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Disney Opinion

War Stories

Tennis

Vine

Sports

Sixteen veterans brought together through Homes for the Brave- Quick Center presents “War Stories.”

The upcoming Disney re-makes take advantage of viewer’s nostalgia.

Women’s Tennis takes care of Monmouth 7-0.

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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of April 5, 2017

Vol. 42 Iss. 21

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weather rains on dogwoods parade

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Students dance the night away to Groove Boston and DJ Greg T at Dogwoods 2.0 on March 31. Dogwoods 2.0 entered its second iteration after a successful turnout in 2016 after a major upgrade.

By Juliana Sansonetti Co-News Editor Alumni Hall was transformed into a dance club scene with flashing bright neon lights and loud music blaring on Friday, March 31. This indicated the successful return of Dogwoods 2.0. In collaboration with the Fairfield University Student Association, GrooveBoston returned to host Dogwoods this year along with DJ Greg T. Dogwoods, which is a 58-year-old tradition at Fairfield, as reported by the March 16, 2016 issue of The Mirror, underwent a complete and successful overhaul last year. Last year’s event sold 1,100 tickets and 1,060 people attended and two years ago, before the overhaul, only 123 people attended. This year’s event sold 827 tickets. However, only 645 of those students ended up attending the event, according to Assistant Director of Student Engagement Colleen Wilson ’11.

FUSA director of Programming Board and Vice President-Elect

Molly Strang ’18 believes that this discrepancy and the lower ticket sales was a result of the rainy and cold weather.

“I definitely think if it was sunny and warm, more people would have gone,” said Strang.

Junior Noelle Crouchley echoed Strang’s feelings toward the weather.

“I would say that the event would have been better if it had a bigger turnout and I think the weather contributed to the lack of attendance,” said Crouchley.

Strang, however, still believes that Dogwoods was a success.

“We had a crowd of people who were there and ready to have fun regardless of the weather,” she said. “I think all of the students love having DJ Greg T open, he has a pretty big following of people who love to dance and have fun which is exactly what we needed for this event.”

Junior Gregory Tchertchian, or DJ Greg T, stated, “It felt absolute-

ly amazing to be a part of this new ongoing tradition again.”

“This year’s Dogwoods, in my opinion, was right next to Dogwoods 2.0 from last year,” Tchertchian added. “We sold more tickets last year but we still managed to have a great show [this year].”

Sophomore Bridget Meuse echoed this sentiment from her experience at the event.

“Dogwoods was so much fun,” said Meuse. “Although it was a bit cold and rainy on the way over, I still had a great time during the concert.”

This year, according to Strang, GrooveBoston is on their tour called “Proximity.” Last year, the tour was called “Ethos.”

“Each year GrooveBoston does a different themed tour,” Strang added. “So every time they change the name of their tour, they person-

Read it’s on Page 

Sophomore Cruise Cuts Ticket Sales in Half

By Elizabeth O’Hara Assistant News Editor

Photo Contributed by Katie Santo Sophomores dine together to celebrate making it halfway through college.

Every year, Fairfield University sophomore students are given the chance to celebrate their halfway point of college in style.

On April 1, the Fairfield University Student Association sponsored the annual “Halfway There” boat cruise for the sophomore class.

Assistant Director of Student Engagement Colleen Wilson ‘11 explained that the boat cruise is an event that each sophomore class looks forward to every year.

“It is an extremely unique event where you get the opportunity to cruise off campus with members of your class to experience beautiful views of the New York skyline and enjoy a night of great food and dancing,” said Wilson.

Although many students often look forward to the cruise, last year’s celebrated event was met with many impediments.

According to Wilson, last year, roughly 300 students were in attendance at the boat cruise, which caused it to get a bit out of hand.

“There was an enormous amount of sophomore students that had pre-gamed the event with alcohol and were therefore unable to carry themselves appropriately at the event,” said Wilson.

To the dismay of the numerous students in at-

tendance, the boat was unable to sail around New York City as there were too many safety concerns, according to Wilson.

Junior Chloe Cummings is one of the students disappointed with the events that occurred during last year’s cruise.

“A lot of people were intoxicated and everyone was just very uncomfortable and wanted to leave,” said Cummings.

“The officers who were running the event were a bit disrespectful toward the students who wanted to go home and would not give us straightforward answers about if they were going to let us leave or not,” she continued.

To prevent the same issues from happening this year, FUSA was in contact, by email, with those that purchased tickets regarding pre-event expectations and guidelines.

Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Karen Donoghue ‘03 stressed the importance of reminding the students in attendance that they are all under 21 and therefore needed to uphold the law as well as the University code of conduct.

“This event is for sophomores who are mostly (if not all) under the age of 21. With that said, alcohol consumption or possession is not tolerated.

Read boat on Page 

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THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

News

Fairfield Becomes Second Jesuit University wih Gender Inclusive Housing

By Deanna Carbone Co-News Editor

the gender inclusive resources tab, gender inclusive housing will be offered to not only transgender, transitioning, gender-queer, but for those who deAs President Trump takes a step back with cide that they would prefer to live in a community transgender rights, Fairfield University takes a step with people of those identities. forward. In the 2017-18 school year, Fairfield will While gender inclusive housing is an option, become the second Jesuit university, after the Uni- students will not have to participate if they want to versity of San Francisco, to offer a gender inclusive room with those of their sex. housing option for students.

“Students have their views and we are open “The idea came from Fairto their feedback. We did a field Alliance and other survey regarding the issue students who saw this as and the majority of the a need and wanted this as results were positive,” said an option,” said Assistant Rowe-Allen.

Director of the Office of Vice President of FairStudent Diversity Carfield Alliance Meaghan rie Robinson. Robinson, Hamilton ‘17 emphasized along with Director of the importance of this deResidence Life Ophelie cision.

Rowe-Allen, Dean of Stu“I’m really excited dents Karen Donoghue about this [housing] op‘03 and Title IX coordina-Katie Barrera ’18 tion,” said Hamilton. tor Christine Brown have Fairfield Alliance sent been working together out an email on April 4 exsince the end of the spring semester 2016 to create pressing their encouragement for the housing. The a gender-inclusive housing option. email stated, “This is a really big step for the FairAmong the student call for gender inclusive field LGBTQ+ Community and we want to support housing, this choice was made in accordance with this as much as possible.” federal and state law.

While some students are accepting of the isThe May 2016 Dear Colleague Letter from the sue, they are worried about what these changes federal government paid specific attention to the could lead to. rights of transgender students. In February 2017, “I do not have any serious objections to this Governor Malloy signed an executive order pro- new housing. I do not want this change to lead to tecting the rights of transgender students in the other reforms that contradict the Catholic faith and state of Connecticut. our identity as a Jesuit institution,” said Robert Fre“We are doing this in compliance with Title IX dette ‘18. legislation and it is the socially just thing to do,” The process to implement the housing option said Donoghue. has taken a year because of the education of how According to the fairfield.edu website under Read University on Page 

I hope in light of that message of acceptance and inclusion, Fairfield is able to live up to the values and goals it sets for itself.

Juliana Sansonetti/The Mirror Junior Gregory Tchertchian DJs at Dogwoods 2.0 for the second year in a row.

It’s Raining Cats and Dogwoods Continued from page  ally change the lighting and certain aspects of [the tour].”

Dogwoods also included special fake fire effects that were new from last year. The light theme this year was neon pink and green.

“Logistically it’s the same. It’s the same kind of university party, big, DJ event. But everything from the stage set-up to the orientation in Alumni Hall to the type of music, to the DJ to the whole look is different,” said Danielle Rice ’19, one of the traditional programmers for FUSA. “We’ve definitely stepped up our game from a few years ago, the attendance definitely shows that,” said Strang in reference to the overhaul. “I don’t think anyone is going to have anything negative to say about it. I think it’s just a fun time.”

Senior Patricia Masi, who is one of the directors of traditional events for the FUSA Programming Board, commented, “GrooveBoston is literally one of the best companies I’ve ever worked with in terms of putting on productions like this. They are so fun. They want the students to be happy and they bounce off the vibes from the crowd.”

Rice stated that everyone looked forward to the event, especially freshmen.

“The freshmen are very excited because they have no experience with Dogwoods or with GrooveBoston,” said Rice before the event.

This was reflected by the ticket sales, as the freshman class bought the largest amount of tickets by far. According to Wilson, freshmen purchased 403 tickets. At the same time, sophomores purchased 245 and juniors purchased 120. Seniors only purchased 27 tickets.

If this year’s Dogwoods proved anything, it is that last year’s revamp continues to have a positive impact.

Recovery Houses Provide Solace for Substance Abusers

By Juliana Sansonetti Co-News Editor

Information compiled from the Clery Reports of Fairfield, UConn, Quinnipiac, Central, and Southern Connecticut State University; and Connecticut’s medical examiner’s office

For students who struggle with alcohol or drug addiction, Fairfield’s Counseling & Psychological Services is always willing to lend a helping hand.

The Collegiate Recovery Program offered at Fairfield University includes the option of living off-campus in one of two Recovery Houses. According to Susan Birge, director of Counseling Services, this program has gained wide recognition in addition to winning awards.

“The biggest problem for me was loneliness and isolation,” said Drew, a student remaining anonymous due to the Recovery Houses’ protocol.

“I didn’t have people I could trust or rely on. Now I have a group of friends that I can trust and rely on.

They gave me a good outlook on life. It’s a brotherhood. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Drug addiction is almost at an epidemic level now more than ever.

Reported by Connecticut’s medical examiner’s office, 917 people died from overdoses in 2016, which was a 25 percent increase since 2015. Treatment for non-fatal opioid-related overdoses in Connecticut’s acute-care hospitals increased from 895 in 2012 to 1,217 in 2014, reported by the Connecticut Opioid Response report.

According to Birge, Fairfield fits the national trends when it comes to substance abuse. Most students can use substances recreationally and not be impacted, but for a few, it can potentially wreck their lives.

This was certainly the case for Drew, who explained that he blew off and avoided things in his life in order to get high or drunk.

Drew transferred to Fairfield because his mother heard about the Recovery Program and got in touch with Lisa Arnold, Counseling & Psychological Services’ alcohol and drug counselor.

After moving into the off-campus Recovery House, Drew began to see his life turn around for the better.

“I would say that if someone is reading this and knows someone has an issue or has an issue themselves that it’s OK to ask for help and it’s important you do,” Drew commented. “The consequences can be life-threatening.”

Birge explained that the first Recovery House began in the fall of 2013, when students in the Collegiate Recovery Program informed her that living off-campus would assist with resisting temptations involved with dorming on campus. The program consisted of meetings, counseling and a lounge for students in the program to hang out. However, it seems, this was not enough. It was for this reason that the first Recovery House opened to better accommodate these students.

“The benefits of that are that they form a community, they form a kind of a brotherhood, so not only do they have academic support, they go on retreats together, and they have a lot of recreational activities and they do a lot of service work,” said Birge.

In 2016, Counseling & Psychological Services opened a second Recovery House.

Both Recovery Houses are for men; however, as stated by Birge, another house will open for women if there are enough women to live in one.

There are currently only two women in the program, but three would be enough to open another Recovery House for women only. The women instead have the option to live together or in a single on campus or to commute.

On the Collegiate Recovery Program, Birge said, “We have a group of students who are doing really well, academically, socially, they’re giving Read strawberry on page 

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 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.

Monday, 3/27 5:43 p.m.- Theft from the Barone Campus Center.

A kindle valued at $100 was taken from a table in the dining hall.

Saturday, 4/1 1:57 a.m.- An unregistered guest was caught in the front gate and was given a criminal trespass warning. The student involved was referred to the dean of students.

7:36 p.m.- Public Safety is investigating a suspicious person who was found in the women’s locker room of the Leslie C. Quick Recreation Complex.

He was identified and referred to the dean of students. DPS always encourages people to report suspicious activity to them.

11:45 p.m.- A physical altercation was reported outside the Townhouse 8-10 blocks. DPS has identified a couple of the individuals involved but are still looking for more. Further, DPS discourages fighting in any form.

Sunday, 4/2 12:11 a.m- The smell of marijuana brought DPS inside a room in Regis Hall with six students and a guest. The students have been referred to the dean of students for misconduct.

7:04 a.m.- A student reported a theft of a laptop outside Townhouse 7 block.

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

Boat Cruise Increases Security Continued from page 

This year, we hired additional security staff to ensure student safety,” said Donoghue in response to the alcohol-related problems faced last year.

In a series of preventative measures, FUSA worked with the Department of Public Safety to make the event as safe as possible.

“Last year’s cruise was a bit challenging. As a result, we reduced the number of attendees to just under 150 guests and performed strict checks before anyone was permitted to get on a bus,” said Assistant Director of Public Safety John Ritchie.

Some students were opposed to the amount of available tickets being cut in half.

“The ticket distribution was not exactly at the best time for me and my friends. We only really heard about the event once beforehand and then I was in a guest lecture for one of my classes and by the time I got out, I heard that the tickets were sold out,” said Lauren Kearney ‘19.

“There was such a small amount of tickets being sold that

I didn’t even have a chance to buy one,” she continued.

To ensure smooth sailing, DPS performed extensive searches of all bags and all persons prior to getting on the bus.

The student’s bags and persons were then searched again for alcoholic or drug paraphernalia prior to boarding the boat in New York.

According to Wilson, with all of the extra lengths taken to ensure safety, including reducing the the number of tickets, those in attendance behaved and had a memorable evening.

“We didn’t have any issues. I think keeping the number smaller and letting the students know about our expectations regarding behavior and conduct prior to the event definitely helped,” said Wilson.

Despite the increased security presence Katherine Santo ‘19, class president, thought the cruise was still a success.

“The cruise was a great experience that was not tainted by any indiscretions. I understand that in previous years it did not run very smoothly, so they really cracked down on security this year just in case,” said Santo. “Despite that we still had an excellent night celebrating our class being half way through college.”

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THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

News

University Protects Transgender Rights Continued from page 

Contributed by Susan Birge

Strawberry to Visit Recovery Houses Continued from page 

back to others and they’re deepening their spirituality, so that’s why we think it’s a success.”

Most universities don’t offer private housing for students in programs like the Collegiate Recovery Program, according to Birge. This is why students transfer to Fairfield in order to remove themselves from that environment of substance abuse and addiction.

“There’s a very thorough application admission to be able to live in the houses because we don’t want to jeopardize anyone else’s recovery. So we don’t make anybody,” she said.

To further the mission of the Collegiate Recovery Program, Counseling & Psychological Services, alongside the Collegiate Recovery Program and the Office of the Dean of Students, has

chosen to host baseball legend Darryl Strawberry, who will give a talk titled “From Strikeout to Recovery and Hope” in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on April 18 at 7 p.m.

Strawberry, who struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, has been clean and sober for 14 years. He founded the Darryl Strawberry Recovery Centers, as well as Strawberry Ministries, which is about the importance of second chances and having a relationship with your Higher Power, according to Birge.

Birge explained that Strawberry will be dining privately at the Recovery House with the men in the program to speak with them about his life.

“He’s a real inspiration,” Birge added. “He went through some really difficult times … he lost a lot because of alcohol and drugs. He ended up in prison, he ended with serious illnesses

to incorporate a housing option like this on a Jesuit campus that has gone into it.

“We knew it was going to take time and that was time we were willing to invest,” said Rowe-Allen. “We had experts to come in to meet with us to let us know what as an institution regardless of our backgrounds, our traditions, what are things we can do for student’s rights.”

“We don’t want students who want this option to be targeted.

That’s why it will be spread throughout campus. Letting them live where they want to live will protect them,” said Robinson.

Junior Katie Barrera, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/ them pronouns, expressed concern for the safety and comfortability for trans students.

“I hope in light of that message of acceptance and inclusion Fairfield is able to live up to the values and goals it sets for itself,” they said. “There is still a lot of warranted uncertainty and hesitation on the part of the transgender community, myself included because there is so much negativity in politics and the media right now; we don’t know if we can really trust any institution to keep us safe.”

Fairfield began creating gender-inclusive areas when administration turned single bathrooms into gender inclusive bathrooms, including two in the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola, one in the Leslie C. Quick Recreation Complex, in the McCormick Hall and others throughout campus. The residence hall currently being built will be ready in the fall of 2018 with a shower stall on every floor that is gender inclusive.

While this is a step in the right direction, Donoghue pointed out that the University has a long way to go in order to be a welcoming and safe environment for transgender students.

“We have to continue to work with the community for awareness and education programs,” said Donoghue. “We have to be open and inclusive and respectful of one’s identity. We need to work toward an environment that students feel comfortable being who they want to be.”

Fairfield Fundraises for Student’s Wheelchair

By Juliana Sansonetti Co-News Editor April showers bring May flowers – or for Margaret Moore ‘19, a brand new wheelchair. On Friday, March 31, Moore, who has cerebral palsy, arrived at the Barone Campus Center at 10:30 a.m. with the idea that she was meeting with attorneys Robert Berchem ‘62 and Bryan LeClerc ‘84, Fairfield alumni and partners in the law firm Berchem, Moses & Devlin, P.C, to discuss the logistics of a new wheelchair. What Moore didn’t realize was that the chair had already arrived on campus.

Minutes after entering the Barone Campus Center, Moore noticed the blaring sirens of the Department of Public Safety vans which drove up to the lower level doors. Moore, her mother, Anne and a crowd of people who came to see Moore’s surprise all walked outside in the pouring rain to see the new chair.

“It’s really hard to surprise me, but I had no idea and I was so happy,” said Moore. “My mom said I had to come to the BCC for a meeting and I got here and they said that they had something to show me outside. I got outside and that’s when the police escort arrived with the chair.”

Moore’s smile spread across her face and stayed there for the rest of the morning as she admired her new Permobil F5 VS custom made chair with pink embellishments. With a high speed of 7.5 miles per hour, Moore will be seen confidently zipping around campus.

Fairfield’s DPS spearheaded a campaign earlier in the year to raise funds for Moore’s new chair.

Sophomore Libby Cimei commented, “I think it’s awesome and great how DPS and the entire school was able to raise enough money for Meg to get a new wheelchair because it makes it easier for her to get around and enjoy campus as much as possible.”

Sergeant Robert Didato explained that some of the Public Safety officers had been assisting Moore with minor actions, such as getting in and out of her room, and they noticed that her chair had tape around it, some screws stuck out of it and the head rest was starting to fall off.

“Meg’s a great kid, she has a wonderful sense of humor and has made relationships with some of our officers as we see her so often,” said Didato. “A bunch of the guys just got together and said, ‘let’s start a campaign,’ and that’s exactly what they did.”

On Feb. 5, known as Super Bowl Sunday this year, DPS held a fundraiser for students to watch the Super Bowl in the Lower Level of the BCC and donate money toward Moore’s chair. This event brought in approximately $5,800 and was combined with another $8,000 from a Go Fund Me page for Moore. However, with the chair listed at $60,000, even these numbers only put a dent in the high cost.

That’s where attorneys Robert Berchem and Bryan LeClerc came into play. “We got to know Meg from basketball games,” said LeClerc. “My law partner and I had been to many games where Meg plays in the pep band. One of the security officers at the arena invited us to a Super Bowl party this year and told us that if we could come that would be great because they were trying to raise money because Meg needed a chair.”

The two men negotiated with the insurance and manufacturing companies to ensure Moore received the best deal as they worked for her pro bono throughout the process. After marking the price down to $40,000, settlements were finalized and it was time for Moore to receive her chair.

A common theme that has taken precedent during this campaign is the willingness of the Fairfield community to come together and help Moore.

Sophomore Emily Patchell commented on the aspect of the university coming together.

“I think it shows that once the Fairfield community has a goal, then they can definitely come together and make it happen,” said Patchell.

Resident assistant Aimee Donohue ‘17, who has gotten to know Moore through the Service for Justice Residential College and through the Accessibility office, where Donohue was an intern, commented on how amazing it was to see the Fairfield community come together and provide Moore and her family with an

overwhelming amount of support.

“Meg’s new chair has provided her with the opportunity to have the same things that everyone wants when they come to college, a sense of freedom and independence,” said Donohue. “Meg is such a positive and amazing person and it’s been such a pleasure getting to know her throughout the last two years. I am so happy that this new chair will provide her with the ability to continue to leave her lasting impression on Fairfield University.”

On Wednesday April 4, Moore is allowing students to drive her old wheelchair as a part of the Project Yes You Can meeting in Campus Ministry. Both members and non-members are welcome to take it for a spin.

Alicia Phaneuf/The Mirror Sophomore Margaret Moore was surprised with a new wheelchair after fundraising efforts.

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THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

Opinion Editor Lexi Thimble » opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Getting Opinionated with The Mirror

Disney Reboots Classics in A Nostalgia-Driven Cash Grab

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Welcome to Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. The land of uninspired imaginism that relies on rebooting and remaking everyone’s favorite franchises in order to make a quick buck from beguiled parents whose children are pulling at their leg to see a third botched attempt “Beauty and the Beast,” the most recent rehashed money grab from the executives over at Disney. Especially when it pertains to summer blockbusters, we are expecting reboots this summer through the means of “The Mummy,” “Baywatch” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” — how exciting.

While this trend in Hollywood doesn’t seem as if it will end anytime soon, especially with Disney announcing plans for 16 more live action reboots according to Digital Spy, one can only hope that film executives will understand that funneling money into our past will not progress the evolution of film any further. Some of these upcoming reboots include a live-action version of “The Lion King,” an “Aladdin” “prequel” and the one that hits closest to home, a live-action “Winnie the Pooh,” with Christopher Robin returning back to the Hundred Acre Woods as an adult.

Barring whatever your opinions may be of Disney’s recent reboot of “Beauty and the Beast,” featuring the ever-wonderful Emma Watson as Belle, it becomes visually tiresome as audiences seem to be spoon-fed Computer Generated Images, or CGI visuals as a passoff for modernity. While CGI in moderation can actually contribute to the overall tone of a film, such as in 2015’s visually stunning “Mad Max: Fury Road,” slapping on CGI as a means of revitalizing something old, i.e. what Disney is currently doing, is diminishing Hollywood as a whole. According to Mashable, remakes and reboots have earned an average score of 46 on Rotten Tomatoes, while originally crafted films poll in at an average score of 78 on the same site.

Though one can measure the success of a film by its critical reception, another way to measure success is through revenue earned, which is primarily the reason

why Hollywood has completely invested themselves in rebooting franchises. Look no further than the site Box Office Mojo, which lists that one-fourth of the top 20 grossing movies ever are either reboots or spin-offs of different franchises, including “Jurassic World,” which earned $1.67 billion worldwide, and “Minions,” which surprisingly rang in $1.16 billion.

These examples are few of many rebooted films that have earned Hollywood bookoo bucks, and while no official estimate is available for the total gross revenue that Holly-

wood has earned through reboots, one can only assume the number is currently in the stratosphere.

Turning the attention back to Disney, we should be ashamed that we are currently paying hand-over-fist, between merchandising and movie tickets, to watch subpar rehashes of movies that made our childhood so spectacular.

No matter how differently Disney paints the canvas, the intention behind each brushstroke is the greediness of Hollywood, cackling to itself as it struggles to create any sort of original idea.

Drawing by Alicia Phaneuf

Airline Dress Codes Promote Sexism

By Sabina Dirienzo Chief Copy Editor Dress codes are common in high school classrooms and the workplace. But one wouldn’t expect to see them on an airplane.

As reported by the New York Times, two teenage girls were refused entry to their flight by a United gate agent for wearing leggings. Additionally, a child travelling with her family was forced to pull a dress on over her clothes because of her leggings.

Shannon Watts, a passenger at the neighboring gate who witnessed this, first reported the incident on Twitter. In her New York Times interview, Watts added that there was “no issue” that their dad “had on shorts that did not hit his knee.”

United confirmed the incident, and doubled down on their employee’s dress code enforcement. The two young women barred were apparently “pass travelers” travelling on United Airlines employee passes. As reported in their statement, United policy is that those travelers must ‘represent the company’ in what they wear.

But United further explained on Twitter that enforcement of dress code rules for pass travelers is “left to the discretion of the gate agents.” United’s dress code rules are not enforced uniformly, and cannot be enforced uniformly, if they are up to an individual’s opinions. If it’s not always enforced in the same way, then what’s the point of having a dress code?

Maybe these teenage girls wore leggings on a different flight as pass travelers. If they

Editorial Board "The Hero America Deserves" Allison White Editor-in-Chief Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Catherine Veschi Managing Editor

Make way Captain Marvel and SpiderGwen, Marvel has issued a new female-led comic series that is blowing superhero stereotypes out of the water: Miss America. First introduced in 1944, Miss America was Marvel’s answer to DC’s Wonder Woman; a post-World War II heroine that promoted the readership of young females. However, in 2011, Miss America went under a massive restructuring as comic book writers Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta implemented the decision to introduce a new iteration of the character, one who would be classified as Latin American and LGBTQ. Building upon her popularity, Marvel made the executive decision this March to give Miss America her own series rather than simply keeping her a Young Avengers member, making her the first Latin American superhero with their own series as well as the first ever

had, and their gate agent hadn’t stopped them then, they wouldn’t even know about the rules. Leggings are a casual clothing item for many women, especially on airplanes, where comfort is of the utmost importance. An airplane isn’t a workplace, even for pass travelers who work for United in other capacities, and especially not for those travelers’ families.

One passenger’s father was, as described, allowed to wear his shorts on the plane.

What’s the fundamental difference between leggings and shorts? Unlike shorts, most leggings cover someone’s entire legs. When this gate agent went on their crusade against leggings on minors, they did not have any comments about the father’s shorts.

The gate agent considered women’s legs to be inherently more inappropriate than men’s, reflecting the unfair ways in which dress codes are applied nationwide.

In school environments, dress codes are often justified by saying that otherwise, girls will “distract” the boys in their classes.

This is a sexist argument — it shouldn’t be a woman’s responsibility to ensure that she isn’t objectified. Instead, we should teach people not to objectify strangers and classmates in an academic setting or elsewhere.

Beyond that, the argument that leggings are a distraction doesn’t make sense in this case.

Who’s going to get distracted on a plane? If it’s the pilot, he really shouldn’t be flying anyways.Leggings are just leggings. People should wear what they want on planes, if that’s a nun’s habit or shorts.

Latin American LGBTQ superhero.

As unanimous Marvel fans, we couldn’t be more ecstatic over the introduction of Miss America’s new persona to the Marvel universe.

Though we have seen the introduction of the likes of Riri Williams, the black female Iron Man and Jane Foster, Thor’s romantic interest, take over as the Asgardian within the past two years, there is something about Miss Marvel that makes the character unique amongst her counterparts.

We attribute this to the fact that Gabby Rivera, who identifies as Latin American and as a lesbian herself, took on the primary writing role of the latest series, another first for Marvel according to CNN. While many comic book fans don’t necessarily look at the writer as the sole reason for purchasing a new issue, the case here is the opposite as Rivera’s life mirrors

that of her superhero counterpart, only adding a new layer of depth to an already engaging premise.

With the nation now under constant turmoil with the new Trump administration, Marvel checkmates the discriminatory ideology surrounding his presidency by broadening the scope of what it exactly means to be a hero.

For Marvel, Rivera and Miss America, a new line has been drawn on the horizon to exactly how far one’s dreams can go, whether you’re an American or simply a comic book fan in general.

So if you find yourself browsing your local comic book shop for the next best series or simply just looking for something to read, Miss America will destroy all your expectations of Latin American and LGBTQ heroes. Hell, maybe even superheroes as a whole.

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

Opinion

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'Ghost in the Shell' Promotes Cultural Appropriation

By Lexi Thimble Opinion Editor Hollywood appropriation strikes again in the form of the March 31 release of “Ghost in the Shell” starring Scarlett Johansson, a film based on a highly popular Japanese manga, or comic, series. Johansson’s casting in a role that has always been occupied by a Japanese woman is only the latest of the issues that Hollywood has always had with accurate representations of non-white characters.

I’ve written about representation in media before, about how important it is for audiences to see themselves on screen and to have their stories told. “Ghost in the Shell” is somehow more than that.

Admittedly, I don’t know much about Japanese culture or the original manga that this film was based on, but I do know that this is just another in a line of films contributing to the absence of non-white cultures.

As a review of the film from The New York Times unabashedly said, “like so much in ‘Ghost in the Shell’ — the toddling geishas, the Asian extras — it helps to reduce an entire culture to a decorative detail.” The critic went even further in her criticism of the film, and outright stated: “This isn’t just appropriation; it’s obliteration.”

I’m a huge fan of Scarlett Johansson; she’s always a standout to me in Marvel films, and a standalone film of her character Black Widow is something I’d love to see. However, though she doesn’t carry all the blame for this casting decision, she does harbor some of it. Hollywood can talk about how much they love diversity at the Oscars every year until they’re blue in the face, but it doesn’t mean jacks--- if they don’t do anything to change how they cast films. And if casting directors and producers aren’t going to step up to the plate and responsibly represent those who need to be represented, then actors need to call them out for it.

While I immensely enjoy Johansson’s work, I don’t think she should have accepted the role for the film. It wouldn’t have hurt her career to turn down the part, and there’s already been a slight precedent set in the past for this kind of move.

About a year ago, Adam Lambert explained in an interview with Out.com, an online LGBT magazine, that, upon originally being offered to play the iconic Dr. Frank-N-Furter in Fox’s remake of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” he turned it down. He says in the interview that “in 2016, to be cis and playing the role of a trans character, it felt inappropriate to me. In the ‘70s, it was different. But nowadays we have such an amazing conversation that has started about trans and gender in this world.”

Fox then went on to cast transgender

actress Laverne Cox in the role, with her performance subsequently stealing the show and doing great justice to the original film, and the blurred lines about gender and sexuality introduced in it.

For now, however, Hollywood isn’t shying away from using white actors to garner support and attention for their films.

Director Ridley Scott openly admitted this in an interview with Variety when his film “Exodus: Gods and Kings” opened in 2014, saying, “I can’t mount a film of this budget...and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such. I’m just not going to get it financed. So the question doesn’t even come up.”

You would think though, that after all this time and especially in recent years with the rise of social media and the scrutiny that comes with it, Hollywood would have realized people have caught onto what they’re doing and reacted negatively to it. Indeed, the recent films that had the biggest examples of whitewashing were also notable flops at the box office and, in some cases, spawned online boycotts.

These include the aforementioned Ridley Scott film “Exodus: Gods and Kings” that starred white actors Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton as Egyptian characters, Bale in particular portraying the Biblical figure of Moses. Other such films include the Scottish Gerard Butler playing an Egyptian deity in “Gods of Egypt,” Jake Gyllenhaal being cast as the Prince of Persia in the film of the same name, and, most recently, Matt Damon being placed at the forefront of “The Great Wall,” a Chinese film about the Great Wall of China.

Ridley Scott’s mindset and directors with views similar to his are, in my opinion, instances of lazy storytelling. By his account, he needs a well-known white actor to sell his film and gain attraction from an audience at the box office. But shouldn’t a compelling story that’s well-acted do that for him, regardless of how well-known the lead actor is prior to that film? The previously mentioned flops prove this; if your film is bad, and if the writing and storytelling is sloppy, it doesn’t matter that you’ve got Matt Damon at it’s forefront, audiences aren’t going to like it, and the whitewashing will just add insult to injury.

It’s racism mixed with Hollywood greed, which paints a very ugly picture.

The bottom line is that as much as individual films have been called out for their ethnic and cultural appropriation, Hollywood has only made an “effort” to fix things in that since blackface isn’t appropriate anymore, Asian and Middle Eastern characters are the next to be disrespected in this way.

“Ghost in the Shell” is just another example of Asian culture being erased in media by white Hollywood, and is a serious issue concerning representation that isn’t going to be remedied without a concerted effort from all of those involved in the movie-making process.

The Pitfalls of Assigning Titles of Privilege In one of my classes, we had to watch a French movie called “The Intouchables.” Viscerally, it was a feel-good story about two men, one paralyzed named Phillipe, and another, an immigrant named Driss, who were able to form a bond of friendship amongst a sea of differences. Of course, as all university classes prove, no enjoyable movie is complete without an intersectional analysis of the interplay of immutable characteristics between the two main characters. Both men were certainly vulnerable by means of their inherited circumstances. Driss was an immigrant scraping by in an unforgiving urban complex, and Phillipe was disabled in a world set up for the able bodied.

The common reactionary theme expressed in class was one that fit predictably into the paradigm of Western self-suspicion that is unable to see human relationships outside of the realm of identity politics. We attempted to assuage our collective guilt over the sins of our ancestors by chiding that the relationship between Philippe and Driss could never have been “equally beneficial” — many analyses given in class seemed to acknowledge that the “vulnerability” of being of an immigrant person of color was immutably more difficult than the vulnerability of being paralyzed from the neck down. Apparently, despite getting excrement shoveled out of a stomach tube, and being utterly unable to care for himself, somehow Philippe's appreciation for classical music or abstract art was evidence enough that he was a paragon of privilege.

If we desire to get into the calculus of a sort of victimhood Olympics to calculate the relative vulnerability of these two men, an arena I typically find petty and diminutive, I posit that we ought to consider the situation of Driss. Driss’ existence was undeniably difficult, an existence significantly more difficult than my own, and consisted of fiscally scraping by and the many daily stresses of urban life. The first point of contention to the promulgated image of Driss as an inheritor of great misfortune would be this: Driss’ life, even before Philippe, with indoor plumbing, electronic kitchen accessories and a residency in a functioning apartment complex would likely have been an upgrade over the conditions in the place from which he came.

The collective, trendy reaction to the film then has been to tacitly rebuke Philippe for his wealth, therein implying that, despite his inability to feed, clothe, or toilet himself, Philippe cannot fathom the plight of Driss, and hence we, as an enlightened

audience, cannot take solace in saying their relationship was “equally beneficial.”

If this Marxist worldview of the “haves” and “have nots” is our standard for virtue, I wonder, what should we collectively make of Driss? Driss, even prior to his occupational elopement with Philippe, owned a pair of wireless Beats headphones. Wireless Beats headphones cost, conservatively, $200. By the time Driss’ head hit the pillow at night, even before his time with Philippe, a few thousand children would have died in economically developing nations from emaciation due to food shortages.

A few dollars can provide enough rice to feed a village for a day thanks, ironically, to the marvel of free trade economics.

How can our hero, who we consider to be essentially a vagabond caught in a “bigoted” system of westernized markets, who

we assume is on “our side” in the fight against injustice propagated by white men? If Driss had donated the money used to buy those wireless headphones to economically developing nations, a village could have been fed for a month. Is Driss a thief, implicitly responsible for the plight of economically developing nations? If the answer is no, to what standards are we ascribing our collective disdain for Phillipe’s material abundance?

Moreover, Philipe’s taste for classical music and lack of exposure to 80’s R&B was dragged out as yet another example of the dogmatic scramble to implicate him in a web of snobbery and privilege. Driss assumedly hasn’t heard the vocal art of inhabitants of economically developing nations, over which he exerts “privilege power.” Should we force him to listen to tribal tones, or other music sources from developing nations? The question was raised in class about why the classical compositions of Bach and Mozart ought to be considered superior to Earth, Wind and Fire. What about music made in Ghana? What about the Hoboken High School Marching Band? Should Driss, to acquiesce for himself the elusive trait of tolerance, listen to Haitian Vodou drumming or, because he’s not a white male, is he allowed to like the type of music that he likes? These questions are largely unanswerable, because once the floodgates are opened on the road to cultural relativism, it’s very difficult to stop.

The beauty I found in the movie was the refusal of either man, as was mentioned ad nauseam in class, to view themselves as victims. The grievance politics and hierarchal victimhood were adjudicated extraneously in class, with neither man in the movie lecturing the other about his myriad struggles. The two men coexisted with each other, refusing to view one another as merely a coagulation of immutable characteristics to which special status or recognition ought to be granted. The real challenges each faced — immigration and paralysis — were met head on when addressing them became necessary (e.g. the police stop of Driss and the daily care of Phillipe), but the larger context of their relationship was not a daily glance through the annals of the lecturing of Peggy McIntosh. Neither felt morally superior to the other — they clearly perceived themselves as equals. More than their immutable personal characteristics, they carved a relationship primarily as two people. The hesitancy to praise that on its merits is a scary instinct.

The Vine Q

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

e r t n P e r C e s k e c n i ts u War Stories

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Photo Contributed by the Quick Center Creative Commons/Pixabay

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

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Stories Surrounding Homes for the Brave

By Cara Lee Assistant Vine Editor

Post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, physical abuse, drugs, depression, self-disgust, alcoholism. These are ordeals that our veterans and our military trainees face each and every day. “War Stories: A Veteran’s Project” was a performance presented in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts’ Black Box theater that showed this aspect of military life. This startling performance ran from Friday, March 31 through Saturday, April 1, and featured a group made up of 14 Veterans and two civilians, who shared their “War Stories” in the intimate theater space.

For some of these brave men and women, their battles began years after they joined the military, or years before they even knew what a veteran was. The first speaker’s story was one of the latter and the most startling, if only because of the feeling of chaos the show began with. The lights dimmed. The audience members’ voices slowly dropped into a respectful silence. Then, a harsh commanding voice exploded into the room, calling roll and filling the theater space with a flurry of movement, sound and light that made names too hard to catch, faces turn too quickly to see, and a feeling of barely controlled, heart-pumping chaos fill every space in the suddenly too-small room.

Into this sudden flurry of movement and sound came the voice of Mineman 3rd Class Navy Linda Sue Blackwood with the words,

“I was continuously sexually molested at the age of four until I left home by my father.” All movement and sound ceased.

This was how the night progressed. Each of the 16 speakers stepped forward, some individually and others in groups and between each speaking segment would come a cacophony of sound and movement that formed small breaks in the program. These segments mimicked the veteran’s time in basic training, the sound contributing to the cacophony continuously changing to reflect what they were doing. During their first phone calls home, it was the sound of 16 phones ringing at an incredibly high decibel followed by 16 voices answering and talking loudly over each other, voices rising and rising until every word and voice was completely indistinguishable from the next. Other interruptions showed their steadily growing frustration, the noise caused by the social actors throwing their phones, screaming and raging across the stage and later explosively throwing their metal chairs into a bonfire-type pile.

These segments, filled with pure walls of irritating noise, mimicked the internal confusion, desperation and chaos that each of these individuals were feeling, but otherwise only served to detract from the veteran’s stories. The sound would go on too long and this would often make the speaker’s first sentences unintelligible and when each

speaker had only a few short minutes to speak, one sentence is an immense loss.

“The show is powerful,” Rachel McGee ’15, who returned to Fairfield to see the show, observed. “It’s a lesson in humanity. We think about the military and those who serve as people fighting on the battlefield, but they continue to fight and struggle when they return home, and we rarely think of that.”

The diversity of the social actor’s stories made the show even more striking. Ronald Ko, E5 Army was an immigrant who joined the Army to repay America for taking in his family, but during his service he was discharged due to his development of a drugs and alcohol addiction. Ko then spent years going in and out of prison until he found Homes for the Brave, the organization that links all of these veterans and civilians together, which, according to their website, focuses on veterans but helps people of all backgrounds access jobs, mental health services, housing and addiction assistance. Now, he has been clean for 18 months and is open that he still struggles with his war every day, something that civilian Kenmooah Gibson can also relate to. Gibson never served in the military. After his mother died, he lost control of his life and began to self-medicate and soon found that he couldn’t stop. Then, just like Ko and Sue-Blackwood, he found Homes for the Brave and they helped him put his life back on track.

As our Veterans train to fight in a national war, they are already fighting their personal ones. When they return and receive a discharge after doing their service, the war does not end, at times it only gets harder.

The show portrayed that in a “beautiful intersection of theater and politics that resulted in a show that was both raw and powerful,” observed Elizabeth Sheehan ’17, who continued on to say that “[the social actors] were wonderful storytellers, and that’s the best way to connect with people.”

It is the moments when the speakers share their stories that will draw people to this show, and the only complaints came from audience members wishing that the show had focused more on these stories and less on the flashy and at times unnecessary and Photos Contributed by The Quick Center distracting, interruptions.

The Mirror Abroad: Brendan's Spring Break

By Brendan Zimmerman Contributing Writer

With stressful midterms behind me, I quickly became equally excited and daunted by the advent of my spring break. Over the course of 10 days of traveling, I would be taking on four of my top destinations. So without further ado, here is my spring break abroad.

Berlin, Germany: To the uninitiated, Germany may seem to be an intimidating culture paired with a terrifying language to match. But after touching down in Schoenfeld Airport in Berlin, I was in for a surprise. I had the opportunity to stay with my friend who, thankfully, was able to speak German. After she gave me a brief crash course in German syntax, along with the surprising realization that German is more closely related to English than any of the romantics, I felt equipped to explore the city. With limited time, I tapped into my inner history nerd and sprinted to sites like the Brandenburg Gate and the former American entry point into East Germany, known as Checkpoint Charlie.

Due to its history and relevance with both the Cold War and World War II, Berlin is very much a city torn between classicism and modernity. The remnants of the Berlin Wall continue to act as the barrier between these separate cultures, with beautiful buildings like the Berlin Cathedral, the T.V. Tower and the famous Museum Island showcasing the multifaceted city. Also, the food in Berlin was really an unexpected joy with dishes like schnitzel and bratwurst being strangely delicious.

Amsterdam, Netherlands: My next stop was the progressive and infinitely charming city of Amsterdam. With canals as far as the eye can see and beautiful buildings everywhere, Amsterdam was every bit as amazing as I could hope. The city offers many different things depending on what one is looking for. Just south of the “I Am Amsterdam” sign contained a stretch of beautiful attractions, like the Van Gogh Museum and the famous Heineken Factory, whereas up north contained the infamous Red Light District, which presented itself as the risqué side to Amsterdam. Everywhere I went, coffee shops and coffee shops (there is a pertinent difference between the two) lined the streets, while cyclists threatened to pummel unsuspecting tourists at every turn. Seriously, it was crazy how many people ride bikes in Amsterdam. But above it all Amsterdam felt like a city straight out of a modern fairytale, with beautiful gothic buildings lining each block and a dreamlike quality that irradiated each canal. Leaving the city left me with an immediate longing to go back.

Paris, France: Vive La France! All my life, I have wanted to experience this beautiful city. Paris is so entrenched in the fascinating history and

culture of France, with a romantic charm that has long been attached to the city; I knew at some point in my life I would need to go. Walking out of the Gare Du Nord station in northern Paris, I felt my heart nearly skip a beat over the realization that I was standing in the city of lights. With dozens of different arrondissements, Paris nearly has a stunning landmark for all of them, from the towering Sacré Coeur to stunning Montparnasse. I spent my first day just wandering the streets like a romantic Woody Allen character, desperately practicing my rusty French at every turn. Locals were mostly accommodating to my linguistic blunders and yet I found some of my most rewarding abroad experiences occurred while truly participating in French culture. As I walked through the impossibly beautiful Luxembourg Gardens towards the River Seine, I could barely suppress my constant expression of sheer awe at my surroundings. But after stopping in Shakespeare and Company, the most famous bookstore in France, I found the best view of Paris at the top of Le Notre Dame.

On the next day, I visited the luxurious palace of Versailles. I knew the history behind it, but nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming feeling of finally seeing it in person. The tragic Marie Antoinette. The excess of King Louis XIV. All these personalities hung over the countless acres like a regal ghost. With its mammoth gardens and fountains, and a palace that had a literal golden aura, I felt like an actual peasant. I left my heart in Paris the next morning as I rode the train to my favorite country in the world, the United Kingdom.

London, United Kingdom: This was it. Years of obsession with a culture that has managed to produce some of the greatest musicians, writers and filmmakers in history was about to be fulfilled. I stepped off the train into Kings Cross Station and everything just felt right. Britpop tunes were blaring in my head the whole morning and I felt right at home rushing for some afternoon tea. My heart swelled hearing the posh accents at every turn and I quickly became like a little kid lost in a candy store running around Piccadilly Circus. The diverse Soho district offered famous theaters and an amazing Chinatown with the proud Trafalgar Square off in the distance. Regent Street gave me glimpses of stores I could never hope to afford, while northern Camden offered some of the coolest fashion and eateries I have ever seen. Both Kensington and Buckingham palace gave me a taste of royalty and made me dream of one day being knighted by her majesty.

What is so fascinating about London is the diversity within the city. Every block offers a completely new scene to dive into and the city truly represents itself as a crossroads for the world. Just taking the tube a few stops from Westminster to Kensington signaled a dramatic shift in culture. Scenic gardens and buildings could be found in every neighborhood, but my vote for the most beautiful setting goes to Notting Hill, a place that screams of springtime luxury. Sitting on my plane back to Florence, I never felt happier knowing I finally fulfilled my dream of living in London, even for just a few short days.

Brendan Zimmerman/The Mirror

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

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Academy of Country Music Awards Highlights

By Allison White Editor-in-Chief With “Entertainer of the Year” nominees kicking off the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards, singing their No. 1 hits, the star-studded performances began. The No. 1 hits medley included performances by Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line with their “Single Record of the Year” “H.O.L.Y,” Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.

The title was presented to Aldean at the end of the show.

After the medley, the performances ceased as the hosts, Bryan and Dierks Bentley, came out on stage. During this time, they joked about their crazy time in Vegas, which included a behind-the-scenes look at Cirque du Soleil, leotards and all.

Bentley joked, “those leotards are tighter than most of your jeans, if that’s even possible,” to Bryan.

Next up, the hosts performed a tribute to the late Chuck Barry along with special guest, Joe Walsh. More performances of the night included, Sam Hunt with “Body Like A Backroad,” Bentley’s “Make My World Go Black” and Rascal Flatt’s “Yours.”

When “Song of the Year” was announced, Thomas Rhett was presented with the award for his hit, “Die A Happy Man,” which was inspired by his high school sweetheart and pregnant wife Lauren Akins Rhett.

Later on, he was presented with “Male Vocalist of the Year.”

Starting off as an opening act for Keith Urban, Maren Morris rose to fame and claimed “New Female Vocalist of the Year.” “New Male Vocalist of the Year” was clinched by Jon Pardi. Rising to the title of

“Vocal Duo of the Year” were the Brothers Osborne.

Another entertaining performance of the night started off with Urban taking the stage for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” and turning into Urban’s exciting duet to “The Fighter” alongside 12-time ACM winner, Underwood. The couple, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, performed their worldwide television premiere of duet “Speak To A Girl.” Another world premiere was Thomas Rhett’s “Craving You,” which Maren Morris sang along with him.

Six-time ACM winners, Little Big Town, took home the award for “Vocal Group of the Year.” For “Album of the Year,” Miranda Lambert won for her heartfelt album “The Weight of These Wings” along with “Female Vocalist of the Year.” The category of “Video of the Year” was won by the group of Artists of Then, Now and Forever for “Forever Country,” which displays various country artists, such as Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire and Brett Eldredge, in different geographic locations, such as London, Paris and open farmland.

To end the night, FGL took the stage again singing “God, Your Mama and Me,” along with special guest performers The Backstreet Boys. Backstreet’s back, alright; they took on the country jam with ease and transitioned to “Everybody,” making this 90s baby feel nostalgic. The two bands joined together to form the ultimate boy band as they impersonated the original dance moves to “Everybody.”

Photos taken from ACM Instagram

By Alicia Phaneuf Vine Editor

Heard It Through The GrapeVINE

Anyone who knows Chris Cahill ‘14 on campus knows him for his infectious energy, compassion and most of all, his dedication to the Fairfield community. After completing his time as an undergrad student at Fairfield University, Cahill went on to grad school. While completing his masters, he worked as a graduate resident coordinator where he received experience working with residence assistants in The Village area. In January 2016, he became a full-time area coordinator in Loyola Hall, where he has been deemed “Papa Stag” due to his enthusiasm for the program and dedication to connecting with and getting to know his residents.

“I’m most proud of the Ignatian Residential College program.

With the help of several of my colleagues in Residence Life, as well as Ignatian Mentors and Alumni Mentors, I was able to develop the program in a way that focuses on vocational discernment and community building throughout the sophomore experience.”

When not found in Res Life or in the Loyola Commons, Cahill can be found jamming to a variety of music. There were many snapchats of Cahill singing to an assortment of interesting songs while in the car (one of his favorite places to listen to music) during his recent service trip to San Diego through campus ministry. From attempting to be swag with his hip-hop and rap favorites, to having a mellow groove when listening to folk music, Cahill’s musical interests echoes his personality: exciting and unpredictable.

Below are some of Cahill’s favorite songs: 1. “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan “When I first heard this song, it made me realize that great

music will stand the test of time. The lyrics can be interpreted politically, spiritually and culturally, and in my opinion it’s the best song ever written.”

2. “You All Loved Him Once” by Conor Oberst “This song is on Oberst’s new album that was released in March, and I like the storytelling in the lyrics. The main character of the story is not completely clear — it’s most likely Julius Caesar or Jesus, and the fact that the lyrics are both vague and captivating is impressive.”

3. “The Next Episode” by Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg “Aside from having a great duo of rappers, this song has one of the most recognizable beats in the history of the genre, and it inspired a lot of the hip hop I like today.”

4. “#41” by the Dave Matthews Band “I have seen this band live a few times, and this song is always a cool experience. It’s a really honest song lyrically, and it doesn’t really have a refrain which I think is unique. Also live versions can be like 15 minutes long and I’m known to like a good jam band.”

5. “Nancy Mulligan” by Ed Sheeran “I heard this song for the first time on the service trip to San Diego that I just went on over spring break, and I think it’s probably the best song on Ed Sheeran’s recent album. It’s light, positive, and it’s a great song to blast in the car. It’s an especially notable song when sung by John Conmy (‘19).”

Photo Contributed by Davis Doherty

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

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ashionably airfield April Showers Bring May Flowers

By Nicole Funaro Online News Editor/Fashion Columnist We all know how the saying goes: “April showers bring May flowers.” And with the past week proving this mantra to be true, it’s time to swap our winter coats for a waterproof alternative that is both practical and fashionable. Though finding stylish rain gear may sound like looking for a needle in a haystack, look no further — Fashionably Fairfield has you covered with pieces under $100.

Rain Boots Gone are the days when the only options to stay dry in a downpour are Hunter’s rain boots or L.L. Bean’s Bean boots. In fact, there are much more affordable options available from a variety of designers that will get you to class dry and in style. Take, for example, the chelsea-style rain boot: this unisex boot provides all the sleekness of the traditional ankle-high boot but in waterproof form. What’s great about chelsea rain boots is that they can easily pass for a regular faux or patent leather boot, so if there’s a chance of rain in the forecast, you can be prepared without compromising your outfit. Land’s End offers a men’s chelsea boot that is currently on sale for only $44.99 and available in navy blue, while Zappos sells a gorgeous women’s boot from Sam Edelman for $54.95 that comes in grey, as well as a shiny black or matte black finish.

men’s anorak from IZOD will do the trick for the fashionconscious guy, as the $89.99 jacket offers a funnel neck, extra pockets for your phone and wallet and of course, a waterproof outer shell. While trench coats are often in simple colors, a red women’s trench from French Connection will inject a shot of color on a gloomy day — and will only set you back $73.

Umbrellas If using a good old-fashioned umbrella is more your speed, a trendy clear umbrella will surely do the trick.

Small enough to fold up and store in your backpack, a clear umbrella like a $26 version from totes will not only keep you dry but help you see while shielding yourself from the elements.

We all hope for more sunnier days than rainy days — both literally and figuratively. But the next time it pours, you’ll be prepared with these fashionable and budget-friendly items that will keep you dry in style.

Rain Coats Sometimes wearing a rain coat can feel a bit like wearing a glorified trash bag, especially when that rain is accompanied by humidity. But rain coats don’t have to be dowdy and depressing when they can be fun and fashionable. With anoraks, trench coats and even bomber-style rain jackets now available, your rain gear can seamlessly blend into your regular wardrobe so you can head to that weekend party still looking as fly as ever, rain or shine. A

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A New Season of Intergalactic Fun

By Andrew Darosa Executive Editor

Wubba Lubba Dub Dub. For fans of the irreverent, animated shenanigans of the Adult Swim show, “Rick and Morty,” April 1 was a day to get absolutely schwifty as the long awaited third season of the adult “Back to the Future” premiered. Revolving around Morty Smith and his cynical scientist of a grandfather, Rick Sanchez, the series follows the two as they manage their familial relationships while also exploring other dimensions, which often place them in the midst of some sort of galactic turmoil.

However, when season two ended in October 2015 with the fate of Rick being held in the balance of the Galactic Federation as he faced imprisonment, we received the promise from fan-favorite, Mr. Poopy Butthole, that the series would return in a year and half.

Well what would you know, Adult Swim came through on their ambiguous promise and unexpectedly dropped Season 3 on the night of April 1, after weeks of teasing some sort of announcement.

Titled “The Rickshank Redemption,” the season premiere highlights Morty’s mission, along with his sister Summer, to break Rick out of prison.

Meanwhile, Rick has plans of his own to dupe the Galactic Federation into letting him out of prison, which leads him on a cataclysmic collision course with Morty. While I won’t give too much of the plot away, what I can say is that the wait was certainly worth it and with the revelation at the end of the episode, one can expect nine more seasons in order to find that sweet McDonald’s Szechuan sauce.

While the surprise premiere did leave many fans satisfied for the time being, Adult Swim announced that this would only be a sampling of what is to come, with the full third season rolling out during the beginning of this summer.

Performing for Change Addresses Mental Health

By Cara Lee Assistant Vine Editor

Inspired by a controversial meme that became popular over winter break, Performing for Change will be presenting a showcase titled “Triggered” on Friday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wien Experimental Theatre at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The title refers to a mental health trigger, which can be anything that evokes a memory of a traumatic experience or an episode. The meme that surfaced over break would take people or characters and place them adjacent to words or images related to them before imprinting the word “Triggered” over the picture. One example of this meme had Pixar character Buzz Lightyear placed adjacent to a gif of a Toyota insignia which zoomed in on the letters “T-O-Y.” “The meme trivialized the word. People becoming triggered is an experience that is unique to those with PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] or similar forms of mental illness that can cause similar trauma,” said Katie Barrera ’18, the head of PR and marketing for Performing for Change. “To use it to describe the experience of a person without trauma is not only incorrect, but harmful to those who have experienced trauma and can be triggered by certain experiences. For someone's symptoms to be seen as a joke is harmful all around.”

The showcase will explore mental illness and disability through a play following the lives of six individuals with mental illnesses or disabilities that affect their everyday lives. In the

play, there will be an incident at an open mic performance these individuals attend where several of these individuals will be triggered in what they had thought would be a safe place to present their creativity.

While details regarding these characters, and the actors playing them, remain a surprise for opening night, the entirety of the Performing for Change group will appear and be participating in the showcase. As the play’s plot surrounds two very different open-mic nights, each member will have an opportunity to present their original work which will include two songs created and performed in a collaborative group effort between Barrera, Monica Willson ‘18, and Erin Nordgren ‘19, as well as several spoken word segments.

“Performing for Change is one of the only spaces on campus that is having these important conversations about disability, mental illness, race, and sexuality all at the same time,” said co-director Meaghan Hamilton ’17, speaking passionately about why she hopes their performance will be a success. “It's now more important than ever to have these community wide conversations about the most marginalized students on campus.”

Tickets for this theatrical and thought provoking performance will be sold at the door on the day of the event for $2, and profits will go towards ensuring that Performing for Change will continue to be able to support awareness raising events such as this one.

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

The Vine

Page 11

Inkwell Spotlight To the Night-Owl Across the Street

By Marc Lee Co-Editor-in-Chief at The Inkwell Tonight, my faceless friend, you have beaten me.

From my window I can see the dark place upon your upper floor, where, on so many nights, I have seen your curtained lamplight winking back at me. At times, it has been the last light I have seen before I first close my eyes, and, at others, it has been one that I’ve been envious to see you turn off at a “reasonable” hour. But, in this moment, reflecting on the black window across the way, there is no envy or disdain, and only a small smile has appeared to play across my face. Because, my Night-Owl neighbor, I, if no one else, know that work is the least of our worries when one of our two lights remain on.

To outsiders, we are crazed, sleepless vampires who drink the blood of moonlight and most assuredly must have skin that burns in the day. To those who care about us, we are the patients suffering from a lack of sleep, and an addiction to starlight and exhaustion. But, to those who truly feel our burden, to those who know our pain, we are the soldiers who fight the wars that never occur in sight of sunlight’s rays.

We fight the monsters from under beds who grew up to gain the faces and names of heartbreakers, given love into pain. And we fight with the weapons of consoling shoulders and kind words, while we turn who tearful questions with the second-nature reply that tiredness doesn’t affect us, as they continue to their answer cry.

We fight the uncertainties of the future that surface when the sun goes down, bringing with them the and the question of how many we will get. We face the fear in our friends’ eyes and ease them with day a of end the stars; showing them how, even when the light twinkles out, they still burned so brightly for of secrets the even the skies a thousand years away remember their place, their size, and their name. that time their We fight against the want to surrender felt by all-nighter paper writers, armed only with caffeine and their chargers. We fight against the restlessness of the nighttime walkers, whose minds have moved so quickly, that their bodies could only keep up by moving too. And we fight against the ticking of the clock, whose every movement marks another second never to be taken back, as the threat of dawn draws ever nearer to changing our black and star-filled sky to a dark and empty blue.

But, my friend, you and I know it true. Although we fight all of these demons in those around us, night after night, the fight for ourselves only begins when we finally reach our beds. After all, how can it ever be enough to escape the cold grip of living through our work, when we still are plagued by the haunting memories of our souls, as we try desperately to drift off to the warmth of sleep?

I’ve told it true in everything that I’ve said. I am truly glad that you have crossed the finish line of being able to turn out the light, but I salute you my comrade, and wish you luck, and I hope you will wish me well too. Because, though we are but a lit or darkened window to each other, we share the struggle that comes in conjunction with our path, though not led by sunlight, we are brothers on the run, being hunted by the troubles of the midnight hour, long since passed.

Creative Commons/PublicDomainPictures

Summer Days, Summer Nights, Summer Concerts

By Andrew DaRosa Executive Editor Bust out your crop tops and Danny Tanner cardboard cutouts, summer music festival season is fast approaching. While festivals tend to command a high price per ticket, it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly what festival is the best bang for your buck. Enter this list of the top music festivals in the northeast that are certainly the best bargain in terms of talent, both big and small. While these festivals may be smaller than Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, they are still worth your every bit of attention.

The Big Whigs: Boston Calling — Harvard Athletic Complex, Cambridge, Mass. May 26 - 28 3 Day Pass - $369, Single Day General Admission - $99 Notable Acts: Chance The Rapper, Mumford & Sons, Tool, Bon Iver, Sigur Rós, Cage the Elephant, Solange, Mac Demarco, Mitski, Hiss Golden Messenger Firefly Music Festival — The Woodlands, Dover, Del. June 15 - 18 4 Day Pass - $299, Single Day GA - $109, $79 Notable Acts: Muse, Chance the Rapper, The Weeknd, Bob Dylan & His Band, Twenty One Pilots, The Shins, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Kaleo, Banks, T-Pain Panorama Music Festival — Randall’s Island Park, New York City - July 28 - 30 3 Day Pass - $345, Single Day GA - $125 Notable Acts: Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, Nine Inch Nails, A Tribe Called Quest, MGMT, Nick Murphy, Tyler the Creator, Girl Talk, Angel Olsen, Foxygen

Mid-Tier: Mysteryland — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel Woods, N.Y. June 9 - 12 4 Day GA Pass - $299 Notable Acts: G-Eazy, LCD Soundsystem, Major Lazer, Porter Robinson, Run the Jewels, RL Grime, Robert Delong, Bob Moses, A-Trak, Jai Wolf Newport Folk Festival — Fort Adams State Park, Newport, R.I. - July 28 - 30 General sale is SOLD OUT, Tickets available through Lyte ticket exchange Notable Acts: Fleet Foxes, The Avett Brothers, John Prine, The Head and The Heart, American Acoustic, Dr. Dog, Ben Gibbard (lead singer of Death Cab For Cutie), Alone & Together, Mi chael Kiwanuka, Big Thief Peach Music Festival — Montage Mountain, Scranton, Penn. August 10 - 13 4 Day GA Pass - $135 Notable Acts: My Morning Jacket, Widespread Panic, Mike Gordon (Bassist of Phish), Gov’t Mule & Friends, Umphrey’s McGee, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Lettuce featuring Chaka Khan, Dopapod Orchestra, The Marcus King Band, Pink Talking Fish Small Scale: Solid Sound Music Festival - Mass MoCA, North Adams, Mass. June 23 - 25 Weekend Pass - $159 Notable Acts: Wilco, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Television, Nick Offerman, The Shaggs, Tweedy, Joan Shelley, Andy Shauf, Big Thief, Eugene Mirman Levitate Music Festival — Marshfield Fairgrounds, Marshfield, Mass.

July 8 - 9 2 Day Pass - $99 Notable Acts: Dispatch, Ziggy Marley, Umphrey’s McGee, Lake Street Dive, The Revivalists, Twiddle, Deer Tick, Trevor Hall, Ripe, Ghost of Paul Revere XPoNential Music Fest — Camden Waterfront, Camden, N.J. July 28 - 30 3 Day Pass - $140 - $247 Notable Acts: Wilco, Amos Lee & Friends Featuring Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Conor Oberst, Spoon, Charles Bradley & His Extraordi naires, The Suffers, Chicano Batman, Strand of Oaks, Joseph, Hop Along

Creative Commons/Wikimedia

Creative Commons/Wikimedia

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

Coffee Break

Page 12

COFFEE BREAK Editor: Claire Monahan

For Fairfield’s 75th anniversary, The Mirror is bringing back one of its 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 To people not understanding my April Fool’s joke … to 6:30-9 turbos … to Cat for not buying me a Mike’s Hard yet … to myself for falling off a little ledge this weekend because i was staring at a cute boy for too long … to all of the homework I neglected this weekend … to professors that don’t email back … to registration already stressing me out … to breaking my phone … to the people who get internships who don’t deserve them … to friends who don’t put any effort in at all … to professors who have 5 minutes left in class and decide to start a new lecture … to boys who only talk to you about John Cena …

Cheers To Rick & Morty Season 3 premiering early … to the person who got me cat food as an April Fool’s joke … to Cat being able to buy me Mike’s Hard now … to acing all of my midterms … to having amazing Italian food this weekend in Rome … to the color run this weekend … to leaving early for Easter break … to the best coffee break editor and assistant news editor of all time … to the best mirror staff ever … to Joan … to turning 21 … to friend who just want you to live your best life … to professors cancelling class before break …

Sitting Down with Former Mirror Editor-in-Chief Frank Washkuch ‘02

What was your major/ minor?

A: Major in communications with a focus on media studies, minors in journalism and philosophy.

Where did you live all four years?

A: Regis freshman year, Campion sophomore year, Claver junior year as an RA, townhouse 111 senior year.

What were all of your roles on The Mirror?

A: Writer sophomore year, assistant news editor junior year, editor-in-chief senior year.

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

A: We took a hard line against former Arthur Andersen CEO Joe Berardino’s presence on the board of trustees amid a major accounting scandal at his firm.

The story wasn’t well-received by the administration, to say the least, but we were supported by many faculty members. I’m still proud of our coverage.

What was your favorite/least favorite parts of being editor in chief?

A: I’d be lying if I didn’t say breaking in an office in the new Barone Campus

Center, for one. And there was nothing like the feeling, especially in the printfocused days, of waiting to publish a story until Thursday and knowing you made an impact when your classmates and professors mentioned it.

On a more personal note, three of my closest friends to this day are also Mirror alums. So those who argue about coverage at the Athena Diner until the early hours of the morning stick together, I suppose.

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

A: The Mirror’s adviser at the time

was Dr. James Simon, who was a true mentor in that he would make you want to run through a wall to break a story and fire you up to speak truth to power.

When I made it to the real world, I was ready to work with and for that kind of colleague, to take risks, and to keep asking questions.

What is your favorite memory of Fairfield?

A: It’s actually Mirror-related. Sitting (nervously) in my room my junior year and getting the call from then-editorin-chief Paul Pennelli that I’d be the next editor. Right, and the beach.

Contributed by Frank Washkuch Frank Washkuch (above) is currently the news editor of PRWeek and writes the daily Breakfast Briefing Newsletter.

Actually, We Did Start the Fire

By Matthew Thompson Sports Editor

Gavin Schultz, a former Fairfield University student and one-time resident of Jogues Hall has begun serving a six-month jail sentence for setting fire to the dorm’s first floor bathroom in May of 1999.

Although some students are sympathetic to their one time classmate and friend, others feel the penalty isn’t tough enough.

“It should have been much stiffer. There should have been more prison time,” said Tim Patterson, a senior and 1999 Jogues resident.

“Luckily no one was killed, but he knew what he was doing.”

Although there were no deaths or injuries caused by the fire, senior and ‘99 Jogues resident Jeff Melaragno felt the danger to everyone in the dorm was very real.

“I think he put everyone

in jeopardy. There were so many false alarms throughout the year that I was considering whether or not I should get out of bed and go outside for ten minutes because I had an exam the next morning,” Melaragno said. “Then when the RA was going down the hall banging on doors telling people to get the hell out, I realized it was something that could be pretty major.”

Those who knew Schultz found it difficult to believe that his intentions were to hurt people.

“I do think it’s a fair punishment, but it’s harder for me to say it’s fair because it was someone I knew.

It’s hard for me not to feel bad,” said senior Diana Kostolanksky, a ‘99 Jogues resident. “I don’t believe that he lit the bathroom on fire with the intentions of hurting people, but it was definitely

stupid and something he needed to be punished for.”

Senior Christine Kohlmeyer, who was a friend of Schultz, feels the prison term is necessary.

“I think its fair. Arson is a serious crime and we were fortunate no one was seriously injured, but i still feel he should be punished for what he did,” Kohlmeyer said. “I hope that he also get some kind of counseling or help, so that whatever issues he’s dealing, he can work through them.”

Schultz will serve six months of a five-year sentence and then spend three years on probation, according to University spokesman Doug Whiting.

During his probation, Schultz must perform 200 hours of community service working for Habitat for Humanity and take three agreed that six months in jail is a fair

punishment.

“I think its a harsh enough sentence. Knowing Gavin and his family, I know that any time he will spend in prison will have a huge effect on him,” Hayes said.

“Of course I’m not one of those students that lives in Jogues that year. They might have a different take on it.”

The Connecticut Post reported that Superior Court Judge Eddie Rodriguez Jr. did not believe Schultz’s story about the fire being accidental and deemed Schultz deserved time behind bars. “I’ve decided prison is necessary because of the fire and the danger to so many,” Rodriguez told Schultz.

“When you play with fire you get burned or others get burned or suffocate in their sleep in little dormitories.”

The Connecticut Post went on to state that Schultz told the Judge that he loved

Fairfield University.

“I put people in danger and should have taken them out of danger and pulled a fire extinguisher,” Schultz said.

“But no one was killed in this case.” Schultz enrolled in the University of Delaware after he left Fairfield and was unable to be reached for comment.

Schultz claimed the fire was started accidentally after he flicked a lit cigarette at a garbage can but it fell short and into a pile of toilet paper. He also said that he had been studying for his philosophy exam for so long, his response system had shut down and he simply was unable to react to the fire.

This story ran in the March 2001 edition of The Mirror and details a student’s convicted arson. Read the full story at fairfieldmirror.com

Sports

SPORTS

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

Sports Editor: Alfredo Torres » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

In Case You

This Week in Sports: Stag Weekly Honors

Page 13

Missed It: Saturday, April 1st -Women's Lacrosse defeats Niagara, 14-10 -Hofstra defeats Men's Lacrosse, 10-6 Sunday, April 2nd -Baseball defeats Hartford, 7-3 -Softball defeats Niagara, 2-0 Monday, April 3rd -Softball defeats Canisius, 4-0 -Baseball defeats Hartford, 10-2 -Women's Tennis defeats Monmouth,

On Monday, April 3 goalie Caleigh O’Connor ‘17 was tabbed as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week after her 17-save week for a Fairfield University squad that went 2-0 with wins against Central Connecticut State and Niagara. On Wednesday, March 29 against the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils, O’Connor posted 10 saves while allowing only two goals in the 12-4 victory. In her next outing versus the Purple Eagles on Saturday, April 1 the senior turned away seven shots and let in 10 goals in the 14-10 triumph. Thus far in the season, O’Connor has a 9.58 goals against-average, leading the MAAC. The goalie will lead the Stags into battle this Wednesday, April 5 when they welcome the Monmouth Hawks to Rafferty Stadium for a 3 p.m. face-off.

7-0

Upcoming This Week: Wednesday, April 5th -Softball vs. Columbia, 2 p.m.

-Men's Tennis vs. Monmouth, 3 p.m.

-Baseball vs. Yale, 3 p.m.

Saturday, April 8th -Baseball vs. Manhattan, 12 p.m.

Photos Contributed by Sports Information Desk

On Monday, April 3 catcher Tori Reed ‘17 and catcher Kevin Radziewicz ‘18 were both named Garden Catering Student-Athletes of the Month for their stellar performances throughout March. Reed is third on the softball squad with a .333 batting average and leads the team in runs with 16, home runs with four and RBIs with 18. On the other side, Radziewicz has a team-high batting average of .333 and has garnered 19 hits and 22 total bases. Furthermore, he has thrown out 16 runners from behind the plate and has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Both Reed and Radziewicz are back in action Wednesday, April 5 for the Stags with Reed and company welcoming Columbia for a double header while Radziewicz and the red and white take the field again against Yale.

-Softball at Marist, 3:45 p.m.

-Men's Lacrosse at Drexel, 4 p.m.

Sunday, April 9th -Women's Tennis vs. Niagara, 12 p.m.

-Softball at Siena, 2 p.m.

Tuesday, April 11th -Baseball at Hofstra, 3 p.m.

-Men's Tennis vs. Marist, 3 p.m.

In this week's issue...

- North Carolina Wins Championship (Page 14)

- MLB Opening Week: New Season, Fresh Start (Page 14)

- Women's Tennis Takes Care of Monmouth 7-0 (Page 15) - Softball Looks To Carry The Momentum (Page 15)

- Stags' Offense Struggles To Get Past No. 6 Hofstra (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017 Contributed by Instagram/March Madness

MLB Opening Week: New Season, Fresh Start

By Patrick Getz Contributing Writer

North Carolina Wins Championship

By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor Victory always tastes sweetest after a bitter defeat. One year removed from a heartbreaking loss in the national championship game to the Villanova Wildcats, the North Carolina Tar Heels’ revenge tour finally concluded last night in the form of a 71-65 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in this year's national final. The victory was the third title in 14 years under the tutelage of legendary head coach Roy Williams’ tenure at the helm of the Heels.

In a game defined by fouls and stoppages of play, the score remained close throughout the entirety of the contest. From the get-go, it was a back-and-forth affair with both the Tar Heels and the Bulldogs shooting poorly from every spot on the floor. Carolina’s star Justin Jackson ‘18 could not get his patented mid-range game going for the Heels while 7-3 Polish giant Przemek Karnowski ‘17 could not buy a shot on the inside.

Senior Josh Perkins led the way for the Zags in the first half as the guard scored all 13 of his points in the game’s first 20 minutes. Gonzaga shot 40 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from beyond the arc in the half. For the Heels, point guard Joel Berry ‘18 posted nine points to carry North Carolina into the break. A dismal shooting performance in the half gave way to Carolina shooting 30.6 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from three as they entered the locker room trailing Gonzaga 35-32.

In the second half, the fouls really started to pile up and the game’s flow was severely disrupted.

Twenty-seven fouls in the game’s second 20 minutes showcased what a tightly-called game it was on the biggest stage of college basketball. Nearly 30 free throws later, the game finally reached a solid point of up and down basketball with two minutes remaining and the score knotted at 63.

After guard Nigel Williams-Goss ‘17 gave the Bulldogs a 65-63 lead with just under two minutes remaining, North Carolina went on an 8-0 run to finish out the game. Senior big man Kennedy Meeks made the biggest defensive play of the game when he blocked Goss with the Tar Heels up three which led to an easy dunk in transition for Jackson to stretch the lead to five. Another steal

by Meeks and Berry put the finishing touches on the game with a free throw to make the final score 71-65.

After tallying 22 points and six assists in the title game, Berry was tabbed Most Outstanding Player for his incredible performance while hobbled with an ankle injury. Jackson added 16 points while Isaiah Hicks ‘17 added 13 more in the victory. Goss led Gonzaga with 15 points on the night in his final collegiate game while Karnowski, Zach Collins ‘20 and Jonathan Williams ‘18 all chipped in nine points to go along with Perkins’ 13.

That special day for baseball fans has arrived: opening day has finally come. Baseball fans wait for this day all offseason and it never disappoints.

The best part about opening day is the excitement for a new season most certainly; it brings expectations and the two New York teams have some expectations.

It is pretty clear that this season there are more expectations for the Mets than for the Yankees. Simply, the Mets are in a World Series-or-bust sort of season and the Yankees are retooling for future years.

The 27-time champions opened up regular season play on Sunday, April 2 when the Yankees opposed the Rays at Tropicana Field down in St. Petersburg, Fla. Masahiro Tanaka started for the Bronx Bombers as their ace but had a rough outing.

He only survived 2.2 innings pitched while surrendering seven runs on eight hits.

Evan Longoria, the lifetime Tampa Bay Ray, hit a homerun in the game as that was the first round tripper of the 2017 season.

Along with Longoria, three other Rays hitters compiled multi-hit games. Chris Archer started for the Rays and threw seven solid innings while only allowing two runs.

Despite Chase Headley and Starlin Castro each having three-hit games, no real offense showed up. The Yankees started out the season with a loss, their fifth opening day loss, falling 7-3.

Baseball has a long season so there is no need to push the panic button just yet.

However, if the Yankees are going to have a chance at making the playoffs, Tanaka needs to be sharp at every start, no excuses.

The Mets, on the other hand, started their regular season against the divisional foe, the Atlanta Braves. The starting match-

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

Allison White Editor-in-Chief

Alfredo Torres Sports Editor

Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor

up was one to definitely watch, with Noah Syndergaard on the hill against Julio Teheran. These two aces traded zeros for six innings as Thor gave up five hits, striking out seven and the Colombia native only surrendered four hits, striking out six.

The Mansfield, Texas native looked electric in his first action of the season, looking like he picked up right where he left off last year. The 6-foot-6-inch flamethrower is now the ace of this stacked Mets’ pitching staff and has the repertoire to do it.

This Mets ace is good but yet still so young for this rotation. To follow Syndergaard, DeGrom will take the hill when the Mets square off against the Braves at Citi Field, followed by Matt Harvey in the series finale.

The Mets took the regular season opener by a score of 6-0 with Lucas Duda providing the bases-clearing double in the seventh inning to give the Mets bullpen some breathing room.

The Amazins started out with a win, as they always seem to do on opening day since they hold the best winning percentage on the first day of the season with a .643 winning percentage.

For baseball fans, opening day is an event that is regarded very highly. Baseball has a very long season so not every team will start out with a win. However, it is important to start off the campaign with good momentum so teams can play to the best of their ability.

For those baseball fanatics, opening day is a day that is circled on the calendar and there is so much anticipation for that one day. Year in and year out, opening day is always joyful and exciting.

Your 2016-2017 4x5 Columnists:

Allison White, Alfredo Torres, Daniel Montgomery and Jesse Erickson

What did you think of the finish to the NCAA Championship between UNC & Zaga?

It is Opening Week for MLB, how has your team started the season?

Tennis will host three matches this week, will you be in attendance to support the Stags?

Tony Romo decides to hang up his football cleats for a position as a broadcaster. Thoughts?

How has the rain treated you this week?

Woohooo!! Basketball season is over!! It legit lasts forever.

I can't even watch the Yanks without feeling sad about not seeing Mark Teixeira on first base. Miss you, babe!

As much as I would love to show my school spirit, I have absolutely no time in my life!! Thanks again for passing on the torch, Jesse! Eat, sleep, breathe The Mirror. Minus the sleep part.

Time for him to kick back and let the youngsters do it, I guess?

It was a beautiful sunny Monday.

The weather was finally warming up and I had seen the sun for the first time in forever. Then it was Mirror Tuesday: dark and rainy to symbolize my tears.

Ugly game, but I knew UNC was going to take it. Zaga had a great run all year, but too many mistakes cost them the biggest game of their school history.

Tanaka didn't fare well against the Raya, but it's only Day 1. We've got a whole of baseball to play and the Baby Bombers are sure to make some noise in the Bronx.

Most defiinitely! If you want to see some intense tennis matchups come through to the Walsh Athletic Center Courts!

Good luck Romo! Still think he should have gone.

Rain, rain, go away!

HEELS, baby!! Three chips now for Roy at UNC he's coming for Coach K.

Didn't catch the Yanks game but biiig Aaron Judge will get things going for the Bombers soon.

Fur sure. Big win for the ladies Monday so I'm expecting some more Ws this week!

So sad to see Tony go :(

Terribly. I did buy myself a fuego rain jacket though so that makes me feel a little better.

IT"S FATE. I got a job this weekend in Boston and the Sox had a beautiful opening days. Beautiful things happen when beautiful people come together (Humble or what??)

Tennis is so underappreciated. I used to be a star in my young age and no one came to support so I feel for them. Maybe you will catch me there ...

I think all of you sports journalists should be #annoyed that these professional athletes get all of that money plus your money. Am I rite or am I rite?

For those who have been followJesse Erickson ing our love affair, Alfredo and I Editor-in-Chief are back in a relationship because he only asked one basketball Emeritus question this week. Luv u <3 For (Italian EIC) updates, keep reading 4 x 5.

Sike! Could never win a big game...

No one can rain on my parade, I got a job at my dream company, HubSpot. Catch ya later, Stags!

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of April 5, 2017

Page 15

Women's Tennis Takes Care of Monmouth 7-0

By Dan Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor As the sun shone down upon the Walsh Athletic Center tennis courts, the warm feeling of victory wrapped around the Fairfield University faithful. For the third time in three matches, the Stags have walked off the court as victors in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play. Although the squad has dropped 12 matches thus far this season, it is obvious that the team is rounding into form as spring comes alive.

The 7-0 shellacking of the Monmouth Hawks on Monday, April 3 gave Fairfield fans an exciting match in which the Stags looked thoroughly dominant from start to finish. Beginning with doubles and finishing up with singles, Fairfield’s relentless attack on the offensive end enabled the Stags to put the Hawks on their heels in every match.

In first doubles, Sarah Stuhlmann ‘18 and Nicole Aragones ‘18 won 6-4, while Karen McKeough ‘17 and Emily Lombardi ‘20 teamed up to win 7-6 in second doubles. In the third pairing of the day, the duo of Shelby Vertula ‘20 and Diana Prinos ‘20 won handily in a 6-1 triumph.

On the singles side, it was much of the same for the Stags as Stuhlmann, Aragones, Prinos and Jessica Pil ‘20 all took home wins. At the first singles spot, Stuhlmann won 5-7, 6-0, 10-8 in a riveting back-and-forth match.

In the second slot, Aragones won easily 6-4, 6-2 while Prinos captured a 6-4, 6-1 win.

And lastly at the fourth singles position, Pil came out on top with a 6-0, 5-7, 10-5 victory.

For head coach Jeff Bricker, the raucous Fairfield fan section at the match propelled the likes of Stuhlmann and Pil to their impressive singles victories.

“The fan support was huge today,” said Bricker. “When the team is loud, it gets everybody else loud. When Sarah and Jess were in their third set tiebreakers it was important to get that support going to give you that little extra umph. I thought we did a great job on that end.”

With the help of the fans, the inspired play of the Stags lifted them to their first win in what hopefully becomes a fruitful month of April for the squad. At 3-0 in MAAC play at the moment, Bricker could not be happier with the position the team is in.

“It is really exciting and it feels great having the team play at a high level,” Bricker said.

“We have worked really hard throughout the whole year to get to this point and we are starting to bear those fruits.”

Fairfield looks to move their MAAC marker to 4-0 when they welcome the Niagara Purple Eagles to the WAC courts for a 3 p.m. match on Sunday, April 9.

Alfredio Torres/The Mirror Junior Sarah Stuhlmann owned the day on Monday as she won in doubles and singles in part of the Stags 7-0 win over the Monmouth Hawks. Stuhlmann won her back and forth singles bout in a three-set tiebraker.

Softball Looks To Carry The Momentum

Contributed By Sports Information Desk Sophomore Karia Hughen(left) tallied complete game shutouts in each of her last two outings. Freshman Amanda Ulzheimer(right) went 8-14 on the weekend as she continues to be a strong leader of the Fairfield offense.

By Alfredo Torres Sports Editor After a slow start to the season that saw the Stags drop five of their first six games, Fairfield gained some momentum as they opened Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play this weekend. The Stags finished the weekend going 3-1 to open up conference play after sweeping Niagara this past Sunday, April 2 in a doubleheader and picking up a victory this past Monday, April 3 over Canisius at Alumni Softball Field. “Our pitching is getting stronger, we have some timely hitting. We’re not really hitting quite where we were in the beginning of the season but we’re getting timely hitting,” stated head coach Julie Brzezinski on the Stags’ recent success.

Sophomore Karisa Hughen provided a huge boost for Fairfield as she dominated the pitching mound carrying the Stags to victories over Niagara and Canisius this past weekend. In her first start of the weekend against Niagara on Sunday, April 2 the right hander hurled a complete game shutout while fanning five Purple Eagles en route to a 2-0 win. The very next day, Hughen was on the mound once again this time to face the Canisius batting lineup. Once again, Hughen was pivotal for the Stags as she threw another complete game shutout against the Golden Griffs, leading the Stags to a 4-0 victory. “Karisa has really stepped up a lot, this past weekend especially. She’s been nipping at the butt almost all season having some really good games. She’s really found her groove and we’re hoping she just continues throughout the season,” said Brzezinski of Hughen’s dominance on the mound.

Another bright spot for the Stags all season long has been Tori Reed ‘17. Reed is currently third on the team with a .333 batting average. The catcher has started in all 23 games this season leading Fairfield in at-bats with 78, runs with 16, homers with a total of four and RBIs with 18. Fairfield’s backstop has also shown her consistency of defense as she holds a .988 fielding percentage, highest among the team’s everyday starters. Brzenzinski had plenty to say about her leader, Reed, “Tori has been a mainstay with us for four years. She’s doing stronger with the bat this year, she’s learning, she’s adjusting to pitchers. She controls the game, she controls her pitchers, she calls her own game behind the plate, she’s been doing that for the last three years.”

On Monday, April 3 Reed was named the Garden Catering Student Athlete of the Month for her

performance during March. “I think people recognize that she is the total package. She’s the athlete, the student, the leader. She takes control, does a lot of community service, she does everything on and off the field and that’s what we’re looking in future leaders,” said Brzezinski.

The Stags will look to carry the momentum and continue it’s winning ways on Wednesday, April 5 at Alumni Softball Field when they host the Columbia Lions, who are currently on a six-game winning streak, for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.

Contributed By Sports Information Desk

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of March 8, 2017

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

Alfredo Torres/The Mirror Junior Charlie Horning (top) had two shots in the Stags loss. Sophomore Colin Burke (left) was held without a point for the first time in his collegiate career. Freshman Dylan Beckwith (right) scored two goals.

Stags' Offense Struggled To Get Past No. 6 Hofstra Falling 10-6

By Daniel Montgomery Assistant Sports Editor The Fairfield University men’s lacrosse team looked to change their luck as they welcomed Colonial Athletic Association foe Hofstra Pride to Rafferty Stadium on Saturday, April 1. Coming off competitive matches against No. 20 ranked Yale and No. 2 Penn State, Fairfield looked to turn the tide with a win against the Pride. Fairfield would win the shot and faceoff battles in the game, but it was not enough, as Hofstra picked up the 8-4 win.

The Stags came out strong as they forced an early turnover, resulting in a goal by Dylan Beckwith ‘20 two minutes into the game. Hofstra’s first goal would come moments after Colin Burke ‘19 was given a penalty, as Hofstra’s Ryan Tierney would bury a shot past Fairfield’s goalie Tyler Behring ‘17. That was the story of the first half, as Hofstra capitalized on Fairfield’s miscues.

Fairfield would cut an early deficit to 3-2 after Hofstra scored three goals to start the game. Freshman Travis Ford would use a spin-move to score a goal. But Hofstra would go on yet another 3-0 run, shutting out the Stags in the second quarter. Junior Dylan Alderman, Tanner Griffin ‘18 and Josh Byrne ‘17 all scored to create the cushion for Hofstra. A key penalty kill would find the Stags trailing 6-2 at the half. Hofstra would get goals from five different players to create the lead.

The second half would not start well for the Stags, as Alex Moeser ‘18 would score with 1:25 left in the half to increase the Hofstra lead to five. The rest of the third

quarter would be a defensive stalemate as the two sides would trade shots, but goalies, Behring of Fairfield and Jack Concannon of the Pride, would make some tremendous saves to leave the score at 7-2 heading into the fourth quarter.

“I really thought that their goalie was the difference tonight,” said Fairfield head coach Andy Copelan. “We got shut out in the second and third quarters and some of that was the hot goalie.”

Hofstra would attempt to put the game away, as Jimmy Yanes would find the back of the net at the 12:21 mark, but Fairfield would not go quietly, as Drew Murray ‘18 would respond with a goal just 35 seconds later to keep the deficit at five.

The Stags would continue to roar back as Joe Rodriguez ‘18 and Beckwith scored less than a minute apart to cut the deficit to three with just over seven minutes to play.

A costly penalty by the Stags would result in another goal by Moeser, increasing the Pride lead to four and securing the win. Rodriguez would add another goal, but Hofstra would top the Stags.

“We are 3-7 and 0-1 in conference, so you cannot really say you are in a great place,” said Copelan. “This is going to be some desperate lacrosse next Saturday. There are two teams in us and Drexel that need a win after starting 0-1, so if we put forth our best effort I really like our chances.”

The Stags look to get back on the win column later this week when they travel to Pennsylvania to face-off against Drexel. That game is scheduled for Saturday, April 8 at 4 p.m. at Vidas Field in Philadelphia.