Fairfield Mirror 11/11/2020

Nursing Opinion The Master’s Entry into Professional Nursing program will give nursing students more career opportunities.

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American Pride

Stag Spotlight: Sports

Vine A lesson in flying a flag

Junior diving captain Caitlin Campbell is learning to adjust to training during a pandemic.

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THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of November 11, 2020

Vol. 46 Iss. 9

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Campus Returns to Code Orange

By Danielle Sondgeroth of infection. Since Nov. 9, there have been 10 new cases, with a total of 145 active cases. 29 News Editor are currently quarantining in the Conference Center and 21 are isolated at the Holiday Inn For the second time during the Fall 2020 semester, Fairfield University has forced in Bridgeport, Conn. The infection rate on campus has gone up from 0.5 percent to two all students living at the beach to isolate, and prohibited percent over the last two weeks. them from entering campus due to a spike in COVID-19 As a result of the increase in cases, Fairfield implemented cases amongst residents. new strategies to prevent further infection before Thanksgiving Vice president of student life, Karen Donoghue, break. Donoghue sent an email to the entire student body on confirmed this in an email to beach residents on Nov. Nov. 6 detailing all of the new guidelines that students will be 5, stating that there was an increase in positive cases of expected to follow for the next few weeks. the virus over the previous 48 hours. All beach residents “With the exception of academic learning experiences, all were required to get tested for the virus that morning and programs, activities, and ceremonies, including all Masses, will subsequently self-isolate in their homes. Donoghue said be transitioned to virtual,” she said. that students living on the beach will not be allowed back Donoghue also confirmed that all dining options will on campus unless they have recovered from COVID-19 once again be moved to “grab and go” and students will not be in the past 90 days, and all social interactions between permitted to eat at any indoor dining areas. Instead, students beach residents will be restricted to members of their must either eat outside or in their assigned residences. households.

Along with the rules that had initially been put in place The Stag Bus route has also been suspended from during the University’s first stint in Status Level: Orange, a new all use until further notice. curfew will be enforced, along with much stricter guest poliNasser Eljamal ‘21, president of the Beach Resident cies. Now, no student will be permitted to have guests in their Advocacy Group (BRAG), reiterated Donoghue’s stateassigned residence at all, and students must all be in their resments about the importance of isolating.

Photo Courtesy of fairfield.edu idence (i.e. townhouse, apartment or dorm room) between the “This second isolation shows how serious this panhours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Failure to comply will result in demic is, and how easily it can spread,” Eljamal said. “It’s serious consequences. difficult for students our age to stay locked in our homes, “There is a zero-tolerance policy with regards to stubut we need to do whatever we can to flatten the curve. If we want to have a less enforced dents not following mitigation strategies. Failure to comply with all mandates issued by the spring we need to put the work in now to stay safe, stay healthy and stop the spread.”

University and public health authorities, ultimately may result in permanent separation (i.e.

In conjunction with the isolation of beach residents, the campus also went back into expulsion) from the University,” said Donoghue’s email.

COVID-19 Status Level: Orange for the second time this semester, signaling a moderate risk

FUSA President and VP Share First Semester Experience

By Molly Lamendola Vine Editor It was late in February of 2020 when Vincent Gadioma ‘22 and Tobenna Ugwu ‘22 had just been elected as the president and vice president of the Fairfield University Student Association. They had plans for the future of FUSA and how they were going to help the student body.

“We had all these great ideas that we knew we could achieve in our term, and when we won the election, I knew that the students were going to see great leadership and great change,” said Gadioma.

Ugwu agreed, stating that he was excited to help Gadioma achieve his goals as president, while working on his own goals as vice president.

“I saw an opportunity to implement all the change I had thought about during my time on FUSA,” Ugwu said.

Though COVID-19 was making headlines by the time the pair ran for FUSA president and vice president, it was at the back of everyone’s minds. No one expected that the virus would drastically change the fall semester. But, in March, Fairfield moved to virtual instruction and it seemed like Gadioma and Ugwu’s terms in office would be very different than they originally thought.

Gadioma confirmed that the pandemic changed his and Ugwu’s plans, as over the summer they were heavily involved in reopening procedures and had to focus on how to help students return safely to campus. Gadioma said that he is proud they were able to make students’ voices heard and “help craft a reopening plan that would allow students to be safe while also enjoying what college has to offer.” He went on to say that although the pandemic delayed some of their ideas, “it has provided us [Gadioma and Ugwu] with the opportunity to set new goals to better improve the Fairfield student experience.”

Ugwu admitted that they had no idea that the pandemic would affect them like this, so they had to change some of their plans in order to adapt to this new situation. He states that the pandemic became an opportunity to “reimagine a lot of traditions that have existed for decades, as well as implement new ones that will hopefully last postCOVID-19.”

COVID-19 has definitely been the most challenging part of the pair’s job so far, especially since it has occupied most of their meetings and agenda items this semester. With the chaos the pandemic Molly Lamendola/The Mirror brought, it has been difficult for

them to accomplish their original plans from February. However, Gadioma was able to rely on the executive cabinet to make sure that FUSA continues their overall goal to make the student experience the best it can be. The seven directors and the heads of all of the various FUSA branches helped advance FUSA’s overall goals while Gadioma was still managing the issues surrounding the pandemic.

“The dynamic nature of the pandemic made it difficult for us to make plans months ahead of schedule, but our team has overcome this by being adaptable and rolling with the punches,” Ugwu said.

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Administration Lays Off 16 Staff Members

By Danielle Sondgeroth News Editor

Fairfield University President, Mark Nemec, announced to faculty and staff on Nov. 2 through email that the University will be restructuring across all of its divisions, leading to layoffs among staff members. Nemec stated that 16 staff and administration positions were eliminated.

The layoffs come mostly from a financial need within the University, due to the costs incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since the pandemic began, the University has had a new, more urgent need to modify its operations to accommodate the many unique challenges that this pandemic has created, including reduced revenue and significant unanticipated expenses,” Nemec said in his email.

Nemec also cited that the University had instituted new measures over the summer to ensure financial security, including “freezing and canceling open positions, foregoing merit increases, reducing our savings plan match, reducing executive pay and other cuts to discretionary budgets.”

However, as the situation on campus changed throughout the semester, the interim measures were reassessed and it was determined that targeted layoffs were needed to “meet our overall operational and financial needs.”

The released employees are being taken care of by the University.

“We are caring for each impacted employee with a generous separation package and comprehensive outplacement benefits,” stated Nemec.

Jennifer Anderson, vice president for marketing, reiterated the University’s statement, saying, “Unlike many of our peers, Fairfield was fortunate to not have to make rash decisions at the start of the pandemic.”

She declined to provide any additional comment aside from the University’s official statement released by Nemec last week.

News

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

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Gadioma and Ugwu Talk FUSA

He was also worried that because of the ever-changing nature of the pandemic, their administration would be solely focused on COVID-19, but they’ve been able to accomplish quite a bit more.

So far this semester, Gadioma and Ugwu created a Student Sustainability Committee and relaunched the FUSA Scholarship, while still keeping with tradition and continuing on with many of the normal activities and programs students come to expect each year.

“In everything we’ve done, we’ve had to assess the situation, reevaluate and adapt to ensure that we were creating memorable yet safe experiences,” said Ugwu.

COVID-19 has brought other challenges to the organization. Many FUSA members moved to remote learning, so they’ve had to balance communication virtually.

“Just like how professors have worked to accommodate remote students, we’ve taken the time to adjust some responsibilities and adapt operations to assist remote members, so that they still feel engaged with FUSA and the rest of the student body,” said Gadioma.

According to Ugwu, FUSA members had to adjust their annual fall training, which is normally held in-person, to a hybrid model to ensure that remote students could participate.

“All the directors have done an amazing job engaging and communicating with members on their board who are remote,” Ugwu said. “It is, of course, not the same as years past, but we have all worked to keep the remote members just as engaged as the ones who are on campus.”

Gadioma and Ugwu are filling the shoes of former presidents, who are usually seniors.

So, when the pair won as sophomores, Gadioma was worried about being seen as “too young or inexperienced to lead FUSA.” He felt that he was under a significant amount of pressure to be taken seriously, but quickly learned that by “leading with conviction and humbleness” he was able to maintain his usual wit and fun, finding a leadership style that works best for him.

However, it has been difficult for Gadioma and Ugwu to balance their junior year workload with their roles in FUSA. Another added pressure is that both Gadioma and Ugwu are pre-med students taking upper-level science, technology, engineering and mathematics classes. Gadioma stated that it just means that he has to focus on planning and prioritizing his responsibilities.

“COVID-19 demands a lot more out of this role, so it is vital for me to stick to a routine where I am able to be on top of everything,” he said.

Ugwu agreed, going on to say that he was able to figure it all out once he had a routine in place.

“Some weeks are more challenging than others–sometimes things come up at the

last minute and we have to address them immediately, but I think we have done a good job ensuring that nothing falls under the radar,” he said.

Gadioma and Ugwu’s jobs aren’t always hard work and doom and gloom. They both manage to have some fun as well. Gadioma’s favorite part of the job so far has been working with a dedicated and fun group of students from all four class years. He said that, while on the FUSA Senate last year, he met some great people but did not get the chance to interact with other boards and branches.

“Being president has given me the opportunity to work with all spheres of FUSA,” he said.

Ugwu emphasized that it’s the relationships built within FUSA that make the job enjoyable, but “having the opportunity to advocate for the students is also very rewarding.”

Gadioma says that his presidency has made him significantly more confident in himself and his abilities.

“In the beginning, I sometimes lacked confidence when meeting with staff and administrators,” he said. “I was nervous to meet with people who have worked at this University for many years and who have interacted with many FUSA presidents before me.”

However, after some time he was able to gain the confidence necessary to fulfill what he was voted in to do and has been able to apply this to his personal life.

Ugwu also noticed personal growth within himself and his abilities, particularly time management.

“I have also learned how to work closely with large groups, how to network and how to multitask,” he said. “I have been able to sharpen my leadership skills and really embrace the art of servant leadership.”

This idea of servant leadership has continued in their work with students, as Gadioma stated his favorite thing about working with students is that he “is able to get to know Molly Lamendola/The Mirror students across all four classes and hear their perspective on different issues.” It’s helped him build relationships with people that he would’ve never otherwise met, and he can now, “share my [Gadioma’s] experiences and knowledge with underclassmen who were in my position just a year or two ago.”

The opportunity to meet so many students is what Ugwu finds most enjoyable as well. “Being in this position has given me the opportunity to interact with new people, and because of that, I have been able to broaden my horizons and widen my knowledge,” Ugwu said. “It has taught me what it truly means to be a Stag.”

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

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Fairfield Students Reflect on Election Results

Compiled by Colleen Vann Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

11/3 10:12 p.m.

A narcotics possession was discovered in Loyola Hall. The student was referred to student conduct.

11/5 6:58 a.m.

An older gentleman from a nearby neighborhood was found deceased in the Fairfield College Preparatory School parking lot. His family had reported him missing earlier that morning. The Fairfield Police and the medical examiner were notified; there was no indication of foul play. The man passed due to natural causes.

3:26 p.m.

A narcotics possession was discovered at the townhouses.

Those involved were referred to student conduct.

11/6 11:38 p.m.

A narcotics possession was discovered in Jogues Hall, and the student was referred to student conduct.

11/7 12:29 a.m.

There was an incident involving the possession of narcotics near the townhouse gate entrance. The individuals involved fled the area but were subsequently identified and referred to student conduct.

It’s a little quiet here... too quiet.

THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977

Catherine Santangelo, Editor-in-Chief Julia Lanzillotta, Executive Editor Sheila McCombs, Managing Editor Editors Colleen Vann, Chief Copy Danielle Sondgeroth, News Maria DiGregorio, Opinion Molly Lamendola, Vine Julia Lanzillotta, Sports Tristan Cruz, Coffee Break

By Stella Henry Staff Writer Not everyone nationwide, nor on the Fairfield University campus, voted for the same person or agreed on who should win the 2020 Presidential Election. But on Saturday, Nov. 7, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. emerged victorious, after capturing at least 273 electoral votes, defeating incumbent President Donald J. Trump.

As reported in a previous Mirror article, a survey of about 200 students, conducted by Jack Martorano ‘23, found that a slight majority, about 54 percent of Fairfield students, indicated that they would vote for Joe Biden, while a smaller number, 45 percent, backed Donald Trump. 0.5 percent said that they would vote for a third party candidate.

For Grace Magilligan ‘24, voting for the former vice president was a no-brainer.

“He is more open to equality amongst genders and also racial equality. And I know a lot of people who are in the LGBTQ+ community and I know Trump is not a good choice who would represent and protect them, so, for the benefit of all people, I thought Biden would be a better choice,” Magilligan said.

Other students felt very differently about who would make a better president. One anonymous student said, “I wanted Trump to win the election. I didn’t agree, obviously, with all his policies, but I felt that the future of our country as a democratic society depended on it.”

Still, others did not vote for either of the two major candidates, deciding to vote for a third-party candidate instead. One such student was Anne Scenna ‘23.

“I didn’t really like either of the candidates. I honestly didn’t really have a preference,” Scenna said.

One thing that is clear is that most students were in agreement that exercising their right to vote is extremely important. A first time voter, Celine King ‘23 felt especially motivated to vote.

“I feel like this election in particular was really significant, like our vote really did count this time,” she said.

Ron Rodriguez ‘21 felt that sitting this election out was simply not an option.

“I believe it was a civic duty as an American to go out and give my opinion and have a voice,” Rodriguez shared.

Despite President Donald Trump having shocked the world in 2016 when he defeated Hillary Clinton even though he was predicted to lose, many students were not very surprised to see him lose this time around.

“People are frustrated with Trump,” acknowledged Alex McFarland ‘23, who voted for Biden.

Other students, like Rodriguez, didn’t know what to think.

“To be honest, I thought it was going to be a split vote between Biden and Trump, because I was seeing a lot of support on campus for Trump, especially with the flags hanging around.”

And a few were somewhat caught off guard by Biden’s win, like King. “I was under the impression that Trump was going to win. I feel like there’s a lot of voters that don’t express that they’re supporters of him and then last minute they go to the polls and they vote for him,” King said.

Biden has stated that he will work to unite the country and begin to heal the divisions that some say have been sowed

by President Trump. This comes as some in Trump’s column, as well as Trump himself, have been publicly casting doubt on the validity of the election process. Students overall were unsure of whether Biden could pull this off.

“I think that he could definitely work towards it,” said Magilligan. “I don’t think anything is going to be completely fixed in the next four years. I don’t think that’s really possible.

But I feel like a good change like that is going to start with him.”

Others were a bit more pessimistic, like one first-year student who declined to provide his full name.

“I think our country is so divided,” he said. “I think

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there are some things they can do that can potentially bring the country together, but I think that we’re so divided that getting someone who is either far on the left or far on the right, it would be difficult to bring long lasting unity.”

Although the opinions expressed on campus were as varied as those of the general public, it seemed that the historic nature of the election, particularly that voter turnout surged to roughly 66 percent, the highest since 1900, was not lost on any of the students. Many of them said that they believed that turnout was so high this year in large part due to an increase in young people voting. “Maybe the reason for such a high turnout was that a lot more young voters decided to vote, where I feel like in previous years it was always the adults that were in tune with politics, the adults that were going to the polls,” surmised King.

In addition to conversations among students, the days following the election were also marked by conversations facilitated by faculty. On Nov. 4, a day after the election but before a winner was determined, Gayle Alberda, Ph. D and Jocelyn Boryczka, Ph. D, two politics professors at Fairfield, hosted a panel titled “Community Conversations: Election 2020.” The uncertainty surrounding the election, along with how democracy can move forward, was addressed.

“Democracy rests upon difference and diversity. It is how we navigate our differences that makes democracy strong, weak or nonexistent,” Boryczka expressed.

The two panelists also spoke about how they were hopeful about the process, regardless of what the outcome would be.

“I’m exhausted, but I’m hopeful,” said Alberda. “Not hopeful because I want whomever it is to win and that person’s projected to win or whatever. I’m not talking about that. I’m hopeful because the process is working. To see that the process is working, and working well, given the number of ballots, to me, that is just outstanding.”

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News

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

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Biden and Harris Win Historic Election

By Danielle Sondgeroth News Editor

Finally, on Nov. 7, after almost a week of waiting, the American people got a definitive response as to who their next president-elect would be. As of Saturday, Joseph R. Biden, former vice president under the Obama administration, is the president-elect of the United States.

The result came after days of waiting for key battleground states to count all of their votes. Biden flipped Michigan and Wisconsin, who voted Republican in the 2016 Presidential Election, and had a lead in Arizona and Nevada, with an extremely close race in Georgia and Pennsylvania. Once the Associated Press called Arizona for Biden, awarding him with 11 electoral votes, he only needed six more to reach 270 electoral votes and win the presidency. All that was needed was for him to win Nevada, which would provide him with the six necessary votes.

However, on Saturday morning, it was confirmed that Biden had won Pennsylvania after multiple days of counting votes with the state fluctuating between Biden and incumbent Donald Trump. This victory awarded Biden with 20 electoral votes, putting him over the threshold of 270 votes.

The Biden and Kamala Harris win turned into a historic victory. Harris will be the country’s first female, black and South Asian vice president.

In her victory speech on Saturday, Harris emphasized how important her position is in the grand scheme of things, since now little girls of all races can look up to her as a role model and see themselves in her shoes.

“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” she said.

Michael Pepe ‘22 is thankful that the election is over and hopes that the country will move forward in a positive direction.

“Election day? More like election week,” he joked.

Pepe also expressed frustration with the divisive nature of politics over the past four years.

“It’s a real shame how divided this nation became,” he said. “There are rallies celebrating Trump’s loss and anti-celebrations for Biden’s win. I’m not asking for people to always get along, but to at least respect each other and not fight.”

In his victory speech on Saturday evening in his home state of Delaware, Biden emphasized that his presidency will focus on uniting the country after a divisive four years under Trump.

“I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify, who doesn’t see red and blue states, but the United States. And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people,” Biden said.

Photo Courtesy of vox.com

Photo Courtesy of cnn.com

Study Abroad Canceled for Spring

By Andrew Murphy Staff Writer The Office of Study Abroad announced that all spring study abroad programs will be canceled for the upcoming spring 2021 semester. This decision, which was finalized on Oct. 26, resulted after months of monitoring the situation and figuring out how to best ensure students’ health and safety.

The announcement served as the programs’ official cessation, but through both their own premonitions and previous contact from the University, many students knew of the programs’ fate long before the email.

In July, nursing major Caroline Costa ‘22 learned that she would not be able to spend her spring semester in Galway, Ireland. She had been skeptical about the program’s likelihood since the pandemic’s onset, and her doubts only increased in the months that followed.

“I was looking forward to meeting new people, gaining new experiences, seeing Europe for the first time and taking different types of classes,” said Costa. “I also have family from Ireland, so I was hoping to learn more about where my family is from.”

Costa specifically wanted to visit Spain, where she could immerse herself in the language and culture that she studies as her minor.

Instead, Costa will be remaining on campus in the spring. However, she will certainly not be alone during this time because six of her roommates also had their study abroad experiences cancelled and will thus be remaining on campus as well.

One such roommate, Cynthia Patsos ‘22, anticipated gaining a lot from her experience abroad.

“I was looking forward to visiting famous landmarks and attractions, trying new foods and learning about how healthcare is delivered in a different country,” Patsos said. As a nursing student herself, she was excited for Galways’s ability to show her the nursing field in a different culture.

“In mid-July, I received a final email stating that all nursing study abroad programs had been canceled due to the pandemic,” explained Patsos. “I wasn’t surprised by this decision, but I was incredibly disappointed that this opportunity had been taken away from me.”

To Patsos, who eagerly awaited the chance to explore her family’s native country, the situation was as predictable as it was demoralizing.

“Due to the sky-rocking number of COVID-19 cases, constant rumors of having the fall semester conducted remotely and my parents still being out of work, I had started to doubt that life would be able to return to normal so soon” Patsos added.

These sentiments expressed by Costa and Patsos resonated with another one of their roommates, Robyn Jutras ‘22. Also a nursing major scheduled for Galway, Jutras felt these letdowns just as much as her peers.

“I was looking forward to experiencing nursing and education in a different country and being able to travel while still learning, meeting new people and being with friends,” said Jutras.

Amongst these factors, the location’s great culture and history were also elements that she wanted the opportunity to appreciate.

The news of the cancelation did not shock Jutras either. If anything, such news appeared all but obvious by late springtime.

“Considering everything going on during quarantine, I was concerned if I would ever be able to leave my house again or return to Fairfield, let alone study in another country,” remarked Jutras.

The widespread disappointment shared by these roommates, and so many other students just like them, has certainly tallied up over the past few months. However, Jutras’ outlook on the entire situation remains optimistic.

“Even though I am not able to go abroad during my time here at Fairfield, I am now even more motivated to travel when it is safe to do so and when I have completed college,” Jutras shared.

Opinion

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

Opinion

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Editor Maria DiGregorio» maria.digregorio@student.fairfield.edu

President-Elect Biden’s Victory is a Victory for Everyone

By Kaitlyn Drake Staff Writer On Nov. 7, 2020, American news sources congratulated President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their projected victory in the 2020 Presidential Election. It was revealed that Georgia, Pennsylvania and Nevada swung the election in Biden’s favor, and Biden is now projected to win with 306 electoral votes.

Americans: Donald Trump’s reign of terror is over, and it’s not because of voter fraud from mail-in ballots, like he claims. It’s the exact opposite.

During this election, America saw the highest number of voters that we have seen in years. In fact, voter turnout for this election has been the highest it’s been in over a century, according to BBC News. CBS News reports that former Vice President Joe Biden has received more votes than any other presidential candidate ever has, is winning the popular vote and is projected to win when the electoral college votes. Of course, there will be recounts, but if all goes according to the current projections, former Vice President Joe Biden will become President Joe Biden.

No matter which candidate you’ve supported, it is a good thing that more people are voting. The foundation of our country is democracy, otherwise

Photo Courtesy of @joebiden on Instagram

known as the concept that everyone in the country has their voice heard.

Perhaps the most important part about the high voter turnout is the higher representation of voters of color and minority groups. Voter suppression, especially for black Americans, has been an issue for decades, but this election saw record breaking voter turnout

for black Americans, and half of researched Latinx demographics are “extremely motivated” to vote. It is about time that people of color and people of the LGBTQ+ community fight to be represented by their politicians. In terms of Senate seats, quite a few of the seats won went to people of these, or supporting these demographics.

President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory is not just a victory for his supporters, but for everyone. With Biden in office, we are offered the opportunity to reflect on the role of the president instead of worrying about the mental stability of the man in office.

It is time to apply pressure to the White House. Now that we have a president that is not threatening to instate racist, sexist and anti LGBTQ+ policies, does not continuously deny scientific research and does not throw daily temper tantrums on Twitter, we must remember that that is a very low bar. There are multiple groups of people who are emotionally scarred from living in the United States during Trump’s presidency, even on this campus.

Though it is relieving to not live in as much fear of Trump’s policies, there is still a lot of work to do to compensate for Trump’s actions. For example, re-entering the Paris Agreement, which Trump formally withdrew from on the morning that I wrote this, protecting black Americans from police brutality and other injustices, ensuring a woman’s right to choose and protecting the LGBTQ+ community from hate crimes are all things that need to be addressed. There is a seemingly never-ending list of things for Joe Biden to do.

However, as our president, it is his job to make America a safer, more equal place for all Americans - not just the ones that he likes.

We have pressured President Trump to do better for four whole years, especially during this summer’s peaceful Black Lives Matter protests, but he has done nothing but chip away at the notion of liberty and justice for all. Biden, though not perfect by any means, has shown that he will listen to the people.

His Vice President, Kamala Harris, has done the same in her home state of California.

Social media has been an outlet for people to express their opinions about the election. Twitter’s hashtags, Instagram stories and TikTok have all been politically focused these past few months, and that focus has skyrocketed since Tuesday.

Accounts like @aclu to @nowthisisnews on Instagram have been informing their followers of various statistics and facts concerning the election. There are plenty of videos of Trump supporters yelling to either count or stop counting the votes, depending on the area in which they are located. On the other hand, there are also videos of celebrations in the streets of cities like New York, Philadelphia and Austin. The amount of joy that has been documented after the outcome of this election was announced should be enough for all to see the terror that Donald Trump provoked during his presidency.

It is also popular for social media users to cope with election anxiety in the form of memes. Many accounts had been making memes about Nevada, for example, a state that had been counting ballots for days on end. Social media outlets are just trying to keep everything under control, going as far as censoring incorrect information about the election.

Social media, though, is generally not acknowledging that the most important part of the election is that we can hold Biden accountable for his actions upon winning the presidency. This goes for Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, communists, leftists, libertarians and any other political category you can think of.

Biden and Harris will not wave a magic wand over America and make everything better, but they do not claim they will. What they do provide, though, is sensible leadership and an avenue for our voices to be heard. It is our job, as citizens of the United States, to “build back better,” and it is Biden and Harris’s job to listen to our needs.

The fight is far from over, but this is a step towards victory.

Taking Care of the Environment Should Be a Priority

By Maria DiGregorio Opinion Editor There has been an ongoing debate for the last 10 years about whether climate change is real or fake. Climate change is real; there is science to support my opinion. This controversial issue is usually what separates Democrats from Republicans, but it should not. This is not an issue of politics, but an issue of human decency. We all live on this earth, and it doesn’t matter who is a Democrat or Republican, we all contribute to the pollution that is causing climate change.

Therefore, we all need to play a role in helping to control it.

Climate change includes both global warming driven by human emissions of greenhouse gases and large scale shifts in weather patterns. Climate change has an effect on every part of the earth–animals, oceans and the air we breathe. I like to think that taking care of the earth can be compared to taking care of a home. Earth is the home to all biological beings, so shouldn't we do our part to clean it and take care of it? You would not let your home become dirty and ignore it, so do not do the same to Earth!

Oceans cover 71 percent of the earth’s surface and make up 95 percent of the space available to human life. The greatest concern facing the oceans is that, due to global warming, the chemistry of the water in the oceans is changing, this is called ocean acidification. The oceans are home to thousands of different species of sea creatures and microorganisms. This rise in acidity is harmful to not only the sea creatures, but to the plants and microorganisms. The excess carbon dioxide is causing the acidity to rise above the level that is suitable for life.

One creature in particular that is suffering is the coral reef.

The coral reef’s role is to provide shelter and protect shorelines. One of the species that the coral reef provides shelter to is the zooxanthellae, and in return, the zooxanthellae provides oxygen for photosynthesis. Zooxanthellae are single-celled organisms that live within many other marine organisms, like coral reefs. As one can see, the marine ecosystem is one that depends on all of its creatures. If one part of the ecosystem fails, it will not be long before the whole thing collapses.

Another effect of climate change that has directly harmed people in the United States is droughts. Droughts are defined as prolonged periods of time with low rainfall, which ultimately leads to a shortage of water. Water is the single most important resource to sustain life; without water, all life would cease to exist. As the most

important resource on the planet, we should do more to protect it.

Currently, there are severe droughts in the southwest portion of the United States. Droughts do not just refer to a shortage of water, but a shortage of resources. Water impacts a large number of industries in our country, like agriculture, transportation and energy. For example, the agriculture industry depends on water to care for livestock and crops. In 2012, drought struck several major breadbasket regions and added to food instability. In countries already facing food insecurity, cost spikes can lead to social unrest, mitigation and famine. Secondly, in transportation industries, droughts have affected the water levels on rivers like the Mississippi. This is incredibly dangerous because the boats that are used for transportation need at least nine feet of water to safely move. Thirdly, the energy industry relies on water for cooling down power plants and to maintain safety operations. In addition, water is also used to create hydroelectric power.

Taking care of the environment is not anywhere close to how high it should be on people’s list of priorities, but it has been receiving more attention now than it has in previous years. With the rise in popularity of social media, certain groups have been advocating for a cleaner earth.

One of my favorite initiatives that has taken place is the ban on plastic straws in support of sea turtles.

The video that started this movement showed a straw being lodged in a sea turtle’s nose. This video was definitely upsetting. We need to be more cognizant of our pollution and realize that our actions have consequences. I am

sure that the individual who had this straw would not have done so if they knew it would end up harming a sea turtle, but these are the things we need to think about. I feel that this is a great utilization of social media and more people need to join in.

Those who say they do not care, or that environmental issues do not affect them are either ignorant or selfish. If you live on this earth, then these issues do affect you. Yes, the earth may not die in your lifetime, but that is not the correct mindset to have. We want the earth to be around for generations to come. It does not take much effort to do your part: clean up after yourself, choose biodegradable alternatives, recycle and donate if you are able to.

Photo Courtesy of @world_wildlife on Instagram

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

Opinion

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MEPN Program Accelerates Nursing Students' Careers

By Cat Howley Contributing Writer

The Master’s Entry into Professional Nursing (MEPN) is an on-campus, accelerated program that gives nursing students with a bachelor’s degree preparation to become entry-level nurses. Luckily, for Fairfield nursing students, the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies now offers this program to the University’s undergraduate students. With that said, Fairfield is the first university in Connecticut to introduce the MEPN program to its nursing students.

This accelerated program gives students the eligibility and opportunity to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination. Upon the completion and passing of this exam, students are rewarded by becoming registered nurses (RN).

In an article from news@fairfield, it was stated that the Connecticut State Board of Nurse Examiners recently gave approval for the program. Fairfield University took advantage of this approval and decided to give their students the opportunity to be a part of this advantageous program.

While this newly accelerated program is being instituted on our very own campus for the first time, it is on the rise at some other colleges as well. The program is not seen at too many schools across the northeast; however, the program has thus far proven itself to be successful, which has allowed for it to gain a great deal of popularity.

This news of the institution of the MEPN is groundbreaking for Fairfield University. The University has already been applauded for the great success of the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, so I firmly believe that the University introducing the MEPN will allow for even greater success in the future. With that said, Fairfield advertising this program to potential students seeking to pursue a degree in nursing will not only be great publicity for the University, but will also draw more students to Fairfield. While I am not a nursing student myself, I am still so happy to see my University implement such a beneficial program, like the MEPN, for its

same faculty will be teaching in both programs. Students will now be able to decide which program will work better for them based on what degree of effort they would like to put forth. Those who choose to participate in the MEPN program have been advised to not work while fulfilling the program, due to the fast moving pace. Some students may have a tough decision now, when it comes to choosing between the BSN program or the MEPN program offered at Fairfield.

Program director Erica Wuchiski, MSN, RN expressed her feelings towards the program saying: “If ever there is a time that highlights the need for more highly qualified nurses in the workforce, it is now amid this coronavirus pandemic. The launch of the MEPN program couldn’t have come at a better time.”

I strongly believe that the implementation of the MEPN will allow for students to acquire an extensive skill set that will thoroughly prepare them for whatever field of nursing they choose to explore. The MEPN, while an accelerated program, appears to only be beneficial to students who choose to be a part of it. Having two roommates who are nursing students, I have noticed the pressures and stress that come with being a member of the nursing school.

The amount of time they spend studying and preparing for their exams and labs is intense. With that said, I am happy that the MEPN is now offered for students, such as my roommates, as the program will allow for them to join the workforce even earlier.

Any student at Fairfield should Photo Courtesy of Fairfield.edu strongly consider participating in this new, up and coming program. Everything it has of schooling that needs to be completed prior to them even to offer gives students the wonderful opportunity of starting being able to join the workforce. With that said, an oppor- their career in just two years.

As the COVID-19 pandemic is still something that tunity for nursing students to join the workforce only two years after earning a bachelor’s degree is something that holds a strong effect on our country, the need for nurses is should strongly be taken advantage by those who wish to still at a high demand. With that said, I think it is great that the MEPN allows for students to start their nursing careers pursue their career as early as possible.

While the MEPN has been instituted at Fairfield, the so quickly after receiving their bachelor’s degree. Two years University will still offer its Bachelor of Science in Nurs- is such a short amount of time, and will be both beneficial ing program. However, this program typically takes three to those pursuing careers in nursing, as well as to the comyears to complete, whereas the MEPN only takes two years munity. Students will be able to start their professional cato complete, as it is an accelerated program. It is also at the reers early, while helping those who need it most, as hospisame education level as the BSN program, and the tals throughout the country still continue to see an influx in their amount of patients. students.

Before the MEPN was created, it was much more difficult for students with a bachelor’s degree to advance to the graduate level of nursing. Now, with the creation of the MEPN, students will be able to receive 76 credits, along with 800 clinical hours, all over the course of two years. This is a great opportunity for any nursing student here at Fairfield who wishes to further their education in nursing.

As a student, I know how anxious I get waiting to apply my knowledge from the classroom into the real world and begin my career, which is why I am so happy that a program such as the MEPN is now available for students. The hard work and dedication we as students put into our school work and classes can be very stressful at times. For many students, in particular fields, there is a significant amount

Photo Courtesy of Fairfield.edu

Editorial Board "PLEASE, CHRISTMAS DON'T BE LATE" CATHERINE SANTANGELO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nat King Cole’s rendition of “The Christmas Song” plays on my Spotify, my 30 pairs of Christmas socks unearth from the depths of my drawer and my Christmas countdown app receives multiple visits from me every day since Nov. 1.

I know there are many of you out there who are still relishing in the wonders of the fall season, ordering your pumpkin spice lattes and basking in the beauty of the colorful foliage.

I definitely don’t blame you because it really is a beautiful and fun season, but I love the Christmas season way too much to delay it any longer.

For me, the Christmas season starts promptly on Nov. 1 (this is also my grandmother’s birthday which is perfectly fitting because I love Christmas almost as much as I love her).

Of course, my Christmas shopping had already commenced around mid-October… I just had to get a head start.

There are still 49 days, 1 hour, 58 minutes and 44 seconds left, at the time of writing this, until Christmas day is officially here.

But what is so special about Christmas is that the holiday is not just one day; it’s a whole season filled with joy, love and giving. Starting on Nov. 1 gives me two whole months to be in the Christmas spirit!

Christmastime is such a joyous time of the year to which I always look forward.

I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I think about decorating my house, cozying up with some hot chocolate to watch Christmas specials with my family and the overall excitement of Christmas morning. There really is nothing like it.

I’m sure we can all agree that 2020 has been quite the eventful year, and one that many of us will be happy to leave behind when New Year’s comes around.

Even though everyone was saying that they would “have 20/20 vision in 2020,”

I don’t think anyone was able to predict what this year actually had in store. Without going into many details, I think it is safe to say that for once this year, we all deserve to find some happiness, and I can’t think of a better time than Christmas.

Based on what we all have been through this year, it’s all the more reason to start celebrating the Christmas season early!

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, try to find something to celebrate or something that you can do to bring yourself joy over these next two months, so that we can all try to end this year on a more positive note than it began.

The Christmas season is going to be that celebration for me, and I think I’m even looking forward to this year’s season more than past ones because of the crazy year we have had.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

The Vine

which attach the flag to the ropes, or the halyard, and make sure that we did not hook it on upside down (which did happen to me maybe once or twice when I was on the job...but don’t worry, I fixed it before it got raised up the pole). We had to learn how to hoist the flag up the pole using the pulley system, and know that once you reached the halyard knot, a knot in the rope that initially starts at the top of the flagpole, the flag had made it to the top.

We also had to be aware of days when the flag must be flown at half-staff, which, according to Military.com, must occur until noon on Memorial Day and to show respect for the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, among other events. When raising the flag to half-staff, we also had to make sure that we raised the flag all the way to the top for a brief moment, before lowering it down to half-staff, and doing the same when taking it down. We then had to learn how to tie and secure the halyard correctly onto the cleat, using a figure-eight motion.

Not only were we, at only 11 or 12 years old, trusted to do all of this properly, without the flag blowing away down Main Street during the school day, but we were trusted enough to do it each and every day. Just as school let up, we did the process backwards, taking the flag down. What was even more special about this end

By Catherine Santangelo Editor-in-Chief

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of day process is that we got to fold it too.

Folding the flag is not like how you would fold a common bed sheet (if some of you even fold those at all). This was a whole other lesson, but probably the most interesting and meaningful part of the job, at least for me.

There is an art to folding the flag, one that takes well-practiced technique and precision. The folding of the American flag also holds a very deep meaning. If you have ever attended the funeral of a military veteran, you have probably witnessed members of the Honor Guard fold up the flag that was draped over the casket and present it to the family of the deceased veteran. This is truly something amazing to behold.

Two people are needed to fold the flag properly. Standing on either end of the flag, the one on the stars side is responsible for holding the flag straight and tight, while the one on the red and white striped side is responsible for the folding. It starts with both people folding the flag in half twice, and then working from the striped end, the well-known triangle folds begin.

The Honor Guard’s white gloved hands so perfectly form the fabric of the flag to create each of the 13 symbolic folds. When they reach the end of the flag, it is tightly tucked into the last fold.

Though it has been many years since I held the responsibility of raising the American flag for my school, the importance of this practice and the importance of respecting the flag, as well as our country, has remained with me. Respecting our country, and the people within it, is a major theme that we should all keep in mind as we prepare to welcome the next president of our country into the White House, after what is probably one of the most historic elections of our time.

As we observe this Veteran’s Day, let’s remember and be thankful for all of the veterans who have served our country, and who have given us the ability to live free.

For the complete United States Flag Code, visit this link: https://www.military.com/flag-day/us-flagcode.html For a list of the meanings for each of the 13 folds of the flag, visit this link: https://www.military.com/ flag-day/meaning-behind-13-flag-folds.html

In honor of Veteran’s Day, I have been reflecting on ways of showing my pride for this country as well as respecting and showing my gratitude for those who have fought for our freedom.

At my elementary and middle school, there was a large flagpole outside where the American flag was hoisted and flown with pride each and every day. It was part of the seventh graders’ responsibilities to put up the flag at the beginning of the school day and take it down when the school day was over. I remember being a seventh grader and thinking we were all so important, handling the flag. My class was broken up into pairs, and each week throughout the school year, the pairs took turns raising and lowering the flag.

Now, there’s more to this process than many of you probably realize. We had to go through extensive training at the beginning of the school year to make sure that we all executed this responsibility properly.

We, of course, learned how to care for the flag, but this was mainly a lesson on the importance of respecting the flag, as well as our country.

My classmates and I had to learn how to unfold the flag, making sure that it didn’t come close to touching the ground or anything beneath it. We had to pay CatherineSantangelo/TheMirror attention to the most minute details of this process: Catherine (age 3) and her brother Matt (age 5) pictured in patriotic garb. how to put the snap hooks onto the flag’s grommets,

Ninety Five Years of The New Yorker

By Ava Morrison Contributing Writer

For the past 95 years, The New Yorker has been producing an iconic magazine with even more iconic covers. In 1925, Harlold Ross created the lighthearted magazine he dubbed the “fifteen-cent comic paper.” Throughout the years the magazine has grown into what it is today. The New Yorker is an American novelty that has influence and speaks on many current issues within our society. It addresses issues like art, culture and politics through articles, poetry and humor. While the content within the magazine tackles many issues, the cover of The New Yorker is the real so-called ‘poster child’ of each issue.

Throughout the years, The New Yorker has produced hundreds of magazines, each with a different and powerful cover that speaks for the moment. Deciding which covers I felt were the most impactful was challenging, to say the least, because there were quite literally hundreds to choose from. The New Yorker has tackled so many issues through their covers alone, and every one of them is special in its own way. Yet, there were three covers that stood out to me for truly speaking on the issues of that moment–March 29, 1976, Sept. 24, 2001 and Nov. 2, 2020, all spoke to me in different ways.

On March 29, 1976, The New Yorker had Paul Steinberg’s 1976 drawing entitled “View of the World from 9th Avenue” sprawled across the cover. The illustration is split into two main parts–the first is a view of Manhattan's ninth and tenth avenues, while the second part of the picture portrays everywhere that is not New York. The two parts are separated by the Hudson River. In the image, ninth and tenth avenue are portrayed bustling with many buildings, people and cars all around. The second part of the image portrays the land to the west. The United States of America has been condensed into a square with five major cities (Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Kansas City, Mo. and Chicago) and three states (Texas, Utah

and Nebraska). The essential idea of this image is to portray how New Yorkers view themselves compared to the rest of the country.

They feel that New York is the best city, and is the center of the world and its attention. Steinberg is portraying a map of the world from a New Yorker’s point of view: a concrete jungle versus a dry, flat desert. The cover of The New Yorker ultimately pointed out that New Yorkers have a different viewpoint of the world and that they feel their city is, and always will be, the best.

The second most memorable cover that I came across was from Sept. 24, 2001. This magazine came out only two weeks after the events of Sept. 11 and is probably one of the most significant covers The New Yorker has produced. The image “9/11/2001” was produced by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly. When first looking at the cover, it appears to be all black, but with further examination, the twin towers are revealed. Some even say that, depending on how you move the magazine, you can see a ghost embedded in the picture. This black on black image addresses a significant part of our nation's history that will never be forgotten. While the world was still recovering and facing the impacts of that fateful day in New York, The New Yorker used their cover to speak up.

The magazine addressed that the nation was in a dark place at the moment, as a significant part of its culture was attacked; but, at the same time, they also reminded the nation that we will come together and be stronger than ever. The lasting impact and influence that this cover had on our nation will always be remembered because it was a beacon of hope for all Americans. It didn't matter who you were or where you were from; 9/11 affected the whole nation and The New Yorker brought that to light.

The last cover that I found especially significant was one of the more recent covers,

Nov. 2, 2020. The work by Richard Mcguire is entitled “American Tumult.” There is an American flag in the picture, but instead of it being flat like it normally is, it's all twisted up.

The word ‘tumult’ means a loud and confusing noise, usually caused by a big group of people. I can't think of a better word to describe the 2020 Presidential Election. This election is one of the most significant and influential ones of our nation's history. Over the past few months, no matter what your viewpoints are, everyone has spoken up and created lots of noise within our country. Everyone has said something about the election, the candidates or their opinions. By producing an image of a twisted up American flag, The New Yorker is acknowledging the fact that our country is

currently experiencing a deviation from the norm. They realize that we are in disarray because of the many viewpoints being shared.

The New Yorker covers have had a significant impact on our nation when it comes to portraying societal issues. The magazine is not afraid to speak out and approach any issue that is occurring within society. Whether it's due to one of the covers I spoke about, or another one, The New Yorker will always have a lasting impact on our society.

This magazine has been around for 95 years and will probably be around for another 95 years addressing and talking about our society’s issues, through both the words and images produced that resonate with all who see them.

Photo Courtesy of @NewYorker Facebook

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

By Matthew Adamski Contributing Writer The fourth season of “The Crown” comes out on Nov. 15, and fans could not be more excited. Olivia Coleman took on the role of Queen Elizabeth II after Claire Foy, to show a more mature and aged monarch, and she fills the shoes of the role superbly. Coleman matches the frigid, serious attitude of the heavy crown and the role that was thrust upon the Queen at such a young age.

This new season of “The Crown” continues the story of the royal drama, this time introducing Margaret Thatcher (Gillian An-

Photo Courtesy of @gilliana Instagram

Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher. derson) and Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) to the audience. Based on the trailer’s synopsis, the family is concerned with increasing amounts of change, securing a bride for Charles, navigating the country through Thatcher’s policies and the tension between Thatcher and the Queen. This is a plot destined to keep even the most restless viewers attached to their screens.

For those preparing to watch the new

episodes, here are a few quick notes about the historical context of the fourth season of “The Crown.” The series will take viewers through the years 1979 to 1990.

Some will remember Lord Mountbatten and the role he played in trying to overthrow the government in season three. He was assassinated in 1979, and I would expect the series to pick up from there, judging from the important role he played within the royal family and the government.

Politically, this was a tumultuous moment in Britain’s history due to the election of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom–the first woman ever elected into that position. She was Prime Minister during the years mentioned above, and her economic policies during the time contributed to Corrin as Princess Diana see just from the new trailer. They pulling England out of crisis, were both women in roles tradiand into prosperity. She led the tionally occupied by men, so country through the Falkland naturally they needed a certain Wars and was a strong adlevel of conviction to prove versary to Soviet Socialism, themselves in their roles and along with the then Presiconstantly meet the bar. They dent of the United States, were two powerful women leadRonald Reagan. Together, ing the same group of people, so the two leaders led the seeing their relationship grow fight against the USSR and will definitely be something helped to bring the Iron to watch.

Curtain down.

The other major plot Viewers will no point for this season is doubt get to see the the romance between political intrigue, but Charles, Diana and also the social gosCamilla, as well as sip at Windsor the subsequent Castle as well. royal wedding.

The relationViewers will be ship between able to take a look the Queen inside the royal and the family’s harsh Prime Minister is Photo Courtesy of @emmalouisecorrin Instagram t re at ment tense, as one could Corrin as Princess Diana, in her famous wedding dress. t o w a r d s

By: Tyler Heffern Art Barn Columnist

Creative Commons/WikipediaCommons

are red. This sculpture, however, is not only a figurine, but a functioning whistle. The mouthpiece is attached to the backside of the object, which also acts as a third supBefore the Spanish colonization of Central and South port so that it may stand erect.

America, the continents were inhabited by thriving civiliThe piece was created in the Jaina style, from the iszations. The Mayans, Aztecs and Olmecs were among the land of Jaina near Campeche, Mexico. With its large belly, many societies that lived in Mesoamerica for centuries besagging jowls and puffy eyes, this figure may be depictfore the first Europeans stepped foot on this side of the ing the “Fat God,” a poorly understood religious figure Atlantic. Much of western culture is well-known and adin Mesoamerican culture. However, because scholars are mired around the world; however, in contrast, Pre-Columunsure of whether this is actually a deity, most refer to it bian Mesoamerican culture is still not fully understood, as the “Fat Man.” even by historians and anthropologists. Their art gives us If this was the case, the sculpture would likely be a a partial view into their lives, but these works are hardly humorous one, depicting a musical performer or jesterknown to Americans and Europeans. type clown. Its whimsical clothing would support this This work, a Mayan costumed figure from the sixth idea, although it does also include aspects of a warrior, or seventh century C.E., which is now housed in the Metsuch as the shield in his left hand. Following the notion of ropolitan Museum of Art, humor, this may be ironic, as is one of those generally he is clearly not in fighting unknown works. In this shape. ceramic sculpture, a small As you can see, this portly man stands dressed figure is both unidentified in elaborate costume. His and not fully understood. face is old and droopy, This is the case for a lot displaying wrinkles and of Mesoamerican art–and sagging eyes, which is a indigenous art around the potential sign of wisdom globe. While western art – that elders often earned.

Italian Renaissance paintHe wears a tall pointed ings, French sculptures, crown and “earflares,” English portraits, etc. – is which are large ornaments the most well-known and worn within the earlobes, is readily accessible to the much like modern gauges. public (standards judged Map depicting the Jaina Island in Mexico.

His cloak is painted blue, by western cultures to bewhile his belt and loincloth gin with), more attention

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Helena Bonham Carter stars as Princess Margaret.

Diana. We will expect to see the growing rift between Charles and the Queen, and how their own relationship plays out as Charles navigates the matters of his heart.

Already, we can see hints of this rift, as commentators have noted the darker tone of the new trailer, which is available on Youtube and Netflix. The music is far more sinister, the lighting is dark and mysterious, there are shots of individuals screaming throughout almost the entire video and the most telling quote comes at the end. The Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret are seated at a table in a dimly-lit dining room. The Queen Mother says: “In time she will give up her fight, and bend. As they all do.” Queen Elizabeth responds: “And if she doesn’t bend, what then?” Princess Margaret finishes coldly with: “She will break.”

Chills.

The fourth season of “The Crown” will be available for streaming on Netflix on Nov. 15.

needs to be paid to these undervalued and ignored works of cultural patrimony.

More funding for research, more prominent exhibition space and more educational initiatives are what these artworks, and the cultures these artworks represent, deserve.

Without them, we focus too narrowly on the works of a select group of the world’s population. We center our admiration and wonder on art created mostly by heterosexual, white men.

There is plenty of art out there, great art, actually! But, whether or not these works are seen, understood and cherished by the world is dependent on each one of us taking the time to educate ourselves and broaden our horizons.

Efforts in the art historical community to better include and appreciate indigenous art have been made, and they are "Mayan Costumed Figure" good efforts. But, we have much more (sixth or seventh century C.E.) to do, and we must

Photo Contributed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

The Vine

By Brooke Lathe Contributing Writer

just a few to name. For me, tea is one of the main healers for stress and a sore throat, which is something to keep in mind during this whole pandemic mess.

It’s that time of year again! The winter season seems to be quickly creeping in as temperatures drop, almost overnight. To better prepare yourself for New England’s cold upcoming months, be sure to keep in mind these five hot and tasty drinks.

a win-win to me.

most refreshing drink for the winter season, in my opinion.

Compared to the popular, decadent and rich-tasting beverages, cider provides a lighter and more refreshing feeling for your body. Even more so, mulled

weather. There is something so special about holding a warm mug topped with whipped cream, marshmallows and sometimes, a little cinnamon. Even with its creamy, thick and sweet flavors, this drink has been proven to benefit heart health, insulin levels, memory and more! Sounds like

cider is prepared with fresh spices, zest and ginger–natural healing ingredients.

Eggnog - To my lactose intolerant friends, this may not be the drink for you. While the name of this dairy-based treat might not sound the most enticing, the actual taste of eggs makes no appearance in this flavor profile. Instead, most people compare it to melted ice cream. This festive drink is commonly enjoyed around Christmastime, but is still a nice beverage to relish in during any cold day.

Hot Tea - Green, black, white and oolong are not only comforting and delicious teas to choose from, but also provide numerous health benefits! Reducing the risk of heart attacks, increasing hydration and antioxidants are

By Olivia Burke Contributing Writer comes from the Japanese words “oru” (to fold) and “kami” (paper). Paper was first brought to Japan in the sixth century by monks, after being invented in China around five centuries prior.

Few people in Japan could afford handmade paper, and paper-folding was traditionally only performed for ceremonies, which were often related to religion. When paper later became more affordable and was mass-produced, paper began being folded recreationally. By 1797, the first written instructions for paper-folding appeared with Akisato Rito’s “Sembazuru Orikata” which translates to “Thousand Crane Folding.”

Europe also has its own history of paper folding, beginning in the twelfth century, or earlier, brought to Spain by the Moors. This mathematically-based folding practice was developed by the Spanish into an art form known as papiroflexia, or pajarita.

Origami traditionally consisted of folding patterns that were passed down through generations via oral tradition, but modern origami is usually accomplished using instructions in books or online, and often includes models that are considered to be the intellectual property of their designers. The origami that we know today can be greatly attributed to Akira Yoshizawa, who, in the 1930s, designed a method of creating origami folding patterns that includes visual diagrams with arrows and other symbols. These Photo Contributed by Medfield Public Library

I’m sure many of us are familiar with the art of origami, and have some fond memories of following origami instructions (often without success). Maybe you have attempted to create a three-dimensional sculpture of an animal or flower from a flat piece of paper, or created a paper fortune-teller and wrote your own fortunes inside to predict your friends’ futures. In honor of National Origami Day, which is celebrated on Nov. 11, we at The Mirror have decided to research the history behind this Japanese paperfolding artform.

According to PBS, the word “origami”

Coffee - If you’re one of those people who continues to drink iced coffee during the winter, you are not doing life right.

Hot coffee is still a thing! This drink is so versatile, with cappuccinos, macchiatos, lattes and more. Yes, it may stain your teeth a bit or maybe leave you with

Mulled Apple Cider - Warm apple cider may be the

Hot Chocolate - Hot cocoa is the staple drink for cold

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not so-good smelling breath afterward, but it is so worth the taste and instant warm feeling you get throughout your whole body.

Any of these drinks pair perfectly with the winter season.

Heat up those mugs, wrap yourself in a cozy blanket and try to enjoy what is left of this crazy year of 2020. These drinks just might be the cure!

patterns were published on a large scale by the 1950s, allowing origami to spread all over the world and causing this type of paper folding to be considered the standard form of origami. Yoshizawa also formed organizations with the goal of spreading information about the art form even further. These organizations spanned internationally, and were formed

by Yoshizawa and other masters of the origami paper-folding artform.

Today, origami has been greatly expanded upon, and some origami artists, such as Jun Maekawa and Peter Engel, employ the use of complex mathematical theories to create their origami pieces. These impressive mathematicians design complicated folding patterns based on mathematics, and then use these designs to create amazing origami sculptures. This creation process emphasizes the aspect of origami that makes it similar to a puzzle: the challenge of creating a shape using one piece of paper with no cutting or use of adhesives.

All this origami research made me want to take a crack at making some origami creations myself! I decided to create a frog, and then thought it would be nice if he had his own little boat and sailor hat to match. If you want to give it a try, the instructions on how to make one of these frogs is shown below!

Canva

OliviaBurke/The Mirror

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

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'Let Him Go' Leaves Much to be Missed

By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist

With COVID-19 cases spiking around the country and more films postponing their release dates, it looks as if we won’t be getting any major releases for the rest of 2020. With that being the case, if movie theaters decide to stay open and show films throughout the winter wave of the virus, there’s going to be a lot of movies that would normally be lost that can find their shine. A smaller film like “Let Him Go” is a perfect example of a film that could have lost its shine if it had not made its way to the theatres. The premise is simple; Margaret (Diane Lane) and George (Kevin Costner) Blackledge try to get their grandson back from a dangerous family that their daughter-in-law married into. What follows is a slow, but engaging story, with two excellent lead performances.

The main selling point for this movie is by far Diane Lane’s excellent performance. She encompasses such a wide range of emotions–shock, grief and overwhelming joy–making her absolutely magnetic.

She’s also given the most amount of screen time and the strongest motivation in the film, which is a huge plus for one of the best actors working today. The plot is entirely structured around her choices and decisions, which also allows for a lot of the film's darker, shocking moments to be directed at her. Lane is given a substantial amount of work here and it’s all rooted in how much her character has been through in the past, as well as what she endures throughout the events of the film.

Branching off of that point, there is such a rich history between Margaret and George that is explored throughout the story, giving so much more thematic context to their actions. A movie like this, especially since the first major showdown doesn’t occur until about 45 minutes in, can suffer from pacing issues if there isn’t enough going on in between big scenes.

Fortunately, “Let Him Go” has no problem with pacing because of how fleshed out and fully realized the couple is. Lane and Costner give so much life to Margaret and George, they feel like an actual married couple with a past and a laundry list of tragedies they’ve had to endure. This aspect of the film was what really kept me invested throughout the narrative.

The film also pulls very few punches in regard to putting the characters through hell. There are several scenes that ended with my heart in my stomach and my jaw on the ground. There are gut-wrenchingly tense scenes that lead to brutal violence being acted upon the lead characters, putting a pit in my stomach. It also creates a hatred for the main villain, Blanche Weboy (Leslie Manville), who is also excellent and earns her disdain from the audience with the evil she commits. The film can be frustrating to watch because its middle portion is really just two characters that you’ve grown to love getting the wind knocked out of them.

While frustrating, it is extremely effective in its presentation.

As for flaws, the one thing that aggravated me about this film is how infrequently the choices that Margaret makes are justified by her character. The narrative makes her choices work depending on what the story needs at a given moment, but it often feels like her choices don’t have enough time to be discussed with George, who she essentially guilts into joining her on the journey. While Margaret makes the decisions and drives the narrative forward, the viewer often doesn’t know why, until the decision is made.

The film’s structure is also a little bit off, in terms of where certain events happen across the narrative. The film is only one hour and 54 minutes long, but it felt a lot longer due to the amount of time spent on character development for Margaret and George at the beginning. I think an excellent job is done with how real the leads feel, but it seems rather unbalanced when looking at the narrative as a whole. The real story, or inciting incident, doesn’t happen until almost halfway through.

This made it feel, at times, like I was watching two different movies–a drama about an older couple coping with loss and a revenge film about getting their grand-

son back. Some of that exposition in the beginning could have easily been transferred to the second act to allow the plot to develop a little faster.

Nonetheless, I think “Let Him Go” is solid enough to warrant a recommenda-

tion. Obviously, don’t go see it now in a theater, given the current challenges with COVID-19, but if you’re browsing Netflix one night and “Let Him Go” pops up, maybe give it a watch!

Grade: B-

'Southland' Tackles Election Anxiety

By John Bizub Contributing Writer

With our eyes glued to the news, wondering who will be the next leader of the United States, I was reminded of the many filmmakers that have tried to tackle the anxiety and fear of election season.

In 2006, filmmaker Richard Kelly released his sophomore feature titled “Southland Tales.” The film stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake and Mandy Moore.

On the film’s surface, it is about an action star named Boxer Santuros, who is stricken with amnesia.

He teams up with a woman named Krystal and a police officer named Roland Tavern, and they all further explore the government’s secrets and try to prevent the election of 2008 between T.S. Eliot and Robert Frost.

However, as the film progresses it morphs into a kind of war film between Marxist and Neo-Marxist movements and the captistilist America, while also being a satire on the unknowing climate of the government.

Trust me, it is a lot more en-

tertaining than it sounds.

This film is a masterpiece in my opinion, it tackles its subject very maturely while also being very nihilistic and almost in your face. Sure, the plot seems nonsensical, outlandish and messy, but that is the point, it

portrays an honest and real display of modern America in the technological era. The world building is vast and cultured, and begs for the audience to learn more about it. The writing acts as Richard Kelly’s “Star Wars”; a large, vast and almost weird story, but something to which everyone can connect. It is wild, and oftentimes plays as a satirical dark comedy of corporate America and how greedy the government can be. The acting is very solid all around, especially from Sarah Michelle Gellar. The directing is all over the place, but it is trying to cover multiple storylines at once. This film captures the heightened intensity of election season and how many people are divided in their social and political views on the world.

Many critics often hail this as a mess of a film, but I consider this to be one of my all time favorites and a film more relevant now than ever. “Southland Tales” speaks volumes on capitalist and corporate America, and how we must think before we act. This film acts as a government conspiracy theorist's holy bible, as it uncovers the secrets and shadiness of the very government that protects us.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

Coffee Break

Page 12

COFFEE BREAK Editor: Tristan Cruz tristan.cruz@student.fairfield.edu

School of Engineering & Egan School of Nursing, Majors & Minors Word Search T h e C o f f e e B r e a k Te a m h a s p u t t o g e t h e r a w o r d s e a r c h c o n t a i n i n g t h e m a j o r s a n d m i n o r s p r o v i d e d b y t h e School of Engineering and Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies! Be sure to check out the Fairfield University course and program catalog to learn more!

These schools were combined for the sake of adding more words to the puzzle. Don’t worry, we love all the schools equally :)

School of Engineering - Bioengineering - Computer Science - Electrical Engineering - Management Of Technology - Mechanical Engineering

Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies - Second Degree Nursing - Nursing - Public Health - Social Work

Discovery Education / Puzzlemaker

Grab your preferred coloring tools (colored pencils are reccomended) and create your own fall pumpkin!

Send your submissions to any of The Mirror’s social media pages for a chance to have your pumpkin featured online!

BCPK / Adult Coloring Pages

SPORTS Sports

Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta julia.lanzillotta@student.fairďŹ eld.edu

Page 13

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

This week, in Mirror history...

Photo Taken From The Mirror Archives

-

In this week's issue...

Opinion: Do Masks Impact Athletes' Training? (Page 14) Get to Know Kelsey Gilbert of Women's Soccer (Page 15) What You Missed This Weekend in Football (Page 15) Stag Spotlight: Caitlin Campbell (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

Opinion: Do Masks Impact Athletes' Training?

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor, Executive Editor

Sports are arguably one of the most impacted activities to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Many of them require physical contact that make social-distancing impossible.

The global normalization of mask-wearing has been a hot topic of debate, mostly coming from people who have different understandings of why facial coverings may or may not be important.

Fairfield University has a whole slew of rules that all members of the campus community must follow; however, as affiliates of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Athletics Department also abides by guidelines set forth by the NCAA. Interestingly enough, the NCAA doesn’t explicitly say that facial coverings are mandated, according to their Core Principles of Resocialization. Furthermore, on their official website, under the “Core Principles of Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition Frequently Asked Questions” tab, they state that they recognize the role that face masks have played in decreasing the spread, but do not deem it as a requirement.

“All athletics personnel are encouraged to wear a mask/cloth face covering at all feasible times, but especially when physical distancing isn’t practical or possible,” the website reads.

Mask mandates have caused national uproar, resulting in protests all over the country.

They triggered debates surrounding the notion that these mandates infringe upon people’s rights, and more so that masks may actually be harmful to a person’s oxygen intake.

The University of Maryland Medical Association has debunked that myth, and states that “properly fitted masks offer adequate airflow while still covering your nose and mouth. This makes the accumulation of carbon dioxide impossible.”

The Vanderbilt University Medical Center echoes that sentiment, stating on their website that “prolonged use of any face mask, including the N95 respirator, has not been shown to cause carbon dioxide toxicity or lack of adequate oxygen in healthy people.”

This is not to say, though, that the facial coverings won’t make athletes feel as though they are not receiving proper oxygenation. During cardio-heavy workouts, it is natural to feel out of breath, and even lightheaded at times.

How do Fairfield athletes feel masks have impacted their ability to train at full capacity? Junior John Fee, who is on the men’s rowing team, offers an interesting perspective. Although he is never submerged in water as a rower, wakes from launches and other boats in the Norwalk River often get his mask wet, making it difficult to breathe.

“Absolutely I think that masks restrict our breathing, especially during high intensity or high volume workouts. The mask also tends to hold on to water, making it increasingly more difficult to get oxygen,” Fee said.

For Mike Marella ‘23, who is a pitcher on the baseball team, the masks don’t make a true difference to him during practice. He feels that, at this point, it is something to which he has become accustomed.

“We’re not doing a significant amount of running during fielding and hitting, but we have been doing conditioning twice a week,” Marella said. “I can definitely say it makes it much

Weekly 4x5

harder to breathe with the mask on during conditioning, which is causing us to get tired much faster and making conditioning a lot harder.”

Senior Shaelin Murphy finds that from her perspective on the women’s lacrosse team, wearing a mask poses as a huge roadblock in her capability to train as effectively as she could before the pandemic.

“Personally, I feel that wearing a mask greatly hinders my ability to catch my breath easily. I think that I get more out of breath and have a longer recovery when working out or practicing with a mask,” Murphy said. “I definitely think that when wearing a mask, I have a decreased supply of available oxygen and I find myself struggling more.”

Junior Caitlin Campbell, a diving captain on the women’s swimming and diving team, doesn’t face too many issues when it comes to wearing masks. This is because she and her teammates can’t wear them in the pool.

“We can’t wear masks during dive practice, but we wear them during lift and dryland.

The masks don’t make lift any harder than it already is, they don’t affect me too much,” said Campbell.

In any case, masks don’t seem to be going away, at least until a vaccine is proven to be effective. The Athletics Department, and moreover the University, is surely doing all they can to create the safest environment possible for student-athletes and the general public alike. Health and safety is of the utmost importance, even if that means there may be some harmless discomfort for athletes during training.

Creative Commons/danielfoster437

Your 2020-2021 4x5 Columnists:

Julia Lanzillotta, Catherine Santangelo, Sheila McCombs and Molly Lamendola

Because we have witty things to say ...

11:11 is known to be a time Should athletes use their platwhen people make wishes. Do form to talk about politics? you believe in superstitions?

Is it good that Twitter flags tweets with misleading information or is censorship?

Re: last week’s Vine article. If you could spend time with one first-pet who would it be?

Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

As much as I want to say no… Sure, everyone should if they I definitely do a little bit. so choose; however, it should be on their own time, using their own platform.

Censorship would be blocking someone from sharing. The information is still shared, just with a forewarning, so I think it’s a good idea.

Pushinka without a doubt. That Honestly, not at all. At least I little fluffball is an American get the credits I’m paying for, icon. but that’s about all I get out of these classes.

Catherine Santangelo Editor-in-Chief

I think it’s fun to believe in it, I know politics can be a touchy and I still make a wish at 11:11 subject for some people, so it’s if I look at the clock at that really up to them. time!

I think it’s great because with everything going on, people need to make sure they are reading true information.

Um...absolutely Rebecca. She’s literally a sophisticated trash panda.

I think it’s great that we have the option during this time, but I personally don’t benefit from it as much as taking classes in person.

I think that social media can cause misinformation to spread pretty quickly, so it’s important to have some regulations in place.

Even though they weren’t officially first-pets when the article came out, definitely Champ and Major Biden! Major will be the first rescue dog to ever live in the White House!

No, not at all! There is so much more benefit that comes from being in a classroom with other students than you get with online learning!

It’s not censorship or a First Amendment violation; it’s helping find a common ground between this stupid reality of “alternative facts.”

Yeah, the only right opinion is Rebecca. She literally was supposed to be cooked for dinner.

Survivalist little thing.

I don’t learn as well, but we’re still in a pandemic that kills thousands a day. So, I’d rather protect essential workers and the immunocompromised by staying home.

I definitely believe in that kind I think it's highly personal.

Athletes have a lot of influence, Sheila McCombs of thing! and I think that if they want to, Managing Editor they should speak up!

Molly Lamendola Vine Editor

If lightning strikes me, I’ll believe in it!

I think anyone with an audience has a duty to speak for those who do not have that same advantage.

In your opinion, is remote learning effective?

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of November 11, 2020

Page 15

Get to Know Kelsey Gilbert of Women's Soccer

By Thomas Coppola Staff Writer

When Kelsey Gilbert ‘21 tore her ACL, bringing her junior year soccer season at Providence College to an abrupt halt, she knew that her college career and, more importantly, her confidence as a player needed a pick me up.

The Fairfield University women’s soccer program extended Gilbert a helping hand, offering her the position of redshirt junior in 2019.

Hailing from Hanson, Mass., Gilbert elected to play soccer at Providence College, but with one major injury she realized that Fairfield was the best option for her.

“I transferred from Providence to Fairfield in the middle of my junior year, and I’ve loved Fairfield ever since,” Gilbert said.

The transfer process for her was similar to that of many transfer students–it was far from easy.

“I only had four weeks of that winter break to figure out which school I was going to play at,” Gilbert said.

On top of worrying about her personal life, as well as academic requirements, Gilbert found herself fielding calls from coaches and filling out paperwork during that time.

Luckily though, she had the support of the Fairfield coaching staff on her side, guiding her through the lengthy transfer process.

Gilbert’s life outside of soccer is filled with opportunities to learn and earn. She designs her class

schedule strategically so that she can get her classes done before her afternoon practice sessions.

“On days we have games, like Wednesdays, I usually try to avoid any classes at all, because I have to get in the zone for gameday,” she shared.

Much like many other seniors at Fairfield, and within the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Gilbert is upset that the season is unable to continue in the fall, like previously planned.

“It’s been really difficult to keep up with the teams that are able to practice and have contact,” Gilbert said. “At the same time, though, I have to respect their decision and concern with people’s health, since obviously COVID-19 is a really big issue.”

In the COVID-19 climate at Fairfield U, practices look a little different than before, like Gilbert mentioned.

The team now splits up into three groups of five to ten players, and performs technical work in one-hour practice slots.

“It is mainly focused on footwork, and lots of fitness and running,” Gilbert said.

In lieu of practicing with the entire team, Gilbert and the team have been doing team Zoom calls mostly every day to ensure that players are creating relationships outside of soccer.

“We actually had some Zoom calls where our coach would have alumni come on, and we would get to talk to them about when they played and their careers, so I think that was a great thing we did as a team,” Gilbert said.

Aside from playing in games and practices though, players like Gilbert must pay attention to their studies as well; after all, it is right there in the title student-athlete. Gilbert is a biology major and plans to attend nursing school after graduating.

She currently works as a patient care assistant at a cancer center in Boston, which is currently leading her on a track to become a nurse-practitioner in the future.

With this experience, she hopes that she will land a position at a nursing school so that she can continue learning about human biology and caring for people.

Gilbert’s situation as a redshirt player is an extremely interesting one, as she has created long lasting relationships at both Providence and Fairfield.

Through her experiences at both of these schools, she has been able to compete in the Big East and the MAAC, as well as further her soccer skills, in terms of versatility.

This upcoming season is obviously going to be very bittersweet for many players like Gilbert, who only have one more chance to make a splash in their respective divisions and take home a ring.

Hopefully Gilbert and her teammates will be able to represent Stag Country in that victorious way before they go their separate ways.

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Kelsey Gilbert is a redshirt senior on the Fairfield University women's soccer team, in her final year of National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility after transferring from Providence College.

What You Missed This Weekend in Football frey experienced more bad injury luck in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, when he injured his shoulder on a first down catch. It remains to be seen how long McCaffrey is forced out (his status is day-to-day). However, the injury does not appear to be too serious, and this past weekend’s performance was very encouraging.

III. The Pittsburgh Steelers (barely) retained their perfect record.

The Steelers entered Sunday evening’s game against the Dallas Cowboys as the NFL’s only remaining undefeated team (8-0). With a decent offense (#14 in offensive efficiency) to complement their top ranked defense, the Steelers certainly

than it has all season. Hopefully the team can get it together before their divisional test next Sunday against the Bengals and confident rookie QB Joe Burrow.

Despite a global pandemic, the National Football League IV. The Tennessee Titans defense season has progressed as planned. Even through various bounced back. postponements and the absence of fans from most stadiums, It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that the the NFL has now enjoyed eight straight weeks of competition.

Titans’ (5-2) 31-20 defeat to rookie QB Joe Burrow and the Fans like myself have been able to enjoy it as well, giving us a Cincinnati Bengals was an unexpected, and frankly embarrasssingular bright light in the darkness of our time. There have ing, loss. After a perfect 5-0 start to the season, the Titans had been many interesting storylines that this strange football stumbled in their last two contests, giving up a combined 58 season has brought us, but this has only added to the quality of points in those two losses. The defense has looked porous as of entertainment. Here are my top five takeaways from this past late and was in desperate need of a turnaround. Through the weekend’s action. first three quarters of Sunday’s game against the Chicago I. Antonio Brown made his return to Bears, the defense looked completely rejuvenated, holding football. the Bears to zero points and forcing two fumbles. The Titans To any avid football fan, the name Antonio Brown managed to take care of business the rest of the way and win brings to mind a dynamic wide receiver who has enjoyed 24-17. The defense was a big reason why, despite a fourth a very successful career. This career came to a screeching quarter collapse which saw the Bears score 17 points (14 unhalt upon allegations of sexual misconduct and multiple answered to close out the game). While the last five minutes instances of assault. These claims have left Brown out of the game present a red flag, the Titans’ defense took a of a job for nearly two years, and he was suspended for step in the right direction this past Sunday and look to keep the first eight games of the 2020 NFL season by commisthe momentum going this weekend against a low-scoring sioner Roger Goodell. Brown has not played in a game Indianapolis Colts offense (#22 offensive efficiency). of football since September 2019, as a member of the V. DK Metcalf continued his career seaNew England Patriots where he recorded four receptions son against the Buffalo Bills. for 56 yards and a touchdown. On Oct. 26, the Tampa Seattle Seahawks’ wide receiver DK Metcalf has enBay Buccaneers took a chance on Brown, signing him joyed an explosive start to the 2020-21 NFL season. Boastto a one-year deal and reuniting him with quarterback ing 36 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns prior Tom Brady. His return proved underwhelming, as he to Sunday, Metcalf is a top performer at the position so recorded just three receptions for 31 yards. The entire far, and is well on his way to a 1000-yard season in just his Bucs offense failed to get it going; Tom Brady threw three second campaign with the Seahawks. Sunday afternoon’s tilt interceptions, so Brown’s slow start could be related to against the Bills pitted two of the league’s top-ten offenses Photo Courtesy of @nfl on Instagram against each other (SEA: third in offensive efficiency; BUF: that. He should be able to record a better performance on Sunday, with another week of practice under his belt and eighth in offensive efficiency). Despite frequent shadowing The National Football League held 12 games this past weekend. a matchup with a porous Carolina Panthers’ secondary from Buffalo’s star cornerback Tre’Davious White, Metcalf (ranked 20th against the pass). look like one of the league’s best teams. The Dallas Cowboys managed 108 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. It II. Christian McCaffrey dominated in his (2-6) boast one of the league’s worst offenses (#26 offensive was Metcalf ’s fourth game of the season with 100 plus receivfirst game since Week 2. efficiency) since starting QB Dak Prescott went down with a ing yards, and sixth game with at least one TD. Metcalf is now The Carolina Panthers may have been handed defeat season-ending ankle injury. Surely, it was smooth sailing for ranked second in the league in total yards receiving, with 788 by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but there was nothing the Steelers, right? Guess again. The Cowboys’ backup QB, (only behind Bills’ WR Stefon Diggs) and is tied for second upsetting about running back Christian McCaffrey’s first start Garret Gilbert, threw for 243 yards and a score through the in total touchdowns (8). He looks to continue his successful since injuring his ankle in the second week. Carolina’s star back first three quarters had the Cowboys up 19-9 heading into the campaign against a fairly stingy Los Angeles Rams secondary put up 69 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, and added fourth quarter. Thankfully, QB Ben Rothlesburger (306 yds, 3 (9th in defensive efficiency against the pass). Be sure to tune another 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions. It was an TDs) led the Steelers to score 15 unanswered points in the final into that one, because DK Metcalf versus the Rams’ CB Jalen extremely productive day for McCaffrey, whose team (3-6) is in quarter, narrowly escaping their first defeat of the season. The Ramsey could be a very entertaining matchup. desperate need of an offensive spark. Unfortunately, McCafSteelers may now stand at 9-0, but the defense looked shakier

By Ryan Hourihan Contributing Writer

@Fairfield Mirror Week of November 11, 2020

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16

Stag Spotlight: Caitlin Campbell

Photo Contributed by Caitlin Campbell

Caitlin Campbell has garnered first place honors in seven competitions as a Stag in 24 appearances on the board, and looks to improve that record in anticipation for the 2020-21 season to begin.

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor, Executive Editor

Diving captain Caitlin Campbell ‘22 is just one of six divers on both the Fairfield University men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs, making her experience as a student-athlete all the more unique.

Had this season been operating normally, the swimmers and divers would have started competition in late September; but, due to the pandemic, the teams have faced unprecedented challenges since the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference has canceled all competition for the fall season of 2020.

Campbell mentioned that the athletes have still been working as effectively as possible, but they have had to overcome adversity along the way as they continue to battle through training hiatuses and COVID-19 scares.

As of Friday, Nov. 6, vice president of student life, Karen Donoghue, released a statement detailing a number of mitigation strategies that the University is taking to stop the spread of COVID-19, one of which includes pausing “all team training for the next 14 days with the exception of basketball.”

This takes the swimmers and divers up to the Thanksgiving break, leaving them to cope with alternative ways to workout until the pool and other training facilities open back up again.

Campbell feels for her teammates, who play a sport which necessitates an environment that no other does at the University.

Facing their third 14-day break, the teams are trying their best to forge on.

“Consistency is essential in diving. Missing just a few days can set back progress for at least a week,” Campbell said.

Nonetheless, the divers are doing their best to make the most out of their workouts where they do have access to the boards.

“Unfortunately, when our pool closed the only practice we could do was dryland and conditioning,” said Campbell. “We don’t have access to any other pools with diving boards in the area, so we just had to do our best to stay in shape.”

When practices were allowed to be held, they had to change drastically to respect COVID-19 safety protocol.

With 53 total swimmers and divers, it is impossible to practice as a full group.

Separate training groups have been set to ensure that the athletes can train with their team-

mates in a safe space.

Campbell noted that since the group of divers is already fairly small, not much has changed regarding her practices in terms of having to accommodate social distancing.

On the other hand, swimmers have had to separate into smaller groups when they practice in the pool.

“One person starts at the shallow end wall, one starts in the middle of the pool near the flags, and the last one starts at the deep end wall,” said Campbell, explaining why it is still completely safe to practice in water.

Furthermore, the precautions they take are so safe that if one member of the team were to test positive, the rest would not need to be contact traced, according to Campbell.

This is a testament to the fact that swimming and diving can be done safely and responsibly during a pandemic.

Diving is described by Campbell as both an individual and team sport.

She detailed how, although they go to meets as a team, once they are tasked with climbing onto the diving board, it is up to the individual diver to perform.

“The hardest part about diving is getting past the mental aspect. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a new dive or one you’ve done a thousand times. You might know you can physically do the dive and you’ll be fine, but getting over the fear and mental aspect is the hard part,” Campbell shared.

Despite the fact that there is no clear answer as to when she and her teammates will be all together again, the diving captain still makes sure to set goals for herself.

“Because our season has been so unpredictable so far, my only goal as of right now is to compete in the MAAC Championships in February,” said Campbell, hopeful for the future.

As the reigning MAAC Champions for the third year running, the women’s swimming and diving team is looking to secure their fourth-straight ring.

Hopefully they will get that opportunity at the 2021 MACC Men’s and Women’s Championships, as they are still scheduled to happen from Feb. 10-13.

Only time will tell when the Stags will have an opportunity to hit the water, but until then, they must play the waiting game just like everyone else during this tumultuous time.

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Campbell earned the title of diving captain and is an all-around model of excellence, as she was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic Team for the 2019-2020 season.