The Fordham Ram
Understanding ‘Wicked’ness: A Discussion with Author Gregory Maguire
By EMMA LEONARDI ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture hosted Gregory Maguire, author of “Wicked,” in a rare public appearance on Oct. 23.
The event, a discussion moderated by theater critic and entertainment writer Jim McDermott, centered around the intersection of spirituality and art, Maguire’s approach
to faith as a gay Catholic man and the journey of “Wicked” from page to stage — and now to screen.
McDermott began the discussion by asking about how Maguire’s current life looked, considering the amount of attention “Wicked” is being given.
“It is a very peculiar world to live in when the entire continent seems to go pink and green,” Maguire said. “I’m living
Fordham Co-Founds Jesuit Research Alliance
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University founded the Global Research Alliance of Jesuit Universities (GRAJU) on Aug. 5 with six other Jesuit universities. The alliance aims to foster global and interdisciplinary research, promote funding of research projects and advance and uphold the Jesuit mission, according to its website.
“Guided by Ignatian values of excellence, justice, and service to humanity, Fordham partnered with Jesuit higher educational institutions to establish a global research community dedicated to shaping a more hopeful and just future through research,” said Z. George Hong, Ph.D. chief research officer and associate provost for research at Fordham, in an email.
The other founding institutions include Georgetown University,
Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, Instituto Technológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO), Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara in México, Sogang University in South Korea, University of Deusto in Spain and University of Namur in Belgium.
According to Hong, the initiative builds upon the Fordham Faculty Research Abroad Program, which was established in 2018 to promote research collaborations among Jesuit institutions and universities worldwide.
“To build on this success, Fordham identified an opportunity to create a broader, more sustainable global network that would deepen scholarly partnerships, promote interdisciplinary innovation, and advance mission-driven
SEE GRAJU, PAGE 5
in my own fantasy bubble of everybody sees what I see.”
However, Maguire also noted the impact his family had on his separation from the eye of fame.
“I was saved from a certain kind of contamination, I think, by the mere fact that my obligations to my children were more important than my obligations to the needs of
SEE WICKED, PAGE 4
Fordham Hosts Symposium to Discuss Benefits and Ethical Concerns of AI
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University hosted a symposium on responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Oct. 16 and 17. The event was co-sponsored by Fordham, IBM, New York University (NYU) and the Global AI Alliance and brought together representatives from seven institutions who are part of the alliance.
The two main themes of the symposium were “legal regulation” and “trustworthy AI,” highlighting issues related to healthcare, ethics, security, justice, governance and safety, according to Z. George Hong, Ph.D., chief research officer and associate provost for research at Fordham.
“This symposium marks Fordham’s first large-scale collaborative initiative as an AI Alliance member,” Hong said in an email. “Offering participants a rich mix of perspectives and engagement opportunities.”
The event involved 48 speakers, five paper sessions,
Christopher Rodgers Looks Back on 23 Years in Student Affairs
By NORA MALONE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
After 19 years in the position of dean of students at Rose Hill, Christopher Rodgers is stepping into the role of vice president for Strategy and Operations. He was promoted in May but has since continued to serve in the Dean of Students role. Now, it has been announced that his replacement, Kevin Williams, Ph.D., will fully take over on Nov. 3, though Rodgers said he will aid in the transition.
“It’s very important that the students see the Dean of Students as the person that they can go to,” Rodgers said. “I’m gonna be doing my darnedest to help [Williams] with that transition. But he’s an experienced guy and he already, as a professional, knows what he’s doing along those lines.”
In an interview with The Fordham Ram, Rodgers reflected on his career path that led him to the dean of students position and now the role of vice president for
SEE RODGERS, PAGE 4
Fordham Faculty Attend Migration Justice Conference in Rome
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
Seven faculty members from Fordham University’s Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity traveled to Rome earlier this month for a conference at the Vatican titled “Refugees and Migrants in our Common Home: Mobilizing Academic Communities.”
The event lasted from Oct. 1 through Oct. 3 and included presentations and discussions on migration justice.
The conference was organized by several groups, including the Center for Migration Studies of New York and Villanova University, according to an article by Fordham Now, to facilitate discussions to create three-year action plans about migration justice.
“It was primarily focused on how universities could be
Rmobilized to bring both research, teaching and service in support of migrant communities and refugee communities,” said Gregory Donovan, an associate professor of communication and media studies and a member of the Initiative on Migrants,
Migration and Human Dignity. Six other members of the initiative attended the conference, including Carey Kasten, Sarah Lockhart, Alma RodenasRuano, Leo Guardado, Jim McCartin and Annika Hinze. Other attendees included SEE ROME PAGE 5
Jim McDermott and Gregory Maguire discuss Maguire’s famous novel, “Wicked.”
LEO SOREL FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham faculty members attended a migration conference at the Vatican.
@MIGRATIONJUSTICEATFORDHAM FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
, PAGE 5
PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS
On-Campus Dispute
Oct. 23
4:15 p.m.
On Thursday, the guard at Metro North Gate reported a physical fight on Fordham Road and Third Avenue and two males ran onto campus. The supervisor responded. The investigation revealed that a male non-community member got into a dispute with several other non-community members. The male feared for his safety and ran onto campus. The reporter declined the NYPD and all non-community members were escorted from campus.
Petit Larceny Oct. 22
4 p.m.
On Wednesday, a student reported the theft of their headphones from Faculty Memorial Hall room 215. The supervisor responded. The reporter said they left their headphones in the room at 1:20 p.m. When they returned at 4 p.m., the headphones were gone and the find my device feature was showing the headphones were near 147 Street and Amsterdam Avenue. The reporter declined the NYPD. A review of video did not locate an offender.
Marijuana Violation Oct. 22
12:07 p.m.
On Wednesday, a member of the Residential Life staff reported students smoking marijuana behind Alumni Court South. The supervisor responded, identified the offenders and informed the students smoking or possessing marijuana on campus is not allowed.
Marijuana Violation Oct. 21
3:53 p.m.
On Tuesday, a member of the Residential Life staff reported finding marijuana paraphernalia in a common room of Salice Hall. The supervisor responded and identified the offenders.
Club Leaders Discuss Student Attendance at Club Events
By LALLEYAH CAMARA ASST. NEWS EDITOR
For years, fliers have been used as a way to spread the word about events, club activities and general meetings at Fordham University. But with the rise of social media and specifically the increased use of social media platforms as a source of information, spreading the word on events looks a little different now for student-led clubs and organizations.
Fordham University has over 240 clubs and student organizations for students to participate in across its Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses. Many of these groups use social media accounts for promotions. With an undergraduate population of approximately 11,000 students, the question of how clubs encourage student attendance and engagement awaits an answer. The Ram spoke to multiple club leaders and student organizations to inquire about this question.
Many clubs at Fordham have Instagram accounts, which are used to promote events and meetings as well as reach students who might have missed information events like club fairs. Student leaders say that advertising through Instagram posts has proven successful in bringing students to their events and keeping them engaged through the years.
“We tend to have higher attendance when we post on Instagram, probably because people check their social media apps more frequently than
their email,” said Elizabeth Esterbrook, FCRH ’26, president of Fordham Debate Society.
Clare Cummings, FCRH ’26, president of The Ampersand, shared this same sentiment about outreach through their Instagram page.
“Our Instagram reaches a lot of our returning members and is an easy way for people to send information to one another to get the word out, so we utilize it quite a bit,” Cummings said.
Many clubs and student organizations also have email accounts where they can create mailing lists to send information and event reminders to students who sign up. Most sign-ups are acquired at club fairs, which happen once per semester at both campuses.
While many clubs and
Thursday Oct. 30
Lowenstein Lobby 3 p.m.
Join members of the Fordham community to mentor neighborhood kids of NYCHA Amsterdam Houses on a field trip and workshop at the nearby Museum of Arts and Design
organizations prove successful in gaining plenty of signups at club fairs, particularly from first-years, according to Cummings, the number of sign-ups is not always reflected at club meetings.
“Each year we get an incredible amount of sign-ups, but not many of those translate to actual attendance,” Cummings said. “I would say that it’s the best place to garner freshman engagement.”
However, while club fair sign-ups do not always produce a proportional number of actual club attendants, club fairs are still crucial to the recruitment process, according to Esterbrook.
“Usually, we have about 150 sign-ups, and about 20% of them come to practice, which forms our 50-person team,” Esterbrook said.
But for the Fashion for Philanthropy club, a social media presence does more for club attendance than a lengthy mailing list.
“Our mailing list is very big … obviously not everyone shows up,” said Fiona Dunphy, FCRH ’26, co-president of the Fashion for Philanthropy club, in an email. “To get people to show up, we try to have a pretty big social media presence.”
Dunphy said that one of the more recent struggles her club has faced is getting students to stay involved, and not just attend larger events.
“You really have to push that it’s important to come [to
This Week at Fordham
Thursday Oct. 30
Organ Concert University Church Plaza 7 p.m.
Guest organist Anthony Rispo plays your Halloween favorites on the 2,776-pipe Maior Gloria Dei organ in the University Church. Admission is free and there will be candy.
with the New York Press Club. Guardian columnist and former New York Times Editor Margaret Sullivan will Keynote.
Monday Nov. 3
Memorial Mass Blessed Rupert Mayer Chapel 10 a.m.
Office of Alumni Relations celebrates a special Mass to remember deceased members of the Fordham alumni community. Following the Mass, join for a complimentary brunch.
meetings] even if it’s not the main event,” Dunphy said.
Fordham College at Lincoln Center and Fordham College at Rose Hill have separate Offices of Student Involvement (OSI), each with its own Instagram account meant to showcase events and meetings hosted by clubs and student organizations. One of the many things the OSI does is provide support and guidance to student leaders in building, maintaining and developing their clubs.
Currently, both offices send out a weekly email listing all club and student organization activities, events and meetings that are happening that week. However, due to the number of active clubs and organizations, this email can get quite overwhelming for some students, lending to the suggestion that OSI improve its promotion of student events and activities.
“I don’t really know anyone that’s going to sit there and read through it. Like you’re scrolling for quite some time,” Dunphy said. “Maybe if they featured a couple different ones (events, meetings, activities, ect) on their story or something and made it more fun rather than a list.”
While club events remain a source of community building for students at Fordham, efforts to increase attendance and engagement continue to be a focus for student leaders, many of whom are turning to social media as a way to increase student engagement.
Tuesday Nov. 4
Men’s Basketball Home Opener
Rose Hill Gym 1 p.m.
The Fordham Rams will take on New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders at the hope opener. The team is lead by new Head Coach Mike Magpayo. Tickets are free for students.
The semesterly club fair is one of the most popular ways for clubs to grow membership.
NORA MALONE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Clubs post flyers on boards like this one in McShane Student Center.
ANDREW MASSIE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Fordham Hosts Ninth Annual Women’s Summit
By SIENNA REINDERS NEWS EDITOR
Fordham University held its ninth annual Women’s Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with the theme “How to be the CEO of Your Life.”
The event, which was held at Fordham Lincoln Center’s Constantino Hall, included a keynote presentation, breakout sessions, some honorary award recognitions and networking opportunities.
The summit was founded by Hope Ogletree, senior director of development for the Gabelli School of Business and the senior director of the Fordham Women’s Philanthropy Initiative in 2017.
The conference empowers women to take part in more philanthropic work, either individually and/or through giving circles — participatory philanthropy groups where money is donated to a pooled fund.
“What I realized was that my amazing Fordham women needed to become comfortable with this intimidating word called philanthropy,” Ogletree said. “[Money] does not define you as a person. What defines you is your ability to use this thing as a tool and not let it intimidate you and not let it control you.”
Ogletree said she founded the summit to build pride and connection among Fordham’s women graduates, noting that when she first created the event, the university had no alumnae group — even though women
made up 55% of Fordham’s alumni population at the time, according to Ogletree.
This year’s event continued this founding mission through discussions and presentations, led by Fordham alumnae, faculty and parents of Fordham students. The conference, which convened over 150 Fordham alumnae, according to Ogletree, was planned by members of Fordham’s Development and University Relations (DAUR) team.
To start the event, Fordham President Tania Tetlow gave a welcome speech, in which she explained how control over money grants women the power to participate and make key decisions in society, according to Ogletree.
Following Tetlow’s speech, Elizabeth Nesvold, GSB ’95, chair of Emigrant Partners and vice chair of Emigrant Bank, gave a keynote presentation on “Money as a Tool: Reframing Financial Health for Women,” which was also moderated by Ogletree.
Nesvold then discussed the changing role of women in society, in regards to money, the increase in wealth owned by women and how women can use their money to pursue philanthropic endeavors as well as contribute to and cultivate change in places of importance.
Attendees were then given a short break before participating in two breakout sessions. One of the sessions, titled “How to Forge an Unshakable Life of Meaning and Purpose,” was led by David Marcotte, S.J., an
associate clinical professor in the psychology department, and focused on how to create happiness, purpose as well as meaning in your life through health in your body, mind and spirit.
The next session, “Charting your Career with Clarity,” was led by Nicole DuBois, FCRH ’02, chief human resources officer at Graham Windham, Morgan Vazquez, FCRH ’13, executive director of human resources at Wells Fargo and Julie Gebauer, a Fordham parent and the president of the health, wealth and career business segment for Willis Towers Watson.
In the session, which was moderated by Kay Turner, vice president for human resources at Fordham, the panelists shared wisdom on forging your career path based on insight from their own careers.
The event attendees then reconvened in order to honor Fordham’s “2025 Pioneering Women in Philanthropy,” which included Nesvold, Jane Barnett, MC ’76, Betty Burns, FCLC ’83 and Deneen Donnley, LAW ’92. The honorees are chosen by the members of the DAUR who took part in planning the event, according to Ogletree.
“They are women who have been active in Fordham after graduation or have had such spectacular lives that are really worthy of honoring,” Ogletree said. “It’s to just show Fordham women that all things are possible … And
[that] that's sort of the way that we can see ourselves in the future.”
The summit ended with a networking session where attendees could mingle, after which they were invited to attend a reception in the Bateman Room with wine provided by Gabriella Macari, GSB ’09. Ogletree said she knew attendees had enjoyed the day’s events because many did not want to leave the conference room.
“Here’s the way you know people are having fun,” Ogletree said. “People stayed in Constantino, where the tables were, far longer; usually, people get up and they go running over for a glass of wine. The way I know that this was an exciting, wonderful day is that nobody wanted to leave. They didn’t want to leave the big room, and then they said, ‘All right, all right, it’s time to go get a glass of wine.’ And
they didn’t want to leave there either.”
Ogletree said the excitement for and engagement in the annual Women’s Summit has been built and continues to grow, and she is happy with the turnout of this year’s event. She also said the benefits of the summit, that continue to extend to new generations, allow Fordham alumnae to impact the broader Fordham community, which lends itself to Ogletree’s overall goal. “We’re educating, we help mentoring, we’re having people meet one another, we’re giving them a vision of hope of what their institution can be,” Ogletree said. “I want Fordham alumnae to leave their mark on Fordham, the way they want to. And by becoming more financially literate and comfortable with their own budgets, they have the ability to impact their institution their way.”
USG Discusses Discretionary Funds and Proposals
By SOFIA SEMPER COLUMNIST
The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Oct. 23, to review proposals regarding class registration and excused absences for voting and discuss future events.
Vice President of Facilities and Dining, Maddie Ando, FCRH ’27, presented the executive board’s Wellness Day plans. Ando said USG is currently partnering with Counseling and Psychological Services, Fordham Campus Dining and Campus Ministry. Ando explained that their wellness event will be split into two days.
Day one events will include a USG tabling in the McShane Campus Center, therapy dogs in McShane Campus Center room 112 as well as a creative passport making activity.
The day two activities will include yoga, meditation with pastries and an afternoon crafts session. Their yoga event is tentatively scheduled from 7 to 8 a.m., though Vice President of Student Life Luc Angus, FCRH ’26, suggested holding it later to
boost attendance. Ando said the session may take place in Ramfit Fitness Center, pending an approval from Campus Ministry.
USG's Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, and Executive Vice President Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, discussed the Senate’s ideas for using the $2,900 of discretionary funds that USG holds. This money is already allotted to USG and does not come from other sources.
Hjertberg explained at last week’s meeting that he hopes to plan a new USG event using around $1,800 of those funds.
After the Senate voted on the form to pick which idea they preferred, they were left with a tie between two possible events: a “USG Ball” or a “day of service event.”
USG members shared their thoughts on the two events.
Senator Carter Soderberg, GSB ’27, supported both events but suggested the ball over the day of service, as it would use student funding to benefit students. Budget Committee Vice Chair Siri Bhat, GSB ’27, said the day of service would allow students the chance to give back to the Bronx community, although Bhat
did acknowledge that the ball would be a fun event.
USG Senator Anna Brown, FCRH ’27, also supported the service event because she said it would align with Fordham’s mission.
After some deliberation, the Senate decided to use USG’s extra discretionary funds on a day of service event, which Hjertberg said he hopes to begin planning soon.
Following this, Hjertberg then introduced Senator Henry Carstens, FCRH ’29, Senator Sarah Bayas, GSB ’28, Evie Maravilla, FCRH ’29 and Senator Whitney Egbe, FCRH ’28, all whom have been working on the proposal to improve plans on the class registration website.
Their specific changes include adjusting the classes that are shown based on actual class offerings for a specific semester, a student’s plan-ahead schedule and multiple course attributes and updating class details to also include syllabi and time holds for commuting between campuses.
Senator Ashley Garcia, GSB ’27, suggested that the
proposal include an indicator for classes that are reserved for the Professional and Continuing Studies students or other, non-undergraduate, programs. Carstens explained that he hopes this issue will be resolved with their proposed holding indicator.
Bayas also shared that at the GSB Dean’s Council meeting last week, there was a presentation by Fordham IT on a new website that will work as a registration aid for students. It was first piloted to FCRH students last semester and is now being tested with Gabelli students, since each school has different requirements; they hope to make it officially available to all Fordham students in spring 2026.
Additionally, Brown then presented her new proposal to include “going to vote” as an option for receiving an excused absence. Brown explained that this proposal is necessary because many students live in states where it is difficult to receive mail-in ballots, so their only option is to go home to vote.
There is also a New York State legislation — the “Student Voter Empowerment Act”
— that has been introduced; if the bill is passed, every school would be required to have a voting liaison to assist student voting. Brown said that the excused absence would only count for the day that the voting is taking place and students would have to submit a photo at the polling stations to validate the excused absence.
Carstens suggested leaving the voting time frame to the dean’s discretion so that students who live farther away could also receive excused absences for travel.
The governing documents commission announced that they have finished reorganizing the Senate portion of the USG bylaws. They removed a section regarding voting delegates and are adding a new section about senators potentially becoming delegates for organizations they are already involved in.
Vice President of Health and Security Aidan Castella, FCRH ’27, announced that the Committee on Sexual Misconduct is going to host a screening of the feature documentary “ROLEPLAY” (2024) on Oct 29 with raffle prizes for students who attend. USG meets next on Oct. 30.
Almost 200 Fordham alumnae attended a Women ’s Summit.
CHRIS TAGGART FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
How a Bestselling Novel Became a Musical and Two-Part Movie
my ego,” Maguire said.
McDermott then asked Maguire why he had felt the need to write the novel. Maguire cited his time in London during the rise of Saddam Hussein as a major influence.
“I remember walking through central London and seeing signs … saying, ‘Saddam Hussein: the next Hitler,’ … And I could feel my blood pressure go up,” Maguire said. “But Hitler … what a strong word … What is the power of language? What does Hitler mean when we say it out loud … it was partly from that that I decided I needed to write about how people use language in order to legitimize their right to belittle somebody else or even to kill them.”
However, in thinking about how to write about the subject, Maguire knew he couldn’t use Hitler as a reference. He said his inspiration came when he had a religious vision about Margaret Hamilton, the original Wicked Witch of the West from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.”
“Everybody knows who the Wicked Witch of the West is,” Maguire said. “Nobody knows why she was wicked. She doesn’t even have a name. They just call her by
the capital W, Wicked.”
Originally, Maguire was set on writing a truly villainous character, but when he started to write his novel, he worried readers would not understand the character.
“I thought to myself, ‘Oh Gregory. What have you done? Nobody is ever going to get this child … She is too far out there, no one is going to understand her. You can’t abandon her. And you can’t use her, you can’t hijack her life to prove your intellectual points about what moral monsters are… You owe it to this human creature to allow her to live her life in some amount of freedom and don’t make her carry your burdens. Make her live her own burdens,’” Maguire said.
When asked why he typically centers on the misunderstood woman, not only in “Wicked” but in other novels as well, Maguire’s answer was simple.
“Men are just as misunderstood. They’re just not as interesting,” he said. “I find that women and gay men seem … to have a greater capacity than the straight men I know to be able to hold two ideas in their head at the same time. It’s not that straight men … aren’t rational and aren’t feeling, but it’s hard for them to
be rational and feeling at the same time.”
A member of the audience asked about Maguire’s opinion on the Quadlings being left out of the musical, sparking a long-winded explanation of how the book was adapted in the first place. Maguire attributed his willingness for the adaptation to be changed in any way the writer seemed fit to the luck he had with writing his own book.
He shared that he sent his book to his agent for the first time about three months after the estate of the writer of “The Wizard of Oz,” L. Frank Baum, entered the public domain. Maguire said that if he was given the right to adapt this story into his own work, why shouldn’t others be able to do the same?
Maguire then shared his story of meeting Stephen Schwartz, the writer of the musical adaptation. Originally, he wasn’t convinced that a musical would properly do the novel — with serious themes — justice, but Schwartz won him over.
“He said, ‘I will admit to you I’ve already conceived the opening scene … it’s going to be a song called, ‘No One Mourns the Wicked.’ And with those five words, he sold the project,”
Maguire said. “I could tell that he knew why I had written the book, and that as long as he knew that, I didn’t really care whether the Quadlings were in there or not.”
When speaking on the intersection of faith and art in his work, Maguire cited the existence of belief systems both related to religion and outside of it altogether.
“All groups of people are different,” Maguire said. “We are shaped and formed by the
forces against us, and … I wanted Oz to represent the world in which we live.”
To conclude the discussion, Maguire spoke on the existence and centering of children in his novels.
“The wildness of children is their salvation. And frankly, the wildness of children is our salvation too,” he said. “But the wildness within us that we retain from childhood is our first and final nutrition, and we must use it every day.”
Rose Hill’s Long-Standing Dean of Students Transitions to a New Role
Strategy and Operations.
Rodgers first came to Fordham University in 1992 to pursue his master’s degree, having received his bachelor’s degree from the Catholic University of America in 1990. He worked as a Resident Assistant in Finlay Hall to pay for his degree and eventually became a Supervising Resident Assistant.
“So that became the way to pay for my master’s degree, but I very quickly fell in love with what is essentially kind of applied political science,” Rodgers said.
After 10 years in Residential Life, Rodgers was promoted to dean of students at Lincoln
Center in 2002. He served in that position until 2006, when he transitioned to the role of dean of students for Rose Hill.
“The dean of students position is kind of a unique and amazing position in a lot of ways because I feel like it’s really what the university depends on to help the offices that it oversees work with students to create culture,” Rodgers said.
He discussed his desire to hear from students and the initiatives he has taken to provide them with that opportunity. Namely, the Student Life Council (SLC), which holds monthly meetings, allowing students to ask questions and share concerns with
staff members and the student government.
“We all show up. We’re ready to have that conversation. We invite people to come and tell us what we’re not doing well, tell us what they agree with, tell us what they don’t agree with,” he said.
When asked, Rodgers also commented on being investigated by the university in 2017 for a possible Title IX violation, though he was ultimately found not to be in violation by a third-party law firm hired by the university.
“ I like to think that student affairs is here, and universities are here to have those difficult conversations,” he said about the experience. “And I like to think we’ve been willing to have those difficult conversations. So, that’s been a hallmark of my tenure as dean of students. There’s no question.”
Rodgers said that he enjoyed serving as the dean of students, primarily because of its day-today nature.
“I thrive on the pace of the dean of students’ job … The pace is super high cadence,” he said. “ I think that the job is built for someone who may have attention deficit disorder because if you thrive on having something new come across your desk every few hours, this is the job for you.”
Rodgers also said that he is looking forward to his new role because it will allow him to focus more on the university’s future and its strategic plan. Specifically, in his new position, he hopes to clarify the role of Student Affairs to students and help Fordham continue to live out its Jesuit mission.
“Just because we’re Jesuit, we don’t get to rest on our laurels and be satisfied with how we’re doing things,” he said. “We are constantly challenged to say, okay, that was good, but how do we do it better? How can we fix it? How do we deliver on our mission in a better way?”
Part of Fordham’s updated strategic plan and branding is the concept of “One Fordham,” which aims to reduce the divide between the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. Rodgers wants students to feel like they’re accessing all Fordham has to offer, from the London campus to the Calder Center, while also experiencing the close-knit community.
“The resources and the economies of scale are really advantageous to students, but the community makes you feel like it’s a smaller place than maybe it really is,” he said.
Rodgers’ new office as vice president for Strategy and Operations will be located at
Lincoln Center, partly due to evening out the spread of senior staff across campuses, and also because a part of his new role involves working with the Marketing and Communications department, which resides at Lincoln Center.
As Rodgers moves into his temporary Cunniffe House office and eventually his new permanent office at Lincoln Center, he has to say goodbye to his office in the McShane Campus Center, a place he has worked to make his own.
“As a young professional, I always admired various people around the university and their offices and the stuff they have on their shelves,” he said. “And so I wanted to collect those same things and give that same experience to people, students especially, who were coming here to meet with me and make it sort of almost like an informal Fordham museum.”
In his new role, Rodgers will be spending less time with his students, but he still wants to find time to engage with the student body.
“I spend a lot of time with students, but I always wanna spend more time with students,” he said. “There will be a little bit less contact with students, so I’m gonna have to seek out very intentional opportunities to work more often with [them].”
FROM WICKED, PAGE 1
FROM RODGERS, PAGE 1
After 19 years at Rose Hill, Christopher Rodgers will move to Lincoln Center.
NORA MALONE/THE FORDHAM RAM
Gregory Maguire sits with Jim McDermott and Olivia Poust at the event.
LEO SOREL FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Jesuit Universities Promote Collaborative Global Research
FROM GRAJU, PAGE 1
research,” Hong said.
In spring 2025, the universities convened to create international connections centered around research in higher education institutions, an initiative facilitated by Fordham, according to Hong.
In August, GRAJU was officially launched and an executive committee was created with representatives from the founding institutions. Since its founding, seven additional Jesuit universities have joined GRAJU as members, and more institutions are continuing to apply for membership every month, according to Hong.
The alliance established four primary goals: Creating global collaboration through research projects between international Jesuit universities, advancing
research across multiple disciplines that address global issues and uphold Jesuit values, promoting the pursuit of external international and national funding and grants and supporting the Jesuit mission, namely the importance of education, service, ethics and research for the betterment of society. Hong affirmed these goals in his email.
“[GRAJU is] an organization and community of Jesuit higher education institutions united by a commitment to mission-driven research that addresses pressing global challenges,” Hong said.
Jeffrey Urbach, vice provost for research and professor of physics at Georgetown University, explained why he thinks collaborative research will be beneficial for participating institutions.
“The motivation for connecting
is the commonality, that is the Jesuit piece. But the competitive advantage is that it gives you the ability to find complementary strengths,” Urbach said. “I think it’s hard to be specific about where we will find those, that’s why we bring people together … sometimes that strength can just be locality expertise.”
He also said that connecting with international institutions will allow the universities to answer research questions on a global scale.
“An increasing number of challenges that we face as a society are global in nature, and research at all universities, but Jesuit universities in particular, is motivated by our mission to men and women for others, making the world a better place, research for the common good,” Urbach said. “To be effective,
we need to be working globally … I would say we’re always looking for ways to work together more effectively, and this is a natural way.”
The alliance also establishes an annual symposium, which will allow participating institutions to present joint research, find new collaboration opportunities and create goals for the alliance, according to Hong.
The inaugural symposium will occur in March 2026 and will be hosted by Ateneo de Manila University. The event will focus on artificial intelligence as it intersects with the core values of Jesuit institutions, according to Hong.
“The symposium will convene scholars, educators, and leaders worldwide to explore how Jesuit higher education can contribute to ethical and transformative
engagement with artificial intelligence,” Hong said.
Fordham is currently compiling a group to participate in the symposium through a call for proposals. They are accepting applications for research projects from tenured and tenure-track faculty members through Nov. 10.
Fordham law professor Olivier Sylvain has already been asked to deliver a keynote speech at the symposium, an opportunity which he says is an honor. He will present on the benefits and possible issues with artificial intelligence.
According to Hong, the annual symposium will continue to be hosted on a rotating basis by GRAJU member institutions. The event will take place in Spain in 2027 and Peru in 2028.
Presenters Address the Importance of Using AI Responsibly
FROM AI, PAGE 1
a panel discussion, a fireside chat and workshops covering the benefits of AI while also highlighting possible drawbacks.
There were also two keynote addresses led by Ben Brooks from the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, Julia Stoyanovich, director of the Center for Responsible AI at NYU, Anthony Annunziata, director of Open Source AI at IBM and Doni Bloomfield, associate professor of law at Fordham Law School.
Hong said that as one of 195 members of the AI Alliance, Fordham has a commitment to promoting responsible AI use.
He also said the symposium provided the opportunity for discussion on how to use AI as a tool while maintaining ethical values.
“[Fordham hosted the symposium] to address the legal, ethical, and societal dimensions of artificial intelligence— areas that align closely with the University’s mission and strengths as a comprehensive research institution with a distinguished law school, leading ethics scholars, and a strong Jesuit tradition,” Hong said.
Hong says that one goal of the symposium was to find common ground between the over 260 attendees from various backgrounds in science,
technology, law and education
“This diversity of voices underscored Fordham’s belief that advancing responsible AI requires collaboration across disciplines and sectors,” Hong said.
This isn’t Fordham’s first time hosting an event covering AI. In March 2025, Fordham hosted the International Conference on Im/migration, AI and Social Justice. That event was co-sponsored by IBM and Sophia University in Japan.
Fordham has also previously worked with IBM to host student research workshops.
“The Symposium on Responsible AI builds on these efforts, representing our most
comprehensive collaboration yet as a member of the AI Alliance,” Hong said.
Hong emphasized that AI touches nearly every corner of modern life, from classrooms to courtrooms.
Hong said that two defining challenges of AI are its “dependence on vast datasets, which raises serious concerns about privacy, data rights, provenance, bias, economic and environmental impacts,” and “non-deterministic outputs, which introduce new risks involving trust, safety, reliability, consistency, and security.”
Because of the increasing role of AI in almost every facet of society, Hong said it is
imperative that we understand the uses and scope of the technology. He specifically referenced the importance of understanding “responsible AI” and said that the symposium served as a way to increase understanding of the topic.
“Responsible AI aims to promote the development of trustworthy AI systems that advance discovery and informed decision-making for the common good,” Hong said. “In this spirit, one of the symposium’s central goals is to provide that essential balance, ensuring that the advancement of AI remains stable, sustainable, and aligned with principles of responsibility and public trust.”
Pope Leo XIV Affirms the Importance of Migration Justice
FROM ROME, PAGE 1
faculty from 13 other Jesuit universities, including Boston College and the University of Seattle, and members from non-governmental organizations, according to Donovan.
Throughout the event, participants presented research and participated in working groups where they discussed action plans that could be implemented over the next three years. The presentations and discussions all surrounded the topic of migration.
On the first day, Kasten presented “Collaborative Research and Advocacy with Migrants Across the U.S.-Mexico Border” with partners from the University of Seattle, IberoAmerican University Puebla and Radio Huaya, according to the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity’s Instagram page.
On the second day, Donovan, Hinze and Rodenas-Ruano presented their research on “Urban Accompaniment:
Migrant Journeys Beyond the Borderlands,” which involves looking at how policy, technology, health and wellbeing intersect with migrant accompaniment in New York City and the southern border.
McCartin also gave a presentation on the work the initiative does.
Attendees were also invited to a private audience with Pope Leo XIV on day two, where he gave an address in English. The pope discussed the current issue of immigration and encouraged attendees to find ways for reconciliation.
“I would encourage you, therefore, to propose concrete ways to promote gestures and policies of reconciliation, particularly in lands where there are deep-seated wounds from long-standing conflicts,” the pope said. “This is no easy task, but if efforts to work for lasting change are to succeed, they must include ways to touch hearts and minds.”
Donovan said that he
appreciated the pope’s speech as it related to the work the Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity does.
“[He] was primarily talking about migration justice and that this is something that Catholic universities in particular should be focusing on and assisting,” Donovan said. “So that was great, just to sort of have that recognition for the work and just for the idea of a Jesuit university like Fordham seeing migration justice as part of their overall mission is great when you’re doing that work and when you’re teaching courses like that.”
Donovan said he thinks the pope’s speech was a way to show that he is continuing the work of the late Pope Francis regarding migration justice.
“There’s a real continuation in terms of the language that the two popes kind of used around this idea of migration justice, and specifically this idea of looking at migrants as missionaries
of hope,” Donovan said.
The faculty members also presented the pope with a letter outlining the work of Fordham’s migration initiative.
Donovan enjoyed the conference overall because it allowed him to meet people he had previously been in contact with over email, he said. He also said
he enjoyed conversing with people from various countries.
“Because it was relatively small, you really were able to get to know some people from other universities,” Donovan said. “So that was also a nice thing about it, to have, like, a real international discussion at this moment in time.”
Fordham faculty members
Political Union Hosts Republicans and Democrats Debate
By JORDAN DONEGAN STAFF WRITER
The Fordham University College Democrats and the College Republicans met in Keating Hall on Oct. 20 to participate in a political debate hosted and moderated by the Fordham Political Union. The debate covered topics ranging from energy policy, free speech and immigration, to government accountability, policy and the 2025 New York City mayoral election.
Representing the College Democrats were Javeer Khan, FCRH ’28, Cameron Garland, FCRH ’29 and also Andrew Korolos, FCRH ’29.
Lorenzo Camillio, FCRH ’26, president of the College Republicans, as well as Jayson McArdle, GSB ’29, and Dakota Calcaterra, FCRH ’26, had represented Fordham's College Republicans. Moderating the debate was Fordham Political Union President Luke Irvine, FCRH ’26, and Anna Gehres, FCRH ’26.
The event featured prewritten questions by the Political Union for both groups to answer, which were then supplemented with questions submitted by the Fordham community via a Google Form, followed by a live audience Q&A.
Despite the differing political ideologies between the two groups, audience members expressed that they felt the debate was largely civil and diplomatic.
“I really appreciated when both sides took some time to say ‘I agree with this or I
agree with that,’ and I think that should happen more,” said attendee Margo Mihalick, FCRH ’26. “We’re not two sides that hate each other. We have so much in common.”
According to Irvine, this year’s debate was structured differently from previous years. In September, the Political Union met with leaders from both clubs to reorganize the format of the debate in hopes of giving each group more “on-the-spot responsibility.”
Camillio explained the change in the debate structure.
“We changed up what was going to happen in terms of the debate. We only got topics, we didn’t get specific questions,” Camillio said.
The debate began with opening statements from each group, starting with the College Democrats. Khan conducted the College Democrats’ opening statement, highlighting the Democratic Party’s commitment to government accountability and protecting the rights of individual people.
Calcaterra also delivered the College Republicans’ opening statement, highlighting the Republican Party’s conservative ideologies and their desire to defend a popular government. He also explained the desire for Fordham to have “more diverse viewpoints.”
After opening statements, moderators from the Political Union then had posed a series of questions to each group. Both sides were given two minutes to respond, along with a 30-second rebuttal for the person to whom the question was addressed.
On the topic of free speech and protesting, Korolos had shared that protests are “an essential part of an American democracy,” and that they “allow for individuals’ ideas to be shared.” Korolos also highlighted that the damage violent protests can carry, citing Jan. 6 as an example, saying he does “not want to see protests like that as the norm in America.”
McArdle brought up the May 2024 protests at college campuses throughout New York City, arguing that “there is a responsibility on both sides of the issue.”
When it came to discussing the issues of immigration and law enforcement, Garland emphasized a need for better government accountability and transparency.
“We believe that [law enforcement] should be held to a higher standard of accountability so incidents like George Floyd don’t take place,” Garland said. “In terms of ICE [U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement], nobody should be taken away from their family.”
McArdle then responded to Garland’s statement.
“We don’t disagree that there should be transparency and responsibility for our law enforcement,” McArdle said. “But we do need effective law enforcement.”
Garland had added that “immigration isn’t putting us back, it’s moving us forward, and what we want is to be the best country. Immigration helps us do that.”
When it came time for the
audience to ask questions, many members asked each group about the upcoming New York City mayoral election. While each side’s responses had underscored their ideological differences, participants highlighted their shared values towards their commitment to the city’s safety and future. Calcaterra highlighted that both groups are concerned with “what is best for the people.”
Gonzalo Duran, who is a conservative and Bronx-based New York Public Advocate candidate, commended each group for their civility and asked each group how they felt about collaborating with one another, despite their evident ideological differences.
Camillio responded, saying that he believes it is possible for both political parties to collaborate, citing the debate between the 2024 vice president candidates.
“The debate that the vice presidents had last year … I think it was very special … We listened to each other’s opinions, with each other. It’s
a compromise,” Camillio said. Garland replied to Camillio, affirming his response.
“I actually think we pretty much completely agree with that answer,” she said. “I think the true meaning of democracy is that we are all part of a fairly unique belief … I think collaborating is how this country runs and how it works.”
In their closing remarks, both sides offered mutual respect for one another. Garland ended with an acknowledgment of the Indigenous people of America.
“I would just like to bring that back to remind us all that we are on Native land,” Garland said. “We came here, and we did not respect them, we did not respect their values, and we demolished their culture and who they were.”
Calcaterra recognized each group’s ability to remain civil during the debate.
“The fact that we have agreed on quite a lot of things,” Calcaterra said, “shows that our partisanship is real, our partisanship is possible.”
Music Department Hosts a Spooky Night of Jazz
By SIDNEY BLASCO STAFF WRITER
A quaint array of alumni, students and their parents visiting for Family Weekend were scattered around the transformed the Loyola Band Room on Oct. 24. Following the walkway of tea light candles down through the eerie back entrance of Loyola Hall, guests were greeted with a table of Halloween candy and mini sodas. Fairy lights and $15 Walmart tables were set up, providing seating. As people filed in, the musicians took their place on the makeshift stage in front of the projector playing “Frankenstein” (1931). Although the room was half empty, a mere 15 or so chairs occupied, the band performed as if this were the most important gig of their lives.
On the saxophone, Lucious Crawford, FCRH ’28, with his eyes closed in pure bliss, led the band through “Thriller” and other songs. He said
he loves performing at jazz nights.
“It’s fun every time, it’s new every time,” he said, adding that that is what makes jazz amazing.
The event was marketed as an “open jam session,” and audience members were invited to come up and give their shot at performing. The music could be heard from outside of Loyola Hall, which was the intention, according to Crawford.
“My idea was to just make it loud … Just make it known that Fordham Jazz is down here,” he said. “There were people that came down just because they heard it outside.”
Jazz jams have previously been held at Rodrigue’s Coffee House, but this year’s move to a band room in Loyola was for a few reasons, with one being the overwhelming crowds the sessions claim to have brought in.
“It was kind of a struggle to get in,” said Julia Jaramillo,
FCLC ’25. “So many people would come, and people would be blocking the door, and you have to walk over people to get in.”
Other benefits of the band room include access to a grand piano, the ability to play a silent movie in the background and the convenience for students, as it is on campus. The band room is also free.
The music department has limited financial resources, according to Nathan LincolnDecusatis, DMA, an associate professor of music, who was playing the piano.
“Academic programs are always counting their pencils trying to survive,” he said, also adding that the athletics department seems to have money for everything.
It is not just athletics that have more resources allocated to them, DeCusatis said. Many clubs, musicoriented or not, seem to have a larger budget than the
Fordham music department.
He questions whether the university stands for funding academics or the lively lifestyle on campus.
On why students should attend jam nights, Jaramillo said, “Jazz is cool.” She played flute in the Fordham University Symphony Orchestra (FUSO), which has struggles of its own. The non-audition, opento-all orchestra has gained momentum in the past few years, growing from a mainly jazz orchestra to a full-blown symphony.
Andy Bhasin, the director of orchestral ensembles, said he wants the orchestra to “create a really satisfying and rewarding next step in their musical journey.” However, some of the students’ high school orchestras were playing at a higher level than the FUSO. Bhasin hopes that a more difficult repertoire would “hopefully raise the profile of our ensemble in our community and beyond.”
But it takes more than pieces
composed by Antonín Dvořák to create a great orchestra; it takes talent and hard work, something that can be difficult to cultivate when Bhasin does not turn away students who may be more interested in the scholarship that comes with joining.
“I’m really proud,” Bhasin said. “Of the fact that all of these students take the time out of their busy schedules to make music at a high level.” He said he is humbled by their level of commitment.
The FUSO is just one part of the music department, with the jazz jams being another. Even though their performance at one of the jazz jams is a requirement for DeCusatis’s “Jazz Improvisation” course, a grade isn’t the motivation for attendance and to continue performing at the jams.
There is little funding and few audience members, but that isn’t the point for these musicians. They do it because they love it.
The debate was hosted by the Fordham Political Union.
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OPINION
Editorial | New York City Mayoral Election
Choose A Brighter Future, Choose Mamdani
Since its founding in 1918, The Fordham Ram has always seen itself as more than just a newspaper about Fordham University. We have never once limited ourselves to only writing about what happens inside the greystone confines of Rose Hill. No, The Ram has long situated itself as a paper for all New Yorkers; one that is responsive to and a part of the community of New York City (NYC). After all, the lived realities of Fordham students are deeply intertwined with the sociopolitical realities of NYC. It is a self-evident, irrefutable fact that the safety of the streets that we walk on, the affordability of the housing that we live in and the quality of the transportation that we take are all dependent upon the decisions made by the governing bodies of this city.
It is in light of this profound connection, this deep dependency of the Fordham community on the politics of the city that it calls home, that the editorial board of The Ram has decided it cannot stay silent about the rapidly approaching NYC Mayoral Election. In just about a week, millions of New Yorkers are slated to cast their ballots in a monumental election that will shape this city, and inturn, this university, for decades to come. It is our hope that these ballots will be for Zohran Mamdani.
For starters, it is The Ram’s belief that every other major candidate has proven themselves incapable of taking on the enormous responsibility and power that comes with being NYC’s mayor. Andrew Cuomo, FCRH ’79, is an accused sexual predator who has not only provided the public with ample evidence about how unreceptive he is to what others want (or perhaps do not want), but has also shown a tendency to enact policies that actively endanger the lives of his constituents. Mayor Eric
Adams is a corrupt politician who has shown himself to be willing to sell the people of New York City out, including to President Donald Trump, for personal gain. Curtis Sliwa is, well, Curtis Sliwa — the least qualified of all the candidates (he has never held public office) whose policies are antithetical to everything that The Ram stands for (e.g., he opposes Local Law 97’s comprehensive plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions).
However, our endorsement of Mamdani is not grounded in a purely negative logic — it is not solely informed by who he is not. To be sure, while it certainly helps that he is not Adams, Cuomo or Sliwa, The Ram nevertheless believes Mamdani to be an exciting candidate whose platform greatly resonates with not only the needs of Fordham students, but also the Jesuit values that this university extols.
Take, for instance, Mamdani’s plan to establish a new city agency known as The Department of Community Safety (DCS). At its core, this new agency would seek to prevent crime before it happens, specifically facilitating the introduction of a number of proven, public-health approaches to harm reduction into standard NYC governmental and policing practices — e.g., the deployment of community health navigators to “identify mild and moderate psychological distress before it becomes a crisis,” or the development of “supportive housing” units capable of providing the marginalized with the stability needed to keep one away from a life of crime. The Fordham Ram cannot help but feel that this is exactly the type of radical and Jesuit-esque change needed in NYC, as not only would Mamdani’s vision for this new agency effectively increase the safety of students, but it would also do so
with particular and profound attention to the human person. In other words, it would not criminalize or demonize breakdowns in mental health, but rather provide humane and effective care that yields longer-lasting results in issues of public safety.
Consider also Mamdani’s comprehensive plan to make buses both free and faster. In brief, his vision for improving NYC’s public bus system is simply ingenious, as it couples successful past initiatives, especially gleaning lessons from a fare-free pilot program once successfully implemented for five MTA bus routes, with morsels of intuitive logic about what else needs to be done to make buses a more reliable means of public transport: e.g., making streets more bus-friendly through the construction and establishment of more dedicated bus lanes and/or busways across the city. More importantly, however, Mamdani’s bus plan provides the chance at creating a New York which is accessible and affordable for every single one of its residents. It gives way to a future in which every single individual, including the numerous Fordham commuter students who rely on public buses, no longer has to worry about the financial or temporal strain of getting to and from where they need to go. In true Jesuit fashion, Mamdani’s proposal works to alleviate even their most mundane afflictions.
Yet, perhaps most of all, Mamdani’s willingness to take on Trump gives The Ram reason to believe that he is right candidate for job. From Trump’s suggestion that he is going to deploy the National Guard to NYC, to his Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers’ recent crusades against local immigrant populations, to his systemic attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, it is clear
that the Trump administration poses a major threat to the sociopolitical and cultural fabrics of the city. Mamdani clearly looks the most capable of insulating NYC from the terrifying, dangerous and even dehumanizing effects of these actions, as he is not only one of the few major mayoral candidates not potentially beholden to Trump (Cuomo is actively collaborating with MAGA and Adams owes Trump for his pardon), but his policy platform actively includes a plan to “Trump-Proof” NYC.
To be sure, this is not to say that The Fordham Ram views Mamdani as a perfect candidate without flaws. Indeed, some of his policies are relatively untested, and some of his views (e.g., his unwillingness to block the construction of casinos in NYC) do not align with those of The Ram.
Yet, it is nevertheless apparent to us that Mamdani is clearly the candidate most likely to lead New York into a brighter, better future. He simply is the candidate with the platform capable of bringing about the most profound humanitarian and structural reform. And, he simply is not a status quo politician who is willing to sell out New Yorkers to the highest bidder or put his needs and wants before the greater good of the city.
Disclaimer: This editorial is the opinion of the editorial board of Volume 107 only — not of the entire staff, nor Fordham University as a whole.
Editorial Note: The Fordham Ram reached out to the campaigns of both Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani in the hopes of having the chance to interview them. Both campaigns provided initial replies to this request, but failed to respond to any follow-up emails. Any frustration engendered by this lack of response played no role in The Ram’s endorsement of Mamdani.
On The Value of the Morning
For as long as I can remember, I have been what people call “a morning person.” I tend to wake up before it is light outside; I often do the vast majority of my work prior to the first chiming of the church bells and I often find my existence reduced to a state of furtive silence that aims not to wake the rest of the slumbering world up. Even now, as I sit at my desk to write this reflection, the blue-gray light of an October sky has just barely begun to sneak its way through my window.
Obviously, for most college students, this odd, perhaps even masochistic, tendency of mine begs the question — Why? Why do I get up so terribly early when the alternative of sleeping in is so pleasant? Why do I continuously choose to submit myself to the cold darkness of the morning when my bed is such a wonderful place of warm refuge? Why do I continue to choose existence in that lonely, liminal space between night and day where nary a soul moves?
My answer is complicated … To be sure, there are certainly practical benefits that I enjoy from being up before everyone else. Namely, the problems and anxieties of the mundane are alien to the world of daybreak — the availability of apartment
bathrooms/showers, the existence of long lines and limited seating at the cafeteria and the presence of outside distractions when trying to work are not things that one needs to worry about.
Yet, these considerations of utility are not exactly what I would consider to be the constituent ground of my impetus to wake up so early in the morning — they are merely aberrant benefits. Instead, I think my rationale for being a morning person falls more along existential lines. More specifically, it is rooted in the reality that waking up early gives a person a unique access to the world as such (i.e., free from outside imposition).
Consider for a moment just how much of one’s daily existence is mediated by all the movement and sound that comes from a fully awake Rose Hill student body. What one sees, what one hears and what one experiences is fundamentally different from a world at rest. After all, not only is the natural world forced to change itself in the face of human activity (e.g., a campus cat is much less likely to emerge from its resting place with cars and foot traffic bustling all around it), but every single individual is also infinitely more likely to find their subjectivity occupied and burdened by those
around them: by their loud voices, their flashy outfits, their awkward movements, their sudden laughter and their imposing presence. In other words, in a world where everyone is awake, one’s horizon of experience begins to orient itself towards the human, towards the impositional, towards the obtrusive. This really does not happen to a solitary wayfarer at daybreak. No, in the morning, everything is simply freer to exist on its own terms, to exist as it was meant to be: beautiful and unencumbered. One is allowed to stand still and watch the dark morning clouds
tumble wistfully across the vault of heaven, these dark ephemera coming in and out of view as they glide over the still-visible afterlives of last night’s stars. One is able to sit quietly on a bench and feel the cold morning wind enfold everything in its grasp, its icy appendages allconsuming and howling as they snake their way through the gnarled branches of the nearest tree.
Most importantly, however, one is truly free to think to oneself in this unencumbered world — there is no outside influence or force capable of imposing itself
From the Desk | Mary Hawthorn
upon one’s internal stream of consciousness. Instead, there is only an emptiness and the mental clarity that it so often gives way to; there is only a nothingness and its demand to be filled by reflection. Yet, all of what has been said here is nothing more than philosophical conjecture superimposed upon a page. Its connection to experiential reality is, at best, tenuous. Thus, I would challenge each and every person to wake up early one day and allow the morning to speak for itself and to its own value. There is nothing quite like it.
Finding Meaning in Magis
I have the best mother in the world. There are not enough words to describe how incredible of a person she is. To put it concisely, she truly is the best. Not only is she my role model for her kindness, intellect and generosity, but she is also my best friend and most cherished supporter. From an early age, my mom emphasized the importance of “magis,” a Latin word that translates to “more.” Although seemingly simple,
this word is a form of empowerment and a pillar of the Jesuit mission. Through magis, my mom empowers me to pursue my dreams despite any challenges that may arise, while reminding me that “the more you do, the more you can do.”
At first, I did not fully grasp its meaning, but as I grew older, it began to deeply resonate with me. Magis reminds me that, as cliché as it may sound, you can do anything you set
your mind to and more. It highlights the importance of always trying your best and devoting maximum effort to all you do. Magis is not about doing more for the sake of achievement or honor. Rather, it is about doing what matters most with purpose, reflecting the Jesuit values of community, collaboration and curiosity. Living out magis means asking yourself: How can I be a person for others?
Since arriving as an undergraduate student in the fall of 2022, I have seen how prominent magis is on Rose Hill. The collective Fordham University community is fully committed to doing more, which is profoundly admirable. Whether it is the staff on The Fordham Ram, crew on WFUV Sports, athletes on the squash team, volunteers at Murray-Weigel Hall, members of the Curran Center or Dean’s Council on the United Student Government, everyone that I have encountered uniquely uplifts and inspires you to be the best version of yourself.
The influx of magis that is harbored on Fordham’s campus is so special, and being a Fordham student is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I have had the privilege of taking the most insightful courses, making long-lasting friendships and volunteering with remarkable organizations. I am forever grateful for the opportunities Fordham has granted me and the wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
To put it simply, Fordham is my life. I love this place more than anything, and truly consider it my second home. As
a third-generation Fordham Ram, I grew up watching my grandfather teach mathematics at Fordham Preparatory School, coach tennis and squash at the University and volunteer with the Jesuits as a nurse for over 50 years. I saw firsthand the importance of serving as men and women for others, and these early days at Fordham ignited my love for the community. My upbringing at this University instilled a sense of comfort here, so much so that I see it as an extension of who I am. He and my mom — his daughter — are my two biggest inspirations, and I hope to have made them proud as a Fordham Ram.
With that being said, and my experiences shared, my greatest piece of advice for anyone beginning their Fordham journey is to strive to do more, more than you imagined you could do. Honor your interests and goals, and never be discouraged. It is so important to be yourself. Do more to engage with the community. Do more to grow and thrive. Do more to make you happy. Thank you to The Fordham Ram for such a wonderful two years on the staff.
OPINION
Honorary Degrees Fail To Honor the People Who Matter
By DOMENICK FEDELE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Graduation is arguably the most important and memorable day of anyone’s college experience — the final culmination of years of hard work, dedication and academic excellence. When graduating with a Ph.D., the hard work and sacrifice is only multiplied. Unless, of course, the degree is fake.
All degrees are nothing more than pieces of paper in the literal sense, but at least those actually earned carry the full weight of the granting institution. Honorary degrees, on the other hand, carry no weight whatsoever, do not allow the recipient to style themselves as “Dr.” and do nothing for career advancement. Yet, several thousand are awarded each year by universities across the country (in fact, only Cornell University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Virginia explicitly prohibit the practice). It is long overdue for this outdated and pointless tradition to be retired, returning the focus of graduation to the students who have rightfully earned their degrees through personal academic excellence.
To understand the absurdity of honorary degrees, a quick history lesson would be quite beneficial. The world’s first honorary degree, a Doctorate in Canon Law was awarded by Oxford University in either 1478 or 1479 to Lionel Woodville. The degree was little more than an act of royal flattery: Woodville was the brother-in-law of King
Edward IV and was soon elevated to Chancellor. According to Oxford’s official historical record, Woodville’s degree was “clearly an attempt to honour and obtain the favour of a man with great influence.”
Over the next few centuries, the practice exploded, with honorary degrees being awarded to numerous members of the royal court. The royal diploma-mill reached a climax in 1642, when King Charles I attempted to confer 350 honorary degrees in the span of a few months. Oxford was finally forced to take a stand, and convinced Charles to withdraw his request, primarily by citing the financial toll of awarding so many unearned degrees. Nevertheless, Oxford continues to award honorary degrees each year.
The practice crossed the pond rather quickly, with Harvard University conferring an honorary doctorate on their own president barely 50 years after its founding. Other universities followed suit, and by the 19th century it was a standard activity for most American universities. As the number of honorary degrees reached new heights, however, opposition began growing among professors (who had earned their Ph.D.s), scientific and medical societies and even the New York State Board of Regents. This opposition was mainly centered around the growing trend of misrepresentation — those with honorary degrees masquerading as true doctors. Today, the problem is not misrepresentation — although there have been some infamous cases,
including Maya Angelou insisting on styling herself as Dr. despite never earning a doctorate degree from any university. Instead, and arguably more critically, modern honorary degrees dilute the celebration of academic excellence, seriously call into question university morals and are often used as blatant publicity or donation grabs.
A sampling of recent honorary degrees awarded by New York City institutions alone illustrates this dynamic. Taylor Swift, who never attended college, was awarded a Fine Arts Doctorate by New York University (NYU). Swift then used her commencement address as a chance to promote her upcoming album. Columbia University awarded Eric Holder, the first African American Attorney General, a Doctorate of Laws. Holder’s term as Attorney General, however, is much more widely remembered for his staunch defense of United States drone strikes in the Middle East, even against American citizens, and his dubious distinction as the first Attorney General to be held in contempt of Congress (by a bipartisan vote, no less).
Fordham University is no exception. In 2024, Joseph P. Kennedy III was awarded an honorary doctorate. Kennedy has had a relatively undistinguished political career as a member of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts, a failed Senate candidate who never made it out of the primary and special envoy for Northern Ireland. His only distinction?
Sharing the greatest last name in American politics (which when leaned into was disastrous for his campaign).
Fordham’s main reason for inviting Joseph Kennedy III was that he would be the third Kennedy to speak at graduation and the fourth to receive an honorary doctorate — an overt acknowledgement that he was only there as a vestige of an expiring political dynasty. Ultimately, it is less about the problematic choices of recipients, from musical artists who never went to college to blatant political posturing, and much more about the practice itself. Honorary degrees are meaningless as documents, but incredibly weighty in other matters. They are often used to entice big donations, curry political favor or simply raise the profile of an institution by publishing a celebrity
name and their university in the same headline (NYU-Swift is a prime example).
Graduation could and should be purely a celebration of all of the incredibly accomplished graduates. This seems too obvious to state, but it is not the case at most universities today. Honorary degrees and commencement addresses by the likes of Swift, Robert De Niro and Kennedy turn graduation into a spectacle of celebrity glamor and (implicit or explicit) self-promotion. To return graduation day to the students and their families, honorary doctorates need to go — there is no room for worthless degrees on the greatest day of academic celebration in America.
The Students Say: We Don’t Want the Smoke
By AUDREY BOLDS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Smoking should be allowed on campus, but restricted to designated outdoor areas. Fordham University should not permit students or staff to smoke indoors or near the entrances of buildings, but they should provide convenient, safe outdoor spaces where smoking is allowed. A balanced approach would respect non-smokers’ health while ensuring fairness and safety for those who choose to smoke on campus.
Fordham currently regulates smoking on both of its campuses. The official policy of the student handbook states that inside smoking is not permitted, and “smoking is not permitted within fifty feet of the entrances or exits of any university-owned or leased on-campus and offcampus buildings and facilities.” Many people, however, frequently violate and ignore these rules, smoking closer to buildings anyway, suggesting the current policy is unrealistic and difficult to enforce.
Requiring smokers to move 50 feet away from any building entrance in New York City creates safety concerns, especially late at night. Students and staff shouldn’t have to move to poorly-lit or isolated areas just to smoke. Establishing designated smoking areas located in safe well-lit parts of campus would reduce these safety concerns while still keeping smokers away from building entrances and high-traffic areas.
“I get harassed most of the time when I go off campus, especially at night,” said Sunshine Frankenstein, FCRH ’27. “When I’m with larger groups of people that are smoking, people that are up to no good are out, and they are looking to target people under the influence or simply distracted.”
Other students share this sentiment. Graham T. Strolin FCRH ’29 added, “We should have designated smoking areas because we have students that are over 21 and professors who are gonna smoke either way.” He added that
smoking outside is fine “as long as they’re doing it out of the way of entrances and being respectful about it.” Thus, since smoking will happen regardless of policy, the university should create a structure that encourages safety and respect rather than simply brushing over the issue.
Other universities in New York City, including Columbia University and Manhattan University, already have designated smoking areas written into their policies. Fordham can follow their lead, making designated areas that encourage responsible behavior since people are more likely to follow clear, reasonable rules than total restrictions. These areas could also serve as opportunities for education. Fordham could post helpful materials about the risks of smoking and offer resources for quitting, transforming the policy into a harm-reduction approach, rather than banning smoking entirely.
Additionally, designated areas would also keep Fordham’s campuses cleaner. According to
Clean Virginia Waterways, cigarette butts are the world’s most common form of litter, and “the use of these designated smoking areas are promoted for public health reasons (secondhand smoke) and fire prevention, as well as a litter-control mechanism.”
Fordham could reduce cigarette waste on campus by guiding smokers to specific spots that have ashtrays and trash cans — addressing one problem (littering) by responsibly
managing another (smoking). Allowing smoking only in designated outdoor areas would make Fordham safer, cleaner and more respectful for everyone. The university should adopt a practical, fair policy that reflects both students’ needs and the community’s well-being.
Domenick Fedele, FCRH ’29 is a political science major from Yorktown, New York.
Audrey Bolds, FCRH ’27, is a journalism major from Houston, Texas.
Restrictions on smoking on campus are often poorly enforced.
STUART CREMER/THE FORDHAM RAM
Honorary degrees holders do not have to complete the typical requirements.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
OPINION
Nothing Gets Through TSA, Not Even Government Propaganda
By MCKENNA COVENY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Several major airports across the United States have refused to play a video in which Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, blames Democrats for the government shutdown and the corresponding delays being experienced in airports. I applaud the airports’ bravery, as I believe it is not only unfair, but also offensive, to broadcast government propaganda in a federal government-operated atmosphere — one that is supposed to be neutral, safe and nonpartisan for its customers.
The video comes in response to one of the longest U.S. government shutdowns ever and the first in almost seven years, which began on Oct. 1, after Democratic and Republican legislators were unable to come to a bipartisan agreement regarding the next federal spending bill or pass a continuing resolution. The main point of contention between the two parties is over the need to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) tax credits, which make healthcare premiums available much cheaper for the approximately 24 million Americans who utilize the program. The Democrats are advocating for the extension of these credits before the reenrollment date of Nov. 1, when Americans will log on to the site and begin searching for the most affordable
premium. In many cases, they are expected to face premiums that are nearly double the current cost within the next year.
The Democratic Party is also lobbying for the reversal of the Trump administration’s cuts to Medicaid, a program that helps millions of Americans, particularly the elderly, very low-income and disabled people, receive affordable healthcare. The Republican Party — or at least those in it loyal to Trump — wants a continuing resolution without addressing the imminent hike in medical costs and cost-cutting under Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” They prefer to debate the potential changes in the regular course of budget negotiations that will occur after many of the current cuts come into effect.
So for now, there is a standoff, and the government remains shuttered. Because the Senate vote to pass a budget requires a super majority of 60 votes, Republicans need the help of at least seven Democrats. The spending bill has already been approved by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. In this rare instance, despite a Republican-controlled government, the Democratic Party has a significant amount of negotiating power. This political stalemate has tested both parties’ resolve 13 times, but to no avail. The divide remains firm as Republicans believe the public will blame the
Democrats for the closure of many necessary public services — such as Noem pointed out in her video concerning flight delays — while the Democrats believe that they are supported by the people in their fight for affordable healthcare.
This leads us to our primary issue: Noem’s video and whether or not it is right for the partisan messaging to be played to the public in airports. In a statement released by Oregon’s Portland International Airport, they said they “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging.”
The Hatch Act is a federal law passed in 1939 that limits the political activities of government employees working for federally funded programs, ensuring that government institutions running day-to-day public affairs remain nonpartisan and neutral.
In my opinion, Noem’s video directly violates that law, as it attempts to turn a place previously safe from coercion and partisan opinion into a political battleground, where the Republican Party can use their control of government at the present point to further their narrative. Moreover, while Noem herself may not fall directly under the Hatch Act, the airports she is attempting to influence — such as popular New
York City airports John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport — are partially funded by federal agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Forcing these federally funded or operated institutions to broadcast a political opinion is a blatant misuse of public infrastructure for petty political purposes, which only erodes the public trust in the vital institutions they rely on to function on a daily basis. People from all over the world use these airports, including those of different races, ethnicities, religions and political ideologies. Forcing all people to sit through political ads while going through the TSA line is neither right nor is it democratic. There is a reason why content espousing a partisan agenda is prohibited by the Hatch Act, as Americans would be in uproar if videos such as these were released in
courthouses or public schools — places where there is an expectation of a neutral and unbiased environment. It should also be taken into consideration the difficult political climate we are operating under today, and how vital it is that we keep these spaces untouched by the divisive influence of politics. Furthermore, if Noem is adamant about releasing her video, she can do so through countless partisan and private channels, like paid advertising or in friendly news channels.
In conclusion, I believe the airports that refused to air Noem’s video have acted both responsibly and within reason, as it is incredibly important that politics be kept off the runway. This ensures that public spaces such as these remain safe, civil and comfortable for all who utilize their services.
Cutting off New Yorkers: The Fight over Federal Funding
By CATHERINE PAYLEITNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The recent wave of federal funding cuts by President Donald Trump reveals a disturbing truth: He is not interested in balancing budgets, but more so in punishing the dissent. From infrastructure sabotage to retaliatory education cuts, this administration’s actions reflect a disturbing pattern of petty revenge politics masquerading as fiscal policy. This is just another chapter in his wanna-be authoritarian playbook or, officially branded, “Project 2025.”
Trump is weaponizing federal funding and turning fiscal policy into a tool of retaliation targeting Democratic districts, inclusive education policies and infrastructure projects. While Republican districts have lost $738.7 million in federal funding, Democratic ones have lost a staggering $27.24 billion. The disparity is glaring. Governors JB Pritzker of Illinois and Kathy Hochul of New York are pushing back, utilizing local decrees and courts to resist federal overreach. However, there is only so much states can do when federal retaliation becomes policy. Hochul said “We’ve done our part,” underscoring the frustrations of state leaders who have fulfilled their obligations, only to be
met with retaliation from the federal government. Trump is wielding the national budget as a weapon, specifically targeting states and districts whose leaders are unafraid to dissent. Take the $18 billion withheld from the Hudson River tunnel project — a bipartisan infrastructure effort designed to double commuter railway capacity between New York and New Jersey. On Oct.1, the Trump administration suspended funding and claimed the spending is based on “unconstitutional DEI principles.” Apparently, even a tunnel can be labeled as a DEI hire. Even the project’s CEO Thomas Prendergast refuted that claim: “GDC complies with all federal laws and regulations, and will continue to do so through the project.”
The timing and location are no coincidence. New York is the home of Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Across the river, New Jersey Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim are vocal Trump critics. Their joint statement was blunt: “President Trump is more focused on punishing perceived enemies than serving the American people.” Proving the hypocrisy of these fiscal actions, they pointed out that Trump’s own Transportation
Secretary Sean Duffy praised the project as “important” just days earlier.
This pattern of phony justification extends beyond infrastructure. New York City Public Schools sued the Department of Education after it cut $47 million in funding, imposed because the district refused to change policies supporting transgender students. The administration labels these policies as “ideological indoctrination,” when they are inclusive practices grounded in civil rights law. Why is the president more concerned with excluding children rather than ensuring every student gets an equal and fair education? Is that not one of the cornerstones of our country — or have we abandoned that, too?
Clean energy investments, electric grid updates and other transportation improvements are being slashed. Trump aides claim the spending “conflicts with the president’s priorities.” However, what are his priorities? According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, one of them is a $300 million privately funded ballroom, which symbolizes personal indulgence that starkly contrasts slashed public investments. During recent weeks, Trump has sent a total of $40 billion to Argentina to bail out
its economy, requested $230 million from the Department of Justice as reparations for his criminal investigations, and presided over a government shutdown to bypass congressional oversight and threaten federal firings.
This is the same president who promised before his first term, “We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals.” Now, those promises are being dismissed as wasteful. What happened? Why have we abandoned them?
Trump, we see through the facade. These cuts are not budgetary decisions. They are calculated moves to punish perceived enemies at the expense of the American people. Most of us did not vote for this. None of us deserve it. That $40 billion could have
helped our farmers, children and seniors, but Trump does not care about the American people. When federal funding becomes a tool for punishing political opponents, we lose more than money. We lose the integrity of democratic governance. Democratic leaders must stop playing defense and start calling this what it is: authoritarian maneuvering disguised as fiscal reform. The numbers do not lie. The motives are not hidden. Furthermore, the consequences are already here. Our founding fathers fought for the right to dissent against our government. Allowing Trump to take that away means losing the core principles of American democracy. Catherine Payleitner, FCRH ’28, is a political science and journalism double major from Chicago, Illinois.
McKenna Coveny, FCRH ’27 is a comparative literature major from Houston, Texas.
Airports across the country are limiting videos with political messaging.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM Federal funding cuts negatively impact many New Yorkers.
By EMMA KELNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
When I was little, I could not stand watching baseball games. They were boring, took forever and seemed like adults playing glorified catch for tens of millions of dollars. Recently, though, I’ve gotten into it. My grandpa and I went to a New York Yankees game over the summer, and I enjoyed it! The game, which the Yankees won, thank you very much, got me thinking about baseball and its merits. I remember some of my high school teachers, especially male teachers in their 50s and 60s, talking about baseball and how it was the “quintessential American pastime.” I think they’re wrong (sorry, guys). While baseball is a popular sport and is generally pleasant to watch, it is no longer America’s favorite pastime, or even America’s favorite sport.
Before that, though, let’s talk about where baseball came from. While the exact origin is unknown, baseball most likely developed from various balland-stick games, like cricket, in the early 19th century. The first known use of the term “base-ball” appeared in John Newbery’s children’s book “A Little Pretty Pocket-Book” in 1744. This book was wildly popular in both England and North America. In 1845, a man
OPINION
Is Baseball Striking Out?
named Alexander Cartwright came up with a set of rules for his baseball team, the New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club. The first official baseball game, which followed these rules, was played in 1846 between the Knickerbockers and the New York Nines. These baseball rules spread during the Civil War and after the war, Cartwright’s baseball became the predominant form of baseball in the United States. The rules Cartwright invented remain widely unchanged today.
At first, baseball was truly a club sport: club members paid dues, and the point of the club was to help men socialize. In 1862, though, William Cammeyer built a gated baseball field and charged admission, a practice that quickly spread and led to more interclub games, rather than intraclub games. In 1869, the first all-professional baseball team was formed: the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Other cities followed suit, and various professional baseball leagues emerged and disbanded until the National League and American League merged to form the MLB (Major League Baseball).
Since the ’60s, however, baseball viewership has been in decline. The beginning of the end began with television. In 1962, the NFL signed its first league-wide
television contract, which put every NFL game on television. If you’re familiar with football, you’ll know that football benefits immensely from being on television instead of the radio. The same is true with basketball, in which the full NBA finals were aired for the first time in 1970. Baseball, on the other hand, is just as interesting on television as it is on the radio: It did not benefit much from switching from one medium to another. Why watch the same old sport when you could watch something new?
To make matters worse, baseball got boring. In 1960, there were 1.7 times as many hits as strikeouts. In 2021, however, there were far more strikeouts than hits (almost 3000 more). Finally, until recently, baseball games had been getting longer and longer. In 2021, the average baseball game took three hours and 11 minutes to complete. Compare that to a soccer match, which is always 90 minutes long with a 15-minute intermission–plus about five minutes of stoppage time — and has far more action than a baseball game. These factors all worked together to diminish the popularity of baseball and make way for the new giant of American sports: football. In 2023, 41% of Americans claimed that football was their favorite sport, with
baseball and basketball almost tied for second place at 10% and 9%, respectively. That said, in 2023, the MLB introduced a new rule that revolutionized baseball: the pitch clock, which created a quicker game. In 2025, the average length of a baseball game was two hours and 40 minutes, significantly lower than the average length in previous years, which was often in excess of 3 hours. The pitch clock brought me back to baseball. It brought many others to baseball, too. This season, MLB viewership increased dramatically. Major League Baseball post-season viewership has increased by 13% over the past year and averaged 4.48 million viewers per game. This postseason marks the highest viewership of the previous 15
years. In fact, viewership for the Division Series round increased by 30% compared to 2024. Similarly, since the introduction of the pitch clock in 2023, MLB game attendance has had three consecutive years of growth for the first time since 2007. While baseball has clearly lost its spot at the top of the American sports food chain, it continues to be an incredibly popular sport throughout America. It is a fantastic sport — especially now with the pitch clock — and continues to gain popularity on television and in-person. In my opinion, a sport doesn’t have to be everyone’s favorite; it just has to be good!
Emma Kelner, FCLC ’29, is an undeclared major from Staten Island, New York.
The Thorn In Midtown’s Side: 432 Park Ave Is Crumbling
By CAITLIN WONG CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row sits an absolutely remarkable, shining 102-story skyscraper at 432 Park Ave. The residential building was completed in 2015 and currently ranks as the fifthtallest building in New York City and 30th in the world. Its residents may be paying anywhere between $10.5 million for a two-bedroom unit and $55 million for a sixbedroom. These same residents are currently facing the reality that the building they call home is crumbling apart.
The 1396-foot Park Avenue building between 56th and 57th Street, designed by Rafael Viñoly, has now had two lawsuits filed by its condominium board against its real estate developer, CIM Group, and the architects and engineers involved in the project. The board alleges false reporting and neglect of structural problems with the building, which have led to impairments in their units. These suits were filed with the state of New York in late April, following the building’s passing the Department of Buildings’ safety pass, with repairs. They are asking for more than $165 million in damages.
When asked, some residents of the building who have spoken publicly on the matter have not complained. One even alleges that the negative press was meant solely to devalue their home. On the other hand, expert opinions on the structural integrity of the building differ. There is even an email circulating from 2012 where Rafael Viñoly Architects director Jim Herr warned that the building was becoming more than it was meant to be and that lawsuits were to come if they continued. Other experts, both current and past, view the building as having too much focus and pressure on its concrete
facade, which would require an estimated over $160 million to efficiently repair.
It seems to me that there has been an, albeit livable, yet gross inconsideration for safety and practicality for the sake of grandeur: shocking in NYC, I know. A concern that doesn’t leave my mind is the falling concrete … that’s a lawsuit and a half for when a chunk of concrete falls onto a pedestrian’s head and strikes them dead from 1060-feet in the air! As the daughter of someone who owns a structural engineering company, these kinds of concerns are not totally out of the ordinary for me, and it seems to say that there was some seriously misguided and faulty thinking behind the concepts for the 432 Park Ave building. It frequently comes up just in life, putting form over function, and that rule exists for a reason. I have the privilege of being able to professionally discuss this over family dinner; this is some of what Titan Engineers CEO Nicholas Wong had to say:
“When you venture into super-tall design, the rules change. The higher you go, the more the variables multiply: dynamic wind effects, lateral sway, resonance, thermal movement, concrete creep and shrinkage, and even occupant comfort. These aren’t standard building concerns—they’re amplified,
interdependent, and unforgiving at this scale. That’s why the right consultants, with deep experience in super-tall design, are absolutely critical. The wrong team, or even the right team ignored, can lead to failures that are costly and difficult to correct.”
“Take, for example, the building’s mass-tuned damper system,” Wong continued. “Its purpose is to counteract sway and improve stability, but reports suggest it’s been repaired multiple times. If that’s true, it raises serious questions about its initial design, calibration, or integration with the structural system. When your primary sway mitigation system isn’t performing reliably, the entire comfort and safety experience of the building is compromised.”
“The facade cracking, the dampener issues, and the reported sway discomfort are not isolated failures; they’re interconnected symptoms of design decisions made without full respect for the science. It’s similar in spirit to the case of the Las Vegas tower that famously melted cars on the street because its reflective surface wasn’t modeled for concentrated solar reflection,” he said. Remarkably, this “Death Ray Hotel” is also a work of renowned architect Rafael Viñoly. Another Viñoly work, named the “Walkie Talkie” skyscraper in
London, has also been known to “melt cars.” “These are not ‘typical’ checks,” Wong said. “But when you build something special or unprecedented, those checks become essential. Responsibility must follow innovation.”
“In short, 432 Park Avenue demonstrates that super-tall construction isn’t just about height: it’s about humility. You can’t treat a 1,400-foot concrete structure like a scaled-up midrise,” he said. “Every assumption needs to be challenged, every system modeled, every mix design validated. When that rigor slips—whether due to cost, schedule or aesthetics—the building will reveal it in time, and the price tag for repair will easily run into nine figures.”
Overall, there seems to be no need or reason for alarm. It will take work to upkeep, and maybe some cost and cut to its beauty, but regarding safety there is little concern. It is a classic case of putting form over function; ego and greed taking over discussions by the professionals who should be putting their customers and the public first. Once that is resolved, so is this discussion.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Baseball has a rich history and potent future as a top American sport.
Caitlin Wong, FCRH ’27, is a psychology and English Major from Union, New Jersey.
COURTESY OF PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE
432 Park Ave stands tall over NYC.
By SABRINA LOPEZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This weekend, my parents and I celebrated our last Fordham Family Weekend. I can say with certainty that this year was the best of the four we’ve had. In years past, I would worry about keeping my family entertained, how my parents and friends would get along and if we’d win the football game. This weekend, however, was strictly about enjoying time with my mom, dad and best friends for the last time … or at least until commencement.
Of course, the weekend went off without a hitch, with me and my roommates falling asleep agreeing that “things could not have gone better.”
On Sunday morning, I reluctantly sent my parents off to the airport, sad to see them go, but comforted by the routine of goodbyes like these. Once I was back on campus, I saw a first-year family doing the same, but for the first time. Their hugs were longer, and there were a lot more tears — much like my parents and me at our first Family Weekend. I’ll never forget how it felt to show them the world I’d created for myself at school, and then to have to see them off.
In August of 2022, I left my home in Southern California
CULTURE
Four Years of Family Weekends
to go to Fordham University. Anxious to get to school, I spent far too much time and effort decorating my dorm and worrying about the friends I’d make, but definitely not enough time thinking about what it would be like to be away from my family.
Like every first-year student, though, I was quickly distracted by orientation events and bonding with my roommate and new friends. It wasn’t until the first month had gone by and I was fully settled that I started to miss home. Luckily, my first Family Weekend was just a few weeks away.
Not only did my parents make the trip, but my two older sisters and younger brother joined too. That first Family Weekend was one I will never forget, simply because I had all of my favorite people in my new favorite place.
I remember walking them through every part of campus and down Arthur Ave., eagerly pointing out where all of my classes were or which sandwich shop was the best (The answer then was Casa Della Mozzarella, and it’s still my answer now). I relished being able to show my family why I loved Fordham — not just the places, but the people, too.
As I watched that first-year student say goodbye to her mom and dad, I reflected on how important this weekend
must have been for both her and her parents. Her family probably feels comforted by the fact that she is happy and safe, and, having been in her position, I know she appreciates the opportunity to show them her newfound community. When we leave home for college, no matter how close or far we go, we’re faced with a new set of challenges. The comforts we once took for granted at home are no longer there, and for the first time, we’re forced to confront true independence. Most of the time, we find comfort
in our friends, surrounding ourselves with people who make us feel like our families do. Slowly, we create our own home away from home. And then, on a random weekend in October, our two worlds merge at Family Weekend.
This happens at a very pivotal point in every student’s semester. The excitement of being back at school has started to die down, your tan from the summer has faded and you really need a free meal. It’s right about then when your parents show up ready to shower you
with all the affection they’ve been smothering your little brother with while you’ve been gone.
This year, at my final Fordham Family Weekend, I got that free meal, but I also grew a deeper appreciation for what this weekend really means. There’s more to it than just watching all of our dads bond over fishing and baseball. Family Weekend is an opportunity to acknowledge all the ways we’ve grown up, to share the lives we’ve built for ourselves and to laugh as our parents proudly embarrass us.
Surviving Halloween: A Guide to Halloweekend in NYC
By EMILY MCCALL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
For many Fordham students (especially those who love the spooky season), this Halloween is incredibly exciting. For the first time since 2014, Halloween will be taking place on a Friday. This means that not just Friday, but the whole weekend is a time to indulge in celebrations, eating too much candy and watching horror movies. From the time your last class ends on Friday to your first one on Monday, it is a nonstop, terror-filled weekend. Being in New York City makes Halloween all the more exciting, as there is so much to do all over the boroughs.
If you have non-Halloween related plans in Greenwich Village, you might want to cancel them, because the streets will be unwalkable this Halloween … unless you come in costume, that is. The annual New York City Village Halloween Parade will be taking place on Oct. 31, allowing people to dress up and join in the parade as they walk down 6th Ave, from Canal Street to 15th Street. The event begins at 7 p.m. with thousands joining in the march. If you aren’t too tired from the walk and are 21 or older, the official afterparty, rightfully
named “The Vampire Ball,” is taking place at Industry City in Brooklyn from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next day. Featuring seven stages of music with countless artists, the outdoor festival is definitely one of the most exhilarating events taking place this Halloweekend. However, if you are looking for something that is more relaxing Brooklyn is also home to Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tour, a thrilling trolley ride that takes you through the 400 years of Brooklyn’s haunted history. Along the way, it also stops along cemeteries and historical sites explaining local urban legends associated with the area, adding onto the spooky atmosphere of Halloweekend. On Fridays it operates tours at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., while on Saturday it will be at 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. In the Bronx, just across the street from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus, both the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) and The Bronx Zoo are joining in on the festivities. At NYBG, you can enter into the world of Tim Burton’s “A Nightmare Before Christmas” through a light show and music. Even if you can’t get to it during Halloweekend due to a busy schedule, the event will remain open until Nov. 30. Further down the road at The
Bronx Zoo, they are hosting their annual Harvest Glow, an event in which sculptures are made out of illuminated jack-o’-lanterns. The last night it’s open will be Oct. 31, so going on Halloween will end the event with a bang.
For a more untraditional haunted house, the interactive and audio-driven play “Viola’s Room” at The Shed is the way to go. It is a haunting experience as visitors are asked to remove their shoes then are blindly led through multiple rooms, some with wet grass or sand as the floor. One visitor described it as being, “an uncomfortable, out of body experience” and unlike anything they had ever been to. Even without monster masks and jump scares it still leaves a lasting, chilling impression. Additionally, there are so many at-home activities you can do with your friends. Painting pumpkins, watching Halloween movies and baking Halloween-themed treats are all fun examples. These more simple activities offer a relaxing alternative if you would rather stay away from all the craziness and crowds of Halloweekend. Sometimes, simply being with those you care about is enough to make the weekend memorable. No matter where you choose
to spend your Halloweekend, whether that be at one of these New York City events, a spooky costume party or just relaxing while watching a scary movie, it always makes it much more fun and safe when you are with a good group of friends (especially when it starts getting scary). Staying alert and aware of one’s surroundings
can not only protect you from any possible jumpscares from scareactors but also ensure that you remain cautious in whatever activities you are participating in as they extend late into the night. The most important thing for surviving Halloween though is to have fun and use it as a time to let loose and embrace all of the festivities.
Two worlds collide during Family Weekend as students share the new life they have created for themselves. MIA TERO / THE FORDHAM RAM
EMILY MCCALL FOR THE FORDHAM RAM Halloween falling on a Friday this year is causing excitement for students.
October 29, 2025
CULTURE
Tame Impala Sounds Dead and Beat
By OWEN THEBERGE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As one of the most pivotal indie juggernauts of the 2010s, lead singer of Tame Impala Kevin Parker had gargantuan shoes to fill with the release of his fifth studio album “Deadbeat.” In order to accomplish this feat, he had to ride off the careerhigh of the run from 2015’s “Currents” and 2020’s “The Slow Rush” and create something up to par with these modern masterpieces. Unfortunately, he did not accomplish this.
“Deadbeat,” a fusion of Parker’s traditional psychedelic rock sound and a new, house-inspired kick, failed to deliver the typical Tame Impala experience. “My Old Ways” kicks the record off with a “Let it Happen”esque groovy, instrumentalheavy flare that fails to go anywhere, leaving the listener patiently awaiting its climax. Parker’s lyrics have been uncharacteristically uninspired and unexciting, with very rudimentary statements about his bad habits, like how Parker “[wishes he] had
someone else to blame, well / [He tells] himself [he’s] only human.” The new houseinspired sound to the album shines in “No Reply,” which features a fun instrumental with lyrics and vocals by Parker that fail to go anywhere particularly interesting.
“Dracula,” the main single off of the project, is a highlight on the album. It is mostly fun, a perfectly okay Tame Impala track that is sure to leave long-time fans happy and critics content. The track “Loser,” however, adds nothing new or interesting to the conversation with thoughts of how “[Parker’s] a loser, babe / [He’s] a tragedy / Tryna figure this whole mess out.” In an album that tackles all of Parker’s worst habits, the lyrics need to delve deeper than just a “woe is me I’m so troubled” narrative.
Both “Oblivion” and “Not My World” are completely forgettable tracks that add nothing to the soundscape of “Deadbeat.” In a project that tackles Parker’s insecurities and bad habits, these tracks feel unnecessary and boring. “Piece of Heaven,”
however, might be one of the best tracks on the album, as it feels like a return to Parker’s older sound, even with lackluster lyrics, but that’s to be expected with every track here.
The latter half of the project is just as the eighth track is titled: “obsolete.” The song “Ethereal Connection” is hands down the worst track, with seven-and-a-half minutes of excruciatingly plain and insufferable monotony. Some of the blandest, most repetitious production Parker has ever produced. “See You On Monday (You’re Lost)” and “Afterthought” are completely fine, toeing the line of being not great and bearable, but ultimately being nothing to write home about. However, “End of Summer” is probably the best track on the project, ending it off on a fun note, with production that changes enough to make the seven minute runtime feel like just a minute too long as opposed to several minutes too long.
Parker has a tough decision to make for his next project: How does he keep
evolving and shifting his sound so as to not become an obsolete snoozefest of an artist, but still capture the
magic his band once had? Whatever the solution may be for evolving his sound, “Deadbeat” isn’t it.
‘Marty Supreme’ is Supremely Worth the Wait
By JOHANNA BROOSLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Never have I been more grateful to have a celebrity’s Instagram post notifications on than when, at approximately 5:15 p.m. on a random Thursday night, Timothée Chalamet posted a story inviting New York City residents to watch the first 30 minutes of his film “Marty Supreme” at 9 p.m. that very night. I did hesitate for a second. There was laundry to do, I had forty pages of Jane Austen’s “Mansfield Park” to read and my bed looked very comfortable — far more comfortable than waiting outside for hours and possibly not getting inside the theater. But then, I thought back to last year, when the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest happened in Washington Square Park. I decided not to go because, again, my bed was very comfortable and I was certain he would not actually show up. I was wrong. He did go, and it completely ruined my Sunday afternoon. One year later, I had a chance at redemption and I could not pass it up.
After making the decision to go, I knew I had to get on the first possible train to have the chance of getting a seat. Showtime was a little less than four hours away, but New Yorkers like nothing more than standing in lines, and I anticipated a long one. I hopped on the Metro-North and then took the 42nd Street shuttle to
Times Square, where I powerwalked past tourists and finally arrived at the Regal Times Square around 6 p.m.
As expected, a big group of fans had already gathered outside. However, since I was standing within the barricades set up to create an orderly line, I knew my journey was successful.
With my phone at 30% battery and still three hours left, I began talking with other movie-goers in line. We all traded Instagram handles and Letterboxd information while sharing different stories and details about our lives to pass the time. The majority of the crowd were young adults, and — due to the last-minute announcement of the event — almost everyone came alone. Outside of our little group, I took note of how others passed the time. Many were scrolling through their phones, other groups of strangers formed to chat and one set of friends brought a pair of ping pong paddles and a ball to hit back and forth.
At 7:30 p.m., the workers began filing us into the building and gave us each a ticket with a number on it. I was ticket number 183 out of the total 296 seats available in the Regal Times Square 4DX theater. We went upstairs and lined up outside of the theater where we proceeded to wait for another two hours until showtime finally arrived and we could walk into the theater. Since I was in the latter half of the line, the front row
spots were all taken, but I managed to snag a good spot semi-close to where Chalamet would be while also getting a great view of the screen. We sat and waited, buzzing with anticipation, until the big moment arrived.
Chalamet, sporting a newlyshaven hairstyle, finally graced us with his presence. He highfived the audience members in the front row, gave a short speech about how much he enjoyed creating the film and thanked everyone for coming before waving and walking out of the theater. As he left, someone yelled out “Lisan alGaib!” which was a reference to the title given to his character Paul Atreides from “Dune” meaning “messiah.” In total, he was probably in the theater for only two minutes, but what a glorious two minutes they were.
The first 30 minutes of “Marty Supreme” were excellent. The film follows Marty Mauser (Chalamet) on his journey to become the best table tennis player in the world. Using post-World War II and the surge of American patriotism as a backdrop, director Josh Safdie artfully captures a restless society ready for reinvention and renewal while still healing from past trauma. Once the film begins, it never once lets up, keeping the audience fully engaged. The fastpaced nature of the movie and the sharp dialogue aligns perfectly with the sport the film portrays; I could not believe the 30 minutes went by so
quickly. I will be first in line to watch the full film when “Marty Supreme” releases in theaters this Christmas. Waiting for four hours to see 30 minutes of a movie sounds ridiculous, and I cannot fully disagree with that sentiment. However, through the experience, I made friends, saw one of my favorite actors and
watched an amazing first 30 minutes of a movie. I was reminded why I chose to go to Fordham University and came to New York City in the first place. While my legs ached from standing for hours and the movie left us on a cliffhanger, I could not imagine a better way to spend a Thursday night.
JOHANNA BROOSLIN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM “Marty Supreme” is set to be released on Christmas of this year.
COURTESY OF @TAMEIMPALA
Tame Impala’s fifth album “Deadbeat” was released on Oct. 17.
CULTURE
A Sophomore Probably Taking Some Photos
By IAN NELSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
If you ever take late night strolls around campus, I’m sure you’ve noticed how different the atmosphere is compared to the bustle of the day. After the sun sets and the lamps come on it’s like you’re in a different place altogether. There’s something about Fordham University at night that makes you want to take a picture and immortalize the view, and Wilson Speller, FCRH ’28, would agree.
Speller’s journey towards Fordham wasn’t a clear path. Originally applying to Fordham was more of an afterthought. “I thought, it’s in the city, I might as well apply,” Speller said. “Then, it got to the point where I was thinking that it’s kind of where I want to be. I went on and then I was just like, yeah, it’s Fordham.”
Speller arrived at Fordham from his home in upstate New York undecided, but leaning towards a major in visual arts. Photography wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, but college is a time for self-discovery, and he took full advantage of that.
“When I first got to Fordham, I started taking pictures on my iPhone. I took late night walks on campus and I didn’t even realize that I started to gain a liking for photography,” Speller explained. Sometimes
it takes time to find something that you have passion for and sometimes it’s the people closest to you that figure it out first. “I was taking a lot of late night walks, just taking pictures, and then my parents noticed that and got me a camera for Christmas. I didn’t realize, but that was the perfect gift for me at that time,” he said. “Ever since, I just started to love photography.”
Fast forward to a year later and when he’s not in class, on the soccer field or in the basketball gym, you will seldom see Speller out without his camera. At the start of the semester, he started taking photos for Fordham Athletics. “The whole team is really great,” Speller said. “I’ve seen such an improvement in my photography.”
During his brief tenure with Fordham Athletics, Speller has already photographed games for volleyball, football and men’s and women’s soccer.
For Speller, photography isn’t just a hobby: it’s a creative outlet. What started out as a nightly frolic with a side of photography has turned into a commitment to improving his craft. On his Instagram account @bywbs_, Speller posts everything from pictures at Fordham sporting events to street photography in NYC or from areas around his hometown. He said he enjoys street photography
the most, referring to it as “a bit intimidating, but also super fun.” Street photography is an art that encourages observation and pushes you to find beauty in the everyday, and Speller’s photographs embody this pursuit.
In September, on an excursion into Manhattan, he even stumbled upon a Japanese couple in Grand Central wearing traditional Shinto wedding attire. The bride dressed in a shiromuku, a white kimono and a wataboshi — a white, hooded headdress. The groom dressed in a haori-hakama — a black, formal three-piece ensemble that includes a kimono, a short jacket and a skirt or trousers. And to capture the moment, Speller had his camera.
When asked about his favorite thing he’s gotten to photograph he said, simply, “The Superfine exhibit at the MET.”
“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” was an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that concluded on Oct. 26, but before it closed down Speller made the trip to view the pieces. Through a presentation of garments and accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts and more, from the 18th century to today, “Superfine” interpreted the concept of dandyism as both an aesthetic and a strategy that allowed for new social and political possibilities. “My
favorite part was seeing the history and progression of black style, as well as seeing artifacts and real pieces from historical figures like Alexandre Dumas, Muhammad Ali and Frederick Douglas,” Speller said. “It was just a surreal experience being in the same room as these historical artifacts and being able to photograph them as well.”
Speller’s deep interest in
photography has even leaked into his life as he has weighed the possibility of adding a concentration in photography to his visual arts major. I, for one, am interested in seeing just how far he chooses to take it.
Speller wanted to give a special shoutout to his parents, his brother, Jackson and girlfriend, Taralain for their constant support.
Fashion or Function? Only Time Will Tell
By KATE HERBERT CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Almost a hundred years ago, in 1926, my great-grandmother owned a watch that had been passed down through generations. This past summer, after staying with my relatives in a small German town near Frankfurt, I was gifted that same watch. I was also given instructions on how to set it and change it back to match Eastern Standard Time. It took me almost three months to finally set the correct time, despite the fact that I was wearing it almost everyday. This sparks a question: Are watches worn more for fashion or function?
In modern day, we don’t need a watch in order to know the time; our phones conveniently display it at every moment. As shocking as it should be, it’s no surprise that a decent portion of high school and college students can’t read an analog clock. Considering the circulation of technology along with AI and society’s reliance on it, analog clocks might as well cease to exist. Why try to decipher one when you could just ask Siri or check your phone?
Last month, while digging through a pile of vintage
watches covering a fold-out table at the Brooklyn Flea Market, my friend and I started picking up watches at random and tried to identify the city that best matched the aesthetic of each. A silver watch with a band made of silver hearts chained together was obviously Paris, and a smooth, silver band, its face wrapped in a thin frame, was Berlin.
Whether we are fully conscious of it or not, our world, specifically cities like New York City, Paris or Berlin, run on clocks. Everything about a city relies on time. Just focusing on transportation, New Yorkers rely on the subway and buses to get everywhere, and those transportation methods rely on time to function. Business, museums and events couldn’t exist if everyone followed a different time. Time connects us. What also connects us as a society is fashion. Watches have always been part of fashion, even if their function was still the utmost of priorities. There is a reason that some watches go for thousands of dollars, they are as much of a fashion and wealth statement as a tool. The table at the Brooklyn Flea Market
stacked with vintage watches is successful because there is a market for watches, especially fashionable, trendy ones. Many people even own a multitude of watches, possibly one for work or different ones to match different outfits. What I find interesting, is that in the three months I was wearing an essentially broken watch, not one person asked me what the time was. A lot of popular shows and movies depict scenes in which a character asks a stranger for the time, but that question doesn’t really come up anymore. Honestly, if someone were to ask me, my instinct would be to check my phone, not a watch. Even though I treasure my great-grandmother’s watch, it’s more of an accessory or connection to my family history, than a tool to tell time.
In my great-grandmother’s era, a watch was necessary and, at times, probably the only way to know the time unless you were at home or perhaps walking by a bell tower in the town square. I probably look at my phone to check the time at least 20 times per day, and then again after I realize I’ve forgotten it already. It’s how I make sure to show up
to class, clubs and plans with friends on time. Checking the time isn’t just looking at the numbers, it’s also seeing notifications and reminders.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that time controls, or sometimes even whips me around. Most of college is timing when to leave your dorm or apartment.
My great-grandmother also didn’t live in a city. In fact, she lived in such a small German
had to go to the next village over in order to go shopping or get groceries. She didn’t have the same pressures that a bustling city like New York has. It’s possible watches are outdated, more of a fashion statement than a functioning tool for life, but time is always moving and one day even our phones might be the next items sitting in a pile at the Brooklyn Flea.
KATE HERBERT FOR THE FORDHAM RAM
Living our lives according to the clock hasn’t always been the normal thing to do. village where she
IAN NELSON/THE FORDHAM RAM Wilson Speller, FCRH ’28 has found a passion for photography.
October 29, 2025
By STUART CREMER OPINION EDITOR
CULTURE
The Many Stories Yet To Be Told
Roll for initiative. Make a dexterity check. Make a wisdom saving throw. What do these phrases make you think of? I’m sure plenty of readers will be completely perplexed, while others may recognize a connection to the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). I hope by the end of this piece, you’ll understand a little more about D&D and why so many dedicated gamers carve hours out of their weekends to sit down, roll some dice and make up stories with their friends. For me, D&D has been a critical part of my life as far back as I can remember.
Dungeons & Dragons has evolved significantly since the first edition came out in 1974. The revised fifth edition, released in 2024, focuses on three main pillars: combat, exploration and roleplaying social interactions. Critically, the game centers the emotional journey of the player’s characters — their stories, their fears, their hopes and dreams and their successes and failures.
A D&D group is composed of any number of players — usually between three and six — playing characters they create, along with a Dungeon Master (DM), who plays all of the other characters in the world — known as nonplayable characters (NPCs)
— and describes the environment and happenings of the world around them. Players get to choose from 12 different classes and numerous fantasy races and backgrounds to create their character.
Maybe you want to be a sneaky rogue, who’s good at lock-picking, thievery and sneak attacks. Or maybe you want to be a fighter, a master of martial combat, who’s always good in a fight along with some other versatile skills. Or maybe you want to be a wizard, a master of arcane magic, who has a spell for every situation. In combining a class with a race and a background, you can become almost anything. For example, you could be a noble elven wizard traversing through a fantasy world on a quest to save your kingdom. The options are almost endless.
The beautiful thing about D&D is the way it is completely open-ended. Unlike other games, there’s no specific goal or way to “win.” The goal of the game is to come up with a fun character who wants to do something in the fantasy world put in front of you by the DM, and then to take that character on an adventure with your friends’ characters. Nobody knows or has full control over where the world will take you.
Once the DM has described the situation, you and the other player characters get to decide what action you’re
going to take. Most actions have both a chance of success and failure, and that’s where the dice come in. When your character attempts an action, you roll a d20 — a die with sides numbered one through 20. To succeed, you must roll higher than the difficulty class (DC), which is higher for more difficult actions. If you’re attempting an action that your character is skilled at, you get to add a bonus to your roll. Once you determine whether you have succeeded or failed, the DM will describe the results of your action on the environment and how the NPCs react. The chance of failure adds stakes to the game and makes it real; you never know where the dice will take you.
My dad grew up playing D&D as a kid and, when my brothers and I were old enough, he taught us how to play. Many of my favorite memories as a kid come from being clustered around a table with my brothers, pretending to be dwarves, elves, wizards, fighters, clerics and rogues. We got to be heroes in a fantastical world where it felt like anything was possible. In high school, I drifted away from the game, focusing more on school and other hobbies. But now in my later years of college, I’ve come back, inspired, like many others, by the many entertaining D&D actual play shows that have popped up in the last few years, including Dimension 20, Critical
Role and Not Another D&D Podcast. And every time I return home, my brothers, my dad and I try our best to fit in a session of D&D, and it’s always a blast.
For me, D&D was my first introduction to the many wonderful stories and emotional journeys that are possible when you let yourself get carried away by fantasy. Funnily enough, pretending to be a made-up character lets many players discover sides of themselves that they never knew existed, explore
the depths of their emotions and form lifelong bonds with their friends. I credit D&D in large part with my love of creative writing and high fantasy, along with the love of reading that my parents instilled in me. All you need to get started is the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, some dice, some pens and paper and a group of friends willing to go on an adventure with you. There are many stories yet to be told, and you could be the one to tell them.
Don’t Forget About the ‘Freaks and Geeks’
By SAMANTHA DIAZ STAFF WRITER
Amid all the iconic comingof-age teen television shows from the 1990s and early 2000s like “Degrassi” or “Dawson’s Creek,” there is another show that has seemed to fall into a bit of obscurity.
“Freaks and Geeks” was a show that aired for only one season from 1999 to 2000. While you may think of it as any other coming-of-age television show, it is actually very unique and more realistic than most teen-centered shows at that time.
As the title suggests, the show is not focused on conventionally attractive teens that are usually found in this genre of shows. Instead, it’s focused on the outsiders. The weird kids who are the “freaks,” and the dorky kids who are the “geeks.”
“Freaks and Geeks” is the perfect time capsule of that time period. The style of the show is reminiscent of something that you may feel nostalgic for, even if you were never around to experience it for yourself.
The show was produced by Judd Apatow, who is best known for writing many iconic comedy movies like
“Superbad.” Not many people know that the show has featured many well-known actors, including Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini and Busy Phillips.
“Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts is the opening credit to each episode, with the characters taking their school pictures awkwardly before showing their pictures in the yearbook. A simple, yet normal experience for everyone in high school.
The story follows Lindsay (Cardellini) and Sam Weir (John Francis Daley), two siblings who are attending high school in the 1980s. Lindsay associates herself with the freaks while Sam finds himself grouped with the geeks.
The characters come off as not being your typical teenagers. One group enjoys partying and rock and roll, while the other indulges in their nerdy hobbies and are a bit more socially awkward. Where’s the fun in watching that?
Even though they might get called the freaks and geeks, they’re just like anyone else, and don’t allow those titles to define them. They struggle
with growing up, making decisions and dealing with things in their personal lives at a time when things may be confusing or troubling.
Unfortunately, the show was canceled by NBC before the first season’s ending, but it’s one of the best single season shows that deserved better. It’s also why, despite its age,
it doesn’t need a reboot. It’s a relic of the past that should remain untouched because it’s perfect the way it is. For new and returning viewers of the show, it’s timeless and a nostalgic reminder of growing up.
Even 25 years later, it’s one of the most underrated coming-of-age shows, and despite having developed a
cult following in recent years, many people have yet to discover the hidden gem that is “Freaks and Geeks.”
If you haven’t considered the freaks and the geeks, now is the time to check them out. It can be funny, heartbreaking, relatable and a reminder of just how stupid high school really was in every episode.
COURTESY OF @ROLLINGSTONE
STUART CREMER/THE FORDHAM RAM Dungeons & Dragons was created in 1974 by Gary Gyax and Dave Arneson.
The television show ‘Freaks and Geeks’ aired for only a year, from 1999 to 2000.
By JUDE HELD CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I hate myself for the inevitability that is lacking appreciation for something before it’s gone. I remember when Prince passed away in 2016; I was at some kind of afterschool program and saw the headline on one of the desktop computers. My music taste hadn’t yet varied as it later would, but I felt the seismic shift that results from any cultural titan disappearing into thin air. On that April day, people slumped over as they meandered, conversed without conviction. As I began to work through Prince’s catalog, the reasoning behind this revealed itself. It was the loss of a beacon of swagger, a mastermind of sexuality that unzipped dresses with a simple falsetto.
This illness began to work its way through my veins. I too felt discouraged by the concept that the world no longer felt cool without Prince. That was until I listened to “Voodoo.” It landed on my doorstep — a milestone in my evolving journey through music. It had the instantaneous effect that any perfect album has. “Playa Playa” opens with a shortened sibling of the contemporary street intro that Biggie opens “Ready to Die” with, before launching into the tightest instrumentation since James Brown and the J.B.‘s worked the Apollo in the 70s. Then, ushered
The Legacy of D’Angelo
in by harmonies so smooth that they could butter toast, D’Angelo was let into the bedrooms of women of all races, ages and origins.
“Steal you with my two shot / Control you with my drop / Blaze you with my handle / Impress you with my rock.”
That verse alone had me on my phone sending messages to women I hadn’t talked to in months. He inspired pure optimism, philosophical thought and the nastiest stank faces that are only produced when the right note is combined with the perfect pitch.
The soul of it all was indescribable. D’Angelo came from a religious background. His dad was a pentecostal minister and he grew up playing the organ and singing hymns during Sunday services. Many of the greatest voices gained momentum the same way — Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin were both choir singers before shifting to the commercial market. D’Angelo, similarly, had an uncanny ability to harness the divine and create an unfiltered access point to the soul.
Just listen to “Higher,” the gorgeous appraisal to God that concludes D’Angelo’s debut “Brown Sugar.” The roots are apparent: D’Angelo works the organ and even goes so far as to include a congregation in the background, howling like wolves as they ascend with each exclamation. Had
the angel Gabriel returned to earth and proclaimed the very lyrics himself, it would not have gotten any closer to the heart of God. D’Angelo morphs from street cat to prophet, and he simply makes it make sense.
That’s why his disappearance from the public light after “Voodoo” wasn’t shocking. He took refuge from the pressure of newfound fame and from the oversexualization of what he intended to be perceived as sincere and personal. The now infamous music video for “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” featured D’Angelo naked, and insinuating camera angles worked their way down his waist. A song once meant to symbolize male yearning shifted to a femalecentric anthem focused on illustrating the sexual act.
D’Angelo resultantly went 14 years before releasing another album. His name would pop up in headlines once every so often, typically linked to some sort of drug arrest or opinion piece stating that his career was “over.” It was a descent not too different from Layne Staley, and many thought the story would end in a similar way.
Then the next chapter came. Hands were raised in protest. The image channeled Gordon Parks’ civil rights photography of the mid-20th century. The headline: “Black Messiah.” D’Angelo’s face, body and pelvis were nowhere
to be found. He had returned with a muted whisper, one that painted a new image and reformed his legacy into something aspirational. “Black Messiah” was hailed as a magnum opus. Not for any semblance of the sensual provocation that was present throughout D’Angelo’s first two albums, but for the political stance he was eager to take. Michael Brown was just killed, the public was weary and nobody could reconcile fear and love but D’Angelo. It’s funk with a side of justice: harder than “Voodoo,” darker than “Brown Sugar.”
Critics likened “Black Messiah” to culture-shifting political albums such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and Sly and the Family Stone’s response “There’s a Riot Goin’ On.” But most importantly, in the same way he was able to reshape a social narrative, D’Angelo shifted his position in the cultural landscape from wasted talent to a legacy.
I heard the news about D’Angelo’s death while observing the Bronx’s characteristic organized chaos from my balcony. Instinctively, I rushed back to my apartment and returned with my speaker, putting on “Alright” from “Brown Sugar” and returning to my state of disassociation. I’m not ashamed to admit I cried while that song played. It was slightly surprising, even to myself. I realize now that this pervasive sadness stemmed from the realization that nearly 10 years after Prince’s death, an equally critical source of swagger was again lost to the inevitability of time.
Fortunately for us, the beauty of music is that it allows the artist to live vicariously through their work. Listen to “Brown Sugar” while picking up a date, “Voodoo” while getting ready for a houseparty or “Black Messiah” before a protest, and feel yourself connected with the beauty of D’Angelo and his music.
The Fordham Ram Crossword
COURTEST Y OF @BETHHERZHAFT
The legendary singer D’Angelo passed away at age 51 on Oct. 14.
From Rookie Dreams to Farewell Stories
By ETHAN BESS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The 2025-26 NBA season is underway, and there are many stars of my youth that are almost on their way out the door. LeBron James is 40, Chris Paul is 40, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are 37, James Harden is 36, Klay Thompson and Paul George are 35 and many other stars are approaching retirement age. These stars defined a whole generation for millennials and Gen Z’ers, but I believe it’s safe to say that this era is coming to an end, and we are passing the torch. Although these stars are aging, they are still showing their talents on the court. However, we know their time is coming. So, it’s only right if we look over some of their careers.
It’s difficult to start off with anyone other than the man that defined a whole generation of basketball in James. He was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 and was the most hyped-up basketball prospect since Michael Jordan. As a 19-year-old kid straight out of high school, that can be an intimidating burden
to deal with. Unlike most stars past and present that folded under the pressure of such expectations, James lived up to the hype. His first seven years in Cleveland were amazing to say the least. He won two MVPs, made six straight All-Star appearances, won Rookie of the Year in 2004, won a scoring title in 2008 and even led the Cavs to a Finals appearance in 2007. Although he had an excellent stint in Cleveland, he eventually took his talents to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.
Afterwards James went on to have a fantastic stint in Miami, where he won two more MVP awards backto-back in 2012 and 2013. Furthermore, he won two championships back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 and even more impressively, he went to four straight NBA Finals from 2010-2014. James hit his prime in Miami and was considered by some to be the NBA’s villain; a title he embraced fully. But after he lost in the NBA Finals in 2014, he decided to leave Miami and return to Cleveland. When many asked why, he said, “I have
to win one for the land.” He eventually won that championship in 2016 with the Cavaliers after a 57-25 regular season. That Finals series was remembered for one prominent thing: The Cavs came back from down 3-1 to a 73-9 Golden State Warriors team that had the best regular season record of all time. He ended up playing for two more years in Cleveland and then went to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 on a four-year, $154 million contract. He won his fourth championship against the Heat in the NBA bubble in 2020. He has continued to play for the Lakers since then, but I believe it’s fair to say he’s on his way out soon. Another star that needs examination is Steph Curry, who at one point was arguably the face of the entire NBA. Curry is the only player in the history of the NBA to win the MVP award unanimously, as he did so in 2016. His first five seasons in the NBA were decent, but he hit his stardom in 2015, when he won his first championship, the Warriors’ first championship in 40 years. When the 2015-16 season came along, he
broke the regular season record for most threes in a season with 402 and won the unanimous MVP; furthermore his Warriors broke the all time NBA wins record with 73. However, he wasn’t able to get the NBA title as he fell short to James and the Cavaliers. Although he did blow a 3-1 lead in the Finals, he was back the very next year and won backto-back championships in 2017 and 2018. As the years progressed after a 2019 Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Warriors went through a rough phase of not making the playoffs for two years, but won the championship against the Boston Celtics in 2022. Since that year, the Warriors have been up and down, but Curry has still been respectable, especially with the fact that he is the oldest NBA player ever to score 100 points in his first three games. Finally, we must also look at another big star in Kevin Durant. Durant has often been hailed as the greatest scorer of his generation. He has the evidence to back this claim up with the fact that he’s won four NBA scoring titles, all between
2009-2013. He started out with the Seattle SuperSonics when he was drafted in 2007, but the Sonics eventually moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. Although the move proved to be devastating for Seattle, it did not phase Durant in the slightest. He took the league by storm and reached the Finals in 2012 with Russell Westbrook and James Harden, losing to James and the Heat. He did return to the NBA Western Conference Finals in 2016 but ultimately blew a 3-1 lead to the Warriors. After he lost to the Warriors, he joined them, and it was viewed as making the NBA imbalanced. He went on to win two championships with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018 before leaving for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. Not much was expected out of the Nets the first year, but they started to become a disappointment after bringing in Harden and Kyrie Irving. Durant is currently playing for the Houston Rockets, the start of a new journey. As this era fades and a new era of stars comes in, let’s not forget how good we had it and how good we’ll have it going into the future.
The Risk and Reward of Stem Cells in Sports
By MOLLY FRIEDMAN STAFF WRITER
A treatment utilizing cells generated in your body to accelerate the recovery process of your injury sounds like a dream, right? Yet a dream, with real benefits, can also do real damage when it’s not used responsibly. Stem cell therapy has been promoted to athletes as a tool to cure chronic, long-term or acute injuries seemingly magically. While many professional athletes have found a use for this recovery style, nonFDA-approved, unsafe methods are penetrating professional sports. These unorthodox methods could harm the overall trajectory of an athlete’s career.
Back in 2018, during the dog days of the MLB season, upcoming phenom Shohei Ohtani sought alternative forms of therapy. He had just suffered a Grade 2 UCL strain from his time on the mound, and the Los Angeles Angels could not afford to lose their new superstar. During his time on the injured list, he underwent “stem cell injections to help alleviate pain and inflammation and to facilitate healing,” according to Stephania Bell from ESPN. The treatment allowed him to return to the field as a designated hitter and begin pitching again in September. Although it got him through the latter half of the season, he was
eventually forced to undergo Tommy John surgery. Several baseball and football players have since experimented with stem cell treatment.
For athletes who train and compete at a high volume, this non-invasive recovery style can be incredibly beneficial. Stem cells can rapidly recover tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage and bone. The method can reduce inflammation and decrease pain, allowing players to return to play quickly. Rather than simply managing symptoms and pain, this therapy can provide a more structural and functional solution. Clinics are also experimenting with how this treatment can assist with ligament tears and cartilage damage.
In the years since the
introduction of stem cells to sports, their capabilities to stimulate recovery in highintensity athletes have been extensively tested. According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), “such as procedures where stem cells are extracted from the patient (e.g., from bone marrow), and then reinjected during the same surgical procedure,” are not subject to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. These cells can repair, replace and regenerate damaged tissues in the body. The cells can then be injected into a specific target area to promote tissue regeneration and recovery.
In opposition to this acceptable form of treatment, many clinics are promoting treatments without extensive research and
FDA approval. These alleged magical cures to chronic or acute injuries may lead to irreparable damage. Clinics are offering “‘off the shelf’ stem cell preparations, which are harvested from donor patients,” said the USADA. They state that the patient could be unaware of how the clinic has manipulated these cells and what they are injecting into their body. The FDA has reported several severe cases of misuse of stem cell therapy leading to devastating outcomes. Patients have become blind and even developed tumors after injections into unsafe parts of the body. Another major issue arising is “stem cell tourism,” which is where people travel abroad to receive stem cell treatments that are not yet approved in the United States.
The FDA has also raised concerns about stem cells being injected and migrating to unintended areas of the body, which could result in tumors.
While “autologous” stem cell therapy, which involves cells that are removed from a person and rapidly reinjected in a different area, is not illegal, many health and sports agencies advise athletes to exercise extreme caution when considering stem cell treatment. If the cells are removed and modified to be performanceenhancing or have additional growth factors, it is illegal. Athletes must ensure that the FDA has approved the treatment they wish to undergo and that it is in the athlete’s best interest. Athletes can be particularly vulnerable during the rehabilitation process following an injury and are even more susceptible to risk engaging in untested treatments to return to play. It is unethical for clinics and doctors to take advantage of athletes during that moment of vulnerability.
Stem cell therapy is an example of how science has strengthened the longevity of sport. The treatment has advantages that can accelerate the recovery process for athletes. Alas, like any medical discovery, stem cell therapy is still being experimented with and will inevitably have roadblocks. This treatment plays its role, but it must not be viewed as a cure-all in sports medicine.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Stem Cell Therapy has becoming increasing popular among professional athletes for its recovery benefits.
Bring Baseball Back to Montreal
By KURT SIPPEL STAFF WRITER
With the Toronto Blue Jays advancing to the World Series for the first time in over 30 years, fans all over Canada are gearing up and getting behind their only baseball representation.
Canadian teams have been around for decades: The Montreal Expos were the first MLB team in Canada, becoming an expansion team in 1969. Montreal is in Québec, a unique place from the rest of Canada. It is largely influenced by early French roots and speaks its own version of the language, Québécois French.
The Expos meant a lot more to the city of Montreal than just baseball. They were the first team in Canada, and on top of that, Quebec already possesses a lot of national pride for the province.
While the Expos didn’t have a lot of success in their 35 years of playing in Montreal, there was a season that was shortened by a players strike in 1981, where the Expos managed to reach the NLCS. A lockout would later kill the last hope the Expos had at winning a World Series in 1994.
That 1994 roster was stacked with talent up and down with five All-Stars, including three players that were in the top 12 of MVP voting. When players went on strike in response to an owners proposal of a salary cap, this was to give small market teams the ability to keep competing, like themselves.
Little did the team know that these discussions were an attempt to keep small market teams relevant, which killed the Expos, and this was just the beginning of the end for Montreal. The Expos, unable to retain their star players, were forced to sell their stars to other prospective teams — all in the span of three days.
After gutting the franchise, fan attendance started to drop at the Canadian Olympic Stadium, and that’s when the team was sold to New York art dealer Jeffrey Loria. The team’s misfortune only went from bad to worse.
When Loria was unable to convince the local government to help fund a new stadium in Montreal, he grew disinterested with the team and turned his sights to Florida in an attempt to buy the then-Florida Marlins. He was able to acquire them after reaching a deal with the original owner John Henry, who then was able to strike a deal to buy the Boston Red Sox.
When Loria acquired the Marlins, the MLB and 29 previous owners bought the Expos from him. This only came before Loria could take almost everyone on the coaching staff, front office, even computers and Expos scouting reports.
With the MLB not investing any money into the team and the fans becoming disinterested, the team was no longer able to compete in the way it used to. It became evident that things weren’t going to last much longer in Montreal. On Sept. 29, 2004, the Expos played their last game in Montreal, ironically against Loria’s Marlins, and then packed up to make their way down to Washington, D.C., to become the Washington Nationals.
While the MLB might have killed the Expos and forced the move to Washington, D.C., they now have the unique chance to once again bring fans from around Canada to watch their beloved Expos once again.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke about league realignment during the Little League World Series, explaining that he wanted to change homebase, and for it to be picked out by 2029.
There is no location better suited once again for baseball than Montreal.
Montreal is now the 19th largest city in North America with a metropolitan population of roughly 4.6 million people. Outside of cities in Mexico, this is the only city with a population of this size without an MLB franchise.
The population of Montreal seems to be excited at the idea of the Expos returning to Montreal. In a study done by Ernst & Young
(EY) in 2013, nearly 70% of citizens were in favor of a return.
All of this data was compiled by William Jegher, a managing partner at the accounting firm for a now expired bid for an expansion team. The data shows the ability to mobilize quickly — that study also has locations that can be used for the new ballpark as well as the potential real estate they can buy up and start the work on the new stadium.
For a point of comparison, the Tampa Bay Rays’ owner, Stuart Sternberg, was frustrated about a stadium deal stalling. Sternberg was unable to get enough sponsors to support the team. He proposed the idea of splitting the home games between the Rays home in Florida and rest in Montreal.
While this idea ended up being axed by the MLB, it shows that there is still plenty of interest to place Montreal on the MLB map again. Even though this was a proposal, there are still plenty of issues that could still go wrong when it comes to baseball expanding to Montreal.
When Jegher’s split city plan fell flat in 2022, one of the group’s lead investors, Mitch Garber, indicated that Jegher was no longer interested in bringing baseball back to Montreal in a full season. Still, other groups continue to come out of the wood work for an opportunity to play in Montreal.
Montreal will have to find the money it will take to build the Expos a new stadium. In the 36 years they were in Canada, the Expos were never given a stadium built specifically for them.
Even with this, there is an estimated $2 billion it will cost in just expansion fees to even have a right to buy into MLB.
It is no secret that Montreal is considered in the upcoming expansion talks. While fans wait patiently, they will continue to hope they can pack a brand new ballpark to celebrate Opening Day once again with the Canadian flag flying high overhead.
Varsity Scores & Stats
Football Fordham 6
Lehigh 27
Water Polo Fordham 10 San Jose State 9
Women’s Rowing Head of the Schuykill (No Individual Scoring)
Fordham Football Drops to 1-7 on the Year
By LEAH RENSHAW CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Yet another loss for the Fordham University Rams this past weekend came against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks during Family Weekend, with a final score of 27-6. The Mountain Hawks are now a perfect 8-0 and the Rams drop to 1-7.
The single touchdown scored by the Rams was a tush push. Notably, senior wide receiver Jack Betten had two catches, racking up 87 yards, and junior quarterback Gunnar Smith threw for 203 yards.
Despite the lackluster results, graduate student linebacker James Conway had a major personal victory this weekend. He led the team with 16 tackles, making his career total 555. This is
incredible for the Rams as he has surpassed Boomer Grigsby’s NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) record of 550 career tackles for Illinois State University. Conway now stands alone with the most career tackles in FCS history. Additionally, Conway was recently named one of 16 finalists out of 180 semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy, which is given annually to the nation’s best football player for his combined academic success, football performance and leadership. He has excelled academically and on the field, and is getting the recognition he deserves for all of the hard work he has done for the Fordham Rams over the years.
It remains the case that the Rams are a first-half team,
meaning they hold their opponents defensively in the first half and display great momentum and strength. Once the third quarter arrives, it tends to trend downhill. In this game, Luke Yoder and Jaden Green scored two touchdowns in the third quarter using this trend to their advantage for the Mountain Hawks.
Yoder had 79 rushing yards, being a standout for the Mountain Hawks, bringing his total up to 840 yards for the season thus far. Yoder was definitely the player to watch in the second half of the game.
Unfortunately for the Rams, there is little left to do except hope for a miracle to happen in these final games. They will face the University of Richmond Spiders on the road next Saturday.
Compiled by Ian Nelson, Asst. Sports Editor
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
James Conway (48) records one of his 16 tackles on Saturday against Lehigh.
COURTESY OF @NETFLIXCA
Former Montreal Expos’ star Vladimir Guerrero pictured with his son Vlad Jr.
By JOE HENRY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
Midseason woes endured for Fordham University Volleyball this weekend, as the Rams played in six sets over two matches, led in all six sets and lost in all six sets at St. Louis University.
Fordham entered the series having played 11 of its last 13 matches at home — its trip to St. Louis was its longest of the 2025 campaign. The fruitless road trip moved the Rams to 1-10 in Atlantic 10 (A-10) play, while the struggling Billikens picked up a pair of pivotal wins to move to 4-7.
It’s the first full series that the Rams have been without their middle blocking pair, with junior superstar Tatum Holderied inactive with shin splints and sophomore standout Sophia Kuyn sidelined by an ankle injury. The results haven’t been pretty. While freshmen Sophia Oliveira and Avery Boothe are now manning the middle, with the latter playing out of position, Fordham has allowed opponents to hit a blistering .261 in nine sets with its starters out. Opponents, meanwhile, have held the Rams to a .120 rate.
The mood is awfully similar to last year’s, when the Rams had their hopes shattered by injuries to Holderied and Kuyn, among others. That 2024 team, which was expected to make the postseason, finished
Volleyball Swept in St. Louis
last in the A-10 with a 3-15 record. The 2025 team, after a hot start, appears headed for a similar fate.
In Friday’s sweep, Fordham began each set with a 3-0 lead. It lost 25-14, 25-21, 25-21. Junior Lola Fernandez, who coach Ian Choi has begun to lean on as the team’s primary libero, led all Rams with 11 digs. Senior Audrey Brown had a solid all-around outing, logging a team-high eight kills, adding six digs, two blocks and an ace.
Unable to secure a set on Saturday, Fordham once again looked like the better team for much of the day, before paling 26-24, 25-21, 25-22. Fernandez one-upped herself with 13 digs, and Boothe earned her first collegiate kill with a putback in set two — she and her team appeared as surprised as they were excited, given that Fordham’s offense was designed to exclude Boothe given her inexperience at the position.
In crucial spots in each set, Fordham was unable to hold onto its lead. St. Louis posted 17, 17 and 16 kills over three frames on Saturday; during clutch moments, the Rams’ inexperienced blocking hurt their play, with the Billikens’ attackers finding wide-open seams to hit through.
The outcomes have been predictable: A team talented enough to compete — even without two of its top players
Athletes of the Week
Graduate student linebacker James Conway made NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) history on Saturday at Moglia Stadium, as he now stands alone with the most career tackles in FCS history. He recorded 16 total tackles in the Family Weekend loss against Lehigh University, making his career total 555, five more than Illinois State University’s Boomer Grisby’s previous record of 550 career tackles. He also extended his Fordham University and Patriot League career tackles record.
Junior midfielder Salma Simonin had her best game as a Fordham Ram in their win over George Washington University on Sunday, which clinched their spot in the Atlantic 10 (A-10) Championship as the #6 seed. Simonin scored the first and last goals of the game, making her the third different Ram with a multi-goal game this season, and assisted on sophomore Julia Acosta’s goal. Simonin and her Rams will open the A-10 Championship at #3 seed Duquesne University on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
just can’t finish off sets against teams that are healthier and more experienced.
While the tone of the season now feels reminiscent to that of a funeral, the team has found a spark at each pin in recent weeks. With the team struggling to find efficiency from any of its outside hitters, sophomore Mila Micunovic has come out of nowhere to deliver a consistent punch on the strong-side.
Hammering 17 kills over the weekend to lead all players and setting a career high with 10 putaways on Saturday, Micunovic has engineered an impressive single-season turnaround after a slow start to the campaign. While the 6’4” Micunovic is still developing as a defender — Choi plays junior Erynn Sweeney and senior Zoe Talabong during her back-row rotations — the second-year appears to be a promising prospect to help pace the Fordham attack in
years to come.
On the weaker side, sophomore southpaw Bridget Woodruff has tapped into her power stroke, hitting .210 over the course of a six-game heater. While she was not heavily involved in the offense against St. Louis, Woodruff did her best to make up for Fordham’s absent blockers, posting five rejections.
Woodruff subs in exclusively with senior setter Mackenzie Colvin, and the two have built the best chemistry of any setterattacker duo on the team.
Woodruff, who has blocks in all but one appearance, seems likely to fill the team’s starting opposite hitter role next season after senior Audrey Brown graduates.
With the help of Woodruff, Fordham notched 11 total blocks in Saturday’s match — the team’s first double-digit output in three full weeks.
Oliveira led the way with a career-best seven blocks in the
outing this weekend.
Fordham, without Holderied and Kuyn, has seen a stark dropoff in its blocking numbers after leading the nation for much of the season. The club averaged 12.5 blocks through August and September; thus far, it’s averaged just 6.8 in October.
Now in must-win mode, the Rams will need to snatch a second victory against the A-10’s lone winless club, the University of Rhode Island, on Wednesday at 5 p.m. After taking the trip down the I-95, Fordham returns home for its senior weekend against Davidson College.
The third-to-last series of the Rams’ year will be its last at home, as Fordham hopes to take down a 5-6 Wildcats squad on the heels of a threematch win-streak. Saturday’s match is at 3 p.m., and seniors Colvin, Brown and Talabong will be honored before Sunday’s 1 p.m. tilt.
Varsity Calendar
James Conway Graduate Student Football
Salma Simonin Junior Soccer
Fordham Volleyball is in win-now mode after the sweep in St. Louis.
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
It’s Anybody’s Game in College Football
By ANTHONY SMITH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As we approach discussions for the College Football Playoff, there seems to be no runaway team poised to dominate the rest of the competition in the post-season. The days of these powerful dynasties running the league appear to be over, but what happened to them?
College football has essentially implemented a free agency market with the use of the transfer portal. Created in 2018, the transfer portal alters the way a team is built. The traditional way of building a team is recruiting high school students and developing them, but now, coaches bring in experienced talent to strengthen their roster and fulfill their needs. Many teams value proven athletes over unproven talent, leading to more competition. As for the top programs in the nation, they can no longer have a deep roster of elite players because prospects want more playing time, leading them to transfer schools.
For example, the Indiana University Hoosiers have effectively used the portal by picking up experienced quarterback Fernando Mendoza from the University of California Berkeley. The Heisman candidate has led the Hoosiers to being ranked number two in the country, and has proven why experience is valuable. A team that notably didn’t use the portal effectively
at the quarterback position is the University of Texas, when they recruited quarterback Arch Manning out of high school. The Longhorns have rolled the dice with Manning after his two years on the bench, but he has struggled and not lived up to expectations, showing that his lack of experience might be holding him back.
As for the players, the portal gives the athletes more power over their career. Experienced players transfer for various reasons, but a huge impact in their decision is Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals. NIL deals allow players to earn money for endorsements or sponsorships. College athletes can now receive multi-million dollar deals, which changes the way they choose schools and the way recruiting is viewed. NIL can shift the competitiveness because it allows any school, whether big or small, to compete for prospects. Talent can now be spread to any team willing to pay.
The University of Miami’s quarterback Carson Beck has a significant NIL deal that played a role in his decision to transfer from the University of Georgia. His guaranteed deal is $3-3.2 million, but his deal includes performance-based incentives which could increase the total value to $6 million. Beck has led his team to a 6-1 record with a chance to win the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and secure a playoff berth.
Another important aspect of winning is coaching. Coaching influences the team culture, development and performance of players. Aside from money and personal reasons, players also look into the coaching staff when picking a school. There has been a lot of coaching news lately that could highly impact the future of major programs.
Former Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions Head Coach James Franklin was considered one of the best at recruiting and developing players along with building
a strong program. He was dismissed on Oct. 12, and his firing is not only impactful on The Pennsylvania State University, but also influential for whatever team he coaches for next. Franklin has expressed his plans to coach again and his desire to win a national championship. Wherever he goes, expect a lot of players to head his way. As for Penn State, this firing has led them to fall short of expectations, and it will be interesting to see if they bounce back next year.
A new head coach position is open now in Death Valley after Louisiana State University (LSU) fired Brian Kelly on Sunday night. The firing comes after their loss to Texas A&M University, which made for back-to-back losses for the Tigers. They now have three losses this season, basically knocking them out of contention for the playoffs. LSU has a tradition of success, so it will be intriguing to see who takes over the coaching job in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Another SEC head coaching position that is available for next year is for the University of Florida Gators. Billy Napier was relieved of his duties down in the swamp. The Gators are 3-4 on the season, but with a new head coach next year, it may attract a lot more talent the Gators’ way.
There has been a lot of underperformance, inconsistency and surprises throughout the season that makes people believe it is truly anybody’s year.
Overtime: An Ode to Victor Cruz
Clemson University, Florida State University, Penn State and Texas were all ranked in the Top 25 at the beginning of the year, but due to struggling performances and unexpected losses, only Texas remains ranked.
A lot of top ranked teams have experienced both dominating wins and near-losses. Texas A&M, for example, beat the University of Arkansas by only three points, but then crushed LSU on the road the following week. The University of Alabama beat Tennessee by three scores and then was nearly upset by the University of South Carolina the following Saturday.
The good surprises of the year go to Indiana, Vanderbilt University, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University (BYU). Georgia Tech and BYU go into week 10 undefeated and in the top 10. Vanderbilt sitting at number nine with only one loss is amazing. Lastly, Indiana has been playing lights out, being ranked number two and blowing out every opponent. If you were to tell someone about these standings a couple years ago, you would have been seen as crazy.
It has been a wild run for the 2025 season of college football. Only a couple more weeks are left in the regular season before it’s playoff time. There has been no definite answer of the team to beat yet, but for every team it’s any given Saturday.
By IAN NELSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Some players have short, mediocre careers. Some have long, legendary careers. But some have careers that burn brightly, like a candle only to be extinguished much too soon. As a New York Giants fan growing up in the early 2010s, there was one player who won my admiration and has maintained it to this day: Victor Cruz.
Before going pro, Cruz played at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass). Cruz’s path to success was a difficult one. At the beginning of his college career, he struggled to successfully combine his college studies with his football career, and was twice sent home from UMass for academic reasons. After righting the ship and finally becoming eligible to play in 2007, Cruz never looked back. He finished his career at UMass with 131 catches ranking him fourth on the all-time UMass receptions list, despite the fact that he did not start a game until his junior season. He scored 11 touchdowns in his career and had just under 2,000 receiving yards. Cruz was named a first-team All-Colonial
Athletic Association wide receiver for 2008 and 2009. He is fifth all-time at UMass in career receiving yards (1,958).
Even with his exceptional college stats, Cruz wasn’t selected in the 2010 NFL Draft. The day after the draft, he was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent.
Cruz was, for lack of better phrasing, a nobody going into the preseason, but they would know his name soon enough. On Aug. 15, 2010, Cruz announced himself to the league when the New York Jets rolled into MetLife stadium for the first game of the preseason.
When Cruz first entered the game Jets coaches believed he was an option quarterback, and were visibly relieved to see that he was just a rookie wide receiver. That relief quickly vanished as Cruz caught a deep ball from Giants QB Jim Sorgi and took it 64 yards to the house. Cruz wasn’t done yet, as he would catch two more touchdowns before the game ended. Then Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan remarked during the game, “I’ve got an idea, how about we stay on top of number 3 [Cruz].” Cruz kept getting separation from Jets cornerbacks on his way to a debut performance of six
receptions for 145 yards and three touchdowns.
After the game, Ryan said to then Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin, “I don’t know who the f**k number 3 is, but holy s**t.”
Cruz’s preseason performance was just the beginning of what would be an impressive stretch from the former undrafted free agent. In his rookie season in 2011, Cruz had 82 receptions for 1,536 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. In his sophomore season in 2012, he added 86 receptions for 1,092 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns, earning him a Pro Bowl selection. Cruz was also instrumental in the Giants playoff run and eventual victory in Super Bowl XLVI against Tom Brady and the New
England Patriots, grabbing an early touchdown to give the Giants the lead.
There was nothing like witnessing a Victor Cruz touchdown. After nearly every score, Cruz celebrated with a salsa dance. He has stated that it was in honor of his deceased grandmother who taught him how to dance salsa and loved touchdown dances. I would have liked to watch Cruz do his touchdown dance for much longer than I got to.
After a solid 2013 season, Cruz was going into 2014 with the hope of continuing his success, but on Oct. 12, 2014, he sustained a serious injury when he tore his right patellar tendon during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. That was the start of an unfortunate trend for
Cruz. After completing his recovery, he returned for the 2015 season when he suffered a calf injury that caused him to miss out on the entire season. In the time that followed he also dealt with other injuries, including an ankle sprain in November 2016.
Despite attempts to return, the Giants released Cruz in 2017 and subsequently by the Chicago Bears, leading to his decision to retire in 2018 and begin a career as an analyst. Today, he works as a sports analyst for TNT Sports. Additionally, Cruz founded The Victor Cruz Foundation which runs community programs in his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.
While Cruz’s glory may have been short-lived, I will always look back at how much I enjoyed watching him play when I was a kid with fondness. He brought so much joy to the game and the fact that his career fizzled out due to injuries will always leave me wondering what could have been if he remained healthy. But I will choose to look for a silver lining and be grateful that in a time where the Giants are awful, I can always look back on how I felt when I was a kid, watching my favorite player salsa dance after yet another touchdown.
College Football is lacking a frontrunner this year.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM
Victor Cruz is beloved by New York Giants fans despite his short career.
MEGHAN CATTANI/THE FORDHAM RAM