham Ram Crossword
CAMILA RANCANO FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Bob Dylan’s songs became civil rights anthems in the 1960s.
Men’s Soccer Keeps Control of Their Own Destiny
By GIANNA TETRO STAFF WRITER
Over the course of three pivotal Atlantic 10 (A-10) matchups, the Fordham men’s soccer team demonstrated why it continues to stand tall among the conference’s elite. From a pair of home shutouts against the University of Dayton and Duquesne University to a rain-soaked, emotionally charged battle in St. Louis, the Rams showcased their blend of discipline, leadership and mental toughness.
It didn’t take long for Fordham to set the tone at home on Wednesday, where the Rams edged Dayton 1–0 in a tightly contested A-10 showdown. Graduate student forward Luke Pompliano struck less than three minutes into the game, pouncing on a loose ball after a Dayton miscue and calmly slotting the winning shot home, his third goal of the season.
The early breakthrough allowed Fordham to play on its own terms: compact, composed and methodical. The Flyers fought to reclaim control, earning six first-half corners, but did
little against Fordham’s organized defense anchored by graduate student goalkeeper Tristan Stephani, whose steady hands proved decisive, making a key save in the 73rd minute to secure his fourth shutout of the season.
The disciplined performance by the Rams extended their unbeaten streak and reflected the core of their success: balance between early attacking precision and defensive resilience. Pompliano nearly doubled his tally with a late shot that rattled off the post, but one goal was enough for Fordham to close out its fifth consecutive conference match win.
A mere three days later, the Rams returned to Moglia to face Duquesne, another test of endurance, considering their packed schedule. Senior midfielder Daniel D’Ippolito delivered the decisive moment just before halftime.
Standing over a free kick nearly 40 yards out, D’Ippolito kicked a curling strike that soared past Duquesne’s goalie Diego Chavez, marking his fifth goal of the season and
24th of his career. The goal moved him into Fordham’s all-time top 10 in both goals and points.
Prior to the match, D’Ippolito emphasized their preparation as the key to Fordham’s edge. “We’ve played them all four years I’ve been here … we’re familiar with each other,” he said. “[It’s] about setting up defensively to then transition into offense and counter them.”
The Rams were in control in the first half, outshooting Duquesne 8–0. As the Dukes pushed forward, Stephani (ranked among the top goalkeepers nationally) turned away two late chances to preserve his fifth shutout of the season.
Following the match, D’Ippolito praised his teammates’ strength: “[We] put in a very gritty performance as it was the third game of the week. We closed off the game well, keeping another shutout and furthering our confidence in our back line.”
Stephani echoed that same sentiment, noting that Fordham’s success stems from their discipline and unity. “We have the ability to score one goal and then
defend with our lives for the next 45-plus minutes,” he said. “It comes down to being organized, talking, and staying locked in for the full 90.”
The Rams’ next challenge came in St. Louis; a trip that tested both skill and endurance. A two-hour rain delay set the stage for an emotional rivalry clash against the Billikens.
Two minutes in, senior defender Ede Gramberg begn the scoring off a cross from sophomore Daniel Lang. Minutes later, Emile Kisse doubled the lead with a header off a D’Ippolito assist, giving the Rams a 2–0 advantage, silencing the home crowd.
Pompliano had anticipated the intensity of the night, calling the matchup “a tough game” and the kind of environment Fordham thrives in. “We’re that kind of scrappy team,” he said beforehand.
As the rain subsided, St. Louis found its rhythm. The Billikens pulled one back before halftime, equalized early in the second half, and then completed the comeback with a 69th-minute goal to claim a 3–2 win.
Pompliano reflected that while Fordham “started strong” and “capitalized early,” the team “got away from [its] game plan during periods of the game.”
With the A-10 standings tightening and the regular season winding down, it’s clear what’s at stake. As senior forward Bennett Leitner summarized, “Our biggest thing is that we’re happy … we control our own destiny the rest of the way, and that’s a privilege. So we need to respect that and make sure we don’t slip up, because the greatest privilege in sports is controlling your own destiny.”
That perspective reflects every match the Rams have played this season. Whether it was Pompliano’s early strike against Dayton, D’Ippolito’s game-winning brilliance versus Duquesne, or the lessons learned in St. Louis, each moment has reflected a team learning, evolving and refusing to back down. They have the grit, composure and belief of a team built to go the distance, and if that mentality continues to hold, the Rams have everything it takes to make a deep postseason run.
Fordham Men’s Basketball Ushers In New Era
By JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
Fordham Men’s Basketball is coming off a season like no other.
The team’s 2024-25 campaign included a six-game losing streak, the suspension of its head coach, an eightgame losing streak, a secondround exit in the Atlantic 10 (A-10) Tournament, the firing of its head coach and the release of an NCAA probe that uncovered years of recruiting violations and levied major penalties on the program — it wasn’t how the team envisioned becoming a national storyline in the college basketball universe.
Seven months later, with a fresh coaching staff and a brand-new roster, the Rams are generating a different kind of buzz.
A rhythmic pitter-patter echoes through the 101-yearold Rose Hill Gym. On the arena’s hallowed hardwood are 17 student-athletes, drenched in sweat, competing in a drill as though it’s the final possession of the national championship. They’re being guided from the sidelines by Mike Magpayo, the team’s new head coach, who accepted the role after five years of unprecedented success at University of California, Riverside (UCR).
Dribbling the ball is graduate student Dejour Reaves, the projected starting point guard, a preseason all-A-10 third team selection and former first-team all-conference
standout at Iona University.
“[It’s] definitely an exciting feeling,” remarked Reaves after the workout, Fordham’s first official practice period of the 2025-26 season. “From stretching to the end of practice it was very intense. [It’s a] very good group of guys.”
The loudest voice belongs to junior Jameson O’Toole, a walk-on with just 15 minutes in his first two years as a Ram — he is now the team’s longesttenured player.
“It’s, as some people would call it, Christmas morning,” said a smiling O’Toole after practice.
While his impact is felt more often from the bench than on the court, O’Toole is embracing his role as the bridge between the program’s existing culture of attitude and accountability and its new identity under
Coach Magpayo’s leadership.
“t was like every time I’d check Instagram, I got a new teammate,” joked O’Toole about a stretch in which the team signed 10 players in a span of five weeks. Magpayo had a shortened window to rebuild a roster that saw all but two of its scholarship players leave after the ’24-’25 season.
In five weeks, Magpayo managed to assemble a team with all-conference pedigree at just about every level: high school, international leagues, Junior College, D-II, D-I — you name it.
Magpayo, the first-ever Filipino D-I men’s basketball coach, has orchestrated a roster as diverse as any in the nation.
Fordham’s ’25-’26 team has three former UCR players, two Hawaii University transfers, a
D-II standout, a Japan native, three Australians, a German and a Frenchman, among others.
“We’ve meshed very well,” O’Toole reflected. “One of the things he stressed in the spring and coming into the summer was [that] he wanted guys that wanted to be at Fordham.”
“If you want to be here, you’re going to be here. If you don’t, then you’ve got to hit the road,” said Reaves. “But when we came in here, everybody was willing to work.”
Thus, in two months, and after a series of events that the best scriptwriter couldn’t have fathomed, 17 athletes were united at a program described by many as a sleeping giant in the mecca of the basketball world. Their shared mission is clear: to win.
“Coach Mike, he’s a winning
coach. I mean, he won at his previous school, UCR. So just being around a winning culture, that’s what I want to be a part of,” said Reaves.
Magpayo’s club enters the year projected last in the A-10 preseason poll; the overhaul he’s conducting is unprecedented, and for now, the payoff is unknown.
“It’s a fascinating experiment,” said the Californiaborn coach. “It’ll be magic if we can connect and really learn how to play together and put it all together.”
To do so, Fordham will need to maximize a homecourt advantage that’s as much of an asset as any player. Due to its old architecture and small size, the Rose Hill Gym can feel as loud and overwhelming as any arena in the country. But as with everything else, winning comes first.
“You’ve got to put a winning product on the floor first and a product that people appreciate,” said Magpayo. “We had a 14-1 record at home at UCR this year, and [we had] the best home crowds … you have to win for them to come.”
Fordham has a chance to turn Rose Hill into ‘Rose Thrill’ early, with a home-heavy nonconference schedule chockfull of favorable matchups. If the team gels as well during games as they have during practices, Magpayo will have engineered the most improbable of rebuilds, putting the Fordham Men’s Basketball program back into the spotlight — this time around, for the right reasons.
Fordham Men’s Basketball hopes to turn a page during the Mike Magpayo era.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Napheesa Collier vs. Cathy Engelbert
KURT SIPPEL STAFF WRITER
With the WNBA season coming to an end and the Las Vegas Aces raising their third banner, there are clouds looming around what should be a happy event for the WNBA community.
On Sept. 28, after the Phoenix Mercury beat the Minnesota Lynx in game four of the semifinals, Napheesa Collier faced the media in her exit interview and delivered a scathing statement about the leadership of the WNBA under commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Collier called Engelbert out on a plethora of things, sharing private conversations between her and the commissioner about the league’s expiring collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and the officiating.
“We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world, but right now we have the worst leadership in the world,” Collier told the media.
The clear disagreement with the CBA comes with the split of the revenue. With how the current CBA is set up, players only receive about 9.3% of the revenue from the league.
They also don’t receive any of the revenue the league might pull in from jersey or ticket sales. Currently the four major sports leagues have a 50/50 revenue split, and this is what the Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association (WNBPA) is fighting for, but the league seems unwilling to budge.
“The league has made it clear, it isn’t about innovation. It isn’t about collaboration. It’s about control and power,” said Collier about the league’s direction.
During her statement, Collier talked about her and Engelbert’s discussion at Unrivaled, the three-on-three basketball league co-founded by Collier. She asked how Engelbert was going to handle young stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, who are
making over double the money from sponsors than the league.
According to Collier, Engelbert said, “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
In the same conversation, Engelbert told Collier players should be “on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.” The new 11-year deal, worth $22 billion, will go into effect next year.
“The league has a buzzword that they’ve rolled out as talking points for the CBA as to why they can’t pay the players what we’re worth, and that word is sustainability,” Collier said during the statement.
The league has seen record growth in viewership and revenue, as well as five new teams joining the already existing 13. All of the new members are paying $250 million each just to join the WNBA.
It is clear the league feels if they are going to give players the raised minimum salary of $250,000 and a 50/50 revenue split the league would struggle to sustain the money it has been pulling in. But players are seeing Engelbert argue both sides. One saying it would not be sustainable to pay the players more, but the other championing the new money the league is bringing in through media rights deals and viewership.
While the CBA discussions are a major part of the struggles, another aspect of Collier’s argument was the officiating and how she feels the league isn’t doing enough to address it.
During a press conference on Oct. 3 during the WNBA Finals, Engelbert countered Collier’s statement by saying “There’s a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all this reporting.”
Engelbert never directly denied the comments she made about Clark or the conversations with Collier. She instead blamed the
media for inaccurate reporting and social media for spreading false information.
During the WNBA postseason, there were many instances of missed calls and issues with the officiating that have caused problems for players, coaches and the fans watching the game.
For instance, Collier was unable to play in game four of the WNBA semifinals after suffering an ankle injury during a scramble. She fell on the floor as the Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas was trying to steal the ball from her.
There was no foul called, and Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve had to be held back by players and coaches as she tried to charge at the referees over the calls. In the postgame press conference, she called for a change in officiating in the league, with some added expletives.
The league’s response was to fine her $15,000 and suspend her from coaching game four where the Lynx would be eliminated from the playoffs.
“Fans see it every night. Coaches, both winning and losing, point it out every night in pregame and postgame media, yet leadership just issues fines and looks the other way,” said Collier. “They ignore the issues that everyone inside the game is begging to be fixed. That is negligence.”
Engelbert, during her press conference on Oct. 3, admitted there was an officiating problem and said the league will be establishing a task force to address and evaluate the officials.
It is clear there are many problems that the WNBA is currently facing, and that the leadership leading the WNBA doesn’t see eye to eye with the players.
Both sides need each other. Until they agree and the league starts to make players feel more seen with greater equity, we are headed for a situation neither side wants. A work stoppage will cause damage that will take a long time to recover from.
Football Fordham 13
Dartmouth 31
Men’s Soccer Fordham 2
Saint Louis 3
Men’s Tennis ITA Northeast Regionals (No Individual Scoring)
Men’s Swimming & Diving Fordham 173 Manhattan 80
A Homecoming Loss for Fordham Football
LEAH RENSHAW CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It may have been Homecoming Weekend for Fordham University, but unfortunately it was just like any other weekend for the Fordham Rams, with another loss at home. Despite a valiant effort by the squad and stands full of cheerful alumni, the Dartmouth College Big Green won the day 30-13. Graduate student linebacker James Conway, led the defense again with 17 tackles, bringing him to 539 career total tackles. Conway has now recorded 10+ tackles in six of the seven games played so far this year. If you’re looking for a
highlight amidst the tragic results of most Fordham Football games, direct your eyes to Conway.
Dartmouth took a 13-6 lead in the very beginning of the second half. Junior quarterback Gunnar Smith and sophomore wide receiver Jack Freeburg connected for a five-yard touchdown, but two touchdown passes from Dartmouth in the fourth quarter made the gap wider, and eliminated all hope of a Fordham victory.
It was a great game for Dartmouth’s kicker Owen Zalc, as well as wide receiver Luke Rives. Zalc scored a total of 10 points for the Big Green, two of those scoring opportunities being 33-yard and 24-yard field goals.
Rives caught a 24-yard pass to score a fourth quarter touchdown, securing the victory against the Fordham Rams. The Big Green’s execution in the game’s most crucial moments showed Dartmouth’s composure and ultimately sealed Fordham’s fate on a very challenging afternoon.
Moving on to next weekend, the Rams will be playing against the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks on Family Weekend at Rose Hill. Will the team be able to tighten up on defense and improve rushing yards? Or will they continue to prove they should be listed as the weakest link–tied with College of the Holy Cross — in Patriot League play?
Compiled by Ian Nelson, Asst. Sports Editor
CRISTINA STEFANIZZI FOR THE FORDHAM RAM Fordham wide reciever Jack Freeburg hauls in a pass from quarterback Gunnar Smith.
COURTESY OF @NAPHEESA24
Napheesa Collier has been outspoken against WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Who is Taking Home the Most Prestigious MLB Awards?
By ANTHONY SMITH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
With the MLB Postseason wrapping up in a couple of weeks, it’s time to think about who is going to be winning awards. There are some tight races going on in both the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), but there can only be one winner. I will go over the Manager of the Year, Rookie of the Year (ROTY), Cy Young, the MVP and meet the candidates.
For the NL’s Manager of the Year, Pat Murphy, in his second year leading the Milwaukee Brewers, is aiming to repeat. The Brewers had the best record in baseball this year and entered the postseason as one of the hottest teams. Their season was highlighted with two long winning streaks of 14 and 11 games. The only competition from Murphy going back-to-back is the former Brewers manager and current Cubs skipper, Craig Counsell. Since the Brewers not only won the division, but also defeated the Cubs in the playoffs, it seems like an easy choice to go with Murphy.
The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off a last place finish in their division last year.
By ARHANA KARSALIYA
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
For over a decade, NFL RedZone has been one of the greatest inventions in football. Every Sunday, it offered fans seven hours of commercialfree football, bouncing from game to game, showing every touchdown, every big play, all with Scott Hanson’s famous “witching hour” hype in the background.
But this season, things are different. RedZone dropped the “commercial free” promise. For the first time since 2009, fans are now getting ads during the broadcast. And fans are … not thrilled.
So what exactly is changing, how bad is it really and should football fans care as much as X wants them to?
The change came in the first broadcast of the new season. Scott Hanson no longer says, “seven hours of commercial free football starts now.” Now it’s just, “seven hours of RedZone football,” which indicates to fans that there will be a change according to The Washington Post. Throughout the broadcast, RedZone featured short advertisements. To be fair, these were not traditional commercial breaks. Instead, they appeared in split screen format, with the ad on one side and the live game feed still visible on the other. During Week 1, there were
Towards the end of May, the team was sitting around .500 and were multiple games out of the division lead. They went on a 10game winning streak right before the All-Star break and used that momentum to overtake the New York Yankees at the beginning of July. John Schneider and his team never looked back and won their first division title since 2015. A dark horse contender could be Stephen Vogt after the Cleveland Guardians overcame a 15.5 game deficit to win the division, but Schneider led his team to the #1 seed in the AL.
For the NL Rookie of the Year, it’s really a two man race for rookie of the year: Cade Horton from the Chicago Cubs and Drake Baldwin from the Atlanta Braves. Horton made his debut in May and has pitched in 23 games this year posting a 2.67 earned run average (ERA). He only struck out 97 this year, but was a reliable starter for the Cubs. As for Baldwin, he’s been with the Braves since opening day and batted .274 with 19 home runs and 80 runs batted in (RBIs). The Atlanta catcher has also played some phenomenal defense. Based on a strong
combination of hitting and defense, along with being on his team for a longer stint, I think the award goes to Baldwin.
For AL ROTY, Nick Kurtz of the Athletics has this award locked up, putting up an incredible statline for his rookie campaign. Kurtz hit 36 home runs with 86 RBIs while batting .290. The best moment of the season for the rookie was his four homer game against the Houston Astros, going six for six at the plate with eight RBIs. He became the youngest player and only rookie to hit four homers in a game.
For NL Cy Young, Paul Skenes’ 10-10 record in 2025 doesn’t do his historic season justice. Skenes collected 216 strikeouts while maintaining a 1.97 ERA and a 0.95 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). Skenes made his career ERA at 1.96 which is the lowest for any pitcher through 52 career starts in the Live Ball Era. Pitchers like Freddy Peralta and Cristopher Sánchez had amazing years, but you can’t argue with Skenes’ numbers.
For AL Cy Young it’s Tarik Skubal. The dominant lefty tries to go back-to-back and be the first pitcher to do so since Jacob deGrom did it with the New York Mets
in 2018-2019. Skubal also looks to become the first AL pitcher to win consecutive Cy Young awards since 19992000, when Pedro Martínez accomplished it. It wasn’t an easy path, as Garrett Crochet posed some challenges along the way. In his first season with the Boston Red Sox, Crochet put up a 2.59 ERA and had 255 strikeouts over 205.1 innings finishing with an 18-5 record. Crochet was favored during the spring, until Skubal reclaimed that title. Skubal silenced the competition finishing with a 2.21 ERA, whiffing 241 batters in the regular season.
The NL MVP is Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani is on his way to winning a fourth MVP and proving he still runs the league. This year, Ohtani did it on both sides with spectacular hitting and pitching. He started in 14 games, striking out 62 batters across 47 innings and posting a 2.87 ERA. As a hitter, Ohtani hit 50+ homers for the second straight season while driving in 102 runs and batting .282. His only competition was Kyle Schwarber from the Philadelphia Phillies. Schwarber led the league in RBIs with 132 and smashed 56 homers. An outstanding year for the veteran, but it
Ads Just Scored on RedZone
only four ads, each lasting about 15 seconds. No touchdowns were missed, and no game was cut away.
At face value, this is a small change. A handful of short ads scattered across a seven hour program hardly compares to the dozens of commercial breaks in a typical NFL game. However, RedZone had built its entire brand around being the one place where football came without interruptions, and that image is now gone.
Reactions to the decision have been mixed. Some fans immediately expressed some frustration, accusing the NFL of breaking a promise. For them, commercial free football was more than a slogan; it was the reason they subscribed in the
first place. Social media was filled with complaints, with some fans even threatening to cancel their subscriptions. If the NFL has introduced a few ads now, what will stop them from adding more in the future?
Others, however, have been less critical. For many fans, the changes are barely noticeable. Because the ads are so short and do not interrupt actual plays, the overall viewing experience feels mostly the same. This side of the debate sees the decision as a practical step for the NFL to generate more revenue without hurting the product too much.
Henry Wolff, FCRH ’28, had a more practical view, saying: “I feel like there were only 15 seconds total of ads and it didn’t cut away from what was
was no match for the twoway player. AL MVP is one of the best MVP competitions in recent memories is between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh. Raleigh, the Seattle Mariners catcher, has been the story of the year for MLB, from winning the Home Run Derby to leading his team to their first division title in 24 years. The Mariners slugger led the league with 60 long balls, batted .247 and had the most RBIs in the AL with 125. On the other hand, Judge is going for his third MVP after having arguably one of the greatest offensive seasons ever. Along with his 53 homers and 114 RBIs, Judge also recorded an MLB best 10.1 fangraphs wins above replacement (fWAR) and a weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 204. The slash line for Judge this year was .331/ .457/ .688. Many argue that Raleigh being a catcher should play some significance in the decision, but Judge is beating Raleigh in basically every statistic aside from home runs and RBIs. In the tightest race of the year, the MVP should belong to Judge.
Awards will be announced in the middle of November, as the 2025 MLB season is coming to a close.
actually playing on the screen. So I personally don’t care and if it’s making money for the future, they’re gonna upgrade the streaming service, then by all means they could add commercials.”
Henry’s perspective captures the practical side of the argument. If RedZone can use advertising revenue to improve its streaming quality or add new features, a few minor interruptions may be worth the trade off.
It all comes down to money. Broadcasting rights for sports are more expensive than ever, and the NFL is the most valuable sports property in the country. RedZone’s unique selling point has always been its no ad promise, but that also meant it missed out on a massive source
of revenue. By adding a small number of commercials, the NFL can offset costs while still keeping subscription prices relatively stable.
At the end of the day, RedZone’s viewership is unlikely to collapse. Most fans still see it as the best way to follow all the games at once. However, the program’s long term reputation depends on how carefully the NFL handles this shift. If the league keeps the ad load light and respects the spirit of RedZone, the service can remain successful. If the ads increase, fans may lose trust and cancel subscriptions.
This moment also reflects a broader trend in streaming. For years, streaming platforms advertised themselves as ad free alternatives to cable. Now, more and more services are introducing ads, either to keep costs down or to increase profits. Overall, the arrival of commercials on NFL RedZone marks the end of an era. For some fans, it feels like a broken promise. For others, like Wolff, it is a minor change that does not affect the overall experience. In truth, both perspectives have some degree of merit. RedZone is still a unique and enjoyable way to watch football, but its identity has shifted. What happens next will depend on how the NFL balances revenue with fan experience.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
NFL RedZone, hosted by Scott Hanson, has been a Sunday staple since 2009.
Bill Belichick’s Biggest Challenge Yet
By KATHRYN COX CONTRIBUTING WRITER
When Bill Belichick was hired as the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) head football coach, fans and players believed this would be a new era of winning for the university. The man who led a dynasty for two decades left the NFL for college football.
But just six games into the 2025 season, Belichick’s Tar Heels are failing to meet expectations. UNC’s record is just 2-4, and insiders are whispering about tension within the program. The coach who ruled the NFL seems to be struggling with the entirely different game of college football.
Friday’s 21-18 defeat to the University of California may have been the most discouraging setback of the season yet, bringing the team to 2-4 before playing #16 University of Virginia next Saturday. It looked like UNC might pick up their first Power Four win of the season as wide receiver Nathan Leacock headed towards the end zone late in the fourth quarter. But a California defender punched the ball loose before he crossed the goal line and North Carolina lost their chance.
To make matters worse, offfield distractions have piled up. Conversations around the 73-year-old Belichick’s relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, and the couple’s in-season travels, alongside the Tar Heels’ other losses to Texas Christian University (48-14), University of Central Florida (34-9) and Clemson University (38-10) have drawn unwelcome attention to the entire organization. The chatter has gotten so bad that Belichick and Athletic
Director Bubba Cunningham felt compelled to issue statements on Wednesday responding to rumors that the head coach might exit the program.
“I’m fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building here,” said Belichick.
“Coach Belichick has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University,” said Cunningham.
After UNC’s loss to California, a message on the jumbotron at California Memorial Stadium mocked the Tar Heels and Belichick with a parody version of the North Carolina Athletic’s social media statement.
Off-the-field headlines continue to keep the program in the news. Last week, WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina, published a story describing “a divided locker room, a disorganized coaching staff and a failure to communicate” as the reasons for the struggles on the field.
It’s a stark difference from the expectations that surrounded his arrival, and it shines a light on
the wide gap between coaching in the NFL and leading a college program.
Belichick’s most significant adjustment has been structural. The NFL and college football may be the same sport, but they have different atmospheres. In the NFL, the rosters are stable through defined contracts and drafts. In college, a coach must recruit from high school and the transfer portal, while rerecruiting his own strongest players.
The present mindset at UNC reflects the professional approach. UNC’s general manager, Michael Lombardi, spoke to reporters from The Athletic in February about his role and the future of UNC Football.
“Everything here is predicated on building a pro team,” Lombardi said. “We consider ourselves the 33rd team.”
Belichick is treating UNC as if it were another NFL franchise. It is an approach built on control and precision. While it might foster a strong, disciplined team, it
also disregards college players who are not used to the intensity of the professional sport.
College football is typically grounded in human connection, recruiting, building morale and keeping young adults focused. The college grind demands communication, which starkly contrasts the transactional nature of the NFL, where football is a player’s full-time job.
Belichick is sticking to his philosophy of “do your job,” without fully recognizing that playing ball is not these college players’ jobs. College athletes require extra motivation to succeed, which NFL players might not need.
That is where coaches like Curt Cignetti thrive. After being hired by Indiana University after the 2023 season, Cignetti led that program to its first-ever 10-0 start. Following the 2024 season, the Hoosiers made their first ever College Football Playoff appearance. Cignetti is a passionate, energetic coach who gets his players to buy into
thinking bigger than individual achievement. Cignetti’s success lies in his ability to communicate, something Belichick has yet to master at UNC.
Belichick’s no-nonsense, lowenergy approach is not working and will not work in college football. The problems are not just cultural; they are showing up on the field.
North Carolina ranks 133rd out of 136 teams in the FBS in total offense (267.7 yards per game); defensively, the team’s opponents are completing 67.3% of their passes, which ranks 122nd. Those are uncharacteristic numbers for a team under Belichick’s leadership. Belichick ran a precise defense with New England, but in Chapel Hill, defensive mistakes abound.
Despite the team’s early struggles, Belichick’s slow start is not uncharacteristic. His first season as an NFL head coach for the Cleveland Browns ended with a 6-10 record. His first year in New England saw a 5-11 record and a last place finish in the division. However, under Belichick’s reign, New England became the greatest NFL dynasty.
Belichick’s NFL model of coaching is not producing wins. College football is an entirely different playing field, and Bill Belichick must adapt to it, not expect it to change for him. At UNC, he must stay the course and adapt to his environment. He’ll have to connect with his players and recruits and be more present and involved with the entire program. If Belichick can evolve by blending his structure with commitment and communication, 2026 could mark the start of something powerful. If not, the Tar Heels will remain what they are now: the target of gossip and negative press.
Aces Win 2025 WNBA Championship
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
The Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury went into the 2025 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) finals with fans on both sides having high hopes for a championship title. Despite the close matchup and the first league finals with the best-of-seven format, the Aces swept the series 4-0 to finish off the 2025 WNBA season. Game one was incredibly close. The Mercury, led by Alyssa Thomas, kept the score close to A’ja Wilson and the Aces. According to the Associated Press (AP) recap of the night, the largest lead was nine points, with 12 lead changes and nine tie scores overall. However, when it came down to the wire, the Mercury could not finish. Thomas missed two free throws with 24.6 seconds left and Satou Sabally missed the final three-point attempt that would’ve tied it with two seconds to go, making the final score 89-86 Aces. Despite these shortcomings from the Mercury, each team played well, seemingly promising an
interesting rest of the series.
Game two ended with a significantly larger score gap. Wilson and Jackie Young led the Aces in scoring, with Kahleah Copper and Sabally scoring 23 and 22, respectively. Thomas only managed 10 points for the entire game. The final score was 91-78 Aces, and it wasn’t close. Yet, the Mercury’s lackluster performance was not the talk of the game. Young, recording 32 points, scored 21 of those in the third quarter, setting a new record for WNBA Finals scoring in a single quarter. This also
tied her career playoff high for points. The teams headed to Phoenix for an absolute whiplash in game three. Las Vegas dominated early, creating a healthy lead that would hold all the way to the end of the third quarter. However, the Mercury had other plans. They closed the gap in the fourth, with two three-pointers by Copper and DeWanna Bonner in the last three minutes to make it a one point game.
But Wilson pulled through for the Aces yet again. In the final seconds, she hit a three-pointer
over the heads of Thomas and Bonner to steal the win for the Aces 90-88. Wilson not only brought her team the win, she also made WNBA postseason history with 291 points over 11 postseason games.
After losing three in a row, it’s hard to come back and fight to stave off the fourth and final win to kill the season. The Mercury were not up to the task, especially with Sabally having left with an injury in the fourth quarter of game three. Coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected following two technical fouls, damaging the Mercury’s
chances even more.
Wilson and the Aces dominated the Phoenix arena in game four, but it wasn’t just a onewoman show. According to the AP Recap, five players scored in the double figures. Wilson did win Most Valuable Player (MVP), but she had help from Young, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans to acquire the championship in the fourth game.
There is still much to be proud of on the Mercury’s side. Many expected the Minnesota Lynx to face either the Aces or the Indiana Fever, but just as the Aces eliminated the Fever, the Mercury bested the number one seeded Lynx in the semifinals. It is impressive that the Mercury made it to the finals, even if they were swept by Las Vegas. Barring a lockout from delays in a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the WNBA will be back to start their 2026 season next May. In the meantime, WNBA fans can get their women’s basketball fill through the college season beginning Nov. 3, or watch their favorite stars through either Unrivaled or Athletes Unlimited.
COURTESY OF @NFL
Bill Belichick is one of the all-time greatest NFL coaches, but he has stuggled to make the transition to college.
COURTESY OF @LVACES
Members of the Las Vegas Aces hoist the WNBA championship trophy.
Volleyball Suffers Wave of Injuries Once Again
By JOE HENRY
Fordham University Rams
Volleyball’s 2024 season was a rollercoaster consisting of high expectations, unprecedented talent, an up-and-down start to the campaign and then, a derailment: injuries. The 2025 Rams, after weeks of impressive play, appear to be suffering the same déjà vuinducing fate.
With star middle blockers Tatum Holderied and Sophia Kuyn out for much of 2024, Fordham’s block ranked 254th in the country. In 2025, with their top blockers healthy, the Rams took the nation by storm, at one point averaging nearly 3.5 blocks per set, by far the best mark in the country.
While the team started Atlantic 10 (A-10) conference play 0-4, there was plenty to be optimistic about. After all, the Rams’ losses came against the conference’s two best teams, each forced to four sets by a Fordham club that hadn’t taken a set off of either since at least 2022. With an easier schedule ahead, there was reason to believe the Rams would rebound.
Holderied, now a junior, still leads the nation in blocks per set. Even against the most potent offenses in the A-10, Holderied has kept Fordham in contention in every set she’s played.
“She doesn’t get too high, she doesn’t get too low. She’s just
pretty consistent, and it shows with all her numbers,” said Head Coach Ian Choi as the A-10 season began. “The key is just keeping her healthy.”
But six games in, injuries have again forced Fordham’s most impactful player off the floor.
Holderied has dealt with shin splints for her entire college career. After a historic halfseason, they’ve returned at the worst time. She’s missed three straight matches — all losses.
The Rams, as a result, have dropped to 1-8. Since beating a winless University of Rhode Island, the Rams have dropped four straight: two to wellrounded George Washington University, and two to uber-talented, but beatable, Duquesne University.
Fordham logged a mere 16 blocks in its Holderied-less matches, by far its lowest output over a three-game stretch all season. With Holderied, the Rams would have, on average, posted 31.5 blocks in those 10 sets of play.
In the absence of Holderied, Duquesne senior Ariel Helm abused Fordham on overpasses and quick sets. In last Friday’s 3-1 Dukes win, Helm, in her 95th collegiate match, notched a career-high 14 kills.
In the sets Fordham lost, it lost as badly as it had in Choi’s entire eight-year tenure. Duquesne’s wins were 25-9, 25-11, 25-11; the 25-9 loss was Fordham’s worst single-set
Athletes of the Week
Graduate student linebacker James Conway continued to demonstrate his dominance this Homecoming Weekend against the Dartmouth College Big Green. His 17 tackles during the loss on Saturday brought him to 539 in his career, and he is now only 11 shy of the FCS record of 550 set by Boomer Grigsby of Illinois State University. Conway also leads all of NCAA Division I football, including FBS, in total tackles with 103 thus far in the 2025 season.
Fordham University Women’s Tennis standouts, senior Nevena Kolarevic and junior Julianne Nguyen, continued to make noise this past week. The pair won the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regional doubles title at the University of Pennsylvania on Oct. 14. They defeated Pennsylvania State University’s Olivia Dorner and Maiko Uchijima 6-3, 7-5. The win was the crown jewel of a great performance by Fordham at the tournament, which also included a historic 6-1 record against Ivy League competition and two singles players reaching the Round of 16 at the prestigious tournament.
defeat since a 25-8 shellacking at the hands of a top-20 ranked Dayton University team last season.
Despite losing 50-20 in sets one and two, Fordham came out of nowhere to win set three, 25-23. The spark came from the unlikeliest of candidates: sophomore outside hitter Mila Micunovic.
“[Micunovic] had to sit out all of spring last season. So, it’s basically her being kind of a freshman again this year,” said Choi.
In limited action in 2025, she hadn’t found her groove, at times becoming the victim of unbelievably unlucky bounces, rolls and blocks. Choi, though, remains high on the 6’4” pin hitter: “I’m still waiting on what she can do, but I think a lot of it.”
Micunovic subbed in with just three kills on the season and a -.207 hitting percentage. By the time Fordham swapped sides for set four, she had
hammered five errorless kills, a single-set career high, willing the seemingly exhausted Rams to victory.
Despite the bright spot on Friday, Fordham hit a seasonlow in Saturday’s 3-0 loss. Midway through set one, Kuyn skied above the net for a joust. When she came down, her ankle gave out.
It’s an apparent right ankle sprain for Kuyn, whose 2024 season ended with an ankle injury. Kuyn could not put weight on the foot, receiving treatment and a wrap on the sidelines. She did not return to the court.
The Rams, who entered the campaign with just three rostered middle blockers, are down to one. Since rotational rules effectively requires two middle blockers to be playing, freshman Avery Boothe — a right-side hitter, not a middle blocker — was thrust into her first-ever collegiate appearance when Kuyn went down. The
6’4” Boothe held up relatively well in the middle, tallying a pair of blocks.
And yet, with a weakened front line, Fordham allowed Duquesne to hit .324 and .337 in their two matches — two of the three highest outputs surrendered by the Rams all year. Duquesne’s middle blockers pummeled 17 kills in Kuyn’s absence Saturday. Suddenly, Fordham will rely on the out-of-position Boothe and fellow freshman Sophia Oliveira to clog the middle of the floor for its most important matches of the season.
The battered and bruised Rams sit at ninth in the A-10 conference standings as of now, but just two games from a playoff spot. They travel to St. Louis this weekend for Friday and Saturday matchups with a 2-7 Billikens squad, badly needing at least one win — and a couple magical healing potions — to get another rollercoaster year back on track.
Fordham Volleyball seems to be encountering the same injury issues as last season. COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
World Series Preview: Dodgers vs. Blue Jays
By MOLLY FRIEDMAN STAFF WRITER
East versus West. Blue versus Blue. The stage is set for the climax of America’s pastime. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays will face off in the 2025 World Series. The first game of the seven-game set is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24, at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
The first two games will be played in Toronto, three games in Los Angeles and two additional games in Toronto, if necessary. The Blue Jays claim homefield advantage for this series by having a better regular-season record than the Dodgers. The Dodgers went 93-69, while the Blue Jays barely topped them with a 9468 record. The Blue Jays were seeded number one in the American League this postseason, while the Dodgers were only number three behind the favored Phillies and Brewers. While seeding can effectively depict the success of a team, these teams are relatively evenly matched and will not make it easy for each other to bring home the title.
Given how the Postseason has played out so far, it’s
hard not to give Los Angeles the upper hand in the series. Through the National League Wild Card, Division Series and Championship Series, the Dodgers have managed a 9-1 record and swept two out of three of their opponents. The relentless dominance of their starting pitching will be hard to beat. Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani have been causing trouble for opposing hitters, throwing an average of 96.8 MPH on their fastballs. The versatility of pitches amongst each of those starters will give them an advantage on the mound. Hitters like Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts will be dangerous at the plate as they have already displayed this postseason. While he is considered one of the greatest of all time, Ohtani will be a bit of a wild card
offensively during this series. His career numbers against Blue Jays starting pitching are unfavorable, but we should expect a dominant performance from him on the mound.
While the Dodgers have been an unstoppable force, Toronto has scored the most runs, hit the most homers and has the lowest strikeout rate of any team in this Postseason. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has put up one of the most impressive offensive playoff appearances in history. If the Dodgers pitch him anything hitable, this series will get very interesting. While the Jays’ bullpen is often considered its weakest link, their starting pitchers Trey Yesavage and Kevin Gausman have proved relentless. Additionally, it was George Springer’s three-run knock that got this team to the
World Series, so it would be foolish of the Dodgers to discount him as a threat.
In addition, the Blue Jays have been forced to play more games throughout the playoffs. It is undeniable that this can impact the performance capacity of their players. The Dodgers will have a week of rest, while the Jays will have only four days of rest before the showdown. The more extended break will allow the Dodgers’ starters to play deeper into the game. Alternatively, long breaks can impact the consistency of hitters. These inequalities can lead to one team being favored in the later games of the series, if they materialize. Regardless of the outcome, making it to the World Series is a monumental achievement for the Blue Jays. More than three decades have passed since the Blue Jays
Overtime: Fall Classic Classics
last competed in the World Series. On the other hand, the Dodgers are chasing their second consecutive World Series title and third in the last five years. Public opinion has been leaning towards Los Angeles, giving them -220 odds to win game one of the series. The Blue Jays will come into the series with +180 odds on game one; they are in the underdog position. It would be shocking if this series is a blowout. Both teams have demonstrated their all-around strength and endurance throughout this grueling postseason. The Dodgers’ pitching will do its best to tame the redhot hitting of the Blue Jays. No matter the result, the world of baseball is in for an unforgettable clash between two powerhouse teams hungry for the ultimate title.
By GRACE McCARRON SPORTS EDITOR
Another Fall Classic is upon us. The dawn of a new World Series each year brings the opportunity for new stories to be told and for history to be made. We have already seen history made during this postseason. Shohei Ohtani, in the game that sent his Los Angeles Dodgers to their second straight World Series, hit three home runs and threw six scoreless innings to essentially put the Dodgers in the World Series all on his own in one of the greatest individual performances of all time. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the first Grand Slam in Blue Jays postseason history in Game 2 of the American League Division Series. That’s just a couple of examples of the moments we’ve witnessed this October. Every baseball fan has memories of the World Series, even the ones their team wasn’t a part of. Everyone in the New York area remembers the dread hanging in the air after Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in Game 1 last year against the New York Yankees. In 2021, when the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros squared off, I complained that I hated both
so much that I couldn’t pick one to be happy about. I was astonished when my dad said he would be okay with the then-Cleveland Indians beating the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series, who were looking to win their first World Series in 108 years. I remember when my dad, who was covering the 2012 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers, got stuck in Detroit during Hurricane Sandy and was forced to drive home. There are, of course, numerous others, but those are some of the first that occur to me.
Of course, if you asked me about my favorite World Series, I’m likely going to say 2015, even if it ended in heartbreak for my New York Mets. I was 10, and I’m not sure I had a grip
on how important this was to the Mets at the time. But I’ll always remember David Wright’s home run in Game 3, in the only game the Mets won of the series. It was an iconic moment –the moment for my favorite player who had only played 38 games that year due to injuries, which would continue to follow him for the rest of his career. I would only get to see Wright play in person once, three years later in his second-to-last MLB game in 2018, but that moment in October 2015 lives in my head forever.
There’s also the moments you’re told about that live in baseball lore for all time. One such moment was Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ’Round the World” home run that sent the New York Giants
to the 1951 World Series over the rival Brooklyn Dodgers. There’s Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers, which still stands as the only perfect game in World Series history. There’s Carlton Fisk waving his arms to guide his home run fair in the 1975 World Series, a renowned moment in what is widely regarded as one of the best Fall Classics of all time. Fisk’s walk-off homer forced a Game 7 for his Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, which the Reds ultimately won. There’s David Freese’s miraculous performance for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2011 postseason, including his walk-off home run in Game 6 of the World Series to force a Game 7.
Another favorite of mine that I want to revisit is Mookie Wilson’s walkoff hit, known for the Boston Red Sox’s Bill Buckner’s error on what would normally be a routine groundball. That forced a Game 7 of the 1986 World Series that the Mets won. The play is widely known as the “Buckner play” and Vin Scully’s “It gets through Buckner!” call remains iconic almost 40 years later. Each year, one can only hope for the World Series to deliver moments that weigh as much as these. The beauty of this sport, and all the others, is that each day we could wake up and go to sleep that night having witnessed something that has never happened before, the ultimate reason to keep watching.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
The World Series has provided countless historic moments over the years.
