September 12, 2019 by The Daily Pennsylvanian

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 VOL. CXXXV

NO. 37

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After tragedy, students pledge support to peers

Student government pushes mental wellness initiatives CONOR MURRAY Senior Reporter

Student government leaders across Penn’s campus are looking inward to improve wellness in their own groups and committing to campus-wide mental wellness initiatives following the death of Counseling and Psychological Services Executive Director Gregory Eells. The students are focusing on strengthening their own communities and instituting internal mental wellness discussions. They are also seeking to partner closely with CAPS to extend existing programs, such as working to embed CAPS services in undergraduate schools. The Undergraduate Assembly is planning to work with CAPS to expand embedded models across undergraduate schools, UA Vice President and College senior Brian Goldstein said. Eells undertook a similar project while he was director of CAPS at Cornell University and was interested in pursuing this at Penn, UA Equity and Inclusion Committee Director and College sophomore Mary Sadallah said. Sadallah has worked on expanding the presence of CAPS beyond its traditional offices to various locations across campus. Sadallah said she met Eells at the “Your Big Idea” wellness competition in April, where she presented her idea of extending CAPS’ reach. She said Eells was excited about

CHASE SUTTON

The students are focusing on strengthening their own communities and instituting internal mental wellness discussions. They are also seeking to partner closely with CAPS to extend existing programs, such as working to embed CAPS services in undergraduate schools

Sadallah’s ideas and was willing to work with her in her efforts to place CAPS clinicians across campus and in different undergraduate schools, she said. Goldstein said the UA would seek to strengthen their partnerships with Penn Wellness and Chief Wellness

“this has encouraged the UA to continue to work on our wellness related initiatives,” - BRIAN GOLDSTEIN

Officer Benoit Dubé and expand distribution of the updated UA Wellness Guide across campus. “With regard to Dr. Eells’ death, this has encouraged the UA to continue to work on our wellness related initiatives,” Goldstein wrote in an emailed statement.

Nominations and Elections Committee Chair and College senior Olivia Crocker said the NEC is hoping to place an emphasis on mental wellness internally and in the elected branches of student government through their role as election facilitators. Crocker said the NEC wants to reduce stress in the election process. This year, the monetary campaigning period will start at 8 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. to allow candidates to sleep in, and the results presentation will have counselors from the Reach-APeer Helpline available to talk to the candidates. Crocker also hopes to engage in interbranch conversations with other student government leaders on how best to respond to Eells’ death. This discussion would likely occur at the first Penn Student Government Steering meeting of the semester, where the heads of the six undergraduate branches meet, which she said will most likely be this weekend. “I think it’s hard for people to be able to feel positive about the state of mental health resources at this university when something like this happens,” Crocker said. “But I’m hoping that we have some productive conversations at this first meeting.” Graduate and Professional Student Assemly President Greg Callaghan said Eells was a “wonderful source of support” for the graduate student community. “It was always clear that Dr. Eells’ concern for graduate student wellbeing was deep and genuine,” said Callaghan, a sixth-year Ancient History Ph.D. candidate.

Gutmann honors Eells at U. Council meeting Gutmann urged students to circulate resources MADDY STROHM Staff Reporter

2004. Holahan comes to Penn from Georgetown University, where she worked as the Academic Director for the Institute for College Preparation, a pre-college program with a 30-year history supporting underrepresented first-generation, low-income students in D.C.

Penn President Amy Gutmann called on student leaders to publicize mental health resources following the death of Gregory Eells, the executive director of Counseling and Psychological Services, at a University Council meeting Wednesday evening. Gutmann began the meeting with a moment of silence for Eells, who died on Monday. “I want to say that in the tradition I come from, saving a life is saving a world, and losing a life is losing a world. We lost a world when we lost Dr. Greg Eells,” Gutmann said. Gutmann urged students to look out for one another’s wellness and pushed student leaders to inform their peers about the available mental health resources on

SEE WEINGARTEN PAGE 2

SEE COUNCIL PAGE 6

CAROLINE GIBSON

Jane Holahan (pictured above) was previously an administrator at Georgetown University. She has worked all around the world, including in Thailand and Miami

New Weingarten director to focus on disability support Jane Holahan fills the position Myrna Cohen left ASHLEY AHN Senior Reporter

From Thailand to Miami to Washington D.C., Jane Holahan has worked all around the globe. Now, she is back in her home state of Pennsylvania as the new executive director of

the Weingarten Learning Resources Center. This is Holahan’s first semester as director. She fills the position left by Myrna Cohen, who retired from Weingarten at the end of the fall 2018 semester. Cohen, who received her Ph.D. in Education from Penn in 1992, had been at the University for 34 years and had led Weingarten since its creation in

OPINION | Helpers need help too

“While it may be intuitive, it is also easy to forget that helpers need help, too.” - The Daily Pennsylvanian Editorial Board PAGE 4

SPORTS | Celebrating a Legacy

A 50-year era of Penn sprint football will come to an end this season with coach Bill Wagner’s retirement. The team kicks off its schedule at home against Army tomorrow. BACKPAGE

MIRA SHETTY

President Amy Gutmann (pictured above) at a University Council meeting on Sept. 11

NEWS Penn Hillel welcomes two new Rabbis

NEWS Penn Ranked No. 6 by U.S. News & World Report

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She grew up in Bethlehem, Pa. as part of a family of eight and had a brother with Down syndrome. Holahan said growing up with her brother, who died at the age of 42, made her more sensitive to people with medical conditions and taught her patience, humor, and compassion. “It teaches you also what gifts a person with a disability brings to others, and he brought joy to our lives,” Holahan added. Her connection with Penn began long ago, at an annual Disability Symposium held at the University. She also visited Penn in 2017 as a Georgetown administrator to gather inspiration to see what she could bring back to Georgetown. After Holahan graduated with bachelor’s degrees in biology and literature from Moravian College, her work took her from Thailand to Miami. Holahan’s interest in social justice led her to the Peace Corps, where she worked as a laboratory technician in Thailand for two years. She then came back to the United States for a five-year “transition period,” during which she worked at a bank during the day and took classes in education at night. She then began pursuing teaching and education in Miami. Her experience working as a language arts teacher for 10 years ultimately led her to higher education. “What I found through my time teaching was how students with disabilities were often mainstreamed into classrooms, and so I often had students who were mainstreamed into class, and that was an interest of mine,” Holahan said. “What can we do

to integrate people with disabilities into a classroom?” Holahan began pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadersh ip/ H igher Education Administration from The George Washington University in 1997. Within her first year at George Washington, Holahan found a job at the Academic Resource Center at Georgetown and continued working at the university for the next decade. The Institute of College Preparation’s executive director Charlene Brown-McKenzie described Holahan as “equal parts competent and compassionate.” “Picture a classroom as a canvas, and Jane really recognizes how we are all different learners,” Brown-McKenzie said. “She’s like a painter. She uses every edge of that canvas to invite more young people into learning and into the content and material. That’s how I think of Jane.” While Holahan raved about her love for Georgetown and D.C., she said this opportunity at Penn was the next progression in her development as a leader focused on academic support services and students with disabilities. “When I was at Georgetown, I looked at Weingarten as the golden standard, because very few universities have disabilities and academic support under one office,” Holahan said. Holahan said she can already see how “compassionate” and “student-focused” the Weingarten staff is in just her first several months on the job and is “very humbled to be here.” “To me, it is a privilege to work here. I always tell people working in this field of disability and academic support it’s not a job. It’s a mission.”

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Penn Hillel welcomes two new rabbis Rabbi Mike Uram led the selection process ANNA DUAN Staff Reporter

After a months-long search, Penn Hillel has found two new rabbis, Rabbi Gabe Greenberg and Rabbi Elie Schwartz. Greenberg and Schwartz both have several years of rabbinical experience and were selected for their diverse backgrounds in Judaism, Rabbi Mike Uram said. The new rabbis met with students and staff during the summer and began their roles in late August. Their arrival follows the summer departures of Rabbi Josh Bolton, former director and senior Jewish educator for the Jewish Renaissance Project, and Rabbi Yaakov Taubes, former educator for the Orthodox Union at Penn’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus program. Rabbi Gabe Greenberg has seven years of experience as a Rabbi and comes to Penn from New Orleans, where he served as a rabbi for a local Jewish congregation. He is taking over the role of Director and Senior Jewish Educator for JRP, a program under Hillel which helps students explore their Jewish identities. In this new position, Greenberg said he will work with students individually to help them grapple with the meaning of being Jewish as well as approaching other important life questions.

HANNAH LAZAR

More than religious leaders, Penn Hillel rabbis are mentors to students whether they are Jewish or not, and are expected to engage with them on a one-on-one basis to form relationships, Uram said

In leading JRP, Greenberg said he recognizes that at Penn a large number of Jewish students do not enter Hillel. He hopes to create programs which make Hillel’s resources available to more students. Greenberg said his approach includes inviting students out for coffee or tea and leading group fellowships for students to explore questions of Judaism. Greenberg is also organizing bar and bat mitzvahs for Jewish students who never had them when they were younger and an alternative service for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah which will center on movement, dance, and reflection. “There’s no ‘one size fits all,’”

Greenberg said, “It’s about how … this 4,000 year old tradition [can] be meaningful and relevant for you.” Taking over as OU-JLIC educator is Rabbi Elie Schwartz, joined by his wife Mariam Schwartz. They formerly served in the same position at the University of Maryland. As part of the program, they were hired as a rabbinic couple to mentor Jewish students on campus, with a focus on how Orthodox Jewish students can navigate college life and their faith in a secular university. Rabbi Mike Uram, executive director and Campus Rabbi at Penn Hillel, led the selection

process, which also involved student leaders in Hillel and OU. Uram explained how this process is extensive. To be a Hillel rabbi, Uram said, is very different from being a regular rabbi of a congregation. More than religious leaders, Penn Hillel rabbis are mentors to students whether they are Jewish or not, and are expected to engage with them on a one-on-one basis to form relationships. “Any rabbi we hire has to have a small ego, has to be more interested in helping students shine than shining themselves,” he said. “We often say, the best sermon a Hillel Rabbi could give is when a student gives the sermon.”

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NEWS 3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

Course registration numbers will now have four digits Students will see the changes in spring 2021 GORDON HO Staff Reporter

Penn is planning to renumber all of its course numbers from three to four digits starting in fall 2021. The change aims to prevent confusion for students registering for courses and increase convenience for professors, Penn registration officials said. The highest-level course available within each department will change from 999 to 9999. This change will be applicable to all 12 schools across the University at the undergraduate and graduate levels, University Registrar Margaret Kip said. Students will see the changes in spring 2021 when they register for summer and fall classes, Executive Director for Academic Technology and Planning from the Office of the Provost Rob Nelson said. All courses will be officially replaced with four numbers by fall 2021, Kip said. Some departments currently

GRAPHIC BY GILLIAN DIEBOLD

label advanced seminars between course codes 410 and 430. With only 20 available spots, two distinct courses offered in two different semesters may share the same course number, which can be confusing for students, Nelson said. The restructuring of course numbers will vary by school. Small schools such as the School of Social Policy & Practice, which only

offers graduate-level courses, may approach the new policy differently from the School of Arts and Sciences, which has more complex course offerings, Kip said. “It’s that fine line that everyone is trying to walk between so much structure that it’s too rigid, and so little structure that there’s no speed to be found within it,” Kip said. “You can’t do anything efficiently

if it’s just random numbers everywhere.” Kip added that numbering courses is like a taxonomy and one objective is for users to hone in on information quickly and navigate to what they are interested in understanding. Not all the courses, however, will be renumbered, Kip said. Some courses may retain their old course labels if departments and schools at-

tach zeroes in front of or behind the current version, Kip added. While current courses that start with the number five are typically graduate-level classes, Kip said the University still has not decided if the new system will retain this rule. “I don’t think that decision has been made. That’s one of the things that has been talked about and thought about,” Kip said.

College freshman Hiba Hamid said that she is indifferent about the change and said she could adjust to the new system over time. “I hope that once this change does take effect, it’s explained and that students can really understand because even now, I still have confusion sometimes when signing up for courses,” College sophomore Amelia Mauldin said.

Penn Global Seminar to expand course offerings for 2020-21 The office will accept courses with prerequisites JASON YAN Staff Reporter

Penn Global Seminars offer students a chance to travel across the globe to apply concepts learned in the classroom in the real world. Destinations include Costa Rica for a tropical biodiversity class and South Africa for a history course. In less than a month, applications for faculty members to lead a Penn Global Seminar for the 2020-2021 academic year will close. In an effort to expand the Global Seminar model, the Penn Global office is now accepting courses with prerequisites, courses taught in a language other than English, and major- or program-specific courses for this application cycle. Previously, Penn Global Seminar courses were only courses that did not require prerequisites. Professors who have taught these seminars say the experiences are rewarding, and they greeted the expansion of the Global Seminar model. Penn Global Programs Manager Laurie Jensen said Penn Global handles most of the logistics of the travel component, including payments and reservations, so the faculty members can focus on teaching the course. Earth and Environmental Science Undergraduate Chair and professor Alain Plante taught a Penn Global Seminar on environmental sustainability last semester that included a trip to Iceland in May. “It was a perfect marriage to put together a course and have the support in the logistics,” Plante said. Jensen said Penn Global hopes to include more academic departments that are underrepresented in the Penn Global Seminars and study abroad programs through this expansion. “We spent more than two years of research on trying to figure out what departments and students are looking for, what barriers there are to faculty proposing [their course ideas], and students taking courses,” Jensen added. Penn Global Seminars are opening up their courses to those with prerequisites because it is difficult for certain departments and schools to propose such courses that are open to all students regardless of discipline, Jensen said. “This led to this idea of broadening the PGS model, and rather than saying no prerequisite ever, we can have a small subset of courses that do target the major specific and upper level courses that require background knowledge,” Jensen said. However, Plante said there are more barriers to leading a Penn Global Seminar than just the course requirements, citing preconceptions about subjects like hard sciences that are out of Penn’s control. “There is a perception that chemistry is chemistry, math is math, and it doesn’t really matter where you do it and there isn’t added value to going elsewhere,” Plante said. “And that the curricu-

GARETT NELSON

In an effort to expand the Global Seminar model, the Penn Global office is now accepting courses with prerequisites, courses taught in a language other than English, and majoror program-specific courses for this application cycle. Penn Global Seminar courses will now be opened to more technical classes rather than courses available to all

lum of science is tighter and it is harder to add this kind of component to a science class, but I am not sure that this kind of perception is correct.” Faculty can face pressures from their department chairs to teach large lectures due to student demand, political science and law professor Beth Simmons said, which poses another obstacle to teaching small seminars with a travel component.

Plante added that it would be beneficial, for example, for an astronomy class to go to an observatory, or a science class to travel to a foreign academic institution where there is expertise, faculty, equipment or infrastructure that Penn lacks. “I think that expanding student experience beyond the classroom is highly beneficial, whether it is physics [or] chemistry,” Plante said.

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But Simmons said that science classes may find it harder to become a Penn Global Seminar. “A lot of the t imes, science classes require laboratory commitment, and sometimes it is hard to think of a justification of going to a foreign laboratory.” Simmons added that it is more work for faculty to lead a PGS course in comparison to a regular course. “My semester is now two

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OPINION In the wake of Gregory Eells’ tragic death, remember helpers need help too

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 VOL. CXXXV, NO. 37 135th Year of Publication JULIA SCHORR President SARAH FORTINSKY Executive Editor ALICE HEYEH Print Director BEN ZHAO Digital Director ISABELLA SIMONETTI Opinion Editor MADELEINE NGO Senior News Editor THEODOROS PAPAZEKOS Senior Sports Editor GILLIAN DIEBOLD Senior Design Editor JESS TAN Design Editor LUCY FERRY Design Editor TAMSYN BRANN Design Editor GIOVANNA PAZ News Editor MANLU LIU News Editor MAX COHEN News Editor

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n Sept . 9, t he Pen n com mu n it y wa s no t i f ie d of t h e d e a t h of Gregory Eells, the executive director of Counseling and Psychological Services. Eells, who had previously held the same position at Cornell University, started his term at Penn in March. As our campus comes together to process and to grieve, we must remember that it’s okay to lean on one another. We must check in with each other, especially with those whom we may often overlook: our leaders, our mentors, and our support systems. Although this subset of people is reliable and seems to have a semblance of togetherness, they are not immune to stress and despair. Helpers also need supporters. It may seem intuitive, but it’s so easy to forget that helpers need help, too. This idea gets overlooked because of the perception that those individuals, who have the capability to or are in positions to help others, have their lives together. As a result

of this perception, among other contributing factors, helpers may be less likely to reach out to others if they are ever struggling. The capacity of helpers to give sound advice, to listen attentively, and to go out of their way to help others leads us to believe they must be healthy themselves. The qualities we attribute to the helpers in our lives ultimately feed into the assumption they are immune to the problems and emotions we all face. While it may be easy to assume that helpers are invincible, it’s also dangerous. It’s one of the reasons we don’t think to check in with them and don’t remind ourselves that they’re human, too. Eells devoted his career to guiding others through mental health issues. That doesn’t mean he or any of us are immune to those same issues. People who give a lot of themselves to help others can experience pain, love, and hurt as we all do. The perception that helpers are invincible can also seep into their own idea of themselves.

LINDA TING

This feeling that helpers may experience — that their glasses should always be half-full — may contribute to their tendency to be less likely to reach out to others when they may need help themselves. To the helpers: Remember that your happiness and well-being trumps other obligations. While it’s not always easy to do so, it’s

important to find people you can lean on, like others lean on you. Reaching out for help is not a sign that you couldn’t “hack it,” it just means that you are human. In fact, you won’t be able to effectively help others if you’re not in a healthy place yourself. Do not forget about the helpers in your life. It’s a challenging time on Penn’s campus right now,

particularly because the people many of us would normally turn to for help are grieving. Remember that while they may not always voice it, everyone experiences hardship. It’s critical to take the time to check in, especially with those you may lean on in life, even if they may seem to have it all together and be doing alright.

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Honor Gregory Eells by helping others

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OUT OF TURN | Support others during difficult times

t ’s N a t i o n a l S u i c i d e P r eve n t io n We e k . O n Monday mor ning, Counseling and Psychological Services director Gregory Eells died. Although he was new to Penn, Eells had a long and extensive career in counseling and providing mental health support to students: At the time of his death, he had worked in the field for over 20 years. I didn’t know Eells personally. He was his own person, with a life, family, and friends outside of Penn; this loss belongs first and foremost to them, and the people here who knew and worked with him. But I still feel his loss acutely, as a leader and source of support for students, and I know our community is feeling it too. But the best way to honor Eells’ legacy, I think, is to do what he spent his career doing: to endow our own experiences, even the most painful ones, with purpose and meaning by supporting others. There are many people and groups at Penn working to raise awareness and eradicate stigma

surrounding mental health issues, mirroring the focus of national efforts to prevent suicide. We say we need to have a conversation about mental health; we tell each other that it’s okay to ask for help, that it’s okay to not be okay. All of those statements are true. Those things are crucial to hear; at least, when I’ve struggled, they have been for me. But, as we see when we watch our mental health experts and leaders fight their own battles, most of our issues won’t be fixed after one therapy session or one honest and open conversation. Many of our experiences with mental illness started before our Penn careers did and might very well continue long after we’re done here. That isn’t to say that things can’t or don’t get better, but the road to “better” can last a lifetime, and it might demand more of us than awareness alone. I believe fervently that one of the most important and worthwhile things to stay for is the chance to support others. At a

The kind of service that Eells practiced in his work is something we can honor him by modeling.” place like Penn where self-advancement (in work or academics) is often treated as the only and ultimate goal, this kind of caring can feel futile and forgettable. But the kind of service that Eells practiced in his work is something we can honor him by modeling. In an interview he gave to Penn Today after assuming his new position, Eells said he envisioned “CAPS playing a role in creating a space for students to craft meaning, because it plays a huge role in having positive mental health.” I used to view my own experiences with mental illness and suicidal ideation as obstacles to having a conventional college experience. I’ve wasted a lot of time being mad at myself, and at the world, instead

THIS ISSUE AVA CRUZ Design Associate CAROLINE CHIN Design Associate

OPINION ART

LINDA TING Design Associate ALISA BHAKTA Copy Associate EMMA SCHULTZ Copy Associate DANA NOVIKOV Copy Associate CAROLINE DONNELLY MORAN Copy Associate JACOB WESSELS Associate Sports Editor JACKSON SATZ Associate Sports Editor

LETTERS Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@thedp.com. Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn’s campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.

SARAH KHAN is a College junior from from Lynn Haven, Fla.

of thinking about how I could craft meaning from my own pain. But the only way I’ve been able to make sense of my own life, and the only way I can envision making sense of this tragedy, is to do that now. I might not have known him, but I am proud of and inspired by Gregory Eells for living a life spent trying to help students in need. If you are sad, scared, or struggling right now: Know that you are creating meaning — in this community, in all of your communities — simply by existing, and I am proud of you for the same thing. Seek out the help that is there for you. Take time for yourself if you need to. When you feel ready, remember the words of

ANA WEST theologian Henri Nouwen: “The main question is not ‘How can we hide our wounds?’ so we don’t have to be embarrassed, but ‘How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?’” You are uniquely positioned to honor those we’ve lost by helping those who are still here, who need someone to be there for them in the same way that you’ve needed someone. It is daunting. It is hard. But I’m so glad that you are here to do it. ANA WEST is a College junior from Spring Lake, Mich. studying English. Her email address is anawest@sas.upenn.edu.

Stop joking about mental illness MORE WITH MORRISON | It’s no laughing matter

“W

ell, guess I’ll die.” If you have at all interacted with me personally this past year, you’ll know that this is one of my favorite refrains. Whether I’m having a bad day, or not in the best headspace, or even just faced with a minor inconvenience, the words leap to my lips. If I’m studying with my friends, past a certain threshold of stress I’ll start joking about offing myself, asking if there’s a way to open the windows in the rooftop lounge or if I could maybe get out of this problem set if I didn’t look

the 21st century often feels like a madcap rat race, an absurdist, Kafkaesque exercise in futility and meaninglessness. And yet, however understandable it may be for us to joke about such grim topics, joking about death, suicide, and mental health more generally is a coping mechanism that ultimately does us more harm than good. Penn may be a high pressure environment, but using morbid jokes to vent only compounds our campus’ mental health crisis. In particular, by casually indulging in dark humor we run

JAMES MORRISON

By being perpetually pessimistic, you risk suffocating any small joy that could make your day or life just that much more livable.” both ways when crossing a busy street. My sense of humor might be morbid, but it is not an anomaly. On Penn’s campus and for our generation more generally, our taste in jokes is decidedly bleak. The end of the world, suicide, mental health: all of these things are common fodder for memes, tweets, and casual conversations with friends. And honestly, who can blame us? Navigating life in

the risk of normalizing issues of mental health in the worst way possible. By joking about dying or depression on a regular basis, it can make it much more difficult for a friend to know if you’re just kidding around and being dramatic or are genuinely giving them a cry for help. And by constantly making light of suicide and depression, when symptoms manifest it could be treated with far less seriousness than it ought to be.

AVA CRUZ

However innocent such talk might be, the fact of the matter is that joking about mental illness ultimately minimizes it and the people that it affects. It’s one thing to joke about having depression or wanting to die, and it’s an entirely other thing to genuinely struggle to get up each morning or to grapple with thoughts of suicide. It’s difficult to open up to people about mental health as it is. But by perpetually joking about it, it makes it that

much more difficult for people who are genuinely struggling to open up and be taken seriously. Something else to bear in mind: You don’t know everyone’s histories. What to you is a lighthearted joke or an offhand comment could serve as a trigger for someone else’s traumatic experience. Especially at Penn, where the “work hard, play hard” mentality pushes nearly everyone to their breaking point, it pays to be particularly cautious.

And finally, although this is perhaps obvious, dwelling constantly in the realm of dark humor is not great for your well-being or your outlook on life. Yes, class is stressful. Yes, this campus’s culture is toxic. Yes, the world sucks. But by being perpetually pessimistic and forever locked in the mindset of “it’s the grind and then the grave,” you risk suffocating any small joy that could make your day or life just that much more livable. Joking

about your abysmal mental health might temporarily make you feel better about yourself, but it is no substitute for genuinely taking care of yourself and certainly no substitute for seeking out professional help. Dark, nihilistic humor is a symptom, not a cause, of this campus’ mental health epidemic. And while this sort of humor is supposed to act as a sort of coping mechanism, it ultimately inflames, not soothes, the mental health issues that plague this campus. I am by no means proposing a ban on dark humor in all its forms, or arguing that anyone who’s ever quipped about death is a bad person. But we owe it to each other and to ourselves to be just a bit more thoughtful, and just a bit more measured in the way that we use black comedy in our everyday lives. JAMES MORRISON is a College sophomore from Pipersville, Pa. studying English. His email address is jmorr2@sas.upenn.edu.

“You don’t know this yet, but life isn’t supposed to be like this” GUEST COLUMN BY SARAH GADSDEN

remember wa k ing up in my Ha m ilton Court apartment in a paralyzing state of despair. I could hear students partying outside my window on the street by the Blarney Stone — it was the weekend before

St. Patrick’s Day. By contrast, I was so overcome with an inexplicable anxiety that I struggled to get out of bed. It was a familiar episode, but its familiarity did nothing to dull its sharp edges: I couldn’t escape the sense that

life was fraught with pain and that I was somehow fundamentally broken. That semester — the spring of my senior year — I told my Counseling and Psychological Services counselor that I felt trapped: For years, whenever I seemed to have gotten better, I’d fall right back into that same cycle of despair. I felt destined to always suffer — if I hadn’t been able AVA CRUZ to overcome it yet, why should I believe that I ever would? A psychiatrist gave me a metaphor for this feeling: My car was stuck in a ditch, and I was spinning my wheels but hardly moving. My treatment would give my car the push it needed to

emerge from the ditch. When I read the news of CAPS Director Gregory Eells’ death, I thought instantly of that helplessness I’d felt my senior year. Every loss to suicide is a horrific tragedy, and in the fragile state I’d been in that spring, his death would’ve likely fueled my belief that I’d never stop suffering. That’s why I’m sharing my story with you, fellow Quaker. This column is for all the students at Penn who may have been feeling that way in the past few days. I want you to see what it looks like when you overcome your suffering — when you make it out of the ditch. CAPS equipped me with the diagnoses and referrals I needed to begin to turn the tide. After a few more years of on-and-off therapy and trying several different medications, I made it onto solid ground: It’s now been several years since my last bout of anxiety and depression. I am living the full, rich life of a

Every loss to suicide is a horrific tragedy, and in the fragile state I’d been in that spring, his death would’ve likely fueled my belief that I’d never stop suffering.” mentally healthy adult — something I thought was impossible in the depths of my mental illness. There were many peaks and valleys along the way, and there’s no telling what surprises life has in store for me. Your recovery, too, will follow its own unique path. What I know now is that if I relapse, I will have the tools I need to recover and the knowledge that the illness will pass. An avid “Grey’s Anatomy” fan, I’m reminded of something Dr. Meredith Grey told a young patient: “You don’t know this

yet, but life isn’t supposed to be like this. It’s not supposed to be this hard.” You are not destined to suffer, dear reader. Life isn’t supposed to be this hard. Millions of us have made it out of that steep, muddy ditch, and we will stand with you roadside to help shepherd you to safety. SARAH GADSDEN is a 2013 College graduate and former Managing Editor of The Daily Pennsylvanian. Her email address is sarahgads@gmail.com.

Know your capacity for helping others

THE OXFORD C’MON | We need to understand there are circumstances under which our support may not be necessary

i ke m a ny Pen n st ud ent s, my st r ugg le s w it h m e nt a l h e a lt h haven’t a lways been im mediately recognizable or visible. Everyone’s anxieties manifest in different ways. It can be easy to get angry at those who don’t understand why you’d prefer to walk the twenty blocks to Rittenhouse Square, as opposed to taking an Uber (because Ubers

makes you incredibly nervous for a reason you don’t know how to fully articulate). The baggage that we lug around with us from classes, to work, and back home again aren’t visibly stuffed like the ones holding our textbooks and laptops. They’re invisible to many, only outlines to a few. Perhaps those who you decide to trust and confide in can see the full extent of your baggage,

and even carry some of its weight for you when you ask. But it is dangerous for friends, family members, and trusted authority figures to claim that they support you when they do not have the capacity to enact this proposed support. We all need to have an understanding of our capacity to be there for our friends and those whom we love. But you shouldn’t be made to feel guilty about not being able to always extend a helping hand. Growing up, my twin sister and I depended on each other a lot. Throughout f a m i ly troubles, individual struggles with our respective mental health issues, and the stress of all other things, we each tried our best to be a shoulder for the other to lean on. CAROLINE CHIN When we were

Perhaps those who you decide to trust and confide in can see the full extent of your baggage, and even carry some of its weight for you when you ask.” 13 years old and coping with the loss of multiple family members, our single mother’s cancer diagnosis, and her ensuing treatment, this kind of mutual support was necessary, albeit draining. It is difficult to express boundaries to someone who so desperately needs you, especially when you’re young and still growing into your own empathetic capacities. Now, as young adults living on different coasts, we still go through family struggles, we still have our own mental health crises, and we still need each other. But we should understand how much of ourselves we can give to each other at different times. It is important to let those around you know how and when you’re

willing to help them. And if you’ve offered that help and support, it is equally important to stay true your word. As much as I want to offer my sister a tissue every time she cries, help my old roommate through every bump in his relationship, and listen to every coworker going through a stressful time, the reality of the situation is that I can’t do that for the rest of my life, especially not when my eyes are clouded with problems of my own. We are all fumbling through the difficulties of growth, balancing mental health and existence, and caring about those around us attempting the same feats. To offer support and not provide it can be as damaging to someone struggling

SOPHIA DUROSE with their mental health as never having offered the support at all. Negotiating how much you can feasibly offer someone of yourself while also devoting enough of your time to yourself is tricky, and I don’t profess there to be one correct happy medium. I do, however, advocate for exploring your personal compass of sensitivity and helping as much as you can when you’ve promised to do so, while not overextending yourself. SOPHIA DUROSE is a College junior from Orlando, Fla. studying English. Her email is sdurose@sas.upenn.edu

6 NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

Penn researcher wins ‘Oscars of Science’ award for $3 million Virginia M.Y. Lee studies diseases like Alzheimer’s SIMONA VIGODNER Staff Reporter

Penn researcher Virginia M.Y. Lee won the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for her lifetime work in understanding how misfolded proteins can spread through cells, leading to the progression of diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The Breakthrough Prizes are known as the “Oscars of Science,” and were sponsored by Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, Ma Huateng, Yuri and Julia Mil-

ner, and Anne Wojcicki, according to the Breakthrough Prize’s website. Lee is the John H. Ware 3rd Professor in Alzheimer’s Research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine. She is also the director of the Medical School’s Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research. Lee was honored for her research focusing on proteins that affect the progression of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. According to the website, specific proteins called tau proteins create a tangle within brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients. Lee, however, showed in 1991 that these

tau proteins themselves prevent neurons from firing, and found similarities in this entanglement associated with Parkinson’s and ALS. Lee also later discovered that the way in which the misfolded proteins spread through nervous system cells could explain disease progression, and invented a “protein roadmap” to explain this transmission and to clearly illuminate how degeneration occurs. Last year, Lee published a breakthrough study that showed when different misfolded proteins appear in different cells, they lead to distinct neurodegenerative diseases. Lee showed that distinct aggregations of these proteins were found in Mul-

tiple System Atrophy and Parkinson’s disease. This is the eighth iteration of the Breakthrough Prize, which in addition to being awarded in the category of Life Sciences, is also presented in Fundamental Physics and Mathematics. A total of $21.6 million was awarded this year. Lee and other winners will attend a gala awards ceremony on Nov. 3 at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California. “It is an honor to receive such a prestigious award, and this funding will help us as we continue to push for a greater understanding of these diseases that can ultimately help us find ways to help millions of these patients,” Lee told Penn Medicine News.

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campus. “If you or anyone you know needs help of any kind, do not hesitate to reach out. We must look out for one another,” Gutmann said. “And, as you all are leaders in this University community, you can play a special role in in spreading the word even further about available resources and about our all caring for one another. That is what a community is about.” Gutmann said that Penn is committed to mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff. “We are absolutely committed ensuring that our students, faculty and staff have the resources they need, Gutmann said. “As you know, CAPS and Penn’s oth-

PHOTO BY SCOTT SPITZER, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Virginia M.Y. Lee (pictured above) is also the director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at the Perelman School of Medicine.

er health and wellness resources are available.” The University Council meeings, which take place on seven Wednesdays throughout the year, bring together students and faculty leaders from across the University to discuss issues and events on campus at its meetings. Anyone is welcome to attend the meetings, and members of the community can submit proposals or questions to the Council. After Gutmann’s message, David Fox, the director of New Student Orientation and Academic Initiatives, gave a presentation about academic themes, which was on the agenda before the meeting. The 20-minute meeting also included an announcement of the four focus issues for each of the University Council meetings this academic year.

The issues are Penn’s Climate Action Plan, student research opportunities, campus security and emergency response plans, and the Power of Penn Campaign, said Stephen Kimbrough, Wharton professor and chair of the Council’s Steering Committee. Fox gave an introduction to the Year of Data, the academic theme year, and announced that the theme for 2020-2021 will be the Year of Jazz. He said that the Penn Reading Project for next year will center around “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” a play written by August Wilson. The work was first performed in 1984 and chronicles the 20th century African American experience. Fox also told students attending the meeting that they are welcome to help develop events related to the themes this year and next year.

@DAILYPENN

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NEWS 7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

Penn ranked No. 6 university by U.S. News & World Report THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE CAN RISE IN ORDER TO AVOID THE WORST CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING IS 1 .5°C.

WE’RE ALREADY PAST 1°C.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 18

AT NOON

GRAPHIC BY JESS TAN

For the past three years, Penn was ranked No. 8

position in the rankings since 2013, when the University was ranked No. 7. Since then, it had hovered between the eighth and MADDY STROHM ninth spots. Staff Reporter This year, Penn was ranked Penn ranked No. 6 in the U.S. No. 15 in Best Value Schools, a News & World Report ranking drop from No. 12 in last year’s of United States universities, rankings. The University also rising two spots from previous ranked No. 27 for Most Innovayears. tive Schools, rising from No. 32 The University, which has last year. ranked eighth for the past three U.S. News & World Report years, now shares the No. 6 spot calculates rankings based on with Stanford University and 15 categories that measure the University of Chicago. academic quality. Unlike other Pr inceton University re- popular ranking organizations, mained in the top position for it only considers academic facthe ninth year in a row, followed tors. by Harvard University. ColumThe largest factor used to bia University, Massachusetts calculate the rankings is “outInstitute of Technology, and comes,” a measure of a school’s Yale University tied for No. 3. graduation rates and success Duke University, which tied in retaining students. The outwith Penn in 2019 for the No. 8 comes factor accounts for 35% spot, has dropped to No. 10. of a school’s total score. It DPHalfPage_FollowThatBus_081419.pdf 1 8/14/2019 3:59:50 PM T h is is Pen n’s h ighest also includes a social mobility

component, which looks at how successful a school is at helping Pell Grant recipients to graduate. According to U.S. News and World Report, other factors in the ranking include faculty resources, expert opinion, fina ncia l resources, student excellence, and alumni giving. Unlike last year’s ranking, the 2020 ranking did not consider high school counselors’ opinions as expert opinions. This ranking follows other high rankings for the University in the past few months. Penn was ranked No. 4 in this year’s Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education College Rankings, where it rose from the No. 10 spot. This past March, U.S. News & World Report also ranked Wharton’s MBA program as the top fulltime MBA program in the country.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STATUE IN FRONT OF COLLEGE HALL

AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE’S ABERRANT WEATHER

Herman Beavers, Professor of English and Africana Studies

OIL IS NOT FOREVER

Nikhil Anand, Associate Professor of Anthropology

ON THE URGENCY OF ECOLOGICAL GRIEF

Paul Saint-Amour, Walter H. and Leonore C. Annenberg Professor in the Humanities and Chair of English

WILL THE MONGOLIAN STEPPE STEP UP TO CLIMATE CHANGE? Brenda Casper, Professor of Biology

THE CLIMATE PATIENT’S BILL OF RIGHTS

Simon Richter, Class of 1942 Endowed Term Professor in the

Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures

www.sas.upenn.edu/climate-1point5

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8 SPORTS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

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Hoping to work in journalism or publishing after college? A dynamic panel of four Penn alumni — all of whom worked in diﬀerent roles at the DP as undergrads — will discuss the early trials, tribulations, and eventual bliss of working in the media. Come get the scoop, as these professionals will ﬁeld your questions and advise aspiring writers and editors on the everchanging landscape of new media.

ASHLEY PARKER C’05 is a White House reporter at the Washington Post, where she was part of the team that won a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for their coverage of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Previously, she worked at the New York Times, where she covered politics (including the campaigns of Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush and Donald Trump). She has also written for Glamour, The Huffington Post, The Washingtonian, Philadelphia Weekly, and is an NBC/MSNBC senior political analyst. JESSICA GOODMAN C’12 is a senior editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, where she edits stories about caeeers, money, travel love and food. She and her team won a National Magazine Award in Personal Service for a 2017 story, How to Run For Office. Previously, she was a digital news editor at Entertainment Weekly and an Entertainment Editor at Huff Post. Her debut YA novel will be published next year. LUIS FERRÉ-SADURNÍ C’17 is a reporter for The New York Times covering housing in New York City. Turning a 3-month internship at the Times into a full-time reporting job, he has covered crime, criminal justice issues, and spent a month reporting from Puerto Rico on the devastating impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. STEPHEN FRIED C’79 (moderator) is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author who teaches non-fiction writing at Penn and Columbia. He is the author of 7 nonfiction books — the latest, a biography of Founding Father Benjamin Rush, was recently named a finalist for the 2019 George Washington Book Prize — and has been a writer at Vanity Fair, GQ, Glamour and Philadelphia Magazine.

Thursday, September 19 • 5:00 pm Kelly Writers House Arts Café • 3805 Locust Walk No registration required; this event is free & open to the public

Football Supplement September 19

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SPORTS 9

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

BROMANCE >> BACKPAGE

CHASE SUTTON

Quarterback Eddie Jenkins (12) and center Matt Hermann (50), have been inseperable ever since they were matched as freshman year roomates. Now seniors, the pair have developed a colorful and lasting bromance — fostered in large part by their shared brotherhood in the fraternity DKE.

McCAFFREY >> BACKPAGE

solid numbers in nearly every offensive category. Although listed as a wide receiver, the freshman standout found himself doing more than just catching footballs. Second on the team in receiving yards — behind only Kelly — McCaffrey was also third on the team in rushing yards, behind Klaus and then-junior quarterback Eddie Jenkins. And if that wasn’t enough, McCaffrey was the team’s leading kickoff and punt returner. “I think getting experience as a freshman was definitely great for me. I finished the season with an all-league award which gave me confidence coming into this season as a sophomore,” McCaffrey said. By the end of his freshman campaign, McCaffrey finished the season with 17 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, the wide receiver tallied 57 yards on 10 rushing attempts, and as a returner, he

averaged 16.33 yards per kickoff return and 15.83 yards per punt return, which included a 41-yard return for a touchdown against Caldwell. “McCaffrey can break away at any time; he’s that kind of a threat,” coach Bill Wagner said. “He can score catching the ball, running the ball, on punt returns, and on kickoffs. He’ll be one of the go-to guys on the field.” There are high expectations for McCaffrey heading into this season. After all, the sophomore wideout was one of the few players last year to make a significant contribution in all six games. He has no pressure shouldering the load on offense even more this season. “I generally like the pressure. I feel like the more that’s on me, the more comfort I have because I like it when things are in my hands,” McCaffrey said. “I feel like I can do whatever is needed.” McCaffrey has been ready for the season to start for a while now. During the offseason, the sophomore was constantly in

the weight room working on strength, speed, and fitness. An important part of McCaffrey’s training was footwork and routerunning. McCaffrey, however, won’t be the only threat on offense. Joining him at the wide receiver position will be senior Billy Murphy, junior Barry Klein, and sophomore Ben Klaus. At running back, sophomore Laquan McKever will step into the starting role, and senior quarterback Eddie Jenkins is back for one last go around. “We have a lot of receivers back, and they are all working really hard. We have a good receiving corps. We have a quarterback who can move the ball, and an impressive offensive line,” Wagner said. With McCaffrey no longer being able to fly under the radar, opposing defenses will likely be paying extra attention to him this year. He and the Red and Blue will open their season with a tough test against Army on Friday at Franklin Field.

[Hermann] made a snap to me from the C aisle,” Jenkins said with a laugh. “It was a great snap because of all the practice we’ve done. We have fun with it.” Given their positions and the strong chemistry they share, the pair’s friendship has helped the team succeed on the field. “It’s very important to have a good relationship between the [quarterback] and center. I never have to think about the snaps when I take them because it’s so routine,” Jenkins said. “Other quarterbacks will come in and complain about it being too high or too low, but that’s only because he’s so used to snapping the ball to me.” “I think it fosters trust, too, between the offensive line and the quarterback,” Hermann added. “We are a link between the skill players and the line and that helps our team com-

municate more effectively.” When the lineup changed, Jenkins felt a tangible impact when Hermann was on the sidelines. “When centers would change out last year, I’d feel it,” Jenkins said. “Sometimes they’d come back too slow, so it’s always good to have [Hermann] at center.” Hermann and Jenkins — the latter of whom was limited by injury to five games last season for the Red and Blue — are looking to return the CFSL trophy to Penn in Wagner’s final season as head coach of the program. “At the alumni game we wanted to score 50 points in celebration of [Wagner’s] 50th year,” Jenkins said. “He’s been a great coach for us and we’ve shared a lot of great memories as a team.” Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that Hermann and Jenkins will be leaving the program with the coach who helped them become great friends.

Wisdom Teeth Study

If you have impacted wisdom (3rd molar) teeth that need to be removed you may qualify for a clinical research study that involves taking both approved pain relievers after surgery and providing us with blood and urine samples. Compensation is available for your efforts and time completing the study. If you are interested please call Stacey Secreto in the Oral Surgery & Pharmacology Research Unit at 215-746-8871 or 484-354-4442

Hand out newspapers. Get money.

The Daily Pennsylvanian is hiring students to work in its circulation department. Distribute papers, manage the database, check rackboxes, place posters and earn $10 an hour. Contact Joy Ekasi-Otu at: ekasi-otu@theDP.com to schedule an interview

10 SPORTS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

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Key Matchups: Sprint football faces Army in season opener Field hockey looking for first goal of the season KRISSY KOWALSKI Sports Reporter

As the fall sports seasons get into the swing of things, this weekend will be key for Penn Athletics. Here are the three biggest matchups â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the games within the games â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to keep an eye on. Field hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offense vs Monmouth and Villanova The Quakers will have two chances to get their first win of the year. Penn will first travel to New Jersey to face Monmouth,

the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first unranked opponent of 2019. Then on Sunday, the Quakers will have their home opener against local rival Villanova. Thus far this season, the Quakers have played No. 1 North Carolina and No. 10 Wake Forest, losing by a combined 8-0 to the Atlantic Coast Conferences powerhouses. The Red and Blue will need to find a spark on offense if they hope to come away from this weekend with a pair of wins. Sophomore forward Madison Jiranek is a player who can step up on offense this weekend. In the first two games of the season, the two-sport athlete has

only recorded two shots, with a single shot on goal. On the defensive side of the ball, senior goalkeeper Ava Rosati has played well although the scores donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily reflect it. Against the top-ranked Tar Heels, Rosati faced 18 shots on goal and put up a dozen saves, while she saved four of six shots against the Demon Deacons. For a team still looking for its first goal of the year, it will take a combination of solid offensive against Monmouth and Villanova to come away with a pair of wins. Sprint footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new-look defense vs Army

How will the Quakers look to exact revenge after last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 28-6 loss to Army? By giving coach Bill Wagner a victory in his final home opener with the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coach Wagner has done quite a lot for all of us and I think it is a huge motivating factor for us throughout the season,â&#x20AC;? junior offensive lineman Dan Smith said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For this to be his last home opener and last regular season game against Army, it is definitely in the forefront of all of our minds.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a tough loss and has been a big part of what has fired us up over the course of the summer,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We spent a lot of time watching film of that game and we are in a much better spot to come out on top this year.â&#x20AC;? The Red and Blue lost 16 players to graduation, including James Juliano, who lead the team last year with 45 tackles, and Angelo Matos, who had a team high four sacks. The ad-

ditional losses of two-year captain Tom Console and defensive lineman Sam Smallzman leave the team thin on that side of the ball. Senior linebacker Jack Hennigan and sophomore defensive back Luca Curran will need to continue their success from last season if the Quakers want any chance beating a tough Black Knights team. After joining the team just last year, junior linebacker/ safety Aaron Johnson is poised to have a breakout season. Across six games during his sophomore season, he totaled 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks for the Quakers. Last year against Army, Johnson posted a career-high eight tackles. The Quakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new defensive look will be put to the test this Friday, as they look to start Wagnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th and final season off on the right foot with a win at home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the last season for

Wags and this is really something we want to get done for him. This is the first step,â&#x20AC;? Smith said. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soccer midfielder Breukelen Woodard vs opposing defenses Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soccer will be competing twice this weekend and looking to extend their winning streak to three games. On Friday, Penn will travel to nearby Bucknell to take on the Bison, and then on Sunday, the Quakers will host Loyola (Md.) at Rhodes Field. Last time out, the Quakers were able to come away with a 1-0 win against Mount St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s after junior midfielder Breukelen Woodard scored in the seventh minute of play. The South Carolina transfer has already scored twice thus far this season, good for half of the four team goals. If Woodard continues her shooting mentality, opposing defenses could find themselves down a goal, again.

GRAPHIC BY AVA CRUZ

ERIC ZENG

Sophomore forward Madison Jiranek and the rest of Penn field hockey have still not scored a goal this season after two games against top-10 teams. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll look to change that against Villanova and Monmouth.

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Penn football combats decreasing attendance with new initiatives

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KRISSY KOWALSKI Sports Reporter

Ancient Eight. Even in a year, when the Quakers were able to win a title, they still struggled to fill the stadium. This could be due in part to Ivy League rules, which stipulate that teams can only play 10 games each season. Clemson and Alabama each played 150% of the games Penn did last season. While the rule was initiated to lower the risk of concussions, it also leaves fans fewer opportunities to make it out to games. In 2009, the Red and Blue averaged 10,600 people per game, which placed them third among Ivies behind Harvard and Yale. The title-winning Alabama Crimson Tide averaged 92,012 people per game that same year.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never exciting to play at home in front of an empty stadium. Overall, college football has seen a steady decline in game attendance, and Penn is all too familiar with this issue. For the seventh time in eight years, national college football attendance has fallen. While 41,856 seems like a large number, this marks an all-time low since 1996 for average college football attendance among all 129 FBS programs last season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Traditionally, we see spikes in student attendance for the first game of the season â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a game that coincides One way the with Family Weekend football program is â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and Homecoming,â&#x20AC;? said Mike Honeywell, testing attendance Pennâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director of levels is by experimenting ticket sales & service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overall, attendance with different start times is traditionally higher for the games.â&#x20AC;? in years where Princeton travels to Franklin Field.â&#x20AC;? During the 2018 season, the During the rivalry game Red and Blue only surpassed of Penn-Princeton in 2009, the 10,000-fan mark twice. 14,027 fans showed up to These were games against Franklin Field â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a sharp inYale and Harvard, which had crease from recent years. 10,126 and 13,224 fans, reIn the last decade, Penn footspectively. ball has seen a drop of about For the Penn-Princeton ri- 3,000 fans per game. While the valry game, only 7,756 peo- average for the Red and Blue ple filed into the stands. This in 2009 was about 10,000 fans marks a stark decline from per game, they only surpassed 2017â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Penn-Princeton game, that number twice last season. where 9,073 fans attended. Another issue for the QuakWhile Penn placed second ers and the Ivy League is the in the Ivy League â&#x20AC;&#x201D; behind lack of postseason play. The only Harvard â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at an aver- Ivy League has a rule in place age of 7,768 people per home that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow for college game, the national champion playoffs, so an Ivy League Clemson Tigers averaged a squadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s season finishes with whopping 80,400 people per the end of the regular season. home game at Death Valley. Without a higher goal than In 2016 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the last time the League title to play for, it Penn football won a title â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the may be harder to draw a large average home game attendance crowd, especially for teams was 5,560 people per game, who are eliminated early from which marked the third low- contention. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tough for the est weekly attendance in the casual fan with no tie to the

University to be interested in the Quakers with no chance of seeing the team compete beyond Thanksgiving. One way the football program is testing attendance levels is by experimenting with different start times for the games. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the past two seasons, we have also taken a deeper look into how kickoff times impact our attendance numbers,â&#x20AC;? Honeywell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our data shows that Penn football games draw better at two times in particular: Friday nights and Saturdays at 1 p.m. With this in mind, our kickoff times this season are all set for either 1 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with the exception of the Dartmouth game on Friday night.â&#x20AC;? Additionally, this trend is somewhat due to the rise of sports media. While attendance at games has been down, television ratings are stronger than ever; many fans donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the benefit of going to a game when they could watch it from the comfort of their own home. Another issue for the Red and Blue is the lack of fans showing up to multiple games in a season. The football program is trying out new programs this season like multi-game ticket packages in order to entice fans to show up to games. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Historical data has shown that we have a number of fans that attend multiple football games [but] do not buy to season tickets,â&#x20AC;? Honeywell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With this in mind, we created the Red [and] Blue package, an option which bundles the Sacred Heart and Cornell games together at a discounted rate. This allows our fans to attend both Homecoming and one additional game at a more affordable rate, which should hopefully boost attendance for both games.â&#x20AC;? Even though nationwide college football attendance is dropping, Penn is determined to find innovative ways to draw fans to Franklin Field.

THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

SPORTS 11

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

NICOLE FRIDLING

Penn sprint football coach Bill Wagner has spent 50 years at Penn, including 34 years as Penn baseball’s pitching coach. Wagner is honored in two halls of fame: Penn baseball’s and that of the Hot Stovers Baseball Club of South Jersey, where he served as president for 15 years.

WAGNER

environment are irreplaceable. He leaves Penn with countless accolades — including five sprint football championships — and enough stories to write a biography. These stories are really what last in the players’ minds after they go through the program. They might remember the scores of the games, but the first things that come to mind

tion, he called out to Wagner and one of the assistant coaches. Wagner was apparently unconWagner’s stories and lessons will vinced that the formation was ilsurely live on as long as Penn sprint legal. So when the assistant coach football is around. But now, the projoked, “He read the rulebook, gram will have to confront someCoach,” the only way Wagner could thing quite unfamiliar: life without respond was to say, “Read it? I flipWags. pin’ wrote it!” With the legendary coach set When it came to gameday, Wagto retire at the end of the ner’s competitiveness was 2019 season, it’s not weird especially evident whenever to wonder what exactly the the Quakers played their program is going to look like archrival Princeton. [Wags] pulled out a with someone else leading “My first year playing, the way. In Wagner’s estimaone of the first games was miniature pumpkin tion, everything will be just the first time we went to play and smashed it fine. Princeton, and I didn’t real“I’m trying to make sure on the ground and yelled, ize just how much he disthat the guys who want to liked Princeton,” said Dave ‘Let’s go beat those take over the program will Lopez, who played three pumpkin-heads!’” be able to have it the way seasons of sprint football they want to run it, so that and graduated from Penn - Dave Lopez we can take this program — in 2007. “And he came in which started down here,” the locker room, and he was Wagner said, gesturing to getting everybody hyped the floor, “— to the next up before the game, and level.” are often the timeless memories of he pulled out a miniature pumpkin “If you get these [assistant Wags doing something that only and smashed it on the ground and coaches] in that role and I feed my Wags could do. yelled, ‘Let’s go beat those pump[information] to them, they’ll be Henrik Ager, a former foreign ex- kin-heads!’ And that was definitely able to make that happen. It’s all change student who played for Penn something I had never seen before, up right now; it’s up and away. We in 1992, recalled a moment during and it was about as inspiring as it have good people; we’ve got good practice in which Wagner reminded gets before a game.” coaches.” everyone just how long he had been Of course, what was new to LoThe program may be able to around. Ager was playing defense pez was already common practice continue running smoothly in his while Wagner was lining up the of- for Wagner, who had made this absence, but Wagner’s competitive fense, and when Ager noticed that pumpkin-smashing routine a tradispirit and ability to create a lively the offense was in an illegal formation. >> BACKPAGE

Penn baseball for 34 years. He was the varsity pitching coach under his friend Bob Seddon, who recruited him to come to Penn. After retiring from coaching baseball in 2005, Wagner was inducted into the Penn Baseball Hall of Fame in October 2018. And as if one hall of fame wasn’t enough, Wagner is also in the hall of fame for the Hot Stovers Baseball Club of South Jersey, which is an organization that honors the best of South Jersey baseball on all levels. Wagner was the president of the club for 15 years and remains very involved today. He even continued to play the game competitively until very recently, and he was certainly never afraid of any competition. “This will be the [fourth] summer that I stopped playing,” Wagner smiled. “I was playing in a wood bat, 45-and-older league when I was 65 and 70. And I could still hold my own. I couldn’t do all the things that I wanted to do, but I could still hold my own.” Penn sprint football offensive coordinator Jerry McConnell has been coaching the Quakers with Wagner for 14 seasons, and the two have developed a great friendship. And when it comes to the baseball diamond, McConnell can attest to the fact that Wagner has always held his own. “Eight years ago maybe — he lives on a lake — and we were fish-

ing at his house, and he came home in a baseball uniform covered in dirt,” McConnell chuckled. “I said, ‘You’re 70 years old and slid head first into second! What are you, nuts?’” This is what has made Wagner so popular throughout his whole life: his unbounded enthusiasm for sports, his genuine passion for all that he does, his unwavering commitment to others. In the end, it’s no wonder that everyone speaks so glowingly of him. Perhaps what is weighing more on his mind is what he will do after this season ends. Appropriately enough, Wags will stay involved by being on the Penn Sprint Football Board with the title of Head Coach Emeritus. Wagner’s main responsibility will be maintaining the traditions that he has helped create, particularly the postseason player awards that sit in the team’s locker room. However, the next time Wagner runs onto Franklin Field after the 2019 season, he may be wearing pads and a helmet. “I’m going to take some snaps,” Wagner said of next year’s alumni game. And which position will he play? “Quarterback. Where else? Somebody’s got to tell them to shut the hell up in the huddle. I would hit them with a quick short slant. I could hit him, no doubt about it. … I can still sling it.”

“It all started when I had a gym bag and I snuck a pumpkin in there. And [Princeton’s] got these orange helmets, and they look like pumpkins on their head. And we had to motivate the kids, right? So the first year I did it, I got up and brought it out, and I smashed the thing down and stuff went all over the place, and they went out and scored 70 points or whatever it was. ... And we just kept doing it and doing it.” Along with his success in building the Penn sprint football program, Wagner was also an invaluable asset for the Quakers’ baseball program. After coaching football, basketball, and baseball at Woodrow Wilson High School and Cherry Hill East High School — both in New Jersey — Wagner accepted Penn’s offer to be the freshman baseball coach in the same year he took over as head coach of lightweight football. Though the fact is sometimes overshadowed by his legendPHOTO FROM PENN ATHLETICS ary sprint football coaching career, Penn’s biggest foes in sprint football have historically been dominant Army and Navy Wagner coached teams. Beating Army was a moment celebrated by both the team and Wagner’s dad.

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VOL. CXXXV

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

FOUNDED 1885

Hermann and Jenkins have deep history Jenkins and Hermann were both presidents of the DKE fraternity JACKSON JOFFE Associate Sports Editor

Some of these players come back to see Wagner and thank him for the lessons he has taught them that they’ve applied to their own lives, whether it involves their family, their job, or their lifestyle in general. One example is John Winter, who played for Wagner from the 1974 to 1977 season. “Everything that all of us [learned] who are still involved with the program — and there are a lot of us — [we learned] by osmosis; he taught us a lot of very important values. And you can see that he has spent his professional life helping literally thousands of athletes, both at Penn and [in] South Jersey, and he just fundamentally cares about all of us,” Winter said. “And he’s a very good role model for everyone who has been in contact with the program.”

Senior quarterback Eddie Jenkins and senior center Matthew Hermann might have been destined to be roommates. Or maybe it was planned. “It’s pretty funny, as soon as I saw the room assignments I thought, ‘center-quarterback, what a coincidence,’” Hermann said. “I think [coach Bill Wagner] might have been planning for the long haul there.” Four years later, it’s safe to say that the room assignment worked out. Before their freshman year, Jenkins and Hermann were on opposite teams on the baseball diamond. Jenkins reached out to Hermann shortly after. “We were both seniors in high school and we had both happened to play in a baseball game earlier that day,” Jenkins said. “So we texted back and forth for a while because we were both [going to] play sprint football for Penn.” During their freshman year, Jenkins and Hermann joined the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, where they have both served in leadership roles. “Our freshman spring, we both joined DKE,” Jenkins said. “I was the president last year and [Hermann] is the president this year, and we were really able to bond and become great friends through the fraternity, being roommates, and sprint football.” On the field, both Jenkins and Hermann are committed to improving snaps. “After the game, we’ll go back to the DKE house and talk about what we need to improve on and what we did well,” Jenkins said. “Since we’re such great friends, I can always be honest with Matthew and let him know if there’s something he needs to work on, and I think he feels the same way about me.” During their freshman year, they would practice taking snaps in their dorm. Years later, they are still practicing snapping the ball to each other in odd places. “We joke about taking snaps in our dorm and practicing together, but [earlier this year] we were at the Belmont Stakes and

SEE WAGNER PAGE 11

SEE BROMANCE PAGE 9

NICOLE FRIDLING

Wagner’s energy, enthusiasm made him a coaching legend DANNY CHIARODIT Sports Editor

ifty years ago, Bill Wagner was introduced to sprint football, known at the time as lightweight football. Now, he’s the embodiment of the sport. Wagner — or Wags, as he is more commonly known — has managed to keep alive a program that nearly became extinct just two years into his tenure as head coach. Then-Penn president Martin Meyerson proposed to drop lightweight football in 1971 for financial reasons. Leading the charge to keep it was Wagner, who garnered support from players, parents, and just about everyone involved with Penn lightweight football.

Seeing the unwavering passion that Wagner had for the program, Meyerson had no choice but to go back on his word and let ‘the little guy’ keep playing. Ever since, Wagner and Penn have remained a constant in a sport that is perpetually changing. Several Ivies have had to drop their sprint programs, most recently Princeton after the 2015 season. And currently, Penn and Cornell remain the only two Ivy schools in the Collegiate Sprint Football League. The reason that the program has been a mainstay is actually quite simple: The alumni will never let it die. Perhaps Wagner’s greatest strength is his ability to forge lifelong relationships, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the way that his former players give back to Penn. “You always learn from your players if you have a good relationship,” Wagner said. “And if the relation-

ship [lasts] like this one has, they give back, and this group of guys and this program have given back. We’ve endowed the sport; we’ve endowed the head coaching job. Even though we’re all part-time, the [coaches’] salaries are now as good as anybody’s in the league.” Through alumni donations, Wagner and his team now have a coaches’ office with televisions and showers, a locker room, a weight room with a full-time strength coach, and a strong alumni mentoring program. With this strong financial support comes an emotional support from Wagner’s former players that initially surprised the coach. “The hardest thing is trying to grasp how your former players will come and say things to you that is almost like a father-son relationship,” Wagner said. “And that started happening.”

Brendan McCaffrey looks to replace offensive production Playmakers Aidan Kelly and Jake Klaus graduated in 2019 CHARLIE MA Sports Reporter

Running back Jake Klaus? Graduated. Wide receiver Aiden Kelly? Graduated. Brendan McCaffrey? He’s back and ready to pick up where he left off.

After the graduation of a large senior class, a limited number of offensive weapons are returning for Penn sprint football. However, one constant for the Red and Blue offense in 2019 will be first team AllCollegiate Sprint Football League sophomore wide receiver Brendan McCaffrey. A year ago, McCaffrey put up SEE McCAFFREY PAGE 9

NICOLE FRIDLING

McCaffrey played in all six games for the Quakers last season, catching 17 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 57 yards on 10 attempts.

Hennigan, Murgia look to step up on defense Senior linebacker Jack Hennigan posted 17 tackles last season MICHAEL LAU Sports Reporter

A total of 16 seniors graduated from Penn sprint football after last season. Many of them made up a big chunk of the defense, including James Juliano and his team-leading 45 tackles, Angelo Matos and his team-high four sacks, as well as major contributors Tom Console and Sam Smallzman. “I’m not going to say that wasn’t a big loss or anything, [since] they absolutely were a huge part of our [defense],” said senior linebacker Jack Hennigan. Now, the Quakers will have to look to the returning members of the team for defensive talent. Besides Hennigan, who chipped in with 17 tackles last season, Penn will also return sophomore defensive back Luca Curran, who led the Collegiate Sprint Football League with five interceptions. Talent alone, however, will not suffice, as the team is also searching for new leaders on the defensive end. That’s where new captains Aaron Johnson and Matteo Murgia come in. Johnson, a junior linebacker and safety, only joined the team last season but was able to showcase his athleticism and versatility on the field in six games. “I started as linebacker, moved to safety, then to down lineman, and now I’m a linebacker again,” Johnson said. “Aaron, he’s an outstanding player [at] multiple positions and a leader for us,” coach Bill Wagner said. Johnson admitted that it will be no easy

CHASE SUTTON

Junior linebacker and safety Aaron Johnson is one of several returning defenders filling the gaps left by a large graduating class a year ago. Johnson will also serve as captain.

task filling the void left on defense after the departure of last year’s seniors. “We’re coaching [the newcomers] the best that we can,” Johnson said. “But it’s been a bit of a challenge for me to kind of just lead by example and not tell them what they’ve got to do.” Murgia, a senior linebacker, placed third on the team with 30 tackles last season. Having been with the team since his freshman year, Wagner hopes his experience will bring stability to the front four. “Matteo, he is going to be a major impact stud player for us,” Wagner said. “He is going to be one of our leaders, [helping] the young kids gel.” Wagner also spoke highly of his incoming defensive players, whose performances in training and at the alumni game have pleased him. “The new defensive guys, they surprised me with so much speed and energy,” he said. “I would say all nine of those kids, they’re all going to be in a starting role some [day].”

On Friday, Wagner and everyone else will be able to take a better look at Penn’s new-look defense as the Red and Blue take on Army in their first game of the season. Johnson is adamant the team can come out and make an early statement. “Penn’s defense has always been a powerhouse,” Johnson said. “The spirit of [our] sprint football [team] is continued, and Wags is holding us together like glue.” Meanwhile, Hennigan preached the need for patience, as only a few of the players on defense have actually played together before. “You know, it’s a process,” he said. “It takes 11 men on the field all working together, so I think we’re all pretty much there [in terms of] what we need to learn, and now [we’re] just learning how to play with one another.” With both new and returning talent at Wagner’s disposal, it should only be a matter of time before the Red and Blue’s defense is firing on all cylinders.

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