The Heights, March 22, 2021

Pandemic Alters Mass. Student Life

College

students

describe differing COVID-19 restrictions.

BY JULIA REMICK Metro Editor MAGGIE LEAHY Assoc. Metro Editor AND JOSIE MCNEILL Asst. Metro Editor

Since returning to campus in the fall, Boston College students have grown accustomed to COVID-19 testing, social distancing, and contact tracing. These new measures have created a unique BC experience, but changes to college life are all too familiar to students throughout the Boston area.

While UMass Amherst freshman Anna Cincotta slept in her dorm on Feb. 7, an email sat in her inbox. After being on campus for only two weeks, Cincotta read in the email that students would be required to “self-sequester” in their rooms for a minimum of 14 days, or until public health conditions at the school improved substantially.

“It was just like ‘this is not a good sign for the semester,’” Cincotta said.

The university reported 298 positive tests, bringing the total number of active cases up to 398, in the two days leading up to the decision.

Students living both on campus and off campus were directed to remain in their rooms, following consultation with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, according to the email. Students were told to leave their rooms only to get meals, attend twice weekly COVID-19 testing, and for medical appointments.

Cincotta said the email communications from UMass were unclear about the specific guidelines and that the university did not strictly enforce the lockdown.

“The lockdown definitely helped,” Cincotta said. “I don’t know if everyone followed it. Because there’s just very little enforcing going on.”

Students that failed to comply with the guidelines would be subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the residence halls or suspension, according to the email.

UMass freshman Jessica Galego felt like she had a fair warning that a lockdown was imminent, since she regularly checks the school’s COVID-19 dashboard and noticed cases rising.

“Everybody was definitely frustrated about it because we weren’t sure if it would end up getting extended or kind of what was going on,” Galego said. “Just like simple things like not being able to do our homework in the lobby was really frustrating.”

Following the two week lockdown, Cincotta was contact traced by University Health Services, sending her back into quarantine. Cincotta chose to quarantine at home because she thought it would be more comfortable than university quarantine housing.

Both Cincotta and Galego said that students were not provided transportation to on-campus quarantine housing, making it challenging to walk across the campus with the belongings they were bringing with them into quarantine.

“They’ve told kids just to walk there by themselves and that they can’t provide any transportation, so they were definitely lacking in that aspect,” Galego said.

Boston University freshman Jami Hamman shared a similar fate as Cincotta—a 10-day quarantine.

While in on-campus quarantine housing, Hamman said BU also provided mental health check-ins for students in quarantine, which she said reflects BU’s genuine care for the well-being of its students.

BU provides meals, grocery delivery, and weekly laundry services at its Charles River Campus and Fenway Campus quarantine locations, according to BU’s website.

“I could call anybody anytime I wanted and I could special request items. I could special request, like, comfort food or I could special request lotion, I don’t know, random things …,” Hamman said.

GLC Responds To Vatican’s Doctrine

The leadership council released a petition on Tuesday.

BY AMY PALMER Asst. News Editor

The GLBTQ+ Leadership Council (GLC) released a petition on Tuesday calling for Boston College to clarify its position on LGBTQ+ rights and make a statement in support of queer students and alumni.

The petition is in response to a Monday statement from the Vatican, which said that the church does not and cannot have the power to bless same-sex unions. GLC announced the petition in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

ican and Pope Francis on the church’s refusal to bless same sex unions,” the petition reads. “The Vatican’s remarks, describing our sexual and gender identities as ‘a choice’ and as fundamentally sinful, do great harm to LGBTQ+ catholics and Queer people everywhere.”

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a document on Monday in which it responded “negative” to the question of whether the church can bless same-sex unions. Pope Francis agreed to its publication, the document said.

does not bless sin but does bless the sinful person so that he can change this person.

Ivy DiBiase, GLC policy coordinator and MCAS ’22, said that the Vatican’s statement is hurtful because the Catholic Church teaches people to emulate God’s love, but lessens the value of love within the LGBTQ+ community.

“Grace.”

“We are saddened, hurt, and angered by the statements from the Vat-

The document states that the church can only bless what is according to God’s design in creation—the union of a man and a woman. Same-sex relationships, according to the document, have positive elements that should be valued, but are not justified because their union is not in order with God’s plan for marriage.

The document also said that God See COVID-19, A4

“To me, the unconditional part of that means we include everyone, and to not include everyone in that is incredibly frustrating and hypocritical, especially to just have our love be devalued and invalidated,” DiBiase said.

Alexandra Katz, Student Assembly representative and Lynch ’23, said that this statement was shocking coming from Pope Francis because he has been praised for tolerance toward the LGBTQ+ community in the past.

GLC, A2

Harvard Community Calls for Divestment

including Climate Justice at Boston College (CJBC).

CJBC said in a statement that it is “thrilled” to see a complaint against Harvard.

BY MEGAN GENTILE Copy Editor

Harvard University students, faculty, alumni, and community members filed a complaint against the Harvard Corporation on Monday calling for Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to order Harvard to cease its investments in fossil fuels.

The 56-page complaint comes just months after a group of Boston College alumni, local politicians, environmental advocacy groups, and scientists filed a similar complaint in December calling for Healey to use her enforcement powers to order BC to divest from fossil fuels, as reported by The Heights

The complaint is signed by Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard, other Harvard affiliates, and a number of individual signatories,

“Attorney General Healey has no w received complaints against multiple Massachusetts universities with hundreds of pages of overwhelming evidence and arguments,” the statement reads. “We fully expect a final decision to compel Boston College, Harvard, and all Massachusetts universities that have not already divested from fossil fuels to do so.”

According to the complaint, the Harvard Corporation has a “fiduciary duty” under the Massachusetts Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) to “invest with consideration for the University’s ‘charitable purposes’—a duty that distinguishes non-profit institutions from other investors.”

The December complaint filed against BC also alleges that the University is violating UPMIFA.

LACROSSE SPORTS

The Eagles commanded all but eight minutes of their game against Hofstra en route to a 19-7

Matthew Del Negro Del Negro discusses the rejection that he has faced while pursuing acting.......

METRO: Newton Al Fresco Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller encourages outdoor dining as the weather improves.......

Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard released a complaint.

GARRIT STRIENG / FOR THE HEIGHTS See

ZOE BEHRAKIS

ARTS

Behrakis pursues her dream of becoming a popstar with the release of her first single,

KRISTIAN LAMARRE / FOR

A student sits in the Rainbow Room, one of the outdoor tents at Northeastern University.

CJBC Signs Onto Complaint Urging Harvard To Divest

“The Trustees of Boston College have failed to consider the charitable purposes of the institution and the purposes of the institutional fund by financially supporting the degradation of the climate, widespread damage to ecological and human health, and massive injuries to environmental and social equity,” the December complaint reads.

The University reiterated its opposition to divestment in a statement to The Heights in December.

“As with most colleges and universities, Boston College is opposed to divestment from fossil fuel companies on the grounds that it is not an effective means of addressing climate change,” the statement reads.

The University does not use its endowment—which, according to the 2020-21 BC Fact Book, totaled $2.6 billion as of May 31, 2020—to promote change, according to the statement.

“The endowment exists to provide a permanent source of funding for financial aid, faculty chairs, and student programs, as well as the University’s academic and research initiatives, and is not a tool to promote social or political change, however desirable that change might be,” the statement reads.

The statement also said that BC’s Investment and Endowment Committee continues to invest in renewable energy and considers environmental and social considerations when making investments. The statement listed several sustainable initiatives and efforts the University has undertaken, including the construction of LEED-certified buildings and the fact that 100 percent of electricity on campus comes from renewable energy sources.

Kyle Rosenthal, a member of CJBC and CSOM ’21, said in an email to The Heights that CJBC expects that any action taken by Healey will likely not apply specifically to Harvard or BC, but will address both universities and all

other Massachusetts private colleges and universities, as they are governed by the same nonprofit laws.

CJBC’s statement in response to the Harvard complaint says that the group hopes BC will divest before the Attorney General’s Office takes legal action.

“While we continue to seek dialogue with administrators and trustees and hope that action will be taken by the university before the Attorney General steps in, we stand ready to ensure Boston College fulfills its fiduciary duties to prudently manage our endowment,” the statement reads. “No one wants the university to be legally compelled when that is not necessary.”

The new complaint also says the Harvard Corporation’s failure to divest from fossil fuels goes against its mission as a university. The Harvard Corporation is the smaller of Harvard University’s two governing boards, and is composed of 13 members, including Lawrence Bacow, president of Harvard University.

“The Corporation cannot plead ignorance of its duty to divest,” the complaint reads. “For years, Harvard students and faculty have pushed for investment practices that align with the university’s mission.”

The December complaint against BC expressed a similar sentiment.

“Boston College’s mission statement includes commitments to ‘the pursuit of a just society,’ ‘academic freedom,’ and ‘careful stewardship of its resources,’” the December complaint reads. “Boston College touts a dedication to environmental and social justice: its Institutional Master Plan ‘encourage[s] the University community to contribute time and talent to the larger communities in which they live and work, including efforts in sustainability to ensure the quality of life for future generations.’”

The complaint against BC came six months after Pope Francis urged Catholics to divest from fossil fuels “progressively and without delay”

in “Journey Towards Care for Our Common Home,” a 227-page Church document released on the 5-year anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si.

CJBC’s statement comments on the decisions of other colleges and universities—specifically Catholic ones—to divest, noting that several have made this decision since the complaint was filed in December.

Creighton University, a Jesuit institution, where University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., and Rev. Casey Beaumier, S.J., director of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies, serve on the Board of Trustees, divested in January of this year. Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., the president of Creighton, serves on BC’s Board of Trustees.

“If all 3 supported divestment for both moral and financial reasons at Creighton, they have an obligation to do the same at Boston College,” CJBC’s statement reads.

UGBC Denies Petition To Invalidate Environmental Division

B Y M EGAN K ELLY News Editor

A ND J ULIA K IERSZNOWSKI Assoc. News Editor

The Parliamentary Board of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College denied a petition on Friday seeking to invalidate the Student Assembly’s (SA) approval of a Division of Environmental Sustainability.

The petition for relief, submitted by SA representative Jordan Nakash, MCAS ’24, said that interruptions from attendees of Tuesday’s SA meeting, when the division passed, most notably interjections from members of Climate Justice at BC (CJBC), impaired representatives’ ability to oppose the proposed resolution.

The number of attendees at Tuesday’s meeting reached a high of 56, the petition said, doubling the meetings’ usual attendance.

“Pursuant to the constitution, all students should be given the right to freely express their opinions without threat of censorship or punishment,” Nakash said in an email to The Heights. “And unfortunately, we were not granted this right.”

The amendment to the UGBC Constitution—which passed with 19 votes—called for the removal of environment and sustainability from under the Student Initiatives

(SI) branch of UGBC and for the creation of a separate Division of Environmental Sustainability.

The petition for relief requested that the Parliamentary Board invalidate the amendment.

Julia Spagnola, sponsor of the Tuesday resolution and MCAS ’23, said that although she didn’t approve of the interruptions from the public, she does not believe they affected the representatives’ votes.

“I felt that it was a good atmosphere where everyone was able to share their opinions and to disagree,” Spagnola said in an interview with The Heights. “And those moments of interjection that were not appropriate were called out, and then the public was able to comment afterwards in an appropriate way.”

While the resolution was being debated in Tuesday’s meeting, Nakash responded to a point made about the number of students who had sent emails to their representatives advocating for the passage of the resolution.

“They don’t understand,” Nakash said at the meeting. “I mean maybe some of them do, but they want more advocacy, they’re not saying, ‘I want a division.’ They want us to get the work done, and there’s ways to do that without completely changing the structure of UGBC.”

Some representatives who disagreed with the proposal shared concerns at the

meeting about budget allocation, and advocated for fixing fundamental issues within SI rather than removing certain aspects of it.

“It’s not a structural issue,” Laura Perrault, SA representative and MCAS ’21, said. “[SI has] had success with environment and sustainability in the past.”

Two and a half hours into Tuesday’s meeting, the SA opened the floor to the public. Two members of CJBC—Kyle Rosenthal, CSOM ’21, and Teddy Bobroske, MCAS ’23—voiced their support for the amendment.

Bobroske said that he was “appalled” by some of the comments made earlier in the debate.

“You saw firsthand how strongly we feel about this,” Bobroske said. “… And to dismiss that as not being educated on a relatively opaque part of the student government, I’m frankly deeply, deeply disappointed.”

Rosenthal also added to the debate, saying that there was a disconnect between people advocating for climate justice and UGBC.

“I think that the incoming administration believes [the resolution] is one solution to that,” Rosenthal said. “I hope that everyone who voted against it but said they still want to see stuff get done actually goes and gets those things done.”

The petition for relief says that Bobroske demanded an apology from Nakash and

Perrault, and called for their resignations if they did not apologize.

“Additionally, [Bobroske] highlighted the fact that he and all of the other students on the call who were passionate about environmental sustainability are a very influential group of people that know a lot of students on campus,” the petition reads. “He then instructed us to keep this fact in mind as we voted.”

Parliamentarian Dennis Wieboldt, MCAS ’22, asked Rosenthal and Bobroske to refrain from commenting during periods of debate that were not open to the public.

Bobroske disregarded Wieboldt’s request, the petition said.

“As much as I understood [their frustration], it’s definitely not okay to be not respectful towards representatives. …”

Spagnola told The Heights. “The reason Jordan Nakash filed the petition … she says, is because the interjections that took place swayed the vote and peer pressured people into voting, which I disagree with.”

Nakash said in the petition that Bobroske violated the rights of SA representatives to freely express their opinions without “threat of censorship or punishment pursuant to Boston College institutional guidelines.”

The Parliamentary Board—composed of Wieboldt, Associate Director for Student Programming Paul Murphy, and Graduate

Assistant for Student Organizations Isabella Esposito—denied the petition for relief, citing that it could not conclude that the violations affected the outcome of the vote. Wieboldt, chair of the parliamentary board, dissented.

“There is, in my view, clear and convincing evidence that the violations of procedure were more likely than not to have affected the ultimate outcome of the legislation,” Wieboldt wrote in his dissent.

Nakash said that although the board denied her petition, she is committed to working toward the success of the new division.

“I understand the board’s decision to dismiss my proposal, but disagree with the majority’s decision,” Nakash said in an email to The Heights. “ ... Although my petition was dismissed, I will, to the best of ability, work to ensure the success of the new Division.”

Spagnola said that she’s excited to see how the new division will build upon BC students’ advocacy for sustainability.

“I’m mostly just happy that the integrity of our student leadership was maintained and that at the end of the day this division is something that students want,” Spagnola said. “I’m glad that the Student Assembly and UGBC in general was able to deliver, and I’m really really hopeful for what this division is able to accomplish for sustainability on this campus and beyond.”

Women’s Center Celebrates Women’s History Month

B Y S COTTIE C ROCKETT Heights Staff A ND J ULIA K IERSZNOWSKI Assoc. News Editor

Some groups and offices on campus may have put in additional time and effort to implement programming for Women’s History Month, but at the Boston College Women’s Center it’s “business as usual,” according to Claire Johnson Allen, associate director of the Women’s Center.

“All of our programs celebrate women’s identities and history,” Johnson Allen said. “Every day is a celebration of Women’s History Month here in Maloney 441 … It just so happens that we have programming that takes place in March, but we do this work year-round,

regardless of the month.”

Caitlyn Spuckes, an undergraduate staff member at the Women’s Center and Lynch ’22, said that some undergraduate staff members have been tabling and asking BC community members what this month means to them.

“We’ve been tabling over the past week or so, engaging the community, asking why they’re celebrating Women’s History Month, who are they celebrating, and what Women’s History Month means to them,” Spuckes said. “And through that we’ve collected really great responses from community members.”

The center’s programming for this month largely surrounds sexual assault prevention and education, Johnson Allen said. Concerned About Rape Education (CARE) Week, which runs

from March 21 to March 26, is aimed at educating undergraduates on the importance of sexual assault awareness.

CARE Week, and much of the other programming, is almost entirely led by students, according to Johnson Allen.

“The Women’s Center exists because female-identifying students at the time … [that] it was created felt like there was not a space for them and that they needed to have space,” she said. “Thus, we work hard to maintain the entrepreneurial spirit of the students of the center.”

Spuckes said CARE Week starts out with a Mass of healing in collaboration with Campus Ministry on Sunday, and ends with a free flow art workshop over Zoom on Friday.

“I’m really excited to kind of have this week be dedicated to healing, to care,” Spuckes said. “So we have a lot of different programs happening.”

Though the COVID-19 pandemic canceled CARE Week entirely last year, the week this year will be filled with events designed to educate undergraduates on what it means to be active and aware citizens of the world.

In addition to CARE Week, the Women’s Center also held a Black Women Matter Retreat earlier in the month.

“This year’s Black Women Matter Retreat is the second annual … for the Women’s Center,” Johnson Allen said. “The retreat was started by the recent graduate Courtney Wright to really

promote community healing and celebration among Black, female-identifying, undergraduate women on campus.”

Spuckes emphasized the importance of the retreat in creating a safe space where Black women can gather on campus.

“It’s a retreat specifically aimed to facilitate community for Black women on campus, and create a space where professional staff and students can kind of come together,” she said.

Throughout March, the Women’s Center also provided sanitary products to students who otherwise do not have access to them with its Cura Personalis Period initiative.

Johnson Allen said that the Women’s Center is always open to students as a

versatile, inclusive space.

“I tell people all the time, just come into the center,” she said. “If nothing else, come see the space, the lending library, and so much more. This center exists because students believed that it should.”

Spuckes said her favorite part about working at the Women’s Center is the collaborative nature of its programming.

“Everything that’s being done is kind of student-led, student-facilitated, and I love the way that so many different places on campus engage with the Women’s Center,” she said. “It’s a really great way to tie together all different parts of the community in a really important mission.”

bestselling author Ijeoma Oluo will talk about her book at a Zoom webinar on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Oluo’s work focuses on the topics of race, feminism, mental health, and social justice.

On Wednesday at 6 p.m., there will be a virtual event

titled“Privacy & Democracy: Threats and Opportunities in the Digital Age.” The event, hosted by the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy, will feature a conversation on privacy, technology, and democracy.

David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will talk about approaches to gun control at a Zoom webinar, “A Public Health Approach to Reducing Firearm Violence: Finding Solutions to a Complex Problem,” on Thursday at 7 p.m.

MAGGIE DIPATRI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Fossil Fuels, from A1

MAGGIE DIPATRI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Caitlyn Spuckes, Lynch ’22, at the front desk of the Women’s Center in Maloney Hall.

A bookshelf in the BC Women’s Center that hosts the center’s library

GLC Calls for BC Admin. To Address Vatican Statement

of existing as an LGBTQIA+ individual on this campus is an act of courage and nonconformity in itself,” Katz said.

“It presented a complete contrast and honestly quite a setback for those who had hoped that the institution of the church would essentially work to modernize its approach and its perspectives toward the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole,” Katz said.

Tommy Boyce, the chair of GLC and CSOM ’21, said that he was not surprised at the Vatican’s statement because as much as Pope Francis had previously been supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, he knew that the institution of the church is not a friend.

Boyce was surprised, however, at the church’s decision to call the union of same-sex people a sin.

“Also it wasn’t the fact that like, ‘Oh, we can’t bless gay marriage,’” Boyce said. “They’ve doubled down on being like ‘Homosexuality is a sin. It’s a choice. You are choosing a life of sinfulness.’ Like, oh wow, we’re backtracking right now. This is great, we’re going back to the old classics.”

Katz said that the Vatican should not have made any statements calling LGBTQ+ relationships inherently sinful and disordered because, among other reasons, they are clearly not.

“It is simply not their place to make claims or blanket statements on the relationships of other individuals,” Katz said.

Katz also said that the Vatican’s statement makes it harder for LGBTQ+ individuals to exist on BC’s campus.

“As somebody who is openly and unapologetically gay on this campus, I can attest to the fact that the mere act

Being an LGBTQIA+ individual at BC jeopardizes one’s safety and makes it incredibly difficult to exist openly and authentically, Katz said.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again—the BC administration is as tolerant of the LGBTQ+ community as they have to be."

-Megan Day, MCAS '24

“It transgresses the binary nature of this institution, it transgresses the heteronormative and cisnormative nature of this institution,” Katz said. “And the statement of the Vatican suggests and ultimately confirms that no queer person on this campus, or within society, is inherently safe in existing authentically and existing as their full selves.”

Megan Day, MCAS ’24, also expressed fear over the harm this statement causes.

“So anytime something like this happens, it allows people to almost excuse their homophobia and double down on their homophobia as it’s ordained by the church,” Day said.

As a Jesuit institution, Day said BC has an obligation to acknowledge the harm that the Vatican’s statement causes and provide support for the University’s LGBTQ+ students.

“We have an obligation, almost, to stand up for what’s right and to hold the

church accountable for what it’s doing,” Day said.

Katz said that the administration has failed to respond effectively to the concerns of the LGBTQ+ community.

“They have routinely ignored the concerns of LGBTQIA+ students and suppress their voices through administrative decisions and their collective silence in the aftermath of oppressive incidents or hate crimes directed at any given marginalized community,” Katz said. “This is not exclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community.”

BC’s Communication Department directed The Heights to faculty in the theology department, who were not immediately available for comment.

Boyce said that the GLC’s statement came from an attempt to communicate members’ pain to the BC administration.

“The statement really came from us talking amongst ourselves, and being like, ‘Okay, people have been really hurt by this, and we need to give them a voice to relay that feeling of pain, and this anger,’” Boyce said.

Day expressed her surprise that the petition, which garnered 244 signatures at the time of publication, has not received more attention.

“In an age where everything is shared online, I’m honestly surprised it hasn’t been shared more,” Day said.

DiBiase said she would like to see support from the entire BC community.

“If we are truly men and women, and non-binary and gender non-conforming folks for others, then we should be supporting each other,” DiBiase said.

DiBiase said the lack of response from University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., and the BC administration

Assoc. Dean Diane Ring Named Interim Dean of BC Law School

BY VICTOR STEFANESCU Asst. News Editor

Diane Ring will become interim dean of the Boston College Law School on July 1 upon the departure of current Dean Vincent Rougeau, the next president of the College of the Holy Cross, according to BC Law Magazine

“I was very excited to be asked to serve as interim Dean for the Law School,” Ring wrote in an email to The Heights. “Law and legal education play an incredibly important role in society, which events and challenges of recent years have dramatically highlighted.”

Ring, who currently serves as associate dean of faculty at BC Law, said that she looks forward to continuing to familiarize students with the legislative, regulatory, judicial, and policy spheres of the legal world in her new position.

“This reality guides us in designing our educational program, teaching our students, helping them identify their paths post graduation, and engaging directly with the legislative, regulatory, judicial, and policy spheres both in the United States and globally,” Ring wrote. “I look forward to spending

the coming year working with students and colleagues at the law school in continuing to further our efforts on all of these fronts.”

Ring has spent over 15 years at BC Law, having served previously as associate dean of academic affairs.

Ring praised how engaged BC Law students are when trying to understand complicated concepts.

“BC Law’s students are curious, thoughtful, and interested in understanding the law and the intersecting policies at a sophisticated level,” she wrote.

Before entering academia, Ring practiced law in the public sector, specializing in international tax and the taxation of financial instruments. Ring also clerked in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Ring said Rougeau’s contributions to the University will be greatly missed, as he has made a major contribution to legal education, the law school, and the University as a whole.

“His work as the Director of the Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America has been central in helping students and the university not only process longstanding issues of race in our country that have

played out in stark ways in recent years, but also in charting a path for how individuals, institutions, and the nation meaningfully pursue change,” Ring wrote.

After Rougeau’s departure, Ring said, BC Law will continue to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within the space of the school.

“Clearly this work is ongoing, and will form an important part of the coming years at the law school and the university as we move forward through the law school’s momentous centennial decade,” she wrote.

Rougeau said Ring’s selection makes him more confident as he leaves his position of dean.

“Although it will be difficult for me in many ways to leave such a wonderful community, I am heartened by the fact that this school is in a very strong position as we prepare to celebrate BC Law’s centennial in 2029,” Rougeau said to BC Law Magazine

A meaningful aspect of Ring’s years at BC, she said, has been helping students forge paths in the legal world.

“As an educator I have really appreciated the opportunity to help students find their path in the law,” she wrote. “Often a path they had not yet seen for themselves.”

makes LGBTQ+ students feel unsupported.

“I love this campus with my whole heart, and I love this school, but it makes me sad when I remember that the people in charge are members of an institution that, by definition … does not believe in the rights of LGBT people, non-cis people, in that way,” Day said.

The BC administration has failed to openly advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in a significant way, according to Day, and does the minimum required of it so that it does not come under fire.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—the BC administration is as tolerant of the LGBTQ+ community as they have to be,” Day said.

Boyce said he doubts the BC administration will respond to the Vatican’s statement, but emphasized the importance of community and sticking up for one another when people fail to stick up for them.

"It is simply not their place to make claims or blanket statements on the relationships of other individuals."

-Alexandra Katz, Lynch '23

“The fact that this hurt people, because I don’t care what the church says about me, but the fact that they hurt my friends and people I know really were beat up by this, makes it really, really just furious,” Boyce said. “It’s what really motivates me for this [petition]. … It’s

hard to be queer at Boston College, but that’s why we’re trying to make things better.”

Katz said that the experiences of members of the LGBTQ+ community at BC are only theirs to impart.

“The identities and histories and lived experiences of any individual, any LGBTQIA+ individual at Boston College, or otherwise, are theirs to define, theirs to claim, and theirs to disclose,” Katz said.

She emphasized that these experiences cannot be oppressed by any institution, whether that be BC, the Vatican, or anything else.

“No oppressive institution ... as I said earlier, will ever limit our pride and no oppressive institution will ever make light of our pain, without our collective resistance,” Katz said.

Boyce said this idea is reflected in the statement from the GLC.

“We end the statement with ‘Celebrating Our Queerness, The Exec. Board of GLC,’ because … our worth is not defined by the Vatican and by BC,” Boyce said. “And GLC will continue to create a space for queer kids to feel loved and accepted and to reach their full potential. And we don’t need approval from others or acceptance to do that. We’re going to do that ourselves.”

DiBiase also emphasized that members of the LGBTQ+ community define their love—the Vatican’s statement does not.

“I like the last part of the statement because it said that the Vatican does not define our love, and I think that’s very true,” DiBiase said. “It’s a reminder that they can say whatever they want, but we define our love and we live our truths.”

Admitted BC Student Linked To Admissions Scandal

BY JULIA KIERSZNOWSKI Assoc. News Editor

Two men in Southern California were indicted on charges of fraud and conspiracy for creating an educational consulting company that “guaranteed” admissions for students to a number of the nation’s top colleges, according to Inside Higher Ed—one of the company’s clients was admitted to Boston College.

The men—Yi Chen and Yixin Li— wrote essays, forged transcripts, faked standardized test scores, and took the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in place of their student clients.

Admission to these universities, including Boston University, Columbia University, and New York University, allowed the students to obtain F-1 visas to enter the United States under fraudulent circumstances, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Chen and Li were indicted for conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years, as well as various counts of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, according to the Department of Justice.

They were also charged with a count

of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year sentence, the release said.

Both Chen and Li pleaded not guilty at their arraignments.

In a statement to The Heights, Associate Vice President for University Communications Jack Dunn said that BC was not made aware of allegations of fraud in advance of the indictment.

“In January of 2020, Boston College received a request for information from ICE regarding one international student who applied to the Woods College of Advancing Studies,” Dunn wrote. “The University was not made aware of any allegations of admissions fraud, or notified in advance by the U.S. Attorney’s office of the allegations in the indictment.”

Dunn also said that BC is looking into withdrawing acceptances for students who submitted fraudulent applications.

“BC has in the past withdrawn the acceptance of students who have submitted false information in the admissions process,” he wrote. “We are currently looking into the matter.”

Chen and Li, who are based out of Los Angeles, are also linked to a group of “imposter test-takers” who previously pleaded guilty to using fake Chinese

passports to take TOEFL exams for international students in order for them to gain admission to universities and obtain student visas, according to the Department of Justice. The six defendants in that case were sentenced to probation.

Philip Altbach, founding director and research professor at BC’s Center for International Higher Education, said that the issue of admissions fraud among international students is growing.

“This is part of a deep problem in global higher education that is based in something called ‘agents,’” Altbach said. “And there are hundreds, maybe thousands of people, most of them outside the U.S., who are ‘helping’ prospective students learn about and apply to universities all around the world.”

Altbach said that while the majority of agents who assist international students with the college application process do so legally, there are a large number who don’t.

“Some number of those agents are crooks,” he said. “Most of them are perfectly legit, and work with the student and the University to make sure they have all the documents lined up. But the point is this current little scandal is part of a much bigger problem.”

Altbach said that one reason these admissions schemes are becoming more and more common over the past decade is because universities have been cutting back the number of people who work in admissions offices.

“This is not relating to BC at all, but colleges have cut back their admission staff, and so they don’t have people on campus in the office who can carefully evaluate this stuff,” Altbach said. “Because a lot of the time, what I’ve read about this current little problem, is there were inconsistencies in the applications and so

on that were caught. And you need some expertise on campus to do that.”

The court ordered Chen to be detained at his arraignment on March 8 pending his trial, which was scheduled for May 4, according to the Department of Justice. Li’s trial is scheduled for April 27.

Altbach also said that Chen and Li’s fraud is a microcosm of the wider issue of college admission schemes.

“It’s the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “It’s a big issue, this whole issue of fraud and sort of bad values.”

ÉAMON LAUGHLIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The entrance to Devlin Hall, which is home to BC Office of Undergraduate Admission.

the Best It Can Be”

Boston Students Adapt To Life During the Pandemic

Tufts University also provides on-campus quarantine housing in modular residential housing that it built specifically for quarantine and isolation, according to Tufts’ website. Sophomores Elsie Schaubeck and Gillis Linde agreed that their school is doing a good job of contact tracing and providing resources for quarantine.

Tufts freshman Vicki Tran said that the contact tracing system at her school is inconsistent. After learning that a girl on her floor tested positive, she was surprised when she was not contact traced, since her floor has a communal bathroom.

Northeastern houses students in quarantine or isolation in COVID-19 Wellness Housing and provides both regular meals and check-in calls from the school’s COVID-19 wellness team, according to the university’s website.

“I think with quarantine, it’s as best as it can be,” Molly Foster, a sophomore at Northeastern, said. “They give you housing, they give you food. You know, I haven’t heard too many problems with the food or the housing. So it seems good.”

One positive test can land a student in isolation, whether in a hotel, mods, or on-campus housing, but after contact tracing, one test could put several others

I think we’re getting tested more than most colleges around, and it makes me feel a lot safer, especially when it comes to, like, being able to see friends and stuff like that.”

The dean of students at BU sends a warning email to students who fail to comply with the three times per week testing policy, saying their Wi-Fi will be disconnected and their Terrier Card will be disabled unless they complete a rescheduled test, according BU’s website.

To promote compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, BU partners with a student-run campaign called F*ck It Won’t Cut It. Following the campaign’s launch in August, Hamman said, it was unclear to students on campus whether the campaign was run by students or the university. Colin Riley, the executive director of public relations at BU, said the campaign is “by students, for students,” in an email to The Heights

Hailey McKee, a BU graduate and a public relations manager for the campaign, said that while the organization is separate, the university reached out to students in the public relations lab to create a campaign that would resonate with the student body.

“Students like the idea that it felt like a friend sort of calling them out, someone that could hold them accountable,” McKee said. “So, with that in mind, we came to the university and they really put faith in us and

“I mean, it’s a good reminder,” Brandicourt said. “But at this point, I feel like we all know what the symptoms are.”

This quasi-dystopian reality brought on by the pandemic has distorted the college experience, altering the classroom experience and social scenes.

Most students continue to attend a mixture of in-person and online classes during the spring semester. At Tufts, Linde has two in-person classes out of the five he is taking, while Tran has one hybrid class with the remainder online.

The combination of in-person, hybrid, and online classes at BU can get confusing, Hamman said.

“It’s complicated … It’s like, my one class, it’s on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then we meet in person every second Tuesday, so like once every two weeks,” Hamman said. “And then one discussion section every week.”

As a pre-med student at UMass, Cincotta said her virtual classes have not been as demanding as in-person ones were, but feels she is missing out on the hands-on experience of chemistry lab.

“We’re not getting that experience vital in the field of medicine, so we’re kind of missing out,” Cincotta said. “And it’s going to be a little patchy, trying to restore what we don’t know, next semester or sophomore year.”

With many online classes and club meetings held over Zoom, residential life and dining halls serve as main sources of in-person interaction.

Tufts instituted a residential cohort system in the fall semester, organizing students living on campus into groups of six to 12 students. Following consultation with students, residential staff, and the university’s medical team, the university discontinued the system in the spring semester.

“Although the cohort thing is not official now, I think it was an amazing system,” Linde said. “It was really good because it made you less isolated because you’re with a bunch of friends.”

Tufts acknowledged that there are benefits and risks to this model. While the model promotes peer accountability, the university’s website states that spending time with others without physical distancing increases the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Brandicourt said that students frequently use the tents and that they are a great way to see friends in a safe way. Foster says that she uses the tents as a place to do homework, study, and hang out with friends.

“But they do close at 10, so it’s a little bit frustrating when you’re trying to hang out with friends on like a Saturday or something and you don’t want to break the rules, and you also are getting kicked out of the heated spaces,” Brandicourt said.

Students from Northeastern and BU agreed that fraternity activity likely contributes to the spread of COVID-19.

Brandicourt said that there have been scares of outbreaks within fraternities at Northeastern, particularly during pledge season, but said that the majority of those in attendance are fraternity brothers.

“There’s stuff still happening, but I would also say that the people that are involved in that are just the frat members like, they’re not reaching out to people outside of the frats,” Brandicourt said.

definitely, like a mix of people who care and people who do not care about the pandemic.”

The fraternity Theta Chi threw two back-to-back parties to start off the spring semester on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30 resulting in an interim suspension for the frat, according to The Massachusetts Daily Collegian “There are those people that choose to risk it and choose to gather and make poor decisions and then you can just avoid those people,” Cincotta said. “I think it’s kind of your choice whether you want to be safe or risk it.”

Cincotta said a petition has been circulating among students to encourage UMass Amherst to disband Theta Chi.

into quarantine. In order to help mitigate the spread of the virus, Boston schools have implemented varying measures of asymptomatic surveillance testing.

Both Tufts and UMass test students twice a week, while Northeastern and BU test students three times a week.

Tufts tested students every other day until March 1 when the university decreased its testing to twice a week.

“I really like the testing policy,” Linde said. “It’s really easy, like, you’re in and out within like less than 5 minutes, so it’s pretty quick and I think it’s safe.”

Tufts’ response to students who miss their tests is to send them an email, according to Tran. She said that this lack of enforcement and the reduction in testing makes her feel unsafe on campus. The student affairs staff will ensure student accountability if there is a pattern of missed tests, according to Tuft’s website.

“Before, we got tested every other day and so like if you missed your testing you would get an email but that would be it,” Tran said. “You wouldn’t be, like, punished or anything ... That doesn’t really make people scared to go to testing, kind of, so I know people that miss it often.”

At Northeastern, Foster feels that the amount of testing allows her and her peers to feel comfortable on campus.

“I think it provides a lot of security ...,” Foster said. “And I know everyone [I’ve] been interacting with in classes and, like, in my dorm, is also being tested that frequently. So it gives a lot of peace of mind.”

Living on a floor with a communal bathroom, BU freshman Kim de la Rosa also said she feels safer knowing she is around others who are getting tested regularly.

“I feel good,” de la Rosa said. “Honestly,

trusted us that we knew what our fellow students wanted to hear, and what would really resonate with them.”

The promotion on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter of the campaign made it more relatable, according to McKee. Hamman and de la Rosa agreed that the campaign has made an impression on the COVID-19 culture at BU.

Along with testing, BU requires students to complete a daily symptom check in order to enter buildings on campus. Failure to complete the daily symptom check will result in the same consequences as testing noncompliance.

“I feel like it’s just a good reminder, I think, especially when it’s just a check in, you’re like ‘Oh, I can’t taste today, I guess I have COVID,’” Hamman said.

Despite the requirement, de la Rosa is unsure of the daily check’s effectiveness, and said that students have memorized the questions, responding quickly without much thought.

“I appreciate the effort, I’m just not sure how effective it is anymore because people are just going to answer ‘no’ to everything,” de la Rosa said.

Tufts also asks its students to complete a daily four-question survey screening for COVID-19 symptoms to enter buildings on campus, according to the Tufts website.

“They’re not monitoring it as carefully as the testing,” Schaubeck said. “If you miss testing they’ll send you an email or something, but with the symptoms monitoring, I haven’t done it in a while.”

At Northeastern, Foster and sophomore Isabelle Brandicourt agreed that logging their symptoms on the Daily Wellness Check before coming to campus, which the university requires, is not very useful.

“I think the issue is that since they already allowed them last semester, like, we’re not technically in a cohort but we’re still end up doing things with the same people anyways,” Schaubeck said. “So I don’t really think it has affected people too much, because I think in both cases people were still being careful.”

Similarly, at the beginning of the academic year, BU instituted a household system made up of a student in a single, two students in a double, suitemates, or a group of students on the same floor that share a common bathroom, according toBU’s website.

BU also asks students who are on floors with shared bathrooms to develop daily schedules for bathroom use with those in their household to minimize exposure.

While well intentioned, de la Rosa said, the household system did not help her find friends.

The university allowed households to eat together in the dining halls at designated tables until early February. Now students can eat at single-occupancy tables in the dining halls. Working in the dining hall, de la Rosa said that she has noticed people are less likely to follow rules.

Tufts, on the other hand, has eased its dining restrictions, allowing students to reserve a table in the dining hall. During the fall semester, students were only allowed to take-out food using a mobile ordering app.

“I think it isn’t bad, like you can usually get a reservation within five minutes, so it kind of organizes things,” Schaubeck said.

To facilitate the social scene on campus, Northeastern has added dozens of firepits, propane heaters, and outdoor dining tents to provide students with a safe way to socialize, according to its website.

Each tent throughout campus has a specific decoration theme meant to make the tents welcoming, according to Joseph Aoun, the president of the university. Some of the themes include a bamboo garden, a rainbow room with multi-colored umbrellas, and a Renaissance ballroom including replicas of works by Michelangelo and Raphael.

Both schools have cracked down on Greek life and party culture. BU suspended 12 students in October after they were caught going to at least one out of three off-campus parties, and Northeastern dismissed 11 freshmen found together in a room at the Westin Hotel in early September.

Hamman said there are still “under the table” off-campus parties at BU that the university is not aware of, but the university has been strict with the number of people found together in on-campus rooms.

“They’ve tried to make it a point that if you break the rules and put other people at risk that it’s not tolerated and people have really been listening,” Hamman said.

At UMass Amherst, Greek life comprises one of the largest organizations on campus. Students said that UMass Amherst has not consistently enforced gathering limits for their fraternities.

“There are also definitely a ton of people who don’t really care about the pandemic, and have been going to giant frat parties or off-campus parties,” Galego said. “So

Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 5, 345 students were referred to the UMass Amherst Student Conduct office for violations including room capacity, social distancing, face coverings, noise, guest policies, failure to comply with contact tracing, and failure to comply with federal, state, and local COVID-19 guidelines. The university-imposed sanctions include suspension, removal from on-campus housing probation, and reprimanding, according to an Amherst Town Council meeting.

At Northeastern, Foster said, students generally follow the rules, because they know that’s what they have to do to stay on campus.

“I think everyone’s starting to get tired of it, but we know … we all have to do our part,” Foster said. “A lot of people wish that we could have people in our dorms and hang out more, and that we could go to all of our classes in person and have a little bit more normality. But, … as much as it stinks, everyone knows … if we keep being smart about it, things will get better.”

Across the Boston schools, this sentiment seems to strike a chord: Students are willing to do what it takes in order to have some semblance of normalcy.

“I think people at this point just want things to be over and better,” Schaubeck said. “I’ve talked with a bunch of people about what they think [fall 2021] will be like, and at this point we feel like if they still have us, like wear masks … [and] maybe some social distancing, like at that point, we’d be fine. So, I think we’re kind of willing to do anything to make things resemble normalcy.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRIT STRENGE

The Rainbow Room is one of the outdoor tents at Northeastern University.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELSIE SHAUBECK

Tufts University built modular residential housing for quarantine and isolation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAILEY MCKEE

Posters on display from Boston University’s student campaign promote mask-wearing.

Newton Al Fresco Dining To Return in April

By Olivia Vukelic Heights Staff

Newton Al Fresco, an initiative started in 2020 to bring outdoor dining to local restaurants, is returning on April 1. The project will allow restaurants to convert open spaces into outdoor dining areas decorated by local artists.

“Given … how much we love our favorite Newton restaurants, how important they are to village life and the difficult year they have endured, we are looking to build upon and expand our efforts to encourage outdoor dining, or as we call it, ‘Newton Al Fresco,’” Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in a statement on Feb. 25.

Newton Al Fresco allows restaurants to apply to use parking spaces in front of their businesses and adjacent buildings in order to increase the capacity of outdoor dining. With permission from the restaurants’ neighbors, restaurants can apply to expand dining into the parking lot.

To make the parking spaces large enough to accommodate more people, the project is working to expand the parking stall sizes on Union St. from eight to 12 feet.

They are also creating takeout spaces—designated spaces for customers to park for 15 minutes and pick up takeout— near the village centers and expanding seating for restaurants. These takeout spaces will also feature artistic elements to make the spaces more welcoming and appealing, Gloria Gavris, board chair of Newton Community Pride and BC ’83, said.

“We are also creating takeout spaces near the village centers which feature artistic elements and Union St. restaurants can expand wider which will create a different vibe for that area,” Nicole Freedman, Newton director of Transportation Planning, said. “It will feel like the street is more for outdoor dining and pedestrians and less for vehicles.”

Newton Al Fresco sites for this year will include Newton Centre Green, the Langley Lot, Rodney Barker Square, Elm St. Parking Lot, Captain Ryan Park, Austin St. Parking Lot, and Colletti-Magni Park, Fuller said.

Newton’s economic development and

planning staff, restaurants on Union St., and Ward 6 Councilors Vicki Danberg, Alicia Bowman, and Brenda Noel have worked together to expand on-street dining on Union St. in Newton Centre, Fuller said.

“The tentative plan … preserves much of the on-street parking spaces, allows for continuous traffic flow, and carves out a few special expanded dining areas for restaurants,” Fuller said.

The plan proposes outdoor dining service areas by Thistle & Leek, House of Tandoor, Farmstead Table, and Baramor, and takeout tables by Woops! Bakeshop, Café Sol Azteca, and Blackbird Donuts.

Police will begin “gentle enforcement” of the two hour parking limit on April 1, according to Fuller.

Communal dining spaces in many of the village centers will be improved, including painted bistro tables, umbrellas, and solar lighting, according to Fuller’s statement. Gavris said that the Cultural Affairs Office and Newton Community Pride, in conjunction with Newton City Council members, are working to include artistic elements created by local artists.

“Local artists were also hurting with lack of opportunity because of the COVID shut down,” Gavris said. “We hope that these elements create the opportunity for an artistic place that will last beyond the pandemic and create more of an ambiance around takeout public areas, resulting in increased foot traffic to local businesses and overall pedestrian engagement.”

Gavris said that Newton Community Pride serves as the “financial arm” of the Newton Al Fresco project. It commissions the artists participating in the project, while local businesses, such as Sherwin-Williams and National Lumbar, donate the art supplies.

Last year, Swartz Ace Hardware, Sherwin-Williams Paint, and Bowman donated supplies.

Gavris did not release which artists are involved in the program at this time. She said that she hopes to hold a socially distant painting event over the next two to three weeks.

“The city has been terrific,” Gavris said. “Newton Community Pride played a small part on the creativity and artistic end, but

the leadership in City Hall facilitated this program.”

Last year’s initiative helped businesses that lacked outdoor dining space to add seating utilizing jersey barriers. Paula Gannon, director of Newton Cultural Development, assembled a team of 23 artists to paint concrete jersey barriers for 10 Newton restaurants.

Using the barriers, Thistle & Leek, Sycamore, House of Tandoor, Baramor, Farmstead Table, Buttonwood, LeDu Thai Eatery, Cook Restaurant, Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grille, and George Howell Coffee were able to add outdoor seating to their restaurants last year.

“Almost a dozen agencies were involved, last year we had very little time, this year we had time to plan, proving a top-notch experience for customers, retailers, and businesses, it’s the new and improved 2021 version,” Freedman said.

The 2020 program only included expanding the dining through restaurants’ parking spaces, Freedman said.

“The restaurants were concerned and many city councilors like myself were also concerned,” Bowman said. “And so we

started working hard last summer when we saw how this was going to roll out to try to get the administration to expand it.”

The 2021 Newton Al Fresco project involved a year-long coordination process with numerous departments, including the mayor’s office, Public Works, the Office of Cultural Development, economic and planning staff, police and fire departments, Special Services, and a legal team, according to Bowman.

Bowman drew from other areas in Massachusetts, such as Waltham and Hyannis, as models for the Al Fresco program and engaged with restaurants around Newton to adjust the program to their needs. This was a learning experience for everyone involved, Bowman said.

“I attended a lot of webinars that were being held by organizations across the country to try to educate people on what we could be doing, and the restaurants themselves, with the Chamber’s help, started a restaurant round-table, where they were sharing what they learned with each other and try[ing] to use their political pressure to promote the city to provide more help to restaurants,” Bowman said.

Bowman said representatives from the restaurants, who serve as active voices in the round table discussion, include Karen Masterson from Johnny’s Luncheonette, Arpit Patel from Baramor, and Karl O’Hara from O’Hara’s Food & Spirits.

Bowman expressed her disappointment in the initial rollout of the program and reluctance of the administration to do more for restaurants and the community.

“We gave the administration a hard time, we didn’t think they had gone far enough last year to support the restaurants, especially when you look at other communities,” Bowman said. “We would have liked to see something more and that is what we’re going to see this year.”

Bowman said she is ready to move forward with Newton Al Fresco and hopeful for its continuation in a postCOVID-19 era.

“I hope that it’s the beginning of us really rethinking how we use our streets and I see us working hard to think through how we utilize space,” Bowman said. “I’m excited to see the program expanding and I hope we learn and continue to move forward.”

Robots Cook up Healthy Bowls at Spyce Restaurant

By Elizabeth Gray Heights Staff

With locations in both Harvard Square and Downtown Crossing, Spyce offers the Boston area healthy bowls packed with flavor—and prepared by robots.

Spyce’s newest location opened in Cam-

bridge this January, but its original location has been open in Downtown Crossing since May 2018. The restaurant seems as if it were tailor-made for pandemic dining—it’s perfect for social distancing with close to zero contact.

The restaurant experience is almost entirely mechanically run, with only one or

two employees working the store to hand the customer their meal. Customers place their customized orders, pay at a kiosk, watch their bowls run through a fully automated kitchen, or “robot,” and then pick up their meal at the end of this assembly line.

The robot, which Kale Rogers, one of the owners of the restaurant, refers to as “The Infinite Kitchen,” separates each ingredient in a different temperature-controlled lane. The ingredients are then dropped into the bowl as the container runs along a conveyor belt.

This unique idea came from Rogers and three other mechanical and electrical engineering students at MIT. Prior to graduating in 2016, they developed the business idea in their dorms. According to Rogers, the friends were frustrated by the lack of healthy and inexpensive food options in the area, so they decided to combine their engineering knowledge and their love of cooking to create Spyce together.

“We kind of had this idea of ‘What if we could design a new restaurant experience that could allow us to cook really fresh meals, made to order, that were more accessible in terms of dietary preferences and price point?’” Rogers said.

Upon founding the restaurant, they decided to add sustainability to the Spyce mission as well. Its packaging is com-

postable and recyclable, and there is no red meat served, according to the website. All ingredients are local, seasonal, and traceable, meaning customers are able to easily identify the location where each ingredient is sourced, according to Spyce’s website.

Rogers explained how the nature of Spyce makes it more easily accessible for various dietary needs. Every bowl is completely customizable, with options for those who are vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, keto, and more. Since every ingredient is kept in a separate part of the “Infinite Kitchen” machine throughout the assembly line process, cross contamination that may be harmful to customers with allergies is eliminated.

Spyce’s menu includes pre-set options with unique combinations that the average person may not think to put together, Rogers said. Rogers also explained that when the culinary team is inventing recipes, they begin by asking what kinds of foods and ideas they want to share with their customers.

“For us, the answer is an intersection between healthy, vegetable-centric meals and exotic, exciting spices … while also bringing a quick meal to everyone,” Rogers said.

Rogers’ current favorite is a warm, hearty Umami Q bowl, which includes

rice, mushrooms, green apple kimchi, and a sesame chili spice blend.

Rogers said the company plans on expanding its promotional efforts in the future—even using platforms such as TikTok to reach more customers.

“Our concept is super ‘TikTokable’ because it’s fun and you can see everything [being made]. … I honestly think some of the success that we’ve had on TikTok from different people posting about it has really shifted our thinking to how we can grow a platform there and produce some content,” Rogers said.

Spyce’s Downtown Crossing location is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., while its Harvard Square location is open Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Rogers said Spyce is aware of its role in the community and that the owners are always looking to improve the lives of others by enabling them to live more fully and healthily.

“When we think about this, we look at how we can really play a part in shaping the future we want to create, which is one that is more healthy, more local, more sustainable, and one that treats our restaurants’ teams well,” Rogers said. “That is the mission of Spyce and something we are trying to do every day.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF GREY HELD

Painted jersey barriers were displayed outside of George Howell Coffee as part of the 2020 Newton Al Fresco initative.

ELIZABETH GRAY / HEIGHTS STAFF

Spyce has locations in both Harvard Square and Downtown Crossing.

Boston College Housing Selection Process is Toxic, Needlessly Stressful

The housing selection process at Boston College is a needlessly stressful one, marked by rumors and distrust. Since a complete overhaul of the housing selection process seems unlikely in the near future, students must take initiative to change the toxic culture surrounding housing at BC.

Every class year at BC has a desired housing location. Freshmen want to be on Upper, sophomores want eight-man suites on Lower, juniors want to live off campus near Foster St., and seniors want Mods. It is a widely held belief that students’ social lives are dependent on where they live, but this is not true.

Compared to other schools, BC students enjoy their time in on-campus residence halls. About 87 percent of undergraduate students at BC live on campus each year. This is a relatively high percentage, as only 22 percent of college students in the United States live on campus. About 90 percent of seniors live on campus even though they are not required to. These statistics show that BC students choose to live on campus, and are a testament to how much BC students enjoy living in on-campus residence halls.

But the level of pressure that comes from conflating students’ place of residence with the quality of their social life contributes to the toxicity surrounding the housing selection process. The quality of the student experience is not that different across BC’s residence halls, but certain residence halls on campus have near-legendary status. This idea is perpetuated by students, past and present, who reflect on their time in certain residence halls including Walsh Hall and the Mods with reverence. As a result, students put undue weight on the importance of where they live on campus. This is not something that the University can control.

It is up to students to shift the narrative surrounding the housing selection process.

While the allure surrounding different residence halls is a product of student culture, the schedule for housing selection does not help. This year, the housing selection process takes place from March 15 to March 25. In order to select their housing, students must register in groups. Students are assigned eligibility codes based on class year, which dictate the order that groups are selected in the random housing lottery, according to ResLife. This process is clearly outlined on the ResLife website. There is no reason not to believe that the housing selection process works just as ResLife says it does, but there are rumors every year that it is not random or that eligibility codes do not work as they are supposed to.

Every year, friend groups split up because they have to form groups to register for housing. This process is notoriously ruthless for rising sophomores, who typically register in groups of eight for an eight-man suite, then remain in the same group the following day to block four-man suites if they do not receive an eight-man pick time. Drama usually occurs the next day, when groups who did not receive a pick time for four-man suites split apart and rejoin groups to register for six- and nine-man suites. Every year, friend groups fall apart because of housing. This process has been accepted as normal and is frequently joked about—including in The New England Classic—but is a process worth reexamining. Students should not put their friendships at stake over housing group drama.

There are also rumors about why some students receive three years of guaranteed on-campus housing rather than four. The ResLife website clearly states, however, that

“The majority of Boston College students receive three years of guaranteed housing. Sophomore transfer students receive one year of guaranteed housing, while nursing students, Presidential Scholars, and certain student-athletes receive four years of guaranteed housing.”

Students have no reason to distrust the information published by ResLife. Rumors about the housing selection process are unfounded and add unnecessary stress to the process.

However flawed, the lottery system that BC uses is common at other schools, including Boston University, Georgetown University, and the University of Notre Dame. According to a survey conducted by ResLife in 2019, BC students feel strongly that improvements should be made to the housing selection process.

To alleviate stress throughout the process, ResLife should make it easier for students to add or subtract people from their housing groups when registering for rooms of different sizes. Currently, many students rely on posting in a Facebook group to find roommates. ResLife should implement a system for current students to find roommates through the housing portal, similar to how incoming first-year students can find roommates based on roommate compatibility surveys. Not everyone in search of a roommate posts on Facebook—it can be intimidating to post. Additionally, ResLife should implement a policy like Georgetown’s—all groups registering for apartments and suites must be four people—so that groups are not split up in the first place.

Even if ResLife does not implement any changes, students have the ability to alleviate some of the stress associated with the process by being civil with one another while making and dismantling housing groups and by not contributing to the circulation of rumors.

Week in Photos

Top photos, left to right: BC junior Caitlyn Spuckes works in the Women’s Center, Tuesday, March 16; BC midfielder Laura Gouvin passes the ball to forward Zoie Allen, Sunday, March 21; BC infielder Sal Frelick slides to the plate, Sunday, March 21.

Bottom photos, left to right: BC pitcher Alex Stiegler pitches against North Carolina, Sunday, March 21; BC outfielder Cameron Leary prepares to bat against North Carolina, Friday, March 19; BC pitcher Mason Pelio pitches against North Carolina, Friday, March 19; BC infielder Sal Frelick runs toward home plate, Sunday, March 21.

(MAGGIE DIPATRI/ HEIGHTS EDITOR); (MOLLY BRUNS/ FOR THE HEIGHTS); (KRISTIAN LAMARRE/ FOR THE HEIGHTS); (KAYLA BRANDT/ HEIGHTS STAFF); (ADITYA RAO/ FOR THE HEIGHTS).

The 12 Percent: BC Must Do More For Its International Students

a junior. You find “your people,” track down your favorite study spot, head into Boston for your favorite restaurants, figure out American spelling and grammar, and slowly assimilate to the culture (though you never quite get used to the weather).

INDIRA MARZBANI

Three years ago, on a muggy August afternoon, I found myself unloading cardboard boxes and oversized duffle bags from a rental car as I moved into my freshman dorm at Boston College. Somehow, the nervous 18-year-old girl from Sydney, Australia wound up in Chestnut Hill, Mass., ready to begin her life as a college student. I had no idea what I was doing in Boston. All I knew was that I wanted to get the best out of my college experience—but what exactly was that? My only knowledge of American college came from cliché movies like American Pie and Pitch Perfect. Needless to say, I wasn’t very well prepared.

Adjusting to life at BC was difficult to say the least. Somehow, everyone that I met seemed to live somewhere in Massachusetts or was “from the Northeast”— whatever that meant. Despite meeting a ton of warm, friendly people and going out on the weekends with groups of girls, I felt out of place. Everything was so different from what I had expected, and people weren’t interested in the same things that I was. Nobody had lived abroad or traveled to the places that I loved so much. Stories of my homestay in Cambodia and the amazing hospitality that I experienced in Abu Dhabi weren’t met with the same enthusiasm or interest as those from other students connecting over their vacation spots on the Cape or ski towns in Vermont.

It wasn’t that I thought my experiences were more interesting or better, I just came to realize that people cared less about a world outside of the U.S. than I did. I wondered if anybody else was feeling the same way I was and even if I should be feeling this way. Surely, it would just take some time for me to adjust and feel at home in Chestnut Hill … right? Well, yes and no.

Freshman year is tough for everyone. Eventually you settle in and find your niche, just as I have now that I am

That being said, research shows that the difficulties that international students face when adjusting to college are quite different from the ones their native counterparts face. One study found that “international students deal with academic challenges, social isolation, and cultural adjustment. Specifically, academic challenges included communication with professors, classmates, and staff.”

I argue that these findings are an understatement.

I am lucky enough to have grown up speaking English, so I have had an easier time with communication than some. But even still, there is a difference in how I write, the expressions that I use, the slang that I am unfamiliar with, and cultural references that I still don’t understand.

It is the accumulation of all of these small differences that contributes to feelings of “otherness.” Over time, I have become accustomed to these differences and have begun to feel comfortable in this new culture, but there is still a sense of missing what I grew up with. I was also lucky enough to join the board of the International Club my freshman year and find a group of people that shared similar challenges with transitioning into BC culture. Many still struggle, and in my view, that comes down to a lack of representation and diversity, as well as not feeling heard.

BC is currently home to 88 percent U.S. students and over a third of all students hail from New England. It may come as a surprise to many BC students (but definitely not the international population) that only 12 percent of Eagles are international students—8 percent for the undergraduate population. This is in sharp contrast to our neighboring schools: Boston University has a 25 percent international population, Harvard University 23 percent, and Northeastern 33 percent.

So why does BC not diversify its international population more actively? That is most definitely a question for the administration. I am more concerned with the current international population and how this lack of representation affects us. Transitioning to a new country

can be extremely difficult, and it’s even harder when you are part of a very small minority.

I am not advocating for total subversion of BC’s America-centric culture. I love the no-nonsense earthiness of New Englanders as much as the next person, but the school simply needs to do more for its existing international population.

Currently, BC does not offer enough resources for its international students, and those that it does are not known widely enough. The Office of International Students and Scholars does offer a number of links to services such as “Academic Support” and “Life at BC”, but it lacks specifics about the international experience at BC, particularly advice on social life. BC has an International Assistant (IA) program but it is not well known. Most of the international students that I know are not even aware of the program, which is a problem that could be easily remedied if BC publicized it more. Also, the application process to become an IA mentor is pretty laborious: It involves agreeing to a semester-long commitment, completing a seven-page application form, and submitting a three-minute video prompt. This application process poses a problem to the program itself because its intense and excessive nature deters many students from becoming mentors. If the application process were to become less intense, or even eliminated entirely, and the program was more publicized, the program would most likely grow in size and popularity. If the University were to reform and put more resources into this program, it would make all the difference for the international student community.

BC is home to so many amazing people, international and American. Some of my closest friends are from New England and others are from abroad (like my roommate, a family friend from Australia who I bumped into freshman year). I know that the international community has so much to offer here in terms of character and perspective, and every student at BC would benefit greatly by seeing it strengthened.

Indira Marzbani is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at indira.marzbani@bc.edu.

This Saturday marked the first day of spring, and hopefully is a sign of warmer weather to come. While Boston winters are a staple, Boston College students are all ready to ditch the layers and piles of snow on the side of the road.

COVID-19 and the College Experience: Normalcy on the Horizon

anxiety. What am I really looking forward to here? Is the traditional college experience gone forever? Will things ever go back to “normal”?

Like all college students looking to become the best version of themselves, I practice the sacred ritual of checking the news every morning before getting out of bed. It’s a calming ritual, and one I’ve perfected by this point in the year. I log onto my email, read the New York Times Morning Briefing, and eventually find myself lured into Apple News headlines. Appearing among much flashier Snapchat and Instagram notifications, most of the headlines don’t even hold my attention, let alone prompt me to read the article. But Friday, Feb. 12 was different. There it was. Smack in the middle of my screen: “Fauci: April should be ‘open season’ for vaccinations.” At that exact moment, I went from half-asleep to wide awake, riding an endorphin rush that can only be produced by one thing: the end of the pandemic.

Ah yes, the end of the pandemic. Part of me is afraid to even write that phrase when the past year has been hallmarked by phony deadlines citing the end to the COVID-19 crisis as “soon” or “already here.” At this point, I’m partially convinced that the pandemic can smell optimism like comic book characters can smell fear. But something about the promise of an accessible vaccine just feels different. It feels real. Maybe the pandemic really is almost over. But, with my cautiously optimistic sense of hope comes a different yet equally overwhelming feeling:

While I was applying to college, a global pandemic was a plot element in my favorite sci-fi movie, masks were worn by doctors performing surgery, and cotton swabs belonged nowhere but my ear. Now, just one year later, a pandemic is my reality, a mask is what I wear to the bathroom, and a cotton swab is what gets shoved up my nose each week for testing. Although over time this reality has become “normal,” I can’t help but wonder what I am missing.

The pandemic has given me a lot of things: a talent for making whipped coffee, a flair for matching my outfits to my masks, and a new understanding of the word “normal.” Arriving on campus in August as an overwhelmed and overstimulated freshman, I lacked the time and mental capacity to truly process the dramatic changes to student life that the pandemic required. A stranger to Boston College B.C. (get it? “Before COVID-19”), it never truly dawned on me that my experiences as a freshman weren’t exactly traditional. Sure, I would take the T into the city, maybe even go out to eat, but I was largely with the same group every weekend. Better yet, we would immediately split up upon arriving back at BC, afraid to be caught together on campus and risk losing housing. There was no casually meeting people in class or at club meetings, and part of me was okay with this “normal.” At least until I checked Snapchat.

And then, I was no longer “normal.” The University of Tampa, Clemson, Elon, and the University of Miami were just some of the places where, from behind a phone screen, it appeared as though COVID-19 didn’t exist. Some of the footage made me uncomfortable. Aren’t they going to get sick? Won’t they lose housing? But no. Most of my friends at

these schools made it through the entire fall semester without contracting COVID-19 or receiving housing infractions. I was jealous that their “normal” appeared to be more complete than mine.

So with vaccinations on the horizon, will we get back to that? The quintessential college experience embellished with social gatherings and sporting events that has been put on hold finally seems like it could be possible again. But, just because Anthony Fauci says it’s “open season” for vaccinations, doesn’t mean college campuses will automatically “open” completely. There is a serious possibility that things might not go back to how they once were, leaving the memory of COVID-19 to linger long after the virus is gone. Could this lead to hordes of students transferring to colleges where the grass is seemingly greener, and the COVID-19 restrictions are lighter? For the BC Classes of 2024 and 2025, these questions are haunting. Is the school they applied to ever going to be that school again?

The optimistic, faith-in-humanity side of me wants things to be “open” again so bad. Sometimes, I even catch myself fantasizing about what a few COVID-19-free weeks at the end of this semester may look like if BC manages to get us all vaccinated. The realist in me gawks at this fantasy, then promptly goes into managing expectations overdrive, preparing me to forget about life before the virus. This is challenging because we won’t know what life after COVID-19 will be like until it happens. But until then, I’ll be patiently awaiting my vaccine, just as Fauci promised, hoping that I never have to stick a Q-tip up my nose again.

Cameron Walker is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at cameron.walker@bc.edu.

The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the authors of those particular pieces, and not necessarily the views of The Heights

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Massachusetts’ COVID-19 vaccination rollout is underway and vaccines will be available to all eligible individuals 16+ by April 19. There is finally light at the end of the tunnel for a normal summer and fall semester.

Midterms Month

Midterms week at BC is a drawn out and grueling process that lasts for about a month. Having one or two monumental assignments due each week for this extended period of time is exhausting and can lead to complete burnout halfway through the semester.

Spring Fever

Speaking of burnout, the warm weather and high hopes for vaccinations make it feel like the semester is over, but it’s not. BC is nearing the finish line, but there are still piles of work to hurdle before it’s truly time to relax. Unfortunately, Canvas and island time don’t go hand in hand.

CAMERON WALKER

First Week of Spring

GRAPHIC BY MEEGAN MINAHAN AND OLIVIA CHARBONNEAU / HEIGHTS EDITORS

Del Negro Channels Career Failures into New Book

BY JOHN KALIL Heights Staff

From the Division I lacrosse field to the sets of The West Wing and The Sopranos, Matthew Del Negro has shown no shortage of skill. But now, venturing into his new role, Del Negro felt in over his head. Despite his lengthy list of high-profile acting experiences over the last 20 years of his career, becoming an author left him feeling unsure of himself.

“I felt so self-conscious and exposed,” Del Negro, BC ’94, said. “I hated it, and then I went into about a 24-hour, maybe 36-hour hole of self bashing.”

In October, with the publication of his debut book 10,000 NOs: How to Overcome Rejection on the Way to Your YES, Del Negro experienced misgivings about how much he’d shared on its pages, he said.

“I put some things in there that were vulnerable,” Del Negro said, noting that his acting profession also involves quite a bit of vulnerability.

Portraying himself on the pages of a book, though, proved to be one of his toughest challenges yet.

After talking to family members and friends, Del Negro snapped out of his funk, re-read the book once more, and found renewed confidence in his authorial voice, he said—especially once he received feedback from readers.

“The parts that were most vulnerable seem to be the ones that people respond the most to,” Del Negro said.

Fortunately, the trials of Del Negro’s career taught him all about the perserverance required to deal with the uncertainties and insecurities of becoming a published author, he said. Written about the importance of persevering past rejection, 10,000 NOs is divided into chapters with names like “Work Ethic” and “Transformation.”

In it, Del Negro candidly recounts his own experiences of rejection in show business, and the tips and tricks he’s learned to move forward with courage and optimism. Acting is a notoriously difficult profession to break into, and Del Negro said that he faced

long periods of uncertainty waiting for the next opportunity to arise.

“I’m basically told no for a living,” Del Negro said.

Friend and fellow actor Chris Messina attests to the struggles of staying positive while in show business, as well as the clarity of Del Negro’s anecdotes in his writing and podcasting.

“He tells a lot of really honest stories about his trials and tribulations, funny ones and moving ones,” Messina said. “But it’s very relatable in any field.”

In addition to his own stories, Del Negro shares those of guests on his popular podcast, also titled 10,000 NOs. Ranging from physical accidents to bankruptcies and battles with cancer, Del Negro’s podcast guests provide additional insights about failure, loss, and abandonment. In fact, he said that many of the inspirations for the fulllength book came from introductions and descriptions he’d written about his guests.

“There are other people who have much more harrowing stories than I have,” Del Negro said. “It kind of backed up the whole premise of the podcast and the book, which is that it doesn’t matter who you are, nobody is going to get through this unscathed. All of us are going to have challenges.”

Del Negro submitted his draft to his publisher on the first day of 2020, before the world locked down from COVID-19, but it has taken on even greater relevance in light of the struggles accompanying the pandemic, he said.

While he sheltered in place in Southern California after being sent home from the set of season two of City on a Hill, Del Negro reflected on the new significance of his book.

“I realized, without knowing it, I had really written a book about dealing with uncertainty, which is what the whole world was thrust into in March 2020,” Del Negro said.

After evacuating the show’s set in Brooklyn, N.Y. and returning home to Los Angeles, Calif. for eight months, Del Negro said he spent more time with his wife and two children as they navigated online learning.

Before the pandemic, Del Negro recorded most of his podcast interviews in

person at his home studio, which became unsafe during COVID-19. Yet, a silver lining presented itself—by doing interviews over Zoom, he was able to recruit more guests and include a video component in his podcast, he said.

Two of his passions will intersect on March 26, when Kevin Bacon, famous actor and lead in City on a Hill, will be a guest on Del Negro’s podcast. Two days later, City on a Hill will premiere, starring Bacon with Del Negro as a series regular.

The precariousness of the acting businesses makes Del Negro very adept at navigating challenging times, Messina said, joking that Del Negro would be the person to be with in the event of the apocalypse or the eruption of a third world war.

“I would take my family and run to him, because he’s very strong-willed, strong-minded and really is the guy you want to be in the bunker with,” Messina said.

For Del Negro, a few instances of rejection and heartache stand out among the rest, guiding his attitude toward failure which he describes in his book.

Just under seven years after moving to New York City to pursue acting, Del Negro auditioned for a role on a soap opera. He advanced through multiple rounds and eventually made it to the final three. After a screen test, Del Negro felt great about his chances.

“I felt really good about it, and I thought I was going to get it,” Del Negro said. “It’s only two other guys to beat out, and this is going to be mine.”

But two days later, Del Negro’s agent called with heartbreaking news—the role had gone to someone else. Back to square one, he said he felt distressed at the prospect of going any longer without being paid to act. Around eight months later, though, his perseverance won out and Del Negro caught his first big break with the HBO’s The Sopranos He went in to meet the producers and the creators of The Sopranos, who offered him a role. This success proved to be a boost for his career, and Del Negro gained new perspective on the disappointment of missing out on the soap opera, he said.

“Thank God I did not get that other soap opera, eight months before, because The Sopranos is one of the great shows in television history,” Del Negro said. “It was just such a stroke of fortune to land that job versus landing a soap.”

For someone steeped in getting rejected and writing and speaking about failure, earning a book deal proved to be uncharacteristically easy, Del Negro said.

The publisher for best-selling author

Jon Gordon, a podcast guest of Del Negro’s, reached out and suggested that he should write a book. Del Negro said that he initially brushed the suggestion off but later returned to the idea.

A different guest suggested that he put together an e-book, Del Negro said. With the help of an app called Scrivener, he compiled 30 pages of writing.

Gordon read it and encouraged him to send the e-book to his publisher, Wiley. The publisher then invited Del Negro out for a meeting to discuss a potential book deal.

“For a guy who has a podcast called 10,000 NOs, who is in a profession that is very tough and full of rejection, the book deal was very serendipitous,” Del Negro said.

An audiobook will launch on March 30, complementing the existing hardcover and e-book options.

Many years prior to releasing his podcast, Del Negro had anticipated writing a memoir or self-help book. Sifting through his computer, Del Negro found a document from 2012 with potential book titles—one of which was “10,000 NOs.”

During the process of producing the book, Del Negro held himself to strict deadlines, writing anywhere and everywhere—early in the morning, on long car rides, during Christmas vacation, and at a local library, he said. For Del Negro, the writing came naturally, which he partially credits his English major and education at Boston College for helping him craft his prose, he said.

“Once I could get into the flow of the chapter, I found that it was easy for me to lose myself in it,” Del Negro said. “And it

didn’t matter if there was noise around. I could find my focus.”

He originally planned for his book’s release to coincide with season two of City on a Hill, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed both events. 10,000 NOs was eventually released in October, right when he returned to Brooklyn to resume filming the show.

His role in City on a Hill ties him back to his roots in Boston.

Del Negro has appeared as a series regular playing detective Chris Caysen in the Boston crime-drama series since season one.

Although the main set is in Brooklyn, the cast visited Boston before filming and has returned several times if the scene features Boston landmarks, Del Negro said.

Interestingly enough, the show’s events occur right around the same time that Del Negro attended BC. Playing the role has allowed him to reconnect with the city, he said.

Throughout his career, highs like City on a Hill and Sopranos have been built up to with many more rejections. In 10,000 NOs, Del Negro describes that faith was necessary to keep struggling and striving in the face of rejection. In times where things seemed bleak, he said that things worked out in the end.

“I like to say that I work hard, and it’s a work ethic that eventually gets there,” Del Negro said.

“I don’t know if it’s the grace of God. Something seems to swoop in, and a job or an opportunity lands on my lap, just when it seems like, that’s it.”

Capitol Insurrection Brings Ferrari TikTok Fame

BY ANNIE CORRIGAN Assoc. Multimedia Editor

When Chris Ferrari, BC ’20, became interested in politics in high school, he didn’t envision himself working for the United States Senate right out of college. But COVID-19 threw him a curveball and opened a door—quite literally—to an opportunity working as a doorkeeper and Senate Chamber assistant in the Capitol. Also unexpected for Ferrari, was Jan. 6. On the day of the Capitol insurrection, Ferrari was on the clock.

That day, Ferrari said, all of the Chamber assistants were not working their usual shift schedule. They were prepared for a busy day, but the chaos that ensued exceeded expectations, he said.

When the senators were certifying President Joe Biden’s Electoral College votes, Ferrari stayed in the Chamber and waited for the senators to return. That is when things took a turn.

“I was one of the lucky ones that was near the Chamber,” Ferrari said. “We were safe at the end of the day, but it was so unprecedented. We have the drills, but you never go in and think ‘Oh, I’m going to have to use that knowledge today.’”

Despite all of the hysteria and confusion, Ferrari had one thought running through his head.

“I thought I was going to die,” Ferrari said. “I was totally prepared. I was sending texts left and right, and I was getting them too … One of my friends texted me and said, ‘Crazy day at work, huh?’”

Growing up in Tulsa, Okla., Ferrari couldn’t have imagined being part of such a historic day, espeically since he didn’t even have an interest in politics. He wanted to be an engineer, but as he got older his interests shifted and he ultimately double majored in political science and communication.

It wasn’t until his junior year of high school that Ferrari took an interest in politics. The year before, his mother, a former bill clerk at the U.S. Capitol, suggested that he look into becoming a Senate page. He

spent a semester during his junior year with 27 other high school students from around the country. That experience, he said, ultimately shifted his gaze toward a possible future in politics.

“It was definitely the page program that shifted my mentality,” Ferrari said. “… Being on the floor where they declared we were going to go into World War II, where the Civil Rights Act was passed, and I’m sitting there on this historical ground. It just kind of hits you slowly, just a slow punch in the face saying, ‘This is dope. You should do it.’”

Once he got to BC, his experience was shaped by organizations and extracurriculars like Sexual Chocolate and 48Hours. In his freshman year Perspectives class, he met one of his best friends, Nate Janda, BC ’20.

“He’s a great guy,” Janda said. “He’s kinda always been there for me since we started school and has been really dedicated through college.”

When searching for a post-graduation job, Ferrari wasn’t looking at jobs in D.C., he said. It wasn’t until he was talking with Janda one day that the idea of living and working in Washington, D.C. really stuck with him.

“I wasn’t really even thinking about D.C.,” Ferrari said. “I was thinking about staying in Boston or even going to New York … For whatever reason, I was sitting up with [Janda], and I was like, ‘Dude, let’s go to D.C. together.’”

With the onset of COVID-19, searching for a fulfilling job was tough, Ferrari said. But thanks to some connections he had in the Capitol, he was able to get his foot in the door, he said.

“The main way you get a job [in the Senate] is through connections,” Ferrari said. “I worked for an Oklahoman senator, so I ended up having those connections.”

Ferrari started out as a doorkeeper for the Senate in July. This job consisted of upholding the rules of the Chamber and helping the senators navigate their way between the buildings. The majority of doorkeepers in their early twenties push elevator buttons for the senators, but in Ferrari’s eyes, it was a job that could possibly lead to a future

career in politics, he said.

In September, he became a Chamber assistant, working on the Senate floor, assisting senators, clerks, and cloakroom staff.

One part of his job that Ferrari said has been particularly rewarding is the day-today interactions with senators and staff. An outgoing guy, Ferrari said, he lives off conversation and making new connections within his workplace, something that’s rare during COVID-19.

The Senate can’t conduct business over Zoom, Ferrari said, so the face-to-face interactions of his job have been extra meaningful during a time when so many people are working remotely.

The day after the insurrection, Ferrari channeled his trauma into something he could use to cope—a TikTok video. The video—which showed a picture of him counting the electoral ballots and then a clip of him being evacuated—gained over 500,000 likes and 2.3 million views before he deleted it over security concerns.

Ferrari said that he uses humor to come to terms with what’s happening around him—something his friends say may be his greatest downfall, but what Ferrari considers to be his biggest strength.

“I chose TikTok mainly [because] I didn’t really have any followers on there that knew me,” Ferrari said. “... I just kind of thought of it as the best place to just throw something up that I thought might mitigate some of the stress from what had just happened.”

He learned that TikTok can reach a lot of people, regardless of accounts’ followers. Other social media platforms like Twitter or Reddit do not feel as personal, Ferrari said.

“The comments [on TikTok] were so caring and interrogatory that it just felt like I was connecting with people,” Ferrari said. “That should be the goal of any representative is to be able to connect with constituents.”

Rob Martinez, CSOM ’21, wasn’t phased when he saw Ferrari—his former Sexual Chocolate teammate—go viral.

“Chris has a very outgoing personality,” Martinez said. “I wasn’t surprised that he

went viral, I was just surprised that ... was the video that made him go viral because he already created content.”

Ferrari said his own viral video has given him an interest in the use of media platforms like TikTok in campaigns for politicians like Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff.

“You think the way to win a political campaign is to have the most money,” Ferrari said. “With media platforms like TikTok, I didn’t need to pay a dollar for 2.3 million people to see the video ... I think that’s another thing it showed me is that it doesn’t matter if you’re poor or rich, you can still have those platforms.”

Despite its virality, Ferrari ended up taking down his video for job security reasons. His coworkers’ reactions were a mix between wondering why he was viral and wondering if he was allowed to post anything at all, he said. Unless you have a familiarity with the Capitol, he said, you wouldn’t be able to tell where the recording was taken because he cut out people and places for security reasons.

“I ended up deleting it out of concern for my job,” Ferrari said. “Because there were other things that we were hearing about from the Sergeant at Arms and stuff like

that. I just wanted to make sure that didn’t interfere with my own aspirations.”

Alongside the in-person nature o f his job that enabled Ferrari to witness monumental historical events like the insurrection, he said that he also values the nonpartisanship of it.

One of his priorities as a budding politician or lawyer is remaining open to both political parties, he said.

“I personally am more moderate,” Ferrari said. “My job is nonpartisan right now, luckily. I think that’s honestly the most important thing to me right now.”

Ferrari’s aspirations don’t end at just being a Senate aide. He hopes to go to law school in the near future and remind politicians on both sides that they all share a goal of fostering a better United States for its future citizens, he said.

“I would hope that my experience, both as a page and through that whole event and through my job, has really shown me that I do have really high aspirations for myself to one day hold office,” Ferrari said. “... In order to try and set this precedent that we don’t have to be at each other’s necks. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, there is common ground.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW DEL NEGRO

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS FERRARI

Years of facing rejection inspired Del Negro to become an author.

After the insurrection, Ferrari returned a ballot box to the House Chamber.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF MATTHEW DEL NEGRO

G RACE M AYER Arts Editor

Zoe Behrakis, WCAS ’24, and her family were seated around her parents’ living room waiting in anticipation. Their household in Sudbury, Mass. is usually filled with hits from U2, Shania Twain, and NSYNC, Greek music, Behrakis’ older brother playing jazz on the piano, or Behrakis singing a cover of a pop song. But on March 27 last year, they were counting down the minutes until midnight—when Behrakis’ first single, “Grace,” would be released.

When the 20-year-old’s voice came streaming through her phone, Behrakis felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. While commemorating the moment on video, her mom broke down into tears. So did her dad. The single was not only a culmination of years of voice training and vocal therapy, but a sign that Behrakis’ dream of becoming a pop singer was closer to a reality.

“I’m probably still processing it,” Behrakis said about her first single. “I think it was just like a really insane, surreal moment because it was actually happening, you know. I actually had a song that was going to be released and people were going to listen to it.”

For as long as Behrakis can remember, she’s been singing. When she was a kid, she used to perform concerts for her family with her Hannah Montana electric microphone, drowning out the backing tracks that played the Disney Channel star’s records with her own vocals.

But that was then. Now, in an apartment five minutes from Boston College’s campus, Behrakis has turned her bedroom into a makeshift recording stu dio, complete with a microphone, speakers, and a poster of R&B artist Frank Ocean— w hich resides in a prime spot above her bed. In the corner of her room, the microphone perches on its adjustable stand, waiting for Behrakis to record another cover of Ariana Grande or a demo for her latest single.

The singer has been recording covers in her bedroom since she was a kid, but with three released singles—and a growing discography in the works—Behrakis is advancing her career as a pop artist and songwriter. Writing with collaborators for close to two years now, she’s started to develop her style as an artist. In a music industry rife with clichés, Behrakis is pulled toward creating personal and authentic music.

“I think it’s so beautiful when people can take either something that happened to them or something that changed their life for the better or for [the] worse and put it into a song,” Behrakis said.

While completing virtual courses for her bachelor’s degree in psychology at BC, Behrakis surrounds herself w ith a steady stream of “powerhouse” v oices blasting from her speakers, including Grande, Whitney Houston, Prince, Queen’s Freddie Mercury, and Kelly Clarkson.

These artists are known for creating a commanding presence with their vocals, and Behrakis’ own voice, which possesses a deep honeyish tone, evokes similar reactions—something

“She stood out immediately because she has such a stellar voice,” Black, who’s been working as a music producer for 16 years, said. “She sang in a way that seemed like she had a lot more time in the industry.”

The Grammy-nominated producers connected with Behrakis shortly after she was invited in May 2019 to join PCG Artist Development, a program that provides mentorship to budding musicians. When Behrakis met with the duo for the first time, Piazza said she was a natural in the recording studio.

“Not everybody is a great musician [who] can come into the studio and perform at their best, especially early on,” Piazza, who’s worked in the music industry for nearly 10 years, said. “And with Zoe, you know, it was a breeze.”

Later that July, she flew out to Nashville for a writing session with Black and Piazza. Although this was Behrakis’ first time writing a song, she didn’t shy away from sharing her personal experiences in her music.

Within a few hours, the team had come up with a rough demo of her first single, “Grace.” Paired with Behrakis’ strong vocals and a piano accompaniment, the ballad details the journey of tackling difficult times and doing so with grace.

ugh this wa s t ing m sharing in her the th r st ith nd n t, , uru lt t h e tting ano, like g while she the stories,” ng Behrakis ’ n d of slowl y

“I remember sort of setting the whole thing to a piano, like just playing a piano along while she was talking and telling us the stories,” Black said about making Behrakis’ first single. “We just kind of slowly pieced it together. It started with the first verse, and it just kind of unfolded into ‘Grace.’”

Nearly a year after that first meeting, and hours spent recording vocals and mixing backing tracks and harmonies, “Grace” was released at the end of March 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered businesses across the nation—putting an end to Behrakis’ trips to Nashville.

But Behrakis hasn’t slowed down during the pandemic. Since then, “Grace” has acquired more than 120,000 streams on Spotify. She’s released two additional singles, “Echo” and “Strangers,” and has plans to release an EP.

When a song title, concept, or a lyric or two strike her, she’s taken to jotting it down in the notes app on her phone. Although Behrakis is developing her skills as a songwriter, her voice is ultimately what distinguishes her as an artist, Black said.

“She’s just got a really natural tone, but she also has very, very strong technique,” Black said. “And that’s rare that somebody has both.”

Members of PCG Artist Development also noticed this when they first heard Behrakis sing “Beautiful Disaster” by Clarkson at a workshop in Boston, which was hosted by PCG and Behrakis’ voice teacher, Sharon

left an impression on the program’s members.

“It’s one thing to be a good singer,” Erman said. “And it’s another thing to move an audience.”

Erman, who taught Behrakis for six years and still has lessons with her occasionally, understands the difficulties of breaking into the music industry—especially as a pop singer. But after performing for PCG, Behrakis saw her opportunity. She was invited to join the PCG Artist Development program in Nashville—a guarantee that she would get to develop her persona as a musician.

lessons with erstands a kc t r r as G pro gr am in ntee that s he to the inkis’ on ly hen s he ng high d

Finding a path into the industry wasn’t Behrakis’ only obstacle, though. When she was close to graduating high school, Erman noticed at one of their voice lessons that Behrakis was straining to reach notes she had always been comfortable singing. It sounded like she was singing two notes, Behrakis said.

Although she had just recovered from a head cold, the virus left her with weakened vocal cords, a lingering effect that lasted months.

know if I actu a ke ep sing ing because it wa and like this virus just destr vocal cords,” said Without p ro p er treat m man sai d , t h e a dd ition a wou ld d amage Be h ra k i s cord s, so she advise d her t therapy. acc u to singing every d ay, b sing ing du t herap y lessons. T h mer leadin g i f res h m an i o t h es sions, practicing

“I didn’t know if I actually could keep singing because it was so bad, and like this virus just destroyed my vocal cords,” Behrakis said.

Without proper treatment, Erman said, the additional stress would damage Behrakis’ vocal cords, so she advised her to attend voice therapy. Behrakis, accustomed to singing every day, scaled back her efforts to just singing during her therapy lessons. The summer leading into her freshman year at BC, she was in and out of these sessions, practicing breathing techniques and strengthening her vocal cords. “There would have been a lot of people who just gave up, but she

just persevered,” Erman said.

Without this experience, Behrakis said, she wouldn’t be where she is today—with a voice that’s stronger as a result.

She’s carried this strength with her into the studio with Black and Piazza. After “Grace,” Behrakis, Black, and Piazza worked on her second single “Echo,” a high-energy pop song that was inspired by Grande’s “breathin.” Although she had already released one single, Behrakis said she felt more nervous about this release.

“When you’re writing about any type of personal writing … you’re going to be vulnerable and it’s going to be nerve-racking,” Behrakis said. “But with [‘Echo’], I feel like it was just like next-level personal.”

On this track, Behrakis details her personal experiences with anxiety. But paired with an upbeat track and her powerful vocals, she delivers a message of determination. Her latest release, “Strangers,” a pop anthem about letting go of past relationships, was her first single produced outside of the Nashville studio. Through virtual sessions, Black, Piazza, and Behrakis wrote and recorded the song this past summer, splicing together demos of Behrakis’ vocals recorded at Wellspring Sound Recording Studio in Acton, Mass., while Piazza layered her vocals with beats. Black said he believes Behrakis is only getting started and can imagine her songs may start appearing in TV or movie scores in the near future.

the “S gr ea “... I f u thin t s an th i tau B dri a b co m BC comm

“She wants to be great,” Black said. “... If you don’t have that, ultimately, something comes along that makes you not want to chase it anymore. And she’s got that drive, and that’s the one thing that can’t be taught.”

Behrakis is not just driven by her own ambitions, but also by her personal commitments to the BC community and to her family. She’s a member of the a capella group Bostonians of Boston College, and her recording of the national anthem is being played at BC athletic events this year.

For now, Behrakis can’t perform in person for a live audience, so she and her 22-year-old brother George Behrakis, a graduate student studying jazz composition at the New England Conservatory of Music and a piano player for the past 17 years, have performed duets of her songs on Instagram and Facebook to promote her new music. Behrakis is starting to forge her own identity within the pop industry, even if, for now, she has to continue making a name for herself from her bedroom.

Propped up in her desk chair, laptop flipped open, Behrakis adjusts her microphone while running through vocal warmups. Up and down she runs through a scale, then another. She queues up a backing track for the latest song she’s been listening to on repeat: “Lovin’ You” by Minnie Riperton. Checking that her headphones are connected, she hits play on her laptop, takes a deep breath, and sings.

that producer Johnny Black and recording and mixing engineer Mike Piazza recognized when they first heard Behrakis sing in July 2019.

Erman of the Sharon Erman Vocal Studio. At the event, Erman saw that Behrakis had

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOE BEHRAKIS

Zoe Behrakis, WCAS ’24, writes personal pop songs with collaborators, including her singles “Grace” and “Echo.”

Nate Bargatze Masters Self-Deprecation

What better way to celebrate the first anniversary of quarantine than by laughing at life and watching a comedy special? And what better comedian to provide comfort than self-deprecating, yet surprisingly selfaware, comic Nate Bargatze? Bargatze just released his second Netflix stand-up special, Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American, which is filled with his trademark dry humor and deadpan comedic style. If you’re looking for an easy laugh at the hilarities of American life, Bargatze’s hour-long special is undeniably worth the watch.

Bargatze’s special takes place in front of a live, masked audience spaced apart at

separate tables. The stage is set up outdoors, and the comedian performs without a mask but is socially distanced from the crowd. The camera remains on Bargatze throughout the special, discounting a couple of minor clips showing the audience.

He begins with, of course, an acknowledgment of how weird 2020 has been—a year weird enough, he points out, that the existence of U.F.O.s was confirmed and no one blinked an eye. He then informs the audience of the drive-in shows he’s been doing during the pandemic. As in many of his acts, Bargatze gives his viewers a glimpse of his life as a comedian, rife with missed flights, slightly regrettable nights, and audiences who don’t understand his jokes—sometimes because they don’t speak English.

As the special continues, Bargatze moves on to other notable aspects of life as he knows it, including taking his daughter to Chuck E. Cheese, getting claustrophobia in his 40s, and squabbling with his practical wife. Unlike other comics this past year, Bargatze doesn’t make his show all about the pandemic. Though he references and acknowledges how life is different, he more often uses it as a backdrop for jokes about life in general. Bargatze offers a subtle reprieve from reality, a strength of truly talented comedians even beyond the pandemic.

Possibly Bargatze’s greatest strength as a comic is his willingness to be the butt of his own jokes. He makes it easy for us to laugh at him. At one point, Bargatze tells viewers about his experience performing his best jokes on an audience to absolutely no avail. Bigger names like Dave Chappelle or Kevin Hart often don’t focus on their failings for comedic material. In fact, some of their jokes are based on their fame.

But Bargatze’s level of success enables self-deprecation that doesn’t feel forced or gratuitous. He simply acknowledges the fact that he has flaws, several of which include his inability to do Common Core math with his third-grade daughter and his “big, dumb eyes” that cause people to talk down to him.

Beyond his subject matter, Bargatze’s speaking style is strangely comforting. He doesn’t talk like a performer. He sometimes slurs his words together, he speaks at a regu-

lar pace, and he never raises his voice to gain attention from the audience. Listening to an hour of his calm tone is somehow mildly therapeutic. Although Bargatze would likely never describe himself as stable or set in life, his lax demeanor in the face of life’s instabilities makes his special all the more enjoyable during a time when nothing makes sense.

Bargatze also seldom reacts to his own jokes. His expressions are not stoic, but he never employs specific impressions of popular figures or loud exclamations to elicit a laugh. An unexpectedly happy accident of the show’s socially distanced, outdoor setting is the intermittent drone of helicopters overhead. Much to the delight of the audience, Bargatze uses these events to throw in off-the-cuff jokes, proving he has one of the best traits of a comic: the opportunistic habit of finding humor in everything.

For several years now, Bargatze has been climbing up the ranks of American comedians. The Greatest Average American adds another shining hour to his repertoire, proving his reliable talent as a comic. In an age of social media where everyone feels the need to fake it until they make it, Bargatze opens himself up to criticism and laughter, allowing his audiences to relax with him. His comedy reminds us that life is messy, and sometimes people, including ourselves, are just plain dumb. Though not everything is a joke, Bargatze tells us we don’t always have to take everything so seriously.

Lana Del Rey Reminisces of Childhood

BY LAUREN JASEN Heights Staff

Lana Del Rey follows up her outstandingly successful Norman F—king Rockwell! with another luminous album, Chemtrails Over The Country Club. Her seventh album was released Friday by Interscope Records and Polydor Records.

Del Rey is certainly an icon in the realm of tragic romance with her vintage sound and poetic lyrics. She has developed her unique identity as a contemporary songwriter—one might compare her to a modern-day Joan Baez. She embodies the aesthetic of the ’60s and ’70s both in sound and style.

Despite being one of the top artists in the music industry over the decade and receiving five Grammy nominations as well as a Golden Globe nomination, Del Rey has made it a point to maintain a relatively low profile. She prefers to share her story and soul through her music rather than the Hollywood press.

Chemtrails Over the Country Club channels the 35-year-old at her most honest and reflective, as her heart aches over the troubles of fame and romance. With sensational storytelling, the album depicts her wandering through various locations across the country, from Los Angeles to rural Midwest America. It has a folksy spirit that encompasses a sense of classic Americana culture.

The album opens with the nostalgic piano ballad “White Dress” where Del Rey recalls her job as a waitress prior to finding fame. She yearns for the time before she was famous, writing “It kinda makes me feel, like maybe I was better off.” There was a freedom to not always being in the public eye for Del Rey. “I felt free because I was only 19,” she sings. She admits she would go back to this time of innocence if she could do it all again.

“Chemtrails Over The Country Club” is equally nostalgic and idyllic. Previously released in January, it’s a song that her listeners have felt a particular connection to because it is reminiscent of a childhood many may have experienced. She recalls doing the most simple tasks: washing her hair, doing laundry, watching late-night TV, and laying out watching the chemtrails in the sky in suburbia. These illustrate the beauty of the mundane—a normalcy that is difficult to find when one achieves the fame Del Rey has.

“Dark But Just A Game” also centers around the idea of returning to simplicity and innocence before life under the spotlight, highlighting some of the tragic stories of those who suffered the cost of fame. Del Rey has learned from those who came before and promises herself and the world that “I’m not gonna change / I’ll stay the same.”

“Tulsa Jesus Freak” incorporates some elements of hip-hop and autotune, while “Let Me Love You Like A Woman” is a piano ballad with jazz influences.

“Wild At Heart” is a classic Del Rey love song. She references Princess Diana when she sings about cameras that have flashes causing car crashes. She admits, “Time after time, I think about leaving / But you know that I never do just ’cause you / Keep me believin.” She states that anyone who truly loves her will also love her wild heart.

“Breaking Up Slowly” is her duet with Nikki Lane, a popular name in the realm of alternative country. Inspired by the tragic romance between George Jones and country singer-songwriter Tammy Wynette, they sing, “I don’t wanna live with a life of regret / I don’t wanna end up like Tammy Wynette.”

“Dance Till We Die” pays tribute to singers Joni Mitchell and Stevie Nicks—two

MUSIC

of the artists she idolizes. Chemtrails Over The Country Club proves Del Rey is clearly at the peak of her career and she could soon reach a similar legendary status, if she hasn’t already. She has the great privilege of covering Joni Mitchell alongside Zella Day and Weyes Blood with their rendition of “For Free” to close the album.

Del Rey is at her most honest in this album, as she explores her artistry and reveals her striking observations about the American life.

It transports listeners back to their childhood, looking for shapes in the clouds and having all the freedom that comes with being young and not knowing what your future will hold.

Dominating U.S. charts with his new album Justice , Justin Bieber has provided us with ample listening material going into the weekend.

“Peaches,’’ one of the more anticipated songs off the album, hits all the criteria for becoming a chart-topping summer bop.

Its funky rhythmic beat, catchy lyrics, and featured artists, including Daniel Caesar and Giveon, elevate the song to a new level, making it appealing to Beliebers and non-Beliebers alike.

The song’s blend of summertime vibes, with the featured artists’ vocals add another layer to this simple yet catchy song.

You simply can’t be in a bad mood when listening to this song.

The song premiered in a recent stripped-down performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) concert series, leaving fans excited to hear the produced version.

In contrast to the rest of the Tiny Desk performance, “Peaches” is upbeat and faster-paced but still draws on the same jazz and R&B roots for its encompassing sound.

The song is meant to be sung and has great potential to be played with the windows rolled down on a summer drive.

Ziggy Alberts Searches for Freedom

BY KIERAN WILSON Heights Staff

Ziggy Alberts didn’t pick up a guitar until the age of 16. Up until that point, he had only considered becoming a dentist or an engineer.

But after his parents gifted him a guitar, the native of Queensland, Australia began busking and developing his skills as a musician, eventually releasing his 2012 EP titled Feels Like Home . Shortly after, he founded his own record label, Commonfolk Records.

Alberts described his fifth studio album, searching for freedom , to Genius as “an expression of an adventure that I’ve realized will last a lifetime.”

The 12 tracks reflect themes that Alberts has explored in his earlier music. He sings about love, both lost and

found, unity, and the environment, all while he continues to develop his sound.

Of the four singles released in searching for freedom , two contain critiques of society’s response to the environmental crises and messages of unity for healing global divisions. In the first few lines of “together,” Alberts wonders why “We seem to be / More concerned with our flags / And nationalities / Oh, than we are / With unity or love.”

In the second verse, he brings environmental issues to the forefront, singing, “I wonder why / We seem to be / More concerned with selling water to private companies / Oh, than we are / With the health of / The rivers where we’re drinking from.”

While his lyrics here call upon his home country, the same sentiment

MUSIC

can be felt by anyone who listens to his music, especially as debates surrounding climate change and environmental sustainability have become prevalent in recent years.

But Alberts gives the song a positive tone in the chorus: “I will stand beside you, won’t let hate reside here / Lock hands together in the crowd … / In hard times, each of us know how / Throw fear aside, regrowth can come along.”

Alberts’ thoughts on modern society are reflected in “don’t get caught up.” In a few especially salient lines, he notes, “Can you believe that we are still arguing / When we should trust each other more than we trust our screens?” Backed by a single acoustic guitar, Alberts pleads with his audience in the chorus, “Don’t get caught up / Letting the news tear each other apart / Fear’s making money, but doing nothing for us.”

It is with authentic lyrics and easy flowing melodies like this that Alberts manages to separate himself from the ever-growing group of independent singer-songwriters.

But, searching for freedom wouldn’t be a real Ziggy Alberts album without its fair share of sweet and heartfelt love songs—“chocolate” is one such track. With a waltzy feel backed by an electric guitar and minimal production, Alberts croons, “I just want you / And I just want two / I need more time off with you / To turn you on.”

Like “chocolate,” “chemistry” finds Alberts completely head over heels for his lover. Paired with acoustic guitar and subtle harmonies, he elucidates the feelings that come with a true, deep love, adding yet another love song to his repertoire.

On the title track, “searching for freedom,” Alberts is on a quest for his own identity. Though somewhat abstract, the chorus summarizes this track well: “Moments to grow / Of places to heal / Of everything everyone’s expecting of me / Searching for freedom / Slowing down time.”

Admittedly these are not the most original lyrics, but Alberts sings with such emotion that it’s hard not to connect with the message behind the track. Alberts supports this final track through a simple acoustic guitar progression, a banjo, a ukulele, and even a muted horn section, making “searching for freedom” one of the more comprehensive songs on the album.

While a few tracks on searching for freedom lack unique details that could create a more intimate listening experience, Alberts ultimately delivers exactly what his fans have come to expect. The Australian singer-songwriter successfully captures feelings of love and unity, while keeping the tracks stripped-down and minimally produced, making another fine addition to an already heartfelt and impressive discography.

Indie-folk band Lord Huron released a new music video for its song “Mine Forever” on March 19 to announce its upcoming album Long Lost. The “Mine Forever” music video embodies the lyrics of the track, with old-fashioned clips of individuals with blurred out faces flashing across the screen as lead singer Ben Schneider’s dreamy vocals ask “If you ever want to see my face again.”

These visuals form the crux of the video. The blurry visual effects are colorful and inventive, like smudging on a film reel, and they match the overarching style of the video. Clips of old-fashioned cartoons are spliced together with western scenes and snippets of pictures in lockets. The attention to detail given to every image is clear from the start of the video.

But, the different scenes in the video don’t seem to be connected in any meaningful way aside from evoking nostalgia. The scene that starts and ends the video is of a Lone Ranger-esque masked cowboy and a woman. It initially seems as though the scene will be a central focus of the video, but not enough time is spent telling a story—which can be said of most of the scenes. The scenes are all unrelated, and the clips are too short for audiences to gather what is going on even after multiple viewings of the video.

The video’s quick pace barely offers audiences a moment to blink, as the video is packed to the brim with tantalizing visuals that flash across the screen. While the cowboy’s storyline never fleshes itself out, isolated visuals of him playing a guitar lit on fire with arrows in it and walking away from an unknown woman’s grave captivate viewers.

A group of people attempting a seance holds hands as Schneider sings, “If forever gets lonely take my hand.”

While the music video for “Mine Forever” is rife with a scattershot plot, there are enough interesting visuals packed into it for audiences to enjoy and notice something new with every viewing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

PHOTO COURTESY OF INTERSCOPE RECORDS

‘CHEMTRAILS OVER THE COUNTRY CLUB’ LANA DEL REY DISTRIBUTED BY INTERSCOPE RECORDS

RELEASE MARCH 19, 2021 OUR RATING

‘MINE FOREVER’

LORD HURON

‘PEACHES’

JUSTIN BIEBER FT. DANIEL CAESAR, GIVEON

CHARLEY CONROY

MUSIC VIDEO

Eagles Lose Rubber Match, Drop Series To Tar Heels

By Lucas Girardi Heights Staff

After rocketing up the national polls two weeks ago with a series win over Auburn, Boston College baseball has been fighting just to keep its head above water. Over the last two weekends, the Eagles have faced two ranked teams and lost both series, most recently dropping two out of three games to North Carolina.

In what was quite the exciting and scrappy series finale with the series tied at one, BC couldn’t complete a ninth-inning comeback and dropped its final game of the weekend to North Carolina 5-4.

Despite the loss, the Eagles played extremely competitively and outhit the Tar Heels 13-9 in the game.

“Our guys are invested, they’re fired up, they care,” head coach Mike Gambino said in his postgame press conference. “The energy the last couple days has been awesome.”

BC struck first in the first inning after Sal Frelick reached on a double and came home on Jack Cunningham’s two-out single.

After going three up, three down in the bottom of the first inning, the Tar Heels immediately responded with a solo shot by Danny Serretti to start the top of the second. Joey Vetrano secured the next two outs but loaded up the bases in the process. Gambino pulled Vetrano in favor of Max Gieg, who ended the inning with a fly out.

Frelick continued his hot streak, leading off the third with a solo homer to put the

Eagles up 2-1. Again, UNC responded with runs of its own, this time even more forcefully. Gieg struggled in the top of the fourth, surrendering two singles and a walk, and then hit a batter to start the inning.

With the game tied at two, Gambino entrusted the ball to the hands of veteran Alex Stiegler, who minimized any damage. Stiegler quickly finished the inning with a fly out, a fielder’s choice, and a strikeout, but the Tar Heels batted in two more runs for a 4-2 advantage.

In the fifth, UNC had runners on second and third with one out, but Stiegler held his composure and punched out the next two batters to end the inning with no runs scored.

UNC head coach Scott Forbes pulled righty Max Alba after one batter in the bottom of the fifth. He posted three strikeouts but gave up three runs and seven hits over four innings.

Lefty Shawn Rapp came in for relief but gave up a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly to allow BC to bring the game back to a stalemate.

In the seventh, BC threatened to take the lead when Frelick dashed for home from second on a two-out single by Vince Cimini, but UNC’s right fielder threw Frelick out.

Joey Walsh relieved Stiegler in the top of the ninth and gave up a triple to Serretti that brought Justice Thompson home to give UNC the lead once again.

In the Eagles’ last licks, Luke Gold ripped a double and advanced to third on a grounder, but Cimini couldn’t bring him home for the walk-off.

“It’s not getting easier,” Gambino said. “I mean, it doesn’t stop in this conference.”

On Saturday, on the other hand, the Eagles achieved a comfortable 10-3 win. Propelled by a solid start from right-hander Emmet Sheehan and a seven-run seventh inning, the Eagles evened the series up at one.

Sheehan bounced back from a couple of rough outings—one at Louisville last Saturday in which he gave up three runs in the first inning and five on the day, and one at Auburn the weekend prior in which he gave up eight runs in two innings in BC’s 16-1 loss. Over seven innings this weekend, Sheehan gave up just one run on six hits, three walks, and eight strikeouts.

“The best part about yesterday was there was a little bit of traffic,” Gambino said. “There was a runner on base almost every inning, and [Sheehan] just completely stayed under control, he stayed focused.”

BC wasted no time putting runs on the board, striking first with two in the first inning. Brian Dempsey led off the game with a single, and Frelick immediately followed with a double. In the next at-bat, Gold hit a sacrifice fly ball to center field to bring Dempsey home. Cunningham then reached on a fielder’s choice on which Frelick scored. BC added to its lead in the third with a Gold homer to go up 3-0.

UNC hitters were quiet for the first half of the game, courtesy of Sheehan’s strong showing, not scoring until the fifth inning. Angel Zarate drove in Clemente Inclan, who reached on a walk, ripping a double down the right-field line to cut BC’s advantage to 3-1.

Righty Caleb Cozart entered the game to relieve Tar Heels starter

righthander Max Carlson, who gave up three runs on six hits, a walk, and two strikeouts over 4.1 innings.

The Eagles blew the game wide open in the seventh for seven runs to seal their victory. Barry Walsh began the rally with a four-pitch walk to start the inning, and a double from Dempsey brought him home.

Gold was intentionally walked, and Davis Palermo came in for Cozart, as UNC tried to escape the jam. Cunningham then slapped a single up the middle to drive in both Dempsey and Gold. Palermo surrendered two 3-2 walks in a row, one to Cimini and the other to Cameron Leary.

Dante Baldelli picked up a two-RB I single with the bases loaded. Palermo was then pulled as well after failing to record a single out for UNC. Kyle Mott finally escaped the jam but only afte r giving Dempsey his second hit of the inning, a two-RBI single to give BC a n enormous 10-1 lead.

Brad Lombardi ran into a bit o f trouble coming in to relieve Sheehan. A costly error plus a pinch-hit RBI singl e by Eric Grintz gave the Tar Heels a bi t of life in the eighth. Joey Walsh entere d the game to assist Lombardi in gettin g out of the inning, but he gave up one more run in the process to finish the game at 10-3.

BC Bats Go Quiet in Stony Brook Series

By Asa Ackerly Assoc. Sports Editor Erica Fanning Heights Staff

For a stretch in the middle of March, it seemed like Boston College softball could do no wrong at the plate. The Eagles scored a combined 27 runs across their games against Bryant, UMass, and UMass Lowell, and they won all three games by run rule.

Just four days have passed since the last game of that stretch—a 9-1 drubbing of UMass Lowell—but it might as well be an eternity for a BC offense that cannot buy a hit at the moment.

BC’s woes at the plate were on full display in its Sunday afternoon doubleheader against Stony Brook (9-5, 0-0 America East), as the Eagles (5-10, 1-4 Atlantic Coast) managed just one run and nine hits across the two games. The Seawolves came away with a 4-1 win in the first game and blanked the Eagles 3-0 in the second.

BC struggled at the plate in its second bout against the Seawolves, notching just three hits and a walk against Stony Brook pitcher Melissa

Rahrich. None of the baserunners came in the same frame, and the Eagles never threatened to score.

CC Cook was boom or bust on the hill for BC, allowing 11 hits and two walks while also striking out a career-best 11 batters. She frequently performed at her best when the Eagles needed it most, as she closed out innings with runners in scoring position three times without allowing a run in that span.

Stony Brook finally broke the deadlock in the top of the fifth as the Seawolves loaded the bases on a trio of singles, and cleanup hitter Nicole McCarvill brought one home with a single. Despite giving up one run, Cook came up clutch for BC again and struck out the next two batters to limit the damage.

Cook put down the Seawolves 1-2-3 in the sixth, but Stony Brook padded its lead in the seventh with a pair of runs.

Leadoff hitter Jourdin Hering took Cook over the right-field wall, and then the Seawolves pieced together another run with two singles and an error from shortstop Djhane Valido.

Cook has been a standout starter for the Eagles this season, but both teams had their ace pitchers in the circle for the entirety of the first game. BC hurler Susannah Anderson took on Dawn

Bodrug in a pitchers’ battle. While the Seawolves were comfortable at the plate, the Eagles looked tense and only managed six hits.

After a quiet first inning, Gianna Boccagno stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the second with two outs. Boccagno rocketed a pitch from Bodrug over the left-field wall, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Boccagno’s homer was the only run on the board until the top of the fourth when the Seawolves attacked back with a two-run rally.

But the Eagles couldn’t capitalize on the momentum from Boccagno’s homer, ending the bottom of the second with a runner on base. In the next inning, the Eagles still couldn’t get their bats going, and the frame ended with three back-to-back strikeouts from Bodrug, who finished with 12 strikeouts.

The Seawolves capitalized on the Eagles’ struggles in the field to take the lead in the top of the fourth. With runners on second and third, Riley Craig placed a bunt just in between BC’s third baseman and the pitching circle to score McCarvill.

The damage didn’t stop there. With two outs and runners on first and third, Anderson pitched a ball in the dirt past Boccagno, and Stony Brook’s runner on third took advantage of the opening and

stole home plate, giving the Seawolves a 2-1 lead.

BC’s Emme Martinez was a bright spot in game one, as she notched three hits and played well in the field.

With two runners on base and only one out in the top of the third, th e Seawolves crushed two ground balls at Martinez, but she didn’t let anything past her, ending the inning with two groundouts.

The Seawolves maintained a narrow 2-1 lead for most of the game unti l the Eagles lost steam in the top of the seventh.

With bases loaded and one out Jordyn Nowakowski hit a line drive to right-center field, bringing in two of her teammates from second and third base

The Eagles showed a promising start in the bottom of the seventh when Jenna Ergle hit a double off the first pitch of the inning. Just like after Boccagno’s homer, the rest of the lineup failed to capitalize off the momentum, and the Eagles went down quietly to end the game.

Despite the lackluster performance, BC can take comfort that its difficulties against Bodrug have been shared by plenty of other opponents during her time in college softball. She held a n incredible .74 ERA in 2020 and sits at 1.98 this season.

North Lights up in Double-Digit Victory Over Hofstra

By Emma healy Sports Editor

Exactly 374 days prior to Saturday, Boston College lacrosse unleashed a scoring barrage for the ages on Hofstra. Little did the Eagles know, that game would be their last of the 2020 season.

It was while the game clock was running that BC students received an email from University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., moving all classes online and requiring students to depart campus in just a few days.

A brief moment of glory suddenly came to a devastating halt, but just over a year later, the Eagles seem to have rebounded, and done so in spades. No. 5/6 BC (5-1) overpowered the Pride (3-2) en route to a 19-7 win, the identical score that the Eagles put up against UMass earlier this month.

For the majority of the contest, a win seemed readily at hand for BC. For all but about eight minutes, the Eagles dictated the pace of the game, thanks in large part to Charlotte North’s commanding presence on draw controls. BC went on three different scoring runs across 60 minutes of play: one 4-0 run, one 8-0 run, and one

7-0 run to put a BC victory out of doubt.

North is no stranger to media attention, but her consistent game-defining performances this season have rocketed her into the national spotlight more than ever. Saturday was no different for the senior, as she posted six goals and an assist on eight shots on goal. After not even 12 minutes, North had secured a hat trick.

North, as usual, was the spark in the Eagles’ offense. In the first half, she won 12 of 13 draw controls, and though she lagged behind in the second half, North still finished with a 16-11 advantage from the center circle.

By halftime, the Eagles were ahead 10-2 with no signs of slowing down. If anything, their offensive production ramped up after the break. Courtney Weeks scored BC’s 11th goal just 45 seconds into the second half, and she added another one 35 seconds later. With BC ahead by double digits, the clock began to run continuously, and all BC had to do was run it down.

Hofstra, however, had other ideas. The Pride responded with three consecutive unassisted goals, swinging the momentum away from BC. Hofstra tacked on two more goals for a quick 5-0 run to bring the score to 12-7, and suddenly, the Eagles were on their heels. For the first time since

10 minutes into the contest, Hofstra was within striking range and threatening to give BC a run for its money.

The fourth goal of that five-goal run was arguably Hofstra’s most remarkable. Rachel Hall had been a wall in net all game, but Arianna Esposito snuck one through Hall’s five-hole, and the goaltender had no shot at it. It rang off the post and found the back of the net.

That goal was a rare instance where a post shot went in Hofstra’s favor. The Pride hit pipe five times in the game, and only one went in Hofstra’s favor.

Hall finished the game with seven saves, mostly on low shots. She struggled to contain shots painting the top corners but was agile in breaking down and getting her body in front of ground balls and skipping shots.

BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein called a timeout as a result of Hofstra’s sudden scoring surge, and it seemed to be all the Eagles needed to find their stride again. BC returned to its lockdown defense inside the 12-meter fan that had been a staple through the first half. Defensive pressure helped BC force three turnovers in the second half, supplementing the attack while North struggled on draw controls.

Belle Smith, 4-for-4 on shots on the day, broke the Eagles’ silence not once, but twice in a row to end the Pride’s comeback bid. The two goals marked Smith’s 11th and 12th of the season, and Cara Urbank followed her with two more, also her 11th and 12th of the season.

The first of Smith’s goals came on a backhanded shot, and the second was a heroic no-look effort while spinning around a Hofstra defender. Pride goaltender Jess Smith didn’t see it coming.

Annie Walsh then made it 18-7, Hoftsra won the ensuing faceoff, and Hall made a low-shot save with under a minute to go. She launched a 50-plus-yard pass—reminiscent o f one that made the ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 in BC’s season opener—and BC finished off the game in its attacking zone.

With the clock running again and ticking down under 10 seconds, Smith finished off an alley-oop pass from Urbank to ice the Eagles’ win.”

KRISTIAN LAMARRE / FOR THE HEIGHTS

BC dominated the second game, but UNC won the series with a victory on Sunday.

Stony Brook Boston College 3 0

KRISTIAN LAMARRE / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Cara Urbank recorded two goals and five assists in BC’s win over Hofstra.

Stony Brook Boston College 4 1

North

Asa Ackerly Assoc. Sports Editor Ethan Ott Asst. Sports Editor

When Boston College men’s basketball took the floor against Notre Dame for its final home game of the 2020-21 season, something was different: Sam Holtze and Will Jackowitz were starting for the first time in their careers. Combined, the two had appeared in only 14 games and logged just 25 minutes across their three-plus years on the Heights.

Holtze and Jackowitz are part of a larger group of six non-scholarship BC walk-ons. The group is responsible for acting as the scout team in practice, running the offensive and defensive systems of BC’s opponents to help the rest of the team gameplan.

The scout team is not the only thing that the six-man group shares. Together, they are fondly dubbed “The Martians.”

On that Saturday afternoon, however, Jackowitz and Holtze lined up next to perennial BC starters Steffon Mitchell, Demarr Langford Jr., and Jay Heath. Jackowitz jumped for the opening tip against Irish center Nate Laszewski while Holtze crouched eagerly to his right.

of the key, who tossed it to Heath, who took a dribble and shoveled it back to Holtze.

Despite being a good 4 feet behind the 3-point line, Holtze didn’t hesitate for a second as he elevated and drained BC’s first triple of the game.

Any score elicits cheers from the Eagles’ bench, so when Holtze’s arching three splashed through the net, the entire BC bench erupted with the most energy it had all season. Coaches and players alike leaped to their feet. In their two minutes of play, Holtze and Jackowitz gave the Eagles a jolt, and for a moment it seemed as though anything was possible in Conte Forum.

The newfound belief created by Holtze and Jackowitz’s play contributed to BC pulling off the unthinkable: a Holy War victory for just its second conference win of the season. The Eagles’ game against Notre Dame came on Senior Night. In his six prior seasons, head coach Jim Christian held the tradition of starting senior walk-ons on Senior Night, and former interim head coach Scott Spinelli opted to continue the practice.

Everything seemed stacked against the Eagles coming into the game. Less than two weeks earlier, BC fired Christian and handed the interim job to assistant coach Spinelli. Later that day, the program sus-

its best offensive performance of the season and pulled out a 94-90 victory.

“When I was thinking about coming here, they were basically like ‘yeah you’ll be a Martian,’” Jackowitz said. “‘The Martians just kind of collectively refers to the family of walk-ons.”

Along with the pair of seniors, the squad includes sophomores Andrew Kenny and Jonathan Noel and freshmen Abe Atiyeh and Quinn Pemberton. The extraterrestrial name comes from the odd color of the practice jerseys that the scout team wore years ago.

“We wore these old green jerseys when we were the scout team because we had red and gold and we just needed another color,” Holtze said. “I don’t even know where they found them, but they were like super beat up.”

The out of place jerseys quickly drew a reaction from the other players and coaches.

“We would wear them and we started calling us the Martians and just, I don’t know, it’s kind of everyone thinks it’s funny, so I like it,” Holtze laughed.

The program has since upgraded its practice gear, adopting sleek Under Armour jerseys.

“I’ve never worn a green jersey, so I don’t fully understand it,” Kenny said. “We wear our own practice jerseys now.”

Despite the jersey change, the name stuck and has come to mean much more than just the ugly color of an old pinny.

“It’s like a symbol of pride I guess,” Jackowitz said. “It’s kind of a team within a team, you know what I mean? So it’s a fun group to be a part of, bringing energy to practice every day.”

This year, however, the Martians have done much more for the Eagles than just bring energy to practice. The program struggled with a number of COVID-19 issues, requiring bench players to step into the spotlight.

players available due to COVID-19-related absences, and the rest of the lineup was slated to be filled by the Martians.

Several more players were cleared to play once BC finally returned to action four days later against NC State, but the Martians still played a big role. Kenny led the group with 18 minutes, nailing a pair of 3-pointers and grabbing four rebounds. Pemberton, Noel, Holtze, and Jackowitz all saw the floor as well, and Pemberton and Noel notched their first field goal attempts as Eagles.

While Christian may have struggled to produce results on the court during his tenure, he was always effusive in his praise for his players, and he said he was ecstatic about the Martians after the game.

“We see them,” Christian said. “Our team sees them, our team loves them. Their role is unbelievably valuable to our team every single day. They’re good players, and they help out, and that’s the beautiful part of it.”

The members of the Martians were just as excited about their increased role.

arship guys that each of us is close to that we spend time with just like on any other team.”

With their increased in-game contributions this year, the Martians have gained some unprecedented media coverage. For a group that’s used to working hard while receiving little recognition in return, the attention is a welcome change.

“We know how hard we work every day, but a lot of the time it doesn’t translate to minutes in the game,” Kenny said. “When people think of BC basketball, they don’t really think of the Martians. It’s definitely rewarding to get a little bit of recognition for all the effort that we put in.”

Although, knock on wood, COVID-19-related absences will hopefully be a thing of the past by the time next year’s season rolls around, the current state of the Eagles’ roster may create similar opportunities for the Martians next season.

Four of BC’s top players have indicated that they will depart, as Mitchell declared for the NBA Draft and Rich Kelly, Heath, CJ Felder, and the suspended Tabbs entered

Both returned to the bench after two minutes, but that was enough time for each to make an impact. Jackowitz grabbed a board off Notre Dame’s first shot. On the Eagles’ second turn with the ball, Holtze handed the ball off to Jackowitz at the top

Despite the obstacles, BC put together

BC had its first positive test on Jan. 20, and the quarantine process forced the Eagles to cancel their next four games. Just as the squad geared up to take on No. 19 Florida State on Feb. 2, the Eagles’ long-awaited return to the court was delayed yet again, as the Seminoles turned up a positive test and entered COVID-19 protocols.

Even if BC had been able to play, the team would have looked far different than usual. Christian had just four scholarship

“It’s been awesome being able to contribute more because, you know, as a competitor that’s what we like to do, so it’s definitely been super enjoyable,” Noel said.

Kenny has particularly benefited from the opportunity, seeing the floor in five more games after the faceoff against the Wolfpack.

“We have gotten to play a little bit more,” Kenny said. “But, yeah, it’s definitely been a lot of fun and a rewarding experience because we can compete every day in practice.”

The Martians might be differentiated by their walk-on status and shared nickname, but they are as much a part of the team as any scholarship player. Even if most of their contributions come during practice, their work doesn’t go unnoticed.

“We’re pretty immersed in the team,” Kenny said. “We get the label ‘Martians,’ but we’re in the same locker room as other guys.”

Noel echoed the same sentiment. The Martians may have gotten a name from the pinnies, but a difference in jersey color does not separate them from their teammates.

“I think Drew [Kenny] is right,” Noel said. “On the court we’re Martians, and we do scout together, but we’re spread out throughout the team, and we have schol-

the transfer portal.

With only six players who played significant minutes this season returning and only one commit for this recruiting cycle, the math is not in BC’s favor. The Eagles will need minutes from somewhere, and the Martians may hear their numbers called more often again.

Holtze and Jackowitz are both departing as seniors, but the other four Martians will be back and raring to go.

Regardless of how the roster turns out next season, the Eagles will have something that nobody can take away from them.

“I think we have the funniest team in the country,” Noel said with a laugh.

After BC went 0-19 in conference play in the 2015-16 season and was knocked out of the first round of the ACC tournament, senior Dennis Clifford famously said that his favorite part about playing college basketball was “going out to eat.”

The Eagles showed much more fight this year than the 2016 BC team did, but Kenny, almost to the word, also described how important that time as a team can be.

“On the court is one thing, but like off the court is just as fun for me and like the relationships you get to build, going out to eat with each other and it’s a lot of fun,” Kenny said.

Grant Is Not The Solution, But the Right Direction

about in recent years.

let down for Grant and Charleston. The Cougars finished 9-10 and 6-4 in the CAA, with the limited number of games played largely due to COVID-19 concerns. This change does raise some eyebrows, as Grant will be moving to a far superior ACC conference next season with the Eagles.

The ACC is not the CAA. The ACC is arguably the best conference in college basketball year in and year out, which is clear from the fact that seven ACC teams earned bids to the NCAA Tournament this year. For the past 10 years, BC has finished in the lower half of the conference. The Eagles last posted a winning conference record in the 2010-11 season.

most. While it’s been made apparent that a change in personnel is not the end-all-be-all answer to BC’s struggles, an energetic leader will certainly help to rally the team, fans, and BC basketball community.

Did Kraft and BC find the right guy in former College of Charleston head coach Earl Grant?

In the 2014-15 season, Grant’s first at Charleston, the team went 9-24 overall, including 3-15 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). In 2018, the Cougars improved to 26-8 (14-4 CAA), won the conference tournament, and received an NCAA Tournament bid, the program’s first in 20 years. In the tournament, Grant and the Cougars fell short to No. 4 seed Auburn, losing 62-58 in the round of 64.

This past season, however, was a

Rebuilding a program doesn’t happen overnight. It would be unrealistic to expect Grant to take charge and instantly make BC (4-16, 2-11 ACC) the powerhouse team it once was when it was in the Big East. It’s going to take more than a new head coach to turn this BC program around.

“It all starts with finding a group of committed people,” Grant said in his first press conference. “Then we can start climbing the hill.”

From a fan’s perspective it is clear that energy is what the program is lacking

Grant can be that guy. He’s 39 years old, 10 years younger than Christian was when BC hired him in 2014, and eight years younger than Steve Donahue was when he was hired in 2010. In 2019, Grant was a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, which honors a coach who not only achieves success on the court but also displays moral integrity off the court. Having a head coach who is easily likable will be huge for overall fan support and for recruiting purposes.

A major problem with BC basketball for the last 10 years has been commitment: from the players—BC lost two four-star recruits last season and another three starters after this past season—to the staff—Grant will have the ability to handpick the people he best sees fit, according to Kraft—to the administration—which has indicated it is willing to make significant improvements in facilities and nutrition. Not to mention the fact that the alumni, the student body, and the fans haven’t had much to get excited

By no means was Grant one of the biggest names in the pool of rumors swirling around the newly vacant position. Neither was Christian when BC hired him seven years ago. And neither was Al Skinner, the last coach to lead the Eagles to a winning season. In fact, Grant said in his press conference that he didn’t even apply for the BC job.

Grant does, however, have experience coaching and recruiting in the ACC, serving as an assistant coach for four years at Clemson before taking the head coaching job at Charleston.

During his time at Clemson, Grant helped recruit future NBA players Jaron Blossomgame and 2014 ACC Defensive Player of the Year K.J. McDaniels. In 2019 and 2020, Jarrell Brantley and Grant Riller became the third and fourth College of Charleston players to ever be selected in the NBA Draft.

Recruiting is huge in college basketball. If you don’t consistently have good players wanting to play—and stay—in your program, you do not succeed.

“We want to evaluate guys who would be excited to be in one of the best cities in the world, playing in the best conference in the world, at a school that’s hungry for

success,” Grant said.

Building a strong foundation is how you attract the right guys. To Grant, it all starts with his current players and his staff. Grant has to identify the current players who are committed to BC’s program.

“The players I have on this roster are very important,” Grant said. “I’m excited and anxious to start building my staff, as well as developing the players that I have.”

Unfortunately, some of BC’s better players from this past season will not be returning for Grant’s first year as head coach. Steffon Mitchell declared for the NBA Draft on Tuesday, forgoing his extra year of eligibility. The following day, Jay Heath, who led the Eagles in scoring this season, announced his entrance into the transfer portal. Mitchell and Heath join Wynston Tabbs and Rich Kelly as the latest Eagles leave BC. CJ Felder followed suit on Sunday. Grant and his staff will have some work to do. It’s time for everyone—players, staff, and fans—to commit.

Once Grant finds his committed team of staff and players, the next step for the Eagles comes on the court.

“We got to be gritty, not pretty,” Grant said. “This is a gritty, chip on your shoulder type of place. This is a fighter’s job.”

pended star guard Wynston Tabbs for violating COVID-19 protocols. Two days later, the Eagles had to pause team activities due to COVID-19 protocols and were forced to cancel two games.

John Scrimgeour

After the firing of Jim Christian in February, Athletics Director Pat Kraft said he and his team were looking for an energetic leader, a dynamic recruiter, and someone with experience rebuilding a program to fill the head coach void for a struggling Boston College men’s basketball program.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BC ATHLETICS

Sam Holtze, one of BC’s so-called “Martians,” defends Notre Dame’s Prentiss Hubb.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BC ATHLETICS

BC’s walk-on players have donned green pinnies during practice in past years.

IKRAM ALI / HEIGHTS EDITOR