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Broken Promises

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Fairfield Women’s Volleyball team clinches another MAAC Championship.

Senior Lauren Murphy expresses different body images in her gallery.

Donald Trump’s broken promises could result in backlash from supporters.

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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of November 30, 2016

Page 16

Vol. 42 Iss. 11

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State of University Address Highlighted Future of Fairfield

By Catherine Veschi News Editor

By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant News Editor The State of the University Address, an event that was absent from the University for the past eight years, was reintroduced this year by the Fairfield University Student Association.

Although this event was advertised as the first annual address, according to the Feb. 9, 2011 issue of the The Mirror, the event was held annually prior to 2011. The address was required of the FUSA president according to the FUSA constitution, but former FUSA President Eddie Muniz ‘11 vetoed the requirement in 2011.

FUSA’s Constitutional Convention Committee chose to re-establish the tradition at Fairfield, believing that students should be educated by the organization that represents them, as FUSA is “for the students, by the students,” said FUSA President Zoë Ferranti ‘17.

Ferranti kicked off the night by educating the audience on the roles of each of FUSA’s boards, including the Council of Student Organizations, and branches, Judicial, Legislative and Executive. Additionally, Ferranti discussed the objectives accomplished recently and goals that they have for the future of Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror

Read FUSA on Page 

Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. and FUSA Vice President Brie Tancredi ‘17 spoke at the State of the University Address.

University Entertains Possibility of First Lay President the time of the article’s writing, there were only 2,500.

Freshman Jackie Lomino at St. Joseph’s For the first time since Fairfield’s founding University commented, “I have never been at a in 1942, laypeople or non-ordained members Jesuit college with a Jesuit president, but I like of the Catholic Church, as well as Jesuits, are Dr. Reed. He’s very nice and interactive with being considered for nomination as the presithe student body, which I think is what really dent of the University. The president will follow matters when taking into account their needs Reverend Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J, according to and concerns.”

Vice President of Marketing and CommunicaLomino continued, “Although Dr. Reed is tions Jennifer Anderson. a lay president, he still embraces the concepts “As we conduct this current search for the and morals of a Jesuit school, therefore having next president, we are actively seeking Jelittle impact on changing the influence of suits with the appropriate background the Jesuit mission.” for the role,” said Anderson. “However, Andrew J. McMahon ’89, P’13 ’19, the Society of Jesus is declining in numthe Chair of the University’s presidenbers and there are simply significantly tial search committee, commented on fewer Jesuits than there were in the past the decreasing number of Jesuits. and fewer who have the background “The number of Jesuits is declinand expertise for the post.” ing, which means there are fewer availAnderson continued, “While we able and fewer with the expertise for are seeking a Jesuit candidate, we are the role of president,” said McMahon. also looking for laypeople with the ap“This is different than in years past propriate credentials.” when the pool was larger.”

According to Anderson, these creFairfield, which is in the Associadentials include a “commitment to mistion of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, sion and identity of Fairfield, broad acwould remain a Jesuit institution no ademic and leadership knowledge and matter who is chosen as president. understanding, senior level leadership “The roots and foundation of our experience, character and integrity and pedagogical approach, the focus on a strong vision.” the development of the whole person, Anderson went on to point out which is called cura personalis, is centhat there are many Jesuit institutions tral to our education approach and that with lay presidents. She spoke of Dr. would not change,” said Anderson.

Mark Reed, who was the Senior Vice Sophomore Lauren Hart believes President and Chief of Staff at Fairfield that, as long as the University continand is now the president of St. Joseph’s ues to uphold these values, it does not University in Philadelphia, Penn. and Information compiled from Fairfield University and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. matter if the next president is a Jesuit.

Dr. Timothy Snyder, who was once dean of the College of Arts and Science Read Pool on Page 

By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant News Editor

at Fairfield and is now the president of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Calif.

Additionally, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. has non-Jesuit President John J. DeGioia, according to jesuits.org. Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. appointed the first female lay president of a Jesuit university in the world in April 2014.

Accounting for three new appointments of lay presidents since its writing, an article in John Carroll Magazine stated that 12 of the 28 schools in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities are headed by lay presidents.

The number is much higher in recent years than it was in the past.

According to the Huffington Post, DeGioia, who was appointed in 2001, was the first lay president of a Jesuit institution. Since then, the number of lay presidents has risen to what it is today.

The reason for the growing trend, according to a Huffington Post article published in 2013, is because of the diminishing number of American Jesuits. In the 1960s, there were about 7,000 American Jesuit priests. By 1982, there were 5,500 American Jesuit priests and at

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

News

University to Introduce a New Alumni Hall in 2021

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Alumni Hall, which opened in 1959, is set to begin its expansion in 2021. Improvements will include increasing seating from 2,700 people to 3,500 to 4,500 people, as well as updates in functionality, Last fall, Alumni Hall was home to Fairfield’s Red Sea Madness, which included FUSA’s fall concert performance by rapper Lil Dicky, where more than 1,000 students attended.

By Elizabeth O’Hara Contributing Writer In our ever-expanding and flourishing society, universities and academic institutions across the country are constantly looking ahead to plan new projects and improvements on campus.

Fairfield is similarly trying to expand the University’s facilities and programs to compete with other rigorous academic institutions, especially with the school’s call to action through Fairfield Rising.

For the past eight years, Fairfield officials have discussed and generated plans to rebuild a main part of Fairfield’s campus: Alumni Hall.

Opening in 1959, Alumni Hall was an arena that was home to the Fairfield Stags men’s and women’s basketball teams until 2002, when the men’s team began playing home games at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn.

Alumni Hall has acted as host to many political and musical events, and also annually hosts the Fairfield University Baccalaureate Mass, as well as Fairfield College Preparatory School’s Commencement Ceremony.

The venue is also home to Fairfield’s own “Red Sea Madness” and many other sporting events, which draw significant turnouts among the student population. All of these events result in Alumni Hall being, despite its many outdated features, in constant popular demand. Therefore, many school officials have sought to rebuild mainly due to the lack of space and cramped conditions inside.

Associate Vice President for Facilities Management David Frassinelli stated that the University’s plan to rebuild around the year 2021 was on the table for quite some time.

“There have been discussions about Alumni Hall for as long as I have been with the University, which is eight years,” said Frassinelli. “The more recent plans have been

evaluated over the last few months.”

Frassinelli also mentioned that the main proposal for the rebuilding is to update and increase the size and seating in the arena.

“The current Alumni Hall was built in the late 1950s and still has steam heat. It seats about 2,700,” he said. “We determined that we would not be able to get the seat count up to 3,500 in the current structure, so the decision was made to consider a new building.”

According to Frassinelli, by increasing the seating count to between 3,500 and 4,500 seats, the facility would be in the range of 80,000 square feet.

Since the building was built in the late 1950s, there are plans for significant improvements in layout, technology and functionality.

Although it is too early in the process to assess any costs Read New on Page 

Pool of Jesuit Presidents Is Dwindling Continued from page 

“The Jesuit identity of Fairfield is important to me and to the University and as long as the president, whether Jesuit or non-Jesuit, upholds the Jesuit ideals, either would be a good addition,” said Hart.

Associate Professor of English and American Literature Elizabeth Petrino echoed Hart’s sentiment.

“Whether or not the person is a Jesuit is much less important than having a leader who will articulate the vision of the University’s social justice mission to the outside world,” said Petrino.

McMahon agreed that the candidate must continue to have Jesuit values.

“The candidate we choose will have the right talent and expertise to lead our University,” said McMahon. “If that candidate is a layperson, they will continue to uphold our heritage as a Jesuit Catholic institution. Our foundation and the mission will remain central to our identity.”

However, Father Mark P. Scalese, S.J. pointed out the positive aspects of having a Jesuit president at a Jesuit university.

“As a Jesuit, I think there’s a value in being able to have a Jesuit as a president because a Jesuit would be somebody who knows the tradition of a Jesuit education, who would be very well-immersed in the Jesuit values that we want to continue at a place like Fairfield,” said Fr. Scalese.

Fr. Scalese also recognized the fact that there are fewer Jesuits qualified for the job and therefore, it is OK that there may be a lay president.

“I recognize that that’s just the hard reality that we live in and so because of that, I am very much OK with there being a non-Jesuit president as long as they are a good person,” he said.

Anderson also emphasized the importance of Fairfield maintaining its Jesuit ideals under its new president.

“As a Jesuit institution, [we] have a particular obligation to the promotion of justice and that emphasis on serving the common good and forming persons who are inspired to give back to their communities would not change either,” said Anderson.

Anderson pointed out that Fairfield will continue to have its Campus Ministry and liturgical structure.

“We have many institutions in place at Fairfield that contribute to ensuring that our Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity remains at the center of what we do,” commented Anderson.

Anderson also pointed out that Fairfield has a Vice President for Mission and Identity, a Center for Catholic Studies and the Center for Faith and Public Life to help maintain Fairfield’s Catholic reputation.

Petrino elaborated on why it would be good to have a non-Jesuit president.

“Having a non-Jesuit president would, I believe, make people aware that Fairfield University embraces people from a variety of countries and faith traditions,” said Petrino. “This can only strengthen us as a school, a community and a nation.”

Of the 28 Jesuit universities, 16 have Jesuit presidents, while 12 have lay presidents.

Information compiled by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

News

School of Nursing Implemented Online Testing

By Samantha Moore Contributing Writer Compiled by Catherine Veschi Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Saturday, 11/19 12:22 a.m.- The Department of Public Safety discovered the smell of marijuana in Townhouses 4 block. DPS found drug paraphernalia and documented eight students that were involved. The students were referred to student conduct.

7:19 p.m.- Someone entered a townhouse on 6 block and took a birthday cake between 6:15 p.m. and 6:20 p.m.

Anyone with any information should contact DPS. 8:45 p.m.- Three male students were documented for underage alcohol possession in Kostka Hall. The individuals were referred to student conduct.

11:09 p.m.- DPS discovered a non-student with five cans of Bud Light at Townhouses 11 block. Her host is being referred to student conduct for violations and for having an unregistered guest.

Sunday, 11/20 2:25 a.m.- Students were documented for climbing into Meditz Hall through its windows. The students were referred to student conduct.

Nursing students swap bubbling for clicking when selecting answers on examinations.

For the past year, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies has encouraged professors to migrate from traditional paper examinations to online examinations regulated by the lockdown browser Respondus.

Now, Dr. Audrey Beauvais, Associate Dean of the School of Nursing, estimates that the majority of nursing professors employ online examinations through Blackboard to assess student achievement.

Since students access these tests from their personal computers, according to Beauvais, the School of Nursing uses Respondus to ensure academic integrity. The Respondus program is a lockdown browser that prevents users from accessing online information such as PowerPoint notes from class as well as browsers such as Safari and Google Chrome.

According to Beauvais, this switch came about after the realization that testing through other means offers more sophisticated data

analysis than the previously used Scantron machine that only measured one’s exam score. Before, students bubbled in their response to each question, but technology was only capable of determining a student’s score, unlike Respondus’ ability to analyze trends in examination data.

“We knew it was outdated and that we needed better item analysis,” Beauvais said.

“From Blackboard we can run a report on each test question and it will give us all of the information on how students responded to that question.”

In addition to providing professors with a more detailed report of examination data, Beauvais notes that the switch was made to benefit students as well and that by taking these online exams, it functions as practice for the state board exam, National Council Licensure Examination that nursing students complete after graduation.

“For nursing students, they have to take their state board exam online and we figured that this might be an opportunity to help get them ready,” Beauvais said.

Read Online on Page 

FUSA Shed Light on Campus Climate

Tuesday, 11/22 12:22 p.m.- A student reported the theft of a black blazer from Regis Hall. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact DPS. 2:37 p.m.- During a health and safety inspection, Resident Assistants in Gonzaga Hall found a bong, which led to the discovery of a grinder. The students involved are being referred to student conduct.

6:37 p.m.- Residence Life reported the discovery of a bong in Townhouses 10 block. The students are being referred to student conduct.

Wednesday, 11/23 6:58 p.m.- DPS discovered that the door to the Thomas J. Walsh, Jr. Athletic Center was damaged. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact DPS. Monday, 11/28 9:31 p.m.- Officers found three males in the woods behind the University softball field in possession of suspected marijuana. The individuals were arrested for possession of narcotics. The matter was referred to the Dean of Students Office.

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror The State of the University Address, which was reintroduced this year after an eight year absence, attracted a large turnout.

CAU TTIO N O I N U CA THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977

Jesse Erickson, Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa, Executive Editor Ariana Puzzo, Managing Editor Editors Catherine Veschi, News Juliana Sansonetti, Assistant News Brendan Zimmerman, Opinion Alexandra Thimble, Assistant Opinion Colleen O’Connor, Vine Alicia Phaneuf, Assistant Vine Gabriella Minos, Coffee Break Alfredo Torres, Sports Daniel Montgomery, Assistant Sports Allison White, Chief Copy Editor Gianna Saladino, Social Media Editor Online Bradley Nordstrom, Web Master Business Department Email: advertising@fairfieldmirror.com Stephanie Van Fleet, Director of Finance Madeleine Sandie, Director of Advertising Marcus DeSouto, Circulation Adviser Dr. Tommy Xie Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com

Continued from page 

the University.

As of 2016, COSO, provides funding for more than 104 clubs and organizations on campus.

Ferranti also discussed the Diversity and Inclusion Board, which was developed over the past summer.

In the past year, the Diversity and Inclusion Board helped write policies, such as a resolution that was passed by the Senate regarding feminine hygiene products and a resolution regarding the distribution of condoms.

Additionally, there will be open forums on national and University news, Ferranti added.

The Diversity and Inclusion Board will collaborate with the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs to launch a commuter meal plan and a library textbook borrowing program.

Part-time undergraduate student An-

drew Schmidt commented that the new meal plan will be helpful because “as someone who was a commuter for five years … it makes my heart sing to know that we will be free of the mini fridge situation.”

In addition to the future of FUSA, Father Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. spoke about the future of the University as a whole.

In Fr. von Arx’s address to the student body, he discussed the ongoing Fairfield Rising campaign.

“It is our hope and expectation that this campaign will conclude sometime in the second semester or over this summer,” said Fr. von Arx. “We have every confidence that we will reach and exceed our fundraising goals.”

Fr. von Arx went on to address some of the ongoing and future projects of Fairfield Rising, including the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, the expansion on the Main Dining Hall and Oak Room, construction on the parking garage in front of the Aloysius P.

Kelley, S.J., Center and a new sophomore residence hall in the Quad. Additionally, there will be air conditioning in the residence halls in the Quad.

Despite the high costs of these renovations, according to Fr. von Arx, “We’ve also committed ourselves not to be raising undergraduate tuition in view of the cost of living for the foreseeable future.”

Fr. von Arx further discussed the expansion of the student body.

“We have been slowly, but surely growing enrollments at Fairfield University and as we look to the future, it is our plan to grow the undergraduate population from the present 3,750 to about 4,000,” said Fr. von Arx. “So we’ve been accepting new classes of about 1,000 each.”

On the topic of University expansion, Fr. von Arx went on to explain how “growth is also happening in our graduate and professional programs, especially in areas of continuing education, online education and new graduate programs.”

Correction Box In the Nov. 16 issue of The Mirror, the story “Human Library Broadened Students’ Horizons,” falsely stated that Margaret Moore ‘19 has cystic fibrosis. She in fact has cerebral palsy. In the story “Voting on Campus Hindered by Technical Difficulties,” it was falsely stated that Election Day was on Nov. 11. It was in fact on Nov. 8. In the story “Father von Arx Reflected on Career at Fairfield,” Fr. von Arx was incorrectly referred to as “Jeffrey P. Von Arx, S.J.” and “von Arx” instead of the correct “Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J.” and “Fr. von Arx,” respectively.

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

News

WWP Hosts Holiday Drive

By Deanna Carbone Contributing Writer

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror

The outdated Alumni Hall was the host for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Volleyball Championships this year with 555 people in attendance. Alumni Hall is also home to the women’s basketball team.

New Technology to Improve Alumni Hall Continued from page 

of the project, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Anderson explained why the renovations would be a positive addition to campus.

“A new Alumni Hall would provide the campus with a central location to hold large events like concerts and receptions,” said Anderson. “[It would also] provide a more conducive location for events that might have to move indoors due to inclement weather, like graduation.”

Anderson also added that the new and improved Alumni Hall would be a “top notch home facility for our volleyball and women’s basketball teams.”

Sophomore Sarah Hoefner believes that rebuilding the venue will increase the amount of Stags in the stands.

“I’m very excited for the fact that the home basketball games could be right on campus and that these upgrades will help give an overall facelift to Alumni Hall,” said Hoefner.

While there is much high praise among students regarding the project, there are individuals who do not see the need for Alumni Hall to be rebuilt, but are open to the possibilities that it will bring.

“To be honest, I had no idea that there were plans to rebuild Alumni, and while I’m not quite sure it needs to be totally rebuilt

from the ground up, I do think there are many outdated aspects to the building that could be fixed up,” stated Luke Melcher’ 19.

Sophomore Katherine Santo believes that the renovations will be a much-needed addition in promoting Fairfield Rising.

“Collectively, the University needs to have a venue where the entire school can come together to go support each other,” said Santo. “Between sporting events and speeches on campus, we need a location to fit the student body that students want to spend time in and really build up more school spirit.”

Online Exams Continue to be Tested Continued from page  Nursing student Maggie Fontaine ‘18 sees value in taking exams online.

“I like it better. It simulates the NCLEX, so it kind of gets you used to taking it on a computer because it’s really different taking it on a computer versus on paper,” Fontaine said.

Fontaine noted that the format of the online test, specifically the inability to review previous answers, also prepares students for the format of the NCLEX. However, for nursing student Kassandra Rodriguez ‘18, the online examinations prove more difficult due to the inability to incorporate traditional test taking strategies.

“I don’t like taking tests online,” said Rodriguez. “I’d rather have paper to highlight and write stuff down.”

Professor of Management Jeffrey Moretz currently uses Respondus to monitor his online examinations.

While he does not believe that

the Dolan School of Business has encouraged the transition to the same extent as the School of Nurs-

with a handwritten, blue book final that’s not what most people will be doing in the working world. I want it to be as close to that as possible.”

Another advantage that Beauvais sees regarding online testing is the immediate grade feedback students receive upon completion of the exam. Test questions vary, in-Dr. Audrey Beauvais cluding multiple Associate Dean of the choice, matching School of Nursing and fill-in-the blank. Short aning, Moretz finds administering swer questions are also possible, alexams online beneficial to business though according to Beauvais, they students for reasons similar to their require additional time to grade. nursing peers.

Mary Murphy, a professor “The biggest benefit I think to in the School of Nursing, adopted any testing mechanism is how close online testing for her examinations you can get it to something that is and finds the process beneficial to real world applicable,” said Moretz. both students and faculty.

“Although I’ve done it in the past “I think it’s fabulous,” said

For nursing students, they have to take their state board exam online and we figured that this might be an opportunity to help them get ready.

Murphy. “Not only do I have the convenience of having it in their grade center in Blackboard, it’s also immediately graded so that the students get the feedback.”

While administering tests online provide these advantages for students, Beauvais realizes that creating online tests requires effort from the professors because they have to manually load each question. Additionally, technical difficulties sometimes arise. To combat these challenges, the School of Nursing allocates five laptops to be used in case a student experiences a computer malfunction.

While nursing students have adapted to this new method of testing, Beauvais noted that the online examinations themselves continue to be tested.

“We continue to evaluate this,” said Beauvais. “We’re not saying that this is a perfect solution, but this is what we’ve implemented this time to help our students and we will continue to evaluate and adjust as need be.”

On Nov. 14, the Wounded Warrior Project began the season of giving by starting a drive for items, such as travel sized hand sanitizer, deodorant, toothpaste, instant food and magazines or books requested by soldiers. All supplies collected will be sent to troops serving overseas. This year will also be the first time that the WWP Club at Fairfield runs a Thanksgiving drive.

“This is the perfect time of year to host a drive and we really wanted to do something that would help those who are still stationed in Afghanistan,” said Stephen Dierks ’18, founder and president of the Fairfield chapter of WWP. Senior Kelley Oliveira, co-chair of sponsorship and donations of the WWP, agreed with Dierks.

“It is a wonderful way to give thanks to our country,” said Oliveira. “It involves reaching out to those serving our country with care packages.”

WWP club member Annie McBride ‘19 had experiences with a similar foundation that her family started, called, Andy K and Friends Foundation that inspired the Thanksgiving drive. The foundation hosts an event called Troop’s Day, where soldier-requested supplies are donated and sent to military bases.

“We started the Andy K and Friends Foundation because our close family friend had served four tours and unfortunately lost his life on his fourth tour,” said McBride.

“Stephen always asks us for new ideas and I thought the drive would be a great one to do.”

The WWP has partnered with Campus Ministry and Inter-Residential Housing Association for the event. Multiple dorms have run building drives associated with the WWP drive and announcements were made at Mass in the chapel each week to advertise the drive.

President of the Service for Justice Residential College IRHA, Joyce Ramirez, explained how the dorm is getting involved in the drive.

“Each floor received a list of items they should bring in and whichever floor brings in the most items gets a prize,” said Ramirez.

Although the drive will mostly be student-run, it was advertised to the town of Fairfield with the hope that residents will make donations as well.

“Students are encouraged to participate, although this fundraiser is not limited to just students,” said Oliveira. “Club members and the Fairfield University community are prompted to contact family and friends to join in as well.”

Some items were received, but the WWP is expecting a larger amount of donations since students have returned from Thanksgiving break. The organization hopes to at least fill four large boxes of supplies. As of Nov. 28, one box is filled.

WWP member Alanna LoBianco ‘19 is looking forward to the change that the drive will make.

“I think it’s going to be a really great turnout; it’s for an amazing cause and it will help a lot of people,” said LoBianco. “It’s surprising how many wounded veterans and troops don’t have basic supplies. A little will truly go a long way for this drive.”

The drop-off locations for donations can be found in the lobby of Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Barone Campus Center information desk and Townhouse 156. Donations can be made until Dec. 5.

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Opinion Editor Brendan Zimmerman » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Getting Opinionated with The Mirror

Trump's Broken Promises Can Cause Chaos

By Alexandra Thimble Assistant Opinion Editor In an article from The New York Times on Nov. 22, it was revealed that President-elect Donald Trump will not form a special prosecution committee to further investigate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails. The threat that he proposed during the second presidential debate in October became a rallying cry in the latter part of his campaign. It spawned a whole new wave of controversy over Trump’s misunderstanding of his position as president, adding the chant of “Lock Her Up” to the already infamous “Build That Wall.” His decision to not go through with his initial course of action, along with his softening on waterboarding, his change of mind about the origins of climate change and his recent hesitance toward building a wall to border Mexico, reveals his true cowardice. The concern moving forward should be the actions of his potentially enraged followers and how they demonstrate their frustration with his broken promises.

Trump’s cowardice was apparent throughout the entire race. His objective was to be on the winning side; he goes where the money is, where the influence is and where the power is. That’s why he never apologizes when he’s wrong, which he often is and is why he flip-flops on subjects so often. It is also why he throws his support behind whichever side seems to be the most beneficial at the time, but will backtrack as quickly as days later if the side that he backs doesn’t turn out to be as fruitful as he originally thought. It’s apparent in the scapegoating that happened all throughout the 2016 Election and it’s apparent in how he runs his businesses. When the going gets tough, Trump backs out.

That’s what a coward does because Trump is all about self-preservation.

That characteristic is also why he has now dropped his promised prosecution of Clinton for her emails. He kept the media busy by piling threats of incarceration on top of her, all to distract from his rise in the polls. He achieved his goal and solidified his own personal security at the expense of others and now, he drops all pretenses that he held of being a leader, and his followers are following suit in their actions.

According to CNN and the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were “more than 700 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation in the United States between November 9 and November 16.” These numbers have decreased since then, but these statistics come on the tail of a large increase in hate crimes. The FBI reported in an article from CBS News that there was “a [67 percent] increase in hate crimes against Muslim Americans” alone in 2015, one of the groups significantly targeted by Trump during the election season. This comes both as a result of anti-Muslim sentiments post 9/11 and Trump’s outspoken Islamophobia that has emboldened his supporters to act on their beliefs.

On the one hand, I can only hope that Trump’s choices to abandon popular campaign promises is the beginning of a recurring theme.

Hopefully, Trump continues breaking these promises and softens his messages so that his stances aren’t as radical and hateful as previously thought. By doing so, I also hope that he shows people how truly cowardly he is and how unlikely it is that he will satisfy any of the major promises that got him elected and is therefore unfit for the position that he will be assuming in January.

By breaking these promises, he will ultimately be demonstrating not only to his supporters, but to everyone else, just how unqualified he is for such an important office.

However, if he doesn’t follow through on his major campaign promises, like the building of the wall or his proposed Muslim registry, it may incite further rage and violence from the alt-right — a group of people in the U.S. who possess populist ideologies and reject mainstream conservatism —, which only endangers the minority groups that they are so vehemently against. The fringe

group, which has branded itself as an alternative to standard Republican conservatism and publishes xenophobic, racist and Islamophobic content in publications like Breitbart News, began to emerge with fervor as the election wound down. Not only is there a fear that these extremist followers will turn on him, but also that one of their major voices will be a key advisor to the president-elect. Following the inclusion of Breitbart News executive Stephen K. Bannon on Trump’s staff, Trump leaves himself vulnerable to manipulation from bigoted people like Bannon or his Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who believes in conversion therapy for gay youth, or Reince Priebus, his pick for chief of staff, who is a major denier of climate change.

For the next four years, Trump will be the president of the United States. In contrasting the messages that he used to get elected and the positions that he’s taking on those issues now, it’s anyone’s guess what these next four years will look like. The empty promises that Trump gave his supporters are slowly becoming apparent, leaving his position on various policies and beliefs unclear.

To jail...

Or not to jail...

Creative Commons/Dailydot.com/Pixaby/Flickr

We Must Do More to Stop Online Harassment

By Ariana Puzzo Managing Editor

At a young age, we are warned that going on the internet will make us susceptible to targeted harassment and that we should avoid talking to strangers.

As a response, we probably rolled our eyes and insisted to our parents that we would not talk to anyone that we did not know.

Nonetheless, harassment does not necessarily come from strangers and it is not as rare as we perhaps once thought.

According to a study entitled, “Online Harassment, Digital Abuse, and Cyberstalking in America,” conducted by the Data & Society Research Institute and Center for Innovative Public Health Research, 47 percent of Americans aged 15 and older have experienced some form of harassment online.

As a result, we can only wonder if we are doing enough to prevent cyberbullying.

Considering the aforementioned statistic, the only reasonable answer is: no, we are not doing enough.

However, as of now, there appears to be little that we can do to eradicate the epidemic that is online hate speech.

The internet has changed the “boundaries” for bullying and harassment — there are no longer any restrictions.

Editorial Board "Counting on Clinton"

Jesse Erickson Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Ariana Puzzo Managing Editor

The words that may have once extended only as far as the playground or a dance club can reach the home, becoming incessant and imprinted on another’s social media indefinitely. Even once you “delete” the disparaging comment, the damage is seemingly done.

Therefore, we can no longer treat bullying or harassment as a “he said-she said” issue — there needs to be broader and more encompassing restrictions and consequences created in order to lower the alarming statistic. Whether or not these restrictions are possible when the internet is such a vast arena is the root of the conundrum.

In an effort to address the issue, various social media platforms have managed to find ways to monitor the words of others that may be perceived as harmful or a threat.

On Facebook, you can go into your settings and choose who is allowed to see your posts and if someone posts something that makes you uncomfortable, you can report the post.

Likewise, on Twitter there are various methods to prevent people from harassing you, such as blocking a user or reporting their tweet, which then offers the ability to block them after you have filed your report stating why you feel threatened.

Although these options have potential holes in them for

Whether or not you were content with the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election, one can acknowledge the divisive nature of the way that the public reacted to the Nov. 8 results.

Despite a reported 51 percent favorability rating for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to the PEW Research Center, President-elect Donald Trump came forward to obtain the presidency.

Due to the controversial win, the Green Party’s Jill Stein beckoned to the Clinton campaign to demand a recount, which would invariably help Clinton gain the extra 38 electoral votes necessary to claim the presidency, according to CNN. However, on Nov. 26, these

claims were answered when Clinton, as well as Marc Elias, general counsel for Hillary For America, announced a formal voting recount in the states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Collectively, these states encompass 46 of the United States’ 538 electoral votes and would ensure a victory for Clinton.

“But regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself,” added Elias on Clinton’s personal Facebook page.

Although we respect the fact

those who choose to report anyone with whom they do not agree, they are preventative measures so that our experience online can be safer.

Additionally, these developing restrictions are perhaps the stepping-stones for future progress, should technology develop in such a way that we eventually never have to come into contact with any hate-filled, vitriolic comments?

Moving forward, we should aspire to get to a point where we no longer have any fears or reservations about going online.

According to the aforementioned study, “More than a quarter of Americans [27 percent] say they have at some point decided not to post something online for fear of attracting harassment.” The internet will perhaps never be a completely safe space since the ability to assume anonymity will always exist.

However, if we tighten what we consider hate speech and educate children at a younger age that their words online still carry the same significance as they do when expressed verbally, perhaps we will see a significant decline in online fear, as well as a decrease in online harassment.

that Trump won the election in a fair manner, we applaud Clinton for her perseverance in the postelection, considering that between the aforementioned three states, 107,000 votes separated Trump and Clinton, according to Elias.

As we watch a nation divided by violence and bigotry, we can only hope that the possibility of a Clinton presidency can mend the wounds of American society and usher in a period of peace within the nation.

As expected, Trump took to Twitter to express his distaste for the recount, even going as far as calling out CNN for their “support” of Clinton.

“I thought that @CNN would get better after they failed

Creative Commons/Wikipedia

so badly in their support of Hillary Clinton however, since election, they are worse!” tweeted Trump on Nov. 28.

Despite Trump’s insecurity being understandable, it is extremely irresponsible for an individual that is about to run our country to take to a social media platform to attack not only their opponent, but also news sources.

Instead of articulating himself in a respectful manner, Trump did what he thought was best and utilized Twitter as his scapegoat to project from his gospel of hate.

As usual, Trump proved himself inept in handling minor situations, which reflects on not only his person, but also his “yuge” ego.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Opinion

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'Hamilton' Cast has the Right to Protest

By Brendan Zimmerman Opinion Editor Moving forward from the tumultuous 2016 Presidential Election, feelings of uncertainty and tension continue to grip the country. The realm of the theater may not come to mind when one thinks of political protest, but like any other form of entertainment, there is always a place for politics. On Nov. 18, the cast of “Hamilton” was notified that Vice President-elect Mike Pence was in attendance for the show and they decided to speak their mind.

In a simple, yet poignant speech, cast member Brandon Dixon made a plea to Pence, hoping that his words may have some slight changing effect on the controversial politician.

Dixon’s actions were reasonable and justified, especially considering the vitriolic comments that dominated the election season. However, in the aftermath of the cast’s actions, President-elect Donald Trump took to his Twitter account and demanded that the cast make an apology, saying that their words acted as harassment to Pence.

The language of the election was direct, forceful and emotional.

The encouragement from the media made it easy for people to get swept into the hate and to conveniently forget the importance of listening, as well as holding rational debates. To see the “Hamilton” cast use diplomatic and polite language to express their

concerns is a welcome change from the unfortunate trend.

While it may be easy to think that their words had malice and that the cast was disrespectful to the vice president-elect, there remains one simple fact: their speech was civil dissent, not malicious harassment. In our modern political system, elected officials work for the people and if the people have a concern, they may express it. The cast crafted a speech that eloquently spoke of the value that comes from diversity and acceptance, and as the vice president-elect, Pence will have the responsibility of working for all of the American citizens.

Interestingly enough, Pence responded as to whether or not he felt harassed by the cast’s speech in another moment of civil communication. During an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Pence said that he did not feel offended or harassed by the cast’s comments. In comparison, Trump took the speech as an insult to Pence. It is ironic to see the president-elect demanding a safe space for his running mate, when most of his platform rested on discrimination and insults.

Trump’s perspective is hypocritical and it acts as a far cry from his bully-like debate mentality. Part of the Trump campaign’s success was derived from aggressively marginalizing several American demographics, but now the president-elect, himself refuses to properly handle scrutiny. Also, to quickly attack a Broadway cast

for peacefully expressing their concerns to an elected official showcases the lack of empathy that has dominated our media communication recently. Trump’s comments clash against Pence’s own words and they hint at the sensitivity and drama that may come with the former’s presidency.

As American citizens, we have the right to protest and express our opinions, so long as those acts do not infringe upon

the rights and well-being of others. The cast of “Hamilton” did not disrespect or attack Pence in any way, and they certainly do not owe him an apology for expressing their fears.

If we can return to a system of civil discourse that emphasizes understanding and rational debate, then the tension and unease currently affecting our politics will gradually diminish.

Creative Commons/www.fuse.tv After bowing, the cast of 'Hamilton' read their statement regarding diversity to Vice President-elect Pence.

The Mirror Declassified: Finals Survival Guide

By Jesse Erickson Editor-in-Chief Thanksgiving break is a treat, but we can all agree that there is one looming thought that prevents us from thoroughly basking in the joy of ignoring the notifications on Blackboard. That one thought can be the end-all and be-all destroyer of our lives: finals.

OK, maybe I’m being dramatic, but I don’t know a single person who has ever admitted without bribery that they enjoy the time of the year when we are forced to cram everything that we have learned throughout the course of the semester into our brains during a sevenday period. To make matters worse, there’s always that one professor who thinks that a final project and a final paper don’t cancel out the dreaded final exam.

Finals can be tough, but as I approach my second semester of my senior year, I can tell you that you will survive one way or another. However, in order to survive, one must first figure out what kind of student they are.

If you’ve figured out that you’re the type of student that skips class and does not pay attention when you’re in class, I am not saying that you will for sure fail that exam. Yes, it might be harder for you to pass as compared to your BFF Amy who is besties with your professor, but miracles do happen.

4. Meet with your professors.

Your professor knows exactly who you are. They know that you’re the student who hid behind the screen of your laptop for the entire semester. However, luckily for you, your professor is a much better person than you and even though you haven’t opened your mouth once in their class, they will be more than willing to help you out. Contrary to popular belief, most professors are not out to get you and they want to see you succeed.

5. Under-promise, over-deliver.

Coming to terms with the fact that your lack of focus in class has royally screwed you over will help you understand that getting an A on that exam might be next to impossible.

However, shooting low and getting a C+ is almost the same as getting that A on the exam, right? If you’ve already prepared your mom for the loss, she’ll be taking on her tuition payment and then when you pass, she’ll worship the ground that you walk on. You are practically a genius.

Or worst case scenario, you could fail and end up like these other dropouts:

5 Step Guide on How to Pass (speaking on personal experience) 1. Prioritize your exams.

Although the exam period seems to drag on and on, having final exams squished into nine days can be overwhelming. If you’re already behind, the first step is figuring out which exams are most important to pass. That can be accomplished by figuring out how much each exam is worth and your current status in the class. If your economics exam is cumulative, counts for 45 percent of your grade and you’ve already got a C- in the class, economics should be your focus. The English exam that counts for 2 percent even though you’ve still got a C- should be off of your radar.

2. Sleep as much as you can before it’s too late.

You already know that at this point, you’re too far behind to try and catch up. You might as well procrastinate while you can, which means that you might as well get all the sleep that you can. Finals week will be nauseating and will last years when you’re up all night. Why try to get ahead and already be sleep deprived?

3. Purchase your favorite comfort foods.

Who’s going to be there for you at 3 a.m. in the dead of the night when your well-prepared roommates are sound asleep in their bed? You know exactly who I’m talking about.

Your friends Ben and Jerry and that bag of Doritos that you were eyeing all semester at the Stag Spirit Shop.

Creative Commons/Wikimedia/Yibida/Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

The Mirror welcomes the opinions and contributions of its readers: Letters to the editor must be timely and submitted by email to info@fairfieldmirror.com or Box AA. All letters to the editor that are appropriate will be published either in print or online. The Mirror reserves the right to edit letters and articles for content, length and grammatical errors. Letters should be free of obscenities and personal attacks and should contain correct and factual information, not exceeding 500 words.

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features Editor Colleen O'Connor vine@fairfieldmirror.com

Lauren Murphy '17 Promotes Eating Disorder Awareness

Alicia Phaneuf/The Mirror Artwork by Lauren Murphy

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

The Vine

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'The Body Images' Perpetuates Self-Love

By Alicia Phaneuf Assistant Vine Editor

Student observers were infatuated with Murphy’s exhibition and the display of the eight models.

Senior Katelyn Merz said, “I thought this Having confidence in one’s body image exhibition was really eye-opening. I really liked the is exceedingly difficult, especially for young video part of it because you can see the people’s women. Art major Lauren Murphy ‘17 addresses happiness in the pictures and then the video tells the this issue through her inspiring capstone project story of how they got to that point.” entitled, “The Body Images.” By showcasing Echoing Merz’s sentiment was art major, Cierra eight women who have all experienced some Miller ‘19. form of eating disorder, Murphy allows audience “I think this exhibition is so inspiring and it's members to gain awareness of these mental emotional to see these girls who had such a hard past health issues through the personal narratives of be as happy as they are in the pictures,” said Miller. these women.

Investing more than six months of her time Murphy’s project has two parts that into the project, Murphy’s exhibition displays the showcase the experiences of the women in passion and dedication that she utilized throughout different ways. The first part of the exhibit is Alicia Phaneuf/The Mirror the experience. housed in the Lukacs Gallery in Loyola Hall and Studio Art Professor Suzanne Chamlin displays 16 black and white photos, two for each A selection of the photographs from "The Body Images" by Lauren Murphy '17. explained, “Lauren was very instrumental in of the eight models. Murphy explained that the directing herself throughout the project. It's really photos were meant to show each woman where and how they Weaved between the spoken passages of the specialist are heartening how engaged she is with the healing process with felt the most confident and beautiful. personal accounts of each model. In the video, each woman women who have struggled with eating disorders and I love the Sophomore Natalia Maccio commented on how the tells her own story and experience regarding eating disorders. connection between the power of art, expression and healing.” photographs affected her perspective of these women.

Murphy explained why she chose to incorporate the two Murphy hopes that the exhibition will promote awareness “I thought it was really cool that the pictures were taken different aspects within her project. of disordered eating, eating disorders and mental health in black and white because it made them more powerful,” said “I knew that I wanted to do the photographs because that's problems as a whole. She also emphasized, “If someone is going Maccio. “You could really focus on the features of each woman what I'm comfortable with; I'm a photographer and I enjoy through the same kind of experiences as these models, I hope and see how much confidence they gained since overcoming a doing photographs,” said Murphy. “But I also wanted to add the that they can see this project and realize that they're not alone challenging time in their life.” video component because I feel like it’s a more effective way to and so many people struggle with the same kind of things.”

Next to the Lukacs Gallery is the Experimental Gallery, showcase these stories.”

“The Body Images” will be on display in the Lukacs where the second part of Murphy’s project is housed. The “I wanted to separate the photographs from the video and Experimental Galleries through Dec. 9, Monday and video includes portions dedicated to the words of a clinical because I feel like the video is just a very special experience of Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday 10 psychologist who specializes in eating and weight disorders. its own,” added Murphy. a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' Invites Viewers Back to Stars Hollow

By Colleen O'Connor Vine Editor Break out the coffee makers and the pop culture dictionaries — everyone’s favorite fast-talking mother-daughter duo is back.

Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) returned to our screens, inspired by Netflix’s latest nostalgia stint and creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s willingness to continue the story, with the release of “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” on Nov. 25.

From the “will they-won’t they” nature of Lorelai’s relationship with Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) to the infamous “final four words,” “A Year in the Life” delivered in all aspects, living up to both the hype and the Gilmore name. Each episode takes its name from a season, bringing both the entire series and the revival, full circle. The revival picks up years after the end of the show’s first run, with the characters slowly, but surely readjusting to the fast-paced dialogue and the pop culture references during their return to small town Connecticut.

The quirky, small town atmosphere of Stars Hollow acts as its own entity, though Taylor Doose (Michael Winters) acts as its mouthpiece. His latest antics, to the chagrin of most of the town, involve a musical centered around the small town, a search for A-list actors and plans for a gay pride parade. Kirk Gleason (Sean Gunn) and his odd jobs, which range from Ooober, not to be confused with Uber, driver to town decorator, also makes his highly anticipated return.

One of the biggest changes from the original run to the revival is the death of patriarch Richard Gilmore (Edward Herrmann). Much of the revival centers around his death and how Rory, Lorelai and Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) cope without him. Emily’s transition from housewife to grieving widow is fraught with arguments and therapy, with the occasional appearance of an odd pair of blue jeans. Her reaction to his death is raw and realistic, by far the best acting of the entire revival.

The chemistry between Bishop and Graham is palpable and portrays grief and estrangement to a T. Graham plays all facets of her character as only she can, going from comedic relief to dramatic dialogue with the drop of a hat. Although their fraught relationship doesn’t improve much, both mother and daughter see each other through different eyes after a stroll down memory lane ends with an anecdote concerning Richard.

Between the copious pop culture references and allusions to both the original series and fan theories, one question remains unanswered: which of Rory’s old beaus will play the biggest role in the revival? Her forgettable current boyfriend, Paul (Jack Carpenter), doesn’t live up to the standards that Dean Forester (Jared Padalecki), Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia) and Logan Huntzberger (Matt Czuchry) set in the original run, as every single character, even Rory, seems to forget that Paul even exists. She finds closure in a few of these relationships, but lingering glances and the effect of the "final four words" begs to ask whether or not the closure will last.

In the final scenes of “Fall,” the fourth and final episode of the revival, the fallout from the "final four words" could — and hopefully will — pave the way to later episodes.

Although “Fall” serves as a solid ending point if Sherman-Palladino chooses to leave the characters as they are, the so-called cliffhanger has fans, including myself, looking for more clarity.

“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” fits the nostalgic revival vibe that Netflix utilizes, thrilling fans of all ages and providing closure for many of the characters that the millennial generation grew up watching.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

The Vine

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Wine and Dine with The Vine: Local Kitchen and Beer Bar

By Jesse Erickson Editor-in-Chief Being a senior at Fairfield means three things: I’m 21, I’m tired and I’m poor. If you put all three of these things together, you end up at Local Kitchen and Beer Bar down on 85 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield, Conn.

The open area, brick-walled tavern is accommodating to students, families, avid sports watchers, date night goers and friends.

Dubbed “Local” by the Stags, the hot-spot has everything that a college student (of age) could possibly want. Local has a unique menu offering a variety of different foods from American to Mexican to Asian. For every dish, one can choose to get “little” or “lots,” which is Local’s way of differentiating between portion sizes.

For starters, the brussel sprouts, a crowd favorite, are served crispy in a sweet maple cider sauce with bacon.

An order of a “little” brussel sprouts, almost a bread plate serving size, costs $7 while the “lots” order costs $15.

Their mac and cheese is a cheese lover’s dream with an interesting, but welcome, flare of crisp, green peas and bread crumbs coating the top. The small goes for $7 and the large for $13.

Since you haven’t broken the college budget yet, there is still wiggle room left for an entree. One of the toughest decisions that you will make during your senior year comes

when you are faced with what you could possibly eat for dinner. Local offers craft bowls, available in both small and large, or foods that you can eat with your hands, such as sandwiches and burgers. They have big plates like braised short ribs served over truffle mashed and my personal favorite, surprisingly, big salads.

If you know me at all, I do not like lettuce. I’m that person that buys a bag of lettuce at the grocery store, knowing full-well that I will never eat it.

Circumstances are different at Local, though. The cobb salad is relatively traditional, but rather than serving chicken on top of the salad, they serve roasted turkey.

It’s chock full of apple, craisins, bacon, eggs, onions, tomatoes, avocado and gorgonzola cheese. The lettuce is dressed with a chipotle ranch that, for a chipotle ranch, is not overbearing at all. The turkey cobb salad, for $14, is fresh, light and perfect for a date night or an evening with friends.

Although I might like the salad because it’s two-thirds fillings and one-third lettuce, it’s got to be healthier than ordering the Local Burger cooked to preference, layered with fried onions, crisp bacon and spicy, but smooth, black pepper mayo. If you haven’t caught on, the burger is my other go-to after a long Tuesday night in The Mirror office.

All food aside, my favorite part about Local has to be their beer offerings. Having over 30 beers on tap from breweries across the country from California to Colorado to right here in Connecticut, Local’s beer varieties can appeal to almost anyone. Luckily, for the broke college student, Local has an amazing deal all day on Mondays. Every draught beer is only $3 so yes, getting four beers on a Monday night is completely acceptable since it only costs $12.

The atmosphere on a Monday night is perfect to get you amped for the long and tiring week ahead of you. As football fans scream and gasp while they watch the game on one of the flat screen TVs lining the bar, you’ll be sure to find a home at Local.

Information compiled from Local Kitchen and Beer Bar's website.

'Pokémon Sun and Moon' Reignite Franchise

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor While 20 years of longevity can tarnish a brand’s often-repeated formula, Nintendo has come back to the drawing board and crafted a polished and refreshing role-playing game experience in “Pokémon Sun and Moon.”

Released in conjunction with Pokémon’s 20th anniversary, “Sun and Moon” brings your character to the seventh region in the Pokémon universe, Alola, a lush Pacific paradise that offers the most diverse array of Pokémon since the introduction of the Sinnoh region in “Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.”

Players may be familiar with the linear storyline that past games have included, though “Sun and Moon” break the stereotype of “catching them all” and “becoming the very best, like no one ever was.”

Rather than training up your team of Pokémon to beat the game’s eight gym leaders, “Sun and Moon” divides the map into four islands, Melemele, Akala, Ula’ula and Poni Islands, each of which possesses their own set of trials. Trials reward your player with Z crystals and the ability to face the Island Kahuna, which grants your player passage from one island to the next. These Z crystals enable your Pokémon to access their own set of special moves, while also allowing you to gain access to various points throughout the individual islands.

Given that badges are already gone, Nintendo and Game Freak also did away with the premise of Hidden Machines, which were a set of moves that enabled one’s Pokémon to interact with the environment. Instead, “Sun and Moon” introduce the concept of “Ride Pokémon,” which can be called upon to accomplish any task, whether it is simply surfing in the ocean or flying from one end of an island to another.

Where Nintendo taketh, Nintendo giveth, as the seventh iteration of the franchise introduces new concepts into the realm of Pokémon such as region variants: Poké Finder, similar in concept to the Nintendo N64’s “Pokémon Snap” and a new battle format, Battle Royale, which pits four players and 12 Pokémon against one another. Most notably, “Sun and Moon” is the first Pokémon game to be fully three-dimensional, ushering in a new perspective to explore an already action-packed game.

I must commend Nintendo for producing one of the most compelling storylines of any recent Pokémon game, which allows the player to never know exactly what to expect next as the two mysterious organizations, the Aether Foundation and Team Skull, seem to bring in two differing perspectives of one coin, causing a sort of moral dilemma as one nears the end of the campaign. Professor Kukui, the resident

Pokémon professor of the Alola region, brings some of the most successful three-dimensional character arcs together, acting far beyond the traditional role of a mentor. Rather, the professor encompasses a level of camaraderie throughout the player’s trial progressions.

However, Pokémon would not be what it is today without the inclusion of the various types of Pokémon that scurry about wherever you roam. The latest iteration of Pokémon introduces 105 new Pokémon and forms to the already formidable lineup of 721 Pocket Monsters that already exist. While many are as simple in design as Komala, a koala-styled normal-type Pokémon, Nintendo jumps out of the box for the most part in their seventh generation designs, including the grass-and-ghost type starter evolution, Decidueye, and Kommo-O, a dragon-and-fighting type Pokémon that resembles a dragon with a samurai-inspired plate of armor.

As the hours pile on during your expedition, the amount of fun you will experience is immeasurable as “Sun and Moon” offers one of the most in-depth gaming experiences in the Pokémon universe.

Whether you find yourself an avid gamer or simply want to experience your childhood again, “Sun and Moon” are some of the highest quality Pokémon games that were released in the past decade.

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Creative Commons/Pexels

ashionably airfield

by Nicole Funaro

Cutting Corners with Shopping Deals Thanksgiving is over and that means the Christmas shopping season has begun. While many stores have boasted big sales and high markdowns, there are a few stores and websites to check out that will further discount their already slashed prices to give you an even better deal. So if you’re looking to buy your family and friends some high-quality gifts on your college-student budget, be sure to add the following destinations to your shopping list.

J.Crew Factory Store: Having 50 to 60 percent off of their already marked-down items, plus 40 percent off of clearance items, J.Crew apparel is made accessible to all budgets through their factory store. Their convenient online store allows you to shop from the comfort of your dorm, apartment or beach house, sidestepping the crowded malls.

You may be so taken by their deals that you’ll buy a little something extra for yourself.

Call It Spring: The shoes and accessories store is currently offering an extra 50 percent off of all sale items, so if you were waiting for the price to drop on the pair of shoes that you’ve had your eye on, now might be the time to act.

Also offering handbags, wallets and men’s crossbody bags, Call It Spring is the perfect place to buy those “completer pieces” for all of the stylish clothing that you bought for your friends and family.

6pm.com: Quite possibly the ultimate in online deals, 6pm offers a selection to fill all of your holiday shopping needs. From clothing and shoes, to handbags, watches and sunglasses, you’re sure to find everything that you need at this one-stop shop. What makes 6pm different from most stores is its discount-based platform. Since they typically sell last season’s styles, they are able to sell their products at a significant discount on a regular basis. However, when the holiday shopping season rolls around, they cut their prices even more, offering deeper discounts on all of your favorite brands. Carrying a vast selection of products and offering significant discounts, you have every reason to add 6pm to your shopping list.

Instagram/@callitspring Some of the over-the-knee boots on sale at Call It Spring.

If you missed Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, you won’t want to miss the deals offered by these stores.

The deep discounts on high-quality items will allow you to surely find something for everyone on your shopping list.

'Fantastic Beasts' Revives Harry Potter Universe

By Cara Lee Contributing Writer

“She’s done it again” seems to be the overall consensus for J.K. Rowling’s newest Wizarding World tale. Set in New York City during the roaring 20’s, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” paid tribute to both a brilliant story — written and produced by Rowling herself — and to the history and culture of the Jazz Age. From beautiful costumes that have already inspired several new clothing lines from companies such as Hot Topic, to the intricate special effects and magical soundtrack — the film is a cinematic masterpiece. “Fantastic Beasts” is the opening film for Rowling’s latest Wizarding World saga, which will include four other films.

“Fantastic Beasts” opens with a flurry of news articles flashing across the screen, concisely revealing the tension in the Wizarding World during the 20’s, which is vital knowledge to understanding the film’s plot. A wizard by the name of Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) is wreaking havoc throughout Europe — murdering hundreds with the help of his followers — to try to reach his own ideal reality.

Following each attack in Europe, fear spreads further and faster throughout the American wizarding community as they struggle to remain hidden during the rise of a “No-Maj,” or non-wizarding, movement called the “Second Salem.” Grindelwald’s methods are anything but subtle and if he comes to the United States, there will be war between Grindelwald’s followers, American Wizards and American No-Majs.

It is under these uncertain conditions that the quirky protagonist, Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) stumbles onto Ellis Island with a case of magical creatures, inadvertently revealing the Wizarding World to No-Maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) and turning an innocent mistake into a dangerous scenario when he fails to wipe the No-Maj’s memory. When wizarding sisters Tina (Katherine Waterston) and Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) then become involved, the situation escalates further as a betrayal results in the four being framed for releasing a dangerous creature in New York City. The film continues by balancing nervewracking suspense with the iconic moments of comedy, happiness and pure magic

that continuously draws viewers into Rowling’s fantasy world.

Films, though, are not rated solely on their story or plot lines. Some films have amazing stories, but the use of a horrible soundtrack can result in a box office failure. Other films possess amazing special effects, but when paired with cringe worthy plotlines can end up with the same results. “Fantastic Beasts” not only has a compelling story line, but features beautiful costumes that showcase the memorable fashion of the 20’s, special effects that bring the various magical creatures to life and a soundtrack that utilizes both light, airy, dark and suspenseful pieces — several scattered with jazz notes in ode to “The Jazz Age.” As each of her past works have either addressed societal or historical issues, or were written to aid a charity, “Fantastic Beasts” was never going to be a work created solely for entertainment. The film is based on a short “Harry Potter” textbook that was published in 2001 and raised money for the Comic Relief Foundation, an organization that raises money to end child slavery throughout the world and reunite families separated by poverty. In turn, the movie adaption and expansion of the textbook addresses both historical and societal issues. In regards to history, the character and goals of Grindelwald himself mimic several of Adolf Hitler’s gruesome ideologies. Additionally, many references are made to the Great War, later known as World War I, which concluded not long before the era that the film was set in.

A common theme throughout the movie is the comparison of the United States wizarding laws to England’s wizarding laws, especially in regards to marriage. Lastly, in “Fantastic Beasts,” Rowling created a dark sub-plot about child abuse — showing its cruel effects and how different people try to handle the situation only to make the situation even worse for the victim.

Due to the skill and care with which it was created, there is no need to engage in a Harry Potter marathon of any sort to enjoy the beauty of the latest film. From the magical cinematography and compelling storyline to the startling opening and conclusion, new and returning fans will end their film experience eagerly awaiting the series’ next installment.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

The Vine Colleen O'Connor/The Mirror

Cooking with Colleen:

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Creative Commons/Pixabay

Potato Stuffing

By Colleen O'Connor Vine Editor For those who don’t know me, I am potato obsessed. I’ve never met a potato that I didn’t like, which isn’t unusual coming from a large Irish family whose main source of sustenance is potatoes.

However, the following dish takes the cake for my favorite way to prepare potatoes.

I count down the days to the holiday season every year in anticipation of my grandmother’s potato stuffing. By far the best dish on the entire table, it is a tasty way to add some potatoes, meat and ground vegetables into your holiday meal.

Potato stuffing serves as a great source of antioxidants and various other vitamins and minerals, making the dish an excellent balance of taste and health for your next family meal.

Inkwell Spotlight 'Believe'

Potato Stuffing Serves 8-10

By Marina Lindland Marketing Director at The Inkwell

10 cups of potatoes, peeled and boiled 1 1/2 cup butter 2 large onions 3 sticks of celery 1 lb ground beef 1 tsp ground sage 1 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

If she believed in magic, she knew she’d be alright.

She could smile in the face of swirling shadows that barred their sharp, rotting teeth.

She could open her lips and murmur spells that drew out the light from the dark.

But it was so hard to believe when the only light she could sense lived deep within her chest and it was frail.

Everyday Slowly Fading away

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mash the potatoes and put them in a large bowl.

Melt the butter and pour most of it over the potatoes.

Grind the celery, onion and meat together until the celery is tender.

Sauté the ground mixture and add to the potato mixture.

Add the sage, salt, pepper and parsley to the potato mixture and blend well.

Bake in the oven in a roast pan for 20 minutes.

Album Spoiler: 'Hardwired... To Self Destruct' by Metallica

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor For metal fans, many would cite the death of bassist Cliff Burton of Metallica in 1986 as the beginning of the decline for the thrash metal icons.

Three decades later, Metallica has experienced its fair shares of highlights and lowlights since Burton’s death, but all of these tribulations contributed to “Hardwired… To Self-Destruct,” the group’s 10th studio effort that encapsulates the almost 30-year history of the seminal metal group.

Clocking in at 77 minutes in its entirety, “Hardwired… To SelfDestruct” is one of the longest endeavors of the group, only falling behind 1996’s dismal “Load.” The album also marks another milestone: the longest time that the group has gone without releasing a record — a grand total of eight years. In the meantime, the group has offered glimpses through their social media pages, primarily Instagram, in terms of the progress made in the record’s inception.

While fans clamored for anything to supplement the critically mixed 2008’s “Death Magnetic,” Metallica delivered a string of singles that had any fan reminiscing of the golden days of 1986’s “Master of Puppets” and 1983’s “Kill Em’ All.” While the song “Lords of Summer” gave the world its first

snippet of a reinvigorated Metallica, “Hardwired” became the first single off the new record and certainly, the brutality in this number was worth the eight-year wait. Its frenetic pacing, set to the rhythmic proficiency in Lars Ulrich’s drumming, features everything that any Metallica fan would want,

aggressive power chord styling and a dynamic guitar solo from Kirk Hammett.

“Moth Into Flame” calls upon the influence of “Ride the Lightning” with its harmonic guitar introduction and ingenious picking stylization during the chorus. Its anthemic nature cements the tune into the upper echelons of the group’s live catalogue and ushers in a pathway of progressivism for the sound of Metallica.

The highlight of the record comes from “Atlas, Rise!,” which mercilessly brings Metallica back to the forefront of the thrash metal scene. From the beginning verses to the breakdown, the four horsemen bring the apocalypse to an already loaded record in terms of vocals and lyrical content. One cannot simply imagine the end of times without this tune.

However, when the group slows down the tempo, the realization emerges that their unbending will after 30 plusyears has not altered. Compositions such as “Dream No More,” “Am I Savage?” and “Murder One” string the conscious together that eclipses the later half of the record, progressively slowing down from the breakneck speed of the first half of the record.

In terms of promise, Metallica delivers with “Hardwired… To SelfDestruct” and allows for greater potential and reward with future releases. While fans were led to disappointment over the past couple of records, “Hardwired…

To Self-Destruct” is the destructively powerful record that makes Metallica a household name again.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Coffee Break

Page 12

Coffee Break Editor: Gabriella Minos

Horoscope: Which Christmas Decoration Are You? ARIES

TAURUS

(April 20 – May 20) Like the Christmas tree, you stand tall and strong. The foundation of our lives, you are the person that we always come back to in our times of need — happy or sad.

CANCER

(July 23 – Aug. 22)

(Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

You are presents under the tree. Your big and generous heart is a gift, and you constantly give to others. Your roaring personality is nothing compared to the heart that lies underneath.

The stockings hanging over a fireplace, a tradition we know and love. You may be quieter than most, but you see everything. You are forever learning something new about us.

(June 21 – July 22) You are the star — or angel — on top of the tree. You are true to yourself and are always a guiding light in our lives. The last decoration, but by far the most significant.

Computer Science/Entrepenuer

GEMINI

(March 21 – April 19) The yule log burns long and slow, and keeps us warm during a cold night. You are just the same; always there when we need you most. We can rely on you until the end.

LEO

Feature: K’Ron Simmons

(May 21 – June 20) You are the Christmas lights, the glittering light in our lives. You bring joy when we see you because we are reminded of happy times to come.

VIRGO

Contributed by K’Ron Simmons

Majors: Computer science Fun fact: I love to longboard in my free time.

Where are you from: New Haven, Conn.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Being the romantic that you are, a mistletoe hanging on a doorway is what you represent. You spread love to anyone that you can and people always look up to you and smile.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) You are the quiet light that we leave in the window, lighting the night and welcoming us back home. Like the candlesticks left in a window, you are a true and long-lasting part of our lives.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) The christmas wreath, you are the first thing that we see when we walk up to our houses. You make sure that you are an integral part of all of our lives and we are happy you do so.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) You are a humanitarian; you are the carolers this holiday season. You go around spreading love and cheer for no other reason than the fact that it makes others happy.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Like the ornaments on a tree, you are one of the most important parts of the season.

You are fun and always optimistic; you bring life into everyone you meet.

PISCES

(Feb. 19 – Mar. 20) Just like our favorite thing about Christmas, Santa of course, you care so much for others. You bring out the childlike imagination in all of us and always have something fun planned.

Creative Commons/Google

Weekly Pick-Me-Ups

Fairfield students helping to make the best of Hump Day

Drink order: Orange soda (let’s keep it PG) Favorite TV show: “Supernatural” and “How I Met Your Mother” What is your favorite role that you have on campus?

Currently, I am a resident assistant in Faber Hall and I love my residents, staff and supervisor. They really make the job worth it.

What prompted you to choose your major/what makes you want to continue in this field?

As a child, I was always curious about how computers and the internet worked. Using programs and algorithms to complete a task makes life 100 times easier and I believe that everyone should know a little bit about programming.

What is the funniest/favorite memory that you have or story that you have heard at Fairfield?

Not many stories come to mind, but my favorite moment is when I met my freshman year neighbor for the first time. I walked into his room and there were tons of strange people there who are now some of my closest friends. They really made my freshman year something memorable and I would never trade them for anything.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the next five years?

I am working on a business venture in my entrepreneurship class and I really hope it takes off.

Talk about the app (Add+Venture) you are designing?

The app I am building is a pre-professional network aimed at college students in order to help them gain real-world experience [while] they’re still in college. It is the LinkedIn for college students. I aim to bring more value and skills to students while they are still enrolled in a University.

What is your favorite holiday?

My favorite holiday is Christmas because I really like giving back to my family, friends and the community all while enjoying the holiday spirit.

Sophomore Gianna Llewellyn

Sophomore Aisling Coffey

Contributed Photo

Contributed Photo

What is your favorite class taken at Fairfield?

My favorite class taken here at Fairfield was Philosophy of Love and Sex with Maggie Labinski. [She’s] one of the best professors I have ever had and there was never a dull moment.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Sports

SPORTS

Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

In Case You Missed It:

Thursday, November 17th -Women's Basketball defeats UMASS Lowell, 65-41 Saturday, November 19th -Men's Basketball defeats Wagner, 7064 Sunday, November 20th -Volleyball defeats Quinnipiac, 3-0

This Week in Sports: Volleyball All-MAAC

Page 13

Manuela Nicolini '20 On Nov. 17, Manuela Nicolini ‘20 earned a spot on the AllMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie Team for her consistently strong performances in her first year as a Stag. Nicolini was the engine behind the best offense in the MAAC as she served as the team’s main setter all season long. She averaged 6.21 assists per frame while also adding 51 kills in her time on the court. The Italy native was stout on the defensive end as well, contributing 1.13 digs per set and finishing the season as second on the team in blocks with 58 rejections. Nicolini took home three MAAC Rookie of the Week honors in her debut season in the red and white, and looks to follow up her great season come next fall.

Wednesday, November 23rd -Rhode Island defeats Women's Basket-

Todd Kress

ball, 72-65 Saturday, November 26th -Men's Basketball defeats Army, 65-64

Head coach Todd Kress is no stranger to winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award. On Nov. 17, Kress garnered his fifth end of the year award for his guidance in the Stags’ 18-0 conference record and 26-5 regular season record. The veteran leader wins the award for his second straight season after leading Fairfield to a MAAC Championship in their 2015 campaign.

Kress holds the all-time program record for wins with 162 and matches coached with 232. He looks to lead the Stags to their first-ever National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament win when they take on nationally ranked Michigan State on Dec. 2 in the opening round of the tournament in East Lansing, Mich.

UpcomingThis Week: Thursday, December 1st -Men's Basketball at Rider, 7 p.m.

-Women's Basketball at Siena, 7 p.m.

Friday, December 2nd -Volleyball at Michigan State,

Megan O'Sullivan '17 & Megan Theiller '18 Senior Megan O’Sullivan and Megan Theiller ‘18 were each named to the All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference First Team after joining MAAC Player of the Year Skyler Day ‘18 as the conference's most deadly offensive trio. O’Sullivan capped off her season by finishing third in the MAAC with 1.08 blocks per set. On the attacking end, the lone senior chipped in 2.28 kills per frame to make her presence felt. As for Theiller, the outside hitter compiled an astounding 444 kills, good for 4.15 kills per set. She also added 2.79 digs per frame, which ranks second on the team. She was named MAAC Player of the Week on four different occasions in her third year as a Stag.

Photos by Alfredo Tores/The Mirror

7:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 3rd -Men's Basketball at Siena, 7 p.m.

Sunday, December 4th -Women's Basketball vs Iona 2 p.m.

Tuesday, December 6th -Men's Basketball vs Bucknell, 7 p.m.

-Women's Basketball at Albany, 7 p.m.

In this week's issue...

- Baseball Names This Season's Senior Captains (Page 14) - Skyler Day '18 Wins MAAC POY Award (Page 15)

- Sidibe's Tip-In Drives Stags Past Army 75-74 (Page 15) - Stags Win MAAC Championship (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Baseball Names This Season's Senior Captains

Contributed by Sports Information Desk Head coach Bill Currier has named his quartet of seniors that will lead the reigning MAAC Champions this year. From left to right: Mac Crispino, Michael Conti, Kyle Dube and Mike Bonaiuto.

By Alfredo Torres Sports Editor

so it’s definitely special to be named captain with your roommate.”

Fresh off a spectacular junior campaign, where he lead the Stags with a .335 batting average, Conti is now heading into his senior year campaign as one of the four senior captains.

“It’s exciting and I’m proud that the four of us are able to represent our school and team,” said Conti of being named team captain.

Last but not least, Crispino, who is coming off an All-MAAC Second Team selection, is the final senior captain. Crispino led the Stags with a .361 batting average with runners in scoring position. The first baseman also set a program record with 495 putouts on the field.

“Mac’s really our vocal leader, I think he’ll definitely lead by example and he’s the guy that will get us going when we’re at a low point,” said Dube on what Crispino brings to the table.

Currier has set some high expectations for his senior captains.

“Winning a MAAC Championship doesn’t happen easily and we’re going to have some difficult situations,” said Currier. “In baseball when you play 54 games, you’re going to have some ups and downs and the leadership they can lend to the team is going to be very important.”

“That’s what you get out of senior leadership, you get maturity, you get I’ve been there, don’t worry about things, move on, keep working hard, stay the course and that’s what we expect out of them with our younger junior, sophomore, freshmen players,” added Currier.

The Stags will take the diamond for the first time on Feb. 24 when they travel down to Beaumont, Texas to take on Lamar University.

Just one season after winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and reaching the national stage, the Stags look to build off of last season’s magical run and continue to move forward with hopes of another conference championship.

“The team has a lot of energy coming off a big year,” said shortstop Michael Conti ‘17. “It’s hard not to think of repeating, but we have to stay focused on what we can accomplish now in the offseason.”

Now with only a few months remaining before the Stags take the diamond and defend their championship, four members of this year’s squad were named as team captains.

“It’s somebody that is respected by the teammates, respected by the coaches, understands the philosophy of where the program is going,” said head coach Bill Currier on deciding on a team captain.

This year’s team captains will consist of all seniors including infielder Conti, infielder Mac Crispino and pitchers Mike Bonaiuto and Kyle Dube. When asked why he chose these four, Currier said, “They’ve been here for four years, they came in with a goal that by the time they graduate, we would have won a MAAC Championship and we’ve done that in their junior year.”

“So they know what was talked about what they came in. They’ve worked real hard to establish themselves as leaders on this team,” added Currier.

Dube enjoyed a successful 2016 campaign, leading the team in wins with four in MAAC play, while recording a 2.84 earned run average also in MAAC play. Dube’s six wins earned him a spot on the AllMAAC Second Team.

When asked about being named team captain, the lefty said, “It’s the biggest honor I think you can have on a team, having your fellow teammates select you and vote for you and really look up to you as a leader and a guy who works hard.”

“That’s what I want to be. I want to be someone who comes in everyday and gives it their all and hopefully they learn a little from me and I learn a lot from them,” Dube added.

Alongside Dube as captain will be fellow pitcher Bonaiuto, the 6-foot-3-inch lefty from the pen. Bonaiuto led the team in ERA with 2.54 while picking up four wins out of the bullpen.

“It’s definitely a cool thing to have your roommate be captain with you,” said Dube of sharing cocaptain duties with his roommate and teammate Bonaiuto. “We’ve lived together for the last three years,

Weekly 4x5 Because we have witty things to say ...

Contributed by Sports Information Desk MAAC Coach of the Year Bill Currier hopes to lead the Stags to consecutive NCAA appearances.

Jesse Erickson, Alfredo Torres, Daniel Montgomery and Andrew DaRosa

What was your reaction to the Ohio State stabbing?

Volleyball faces the Michigan State Spartans on Friday in the NCAA Tourney. Predictions?

Norman vs. Bryant Who won the battle of words on Thanksgiving?

Tiger Woods returns, what are your thoughts?

How are you feeling now that we're back from Thanksgiving break?

It's unreal that these types of

One of our teams is finally really

Is this really a concern to anyone?

I had to deal with the dreaded election discussion while I tried to enjoy my wine. Trump vs. Hillary talks are scarier than guns.

My sister is really excited about his return. She is 13. She finds it fascinating that my family thinks of Tiger Woods as a man with a weird sex addiction.

Glad that is what he is being remembered as.

I'm doing really well. This morning I started my diet. It's going really well.

To prevent myself from eating with both hands, I burnt my left hand.

That way I can eat slower and can only eat chips with one hand.

So shocked! When the news came Staaags Win! The Staaaaaags Win! out, I did not know what to say.

That's my best Jon Sterling impresBut prayers out to anyone affected. sion, but yeah, this is our year. The streak still lives.

News came out that Norman was lying, so it's looking like Dez is the winner here. Plus, his team is 10-1, so I'll give him the advantage on this one.

Wow! The man is back, good luck to Tiger. If he wins, you know how he's celebrating, but if he loses, ah you know he's still celebrating, Woods' Way.

I feel like the year is already over, finals are near, Christmas cheer is in the air. All that's missing is Midnight Breakfast; hopefully my roommate doesn't steal my bacon again.

So sad. Prayers out to the families of those injuried.

Stags win of course! The win streak continues.

I don't like Josh Norman, but there is nothing better than seeing Josh Norman rattled AF.

I cannot imagine the chills I'll get when I see him in his Sunday red ... if he makes the cut.

Feeling about 5-10 pounds heavier than when I left.

It's disheartening that we have to

Air Bud comes in at the last second and wins the MAAC Championship.

Seriously though. Congrats ladies and good luck in the MAAC!

Battle of Words? We should be more worried about the battle ensuing in my dorm over who stunk up the bathroom.

My image has been stained of Tiger since watching South Park ...

Feeling pretty solid. I'm drowning in excessisive amounts of work and I have a 15-page paper due Thursday that I've yet to start.

Everything is just fine ...

Jesse Erickson things happen all the time. Prayers good at winning ... Why isn't the Editor-in-Chief go out to all the victims. school using some of our precious (Italian EIC) tuition dollars to send ME to Michigan? I am a HUGE volleyball fan and sports fan all-around.

Alfredo Torres Sports Editor

Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor

Your 2016-2017 4x5 Columnists:

Andrew DaRosa deal with situations such as these Executive Editor in our modern socio-political

climate. I commend The Lantern, their student newspaper, for keeping up-to-date with the events.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 30, 2016

Sports

Page 15

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Junior Skyler Day established herself as the most dangerous offensive force in the MAAC this season. The outside hitter's consistency led to the domination of conference foes, including Quinnipiac.

Skyler Day '18 Wins MAAC POY Award

By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor It is not a coincidence that Skyler Day ‘18 has won two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships since coming to Fairfield after spending her freshman season at the University of Buffalo.

The outside hitter has quickly morphed into one of the most feared attackers in the nation since bringing her talents to Connecticut, posting a remarkable 492 kills en route to MAAC Player of the Year.

For Day, she knows that there is no way that she would be tabbed as the best player in the conference without the help of her talented and dedicated teammates that push her everyday in practice.

“I am honored to be recognized by the coaches in this league, but I should be thanking my team for this award,” said Day. “They bust their butts on the court and I would not have won Player of the Year if they were not doing their jobs as well.”

From 1-15, every Stag has done their job admirably thus far during the campaign. The Nutmeg State stars have offered Fairfield fans arguably the most exciting year of volleyball in program history, in large part due to the best one-two punch in the MAAC in Day and Megan Theiller ‘18.

Headed into National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament play, the pair piled up a

combined 970 kills with Day topping the national leaderboard at t-24th and Theiller at t-33rd.

Both being First Team All-MAAC selections, they know how to bring the best out in each other.

"Playing in the same position and being the same year, we really lean on one another,” said Day. “We always feed off of each other's energy and always have each other’s back.”

A relentless offensive attack and a top notch defense has yielded 22 straight wins and counting. Day cannot help but smile at what her and teammates have accomplished up to this point in the season.

“I cannot put into words how special this group is,” said Day. “I can’t even describe how it feels to be able to go play in the NCAA Tournament with these girls.”

For the second year in a row, the Stags will begin tournament play against a big time program with much tradition. Last year it was the Texas Longhorns and this year the enemy is the Michigan State Spartans. Despite being the underdog, the evidence shows that there is no hotter team in the country right now than Fairfield.

“Last year was more of an experience year to kind of get to know what it is like to play on that stage and get our feet wet,” said Day. “This year we are really looking to win.”

While Day leads the charge alongside an incredible group of teammates and an experienced coaching staff, anything is possible in December. The pieces are there and so is the motivation to keep their unbelievable streak going. Watch out for the Stags as they look to upset Goliath on Dec. 2 in East Lansing at 7:30 p.m.

Sidibe's Tip-In Drives Stags Past Army 75-74

By Alfredo Torres Sports Editor The Fairfield University Men’s Basketball team recorded its fourth win of the season on Nov. 26 over Army West Point after graduate student Amadou Sidibe tipped in the game winner with 0.4 seconds left in the game, giving Fairfield the 7574 edge. Sidibe, who graduated last year, paced the Stags, scoring a total of 19 points and collecting 19 rebounds, both career-highs for the Bronx native.

“It was an amazing effort from him, but this is his team,” said head coach Sydney Johnson in a statement. “He’s a battler out there and we look completely different when we have him out there. The great thing about Amadou is that not only is he one of the tougher guys, but he is an extension of our coaching staff on the floor.

He holds everyone accountable, but also plays hard himself, which extends to his teammates, which makes us stronger.”

After picking up two wins on the road, the Stags were defeated by Loyola 8166, but looked to get back on the win column when they hosted Army West Point.

Having four minutes left in the game, the Stags trailed by only 10 points as the away team lead 70-60. Sophomore Curtis Cobb connected on a three-point shot to pull the Stags within seven, but Army would answer back with consecutive baskets to increase their lead to nine points. That was when Army’s struggle began as they would go scoreless for the remainder of the game.

The Stags connected on two consecutive shots from three-point range, first coming off the hands of Matija Milin ‘19, followed by a shot from Cobb. The Stags trailed by only three as the score stood at 74-71. Sidibe would bring the Stags within one point following a thunderous dunk coming off an assist from Cobb as less than a minute remained in regulation.

Following a shot clock violation, the Stags now had the final possession of the game with just 11 seconds left. Junior Jerome Segura held the ball at the top of the key until he drove to the rim looking for a layup, but after the ball rimmed out, Sidibe was there to pick up the loose ball and tipped it back in with 0.4 seconds to give the Stags the 75-74 advantage.

Fairfield looks to carry the momentum and pick up their third road win when they travel to Rider to open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Dec. 1 at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Veteran big man gradudate student Amadou Sidibe provided Saturday's heroics to give the Stags their fourth win in five games.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of November 30, 2016

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Twenty MAAC games played, 20 MAAC games won. The Stags culminated their undefeated conference season by capturing the tournament championship and now turn their attention to the NCAAs.

Stags Win MAAC Championship

By Daniel Montgomery Sports Editor

Nineteen years ago, head coach Todd Kress won his first conference tournament title leading the Stags to a victory in Disney World. By no means can Alumni Hall live up to the setting that the Orlando dreamland provided nearly two decades ago, but they do share one thing for certain: magic is in the air. On Nov. 20, Fairfield swept the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Tournament Championship Game 3-0 on George Bisacca Court before a raucous home crowd.

Like many contests this season, the Stags set the tone from the outset with their dominant play in the first set. Aided by superb outside play from Skyler Day ‘18 and Megan Theiller ‘18, as well as a commanding net performance from captain Megan O’Sullivan ‘17, Fairfield quickly jumped out to a lead and never looked back en route to a 25-18 first frame triumph. The Stags tallied 15 kills in the period with only four errors on 32.4 percent hitting.

The second set made it clear that Fairfield had no plans of letting Quinnipiac stick around on campus any longer. The Stags carried their momentum from the first frame and unleashed fury on the Bobcats to the tune of 16 kills. Fairfield absolutely stifled the Quinnipiac offensive attack as their Nutmeg State rival only pushed across seven kills in the set while piling up six errors. The net play of O’Sullivan and Manuela Nicolini ‘20 made life for the Bobcat hitters miserable as the pair seemingly altered every single attempt made by Quinnipiac.

Once the second set finished and the lengthy break before the third frame commenced, you could sense the tension in the air.

However, for the time being, it looked like the Bobcats had other plans. The third set was a battle of wills, the Stags desperately trying to finish the match in three sets and Quinnipiac frantically trying to stave off a sweep. Eventually, experience and talent triumphed as Fairfield narrowly won the third period 25-23 as they put away a match-high 19 kills.

Just like that, months of hard preparation and grueling practices finally reaped its benefits. The Stags were MAAC Champions and it felt good, especially for O’Sullivan, who also took home Most Valuable Player of the tournament in her last time playing at Alumni Hall.

“I am so proud of my team. We have worked so hard from the day we came in here at the beginning of preseason,” said O’Sullivan.

“Our hard work forever paid off and for that we are so happy and grateful.”

As for the man at the helm of the Stags, what became Kress’ fourth conference title in his two stints at Fairfield could not have provided a sweeter feeling. All season long, he was business-like in his approach, but once that trophy was raised, the coach was not afraid to admit how exceptional the team is both on and off the court.

“This is a special, special team to me, I will tell you that,” said Kress. “They are great people and when you win with great people,

it means that much more because we are doing it the right way. It is very rewarding and I could not be happier for them.”

Oftentimes, you just know when a championship is meant to be for a team and this season was exactly that for Fairfield. As hundreds of fans cheered Fairfield on during the game, it seemed as though winning a championship in Alumni Hall was only fitting for Kress and his talented group.

“I want to thank every person who came out to support this program,” Kress said. “The support of the student-athletes and the fellow coaches and community was incredible. We could not be more thankful for what they provided us in our home gym.”

The Stags proved this weekend that there is nothing like playing at home. Along with O’Sullivan, both Day and Theiller were named to the All-Championship team for their standout performances during the weekend. It was truly amazing to see a team come together and achieve the main goal that they set out to accomplish months ago. That being said, Fairfield’s 2016 team is not done yet, as they earned themselves a National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament berth.

The leader for the Stags throughout their historic season, O’Sullivan summed up championship weekend at Fairfield.

“We have never had a turn out like this,” said O’Sullivan. “To play in front of my family for the last time at [Alumni Hall] was truly awesome.”

Wherever the postseason takes Fairfield, the squad will never forget the lasting memories that they made on George Bisacca Court. In true Stag fashion, it was one for all and all for one in Stag Country.

On Dec. 2, Fairfield will begin NCAA Tournament play when they travel to East Lansing, Mich. to take on the nationally ranked ninth-seeded Michigan State Spartans.

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Sophomore Mallory Bechtold (top) commanded the court from the Libero position while Megan Theiller '18 (bottom) gave the Stags one of her vintage postseason performances.