Eagles’ Offense Falls Short as No. 1-seed BC Falters in NCAA Tournament to Defending Champion Denver.
By gRaham dietz Heights Senior Staff
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Following what ended up being his final game in the maroon and gold, Eamon Powell gingerly crept up to the podium stage donning his captain’s badge for the last time.
By Nikita Osadchiy Asst. News Editor
The College Democrats of Boston College (BC Democrats), a registered student organization, was barred from publicly endorsing and phone banking for Kamala Harris by University administrators five days before the 2024 presidential election, according to emails obtained by The Heights.
“Advertising for this event should only be promoting the event that is taking place and
cannot be endorsing a particular candidate,” Assistant Director of Student Organizations Andrew Belschner wrote in an Oct. 31 email to the BC Democrats. “BC has a neutrality policy, and since your organization is connected to the University the same policy applies here. When calling people, it's okay to encourage them to go out and vote, but again, you cannot expressly tell them to cast their vote for a particular candidate.”
His pads were removed, but the jersey stayed strapped around his chest, as though the “B” and “C” lettering were molded into his very being.
The Boston College men’s hockey graduate-student defenseman put his head down in order to shield the remnants of tears streaming from the corners of his eyelids. Powell had nothing but praise for the program that made his dreams come true.
See Hockey, A9
By lucas diNg Heights Staff
How many filmmakers can say their documentaries won an Emmy and inspired two parks, a musical, and even a California state holiday?
Marissa Aroy, BC ’95, is one of them.
“I found it really interesting to learn about what makes us tick, what makes people do what they do,” Aroy said. “This motivation stuck with me, even now, as a filmmaker, people’s stories genuinely interest me.”
Born in Charlestown, Mass., and raised in Bakersfield, Calif., Aroy returned east to attend Boston College.
She majored in psychology, partially influenced by her parents’ hopes that she’d pursue medicine. But it was the study of people that truly interested her, she said.
After graduation, Aroy joined the Peace Corps and served in the Dominican Republic.
Documentaries, A4
Former Admiral James Stavridis shared his insights and strategy on geopolitical conflicts at the annual Clough Colloquium.
See A2
By aNNika eNgelBRecht News Editor
Boston College admitted 12.6 percent of applicants to the Class of 2029, according to a University release—BC’s most selective class to date and a 2.1 percent decline from last year’s acceptance rate of 14.7 percent.
“Not only have these students distinguished themselves in the classroom, but they’ve given us great confidence in their
ability to use their Boston College education to improve the lives of those around them, while also fulfilling their personal goals,” Dean of Admissions and Financial
Aid Grant Gosselin said in the release.
Jessica Avalon, CSON ’29, had a gut feeling she would hear back from BC on the day she received her acceptance letter but still couldn’t believe the news once it had arrived.
See Admissions, A2
By Riley del sestO Asst. Newton Editor
In January, Newton City Council banned tobacco and e-cigarettes for people born on or after March 1, 2004, and local vape shops and gas stations are apprehensive of its potential effects.
“I have customers who will come in who have just turned 21, and I've had to turn them away, obviously, because I can't sell to them,” said Devlynne Loder, manager of Lake Smoke and Vape.
The City of Newton’s website highlights the 2022 Newton Public Schools Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data, which found that 8 percent of Newton high schoolers vaped and 3 percent frequently smoked cigarettes.
The Newton City Council refers to the ban as a “Nicotine-free Generation Ordinance” intended to create a generation of people who never start using tobacco products.
Charlie Hova, manager of the Mobil gas station on Beacon Street, strongly opposes the ban.
See Tobacco, A3
Our daily routines can dictate where we go, who we see, and how we live our lives. Columnist Jaya Gautam explores the benefits of switching things up.
This Week’s Top 3 Events
Learn about the effects of the results of the 2024 Irish general election at a lecture by two of Ireland’s leading scholars, Theresa Reidy of University College Cork and Gary Murphy of Dublin City University. The lecture will be on Tuesday at 12 p.m. in McElroy Commons 237.
Hear Katy Knox, CGSOM ’98 and president of Bank of America Private Bank, talk about her experience expanding into new markets and investing in technology to serve clients. The luncheon takes place on Tuesday at 12 p.m. in the Fulton Honors Library.
1 2 3
Join Theresa Betancourt, a professor in the School of Social Work, for insights from her two decades of research in Sierra Leone on the intergenerational impacts of war on youth. Attend the lecture on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the School of Social Work Library.
“I’m in my car in the parking lot, and [my friend] is on the phone with me, and I just told myself ‘Yeah, well it’s not going to happen,’” Avalon said. “I was so convinced I wasn’t getting in. Then I got it, and it was just a lot of screaming for a long time. I was completely shocked.”
Avalon, a current senior from Manchester, N.H., said she is looking forward to the community and student engagement at BC.
“I come from a really small school—there’s like 60 people in my graduating class,” Avalon said. “Everyone is so attentive at games, I’m just so excited to be able to go to those and have fun with people who want to have fun.”
In line with last year, BC did not immediately release the percentage of admitted students who identify as AHANA+. Prior to the Supreme Court banning affirmative action, data on the racial and ethnic makeup of newly admitted classes was released at the same time as other admissions data.
In September, the University announced that the Class of 2028 comprised 37 percent AHANA students, though the statistic only included students who had self-reported their
racial information. According to the University, 12 percent of this year’s admitted students are first-generation college attendees, down from 14 percent for the Class of 2028. The University did not release the number of students who are QuestBridge scholars or Pell Grant recipients.
Nine percent of admitted students are international, hailing from 77 different countries, and all 50 states and five U.S. territories are represented, according to the release.
Although the acceptance rate dropped this year, the number of applications rose to 39,681, up from 35,475 in 2024. The University offered admission to approximately 5,000 students, the release stated.
The record high for number of applications remains at 40,477 for the Class of 2026.
Ninety-five percent of accepted students ranked within the top 10 percent of their graduating class, according to the release. The average SAT and ACT scores were 1503 and 34, respectively. The average ACT score remained the same for the fifth year in a row, though the average SAT score dropped from 1511 to 1503.
According to the release, 74 percent of students submitted test scores,
despite the University’s test-optional policy, which has been in place since the Class of 2025’s admissions cycle.
Since then, only 50 percent of enrolled students submitted test scores for the Class of 2025, 52 percent of enrolled students for the Class of 2026, and 44 percent of enrolled students for the Class of 2027. The University has not yet released the Common Data Set for the class of 2028.
Aiming to have 2,400 students matriculate in the fall, the University hopes to achieve a roughly 48 percent yield, the release states.
Despite nationwide concerns over federal funding, the University also announced it will award $190 million in need-based financial aid, marking a 7.5 percent increase over the current academic year.
“I am grateful for the exceptional work of our Admission and Financial Aid staffs and University colleagues, and for the contributions so many other campus partners will make in the weeks to come,” Gosselin said. “We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2029 to Boston College when classes begin on August 25.”
Maya Learner, a senior from Stratham, N.H., and MCAS ’29, said finding out she was accepted into BC felt “like a dream come true.”
“The email got sent out while I was driving, and I was all in my head about it,” Learner said. “I made it to my house, and I was just too nervous to open it, and then I finally opened it, and it was one of those things where I wish I had a recording because it was just so happy. It made me tear up.”
BC’s Jesuit values and emphasis on reflection were what made the University stand out to Learner and her family, she said.
“When I toured BC, it was immediate,” Learner said. “Every other school I toured after that, I was comparing it to how much it was like BC. It stuck out to me and my parents so much. All the talk about interacting with the community and reflecting on it, that was just something that I really value and want when I go off to college.” n
By Jack Beckman Managing Editor
When it comes to effective leadership, the devil is in the details, according to former Admiral James Stavridis.
“As we try to sort out, for example, a cease-fire in Ukraine, the challenge is not in the strategic—the challenge is the detail,” Stavridis said.
Stavridis shared his assessment of major geopolitical conflicts and their implications for the United States while discussing leadership lessons at the Winston Center for Leadership
and Ethics’ Clough Colloquium on Thursday afternoon.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Stavridis served in the Navy for 37 years and reached the rank of four-star admiral. He was commander of the United States Southern Command and later the NATO Supreme Allied Commander.
Stavridis encouraged the audience to look to the past for lessons on leadership, particularly to Franklin D. Roosevelt—one of the three best U.S. presidents, in his view.
In addition to being an effective
communicator through his fireside chats and speeches, Stavridis highlighted Roosevelt’s ability to collaborate and lead through teamwork.
“Who else could put together on one team and have a coherent outcome when your teammates are Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, and Joseph Stalin?” Stavridis said. “That’s a rough crowd.”
But one of Roosevelt’s most underappreciated qualities, Stavridis said, was his eye for detail.
According to Stavridis, after Roosevelt finished dinner with guests, he of-
ten unrolled a map of the United States and handed them a pen, asking them to draw a line across the country in whatever direction they wanted. Regardless of the path they chose, Roosevelt could discuss individual counties.
“We think of Roosevelt—as we should—as a grand strategic thinker, but he was a master of detail,” Stavridis said.
Leaders should take a page out of Roosevelt’s book and apply that same attention to detail to resolve current conflicts, especially the Russia-Ukraine war, Stavridis said.
Stavridis estimated there is a 60 percent chance Ukraine and Russia will sign a cease-fire agreement by the end of the year.
As part of a potential deal, Stavridis said Western sanctions against Russia could be lifted, and Russia would likely retain all the territory it currently occupies, amounting to approximately 20 percent of Ukraine’s total land area.
Additionally, Stavridis said both nations would need to agree on a new border, with a demilitarized zone— similar to the one between North and South Korea—dividing them. They would also need to determine who would be responsible for guarding it, Stavridis added.
“It’s not a happy picture, but I think we can start to see the end game, and it
will look a lot like the end of the Korean War,” Stavridis said.
If the war drags on for another year or two, Ukraine’s path to victory will be fraught with challenges, Stavridis said.
“It’s not mission impossible, but it is mission really, really hard,” Stavridis said. “My advice if I were advising President Zelensky? Take the deal. Europe will stand with you. The U.S., I think, ultimately will stand with you.”
Meanwhile, China has quietly laid claim to the South China Sea—a body of water roughly half the size of the United States.
“China claims it in its entirety, as sovereign territory, as internal waters of China,” Stavridis said. “It’s a preposterous claim. The United States—like almost every other country—we claim 12 miles of sovereign territory off the shore.”
To strengthen its presence and military strength in the region, China has built artificial islands in the South China Sea, according to Stavridis. This threatens both Taiwan and the Philippines, with which the United States has entered into an alliance and agreed to protect if an attack occurs.
Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com
Endorsements, from A1
BC maintains a neutrality policy to comply with its nonprofit status under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, which prohibits nonprofits from participating in or contributing to political campaigns, according to Kyle Neary, associate director of organizations and programs in the Office of Student Involvement (OSI).
“Due to Boston College’s 501(c)(3) status, certain activities for actively campaigning individuals may be prohibited,” the policy in the Student Involvement Handbook (SIH) reads.
But the policy does not explicitly prohibit student organizations from endorsing candidates or engaging in phone banking for political campaigns. Additionally, it does not expand on what the “certain activities” that may be prohibited are, leaving enforce -
ment open to interpretation.
By contrast, the “Student Organization Categories” section of the SIH defines political organizations as groups that support political candidates.
“Political: Organizations that encourage expression, debate, and support of political issues, views, and/or candidates,” the handbook reads.
Throughout the fall semester, the BC Democrats hosted several on-campus phone banking events for Harris, though administrators took no action until the Nov. 4 event.
The student organization requested to hold its final phone bank event on the eve of the election but received notice from Belschner on Oct. 31 that they were not permitted to host a partisan phone banking event.
“OSI has gained new information that previous phone bank events were directly con -
nected to endorsing a candidate for the upcoming election, which goes against University policy,” Belschner wrote to the BC Democrats. “I will be denying the event request for Monday’s [Nov. 4] event and I would like to meet with y’all to discuss this further.”
Failure to comply with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code can result in an institution losing its tax-exempt status.
“If a college can be viewed as endorsing or opposing a particular candidate, it jeopardizes its federal, tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the benefits that go along with it,” the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free-speech advocacy group, wrote in a statement to The Heights Other universities—like Emerson, Yale, and the University of Chicago—have adopted similarly cautious interpretations of the
Internal Revenue Code. Unlike BC, however, their policies outline specific regulations on student organizations’ political activity, such as the use of university resources and space to endorse or campaign for a candidate.
BC has faced criticism from the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free-speech advocacy group, which condemned the University for having broad demonstration policies with room for “subjective interpretations [that] allow administrators to prohibit a substantial amount of protected expression.”
According to FIRE, universities often interpret the Internal Revenue Code in a way that places undue restrictions on students, who they say should be allowed to engage in partisan political speech.
“[These prohibitions] do not apply to individual students, student organizations, faculty, or staff engaged in clearly individual,
unaffiliated activity,” FIRE wrote. “Individual students and student groups may engage in partisan political speech when such speech is clearly separate and distinct from the institution’s views or statements. In doing so, the individual student, student organization, or faculty member does not endanger their institution’s tax-exempt status.”
In an interview with The Heights , John Herrington, former BC Democrats treasurer and MCAS ’25, denounced BC’s neutrality policy, which he argued stifles political activity on campus.
“We just find it unhelpful and draconian,” Herrington said. “I came to college with the view that college campuses are this bastion of free speech, protest, the right to organize and state your beliefs, and the University is worse for not being that. It’s strangling a part of our club, and I’m sure the [BC] Republicans feel it too.” n
Tobacco, from A1
“I think it’s bullshit,” Hova said. “I don’t believe in it at all … It’s just very stupid.”
Hova said he disagrees with the ban’s strict cutoff date.
“If they banned them 100 percent, I still wouldn’t like that, but I would understand,” Hova said. “But for them to just pick a date and go with it, I think it is pretty arbitrary.”
Loder said she believes the decision to use nicotine or tobacco should be up to the individual, not the government.
“I feel as though, if, like, you’re 21 years old, you’re grown enough to make your own decisions,” Loder said.
Loder manages one of the two vape shops in the city. Newton tobacco and nicotine regulation allows for two retail tobacco or nicotine delivery product stores. The sale of e-cigarettes is restricted to adult-only stores, so
gas stations and convenience stores are only permitted to sell tobacco.
Loder expects this ban to pose an issue for Lake Smoke and Vape in the future.
“I think it is going to have, like, a detrimental effect on the smoke shop in the long run,” Loder said. “Right now, I don’t see that much of a problem, but I definitely do foresee it in the future.”
Hova assumes he will need to adjust his tobacco inventory.
“I’ll probably either, you know, stop selling as much or not have as much in stock because it’s just wasted money on a shelf,” Hova said. While it is too soon for Hova and Loder to see the ban’s effects on their stores’ revenues, towns that enacted similar bylaws have felt the impact.
Elias Audy, owner of Village Mobil in Brookline, saw a 35 percent decrease in profits in 2024 due to cigarette sales and consequently couldn’t
raise salaries for his employees, according to Brookline.News. Brookline was the first municipality in the United States to pass a generational tobacco ban.
Since Brookline’s ban in 2020, 12 other towns have passed similar bylaws, according to Action on Smoking and Health. This January, state senators proposed a bill to ban the sale of nicotine and tobacco prod-
ucts to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, reflecting the state’s growing emphasis on smoking prevention.
Hova and Loder prepared for Newton’s ban by putting up the required signage, indicating the ban’s requirements. Now, the stores are strictly enforcing the ban, otherwise, they would risk tobacco-related violations, resulting in a fine of up to $5,000 and a 30-day permit suspension.
Hova expressed his discontent with the government’s involvement in people’s personal lives and choices.
“This is one more way the government, I feel like, is just kind of getting into the pockets of small businesses,” Hova said. “The people that are making these rules can barely control their own lives, so I don’t think that they should be trying to control the lives of other people.” n
By Matthew antonecchia
Heights Staff
The Newton School Committee (NSC) convened on Monday night to further discuss the budget for fiscal year 2026 (FY26), in the wake of Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s decision to reject Superintendent Anna Nolin’s preliminary request for an additional $14.9 million in funding.
At a public hearing last Wednesday, over a dozen parents and teachers in the district urged the NSC to approve Nolin’s proposed budget increase. Many commenters derided Fuller for failing to prioritize Newton Public Schools (NPS) and their students. At Monday’s meeting, a row of parents held a large banner demanding that NSC “Fully Fund.”
Nolin’s proposed budget already requires cuts in several areas to maintain what is called “Level Services Plus” in public schools, meaning the district maintains all of its current services with a few additions.
“These are the pieces I had to recommend,” said Nolin. “A 10-teacher reduction at elementary, two at middle, reorganization of the Teaching and Learning Department, and then we said we would utilize more of a budget carryforward, which is more of a risk for us.”
Fuller’s budget will increase the school allocation by $10.3 million, or 3.65 percent, in FY26. Nolin explained that this will necessitate additional spending cuts across the district in order to fill an approximately $3.7 million gap between the two proposals.
“$3.7 million, these are the additional cuts we need, after the cuts I have already shared with you,” said Nolin. “Five additional classroom teachers to reduce the number of teachers at the elementary level. That would mean that at six classrooms across the district, there would be 25 students in them.”
Beyond the reduction in teachers at the elementary level, further cuts to high school personnel and programs would also be necessary, according to Nolin.
“This is already a very lean budget,” Nolin said. “We will have to limit the number of overnight field trips we have. And then two teachers from the high school … we will try to find the least painful place to do that cut.”
Further, Fuller’s budget would
lessen the number of social workers, said Nolin, with 10 “Social and Emotional Learning Interventionists” losing their jobs should this cut take effect.
“Nobody is comfortable with this,” said Nolin. “We are coming out of a very volatile time for young people. A majority of their schooling was impacted by odd COVID learning conditions, and the social and emotional developmental levels of these young people is different from other time periods.”
The cuts Nolin identified amount to only $2.6 million, meaning an additional $1.1 million must be identified and removed from the budget. It is unclear which programs or services would be targeted to remedy that gap.
“I need further guidance and direction,” said Nolin. “Now we’re going to get to things like music programs and athletics … things that are not required and mandated but vastly affect a student’s experience and development.
NSC Vice Chair Emily Prenner remarked on the difficult circumstances faced by the committee, which has found itself caught between Fuller’s budget allocation and the complaints of parents in the district.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty for more weeks than we usually have in a budget situation,” said Prenner. “And if I could wave my magic wand, we’d have a big pot of gold show up.”
Ward 4 NSC member Tamika
Olszewski emphasized the need to be fiscally responsible, even if the requisite budget cuts are unwanted or troublesome.
“Nobody on this committee wants to have less than level service,” said Olszewski. “Not even the mayor, believe it or not. The school committee has to certify a budget that is balanced.”
Many parents lobbying the NSC have asked them to approve Nolin’s budget. But Olszewski explained that it is not within the committee’s authority to deviate from the mayor’s budgetary allocation.
“It doesn’t come to the school committee to fund the superintendent’s budget,” said Olszewski. “There is only one entity that can allocate funds to the Newton Public Schools. That is the Newton mayor.”
Fuller stated she understood why parents feel compelled to complain, but explained that Newton’s budgetary constraints affect more than just NPS.
“Our police department and our fire department and our public works department and our public buildings department all are facing the same kinds of things,” said Fuller. “Education is special and different, but it is not without comparison in other areas.”
Fuller concluded her remarks with a word of reassurance for the committee and the audience.
“I know how to be flexible,” Fuller said. “I’ll do the best I can. I promise.”n
By Genevieve Morrison Newton Editor
The Northland Newton Development Project may swap out office space for more housing units, according to presentations from Newton’s Land Use Committee on Tuesday.
The Northland Project is a 22.7acre, 14-building mixed-use housing and business development on Needham and Oak Streets in Newton Highlands. One of these buildings is the Saco-Pettee Mill, an old textile mill Northland planned to renovate into office space.
But given low demand for office space and high demand for housing in Newton, the project may pivot to turning the mill into an apartment building.
Demand for office space is still below pre-pandemic levels, and it may be between six and 10 more years before demand rises back to those levels, according to market analysis by Camoin Associates, an
economic development consulting firm.
“As we’re kind of working our way out of the spike in vacancy that occurred during the pandemic, hybrid and remote work models have continued to be common in lots of office users,” said Tom Dworetsky, Camoin’s vice president and director of research.
Still, building some office space may be worthwhile for the city because it’s taxed at a higher rate than homes. If the building were all office space, the city would gain 27 percent more revenue than if this space were made into housing, according to Dworetsky.
Regardless, the Northland Project would have to compete with other office spaces in the Newton area, as there is 1.7 million square feet of vacant office space within 5 miles of the project site. Some of these competing office buildings even have near-identical appearances and amenities, according to Dworetsky.
“There are a number of brickmill-type buildings in the area, particularly in Watertown, but also in Nonantum and Waltham,” Dworetsky said. “So it would not be the only Class A with a brick mill building on offer, and that has available space.
After the consultants presented their findings, the council opened a public hearing.
One resident, Lynn Weisberg, said she supported building more housing instead of more office space because of its potential value to the city.
“Although office space generates a higher tax revenue than residential, office space that is empty—that is not rented—does not generate any tax revenue,” Weisberg said. “At this point, I would hope those counselors, who were concerned about whether or not Northland was acting too quickly to eliminate the commercial space, can be satisfied.”
Marc Laredo, Ward 7 councilor-at-large, said he accepts that office
space is no longer viable to build at Northland, though he said he hopes to support more projects focused on economic development in the long term.
“It is a fair request in these circumstances from the developer to say, ‘Look, it really isn’t economically feasible anymore for us to build office space,’” Laredo said. “And I do think we all have a collective concern that if something’s built and then it remains vacant for a fairly extended period of time, that would not be good for the community.”
Ward 2 Councilor-at-Large
Tarik Lucas said he agreed that an office-construction project of this size would be too big, but countered that there was potentially a market for a smaller-scale office space project at Northland.
“Clearly, there is a market for small office space, not 180,000 square feet of office space, I’m giving you that,” Lucas said. “But could we not do some small office space on the
ground floor in this building?”
The updated version of the project also included changes to traffic impacts and overall square footage.
The updated version of the project would reduce the square footage taken up by office space by 188,200 and the amount of retail square footage by 19,083 square feet. In return, 22 units of housing would be added to the project, according to Dennis Flynn, an engineering associate with BETA Group, Inc. Overall, these changes bring the average square footage of the project down 10 percent.
As a result of these changes, Flynn said new traffic brought by the project would have less of an impact on residents, projecting that the updated project would see a 13 percent reduction in the amount of weekday vehicle trips in the surrounding area. The committee held the item for discussion and kept the public hearing open, meaning it will return to the issue at its next meeting. n
After graduation, Aroy joined the Peace Corps and served in the Dominican Republic. At the time, Aroy said topics like health education and HIV prevention were not widely taught in the country, which motivated her to produce her first documentary.
“It was a time when nobody was talking about the virus, and there was a lot of shame around it,” Aroy said. “But there are people who have the virus and are very brave to discuss it out loud, even more so on videos. And that was my first foray into documentary.”
From there, she pursued graduate studies at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
Clarence Ting, a friend from Berkeley who later collaborated with her on film projects, described Aroy as a driven and empathetic artist.
“Marissa’s a hustler,” Ting said. “She’s always trying to figure out what her next move is. She’s always trying to grow—not only professionally, but personally as well.”
Beyond her drive to succeed, Ting said Aroy has a unique ability to connect with people and understand their stories.
“She is also a very empathetic person, sensitive to both her colleagues and subjects of her documentaries,” Ting said. “She has a really good way with people and can truly get people to share their stories meaningfully.”
In recent years, Aroy has worked to highlight Asian American stories in an effort to shape the public memory of underrepresented communities.
Produced in 2014, her documentary Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers focuses on Filipino farm workers who took part in the labor movement.
The legacy of one of these farmers, Larry Itliong, has Aroy’s documentary.
“The documentary lives on,” Aroy said. “It is being taught in schools, and people are taking it further. There is now a musical made about Larry Itliong and a
Larry Itliong Day in California. It really satisfies me, knowing I’ve left something.”
Recently, the documentary gained greater recognition after two parks were renamed in honor of the people it featured.
“It makes me pretty happy that … there’s two parks named after the Delano Manongs, the title of the documentary,” Aroy said. “It’s honoring them, but it’s also kind of honoring our documentary that we made about them.”
Aroy’s creative momentum has only continued to grow.
With her husband and filmmaking partner, Niall McKay, she co-founded Media Factory and has produced several award-winning films.
One of their most impactful, Sikhs in America , earned them an Emmy Award in 2008.
Many of her documentaries seek to capture the history and spirit of being a Filipino American.
“I hope that I’ve brought awareness to people who really fought hard to get us the rights that we have,” Aroy said. “But also to show who we are as people.”
Stephanie Persson, BC ’95 and Aroy’s close friend, sees Aroy’s determination as a key factor in her career.
“She is someone who believed in herself and believed in her dreams, in what was important, and didn’t let others dictate what she should do and how she should do it,” Persson said. “Everything she does, she puts 110 percent in.”
Persson, who now works as a high school librarian in Virginia, has seen how Aroy’s work resonates with younger generations.
When one of her students was researching Asian American representation, Persson reached out to Aroy, who immediately agreed to a virtual interview.
“She gave up her time,” Persson said. “Disregarding the time difference, since she was in Ireland, and served as a resource for an interview. It was an Asian young girl, and I just think that representation meant so much to her.”
This fall, Aroy’s work will take center stage at the Smithsonian National Museum of American
History.
The exhibit, titled How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories , will showcase short films produced by Aroy and McKay, as well as artifacts found in a historic Filipino lodge in Stockton, Calif.
“They found 26 trunks … filled with the belongings of all of these immigrants,” Aroy said. “They will be exhibiting three of those trunks in a gallery, and the exhibition videos were created by us.”
Aroy’s work is not limited to the documentary field. She recently completed a shadow directing traineeship on AMC+’s Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale , during which she worked with director Hannah Quinn.
“I absolutely loved that experience,” Aroy said. “Now … I’m looking at both areas of the industry.”
Yet, behind the awards and recognitions lies a more personal struggle—one Aroy doesn’t shy away from discussing.
“When I told my father what I really wanted to do was make films, he told me no,” Aroy said. “He said, ‘No, you're a minority.
You're a woman. You don't know anybody in this business. Don't do it. And so I feel like, now, I am finally coming full circle and going, ‘Wait a second, this dream is available to me.’”
To support emerging artists with the same dream as hers, Aroy teaches filmmaking, encouraging her students to pursue their passions.
“I want to tell my students the opposite of what my father told me,” Aroy said. “When I have filmmaking students, I want to make sure that I encourage them to try it out while telling them about the realities of the field, instead of just squashing the dream. ”
She emphasized that being creative also means thinking practically.
“You are your own business,”
Aroy said. “You have to invest in your business, market it, protect it … because that’s the only way to really allow yourself to flourish in every way.”
Aroy also noted that her success has come with a resistance back against doubts—both self-im -
posed and from others.
She has been especially open about insecurities surrounding her identity and how they intersect with industry pressures.
“You’ve got to end the selfhate,” Aroy said. “Because that’s the only way to really allow yourself to flourish in every way.”
At the heart of Aroy’s journey is not just storytelling but also legacy-building.
As her work becomes part of national exhibitions and schools honor the people she has highlighted, Aroy’s legacy continues to ripple outward.
Her advice to young filmmakers who might be afraid to take the leap? Start small, but start now.
“Everyone should be just going out and filming,” Aroy said. “Filming your friends, putting small things together. Look at Sean Baker, who just won the Oscar for Best Film Directing and for Best Film Editing. One of his films was a shot of tangerine, filmed on an iPhone, so it's all there. You just have to start somewhere. Start with your phone.” n
B y C aralynn C aulfield Heights Staff
April Fools' Day is the one day a year when mild psychological warfare is socially acceptable. No elaborate setups, no permanent damage—just harmless pranks that will leave your friends questioning their sanity while you try (and fail) to keep a straight face.
Toilet Seat Surprise
A foolproof classic: Tape a couple of party poppers under the toilet seat lid so when someone lifts it—BOOM! It’s like a jump scare for their bladder, making sure your
friends start their day with an adrenaline rush.
Fake Bug in the Light
If your roommate has even the slightest bug phobia, this one is gold. Tape a few fake cockroaches, spiders, or ants inside a lampshade or light fixture. When they turn on the light, they’ll be confronted with the unsettling sight of creepy, crawly, shadowy creatures hovering above them.
Bluetooth Hijack
This prank is all about playing a few sneaky tricks on your victim by hijacking their Bluetooth speaker. Pair your phone with their Bluetooth
speaker without them knowing so you can secretly control the music that plays through it.
If you want to get creative, throw in a car horn honking, a phone ringing, or eerie whispers to catch them off guard. If they have a favorite playlist, mix in unexpected genres or songs to confuse them.
Remote Control Sabotage
Want to make someone feel like they’re losing their grip on reality?
Place a tiny piece of tape over the sensor on their TV remote.
Watch as they smash buttons with increasing desperation, shake the remote like it owes them money, and
eventually resort to smacking it against the table in pure frustration.
Autocorrect Nightmare
Grab their phone with a totally innocent excuse—maybe to check the time or show them a funny video. Then, dive into their keyboard settings and swap out everyday words for something subtly annoying. As they go about their day, their texts will slowly spiral into chaos, leaving them frustrated, confused, and questioning their typing skills. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
Confetti Ceiling Fan Explosion
This prank turns an ordinary ceiling fan into an unexpected party machine. Lightly sprinkle confetti onto the blades while the fan is off, and when you turn the fan on—bang! A colorful explosion. The key is to distribute the confetti evenly across the blades, avoiding clumps that could prevent it from dispersing when the fan starts spinning. Once the fan is covered, all that’s left is for the victim to return and turn it on.
Evil Brownies Prank
Tell your friends you baked brownies. When they eagerly reach for one, they’ll see cut-out letter “e’s” printed on brown paper instead. Watch their enthusiasm turn to pure disappoint-
ment. If they groan, just hit them with: “What? I made brown e’s!”
Fake Alarm Takeover
Steal a friend’s phone for just a moment and set a series of random alarms throughout their day—and maybe even at night. Whether it’s a jarring wake-up at 4:12 a.m. or an inexplicable chime at 3:47 p.m., they’ll be left wondering why their phone suddenly seems out to get them.
Mind Game
Catch your friend off guard by giving them a strange look. Then, when they ask what's wrong, respond with a nonchalant “Oh, nothing.” Keep doing this randomly throughout the day with no explanation whatsoever. As the day goes on, they’ll get increasingly unsettled, wondering if they’ve got something on their face or if they’ve done something wrong.
Kitchen Drawer Shuffle
If your friend is a creature of habit, swapping the contents of their kitchen drawers will certainly throw them off. Put the silverware in the Tupperware cabinet, hide the spices in the fridge, and relocate the mugs under the sink. Watch as they fumble around the kitchen, utterly baffled, as if they’ve forgotten how their own home works. n
By Katherine Malloure Heights Staff
With so many fitness classes on the market, it can be tough to know where to invest your time and money. Whether you’re seeking a serious sweat session or a fun way to get fit, each class offers a different experience.
I dove into five popular workouts around Boston, rating them based on intensity, results, and overall vibe.
From the core-shredding challenges of Solidcore to the high-energy sprint intervals at Barry’s Bootcamp, discover which classes deliver the best bang for your buck.
Solidcore (8/10)
Solidcore is like training for war—in the best way possible. It uses a Pilates reformer machine, but it’s much more intense and challenging than traditional Pilates.
The workout focuses on high-intensity, slow movements designed to push you to second-stage muscle failure. In other words, it breaks your muscles down to rebuild them stronger. True to its name, the workout focuses on building core strength, with shorter sections targeting the upper and lower body.
If you want to look and feel
stronger as quickly as possible, Solidcore gives you those results. But you have to put in the work— and pay for it.
Coming in at $41 per class, Solidcore is one of the more expensive workout classes available. But, in my opinion, the price is worth it. The classes are fun, the instructors are motivating and kind, and they offer helpful feedback and form corrections. Plus, you’ll see and feel results—fast.
Barry’s Bootcamp (7/10)
Barry’s is undoubtedly the most difficult class on this list. It’s a HIIT workout that combines running and sprinting intervals with heavy-weight strength training.
The running intervals are fast— the basic run is around 7 miles per hour, interspersed with sprinting intervals up to 12.5 miles per hour. The floor (strength training) section is no easier, with compound exercises that will leave your muscles shaking.
The environment in Barry’s is great, with loud music, low, colorful lighting, and high-energy instructors. That said, my only complaint is that there isn’t much about Barry’s that you couldn’t do at a regular gym.
While the class format may be more motivating, both the sprinting intervals and the strength
training could be done outside of the class. For $38 per class, I prefer a class that offers something I wouldn’t do on my own at the gym.
SoulCycle (6/10)
SoulCycle is a cardio-focused spin class that also targets your core and upper body. The class is challenging, but it’s also super fun. It feels like you’re in a nightclub, but on a bike. The music is loud, the lights are low, and the instructors are fun and motivating.
SoulCycle also offers a discounted price for students ($24 per class, or cheaper with a membership or class pack), making it one of the more affordable options.
CorePower Yoga (5/10)
If you like to sweat, CorePower is the class for you. CorePower Yoga is a bit of a misleading name,
as this class is anything but traditional yoga. Their yoga sculpt class combines mat pilates, HIIT cardio, and yoga poses, all in a room heated to about 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
CorePower is quite fun, and you certainly feel great after you’re done.
In my opinion, however, the “hot” element of the class makes it feel harder than it actually is.
It’s not necessarily a great workout—you just feel like it is because you’re sweating so much. If you did the same workout at a normal temperature, it wouldn’t be effective.
Club Pilates (2/10)
I have been to one Club Pilates class, and I will never go to another. The first issue with this workout is that it can barely be called a workout—it’s so easy. They offer a variety of classes, so it’s possible I
took the wrong one, but I barely felt tired at the end or sore the next day. For over $40 a class, I’d like to feel like I actually accomplished something by the end.
The second issue is that the instructor was rude. She barely spoke throughout the class, offered no encouragement, and was passive-aggressive and rude when correcting people’s form.
My final complaint was that the music was mellow and quiet, and the energy in the room was more relaxing rather than upbeat or intense. Between this relaxing vibe and the lack of intensity in the workout itself, I was fighting to stay awake!
There are about 5 billion types of Pilates classes, and this is far from the best one.
Take your time and money elsewhere. n
By lucas Ding Heights Staff
Navigating the intersection between education and public policy on the national level is no easy task, but for Shaun Dougherty, it’s a mission driven by rich experience and passion.
Dougherty, a professor of education and policy in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, brings this focus to his role as senior advisor in the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Education.
His work centers on bridging the gap between education and workforce development.
“The single most important thing that I do on a day-to-day basis is just be open to pivoting to whatever comes next,” Dougherty said. “In general, it’s some combination of meeting with people, figuring out what they need, and finding creative ways to think about what information or research can help answer questions.”
One of Dougherty’s recent projects focuses on improving communication between three key U.S. government agencies: the Department of Labor, the Executive Office of the President, and the Department of Education.
“I helped coordinate data sharing between the U.S. Department of Labor, the Executive Office of the
President, and the Department of Education to link information about large-scale federal investments in industries, workforce needs, and educational programs,” Dougherty said. “We looked at the connection between these data and put together a dataset to help answer questions about that relationship and inform federal investments.”
Since his appointment last May, Dougherty has identified two major challenges to the U.S. education system today. First, both COVID-19 and the shift to classes on Zoom significantly disrupted students’ learning.
“I don’t think ‘learning loss’ is a productive way to frame what happened,” Dougherty said. “Nobody lost learning—they lost opportunities to learn. We need to continue thinking about the fact that the formal education of a whole generation of people was substantially disrupted by COVID-19. We need to make sure that these people are prepared to continue to navigate the education system and have skills for long-term success.”
The second major challenge?
Growing skepticism about the value of four-year degrees and the need to provide students with clearer information about career options.
“We need to navigate the balance between the excessive cost and low completion rates of college and the actual skill demands of the workforce
and the continuing changes in the economy—figuring out how to get that balance right, both for people who are considering going to college but also those thinking about adult retraining,” Dougherty said.
Dougherty suggested that one solution is ensuring people receive accurate information about their educational and career options.
“We need to get people better information on their choices,” Dougherty said. “What do you think you’re going to study? How much money are you going to earn with the occupation you can get, having studied that relative to how much it’s costing you to get that training?’”
With the recent shift in administration from President Biden to President Trump, Dougherty said there is a lot of uncertainty in the office.
“A current challenge that I’m navigating is that we had a really clear chain of command and protocols a few weeks ago, but now until leadership roles get filled, there will be more uncertainty,” Dougherty said.
He believes that this shift in leadership could lead to further challenges for the newly formed office. While most large executive branch agencies, such as the Department of Labor and the Department of Energy, have long had chief economists or offices of economists, this position is a new addition to the Department of Education.
“A core challenge is making clear to the new administration that we’re not a political office, that we’re there to support the core work of the agency, and that it’s an endeavor that they should continue, because there’s value that that can be added that can support administrations, regardless of their policy priorities,” Dougherty said. Dougherty’s tenure is expected to last until May 19. Despite the current administration’s intense scrutiny of the Department of Education, he remains focused on driving meaningful changes in the U.S. education system.
“Right now, despite these changes, we are just trying to continue the work that we were doing on core research projects about loan repayment, about college accountability, and about their relationship between education and workforce,” Dougherty said.
Beyond his federal work, Dougherty is regarded as a mentor to many of his peers. Before entering his current profession, he taught education and policy at both Vanderbilt and Boston College.
Hannah Kistler, a postdoctoral fellow at Brown University and former advisee of Dougherty at Vanderbilt, emphasized the optimism Dougherty conveyed while teaching.
“I could just tell he was one of the nicest, kindest people I had ever met,” Kistler said. “Whenever he reads anything, regardless of whether it might be really bad, he always finds a way to find something positive about it and be encouraging.”
Walter Ecton, also a former advisee of Dougherty, is currently an assistant professor at the University of Michigan. Ecton said he was inspired by Dougherty before getting the chance to meet him in person.
“Before I even met Dr. Dougherty, I was a huge fan of his research,” Ecton said. “One of his papers was assigned in a class that I took in my first semester of graduate school, and his work just spoke to me so much.”
Yet, aside from Dougherty’s scholarly work, what stood out most to Ecton about Dougherty was how he valued his students as individuals.
“He really conducts himself in a way that I think makes those who are in his orbit feel good and feel as if they are doing work that is important and valuable, but also that they’re human beings that matter as people,” Ecton said.
Not only has Dougherty influ-
enced his students, but he has also shaped the work of professionals in the education sector.
“There’s very few scholars that I know of who can credibly claim to have influenced such a high percentage of people who are researching a field,” Ecton said. “When you go to a conference and you see people studying career and technical education, it seems like Dr. Dougherty has at least in some way influenced almost every single person in a presentation related to the topic.”
Kistler agrees. Additionally, she noted that Dougherty looks beyond himself in his work, choosing to focus on how his profession can affect the lives of others.
“He is an amazing researcher,” Kistler said. “And more importantly, he thinks a lot about doing work that is actually impactful and meaningful for real students and families.”
Dougherty, reflecting on his own journey, said the career path he would follow was not always clear to him.
“It’s easy for me to tell the story after the fact about, like, how this all fits together, it was not at all clear to me,” Doughterty said. “For instance, when I was in my third year at the University of Massachusetts, I was still undecided because I liked everything that I took classes in. I kept taking math courses and I was taking economics, but I liked philosophy, I liked history, I liked English.”
Dougherty encouraged students to stay open to different opportunities and embrace the unexpected.
“Stopping and starting and just being willing to ask myself, ‘Do I think this is what I want to do? What other options might I want to consider? Am I willing to make a change to make that happen?’” Dougherty said. “And I think that’s the most productive thing—be open to considering a change and not defining change as failure.”
At the core of it all, however, Dougherty emphasizes the importance of keeping a people-focused approach when making decisions about your future.
“All of this is a human endeavor— education, public policy, building a pluralistic society—all aimed at benefiting people,” Dougherty said. “The goal is always to serve the greatest number of people in the best possible way, no matter whether you’re in federal service, academia, or an educational institution.”
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I have tried to conceal my political opinions in my columns, but not anymore. It’s time to talk Wu-Tang.
No, I’m not referring to some extremist group that takes its name from the iconic 1990s hip-hop group. I’m talking about how the rise of ironic political disengagement—embodied in a $35 Wu-Tang lawn sign—is killing America.
This fall, when I walked through the preppy suburbs of my hometown Pelham, N.Y., and Brookline, Mass., I expected to see plenty of political signs for both Harris and Trump. Instead, the most common “political” sign I saw was intentionally, ironically misleading. It featured the blue and white stars and the sharp contours of a typical presidential political sign, but instead of endorsing a candidate it reads “Presidents Are Temporary, Wu-Tang is Forever.”
When I saw the first sign like this, I smiled at the silly, ironic reference to a politically irrelevant music group. When I passed by a second, identical sign, the smile fell from my face. By the time I saw my third sign, I was getting pretty worried.
“This is bizarre,” I thought to myself. These towns were affluent enough to afford being sincerely politically engaged. How could a mediocre, millennial-core meme about a 32-year-old hip-hop group represent the dominant ideology of the “political class”?
This experience cemented a dark belief of
mine: No matter your class, color, or creed, it is so much harder and lamer to care about mainstream American politics now than it was in 2016.
It’s important (and a little funny) to note that I was only 13 years old when Trump was elected to his first term. But even then, I remember a sense that the media presented us with crisis after crisis that did not meaningfully affect most people’s lives.
Nowadays, the controversies of that era have the salience of tissue paper. Remember the Trump-Russia Mueller probe? The Ukraine phone call that incited Trump’s first impeachment? The risky killing of Qasem Soleimani? I wouldn’t blame you if the answer was no.
None of these events changed the fact that, for most of Trump’s first term, the economy was doing well, the government wasn’t about to blow up, and the average person did not feel the need to care about politics. One could find much more satisfaction from the real world or the internet than from the first page of The Washington Post.
This all changed, of course, during COVID. Suddenly, the real world was dead, and we were all confronted with a decision: Do we actually read the Post, or do we plunge further into the internet? Most people chose the latter.
Ever since the pandemic gently eased millions into screen addictions, internet culture has actively discouraged sincerity, emotional investment, and sustained attention in politics. Why process distressing headlines about our republic’s demise when you can numb yourself with a 20-second, avant-garde loop of the latest catchphrase taking TikTok by storm?
Sure, some people think the internet can be a politically empowering tool that can expose faults in mainstream narratives and connect political dissidents together. But when sincere callsto-action lie on the same infinite scroll machine as serotonergic cat memes, dopaminergic thirst
traps, and various other bite-sized distractions, it tends to lose in the “algorithm.” Thus, most of the internet “activism” that survives ends up imitating other viral content—it is punchy, vapid, and rarely moves beyond “slacktivism.”
To rephrase (and steal from an older piece of mine), if everything is a crisis, then nothing is. You might as well just scroll. From there, it’s easy to indulge in retail therapy disguised as ironic cultural commentary.
This phenomenon explains how the $35 WuTang political signs have spread to the manufactured lawns of Brookline.
And this, my dear readers, is where I will finally actually reveal my politics.
At least … one … American political party has picked up on ironic, internet-fueled political apathy and exploited it to dangerous effect. For those paying attention, current events have been utterly unprecedented—and those involved are betting that not enough people will care to stop their bad-faith campaign of democratic backsliding.
But that’s part of the problem, isn’t it? See the words I’m using to describe it all: “unprecedented,” “bad-faith,” “democratic backsliding.”
To anyone scanning news articles online since 2016, these words clearly come off as academic, elitist—and overused. They mean nothing anymore. When everything is unprecedented, nothing is.
In today’s world, malicious politicians know that not enough people will rip off their WuTang lawn signs to stand for something. Please prove me—and them—wrong.
Anyway, wanna see this video of a guy plunging his face in Saratoga water? What about this cute horse with dwarfism? How about this hilarious lawn sign I saw on Facebook Marketplace?
Pretty cool, right?
for
Like many Boston College students, I am a creature of habit. I blast music in the communal showers, always reach for the same pair of jeans, and drink my coffee with a splash of milk and one Splenda. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on habits—specifically, my bad ones.
When I’m stressed, I forget to answer texts. When I find a class easy, I get too comfortable and procrastinate until I’m behind. When my workload gets heavy, my roommates can read my stress in the mutilated state of my nails. Once bad habits form, they are hard to break.
The same goes for my routines. Waking up 15 minutes before class, eating dinner at 7:30 p.m., and going to bed after midnight have become part of my DNA. It’s funny—I’ve always associated the word “routine” with punctuality and productivity. When someone mentions they have a routine, I am automatically a little impressed by them. I assume they must wake up early, go to the gym, and get their work done on time—they must have their life together.
That’s not a fair assumption, though. A routine is, by definition, “a fixed program.” Your routine could be skipping class and sleeping all day. As long as you’re consistent, you have yourself a routine. When it comes to unproductive routines, I am guilty of a few.
Last semester, I took a 9 a.m. music class. I was consistently two minutes late, I’ll admit. Whether that was due to Lyons Hall’s sluggish elevator or my complete lack of urgency anytime that early is up for debate.
All my fellow tardy people know the dreaded feeling of walking in late. Everyone stares at you, and you’re hit with a wave of guilt for interrupting the professor. There’s only one thing that lessens the guilt: When someone else in the class walks in late with you.
As I waited what felt like an eternity for the Lyons elevator, I was rarely alone. Like clockwork, a senior (seemingly an athlete) from my class would step into the elevator next to me, and we’d ride to the fourth floor in shared silence, both of us acknowledging our tardiness without saying a word. After it happened a few times, it became one of my favorite bad habits. The few times I arrived early, I had no doubt he felt betrayed.
One of the last times we rode the elevator at 9:01 together, he gave me a nod and said, “It’s been real.” Since then, he has been a familiar face on campus, always offering a nod or a wave. It’s funny how our routines can introduce us to people we would never meet otherwise. I was so embarrassingly consistent in my tardiness that I made a friend.
I have met so many people through my routine that I might never have otherwise. The 6 p.m. gym squad—I see you. The loyal 3 p.m. Hillside studiers—hey. I appreciate the comfort these familiar faces provide as I go through my week. There’s a sense of unspoken unity as we tackle the semester together.
When people talk about BC, I often hear them say it feels smaller than it is. I’ve heard friends exclaim, “If there are 10,000 people at this school, why do I keep seeing my ex?” My roommates tell endless stories about seeing
the one person they were avoiding or constantly running into that same hockey player from their lit core at Circle.
We are all creatures of routine and habit. BC feels small because you are surrounded by people who share your routine. It’s no wonder you see the same people—there are thousands of students you will never meet simply because you only eat lunch at Mac.
I don’t mean to call you out—I am also guilty of this. There are so many incredible upsides to having a routine, but I compel you to break yours. Just a little bit. Try eating lunch at the Rat, or studying at Bapst instead of O’Neill. When I’m following my routine, BC feels small. But when I break it?
This school is huge. I went to the gym at 8 a.m. last week, and I didn’t recognize a single face. Where have these dedicated, fit people been hiding? I realized how isolated my experience at BC has become as a result of my own routine.
Your routine and the people who share it will always be there, so take this as a sign to shake things up. In the best case, you meet someone or join something new. Worst case? Your life is changed by the incredible quality of the Rat bagels. I see no downside. We’re only at BC for a limited time, so it’s worth exploring the benefits of breaking your routine.
It doesn’t have to be a daily thing—just when the school starts feeling smaller than you want it to.
During those times, we should all try eating in another dining hall, studying in new spots, and mixing up our coffee order.
A couple of days a week, I’ll even try reaching for a different pair of jeans.
By Ali ZAhm Video Editor
Though thoroughly entertaining, this season of The Bachelor was just another reason not to trust a man you barely know.
It was not necessarily an abundance of drama or tearful breakups that made this season different from the rest, but it was the fact that Grant Ellis, a 31-year-old ex-professional basketball player and this season’s bachelor, was an indecisive mess.
Not only did Ellis leave his final decision down to the absolute wire, confessing that he still had no idea who he wanted to propose to while both the finalists were on their way to the engagement site, but he also led one contestant on to the point where the audience was misled and ultimately disappointed when he chose somebody else.
Litia Garr, a 31-year-old venture capitalist from Utah, stole Ellis’ heart from the very beginning of the show, scoring two solo dates and many “I love you”s before the proposal day, all of which is quite rare in the Bachelor franchise.
Garr stole more than Ellis’ heart—she quickly became an audience favorite, praised for her poise, beauty, and maturity.
As Garr became a frontrunner, there was another woman who stood out for her bubbly personality and connection with Ellis:
Juliana Pasquarosa, a 28-year-old client service associate from Newton, Mass., who became known for cutely serving Ellis a cannoli during the premiere to commemorate her Italian heritage.
Pasquarosa was another contestant to whom Ellis confessed his love before the altar, making it clear that she and Garr were the finalists before the final two roses were even handed out.
While Ellis had a very apparent spark with Garr and gave her consistent validation that she was the one, their differences became evident throughout the season. Garr, a Mormon, revealed her faith later in the show, but it did not initially affect their relationship.
Closer to the finale, however, their future goals began to clash. Garr wanted to settle down and have kids within two years of an engagement, and Ellis wanted to take things slow and figure his life out.
Some speculated that Ellis was not ready to give up his carefree lifestyle, especially after releasing his song “Party girl” while the season was airing, leading fans to believe that he
and Garr were not together, their different levels of maturity made clear.
Meanwhile, Pasquarosa seemed to potentially be a better fit, sharing more of Ellis’ lifestyle and reluctance to settle down anytime soon.
Despite their differing plans, Ellis kept reassuring Garr she was the one throughout the season, which was his biggest mistake since, in reality, he had no idea.
“I went to bed thinking I knew what I wanted, but I woke up and realized I still don’t,” he confessed the morning of the proposal, torn between the two women.
Dangerous territory for an engagement day.
After hours of anxiety, Ellis made his final decision at the proposal site. Garr arrived first, signaling she would not be chosen. When Ellis began explaining that he loved her but was not her person, she was in complete shock.
Fans were appalled to see Garr arrive first—the whole season had practically been set up for her to win.
“For me, the switch-up is crazy … you’re different than I thought,” Garr explained. “I would have a lot of questions if I were [Juliana] from the things that you said to me.”
Soon after Garr left the site blindsided, Ellis proposed to Pasqua-
rosa in a heartfelt celebration of love, and the two left happily engaged with all smiles.
So, happily ever after? Everything is settled—except maybe not.
After the show aired, Garr revealed several behind-the-scenes details of her relationship with Ellis that exposed how he led her on even more than what was shown on screen.
“I remember saying goodbye to him and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, we are getting engaged tomorrow,’” Garr revealed live on the finale’s “After the Final Rose” segment. “And he said, ‘I know, I can’t wait. I love you. I love you. I love you.’ Those were the last words that he said to me before I walked up there.”
Ellis told Garr early on that if he could, he would stop the show just to be with her. So, all of this unwarrant-
ed validation just to not propose in the end.
Future bachelors should take notes from Ellis on what not to do. Garr was not the ideal fit for him, and he should not have given her repeated validation when he knew this. Yes, the purpose of the show is to date multiple women until you find “the one,” but this does not mean you should repeatedly tell someone they are until you know for sure.
That being said, Ellis and Pasquarosa do make quite a cute couple, eating many cannolis and working out after all.
One burning question remains, though: Did Ellis really pick out one wedding ring, not knowing who he was going to give it to, or did he pick out two? I guess we’ll never know, but if I were his fiancée, I sure would want to. n
B y B ryA nnA r os A rio
Heights Staff
As the sun set over Commonwealth Avenue, the McMullen Museum of Art was filled with event-goers decked out in their best black-tie attire, accessorized with masquerade masks.
The Boston College Fashion Club hosted its annual Met Gala this past Thursday, with “masquerade” as the chosen theme for this year. Although identities
were concealed, the creativity and ingenuity of BC’s fashion enthusiasts shone through regardless.
It comes as no surprise that fashion is at the heart of art institutions around the world. The Met Gala is one of the biggest philanthropic events, cloaked by haute couture and fashion prestige (and a $75,000 ticket).
The BC Fashion Club mirrored this exclusive event, though for our small nook of Chestnut Hill
instead of New York City.
The general public is only shown a fragment of the most coveted fashion event of our millennium. After the red carpet, Met Gala attendees head off to a closed-door event—cameras flicker off and lights are dimmed, leaving the rest of the world in the dark for the most sought-after fashion event.
Despite not being the real Met Gala, BC Fashion Club aimed to make every person feel influential at this event. Whether it be the red carpet rolled out in front of the museum, the coat check, or the attentiveness of e-board members, everyone was given due attention.
The event did not stop at fashion, though. As you walked up the steps of the McMullen, you were met with the importance of philanthropy with a charity booth hosted by BC’s chapter of Operation Smile, featuring trivia and information surrounding its cause.
The event would not be complete without the history of masquerades and fashion brought by the History Club of BC.
“Fashion is how you present yourself, and how those with influence make a stance and demonstrate importance,” said Caroline Cannon, MCAS ’25 and member of the History Club.
Artistry was brought to life wherever one looked. On the museum’s third floor, guests had the opportunity to decorate their very own compact mirrors. Laughter and conversation erupted throughout the museum as patrons embellished the devices with gemstones, filling the night with discourse and ambience.
Panning from one room to another, the music from the first floor provided by live DJ Marco Risi, CSOM ’25, brought the Met Gala experience to life. Furthermore, film and fashion were tied together with the showing of
The Phantom of the Opera fixed within the Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic World exhibition.
“We all need a break from college, and this event gives people a space to promote fashion and foster creativity,” said Audra Foti, MCAS ’26 and BC Fashion Club e-board member.
For Foti, fashion is a way to express how you feel. This concept was illuminated as photo booths allowed guests to capture the night and their personal style. The image that was presented is a reflection of who guests are or who they aspire to be. Regardless of the reason for their attendance, each of them brought their own thoughts to fashion, art, and culture.
As far away as we may seem from the world of fashion in our BC bubble, the Fashion Club created an inclusive space to foster a community and engage in thoughtful discussion with this year’s Met Gala. n
By nick cremonA Heights Staff
Best known for their hits
“Little Lion Man” and “I Will Wait,” Mumford & Sons were the quintessential folk-rock band of the early 2010s. After straying into more pop-heavy territory with 2018’s Delta, their newest release, Rushmere, is a welcome return to form.
While the album is relatively short—only 10 tracks making up 34 minutes—it still feels complete. Over that span, Mumford & Sons take the listener through an exploration of loss and longing. While Rushmere occasionally veers into self-indulgence, its best songs manage to be both meditative and soaring.
The track explores finding solace in a relationship, though it proves to be a red herring despite its romantic nature.
What follows is an album much more existential than the opening track suggests, one that features Mumford no longer celebrating what he has but instead lamenting what’s missing.
The following song, “Caroline,” begins this shift toward darker themes. The song is propelled by a punchy acoustic guitar. Over a percussive riff, Mumford asks, “Will you deny our love again?”
On the album’s titular track, Mumford looks inward. “Rushmere” is an anthemic piece featuring the band’s signature banjo plucking. The track swells steadily, rising to a thunderous climax that
The opening song, “Malibu,” could have easily been found on 2009’s Sigh No More . The bluegrass-inspired track embraces the band’s classic, rustic feel. Starting slow, the song swells to its final chorus. “You are all I want / You’re all I need / I’ll find peace beneath the shadow of your wings,” sings Marcus Mumford.
feels both inevitable and overwhelming.
The song’s lyrics, however, do not match this uplifting sound. Instead, the song is a contemplative exploration of the desire to go back in time.
“Don’t you miss the breathlessness / The wildness in the eye? / Come home late in the morning light / Bloodshot dreams under streetlight spells,” laments Mumford in the song’s opening verse.
“Truth,” the album’s fifth track, stands out as the heaviest sounding on the album. It opens with a thumping bassline that is later accompanied by electric guitars, making it easily the most sonically aggressive track on the record.
While Mumford & Sons are no strangers to sweeping and hard-hitting songs, Rushmere is also willing to strip down to the barest instrumentation, as they do on “Where It Belongs” and “Anchor.”
While these cuts offer the
clearest look into the haunting themes of the album, allowing the listener to focus on the reflective lyrics, their sparse instrumentation borders on dreariness. The tracks are also hurt by their placement within the album—when played back to back, they sound nearly identical.
The band strikes a much healthier balance on tracks like “Surrender.” It starts slow, drawing the listener in, before building to a powerful crescendo. The song allows for the introspective spirit of its lyrics to shine through while also
maintaining a sense of momentum. This is Mumford & Sons at their best, crafting a song that naturally climbs to its emotional apex.
While Rushmere does not manage to reach the heights of Sigh No More or Babel, the album is a worthy addition to Mumford & Sons’ discography. In just 10 songs, the band crafts an album that feels expansive and fully realized, sonically and emotionally. Though a few of the darker tracks drift toward tedium, the soaring moments breathe life back into the album and make it a worthwhile listen.n
B y M ilo P riddle Asst. Arts Editor
With all the data that smartphones slyly collect, there’s no doubt that mine has long been aware of my interest in Bob Dylan. Only after the release of Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, however, did my Instagram feed become filled with clips from interviews, footage from the “Never Ending Tour,” and cuts from Scorsese and Pennebaker’s documentaries.
“It Ain’t Me Babe,” a ’60s folk song full of Dylan’s polarizing, nasally drawl and backed by an acoustic guitar and harmonica, is trending on TikTok—the app of choice for bass-loving, rap-engrossed Gen Z. He’s only gone and done it again.
It seems Dylan is back to being an object of cultural fascination. At 18 years of age, I’m still unquestionably in the youngest percentile of “Dylanologists.” But the uptick in his social presence by way of various newly formed or newly popular fan accounts is a clear indication of a fresh generation beginning to latch on.
And as a *cough cough* pre-Chalamet Dylan fan, much of the Dylan media popping up following the film does not strike me. But after being reminded of Dylan’s Don’t Look Back quips, and seeing his Newport performances for the umpteenth time, I stumbled upon
something I never would have expected to find on social media: new Dylan-related shit.
I shouldn’t have been so surprised.
The fact is, there’s always more to discover when it comes to Dylan.
Forty studio albums, 21 live albums, 17 volumes of The Bootleg Series , 44 compilation albums, seven film soundtracks, 24 notable extended plays, 104 singles—and that’s just the officially released music.
Not all of it is revolutionary. Most of it is fantastic, some of it is weird, and a small percentage is just dreadful. But that’s what happens when someone constantly tests the limits of what a song can be.
With the The Bootleg Series, Dylan basically invented the bootleg, coining the word as we know it today. At the time, in the absence of any official term, it added immensely to his mystique.
This enormous discography is a key part of what makes him interesting—he refuses to be complacent. Shifting genres and, seemingly, his personality every few years, he has covered a vast area musically and culturally. Infamous for “going electric,” Dylan has never looked to appease his fanbase—and they love him for it.
Isolating himself in Woodstock with no musical output at the peak of his success and later releasing exclusively Christian rock for half a decade,
during the rise of secularism and the fad of alternative spirituality, is just the start of it.
Perhaps one of Dylan’s only constants is the “Never Ending Tour.” Still ongoing after 37 years, 83-year-old Dylan has just kick-started a new leg of the tour in Tulsa, Okla. But let’s be clear, this is not a Billy Joel at MSG situation—Dylan doesn’t roll through his greatest hits with the goal of sending everyone home smiling. Chances are, he won’t play your favorite song, even if it’s among his most popular.
His setlist is ever-changing, as is the way he performs each song. Though this may be frustrating if you’re looking to sing along, Dylan fans turn up excited to experience the songs they love in a different way. To be so invariably inconsistent in performance is almost unique for an artist of his popularity. Members of Dylan’s band are ready to adapt, and they must attempt to predict what chord he will play next.
Over time he’s become a folkloric figure, shrouded in myth. From toying with reporters in his early career to releasing a 16-minute incantation surrounding the death of JFK during COVID-19, Dylan has never been straightforward. He has intentionally refused to let himself be understood— and that’s why people are obsessed.
After over 60 years in the public spotlight, with hundreds of books and
thousands of academic studies written about him, it remains futile to produce a singular, encompassing explanation of him. Maybe you could pin down the intentions behind a song, an album, or even an era of his music, but that’s about all.
And inexplicable mysteries naturally captivate people—why do we exist, what does it mean to love, who the f—k is Bob Dylan, really?
This comparison is wholly frivolous, but the truth is that the way people worship Dylan is unparalleled. This praise doesn’t come out of thin air, and he’s been heralded as everything from “the voice of a generation” to a prophet over his career. There’s a fine line between being a fan and being a disciple.
But just being unpredictable doesn’t sell out concerts for 60 years. He is arguably the greatest songwriter ever. Many of his songs are ostensibly writ-
ten quite simply—no doubt some are incredibly poetic and ambiguous—but the simplicity allows for a type of transcendence.
Never vacuous or overly specific, his music leaves room for interpretation, and, just like Dylan, the songs are not absolutely fixed. When he inevitably reinvents them, through the release of an outtake, a bootleg, or a live performance, you’re forced to rethink whatever conclusion you had previously drawn. This allows listeners to connect to each song on several levels, whether that means relating to the feeling of it, applying it to their own life, or simply appreciating the truth in the words. And as you grow and develop, the music changes as well, constantly yielding new meaning.
So whatever you do, don’t expect Dylan to fade into obscurity any time soon, even in these Modern Times. n
By nicole MurPhy Copy Editor
Will Smith has come out of hiding. After slapping Chris Rock on live television at the 2022 Oscars, the public hasn’t heard much from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Following this dramatic exit from the public eye, Smith has made an equally bold comeback, releasing his first album in 20 years: Based on a True Story. And Smith wastes no time getting straight to the point. He opens his album with “Int. Barbershop - Day (feat. DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone),” which depicts a passionate argument between Smith’s critics and defenders. Not even one second into the album, Smith addresses the elephant in the
room, emphatically rapping “Will Smith is cancelled,” followed by a quick rebuttal: “Oh, you can’t cancel no icon.”
As the album progresses, Smith is quick to acknowledge every tabloid story that has affected his reputation. While most center around the 2022 slap heard around the world, others discuss his complicated relationship with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. He’s seemingly sick of all the whispers about their separation (and Jada’s alleged infidelity), telling listeners that it’s his “personal life” and to “Mind your business, it’s complicated,” in the track “You Lookin’ for Me.”
Despite all the criticism, Smith is staying strong. He demonstrates unwavering determination to rise above the hate in “Bulletproof,” rapping
ALBUM
Based on a True Story Released March 28
“Whole world against me, and it ain’t even bothering me / I’m bulletproof.”
Throughout Based On A True Story, Smith tries to prove his ego isn’t bruised from the plethora of Slapgate memes. But with almost every other lyric referencing his fall from grace, the scandal seems to still bother him.
It’s unclear whether Smith’s continued honesty is a true display of vulnerability or just a poorly disguised stunt to stay relevant, further capitalizing on his controversies. But regardless of the intention, Smith embraces his past misgivings and promotes a message of relentless positivity, telling us that we can get through hard times if we “Just smile.”
He urges us to reflect on the challenges we have faced in “You Can Make It”—by acknowledging our faults and failures, we can be grateful for the lessons they have taught us.
“In the rearview, I see adversity was the gift / To lift me higher,” Smith raps.
Musically, the album is underwhelming. Much of it attempts to emulate the style of renowned hip-hop
artists, such as Ye or Kendrick Lamar. This effort is undermined, however, by campy choruses and instrumentals that seem like they came straight out of a Lin-Manuel Miranda Disney soundtrack—“Rave in the Wasteland” being a prime example. This failure might have been salvaged by poignant lyricism, but unfortunately, Smith disappoints here as well. He lacks clever wordplay, with most of his lines feeling like they are simply filling otherwise empty space. Bars like “How you sleepin’ on me when I am a sofa?” permeate the album, making the project sound rushed and unfinished.
There are redeeming moments throughout Based on A True Story mostly found in the features, though. Teyana Taylor’s vocals in “Hard Times (Smile)” provide some relief from the otherwise dense, preachy tone in previous tracks. Honestly, I would just listen to her solo album instead.
As the album progresses, Smith’s message of overcoming obstacles through self-reflection and spirited positivity devolves due to the lack of
musical substance. The truth is, this album is a fallen celebrity desperately seeking to justify his transgressions and regain some attention. The beats are overproduced and unmemorable, the lyrics are either shockingly bad or just weird, and Smith comes off as a washed household name that resents his new reputation.
Smith’s contributions to hip-hop, let alone pop culture in general, over the years cannot be understated. The 1997 album Big Willie Style gave us the undeniably catchy “Miami,” and Smith’s acting career has brought us Hollywood classics, from essential TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air to tear-jerking masterpieces like The Pursuit of Happyness But Based on a True Story doesn’t remind the public of his genuine ability. It just feels like another thing for Twitter to make fun of. Smith is returning to his hip-hop roots in this album, displaying raw vulnerability and acknowledging every critique with utmost honesty—and there is certainly respect in that, but it would be better if the music were actually good. n
By AlexAndrine Bourlot Heights Staff
Disney’s newest live-action remake, Snow White (2025), was destined for poor reception from the very beginning. With a star-studded cast featuring Rachel Zegler in the titular role and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, expectations for the movie were high. Then came the announcement that the plot would be altered to suit modern audiences: no Prince Charming, fewer iconic music numbers, and power ballads. These tweaks are intended to depict Snow White as an independent and determined woman whose existence revolves around being a kind leader rather than a royal princess in search of her Prince Charming. This was instantly confirmed when the first musical number saw Snow White, her parents, and the villagers singing about sharing and
loving one another—a touching, yet predictable, message.
When Gadot was introduced as the Evil Queen, the movie theater seemed to heave a collective sigh, correctly expecting disappointing and lackluster acting. Overzealous to no effect, it was clear that little effort was made regarding her physical acting.
All her energy was placed on getting a malevolent voice right, but this was even unconvincing. Gadot, unfortunately, has little substance to provide, a sentiment which also resounds in reviews for her role in Wonder Woman (2017).
Zegler, in the principal role of Snow White, evokes better reactions than her co-star. With a beautiful singing voice, she reinvents classics like “Whistle While You Work,” giving it a more commanding and theatrical sound. Her acting, however, felt unremarkable.
Her embodiment as a heroine rather than a fairytale princess is one of the adaptation’s strengths, serving as a positive message to young audience members. Still, this message felt more gimmicky at times. It’s difficult to rewrite a fairy tale character to suit the modern concept of femininity when the original—however outdated—is considered a classic. Aiming to make Snow White into a Joan of Arc is simply too much for Disney to accomplish.
The film finally started to feel like the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story when a four-part echo of the well-known “Heigh Ho” rang through the cinema. Enchanting visuals of glimmering gem mines served as the audience’s introduction to the beloved dwarfs.
Although the CGI animation of the dwarfs’ faces felt slightly off, their inclusion in the film was
the highlight. Though opposition came at the film’s outset about still telling a story with dwarfs shown in such a light, Snow White isn’t the same without Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy. One aspect of Snow White that left audiences in mixed sentiments was the replacement of Prince Charming. Rather than a uniformed soldier, Disney presents us with Jonathan, a hoodie-wearing bandit who joins Snow White in her venture to save the kingdom from the Evil Queen.
Jonathan is joined by six “bandits,” leading audiences to suspect that the seven dwarfs were added later to avoid the film being accused of straying too much from the original plot. The bandits’ inclusion felt pointless and did not affect the plotline.
Failing to replicate the successes of other Disney live-action remakes such as Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Aladdin (2019), Snow White will likely end up with the Cinderella (2015) treatment—forgotten and overlooked. n
Boston College Denver 1 3 “I grew up wanting to be an Eagle, ever since I was a little kid,” Powell said. “These last five years [have] been really special.”
Despite outshooting Denver in the third period 15–2, the No. 1-seeded Eagles (27–8–2, 18–4–2 Hockey East) came up emptyhanded against the reigning national champions for the second year in a row, falling 3–1 in the NCAA Manchester Regional Final at SNHU Arena.
Denver defenseman Zeev Buium flipped in an empty-netter with four seconds remaining, cementing a Frozen-Fourclinching victory that made the No. 3-seed Pioneers (31–11–1, 15–8–1 National Collegiate) the first reigning national champions to win a NationalChampionship rematch in the NCAA Tournament.
Previously, the reigning champions were 0–7 in rematches of that nature.
“Any loss at this stage in the year is tough,” Powell said. “Obviously, both years is brutal, just looking back on the groups we’ve had.”
BC was only shut out once last season—by Denver goaltender Matt Davis in the 2024 NCAA National Championship. The senior out of Calgary, Alberta, seemed locked into the same impenetrable zone on Sunday night.
The moment Teddy Stiga flipped in a backhand shot through Davis’ five-hole,
however, everything about the atmosphere at SNHU Arena changed on a dime.
“Like Coach Brown alluded to, I think Teddy’s goal kind of lifted the team, gave us some
momentum heading into the third,” Powell said.
“We’ve always been that thirdperiod team all year. We never were going to shy away from anybody. And we made the best push we could.”
With the score 2–0 in Denver’s favor and BC on the brink of elimination with just a period and change to go, Stiga’s breakaway goal with 53 seconds left in the second frame inserted color into a previously bleak climate.
But the color didn’t last long.
Despite grinding hard to get pucks in deep and force shots on net in the third frame, Davis and the Pioneers’ defense held BC’s top scorers to zero goals.
“They’re a very good team
defensively, so it’s hard to get quality shots,” BC head coach Greg Brown said. “But we were able to generate chances and get a lot of pucks to the net. And [Davis], again, was very good ... Our top guys hardly ever get kept off the scoreboard.”
Before Buium sent in the
empty-netter, taking the wind out of BC’s sails for the last time this season in front of an attendance of 6,802—the majority of which made the trip from Chestnut Hill, about 60 miles south— hope still
remained with the 6-on-5 opportunity once the Eagles pulled Jacob Fowler.
The Eagles just never had enough steam to jump over that final hurdle.
“Obviously, [as] the national champion, we knew coming in it was 0–7 in the title rematch,” Denver head coach David Carle said. “Now it’s 1–7. So there’s a lot of things stacked up against us and made this challenging. Really hard to end a team’s season twice in a row, and we were able to accomplish that.”
Denver got on the board with 1:41 to play in the first period, as Eric Pohlkamp was left unmanned while drifting into the slot. Pohlkamp wristed the puck
off the left post and in to give the Pioneers an early 1–0 advantage.
Then, just four minutes into the second frame, James Reeder notched his 11th goal of the season with a five-hole tally through Fowler.
The goal marked another disappointing display of defensive pressure, which defined the second period for the Eagles.
“I think coming into that first intermission, we were able to regroup a bit,” Davis said. “They were definitely trying to play physical in the first and get under our skin a little bit. [In] the second, we felt like we had good energy in the room and a good understanding of how we needed to play.”
Despite suffering the seasonending loss, which capped off a five-year career for Powell in which he played a total of 170 games—the most of any player in program history—Powell, more than anything, expressed pride in BC’s culture.
“I think just the culture, the tradition of [BC] hockey and the success the program’s had,” Powell said. “But away from hockey, just the culture I came in with Coach York and Coach Brown kind of carried that. That’s what makes BC such a special place.”
As captain, Powell tried to ensure the group stayed tight-knit year-round.
“[‘No Daylight Between Us’] was the motto for the team all year, no matter whether it was in the classroom, on campus, in the rink, you would always see the guys together, laughing and having a great time,” Powell said. “That’s what I tried to do as captain.” n
By eMily roBerge Assoc. Sports Editor
No. 1 Boston College lacrosse’s matchup against Pittsburgh on Boston College 18 Saturday was more than just another ACC Matchup. It was senior Elizabeth Kirk’s chance to wear the No. 19 jersey, honoring Welles Crowther in the annual Red Bandanna game.
And it couldn’t have been an easier decision for BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein.
“I’ve known Elizabeth since she was a little girl, probably since she was about nine or 10 years old, and she has always shown the qualities of unselfishness and being brave, and courageous throughout adversity,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She’s an absolute no-brainer. The girls are
chanting her name right now, and it was a very easy choice.” Kirk also described how she felt after being selected to wear No. 19.
“It is the biggest honor I can receive,” Kirk said. “We celebrate Welles every single day, and it’s embedded in our culture to be selfless and take care of your teammates. It’s such a big honor to play for him today, and we play for him every day.”
And it didn’t take long for the Eagles to make a mark in the matchup.
A little less than three minutes into the game, Rachel Clark, the nation’s leading goal-scorer, came up big.
Ultimately, BC (13–0, 6–0 Atlantic Coast) defeated the Panthers (6–6, 1–5) 18–6. Off a Mia Mascone assist, Clark attacked the net, rattling
a shot through the legs of Molly Cain—banking in her 57th goal of the season.
Almost five minutes later, Clark and Mascone connected with each other yet again, bringing the score to 2–0.
But the first quarter did not end as expected.
Unlike almost all of the Eagles’ other regular-season games so far, BC entered the second frame with only a one-goal lead, as the score stood at 2–1.
That wouldn’t last for much longer, though, as BC broke away from any Panthers’ advance during the second frame.
Tallying hat tricks in the second period, Emma LoPinto and Clark led BC’s offense in goals scored.
Even though the Eagles improved during the second frame, one thing continued to plague BC’s
performance: turnovers.
“We’ve got a lot to fix,” Walker-Weinstein said. “We had 15 turnovers, and that’s the bottom line. We didn’t follow our game plan as closely and as disciplined as we would have liked, and we are going to work very hard this week.”
While BC’s offense started to heat up, its sloppiness and scoring woes silenced any runaway lead in the first half. It wasn’t until the end of the third frame that it became apparent that there was no chance of a Panthers comeback.
And Lydia Colasante made that happen. Off a successful Shea Dolce clear in the defensive end, Colasante sprinted the ball toward BC’s offensive half. Juking her defenders and heading toward Pittsburgh’s net, Colasante fired a shot toward the Panthers’ crease,
By Matthew Ferrara Heights Staff
Sometimes you can’t even execute weak contact properly. That’s what happened when Sam McNulty laid down a ninth-inning squeeze bunt in Boston College baseball’s Sunday-evening series finale against Pittsburgh.
McNulty tapped the ball right back toward the pitcher’s mound and just beyond the fringe of the batter’s circle turf, leaving an easy line toward the ball for pitcher Daniel McAuliff.
Adam Magpoc, BC’s runner on third, beat Pittsburgh out of the blocks, though, saving the play with a 90-foot dash through home plate.
“You got to give Adam a ton of credit,” BC baseball head coach Todd Interdonato said. “That was not a great bunt. His down-angle and read … being able to score was great.” Magpoc sped home to beat the underhand flip by a hair and secured BC (13–12, 5–7 Atlantic Coast) a series-clinching 3–2 win over Pittsburgh (16–11, 3–6).
That element of speed has also allowed BC to get an extra 90 feet on
its hit-and-run just a batter before, when Gavin Johnson hit a single through the left side and Magpoc made a break for third all the way from first.
“The hit-and-run before [that] was probably riskier … and Adam being able to go first-to-third on a ground ball to left, which is hard to do,” Interdonato said.
BC needed every base they could take as Drew Lafferty quieted the Eagles’ bats for the first six innings. One strikeout was all Lafferty needed to do so, though, as the rest of the outs were earned by inducing soft contact.
“What [Lafferty] was getting well was a lot of weak contact with no strikes,” Interdonato said. “It’s just because of that two-seamer he’s got—just really runs off your barrel.”
Lafferty’s success was flipped on its head when Patrick Roche began the seventh inning by clobbering a single to left field, and Jack Toomey followed with a walk. The single was the loudest contact for BC all game, and the walk gave BC its first runner in scoring position.
BC finally compiled a string of offensive success after a fielder’s choice scored Toomey, and an RBI single from Esteban Garcia tied the game 2–2.
Kyle Kipp entered the game in the fifth and made it a pitcher’s duel as he retired the first 10 batters he faced and notched five scoreless innings.
“That was the same thing we did
at UConn on Tuesday—we started Brady [Miller] and then we went Kipp,” Interdonato said. “Those guys coming back on four days of rest, you know, just an amazing performance out of Kyle.”
Pittsburgh led off its lone inning of scoring with a home run in the top of the third and proceeded to reap the rewards of its contact.
Roche dropped an infield chopper, and McNulty bobbled a grounder to allow two free base runners. An infield hit to McNulty then loaded the bases.
A walk drove a runner in, but McNulty redeemed himself with a diving grab that led to a double play for BC.
“We didn’t handle a couple ground balls,” Interdonato said. “And then I thought Sam [McNulty] actually made a great play on the sliding one to keep it in. You get a day like this, man, it’s real-feel of 35 [degrees], the wind’s blowing in. Days like today in this ballpark are just hard to score.”
Six strikeouts from Kipp alleviated some of the pressure on the defense, though, and the Eagles’ offense late in the game was just enough for them to walk away with a win.
“If you play good defense and throw strikes, you got a chance to keep them off the board,” Interdonato said. “That’s what we did with Kipp. Once Kipp came into the game, Kipp was just flooding the strike zone.” n
and the ball sailed into the back of her opponents’ net, unassisted.
From then on, it was the BC show, as the Eagles tacked on another six goals in the final quarter of the game.
Even though the Eagles’ offense may have struggled with turnovers in the matchup, there was one thing that remained constant within the game—the performance of Dolce.
Leading the country in save percentage, Dolce proved exactly why on Saturday, coming up with four big saves on Panthers freeposition shots.
“It shows how hard she prepares and how she works,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She has come on really strong at the right time, and she has gotten better during this time of the year, which is hard to do. She always does it, and this is her third year doing it.” n
By Maria SteFanoudakiS Sports Editor
By Brendan lilliS Heights Staff
Coming off a weekday win against Connecticut, Boston College baseball was looking to carry its momentum into the first leg of an impromptu doubleheader against Pittsburgh, which was necessitated by the poor weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
But the Eagles (11–12, 3–7 Atlantic Coast) were unable to shut down the Panthers’ (16–9, 3–4) offense despite getting their own going, and they ultimately suffered a 9–8 loss.
The day started on a rough note when Pittsburgh leadoff hitter Luke Cantwell singled to left. After a fielder’s choice, Colarusso issued a walk, putting runners on first and second.
But the real damage came when Ryan Zuckerman crushed a 415foot home run to deep left, giving Pittsburgh an early lead.
The BC offense did not leave their pitcher and defense out to dry, though. The Eagles responded with
an offensive surge of their own in the bottom of the first, as outfielder Jack Toomey launched a two-run shot to left, closing the deficit to 3–2. Colarusso bounced back in the second inning by striking out the first two batters swinging. After giving up a walk, he forced a groundout to end the inning quickly.
After a scoreless second inning, the third inning began with a single, a hit by pitch, and a bunt, giving the Panthers runners at second and third with one out. A pair of doubles brought in all the runners and gave Pittsburgh a 6–2 lead.
After a stolen base and a sacrifice fly, Pittsburgh left the top of the inning up 7–2.
BC responded to Pittsburgh’s offensive surge with an even bigger one, scoring six runs in the inning. With a combination of singles, doubles, and stolen bases, BC took an 8–7 lead in the bottom of the third.
But these would be the last scores of the game for the Eagles.
Pittsburgh’s offense prompted head coach Todd Interdonato to dip into his bullpen. JD Ogden replaced Colarusso in the fourth and took
control of the game, holding the Panthers to three quiet innings with no runs.
Pittsburgh also made a pitching change in the fourth that proved equally successful. Both teams traded scoreless innings from the fourth through the seventh.
BC relieved Ogden in the seventh, bringing in RHP Joey Ryan. Ryan came out strong, striking out all three batters while allowing only one walk.
The tables turned in the eighth, however, as a leadoff single led to a two-run shot from Pittsburgh pinch hitter Jackson Cooke, giving the Panthers a 9–8 lead.
The Eagles showed signs of life in the eighth, hoping to respond to Pittsburgh’s offense for the third time. Josiah Ragsdale and Patrick Roche delivered a pair of singles, followed by a double steal. But both the eighth and ninth innings ended disappointingly for BC.
Almost exactly four hours after the first pitch of Friday afternoon’s loss, BC took the field yet again to complete its doubleheader against Pittsburgh.
Peter Schaefer got the start on
the mound and pitched for three innings, giving up two hits, an earned run, and two walks while striking out two batters. He gave up the first run of the game in the first inning, when his pitch turned into an RBI single to put Pittsburgh in front.
But the bottom of the first was even more productive for BC, and the Eagles quickly erased the Panthers’ slim lead.
Kyle Wolff was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, then Josiah Ragsdale reached thanks to a catcher’s interference. Nick Wang followed with a single through the right side, loading the bases for the Eagles.
Toomey’s walk that followed pushed Wolff through home plate, and a walk from Adam Magpoc immediately after sent Ragsdale through home as well. Just like that, the Eagles were up 2–1.
Then, Julio Solier reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Wang from third and ending the inning with BC up 3–1.
Neither team scored another run until the fifth inning, when a sacrifice fly from AJ Nessler scored Logan Duffy.
BC didn’t respond until the seventh inning, when Ragsdale’s double to right center scored Wolff, and Roche’s single up the middle scored Toomey to push the Eagles’ lead to three runs.
A big ninth inning from Pittsburgh erased that once secure lead, though. A throwing error allowed Duffy to get through home plate again, then a sacrifice fly made the score 5–4 BC. Finally, Luke Cantwell scored on a passed ball, tying the game headed into the bottom of the ninth. It was anyone’s game. And that’s how it remained for four more innings. As the game headed into the bottom of the 13th inning, it was still tied 5–5. BC needed the game-winning run after five straight frames of offensive failure.
Finally, it was the ToomeyMagpoc combo that pulled the Eagles out of their 13-inning long struggle.
Toomey led off with a single up the middle. Then, Magpoc hit an RBI double to right center as Toomey streaked through home plate to win the game for BC 6–5. n
By seBBy FiTzgerald
Asst. Sports Editor
Meghan Schouten trotted to the batter’s box with two runners on base, Boston College softball losing by three runs, and her team down to its final three outs.
The Eagles’ offense struggled to pick up momentum in the second game of their doubleheader against Pittsburgh on Friday, as the Panthers had an answer to every run BC had to offer.
But Schouten changed that narrative very quickly.
A sailing, yellow sphere was all the Panthers’ left fielder saw as Schouten drove a three-run homer to tie the game up 5–5 in the bottom of the seventh.
Not soon after, Emma Jackson’s walk-off single gave the Eagles (15–14, 3–8 Atlantic Coast) a 6–5 win over Pittsburgh (11–20, 1–10) for their second walk-off win of the day.
“Energy can be contagious,” BC head coach Amy Kvilhaug said. “They haven’t stopped hooting and hollering since the game ended. So I think the energy was great.”
Kelly Colleran took the mound as the starter and was able to keep the Panthers tamed to start the game.
But an RBI single in the second inning and another in the third inning pushed Pittsburgh to an early 2–0 lead.
The Eagles’ offense only put two runners on base in those first three innings, and the Panthers eventually took advantage of that.
Pittsburgh’s Kylie Griggs cranked a two-RBI homer to left field to double her team’s lead to 4–0 in the top of the fourth, forcing BC to get the ball rolling to keep the game tight.
But Colleran kept the slate clean the remainder of the game, only allowing one more run in the final inning.
The sophomore pitcher
pitched all seven innings and compiled eight strikeouts.
“I think the maturity of— that’s how they’ve gotten better— is the maturity of understanding what they need to do to adjust,” Kvilhaug said about Colleran’s and freshman pitcher Bailey Kendziorski’s performances on the mound through both games.
BC got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Jackson reached first on a walk, Zoe Hines’ single pushed her to second, and Adriana Martinez’s single right after drove Jackson past home plate.
After back-to-back 1-2-3 innings from Colleran in the fifth and sixth, the Eagles tacked on another run with Jordan Stephens’ sacrifice fly, which brought Jackson home once again.
Now with just a 4–2 lead, Pittsburgh needed to add some insurance. A double-play attempt from BC was too slow to end the top of the seventh, as Pittsburgh’s Ana Hernandez beat the throw and earned herself an RBI.
Two straight singles from Martinez and Makenna Segal began the seventh-inning rally for the Eagles, though, and Schouten delivered the moment of the game with her game-tying home run.
After two consecutive outs, Hannah Slike found the right-center alley for a triple, then Jackson’s single up the middle capped off a comeback win for BC.
“We won a lot of games in that fashion this season,” Kvilhaug said. “I think that they believe they can win no matter what. Like this team wins with their back against the wall.”
The first game of the doubleheader followed a similar theme: solid pitching from both sides, BC falling to an early deficit, and a walk-off win.
This time, it would be Stephens who answered the call with a single to left field that put the Eagles back at .500 on the season
with a 4–3 win over the Panthers.
The only hit in the first two innings was a double from Pittsburgh’s Kaitlyn Brannstrom that flew over the head of center fielder Kali Case’s head.
Kendziorski pitched her third straight complete game, putting together eight strikeouts, three earned runs, and no walks.
A leadoff single from Desirae Martinez began a two-run third inning for Pittsburgh.
After advancing to second on a groundout, a two-out bunt put runners on the corners for Brannstrom.
She stayed hot, as her single to left brought Martinez home, and Tieley Vaughn’s double scored another run for the Panthers shortly after.
BC cut that lead in half after Case complemented Schouten’s double in the bottom of the inning with a triple of her own to bring Schouten all the way home.
Slike lined one towards right field, but a diving catch saved the game-tying run at third.
Kendziorski allowed her final run of the game in the fifth inning when Ahmari Braden knocked a
double to left field, and Vaughn singled her home to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 3–1.
Two singles in the fifth inning from Schouten and Abby Ptak set Slike up for business—and business it was for her. A clutch double in the left-center gap brought both runners home and tied the game up at 3–3 with two innings remaining. Neither team had an answer in the sixth inning. Adriana Martinez began the bottom of the frame with a single, but was thrown out at second attempting to stretch out a double.
But after Kendziorski topped off her complete-game performance, Stephens stepped to the plate with two outs.
Case had reached first after being hit by a pitch, and Slike’s single put her in scoring position.
Stephens then produced the game-winning hit with a single through the left side that handed the Eagles a 4–3 win.
BC had lost nine of its last 10 games before rattling off four straight wins, including the doubleheader sweep on Friday afternoon.
“Honestly, like, sometimes it takes getting punched in the gut to get a gut check, you know, and I think that’s what we did,” Kvilhaug said. “We had a gut check, and we discussed several ways that we wanted to clean things up, both physically and mentally.”
The Eagles’ first win of the week came on Tuesday, when a 6–1 win over Stonehill at home handed the Eagles back-to-back victories.
BC gave up its only run of the game in the second inning, when a homer off Colleran’s pitch handed Stonehill the first lead of the afternoon.
But after that point, it was all BC.
Home runs from Schouten and Jackson in the fifth and sixth innings were the strong points from the Eagles, as Jackson’s put BC up 4–1.
Then, Schouten’s two-RBI double to right center handed the Eagles two more runs before the sixth was over.
Gabriella Aughton held strong on the mound in the seventh to start BC’s week off with a win. n
By sarah Vergura Advertising Director
It wasn’t exactly clear who was going to win the matchup between Boston College and Pittsburgh until the very end. And it didn’t end exactly how the Eagles would have liked.
Going into the extra eighth inning with the score stuck at 2–2, both the Eagles and the Panthers were itching for a run. And once Pittsburgh’s Tieley Vaughn drew a walk on Bailey Kendziorski, it was over for the Eagles.
The following hit from Ana Hernandez brought Vaughn home, scoring the first of four runs that led to the Eagles’ 6–2 demise.
After the matchup got rained
out on Saturday, BC(15–15–0, 3–9 Atlantic Coast) faced off against Pittsburgh (12–20–0, 2–10) in a conference matchup at Harrington Athletics Village.
Pittsburgh opened up the first inning with Camryn Murphy hitting a single up the middle to get Ahmari Braden home.
The Eagles were less successful than the Panthers, though, during their chance at bat.
When it was BC’s chance to hit, Gator Robinson, Addison Jackson, and Zoe Hines walked.
But, despite loading the bases, they failed to score any runs—keeping the Panthers’ 1–0 lead.
When the Panthers came back to bat, Kendziorski took out three consecutive hitters.
But they again failed to use their time at bat to get onto the
scoreboard.
That is until the third inning when Jordan Stephens hit a home run, her sixth of the season,
bringing the Eagles into the game and forcing Pittsburgh to change pitchers from Bekah Duck to Kyra Pittman.
Pittman kept the game tied 1–1 until the fourth inning, when the Panthers came back to bat and regained the lead with a single from Hernandez, bringing Vauhgn home.
BC tied the game in the fifth inning after a bases-loaded walk for Adriana Martinez brought Hannah Slike home.
But the next two innings proved less exciting, as neither team managed to score a run.
BC also saw their own pitching change, bringing in Kelly Colleran for the extra eighth inning.
Prior to extra innings, the Eagles did a decent job of shutting down the Panthers’ dominant players.
But during the eighth frame, Pittsburgh was effective in using
those key players to control the game. This started with the walk from Vaughn bringing Griggs home, setting off a huge run for the Panthers.
Next at bat, Desirae Martinez doubled down the line, advancing Vaughn to third and bringing Alena Ball home.
The Panthers followed this with a hit from Hernandez, which brought Martinez and Vaughn home and the score up to 6–2 for Pittsburgh.
When BC came up to bat, morale was visibly low. Meghan Schouten’s foul out and Sammy Horn’s strikeout were the final straws to bring the game to a close. Hernandez, Vaughn, and Martinez had struggled in the matchup on Friday as well. Despite eking out a win with four runs in the seventh in that game, their inability to shut down the Panthers cost the Eagles.n