September 17, 2015 by Torch Online

Iggy’s Scandal? pg. 13

Santangelo named VP pg. 5 Why SJU is missing out on football season pg. 15

‘No Good Deed’ in review pg. 11

SJU WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT TALIA TIRELLA It’s history in the making. Dr. Conrado “Bobby” GempeNews Editor saw is the 17th president of St. John’s and the first layperson to hold the distinguished role. Gempesaw’s tenure began July 1 after the Presidential Search Committee conducted a six-month search for the University’s next president. His investiture as president will take place Oct. 24. Gempesaw is the first lay president in 144 years of St. John’s history. ”I understand the historical significance of being appointed the first lay president… and fully understand the responsibility,” Gempesaw said. Born and raised in the Catholic tradition, Gempesaw is familiar with the mission of St. John’s and he said that it was made clear to him during the presidential search that the University is Catholic, Vincentian and Metropolitan. Besides being the first lay president, Gempesaw is also a first-generation immigrant like many students at St. John’s. It’s important to him that St. John’s has

a rich history involving immigrant students and their families. “I’m very happy to know that St. John’s was founded to serve the sons and daughters of immigrants,” Gempesaw said. ”The first time I visited St. John’s during the search process, my wife and I visited St. Thomas More Church; it’s a very special building, and from then on we walked towards the library. Seeing the campus, seeing the students, seeing the faculty, I felt at that time that this was a place that we could belong.” This is Gempesaw’s first time living in New York, specifically in Queens, and he says that he loves living here. While he was Dean of the Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware, Gempesaw would take weekend trips to New York to visit alumni, which allowed him to become familiar with the city.

Continued on page 3

Managing Board XCII

Directory

Samantha Albanese, Editor-in-Chief

Olivia Cunningham, Managing Editor Kyle Fitzgerald Features Editor Natalie Hallak Chief Copy Editor Jenny Chen Asst. Chief Copy Editor Angelica King Advertising Manager

Briawnna Jones Entertainment Editor Diana Colapietro Photo Editor

Howard Barrett III Business Manager

jim baumbach

Laurice Rawls Online Editor Cheyanne Gonzales Photo Editor

Talia Tirella News Editor Stephen Zitolo Sports Editor Gina Palermo Art Director

Advertising (718)-9906756 Business 990-6756 Editorial Board 990-6444

Features 990-6445 News 990-6444 Opinion 990-6445 Sports 990-6444

Alexa Vagelatos Opinion Editor

Advisor

The Torch is the official student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University. All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.

To contact The Torch by mail: The Torch, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY 11439

The Torch is typically published on Wednesdays, approximately 20 issues throughout the academic year. Circulation per issue is 3,500 copies distributed free on campus and through mail subcriptions. This copy of The Torch is worth $1.00.

PHOTO of the week

TORCH PHOTO/GINA PALERMO

Johnny Thunderbird taking pictures with fans at a men’s soccer game at Belson Stadium versus Hofstra.

Think Outside...

News

New president will focus on enrollment and financial support Continued from page 1 After being at St. John’s for several months, Gempesaw says that what he likes most is “the passion and commitment of the faculty and staff.” He invited several faculty members and administrators to his house over the summer, as well as members of the President’s Society, and he said, “I can clearly see in each one their dedication to the institution.” Gempesaw comes to St. John’s after spending three decades in academia. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a doctorate degree in agricultural economics, he started at the University of Delaware as an assistant professor and gradually moved up until he was promoted to department chair, a position he held for six years until becoming vice provost in 1999. In 2004, he became the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and in 2006 became dean of the Lerner College of Business and Economics. In 2011, he then became provost at Miami University (Ohio), a position he officially held until June 30 before coming to St. John’s. “It never occurred to me that I would be a university president,” he said. Gempesaw takes pride in the mission of St. John’s, which includes providing financial support to students that need it. ”The University takes pride in [the fact that] 97% of students receive support, as very few universities could say that that’s part of their special mission. That’s something that resonates with me very strongly, and how we can provide not only access but also insure the success of our students,” he said. When asked what challenges St. John’s faces going forward, Gempesaw mentioned enrollment. The University’s enrollment has

decreased in recent years, but Gempesaw said, “I have immediately started to look [at the issue] very closely.” He is confident he can work with the enrollment management staff, the provost and the deans to come up with a collaborative solution and unique enrollment strategies. ”I am, however, confident that we will be able to find a niche for St. John’s.” Over the coming months and years, Gempesaw will continue to face the variety of challenges that any university president faces. However, he has both short-term and medium-term plans that he has already begun to work on. His medium-term plans revolve around the University’s 150th anniversary in 2020. In order to plan for the short-term, over the summer Gempesaw held his own ‘listening tour’ involving a two-day President’s retreat, where he met with the top 50 leaders at St. John’s, including department chairs, deans and administrators. ”I asked [the participants] what are the challenges and opportunities that we as a university should look at in the short-term while we prepare for the medium to long term strategic priorities,” he said. ”At this time, I’m also going around and meeting with various faculty councils from the different colleges.” Gempesaw plans to provide additional details about the outcome of his listening tour during his investiture in October. “I did not come [to the university] to say I know what we should do, or what the mission should be for St. John’s,” he said. “What I would like to emphasize is this should be a shared mission, this should be a shared ownership, because a shared mission will have a higher chance of being successful.”

4 Dr. Gempesaw, the 17th president of St. John’s, and the first layperson to hold the role.

Q&A:

The following questions are taken directly from the half hour Torch interview with Dr. Gempesaw. What do you like about St. John’s the most? “The passion and the commitment of the faculty and staff. In the first couple of weeks, I’ve invited several of our employees to [our] house just to get to know them better, [including] administrators, our staff from public safety, our staff from facilities. We also had students from the President’s society. I can see in each one their dedication to the institution.” What are some of the challenges St. John’s faces going forward? “Us and any other university here, particularly in the Northeast, we face enrollment challenges. That is an issue that I have immediately started to look at very, very closely and work collaboratively with our enrollment management staff, involv[ing] the provost and the deans, so we can plan appropriately on what our enrollment strategies should be. Especially now, that’s partly caused by the demographic trends in the region. I am, however, confident that we will be able to find a niche for St. John’s.”

Gempesaw: importance of international students University President Gempesaw recently led a conference centered around the role international students play in America’s higher education. The conference titled “The Role of the International Student,” sponsored by The New York Times took place on Sept. 9. The topic of this year’s conference focused on changes in modern education, including the challenges and innovations that America’s educational system faces. Gempesaw discussed the importance of including international students in order to broaden educational horizons. A press release on the St. John’s website quoted Gempesaw as saying, “Interacting with international students on our campuses exposes domestic students to broader perspectives and views.” The inclusion of STEM in American education is especially important because many immigrant students display strengths when it comes to those fields of study. Another conference speaker, Dr. Eric Kaler, president of the University of Minnesota said, “Welcoming international students is about providing a world-class education.” Sidebars compiled by Talia Tirella, News Editor

TORCH PHOTO/CHEYANNE GONZALES

Obama vows to “destroy and degrade,” ISIS beheads another President announces upcoming plan for military action against the Islamic State

VALERIE JUAREZ Staff Writer On Sept. 10, one day before the 13th anniversary of 9/11, President Obama announced an upsurge on the fight against Islamic State terrorists. He spoke of plans to augment airstrikes in Iraq, send more U.S. military advisers to Baghdad, provide arms to Syrian rebels and begin airstrikes in Syria. ISIL, also known as ISIS, or The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is a terrorist group, formerly Al Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq, has gained huge portions of territory on the Iraq-Syrian border as a result of the Syrian civil war. ISIS has killed hundreds of civilians, including a pair of American journalists and most recently, a British aid worker. President Obama’s announcement ordered 475 new military advisers to Iraq to aid in humanitarian activites. This is in addition to the 300 advisers he sent in June and the 130 U.S. personnel he sent last month. Erik Brown, a junior ROTC cadet at St. John’s, expressed his opinions on the plan that Obama announced last week from his military perspective. “I am glad that he [President Obama] is finally coming around to realizing that the action needs to be taken now. ISIS is not going to fall apart on its own. It is strong, it’s organized and it needs decisive action to take it out. I am glad that he is finally coming around to that.” Brown said. The public meanwhile, has criticized the president on the handling of the situation, as he previously claimed his administration did not have a strategy for dealing with ISIS only two weeks ago. “I want the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American

combat troops fighting on foreign soil. “This counter terrorism campaign will be waged by a steady relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever it may exist using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground,” President Obama said during the press conference on Sept. 10. Last month, President Obama ordered more than 150 successful airstrikes in Iraq, which have saved the lives of innocent men and women. He has also asked Congress for the authority to give weapons and training into Syrian rebels. “I believe that the airstrikes are at the least what we should be doing at the moment. I remember he [President Obama] was talking about that we need to give more support to the Iraqis and our allies on the ground. The airstrikes need to come in,” Brown said. “I can’t go as far in saying that we need to put U.S. troops on the ground, because simply the American people will not support that. We don’t want a third war in Iraq at the moment, but I am glad that the airstrikes are at a necessity,” Brown said. “I do not believe it will be a third war in Iraq simply because there is no way to sell that to the American people. People are more wary. We have been fighting in Iraq for so long and we just got out. People are not going to want to go back in,” Brown explained. British Prime Minister, David Cameron recently laid out a plan about security at home. Brown expressed his opinion on whether or not President Obama should have addressed security in the homeland. “I’m sure behind the scenes they have discussed the issue plenty. So much happens behind the scenes that the American people don’t see. I personally do not think that ISIS has the capability to attack the U.S. at the cur-

rent moment. I do not believe that the way they operate, they are an army.” Brown said. “They are not a terrorist group who sits in different cell areas. They are an army on the ground. They have no capability to attack the U.S. in my opinion. Of course, I could be wrong. I simply do not know but I’m sure he maybe could’ve addressed the issue and could have simply said that at the moment they don’t have the capability; do not be alarmed. But the fact that he [President Obama] did not think to address it, I didn’t think it was such a big deal.” Recently, a few American citizens have begun joining ISIS, however, no confirmed numbers have been released yet. When asked, Brown expressed his

opinion about Americans joining this terrorist group. “Well, I think they are traitors first of all. Any American that joins ISIS is a terrorist and should be treated as such. There have been people who have said strip U.S. citizenship from them. I do not agree with that because if you strip citizenship from them, you make them stateless individuals and makes them harder to track. “I do not say strip their citizenship because in a way that legitimizes their citizenship in this so-called Islamic state.” Brown said. The United States will now be working together along with friends and allies to degrade and ultimately destroy terrorist group ISIS.

PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

4 The ISIL Flag is a Black Standard Flag, which dates back to 8th century Islam, according to pri.org. The white writing at the top of the flag is the first half of a phrase called the shahada, meaning declaration of faith. The Shahada reads: “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.”

Ebola spreads, several new patients brought to U.S. AMANDA UMPIERREZ Staff Writer Another patient has been transferred to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta for treatment of Ebola, as confirmed by CNN News. It has been less than a month since the first two American patients to contract the disease, Dr. Kent Brantley and Nancy Writebol, were discharged from Emory University Hospital. Yet, American patients who carry the deadly virus continue to be transferred to isolation units and medical centers in the United States. A male U.S. citizen arrived at Emory University Hospital from West Africa on Sept. 9 to begin treatment, according to CNN. This will be the fourth Ebola patient to receive treatment in the U.S. According to the Los Angeles Times, another American doctor, Dr. Rick Sacra, arrived in the United States on Sept. 5 from Liberia after testing

positive for Ebola. He is currently under treatment at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Three out of the four American citizens with the disease tested positive while working in West African Ebola

treatment centers. CNN reports Sacra was delivering babies in Liberia when he contracted the disease.. The outbreak has mainly affected regions in Western Africa, including Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Other

reports have popped up in Nigeria and Senegal as well. Most cases are a result of contact with bodily fluids from those infected with the virus. According to the World Health Organization, more than 4,200 cases of Ebola have been reported since December, and over 2,000 of those cases have resulted in fatalities. Symptoms of Ebola usually appear anywhere within two to 21 days, and include a high fever of 101.5°F or above, muscle pain, severe headache, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Visit: http://www.who.int for more information from the World Health Organization on Ebola, and to stay alert about the epidemic. PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The number of Ebola cases throughout West Africa as of September 10.

Santangelo named Associate Vice President of Campus Ministry St. John’s grad will oversee programs, including new mission trips, programs and events TALIA TIRELLA News Editor Tori Santangelo, a St. John’s graduate, is now the associate vice president of Campus Ministry. She will now oversee various programs and activities that Campus Ministry is in charge of. Santangelo is known for her time as a St. John’s volleyball player, but she was also involved with Campus Ministry as a student. She was a retreat leader and also served as an executive board member for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Santangelo said she frequented masses as well, and helped with Eucharistic ministry. Before becoming associate vice president, Santangelo served as executive director of Campus Ministry. As executive director, she was in charge of the day-today duties of Campus Ministry, but as associate vice president she will oversee what projects are formulated to meet the needs of students as well as develop a vision for the future of Campus Ministry. Campus Ministry has several big events taking place this year, including the 10th anniversary of St. Thomas More Chapel and President Gempesaw’s inauguration in October. “We will be celebrating our university in several ways, including a celebration of our spiritual classroom. Every month we will have a program inviting people to learn about the church,” said Santangelo. She said that two new service plunges have been added: one to Los Angeles to work with Vincentian Service Corps West, and another to North Carolina to work with a group of Vincentian priests. “We are always looking to add more opportunities for service and reflection, and we do that by looking at the needs of our students and how we can best serve them,” said Santangelo.

TORCH PHOTO/ CHEYANNE GONZALES

Tori Santangelo is the new associate vice president of Campus Ministry.

on their journey and find a program that fits what they’re looking for, whether it’s faith, social justice, leadership or community.” Santangelo also spoke about the importance of Campus Ministry throughout St. John’s. “It’s part of our foundation for us to collaborate with the other departments here. If you name a department, we would have a connection there. These connections allow us to be successful in serving the students, because we want their experience to be seamless. Our job is to enhance the mission!” Santangelo said her favorite things about Campus Ministry are the students, the relationships formed and making students feel like St. John’s is their home. “It’s important that this ‘home’ is going to feed them spiritually and academically, and give them tools to be successful in their vocation,” said Santangelo. For those interested in becoming involved with any of the programs that Campus Ministry offers, visit their office in Marillac 239 or any of several offices in the St. Thomas More Church.

Comparing the roles of being a St. John’s student and then associate vice president of Campus Ministry, Santangelo said that the role Campus Ministry plays on campus is important. “Any opportunity for a student to come to know their faith is the primary experience that we want them to have here. We have service opportunities that allow for students to reflect and become transformed in our Vincentian values,” said Santangelo. She also said that Campus Ministry “teaches students about leadership and community and what it takes to become global cit-

izens. These concepts are very important to teach students while they’re here.” Santangelo feels that involvement in Campus Ministry is something every St. John’s student should partake in. “I speak on behalf of our mission, and I welcome freshmen and new students to St. John’s and I invite them to get to know our mission. Campus Ministry invites students of all religious traditions,” said Santangelo. Her invitation involves various programs and events that Campus Ministry holds for students, many of which, said Santangelo, “let us help them

Follow Campus Ministry on Twitter: @stjohnsCampMin

ner than the 5S, the iPhone 6 Plus being 7.1mm. #Selfies galore Apple is well known for its cameras that seem to consistently outpace the competition and it looks like the new iPhone 6 camera will be no different. Though the camera is still an 8-megapixel model, the sensor has been upgraded. Apple introduced this as the “next generation iSight sensor” that has special “focus pixels.” These pixels allow phase detection and autofocus that makes pictures clearer. It is also said to be twice as fast as the iPhone 5S. The new camera also has a “burst selfie” option that allows you to take 10 consecutive pictures in seconds with one click. In this day and age when the world of ‘selfies’ and Instagram have become a part of our everyday lives, getting the perfect picture is important, and Apple has made it easier than ever. Texting/Autocorrect Texting has become a vital part of life. It makes classes go by faster, allows venting sessions to last for days and has made unimaginable conversations much easier. How could texting become better than it already is? How about being able to add voice, video and your location to any message? You now have the option to directly

do those functions with one click. Apple went out of their way to add a predictive keyboard that learns your texting conversation style. Say so long and farewell to the days of writing “duck” and “ducking.” Battery Life People nowadays use their phone for almost everything. You use it as your planner, note-taking source, calculator, news center, flashlight, music player and who can forget the beloved apps that we spend endless hours immersed in. With all the possibilities and power you have at your fingertips, you feel invincible! That is, until the green battery bar at the top right corner slowly changes to red and you watch as the percentages drop lower and lower. You can’t help but panic, but fear not, because Apple has provided a way for you to sustain your precious battery for those all-nighters. The new iPhone now has a battery that lasts up to 24 hours on standby. No more carrying around those portable chargers or worrying about where the nearest outlet is. Now you’re probably wondering, “What is the price for all of this?” You will be able to buy the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus starting Sept.19. The iPhone 6 will start at around $199 on-contract for a 16GB, with 64GB and 128GB avail-

able for a higher price of $299 and $399, respectively. The iPhone 6 Plus is available in all three GB sizes as well, with higher prices of $399 and $499. The phones will be available in space gray, gold and silver. Aside from the iPhones, Apple introduced the Apple Watch and Apple Pay. Starting at $349, the Apple Watch, which is Apple’s version of a smartwatch, is a much-anticipated product that people say will triumph over all others. Though the watch has many functions and features, some of which are similar to those on an iPhone, and some of which are unique to the watch itself. The watch is due in stores early next year and available in many different styles. For Apple lovers everywhere, the wait seems eternal. It is said that “simplicity is the key to brilliance,” and time and time again, Apple has mesmerized people all over the world with their simplistic design and approach to technology. With the unveiling of these new products it seems that Apple will continue to be brilliant and bring happiness to people for many years to come. The full version of this article appears on torchonline.com.

New Apple products astound with array of innovative features JOYCE JUN Staff Writer

The wait is over! After months of rumors and anticipation, on Sept. 9, Apple unveiled two new iPhones as well as a fresh new product, the Apple Watch. In the span of the two-hour presentation, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook put countless rumors to rest as he unveiled the brand new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. In addition to these, he surprised everyone with a compatible smartwatch known as the Apple Watch, as well as an electronic wallet that may soon make plastic credit cards a relic of the past. The iPhone 6 is loaded with features that are sure to be big game changers when it comes to all things basic. Some features include: Following the ‘phablet’ trend The most obvious change would be the screen size on both phones. With smart phone screens in the market getting larger by the minute, Apple has received criticism for its use of small screen sizes. The iPhone 6 has a screen that is 4.7 inches wide, while the iPhone 6 Plus has an astounding 5.5-inch screen. 5.5 inches? That’s only 2.4 inches smaller than the iPad Mini, which has a screen size of 7.9 inches. On top of the rather big change, the home screen can now work horizontally. Despite having a much larger screen, both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are thin-

Opinion Staff Editorial XCII

SAMANTHA ALBANESE Editor-in-Chief OLIVA CUNNINGHAM Managing Editor

Illustrator’s CORNER

TALIA TIRELLA News Editor BRIAWNNA JONES Entertainment KYLE FITZGERALD Features Editor STEPHEN ZITOLO Sports Editor ALEXA VAGELATOS Opinion Editor GINA PALERMO Design Editor

FLAMES OF THE TORCH

Welcome back!

We hope you are adjusting well to the new semester. There are plenty of activities to get involved in at the university, and we highly suggest joining the Torch! Changes on campus include: the campus bookstore rebranding, updated food choices in many of the food court locations, renovated bathrooms in Marillac, newly added signage to help navigate around campus and additional printing services in both DAC and Marillac. When we left you last semester, the fate of the Torch office was yet to be determined. Over the summer, we were uncertain if we would need to move and, if so, where our new home would be. Ultimately, the Torch worked with Student Affairs to find a suitable space, and we just moved into our new office, which is located in O’Connor Hall. The office entrance is located in the back of the building, through the gray door that reads “Learning Communities” and down the stairs. We encourage interested writers, designers, photographers and editors to stop by any time. In this issue, our news section features profiles on two campus figures, the new president Dr. Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw and the newly appointed associate vice president for Campus Ministry Tori Santangelo, who has been at St. John’s for

over a decade. This is our first interview with Gempesaw and provides a personal insight into the ideas and goals of our new president. In general, the news section showcases the best events within St. John’s and the latest news happening all over the world. The opinion section is a newer Torch feature and includes artwork and poetry by St. John’s students. Within the opinion section, students are able to express their concerns and thoughts on various subjects both within and outside of the university. Editor Alexa Vagelatos, whose email appears on this page, is always looking for new contributors (as are all of our editors!). In the lifestyle section, entertainment has all of the news about the latest music, fashion and movies, while features has a full-page article about Jumpstart, a volunteer program for low-income preschools. The lifestyle section, (a combination of the entertainment and features sections) showcases all of the latest celebrity news and the essence and interests of student life. Soccer, golf and volleyball are among the teams highlighted in our sports section, which begins on page 15. The Sports section covers all of the Red Storm games and offers commentary on the various players and teams, often including profiles and statistics.

EDITORIAL POLICY

Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the T ORCH . Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The T ORCH . Opinions expressed in editori-

als, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.

TO CONTRIBUTE

Mail letters to: All are welcome to contribute to the Torch. Please The TORCH, St. John’s University include your full name, year, and college (or depart8000 Utopia Parkway, ment). Letters have a limit of 500 words and may be Jamaica, NY 11439 edited for content, grammar, or space. Unverifiable or anonymous letters will not be published. All letters Submit letters via email to: are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board of torcheic@gmail.com the TORCH.

TORCH ILLUSTRATOR/ NICOLE MARINO “The title is “Purity that demands exclusion, isn’t real purity.” Usually I just title works without further explaining it because the piece is up for interpretation.”

Letter From The Editor Dear Readers,

To every student at St. John’s University reading this sentence: I applaud you. You’ve completed the first thing that this new section is supposed to accomplish, which is grabbing your attention. NOW, don’t stop here. The second thing that this section is supposed to do is make you want to be a part of it! For those of you who aren’t aware, this fabulous Opinion section is a brand new addition to the Torch, of which I have proudly taken the position of developing. I have visions of it becoming one of the more popular and attractive ones of the Torch. It will allow the students – that’s you, the people who keep this campus thriving- to speak your minds. I want this to be the beginning of something great, but I can’t get the ball rolling without you. I know you all have opinions. Everyday, I hear something new coming from either friends or strangers about what they believe the flaws and triumphs of this campus are. Like I said, this is a new section. The new editorial board and I are pushing to create something that will allow you to express yourselves freely. Want to write about an awesome new restaurant you visited in Manhattan this weekend? Go ahead. Want to write about Greek life, or residence life and what you think about it? Write it down. Want to talk about the most recent thing in the news and how it makes you feel? Lay it on me! Chances are, you aren’t the only one thinking and feeling those things. I hope that over time, whether or not it is during mine at the Torch, this section grows to be one of the primary outlets for students. I promise to make it the best and most effective that it can be. I hope that you join me in this mission to become the voice of St. John’s University. Thank you. Sincerely, Alexa Vagelatos Opinion Editor torchopinion@gmail.com

“Faces of Addiction”

A Photo Series Ridding the Stereotypes SUZANNE CIECHALSKI Contributing Writer Take a walk down Wall Street and you will see The New York Stock Exchange, over-caffeinated men and women speedily making their way to work and skyscrapers galore. The life of a New Yorker. The life Chris Arnade

A constant figure within the “Faces of Addiction” series. She is a prostitute who was forced by her mother to sell her body from the age of 11. She is a mother of six and an addict.

The borough that offers the world. Literally.

downtown Manhattan after dark (and the drinks cheaper). Or maybe they didn’t know that the original giant scale model of NYC from the 1964 World’s Fair is still on display “Queens sucks.” Chances are, if in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park; the you’ve lived in New York City long same model that amazed visitors from enough,you’ve heard that at least once. Queens gets a bad rap, but I don’t really all across the globe decades ago. Perhaps they don’t know that the know why. Chinatown in Manhattan pales in comQueens is one of the city’s largest parison to what lies at the end of the boroughs, and one of the most diverse places in the world. There’sw a niche for 7 train line - which was voted the best every nationality imaginable somewhere train line in the city for the 7th time this year, by the way. within her borders. Got money to blow? Who needs Irish? Head to Woodside for a SoHo, when you have the Queens Cenproperly poured pint of Guinness. In ter Mall? If you haven’t had a slice of the mood for some true Mexican grub? New Park Pizza in Howard Beach yet, Check out Corona (you won’t find any have you really lived? Chipotles here.) Queens is underrated – but maybe Queens hails some of the most we should keep it that way. Let the hattalented artists of our time. Nas grew ers scramble into increasingly expensive up in the Queensbridge Houses. Martin Brooklyn neighborhoods, where genScorcese was born here. Lucy Liu was trification has swept away all but the raised in Jackson Heights and was first last traces of authenticity and character. discovered while on the subway. Even Let them count Queens out for shoebox Spiderman was from Queens. apartments in Manhattan. Yet Queens still can’t shake that This weekend, go explore Queens. uncool reputation. I like to believe the naysayers just aren’t aware of all she has Because Queens is big. Because Parsons and “Trads” will still be there when to offer. you get back. Because Queens is weird They probably haven’t spent an afternoon at MoMA’s PS1in Long Island and unique, but she has integrity. And for some reason she is underrated – but City yet; or a Friday night out in Astoria – where the energy is just as lively as Queens most assuredly does not suck.

A Love Letter to Queens

All photos used with the permission of Chris Arnade

SHAWN McCREESH Contributing Writer

RUGBY REVIVAL AT SJU

A new and progressive group of Freshmen have come together with aspirations of rebuilding the once powerful SJU undergraduate club Rugby Program. In the days and weeks ahead new players are invited to join the group and learn the skills of the game in a non contact environment playing touch rugby on The Great Lawn. The Rugby Club will be organized in compliance with all SJU campus regulations. No great time commitment is expected of any student. Come learn and enjoy playing this exciting international sport on your own schedule. We will form our own Fraternity/Sorority and build life long friendships with our new team mates.

Takeesha:

St. John's Alumni rugby club www.villagelions.org would like to assist todays undergraduates in setting up their own SJU Rugby Club. St. John's was one of the first colleges in America to play rugby. During the pre-war days of the late 1930s St.John's, Harvard, Yale and the NY Rugby club played each other during the Fall and Spring seasons. Rugby was discontinued at SJU during the war years and did not restart again until freshman Alan Whelan a native of Dublin started a new club in the Spring of 1973. Rugby at SJU thrived from the start and soon the Johnnies had over 100 members and fielded three sides each game day against colleges and rugby clubs across the tri-state area. In 1985 club sports with inter collegiate schedules such as the Lacrosse and Rugby clubs were phased out by the administeration. Its time to bring back sports with a full inter collegiate schedule once again. Today over 130 inner city high schools have taken up rugby and most of the Catholic High Schools have well established rugby programs. Stony Brook U has now a Varisty Rugby Program with scholarships available to quality HS students. Take advantage of the beautiful Fall weather to learn the skills of the game, set up your men's and women's program and be prepared to take on a full match schedule in the Spring of 2015. Take action today, you're four years of college will be gone before you know it.

Students who would like to play and become the founder members of a new and exciting chapter of rugby at SJU are invited to contact Alan Whelan by email at. SJUrugby2014@yahoo.com SJU Alumni.

A couple highly addicted to heroin and constantly torn apart by the law, but very in love.

once lived. Chris Arnade is a photographer who graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a PhD in Physics. He worked as a trader on Wall Street for 20 years before giving up his career to spend his time on photography. Arnade is working on an online photo series that can be found on Flickr. com, entitled “Faces of Addiction.” It focuses on people suffering from addiction in the South Bronx. He photographs these people and tells their stories online with captions beneath their photos. Arnade’s work tells the stories of those that our society chooses to

Eric and Sonya:

“These stories put addiction into perspective and show society why addiction is not a simple thing to beat. They show us how it can be driven into people from such a young age.“

He grew up with an abusive father who suffered from drug addiction. He was molested at age 15, and his parents blamed it on him being homosexual. He has been living in Hunts Point for 20 years ever since.

neglect. His photography exposes lives rampant with drugs, rape and prostitution from a young age. The photographs speak volumes on addiction and its impact on poor communities. The photos on this page, are just a few of the hundreds of people in The South Bronx plagued by addiction. Their pictures and stories rid us of our stereotypes on addicts, prostitutes and those living in poverty. They put faces to serious issues plaguing our society, and cause us to sympathize and understand why they have lived their lives the way they have. These stories put addiction into perspective and show society why addiction is not a simple thing to beat. They show us how it can be driven into people from such a young age. “Faces of Addiction” forces us to look at the darker side of our society and deal with it. Everyone should take a few minutes out of their day to explore this series as well as the rest of Arnade’s work. It is heart-wrenching, educational and powerful. It will open up your mind and hopefully help you to understand addiction in a way that you never would have imagined.

Michael, also known as Shelley:

Lifestyle

Education program gives kids a chance

Jumpstart provides low-income children with the means to build a sustainable education LIVIA PAULA Staff Writer Lucy was a special little girl in a preschool in Jamaica, Queens who caught the eye of Desiree Francis about four years ago. Lucy was one of the many low-income kids that needed extra help to reach her potential. Back then Francis was just a freshman, psychology major at St. John’s University. Lucy couldn’t speak a word of English and Francis couldn’t seem to get through to her. Through the Jumpstart literacy

“I fell in love (with the program). Everyone should do it.” Senior Desiree Francis

program, Francis began working with Lucy and she quickly saw improvement in her communication skills and became completely bilingual. Today, Francis is a senior at St. John’s and her story is one of many that students have to tell about their involvement with Jumpstart. It was due to the program’s impact that Francis is now a Childhood Education major with a concentration in psychology. She learned about Jumpstart when she was just a freshman walking around the university’s activities fair. At the time she didn’t expect that this literacy program advertised on one of the tables would have turned out to be more than just a great idea. “I fell in love [with the program],” Francis said. “Everyone should do it.” Jumpstart is a national

non-profit and federal fund literacy program aimed towards low-income, underprivileged preschools. St. John’s students involved

in it work with schools in the Jamaica, Queens area. According to Daniel Doncel, Jumpstart’s co-site manager at St. John’s, students are subjected to 300 hours of service divided equally into the fall and spring semesters. According to Doncel, selected students are given a list of 20 books that they are required to read to the kids twice. The first time is for the kids to enjoy and the second time is to reinforce what they’ve read. The goal of those working in Jumpstart is to make sure they push the kids to succeed while learning from the experience. “Their job is to try to get as much from the kids as possible,” Doncel said. “You get as much as you’re giving.” This is the reason why they work on it not only when they are in the schools and with the kids, but when they are home as well. There’s typically much planning behind the scenes for different sessions and activities. Though the students that work with Jumpstart receive a scholarship of $1,195 dollars as compensation, students find that they gain much more value in their growth as a person and as a future professional. “The program sticks with you even when you’re long gone,” Doncel said. “It’s a great experience to see the impact that [it] leaves on the little kids and the impact on the big kids.” Junior Nora Melendez is one of the students who embodied the professional and personal growth seen in those involved in Jumpstart. The English major student with a double minor in journalism and photography believes that being part of the program was something different she did – and she couldn’t be prouder to step out of her comfort zone. “I must admit I was intimidated and didn’t think I would get it,” Melendez said. “But luckily I did and was offered the team leader position and everything just went from there.” Melendez also added that the program changed her perception on education. “Every child, no matter how disruptive or quiet they can be, has the potential to learn beyond what everyone else thinks they’re capable of,” Melendez said. Melendez shared the story of a student named Andres who was obsessed with superheroes. No book would please

Photo courtesy of Jumpstart

A St. John’s student assists one of the kids in an arts and crafts project.

him since there were no superheroes or activities, which would bore him because no character could fly. “One day we read a book called ‘One Dark Night’,” she said. “It’s about how a mother cat saves her kitten from a horrible thunderstorm and gets them warmth and shelter. During their time, the chil-

ementary school that word gap can be a difference of up to 15,000 words or more.” Melendez said. “That literally sets up children from low economic backgrounds in a game of tag, trying to catch up but never fully being able to.” Still, Jumpstart can pose some challenges. Francis, for example, said some teachers might feel a little protective over the kids at first, but believes that “once trust is established, everything is “The program sticks with you smooth.” even when you’re She also said that the amount of long gone.” patience needed is significant - they’re never alone. Manager Daniel Doncel “Besides your team you also have the teachers,” Francis said. “The big issues are always on the teachers and you’re dren had a chance to come up with their never by yourself.” own story at the writing center.” Junior Quintisha Upchurch also beMelendez continued by saying how lieves that the program nurtures not only Andres created his story as if the mother the children but also the students that cat was using her super strength to save work with them. The Speech Pathology the kittens from an oncoming car, and his and Audiology major worked with the imagination kept running with that idea.. program during her freshman and sophoIt was because of small moments like more years and said it was life changing. this that she believes Jumpstart changed “It made me aware of the education her life. gap and really passionate about educating “Education has always been import- the children,” Upchurch said. “Everyone ant to me but I never thought I would deserves an equal opportunity.” have this active of a role within it,” Melendez said. Anyone interested in the program The program is great for St. John’s should apply at students involved and all majors are jstart.org/apply for the invited to participate. However, their imSt. John’s University site. pacts on the schools that are being helped Jumpstart’s site managers, are even more significant. Doncel and John Dunphy, will According to Melendez, those who interview applicants and can afford to go to preschool have a selected students will be divided better outcome and a richer vocabulary than those who lack the funds. The gap into teams that will work between those kids in these two different together throughout the year. social classes increases over the years. “By the time these children reach el-

New year, new look at SJU BRIONNA JENKINS Contributing Writer

St. John’s University gives their students the opportunity to study in style,putting their tuition dollars to work through improvements on campus. Last semester, new campus directory and street signs were installed and the university didn’t miss a beat, upkeeping the fresh environment with further improvements for the 2014-15 school year. One of the largest improvements made was to the student bookstore, which is now the “SJU Campus Store.” Along with changing the store sign to a more visible and brand-concious display, the interior set up and color scheme were also updated. Students seem pretty pleased with the new display sign and setup for the bookstore. Brian Cheng, a sophomore pharmacy student shares, “I didn’t find the bookstore improvements really necessary but if they help improve the campus overall, I’m all for it.” New flat screen monitors were installed in Marillac Hall, giving the academic building a more chic and clean look. The updated bathrooms are now similar to those in the D’Angelo Center; one of the most recently built facilities on the campus. Justin Solomon, a psychology major thinks, “The new bathrooms are the best thing they’ve done for Marillac. They are cleaner and nicer and I’m sure everyone appreciates it.” The newly made improvements benefit commuter and resident students alike. The days of cutting through the grass near Sullivan Hall to exit Gate 6 are now over. The path paved through the grass will allow for easier access to both the Gate 6 exit and the parking lot. For the students who call St. John’s home, looking presentable to go down to the lobby to check your mail or grab your food delivery may no longer be a huge concern. With the installment of the tints on the lobby windows, no one standing outside the residence hall will be able to see inside. Along with the facility updates, you can see SJU banners on light posts just about anywhere you turn on campus. The banners display the university colors, new logo and many of them are images of students and the campuses abroad. Computer science major Xavier Duah, expresses that although some renovations such as Taco Bell were unnecessary, the improvements are nice and enhance the visual aspect of the campus.

For more Lifestyle updates, follow @TorchLifestyle on Twitter.

5 must-have apps

JASMINE HARRIS Staff Writer Being that nearly everyone has a smartphone or a laptop on their person, it’s easy to get distracted and forget about everything, but there is a way to use these devices to your advantage. So, here are five apps that will save your life this semester. The Weather Channel Here in the Northeast the weather can change pretty rapidly and you’re going to want to be prepared. This app will help you get used to the sometimes erratic weather patterns of New York City so you’re not caught outside when there’s a severe weather alert in affect. You can add several cities into your favorites as well to keep up with the weather back home. Fitbit Starting college can easily shake your life up, especially if you’ve just moved in, so it’s important to make sure you’re staying healthy. Fitbit makes it easy to keep track of your steps, calories eaten and burned and your exercise patterns.

You can also log in how much water you’re drinking and how much you sleep. The app keeps track of your progress so it is easy for you to figure out how to better your health. Selfcontrol For all of the procrastinators out there, this app helps you stay focused on that essay you decided to write the day before it’s due. All you do is add sites that usually serve as your distractions to your blacklist, set a time limit, and then hit start. Then you will not be able to access any of those sites until the time is up. Unfortunately, it is only available for Macs. Rite Aid There are two Rite Aid locations close to the school for whenever you run out of something important. The app allows you to shop online, see any deals that are currently going on, and keep track of your wellness+ card. It also helps you to keep track of any prescriptions you need.

Seamless For those days you don’t want to leave your bed, there is Seamless. Simply put in your address and it’ll give you a large variety of places that will deliver. Just order right there on the app and you’ll be all set.

PHOTO/STEVEN VERDILE

‘No Good Deed’ goes unpunished

KORI WILLIAMS Staff Writer

For some, there’s a cold sweat that overtakes the body when a stranger walks by. For others, there is a churning in their stomach. These are signs the body gives us when there’s possible danger, when something is telling us to get out now. These are just two things Terri experienced when her best friend vanishes from her home without even a mention of goodbye. When Terri, a stay-at-home mother of two, played by Taraji P. Henson, extends a helping hand to Colin (Idris Elba), a neighbor in need, her world almost crashes in on itself. The movie “No Good Deed” begins to come alive on a stormy night with her husband away for his father’s birthday. Colin crashes his car and needs to get help. He’s not beaten up too badly, but needs to get home, and the wreck up the road isn’t getting him anywhere. He finds Terri’s home and asks if he can use her phone to wait for the tow truck. However, Terri ends up feeling so bad for Colin having to stand in the downpour that she not only allows him to let the tow truck pick him up from her home, she invites him in with her two small children inside. Colin conveniently fails to admit that he is convicted of manslaughter for the deaths of six people, five of whom were women. He also fails to admit that he broke free from transport back to jail after he was denied parole because he, as one of the board members puts it, is a“malignant narcissist.” Not to mention that he killed his ex-fianceé the same day, but being the great liar that he is due to his mental state, Colin comes off as an okay guy, and makes a wary Terri feel somewhat okay with let-

ting him in. “No Good Deed” then follows Terri as she does her best to avoid being his next victim. Henson does a great job of displaying fear while knowing she needs to keep a level head. Her character does her best to ensure the safety of her children. She begs Colin to take her life and spare her children. However, when Colin insists that the children be involved, she makes sure to tell them that they’re taking a trip or having a sleepover to shield them from the danger. Elba plays the part of a crazed killer well. The inflection is more in his voice than an expression on his face, but that helps the creation of jumpscares if anything. It is hard to believe him in this role however. He’s not just a killer who wants to get revenge on his ex or had bad run-ins with a few unfortunate people. His character is supposed to be mentally ill. His narcissism is supposed to make him completely incapable of hearing any kind of criticism or

feel of rejection, which in turn causes him to lash out and kill at the first inkling of these feelings. It makes sense for Colin to look handsome and ‘all there’ when he’s trying to put on a front for Terri, but when all masks are off, nothing about his character goes the extra mile to make the audience really believe that Colin is mentally off. “No Good Deed” isn’t a scary movie in a typical sense. While there are a number of jump-scares put in place because of the storm and car alarms constantly going off, this can be considered as more of a psychological thriller. It’s very easy to become emotionally involved with Terri; it’s easy to look out for her and her kids and root for her when she gains the advantage. While the movie takes close to an hour to really get engaging, most of what is shown in the beginning really is important towards the end. This movie may not leave you on the edge of your seat, but it can certainly leave you in a state of constant worry.

PHOTO/SCREENGEMS

No Good Deed comes in #1 at the box office grossing over 24.2 M opening weekend.

13 13

BRIAWNNA JONES Entertainment Editor

INST AGR

AM/N

EWC

LASS

It seems some things just cannot remain private for those in the limelight, as Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea becomes the next possible victim of a scandal. TMZ reports Hefe Wine Azalea’s ex-boyfriend, is shopping around an intimate video of the two from 2009. While the 24-year-old rapper denies ever having made a tape, she also tweeted out a pointed reminder that “Anyone who releases or attempts to make profit off someone else’s intimate moments against their will is a sex offender” leading many of her followers to speculate on the video’s existence. TMZ has also obtained a contract from Wine holding Azalea’s signature that gives him the legal right to “create, host and maintain a website” to market Azalea’s work. Its been a tough week for the world of football. With the Ray Rice scandal and the Adrian Peterson controversy, it seemed as if things couldn’t get any worse. However, now everyone’s favorite bad girl Rihanna is calling out CBS Sports for pulling her vocals from “Run This Town” from their Thursday Night Football lineup. Never one to hold back, Rihanna lashed out on Twitter, “CBS you pulled my

song last week, now you wanna slide it back in this Thursday?” While many are confused as to why the song was pulled, the singer seems to believe it’s because she was involved in her infamous domestic violence dispute with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009. Letting the world in on her frustration by tweeting “NO, F--k you! Y’all are sad for penalizing me for this.” A rep for the “Stay” and “We Found Love” singer told E! News that CBS was denied permission to use the song by Roc Nation “due to the misuse and misrepresentation of Rihanna’s name and participation in connection to CBS’ TNF.” CBS retaliated with a statement Tuesday saying they were moving in a different direction and will be using their “newly created” Thursday Night Football theme music to open their game broadcast. On-and-off again couple Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez seem to be on again. The two stars enjoyed a date night over the weekend at LA hot spot Lucky Strike. While the duo was celebrating their mutual friend, Ryan Butler’s birthday, it was the star pair that stole the show. Sources told E! News that the makeup-to-breakup couple were all over each other, with Bieber kissing Selena all night long. While they chose to keep it low profile, Butler’s girlfriend posted an adorable photo on Instagram where the two can be seen in the background wearing huge smiles.

Grande gives her ‘Everything’ ‘Riptide’ makes waves in LP

Ariana Grande My Everything

DARNYCYA SMITH Staff Writer Straying far away from her doo-wop roots on her first album “Yours Truly,” Ariana Grande is showing the world a short year later that she is still more than just a former Nickelodeon actress. She delivered so much, shown just in the fact that “Yours Truly” debuted at #1 on iTunes 16 minutes after it was released and officially was the #1 album a week after it was released on U.S. Billboard 200. Ariana performed at MTV’s Video Music Awards preshow in 2013, but she later exceeded expectations with a blowout debut when MTV had her open the VMA’s this year performing her smash single “Problem” with Iggy Azalea, and pop anthem “Bang Bang” alongside Jessie J and Nicki Minaj. In efforts to outdo herself, Grande made the conscious decision to release her album at midnight while coming off of her performance high hoping to avoid falling victim to the sophomore slump. “Yours Truly” had a ‘50s, ‘60s feel, and Ariana stayed true to her audience and made pop music for all ages. But with “My Everything” she shows her growth as a woman and showcases her newfound swagger in her grown up lyrics.

“My Everything” starts off with an intro where she exercises her signature voice that everyone has grown to admire. Then, the album immediately drops into her lead single “Problem” featuring Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea who actually declined to be apart of “Yours Truly.” “Problem” debuted #3 on Billboard 100 and reached #2 selling over 400,000 singles. Ariana shocked the world when she dropped “Problem”, but it was just a tease of the diversity her album was going to bring. On her second album she chose to explore different music genres. Ariana dipped her hand in the popular, growing genre of EDM (electric dance music) with the help of well-known EDM producers, David Guetta,who produced “One Last Time” and Zedd who produced Ariana’s second single “Break Free.” She brought back her rumored boyfriend Big Sean to do another song with her, “Best Mistake.” She also teamed up with Childish Gambino in “Break Your Heart Right Back” which samples Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out.” Ariana told Rolling Stone, “It’s an album that I want to do a little bit different. I don’t want it to sound like an extension of ‘Yours Truly.’ I want it to sound like an evolution. I want to explore more sounds and experiment a little bit. I have a bunch of ideas I’m very excited about and a lot of stuff cooking.” An evolution is indeed what she accomplished. Ariana definitely gave her everything—letting fans in on her journey from red-headed “Cat” to a sexy sultry songstress with a Chanel bag full of chart topping hits.

Vance Joy

Dream Your Life Away

JON MANARANG Contributing Writer Taking a page from singer-songwriters like Bon Iver and Birdy, Australia’s James Keogh, better known as Vance Joy, sings tales of heartaches and coming of age. Having to create a folk album in this era of ubiquity may feel like an overwhelming task for the young musician, with his bleeding-heart troubadours like Passenger and The Head and the Heart. Lyrically, the record takes up a soul-searching, personal level of candor that feels like the diary entries of a young Conor Oberst. While the record may center on Keogh’s vocals, guitar or ukulele, the album also features a strong mid-tempo rhythm section and lush orchestral arrangements of strings and brass. The narrative themes, alongside the musical quality of the album are reminiscent of the sepia-toned Americana sound of Mumford and Sons or The Lumineers. “Riptide” is the main single from the LP and details a narrative of the collision and naivété with maturity summarized by the narrator’s love for the woman he describes as the “closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you’ve

ever seen.” The track relies heavily on the ukulele, underscored by rhythmic percussion and synthesizer bass. Initially released on his EP “God Loves You When You’re Dancing,” it also featured the acoustic-guitar centric “From Afar” which also appears on his LP debut “Dream Your Life Away.” Though “Riptide” is the only single released in the U.S., “Mess is Mine,” “First Time,” and “Wasted Time” are to premiere as singles internationally. The majority of the album was recorded at the iconic Bear Creek Studio in Washington which has hosted a range of American artists like Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and The Lumineers. However, other tracks on the record were recorded across North America at Eller Studios in Mexico, The Magic Shop in New York City and The Warehouse Studios in Vancouver. With the phenomenal success of “Riptide” in the United States, the singer has launched a massive international tour, with multiple dates in New York including The Studio at Webster Hall, Rough Trade Records and even a performance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. With the monumental success of “Dream Your Life Away” and the release of many singles in support of the record, Vance Joy holds many prospects in his craft of indie-folk music, and is on the rise to be a well-respected voice in the genre.

Think Outside...

Sports

Volleyball wins Jack Kaiser Classic

Wachowicz leads Red Storm as she is named Tournament MVP JULIA QUADRINO Staff Writer

The St. John’s volleyball team continued its dominance at home by snagging the Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic title at Carnesecca Arena this weekend. Rebounding from a difficult tournament in Hawai’i last week where they finished 1-2, The Red Storm (8-3) reignited the fire they started the season with by finishing the tournament 3-1. Senior Aleksandra Wachowicz was crowned Tournament MVP for her commanding performance in the clinching match against Fresno State, in which she had 22

kills and a .444 attacking percentage. Junior Deniz Mutlugil and senior Ashley Boursiquot were named to the All-Tournament Team for “They swept New Hampshire (4-5)

later in the day (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) in a match that Mutlugil would lead both sides of the court in with 38 assists, marking the sixth time this season she has had 35 or more in a match. their efforts as well. Although the Johnnies dropped their first match of the tournament to Dartmouth (6-1) on Friday, they did not go down quietly. After dominating the Big Green in the first set by a score of 25-10, St. John’s was beat 25-21 in a much closer second set. They won the next set 25-22, but dropped the following one 25-22. For the first time all season, the Johnnies were forced to play five sets in a match. Dartmouth prevailed with a score of 17-15. However, that’s just about where the losing would end for the Red Storm. They swept New Hampshire (4-5) later in the day (25-16, 25-21, 25-19) in a match that Mutlugil would

lead both sides of the court in with 38 assists, marking the sixth time this season she has had 35 or more in a match. St. John’s would complete another sweep (25-11, 25-10, 25-20) the following morning against St. Francis (2-11), their sixth of the year. Junior Shawna-Lei Santos notched her first double-double of the season with 17 assists and 24 digs as the Red Storm rolled through with ease. The Johnnies’ brooms were brought to a halt later that afternoon against Fresno State, settling for a 3-1 match victory. After snagging the first two sets to create an eight-set winning streak, the Bulldogs took advantage of a poor attacking performance from St. John’s, who had just a .103 hitting percentage as a team in the third set. However, they would never trail in the fourth set as the Red Storm won the match 25-21 and solidified their tournament victory. Head coach Joanne Persico will take on her former player, 2006 graduate Caitlin Rimigalia, as she welcomes La Salle into Carnesecca Arena on Sept. 17. Photo by Maggie Castillo

2014-15 basketball schedules reMen’s Basketball

Finishing with a record of 20-13 last season, D’Angelo Harrison and company look to shed their “bubble team” persona as Staff Writer preparations begin for the highly anticipated 2014-15 campaign. The Red Storm will face familiar rivals on their quest to March Madness glory. These highlighted match-ups include home and away visits to Butler, Creighton, Duke, Georgetown, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova and Xavier. “This very well could be the most challenging schedule of my tenure when considering the quality non-conference slate of games and the always challenging BIG EAST,” head coach Steve Lavin said. The season officially tips off on Friday, Nov. 14, as the Red Storm welcomes NJIT to Carnesecca Arena. St. John’s is a perfect 3-0 against the Highlanders and looks to extend their winning streak in this year’s home opener. An early season contest with Syracuse will undoubtedly provide old BIG EAST flashbacks. St. John’s extends a century-old rivalry against the Orange with a visit to the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Dec. 6. Once BIG EAST foes, the teams have met 88 times dating back to 1912. St. John’s rekindles its rivalry with Duke at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” on Sunday, Jan. 25. In their last clash at MSG, the Red Storm triumphed with an impressive 93-78 victory over the No. 3 ranked Blue Devils. St. John’s also remains in select company as they are the last non-conference team to defeat Duke on its home floor (Feb. 26, 2000). The season is then rounded out with a trip to Philadelphia where the Red Storm face Villanova at the Wells Fargo Center on Mar. 7.

ANTHONY SCIANNA

Women’s Basketball

With last year’s March Madness run, the St. John’s women’s basketball team has Staff Writer now qualified for the NCAA Tournament five years in a row. The Red Storm toted a 23-11 overall record last season and look to improve on an already impressive benchmark. The Red Storm’s 2014-15 schedule was released on Sept. 11 and proves to be another grueling gauntlet for St. John’s. “This year’s conference schedule proves once again why the BIG EAST continues to be one of the premier leagues in the nation,” head coach Joe Tartamella said. St. John’s starts their season at Yale on Nov. 15, taking on the Bulldogs in historic Payne-Whitney Gymnasium. This is the first ever match-up between the schools. Last season the Bulldogs finished with a 13-15 record. In the most anticipated game of the season, the Red Storm will battle the defending National Champion Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 4. Just two years ago, St. John’s shocked the world as they snapped UConn’s 99 home game win streak. It was Shenneika Smith who sank a game-winning 3-pointer with eight seconds left to cap a historic 57-56 upset. Incoming top-rated freshmen such as Tamesha Alexander, Imani Littleton, Crystal Simmons and Tonoia Wade will provide depth for the Red Storm during the arduous season. “We have 18 games against some of the best competition that the NCAA has to offer,” Tartamella said.

ANTHONY SCIANNA

Men’s golf places fifth in Doc Gimmler Classic Brandon Mauk Staff Writer

St. John’s men’s golf opened their season last weekend at the annual Doc Gimmler Classic and finished fifth among 14 schools in the tournament, with an even-par score of 840 through three rounds. Two of their seniors were able to finish in the Top 10 among all golfers, as Dylan Crowley took third overall after going under par in each round and Ben Ludlam finished seventh.

“I played much better than my score showed in the morning round. I just continued doing the same things and got off to a hot start in round two.” Ben Ludlam “I just kept the ball in play off the tee and hit my irons well. I went flag hunting all afternoon,” Ludlam told RedStormSports.com. “I got to seven-under through 12, but then the putter started to cool down. I was disappointed to drop one coming down the stretch, but shooting six-under, I felt like I was over the moon.” Crowley opened the first round one under par with a score of 69 and improved as the weekend went on. He finished the second round on Friday two under par with a score of 68 and finished the tourna-

ment with a remarkable four under par score of 66 in the final round on Saturday, to finish seven-under for the tournament to take third place. “I felt that I kept it together quite well this weekend,” Crowley said to RedStormSports.com. “I didn’t make many mistakes and was able to take advantage of a few chances that I had here and there. It was nice to keep it moving in the right direction. I have some things to work on this week and then it’s right back at it in Chicago on the 21st.” Ludlam rode an impressive six-under round of 64 on Friday and an even par score of 70 in Saturday’s finale for his seventh place finish with a final score of 206 (-4). “I played much better than my score showed in the morning round,” said Ludlam to RedStormSports.com. “I just continued doing the same things and got off to a hot start in round two.” Fellow senior Obe Ayton finished in a tie for 31st with a 214 (+4), while sophomore Sean Byrne tied for 53rd with a final three round score of 220 (+10) and freshman Jacob Henny finished tied for 59th with 222 (+12). Seniors John Russo and Mitch Hadfield competed as individuals. Russo finished with a score of 217 (+7) to tie for 42nd overall and Hadfield finished tied for 72nd with a 233 (+23). “I was happy to see a lot of positive signs from the team this weekend,” said Crowley said. “I really expect this to keep improving over the course of the year.” Next weekend, St. John’s will compete at the Windon Memorial tournament at the Evanston Golf Club in Chicago.

Athletic Communications

Women’s golf is led by Anna Kim in twelfth place finish SAMUEL DIEUDONNE Contributing Writer

The St. John’s women golf team finished 12th at the 2014 William & Mary Fall Invitational. The Red Storm completed the three-day event with a 974 (+110) to take 12th, while Elon University took home the team title after recording an impressive total of 883 (+19).

On the final day Kim, who matched a program-record with a 68 (-4) in the second round, finished the three-day event with a career-best 217 (+1) for her second place title, falling one stroke shy of Elon’s Kelsey Badmaev who won the individual title with a final total of 216 (E). The first day, the Red Storm was lead by Anna Kim , a junior who finished with a first-round total of 74 (+2). She also finished tied for fourth in the field with three birdies on the day. Her career-best

performance led her to receive second place overall. In her collegiate debut, freshman Daniella Castañeda completed the day with a five-over 77 to put her into a nine-way tie for 16th, heading into Monday’s second round. Senior Cameron Lambertson carded a first-round total of 85 (+13) to put her into 58th place while junior Brittany Hurst rounded out the team’s total with a 94 (+22) to take 69th. Freshman Katie De Jesus carded a 95 for her collegiate debut, putting her in 70th place overall at the conclusion of the first round. All five members of the team saw improvements in Monday’s second round, leading the squad to a 313 (+25) to remain in 12th place with a 643 (+67). Freshman Daniella Castañeda took one stroke off her first-round total, and carded a 76 (+4) to put her in a tie for 18th with a 153 (+9). Senior Cameron Lambertson also took a stroke off of her first-round total, carding an 84 (+12) to take 63rd with a 169 (+25). Rounding out the team’s second-round total was freshman Katie De Jesus dropping 10 strokes off her first-round total, and carding an 85 (+13) to move into 69th place overall with a 180 (+36). Junior Brittany Hurst also improved in Monday’s round, shaving two strokes off her scorecard as she posted a 92 (+20) to take 70th with a 186 (+42). On the final day Kim, who matched a program-record with a 68 (-4) in the second round,

Senior Cameron Lambertson took four strokes off her second round total, carding an 80, and living her in a tie for 62nd with a three-day total of 249 (+33). Rounding out the team’s total was freshman Katie De Jesus who finished in 69th place with a 273 (+57) while Brittany Hurst took 70th with a 286 (+70). finished the three-day event with a career-best 217 (+1) for her second place title, falling one stroke shy of Elon’s Kelsey Badmaev who won the individual title with a final total of 216 (E). Freshman Daniella Castañeda tied for 39th overall after carding a 236 (+20). Senior Cameron Lambertson took four strokes off her second round total, carding an 80, and living her in a tie for 62nd with a three-day total of 249 (+33). Rounding out the team’s total was freshman Katie De Jesus who finished in 69th place with a 273 (+57) while Brittany Hurst took 70th with a 286 (+70). The St. John’s women’s golf team will return to action on Oct. 6 when it heads to The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club to host the third-annual St. John’s Women’s Intercollegiate tournament in search of its third consecutive title in the event.

Could football come back to St. John’s?

A look into the university’s removal of the program

STEPHEN ZITOLO Sports Editor

The college football season is upon us again. This means millions of football fans will be on the edge of their seats until a national champion is crowned is January. But here at St. John’s, students, faculty, and fans haven’t had a football team since 2002 when the program was discontinued, a program that was established way back in 1884. So why would the University discontinue a relatively successful program that won more than 55 percent of its all-time games? “At the time the university dropped football, men’s and women’s swimming; and men’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track [were also dropped]. It added men’s lacrosse,” St. John’s Athletic Director Chris Monasch told The Torch via email. “The funding from the discontinued programs was used to augment support of the other sports to allow them to compete in a challenging Big East Conference.” In the interest of saving money the university was probably right to disband the program, as the costs to have a NCAA

football program are extremely high. The rosters for football are larger and the equipment costs are higher than any other collegiate sport. For example, it costs about $1,000 dollars to suit up each player on game day and the NCAA allows 105 players to suit up for home games. That’s a potential $105,000 spent just to give the players the necessary equipment to play the game. Plus the university must insure the players in case of an injury and that can get extremely pricey. Last season a top tier program like the University of Alabama had athletic expenses of $116,607,913! Additionally, it takes roughly ten million dollars to generate a football program. But as so many people know, New York City is not only one of the most important and well-respected cities in the world, it is also the Mecca of sports. If St. John’s did reinstate the program, players could be recruited from all around the nation to play in the best city in the world with the biggest stage college football would have to offer. According to bbstate.com, a website that provides “statistics, analysis tools, and historical data for Division I coaches, scouts, media, and fans,” St. John’s had athletic revenue in 2013 of $27.1 million. Whereas other universities in the Mid-Atlantic region, all of them in much smaller cities, had significantly higher revenues. Examples are Syracuse University’s revenue of $76.3 million, Rutgers University brought in $71.8 million dollars, and the University of Connecticut raked in $63.3 million dollars. The glaring difference between all

three of the above mentioned schools and St. John’s is that they have football programs and we don’t. Such a program at St. John’s would have endless possibilities. Picture the parking lot outside of Carnesecca Arena filled with thousands of tailgaters barbequing, wearing Red Storm Jerseys, and throwing a football around before we play cross-town rival Fordham or neighbors to the north Syracuse. A football program would bring so much life and excitement to campus. But this is all just a dream scenario. It would take a lot of movers and shakers to get a football program running. Even if there was a lot of support for the reinstituting of the program, the administration would have to support it and at this present time there is no interest in backing football or any other sports for that matter. “There are no plans to add any additional sports in the future,” Monasch said. “The financial commitment necessary to attempt to achieve a high level of success in division I football is not consistent with our current priorities and focus.” Despite the administration’s lack of plans, St. John’s could use a football team to not only bring in revenue, but also inspire students to be more spirited, and enhance the athletic division. Football is a classic American pastime. Who doesn’t love football games under the lights on a Friday or Saturday night? It’s simple: football is a game that’s as necessary to fall as Halloween. Reinstating football is not just bringing back a sport, it’s bringing back an aspect of the St. John’s community that has been lost.

Freshman Batt-Doyle leads in debut AISHA QUINONES Staff Writer

The St. John’s cross-country team opened their 2014 season on Sunday, September 7th as they hosted the SJU-Hofstra Fall XC Festival on the university’s Oakdale campus. The Red Storm managed to walk away with quite a few memorable performances. Freshman Izzi Batt-Doyle had a fantastic day in her collegiate debut, as the team showed immense promise heading into this year’s campaign. “Izzi Batt-Doyle and Stephanie Van Pelt ran fearlessly from the beginning and look to be ready to have great seasons,” St. John’s head cross-country coach, Jim Hurt. “We had a typical opening meet with our efforts solid but with room for improvement.”

With a great sense of optimism moving forward, Hurt also noted his commendation to the veterans on the team stating, “Michelle Van Pelt and Chelsea Trant ran tough races for not being fully healthy and Veronica Thompson pressed hard throughout her race.” The Red Storm finished off by collecting a team score of 41 points overall, which ended up placing them second in the team competition. As they look to take the next step, head coach Hurt vocalized the potential his team can put forth this year saying, “Melissa Hidalgo, Tiffany Evanego and Natasya Rodriques all showed they could help us as the year goes on. I was excited to see our Red Storm runners up front and believe we will be much improved the next time out.” The St. John’s cross-country team

will be back in action as they head to The University of Notre Dame to compete in the National Catholic Championship on Friday, September 19.

Storm

Cast

Leavin’ their Mark Stagmiller earns spot on Big East honor roll

STEPHEN ZITOLO Sports Editor

Redshirt junior goaltender Jordan Stagmiller was the key member of the St. John’s men’s soccer team this week as he lead the Red Storm to a win and a draw. Stagmiller’s impressive 10 saves, .909 save percentage and a .45 goals against average in two games this week, including his first career shutout versus the Princeton Tigers, garnered him recognition as Big East Goalkeeper of the week. Stagmiller also set his career high in saves in a single game this past Saturday versus the Harvard Crimson tallying six leading the Red Storm to a 2-1 win: their first of the season. This marks the first time this season a St. John’s men’s soccer player was on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. It was also Stagmiller’s first time receiving the honor in his young career. Stagmiller had previously played as back up to Rafel Diaz, one of the best goalies in St. John’s history. who graduated last year. Stagmiller wasn’t the only Johnny to earn their Big East recognition this week. A senior volleyball player Aleksandra Wachowicz was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll as well. The senior averaged 5.27 kills per set and a 38.2 hitting percentage over four matches on Friday and Saturday, leading the Johnnies to a 3-1 record and the tournament victory in the Jack Kaiser Classic at Carnesecca Arena. She had her best match of the season versus Dartmouth with a season high 25 kills in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss at the hands of the Big Green.

Headin’ this Way Red Storm upcoming schedule

Women’s Soccer vs. Stony Brook Sept. 18th

7 PM

Men’s Soccer at Wisconsin Sept. 19th

8 PM

Volleyball vs. NDSU, Kent State Sept. 19th

Athletic Communications

Izzi Batt-Doyle running at the SJU-Hofstra Fall XC Festival

Sept. 20th

10AM, 5PM

vs. Towson 2PM

SJU soccer report

MEN’S SOCCER TROY MAURIELLO Staff Writer

The St. John’s Men’s Soccer team picked up their first victory of the season on Saturday night at Belson Stadium, as they defeated Harvard 2-1. St. John’s (1-3-2) had previously been winless through their first five games of the season. But timely offense and good defending helped the Red Storm to victory on Saturday night. Junior defender Gabriel Camara looped in an impressive shot from close range over the Harvard goalkeeper’s outstretched arms in the 32nd minute. The goal gave the Red Storm their first lead of the season, as they went into the half leading 1-0. Senior defender Tim Parker delivered a beautiful pass to his fellow senior defender, Jordan Rouse, for a goal in the 53rd minute. The goal was Rouse’s first this season, the third of his career, and it gave the Johnnies a 2-0 lead. The two goal lead didn’t last long, as just seven minutes later in the 60th minute Kyle Henderson scored for Harvard to make it 2-1. The Johnnies would be able to hold off the Crimson from completing their comeback in the final 30 minutes, securing a 2-1 victory.

“I’ve been happy with how our team’s reacted whether we’ve scored or the other team’s scored all year,” St. John’s head coach Dave Masur said. “I think for the most part we’ve done a good job… you know, at staying focused in the game and making sure that we’re playing for 90 minutes.” Junior goalkeeper Jordan Stagmiller, who tallied a career-high six saves, also deserves a great deal of credit for the win. His play in net kept Harvard from tying the game up on the few occasions that his defense broke down in front of him. “Just the team in front of me has been playing well, making it easy for me,” junioe goalie Jordan Stagmiller said. “I haven’t really been tested too much because the boys in front of me have been blocking shots.” Stagmiller and his St. John’s teammates have to continue their impressive recent play as they’ll travel to Madison, WI on Friday to face the Wisconsin Badgers. “Any time you go on the road, especially to one of the big conferences,” Masur said. “You got to be a little concerned…we got to make sure that we really prepare for that, we’re going to Wisconsin to get a W.”

WOMEN’S SOCCER TROY MAURIELLO Staff Writer

The St. John’s women’s soccer team took to the road for three straight road games this past week. In the first match of the trip the Red Storm (3-5) traveled to square off against the number 2 ranked Florida State Seminoles. Following a first period, which saw the Seminoles score 3 unanswered goals, FSU was able to cruise to a 4-0 victory over the Red Storm. Following the embarrassing loss to Florida State the Red Storm returned to the Northeast for a road showdown with the University of Connecticut. During the first period of the match, St. John’s former conference rival was able to gain an early 1-0 lead, after a goal from, sophomore, Rachel Hill. Hill, one of the top ten scorers in the nation, was not done and found the back off the net once again in the 33rd minute of the half to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. UConn was able to add another goal taking a 3-0 lead in the 38th minute, when Brittany Moreau scored the first goal of her college career. After the half St. John’s seemed poised for a comeback. In the second period Deanna Murino fired a shot at the goal that was swatted away by Huskie goalkeeper Emily Armstrong. Mid-

fielder Emily Cubbage was able to take control of the rebound and bury a goal into the net for her first goal of the year. In the 57th minute UConn was able to score their 4th goal on junior defender Liana Hinds score, giving them a 4-1 win. Last Sunday saw the Red Storm lose the final game of the road trip and their fourth game in a row, with the team falling to 3-5-0 after a 2-0 shutout defeat at the hands of Dartmouth, at the Big Green’s Burnham Field. The match started slow, but in the 37th minute Dartmouth took a 1-0 lead after a goal by, freshman, Meredith Gurnee. The Red Storm were outshot 12-0 by Dartmouth over the course of the match and in junior Jackie Friedman sealed the Red Storm’s fate with a corner kick goal late in the game. St. John’s will be returning to Belson Stadium to face off with Stony Brook at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18. The Red Storm will be looking to bounce back from a four game-losing streak. Coach Ian Stone said, “We(the team) are all very excited to get back to play on Belson ... The girls and staff are all working tremendously hard. It would be fantastic if the St. John’s Community can get behind this fantastic group of young ladies by cheering them…”

PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS SEASON REZA MORENO

Stephen Zitolo

Contributing Writer

Rachel DalyNumber- 3 Hometown- Harrogate, England Height- 5’8” Position- Defender/Forward Rachel Daly is now a junior and is ready to take her record-breaking talent into the 2014 women’s soccer season. Daly has played as both a striker and defender here at St. John’s. She started in all 21 games last season, leading Daly to score 23 goals and break St. John’s single-season record, which had stood since 1994. Rachel Daly was not only selected to the All-Big East First Team, but also to the NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Northeast Region First Team. Daly was also honored to be picked for the weekly Honor Roll five times. On Aug. 23 of last year, Daly made

Sports Editor her collegiate debut against Delaware, where she tallied two points on two great assists. This was only a glimpse of what Daly could do at St. John’s as she scored her first three collegiate goals against Fordham. By the season’s end Daly tallied an incredible seven game-winning goals.

Athletic Communications

Tim ParkerNumber- 18 Hometown- Hicksville, NY Height- 6’2” Position- Defender Tim Parker is now in his final season of playing for the Red Storm. As a senior and anchor of the defense Parker has a lot of expectations to live up to this season. These expectations are not only on him from his teammates and coaches, but nationally. Parker was named to the preseason All-Big East Team, as well as being named a Preseason All-American by Soccer America. He also has been named as a member of the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. Parker has played in every single game during his time at St. John’s, including 61 starts. He has scored three goals and has three assists in his colle-

giate career. As a Johnnie Tim Parker has been an essential part to the Red Storm’s 28 shutouts over his first three seasons.

Athletic Communications

Everything Men’s and Women’s Soccer PG. 15

SPORTS SEPTEMBER 17 2014 | VOLUME 92, ISSUE 04 |

R U O Y OW N K S O E I T N T N E G OH J E T I FAVOR What was your favorite TV show growing up? Jordan Stagmiller Men’s Soccer Goalie Junior

Diana Poulin

What is your biggest pet peeve?

What’s one thing about you that would surprise people?

My biggest pet peeve is when people lie.

My favorite TV show was “Supernatural.” I’ve been watching it since the first season and have probably have watched it a few times over throughout my years.

My biggest pet peeve actually has to do with clothing. I am a stickler for wanting things to fit theright way. Growing up as 1 of 6, hand-medowns were a common occurrence for me. It’s nice to finally to have stuff that fits me.

One thing most people don’t know about me is that I am a pretty avid dancer. My mom had me take dance classes my whole life until high school and said I would appreciate it later in life. Looks like she was right!

My favorites were “Friends” and “The Simpsons.”

I don’t really have any pet peeves. If I had to choose one, it would be when drivers are changing lanes but don’t use their turn signal.

I have two older sisters and they both played college golf. Also I started skiing when I was five years old and just started snowboarding as well.

My favorite TV show was “Rocket Power”.

My biggest pet peeve is being unorganized.

I was voted Class Clown in High School.

ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Anna Kim Women’s Golf Junior

3 Torch contributing writer Wilson Sy asks Saint John’s athletes about their lives off the field

I watched a lot of “Full House,” “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody,” and “Malcolm in the Middle.”

ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Dylan Crowley Men’s Golf Senior

TORCHONLINE.COM

ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

My favorite color is pink.

Women’s Soccer Goalie

Sophomore

ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS