WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan
STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916
VOLUME 113 | ISSUE 4
Villa- Villanova Celebrates Parents Weekend Vogue: 2021 Met Gala Kaelin Trombly Staff Writer
On the second Monday in September, New York City’s upper fifth avenue was a buzz of cream-colored carpets and clacking stilettos for the first time in over two years. What seemed to be an eternity of silence for the fashion world has finally come to an end with the return of the 2021 Met Gala. For those who may not know, the Met Gala is the fashion equivalent of the Oscars. The Super Bowl of fashion, if you will. It’s the party of the year where everyone who is anyone comes to the Metropolitan Museam of Art in order to celebrate the Costume Institute’s annual new exhibit. Every Met Gala that is held adorns a different, far from bland, theme that every A-lister tries to top. This year being In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. The theme of “American Independence” seems simple. Just throw on a pair of cowboy boots, a belt with one of those big buckles, maybe even dress head to toe in red white and blue. Right? Wrong. Andrew Bolton, The Costume Institute’s Curator in Charge, told Vogue he centered this year’s event around the question “who gets to be American?” Nowadays, American fashion designers are at the forefront of conversations encircling diversity, sustainability, gender fluidity and body positivity. That being said, the Gala’s theme became a framework for designers to thoughtfully engage in their pieces for the show. The 2021 Met Gala included over 100 pieces, ranging from Marc Jacobs to La Réunion. Not one ensemble came close in similarity to the one before it yet each one represented the common theme. So without further
Villanova families from across the country travelled to the University to celebrate Family Weekend. Courtesy of Elena Rouse
Nicole Celis Staff Writer
This past weekend, Villanova families from across the country travelled to the University to celebrate Family Weekend. It was a time for students to reconnect with their families and spend the weekend together on campus. This year, the highlight for many families was the tailgate party and football game on Saturday. The University hosted a wide array of events for students and families to partake in. While many families were still travelling to campus on Friday, events started in the late afternoon for those arriving early enough.
The Villanova University Horticulturist hosted a Campus Tree Tour, the University Art Gallery presented “Modern Masters: Work on Paper from the Collection” in an Open House and Villanova field hockey beat Providence, 5-3, at Proving Grounds in Conshohocken. Friday evening, there was an A Cappella showcase, at which each group had the opportunity to perform for families and community members. Early Saturday morning, there was the Junior Ring Blessing for all current juniors who ordered a Senior Ring to get blessed. Junior Anna Staiger attended the blessing.
“The ring that I received with my family at the Junior Ring Ceremony is a symbol of my love for Villanova that I will always carry close to me,” Staiger said. There were many academic events throughout the day, including an Ethics symposium and an informational session presented by the Office of Education Abroad. Villanova Business School also hosted events showcasing its business minor opportunities for students majoring in Arts, Sciences, Engineering and Nursing. University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A, Ph.D., held a President’s Welcome speech on Saturday morning as well,
welcoming families back to the campus. Arguably the most anticipated part of the weekend was the football tailgate on the Campus Green and football game against Richmond. Students and families were able to purchase tailgating tents on the Green on Saturday before the game. Families flocked the area to enjoy food and drinks with people that they have not been able to see in a long time. This was reminiscent of Family Weekend 2019, because families were able to reunite in a way that COVID-19 did not permit last year. Friends were able to introduce their parents to those of their friends and
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Villanova Faces Penn State in Football Game Colin Beazley
Co-Sports Editor
seating 16,000. In Happy Valley on Saturday, empty seats will be hard to find despite Beaver Stadium’s official capacity of over 106,000. In their
first trip, the Wildcats traveled to face a team that hadn’t won a game since 2019, a perennial FCS struggler and a Patriot League punching bag. Against
Penn State, Villanova faces the FBS team ranked sixth in the nation, a historic Big Ten powerhouse with two national titles and a legitimate chance to contend for a third this year. The first Wildcat road trip of the season resulted in a 47-3 cakewalk. For the second, a positive result will be much harder to come by. “Every game we go into, our focus is to try to win the game, that’s why you play the game,” Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante said in Continued on p. 13
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The Wildcats’ second road trip of the season presents a vastly different challenge than their first. The first, a season opening trip to Lehigh, was less than an hour by bus. The second, a trip to Penn State, requires a slightly longer threehour ride. The game against Lehigh was attended by just over four thousand people, sparse attendance in a stadium
Villanova Ranks 49th in News and World Report p. 3
Mental Health Resources Expanded p. 4
Refectory Set to ReOpen p. 5
A Capella Performs for Family Weekend p. 6
The Sexist Intent of Villanova’s Gym Dress Code p. 7
Villanova Dining Halls Could Use an Upgrade p. 7
The Return of the Yik Yak App to College Campuses p. 11
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards in Review p. 14
Volleyball Defeats Local Rivals in Temple Tourney p. 17
Men’s Lacrosse Adds to Class of 2025 p. 19
Penn State is ranked sixth in the nation, a historic Big Ten powerhouse. Courtesy of WTAE