Prince George of England
Women’s Basketball
Glee Concert Vine
Opinion
Sports
The seasonal Glee Concert leaves its audience in awe.
Prince George of England should be able to determine his own identity.
The Stags upset Boston College 66-58 on the road.
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IRROR
Independent student newspaper
Week of December 6, 2017
@FairfieldMirror
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Vol. 43 Iss. 12
Parking Garage Opens Months Before Anticipated By Jacob Buttiker Contributing Writer
Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror The parking garage was built in order to supplement the limited space behind Alumni Hall.
It is no secret that parking here at Fairfield University causes headaches for everyone, from students to staff members. In an effort to solve this issue, the University has just recently completed construction on a new parking garage that sets out to alleviate the problem. Because everything ran smoothly with construction and delivery of materials, the new garage was completed several months ahead of schedule and the building is now open for use. The goal of the new parking garage is to lessen some of the overcrowding that takes place in the lot behind Alumni Hall, according to Associate Director of the Department of Public Safety Frank Ficko. Designated as a green zone, the lot is to be used by graduate students and off-campus students, such as seniors who live on the beach and commuters. Ficko added that those students with green parking passes will be encouraged to park in the new garage, as they will face penalties if they are found to be parked in the lot behind Alumni Hall, which is a blue lot that is intended for Fairfield University staff only. However, Fairfield students did express some concerns regarding the new parking garage. “I think it may be an issue because it might cause more traffic around an already pretty tight area,” said Katrina Wiesler ’19. Unfortunately, options on where to put the new building were limited due to the relatively small nature of Fairfield’s campus. Ficko explained some of the details regarding the specifications on the new garage. “Coming in at three stories tall and with a total of 257 parking spaces, we are hoping that it will ease the parking issue on here on campus,” he said. Sporting a sharp design that fits in nicely with the rest of Fairfield’s aesthetic, the parking garage is a welcome addition to Fairfield’s campus. Students expressed pleased opinions with the overall look of the building as Christopher Dinno ‘19 said, “I’ve never seen a parking garage that looked so modern, I think it’s a great design.” The all new parking garage, however, is just one piece of the puzzle in Fairfield University’s Campus-Wide Master Plan, a plan that sets out to address the major issues on campus and improve student life for all of Fairfield’s students. Other projects mentioned in the plan include the new dormitory that is being constructed next to Regis Hall. The new dorm, deemed the Ignatian Residential College Program will be a residential college with the goal of housing sophomores to accommodate for larger class sizes, said Ficko. A new school of business is also in the works for Fairfield , a multi-million dollar project that is set to be erected somewhere on the hill across from the Dimenna-Nyselius Library. According to Ficko, construction for the new building is planned to begin this December and crews hope to break ground sometime in early 2018.
Alumni ‘Reconnect with Fairfield’ at Annual Mass By Juliana Sansonetti News Editor
At Masses on Sundays, current students can typically look around and spot their peers in the seats; however, on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m., the seats were instead filled with alumni, both recent and those who graduated long ago. This was the annual Alumni Advent Mass that is put on by the Fairfield County Alumni Chapter of the Alumni Association each year on the first Sunday of Advent. President of the Fairfield County Alumni Chapter Joseph Delaney ‘03 MBA ‘04, who organized the Mass, as well as the reception with Santa afterwards in Bellarmine Hall, shared his thoughts on the event. “I believe it’s a great opportunity for alumni to stay connected with the values they learned at Fairfield U,” said Delaney. “The spirituality of attending Mass reminds us of the Jesuit values we learned about. And it’s a great way to stay connected with families in the University community. Meeting Santa is a great way to start the holiday season.” Delaney also described the event as “a great way to reconnect with Fairfield.” The Mass was presided over by Rev. Charles H. Allen, S.J. The reception with Santa occured in Bellarmine Hall this year, rather than Alumni House, which is where it is usually held. At the reception, they had refreshments and food, as well as activities like coloring for the children to do while they waited to see Santa.
First-year Lauren Casieri looks forward to the day she can bring her children to the reception. “My parents are always proud to talk about their colleges, but their colleges have never really had anything to include alumni and their kids, so I think that would be a cool thing to bring my kids to someday,” Casieri commented. Like every local alumni chapter during the holiday
season, the Fairfield County Alumni Chapter asked that each family bring a teddy bear to the reception for the Teddy Bears with Love Drive, according to Delaney. Sophomore Chelsea Proehl, who co-coordinated the drive, commented, “I’m here for the children. It’s a great event, we got 70 to 80 families this year.” Delaney said that 170 people registered for the event, Read Families on Page
Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Fairfield University alumni and their families gathered in the Egan Chapel for the annual Alumni Advent Mass to reconnect with the core Jesuit values they learned during their time as students. Alumni brought their families and children to attend Mass with them.
News
Thanksgiving Drive Gives Back to Local Veterans
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By Connor O’Rourke Assistant News Editor To help our country’s sick and wounded veterans, the Thanksgiving Drive, sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project, has sought to collect donations for the West Haven VA (Veterans’ Affairs) hospital in West Haven, Conn., and will be going on until Sunday, Dec. 10. All donations will directly benefit patients and hospital staff in need of supplies. Many important and useful items are being collected by the drive, such as hand sanitizer, clean socks, Tylenol and other medications, as well as non-perishable and ready-made food that can be heated up. Senior Stephen Dierks, the Founder and President of the Fairfield University Student Ambassadors Group supporting the Wounded Warrior Project, started the drive in order to help out with the organization. “The overall goal of this drive is to help wounded veterans by providing supplies to the West Haven VA hospital,” said Dierks. He went on to say that, “There are many great causes that people can donate to and we want to ensure that those who served our country are not forgotten.” Senior John Simon agreed with this sentiment. “Veterans give so much for their country, so it’s a great thing for Fairfield to recognize that and give them something back and for people on campus to show them that they care in that way,” Simon commented. In terms of how the donations will be beneficial to the VA hospital, Dierks felt as though it will ultimately help to make the lives of patients more comfortable. Such donations like shampoo, food and all of the other various items will provide the VA hospital with the resources to support other veteran organizations that the hospital works with as well. When asked about the origins of this Thanksgiving Drive, Dierks noted that, “When the Wounded Warrior Project first started the drive last year, we were Read Wounded on Page
Connor O’Rourke/The Mirror Students gathered in the Faber Hall Commons to make their very own stuffed animals to bring home for the holiday season.
Fifth Annual Stuff a Stag Brings Students Together By Connor O’Rourke Assistant News Editor Celebrating their fifth anniversary as a Fairfield@Night tradition, Stuff a Stag happened Saturday, Dec. 2, in the Faber Hall Commons, giving students the chance to create their own stuffed animal friends to bring home for the holidays. However, this year, one of the co-managers of F@N, Olivia McEvoy ’19, stated that, “we added more animals to meet the popular demand of the event, and added the cookie decorating portion.” In addition to a variety of stuffed animals being offered, there was a great deal of decorating cookies and a table of gingerbread men “with lots of toppings and decorations,” according to McEvoy. When asked about this tradition, which has been going on since 2013, co-manager of F@N, Marydjina Barionnette ’18, noted that, “This is a tradition for Southside Café which was here before I even came to Fairfield University. I suppose the intended inspiration [for the event] was simply to give something to the community and lift everyone’s mood during the end of the year.” Sophomore Kyle Morehead, who was in attendance for the event, felt as though, “it was a really great event for the community to get together and have fun before finals.” Barionnette also added that this event gives everyone a nice break from the last few stressful weeks of the semester and that “everyone loves stuffed animals.” In terms of how Stuff a Stag and the many events offered by Fairfield @ Night are great for the University community to have each year, McEvoy pointed out that, “Fairfield @ Night provides great programs that promote alternative late-
night event options on our college campus.” McEvoy went on further to say that it is nice to have events like these because they really show that Fairfield is always striving for there to be something to do for students on campus. These events, especially Stuff a Stag, are always fun and interactive for everyone, according to McEvoy. Another student in attendance, Bonnie Vieten ‘20, when asked about why she went to the event said that, “I thought it was a really fun event and I’m glad I got to make a really cool stuffed bear.” In addition to decorating cookies, the event also offered a lot of food and drinks, as well as board games and music, according to Barionnette. There were also Yogibos, which are large bean bag chairs and pillows, for people to sit and relax on, she later added. One of the key reasons as to why Barionnette saw this event as beneficial for the community is that, “it brings people together and allows everyone to express their inner child. Southside is a relaxing, warm and safe environment that allows everyone to enjoy themselves and their friends.” In terms of the overall turnout, the event usually sees about 300 or so people come by, according to McEvoy. This year there was quite a substantial turnout and it was certainly larger than that of previous years. McEvoy noted that there were over 300 students in attendance this year. She added that, “Fairfield @ Night provides a fun, yet relaxing environment to break up the chaos of the school week,” to which she noted that it is something she always sees as a plus as a manager for these types of events.
Tree Lighting to be Featured on CBS By Jacob Buttiker Contributing Writer Fairfield University makes national news this holiday season as for the first time ever the annual tree lighting will be featured on the CBS Christmas Special on Dec. 24. Taking place on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., Fairfield will hold the Tree Lighting on the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola patio. Newly appointed President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, and his family will greet everyone at the entrance to the event, and after delivering the opening remarks, Nemec will personally lead the crowd in the tree lighting countdown. After the tree lighting has concluded, two of Fairfield University’s singing groups, The Bensonians and Sweet Harmony, will each sing a few songs to those in attendance.
The tree lighting is an important event here at Fairfield, one that ushers in the holiday season to our campus. “I always loved singing at the tree lighting, it’s a great event that brings the Fairfield community together,” commented Luke Fain ’17, a Fairfield graduate and former Bensonian. Although attendance was low last year due to inclement weather, Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Event Coordinator Colleen Wilson is expecting somewhere around 100 people at the tree lighting this year. “With this year’s event being one of the holiday events featured on the CBS Christmas Special, we believe this will help draw a large crowd,” said Wilson. The Christmas Special will include performances from the Glee Club, Pro-
fessor of Music Brian Q. Torff and New Duke and alumni band, the Lionfish. The special came about when alumnus John P. Blessington ‘65, a senior executive producer at CBS, offered the opportunity to Fairfield University because of its Ignatian values, service and faith, according to a news@fairfield. The Christmas Special on CBS is to be aired at 11:35 p.m. eastern time on Dec. 24. Coordinators of the event are hopeful that this will boost attendance, as some students are sure to be looking for their 15 seconds of fame. Now that Thanksgiving has come and passed, students are eager to get into the Christmas spirit, and the tree lighting is an important event on Fairfield University’s campus during the holiday season.“I’ll definitely be attending the tree lighting, I
look forward to it every year,” said Erik Ekberg ‘19. Cookies, Santa hats and hot chocolate will be provided at the tree lighting for all those in attendance. Lucas the Stag will also be making an appearance to showcase his holiday cheer. Although the event has faced several delays this year, the staff has made many preparations to make sure the lighting runs as smoothly as possible. According to Wilson, conversations were had prior to the event between the president’s office and organizations, such as the Fairfield University Student Association and the Office of Student Engagement, to make sure that all hiccups have been ironed out. Electricians are also brought in to make sure the lights are strung properly.
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
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The Mirror Reflects on this Week in Social Media Compiled by Juliana Sansonetti Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety. Saturday, 12/2 12:22 a.m.- A University employee reported a blue Ford Station Wagon running over the curb in the Barone Campus Center parking lot. Officers located the vehicle on Murphy Road and found an intoxicated non-student driving the vehicle. Passengers in the vehicle were two other non-students who were also intoxicated. Ambulance and Fairfield Police were requested and arrived on the scene. The operator of the vehicle was issued a criminal trespass warning by DPS and one of the passengers, a non-student female, was transported to Bridgeport Hospital for further evaluation. The vehicle was towed by the request of Fairfield police and the operator was issued a DUI. 1:27 a.m.- A public safety officer, while on patrol, noticed that the Jogues gate had been forcefully opened and damaged, possibly by a motor vehicle. Part of a license frame was located on the ground. Photos were taken of the damaged gate and the lock and cameras will be reviewed. There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward to Public Safety with more information. 2:14 a.m.- On routine patrol, an officer noticed that an emergency exit sign had been ripped off the ceiling of Meditz Hall. The camera system will be reviewed. A work order was placed to fix it. It is an ongoing investigation. There are no suspects at this time. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward to Public Safety with more information. 5:41 a.m.- While on routine patrol, an officer observed a silver Chrysler 300 driving slowly around campus. A motor vehicle stop happened at the lower Prep lot. On approach, a male occupant was walking away from the vehicle and seen to be stumbling. The male was an unregistered guest of a Fairfield U student and had an active criminal trespass warning already issued. Fairfield Police and AMR ambulance were requested. Fairfield Police issued a simple trespass infraction and he was transported to St. Vincent’s for further medical evaluation. Sunday, 12/3 1:09 a.m.- A resident assistant in McCormick Hall notified Public Safety after smelling what they believed to be marijuana. A public safety officer arrived, knocked and announced themselves. Inside the room were two students, a mason jar filled with marijuana, rolling papers and a grinder, along with a large amount of alcohol. Fairfield Police was contacted and requested, and one of the students was issued an infraction by Fairfield Police. Both students were referred to student conduct. 7:14 p.m.- A student came to Public Safety and stated that her vehicle was parked in the Campion temp lot, had been there for over 24 hours, and when she returned back to her vehicle, her passenger side was found broken and a rock was lying on her driver seat. Public Safety is reviewing the camera system. Nothing was stolen from the vehicle. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward to Public Safety with more information. The investigation is ongoing.
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Allison White, Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa, Executive Editor Catherine Veschi, Managing Editor Editors Juliana Sansonetti, News Connor O’Rourke, Assistant News Lexi Thimble, Opinion Alicia Phaneuf, Vine Cara Lee, Assistant Vine Claire Monahan, Coffee Break Alfredo Torres, Sports Daniel Montgomery, Assistant Sports Online Bradley Nordstrom, Web Master Ariana Puzzo, Online Editor-in-Chief Pamela Kask, Online Opinion Editor Kelley Ekert, Online Coffee Break Editor Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com Natalia Macchio, Director of Finance Phillip Sibert, 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
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THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
News Around the World News in the United States By Connor O’Rourke Assistant News Editor
By Connor O’Rourke Assistant News Editor
Pyeongchang, South Korea: According to BBC Sport, Russia has been banned from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang by the International Olympic Committee. This follows an extensive investigation regarding state-sponsored doping of competing athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.
San Marcos, Texas: According to CNN, Texas Police Officer Kenneth Copeland was fatally shot in an “ambush” while on duty on Monday, Dec. 4. He was responding to a warrant for a suspect’s arrest when the suspect opened fire on him and other officers “much like in an ambush type of situation,” the San Marcos Police Chief Chase Stapp stated.
Jerusalem, Israel: As reported by Reuters, President Trump expressed the will to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is contrary to the decades-old U.S. policy to keep the embassy out of the contentious region. Trump wants to move the embassy despite the fact that the U.S. has not endorsed Israel’s claim to Jerusalem as its capital, which would ultimately reverse the policy that the city’s status has to be deliberated upon via negotiations with the Palestinians.
Washington, D.C.: As per Reuters, on Tuesday, Dec. 5, a grand jury indicted an illegal immigrant from Mexico on federal charges regarding the possession of a firearm and for being an illegal immigrant in possession of said firearm. This happened a week after this man, Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, was acquitted of the murder of Kate Steinle on a pier in San Francisco on July 1, 2015.
Southern California, U.S.: On Tuesday, Dec. 5, according to NBC, more than 27,000 people in Southern California were evacuated as a result of a massive wildfire that was only worsened by high winds and extremely dry conditions. London, England: Fox News reported that on Tuesday, a report came out regarding an Islamic terror plot to assassinate the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, thus thwarting the plan. The report states that, “the plan was to launch some sort of improvised explosive device at Downing Street and in the ensuing chaos attack and kill Theresa May.” Sana’a, Yemen: The Huffington Post reported that violence has escalated in the country following the death of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s former authoritarian president. He was killed by political rivals of the regime on Monday, Dec. 4, and has maintained a powerful force of armed supporters since he was forced to step down from office in 2012 after his 33 years in power.
Memphis, Tenn: Fox News reported that on Tuesday, Dec. 4, a man named Billy Turner, 46, was charged with the 2010 killing of NBA player Lorenzen Wright. Turner was being held on a $1 million bond according to Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich. Jacksonville, Fla: According to the Huffington Post, a 69-year-old man was accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Florida Islamic Center, authorities stated. The man, Bernandino Gawala Bolatete, is faced with charges of willingly possessing a silencer without registration of the firearm and is known to have expressed a great deal of anti-Islamic sentiment. Washington, D.C.: According to the Huffington Post, Congressman John Conyers, the current longest serving member of the House, announced on Tuesday, Dec. 4, that he will be retiring from Congress after receiving pressure from lawmakers to give up his position amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. Conyers has denied these allegations of misconduct.
Families Gather at Bellarmine Hall to See Santa Claus Continued From Page
which included 93 adults and 77 children. Jeanine Braun ‘84, who has brought her daughter to the event to see Santa before and decided to come again this year, commented, “My daughter really loves to see Santa and see all the decorations. It’s really great, and the Mass is really nice. It’s one of my favorite places to come to Mass when I can come back.” “It’s huge because it brings back nice memories but also it kind of makes you think of sending your kids back here if you can,” Braun continued. “I had a really great experience at Fairfield, so I would love to be able to share it with my little girl someday.” Another mother who brought her children, Cristina Dieguez-Kuo ‘99, added, “My kids love seeing Santa here and we always go to the Alumni Advent Mass. It’s always good to see other alumni, every time we come I come with my college roommate and we always run into people we know, so it’s a great way to keep that alumni community.” “This is a really wonderful way to see Santa as opposed to going to the mall to see Santa,” Dieguez-Kuo continued. “It feels more like a family environment.” One couple that came to the event, Tom Corbett ‘07 and Molly Corbett ‘07, explained that they met at Fairfield University. They brought their young son to the reception to see Santa Claus. “The two of us are both alumni and we met here, so I think it’s important to bring him back to share in this part of our background and history,” Tom explained.
Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Following the Alumni Mass, families went up to Bellarmine Hall and had the chance to meet Santa.
Wounded Warrior Project Hosts Thanksgiving Drive Continued From Page
looking for nearby veterans organizations that we could help and decided that the West Haven VA hospital was where we could make the biggest impact.” According to the mission statement on the Wounded Warrior Project’s website, they serve veterans and service members, “who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound, coincident to their military service on or after September 11, 2001.” “As a University, for us to come together and be able to help out veterans is great,” said Anna Robles ‘21. “It shows that we’re a giving community and that we’re
willing to help people in need.” In terms of what the organization does as a collective, they provide free programs and services for wounded veterans and help them where the government does not do so. The goals of the organization, the website also stated, are to connect veterans to programs and communities to assist them, as well as serve them by providing them with mental and physical health treatment. As a whole, in response to the helpfulness of the drive, Dierks added that, “the workers at the hospital, as well as the patients, were extremely grateful last year for the donations and we are excited to help them again this year.”
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THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
Opinion Editor Lexi Thimble » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com
Getting
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pinionated with The Mirror
Prince George's Identity is Not for Others to Decide By Lexi Thimble Opinion Editor It was reported by The New York Times on Dec. 1 that an Anglican priest in Glasgow, Scotland made a controversial blog post about the furtherment of same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom. What is drawing the criticism, however, is that he went on to implore his parishioners to “pray in the privacy of their hearts (or in public if they dare)” for Prince George, who is currently four years old, to be blessed “with a love, when he grows up, of a fine young gentleman.” The backlash to this post has been strong so far, as the UK legally allows gay marriage, but does not allow it to be solemnized in the Church of England. Though the intentions of Reverend Kelvin Holdsworth seem to come from a good place, I take issue with advocating for gay marriage in this way, as it presents the LGBTQ+ community in an uncomfortable light and puts unnecessary pressure on the young prince. Foremost in my mind in addressing this issue is that again, Mr. Holdsworth does not mean any ill-will toward George in making this kind of a statement. Obviously this was meant as a sign of good faith and best wishes toward the prince, even though it was slightly inappropriate of him to do so. This was not, as former royal chaplain Reverend Gavin Ashenden stated, “an unkind and destabilizing prayer,” and it sure isn’t “the theological equivalent of the curse of the wicked fairy in one of the fairy tales.” Taking away the melodrama that the Rev. Ashenden seems to think is present here, hoping that a future royal will be gay is not the same as cursing him, and saying so perpetuates the idea that being gay is a sinful and cursed way of being, an idea the LGBTQ+ community has been trying to eradicate for decades. Rev. Ashenden’s additional comments about George marrying “to produce a biological heir with a woman he loves” goes on further to lend credence to what I mainly don’t like about this story: the forcing of any expectation of an identity on young children. It’s a commonplace enough occurrence if you think about it; this past Thanksgiving, there were, at the very least, three to four comments made about my
three-year-old cousins, describing them as “ladies’ men” and talking about “girlfriends” they had at daycare. And though these comments are, like Rev. Holdsworth’s, harmless and well-intentioned, it begs the question: why are we attributing any brand of sexual or romantic identity on young children or even babies? Why are we talking about who Prince George or even my cousin Danny’s going to be attracted to in the future when they both have no concept of anything yet? They’re still learning how to talk and walk and play and read, so why do we put these heavy expectations on them to be a certain way? It honestly boggles my mind, and even though this is usually a heteronormative occurrence, Rev. Holdsworth expands it to include homosexual identities as well. Not only does it create unnecessary pressure for Prince George, but it also doesn’t reflect well on the LGBTQ+ community. Rev. Holdsworth is trying to use the relative power and position of the young prince as a way to make a political and religious statement, which makes gay people out to be manipulative and downright toxic if they’re taking advantage of a child in this way. And though he isn’t wrong that George having a same-sex relationship would cause a dramatic shift in the UK’s view of gay marriage, he shouldn’t be advocating for it to happen solely for the cause to be furthered. Being gay is incredibly difficult, and like it or not, wishing that identity on someone is, historically, a harder way to live versus growing up and marrying a partner of the opposite gender. So even though it isn’t the “curse” that Rev. Ashenden believes it is, it is not without its social challenges, though whether things have significantly changed by the time George is of marrying age remains to be seen. We as adults that analyze and critique the world around us should not be forcing identities on children. This is one of the reasons it can be difficult for young people to come out; if they are born with certain expectations of their future and the partner they will have in that future, breaking that mold and defying those longheld assumptions can be incredibly difficult. Children should
be able to grow up and explore their identities freely, and, for better or worse, should not have the hopes of an entire marginalized community pinned upon them.
Artwork of the Ocean Should Be Left Uncensored By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor
When I think of the word “censor” I think of TV stations beeping out profane language prior to airing an episode, or radio stations substituting “f***ing” for “loving” in major pop songs. So, naturally for artwork, images that should be censored include … the ocean? Yeah, I’m confused too. In case you’re behind the eight-ball on this recent controversial incident, John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York opened an art exhibition displaying the works of Guantánamo Bay detainees. News of this exhibition reached the ears of the Pentagon and officials are acting like these 36 works of art will erupt into a mass support of terrorism and spark some sort of explosion leading to the next world war. How a picture of water will cause such mayhem is beyond my realm of understanding. Art is used as a means of reflection and can oftentimes be therapeutic. It allows people to see what’s behind the mind of other people and if this message does not offend the U.S., then I don’t see the need for the exhibition to be taken down, or criticized. “Ode to the Sea” was the title of this (apparently) erroneous exhibition, and was comprised of work ranging from paintings and drawings to sculptures. The work was created by eight men detained at Guantánamo Bay, four of which have been released. The Pentagon claims that the art released by the prisoners infringes on the nation’s censorship. According to an article released by the New York Times, the Pentagon has even gone as far as to stop all other artwork from being released from the prison. “My clients were told that their art would no longer be processed for release,” said Ramzi Kassem, a professor at the City University of New York School of Law whose legal clinic represents three men being held at Guantánamo Bay. “And then one of my clients was told that, even if he were ever to be released, that he would not be able to take his art with him, and that it would be incinerated.” Now, this is just absurd. Not only can artwork not be released, but now officials are stating they will destroy all artwork already released to the public. The Pentagon’s decision to take these drastic steps dehumanizes the prisoners that have been held captive for years – some without even having a trial yet. Art is not
Editorial Board "A Fall From Grace" Allison White Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Catherine Veschi Managing Editor
As young journalists, we are ingrained with the fundamentals of ethics that form the basis of our careers as watchdogs of the public good. Additionally, we look to the echelons of news giants such as Lester Holt and Anderson Cooper as influencers in our daily news lives. However, there are times in our careers where some of our greatest influences betray us and our trust. On Wednesday, Nov. 29, the American public was taken aback by the firing of esteemed NBC News anchor Matt Lauer after reports of sexual harassment and abuse by numerous women over his behavior in the newsroom was revealed. This breakthrough is only a slice in the recent wave of sexual abuse and harassment allegations that have stricken Hollywood, politicians and high-profile celebrities including Harvey Weinstein, Al Franken and Louis C.K. In a statement made by Lauer on Thursday, Nov.
just a hobby, it’s therapeutic. Sometimes art can be used as a means of de-stressing, or self-reflection. It can give people the means to show what they are thinking through self-expression. It can allow these prisoners to remember, record and re-create images that they see in their minds of the ocean, and of freedom. It’s the closest thing they get to the ocean, and now it’s being taken away. I’m not saying these men are all innocent and deserve to walk freely on American soil; most of them are suspected members of Al Qaeda, and terrorism has become such a prominent concern in today’s society. However, locking these men in cages and not allowing them to act as human beings won’t solve anything. To solve large scale issues such as terrorism, one must first understand the mind of a terrorist. The best way to do so is through observing what they write and what they draw. These pieces of art allow viewers to not only see what is going on inside the heads of terrorists, but it also allows people to see them for who they truly are – human. Just like you and me, these prisoners crave freedom: they love the ocean, they long to see the sky and the sand, they dream, and they dream to once again see all of these luxuries in life that we take for granted. The paintings on display in the exhibition at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice all show pictures of the ocean, and even the statue of liberty. They display no messages of hate toward America, the government or its people. All work has been looked over for hidden messages, and even X-Rayed and stamped for approval by the U.S. Forces before being released and placed on display. If they have been searched and scrutinized in order to uphold U.S. censorship, then there really is no need to be so concerned about the messages they are sending. The only messages being portrayed through this work are that terrorists are humans. They dream to see the ocean. The want to feel fresh air and see a sunset. They want to feel water crashing against their feet. They have hopes and fears just like all of us. Art is supposed to act as a means of breaking the wall of communication — it’s supposed to allow viewers inside the minds of artists, to hear their stories and to see them as a person worthy of sharing the beauty of this world. Art is art. It should never be taken away and it definitely should never be destroyed for the sole purpose of “protecting” American people from sympathizing with terrorists.
30, he responded saying, “Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly.” While his response may come across as sincere, there is still a monumental wave of disappointment felt within newsrooms across America, as someone many of us have looked up to for decades has in fact destroyed the ethics we have promised to abide by. Without following these ethical codes as journalists, all integrity and legitimacy is lost. Despite the fact that many of us journalists lost Lauer as an inspirational figure as a result of the recent sexual assault allegations, NBC truly made the right call by firing him shortly after these allegations were made. Even though Lauer served as one of their top journalists, earning a
salary of $25 million by the end of his time with the company, NBC’s decision to fire him was a beneficial way of asserting their own standards as an organization. It will be difficult for NBC to transition, and his former co-workers will be losing a valued member of their news organization, but ultimately, through this whole process, NBC has shown that they’re a company that does not tolerate sexual harassment or assault among their employees. Had NBC chosen not to fire Lauer, this would have started a controversy over their standards as a company, so despite losing one of their top journalists, the company certainly made the best decision possible. Lauer’s sexual assault allegations and his corresponding loss of employment with NBC are a perfect example of a company doing what’s right from a moral standpoint despite how it may impact the show’s ratings and productivity.
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
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Benefits of Deinstitutionalization Outweigh the Drawbacks By its own stated goals, deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill, or the massive reduction of in-patient psychiatric treatment, has been a failure. The Kennedy-era dream of the asylum as a means of last resort, supplemented by so-called “community mental health centers” — a well-meaning rhetorical flourish that never approached the elixir it was conceived to be — was only half realized. State hospitals for the mentally ill have seen their populations well more than halved as ivy furrows up the sides of colossal structures that used to house society’s most troubled souls. The supplemental network of community centers was never actualized in any meaningful way; while progressives ascribe this failure to a misallocation of funds, its root cause is tied to the nature of severe psychiatric illness — the notion that a schizophrenic with intense violent ideations can be adequately treated “in the community” is a gross misunderstanding of the very nature of psychosis itself. While the advent of psychotropic medications and abuses within hospital walls made a degree of deinstitutionalization natural, and necessary, given the profound overcrowding of some congregate facilities — the push to radically undercut the number of psychiatric hospital beds was driven in large measure by the “anti-psychiatry” movement. These ideologues, who deemed mental illness a socially constructed phenomenon driven by disparate power dynamics be-
tween patient and proctor, shared the relativist flavor of their modern progressive peers and the anti-authority sentiments of the midtwentieth century cultural rebellion of which they were aggrieved soldiers. Conservatives joined in, largely because of the cost savings involved in reducing the number of psychiatric beds, all culminating in President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act that block granted mental health funding to states and made hospitalization for psychiatric patients more difficult. The mentally disturbed languished under a bipartisan consensus that hospitalization was either oppressive or inefficient. When incidents of abuse arose, which were rampant in institutions where patient populations well outstripped staff, the Burkean imperative would have been to prudentially address conditions within those facilities, not to burn them to the ground in a moral haste. And if some patients could operate in a more integrated setting, a similar sensibility would presume that their care would not come at the expense of the more severely impaired, for whom leaving the structured life of a psychiatric hospital would prove disastrous. But the typically cautious demeanor of social conservatives toward profound change was all but absent as drastic and immediate revolution overtook our national mental health system, leaving the most vulnerable among us with limited options and outlets for healing.
On a state level, E. Fuller Torrey said it best in his 2014 National Review piece on California’s mental health troubles: “It is probably easier in California today to gain admission to Stanford University than to gain admission to a public hospital psychiatric bed.” In 1955, there were 339 state psychiatric hospital beds for every 100,000 people; in 2000, that number fell to a mere 22 according to a study cited by the nonprofit health advocacy organization Unite for Sight. Conservatives talk about our incoherent mental health infrastructure in the wake of a mass shooting, but both parties have refused to view the state hospital network as a resource in fighting violent psychosis for any but those who can magically secure one of the dwindling number of inpatient beds. The prison system, homelessness and addiction have filled the voids left in the wake of deinstitutionalization, and costs incurred in anti-poverty programs and the penal system combined with rampant human capital costs are enough to make most libertarians shudder. To scratch the surface of the mental health crisis in this country, conservatives who valiantly stand for freedom ought to extend it to those who desire inpatient institutional care, even if it comes at the behest of “civil rights” actors who deem such places an arm of apartheid. It shouldn’t, as Torrey says, be easier to be admitted to an elite university than a state hospital. Society’s most vulnerable deserve better.
Pictured is the Oregon State Hospital, one of the oldest continuously operated hospitals on the West Coast.
Student Activism is Essential in Today's Society By Allen Brown Contributing Writer
giving to people of color — in most Jesuit Universities white students make up around 70 percent of the student body and they use the same tactics — subcontracting, benefit rollbacks and gendered and racialized departments — to keep on-campus workers marginalized, underpaid and underappreciated. Jesuit Universities are similarly A little over a year ago, John J. DeGioia, President of Georgetown University, announced the recommen- reluctant to look beyond the usual suspect with respect to recruitment and admissions. dations of the University’s Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation. This group was formed in In fact, the tendency to ignore non-traditional students is even reflected in recommendations of the workresponse to student protests over Georgetown’s slave-owning past and racial ing group. For instance, some descendants justifiably claim that granting discrimination in American educational institutions. They were tasked with descendants legacy admission status and tuition assistance mainly beneaddressing the legacy of Jesuit slave owning and slave trading at Georgefits college-aged descendants who have the qualifications and resources to town. The working group made a number of recommendations — the most apply to and gain admittance into Georgetown. Since the vast majority of noteworthy ones being the promise of formal and regular dialogue with the descendants are neither college-aged nor likely to be admitted to Georgedescendants of those 272 Jesuit-owned slaves and the rest of the university town, most will have little opportunity to act on the main redistributive community, the renaming of Mulledy Hall and Remembrance Hall to Isaac segment of Georgetown’s memorialization project. They were left out of Hall and Anne Marie Becraft Hall and the granting of legacy status and the process and it shows in the recommendations. A clearly mapped out tuition assistance to the descendants of the 272. These initiatives garnered and well-funded commitment to incorporate older and under qualified Georgetown a fair amount of good publicity. descendants into these legacy and tuition assistance programs could have Protests from student-activists of color were the driving force behind put Georgetown at forefront of the movement for racial justice in AmeriGeorgetown’s reckoning with its slaveholding past. Without their prodding, can educational institutions. These initiatives should have extended to inGeorgetown’s reckoning might have gone the way of Holy Cross’ — which vesting in the community and educational infrastructure of Maringouin. ended in the unsatisfying compromise now known as Brooks-Mulledy Hall. If the election of Donald Trump and the protests and counter proEchoing Yale student protests over Calhoun Hall, named after the infamous tests that developed in its wake tell us anything about the state of our slaver John C. Calhoun, these student-activists demanded that, in light of the nations, it's that racial conflict isn’t going away anytime soon. Every racial Jesuit involvement in the slave trade, Mulledy Hall be renamed Building 272. battle may not be as deadly or as well covered as Charlottesville, yet Jesuit These protests didn’t arise spontaneously; they were organized by student universities owe it to their students, campus workers and communities to activists of color, included the entire campus community, and inspired by speak out against and be active in combatting all forms of racial injustice. similar demonstrations of people of color across the country and the globe. Jesuit universities can’t hide behind platitudes about free speech and neuPictured is the 1969 student takeover of Xavier Hall, wherein stuHowever, before the student protests occurred, Georgetown wasn’t par- dents didn't vacate the building until more racially-inclusive policies trality if they want folks to take their pronouncements about social justice were agreed to by the administration. ticularly enthusiastic about coming to terms with its institutional history with seriously. In cases like Charlottesville, silence serves as an endorsement of slavery. As reported by the Washington Post, the announcement of the workthe status quo. If we all don’t start speaking out against racism and racial ing groups’ recommendations was actually one of the first public acknowledgments of the Jesuit order’s role in injustice, then public safety will suffer, public trust will erode and our democracy won’t survive. Jesuit educational the Atlantic slave trade. In fact, a report from NPR details the story of Richard Cellini — a curious class of 1984 institutions need to take the cue from student activists and become the driving force behind our nation’s reckonGeorgetown alumni — who discovered that a representative from the working group originally claimed that all ing with its slaveholding past. of the formerly Jesuit-owned slaves died shortly after they were sold and transported to Louisiana. A statement A recently released independent report on the unrest in Charlottesville revealed that the Charlottesville that proved to be false after a cursory Google search by Cellini revealed that most of the descendants were alive Police Department lacked the equipment, instructions and resolve needed to stop the violence that was unfoldand well in Maringouin, La. Yet once the Jesuits and Georgetown became aware of the existence of these descen- ing in front of them. If we can’t rely on our local police forces to prevent and investigate racialized violence, then dents, they made little attempt to contact and consult them about the plans for memorializing their ancestors. who should we turn to when seeking protection from racist mobs? And if we can’t rely on our universities to This inconsistency between the University’s public pronouncements on race and their actual record on race speak out against and sincerely combat these racial injustices, then who should we turn to when the next racial isn’t a phenomenon that’s unique to Georgetown. It’s an issue that affects Jesuit educational institutions across the tragedy inevitably occurs? I feel that the obvious answer to both questions is to turn to each other. Folks may need country. Despite frequent pronouncements about the importance of social justice to Jesuit educational institu- to start taking responsibility for each other’s safety because clearly the white supremacist state cannot be relied on tions, Jesuit universities aren’t run much differently than typical secular American universities. Most aren’t any for protection. And members of every university community may have to turn to each other and start organizing more affordable than the typical secular American university—only Boston College, Holy Cross and George- and agitating until American universities stop ignoring their responsibility to keep their students, campuses and town qualify as need-blind, 100 percent need-met universities. Their racial demographics can be just as unfor- communities safe from racism and free from racial injustice.
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arts, entertainment, features Editor Alicia Phaneuf alicia.phaneuf@student.fairfield.edu
Student Voices Soar in Glee Concert
Photos Taken by Paul Bilgore from Lauren Studios
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
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'A Glee Filled Christmas' Brings Holiday Cheer By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor
A red curtain with white lights in the shape of snowflakes set the tone for Glee’s annual Holiday Concert. Upon walking into the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, I was greeted with ushers in festive sweaters, audience members in their nicest Christmas clothing and a program that laid out exactly what I was in store for. This year’s “A Glee-Filled Christmas,” directed by Carole Ann Maxwell, PhD, and accompanied by Beth Palmer, provided the audience with a series of classic holiday songs and unmatched talent from a variety of vocalists. With Fairfield’s Media Center present and recording from a variety of different angles in preparation for the Fairfield Special on CBS, the Glee Club knew they had no room for error — and they really lived up to that expectation. Following the opening of the concert with Fairfield’s Alma Mater was the performance of “Selections from ‘Misa Carolae.’” The performance featured three different soloists (Eleanor Sgaramella ‘20, Katie Mullen ‘20 and Grace Dembia ‘20) who all carried themselves with grace and added a unique element to the song. As explained in the concert’s program, James Whitebourn, the composer of the song, is a Grammy-nominated composer, and where “Carolae” is a fusion of two American and English Christmas traditions that is meant to be sung as if from the perspective of the shepherds during the birth of Christ. A notable moment during the concert was when soloist Jessica Jalbert ‘18 took center stage for her rendition of “Noel.” As a Mezzo Soprano vocalist, Jalbert was able to beautifully achieve a wide vocal range throughout the song. Her body movements during the performance demonstrate how invested she was in her solo, and whenever she sung out the long lasting note of “noel,” her arms would go out to her sides, displaying that she truly gave the performance everything she had. Following Jalbert’s solo were The Chamber Singers, made up of 15 female vocalists. The Chamber singers started off with classical songs, such as, “Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day,” and Christmas favorite, “Ave Maria.” “Ave Maria” was skillfully sung in Latin. The Chamber Singers ended their spotlight with the upbeat holiday classic “Sleigh Ride,” where Elise Sullivan ‘19 entertainingly kept rhythm with
bells. During this last song, the Chamber Singers fashioned Santa hats to add a light-hearted and less formal aspect to the performance. The last song before intermission was a special ballad, “We Will Sing of a Dream,” written specifically for the Glee Club, which was commissioned in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Glee Club. Written by Kevin A. Memley, this song was one of my favorite moments of the night. The singers listened to one another to combine their vocal abilities in a way that had me speechless. The group sang different sections, on different times, with different rhythms, and yet when they all came together for other sections of the song, it sounded extremely powerful. Memley incorporated Fairfield’s Jesuit value of cura personalis by having the vocalists sing “cura personalis” throughout the song in different harmonies, that when combined, created an unbelievable melody. Sweet Harmony and the Bensonians also took the spotlight for two songs each during the Christmas concert. Sweet Harmony, Fairfield’s all female a cappella group, is directed by Jalbert, and the Bensonians, Fairfield’s all male a cappella group, is directed by Marcus DeSouto ‘18. Both directors showed their talents, as the different groups were able to receive a rowdy round of applause from the audience. One of the most entertaining moments of the evening was the Bensonians’ rendition of the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” as it was far from traditional and added in lines from different holiday favorites. The highlight of the evening was a beautiful solo sung by soprano Sophia Bonini ‘21. As only a firstyear student, performing as a soloist in front of an audience may seem daunting, but not for Bonini. This powerhouse vocalist graced the spotlight with her rendition of, “Cantique de Noel,” — more commonly known as, “Oh Holy Night.” Bonini sang the first few verses of the song in Latin, an impressive feat for a millennial singer, as Latin is starting to become less and less well-known. Her voice reached the high notes of the ballad perfectly. Bonini showed no signs of shaking in her voice, and delivered each line with confidence. Bonini did eventually begin singing the song in English, and somehow she was able to maintain the same eloquence as she did in the prior verses while singing in Latin later on. Bonini is a force to be reckoned with, and I anticipate seeing her featured at many more Glee concerts to come. The Glee Club ended the festive evening with a group sing-along, where they encouraged audience members to join in with the song, “O Come All Ye Faithful.” I sang my heart out (I apologize to the people sitting next to me), and thoroughly enjoyed the last few minutes of the concert. “A Glee-Filled Christmas” had songs for the whole family to enjoy, and definitely got Stags in the Christmas spirit. Be sure to keep an eye out for future Glee concerts such as “Global Grooves,” at the Quick Center on April 7 and their annual Pops concert, “Glee Hits the Big Screen,” on May 2.
Paul Bilgore/Lauren Studios
Sophomore Katie Mullen sings solo feature during, "Selections from 'Misa Carolae.'"
Paul Bilgore/Lauren Studios
The Bensonians take the spotlight during the Glee Holiday Concert.
Performing For Change Falls Short By James DellaRocca Contributing Writer
stage. I feel that, if they wanted to share news stories about the topics covered, a performer could’ve come on stage and discussed a particular story instead of having the audience look at a dark, empty stage for up to three minutes. There was some audience participation in the performance, which allowed the audience members to have a vested interest in the topics covered. By taking part in these activities, members could more fully understand the ideas that were being shared during the performance. The first instance was a kind of “Mother May I” game, where a few audience members were brought up on stage with some of the cast members to play by asking “Uncle Sam,” portrayed by Ordonez, if they were allowed to take steps forward. Each person asked if they could take steps forward and, each time, “Uncle Sam” said no. This skit lost some of its meaning since no one was allowed to move forward. I believe that this was meant to invoke similar ideas as some recent viral videos, where people were asked to step forward if statements about privilege applied to them; however, since no one moved during the performance, the meaning was lost. The second instance of participation was more effective than the first. The cast members built up a wall of hate and ignorance, reading off stereotypical, hateful and ignorant statements that were written on blocks as they built this wall up. Then audience members were given balls to throw at, and try to dismantle, the wall. This successfully and creatively supported the idea that even though you are but one person,
when gathered in numbers, people can accomplish amazing things. However, the performers did not use the space well whatsoever, An old saying goes that those that do not learn from history are which could be due to the fact that cast was only comprised of five doomed to repeat it. That was the major theme of the “You’re Damned actors. PFC had the entire Gonzaga stage to work with, yet only used to Repeat it” show put on by Performing for Change on Saturday, Dec. a small portion of the upstage area. Additionally, there were about 30 2 in the Gonzaga Auditorium. Performing for Change, a social justice people in attendance, which seemed insignificant when compared performance troupe, led an audience through American history disto the mass of empty seats that surrounded them. It would’ve been a cussing different social injustices. The performance seemed to include better use of space had they performed in the Black Box Theatre, as a number of disjointed skits, news audio clips and spoken word perthey did last semester. The Black Box would have allowed for a better formances threaded together by an over arching narrator reading a stage presence, and the number of people in attendance wouldn’t have book, supposedly telling of the history of social injustices. seemed as insignificant. The messages conveyed in the various spoken word perforThe show was also not well marketed. OrgSync reported that the mances were obviously personal to the speakers. One performer, Joseshow would begin at 8:30 p.m. but in reality, it began a half hour earlilyn Ordonez ‘18, spoke about how hard her mother works to provide er. I arrived around 8:20 p.m. and noticed no one was waiting outside, for her and teared up multiple times trying to defend her mother from and I heard noises coming from the stage. I thought it was one final people using the stereotype that immigrants are not hard workers. rehearsal prior to the show. After waiting around five minutes, I noThe different skits provided meaningful insight into these injusticed a number of people seated, so I entered into the, now half over, tices and exemplified that simply listening to them cannot result in a performance. Although the time was accurately advertised on posters solution on its own. By seeing a black woman, portrayed by PFC Diand social media, the mixed messages made for a confusing night. rector Kayla Craig ‘19, get rejected from a job just because of her hair, It also ended earlier than billed, over an hour and a half earlier to be it invokes a more visceral emotion than just hearing stories about it or exact. Had PFC advertised a more accurate time frame, more people simply reading a news story. The skits allowed the audience to experimay have been persuaded to attend, since seeing a large 8 -10:30 p.m. ence these problems first-hand, which some of them might never have time frame probably turned people away who wanted to go out on been able to do because of their various privileges. their Saturday night. The aftermath of events, such as the Charlottesville Riots, What the performers had written, and the content they Chechnya concentration camps and a host of other devastating delivered to the audience was very well done and well spoken. occurrences, contributed to the inspiration of PFC’s show. PFC The topics were handled in a respectful way, without seeming realized that many of these events paralleled with larger events in too preachy in execution. The performance itself could have history like the Holocaust or entire towns rioting in response to used some improvements that would have helped create a more schools attempting to racially integrate. cohesive narrative for the audience to experience. However, it’s “We wanted audience members to realize that they have the important to note that in the time leading up to PFC’s perforpower to change history, to challenge systems of injustice. College mance, four members decided to quit the performance, leaving students have been at the forefront of almost every social movethe cast with about half of the members they initially planned ment in this country, and it's completely within our power to confor. tinue that,” said Craig. “We hoped to inspire audience members to Craig explained that, “even though we lost a few people, go out and make change in whatever way they could, even things they still helped shape the show into what it became. We're a reas small as signing a petition or calling their representative.” sourceful group, and the things that needed to be shifted around The audio clips — aired as disembodied voices speaking to accommodate a smaller cast were shifted around efficiently Sansonetti/The Mirror of various injustices and atrocities across history — though inas soon as possible. As much as we missed those people, we still sightful, were a bit unnecessary. It seemed like filler material used went out and put our best work forward. And I'm very proud of while cast members changed costumes or arranged props back- Performing for Change actors "build a wall" during their performance. what we accomplished that night.”
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
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Sabrina's Style: Midnight Breakfast By Sabrina Musto Fashion Columnist
Christmas is just around the corner, and at Fairfield, this means that Midnight Breakfast is almost here! Midnight Breakfast is such an amazing Fairfield tradition, and it really gets everyone in the Christmas spirit and helps to alleviate some of the finals week stress. One important question people ask about Midnight Breakfast is what to wear, and in my opinion, you really cannot go wrong, as long as your look screams Christmas. However, there are some looks that I personally love for Midnight Breakfast, and they apply for both guys and girls: Christmas onesies: not being biased because I wore a Christmas onesie last year to Midnight Breakfast, but I do think that they are so fun and cute, and get you into the spirit of childhood, which I feel is a big part of what Christmas is all about. Another great thing about onesies is that they are super warm, and that walk to the event in mid-December can get very cold. It is important to know that what to wear is not something that should be stressed about like when going to an interview, it should just be something fun and jovial. Christmas sweaters (both ugly and not ugly): so with Christmas sweaters, there are two routes you can take. Some people opt to wear cute Christmas sweaters that could actually be worn as an outfit, however other people will definitely opt for an ugly Christmas sweater. My roommate has made a tradition of ugly Christmas sweaters, freshman year opting for a sweater with an image of a sloth hanging on Christmas lights, and last year wearing a sweater with Will Smith’s face on the front wearing a Santa hat. Her mantra for the night was “Merry Will Smithmas,” and I have to say it was a big hit. Christmas pajamas are another way to go. Christmas pajamas are comfortable and so easy to wear, and most people may even have a pair of Christmas pajamas and do not need to go out and make a purchase. Accessories are important. Throw on a Santa hat or some reindeer ears, because they will really add flavor to your outfit. In past
years, I have seen people bring jingle bells, wear red noses for Rudolph, come in various hats whether they be Santa hats, elf hats or reindeer ears. Accessories are overall a great addition that adds to the Christmas excitement, and you can usually find accessories like these at a local CVS or Stop and Shop. Sticking to the classics may also be a good idea. If you are someone that maybe is not quite as festive, or really just does not want to go out and buy an outfit for a one night event that lasts an hour, you may just want to stick to the classic Christmas colors. Wear a green sweater or a red sweater. Wear a white sweater with a red scrunchie or a pair of red or green jeans. It makes total sense to utilize what
The Mirror Abroad: Deanna's Discoveries By Deanna Carbone Abroad Columnist
ney cakes (literally cinnamon dough with ice cream in it). Since the bus ride was 16 hours there and back, Any true Mirror fan knows that this is the last we only had two full days there, which was certainly issue of the semester, A.K.A. my last abroad column, not enough time for me to see all the sites. We got A.K.A. a sign that my time abroad is coming to a back to Florence around 10 p.m. and we embarked tragic end. Before I return to my position as the faith- on our last walk from the train station to our apartful and better (what? who said that?) co-news editor, ment. I’ll give the details of my last adventures. Thinking about how I’ll have to trade in my Work has been piling up since finals are coming sporadic weekend travels for an actual school routine up a little too close for comfort, but I genuinely can’t makes me nauseous; not to be dramatic or anything. believe my professors have the audacity to harp the I keep trying to think of ways to stay here; some of final weeks of my four-month vacation with actual my best options are to become a spy for the U.S. to work. Despite my approaching make sure all the artwork in deadlines and finals, I boarded Deanna Carbone/Mirror Florence stays exactly where a 16-hour bus to my final desit is (we don’t want any wars tination: Prague because YOSO on our watch), pretending like (you only study abroad once). I actually applied to stay for a 11/10 recommend Prague year and just squat in my apartas a last trip because: a) it was ment, pick up bartending and beautiful and you need a strong become the sassy server the finish, b) it had an amazing customers love to laugh with, nightlife and I need to enjoy my but also respect or splurge on last week of being legal c) everyan expensive olive-toned spray thing is really cheap and if you tan and blend in with the locals did abroad right you will be runfor as long as possible. ning on your last silver dollar. I want to personally shout Between the beautiful, viout Editor-in-Chief Emeritus brant building and the blends of Jesse Erickson for warning different styles of architecture, I me that once you go abroad, felt like I was on a movie set of you’ll never recover. I’m going an eccentric movie. The famed Charles Arch Bridge in Prague. to miss new adventures, secret If you were raised on The places, free-for-students botBeatles (thanks mom), the John Lennon Wall would tomless wine, the FOOD and the beauty around evtouch your heart thinking of your parents’ favorite ery corner. As sad as I am to go, I’m excited to see my songs that soon became your own. I was feeling nos- family, my dogs, Stags, a Poland Spring water bottle, a talgic until my eyes moved a little more to the left and drying machine and a bacon, egg and cheese. I saw “Saturdays are for the Boys” aggressively grafI’m leaving a little piece of me behind in Florfitied on the wall. My cue to move on. ence along with all my half-empty cosmetics that We went to the Christmas market in the center won’t make the journey home. Shout out to Swiss of the city which was one of the cutest things I’ve ever Air weight requirements. I don’t know when, but I’ll seen. I felt like I was in a claymation from the 70s that be back to see that little piece and visit the place that always comes on Freeform’s 25 days of Christmas. I have been lucky enough to call home for the past I went wild with Christmas spirit, touching all the three and a half months. hand painted ornaments and smelling all the chimCiao for now! See you on the news byline.
you already have because chances are that almost everyone already has something that is either red, white or green colored. And if you do opt for this choice, you can always use accessories to liven up the look, for example Christmas colored beads go for about $0.99 at Party City, or any of the other accessories mentioned before. As always, just have fun and wear something that you are comfortable with!
Photos taken from TipsyElves Instagram Cara Lee/Mirror
Cara's Cuisine: Gingerbread By Cara Lee Assistant Vine Editor
The campus has been decorated with (some) care, Christmas music fills the apartments and residence halls, teachers are constantly dropping the f-word (“finals,” of course), and there are about a dozen cookie-decorating events announced per week. It must be the holidays. Decorating cookies can be a great way to relieve stress. But let’s be honest. Finals have the tendency to make the average college student crave sweets and the cookies at many of those cookie-decorating events are severely lacking in scrumptious cookie taste. Instead, procrastinate a little longer — make your own cookies. Not only will they be guaranteed to taste (and cause your apartment to smell) wonderful, but they also make great gifts for the Secret Santas that were announced post-Black Friday. You can also decorate them whenever you want, including after having the annual 3 a.m. break down over all the essays, projects and exams you’ve just been informed of. Gingerbread cookies are undoubtedly the cookie of the season, even if nearly everyone prefers chocolate chip. Something about the spices in Gingerbread just makes them smell and feel like Christmas. This recipe took me many Christmas seasons to perfect, and it can be easily adjusted for those grinches who like their gingerbread overly crisp. All they have to do is cook the gingerbread more toward the 10-minute side of the spectrum but, be warned, Gingerbread cookies, like all cookies, continue to cook when they are removed from the oven. Never leave your gingerbread cookies in the oven until they have the consistency you prefer to eat them at — it will just result in dry, brittle gingerbread that are too hard to make pretty regardless of how much icing you use. Happy Holidays and good luck baking! Gingerbread Cookies Ingredients: 6 cups all purpose flour 1 tbsp of baking powder 1 ½ teaspoon of baking soda ½ teaspoon of salt 2 tbsps of ground ginger 3 1/2 tsps of ground cinnamon 1 tsps of ground clover ¾ cup of unsalted butter 1 ½ cup of brown sugar 2 eggs 1 cup of molasses 4 tsps of vanilla 1. Preheat Oven to 375'. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a small bowl. 2. Beat: butter, brown sugar, egg, molasses and vanilla together in a large bowl. 3. Combine. (Tip 1: It will take longer, but will save you A LOT of time and effort later: combine the dry mixture in SLOWLY — as in 1/10 of the mixture at a time — and thoroughly combine each time. Tip 2: Once the dough starts getting hard, use your hands to knead it. Much faster.) 4. Divide the dough into two equal rolls and wrap in plastic. Let stand for two to eight hours at room temperature. 5. Roll out so the dough is ¼ inch thick (Tip: If you use a ceramic/plastic/ metal roller instead of wood you don’t need to use flour on it or whatever surface you are rolling it out on — this will make your cookies less dry.) Cut into shapes if desired. 6. lace on lightly greased cookie sheet one inch apart (they expand). Cook 7-10 minutes (cookies should look dry, but be soft to the touch when lightly pressed in the middle). 7. Remove, let sit for at least five minutes and enjoy!
Pentatonix Return With Seasonal Classics
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THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
The Vine
By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor With finals season in full swing, snack food running scarce in my apartment and temperatures reaching absurdly-cold levels, I decided to compromise my misery with a refreshing dose of holiday music. The Pentatonix are back with their 2017 release of “A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe,” which was released on Oct. 20. A notable difference in this year’s Christmas album from last year’s is that the signature quintet has lost vocalist Avi Kaplan, and now performs and creates music as a quartet. You could hear the sobs around the country when Kaplan made his heartbreaking announcement back in May, explaining that the rigorous Pentatonix schedule was taking time away from his family and his friends, and thus he d e c i d e d to retire from the renowned a cappella group. Though fans will be disheartened at first, it’s obvious that his absence did not affect the group at all. Working together as a quartet is just as impressive, and the Pentatonix will have you binge listening to the entire album in one sitting. The album begins with an immediate downbeat groove by beat boxer, Kevin Olusola, in the group’s rendition of, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Olusa sets the vibe for the entire album in one eight-count rhythm, and people who don’t know that the Pentatonix is an a cappella group might mistake Olusola’s talent for actual drums and snares. What makes this song so interesting is the combination of maintaining some qualities of the original ballad, while transforming it into a piece that has an African vibe to it – adding a playful energy to the start of the album. I must admit that when I first saw some of the tracks on the album I was a little disheartened, as many of them are slow Christmas classics, rather than upbeat, dance on-the-top-of-tables, type jams. Who would have guessed that, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” would turn into my No. 1 shower blast. The song tricks the listener at first by starting off
with what seems to be a classical rendition of the Christian ballad, only without the accompanying music. After the first verse, the beat of the song completely changes as the vocalists start singing notes that sound like bells before having the beat break down and drop into a double-time version of the song. The most notable track on the album is the Pentatonix beautiful rendition of, “Hallelujah.” Even though I don’t necessarily think of “Hallelujah” as a Christmas song, I’m happy to see that the Pentatonix chose to include it on the album as it expresses both a raw vulnerability and a hopeful quality. Scott Hoying does a remarkable job setting the tone, and invests a sorrowful emotion when singing the first two verses of the song; however, the real “wow-factor” of this single doesn’t reveal itself – or I should say herself – until the third verse. Mezzo-soprano, Kirstin Maldonado, is a beast. She commits every ounce of her soul into this verse, making it impossible for the listener not to move their torso in an echoing rhythm, which I’m sure is the reason for the many uncomfortable glances I received at Einstein’s when I first listened to this song. This song alone should be the reason you purchase or stream “A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe.” It will be sure to give you the chills, make you tear up, or both. “A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe” will provide your holiday parties with high-energy classics without the same over-used radio version. They released holiday songs perfect for all age groups, and for all occasions. Whether it be jamming with your friends at those last weekend Christmas parties, or winding down after a long day of studying, the Pentatonix have yet again provided fans with an album that is honest, fun and filled with extraordinary talent. “A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe” received 4.5/5 stars on iTunes, and is available for streaming on stations such as Spotify and Pandora. The Pentatonix have already embarked on their holiday tour, and will be stopping at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. from Dec. 7 to Dec. 10, with tickets starting at $71 on StubHub.
The Art Inkwell Spotlight Corner Ma gic In Ima gination Self Portrait
Artist Jordan Bacon '18 described his art saying, "I wanted to depict myself in oil paints in an 'alla prima' method keeping in mind the dramatic use of light by Renaissance painters such as Reubens; it was an assignment for class in exploring oil painting."
By: Maeve Nowak Contribiting Writer at The Inkwell
Starlight in a bird’s eye view A midnight blue on a resting sea It’s a big bright star amidst an inky night The flame alight in a child’s mind Limitless what imagination can find When given free reign, a kingdom is made Free from the angels, free from the pain Full of enjoyment, glitter, and rain Splashes in puddles mixed up with Joy A Twinkle in the drops of the mid-morning sky The dew strewn in webs, in my tangle of hair A slip of a smile noticed by few…
Do you want your art to be featured in the Art Corner? Please email your drawing, photograph, or comic along with a quote about your piece to alicia.phaneuf@student.fairfield.edu.
CreativeCommons/Videohive CreativeCommons/Pixabay
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
The Vine
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Spike Lee's 'She's Gotta Have It' Makes A Statement By Alexandra Thimble Opinion Editor To be honest, one of the only initial reasons I decided to watch Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” on Netflix is because “Hamilton” star Anthony Ramos is in it. He’d been posting about it a lot on his Instagram in the days leading up to its release and though the trailer looked interesting on its own, my reason for watching after its Nov. 23 release was still majorly to do with Ramos. What was a happy surprise to me, after binging all 10 episodes in a single Saturday, was how I also fell in love with the rest of the cast, as well as with the story writer and director Spike Lee’s telling. “She’s Gotta Have It” tells the story of Brooklyn artist Nola Darling (DeWanda Wise), a self-proclaimed “sex-positive, polyamorous pansexual,” that is sleeping with three men at the same time. They each have their own distinct personalities; the married and successful Jamie Overstreet (Lyriq Bent) acts as a source of stability and responsibility in Nola’s life. Greer Childs (Cleo Anthony) is cartoonishly narcissistic but is appreciated by Nola for his cultured interests and spontaneity. And my reason for watching, Anthony Ramos, plays the childish but hilarious Mars Blackmon, who acts as Nola’s most loyal cheerleader throughout the series. These relationships comprise the main conflict of the show; Nola and her art are dealing with the struggles of being a woman in modern society, this issue heightened by being a woman living the lifestyle Nola has chosen by forgoing monogamy. This relationship between Nola and the art she creates act as the driving force of the show, as her detailed portraits and political street art both reflect the challenges she faces and show how she works through them. What I loved about Nola’s character was not only this mirroring of her serious and mature self in her artwork, but representations of herself outside of her work. She’s capable of strength and making these tenacious feminist statements, but she is also consistently impulsive, immature and even selfish to a degree. She keeps her commitments to her three men surface-deep to avoid a deeper emotional connection, revealing a well-hidden fear that she masks with her happy-golucky attitude. And while Jamie, Greer and Mars sometimes question and challenge her approach to love and sex, her actual mindset is not tested until the introduction of another lover. There’s an entire episode dedicated to a woman named Opal (Ilfenesh Hadera) who seems to have everything Nola is striving for: financial and emotional stability, the utmost confidence in herself, and a clear understanding of what she wants. The resolution of the series, which dedicates an entire episode to a Thanksgiving dinner where Nola introduces Mars, Greer and Jamie to each other, ends with her alone in the aftermath and opening a door to let a visiting Opal in. “She’s Gotta Have It” is an extension and modernization of the 1986 Spike Lee “joint” by the same name, which, from what I’ve learned about the original film, relegated Opal to an insignificant part. I appreciated this added representation and respect given to Nola and Opal’s relationship, and am personally hoping for a season two that explores this relationship further. There are parts of “She’s Gotta Have It” that I wasn’t as huge a fan of. Chief on this list is the subplot where one of Nola’s friends Shemeka (China Layne) gets butt injections, and though Nola briefly speaks up for her right to do what she wants with her body, Shemka is still shamed for it and has to deal with the consequences when things don’t work out. This reinforces an acceptance of body shaming that also has little to contribute in terms of furthering the plot, and was something I found defeated the feminist message Lee was trying to make with this new series. The quality of the acting can also be called into question,
sometimes coming across as overdone and cheesy in an effort to be profound. Though the dialogue choices could sometimes set the maturity of the show back, the actors’ performances shone despite these gaffs. The joy that is inherent to this series can be best summed up in one of the final moments of the last episode. In the culmination of references to Prince throughout the series, Nola and her three men perform an admittedly random but thoroughly enjoyable dance number to “Raspberry Beret,” which was honestly one of my favorite parts of the whole show. It doesn’t really fit with the rest of the show, but that’s the point of “She’s Gotta Have It”: the entire series is littered with random songs, photographs of Brooklyn natives, and the art pieces Nola creates and surrounds herself with, so in the grand scheme of things, a breakout dance number is an appropriate finale. “She’s Gotta Have It” is definitely unlike any program on Netflix right now and is great viewing for anyone searching for a show that makes a statement.
CreativeCommons/Pixabay
W V F H o l i d ay P l ay l i s t
Here are WVOF’s Top 10 Holiday songs, just in time for the season. This playlist consists of unforgettable covers of the Christmas classics. Make sure to grab a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate before listening to our selection. Happy Holidays from WVOF! 1). “Ho Ho Ho” - Sia Straight off Sia’s first holiday album “Everyday is Christmas,” “Ho Ho Ho” is not your quintessential Christmas music. Its quirky tunes and lyrics leave you feeling like you are in the land of misfit toys, but enjoying every minute of it. If you are looking for a Christmas song to spice up the classic holiday tunes, this is the perfect option. 2). “Drummer Boy” - Justin Bieber, Busta Rhymes No one has ever done a cover of this Christmas classic like Justin Bieber in his 2011 holiday album, “Under the Mistletoe.” He truly made this song into his own by adding an intricate bass and drum line and, of course, Busta Rhymes. Nothing beats hearing this song after a full Christmas dinner because it will make you want to get up and start dancing off the extra calories.
3). “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” - Michael Bublé A gift from Santa himself is the voice of Michael Bublé singing Christmas music. His entire Christmas album, “Christmas,” is full of heartwarming covers of the classics. If you have never heard Bublé’s album, you are truly missing out on the spirit of Christmas. 4). “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” - Brett Eldredge and Meghan Trainor Brett Eldredge channels his inner Frank Sinatra throughout his holiday album, “Glow.” His cover of this classic with Meghan Trainor combines two powerhouses in today’s music world and creates a sweet, but saucy, duet. Make sure to add this to your playlist for the perfect song to cuddle up next to the fire with your significant other. 5). “Last Christmas” - Wham! Wham! turned their original song into one of the classic Christmas covers, but no one has topped their version since. Their simple, sweet and soft keyboard and drum melody goes perfectly with the sad lyrics of losing a true love on Christmas. Even though it’s one of the saddest Christmas songs, it still leaves you singing along and wanting to fall in love around Christmas time. CreativeCommons/Freestock
6). “All I Want For Christmas” - Charlie Bliss Gliding off the success of their 2017 release of “Guppy,” up and coming Brooklyn native Charly Bliss blessed us with an indie-rock take on Mariah Carey's Christmas classic. Lead singer Eva Hendricks’ infamously raw, raspy vocals “merry” well with the jolly, yet nostalgic, 90s sugar-pop sound Bliss has gained critical recognition for. Oh, and the drum beat and guitar chords at 2:46 will make you head bang so hard that your Santa hat will fall off. 7). “Chanukah Song” - Adam Sandler Originally performed on Saturday Night Live, this song showcases Adam Sandler’s musical ability combined with his comedic nature. In a season dominated by classic Christmas songs, this is a breath of fresh air. There are four versions of this song, part one performed in 1994, part two 1999, part three 2002 and part four recently performed in 2015. Part three was featured in conjuncture with Sandler’s popular movie “8 Crazy Nights.” The catchy lines and fun tune ensure that it remains relevant through each holiday season. 8). “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)” - Nat King Cole Nat King Cole’s Christmas album never fails to bring the Christmas spirit into any household. His smooth soothing voice is perfect to carry away the stress of Christmas shopping and remind everyone about the true meaning of Christmas. Make sure to turn this album on while decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping presents or hosting a holiday party — it will transform everyone into the festive spirit. 9). “Jingle Bell Rock” - Bobby Helms “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms is another Christmas original song that turned into an instant classic. Its infectious guitar at the beginning of the song leaves you wanting to dance the night away in “Jingle Bell Square” and “mix and-a mingle” ‘til the holiday season is over. There is truly no better song to turn on when you need a holiday pick-me-up, and it will always leave you with a smile on your face head bobbing away. 10). “Christmas In Harlem” - Kanye West Take your favorite Christmas song, add two corny but wonderful verses from Kanye West and CyHi the Prince, replace the chorus with Teyana Taylor, and let HitBoy take over production. GOOD Music's “Christmas in HarCreativeCommons/misskatecutables lem” is the best Christmas jam you've never heard of.
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
Coffee Break
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Coffee Break Editor: Claire Monahan
The Mirror Reflects... The Coffee Break team looks back on a year of newsroom quotes. Special thanks to Opinion Editor Lexi Thimble for contemporaneously recording the staff’s wisdom and humor.
“I feel like you’re way out of my league in terms of coolness.” “I’m out of your league in a lot of things.”
“Did you just turn the Jonas Brothers off? That’s a sin.” *through gritted teeth* “Put them back on, I’m angry without it.”
“Cat and Andrew are gonna love this headline!” “I’m right here and I hate it.”
“‘Studies say most stalkers know their victims.’ That makes sense I guess, I know most of my victims.”
“Should I study tonight, or should I drink tonight? It’s not till 2 ... yeah, I’m gonna drink tonight.”
“I kinda want to get mozzarella sticks tonight.” “I kinda wanna die tonight.”
“Would you describe all these things as being spelled correctly?”
“Would you say a head pat is a sign of friend zoning?”
“I see a lot of myself in Lil Wayne. I don’t think I need to explain myself.”
Sports
SPORTS
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
This Week in Sports:
Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com
In Case You
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Notable Stag Honorees
Missed It: Wednesday, November 29th -Women's Basketball defeats UMASS Lowell, 78-67 Friday, December 1st -Wagner defeats Men's Basketball, 78-76 -Texas defeats Volleyball, 3-0 Sunday, December 3rd -Women's Basketball defeats Boston College, 66-58 Photo Contributed By Sports Information Desk
After leading the Stags to two straight wins in the past week, Samantha Cooper ‘18 has been named National Jesuit Player of the Week and Met Writers Division 1 Player of the Week. In wins over UMASS Lowell and Boston College, the forward averaged 24 points per game, scoring 24 in each contest marking career-highs in the scoring column. During the Jesuit Spotlight Game against the Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 3, Cooper made six threepointers in the contest to go along with 10 rebounds against their Atlantic Coastal Conference foe. The Stags take the court again on Wednesday, Dec. 6 when they welcome nationally ranked Villanova to Alumni Court for a 7 p.m. tip off as they look for their third straight win.
Upcoming This Week: Wednesday, December 6th -Men's Basketball at Houston, 12 p.m. -Women's Basketball vs. Villanova, 7 p.m. Sunday, December 9th -Men's Basketball at LIU Brooklyn,
Photo Contributed By Sports Information Desk
Lacrosse season is approaching fast. Both the men’s and women’s teams are booked with top tier programs on the their 2018 schedule. On the men’s side, head coach Andy Copelan looks to rebound from last year’s 5-9 season. They play teams like Rutgers, Yale, Penn State and Villanova, all teams that appeared in various top 25 polls last year. Rutgers, Yale and Penn State were all in the top five at one point. For the women’s team, they face perennial Patriot League power in Lehigh as well as a talented New Hampshire bunch in non-conference play as they look to capture that elusive conference championship this year. Each side will be tested before they enter the rigors of the Colonial Athletic Association and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, respectively, in the spring with a variety of marquee matchups on the slate.
3:30 p.m. Monday, December 10th -Women's Basketball at Rhode Island, 7 p.m.
In this week's issue... - Stags Upset Boston College 66-58 on the Road (Page 14)
- College Football Playoff Preview: The Final Four (Page15)
- Swimming & Diving Enjoys Success at ECAC(Page 15)
- Volleyball Falls to #2 Ranked Texas in NCAA Tournament (Page 16)
Sports
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THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
Stags Upset Boston College 66-58 on the Road
Contributed By Sports Information Desk Junior Kendra Landy was huge in Sunday's win over the Eagles. The point guard notched her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 assists in the contest. Landy was one of three Stags in double figures.
By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor Boston College made a mistake from the get-go. The Eagles, from the powerful Atlantic Coastal Conference, took the Stags of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference lightly and were upset as Fairfield invaded Chestnut Hill, Mass. to come away with a 66-58 win. It was a massive win for the struggling Stags who stood at 2-5 before notching their third win of the year. Fairfield put forth their best defensive performance of the year as they allowed Boston College to lead for only three minutes and 12 seconds of the contest. The game remained close throughout the first half with the Eagles heading into the locker room with a 26-25 lead. But the Stags turned it on in the third quarter as they outscored their Jesuit rivals 20-12 in the period to take a 45-38 lead into the final eight minutes of the game.
Weekly 4x5 Because we have witty things to say ...
Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor
Your 2017-2018 4x5 Columnists:
Allison White, Alfredo Torres, Daniel Montgomery and Catherine Veschi
The Giants cleaned their house by firing Ben McAdoo & GM Jerry Reese. Thoughts?
LaVar Ball pulls LiAngelo Ball out of UCLA. Right or wrong move?
NFL suspends Rob Gronkowski one game for late hit on Bills' cornerback. Fair or not?
Aaron Boone named the New York Yankees' new manager. What do you think of the signing?
Are you excited for the lacrosse season to start at Fairfield?
Should I clean house too?
Poor dude will miss that college lifestyle ...
Wow this sounds too familiar to a Powderpuff occurrence that I vaguely remember due to my brain being ROCKED.
Let's go Yankees!
I played in one lacrosse scrimage in high school and heard the whistle blow more than it didn't. You could say I definitely do not understand the rules whatsoever ... but hey, do they have tailgates?
Oh silly Gronk, if you're gonna hit someone make sure it's not too obvious but he is a Patriot so what else would you expect?
Not happy about the decision but not mad either. Although the only thing Boone has done is hit that home run in game 7 of the ALCS against Boston, I'm hoping he shocks the world and takes us to the World Serires.
Before Fairfield, I didn't know anything about Lacrosse. Three years later, still don't know anything but I know the guys and girls on the teams and I still know how to take good pictures. We should be fine this season.
From the booth to the bench. I have high hopes for him because even I think I could manage a game better than Joe Girardi could.
Unfortunately ya boi is gonna be in Italy for the spring but there is no way I'll stop keeping up with Fairfield lacrosse.
Allison White Editor-in-Chief
Alfredo Torres Sports Editor
Fairfield was able to keep the home team at bay in the fourth quarter with clutch baskets from their star Samantha Cooper ‘18. At one point when the game was tied at 52, Cooper nailed three straight three-pointers to give the Stags a 61-52 advantage late in the game. Cooper finished the contest with a game-high 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Solid free throw shooting and stout defensive play for the rest of the game saved the Stags down the stretch as they closed out the 66-58 win. Cooper was not the only Stag to shine in the game as Kendra Landy ‘19 posted her first double-double of her career with 10 points and 10 assists on the afternoon. Junior Khadidiatou Diouf chipped in 16 points for Fairfield to add to the offensive attack. The Stags return to Alumni Hall this Wednesday, Dec. 6 when they welcome Villanova University to campus for a 7 p.m tip in hopes of winning their fourth game of the year. Villanova currently sits at No. 22 in the country.
Finally! If you haven't noticed, the Giants have been struggling all year long. Odell went down, McAdoo benches E-Man...it was time for him to bounce. Bye Felicia!
Ben and Jerry's is gone! Bout damn time. Get me a head coach who knows how to speak and a GM who will get the QB some protection!!
Unbelievable you honestly never have any idea what this guy is gonna do. LiAngelo stupid af though so I do not feel bad.
Absolutley fair, biiig Gronk took it too far this time.
I'm pretty tired of people laugh-
I know nothing about basketball. BRING BACK THE BASEBALL QUESTIONS PLEASE.
Wow another Pats player is suspended...shocking....
Catherine Veschi ing at me when I say I'm a Giants Managing Editor fan so yeah, pretty ready for the change.
Yankees are still the greatest team ever no matter who their manager is.
I know zero things about lacrosse so I'm mildly confused why we're already talking about a spring sport in December???
Sports
THE MIRROR | Week of December 6, 2017
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College Football Playoff Preview: The Final Four By Patrick Getz Contributing Writer College football playoffs are set. Only four teams make the playoffs to have a chance at hoisting that National Championship trophy. Those four teams are Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and lastly, Alabama. These four college football juggernauts have displayed their case all year long as to why they should be the National Champion. Clemson is looking to defend their 2016 title. Oklahoma is led at the forefront by Heisman-favorite Baker Mayfield as Georgia looks to claim its first title since 1980. Lastly, Alabama is aiming to get revenge on Clemson, looking to capture its fourth title in seven years. New Year’s Day is going to kick off with a bang. With Deshaun Watson graduating, the Clemson Tigers are exactly where they were just a year ago. Kelly Bryant has assumed the quarterback role for the Tigers, filling in nicely after Watson. The junior QB was mainly efficient this season, only throwing five interceptions compared to his 13 touchdown passes. However, Bryant exemplified his dual threat possibilities. He rushed for 646 yards and added 11 more rushing touchdowns, giving him 24 total touchdowns on the season. However, Bryant and company will have to deal with the second-ranked defense in the nation in Alabama. Oklahoma possesses the highest scoring offense in the nation, coming into the playoffs with momentum, facing off against Georgia. Baker Mayfield has been a huge reason for the success of the Sooners this season. The Heisman candidate threw for over 4,000 yards and over 40 touchdown passes with only five interceptions. This team depends on him and Oklahoma’s success will be squarely on Mayfield’s shoulders. The Austin, Texas native looks to carve up a stout Georgia defense that has only allowed 19 offensive touchdowns. This will be a classic matchup of power offense against power defense. One saying that always holds true is that defense wins championships. On the other side, Georgia squares off against the Sooners with an unprecedented year from the Bulldogs. Georgia’s defense has been the storyline for the entire season, being a top 10 defense in the country. They are second in passing yards allowed, third in scoring defense and overall fourth in the nation in total defense. To be successful in the Southeastern Conference, a team must have an outstanding defense and Georgia showcases that. On the offensive side, Nick Chubb has displayed his importance from the backfield, rushing for over 1,000 yards along with 13 touchdowns this year. He provides himself as a nice compliment to QB Jake Fromm so the offense stays balanced. With this SEC-Big 12 matchup on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl, one will await the Clemson-Alabama winner. Alabama is always in the conversation to be involved in the National College Football Playoff. Head coach Nick Saban holds his players to a certain pedigree of winning and thus the Crimson Tide has become a college football dynasty. Even though Alabama lost to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, they snuck in at No. 4 and face Clemson in the Sugar Bowl as well as the College Football Playoff Semifinals. The Crimson Tide is no ordinary four seed, which is genuinely dangerous. Injuries plagued their defense all year long but now with the extra rest, Alabama will mostly be at full strength. Alabama is prided on their defense, which was second in total defense, third in rushing defense and first in scoring defense. In addition to Georgia, Alabama mainly leans on their defense with dual-threat QB Jalen Hurts making plays on offense. These four teams earned their right to play for a national championship and a victor will be crowned in January. Two offensively-minded teams, Clemson and Oklahoma, and two defensively
Espncfb/Instagram
minded teams, Georgia and Alabama, have differing approaches, but the defenses and quarterbacks will be the difference makers. Clemson and Alabama are squaring off for the third year in a row in the College Football Playoff and Oklahoma and Georgia are the newcomers this year.
Swimming & Diving Enjoy Success in ECAC Championship
Contributed By Sports Information Desk Both the men's and women's teams enjoyed a nice weekend at the ECAC Championship with swimmers from each side placing in various events. They take their momentum into the new year when their season resumes.
By Christopher Lazazzera Contributing Writer Just because it’s December and starting to get cold here in the Northeast doesn’t mean the Fairfield University swimming and diving team stops swimming. The Eastern College Athletic Conference Winter Championships took place in Long Island, N.Y. this past Sunday, Dec. 3 and both the men’s and women’s team competed. Both teams performed well as the men finished in third place while the women came in second. Senior Kylie More was the first to have an impressive performance, coming in third place in the 1-Meter Dive with an overall score of 229.10. First-year Haleigh McLaughlin came in second place in the 1650-yard Freestyle with a final time of 17:19.40. Her time set a new program record, surpassing Meredith LaBerge’s ‘15 time of 17:34.17 that was set back in 2015. First-year Sarah Herbold was also among the Fairfield record breakers on the day, finishing third in the 500-yard Freestyle with a time of 5:02.11. First-years Morgan Hansen and Sara Ostensen also set new program records in the 100 and 200-yard Butterfly. Relay events for the women included some record shattering performances as well. First-year Rachel Landry, Sarah Herbold ‘21, Kelly Cordes ‘19 and Ostensen finished in second place in the 800yard Freestyle Relay with their own new program record of 7:37.22. First-year Maria Nitti, Cordes, Herbold and Ostensen set a new program record with a final time of 3:32.94 in their fourth place 400-yard Freestyle Relay finish. The 200-yard Medley Relay team set a new program record with a sixth place time of 1:47.43. First-year Benjamin Kebbell was the quintessential over performer on the men’s side, finishing in second place in the 200-yard Backstroke with a new record of 1:54.31, besting Griffin Burke’s ‘20 record of 1:55.04 set last year. He also added another record crushing time in the 100-yard Backstroke to round out his individual day. Three top 10 finishes for the men’s relay teams showcased how hard they worked over the course of the weekend. Kebbell, Phillip Zyskowski ‘20, Burke and Jordan Rahurahu ‘20 placed third in the 800-yard Freestyle Relay with a final time of 7:04.91. The 200-yard Freestyle Relay team also placed third, lead by Kebbell, Zyskowski, Nicholas Adams ‘20 and Rahurahu. The final third place finish came from the 400-yard Freestyle Relay team, made up of Kebbell, Ian Nelson ‘20, Zyskowski and Rahurahu, with a time of 3:12.36. With how well the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have performed recently, they are poised for much more success when they host Wagner and Saint Peter’s in the Fairfield TriMeet next month. The event will take place on Friday, Jan. 5 at 4 p.m.
@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of December 6, 2017
fairfieldmirror.com
SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com
Volleyball Falls to #2 Ranked Texas in NCAA Tournament Contributed By Sports Information Desk Senior Megan Theiller finished out her Fairfield career with 15 kills in her last game in the red and white. Theiller and the Stags hung with Texas, but the Longhorns were just too much for Fairfield in the opening round.
By Amy McDonough Contributing Writer A decade can seem like a long time to anyone. College athletes only get four years to put on their school’s uniform and play the sport they love. Most teams can only dream of winning their conference title, let alone doing so more than once within those four years. For the Fairfield University Women’s Volleyball team, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship win over the Iona Gaels marked the 10th time the Stags would reach the postseason, and advance to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. Fairfield volleyball’s 10 MAAC Championship wins mark a decade of Fairfield’s reign. Regardless of what happens in the tournament’s next round, this can only be accomplished with constant hard work and tenacity — two traits this year’s team embodied, carrying on Fairfield Volleyball’s legacy. Led by eighth year head coach Todd Kress, the Stags’ next stop in the NCAA tournament led them to The University of Texas at Austin, against the No. 2 seeded Texas Longhorns in the first round Friday, Dec. 1. While the Stags fell to the Longhorns, they ended their season with a solid record of 25 wins and seven losses, which is something to be proud of. Senior outside hitter Megan Theiller was the Stag’s greatest offensive threat that night with 15 kills, as well as eight digs in her final game as a Stag. Fellow senior and outside hitter Skyler Day dished out eight kills and six digs as well. Both players made huge impacts during their time at Fairfield, with Theiller finishing her career with a total of 1,288 kills, and Day ending her career with a total 1,305 kills — in only three years of play as a Stag.
Senior Sydney Buckley added three assists as the setter for the Stags, helping the offense flow as she has done throughout her four years at Fairfield. Texas posed as a tough opponent for the Stags, with sets of 25-16, 25-18, 25-17 in favor of the Longhorns. At the start of the first set, the Stags stayed right with the Longhorns. Both teams went on back-and-forth runs until the Stags could not recover from an 8-0 Longhorn run that would ultimately decide the game for Fairfield. Texas continued to push while the Stags fought hard to bounce back, but ultimately the Longhorns prevailed. Regardless of the loss, the Stags have everything to be proud of. The seniors hang up their jerseys with three consecutive MAAC Championships under their belt — an accomplishment not many can say they have. The team persevered throughout the entirety of the game, once again exemplifying the grit that got them to the Longhorn’s court in Texas. The Fairfield University Women’s Volleyball team has been a dominant force as a team on campus and in the MAAC Conference. With so much success comes constant practice and improvement, and the Stags must continue to look ahead toward next season. “I'm very proud of how we fought as a team and gave Texas a competitive match. It's awesome to have consecutive MAAC titles and back-to-back undefeated season,” said defensive specialist Jamie Calandro ‘20. “However, that being said, we are already looking forward to bettering ourselves to hopefully get the same result next year with a much different group. Our captain always says ‘be humble, stay hungry’ and as a team that's what we're going to continue to do.” While the Fairfield Women’s Volleyball Team must sadly say goodbye to three outstanding seniors, the future’s still bright for the team.
Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Despite a loss to Texas in the opening round, it was another banner season for the Stags as they captured their third straight MAAC Championship in dominant fashion. The Stags are poised for another big year in 2018.