March 23, 2017

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

penn may have no chill, but can help you relax.

ALUMNI ON THE HILL

REP. HOLLINGSWORTH (R-IND.)

REP. SCOTT (D-GA.)

REP. GOTTHEIMER (D-N.J.)

REP. CARTWRIGHT (D-PA.)

HARI KUMAR | Staff Reporter

A

lthough President Donald Trump is the highest-ranking Penn graduate in the federal government, other notable graduates of the University serve in Washington as well. Here are the four current members of the U.S. House of Representatives that hold Penn degrees.

Congressman Matthew Cartwright (D-Pa.), 1986 Law School graduate Cartwright has been a representative for Pennsylvania’s 17th district since 2013, after a 25-year career working at Munley, Munley & Cartwright, a litigation firm based in Scranton. He

wrote for the Penn Law Review, the oldest law journal in the United States, while in University City. Cartwright serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Appropriations.

Although the Democrat Cartwright won his district handily, President Trump defeated Hillary Clinton there by 10 percent. Many Republican lawmakers are reportedly eyeing Cartwright’s district in the 2018 midterm elections.

Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), 1997 College graduate Since January, Gottheimer has

represented New Jersey’s 5th district in the House of Representatives after unseating Republican Scott Garrett in 2016. He graduated summa cum laude from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1997 with a degree in American history. While at Penn, Gottheimer was the president of the Interfraternity Council and a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. Per his LinkedIn profile, he was also involved in the Undergraduate Assembly with the Committee on Undergraduate Education. Gottheimer is a vocal critic of many of several Trump policies, notably his attempted travel ban. “You

can’t just turn your back on what made America great,” Gottheimer said, per NJ.com. “[Immigrants are] so core to who we are.”

Congressman Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind.), 2004 Wharton graduate Like Gottheimer, Hollingsworth assumed his position in the House of Representatives at the beginning of 2017 after winning the fall 2016 election for Indiana’s 9th district.

Hollingsworth graduated from the Wharton School in 2004 with concentrations in both legal studies and SEE PENN IN CONGRESS PAGE 2

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Electronics limits on int’l flights frustrate students Muslim and Middle Eastern students at Penn concerned ESHA INDANI Staff Reporter

Penn students face insecurity and frustration following the Department of Homeland Security’s recent policy that restricts passengers flying into the United States from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa from carrying large electronic devices on planes.

On Tuesday, DHS announced that individuals flying from major airports in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Morocco will not be permitted to carry electronic devices bigger than a smartphone on planes.

Items such as tablets, laptops, cameras and portable DVD players must now be placed in checked luggage.

The new policy was put into effect following reports that militant groups intend to smuggle explosives in electronic devices. The United Kingdom has imposed a similar policy for planes coming in from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Tunisia.

Officials stated that this restriction is not related President Donald Trump’s efforts to implement an immigration ban on six majorityMuslim nations, CNBC reported.

College junior Serena Tibrewala said that although she is French and has not yet been directly affected by immigration policies, the new

How some Penn freshmen became teaching assistants Most freshman TAs are in the School of Engineering and Applied Science ESHA INDANI Staff Reporter

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Most freshman TAs are found in departments in the Engineering School, while not as many come from the College and Wharton.

and

Some freshmen at Penn are splitting their time between taking classes and teaching classes.

Wharton and Engineering freshman George Pandya is a teaching assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics who had experience in large-scale engineering projects before coming to Penn. He worked with NASA’s Space Grant Consortium as a contractor to develop a radiation detector that was launched into space last summer.

“They wanted people who had more knowledge of mechanical engineering,” Pandya said. “I was able to get some experience with developing mechanical tools before I came here and that really helped me get the SEE TEACHING ASSISTANTS PAGE 7

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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Penn’s graduate students unionize with GET-UP Grad students are now classified as “employees” NATALIE KAHN Staff Reporter

semester.

*** Graduate student and GET-UP member Elaine LaFay explained that the crux of a union is the contract between the employer and the employee, a tangible demonstration that workers have had a say in their working conditions.

“Right now, the university unilaterally decides the conditions of our labor,” Hanley explained. She and LaFay both say they believe a union will make Penn more “democratic.”

LaFay added that Penn has a “lack of adequate grievance procedures,” or formal ways for students to report harassment or marginalization. She holds that the union could serve as a positive channel to resolve such complaints.

Vinay Banpel, a masters student at New York University and Union Representative for NYU’s student worker union, noted that this ability to report problems to a union is of particular importance to international students like himself. He said

Every Sunday night, a group of Penn graduate students meets for a potluck dinner at a Locust Street office. The students come from all 12 of Penn’s graduate schools and for many, it is their first time meeting other attendees. Their spouses and children are invited too.

This event is open to any of the 1,100 members of Graduate Employees Together — University of Pennsylvania, better known as GET-UP. Graduate student and GET-UP member Danielle Hanley often attends these dinners to discuss GET-UP’s goal — forming a graduate student labor union at Penn. *** On Aug. 23, 2016, graduate students at private universities were designated by the National Labor Relations Board as ‘employees.’

With that came the legal right to form a labor union.

This came after Columbia University graduate students appealed to the NLRB in hopes of unionizing. The “Columbia Decision” meant that the NLRB overturned its July 2004 ruling against Brown University in which it decided that graduate students do not - Elaine LaFay have employee status.

To form a union at a private institution like Penn, 30 percent of that his union is crucial because he the bargaining unit — the employ- always knows who to go to with ees hoping to be represented by any issues pertaining to his work. the union — must send the NLRB “I know I have a union backing authorization cards to call for an me up,” he said. election. At Penn, this bargaining However, not all students agree unit will most likely be Ph.D. stu- that a union is the best solution for dents who are teaching assistants a more democratic campus. Penn and research assistants. The NLRB Ph.D. student Ian Henrich formed would then come and administer a group called No Penn Union, the election, and if a majority of which has existed for three weeks. students vote “yes” to unionization, Henrich said a union could be the union is established. the “antithesis of democratic” beHanley hopes GET-UP can cause one must pay dues — up to hold this election by the end of the $700 — to be a member.

Right now, the university unilaterally decides the conditions of our labor”

“You shouldn’t have to pay to have a voice,” he added.

Henrich also said Penn already has measures to democratize student working conditions — for instance, a student health insurance committee allows students to provide input at the decision-making table on this topic. He worries that forcing the University to negotiate with a union will strain the relationship between graduate students and the University.

This sentiment was echoed in an email sent by Penn President Amy Gutmann to the graduate student body Monday.

“The relationship between faculty and graduate students at Penn has succeeded so well... That clearly changes when the interaction — which would be governed by an external third party — is no longer collegial, but instead the subject of union rules,” Gutmann wrote.

Still, Hanley holds that no matter what Penn says or promises, nothing can have “legal weight,” or real backing without the protection of a union.

“We have no power other than the word ‘please,’” LaFay said. If the University wanted to make sudden changes to salaries, she said, they could — there exists no legal means through which the graduate students can stop University actions.

Henrich believes this concern is invalid. He cited that when the budget of the National Institutes of Health — a large source of funding for graduate students — dropped between 2010 and 2012, Penn’s graduate students’ stipends did not decrease despite the reduced sponsorship.

“If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” No Penn Union’s website argues. *** Henrich is in the minority. No Penn Union’s Facebook page has only 40 likes of Wednesday afternoon, though Henrich says he has verbal support from a few hundred

people.

Hanley said GET-UP currently has 1,100 members.

Student worker unions have garnered nationwide support at other insitutions for decades — as LaFay pointed out, public universities’ graduate students have been able to unionize for decades. The oldest graduate student union in the country, at University of Michigan, formed in 1970.

Currently, the only private university with a recognized student worker union is NYU. Its union, the Graduate Student Organizing Committee, has existed since 1998.

NYU Ph.D. student and union bylaws committee member Chris Nickell said GSOC had to break down in 2004 after the NLRB passed the Brown decision that decided private school graduate students were not employees.

GSOC built itself back up for the next eight years. In 2013 — before the Columbia decision — NYU graduate students voted 98 percent in favor of the union and NYU agreed to recognize it privately without any legal obligation to do so.

“They saw the writing on the wall,” Nickell said. He explained that the political circumstances

suggested that graduate students would eventually regain their right to unionize, and NYU “wanted to have as much control as they could” over the situation when that day came.

GSOC settled its first contract with NYU in March of 2015 after extensive open bargaining. The agreement came with several tangible perks for the students — notably, they are now given health insurance coverage and salaried employees now have a minimum wage of $15, an increase from the prior standard of less than $10 per hour. The amount will increase by a dollar every year until the contract expires in 2020.

However, No Penn Union’s website notes that because “up to 2%” of the union members’ salaries would go to the union as dues, members may not profit as much as it may seem.

Nickell described how on the last night before the strike deadline, over 150 people turned out in support of the union. When the bargaining ended at 4:00 a.m., over 100 individuals remained to fight for the students. This number included faculty and undergraduates who empathized with GSOC’s cause and believed in the student

worker union credo, “our working conditions are your learning conditions.” *** At Columbia, the story is different. Although it is the namesake for the NLRB ruling that deemed graduate students employees, Columbia’s administration refuses to recognize the union that students elected to create, Columbia union organizer and Ph.D. student Olga Brudastova said.

Columbia’s union is called Graduate Workers of Columbia, or GWC. Brudastova said that Columbia is delaying the recognition of GWC on campus — the administration has hired an anti-union law firm to file appeals. She said they seem to be stalling until President Trump appoints new NLRB members who could overturn the Columbia decision.

“I don’t even have enough words to describe to you how excited we were with the NLRB’s decisions and how disappointing Columbia’s behavior is,” she said.

She added that Columbia has increased some stipends, maternity leave and childcare subsidies.

However, she noted that they have no contractual obligation to uphold any promises they may put forth.

Similar events have happened at Penn. The University issued a statement to inform graduate students that, for next year, they will abolish charging an extra fee for gym access and will subsidize dental insurance, and that there will be $1 million set aside for need-based grants to defray the costs of health insurance and daycare.

“This is directly in response to our organizing efforts,” LaFay said.

“Imagine what we can get with a formal contract.”

Nickell agrees, and emphasizes the power he has found in his union.

“We are the union. The union is not some abstract third party that’s trying to cause a rift at the university system,” he said. “If we are strong, we can get things done.”

PENN IN CONGRESS

m illion, Hollingswor th is among the wealthiest members of Congress. During his campaign, Hollingsworth supported his fellow Wharton alumnus’ presidential candidacy, saying he “firmly [believed] that [Trump] is a better choice than Hillary Clinton,” according to the National Review.

Congressman David Scott (D-Ga.), 1969 Wharton MBA graduate Since 2003, David Scott has

represented Georgia’s 13th congressional district. As a 1969 Wharton MBA graduate, Scott was only the third African American to graduate from the school and was on campus at the same time as 1968 Wharton graduate Trump. Serving a district in the Atlanta suburbs, Scott is the third-most-senior member of Georgia’s congressional delegation and serves on the Agriculture and Financial Services Committees.

PETER RIBEIRO | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Graduate students have the right to unionize due to the “Columbia Decision” in which graduate students were deemed employees of private universities by the National Labor Relations Board.

>> FRONTPAGE

business ethics and real estate.

A native of Tennessee, Hollingsworth only moved to Indiana a year before running for Congress. During his campaign, he told the The Indianapolis Star that he is “a businessman by trade. ... It’s my experience as a businessperson that has shaped me into who I am.” With a reported net worth of $58.5

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NEWS 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Pottruck creates student-athlete leadership program The academy joins Penn Athletics with Wharton HALEY SUH Staff Reporter

A recent $1 million donation by 1970 College graduate David Pottruck is helping launch the new Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy.

Pottruck’s name may be familiar — he is the same University trustee who donated $10 million to renovate the Pottruck Health and Fitness Center in 1999, and the building was subsequently named for him.

This new program, specifically designed for student-athletes at Penn who compete at the varsity level, is a partnership between the Athletics Department and Wharton’s Anne and John McNulty Leadership Program.

The primary objective of the program is to develop the leadership abilities of Penn student-athletes through a series of workshops,

lectures, experiential sessions and more. The academy will include Wharton professors, coaches, captains of teams and student-athletes.

Pottruck said in an interview with the Daily Pennsylvanian that the goal is to ensure that studentathletes acquire the necessary leadership skills to help them not only in the playing field, but also in their academic and professional careers.

Incoming freshman student-athletes will be required to participate in the academy. After their first year, it will be up to to the student to decide whether or not to remain in the program.

1993 Wharton graduate Benjamin Breier, who played baseball at Penn, also contributed $500,000 in support of the leadership academy.

“What [Pottruck] has identified so successfully with this program is that the culture of leadership that is inherent in a competitive team setting provides an excellent ‘laboratory’ for training future leaders,” Jeff Klein, executive director of the

PUBLIC.RESOURCE.ORG | FLICKR

Pottruck says that sports can teach leadership much more when we “combine the athletic experience with the classroom experience.”

McNulty Leadership Program, said in a press release.

Pottruck’s vision for the program comes from his own experience as

the captain of the wrestling team and a member of the football team at Penn. But while athletics taught him valuable character lessons, like

perseverance, he said he feels that he could have learned more about leadership.

“I think sports can teach leadership so much more if we can actually combine the athletic experience with classroom experience, where we actually teach people all the things that we teach in the Wharton school about leadership,” Pottruck said.

The idea for the leadership academy was conceived by Pottruck a year ago, and since then, it has been piloted by select groups of students.

The program will continue with its piloting initiative throughout the next school year and will be launched full-scale in the fall of 2018.

Athletic Director Grace Calhoun said that Penn Athletics is committed to launching this partnership, especially in light of the success of the initial pilot.

While there are many sports

leadership programs in colleges around the country, Calhoun added that what sets the academy apart is its partnership with Wharton.

“We’ve established a very powerful partnership because we know that [the athletics department] has a lot to learn from people who specialize in leadership development [from Wharton], and the professors have a lot of learn from watching what our teams do,” she said.

A dozen senior athletes who have shown great potential throughout their four years in the program will be named Pottruck Fellows — “the best of the best,” according to Pottruck.

“I hope that all of our student athletes will come away with a richer athletic experience and give them more tools to use when they leave the athletic competition of Penn and take it to their professional life in whatever field they are choosing,” he said.

Commencement Announcement All graduating students may pick up announcement cards from their schools beginning Monday, March 27th Students in the College of Arts and Sciences may pick up their announcement cards Monday, March 27th - Friday, March 31st 2 - 4 pm College Office - Cohen Hall

CAREERS IN ENTERTAINMENT RICH ROSS You must bring your Penn I.D. Limit: 8 announcements cards and envelopes per student.

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These cards are for mailing to family and friends as announcements only. Tickets are not required for admission to the Commencement ceremony on May 15th Office of the University Secretary

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CAREERS IN PENN COLLEGE OF ARTSIN & SCIENCES CLASS OF 1983 CAREERS CAREERS IN ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT CAREERS IN ENTERTAINMENT Get you CAREERS RICH INENTERTAINMENT ROSS answere RICH ROSS ENTERTAINMENT RICH ROSS

The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program presents

The 17th Annual Goldstone Forum

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BY GROUPPRESENTED PRESIDENT, DISCOVERY CHANNEL, ANIMAL PLANET, GROUP PRESIDENT, DISCOVERY CHANNEL, ANIMAL PLANET, SCIENCE CHANNEL AND VELOCITY succeed GROUP PRESIDENT, DISCOVERY CHANNEL, ANIMAL PLANET, SCIENCE CHANNEL AND VELOCITY GROUP PRESIDENT, DISCOVERY CHANNEL, ANIMAL PENN COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES CLASS OF 1983 PLANET, GROUP PRESIDENT, DISCOVERY CHANNEL, SCIENCE CHANNEL AND VELOCITY PENN COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES CLASS ANIMAL OF 1983PLANET, SCIENCE CHANNEL AND VELOCITY

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Rich Ross will discuss his Get your questions entertainment industry! success, will discuss his careerRich in theRoss entertainment Ross discuss his answered about how toRich Rich will Ross will discuss his industry. He’ll share tips for career in the entertainment question Rich Ross will discuss his career in entertainment THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017 success, andthe answer student career in the entertainment succeed in the industry.

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Claudia Cohen Hall, Terrace Room 249 South 36th Street

David Yokum, J.D., Ph.D. Director, The Lab @ DC David Yokum, a founding fellow of President Obama’s Social and Behavioral Sciences Team, will talk about the latest work to integrate the insights and experimental methods from the psychological sciences directly into day-to-day governance—most notably a new initiative, The Lab @ DC. Yokum’s expertise draws on the cognitive foundations of judgment and decision-making and, in particular, how that knowledge and associated methodologies can be extended into applied settings.

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4

OPINION

Let’s have a Kiki

SPILLING THE REAL TEA | Creating an intellectual forum for black Penn students THURSDAY MARCH 23, 2017 VOL. CXXXIII, NO. 36 133rd Year of Publication CARTER COUDRIET President DAN SPINELLI Executive Editor LUCIEN WANG Print Director ALEX GRAVES Digital Director ALESSANDRO VAN DEN BRINK Opinion Editor SYDNEY SCHAEDEL Senior News Editor WILL SNOW Senior Sports Editor CHRIS MURACCA Design Editor CAMILLE RAPAY Design Editor JULIA SCHORR Design Editor VIBHA KANNAN Enterprise Editor GENEVIEVE GLATSKY News Editor TOM NOWLAN News Editor

This past Sunday, I released my first ever episode of The Kiki Podcast Series on black excellence and selflove.

For those of you who do not know, The Kiki is a forum that I created sponsored by the Kelly Writers House Wexler Studio in which black Penn students and students from other neighboring colleges and universities talk about issues that really matter to them and to the black community through a safe, raw and intellectual space. And after weeks of planning and pre-recording, I was finally able to see the product of my work.

It was definitely not easy creating this project. I originally started thinking about this during winter break in my room back home in New York. At first, it was a passing thought, but then I started to really get passionate about it.

Then the time came, and I did not know where to begin.

That’s when I understood the difference between having a set of ideas, and actually knowing how to execute

them. But trust me when I say that did not stop me.

I immediately researched different types of podcasts and what made them successful from both a marketing and viewer perspective.

Things like a great presence on social media stood out to me the most. So, I decided to create both an Instagram and a Facebook page for the Kiki.

After that, I needed to get people interested in wanting to be guests on The Kiki — that, I would say, was the hardest part. Not because I thought people would not be interested in doing a podcast, but because I needed to make sure that the topics I chose for the podcast would be both interesting, and a reflection of what black Penn students want to talk about.

Most of all, this process allowed me to understand more about my community, and the differences in opinions, values and identities within it. Previously I assumed that my experiences were a reflection of the black community as a whole. But through this journey of cre-

ating the podcast and expanding my perceptions of the black experience, I was able to see that black people come from many different backgrounds, and that the black experience — as I mention in my podcast as part of my list of “non-nego-

was something much more meaningful.

I really got to be myself with all my quirks, humor and rawness. I also got to hear different stories of other peoples’ experiences, and how they persevered through some pretty tough obstacles.

Most of all, this process allowed me to understand more about my community, and the differences in opinions, values and identities within it.” tiables” — is not a monolith and can encompass different kinds of worldviews.

But in addition to the finished product, I have gained valuable insights from working with some of the guests on the podcast. Originally, I thought that the podcast would just be a discussion where we would talk for a little bit, laugh and then go home. But what I found

You would not believe the amount of times that I almost cried hearing other peoples’ childhood experiences. It made me realize that everyone has their own obstacles that they face over the course of their life, and that sometimes we as people should recognize the humanity in others.

I also feel like this podcast series will manifest into

something that could really be beneficial to the black community at Penn and beyond. In one of my episodes on bi-racial mixed perspectives, I had a special guest who is a graduate of Drexel University. In the podcast, he talked about his experiences being both Indian and black. After the podcast, I was so moved by his story that I wanted to continue talking to him afterwards.

And that’s my original goal of the podcast. Yes, I do set a priority for black Penn students, but I want the complex issues that we talk about in an hour-long podcast to extend to small discussions in cultural centers, at homes and in community meetings. I want us to continue to talk about these difficult issues because the only way we will start to understand each other is through this raw, formative and intellectual discussion.

Overall, this podcast taught me a lot. It helped me gain more salient relationships with students in the black community at Penn. It also allowed me to

JAMES FISHER express myself while still understanding the different perspectives of black folks.

I really appreciate the valuable experiences I gained throughout this whole podcast, and I honestly love it in all its rawness, tension and love.

I love all my black folks and despite the fights and obstacles we go through, just know that we are in this together and I hope that you will Kiki with me, whether it be inside the studio or outside on the street.

JAMES FISHER is a College sophomore from the Bronx, N.Y., studying communications. His email address is jafish@sas. upenn.edu. “Spilling the Real Tea” usually appears every other Thursday.

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Procrastination as a coping mechanism IT KEEPS HAPPENING | A shameless take on how the Penn system works

It’s been more than two weeks since my last column. I have had ample time to think about a topic, to write a rough draft, to set aside a few hours to bang out 700 words or so.

Instead, it’s Tuesday night and I haven’t started. My column was technically due today. I used to be the editor in charge of this section: I know how this is supposed to work. I need to put in at least a token amount of effort, because otherwise, it’s a failure on my part as a columnist. Or at least I need to look like I put in effort. But I’m starting right now, that is to say, 11:23 p.m., Tuesday night.

So, let’s talk about procrastination!

I personally procrastinated on writing this column because of a combination of apathy and perfectionism. I didn’t have a good idea for a column that wasn’t either uncomfortably personal or too broad a topic, and I knew that worst come to worst, I could spend half an hour writing and have a passable draft.

Mediocrity was assured, and if I put off writing this long

enough, then mediocrity would be my only option and I wouldn’t feel guilty about pursuing it. It would be a ready-made excuse.

We don’t typically think of apathy and perfectionism as going together, but I’d argue that maybe that’s the exact sort of personal trait that Penn attracts and cultivates — and what Penn students end up embodying. I’m not an outlier. There is the assumption at Penn that if you’re not doing something at all times, you’re falling behind. That is to say, “Penn has no chill” — if we do anything we do it either to the max, or at least we appear to do so.

If you tell a society that its inhabitants have to be “on” and constantly competing — hello, Penn having the fewest days off in the Ivy League — then you create several different mindsets in the population. Those who buy into the contest and earnestly pursue it, those who completely dismiss the contest and ignore it and those who buy into the contest and just “show up” because they

know that this is how the system works. The outcome of these mentalities is not necessarily negative. There’s no moral imperative attached to any of these.

But at the same time, each of these mindsets have negative outcomes when taken to the extreme — and as stated,

because these routes aren’t mutually exclusive, you get a perfect storm that leads to generally mediocre results.

Others have written about how Penn’s over-competitive culture is unhealthy or stressful, and I’m not going to make the fallacy of equating Penn’s culture with the cause

I do think that Penn and the constant culture of oneupmanship which exists whether you buy into it or not, does not produce people who are best equipped to navigate the world after college.”

Penn students take everything to the extreme. Taken to their logical conclusions, these worldviews lead to decidedly unhealthy situations. One leads to perfectionism, the other two lead to apathy. And

of the mental health issues that exist on campus. But at the same time, I do think that Penn and the constant culture of one-upmanship which exists whether you buy into it or not, does not produce people

who are best equipped to navigate the world after college.

Excess in either direction is unhealthy.

Of course, this construct I’ve created is an oversimplification, and even more egregiously, I’m criticizing without offering any solution.

I don’t have an alternative, other than to suggest that a culture that allows room for error, for uncertainty, for imperfection would perhaps be kinder and lead to better balanced, less neurotic and single-minded people. I think in some ways, the culture at Penn prepares us well for the workplace, not for life as a human being.

I know it’s anathema at Penn to ever admit uncertainty, but I’m not completely sure whom I’m criticizing for this culture’s existence, or whether I should be criticizing anyone at all. Should I blame the administration for the long semesters and short breaks? Should I blame the social scene? Should I blame the fact that most Penn students are coming from the top of their classes in high school

ISABEL KIM and we’ve all internalized the idea that anything other than perfection is failure?

That being said, I suppose there is something to be said for a culture that assumes that everyone works for their own personal progression, that assumes competence, that assumes that the appearance of trying will lead to personal success and satisfaction. For me, though, it mostly makes me procrastinate.

ISABEL KIM is a College junior from Warren, N.J., studying English and fine arts. Her email address is isakim@sas.upenn. edu. “It Keeps Happening” usually appears every other Thursday.

THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

NEWS 5

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

university university square square a complete list retailers visit visit for aforcomplete listofof retailers, ucnet.com/universitysquare ucnet.com/universitysquare

shopping

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at penn shopping shopping american Ann Taylor Loft apparel 3661 WALNUT ST. 120 S. 36th St. ann taylor loft AT&T Mobility 133 SOUTH 36th ST. 3741 Walnut St. at&t mobility Bluemercury 3741 WALNUT ST. 3603 Walnut St. bluemercury Computer Connection 3603 WALNUT ST. 3601 Walnut St. cvs CVS 3401 WALNUT ST. 3401 Walnut St. eyeglass encounters 3925 Walnut St. 4002 CHESTNUT ST. Eyeglassthe Encounters gap 4002 Chestnut St. ST. 3401 WALNUT Hello World hello world 3610 Sansom St. 3610 SANSOM ST. House ofhouse Our Own of our own 3920 SPRUCE ST. 3920 Spruce St. Last Word Bookstore last word bookshop 220 SOUTH 220 S. 40th St. 40th ST. Modernmodern Eye eye 3401 WALNUT 3419 Walnut St. ST Naturalnatural Shoe shoe store 226 226 S. 40thSOUTH St. 40th ST. penn book center Penn Book Center 130 SOUTH 34th ST. 130 S. 34th St. penn bookstore Penn Bookstore (Barnes & Noble) 3601 WALNUT ST. 3601 Walnut St.

services philadelphia Philadelphia Runner runner 3621 WALNUT ST. 3621 Walnut St. piper boutique Piper Boutique 140 SOUTH 34th ST. 140 S. 34th St. united United By Blue by blue 3421 WALNUT ST. 3421 Walnut St. urban outfitters Urban Outfitters 110 SOUTH 36th ST. 110 S. 36th St. verizon wireless Verizon 3631 Wireless WALNUT ST. 3631 Walnut St.

dining dining au bon pain 421 CURIE BLVD.

Auntie Anne’s auntieSt.anne’s 3405 Walnut 3405 WALNUT ST. Beijing Restaurant beijing restaurant 3714 Spruce St. 3714 SPRUCE ST. Ben and Jerry’s ben and jerry’s 218 S. 40th St. 40th ST. 218 SOUTH Blarneyblarney Stone stone 3929 Sansom St. 3929 SANSOM ST. BRYSI brysi 233 S. 33rd St. 33rd ST. 233 SOUTH Cavanaugh’s Tavern tavern cavanaugh’s 119 SOUTH 119 S. 39th St. 39th ST.

Cosi chattime ST. 140 S. 3608 36th CHESTNUT St. Dunkin cosi Donuts 140 SOUTH 36th ST. 3437 Walnut St. magrogan’s Federaldoc Donuts oysterSt. house 3428 Sansom 3432 SANSOM ST. Fresh Grocer dunkinSt.donuts 4001 Walnut 3437 WALNUT ST. Greek Lady 222 S. federal 40th St. donuts 3428 SANSOM ST. Hip City Veg fresh grocer 214 S. 4001 40th WALNUT St. ST. honeygrow gia pronto 3731 walnut st. ST. 3736 SPRUCE HubBubgreek Coffeelady 3736 Spruce St. 40th ST. 222 SOUTH kitchenharvest gia seasonal grill 3716 spruce st. & wine bar Kiwi Yogurt 200 SOUTH 40th ST. 3606 Chestnut St. hip city veg Mad Mex 214 SOUTH 40th ST. 3401 Walnut hubbubSt.coffee Mediterranean CaféST. 3736 SPRUCE 3409 Walnut St. yougurt kiwi frozen 3606 CHESTNUT Metropolitan Bakery ST. 4013 Walnut St.

madTavern mex New Deck 3401 WALNUT ST. 3408 Sansom St. mediterranean cafe Nom Nom Ramen 3401 WALNUT ST. 3401 Walnut St. metropolitan bakery o’Chatto 4013 WALNUT ST. 3608 Chestnut St. NOMFactory RAMEN PhillyNOM Pretzel 3401 WALNUT ST. Philly is Nuts!

PHILLY PRETZEL factory 3734 Spruce St. PHILLY IS NUTS POD Restaurant 3734 SPRUCE ST. 3636 Sansom St. POD Qdoba3636 SANSOM ST. 230 S. 40th St. QDOBA Quiznos 230 SOUTH 40TH ST. 3401QUIZNOS Walnut St. Saladworks 3401 WALNUT ST. 3728SALADWORKS Spruce St. Saxbys Coffee 3728 SPRUCE ST. 4000SAXBYS Locust St. COFFEE 4000 LOCUST ST. Smokey Joe’s 210 S.SMOKEY 40th St.JOE’S 200 Taco BellSOUTH 40TH ST. 3401TACO Walnut St. BELL 3401 WALNUT ST. Wawa 3604WAWA Chestnut St. 3604 CHESTNUT ST. 3744 Spruce St. 3744 SPRUCE ST.

adolf biecker studio 138 SOUTH 34th ST.

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campus Adolf Bieckerbarber Studio shop 3730 SPRUCE ST. 138 S. 34th St. cinemark Bonded Cleaners 4012 WALNUT ST. 3724 Spruce St. citizen’s bank Campus Hair, Skin Nail Salon 134 SOUTH 34th&ST. 3730 Spruce St. inn at penn Cinemark TheaterST. 3600 SANSOM 4012 Walnut St. joseph anthony Citizens Bank hair salon 1343743 S. 34th St. ST. WALNUT Inn pnc at Penn bank 3600 200Sansom SOUTH St. 40th ST. Joseph Anthony TD bank Hair Salon 3743 119Walnut SOUTH St. 40TH ST. PNCUS Bank POST OFFICE SOUTH 200228 S. 40th St.40TH ST. TD Bank UPS STORE 3720 SPRUCE 3735 Walnut St.ST. U.S. Post Office 228 S. 40th St. UPS Store 3720 Spruce St.

This destination district includes over 100 businesses, cultural and recreational venues, and public spaces in and around This penn’s destination district over 100 businesses, cultural and recreational venues,between and public in and around campus, alongincludes the tree-lined blocks of chestnut, walnut and spruce streets 30thspaces and 40th streets. penn’s campus, along the tree-lined blocks of chestnut, walnut and spruce streets between 30th and 40th streets.

6 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

Freshmen make Hult Prize regional finals The March 4 competitions took place around the world BRIAN ZHONG Staff Reporter

Spring break and competitions — save for maybe beach volleyball — generally don’t go together.

But the four Penn teams who attended the Hult Prize regional finals spent their time off presenting projects, learning from other teams and vying for a spot in the global finals.

The Hult Prize regional finals took place March 4 in five different locations: Boston, Dubai, London, San Francisco and Shanghai. More than 300 teams — each comprised of three to four undergraduates and graduate students from universities around the world — pitched their startup proposals that combated challenges related to this year’s theme: the refugee crisis.

The regional finals participants were selected from more than 50,000 entries through both local competitions and an online application. Team Haya qualified for the regional finals in Boston by winning the Hult Prize at Penn, proposing a plant-based toothbrush that does not require water or toothpaste. Team

Mesh secured a spot in the San Francisco competition by submitting to the general applicant pool, constructing a hardware device and a smartphone app that would permit refugees to communicate in places that lack cell towers or the internet.

“Being able to share your idea with an audience whose beliefs resonate with your own definitely made this much more than just a competition,” Engineering freshman Dan Truong of Team Mesh said. “You get to know a lot of people who want to help out the lives of refugees and who want to make an impact on a marginalized community.”

While none of the four teams advanced to the global finals, the regional finals presented an opportunity for teams to critique other pitches and obtain feedback from peers around the world.

“All of the teams within a category were able to talk with the judges and the other teams and actually discuss the practicality of each business model,” Wharton freshman Charles Zhang of Team Haya said.

“I initially thought it would just be the judges that would decide who would be going forth to the next round, when in reality the teams also had a voice in terms of which ideas

they thought were best.”

Both Team Haya and Team Mesh are composed entirely of freshmen, two of the few freshmen-only teams at the event. Surrounded by upperclassmen and graduate students, they gained inspiration from the pitches and ideas of the older students.

“We learned about best practices when it comes to pitching because a lot of these teams are graduate students who have more experience, College and Wharton freshman Varun Vallabhaneni of Team Haya said. “Seeing the way they pitch, what kind of information they included, I think that’s going to help us move forward in terms of pitches in general.”

Team Mesh expressed strong interest in adopting the feedback of judges and other teams in order to continue developing their social enterprise.

“The Hult Prize has narrowed our focus to the refugee population, which is undoubtedly a population that needs a lot of help,” Wharton and Engineering freshman Chris Lin of Team Mesh said. “But now that the Hult competition is over, we can branch out and see how we can impact other populations as well.”

PHOTO FROM HULT PRIZE (LEFT) | ZIHAN XIONG (RIGHT) STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

“Being able to share your idea with an audience whose beliefs resonate with your own definitely made this much more than just a competition,” said Engineering freshman Dan Truong.

Get Eggcited for The DINING GUIDE March 29

THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

NEWS 7

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

PAGE hosts Women’s Pennsylvania attorney Week gender equity event general speaks at St. A’s Professors spoke on gender equity under Trump

Josh Shapiro said he must protect people from Trump

CHRISTINE OLAOGUN Contributing Reporter

NATALIA SANCHEZ-NIGOLIAN Contributing Reporter

“Women, under the Obama administration, were fairly present,” professor Nancy Hirschmann said. “Now you look at the Trump administration and they’re not there. Women are being erased.”

Halfway into Women’s Week, students gathered in a SteinbergDietrich Hall to hear a group of women faculty members examine the future of feminism and gender equity under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The panel was hosted by Penn Association for Gender Equity.

In Wednesday’s discussion, the panelists collectively voiced hope for progress in women’s issues, despite their concerns about the underrepresentation of women in the Trump administration.

Political science professor Dawn Teele emphasized the importance of women’s involvement in politics. “In fact, more and more women are thinking about running for office,” she said.

“What you can do is you can

“I am working hard to protect our way of life, to protect the Constitution, to protect the rights of all Americans — and I can’t believe I am saying this — from the President of the United States,” Josh Shapiro said on Tuesday.

The recently elected Pennsylva n ia attor ney genera l gave the keynote address for Saint Anthony Hall’s Speaker Series, a decades-old program the fraternity organizes to engage members of Greek life and other students in political discussions.

Shapiro became attorney general one week before President Donald Trump issued his first executive order limiting immigration. Shapiro said that since then, it has become more important for state attorneys general to prevent the federal government from encroaching upon states’ rights.

He emphasized the imp o r t a n c e of g r a s s r o o t s organizing to oppose Trump’s actions. “I a m t r ying to engage with students as much as I can,” he said. “It is critical.”

Shapiro also spoke about his personal background in public service and described how his interests took an unexpected turn from medicine to politics while he was studying at the University of Rochester. After graduating from college, Shapiro worked on Capitol Hill for nine years.

“For me, public service was about doing something impactful,” he said. “Making a concrete decision in the morning, and having it effectuated by the afternoon. I’m

WEI WEI MENG | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

“What you can do is you can run for office,” said political science professor Nancy Hirschmann. “That’s where decisions are being made.”

run for office,” Hirschmann said. “That’s where decisions are being made.”

Panelist Desiree Peterkin Bell, a lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication, encouraged students to get involved in activism even outside of politics. “I believe you don’t have to be in a role of power to be impactful,” she said. “You just have to be passionate about the work.”

Speaking about the future of feminist activism, Teele said it is important to consider the differences in perspectives among various generations of feminists, explaining that younger

TEACHING ASSISTANTS He reached out to professors >> FRONTPAGE

position when I applied.”

For certain academic departments, there is a formal application procedure for TA positions, whereas for others, getting the position depends more on a student’s aptitude for the class and the relationship they develop with their professors.

Most freshman TAs say that prior experience in their fields helped them obtain and perform their job.

They are also mostly found in departments in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Fewer freshmen find TA positions in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School.

W ha r ton f resh ma n Vinayak Kumar is currently the only freshman TA in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College.

ELECTRONICS BAN >> FRONTPAGE

restriction made her feel more uncertain of her future at Penn as a Muslim.

“Whenever a new policy comes out, a part of me gets so scared that my time here is done,” Tibrewala said. “Tomorrow, it could be ‘if your name sounds foreign, meaning Muslim, you out.’”

Many students expressed gratitude that Penn has expressed support for them, but some expressed doubts as to how much the University could do to help them.

“Concretely, it just seems like they can’t do much,” Tibrewala said. “It is nice to feel supported and valued by the organization and Penn’s environment but I don’t know if that’s enough for those people who were scared

generations have a better understanding of intersectionality.

“The uncomfortable conversation is that you cannot ignore the history,” Bell said.

Issues surrounding intersectionality and the historical exclusion of women of color and transgender women from feminist movements were of particular concern to the panelists.

“Women are not a monolith,” Bell added. She said that in order to make change and to understand gender equity issues, “you must challenge the social construct of the idea of what being a woman is.”

expressing interest in the position at the end of last semester.

“I think at Wharton, it’s not just about understanding the material really well, it’s about the pedigree that you have,” Kumar said when asked why there are fewer freshman TAs in schools other than Engineering. “If you’re in finance, not only do you have to know the material really well, you also need to have taken more classes.”

Some freshmen chose to apply for TA positions to expand on the knowledge they developed when they took the class. College freshman Hana Pearlman is a computer and information science TA, who found that her position has helped her better understand her subject by giving her additional practice with coding.

“The majority of my time TA-ing is spent doing the homeworks and then helping

people on those homeworks and it gets really easy to debug code when you see the same issue over and over again,” Pearlman said. “That’s a benefit for me because I think more experience recognizing algorithms and recognizing problems with algorithms helps me with the CIS classes I’m taking now.”

Others f ind that thei r freshman status is a benefit. College freshman Sylvia Rhodes is a Chinese TA who said that being a freshman allows her to connect on a social level with her students.

“One of my best moments is connecting with my students as friends,” Rhodes said. “I guess that’s part of being a freshman TA. Because for my TAs, in most of my classes, they’re mostly graduate students and I see them as my teacher. I feel like when I talk to my students I try to be more like a friend.”

to go home or are still scared to travel back to those seven or nine countries.”

Wharton and Engineering junior Meghana Jayam, who is from Saudi Arabia, said she felt “angry and shocked” at the new policy but could not see what Penn would be able to do to help its students.

“I also really don’t think Penn can do anything about this issue,” Jayam said. “It’s basically up to the [Trump] administration.”

Director of International Student and Scholar Services Rodolfo Altamirano said that the organization would not be able to give legal aid to students in regards to the new airport policy, as it does not fall under their jurisdiction.

“We are very supportive of our international students when it comes to the immigration and

border policy,” Altamirano said.

“However, when it comes to the laptops, it’s out of our jurisdiction. It’s out of our law.”

Executive Director of the Toll Public Interest Center Arlene Rivera Finkelstein said the center partnered with the Transnational Legal Clinic to provide individuals impacted by the policy with information and aid.

The center and the clinic are hosting a legal clinic this Friday at the Greenfield Intercultural Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to address questions on the executive orders and the new airport policy.

“As this situation evolves, we’ll do our best to provide the best help needed,” Finkelstein said. “[TPIC] has partnered with the Transnational Legal Clinic in order to provide the best information to individuals across the state and on our campus.”

PHOTO FROM MEGHANA JAYAM (LEFT) | PHOTO FROM SERENA TIBREWALA (RIGHT)

Students such as College junior Serena Tibrewala and Wharton and Engineering junior Meghana Jayam expressed their thoughts on the new ban on electronic devices from flights from certain countries.

CARSON KAHOE | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Shapiro emphasized the importance of grassroots efforts. “I am trying to engage with students as much as I can,” he said.

now in a position where I can have a tangible effect on lives of Pennsylvanians.”

Approximately 30 students attended the event in the frater nity’s chapter house.

Students asked Shapiro questions about natural law theory and the effects of Trump’s actions on America’s influence in the world.

“We hoped the event would be successful in creating an intimate setting, where everyone felt comfortable to contribute to discussion,” fraternity member and College junior George Calle said.

Saint Anthony Hall President and College junior Jake van Arkel said that the fraternity invited Shapiro because they appreciated his approach to public service. “Shapiro does a great job of upholding principles in the form of tangible action, which is something that encapsulates the ideal behavior of any member of a Greek organization or anyone who holds political office,” he said.

Shapiro said he sees his role as requir ing h im to “apply the law without fear and without favor.”

8 SPORTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

Cornell awaits as Penn looks to stay in Ivy League title race M. LAX | Loss to Princeton

looms over Quakers SANJAY DURESETI Sports Reporter SATURDAY

Cornell (1-5, 0-1 Ivy) 1 p.m.

Ithaca, N. Y.

On Saturday, Penn men’s lacrosse will take on a Big Red machine that hasn’t been running so smoothly in recent weeks.

Cornell will welcome the Quakers to Ithaca for both teams’ second Ivy League matchup of the season. The Red and Blue (3-3, 0-1 Ivy) will look to regroup after two straight losses derailed what was a promising start to the 2017 campaign.

In light of Penn’s recent troubles, the Big Red (1-5, 0-1), who have struggled mightily, might be just what the doctor ordered for a frustrated Quakers team.

When these two teams last met in 2016, Penn limited an athletic Cornell attack to six goals while scoring nine of their own. In what was an early

ANANYA CHANDRA | PHOTO MANAGER

Junior Connor Keating knows that communication will be key if Penn men’s lacrosse is going to turn its season back around. The Quakers started hot, but enter this weekend’s matchup on a losing streak.

season sign of their increased importance, the then-freshman attack of Simon Mathias, Alex Roesner and Tyler Dunn contributed six combined goals to lead the team to victory. Then-freshman goalie Reed Junkin also had a stellar day between the pipes,

stopping 14 shots to secure an important conference win.

The Quakers need a similar effort after a blowout loss against traditional rival Princeton on Alumni Day. The Tigers, paced by Michael Sowers and Gavin McBride, ripped apart

Penn’s defense on route to scoring 19 goals at Franklin Field.

Penn, despite its early-season ambitions of winning the Ivy Championship, is now playing from behind in the conference standings, while Princeton, Yale and Brown sit at the top of the

table.

The team should be able to vent their frustrations against Cornell’s weak defensive unit.

The Big Red rank dead last among Ivy League teams in goals allowed per game with 15.8, and last in save percentage.

Their conference-worst faceoff percentage of 35.4 should also give X specialist Chris Santangelo plenty of opportunities to catalyze Penn’s potent transition game.

The defensive end, however, is where the Quakers need work.

Giving up 19 goals to any team is unacceptable in elite collegiate lacrosse and Cornell, despite all its faults, boasts two first-year attackmen in Connor Fletcher and Jeff Teat who are both elite scorers and passers.

To avoid a Big Red scoring bonanza, Penn has been focusing on basic defensive strategy in practice this week, trying to reclaim the early season form that propelled them to a No. 8 national ranking. “We’ve been focused on skillwork, footwork and communication was one of our biggest issues [against Princeton]. We had trouble meshing together,� junior Connor Keating said.

“We have to reestablish our fundamentals. We gradually got away from those against Penn State, Michigan and at Princeton, when we got behind, we abandoned some of those fundamental things that we’ve talked about,� head coach Mike Murphy said.

One positive that the Quakers can hang their hat on is the level of discipline they have shown through the first quarter of the season. The team has the lowest number of penalties and turnover rate in the Ancient Eight, demonstrating a level of cohesion that Murphy and his staff will continue to emphasize moving forward. “One of our standards is being disciplined in all areas of the game. It’s one the most important components of our team and is reflective of how we’ve tried to play all year,� Mathias commented.

The Quakers will look to break their four-game losing streak on Saturday by regaining some of their early-season form.

Cornell might be a vulnerable opponent but the Quakers must avoid complacency if they want to turn their once-promising season around.

After home opening win, Quakers look to keep momentum going

BASEBALL | Penn preps

again, moving Wednesday night’s clash with Lehigh up to Tuesday afternoon.

But when its home opener finally got underway, Penn played perhaps its best game all year.

Junior Jack Hartman got the win in relief for the Quakers, who beat the Mountain Hawks, 6-4.

Penn (4-9) finally got the offense to wake up to the tune of 11 hits, including three doubles. It’s not as if Lehigh’s (3-12) pitching was poor either – freshman starter Levi Stoudt was consistently hitting 91-93 mph on the radar. “I thought we did a good job attacking fastballs in the zone,� coach John Yurkow said. “Even early in the first couple

for pair of doubleheaders THEODOROS PAPAZEKOS Sports Reporter SATURDAY

Lafayette (2-18) 12 p.m.

Easton, Pa.

The Quakers just couldn’t wait to be home.

A week ago, Penn baseball was forced to reschedule its home opener (against Villanova) and the first home series of the year (against Marist).

This week, they rescheduled

of innings when we didn’t score, we were hitting balls hard at guys. That was probably the most consistent we’ve hit the ball hard.�

Sophomore Matt O’Neill led the Quakers with three hits.

The catcher also made perhaps the play of the game in the top of the ninth when he quickly recovered a ball in the dirt to throw out Lehigh’s Chris Kersey at third. The play took the tying run off the base paths and put the Quakers an out away from victory. “I just got a few good pitches to hit. I tried to simplify [my swing],� O’Neill said. “I felt like it was getting a little long last couple games, so I was

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NICK BUCHTA | SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

With three hits and a stellar defensive performance on Tuesday, sophomore catcher Matt O’Neill was crucial in Penn baseball winning its home opener over Lehigh. The Quakers are up against Lafayette next.

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are necessary. “We still have to cut down [on our mental mistakes],� Yurkow said. “We’re going to play some 2-1, 3-2 games, you have to cut down on these little mistakes because they add up over the course of nine innings.�

Sm a l l m ist a ke s a sid e, Yurkow seemed more than happy with how his team played. The bats woke up, the bullpen pitched a strong 4.2 innings, and his veteran starters are ready to go. He knows that if Penn can carry some momentum from this game to the Lafayette series and beyond, it would be in perfect position to start the conference season.

The projected starters this weekend are seniors Jake Cousins (1-1), Mike Reitcheck (1-1), Big 5 Pitcher of the Week Adam Bleday (0-2) and junior lefty Gabe Kleiman (0-0).

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his second consecutive gamewinning RBI when his double scored sophomore Matt Tola.

Murnane reached base in every plate appearance, scoring two runs alongside his RBI. Penn’s next series against Lafayette (2-18) features the Leopards’ home opener in a doubleheader on Saturday before returning to Meiklejohn Stadium for a second doubleheader on Sunday. That means – weather permitting – that this weekend will be Penn’s first four game weekend of the season, only a week before the Ivy League season opens with Dartmouth.

Counting another matchup against Lafayette on Tuesday, the Quakers have five games to fix any problems before conference play. Despite a losing record however, Yurkow doesn’t think many big improvements

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trying to take short compact swings, but I never really lost any confidence.�

The Quakers did look confident, but it wasn’t exactly a comfortable win. In what is becoming increasingly typical, Penn gave up an early deficit.

This time, the Mountain Hawks led the game from the first at bat, when leadoff man James Bleming homered off Penn starter Mitchell Holcomb. Holcomb recovered after that, but was still in position to take the loss when his day ended after four and a third innings.

The Red and Blue finally took their first lead with a three-run fifth featuring two doubles. After Lehigh answered to tie the game at 4 in the sixth, Penn took the lead for good in the bottom of the same inning. Sunday night’s hero and junior Andrew Murnane had

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improving on the pitch. With the players getting to travel to local beaches, eat meals together, explore the Bermudian night scene and even all sleep in the same room in army barracks, the weekend was going to be rewarding no matter what happened on the field. “It was a lot of fun; right after a practice we all went to Horseshoe Bay Beach, and everyone took off their uniforms and jumped into the water, and it was freezing but a lot of fun. We hung out a lot during the tournament, and at night

on Saturday we went out as a team,� Caltabiano said. “It was good to play against higher level competition, but team bonding-wise, it was definitely an awesome time.�

Having thrived both on and off the field, the squad will enter the remainder of its season with momentum. Next up for Penn Rugby is the Ivy League 15s Playoffs in late March, which the Quakers advanced to for the first time since 2013-14.

Following that, the team has its lone home competition of the semester when it hosts the City Six Tournament at Penn Park on April 5, before it heads into the Ivy Sevens Playoffs over Easter

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weekend.

And as Penn Rugby prepares for the meat of its spring season, it’s clear that last weekend was only the latest example of what’s long been evident inside the club — this program is on the rise. “It’s just really cool to see how it’s grown from yearto-year. It’s a big part of my college experience, and watching people care more and more about the sport, both in a national sense and in the University, is awesome,� Harris said. “Watching kids on campus take it more seriously as a sport, it’s been a really rewarding experience.�

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SPORTS 9

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Red and Blue to open up outdoor season with Penn Challenge TRACK | Freshmen class

to make outdoor debut

YOSEF WEITZMAN Associate Sports Editor

Since last Friday’s Philadelphia College Classic was cancelled due to weather, this Saturday’s Penn Challenge with Army, Princeton, Rider, Connecticut and Villanova will mark the beginning of Penn track and field’s outdoor season.

With the Red and Blue eager to start the spring on the right foot, here are three key questions to look out for when the Quakers take the track at Franklin Field this weekend.

1) How will Penn respond to last week’s Philadelphia College classic being cancelled?

It seems likely that the cancellation of last week’s meet due to weather will have some kind of effect on the Red and Blue, but it’s anyone’s guess if it will be negative or positive.

On one hand, the team was probably pretty eager to get the outdoor season started last

week, and this might disrupt some of their momentum. But on the other hand, it also just gave them more time to train and rest. Junior sprinter Taylor McCorkle, for one, thinks the cancellation will help Penn.

“We were honestly kind of happy about it, because it was cold and we didn’t want to run poorly,” McCorkle said. “However, it also gave us a good chance to just train through the week and become even better and stronger, so I think we’re just ready to kind of open up this weekend. It’ll be nice weather so we’re excited about that, and we’re just ready to roll I think.”

2) How will Penn’s freshmen perform?

Penn’s upperclassmen have all been here before, but for the freshmen, this will be their first time competing outdoors in the Red and Blue. All of them have surely competed outdoors at earlier stages in their careers, but adjusting from indoors to outdoors is nothing to scoff at.

In addition to different events that the added space of outdoor

venues allows, outdoor and indoor meets often feature different tactics. Not only do the tracks themselves differ in dimensions with the outdoor track being larger, but weather can often be a factor as well. Saturday’s forecast calls for mild temperatures in the 60s, but it will be paramount that Penn’s freshmen do not underestimate any of the unique challenges that outdoor meets present.

Coach Steve Dolan, however, is confident that all his athletes are prepared to have a strong meet.

“I think we had a good training transition between the two seasons and I think at this point, they’re just excited and anxious to compete again after training for a few weeks,” he said.

3) How will Penn do in the events that we didn’t get to see them compete in during the indoor season?

As mentioned earlier, the space constraints of indoor track venues mean that certain events can’t be held. That means that this weekend will be the first time the Quakers get to

ANANYA CHANDRA | PHOTO MANAGER

After a strong indoor season on the track, junior sprinter Taylor McCorckle and her teammates finally get to begin their outdoor season at the Penn Challenge at Franklin Field this Saturday.

compete in events such as the javelin throw, hammer throw, discus throw, 400-meter hurdle, and the steeplechase.

The Red and Blue are especially looking forward to the longer throwing events as

several talented athletes like senior Lisa Sesink-Clee have had to wait patiently for their turns to shine. On Saturday, their turn will finally come, and Dolan is excited to get things started.

“We should see really good competition, and they’re talking about a near 70 degree day,” Dolan said. “It will definitely be a good day to enjoy some track and field, and hopefully people come out to see us in action.”

In final tune-up before Ivy play, Quakers head to Penn State

M. TENNIS | Penn returns

players compete six times over the course of eight days.

“To get a weekend off is good both physically and mentally for us,” junior Gabe Rapoport said. “This is a chance for us to work on things, to drill and feel sharp for the upcoming Ivy League season.”

According to coach David Geatz, illnesses and nagging injuries have affected the team, on top of a season-ending injury to key sophomore Dimitry Shatalin.

“The whole year we’ve had some guys really beat up,” the sixth-year coach said. “We won’t have a 100% lineup against Penn State either, but I guess we’re kind of focusing on

to action after two weeks ANDREW ZHENG Associate Sports Editor SUNDAY

Penn State (9-4) 12 p.m.

University Park, Pa.

We’re nearing the best part.

Penn men’s tennis has already played 18 matches this season, but the team has just one more opponent to face before it heads into Ivy League play. After a two-week break in competition, the Quakers (12-6) will travel to Penn State for their last non-conference match of the year.

In the last time out for the Red and Blue, the team trumped a visiting William & Mary team 6-1 on the tail end of a busy Spring Break. The win was a dominant one for the Quakers, who only dropped one set in singles play, and was certainly well-received after the team’s 7-0 loss to then-No. 25 Tulane just days prior.

For the Nittany Lions (9-4, 1-1 Big Ten), competition has come more recently, giving

Ivy League season when we’ve got a full lineup,” Geatz said.

The rivalry between the two teams has been a good one, and, even with the injuries, the Quakers are determined to make the latest edition just as exciting. Yet, it seems safe to say that the Red and Blue are biding their time before they open conference play against Columbia on April 7.

“They’re a good team,” Rapoport said of Penn State, “but it’s really just a chance for us to get match ready and preparation for the Ivy season.”

“By the time Ivies come around we should be the best we’ve been all year,” Geatz added.

SAM HOLLAND | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

In the last time out for the Quakers, junior Gabe Rapoport helped the team to a 6-1 victory with a win at the No. 6 singles spot.

the Big Ten side a potential momentum edge over their Ancient Eight opponents.

While this Sunday will be Penn’s last tuneup before conference play, the match comes in the middle of Penn State’s Big Ten schedule, a week after

and

beating Michigan State and two days after hosting Michigan.

This season’s biggest obstacles for the Quakers, however, have been health concerns. The two-week break has helped the team recuperate from a hectic Spring Break that saw the

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FENCING

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finish at NCAA regionals, with a second-place finish in foil.

Joining Ferdon on the foil team is another freshman, Nicole Vaiani, who recorded a top-five finish. Senior epee Alejandra Trumble will also close out her Penn career at her second NCAA championships.

For Kong, reaching the NCAA Championships has been a long-awaited expectation finally fulfilled. Last season, she was eliminated in the fourth round of pool play at the Mid-Atlantic tournament, finishing 13th and just missing the final round of regional play by one position. In her sophomore year, where she earned the best winning percentage among the sabre squad, she also failed to reach the final round after initially earning the fourth seed for the regional event.

“I was always in position to qualify [for NCAAs], but I have always just choked at this one tournament,” Kong said. “It’s been disappointing every year, so this year was really exciting.”

The excitement for Kong almost never came to fruition — during the regional competition, a scoring error had placed Kong with an additional loss in a bout she had actually won. The senior’s reluctance to report the issue to officials almost cost the All-Ivy selection her first NCAA berth.

“I wasn’t going to say anything, because I thought I already didn’t qualify,” the

getting healthy.”

Nicolas Podesta is one of the most recent additions to the injured list, providing a painful blow for the team. The junior played at the No. 2 spot the last time out and was undefeated in singles play at 4-0.

To make matters worse, State College is certainly not an easy place to head to with a depleted roster. In the past four meetings, Penn has gone 1-3 against the Nittany Lions, the most recent being a 5-2 loss at home last year.

“If we go to Penn State and we can come out with a win against a good Big Ten team like that, it’s going to bode really well for the rest of the

of

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This weekend, senior epee Alejandra Trumble will close out her Penn fencing career with one last competition at the NCAA Championship.

Princeton native said. “I actually had given up, because I had lost four [bouts] in a row at one point. But I pointed it out and they changed it, and I qualified, so it was pretty crazy.”

If you ask the senior, the tight margins in women’s sabre have helped her as a fencer.

This season especially, there has been little room to be comfortable. With strong freshman teammates in Papp and Victoria Zhang, who was edged out by the senior at regionals, veterans like Kong and Arabella Uhry have been adamant that

it is important to remain sharp in order to be given competitive strip time that was once guaranteed. As Kong closes out her career, it is only fitting that her teammates pushed her to reach the level she needed to finally grab an NCAA spot.

As for life after graduation?

The Wharton grad will still be in the Philly area, doing public finance investment banking for PNC Bank.

But for now, it’s off to Indiana for Dana Kong, and one final hurrah before she hangs up her uniform.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

DELAYED START

BOUNCING BACK

After last weekend’s meet was cancelled, Penn track and field opens its outdoor season

Penn men’s lacrosse’s loss to Princeton hurt its title chances, but they can rebound at Cornell

>> SEE PAGE 9

>> SEE PAGE 8

Andrew prepares for competition at NCAAs

FENCING | 11 fencers to

compete at NCAAs

MOSES NSEREKO Associate Sports Editor

M. SWIMMING | Sophomore will be

Penn’s lone representative in Indianapolis

SARA YOUNG Sports Reporter

O

n Thursday, March 23rd, senior sabre Dana Kong will begin her last fencing tournament as a Quaker. And, as she approaches her last time on the strip, she will get to make her debut on the collegiate fencing’s biggest stage.

“I tried to give whatever I had left [at Mid-Atlantic regionals] because I’m a senior,” the veteran said. “Like it might’ve been the last time I ever fenced, so I was just gonna try my best and it worked out.”

Kong is one of 11 fencers who will represent the Red and Blue at the 2017

NCAA Fencing Championships in Indianapolis. Penn fencing will send the most fencers to the annual national championships in the program’s history, with the maximum number of fencers a team can send being 12.

The men qualified six fencers out of the Mid-Atlantic regional tournament, securing two births from each weapon class. Sophomore Justin Yoo highlighted the Quakers’ performance with his second straight regional epee title. Junior Zsombor Garzo secured a spot with a ninthplace finish in epee. Freshman foil

Willie Upbin secured his first NCAA trip with a bronze medal finish, joining junior foil John Vaiani. In the sabre class, sophomore Julian Merchant and freshman Adam Green secured their first NCAA berths.

The women will send five fencers to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum, led by sabre regional champion freshman Sara Papp, joining Kong as the other women’s sabre representative for the Red and Blue. Freshman Danielle Ferdon recorded the other podium SEE FENCING PAGE 9

LIZZY MACHIELSE | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

As a swimmer who specializes in one of the most notorious events in the sport, Penn sophomore Mark Andrew began his collegiate career last winter with great expectations for himself and a determination to reach his lofty goals.

This spring — over a year later — he has the chance to set the bar even higher in the NCAA Championship 400-meter individual medley.

“I spent the summer here training for Olympic Trials, working all summer to get ready for the season,” Andrew told the Daily Pennsylvanian back in November. “I got a lot of good work in, and I’ll need it because the goal is to compete at the national level, to be one of the top guys in the country.”

Andrew’s goal is not only within sight, but the opportunity to swim towards it is within hours. Friday morning, Andrew will begin competition in the NCAA Division I Championship meet held at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Andrew will start off the championship meet with preliminary races for the 400 IM — a torturous combination of butterfly, back, breast and freestyle strokes — against 27 opponents from around the country. His seasonal best time of 3:43.28 places him as the 18th seed.

“My individual goal is to reach top four in the NCAAs,” Andrew said.

If his performance in the Ivy League Championships is any indication of what we can expect from him this weekend, it wouldn’t be outlandish to assume that this goal is well within his reach.

This past season, Andrew became a two-time Ivy League champion in both the 200 and 400-meter IM, an impressive performance consistent with his rate of improvement so far at Penn.

“His goal should be to race with the big boys, to be a first team All-American,” coach Mike Schnur said of Andrew’s promising potential.

As the sole Penn representative at the NCAA championship, Andrew will take to the pool with both the support and pressure of a hopeful team behind him, opening the floodgates to a thrilling career only just beginning.

If his placements and times over the next two days are good enough, we will see him advance to the final heats Saturday. There, he’ll be “racing with the big boys,” making his coach and teammates proud.

Penn men’s club rugby plays in Bermuda tournament

Quakers went 4-2, took home “Bowl Trophy” COLE JACOBSON Sports Editor

It’s been quite the arms race for Penn Athletics’ traveling in recent weeks. Wrestling found itself in St. Louis last week for the NCAA Championships.

Men’s tennis headed to New Orleans to compete over spring break. A trio of Red and Blue teams played in Florida during break. Women’s basketball flew to Los Angeles for the second time this season for its March Madness game.

But the best trip of all? It didn’t even come from a varsity team.

Last weekend, Penn club men’s rugby made history by competing in the Ariel Re Bermuda 7s tournament, finishing 4-2 in the 12-team competition and taking home the “Bowl Trophy” by finishing first place in the consolation bracket.

“It sounded like a great opportunity for the club, considering we had never really done any trips like that in the past,” sophomore and Penn Rugby Vice President Taylor Martinez said. “We got to bond as a team, which was cool, and

come home with some hardware.”

Though the concept of traveling outside the bubble of Ivy League and other Philadelphia schools had been discussed for years, the team had never been able to string together the organization and resources to turn that dream into a reality — until 2017, that is.

“It was something we talked about for a couple of years, and it was some of the younger guys on the team that really bought in and sort of made it happen,” junior and Penn Sports Club Council President David Harris said. “It was in between [in terms of players or head coach Nic Clapinson facilitating the trip]; over the winter, he said that he wanted to take the program a step forward and take some more serious tournaments.”

Motivation was only part of the battle, though, as the squad faced logistic challenges unlike anything a Penn varsity team would encounter. While most varsity teams have equipment, meals, transportation and lodging funded by the school, club student-athletes generally handle the bulk of these responsibilities on their own, and the Bermuda trip was no exception.

But w it h a ser ies of

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innovative moves — including the team’s first ever “BikeA-Thon,” a fundraising event DJ’ed by sprint football quarterback Zack DiGregorio, a fraternity brother of Harris, Martinez and President Matt Caltabiano — the team was able to muster enough money to send itself to the tropics.

“The logistics of anything we try to do in a club sport are all student-run; club sports are supposed to be leadership opportunities for students, which is something that we’re really proud of,” Harris said. “We talk about that all the time, that we learn as much doing rugby stuff and getting real world experience as we would in any class.”

Once actually on the field, things got off to a rough start for Penn, as the team lost its opening two games against Ariel Re and Kutztown’s B team — who finished second and fourth, respectively — by a combined score of 64-10.

After that, though, it was smooth sailing for the Red and Blue. Though Penn’s 1-2 record in pool play left it short of qualifying for the winners’ bracket — via point differential, it was the only third-place team in its respective pool to miss out — Penn responded by winning out en route to taking the “Bowl,”

WILL SNOW | SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Penn rugby made history by competing in the Ariel Re Bermuda 7s, the program’s first-ever international tournament. The Quakers went 4-2 and finished in first place in the consolation bracket.

led by the team’s Most Outstanding Player, Alex Salazar.

“We had a really hard first day, and everyone was kind of down, but we really rallied and had a positive attitude on the second day,” Harris said. “And

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that was really good growth, because when we were younger, a lot of times we’d have a bad first day and just be like, ‘let’s just go out and get it over with; we’re not competing for the championship,’ so it was good

to have that resilience.”

Getting to face such strong competition was obviously benef icia l, but t he t r ip’s goals included far more than SEE RUGBY PAGE 8 CONTACT US: 215-422-4640