Study Abroad Opinion Considerations have to be made when thinking about studying abroad. Page 5
Modest Mouse
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Fairfield downed the #20 ranked Villanova on Saturday afternoon.
Eight-year hiatus proves beneficial for Modest Mouse’s newest album.
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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper
Week of March 25, 2015
As students approach the end of the spring semester, many are actively seeking summer internships or full-time employment. One way to search for employment opportunities is through LinkedIn, one of today’s most popular social media networks. On Thursday, March 19, Fairfield’s Career Planning Center held an advanced LinkedIn workshop that was designed to explain the power of connecting with others and utilizing LinkedIn’s Alumni Finder tool. Associate Director of the Career Planning Center Stephanie Gallo began the event by reviewing the basics of LinkedIn, such as having a professional photo and up-to-date profile. Gallo then explained how LinkedIn connections are crucial when a student is interested in a specific company. By searching for a specific company, students can tap into their network of connections and use it to their advantage. When a student finds a second-degree connection they would like to reach out to, they should ask the first-degree connection to introduce them. “Using second degree connections is huge. And you don’t get second-degree connections without first-degree connections,” said Gallo, who advised students to connect with professors and coworkers.
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Students should also join Fairfield’s various groups on LinkedIn, such as Fairfield U Alumni and industry-specific groups. “There’s no loss in asking to join a group. You join a group, you have access,” said Gallo. After Gallo told students how to send a brief, professional connection request, she began to review the Alumni Finder tool. The Alumni Finder tool can be found under the “Connections” tab on LinkedIn, and helps users search for alumni connections by location, major, job type and skills. After making a connection, Gallo encouraged students to follow-up with a short message demonstrating an interest in meeting for an informational interview.
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“One of the challenges when you’re interested in a field is just knowing the big names,” Gallo said. “If you’re interested in an industry, there are going to be companies that you have never heard of that you’ll most likely work for some day.” Gallo suggested that students familiarize themselves with the names of companies in their desired industry, and explained how to use LinkedIn’s Company search tool to do so. Using the Company search tool helps students find their ideal companies and recommended companies. “The other thing that is awesome about Company pages is that there is even a Career section,” said Gallo. “You can apply for jobs on LinkedIn.” When applying for jobs on LinkedIn, users can see how many people have applied for a specific job posting. Additionally, there is a small section of the web page that recommends similar jobs. After reviewing all of LinkedIn’s advanced tools, Gallo helped students reach out to potential connections. Despite the low attendance the workshop received, those students who were in attendance found it to be very informative. Junior Tracy León felt she gained valuable insights from the workshop, specifically noting the Alumni Finder tool. “It was highly impressive,” said León. “It was everything I needed and more.”
Club Profile: Random Acts of Kindness By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant Vine Editor One of the newest clubs at Fairfield, the Random Acts of Kindness Club seeks to spread kindness across the campus in new, innovative ways. The club, recently formed this semester, is the work of Nicole Gallucci ‘15, Austin Begin ‘15 and Mariana Mangini ‘18. “Austin and I had been doing random acts of kindness since our sophomore year here,” said Gallucci. “It’s something we’re really passionate about and it got to a point where we wanted to try and see if we could make a larger impact on the campus. Mariana, our Vice President, also showed an interest in the idea, and so the three of us started working to make the club happen.” Mangini said, “Random Acts of Kindness was created to brighten people’s day, no matter how big or small the acts are. Our members strive to be catalysts Contributed by Mariana Mangini ‘18 for kindness, spreading opportunities Senior Austin Begin, Mariana Mangini ‘18 and Nicole Gallucci ‘15 (left to right) started Random Acts of Kindness. for kindness all over campus.” Mangini also spoke on the importance of the club, spoke of the various activities students partici- pep talks when finals roll around.” Gaudet, who joined the club in order to “spread club, saying “I feel it’s extremely important to remind pate in through the Random Acts of Kindness Club. “For Valentine’s Day, we sent out free valentines kindness to others,” finds the club to be very successpeople that life can be full of pleasant surprises, espefor people at the school which everyone seemed to ful at what it aims to accomplish. cially in a stressful setting like college.” Gallucci added, “We’re still such a new club and For Gallucci, a club like Random Acts of Kind- enjoy,” said Gaudet. Mangini elaborated on the activities of the club, we already have so many passionate and dedicated ness is more prevalent on a college campus because students tend to “get overwhelmed with going saying “We collaborated with HerCampus during members who make the club what it is. It’s truly a Eating Disorder Awareness Week to create a video of great feeling to have met such amazing people that through the motions.” share a desire to spread kindness throughout the “It’s so easy to get wrapped up in technology or people complimenting others.” According to Mangini, the club has many plans campus, and I’m so excited to see where the club goes forget to focus on the positives because we have so in the future.” much going on in our lives,” Gallucci said. “We hope for future events on campus. Gaudet feels “really satisfied with the club,” say“We’re planning out an appreciation day for all this club gives people a release from that stress.” Freshman Emily Gaudet, the secretary of the of Sodexo’s staff, and we might hold a table for free ing “it’s been very rewarding so far.”
Class of 2019 breaks application records By Catherine Veschi News Editor Students who expressed interest in the Fairfield University Class of 2019 faced a more selective application process than in recent years, according to Director of Undergraduate Admissions Karen Pellegrino. Undergraduate admissions received just under 11,000 applications for the Class of 2019, 10,732 to be exact, which is an eight percent increase over the last year, Pellegrino said. “This is the largest applicant pool in our history,” Pellegrino said. “But I’ll be honest, every year we’ve crept up. In the last five years, each year we’ve set a new record in terms of applicants.” However, according to Pellegrino, the increase in applications this year was
This is the largest applicant pool in our history.
-Karen Pellegrino
Director of Undergraduate Admissions “a more substantial increase” than in previous years, citing only a three percent increase in applications last year as compared with this year’s eight percent. Pellegrino attributes this increase to many things, but mostly because of the ease with which students are able to apply to multiple schools at once through Common Application. “Students are applying to more colleges to make sure they have options because the process is somewhat unpredictable from year to year,” Pellegrino continued. Pellegrino also noted an increase in applications “from applications a little bit further from campus, so not from our core states, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.” According to Pellegrino, this is because “[Admissions] made a concerted effort to travel more to those areas to communicate in a different way with those students.” In response to the increase in applicants, Admissions has been forced to become more selective in choosing members of the Class of 2019. Last year, Admissions accepted 70 percent of its applicants, while this year, Admissions only accepted 63 percent of its applicants, said Pellegrino. According to Pellegrino, when Admissions did away with the supplemenREAD
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
News
Man arrested for assaulting female Fairfield student By Catherine Veschi News Editor
Twenty-year-old Robert Joyce of Newton, Mass. was charged for allegedly assaulting a female Fairfield student he was in a relationship while he was a student at Fairfield. According to the Fairfield Daily Voice, Joyce turned himself in to Fairfield police headquarters on Tuesday, March 17, in response to the warrant out for his arrest. Joyce was charged for second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault, according to The Fairfield Citizen. The female student reported the
incident to the Department of Public Safety on Feb. 28, saying that the two had been involved in a relationship for two weeks, and that Joyce had been showing “increasingly aggressive behaviors,” said The Fairfield Citizen. According to The Fairfield Citizen, the victim reported that during one particular encounter, Joyce “assaulted her and compressed her neck with his forearm, injuring her.” Joyce appeared in court on March 18, and his next court date is set for March 26. Joyce was the former News Editor of The Fairfield Mirror.
Admissions seeks smaller size for Class of 2019 Continued from page tal essay students had to write after the school became test optional, “[Admissions] saw a big bump in applications,” which gives reason to the increasing trend in applications as of recently. However, one thing that hasn’t changed in the admission process amid the increase in applicants is the amount of students who choose to send in their SAT scores with their application. “The percentage of students who apply without their test scores has been really consistent. Usually between 28 and 29 percent of our applicants do not send in their test scores, and that hasn’t changed. It’s a pretty constant number from year to year.” Due to the large size of the Class of
2018, Admissions sought to admit fewer students to the Class of 2019 in order to avoid housing conflicts, according to Pellegrino. “We actually admitted fewer students this year,” Pellegrino said. “We’re aiming for a class of somewhere between 975 and 1,000.” “We’re getting a little bit larger than we were five to ten years ago, but we’re not looking to necessarily replicate that 1,050 again, because that will start to put some constraints on housing and on classroom space and on things like that,” Pellegrino continued. Freshman Napali Bridgelall felt that Admissions selecting a smaller class for the Class of 2019 is a good idea, saying, “I’m worried about Fairfield losing the positive qualities of being a small school.”
Britta Gunneson/The Mirror
Assistant Director of Academic Support and Retention Colby Caron discusses how to choose a major.
‘No Major? No Problem’ debunks myths about choosing field of study By Britta Gunneson Photography Editor
For Ben Highton ‘18, choosing a major felt like a very intimidating decision. “I came in [to college] pretty nervous about not having a major,” said Highton. For students with similar feelings at Fairfield University, the Office of Academic Support and Retention, alongside with the Career Planning Center, offered an event called, “No Major? No Problem!” on Tuesday, March 24. The event was run by Colby Caron, assistant director of academic support and retention and Sue
Quinlivan, associate director of the Career Planning Center. “It helps students understand what steps they need to go through in the major selection process and to inform our students that they are not alone. Also, that we are there to help them and that there are a lot of resources available on campus to help them in their academic journey,” said Caron. The event covered common myths and fears about selecting a major, as well as ways to help narrow down options for majors and resources available to students on campus. Seven students attended the READ
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
News
Students learn strategies for picking majors Continued from page
Compiled by Austin Wesolowski Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety. Friday, 3/20 8:03 p.m. – A roommate dispute in Jogues Hall occurred, involving a former roommate making threatening comments. The matter was referred to the dean’s office. 8:50 p.m. – A large gathering involving over 85 people in a Dolan Hall apartment was cited with an alcohol violation. They were also throwing cans and other items out of the window. Saturday, 3/21 12:53 a.m. – A male was found outside the Townhouse 9 block with a bloody lip. The individual involved was able to identify his assailant, and the matter is being referred to the dean’s office. 1:35 a.m. – The same individual involved in the assault at 12:53 a.m. was found to have drug paraphernalia and alleged marijuana in their possession. The individual involved was referred to student conduct.
event, many of whom were undecided. A favorite part of the event among those in attendance was an exercise looking at common skills asked for in the workplace, in topics such as communication, research and planning, human relations, management and production skills. Freshman Nadra Al-Hamwy considered this a very helpful part of the event. “It was good to think about your passions, strengths and weaknesses and match them up with the major at Fairfield to see what majors have the strengths and skills that match yours.” Highton agreed, saying, “The most helpful part was when we did the activity where we ticked off what we were good at to find out what our skills were and figure out that there are a lot of things out there that you could possibly major in.”
When asked about the smaller size of the event, Caron said that the size was an advantage to the students that attended. “Students were able to have individual attention and ask questions that were specific to themselves,” Caron said. Quinlivan agreed, saying, “When there is a more intimate group, it is easier for the students.” Overall, both the students and the faculty members spoken to agreed that the event was a success and important part of the student’s college journeys. Al-Hamwy felt the event was a great first step in the major decision-making process. “It showed me the next step in figuring out what I want to do,” she said. Quinlivan believed that the event can be a great help for students like Highton and Al-Hamwy, who feel stressed by the major decision-making process. “Oftentimes, students put that pres-
News: In the United States By Catherine Veschi News Editor
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8:52 a.m. – A sushi platter valued at $60 was taken from the Barone Campus Center. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact DPS. 9:15 a.m. – An exit sign in Kostka Hall near room 261 was found damaged.
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THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977
Patrick Kiernan, Editor-in-Chief Meaghan Conlon, Executive Editor Angela Sammarone, Managing Editor Editors Catherine Veschi, News Ariana Puzzo, Opinion Andrew DaRosa, Vine Juliana Sansonetti, Assistant Vine Allison White, Coffee Break Jesse Erickson, Sports Alfredo Torres, Assistant Sports Nicole Funaro, Chief Copy Editor Gabriela Piatek, Assistant Copy Editor Britta Gunneson, Photography Online Ryan Wessel, Web Master Business Department Email: advertising@fairfieldmirror.com Christopher Lapone, Director of Finance Albert Rosica, Director of Advertising Christopher Murphy, Delivery Person Adviser Dr. Tommy Xie Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com
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CORRECTION BOX In last week’s Crime Beat, we reported that on March 11 at 9:09 a.m., an individual spat in the face of a DPS officer. The individual did not spit in the officer’s face, just at the officer.
sure on themselves by thinking that [when] they make a major decision, they are making a career decision; it can be very overwhelming,” she said. Highton felt that the event eased his worries about the decision making process. “I feel more prepared, but not so much rushed. I feel like I can think about what I really want and knowing that I don’t have to pick something just because I’m undeclared.” Freshman Asha Perry agreed, saying, “I felt that this workshop helped me a little bit more and gave me some more ideas in figuring out what I want to do.” Students looking for advice about declaring a major, or wanting more information about career options for specific majors, can contact the Office of Academic Support & Retention and the Career Planning Center.
1. Carrabassett Valley, Maine - Seven people were injured in a ski lift incident that occurred on the King Pine chairlift at Sugarloaf Mountain. About 230 people were on the quad when it stopped going forward and went backwards. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
6. Brooklyn, N.Y. - A hot plate sparked a house fire, killing seven children in an Orthodox Jewish family. The hot plate apparently malfunctioned, starting a fire that swept up from the first floor. Only the victims’ mother and her 14-year-old daughter survived.
2. Navajo Nation, Ariz.- A Navajo Nation police officer has been reported dead and another injured in a fatal shootout. The suspect, identified as 24-yearold Justin Fowler, fired on an officer and fled the scene.
7. Wisconsin - Federal Judge William Conley of Wisconsin has ruled that a state law requiring any doctor performing an abortion to have privileges to admit patients to a nearby hospital is unconstitutional.
3. Palm Bay, Fla. - Mother of three, Jessica Lacey McCarty, has been charged with two counts of murder in connection with her children’s deaths. Police found her holding a knife outside her Florida home, and all three of her children unresponsive, two dead and one critically injured. 4. Chicago, Ill. - A fire extinguisher manufacturing building on Chicago’s southwest side went up in flames. A portion of the building collapsed under the intense flames. 5. Bonne Terre, Mo. - Cecil Clayton, Missouri’s oldest death row inmate, was executed for the 1996 shooting murder of a sheriff ’s deputy. The U.S. Supreme Court and the governor declined to spare Clayton, despite attorneys saying he had a diminished mental capacity because of a sawmill accident long ago.
8. Las Vegas, Nev. - Las Vegas police arrested a second man, Derrick Andrews, involved in the shooting of a Las Vegas mother of four in February. Andrews is suspected to have been driving the car that Erich Nowsch, Jr. was riding in when he shot 44-year-old Tammy Meyers. 9. Denver, Colo. - A missing 3-month-old baby was found after his mother allegedly kidnapped him. Thirty four-year-old Lisa Nicole Jones is being held for investigation of second-degree kidnapping. 10. Orange County, Calif. - California lawyer Matthew Gregory McLaughlin proposed a statewide ballot that would allow gays to be executed called the Sodomite Suppression Act. His proposed law would also ban gays from holding public office.
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
Opinion
Opinion
Editor
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Students studying abroad should remain mindful of academics By Meaghan Conlon Executive Editor First, I want to wish a very happy congratulations to all those who are going to be studying abroad during the next school year. As someone who is currently enjoying a semester in Galway, Ireland, I can tell you with certainty that studying abroad will be the best experience during your time at Fairfield. Going away for a semester is a time to experience new cultures, try new things and live your life to the fullest extent. Of course, let’s not forget that you’re in another country to go to school as well. Although for many of us, myself included, the chance to attend school in another country was not simply to attend classes, but rather to embrace a rare oppor-
tunity and travel, it is important to bear in mind that grades do transfer over. Don’t ruin semesters of hard work for one semester abroad. You’ll be able to have a great time even if you do attend class, while also finding a good balance and sticking with it. In regards to taking classes in a foreign country, I would suggest that, as registration is looming, anyone studying abroad should take this opportunity to carefully plan out the next few semesters. Classes are different in other countries than they are at Fairfield, and credits don’t always transfer over properly. The advising period is coming up and you should take full advantage of it. Don’t go in blind, grab your PIN number and leave. Make the most out of the meeting now because it will be difficult to get in contact Contributed under Creative Commons
The Quadrangle at National University of Ireland, Galway
Editorial Board Personally Public Patrick Kiernan Editor-in-Chief Meaghan Conlon Executive Editor Angela Sammarone Managing Editor
What would you rather be in the news for: a stellar play that won the game, or your name with the word "rapist" attached to it? There has been an increase in the number of professional athletes being recognized for sexual crimes rather than athletic skill, most recently Darren Sharper, a former decorated Saints safety, who will serve at least nine years of jail time for nine counts of rape. This is also not the first time in the past year that we’ve seen such cases associated with the NFL. Whether it be the former Ravens running back Ray Rice, Cowboys’ defensive end Greg Hardy or an-
with advisors and professors about changing classes and addressing problems that arise once you are overseas. Also, the study abroad website will not have the list of classes available for visiting students for some time. Perhaps there will be an older course list, but if there’s not, a simple solution is to google the information. The Internet can be your best friend and in this highly technological age, you would be hard pressed not to find something out there that can help you. Read through the course list. I’m serious; going away is a huge decision and each step should be carefully thought out. For example, if you are a finance major and you choose to study in Galway, know that you cannot take finance classes here. Different countries mean a different style of teaching. In this case, the classes abroad are classified as “finance and accounting” and will not be accepted by either discipline at Fairfield. Additionally, the course booklets will generally have restrictions for visiting students or sections dedicated to them. I cannot stress enough that you should look at these sections and use them to base your decisions on what classes you should take and when. Know what you still need to take, what will transfer appropriately and what will remain to be completed upon your return to Fairfield. Talk to your department head if there is a problem or if you have a question about the discipline of study that you will be taking abroad. The professors, as a whole, want to see their students do well.
other player, there is an issue with these players keeping their hands to themselves off the field. In light of recent concerns, there is a standard that must be upheld by not just NFL players, but all athletes, because they are viewed as celebrities who influence millions of people. In today’s society, our professional sports athletes are undoubtedly the most well-known names – and those names wield a considerable amount of power. Sharper’s name not only connoted his superb talent as one of the league’s best safeties; his name, and entire image, were of economic value to
It shows preparedness on your side as the student that you did your research and are not planning to take courses abroad for which you won’t receive proper credit. I know it seems like I’ve emphasized schooling too much and, for many people, studying abroad is seen as a way to escape the stress of classes. However, I hope that you’ll thank me when you arrive at a foreign university with some reasonable sense of what classes you will take. Additionally, getting credit equivalencies done before and having different Fairfield-accepted options to choose from once you’re abroad makes your life much easier. Don’t let me freak you out too much or make you rethink your decision because there is nothing better than experiencing another country. For me, National University of Ireland, Galway is the opposite of Fairfield. Most of my classes have about 150-250 kids in them, there are only one or two assignments that dictate your grade (they think our continuous assessment system is weird and too much work) and I think that attendance is actually a foreign concept to some of the Irish students (and the visiting students as well). The academic culture difference was a bit of a shock, but it was a new experience and a nice change. Don’t be overwhelmed wherever you go; just breathe and take it all in stride. No matter where you go, make the best of it and your semester will fly by. You are in another country to study and try new things, but above all else, to have fun and enjoy yourself during this life-changing experience.
whoever adopted Sharper’s brand. This is not a new development. Professional sports athletes have graced Wheatie box covers for years. But only within the last decade have athletes become “personally public” with fans being able to send messages to their sports idols via social media. For an athlete to risk showcasing indecent behavior, whether through social media or interference with the law like Sharper, there is a higher expectation than ever before for athletes to be on their best behavior at all times. Sure, people are entitled to making mistakes, but celebrities
need to be more cautious than the average person. There should be a system set in place to monitor what the big name – and not so big name – athletes are doing in their spare time. The NFL has had seminars about sexual assault and harassment, but how up to date are these features? By the amount of cases surfacing in the NFL, it looks like many players could benefit from a refresher course. We want to ensure their fame is well-earned. Talent alone may win a Super Bowl, but not a loyal, respecting fanbase.
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
Opinion
Fraternities must be held accountable for their actions By Ariana Puzzo Opinion Editor
Following the disbandment of the University of Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the expulsion of two of its fraternity members, the fraternity, also known as SAE, is considering unjustifiable retaliation. Given SAE’s most recent and past history of misconduct, I agree that the actions of the university to eradicate the fraternity are necessary to prevent any harm or potential endangerment to the university’s students. According to TIME Magazine, SAE has a record of student misconduct, including instances of hazing and several student deaths that should have led to immediate action taken by the university’s administration much earlier. Most recently, however, a video posted online has gone viral, exposing members of the fraternity singing a racist chant. Given the slanderous, heinous nature of the fraternity’s chant, specifically their use of racial slurs towards the university’s black community and the song’s historical reference to lynching, the University of Oklahoma’s decision to disband the fraternity and expel two of its members is legitimate. Although the fraternity’s lawyer Stephen Jones has cited the fraternity’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech, SAE must be held accountable for their actions in the video since the chant is a clear threat to the safety of the university’s black students. It is concerning that potential legal actions being taken by SAE may claim the violation of First Amendment rights. My big-
gest concern going forward is that SAE will be viewed as justified if they claim that their First Amendment rights are being violated. Freedom of speech is becoming an excuse for the many forms of verbal intolerance present in our society and in doing so, we are enabling groups of people, in many circumstances minorities, to be vulnerable to preventable attacks on race. However, my understanding is that the original purpose of the First Amendment was to enable open expression of the people directed at the U.S. government. Whether open expression is exercised through rights such as religious expression or the right to peaceable assembly without fear of being oppressed or silenced, the First Amendment never served as a means to justify racism or any other form of intolerance. The University of Oklahoma’s immediate disbandment and expulsion of members of the fraternity should be seen as the administration acting upon the harm principle to prevent the potential endangerment of other university students, as opposed to being seen as an oppression of the fraternity’s First Amendment rights. The harm principle first and foremost serves to protect people from each other. Although the harm principle is an insufficient method of governing people alone, given that it declares that the actions of an individual should only be impeded upon if his or her actions may lead to the harm of other individuals, if SAE chooses to pursue legal actions against the University of Oklahoma, the latter can cite the principle and state that their goal is to prevent any harm toward any potentially targeted
group of people, rather than to silence certain students. I am not dismissive of the importance of freedom of speech or ignorant of the fact that the First Amendment of the Constitution protects it. SAE has no grounds to say that their right to freedom of speech has been compromised when we must be cognizant that freedom of speech is not absolute; the Supreme Court itself acknowledges that there
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are several categories of speech that are not included under the category of freedom of speech, including slander. By acknowledging that slander is not protected by freedom of speech, one can only hope that there will be accountability for acts of verbal intolerance, such as the disgraceful display portrayed by SAE, and that the acknowledgment will hopefully serve to eliminate similar situations from occurring in the future.
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Cinderella's story no longer reflects society's values of women By Kelsey Sullivan Contributing Writer The new “Cinderella” movie opened in theaters on March 13 and reminds us how far women's portrayal in film has come since the movie's debut in 1950. This is obviously not the first remake of this classic fairytale, and it is also not alone in Disney classics that have been made into live action films such as “Peter Pan” and the forthcoming "Beauty and the Beast" to be released in 2017. There have also been multiple spin-offs to the classic Cinderella tale, such as “A Cin-
derella Story” starring our childhood favorite, Hilary Duff, and its sequels. So with all of these movies revolving around the same story line, it leaves me with the question: Do we really need another adaptation of this classic fairytale? No, we don’t. We’ve seen this story play out so many times growing up - girl has a relatively miserable life, girl meets boy, girl waits around for boy to come save her, boy does and they live happily ever after. And yes, it is a familiar and fun story and it appeals to a wide audience, but it is pretty outdated. And it’s not that Cinderella was or is a bad princess to look up to, but
her story is a product of her time. However, seeing new Disney princesses like Elsa from "Frozen," Merida from "Brave" and Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog" gives girls a more modern view of women. These are princesses that are less dependent on their respective princes and show a more accurate view of today’s society than "Cinderella" does. These new movies give girls who are growing up a better view of what they can accomplish. Additionally, it further establishes the fact they don’t need to wait for a man to come and save them. These empowered princesses give girls positive role models to look up to. Don’t get me wrong, I love the story of “Cinderella,” and it is one I grew up with like most of us did. I could probably sing all of the songs from it, and it’s true, being saved by a prince isn’t the worst way for life to pan out. However, when "Cinderella" was first written and created, getting married and becoming a housewife was the expected option for girls. Finding a man and waiting around for him to come “save” you was the
way to go, but that is not the case anymore. Women have many more opportunities today: they can go to college, obtain positions of power and land good jobs. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached a total point of equality with men yet, but we have many more opportunities than women that came before us. Therefore, it makes more sense for girls of all ages to see movies that depict powerful women with dreams that reach further than meeting their own Prince Charming. And Disney is definitely moving in that direction with its newer movies. Most of these movies are focused on the princesses achieving their dreams rather than falling in love and getting married. So, kudos to Disney for keeping up with the times and knowing that women now have so much more of a role in today’s workplace and world than just cooking, cleaning and homemaking. As well done as the new “Cinderella” movie probably is, it just seems redundant at this point. The movie industry should stop focusing on these overplayed fairytales and start focusing on innovative movies with strong female characters.
The Mirror welcomes the opinions and contributions of its readers: Letters to the editor must be timely and submitted by email to info@fairfieldmirror.com or Box AA. All letters to the editor that are appropriate will be published either in print or online. The Mirror reserves the right to edit letters and articles for content, length and grammatical error. Letters should be free of obscenities and personal attacks and should contain correct and factual information not exceeding 500 words.
The Vine
arts, entertainment, features Editor Andrew DaRosa vine@fairfieldmirror.com
The Mighty 'Modest Mouse' return to form in "Strangers to Ourselves"
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The Vine
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
'Modest Mouse' show that good things come to people who wait By Andrew DaRosa Vine Editor
Contributed under Creative Commons
Modest Mouse have established themselves as royalty in the realm of indie rock. Within their eight year hiatus, they have crafted an album that is indicative of their almost 20-year history of historic anthems and hard-hitting melodies. “Strangers to Ourselves” is fresh and flows surprisingly well, offering a mature look into the band while maintaining their unique sound that has popularized them since “This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About.” Lead Singer Isaac Brock showcases no aging with his voice and still hollers and chants in such a chaotically delightful manner. In “Lampshades On Fire,” Brock catches us off guard in the first verse as he exclaims, “Well, the lampshade’s on fire when the lights go out /
The room lit up and we ran about / Well, this is what I really call a party now / Packed up our cars, moved to the next town.” The lyrics in “Strangers to Ourselves” as a whole are still as catchy as ever and offer a retrospective look at the band’s career, especially with the departure of bassist Eric Judy. “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box” proves to be the most audibly aesthetic piece off the new album, which boasts an excellent, steady drumbeat that is complemented with a rhythm-driven guitar from Jim Fairchild, a grooving bass line from Russell Higbee and Brock’s expressive vocals. The song also treats the listener to a surprising percussive ending that proves to be a melodic outro. Also notable in the album is ”Wicked Campaign,” which screams indie pop and carries itself through the ingenious use of a synthesizer. It’s hard not to fall in love with the plethora of material that Mod-
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est Mouse have thrown at us. But, at times, it feels excessive considering the album clocks in at roughly an hour. Songs such as “Coyotes” and “Be Brave” fall into the same progressions as songs earlier in the album, deeming them to almost be unnecessary. While the album is filled with so much potential, it becomes lost in the comprehensive vision that Brock and drummer, Jeremiah Green, have established. “Strangers to Ourselves” is the perfect title for this album because it has allowed for Modest Mouse to explore and experiment with their sound more than ever while retaining the central core of their sound. The theme rings through every piece of music in the album and offers a distinctive glance at the band. Looking back, “Strangers to Ourselves” was well worth the wait and offers a glimpse at the future of Modest Mouse.
'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' shows promise in pilot episode By Juliana Sansonetti Assistant Vine Editor The new Netflix original series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” has been met with many raving reviews after the airing of its first season. The show tells the story of 29-year-old Kimmy Schmidt, a woman who spent 15 years held in an underground bunker by wedding DJ and post-apocalyptic cult leader Richard Wayne Gary Wayne.
Contributed under Creative Commons
The show’s creators, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, who also worked together to produce “30 Rock,” made “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” as irreverent and witty as possible. The pilot opens with the rescue of Kimmy and three other women from the underground bunker in Indiana. Kimmy decides to try to “make it in New York.” The pilot, called “Kimmy Goes Outside!,” sees Kimmy finding a roommate, getting a job, losing the job and attempting to get her job back all in a single day. Seen through the eyes of a young woman thrown into a
world that she believed was destroyed years before, everything seems even more ridiculous and quirky when it is poked fun at by this absurdist comedy. Modern viewers will immediately recognize the show’s parodies of news reports, viral videos and wealthy, inattentive parents. The series is perfectly casted, starring “The Office” actress Ellie Kemper, Broadway star Tituss Burgess and Emmy awardwinner Carol Kane. The series has a solid pilot episode, and will hopefully go nowhere but up after this so-funny-it’s-tear-inducing first episode. There are many unanswered questions solicited by the pilot, which will hopefully be explored more in upcoming episodes. For example, not much is known about the cult that kidnapped Kimmy. Richard Wayne Gary Wayne’s face has not even been revealed yet in the first episode. Only the back of his head is seen as he lectured the women he has kidnapped about their “badness” and “dumbness” which caused the apocalypse that has killed every living thing except for the five of them. Although the series is undeniably hilarious, it also makes you care about the characters. Kimmy has been faced with so many hardships in her life. Despite this, she is perpetually optimistic and bright. She makes you cheer for her at every turn. Titus Andromedon, Kimmy’s wannabe Broadway singer of a roommate, is also extremely likeable. Despite his many dreams of making it big on Broadway, Titus is stuck with a job he hates. You can’t help but hope he achieves his dreams. This pilot concludes with Titus and Kimmy singing happily in the middle of the bustling New York City street. They are down on their luck, but have many high hopes for the future. A second season has recently been ordered for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” but its release date has not yet been announced. Hopefully this series will have a long, glorious run like its predecessors “30 Rock” and “The Office.”
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
The Vine
Drew Holcomb to bring Tennessee flare to Fairfield By Charles DeFilippo Music Columnist/ Vine Editor Emeritus Memphis-born Drew Holcomb will bring a refreshing breath of Tennessee air to his StageOne performance on Monday, March 30 with Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors and opening act Humming House. Over the past decade, Holcomb has balanced his authentic Americana rock voice with the experiences that have shaped him as a husband, father and family-man. Holcomb is a passionate duck hunting, bourbon drinking and first edition book collecting musician full of earnest stories to tell. With a master's degree in Divinity from Scotland’s University of St. Andrews, Holcomb proves the depth behind each lyric. If you like artists like Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers), Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Neil Young or Wilco, then you will find tranquility in Holcomb’s catalog of earthy folk lyrics and beautiful melodies. Also while in Scotland, Holcomb wrote his dissertation on “Springsteen and American Redemptive Imagination.” Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors have built themselves on their own terms, selling more than 75,000 records, playing sold out headline shows and have toured alongside Ryan Adams, The Avett Brothers, Los Lobos, Susan Tedeschi, North Mississippi Allstars and Marc Broussard. Their songs have been used on several television programs, including TNT’s Emmy Award Winning 2011 Christmas Day NBA Forever spot, which featured “Live Forever,” off of Holcomb’s 2011 album “Chasing Someday.” Together, Holcomb and The Neighbors are unstoppable. With wife and bandmate Ellie Holcomb (vocals, guitar), Nathan Dugger (guitar, keys) and Rich Brinsfield on bass, Holcomb effortlessly transcends his hardship to his seventh studio album “Medicine” released on Jan. 27, 2015. “This is the best tour we have had so far and people are responding to the new material well,” said Holcomb. “Half of our set is off of the new re-
cord and fans are singing along.” The first track, “American Beauty,” sets the healing in motion with soft strumming guitar and soothing lyrics: “She was a good companion, eyes like the Grand Canyon / She was an American Beauty,” a sentiment that drags us into the heart of a mature songwriter. On the second track, and one of my favorites, Holcomb slowly builds listeners with the steady strumming of his guitar. With an acute sense of dynamics, The Neighbors build “Tightrope” through the guitar solo until Ellie joins her husband in harmony in an intimate outro.
We recorded this album over the course of eight days in East Nashville in good spirit because we were working local. Getting up, eating with family and going to work made the whole experience quiet pastoral. -Drew Holcomb
“People are partially defined by the world they live in and in Nashville, we come from working families who love each other. We are personal songwriters, so everything hits close to home,” said Holcomb. Other tracks like “Sisters Brothers” and “The Last Thing We Do” beautifully contrast the laidback tempo of the album. Syncopated drums and gritty bass on “Sisters Brothers” are complemented by Holcomb’s lyrical intent and hitting guitar riffs. “[With ‘Medicine’] I went back to the importance of having something to say, not just rhymes,” said Holcomb. “There’s a fine line between letting the music you love mentor you without trying to be derivative. We need to let people find their own voice,” added Holcomb.
Nutrition 101:
Contributed Photo
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors w/ Humming House
Monday, March 30 Doors @ 7:00 p.m. Show @ 7:45 p.m.
National Nutrition Month
By Stephanie Piccolo Nutrition Columnist
Contributed under Creative Commons.
on StageOne Rock/Folk/Americana Tickets price: $23
March is known as National Nutrition Month, and it is a campaign ran by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietitians to raise awareness of living a healthy lifestyle by being aware of your nutrition and physical activity. This year’s theme is “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle.” On March 20, Fairfield's registered dietitian Karen Jew, joined us to run an event to promote National Nutrition Month. During this event, Jew sought to promote health and wellness through fun exercises such as hula hooping, basketball and jumping rope, as well as a “graffiti wall” displaying students’ favorite healthy foods. These activities were not only fun, but also a great way to burn some calories. If a student participated in one of these activities, he or she was able to enter to win a fitness prize package. Another promotion of physical activity was the information about the fitness classes the Leslie C. Quick Jr. Recreation Complex offers right here on campus. The RecPlex has a variety of fitness classes available for students at a low price. These classes include yoga, abs and sculpting, Zumba, boot camp, Pilates, kickboxing and total conditioning. The RecPlex also offers intramural
sports such as soccer, hockey, basketball and softball. This is a great opportunity for students to get a group of friends together to enjoy playing a game and also to get some exercise. Intramural sports games are held at least once a week. Both of these are great ways to get yourself physically active. Along with the physical activity component of the event, Jew also made information available to students about eating healthy. Ultimately, when it comes to diet, it is not so much about eating less, but what you are eating. The “2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” encourages people to eat more healthy foods such as vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products and seafood. It also suggests to consume less sodium, saturated and transaturated fats, added sugars and refined grains. The emergence of MyPlate, an online nutrional guide published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is a great guideline to eat healthy. MyPlate replaces the food pyramid image and calls for filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, one-fourth with whole grains and one-fourth with lean protein. It also allows for a small serving of dairy, preferably, fat-free or low-fat milk. MyPlate gives a better visual guideline for eating healthy. Nutrition and physical activity are vital components of your health, and you should be well aware of them. Fairfield promotes this concept through the campaign of National Nutrition Month. Fairfield offers a variety of ways to promote your health through meal options and fitness activities.
Page 10
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
The Vine
Let Dre Dress You By Andrea Butler Fashion Columnist
Hey Stags, Red lipstick is the number one thing to take your look from hot to intimidatingly hot (or at least that’s what I’d like to think when I do my makeup). Some people don’t feel they can pull of a bold red lip, and that’s just not true. With the right shade and formula, everyone can rock a classic red lip. Here are my tips for having a red lip that always look on point: A matte finish looks much classier than its shiny counterparts. Not only is gloss messier, but it can make a baby face look more mall-rat than internship ready. However, a matte finish means that dry patches show more, so you need to exfoliate your lips before applying a color. An easy way to do it is to mix olive oil and brown sugar, then buff and remove with a wash cloth. Swipe on your favorite lip balm and let it soak in while you apply the rest of your makeup. Lip liner often gets a bad rap, but when it comes to red lipstick, a good liner is your best friend. Start off by drawing an “x” at the middle of your top lip to define your cupid’s bow. Then, continue on by lining just the edge of the rest of your mouth. Overdrawing your lips can give you that coveted Kardashian look, but that only looks good in pictures. It won’t look good in real life when you’re drinking coffee or chugging a beer. And on that note, if you plan on drinking, leave the liner at home unless you want your face to look like a five-year-old tried to color it in. If you want your color to last, Kiko Milano’s Unlimited Stylo lipstick is unreal in terms of staying power. This Italian brand has a store in the Trumbull mall, where you can have all the fun of trying on makeup at Sephora without the guilt over how much everything costs. Another cheaper option is the NYX Matte Lip Crème. This drugstore product is a favorite of makeup artists, and for good reasons. t applies like a cream, but dries like a lipstick and it lasts. So, my fabulous Stags, remember that if you want to pull off red lips, you totally can. All it takes is a little practice and a little confidence. Stay strong and beautiful! Love,
Dre Contributed under Creative Commons
'Insurgent' builds on 'Divergent' storyline By Matthew Lazicky Contributing Writer The second installment of the Divergent series, “Insurgent,” came out in theaters this past weekend and picks up the storyline from where the first movie left off. It is even more action -packed than its predecessor. The first movie had to set up the storyline for the postapocalyptic setting and introduce the culture and characters of the series. Its sequel, however, really takes the story of Tris and her survival in this overly strict society to the next level. It is easy to see that the new director, Robert Schwentke, focused more on the storyline instead of the setting in this exciting second installment since the groundwork had been laid by his predecessor. The series in itself is based on a book trilogy of the same name and is supposed to be mainly written for teenage readers. However, the concept of these books allowed the filmmakers to create a movie that any demographic would find entertaining. For anyone who is interested
in seeing these movies but is unsure what they are about, I would say that they are a combination of elements present in “The Hunger Games” and “Inception.” There is an apocalyptic world where they use dream simulations to determine what “faction” a person belongs to. This means that there is a good amount of special effects action, as well as live action scenes. So far, the first movie has the lead character, Tris, leaving her faction of servitude to take the aptitude test to determine which faction her personality fits with best. While being tested, it is learned that she does not actually belong to any kind of faction and that she is “divergent.” This ruins the faction system so she is hunted by Janine, a member of the council that governs the society. Janine is trying to purify the faction system because she knows that these divergent beings are hiding within the factions and are a threat to the way that the society works. The second movie plays into the idea that Janine wants to pu-
rify the factions. She has a weapon that can show everyone that divergence is a disease that needs to be wiped out. The only problem with her weapon? She needs a divergent being to use it on. Tris now has to save other divergents from not only execution, but from being used as Janine’s weapon. The movie was far more interesting than the first one and although it can seem cliche at time, the overall storyline and great use of special effects made this movie something worth seeing. For those who have read the series, you know that there is only one more book left, but do not fret. Like every other movie series that has spawned from a book series, the last book is going to be split into two more movies. Hopefully, the next movie will be greater than the one before it, just like the second movie was a significant improvement from the original. If the director can pull that off, then the next movie is going to be epic.
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THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
The Vine
Book Look:
Inkwell Spotlight
'Where'd You Go, Bernadette'
'Shattered Love'
By Georgina White Book Critic
By Bridget Belfiore Contributing Writer at The Inkwell
Perhaps we were in love with Love itself, An impossible affair with something so fleeting, An intangible emotion our flawed minds convoluted. It couldn’t work. We were stubborn, Like guards who protect a kingdom, Doomed Like the Berlin Wall. When we reluctantly let Love in, A thief disguised as a visitor, She stole our hearts in the center of Our home, Broke memories, Shattered wine glasses on the floor, Nothing but the soft poured Merlot remained, Staining the floor like the blood of wounded lovers, A vestige of our hearts, Destroying an innocent land.
Contributed under Creative Commons
Have you ever heard of a blackberry abatement specialist? I hadn’t either until I read this quirky, downright hilarious book claiming to be one of the best books you’ll read in recent years. If you grew up in a small town like me, you’ll relate completely to these community-driven parents and teachers of Galer Street Middle School. Over-involvement in committees and clubs galore is just what Bernadette Fox sees as a complete waste of time. Bernadette and her husband Elgin have recently moved to Seattle for his job at Microsoft. Their 15-yearold daughter, Bee, a student at Galer Street, and their dog, Ice Cream, complete the family set dubbed “The Beatles” by Bernadette and Bee. The novel is told from Bee’s perspective, largely comprised of letters, emails and memos spanning the course of just a few months. As Bernadette’s mysterious past unfolds, you’ll begin to understand her agoraphobia and utter social anxiety, which was sparked by a disaster in her glory days as an architect. When Bernadette disappears, Bee goes into a tailspin, blaming her father for attempting to ship her mother off to Madrona Hill, a rehab center. It all began when Bee got straight A’s at school (or should I say straight S’s, as Galer uses their own grading scale) and her dream vacation to Antarctica was approved by her parents.
Her mother, whose fear of people has driven her to use a virtual assistant in India to do her most basic errands, sees this trip as extremely problematic. When her mother disappears,
Bee uses personal documents to lead her down the trail to find Bernadette. This is a laugh-out-loud yet touching tale about an eccentric intellect and a mother-daughter relationship gone haywire.
Contributed under Creative Commons
WHAT’S MORE
IMPRESSIVE THAN OUR STATS? OUR GRADUATES.
At Quinnipiac University, our students are our main focus. It’s why we offer graduate degrees in fields ranging from business to health sciences. It’s also why Quinnipiac was ranked among the top master’s-level universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report and first in the northern region in U.S. News’ Up-and-Coming Schools category. Education Elementary Secondary Educational Leadership Instructional Design* Teacher Leadership* Communications Interactive Media* Journalism** Sports Journalism** Public Relations Law JD – Juris Doctor JD/MBA (Joint degree in law and business) LLM in Health Law
Health Sciences Biomedical Sciences Cardiovascular Perfusion Occupational Therapy (post-professional)* Pathologists’ Assistant Physician Assistant Radiologist Assistant Social Work Nursing Adult Gerontology or Family Nurse Practitioner Care of Populations Nurse Anesthesia Nursing Leadership* Medicine MD – Doctor of Medicine Anesthesiologist Assistant
Arts & Sciences Molecular & Cell Biology Business Business Analytics* MBA*** MBA-CFA® Track (Chartered Financial Analyst) MBA/HCM (Health Care Management)*** MBA-SCM (Supply Chain Management)*** JD/MBA (Joint degree in law and business) Organizational Leadership* * Program offered only online ** Specific program tracks offered either on campus or online *** Program offered on campus and online
To find out how Quinnipiac can help you succeed in your career, call 1-800-462-1944, e-mail graduate@quinnipiac.edu or visit www.quinnipiac.edu/gradprograms.
1-800-462-1944 | Hamden & North Haven, Connecticut
Coffee Break
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
Page 12
COFFEE BREAK Editor: Allison White
... As Overheard in Barone Compiled By Allison White Coffee Break Editor
“I think one of the turkeys growled at me this morning.” Scan the QR code below with a smartphone to read more of this week’s overheard quotes!
“Happy first day of spring! Your present is snow!” “Clam Jam, we’re ready for you.” “I’m about to shamrock Sham Jam.” “Bye, grass. It was nice knowing you.”
“March Madness? Why is March mad? We should be mad at March instead.” “How can you not be excited about jelly bean season?” “What is Easter without jelly beans?”
Tweet us your #OverheardBarone comments @FairfieldMirror and be featured next week!
t ’ n DoAsk Meg
Need horrible advice? Submit a question to info@fairfieldmirror.com
Dear Meg, The lottery numbers have been emailed which means war has broken out. Of course, I would get the very last lottery number. This appalls me since I am obviously a wonderful student. I should be the one to pick a spacious room in Kotska or Claver first. I am enraged by this method of housing placement. How can I fix this? Sincerely, No Lottery Luck Dear No Lottery Luck, Housing placement is a stressful time. Although the lottery numbers are completely random, you do not deserve this kind of bad luck. You deserve that corner room in the Village with all the space you need. In order to get your preferred housing, you should march in the Office of Residence Life and demand a better lottery number. I’m sure once you explain to them how great of a student you are, they won’t be able to say no. Good luck! Always keeping it real,
Meg
Play some...
Sudoku
How to play: Complete the puzzle by filling in numbers one through nine (with no repeats or missing numbers) in each column, row and 3x3 square.
Sports
Page 13
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
SPORTS
Sports Editor: Jesse Erickson » sports@fairfieldmirror.com
Family legacy will bring success to the Stags By Alfredo Torres Assistant Sports Editor For the baseball team, it was a great performance against Manhattan College, where pitcher Mike Wallace ‘16 threw a complete two-hit shutout game with nine strikeouts. His performance earned him the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, making him one of the most successful pitchers in program history. Ever since Mike Wallace has had a Stags jersey on, he’s been nothing but productive. Mike Wallace has had impressive campaigns, starting with his freshman year where he went 6-4 with a 3.39 earned run average with 37 strikeouts, followed by a sophomore season that earned
him All-MAAC Second Team, MAAC Academic Honor Roll and MAAC All-Academic Team. “We’ve [the team] grown closer together over the past three years and we’ve made improvements every year since my freshman year, myself included,” said Mike Wallace. “We’re just looking to keep building on that progress and keep bettering the program.” Luckily for the Stags, Mike Wallace has someone following right in his footsteps. This year, his brother Gavin Wallace ‘18 joined the pitching staff for the Fairfield Stags, but he has a lot to live up to. Looking to better the program, Mike Wallace had a huge influence on getting his younger brother, Gavin Wallace, to attend Fairfield. The Wallace brothers have been playing baseball together
for as long as they can remember. Baseball was the sport that their parents first introduced them to. Mike Wallace recalled when they used to spend hours together in the batting cages with their father. From the batting cages to Alumni Field, he spoke about how the game has brought them closer over the years. “He’s one of my best friends and he’s my brother, so we’ve always had that going,” said Mike Wallace. “But now playing together and playing at such a high level, you see each other’s competition and passion.” Mike Wallace has been instrumental in helping his brother adjust not only to life in college, but the competitive atmosphere of a Division I sport. In Gavin Wallace’s first season as a Stag, he is going through a
transition in roles. Previously, he was the captain of his team at Madison High School in Madison, N.J. Now he’s an underclassmen finding his way, but unlike many, he has had the luxury of having his older brother as a guide. “He’s helped me a lot ... just knowing that he’s here gives [me] a sense of home” said Gavin Wallace. The brothers are constantly pushing one another to get better. “We work hard in the weight room together, we lift together in the offseason and when we’re at home, we throw together,” said Mike Wallace. “I love watching him pitch and go out there. We both feed off each other’s competitive nature.” Both of the brothers are looking forward to the games they will play over the next couple of years together, but as of right now
they’re focusing on the current season they will play together. “Our record isn’t as good as we would like it to be,” said Mike Wallace, “but I think that we are still playing good baseball and I think that’s going to come around and that’ll show once conference games really get going.” Due to snow still on the fields, the Stags have yet to play a home game which has taken a toll on the athletes. MIke Wallace added that he believes their game will begin to take off once they take on MAAC rival, Canisius, this weekend. “We’re going to come out strong this weekend and hopefully take a series from Canisius and then get it rolling with Iona after that,” said Mike Wallace. The Stags are scheduled to take on Hartford on Wednesday, March 24.
#ICYMI in Sports: This week, Fairfield’s women’s lacrosse team fell to the University of Connecticut 4-6. The team made efforts to come back during the second half after being behind 3-2 in the first, but failed to get ahead of their in-state foes. The women did not let the loss get in their way, however, when they took on their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents this season on Saturday, March 2. The Stags defeated Holy Cross in overtime, 7-6 on Tuesday, March 24.
This week in sports: Wednesday, March 25 Softball at Yale, 2 p.m. & 4 p.m.
Fairfield’s men’s lacrosse team had an outstanding week as they shut down both University Massachusetts Lowell and Villanova University. On Tuesday, March 17, nine different Stags posted goals for the team as they defeated the River Hawks 11-5. Taking on Villanova proved to be no difficult feat for the team as they posted an 11-4 victory against the Wildcats, who are currently ranked 20th in the nation.
Women's Tennis vs. Bryant, 3 p.m. Baseball at Hartford, 3 p.m.
Thursday, March 26 Women's Tennis at Connecticut, 12 p.m.
After playing one of the toughest lineups in the nation, Fairfield’s baseball team was able to notch their first win of the season as they defeated NYIT 13-4 on Wednesday, March 18. However, the winning streak did not last, and the Stags gave up two games (5-9 and 7-0) out of the three in their two-day game series against Manhattan on Saturday, March 21. For the third and final game of the series on Sunday, March 22, Mike Wallace ‘16 struck out seven, getting the Stags a 2-0 victory.
Saturday, March 28 Men's & Women's Rowing at Iona Invitational, All Day Men's Golf at Whiting-Turner Invitational, All Day Women's Tennis vs. Marist, 12 p.m. Baseball at Canisius, 12 p.m. & 3 p.m.
The snow is continuing to be a problem for Fairfield sports, as games are still being postponed for later in the season. Softball’s doubleheader against Wagner in Staten Island, N.Y. has been postponed to later in the season along with women’s tennis against Hofstra that was scheduled for Saturday, March 21. Baseball was forced to play their home games at Fordham and will look to try to get back home to Alumni Diamond this week. Photos contributed by Sports Information Desk
In this week's issue... -Winter weather takes a toll on baseball team (Page 14) -Women's lacrosse shuts down Manhattan 12-3 (Page 15) -Lacrosse program faces off for a cause (Page 15) -Kentucky looks to go undefeated this season (Page 15) -Men's lacrosse routs #20 Villanova (Page 16)
Women's Lacrosse at Siena, 1 p.m. Men's Tennis vs. Marist, 1 p.m. Men's Lacrosse at Drexel, 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 29 Baseball at Canisius, 12 p.m. Women's Tennis at Yale, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31 Women's Tennis at Quinnipiac, 3 p.m. Baseball at Hofstra, 3:30 p.m. Contributed under Creative Commons
Sports
Page 14
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
Winter weather takes a toll on baseball team By Alfredo Torres Assistant Sports Editor Fairfield men’s baseball has already played 13 games, but not one of these games was held in the friendly confines of Alumni Diamond. Now nearly three weeks into their season, the field is still covered in snow, forcing the team to hit the road week after week. If it wasn’t the snow affecting their schedule, it was the temperature. The Stags were set to go on the road to take on Georgetown for the first time since 1998 as the first series of the season. But, due to the record low cold temperature, opening weekend at Georgetown was cancelled. This was just the start of the endless cancellations, delays and weeks on the road. During spring break, the Stags were finally able to get out on a baseball field, but it wasn’t in the Northeast. Every year, the baseball team travels down to Florida for a tournament and being in Florida was an adjustment. “When we went to Florida, it was the first time we had spikes on the dirt this season and it was a change for the pitchers because it was the first time they had thrown from the dirt mound,” said head coach Bill Currier. “They get acclimated, but it’s a big change to go from turf to dirt.” Just last week, the Stags had a scheduled home game against St. John’s but again due to the snow, the game was relocated to Long Island where Fairfield was forced to be the away team. The Stags were finally going
Julia Hagman/The Mirror
to play as the home team, but not on their home field. This time, the Stags played at Houlihan Park at Fordham University, and were set to take on Manhattan College. But once again, the games were cancelled because of the impending snowstorm in the area. After these two games were cancelled, they were finally able to take the field as the home team against Manhattan where they took one game out of a three game series. The travel can be frustrating, but Currier added that it’s something the team has to deal with. “They get frustrated just like everybody else, but everybody else
is in the same boat,” said Currier. "Nobody is enjoying 50 degree weather outside right now. That’s the good thing, no one is playing really, except for on turf from New Jersey on north.” Hoping to finally get some playing time at home, the Stags had a game scheduled for Wednesday, March 25 on Alumni Diamond. But because of the most recent snowfall, the game was moved to Hartford, where the snow had melted faster, allowing the field to be groomed and ready for play. Although traveling can take a toll on student athletes, practicing off of their home field has been the biggest obstacle to overcome.
x Because we have witty things to say ...
Patrick Kiernan Editor-in-Chief
The team has struggled to hold practice and workouts due to the extremely cold conditions and the constant snowfall. As a result, the Stags have turned to Insports, located in Trumbull, Conn., as an alternative. Here, the Stags have come to use the full infield and a partial outfield. However, there’s nothing that can compare to playing out on the field. “It’s tough for practice, to practice either in the gym or to be on a big open turf field is a tough thing,” said Currier. “We can only train so much on the skills and mechanics and talk to them about things, but being on a grass field
with dirt, instead of the field, is a big change.” The Stags are hopeful that they will return back to the field soon. “We certainly hope we’re home here against Iona next weekend. We don’t want to lose two conference home series,” said Currier. “We’re optimistic that the weather is going to turn around at the end of this week.” With the weather getting warmer and warmer, the Stags expect to practice more frequently without any obstacles. The Stags look like they will hold their first official home game in Alumni Diamond on Wednesday, April 1 against NYIT.
Your 2014-2015 4x5 Columnists:
Patrick Kiernan, Jennifer Calhoun, Matthew Schneider and Jesse Erickson
Did you make it to Sham Jam, the What'd you think about the snow lacrosse games, or the Rafferty on Friday, the first day of spring? Dedication Ceremony?
How is your NCAA bracket looking after this weekend?
Now midway through the semester, how's it going?
Your favorite thing about Rafferty Stadium has to be ... ?
Sham Jam because I no longer have to attend sporting events for the sake of the Sports section. A lol at Jesse.
Eww, no more snow for me. Next question.
Pretty solid, actually. I correctly picked Michigan State over Virginia. However, I wish North Florida had made a miraculous run just so that band kid could get country-wide exposure.
Wow, thoughtless question Jesse. Falling through on the 4x5 question-making duties again. Umm, it's going fine. I bought Cosmic Brownies at the grocery store this week so I guess things are good.
The press box. Whew, what a beauty that thing is. Sitting up there is the one thing I will miss as sports editor. Yet, I'd still be cool with just not having to cover games anymore.
I wish I had made it to Sham Jam! I was on set #filmmajorlyfe.
Well the snow continued into Saturday, as I know because I was up at 5:15 a.m. for aforementioned film shoot.
LOL busted.
Being halfway through second semester of senior year and I don't want to discuss it ever so please dear god can we never mention this again.
The fact that it exists.
I think you mean Leprecon, and yes I did.
I'm all for snow, but it's getting a bit old.
My real one or my coin-flip bracket?
Senioritis is hitting HARD.
The jumbotron. A jumbotron is never a bad idea.
Actually, I made it to all three events because I am great at multitasking unlike our previous sports editor (Pat) whose brain only allowed an activity a day.
I left my winter jackets at home so look spring, feel spring, right?
I might have made this question, but I did not make a bracket because I really don't care but apparently Pat does, and so do my Econ teacher and my dad.
Halfway through my semester, I have cried in the middle of a calc exam, in the middle of delivering drinks to my table, and I can cry right now too if you want.
My favorite thing about Rafferty Stadium has to be the impeccable security that doesn't let me go to the press box, take pictures in the stands, speak my mind, smile, etc.
Jennifer Calhoun Executive Editor Emeritus
Matthew Schneider Assistant Sports Editor Emeritus
Jesse Erickson Sports Editor
Sports
THE MIRROR | Week of March 25, 2015
Page 15
Women's lacrosse shuts down Manhattan 12-3 By Jesse Erickson Sports Editor After coming off of a tough loss against the University of Connecticut, Fairfield’s women’s lacrosse team returned to Rafferty Stadium prepared to take down Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference foes, the Manhattan Jaspers. The Stags were relentless, beating Manhattan 12-3, improving their overall record to 5-3 as they begin MAAC play. “After a tough loss, we just like to focus on getting better, working towards a win,” said goalie Chelsey Sidaras ‘16. From the very start of the game, Fairfield came out strong. Ten minutes into the first half, Julieanne Mascera ‘16 had already posted three goals for her team. Although Manhattan controlled five of the eight draws, Fairfield’s defense constantly brought the ball back to the offensive side of the field which caused the Jaspers to fall behind. After three goals by her teammate, Jenna Fuchs ‘16 netted the next pair of goals for the Stags, one off of a pass from Maeve Quinn ‘16 and another unassisted shot after a clear from Sidaras. Now ahead 5-0 with 10 minutes remaining, Jamie Leone ‘15 found another gap in the goal and scored Fairfield’s sixth goal of the game. The six-goal lead, however,
wasn’t enough for Mascera, who scored her fourth goal of the half, putting the Stags ahead 7-0 at the buzzer. “Everyone on the attacking end helps set up the opportunity to get goals,” said Mascera. “And after the tough game against Uconn, I was 0-8, so going into the game I really wanted to score.” Although Manhattan’s goalie Christine Fiorinelli was forced to make 14 saves, Sidaras only needed to make seven, of which none were able to get past her. Like a captain should, Leone started the second half for the Stags hot. Less than 40 seconds in, Alex Fehmel ‘17 set up an opportunity for Leone to score, putting the team ahead by an impressive eight goals. After setting up her teammate for a goal, Fehmel stepped up scoring the ninth goal of the game, her 11th of the season. For the Stags, everyone was contributing to get the win. “We’re not the type of team where it’s one person who’s going to win the game, it’s not going to work that way,” said Sidaras. “It doesn’t matter if the defense has a good game, offense has a good game, it’s us as a team that needs to have a good game and that’s how we get a win.” The ninth goal proved to be Manhattan’s breaking point and after a couple of fouls from
athletes on both sides, the Jaspers finally posted a goal for their team with about 20 minutes remaining in the game. Coming off of an assist from Quinn, Fuchs answered Manhattan’s goal with a goal of her own and after three assists, Quinn scored the 11th goal for the Stags. Now, ahead by 10 goals, Fairfield stepped back and Manhattan was able to score two more goals before Fairfield scored their 12th goal. At the sound of the buzzer, the Stags had defeated the
Jaspers 12-3. Fairfield completely outplayed Manhattan, outshooting them 2814. “We beat Manhattan in all aspects of the game, which is something we have a hard time doing,” said Mascera. “We don’t always play a full game and I think that on Saturday, we definitely played the whole game.” Fairfield’s defense, anchored heavily by Melissa Laible ‘16 and Lauren Casadonte ‘15, only allowed Manhattan to take 14 shots
throughout the game, almost all of which Sidaras was able to stop. “Defenders had a lot of ground balls in the beginning and we had a lot of close turnovers,” said Sidaras. “So when the other team would make a mistake, our defense definitely capitalized on it.” Looking to continue on with this powerful momentum, the women will be heading to New York to take on the Siena Saints this weekend.
Julia Hagman/The Mirror
Kentucky looks to stay undefeated By Patrick Kiernan Editor-in-Chief
Jesse Erickson/The Mirror
Lacrosse facing off for a cause By Jesse Erickson Sports Editor
For the second year in a row, Fairfield’s lacrosse program held their annual “Face off for a Cause” game. As proud supporters of the Wounded Warrior Project, the men’s and women’s lacrosse team played in honor of the foundation. After organizing the event last year, Shelby Iapoce ‘16 decided she would do it again after the success she had seen last year. This year, Iapoce designed Tshirts and hats in order to raise money for the foundation. For a donation of $15, $20 and $30, fans received a hat or shirt that honored the Wounded Warrior Project all while supporting Fairfield athletics. Dressed in red, white and blue Fairfield apparel, fans lined the stadium to watch the women’s and men’s team take on their opponents. “Compared to last year, I think it went really well,” said Iapoce. “I think we had a bigger turnout this year because of the Rafferty Dedica-
tion ceremony. That helped a lot.” The large turnout allowed the teams to raise money that far surpassed the funds raised for the event last year. “We didn’t really have a monetary goal set … but we raised about $15,000 and we still have so many things to sell, so we definitely beat what we made last year.” On Fairfield’s campus, the gear sold at the game has been worn widely across the school. For Iapoce, seeing students support the cause is a rewarding feeling. “It’s pretty cool. It’s nice to see people wearing the shirts we design,” said Iapoce. “Students who aren’t playing lacrosse, or necessarily like lacrosse or sports, still want to be a part of the cause.” The lacrosse program will continue to sell the Wounded Warrior gear over the next couple of weeks, as Iapoce starts to plan the annual event next season.
After the first weekend of this year’s March Madness, typical chaos ensued: busted brackets, surprising upsets and Cinderella teams emerging victorious. Luckily, this was just the first weekend of college basketball’s exciting playoff, and there are still a few more weekends of the sport to be played, in which a champion will eventually be crowned. As expected, all four numberone seeds (Kentucky, Duke, Wisconsin and Villanova) won their games, advancing to the round of 32. However, Villanova was unable to live up to the hype in the next round, falling to the eighth-seeded North Carolina State in the East Bracket. On the other side of that same bracket, the Michigan State Spartans pulled off an upset of their own, beating the second-seeded Virginia. Now, the East Bracket is the only one without a one or two seed remaining, giving Tom Izzo’s Michigan State team a good chance at advancing to the Final Four as a seven seed. Kentucky has remained steadfast in their quest for perfection, winning both March Madness games thus far, and advancing into the Sweet Sixteen with a 36-0 record. The Wildcats will face off against fifth-seeded West Virginia in the next round, and look to stay undefeated right up until the end of the season. Aside from the one seeds, two
seeds Gonzaga and Arizona have looked as imposing as ever over their first two games of the tournament. The Gonzaga Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a total of 29 points, and the Arizona Wildcats have done so by 36. Both teams are threats going into the Sweet Sixteen, but they will each have more difficult matchups on the way. As always, there were a good amount of upsets that occurred during the first weekend of March Madness, which rendered all perfect brackets obsolete by the end of the Round of 32. Dayton appeared ready to shock the world like they did last year by beating the sixth-seeded Providence in the first round of the tournament. The Flyers then gave the third-seeded Oklahoma a run for their money in their next game, but lost by six and were unable to reenact their Elite Eight status of a year ago. In similar fashion, the University of California, Los Angeles and University of Alabama at Birmingham both won their first-round games as an 11 seed and a 14 seed, respectively. The two low seeds would go on to face each other in the Round of 32, but UCLA emerged victorious and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Perhaps the most emotional upset of the tournament came from the 14th-ranked Georgia State team. After winning their conference tournament, head coach Ron Hunter tore his Achilles in celebration and was forced to sit in a swivel chair while coaching the tournament game against third-seeded
Baylor. As time was running out, his own son, R.J. Hunter, hit the gamewinning shot, and his father fell out of the chair in exaltation. In the next round, they lost an eight-point game to Xavier, and Hunter showed much emotion in the postgame conference about his team’s tournament performance. He praised his team’s performance and said that this officially put the school on the map. Teams that are especially poised to make a run now, aside from the one seeds, Gonzaga, and Arizona, include North Carolina, Louisville and Notre Dame. The North Carolina Tar Heels are always sneaky tournament picks as long as Roy Williams is at the helm of the team, but Kennedy Meeks’ injury absence in the team’s next game will hinder their performance. Louisville was snubbed as a four seed, but has refused to give in to the pressure. Montrezl Harrell and Terry Rozier will have to continually play at high levels to succeed. Notre Dame is probably the best team standing in the way of Kentucky to end their perfect season. If both teams win their next games, they will meet in an exciting Elite Eight matchup. Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton will have to play excellently for Notre Dame to prevail. Well, there is all this and more to come over the next three weekends, the most grueling times in the careers of playoff college basketball teams and players.
@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of March 25, 2015
SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Jesse Erickson » sports@fairfieldmirror.com
Men's lacrosse routs Villanova on Dedication Day Travis Day/The Mirror
By Travis Day Contributing Writer Fairfield closed out their non-conference schedule on Saturday, March 21 against the #20 Villanova Wildcats. Paced by a four-goal performance from T.J. Neubauer '16 and four-point outing from Tristan Sperry '15, the Stags notched an impressive victory by a score of 11-4. Villanova came out firing in the first period, owning possession in Fairfield's half. The Wildcats' speed had the Stag defense on their toes, and Villanova would strike first at the 11:04 mark. Fairfield's defense and goalkeeping held off the charge, but would allow another goal with 8:43 to play in the first period. Junior Charlie Schnider put the Stags on the board first, with an excellent spin move and overhead shot to the near post at the 6:20 mark to make it a 2-1 game. Senior Drew Federico netted his fourth goal of the season at 2:20 to knot the game at 2-2. Both sides went into the second period tied. Fairfield turned up the pressure and found their stride in the second period, scoring five unanswered goals. Sperry gave the Stags their first lead of the game with an unassisted goal of his own at the 13:22 mark. Sophomore Jake Knostman made it a 4-2 game on an extra-man opportunity at 11:05. Although Villanova's defense kept the Stags' offensive weapons at bay for extended peri-
ods, Fairfield was consistently able to dispos- gle, firing home from almost parallel on the sess the Wildcats and keep the Villanova de- left side to put Fairfield up 6-2 at the 13:37 fense on their back foot. Neubauer would rip mark. Senior Colin McLinden finally got in a shot from the center into the top left corner the action at 8:35, spinning past two defenseto push the Stags lead to 5-2 with 6:30 to play. men and putting home another goal to push the Stag lead to 7-2. Neubauer made it Fairfield entered 8-2 with anhalftime with other score to this lead. his name at Vi l l a n ov a This was our team taking a step 2:27, taking the held the ad- in the right direction. We just Stags comfortvantage in have to keep persevering and keep ably into the shots (17-14), getting better every opportunity last period of faceoffs (6-3) that we have. With conference play play. and turnovers right around the corner, we took a The Wild(5-7), but Fair- step forward today. cats finally had field's possession play and -Andy Copelan something to scoring run Men's lacrosse coach show on their offensive half, through the second period proved to be the difference notching their first goal since the 8:43 mark maker. Sophomore Tyler Behring, making of the first period to make it an 8-3 game with his second start of the season in place of in- 13 minutes to go. Fairfield's offense became much more jured first-choice Brad Nordstrom ‘18, also had an impressive first half, tallying nine prudent, withholding possession and drastically slowing their game down in Villanova's saves to stifle to the Wildcat attack. “When Brad (Nordstorm) went down, I half in an attempt to run the clock as much knew it was my time to step up and help my as possible. It finally paid off, with Neubauer spinning team out,” Behring said. “I felt good all week, off his marker and firing home another overand just came out and performed my best.” The Stags showed no signs of slowing head shot to push the Stags' lead to 9-3 with down in the second half, putting up another 6:54 to play. The Wildcats answered back secthree unanswered goals. Sperry found the onds later with a goal at 6:25 to make it 9-4, back of the net from a near-impossible an- but that was the last they would see of the
scoreboard. Fairfield slowed the game down and ran the clock out, putting up two more goals in the process courtesy of Neubauer and Joe Rodrigues '18. The Stags rode out the final minutes to an 11-4 win. “I'm proud of the fact that in some of our losses, when we got to the fourth quarter, we had that inability to finish,” said head coach Andy Copelan. “And in today's game, we finished.” Villanova heavily outshot Fairfield 40-28 and cleared on all 13 opportunities, but stout defense and an impressive 16-save performance from Behring would largely keep the Wildcats off the scoreboard. “This was our team taking a step in the right direction,” Copelan said. “We just have to keep persevering and keep getting better every opportunity that we have. With conference play right around the corner, we took a step forward today.” Fairfield improves to 5-4 and opens Colonial Athletic Association play with a visit to Philadelphia and defending conference champions Drexel University on Saturday, March 28. The Stags then head north to take on University of Massachusetts Amherst on Saturday, April 4 before returning to Rafferty to end the season on a three-game home stand, beginning with a matchup against Towson University on Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m.
Travis Day/The Mirror