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Beauty & the Beast

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Disney makes a small step forward for LGBT representation with “Beauty & the Beast.”

Cheem a local Hartford band, releases their new single, “Spiral.”

Opinion

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Fairfield Women’s Basketball loses in the MAAC Tournament

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Week of March 8, 2017

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Vol. 42 Iss. 19

Fairfield Plans for Smoke-Free Campus

By Juliana Sansonetti Co-News Editor

Information from FUSA, Dean of Students Karen Donaghue, and Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.

The days of seeing people having a quick smoke outside their classrooms, dorm buildings and the Barone Campus Center will soon be gone as Fairfield University is transitioning to a tobacco-free campus by January of 2018.

The campus will transition to having designated smoking areas starting on March 20, 2017 The origins of the initiative date back to 2015 when Danielle Pittala ‘16, a then-rising senior nursing student, brought the idea to the Fairfield University Student Association.

FUSA conducted surveys of the student body to see what kind of reception such an initiative would receive.

The results were overwhelmingly positive, with 70.93 percent of respondents agreeing with changing Fairfield’s smoking policy, 47 percent saying that Fairfield should go smoke-free as soon as this semester (spring 2017) and 93.6 percent saying they would not have changed their minds about attending Fairfield if they knew that it was going to be a tobacco free campus.

Freshman Cindy Louis agrees that going smoke-free is a good idea.

“Tobacco is such a bad thing and a lot of people don’t know how much harm it does, so I think getting rid of it is a good thing and a step in the right direction,” Louis said.

However, some students do not agree with the initiative.

“I have mixed feelings about it,” said Brian Daley ‘19. “I don’t personally smoke, so it doesn’t affect me as much, but I think if someone does and they want to in certain locations, I think they should be able to.”

Around the same time, Fairfield was encouraged to join a nationwide initiative to make all colleges with schools of nursing tobacco-free campuses. This initiative was created by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, according to Meredith Wallace Kazer, dean of the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies.

Kazer explained that the initiative did not start for another two years after the AACN invited them to join because of a desire to assist the students who will find the transition difficult.

“We wanted to be very respectful of people’s smoking habits and how to ensure that we have a healthy campus environment but also are respectful of the people who continue to smoke,” commented Kazer.

Dean of Students Karen Donoghue ‘03, however, believes that smoking on campus is not a big problem from a statistical perspective.

“I think the majority of our students were not partaking in that lifestyle and if they were, it wouldn’t necessarily be from a habitual standpoint,” said Donoghue. “It would have been from a social experience.”

For example, Dominic Colon ‘20, smokes cigars for recreation rather than habitually.

Read University on Page 3

Sham Jam Brings Senior Class Together at The SeaGrape

By Deanna Carbone Co-News Editor

St. Patrick’s Day came to Fairfield early on Saturday, March 4, where waves of green were seen both in and outside of The SeaGrape Café as the senior class gathered to celebrate their final Sham Jam. As expressed in a previous article from the Feb. 8 issue of The Mirror, Fairfield Beach Resident Organization (BRO) President Sean Tobin ’17 organized Sham Jam at The Grape due to complaints from residents of the town of Fairfield and the police from hosting it at Lantern Point in previous years.

“In the past, about 1,000 people would come out [for Sham Jam] at the Point, but that’s illegal. I wanted to make sure that the senior class that I am a representative for had the party they deserve,” said Tobin.

Tobin has been organizing the event since November, collaborating with the owner of The Grape and vendors to supply 160 lbs. of corned beef and 20 kegs.

He was also able to get the celtic rock band, The Narrowbacks, to perform at Sham Jam.

“BRO took the situation and made the best of it for their class. I hope this works as a model for seniors moving forward,” said Dean of Students Karen Donoghue ’03.

The seniors were aware that they were under close watch from both the townspeople and the Fairfield police in previous years at Sham Jam. “I think it’s great that we still have something, but Sham Jam in previous years has been fun. I was disappointed that it wasn’t going to be at the Point, but I expected it to not be there because of how strict security has been the past years,” said Kaitlyn Merz ’17.

Those who were at the event felt a sense of community among the senior class.

“It’s a great event to bring everyone together in our grade,” said Kelsey Laforest ’17. “This year especially we have found a great community at the Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror

Read Change on Page 2 The seniors gather at this year’s new Sham Jam location, The SeaGrape Café.

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

News

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Change in Venue Highlights This Year’s Sham Jam Continued from page 1

be a traditional Sham Jam, beach and throughout the senior but enjoyed their own verclass on campus. I wasn’t upset sion of it. that it wasn’t at the Point. It feels “I was initially disaplike a block party.” pointed when I realized it Senior Morgan McKean wasn’t going to be at the echoed Laforest’s feelings.

Point, but when I realized “People wouldn’t be upset my friends and I would go about it being here because the to the townhouses I figured class is so close. Most of the events it would be fun. I ended up haven’t been at the Point this year. having a great time because It feels more like an organized my friends were all in the event. I’m really happy there’s a same house, so it didn’t matband, it feels like St. Patrick’s Day,” ter where Sham Jam was,” said McKean said Jake Tamagni ’19.

Overall, those seniors who Sophomore Caroline attended the event were satisfied Mahar agreed and felt the with it and the fact that it was casame sense of unity the setered to their class. niors at the Grape did.

“I have been enjoying Sham “At first I was disapJam. It’s been a great time,” Ryan pointed because it wouldn’t Mcguire ‘17 said while at the be at the beach, but it was event. “At first I was a little upJuliana Sansonetti/The Mirror just as fun at the townhouses. set when it wasn’t at the point, At the end of the day, it was but then I realized it would be an Sham Jam, which was held at the Seagrape Cafe this year, included added bonuses such as a food tent and a beer truck. still Sham Jam; we were all event for seniors. It feels like it’s for still together as a community us.” place. At events like this students occasionally Safety John Ritchie, DPS reported 28 incidents, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day,” Those who were not able to attend the carry open containers, become visibly intoxi- including 5 medical transports, dispersing said Mahar. event remained on campus and celebrated their cated, urinate in public and cause disruption crowds and incidents of suspicious activity on Tobin hopes that future senior classes will own version of Sham Jam in and outside of the that could potentially lead to an arrest. That’s March 4. The events on campus kept the stu- be able to continue to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day townhouse area. why we are concerned,” said Donoghue. dents within DPS’ jurisdiction. as the class of 2017 did.

The Dean of Students office became aware For this reason, security was increased in “It kept the underclassmen on campus. It’s “I feel bad for the rest of the school, but of plans to party on campus and sent out an both the Quad and Townhouse areas in order more of a controlled environment. If the beach their time will come. I received negative feedemail on Friday, March 3 to the student body to make sure University policies were followed was trashed, it diminishes town relations,” said back about it not being on the Point, but for to warn them. such as no open containers, unregistered events Ritchie. every negative comment I got about 20 positive “The email was to remind students that and unregistered amplified music.

Underclassmen were originally taken ones. I hope this sets a precedent for years to they have rights, but there is is also policy in According to Assistant Director of Public aback by the announcement that there wouldn’t come,” said Tobin.

Former NFL Linebacker Discusses Conviction

By Patrick Orkins Contributing Writer

tion and registering as a sex offender anywhere he lived for the rest of his life rather than potentially facing up to 40 years Recounting the day of his epiphany in prison, Banks deA single choice in how you react to an unforeseen obsta- in prison. scribed how he chose not to let his accuser or what happened cle in life can make all the difference moving forward.

“I was out of jail, but I wasn’t free,” Banks recounted. “I to him keep him angry at the world.

That was the takeaway Brian Banks, a man wrongful- was charging a GPS monitor two hours in the morning and He devoted his life in prison to doing everything he ly imprisoned, wanted students to gain from his speech on two hours at night before curfew. I was still a prisoner.” could to become a better person.

March 1.

After his accuser tried to reconnect with him on Face“Once you realize you are not in control of your situStudents gathered in the Lower Level of the Barone Cam- book nearly 10 years later, Banks recorded a meeting between ation, you realize it isn’t the experience that affects you, it’s pus Center to hear Banks recount his life story. the two and procured a confession proving his innocence. how you react to it,” he said.

Banks was wrongfully accused of kidnapping and rape in He brought the recordings to the California Innocence Banks said rather than remaining bitter about the 10 2002 at only 17 years old, forfeiting a full ride to play football Project, an organization that reviews thousands of criminal years of his life that he lost, he chose to use his story to help at the University of Southern California and spending five cases each year in an effort to free wrongfully imprisoned bring attention to problems in the American justice system. years of his life in prison. men and women.

He hopes a documentary series he is filming that looks at casDespite no DNA evidence and numerous revisions of the A year later on May 24, 2012, Banks was cleared of all es of wrongful convictions will help make the system, “work victim’s story, Banks chose to take a plea for five years proba- his charges. the way it is supposed to. To be fair and equal.”

After practicing at a summer camp with the Seattle SeStudents reacted positively to Banks’ speech. ahawks and playing four games with the Atlanta Falcons, “I thought it was very moving, and I’m shocked how posthe 28-year-old fulfilled a childhood dream that had been itive he is after what happened to him,” stated Jaclyn Russo taken from him. ’19.

“I didn’t want a career in pro football, it was just about Senior Mary Calabro had a similar reaction, saying, “His accomplishing this dream I always had and just playing a story is so sad. It really is shocking to hear how some of these few games in the NFL was literally a dream come true,” said things can happen to people and you don’t hear about it until Banks. after the fact.”

Two FUSA members and Program Coordinators of Cultural and the Arts Events, Matthew Marshall ‘19 and Olivia McEvoy ‘19, reached out to Banks to be a speaker.

“He had a great story about redemption and has a great message to give students about the culture surrounding prison and life in general,” said Marshall.

A certified life coach and motivational speaker, Banks uses his influence to speak out against wrongful convictions and what he sees as a silent epidemic in America’s criminal justice system.

For him, his story is just one of many in a long line of racially motivated and unjust convictions in America.

“It’s still slavery, to me, like they couldn’t force us to do free labor anymore so instead they just decided to take as many as they could off the streets and use labor as a punishment,” said Banks.

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror He also cited the power of choice every Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Brian Banks (above) speaks regarding his wrongful rape individual has in their life.

Students actively listen to Brian Banks’ “epiphany” regarding America’s judicial accusation and process of self-recovery.

system. Banks hopes to recount his story through an upcoming documentary.

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

News

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The Mirror Reflects on this Week in Social Media Compiled by Deanna Carbone Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Friday, 3/3 11:00 a.m. – Public Safety investigated a theft in the Lower Level of the Barone Campus Center. A MacBook Pro was taken outside of the Residence Life office. The computer is valued around $2,500. The incident occurred between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. Anybody with any information is encouraged to contact DPS. Saturday, 3/4 12:05 a.m. – Public Safety found a suspicious young man inside the second floor Campion Hall. DPS wants to discourage people from letting strangers into the building. Any student who sees someone that doesn’t belong in their building is encouraged to call Public Safety.

2:29 a.m – Public Safety found two non-students inside Faber Hall. One was found sleeping in the Dining Commons. Both were unregistered guests without identification. They were asked to leave campus and never return.

2:10 p.m. – Public Safety confronted a young man that had approximately 15 cans of beer outside of Townhouse 9 block. He produced a fake identification card.

He was found to be a student and documented for his violations.

5:19 p.m. – Public Safety responded to an assault that was reported outside Townhouse 3 block. Non-students, who were visiting residents of one townhouse, got into a fight with students living in another townhouse. The fight was videotaped and shown to Public Safety. Non-students were thrown off campus and students were sent to the dean of students for policy violations.

Sunday 3/5 2:50 p.m. – Public Safety discovered a parked white Mazda vandalized on Leeber road. The passenger’s side mirror was broken and hanging. The time is unknown regarding when the damage occurred.

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

Allison White, Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa, Executive Editor Catherine Veschi, Managing Editor Editors Juliana Sansonetti, Co-News Deanna Carbone, Co-News Elizabeth O’Hara, Assistant News Lexi Thimble, Opinion Alicia Phaneuf, Vine Cara Lee, Assistant Vine Claire Monahan, Coffee Break Alfredo Torres, Sports Daniel Montgomery, Assistant Sports Sabina Dirienzo, Chief Copy Editor Online Bradley Nordstrom, Web Master Ariana Puzzo, Online Editor-in-Chief Nicole Funaro, Online News Editor Pamela Kask, Online Opinion Editor Shana Lynch, Online Vine Editor Kelley Eckert, Online Coffee Break Editor Business Department Email: advertising@fairfieldmirror.com Stephanie Van Fleet, Director of Finance James Affenito, 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

University to be Completely Smoke-Free by 2018 Continued from page 1

Colon had mixed feelings on the new initiative.

“I think they’re making it unnecessarily difficult since it will be a completely smoke-free campus, but I guess it is a good move toward getting students to quit,” he said.

Visiting professor of nursing Susan Bartos chairs the Wellness Committee at Fairfield, which has a subcommittee that is the task force for the tobacco-free initiative.

According to Bartos, the task force came up with nine designated smoking areas: the DiMenna-Nyselius Library, the Townhouses, the Regina A. Quick Center, the John A. Barone Campus Center, the Aloysius P. Kelley Center, the Levee, the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, Dolan Commons, The Quad and The Village.

“There hasn’t been much push-back and those who have pushed back have been happy with the designated smoking areas to wean off of the tobacco on campus,” said Bartos.

Bartos pointed out that around 1800 other colleges have already become smoke-free, including Quinnipiac University — North Haven Campus, Rensselaer Hartford Campus, and Norwalk Community College.

Given her position as dean of students, Donoghue will handle the enforcement of the policy.

According to Donoghue, the point of enforcing the policy would be less about punishment and more about helping students who are addicted to nicotine.

Associate Director of the Office of Student Engagement Jeremy Kaler explained that FUSA was involved with the initiative since Závon Billups ‘18 introduced the resolution in the fall of 2015.

In Oct. 2015, the FUSA Senate passed the resolution,

which, according to Kaler, “called for the designation of smoking areas on campus, an increase in smoking cessation resources on campus for students, faculty and staff and a call for Fairfield to go 100 percent smoke-free in the future.”

Kaler and Donoghue both emphasized that the initiative has been student-driven since the beginning.

“My involvement started my freshman year second semester. Danielle Pittala was a senior resident assistant in my building in Campion Hall and she reached out to FUSA about the need for creating a smoke-free campus,” said Billups.

“Because I already had a relationship with her through Campion Hall, I wrote the initiative to submit as a resolution.”

“I think it’s nice to see a large initiative that was proposed by students to take shape,” Billups added.

“FUSA President Zoë Ferranti [‘17] took the issue back up and made it a central part of FUSA’s platform this year,” said Kaler.

He explained that Ferranti connected with the Health Center, Counseling & Psychological Services, the Department of Public Safety, the Dean of Students and the Wellness Committee in order to make the initiative a reality.

“I think the transition will go smoothly,” Kaler added.

“I think it is safe to say that we, as an institution, and a campus community, value health and wellness, as is evidenced by the investment in our new [Leslie C. Quick Recreational Complex], our outstanding varsity athletic, club sports, and intramural programs, and our top-notch nursing program.”

Kaler continued, “To me, going smoke-free is just the latest example of those values informing our policies and practices on campus.”

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

News

Students Question Role of Board of Trustees

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor With the two month mark of President Donald Trump’s controversial tenure approaching, policy has been a highly debated issue among college campuses.

On our own campus, policy remains the same in order to run opposed to Trump’s cutbacks.

However, many are unaware of the process and individuals behind our politically-charged backbone, this being the board of trustees.

The board of trustees, comprised of 39 individuals ranging from Jesuits to alumni, holds a support role to Interim President Lynn Babington, acting as a cabinet of sorts when it comes to upholding policy on campus.

According to the Fairfield University website, “The Board, of which the president is a member, makes policy decisions and establishes institutional objectives and priorities. The Board of Trustees approves University policies and monitors their implementation.”

The process for choosing, however, is rather demanding in order to seek the best alternatives for settling the campus climate to be a healthy one.

According to Jenn Anderson, vice president of marketing and communications, “Our board of trustees has a sub-committee specifically designed to identify and recruit trustees. This committee is called the ‘Committee on Trusteeship.’”

“The time commitment to be a trustee is significant and includes both presence at the four board meetings annually and attendance at a wide range of other Fairfield events both on and off campus,” added Anderson.

This process has been pertinent, especially regarding the recent national policy changes enacted by President Trump in terms of LGBTQ rights and citizenship.

In order to protect the student population as a whole, Babington believes that educating one’s whole person with the core Jesuit values is a necessary measure.

“For as we know, embracing diversity is a distinguish-

ing hallmark of Jesuit education and we will continue … our commitment to build a community of learners from diverse social, economic, racial, cultural, national and religious backgrounds,” said Babington.

Though numerous Office of the President letters have been issued through email, including statements on Title IX and travel bans, many students are still uneasy over the political climate on campus, with seemingly little being done as current events transpire.

“Though we haven’t communicated directly with the board of trustees, it is obvious from school policy and practices that queer students are not their priority,” said Meaghan Hamilton ‘17.

We can only hope that recent administrative changes may lead to a more LGBTQ+ friendly campus, especially considering the current state of the LGBTQ+ rights in the country.

-Meaghan Hamilton’17 “We can only hope that recent administrative changes may lead to a more LGBTQ+ friendly campus, especially considering the current state of LGBTQ+ rights in the country as a whole.”

In regards to constructing a suitable dialogue on campus, Frank Carroll ‘89, chair on the board of trustees, stressed that listening to one another is a huge factor that

can improve the overall morale of campus, especially in these trying times for numerous students.

“The biggest challenge we all face is to leave our personal views aside long enough to hear the opposing view.

Everyone has the right to be heard, even if we don’t agree with their views,” said Carroll.

“The real world is often not simply black and white — the grey is where we can make great strides forward,” added Carroll.

As the current school year continues, all eyes move to the presidential search process, with Babington transferring the role of power to a new individual at the commencement of summer 2017.

Babington added, “listening sessions were held on campus to solicit input from the entire university community regarding the qualities required for selecting a qualified president to serve Fairfield University.”

These events, marketed by the Office of the President as open sessions, are designated to establish a dialogue that “will help us to ensure that the next University president will possess the key competencies, leadership qualities and experiences central to leading us in fulfilling our collective vision for Fairfield,” according to an email sent to the student body on Nov. 4.

However, some students feel as though the board of trustees is operating above the student threshold and have not made themselves dutifully represented for the student body.

Some students report that they do not exactly know what powers are entrusted to the board of trustees and what their role is on campus. Junior Christina Ficaro reflected this sentiment, stating that “I’m not really sure who they are or what they do since they don’t seem to operate much at the student level.”

While the presidential search process is slowly coming to a close, students such as Ficaro hope to become more aware and involved in the matters of the board of trustees when the new president steps in.

Discover Islam Week Deters Islamophobia With Love

ByJuliana Sansonetti Co-News Editor

By Lauren Vilchinsky Contributing Wrter The act of embracing diversity and adhering to religious tolerance has been a value our parents, teachers and nation’s leaders have tried to instill in our everyday lives for decades, yet religion still resides as a controversial subject.

The Muslim Student Association is hosting numerous events the week of March 6 as part of their Discover Islam Week.

According to Muslim Chaplain Nargis Alizada ‘13, a main focus of the week is to educate people on the Islamic faith and Muslim people and to give people a greater understanding of and empathy for Muslim people.

“Rather than focusing on Islamophobia, our focus is on how to be an ally,” said Alizada.

“With what is going on in our world today with Black Lives Matter, the Muslim ban, the immigration ban and the xenophobia that is going on against our Latino brothers and sisters ... I think this is a time to stand together, which is why the focus of today was how to support your Muslim community.”

The week kicked off on March 6 with speaker Imam Sami Abdul Aziz, president of Common Ground Institutes and Services and Muslim Chaplain at Wesleyan University and Quinnipiac University, on how to overcome hate and establish a common ground of respect.

Treasurer of MSA Semina Kojic ‘17 explained why Aziz is a good speaker to start with.

“Since this year we wanted to focus on how to be an ally, we thought that bringing someone who speaks about Islamophobia and being an ally and who started Common Ground Institute would be a good speaker to start our week off with,” said Kojic.

According to Aziz, the Pew Research Center indicates that over 60 percent of Americans have never met a Muslim.

When provided with this data, we have the advantage and opportunity to re-evaluate the stereotypes that have made Islam a dehumanized and hated religion.

Aziz spoke positively on Discover Islam week and mentioned a desire to come back to Fairfield University to speak more about Islam.

“I hope Chaplain Nargis continues to do these events,” said Aziz.

“I would love to come back again and do more training. I have an Islam 101 presentation, an ISIS presentation and even could talk deeper about Islamophobia and look into different cases and different violations.”

Junior Neil Casey, who attended the event, believed that he learned a lot from it.

“It was good and very informative. I had heard some of the things before, like I’ve seen bad media [about Islam] before, but I didn’t know any of the statistics really or any of the wrongs that had been done to Muslim people. Now I feel like I could speak to a Muslim person about the issue.”

Aziz said that he wished more students attended the event.“[Discover Islam Week] is really key to understanding Muslims,” Aziz commented.

“I think it should happen every week, but at least one week is good. I wish more students came tonight.

I felt like more people should have come.”

Alizada explained that Discover Islam Week typically happens in April; however, this year the events were moved to March because Ayaan Hirsi Ali is coming on Wednesday, March 8 for the Open VISIONS Forum.

Ali is an outspoken critic of Islam.“As a Muslim and as an alumni, when speakers like her are invited, it does not make me feel like Fairfield is a safe space for Muslims,” said Alizada.

“The route that people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali has taken benefits only one small group of people, specifically white supremacists.”

An Interfaith Allies Dinner in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business was held on March 7. This dinner continued the discussion about the Islamic

faith and the fraught misconceptions of calling them “the other.”

“I think it’s important that students get an understanding of Islam and meet Muslims so that they aren’t just being shown certain images and having negative perspectives,” said Kojic. “It’s a more positive perspective of Islam and the Muslim community.”

Hijab Day on Wednesday, March 8 will allow individuals to experience the life of a Muslim woman by wearing an Islamic headscarf, followed by a reflection and conversation in the McGrath Commons.

“I think it’s a really good slate of events,” Aziz said. “I think that Chaplain Nargis is doing awesome, especially the hijab event that she’s doing is great because the Muslims in America who are most identified by someone who wants to attack Muslims is a woman wearing the headscarf. And so the fact that she’s encouraging people to learn about and wear the

headscarf is a way for Muslims to feel like they are part of society when they see other people wearing it.”

An additional event that will be happening for Discover Islam Week is a speech on Thursday, March 9 by Rais Bhuyian, the president and founder of World Without Hate, which, according to their website, is an organization dedicated to spreading forgiveness, empathy and acceptance.

The final event of the week will be held on Friday with an observation of the Jum’a prayer or the Islamic Friday congregational prayer.

Freshman Hailee Sullivan hopes to go to one of the events for Discover Islam Week.

“Especially today with the current political climate, I think it’s important to broaden students’ horizons on acceptance and to understand different cultures,” she said.

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Imam Sami Abdul Aziz spoke on how to be an ally to the Muslim community in Mcgrath Commons as part of Discover Islam Week, highlighting how to combat Islamophobia.

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

Opinion Editor Lexi Thimble » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Creative Commons/Public Domain Pictures

Getting Opinionated with The Mirror

Disney Takes A Small Step Toward Equal Representation

By Lexi Thimble Opinion Editor The team behind Disney’s live-action production of “Beauty and the Beast” revealed on Wednesday, March 1 to The Telegraph that Gaston’s sidekick Lefou, played by Josh Gad, is going to be the first openly gay Disney character. This announcement produced mixed reactions from multiple groups, from those in the LGBTQ community to conservative Christians worried about the influence of homosexuality on their kids. Though it is a small step forward for LGBTQ representation in major media, it’s a start.

I think Disney making an explicit statement about LGBTQ representation is a good thing. We’re past the point of LGBTQ characters being hidden from view and the fact that Disney is drawing attention to this detail and has made an effort to develop the storyline in this way is a positive step forward. How major this representation will be remains to be seen, as the film will not be released until March 17. What’s being heralded as a “watershed moment for Disney” may just be a single scene to act as all the representation they’re willing to give. In light of this, this reveal doesn’t seem as revolutionary as the media is making it out to be.

What makes it all the more ridiculous is that fretting Christian moviegoers are already dismissing the film as

something unfit to take their children to, according to The Chicago Tribune. You’re telling me a small subplot about a character that, let’s be real, was gay in the original film as well, is more worrying and against your beliefs than an entire film basically about beastiality? And not only that, but a film about beastiality that originates from a circumstance involving intimidation and kidnapping. Look, I love “Beauty and the Beast” as much as the next kid born in the late ‘90s to early 2000s; I was even in a musical production of it junior year of high school. I can acknowledge its inherent flaws while also relating heavily to Belle and singing my heart out to “Be Our Guest.” If people see this new instance of representation as an additional flaw that they need to come to terms with, they need to realize that in the grand scheme of things, a movie about singing inanimate objects and a girl who loves to read isn’t going to turn their children gay. That’s just not how it works. It might make them realize they’re gay, but that’s a whole other story entirely.

That all being said, in terms of the quality of representation, I daresay Disney could have and still could do better.

As I said before, I’m willing to give Disney the benefit of the doubt and I have faith that the scenes including Lefou will be respectful and handled without derogation. But on the off chance that his characterization is the same as the original 1991 film, I’ll have to count myself as disappointed.

The impact and meaning of making a character LGBTQ is negated if they’re kept as the fool which, coincidentally, is what Lefou’s name translates to in English. Making LGBTQ characters the brunt of the joke isn’t the representation LGBTQ audiences are looking for and in this day and age, many could see it as an affront if it’s not handled well. There’s already a history in Disney movies of what has been labelled, according to The Daily Dot, “queer coding,” or of effeminate characteristics being given to male villains like Jafar from “Aladdin” or Scar from “The Lion King.” Even the sea witch Ursula from “The Little Mermaid” was reportedly modelled after a drag queen and is portrayed with stereotypes usually attributed to “butch” lesbians. From my perspective, if Disney wanted to be as revolutionary as they’re saying they are, they should try giving the heroes a chance to be LGBTQ too. Lumière and Babette the featherduster don’t have to be a couple; bickering husbands Lumière and Cogsworth would have been just as enjoyable to watch, if not more so.

At the end of the day, though, I’m genuinely excited to see this film and to see what some of my favorite movie stars have done to transform one of my most beloved movies from my childhood. Disney including LGBTQ representation in this endeavor is a bonus, especially if it’s done well and maybe next time they’ll let the hero be the one stirring up all the controversy.

'Fifty Shades' Isn't Just for Non-Feminists As described in a 2017 People magazine interview, the BDSM community has heavily criticized “Fifty Shades” for its inaccuracies, especially because Christian sometimes acts without Anastasia’s full consent.

Although “Fifty Shades” brought BDSM into the mainstream, some argue it didn’t bring an accurate view, The “Fifty Shades” series, originally written as “Twilight” fanfiction by author E.L. James, according to and some think that this reduces the sex-positive argument.

Forbes, took off as a best-selling trilogy and now movie franchise about the protagonist Anastasia Steele’s The most compelling argument against “Fifty Shades” addresses the abusive aspects of Anastasia and fraught BDSM — bondage, dominance, submission, and masochism — style relationship with the super Christian’s relationship. As described in the Huffington Post, “An analysis of the first book found that the sowealthy, super moody millionaire Christian Grey. The second movie in this franchise, “Fifty Shades Darker,” called romantic relationship between Christian and Ana was characterised by intimate partner violence. Uswas released on Feb. 14. ing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definitions, researchers A movie about this sort of relationship — especially given its “Twifound that emotional abuse and sexual violence were pervasive throughout.” light” background and massive appeal with middle-aged women — natThe relationship in “Fifty Shades” is an incredibly unhealthy one, reflecting urally garners criticism from a whole range of parties, from religious domestic abuse more than it reflects any positive relationship dynamics. This, groups to feminists. more than the BDSM argument, removes any possibility for “Fifty Shades” Asking whether or not a movie is feminist isn’t necessarily simple; to be feminist. It romanticizes an abusive relationship, and intimate partner a movie may have a female main character and still not be feminist. A violence impacts far too many women. movie can have a female main character and depict her enjoying sex, But does that mean that people shouldn’t see “Fifty Shades Darker?” even unusual sex, and still not be feminist. “Fifty Shades” is one of those I won’t, but that doesn’t mean that other people shouldn’t. I am, after all, series. not appointed by some mythical International Cabal of Feminists to speak to There are, generally, three arguments about the “Fifty Shades” sethe ultimate virtue of pop culture movies, and I don’t believe in telling other ries: people what to do — especially when those people are adults. It’s not a femi1. Anastasia and Christian are in a sexual relationship, and people nist movie, but acting like the women seeing it are anti-feminist, or like they enjoy reading about them having sex (or watching them have some can’t complain about real-world oppression, is a false argument for one key classy R-rated sex), so the movie is “sex positive.” Feminists shouldn’t reason. complain about it.

“Fifty Shades Darker,” and everything else in the “Fifty Shades” series, is 2. “Fifty Shades” shows an inaccurate version of BDSM, which fiction. It’s not real. Anastasia Steele isn’t really being hurt by this relationship, harms women in the BDSM community. because she’s not a real person. Her sexual relationship isn’t real, the inac3. “Fifty Shades” doesn’t show a BDSM relationship, it shows an curate BDSM isn’t real, and — most importantly — the abuse she faces isn’t abusive one. It’s not feminist. real. “Fifty Shades” isn’t a good representation for women, but it is at its core a The books and movies of the “Fifty Shades” series are supposed fictional work. As long as the adults viewing it don’t adopt the negative aspects to be sexy, and brought sex into the mainstream conversation with the into their own realities, “Fifty Shades” stays fictional. “Fifty Shades” — like explosion of the book’s popularity. It depicts Anastasia Steele’s “sexual “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings” and “Legally Blonde” — only has as much awakening,” and was extremely popular with adult women. As an Rpower as we grant it. rated movie, “Fifty Shades” wasn’t marketed to children or teenagers.

It’s not feminist, but it also isn’t real.

Although minors may have seen advertisements, especially on Youtube, You shouldn’t use “Fifty Shades” as a BDSM guide – or a relationship children under 17 can’t actually watch the movie — unless they have guide – but what’s the harm in seeing a kind of boring sequel for your own parental permission. The adults consuming “Fifty Shades” won’t be surentertainment? There have been movies that are worse for women, there will prised by anything in it, especially after the intense media fervor surbe movies that are worse for women, and people are going to see “Fifty Shades Creative Commons/elplacerdelalectura.com rounding the series.

Darker” for their own reasons – like actor Jamie Dornan’s beautiful face.

By Sabina Dirienzo Chief Copy Editor

Editorial Board "Vacation (All I Ever Wanted)" Allison White Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Catherine Veschi Managing Editor

Stags, we have finally made it to the midway point of the semester. Whether you’re pretty much beat down from the onslaught of midterms that professors are trying to cram in during the course of the last week or nonchalantly trudging through the week in hopes of getting on your flight to some tropical destination a little sooner, we can all agree that spring break is a necessary departure from straight academia.

You may be thinking, “Oh, here The Mirror goes again being cheeky and writing about something lighthearted.” Well, you aren’t completely wrong — we want to stress the importance of responsibility as it pertains to living one’s life. You may be questioning us again, saying something like “where the hell are they going this time” or “how does this pertain at all to spring break?”

Life is full of wonderfully devious temptations that beckon to us to take that extra shot or go for the beer mile, we should know that we aren’t invincible and just as Superman is susceptible to Kryptonite, we have our own limitations.

Especially with St. Patrick’s Day falling on the Friday of break, we are tempted further with surrendering ourselves to the influence of a holiday binge. However, we aren't saying to go completely dry of St. Paddy’s Day — because what fun would that be — rather, we are stressing the adage of “everything in moderation.”

College is a time of experimentation and acting idiotic without expecting the consequences. That being said, for college students, spring break is the point of the semester where this experimentation peaks. Spring break falls at a time when the workload is beginning to

increase, so it makes sense that college students jump at the opportunity to release their stress via extreme alcohol consumption and endless partying on the beach.

While this scene is enticing, we encourage students to partake in these activities in moderation. The drinking and partying scene is fun, but waking up with a miserable hangover and not remembering the events from the day before takes away from the enjoyment of the experience. Hence, less is more when it comes to spring break partying.

The moral of our story: live free, but think responsibly. So when you’re downing a mimosa or two on a sunny beach in Punta Cana, don’t think too much about that paper due next week, there’s always the motto of “due tomorrow, do tomorrow.”

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

Opinion

The Live Music Experience Proves Its Still Kicking

By Sabrina Musto Contributing Writer If there is any one thing that everyone has in common, it is a love of music. Whether it is pop, rock, country or any other genre, I have never met a person who simply hates music. For me, the best possible way to experience music is by going to a concert and experiencing it live, and not listening to it through a phone or a radio. Concerts are one thing that will never go out of style, despite how easily accessible music has become. Apple Music, Spotify and illegal downloading websites have made the music of all generations something that can be easily accessed by anyone with technology, but that does not mean that the appeal of live music has become or will ever become obsolete.

I would argue that although we have more freedom with listening to music electronically, live music trumps simply listening from a device.

One consideration about concerts is how ridiculously expensive it has become to see performances live, especially big name artists. Individuals will pay hundreds of dollars for tickets to just one concert — front row VIP Beyonce tickets for the Formation Tour cost up to $3,600, according to Daytona Daily News. However, the fact that individuals are willing to pay and artists often sell out their performances is a testament to how much we love a good concert. For me, festival tickets are more worth the price of admission because you get to experience a variety of artists at one event that is usually much longer than an individual concert. There is an experience you get at a concert that you cannot get by simply listening to music through headphones, and that is what makes it worth every penny.

This past October, I went to a Carrie Underwood concert, and listening to her sing “Before He Cheats” from less than 500 feet away is something that I will never forget. I can remember every concert I have ever been to, from Hilary Duff ’s Metamorphosis tour to Swedish House Mafia’s last concert to Lady Antebellum, and each time was an experience different from the other, but nonetheless amazing. Each artist has the capability to bring their music to life in a concert, which is not an option afforded to these artists when they put out an album.

Being able to physically experience and connect with the artist and the music is incomparable, and having gone to several concerts, it is easy to understand why so many people are willing to spend money

Creative Commons/Pixabay

on concerts. My parents saw Andrea Bocelli in concert last month, and my mom said it was one of the most beautiful things she has ever experienced, and my mom is not known for being dramatic.

Concerts are universal — they exist in countries all over the world and are available to people of all ages. Whether it is young fangirls seeing Justin Bieber, or adults like my parents seeing Bocelli, everyone can get enjoyment out of a concert performed by an artist they love.

Sophomore Daniel Kadragich saw Ariana Grande this past weekend at Madison Square Garden, and expressed that it was one of the best concerts he has ever attended.

Kadragich said, “Everything was amazing from the music to her set design and I wish I could go again.”

Meanwhile, Michael Casarella ‘19 saw Billy Joel on his lastest tour and said he had a blast. “I went with my mom and my aunt, and the concert was so fun and we definitely bonded over the experience,” said Casarella.

So it does not matter what your taste in music is — concerts are enjoyable for everyone, and I personally do not believe that they will ever go out of style.

In today’s day and age, concerts are significant because so many

young people, children and young adults alike, are so consumed with their phones and social media that there is a serious lack of interaction between individuals. Years ago, you could not access thousands of songs with the touch of a button on your iPhone, which is definitely beneficial in many respects, but also allows us to not really experience things fully. I think this is why concerts are so important. They can pull us away from our phones and invite us to be fully present, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.

Artists such as Jack White go as far as requesting a ban on cell phones from their shows, which I find to be a really great way to get the audience to connect with each other and with the music because they truly listen and do not find themselves tempted and distracted by the outside world.

Actually getting out and doing something rather than just listening to music in your room alone contributes to our human experience, and I think that anyone who has the capability to attend a concert should jump at the chance. While the access we have to music is amazing seeing as we cannot witness every artist we love in concert, I think that the experience of a concert is something that has always and will always make people excited and happy.

What are your plans for spring break?

Katherine Klima '20

"For break I'll probably be in a McDonald's

Putting Pleasure Aside For Lent Every Lent, the Catholic Church fully engages itself with the historicity of its Divinity crucified. In the trial, execution and burial of Jesus of Nazareth, there is one question posed by a New Testament character left tacitly unanswered, and the moment’s weight sinks into the heart of the modern reader shocked by its timeless silence. Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect, questioned the itinerant Nazarene rabbi brought before his throne, desperately trying to understand the man before him whose orthodox theism was so unlike Pilate’s own cosmopolitan paganism. Shocked by the claims of divinity made by Christ, the Judaean councilor Pilate retorts that this rabbi must conceive of himself of a king of sorts. The Nazarene, a son of a modest carpenter, born amongst baying animals in a stable in Bethlehem, gave this audacious reply in John 18:37: “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Pilate, puzzled at the objectivism of Christ, utters the eternal refrain of secular relativism that is left without response: “What is truth?”

Lent is the catholic’s 40-day voyage toward a theological response to the carnal question of Pontius Pilate. Is there such a thing as “truth?”

Is there a higher power to which we submit, an author of a “right” and “wrong” that is knowable in the depths of the human heart? The answer to the latter question, for a catholic, is given immediately following Lent in what the Catholic Church believes is the historicity of

a vacant tomb. But as to the former question, Lent is a time not only for pondering the catholic conception of the truth, but moreover our adherence to it.

How has trite selfishness, lustful pursuit of lascivious pleasure and an abdication of personal responsibility divorced our hearts from the foundational basis of faith; namely, a God who sent His Son to save the world on a road littered with poverty, suffering, and shame?

How do our lives comport with the vision of humanity of that humble Jew from Nazareth who so forsook personal aggrandizement that He met His fate in the most torturous form of public execution? What does it say about our own human nature that this vessel of the divine was killed by the state in the name of jurisprudence?

These 40 days are the catholic opportunity to formulate a ready answer to the nihilism of Pilate, and to have a ready defense against moral relativism and the hollow “tolerance” of a pluralistic view of truth. In that articulation, the moral vision we put forward should cause us immediately to reflect inward and glance upon our statement’s indictment of our personal failures and moral bankruptcy. The utterance should be a poignant reminder of the taint of original sin that stains the human condition, and how far we fall from objective standards of devotion, piety and humility. Lent provides us with a focused window to shape ourselves into saints and leave behind the cocoons of petty relativism that prevent us from knowing the truth and living it.

parking lot eating some chicken nuggets with my friends, looking for possible summer jobs, writing two papers and hopefully sleeping."

Daniel Swanson '20

"I'm not really doing much.

Probably catching up with old friends, working a little and hopefully catching up on sleep."

Danielle Agate '19

"Over spring break I plan to go to Katz's in Manhattan and get myself a brisket sandwich."

Photos contributed by Katherine Klima, Daniel Swanson, and Alexandra Ross

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

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features Editor Alicia Phaneuf alicia.phaneuf@student.fairfield.edu

Tuning into Cheem: Fairfield U's Up-and-Coming Indie Rock Band Photos Taken from Black Rose Quilt Pintrest Photo Illustration by Alicia Phaneuf

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

The Vine

Page 8

Hartford Band Spirals Toward Success

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor

band recently hosted a boisterous gig on campus at Thomas’ townhouse last semester, an event that “Support local music.” While somehow pushed the envelope of this phrase may seem tiresome for exactly how far Cheem is willing to any music snob who proclaims to take their music. be up on the latest trends, the fact is “I was inspired by popular DIY that the future of the form is depenshows that Cheem frequently plays, dent on the support of local bands where we'll pack 50 plus energetic looking to cut their own slice of the people into a basement, all there for music industry pie. We are currently the love of music,” Thomas said emin the threshold of the music renaisphatically. “I want people on campus sance, where local indie bands are to experience that, it's so different permeating the market and estabfrom the norm here at Fairfield.” lishing a landmark for obnoxiously With that norm being busted, beautiful music.

Thomas stressed that he hopes to Exemplifying this motif is host another townhouse show with the Hartford, Conn. based band, Cheem, further embracing a wider Cheem. Featuring Sean Thomas audience that may be drawn to the ‘17 on the skins, as well as vocalist pounding rhythms and popping Sam Nazaretian, guitarist and vobass lines coming from an unsusPhoto Contributed by Sean Thomas pecting townhouse. calist Skye Holden, guitarist Gabe Weitzman and bassist RJ Briggs, Pictured above are the five members of the Hartford based band, Cheem.

“We've got another one coming Cheem brings together the lightwith Cheem and a few other amazing hearted goodness of indie rock with the instrumental complexity of emo rock to create a local acts, so here's hoping the enthusiasm is still there,” added Thomas. form that blends into a variety of unexpected genres including math rock and power pop.

As for the remainder of 2017, Cheem looks to broaden their horizons with the release However, during the week of March 5, Cheem will break new ground as they release of their second EP, which has been tested out in the live setting numerous times, accordtheir latest single, “Spiral,” a follow-up to 2016’s split EP with Budris, as well as a music ing to Thomas. “The entire beast is written and we're crazy proud of it — we've been devideo for the latest release. buting songs from it live for the better part of a year now,” said Thomas. “My drum parts “With all our new material, we're trying to blend accessible grooves and melodies come first, I plan on blasting through 14 to 15 songs in two recording sessions.” with more technical elements,” said Thomas. “Overall, we all love emulating the energy In addition, Cheem looks to join the road with a few other guests from the indie unof '90s alternative rock, combining it with melody and a bit of mathey-ness to create our derground music scene, including Slingshot Dakota and Emperor X. own sound.”

While the books may be full for quite some time with Cheem, their energy remains Though “Spiral” diverges from their typical iteration of emo pop, Cheem manages relentless as they continue to reach new audiences on campus and around the northeast. to permeate through to a new market of listeners who constantly are craving the ever- This form of interpersonal connection between Cheem and their audiences sets them popular indie pop madness. aside as a formidable giant in the stuffed realm of local music, only stressing that you Reaching new audiences has been the central mission of Cheem since their start at never know exactly who may be the next band headlining arenas around the globe. the University of Hartford and that mission still rings true today. This is evident as the

The Mirror Abroad: Brendan's Italian Experience

By Brendan Zimmerman Abroad Columnist

Before leaving the United States, I made a list of countries that I had to see before coming back and right at the top of that list was the United Kingdom. Weird, right? And not just London, but Wales, Scotland and maybe even Belfast in Northern Ireland. I have always had a fascination with the culture of the U.K., from the multitude of books, television shows and the endless array of music that has come from that island. So when I had the opportunity to visit Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, I immediately bought my plane ticket and packed my bags.

Of course, traveling to such a far off destination has its fair share of challenges, from taking a 5 a.m. train to Rome, taking a perilous taxi ride through the crowded streets of that city and then waiting through an endless line at security only to arrive at the gate right before it closed.

But two and a half hours later, as the plane descended from the clouds, the lush green hills of Scotland appeared in my window and my heart nearly sank. Stepping out onto the runway I rushed to the nearest bus. As I traveled toward the city center, my eyes took in the beautiful countryside and the quaint villages scattered throughout the patches of green. Soon I could see the grey city in the horizon and I could barely wait.

After checking into my hostel, I threw my bag onto the bed and rushed back outside to explore. With a map in hand, I quickly surveyed the locations of all the major streets. My first destination was the famous shopping street, fittingly titled Princes Street. Princes Street has the been the inspiration for many famous movies scenes, especially the memorable opening of the ‘90s film, “Trainspotting.”

Walking up the lavish main strip, I suddenly realized why Edinburgh is nicknamed “the Athens of the north.”

Right across Princes Street, standing all the way at the top of the Royal Mile, was Edinburgh Castle, looming above

the entire city. In all of its majesty, Edinburgh Castle was covered by a dense fog that gave an aura of mystery and magic to the site. Heading up the Royal Mile, I eventually arrived at the gates to the castle to tour the area. The castle formerly served as the royal seat for the Scottish monarchy in medieval times, but it has now become the residency for the Queen of England when she visits Scotland.

Edinburgh is known for many things: its beauty, its scotch and most importantly, the amount of famous writers the city has produced. From J.K. Rowling to Irvine Welsh, Edinburgh has managed to touch countless starryeyed writers looking for inspiration. The casual beauty of the city really took me by surprise as with each street corner, there was another beautiful sight to behold. Walking along George Street, I found myself standing at the top of a hill that overlooked a beautiful loch just outside the city. The mixture of the Gothic architecture and the streaks of grey and dark brown buildings gave the city a magical quality that is almost impossible to describe in writing.

After an afternoon of shopping and sightseeing, I made my way to my next top destination — The Elephant House café. As I walked into the quaint café, there were signs everywhere advertising the main reason for my visit.

I ordered a cappuccino and a panini and sat at the same counter that J.K. Rowling wrote “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” at. And even as I finished my coffee in disbelief, I realized that just outside, I was a few streets away from the colorful, winding alley that inspired Diagon Alley.

The next day I was to fly back to Italy, but I still had one more task to do before leaving. On the outskirt of the city lies a famous extinct volcano named Arthur’s Seat. According to Scottish legend, Arthur’s Seat may have been one of the possible locations for the legendary Camelot.

Now I certainly do not consider myself to be a knight of the realm (cons of being an American), but I knew I had

to hike to the top.

As I walked outside the city into Holyrood Park, I could see the mammoth hill sitting in the middle of another beautiful loch and a series of hills that closely resembled The Shire in “Lord of the Rings.” As I began my journey, the rain from the previous day made the trek far harder than I anticipated, with every step nearly drowning my sneakers in mud. The more I ascended, the more I was able to see on the horizon. Soon I could see the beaches of North Berwick looming miles away and on the other side was the entirety of Edinburgh enjoying the Scottish mist.

Eventually, after scaling a few scary rocks and nearly sliding off the edge from the mud, I made it to the top. I was standing on a grassy plain that allowed me to survey the Scottish Highlands and I still believe it to be one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Getting on the plane back home, I realized just how lucky I was to be able to experience the north of the United Kingdom and I can’t wait to go back.

Brendan Zimmerman/The Mirror

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

The Vine

Page 9

Cara's Cuisine: Marshmallow Leprechaun Hats

By Cara Lee Assistant Vine Editor

Top o’ the mornin’ to ya on this very special holiday. While we are all enjoying our spring breaks, the world will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day — honoring St. Patrick, the missionary who converted us Irish folk to Catholicism and celebrating all things green. There are already four leaf clovers decorating buildings throughout campus and if you look around, you can even spot a leprechaun or two peeking out of a dorm window. To celebrate the one day of the year when everyone wants to be Irish, here are some fun Leprechaun hats you can make — made from chocolate, a bit of cookie and a marshmallow.

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of salted butter ¼ cup of sugar 1 egg ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract ¾ cup of all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon of baking powder ¾ cup of (about 6 ounces) green chocolate melts 15 large marshmallows Step 1: The Cookie Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale, then beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine the flour and baking powder.

Gently mix the contents of both bowls together until the dough is consistent.

Wrap the dough in plastic, let it chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

Roll the dough out until it is completely flat and 1/4 of an inch thick.

Cut the flattened dough into circles about 2 ½ inches in diameter.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden around the edges, but still soft in the middle. The cookies continue to bake once removed from the oven.

Step 2: The Marshmallow As soon as the cookies are removed from the oven, take a marshmallow and gently press it onto the top of the cookie so that the bottom begins to melt and they attach.

Let them cool for three minutes before transferring the cookies off of the cookie sheets.

Step 3: The Chocolate Take the green chocolate melts and melt them in the microwave by putting them in for 30 second intervals, then stirring vigorously. Once the chocolate is smooth, use a spoon to drip it over the cookie and marshmallow “hat,” and use the back of the cookie to smooth the edges.

Now: decorate! You can take some clear green sprinkles and coat the cookie in them, use a yellow M&M to create a buckle and a thin strip of licorice, cut thinly lengthwise to make a belt or you can enjoy them for the little top hats they are.

Creative Commons/Public Domain Pictures

Author Susan Jaques Provides Insight to Catherine the Great's 18th Century Collection

By Cara Lee Assistant Vine Editor Empress Catherine the Great of Russia is known for her unlikely military victories, her focus on raising the opinion of Russia in the eyes of world powers and for the vast collection of priceless masterpieces which she purchased over the course of her reign. These pieces ranged from works the empress commissioned to placate stilted lovers then purchased back once they died, to works created by some of the greats, including Rembrandt and Michelangelo. While the general public knows a lot about the individual pieces included in this collection, the same cannot be said about the time and circumstances surrounding the momentous occasion when all of these pieces resided together in St. Petersburg. An event that turned Russia into “a world wonder,” as the woman who sought to rectify this knowledge gap, Susan Jaques, announced at her lecture in Bellarmine Hall’s Diffley Board Room.

To promote her book, “The Empress of Art: Catherine the Great and the Transformation of Russia,” Susan Jaques, a member of the Historians of the 18th Century Art and Architecture group, spoke to a group of Fairfield town residents about the collection “in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution.” While the event was lacking in attendance from the student population, it was none the less a fascinating and educational experience, made all the better

by Jaques’ readily apparent expertise and her infectious passion for the subject. This knowledge has been long gathered. Jaques graduated from Stanford University with a major in history and went on to both earn an MBA from the University of California and be a docent at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In a summary of this accumulation of knowledge, which is encased in her book, Jaques took the time to detail both why art was important to Catherine the Great and how the empress collected the vast collection that resided in St. Petersburg, Russia during her lecture.

Catherine the Great had a passion for art and architecture that

developed over the course of her 34-year reign as tsarina. In fact, her ascension to the throne resulted in her first commissioned piece, her coronation crown, created by Jérémie Pauzié. The five pound creation, which cost an eighth of the state budget, would be the first of hundreds of pieces commissioned by the tsarina. She utilized several of these commissioned portraits and art for propaganda. Before she was crowned, Catherine’s husband, Peter III, tried to have Catherine extruded from the royal line for having an extra-marital affair. In response, Catherine lead a revolt against her husband that resulted in his strangulation at the hands of a man who was then promoted to the position of Commander of the Russian Navy. This same man, Aleksey Grigoryevich Orlov, would inspire one of Catherine’s favorite propaganda paintings, a commemoration of the Russian victory named “The Destruction of the Turkish Fleet in the Bay of Chesme.”

To ensure this painting was accurate, the tsarina had Jacob Philipp Hackert, the painter, procure another military ship, light it on fire and watch it burn.

Catherine the Great had highly specific tastes in art. She disagreed with any and all senseless nudity, seeing it as not being a proper interest for an enlightened ruler — a persona she attempted to portray to convince the world powers of the time that Russia was not a “backwater” country. The exception to this rule was if the nude figures were part of a mythological portrait, such as in the Jean-Antoine Houdon statue of Greek mythology’s Diana. Catherine was also very interested in neo-classical art and came to acquire Michelangelo's unfinished masterpiece, the powerful sculpture of the “Crouching Boy,” a sculpture with no mythological context that features a nude male.

Catherine the Great never again left Russia once she took the throne, which made her very skilled at re-gifting artwork that she disliked after purchasing it sight unseen, but also prevented her from viewing Michelangelo’s murals in the Sistine Chapel. This troubled her as she had become fascinated with his work through her acquired sculpture and from reading of it in her books. Determined to see the

works in one form or another, she dedicated an area in the Hermitage Museum where the works could be recreated in one of her most magnificent commissions. The art spans the entire expanse of the hallway just as it does the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

While some work has been lost over the years and some pieces have been separated from the collection, the majority of this artwork can be viewed unscathed in the Russian Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg. Susan Jaques’ lecture only gave a taste of the rich history of Russia’s art, filled with entertaining tales, torrid love affairs and shopping sprees that cleared the Russian royal coffers, but also enabled Catherine to reach her goal of turning Russia into a cultural hub to aid in its rise to world power status.

Cara Lee/The Mirror

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

The Vine

CreativeCommons/Flickr

ashionably airfield

by Nicole Funaro

Color Me Spring

Gone are the days of wearing grey, brown and black — with spring right around the corner, it’s finally time to pack up your dark, depressing neutrals and drape yourself in luxurious colors that say “spring” without using words. While there are so many colors to choose from on the spectrum, not to mention a host of colors making their way through the fashion industry, it can be difficult to land on stylish colors for spring that are both universally flattering and right on trend. That’s where Pantone comes in.

Known for their annual announcement of the “color of the year,” in fall 2016, color-matching company Pantone released a forecast report predicting the hottest colors in fashion for this spring. Filled with soft neutrals and saturated colors alike, the report provides 10 colors that will surely take off this spring, such as the Fairfield-appropriate color, “Pale Dogwood,” a faint, taupe-based blush color that is perfect for everything from shoes to jackets.

But neutral colors such as “Pale Dogwood” and its list companion “Hazelnut” (a light brown) may not be the happy colors you were searching for to fill your spring wardrobe, no matter how necessary they may be. Luckily, Pantone’s list includes several jewel tones that are just as bright as they are exuberant.

Perhaps the best part about these colors, which are reminiscent of gemstones like rubies (red), amethysts (violet) and sapphire (blue), is that they are universally flattering; this means that no matter your skin tone, a jewel-toned hue will likely complement your skin pigmentation and let your inner beauty shine.

Here are a few of Pantone’s gem-inspired spring colors:

Lapis Blue Described by Pantone as a “strong and confident” shade, this deep and almost dusty shade of blue seems to be rooted in the gemstone of tanzanite, which offers a saturated shade of blue in a way that is not overbearing, just like Pantone’s “Lapis Blue.” This is likely the most functional color out of all of the gem-inspired tones, as it is a pseudoneutral — that is, a color that has enough saturation to read as a color, but is soft enough to be paired with other, brighter colors (like a regular neutral, such as brown, black and grey). Beyond its ability to be paired with many other colors of varying vibrancy, this shade can be worn in all four seasons, saving you lots of time and money when stocking up for each of our distinct New England seasons.

Primrose Yellow This vibrant shade of yellow is most reminiscent of the yellow tourmaline, a rich yellow that almost looks like mustard. This shade has been a major trend on red carpets since last award season and it’s showing no signs of slowing down — look no further than actress Leslie Mann’s Academy Awards gown for proof. An instant way to boost your look, adding this color into your spring wardrobe even in small doses such as through shoes or jewelry can boost the brightness of your style.

Flame Although this Pantone color is named after fire, it can also look like the gemstone citrine. A redbased orange, both “Flame” and citrine are deep enough to provide bold color, but light enough to not read as “winter.” What’s helpful about this particular color is that it can be worn well into the summer and even into the fall, making it a utility player in your wardrobe — you won’t have to worry about spending a ton of money on a piece in this color when you’ll surely be wearing it three out of four months of the year.

Pink Yarrow Perhaps my favorite color of Pantone’s roster is “Pink Yarrow,” a hearty pink that is similar to magenta in its warmth and akin to the pink sapphire gem in brightness. Described by Pantone as a “a whimsical, unignorable hue that tempts and tantalizes,” there is no better way to make your wardrobe pop than with this stunning tone. And make no mistake: this tone isn’t just for the girls. In fact, a relative of this color coats a style of the men’s Nike Hypershift sneaker. Inject a shot of this color into your wardrobe via sneakers (and other styles of shoes,) tops or accessories, and you’re sure to be “unignorable.”

Photo taken from Zac Posen's Instagram

Chainsmokers's New Single Heats Up Top Charts

By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor It’s common for people to have many different playlists for activities such as working out, doing homework, walking to class, pre-gaming and the list goes on. For me, the new Chainsmoker’s song “Something Just Like This” fell into all of the above playlists. Best known for their song, “Closer,” which, according to Forbes, is the fourth longest-running No. 1 hit and their single “Paris,” the Chainsmokers have quickly produced a new EDM (Electronic Dance Music) single that is also bound to join top charts.

A simple storyline about a guy who believes he has to have superhuman qualities in order to win the heart of a girl is the message of the song — a message everyone can relate to.

The lyrics say, “I’ve been reading books of old, the legends and the myths, Achilles and his gold, Hercules and his gifts, Spiderman’s control and Batman with his fists, and clearly I don’t see myself upon that list.” Insecure about what he brings to the table, the singer reflects on what qualities these superheroes have and believes that without them, he won’t be able to make the girl happy.

Not surprisingly, the girl reassures the singer that he is perfect for her, even without superpowers. “She said, where’d you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I’m not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts. Some superhero, some fairytale bliss, just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss.” At the end of the day, the guy is perfect in her eyes

regardless of how strong, smart or handsome he thinks he is.

The song’s straight-forward message allows listeners to better appreciate the other qualities of it such as the vocal and musical aspects.

Accompanying the Chainsmokers (Alex Pall and Drew Taggart) is Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Martin dominates the song with his incredible vocal range, where he begins in a low groove and then erupts into a yelling, hyped-up tone. The musicality of the piece mimics the great qualities of other Chainsmoker songs while also incorporating the talents of Martin — a combination that produces an unmatched dynamic.

Although the vocal talents of the song are commendable, credit is also due to the instrumentalists. Throughout the piece, the guitar work is executed flawlessly and is greatly emphasized during the climax of the song — kudos to Jonny Buckland. The music flows well with Martin’s vocals due to the softness they emit when he sings low and the party vibe they rise to as he transitions to belting the lyrics.

The Chainsmokers are a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. Through “Closer,” “Paris” and “Something Just Like This,” they have established their prominence in the pop and EDM scene, and the group shows promising signs of more hits to come. “Something Just Like This” will be included in their album “Memories: Do Not Open,” which will be released on April 7. Additionally, students should mark their calendar for Thursday, April 20, as the Chainsmokers will be performing at Webster Bank Arena at 7 p.m

Creative Commons/Flickr

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

The Vine

Page 11

Inkwell Spotlight 'The Invisible Band Member'

By Margaret Moore Contributing Writer at The Inkwell

I am the invisible band member.

I joined in 2015— That September.

You hear my bells, You see me every game day.

Those who attend the sporting event Are able to witness my presence.

Yet the second the camera appears, I vanish.

I dissipate into thin air.

Nowhere to be seen.

I am the invisible band member.

You won’t find me in the visual records of any gig.

Even at meetings For planning something big, I am not there— They walk past me To gather at the top of the bleachers.

“We forgot. Sorry, our mistake.”

Viewers Go 'Psycho' for Bates Motel

By James DellaRocca Contributing Writer

If I counted how many times they say that, A world record they would surely break.

It’s quite ironic— Their reply.

Because there is no way you can miss a motorized wheelchair.

Perhaps they are waiting for my defeated goodbye.

That is one thing they’ll never get.

For I am the invisible band member.

I’m here to stay, But there’s a catch.

My invisibility is not to remain.

I’ll keep fighting for what is right Even if they think I am a pain.

Not one word of this will I ever regret Because, Just like everyone else, I’m a part of this band, too— Remember?

Creative Commons/ Pixabay

Get ready to go psycho over the premiere of the final season of “Bates Motel.” “Bates Motel” deals with the life of Norman Bates prior to the movie “Psycho,” where he is a teenager living with his mother, Norma. The new season of the A&E hit series premiered on Monday, Feb. 20 and is in the midst of the final developmental arc of Norman Bates as he becomes a fully realized murderer.

The story picks up two years after Norman (Freddie Highmore) kills Norma (Vera Farmiga.)

Norman has been running the motel normally, but once he goes up to the house in the season premiere, things are not as they seem.

Norman is prone to blackouts, where he does not remember his actions, which sometimes include murder. His blackouts, which have been prevalent since he was young, worsen and become more frequent.

He sees Norma around the house and believes that, to protect Norman, she faked her own death and has to stay in the house permanently. It turns out that whenever he leaves the room this is false — Norman is actually keeping her body preserved in the basement of the house. Without the actual Norma there, the “mothering” personality within Norman starts to take over.

It is interesting that the showrunners decided to pick now to kill Norma off. It might have been assumed that the showrunners would have killed her off closer to the series finale. In “Psycho,” Norma is dead and Norman has been impersonating her, so it is obvious that Norma will die before the end of the series.

We will have to wait and see how the season goes on and deals with how Norman goes from a mentally ill motel manager to a complete coldblooded killer.

It’s a shame that they killed her off so soon since Norma has been one of the most interesting characters of the series, considering we never get to see her in the movie. The conflicts she has with the various people living in the local town were the driving movement in the plot of the show.

Now that Norma is gone, it will be strange to see this caricature of her — an idealized version of her in Norman’s mind, acting and only interacting with solely Norman.

The series has been captivating so far as the development of Norman from an everyday teenager to the killer portrayed in “Psycho.” This evolution is what made the series so intriguing and hopefully this final season will allow the characters to complete their development and conclude the series in a meaningful way.

Creative Commons/Flickr

Heard It Through The GrapeVINE

By Jillian Cahoon Contributing Writer

Senior Isabel Telonis is an art history major with minors in French, psychology and classical studies. In addition, she is a four-year member of both the Glee Club and the Chamber Choir on campus. She has been singing since the age of nine and also plays the guitar. In her spare time, she loves to attend music festivals, like Ultra in Miami and Electric Zoo in New York City. Her passion for festivals developed from her dad bringing her and her brother to them at a young age, something they still do together today.

Telonis has a wide variety of music taste from electronic dance to indie rock. She loves to play DJ for her friends and is often the person many turn to for song suggestions. With her vast knowledge of music both as a singer and a music fan, here are Telonis’ current favorite songs.

1. “Anagram” — Young the Giant “Young the Giant is my absolute favorite band and this song always brings a smile to my face. The upbeat guitar and drums paired with the lead singer's beautiful vocals never fails to put me in a good mood.”

2. “Lost in the World” (ft. Bon Iver) — Kanye West “We all know Kanye for his famous raps that we can scream out at the bar, but this song shows a unique side

of Kanye. The beginning of the song starts with Bon Iver's soothing harmonies and quickly transitions to a dance song with a great rhythmic beat, making it one of my favorites.”

3. “Tightrope” — Walk the Moon “I can't help but sing along to this catchy and uplifting song whenever I hear it. As one of my favorite Walk the Moon tracks, it's perfect for any occasion, whether you are on the beach with friends, at the gym or singing in the shower.”

4. “West Coast” — Lana Del Rey “Lana Del Rey undoubtedly has one of the most magical and unforgettable voices in the music scene right now. Her haunting vocals in ‘West Coast’ are hard to get out of your memory. It has a peaceful and easygoing sound, yet contains emotional meaning, making it even more compelling.”

5. “Wildfire” (ft. Frank Ocean) — John Mayer “Whenever I'm in a meditative mood or in need of relaxation, I immediately turn to this song. It brings me into a new, calm state of mind in just a minute and thirty seconds.

Frank Ocean's soothing voice and John Mayer's instrumentals are a match made in heaven.”

Photo Contributed by Isabel Telonis

Do you want to be featured in the GrapeVINE? Please email a list of 5-7 of your favorite songs and also a picture of yourself that we can use to alicia.phaneuf@student.fairfield. edu

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

Coffee Break

Page 12

Coffee Break Editor: Claire Monahan

For Fairfield’s 75th anniversary, The Mirror is bringing back one of it’s most iconic features: Boos and Cheers. Boos and Cheers is a section in the paper where you can anonymously submit tips about the things you’re happy about and the things you’re unhappy about. It’s a place where your inside jokes get published but only your group of friends understands what they mean. Better watch out next time you decide to cry and tell your Uber driver your entire life story … you never know if you’ll end up in Boos and Cheers!

Boooos

Cheers

To it being cold again … to not being 21 yet … to being stuck in the library writing papers all weekend … to thinking I can dance … to always being hungry … to being done with The Mirror … to being so poor that you eat broth for dinner … to “not having enough time” … to Deloitte … to our site being down … to the weather being freezing … to being stuck here till 5 p.m. Friday … to the weather dropping below 40 again … to the Quick Center student parking … to being sick before spring break … to midterms … to Juliana losing half of news … to the bad co-news editor … to drunk texting your exes … to Jeff Foxworthy …

To my birthday … to the sunshine … to being a green tea shot thot … to Two Bill’s Grill … to being done with The Mirror … to our Vine editor putting on quite the performance on Thursday… to I’ll always be there to catch you when you fall … to leaving early for spring break … to Sham Jam … to Gonzaga playing “La La Land” … to spring break … to turning 21 in less than a month … to whoever ~finally~ cleaned up the puke in the common room … to my package being delivered … to the new co-news editor … to the greatest paper ever … to the balloon of Juliana’s loves …

Sitting Down with Former Mirror Editor-in-Chief Ethan Fry ‘03 What was your major/ minor?

Major: Politics Minor: English Where did you live all four years?

Campion freshman and sophomore year, then Loyola, Kostka (I was an RA from sophomore to senior year)

Contributed by Ethan Fry Ethan Fry (above) now works as a reporter for the Valley Independant Sentinel, which reports on Connecticut’s lower Naugatuck Valley.

What were all of your roles on The Mirror?

Writer freshman year, then sports editor sophomore year, managing editor as a junior, editor [in-chief] senior year.

What was the most controversial story you published as editor in chief?

Every year, we suspected the administration would snatch up all the leftover copies of the issue that came out before “Preview Day” and destroy them. Senior year we figured let’s at least make it worth their while. So we ran a front page story about drug use under a four-column picture of someone sparking a bowl. Sure enough, when Preview Day rolled

around nary a copy was left on the stands. In retrospect I suppose that was pretty immature of us.

How did your time at The Mirror prepare you for your career in journalism?

What was your favorite/least favorite parts of being editor-inchief?

Excellently, insofar as the pay was meager and the hours long.

Least favorite part: Having to make unpopular decisions occasionally.

Favorite part: Having power over/ veto privileges on TV/music in the office.

What is your favorite memory of Fairfield?

Walking anywhere on campus Thursday and seeing people stop wherever the Mirror was stocked so they could pick up an issue.

Townhouse Drama Throwback: Basements open, but for how long?

By Meredith Clinton Contributing Writer Last year, Residence Life threatened to padlock the basement doors in the townhouses. This, of course, sent everyone into a frenzy, and even if they weren’t sure why, people were upset their rights were being taken away.

This year there are no padlocks, but it’s still a possibility.

“This is a make or break year,” said Fran Koerting, associate dean and director of residence life, “You need to prove it’s not too great a temptation [to misuse the basements].”

The controversy started last year because there were too many illegal parties being held in the basements, and they were also being used illegally as living space.

“The basements are not zoned for living space, and the concern with illegal parties is that it’s a fire hazard because there is only one means of egress,” said Koerting.

Laura Cantrell, associate director of residence life, said, “Students are concerned about the action but not the reason.”

Before any permanent action was taken,

through, residence life wanted to get the opinions of students on how to fix the problems. They held open invitation focus groups, from which many good suggestions came, said Koerting.

“That’s where the idea to legalize Beirut came from,” she said, “and the students said they wanted a chance to prove they could handle the situation.”

There were also surveys that many students filled out last year in which the students responded they did not want the basements padlocked, but them open for storage space.

Cantrell said it depends on how the students this year handle the responsibility of having the basements open.

“Its their chance, and if they blow it they blow it for all students in the future,” she said.

But she said this year people are a lot more conscious about the party policy because of the work they have done to push it.

“Scare tactics, whether they’re right or wrong, students are paying attention to them,” said Cantrell.

“Some of it’s just a miscommunication like with the card reader, that we’re going

to come and swipe everybody’s card. Well that’s not necessarily true, but students are reacting.”

Koerting said, as a result, students have been a lot better this year.

“So far they’ve been wonderful. Compared to last year, it was every weekend, now they’ve been so much better,” she said.

Kim Nickolenko, assistant dean of students and director of judicial affairs, said there are no specific numbers comparing last year’s infractions to this years, but there have still been consistent violations as in past year.

“We continue to see some townhouses for unregistered parties, unregistered kegs and other violations of the social policy and residential guidelines,” she said. “Some of these violations had more than the allotted six people in the basement. Other violations also included having the basement set up with furniture and other items.”

That being said, there is still work to be done.

In a letter sent by Koerting to the townhouse residents over the summer it warned students of what can happen.

“We trust that this year’s group of

townhouse residents can resist the temptation of misusing the basements as additional living space for parties. If not, the university will have to resort to locking off the basements for the following year. “ Will Yost ‘06, said, “I think that they are only saying they are leaving it up to us because they are afraid of the negative consequences that boarding them up will bring. New students will not want to come to this school if they know things are being done to take away our fun.”

Jess Kurose ‘06, said, “I think we can [resist the temptation of the basements] especially since now we can have beirut tables down there, and it seems like less people are getting in trouble this year.”

So it still remains to be seen what will become of the basements in the townhouses, but something is finally in the hands of the students.

This story ran in the November 2003 edition of The Mirror. It details the students growing concern that the basements of the townhouses will be padlocked.

Sports

SPORTS

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

In Case You

This Week in Sports: Stags Weekend Update

Page 13

Missed It: Thursday, March 2nd -UConn defeats Men's Tennis, 4-3 Friday, March 3rd -VCU defeats Baseball, 4-3 Saturday, March 4th -Stony Brook defeats Men's Lacrosse, 9-6 -Siena defeats Men's Basketball, 78-66 Sunday, March 5th -Rider defeats Women's Basketball, 49-36

After a 10 save performance in Fairfield University’s win over the University of New Hampshire, goalie Caleigh O’Connor ‘17 was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, March 6. After serving as a backup netminder for the duration of her junior season, O’Connor has taken full advantage of the starting job for the Stags. In addition to her career-high 10 saves on Sunday, March 5, O’Connor also posted five ground balls and caused two turnovers all the while allowing just four goals in Fairfield’s 10-5 victory. For the season, the senior is allowing 11.60 goals per game and stopped 37 shots thus far. O’Connor and the Stags are back in action on March 15 when they travel to Boston, Mass. to take on Boston University as they look for their third consecutive win of the young season.

Upcoming This Week: Thursday, March 9th -Women's Tennis vs Northern Kentucky, 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 11th -Men's Tennis vs. Yale, 10 a.m.

-Baseball vs. Penn, 12 p.m.

-Men's Lacrosse at Yale, 1 p.m.

Sunday, March 12th -Softball vs. Illinois State, 3:45 p.m.

Monday, March 13th -Softball vs. Rutgers, 12 p.m.

Tuesday, March 14th -Women's Tennis vs. Bucknell, 12 p.m.

-Softball vs. Fordham, 2:30 p.m.

-Baseball vs. Bethune-Cookman, 6 p.m.

In a weekend trip to Richmond, Va. this past weekend, the Stags baseball team was swept in a three-game series by the host Virginia Commonwealth University Rams in a trio of one run decisions. In Friday’s, March 3 contest, Fairfield lost 4-3 after failing to push across a run in all but two innings. Junior Drew Arciuolo and Troy Scocca ‘17 each posted three hits while John Signore ‘19 went six innings on the mound. In Saturday afternoon’s contest, the Stags dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker in 13 innings. Junior Kevin Radziewicz led the way offensively with three hits and Kyle Dube ‘17 took the loss on the bump. In the final game of the weekend, Fairfield fell by the score of 2-1 in the Sunday matinee.

Sophomores Jack Gethings and Tyler Gambardella had two and three hits respectively and Gavin Wallace ‘18 gave the Stags eight strong innings as the starter. Fairfield is back on the diamond Saturday, March 11 when they take on University of Pennsylvania in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Photos Contributed by Sports Information Desk

In this week's issue...

- Catching Up With Softball's Amanda Ulzheimer (Page 14) - Men's Fall To Siena 61-44 In MAAC Quarterfinals (Page 15) - Rider Ends Stags' Season At Semis (Page 15)

- Stags Pick Up Second Consecutive Win Over UNH (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

Stag Spotlight : Catching Up With Amanda Ulzheimer

By Patrick Getz Contributing Writer As Stags softball gets their season underway, one player who has provided a spark early on is Amanda Ulzheimer ‘20. After starting the season winless in their first five games, Fairfield has won three of their last four games. The Stags are accumulating some momentum and they hope to keep it going.

The most important aspect of being on a new team is acclimating and adjusting to new teammates. Ulzheimer, an outfielder, is doing just that and she is enjoying every minute as a part of the team of Stags.

“All the girls on the team were so welcoming and they took me under their wing. They help me so much at practice. I feel like I am part of the team even when I arrived on the first day,” said Ulzheimer.

Stags softball has bounced back from a rough start to claim three wins in four games down in Fairfax, Va. Softball is a game of momentum, so this good stretch recently is what the Stags were hoping for.

“It definitely gives us more confidence because we always knew we can do it and win games. You are going to lose games. Getting into a good stretch to win games is very important,” said Ulzheimer.

The Franklin Square, N.Y. native contributed to those winning efforts by hitting a whopping 8-12 and scoring five runs along with stealing five bases. She is for sure playing “small ball” and “doing the little things” needed to win games.

She likes to keep it simple when she describes her effectiveness at the plate.

“For me, my game is just to play small ball and bunting. I just look for the open gaps on the field. My main goal is to get on first base, not to hit home runs.

It’s just the way to play the game,” said Ulzheimer.

Even though she is a freshman, she believes and hopes she can serve as a catalyst to the Stags.

“I really hope I can help since the season just started. Anything can happen but I am hoping to focus on getting better every day. Staying positive is very important,” said Ulzheimer regarding her role on the team.

Ulzheimer is always optimistic when it comes to giving her outlook on herself and her team. She is always seeking improvement regardless of how well the team is performing.

“The main expectation is to always improve. We always want to win but even if we improve in those little things to make us better, then we will get better. Also we want to learn from striking out and maybe next time we can get a hit instead,” said the outfielder.

Ulzheimer shows promise in the infant stages of the season and she will do everything to keep that promise rolling. She can possibly be the decisive factor that the Stags need this season to make a push for a conference championship and maybe more. There will be a lot of opportunities for the young outfielder to make her name known around Fairfield and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

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

March Madness is here! Who's your pick to win it all in this year's NCAA Tournament?

Andrew Bogut breaks his leg just two minutes into his Cavs debut.

What are your thoughts?

Jesse will win cause it's her bday!!! Ouch, better get that checked out Woohoo, hope you enjoyed your man.

Allison White $2 tuesday instead of Mirror tuesEditor-in-Chief day a.k.a thanks for ditching us.

Alfredo Torres Sports Editor

Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor

Contributed by Sports Information Desk.

Your 2016-2017 4x5 Columnists:

Allison White, Alfredo Torres, Daniel Montgomery and Jesse Erickson Will you be watching this year's World Baseball Classic?

What was your favorite Sham Jam moment from this weekend?

Spring break! What are your plans?

Can we get some hockey questions up in here, guys? Like, c'mon. Let's go Rangers!!

Quality time with the ladies of TH 37 (hi roomies!). Then quality time with my couch who always catches me when I fall.

Sigh, I will be crashing on Jesse's couch as we commute to a super cool journalism event in the city then might as well stay in the city for the St. Paddy's day parade. What a true New Yorker.

I never like picking National winners because you never know but let's go Duke & Maryland!

It just sucks! I mean you go from the Warriors to Dallas to Philly and then to fins yourself in a championship run with the Cavs only to get hurt in literally two minutes. Just sad news, hoping for the best for Bogut.

I mean it only comes once every four year so I have to tune in. A lot of competiton this year but you can always count on Team USA to make some noise.

Can't remember :(

Good question, Fredo, because I honestly do not know.. I mean it would be nice to see family of course, but who wouldn't want to be beachside with a nice cold legal beverage? Hopefully I have the budget for a spring break trip.

Gotta go with my North Carolina Tar Heels. Last year was a heartbreaker but 2017 is the year!

Brutal. Bogut was a huge get for the Cavs. I hope the biiig Aussie recovers quickly.

Probably not. Not much of a baseball guy, but the United States better not lose.

Late afternoon Barone was unbelievable on Saturday.

Watching some college basketball and throwing a stupid amount of cash into March Madness brackets when the time comes.

Seriously, Alfredo, you couldn't

Is there a YouTube video of this? If so, send it to me.

If my boyfriend wants to jk haha I don't have one!!! If you want to be mine, text it. 203-528-5242

Check my instagram (waddupjesse) to see my favorite moment from this year's sham jam.

WORK BECAUSE IM POOR AND DRINK TOO MUCH.

Jesse Erickson even avoid asking a basketball Editor-in-Chief question on my birthday.

Emeritus (Italian EIC)

Sports

Page 15

THE MIRROR | Week of March 8, 2017

Men Fall To Siena 61-44 In MAAC Quarterfinals

By Dan Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor Ever since the Stags last won in 1997, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament has been the bane of Fairfield University basketball’s existence. For two decades now, the Stags have fallen short of an automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament in the year’s culmination point of a grueling conference campaign.

On Saturday night at the Times Union Center, the host and fourth-seeded Siena Saints bested the fifth-seeded Stags 78-66 in the tournament quarterfinals. Despite a 25 point effort from First Team All-MAAC guard Tyler Nelson ‘18, the Fairfield offense struggled from the floor and turned the ball over 17 times on the way to a disappointing first round exit.

Fairfield burst out of the gates with three pointers from Tyler Nelson and fellow guard Jerome Segura ‘18 to grab a 6-2 lead. But the four point advantage would be the Stags’ only lead of the game as the Saints quickly took command, never relinquishing the lead for the remainder of the contest.

After the two-threes, Fairfield went on a nearly eight minute scoring drought in which Siena scored 16 straight points during the time frame to take an 18-6 lead midway through the first half. The Stags deficit would never get closer than eight points for the rest of the half as Siena had an answer for every potential Fairfield run. At the end of 30 minutes, the red and white were down 38-27 with all the momentum belonging to the Saints in front of their home crowd.

The Stags proved to the Fairfield faithful that the squad would not give up at the hands of Siena in the second half. With nine minutes left in the half, Jerry Johnson ‘19 converted a layup to cut the lead to 52-47. But Siena would go on an unbelievable 10-0 run to once and for all slash the Stags hope of completing a MAAC miracle. At 62-47 with under seven minutes on the clock, a quarterfinal exit was becoming a reality.

Fairfield would pull as close as eight points in the final seven minutes of the game, but the outcome was all but decided as Siena held complete control of the game’s flow. When everything was all set and done, the Saints had beaten the Stags for the third time this season, this time in the most important game of the 2017 campaign.

To go along with Nelson’s 25 points, Matija Milin ‘19 chipped in 14 points while graduate Contributed By Sports Information Desk student Amadou Sidibe scored 10 points in his final collegiate game for Fairfield. The Stags Junior guard Tyler Nelson scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Stags offensively. finished the year with a 16-14 overall record and an 11-9 marker in conference play.

Rider Ends Stags' Season At Semis

Contributed By Sports Information Desk After hanging with the MAAC finalist Rider Broncos for much of the first half, the Broncos proved to be too much for Fairfield in the long run in a 49-36 defeat. The Stags finished the year with a 17-14 overall record.

By Alfredo Torres Sports Editor The Fairfield University Women’s Basketball Team’s season came to an unfortunate end on Sunday, March 5 as the Stags fell to conference foe Rider Broncos 49-36 in the quarterfinals of this year’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament in Albany, N.Y. The Stags started the tournament on the right note as they took care of the sixth-seeded Marist Red Foxes 61-44 in the MAAC quarterfinals behind Kelsey Carey’s ‘17 game-high 15 points, but would fall in the next round to Rider.

From the start of the game, you could tell that Rider’s defense was going to pose a problem for the Stags. Fairfield’s offense struggled through the first quarter of play as they shot 1-5 from the field as they only registered two points in the whole quarter. The Broncos’ defense was a pest early on as they forced 10 Fairfield turnovers en route to a 10-2 lead at the conclusion of the first.

Facing a huge deficit, the Stags started the second quarter of basketball on the right track as they looked to battle their way back into the contest. After a rocky first quarter, Fairfield found its offense in the second frame of basketball. The Stags scored a total of 11 points in the quarter, most of which came on an 8-0 run with 4:40 left in the first half to cut Rider’s lead down to 13-11.

Senior Kristine Miller provided a huge lift off the bench as she scored six points during Fairfield’s 8-0 run. Offense wasn’t the only thing the Stags did well in that quarter as they played lockdown

defense limiting the Broncos offense to just two points on 1-12 shooting. Although Rider was not connecting from the field, they were getting to the free throw line making four in a row to close out the half up 17-13.

The Stags carried the momentum from the first half into the second half of basketball, scoring the first five points of the third quarter, giving them their first lead of the game at 18-17. The two teams would go back and forth until Fairfield closed out the third quarter on a strong note by going on an 8-0 run to close out the quarter up 28-25.

Although leading to start the final quarter of play, Fairfield would struggle for the remainder of the game as it was all Rider to close out the game. The Broncos would go on a 17-2 run to finish the game and the Stags’ season as they would go on to win 49-36 over Fairfield. Senior Casey Smith lead the Stags in scoring with a total of 13 points while Miller added eight and Carey finished with six in their final tournament game. Fairfield finished the season with an overall record of 17-14, 13-7 in conference play.

With the win, Rider advanced to face Quinnipiac in the MAAC Championship game, but was unsuccessful as the Bobcats came out victorious 81-73 to be crowned the 2017 MAAC Women’s Basketball Champions on Monday, March 6.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of March 8, 2017

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

Stags Pick Up Second Consecutive Win Over New Hampshire 10-5 Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Sophomore Kathleen Huselman pushes the ball upfield as she surveys the Wildcat defense. Huselman and the Fairfield offense came alive on Sunday afternoon to the tune of 10 goals in the contest.

By Alfredo Torres Sports Editor The Fairfield University Women’s Lacrosse team picked up their second consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon as they topped the University of New Hampshire Wildcats 10-5. Five different players scored for the Stags while senior goalkeeper Caleigh O’Connor recorded a career-high 10 saves in route to a team win.

O’Connor recorded her second win of the season after fending off 10 Wildcat shots, while picking up five ground balls and forcing two turnovers. “She had 10 saves, six in the first half. I thought she played the most complete game that she’s played all year, she got the ball out well on clears, she was confident, she had some great point blank saves. We needed that from here and she knows that, so that was nice to see,” said Head Coach Laura Field on the play of her goalkeeper.

Fairfield’s offense was led by Brooke Gallagher '18 who netted a hat trick recording her first multigoal game of the season and of her career. Gallagher wasn’t the only Stag to record multi goals as Riley Hellstein '17, Alex Fehmel '17 and Lily Crager '19 all added two points for Fairfield. Sophomore Scarlett Sulliman also registered a goal for the Stags. “That is what’s going to make us a good team,” said Field on the team’s balanced offense. “[Hellstein] had seven goals last game so obviously people are keying up on her and we’re able to spread the ball. She’s a smart attacker, she knows how to distribute the ball, she’s one of the most unselfish players that we’ve ever had. A lot of other people’s goals are indicative of her being smart enough to share the ball,” added Field on the playmaking from Hellstein.

It was all Fairfield to start the game as they scored the game’s first four goals, two of which came off the stick of Crager. With 11:42 remaining in the first half of play, New Hampshire recorded its first goal of the game but it would be their lone one for the remainder of the half. The Stags would go on to score two more goals coming off Gallagher and Fehmel, giving them the 6-1 advantage at the half.

The Stags would register another goal to start the second half to give them a 7-1 advantage. New Hampshire would attempt a comeback as they got back-to-back goals from Devan Miller '18 who also registered a hat trick in the game. Fairfield would strike right back with two goals of their own to give them the 9-3 edge as Gallagher and Fehmel were able to get the ball through the net.

Both teams would go on to trade more goals but eventually Fairfield was able to hold off the WildAlfredo Torres/The Mirror cats to pick up their second consecutive win over New Hampshire 10-5. Fairfield will look to carry Junior Brooke Gallagher (above) led the Fairfield offense as she found the back of the net three times the momentum when they travel to take on Boston University on Wednesday, March 15 for a 3 p.m. during the game. Senior goalie Caleigh O'Connor (bottom) stopped 10 shots en route to the 10-5 win. faceoff against the Terriers.

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror For the second straight weekend the Stags captured a dominant victory in front of the home crowd at Rafferty Stadium. Fairfield has scored 29 goals over the last two games while only allowing opponents 19 goals in the span.