Fairfield Mirror 03/24/2021

THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of March 24, 2021

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Vol. 46 Iss. 17

University Announces Commencement & Senior Week Plans for Class of 2021

Fairfield Gives Transparency to Gender Inclusive Housing

By Nicole Maher Contributing Writer Fairfield University has officially offered gender-inclusive housing since 2017. However, while information about this option can be found on the Office of Residence Life website or in the Housing Lottery booklet, it has not been the easiest for students to navigate.

Meredith Smith, the associate dean and director of living and learning in the Office of Residence Life, is one of the faculty members looking to make gender inclusive housing easier to access and more visible on campus.

Smith described how Fairfield University was the second Jesuit institution to offer gender inclusive housing, but feels that the university could do a better job of implementing it.

According to Title IX Coordinator Megan Monahan, Fairfield University’s gender-inclusive housing is currently in compliance with the set guidelines, but that is not meant to be a stopping point for the University.

CONTINUE READING ABOUT GENDER-INCLUSIVE HOUSING ON PAGE 3

Creative Commons / Flickr

#StopAsianHate Event Held

By Madeline West Assistant News Editor

The Class of 2017 walks during commencement. This year, graduation will look different due to the ongoing pandemic.

By Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief

INSIDE

As spring draws nearer, and the weeks of the 2020-2021 academic year draw to a close, graduation is at the forefront of the seniors’ minds. This is especially true this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the possibility of senior week and commencement being canceled or limited in some way.

Last night, March 22, an email was sent from the Fairfield University’s Commencement Committee to the class members and families of the class of 2021, and the long wait for information was over.

“We are balancing the desire to celebrate with the evolving COVID-19 environment and fluid State of Connecticut safety guidelines, as well as the significant behind-the-scenes logistics and vendor management that occurs annually as part of our ceremonies” they open generally.

Fairfield will hold a series of senior experiences from Friday, May 14 through Sunday,

May 16. Some of these events will be held in-person but will be scaled appropriately to comply with all state guidelines.

On May 17, Fairfield will shift and hold “academic celebrations” on Bellarmine Lawn.

This will be separated by school and/or department, allowing deans, faculty and students to celebrate together.

Each student will be able to invite a maximum of two guests to their respective celebrations.

Students are then being asked to leave and move off campus directly after their respective ceremonies end.

On Sunday, May 23, Fairfield will hold a virtual Commencement ceremony at 9:30 a.m. for all undergraduates, with no in-person activity.

“With no travel required, families and friends are encouraged to join the virtual Commencement to celebrate their students’ accomplishments,” the email stated.

Going on to say that more details will be communicated about the senior experience events as well as the virtual commencement

ceremony, thorough email and on fairfield.edu/commencement.

For a graduating class that believed nothing would be held, the possibility of having some event, even if they’re not the traditional experience, is an exciting opportunity.

“It’s disappointing to realize that we won’t get to celebrate as one big community, but given the circumstances, I’m glad to see there are plans being made to accommodate,” states Luckario Alcide ‘21.

He goes on to state that “There’s nothing I would love more than to be able to celebrate with my family and friends,” but as most of his friends are different majors most of my friends are different majors and [the] guest limit is two so those are the two biggest bummers.”

Senior Callie Floyd was more positive stating, “I was excited to hear that the University has planned to do something in person for graduation. Although it is not a traditional graduation ceremony and commencement, due to the circumstances I appreciate them doing something at

Opinion

Vine

News Learn about the reasons behind the closing of the Micro Market.

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Bellarmine to celebrate,” she continues stating that it will make everyone feel safe and comfortable.

“I think it’s an amazing plan.

I’m very upset that I can’t watch my friends walk across the stage and graduate after we’ve taken this long journey together,” Cassie Fraioli ‘21 said, “But at the same time I’m very thankful that Fairfield has kept us together through all of this and is even giving us an opportunity to graduate in person at all.”

She goes on to state that she’s excited there’s a guest ticket option, “I’m also very happy we get two guests because my parents can now watch me graduate and in a way, it’s a graduation for them too! I’m grateful for any positive opportunities in a time like this.”

Senior Rebecca Ruyack is more disappointed about the two guest tickets offered, as though it doesn’t affect her, she’s heard of people with step-parents or more than two parents that feel excluded, “I’m sure it’s very upsetting for some seniors.”

She also notes the issue created when students have more than one major, “The only issue I have is

Student believes Fairfield University must support LGBTQ+ community against Catholic Church’s refusal to bless same-sex marriage.

Learn about how Fairfield University’s Art Museum is working towards creating a more diverse gallery.

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On March 16, in Atlanta, Ga. there was a series of attacks that killed eight people, with six women of Asian descent being amongst those killed. Though there has been an immense response to the racially-targeted attack on a country wide level, the campus has come together as well.

Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at Fairfield University hosted the #StopAsianHate: A Space for Support & Awareness event on March 19 at 12:00 p.m. with various members of Fairfield United, the Asian Studies Department, and Campus Ministry to create a space where students and faculty could openly speak about the recent hate crime that took place in Atlanta, Ga. The Fairfield University Student Association also released a statement on March 19 condemning all acts of hate and racism. They stated that they were “angered and upset by the acts of anti- Asian violence that have been committed globally.”

Additionally, they stated that they stand in solidarity with the [Asian American and Pacific Islander] community.”

CONTINUE READING ABOUT FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY’S MESSAGE TO #STOPASIANHATE ON PAGE 4

Sports

Coach Kress makes MAAC history.

Page 15

News

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

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Office of Student Engagement Brings Stags Together Under the Stars

By Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief

Clockwise from bottom left: Tobenna Ugwu, Tyler Heffern, Ashlynn Gallagher and Sacha Pelosky check students into the Stags Under the Stars Event.

You might think the social distancing and mask restrictions have halted the majority of events. There is no possibility of shoulder-to-shoulder trivia nights, or traditional events like the usual, packed Presidential Ball.

But, largely helped by the slowly warming weather, the Office of Student Engagement has found a way to make it work.

This past Saturday, March 20, Stags Under the Stars was held in the parking lot behind Campion Hall.

Using the new ice rink, food trucks, hot chocolate, music from WVOF and various amounts of social distanced yard games, they were able to give students ample opportunity to build community while keeping COVID restrictions in place.

Stags Under the Stars first came to fruition last fall, in collaboration with Residence Life, to help the first-

year class in particular build community.

Kamala Kiem, Associate Dean of Students and Director of the Office of Student Engagement, stated that since last fall’s event was so popular (over 400 students attended), they wanted to open it up for all class years in the Spring.

Junior Grace Colalillo, an intern for the Office of Student Engagement, who helped plan and run the event stated that the 2021 edition was created to give all students the safe opportunity to engage with their classmates. But, to do so, they had to think big and spread the event over three different sections.

The gravel lot behind Campion Hall allowed students to socialize safely, with the food trucks, fire pits and some picnic tables. Then, by the basketball courts, students could ice-skate and use the curling lanes.

Colalillo states that this section was, “A huge hit!”

She continued by saying, “Students were able to access skates on-site and take laps around the link under the stars.”

Then, just behind the ice rink there sat all the lawn games, some hot chocolate and cookies, and then a little free Fairfield University beanie. “ The event itself was an overwhelming success!” Colalillo said, “With an attendance of over 330 students amongst the class years, Stags Under the Stars was one of the most widely attended University-sponsored events since the pandemic.”

She continued to say that the timing was just perfect, as there was a retreat group from the Sophomore Residential College Program that were able to stop by and connect further on the ice rink.

Even members of the Class of 2021 who attended the Campus Min-

istry Senior Retreat were able to stop by and enjoy dinner at the food trucks.

First-year Carina Kortick stated how happy she was to see people out and about in the warm weather, “I had fun hanging with my friends around fire pits as we enjoyed delicious hot chocolate and cups of mac and cheese. We also got free Fairfield winter hats and mugs and were surrounded by many friendly faces.”

Junior Katherine Kelley agreed saying, “It was a day I’ll never forget.”

Junior Brett McGrath, an intern with the Office of Student Engagement agrees that the event was very successful, “We had a good turnout and some fun food options at the food trucks as well as at the Sodexo table. I was maintaining the skating rink at the events and it certainly drew a lot of people over to give it a try.”

Yet, this was not an event that couldn’t be done without a lot of help from many groups in our campus community.

The Office of Residence Life, the Department of Public Safety, Conference and Events Management, Dining Services, Sodexo, Facilities and the Department of Athletics all came together to make this event the success it was.

In addition, many students stepped up to help staff the event. New Student Leaders Resident Assistants, Stags MeetUp hosts, Fairfield at Night members and many more helped run the event.

“The Stags Under the Stars Leadership team would like to thank all of the campus partners and student leaders who helped us to make our vision for these events become a reality!” Colalillo said.

“We are very pleased with the results of the event.” Kiem stated, “I’m blessed to work with such talented student leaders.”

Students in the Class of 2024 check into the Stags Under the Stars event.

All Photos by The Mirror / Molly Lamendola

The event also featured a number of social-distanced yard games for attendees to play while there.

Micro Market Closes After Questions about Class of 2020 Commencement Addressed Decline in Customers COTNINUED FROM PAGE 1

By Madison Gallo Head News Editor

The Mirror / Madison Gallo

The Micro Market closed for the remainder of the semester on March 19 at 5 p.m.

As of March 19 at 5:00 the Micro Market closed for remainder of the semester.

This dining update was announced in an email sent to students on March 18.

General Manager of Dining Services at Fairfield University Duane Gornicki said the Micro Market closed due to a lack of participation by students.

“We were literally throwing away food because no one was participating,” Gornicki said. “We averaged only 25 students per day there this semester as opposed to well over 300 students per day last semester.”

This drop in student participation with the Micro Market might be attributed to the expansion of food options offered for students by the Daniel and Grace Tully Dining Commons, according to Matthew Dinnan, the assistant vice president of auxiliary services at Fairfield.

“As the Tully services expanded, p.m. the

we witnessed a decrease in the use of the Micro Market services,” Dinnan said. “In consultation with the Sodexo team, we were able to transition the Micro Market platform needs to the [Stag] Snack Bar, which will then provide the support staff needed to expand the planned offerings in the Tully.”

The Spring 2021 semester saw the transition back to all students eating in the Tully.

According to Dinnan, this transition plan began in February with the Sodexo team.

A main part of the transition plan was the re-introduction of sit-in dining.

Other parts of the plan include the opening to stations such as the omelet, salad-to-order, sandwich-to-order, pizza and Tex-Mex stations.

The Plant Power station and bakery underwent expansion of options during the transition process.

“One of the goals always in play was the ability to adjust and pivot to a more user and service-friendly platform as restrictions permitted,” Dinnan said.

During the Fall 2020 semester, students ate in different dining locations, decided based on the residence hall they lived in.

Dining options in the fall included Barone Campus Center Oak and Dogwood Rooms, the Conference Center, food trucks, The Levee, the Stag Snack Bar, Dunkin’ Donuts and the Micro Market.

Dinnan said the multiple dining locations was a way to “address the limited safe-distance guidelines in play for both students and service workers.”

For the remainder of the semester, students will continue to be able to use their meal swipes or Stag Bucks at the food trucks, The Levee, Dunkin’ Donuts and the Stag Snack Bar.

that I have to attend two graduations because I’m a dual major, and the timings are far apart.”

Senior Alaina Moger is one of those students limited by the two guest tickets option.

She goes on to state, “It is disrespectful and inconsiderate that students with divorced and with more than two parents/guardians were not thought of. It’s unfair to have to choose between which parents attend graduation.”

She hopes that Fairfield will reconsider and choose to include students like her.

If students in the class of 2021 are looking for more information about graduation, they can head to the Commencement webpage. If there are any further questions not answered on the FAQ page, students are asked to email commencement@fairfield.edu.

The class of 2020 also were updated in regards to graduation this week.

A letter was released to them from President Mark R. Nemec, Ph.D. on March 22 of 2020, stating, that though they have

to cancel graduation, “It is my promise to you that we will hold them, in person, and you will get chance to walk in your caps and gowns and receive your diplomas, and enjoy the experience to the fullest extent possible.”

He continued by saying, “We have a committed team developing plans for how to arrange this, and we will keep you posted as these plans take shape.”

While the class of 2021 received an email detailing graduation plans, the class of 2020 received a link to a survey. One question was asked of them, “As a member of the Class of 2020, which type of Commencement celebration would you be likely to attend?”

The students could then choose from a scale between “Very Likely” to “Definitely Would Not Attend” to the questions “An in-person weekday celebration in May allowing two guests to attend,” and “A private in-person celebration for the Class of 2020 during Alumni Family Weekend in October.”

The survey is open until Friday, March 26.

Creative Commons / Flickr

The Class of 2020 also received updates on their graduation. Surveys were then sent out about each class member’s preference of Commencen

News

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

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Fairfield University Students Share their #TheMoment Compiled by Colleen Vann Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Crime Beat will return next week in our 3/31 Issue.

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

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By Stella Henry Contributing Writer There are several events in history that have left those alive at the time able to recall exactly where they were, what they were doing and what they were thinking and feeling during that time.

The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception.

This month, exactly a year after the virus began widely circulating and turned the world upside down, a hashtag (#TheMoment) surfaced on Twitter, in which people shared the moment that they realized that COVID would change their lives for the foreseeable future.

Surprisingly, in a world where it seems that people can’t agree on much of anything, most people’s “moments” were remarkably similar.

For some, it was the National Basketball Association cancelling the remainder of its season.

For others, it was going to the store and seeing shelves stripped bare of essentials such as food, hand sanitizer and toilet paper.

And for many, it was the shift many schools made to virtual learning that marked a shift in how they thought of COVID. Fairfield University was among the academic institutions that shut their doors in March of 2020, leaving its students to try to figure out how to navigate a new reality of virtual classes, canceled events and increased isolation.

Due to this, it means that every Fairfield student has a story about when their moment happened.

Anna Komer ‘21 is certainly no exception to this.

A member of the Fairfield University tennis team, she was in Florida with her teammates to play a few matches over spring break when she had her moment.

Her coach called to tell the team that the season had very abruptly come to

“

I felt lost because this was so unprecedented and no one knew what was going to happen.”

- Anna Komer ‘21

an end and that they would be placed under quarantine.

This came as a rude awakening for Komer, who, just a couple of days earlier, was unaware of just how dramatically her life was about to be altered.

“The plane ride down to Florida, people were just wiping down their seats with Clorox wipes and cracking jokes,” she said.

After she received the news that the season was over, Komer didn’t know what to think.

“I felt lost because this was so unprecedented and no one knew what was going to happen,” she said.

She thought of her senior teammates, who would never again have an opportunity to play tennis at the collegiate level.

For some students, like Thomas VanDerslice ‘23, whose dad is an Emergency Medical Technician, the moment of reckoning was downright eerie.

“The moment that stood out the most to me came from a call with my father,” VanDerslice said. “We were discussing the virus and he had told me that the state had sent them an excess supply of body bags to prepare for the very possible chance that there would be an increase of need for them.”

Prior to the phone call, VanDerslice said, he didn’t think that COVID would have much of an impact on his life. But in that moment, he said he suddenly filled with unease and uncertainty.

In the weeks following the start of the pandemic, students would face many more disappointments.

Many, like Komer, were among the millions of Americans working in the service industry whose jobs would become yet another casualty of the pandemic. Komer, who is a nursing student, also had to contend with the fact that all of her clinical experiences were moved online after non-essential personnel were banned from entering hospitals.

Countless others, like Jaclyn Burns ‘21, had their internships canceled.

“I had an internship lined up for the summer at the time, but it was cancelled because of COVID, so that was disappointing,” she shared.

In addition, students such as Evan Arnold ‘24, who was a high school senior when COVID hit, were forced to miss

out on important milestones.

“I had to face missing out on senior prom, I had to cancel my 18th birthday party and my graduation ended up being a drive-thru type graduation.”

But what bothers him more than anything else, Arnold said, was that he has not been able to have what he considers to be a typical “college experience,” being largely unable to go to events and hang out with friends.

“That has been the most disappointing thing yet,” he said.

But this story would be far from complete without telling of the resiliency and creativity that have gotten Fairfield students through the pandemic and the strategies that have allowed them to cope with it.

Connor Driscoll ‘22 initially struggled with having to adjust to all of the changes that COVID brought, especially classes being moved online, but quickly found ways to muddle through it.

“I dealt with the change by trying to find little things in my life that would make my day better, including learning how to cook homemade meals, working out on a regular basis and focusing on my mental health,” he said.

Meanwhile, although Arnold said that there are aspects of COVID that he will never be able to adjust to, such as online classes and not being able to see his grandparents for months at a time, the pandemic has created some bright spots in his life.

CONTINUE READING ABOUT FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ #THEMOMENTS ONLINE ON WWW.FAIRFIELD.MIRROR.COM

Fairfield Broadens its Genderinclusive Housing Options easier to set up in apartment-style housing options and townhouses.

“Monahan has given us “In these buildings, some great advice on what a gold you pick who you’re living with,” standard institution should look like Smith said.

“And you’re in a standin terms of gender inclusive housalone unit with its own facilities.” ing,” Smith said, referring to past To ensure that gender inconversations between the Office clusive housing is accessible at all of Residence Life and Monahan. levels, mild changes also have to be One of the ways in which the made to the backend of the Housoffice has worked to make the option ing Lottery. Smith described how the more visible is to include the question lottery is currently set up in a gen“Are you interested in gendered way, and wants to der inclusive housing?” make it easier for students on all housing applicato find all the options. tions moving forward.

“In the past, stuThe Office of dents have been able to enter Residence Life is also the lottery as a gender-inlooking to designate an clusive group, which is a entire floor in a residengood first step,” Smith said. tial hall for students who Smith also emwould like to take part in phasized that increasing gender inclusive housing. gender-inclusive hous“We are looking ing across the campus to set aside a floor in Mcis a work in progress.

Cormick next year for the She encouraged first-year and sophomore students to reach out to the community,” Smith said.

Office of Residence Life She outlined with any feedback they have. how this community Students can reach would include all who out to the Office of Resihave chosen to opt-in The Mirror / Nicole Maher dence Life by emailing resto a gender inclusive living environment, Next year the Office of Residence Life is look to estab- i d e n c e l i f e @ f a i r f i e l d . e du as well as students who lish a floor in 70 McCormick Road (pictured) for gender-in- or visiting their office lowould feel the safest in clusive housing for the first and second year community. cated in the Lower Level of the Barone Campus Center. this type of community.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

As the University continues to renovate residential halls, Smith describes the importance of ensuring that each building has spaces that all students feel comfortable utilizing.

The recent renovation of Campion Hall included a gender inclusive bathroom on every floor.

While a floor will be set aside for a first-year and sophomore gender inclusive community, Smith noted how these communities are

News

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

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Fairfield Responds to Anti-Asian Violence Pejay Lucky, Director of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and Asha Perry ‘18, Program Coordinator, Office of Student Diversity & Multicultural Affairs moderated the event on behalf of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

The event opened with prayer from Katie Byrnes, the Campus Minister for Social Justice and Community Engagement.

Byrnes began by saying that “the killing of eight people, six of whom were asian women, focusd our attention on the increased violence and discrimination that historically marginalized groups suffer across our nation.”

Her prayer concluded with, “an attack against one is an attack against all.”

The conversation then opened up to various staff members, students, clubs and participants who attended the event.

Sophomore Carmen Phan, the treasurer of Barkada then moved to speak. Barkada aims to “unify students interested in Filipino culture through monthly social interactions.”

She opened by saying that the recent acts of hate were deserving of “condemnation.”

Phan continued to state that, “As a country we have so much to do, especially regarding the hate directed towards Asians.”

She ended her first statement by stating, “As an Asian American organization, Barkada will do its best to bring us closer to that light and the words of Dr. Martin Luther king, we must live together as brothers and sisters, or we will perish together as fools”.

The next to speak was Assistant Professor of History and Co-chair of the MLK Committee Sunil Purushotham.

“We are all horrified and dismayed at the violence in Atlanta,” Purushotham said.

“We can’t deny that there’s been an alarming trend of violence and disctimination against Asian Americans, especially in the last year.”

Purushotham spoke on the history of race pertaining to the Asian community speaking upon how Asian Americans have “no shared history, no solidarity.” The history of race he describes instead is “a triangulation of white/black/indian”

This triangulation of race as Purushotham further explains is “embedded in global patterns of trade and this history is what gives them their potency and relevance.”

However,this“waveofanti-Asianviolence has the sort of potential to forge a sort of real sense of meaning out of this category of Asian American.”

Purushotham closed by stating, “This should serve as a wakeup call to build bridges between communities.”

Professor Jiwei Xiao, an associate professor of modern languages and literature, went on to say, “Racism is the virus that has lived with us and will live with us for a long time”.

Xiao wrote an article published by the New York Review on April 6, 2020 and read an excerpt from it.

“Blinding facial recognition of racism that renders any Chinese looking Asians in the US vulnerable to harassment, shaming even violent hate crimes,” She read, continuing with, “We have no effective testing kit for this pestilence.”

“We will never entirely eliminate viruses,” She said, “We will have to learn to live with them and get them under control, I think this is also true with the virus of racism.”

Xiao also spoke about her experience in college in 1989.

“I was never a social activist, but today for many many reasons I am socially active,” she said. “My students thank me for being someone they can turn to.”

Sophomore Duy Vu commented on behalf of the Asian Student Association.

“Although the Asian hate crimes have only been brought to attention recently there are a lot of hate crimes that have happened over the past year,” Vu said. “The numbers are really scary — 3800 hate crimes have happened in the past year alone.”

Junior Tushi Patel stated during the event that “it shows how desensitized all of us are feeling with all the violence but also wasn’t really surprising with how prevalent all the violence recently has been lately. ”

Senior Luckario Alcide who is in charge of the Humanitarian Action Club also spoke during the event. “[The Humanitarian Action Club discusses] a lot of the issues that contribute to racism towards minorities,” Alcide said. “We specifically talked about the shooting in Atlanta, and we as a group decided to point out just how broken the institution is.”

Alcide also commented on Cherokee County Sheriff ’s Office Capt. Jay Baker’s statement after the shooting. Baker’s statement received a lot of backlash after he said the suspect was just having a “bad day.”

“He was pretty much fed up and kind of at the end of his rope. Yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did,” Baker said.

Alcide stated that, “Seeing someone with a high position like that say something like that just broke [him].”

Associate Vice Provost for Schol-

What Happens to the Productivity of Fairfield Students When They Work Remotely?

By Sophia King Contributing Writer

Like most fully remote students, Ali Maffei ‘23, is working hard to ensure she is still getting the same education as those who are on campus.

Maffei is an applied accounting and finance major who started the semester on campus.

She went remote after the first few weeks because the majority of her classes were all online, so it made sense to be at home with more freedom and without the COVID-restrictions Fairfield University had in place.

“Although I don’t find my experience with remote classes [to be] bad, I do feel I work better on campus because there are more places to study where I can focus better, such as the library,” Ali said.

In the beginning of the pandemic, everyone was forced to begin some form of remote work or remote learning. Working from home became more common in past years, but never on such a large scale.

This begs the questions: what happens to the productivity of Fairfield University students and professors when they work from home? Is remote work easier or more complicated, and how efficient do students think they are from home?

In a survey carried out by the Boston Consulting Group, 12,000 professionals were asked to assess their productivity levels during remote work.

These are people who were employed pre-COVID and were abruptly forced to switch to online platforms.

The BCG expected to see a decline in productivity because companies had no time to prepare staff for the shift to remote work. However, a surprisingly large number of employees, 75 percent to be exact, actually reported that they were able to maintain or improve their productivity.

Although individual productivity has remained the same, collaborative or group tasks become much more difficult when everyone is not in an office building. And remote students at Fairfield agreed.

Sophomore Lindsey Hanrahan, a digital journalism major currently taking a full course load, feels as though her remote learning has benefitted her studies in many ways but there is a downfall.

“I think that my productivity has definitely improved because there’s less temptations than on campus,” said Hanrahan. “I’ve had more time to focus on my schoolwork and studies, but the situation does make group work more challenging.”

While not impossible, remote work does make it harder for a group of college students or employees to find time to connect with their colleagues.

The restrictions Fairfield has in place for safety, also does not make group work any easier.

Students are limited to only entering the dorm building they reside in, meaning they need to communicate with their groups via Zoom.

Another challenge is that the student body is a mix of students who are on campus, entirely remote or commuter students. This is another obstacle that students face while trying to coordinate meeting times.

“Email interactions actually take much longer than an in-person conversation,” as Patricia Behre Ph.D, chair of the history department, said. “Between the inability to impart nuance and tone in a written form, and the lag time between emails, basic work with students and colleagues takes much longer.”

The list of pros and cons of remote work is endless, but another important factor of remote learning or work to consider is the added possibility of distractions.

In a blog post by Kasia Perzynska titled Working From Home vs Working from Office Compared, she mentions how if you are living with other family members, it can be much more difficult to find the alone time to focus on your work.

CONTINUE READING ABOUT FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ REACTIONS TO REMOTE LEARNING ON WWW.FAIRFIELD.MIRROR.COM

arly, Creative and Community Engagement and Professor of Politics Jocelyn Boryczka stated that she was, “Struck by the need for us to look backwards to understand and remember our history as a nation to learn more about the histories of Asian peoples and other people in our community including ourselves and our own histories and identities.”

Further, Boryczka stated, “We must also recognize the brokenness that occurs in that space, but then to be able, in an intersection a way to move forward.”

Phan added that “We need to change the rhetoric around everything, that sort of thing perpetuates racism.”

“Look out for [minorities],” she said. “It is important to not be a bystander, but to use your voice.”

CONTINUE READING ABOUT THIS EVENT ON WWW.FAIRFIELD.MIRROR.COM

Photo Courtesy of @stagdiversity Instagram

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES *GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO READ MORE* Continue reading about Fairfield University Student’s #TheMoment

by Stella Henry

Continue reading about students’ experiences with remote learning

by Sophia King

Continue reading about Fairfield University’s stance to #StopAsianHate

by Madeline West

WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM

Opinion

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

Page 5

Editor Peyton Perry » peyton.perry@student.fairfield.edu

Student Calls Fairfield University to Stand Up for LGBTQ+ Community Against Catholic Church

By Kaitlyn Drake Staff Writer I grew up as a member of the Catholic church- in fact, I had a phase in my life from ages fourteen to fifteen in which I was extremely religious. One entire side of my family participates in Catholic ideologies; before the pandemic struck, most of them attended mass every Sunday. Although most of my extended family is entirely Catholic, I did not imagine myself attending a Catholic college, nor did I think that, if I did go to one, I would enjoy it as much as I do. I have almost entirely separated myself from Catholicism, and if anyone asked me, I would say that I truly do not think about it too much. However, I find it affecting my life everyday in very tiny ways, especially this week.

On March 15, 2021, the Vatican decreed that the Catholic church would not recognize or bless gay marriage. I had found this out not through gossip or word of mouth, but because “Vatican” was trending on Twitter. Admittedly, I only use Twitter in times of extreme boredom, and upon seeing that the Catholic church was trending, I knew it would be nothing good.

When I decided to find out what scandal the Catholic church had gotten into this time, my heart sank. About two seconds later, I had thought to myself “this should not surprise me.” Despite Pope Francis’ neutral stance on gay people themselves and the “cool” persona he displayed, he still represents the Catholic church: a notoriously controversial and hateful organization. When it comes to the church, I have found it’s more beneficial to be a cynic than it is to blance of hope that things will change. have any semThis decree proved that point exactly.

While Catholic people themselves are hit or miss, the institution that they follow is an absolute nightmare. For a religion that claims to “love thy neighbor as thyself,” they are clearly not practicing what they preach. The church has yet again missed the mark so much that they created an entire new mark, and then missed that one too.

My disappointment quickly turned to rage as I continued to look through tweet upon tweet about the hypocrisy of the Catholic Creative Commons/ Flickr

church. I know that the Catholic church has homophobic standpoints and that not every Catholic person agrees with them, but it is astounding to me that there are still people within the church that make excuses for it.

If the church wants to claim they’re “holier than thou,” how is it that it is a sin to love someone of the same sex, but not for priests to literally prey on young boys and girls, cover it up by transferring the priest, and never hold them accountable? According to NBC, 600 cases of sexual abuse by priests have been filed in Northern California alone - is that not absurd? And how is it that those priests usually perform homosexual acts when they are molesting children? Maybe it’s just me, but that’s a bit hypocritical.

“The door has been shut on the gay agenda,” the Catholic church claims, but gay people do not actually know what the gay agenda even means other than a way to demonize our community. The “gay agenda” is most notably used as anti-gay rhetoric, contradicting the name itself. Though queer people have taken this in stride, even going so far to use the term sarcastically, it is still harmful for us to have to deal with everyday homophobia from prestigious, long-established organizations that influence our lives more than we’d like to admit.

The Catholic church is a halidom of hatred. It contradicts itself on the daily. God could not care less about gay people - the line everyone refers to is actually about pedophilia, which is something that the Catholic church actively particpates in. Before criticizing other people, perhaps take a look at what your own institution stands for.

If stability and comfort is what you want in life, that’s fine by me, but if your stability and comfort promotes the hatred of other people and disgustingly hypocritical rulemakers, then there might be something more “intrinsically disordered” in your belief system than in gay people. I challenge you to take a good look at yourself in the mirror, ask yourself what your values are, and see if the institutions you support and uphold are reflective of those values. If they’re not, what is really stopping you from dropping them?

Your beliefs, or your comfortability?

This is also not the first time the Catholic church has gotten into trouble. If someone you loved treated you this way, would you keep them around? Would you change the way that you see them? If someone treated your friend or loved one this way, would you continue to support it, or would you simply leave it behind?

You do not have to abandon God - in fact, I would never ask anyone to do that.

Perhaps, though, this event might be a good time to reevaluate what matters to you and decide whether or not it's really Catholicism that you believe in or the true teachings of the Biblical God. There are countless crimes committed within the church that are absolutely atrocious, and instead of letting them go, we need to say something.

Fairfield University: as a queer person attending your Catholic insitution, I want a response to this. You dropped the ball with Black Lives Matter, but this is your chance to make sure your marginalized students feel supported. If you truly celebrate the “Godgiven dignity of every human person,” stand up for those who are being attacked by the Catholic church and make your campus a safe place for everyone.

Expansion of Options Within the Tully Creates Happier Atmosphere for Students

By Peyton Perry Opinion Editor

Before attending Fairfield University as a student, I distinctly remember hearing about the beautiful Daniel and Grace Tully Commons and the wide range of mouthwatering breakfast foods and savory desserts encompassed within. As I listened eagerly to my best friend while she told me stories of her brother’s (a current junior at the University) experience with the Tully, my eyes grew wide.

I always imagined cafeteria-style food as subpar, never really craveable and mediocre. In other words, I always would prefer going out to a restaurant or eating a home cooked meal, in comparison to eating in my school cafeteria. These stories, however, did not align with my perception.

I was told of delicious pizzas on rotating spools, savory pancakes served with crispy home fries and ice-cold refreshments galore! I was told of festive decorations and tables of decorated cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and all of the rest of desserts you could possibly imagine to celebrate the holidays!

For someone who loves food, this all sounded too good to be true, and for a while it was.

At no fault of the wonderful staff here, let’s be honest, the Tully last semester was not as expected. Then again, nothing was as COVID-19 flipped our world upside

Photo contributed by Peyton Perry

down.

An optimistic conjecture of walking into a crowded cafeteria filled with a surplus of options of delicious foods quickly snapped into the reality of empty tables, shut down food stations, and what felt like a small variety of options.

I especially remember the first week, I clung onto the little pasta cups they’d keep displayed in the fridge, as those were the only things I found appetizing.

Food trucks became the prime spot for dinner, as my friends and I could not even eat in the Tully together, separated by the dreaded Oak Room.

Don’t get me wrong, Fairfield did the best they could do given the situation. The staff worked harder than probably ever before, the way food was served had to completely change to align with COVID-19 guidelines, and it was a learning experience for everyone.

This semester, however, there is no doubt that the Tully has turned a new leaf. Never having experienced the pre-pandemic Tully atmosphere, I am already full of excitement to see what else is in store for the coming years!

The changes have been gradual and are still occurring. First, there was the addition of an avocado toast bar on Saturdays. Then, there was a glorious omelet bar, serving the best omelets I have ever tasted (I could eat a tomato, onion, spinach and cheese omelet everyday here without a doubt!) Now, there is even a TexMex bar, serving burrito bowls for lunch and dinner most days. All of it being absolutely scrumptious!!

Let’s not also forget about the deli station, offering a wide variety of bread, protein, vegetable and condiment choices. The option to toast your sandwiches has just been added as well within the past week and the additions of both chicken and tuna salad have been tossed on the menu!

There’s also a wonderful salad bar offered for lunch and dinner, with fresh vegetables, protein, toppings, and dressings, as well as a simple serving station for those with special dietary needs.

The way the food has been served has changed too!

Rather than prepackaged and proportioned meals, students are now able to choose what they want and in what serving amounts, as staff package the food individually for the student. Again, it is totally understandable why food had to be prepackaged in the past in regards to the safety of the students, however, I would be lying if I were to say I wasn’t over-the-moon about the returning to old ways.

Not only do I mean this in the sense of the food, which has surely gotten much better in variety and quality,

Photo contributed by Peyton Perry

but also the atmosphere in whole. Now that all students are able to eat in the Tully, community is a lot more apparent. I rarely ever go to the food trucks now, as I just love sitting in the Tully with my friends and seeing all the people.

It’s nice to hear voices again, as odd as that may sound. Everything being on Zoom for a while, or at least feeling that way, and the colder weather made the chance of seeing a good amount of people scarce. Now, however, there are always a bunch of smiling faces everytime I go to the Tully, whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Between the delicious food that just keeps expanding in variety, the atmosphere of both smiling staff and students, the sense of community, and the inclusiveness of all students, the Tully has become one of my favorite spots on campus. For the first time ever, I have actually had to keep track of my meal swipes making sure I do not run out before the week’s end.

I am beyond excited to see what else is in store as vaccinations continue to be dispersed and COVID-19 guidelines begin to relax. The Tully has already made so many incredible advancements and it’s been incredible to have those stories I heard so long ago start to become true again.

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

Opinion

Differing Exam Administration Styles by Professors is Fair in Midst of COVID-19

By Grace Williams Contributing Writer It is no secret that a lot has changed over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One large change that the youths of the world had to adjust to was the transition from everyday, in-person learning and school going, to completely virtual and remote learning. No matter if the child was a kindergartner or a young adult who was finishing up a graduate or undergraduate degree, the challenges of learning to navigate this new “normal” was difficult (and still is) for all.

Speaking from the stance of a college student, there have certainly been quite a few components that have become completely different in terms of our methods of learning. Hybrid classes, asynchronous learning and virtual office hours have all been anything but ordinary. However, one of the biggest, and most controversial, changes to our academic experience, has been the virtual exams.

With us being in the thick of midterm season (and finals trailing not too far behind), the question of whether the system of virtual exams is fair or unfair has certainly arisen amongst students. Many different professors take many different approaches when it comes to conducting exams. There are some cases where all students take the exam virtually, other cases where all students take the exam in-person, or even situations where a hybrid option is proposed or put into effect. All of these different options and all the different approaches that professors choose to take with different classes, definitely cause a debate of whether these circumstances are fair or unfair.

Personally, I feel as if the way in which a professor chooses to go about administering an exam for one of their classes is fully their call and can be done however they feel most comfortable. Many people forget about the bigger picture and why we are having exams online in

the first place. Afterall, we are still in the middle of a global pandemic and people have different levels of comfort when it comes to being in a room with a group of people no matter how small the group may be.

Creative Commons/ Max Pixels With this being said, some professors really may not be comfortable with sitting in a room watching students taking an exam during these times. Some professors have underlying health conditions, compromised immune systems or live with someone who is immunocompromised, which could therefore cause them to want to take a chance in getting exposed to the virus from students. For this reason, a good amount of professors decide to have completely online exams

for their students, which is certainly something that cannot be argued against or complained about.

On the other hand, there are also certainly a good number of professors who decide to hold exams in-person because they are vaccinated and can afford to be in the classroom with their students as they take the exam. Many would argue that this is not fair that some professors for certain classes are holding their exams in person while others hold theirs online with an open-note policy. We cannot argue with the level of comfort or protection that a professor has for this virus. Just like how professors are more lenient with us about attendance policies, they have the right to be more lenient with how they choose to structure their course including the way an exam should be taken.

It is a lot more common for us students to miss a class here and there these days for various reasons. Whether it be you got contact traced, just tested positive or have to get an emergency COVID test due to possible exposure, many professors have been more understanding and supportive of last minute absences to classes.

With all of this being said and put into perspective, although it may be annoying or seem unfair, it is definitely just that there are varying different styles of how exams are being administered. It is necessary that during this time measures be taken that are acceptable and work for everyone.

Even if you do have an exam that is supposed to be taken in person and an emergency comes up, it is extremely likely that your professor will make it available to you online or some other form.

These trying times for the world are all about flexibility and learning to adapt. This is the case both in and out of the classroom.

With everyone doing their part and working together, hopefully, we will all be taking exams through the same approach in the very near future.

Award Shows Need to do Better in Providing Unbias Entertainment for Fans

By Pedro Garcia Contributing Writer After a year marred by devastating loss of life, economic turmoil and worldwide shutdowns, the entertainment award season has arrived once again — and with it comes yet another crop of mostly meaningless controversies. Hooray.

Passive aggressiveness aside, the place award shows like the Grammy Awards and the Academy Awards hold in today’s pop culture is an odd one, to say the least. With the rise of streaming services paving the way for increased access to shows, movies and music, it has become easier than ever to consume the content being honored at these shows.

In previous years, where the selection of a movie like “Green Book” for Best Picture would elicit a response like “‘Green Book’? Never heard of it”, we now have a brand new age of media consumption

Creative Commons/ Wikimedia Commons

Editorial Board "Academic Burnout Needs More Recognition!"

Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief

where five out of the eight nominees for Best Picture are released and available through Netflix, Amazon and HBO Max. This new trend has played a major factor in the practical irrelevance of award shows; which is to say: if everyone can consume great films and music with ease, why do we need an award show to tell us what’s the so-called Best Picture or Best Performance? Factoring in the omnipresence of social media, where any person can voice their own opinion on any topic they want, it’s easy to see why these award shows have seen steep declines in ratings.

Just this past week, the Grammy’s ratings were at an all-time low, dropping a whole 51 percent in viewership numbers. This is also following record drops in viewerships with the Golden Globe Awards and the Emmy Awards, who saw their lowest numbers as well. However, despite the massive decline in ratings, award shows remain a mainstay in most discussions surrounding popular media.

The biggest reason behind this? An ever-increasing prevalence of award show controversies.

Now more than ever before, controversy drives a massive portion of clicks and attention online. In an article released by Forbes back in 2016, it was reported that “individuals and companies use ‘Shock Marketing’ tactics, believing that their controversial activities or marketing methods will spark interest in a wide population of readers and word will spread more rapidly than the traffic that typical news stories achieve.” As commercialized events aimed towards generating attention and revenue, award shows like the Grammys are directly affected

Last week was supposed to be our spring break. In a normal year, it’d be filled with late nights and catch-ups with high school friends, as well as beaches with seniors trying to have one last hurrah.

To stop the flood of students heading home and overwhelming local hospitals, it’s been canceled and replaced with… nothing.

To be clear, this is not a piece begging for that week back or complaining that trips to Florida or Mexico had to be canceled. I truly believe that this was the right thing to do given the fact that we’re still in a pandemic that has killed nearly 550,000 people. But, it’s a decision that was made without thinking about the effect that no break would have on students. There’s been no effort by the University to help the students dealing with this new hot-topic issue of “academic burnout.”

Though it’s not a new phenomenon, the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded this problem significantly. With classes fully on Zoom or online or the use of that “flipped classroom” model, it seems like there’s no break from the work. My freshman year, I’d have class at 11:00 a.m. for an hour and a half, do an hour of homework outside of class and be done. If I had an exam, I’d spend a few hours studying, pop in for an hour and be done. I’d have weekends for activities and friends. I’d have a break.

Now, I have week-long exams, filled with longform essays. I have tests due Saturday at noon, and discussion board posts due Sunday at 8:00 p.m. I have my work at The Mirror, and LSAT classes, plus hundreds

by this shift in tactics.

Just in the past couple of years alone, almost every single major award show has provided some sort of buzz around a particular snub or unpopular selection. These controversies have also been levied at the expense of women and artists of color, who have been habitually excluded from winning certain awards. An especially egregious example of this has come in the form of the aforementioned Grammy Awards, which decided to omit Canadian artist, The Weeknd, from any nominations, despite him having the Billboard #1 album in the country, as well as his hit song "Blinding Lights" breaking records with 52 weeks among the top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Weeknd is just the latest in an increasing line of high-profile artists who have decided to completely skip out on the Grammy awards, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, Frank Ocean, Rihanna and more.

It is negative controversies like this that thrust these award shows into the public spotlight, but at the very expense of their own integrity. If the purpose of award shows is to give attention and recognition to the best, most beloved artists — why are secret committees of biased individuals the deciding factor in what’s chosen and what’s not? And circling back to the rise of social media, does it even matter in the first place? What is the point of an award show if the general public who consumes the material being awarded has little say in the selection process?

More and more, it feels like the solution to this problem of declining ratings and increased

of pages of readings and honestly, I’m quite tired.

But, I’m one of the lucky ones who doesn’t need to commute or work remotely because of the pandemic. I feel for my friends that are stuck at home attempting to balance school work and their lives during this unprecedented time.

The pressure students are feeling to perform under nearly ridiculous circumstances is valid, yet I don’t think this is a situation professors or the University fully understand. They believe we’re all just taking our five classes, plugging along just fine with the work.

When confronted with the possibility that we’re overwhelmed, they’ll acknowledge it with an “Oh, I get it.” and then mention something about having good balance. They don’t understand that planning and balance are impossible when you’re constantly teetering on the possibility of getting contact traced or stuck in a situation out of your control.

I just don’t know how to tell the school that it’s hard to care about trying, and the difference between an A- and a B+ when the world has seemed to come to a halt. What will it matter if I graduate with a 3.9 if no one is hiring?

There are some schools out there that are trying. I have friends whose schools are giving them a Monday off here and there or these random “wellness days.” But, Fairfield has given us four days off for Easter and I bet that I’ll still be doing work during that time period.

There are a few things Fairfield could be do-

conflict is to adapt the structure of the award shows to fit the modern digital age. With pop culture being dominated by public perception, it makes sense that at least one of these shows introduces some audience integration. Perhaps a ranked-choice voting system would allow for some greater accuracy within the categories – or at least redefining the criteria by which the art is being judged. One positive attribute to the recent award shows is the increased focus on equality and fighting social injustices. It would be great to see award shows continue to emphasize these issues through donating proceeds to charities or showcasing impactful performances on the said subject matter.

Regardless of what steps are taken next, it is clear that things cannot remain as they are currently when it comes to these award shows. With the everyday person having school, work or life to manage, it just isn’t entertaining anymore to watch celebrities walk across red carpets and talk about controversies.

Entertainment award shows are meant to be exactly that — entertainment. When someone sits down to watch the Grammys or Oscars, it should be the responsibility of the show to provide an entertaining, unbiased look into each of the different new pieces of art being showcased. Whether it be finding a new movie to watch or maybe a brand new artist to listen to — getting something beneficial from an award show should be imperative. After all, it is the creators, their art and fans of that art who make the award shows what they are, not the other way around.

ing to help. They could institute a pass-fail policy in its entirety. They could stop the narrative that this is an easy way for students to trick the system or stop trying, as it's not and they stand in a privileged position to state so.

Some teachers understand and are working towards making the situation better. My film professor in Spring of 2020 made the class pass/fail as soon as we were sent home. She stated in an email that she had attended school post 9/11 and knew the stress we were facing.

I have another teacher who has split up the class into three sections and makes the work small but intentional. I’m learning through textbook readings and discussions, but not overwhelmed by the workload.

But, I then also have teachers who have overwhelmed me with work and wwpapers but haven’t found the time to grade work themselves.

I’m not faulting them for this, I fully understand the pressure of the time and the stress they’re under with children and classes and the healthcare emergency.

Yet, I do see the hypocrisy in allowing them the ability to have all this extension on grading and editing the syllabus midway the semester, but then penalize us five points every day an assignment is past due.

My basic and most general note is a plea to the University to understand that past the glossy masked marketing materials and push for the tented experience, the students need help.

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

The Vine

By Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief In January of this year, the Fairfield University Art Museum was looking to post and celebrate the work of a Black artist in honor of Black History Month.

Yet, an email chain between colleagues quickly turned into a conversation on why the museum, with 1,700 objects in its permanent collection, did not have the work of any Black artists.

This conversation turned into action, and

now the museum is creating a fund “dedicated solely to the acquisition of contemporary art

by Black artists for the permanent collection,” as stated in the press release.

Though the museum will put in $20,000 towards the initiative, this year’s goal is to raise $40,000 in additional funds.

Carey Weber, the Frank and Clara Meditz Executive Director of the Museum, stated, “We decided we had to stop accepting our limitations [similar to the lack of the acquisitions budget] and focus on a fundraising effort that would give us the ability to make a

Fairfield University's Art Musuem's 'Black Art Fund' Logo.

By Madison Feely Contributing Writer Fairfield University offers a liberal and humanistic approach to education, encouraging students to think both ethically and religiously.

The vast array of classes and professors give students a chance to focus not only on what they major in but also on other areas.

I spoke to students about some of their favorite classes and professors.

Senior Eleanor Davis, creator of “The Point Magazine,” spoke extremely highly about professor Adam Rugg.

Davis has had Rugg for two classes; “Sports Media” and “Culture, and Mass Media and Society.”

“Adam Rugg is not only an amazing teacher but also a compassionate and thoughtful educator,” she said. “He makes students feel heard and understood. His class discussions were the reason I fell in love with media, and he holds all of his students to the highest standard because he knows what we are capable of.”

Senior Allison Witheford, a communication major with a minor in management, spoke greatly of professor Niall Brennan.

“He is extremely personable and cares about what he is teaching and really gets to know his students,” she said. “It makes such a difference to take classes where the professors truly care about their students.”

Alexis Cooper, who is a senior psychology major, added her opinions about how and why she came to what she loves.

It was Linda A. Henkel, Ph.D., in the Psychology Department that made the impact on her.

“Professor Henkel made me realize that I want to do research and continue with helping the mental health community through research,” she said. “I’m her teaching intern right now, which has made me realize that I might want to be a teacher one day!”

For me personally, the greatest course I have taken here was “Grant and Proposal Writing” with professor Tom Sobocinski.

It was one of the most rewarding and educational classes I have taken at Fairfield.

Professor Sobocinski was kind, humorous and thoughtful.

He introduced a topic that most of us knew nothing about. My group worked with a non-profit called “Hall Neighborhood House.”

Working with nonprofit organizations and learning about all that goes into it was rewarding unto itself.

I have done a lot of volunteer work in the past years, but learning how much effort, time and care goes into these non-profits is truly admirable.

It would be something that I could see myself doing down the road.

It brings about a sense of accomplishment and meaning, unlike other jobs.

I learned more than ever the importance of doing good and helping those around you.

I have never had the pleasure of understanding the importance and need for organizations that help to keep children and people of all ages safe, off the streets and educated.

What “Hall Neighborhood house” does to

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positive change.”

The press release reiterates this point by stating that the museum is committing to “Proactively making a change for greater representation and recognition of diverse artists and artwork.”

Though the museum has taken steps in this direction in recent years by giving their special exhibitions to marginalized groups within the Art world, they wanted to take a step further and fix the lack of diversity in their permanent collection.

“The permanent collection is the part of the museum that's always available for faculty and students. It's really at the core of our mission, and it's important that it reflect the lived experience of the diverse communities that the museum serves,” Weber adds.

Part of this reflection comes with including students in the conversation and allowing all of those in the Fall 2021, The Black Experience: African-American Art and Criticism in the 20th and 21st Centuries course to play an active role in the museum’s decisions regarding which pieces to purchase.

“We're looking forward to inviting students enrolled in the Art History survey course on Black art in America to give their feedback on potential acquisitions!” Weber states, continuing with, “As an academic art museum, Fairfield's students, faculty and staff are the core community that we serve. We want to give Fairfield students a voice in these acquisitions.”

Yet, as is always the case when it comes to purchasing artwork, fundraising needs to be done and quickly if the first piece purchased occurs in December of 2021.

“We are trying to publicize the fund as best we can, both on and off-campus,” Weber said. “The Advancement department has

shared this new fund and initiative with all of their fundraisers so that they can introduce it to prospects who they think might be interested in donating funds or artworks. We will also be sharing it with the entire museum community and mailing list through email communications.”

When asked if the University community has been supportive of this initiative, Weber replies that despite the fact that this is a relatively new project, they have already received three gifts totaling just over $5000.

This leads her to be quite excited about the support from the university administration, faculty and staff.

What’s most important about this step forward is the hope that this will make the collection “more broadly representative of our students and our community,” as Weber says.

“Everyone who walks into FUAM should feel that the museum is a welcoming space, that it is for them. That it reflects at least some aspect of their culture, traditions and identity,” she states.

Continuing honestly, “Frankly, as a white woman of European descent, I have never been in the position of feeling unwelcome or unrepresented in a museum, but I have listened to the voices of those who have, including quite a few Fairfield alumni. It's not acceptable. It must change. And this is our small step in making that change in our own collection.”

If you have any questions regarding this initiative, reach out to Carey Weber: cweber@ fairfield.edu.

If you're interested in taking the course The Black Experience: African-American Art and Criticism in the 20th and 21st Centuries, it will be offered in the Fall on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

help and pave a future for these individuals is admirable and heartwarming.

If our class and these grants can even so much as slightly contribute and make things easier for these non-profits, then this has been the greatest and most meaningful class I have ever, and will ever, have the pleasure to take.

As my college experience winds down, I look back on all the classes and professors I have

taken and had.

Some were wonderful and others not, but every professor and class were educational and an experience.

Fairfield has given me the opportunity to take a wide array of classes and push me out of my comfort zone. It has been an honor to be a student here and to have had these experiences.

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

The Vine

By Tatiana Ryan Contributing Writer The annual Grammy Awards were upon us once again on March 14. It was a ceremony filled with wins, losses, incredible performances and history made by some of music’s biggest names. Let’s dive into a recap of the night narrated by “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, from the awards to the performers and their outstanding looks!

Harry Styles opened up the show with a standout performance of his hit song “Watermelon Sugar” from his sophomore album “Fine Line.”

Styles paraded around the stage in his leather two-piece and green feather boa reaffirming to everybody watching how much of a star he really is. Harry Styles also took home his first-ever Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Watermelon Sugar.”

In the current COVID-19 stricken world, the Grammys had to do things a little bit differently this year. Many of the music artists executed live performances in the same large ballroom-type space.

So we got to see the camera pan over from the Haim sisters’ rock performance of their song “The Steps” to Black Pumas’ soul jam “Colors.”

Audiences also saw Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell perform a breathtaking version of “Everything I Wanted.” This

gave a more close-knit feel to the Grammys.

Usually, it’s all a spectacle-“Music’s Biggest Night”- but Sunday seemed to be more of a celebration of the electricity of music rather than seeing who could put on the biggest show and who would sweep every category.

Above all, Sunday night was an incredible night for women in music. Megan Thee Stallion was one of the biggest winners of the night, taking home awards for Best New Artist, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Savage” featuring Beyonce.

Stallion gave an amazing performance of “Body” and “Savage” with singer Cardi B, for a heavily-censored, yet still incredible, performance of “WAP.” Dua Lipa took home the very-deserving award for Best Pop Vocal Album for “Future Nostalgia” and gave a glittering, 80s vibe to her medley of “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now.” The biggest history-maker of the night was none other than the true queen herself: Beyonce. She took home four Grammys Sunday night, officially making her the most-awarded artist in Grammy history with 28 Grammys.

Taylor Swift took home Album of the Year for her impeccable July album “Folklore,” making her the only woman ever to win Album of the Year three times and the fourth artist overall to do so. The other two AOTY wins went to Swift’s “Fearless” (2010)

By Brooke Lathe Vine Editor As we leave the first half of the spring semester behind and enter the final few months of the school year, many of us will start to interview for potential summer internships or future jobs. When taking these important steps to acquire a professional position, you will want to make sure you present yourself in a mature and appropriate format. While most of these conferences might take place over Zoom instead of in inperson settings this year, here are some essential tips to keep in mind when preparing for any upcoming interviews.

First and foremost, make sure you have a nice background.

Because you won’t be able to go to the company’s actual building, you’ll most likely have to take the call in your house. So, it’s perfectly okay for you to be in your bedroom or living space.

However, there are some things you should try to stay conscious of. This includes revealing to your potential employer dirty laundry sprawled all over the furniture or an unmade bed. Instead, clean your area of choice and sit in front of a plain wall or the prettiest part of your house. Also, remind your family members or roommates of your interview and tell them that they should stay clear of your space and camera.

Making a good impression can stem from your attire.

Even in a Zoom meeting, stay aware of your outfit and dress nicely. I know of some people who have just worn an appropriate top and skipped the matching bottoms, so you may even do this too. But, remember you can not get up in front of the camera if you attempt this lazy trick.

I have actually heard of some people getting up to close a door or moving sometime during the meeting, and they accidentally revealed their underwear to their future boss—definitely a deal-breaker. So, I would just say to wear standard bottoms to avoid flashing anyone important.

The mute button should undoubtedly be a constant checkpoint during your call. There is always a possibility that they may hear what you say or do. Continually, it is necessary to turn off surrounding background noises as well when your mi-

and “1989” (2016). Other winners of this category included notable performers like Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra.

Swift also gave a woodland-fairy-inthe-forest type performance of a medley featuring “Cardigan” and “August” from “Folklore” and the lead-single “Willow” off her follow-up album “Evermore''.

Nineteen-year-old Billie Eilish won Record of the Year for “Everything I Wanted” and dedicated her speech to Megan Thee Stallion, who she believed truly deserved the award.

Nevertheless, Eilish is now the only woman ever to win Record of the Year two years in a row as she took home the same award last year for her record “Bad Guy.” The 63rd Grammy Awards was an overall feel-good night that celebrated music and artists, as well as the businesses that have been left struggling through this pandemic.

However, the Grammys still have a long way to go in terms of inclusion, proper representation and recognition for Black artists in major categories.

So, let us hope the Grammys makes the true effort towards inclusivity for all.

crophone is on. This includes no loud televisions, near conversations, animals barking or phones ringing.

Besides a few additional rules regarding online interviews, the same procedure should stay in place when completing inperson meetings.

Pexels

Photo Courtesy of Grammy.com

With that being said, plan to eat before the call and avoid having any meal while on camera. Even further, refrain from chewing gum as well. Any sort of eating will come across as disrespectful and trashy in a business setting.

Furthermore, turn your cellphones to ‘do not disturb’ or, better yet, completely shut it down. Just like a regular workday or classroom scenery, your phone should not be in sight. If you have talking points on your notes app, I would suggest transferring them to a sheet of paper instead to ensure you don’t give off the wrong image.

When speaking during any career environment, you should also stay conscious of using slang. I know it has become a habit for most of us to use shortcuts for specific words; however, you must remain aware of what you say. Use mature language, enunciate your words’ and talk slowly so they can understand you through any poor connection.

As long as you don’t do anything completely outrageous during your meeting, I think you should be able to ace it with ease. Remember to stay confident, relaxed and focused. Good luck, Stags!

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

The Vine

By Brooke Lathe Vine Editor A popular trend that is currently taking Tik Tok by storm is a party called ‘dip night’; and what better time to explain this event than around March 23, national chip and dip day?

To join in on this festivity, all you have to do is gather a group of friends together, make all different kinds of dips and indulge yourself in a night full of loud crunches and gooey-ness!

Upon researching what most people bring to the dip-fest, I have compiled a list of popular dishes and also included some of my personal favorites: Spinach and Art ichoke Dip Creamy, heavy and oh so good, spinach and artichoke dip will undoubtedly have you licking not only your fingers but the empty bowl too. This one may be a little detrimental towards any lactose intolerant party-goers, but speaking as one myself, it is so worth it. Quickly pop those “Lactaid” pills and get to chowing down on some yummy dip! Most people use tortilla chips for this combo, but you can also pair it with toasted baguette slices or breadsticks.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - Buffalo chicken is definitely a must-have item when it comes to a dip get-together. While it is almost always a traditional addition, the reoccurring flavors never get old. There is just something so special about the sauce’s tang, the cheesy chicken and the salty chip combo that leaves your stomach begging for more.

Personal tip: “Frank’s Red Hot Sauce” truly completes this dish, so swap your usual buffalo condiment with this mouth-watering dressing instead.

Pizza Dip - A usual pizza dip may only include marinara sauce, cheese and pepperoni, but it’s your meal - so don’t be shy when adding some more ingredients to the mix! In any typical Italian restaurant, a pizza menu traditionally includes an abundance of toppings from mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions and sausage to anything else your heart desires. As long as you don’t put pineapples into your creation, I think anything else you incorporate into your bowl sounds like a perfect pizza dip to me.

French Onion Dip - Any good party has french onion dip, am I right? The “Heluva good!” brand is a super nostalgic taste for me since this is a constant snack for my family during the summer. However, I think it would be so much more exciting making a homemade one and sharing it with loved ones. And of course, with any type of french onion dip, the superior chip choice to use would always have to be wavy “Lays.” Trust me.

Ja%peno Popper Dip - I don’t get to eat jalapeno poppers very often, but a wide smile will creep across my face when I do. This is especially true when I heat up some “TGI Fridays” cheddar cheese poppers or visit my local Sonic. Thankfully, you can turn this flavorful finger food into another delectable version within 20 minutes. Partner this deep-dish style with “Tostitos” scoops and you’ll soon be on your way to a food coma!

C'b Dip - Is anyone else overly obsessed with crab rangoons, or am I the only one? Well, even if there aren't a lot of you who agree with me, this one is for my crab lovers. This recipe is heavily reliant on all kinds of cheesy goodness, and obviously, crab meat. You can use any kind of chip of your liking for this appetizer, but what

By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist The one-two punch of both “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” and the first episode of “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” is making this week a real treat for superhero fans. After the success of “WandaVision,” many, including myself, greatly anticipated Marvel’s next episodic narrative on Disney+. However, the aspect of “WandaVision” that had me excited was just how weird it seemed. “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” doesn’t have that weird element, as all promotional material has given off the energy and style of the very grounded “Captain America” movies. That being said, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” after just one episode, is leagues above the quality of “WandaVision” and is off to a start that could make it one of my favorite Marvel projects.

What I love so much about where this show begins is how it holds off on the action in favor of strong introductions for where Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are before they come back together. These are two characters who were blipped out of existence for five years after half of Earth’s population was eliminated in “Avengers: Infinity War.” This series picks up with each of them in a very interesting place.

Sam, or The Falcon, is still working with the government as a superhero to work contract jobs but is struggling financially. After being given Captain America’s shield at the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” he struggles with his role as a hero without a role model. He is very much on his own and is working to make his own mark on the world outside of the shadow of Captain America. There’s an excellent arch in the first episode with Sam’s sister regarding a family heirloom that deeply connects to what Sam’s position in the world is.

My favorite part of the premiere was, hands down, Bucky’s development and how he is looking to correct his actions as a mindwiped hired gun for his entire life. Bucky never had the deepest de-

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I suggest is some delicious fried wonton chips in order to closely resemble a rangoon.

Se)n-Layer Dip - Some traditional dips that are common within Mexican culture consists of queso, salsa and guacamole. But since we’re already going all out in snacks, you can even step it up a notch and bake a sevenlayer dip.

This tasty creation piles on multiple coats of ingredients that include cheese, sour cream, beans, guacamole, salsa, olives, tomatoes and green onions.

Although, some chefs often add jalapenos for a little extra spice or lettuce for some more depth.

S'mores Dip - You guessed it! The name is quite literally as telling as it can get. All you have to do to create this dessert is melt some marshmallows on top of any type of chocolate, and you’re done. To finish it off, you can sink in some smaller graham cracker pieces to use as your ‘chip,’ and you’ve easily recreated the ultimate summer treat.

Cannoli Dip - With only five ingredients, you can quickly make a deconstructed Italian favorite: cannolis. This dish will be a perfect balance to all of the several other savory spreads presented beside it. To perfectly accomplish a true sweet

nosh, lay out an assortment of smashed cannoli bits, waffle cone pieces, vanilla wafers, pretzels or ginger snaps to use as your edible spoon.

These are only a handful of the hundreds of dip recipes out there for you to try and recreate at your own dip night party.

So hurry up, go to your nearest store and stock up on some heavy-duty tortilla chips; you’ve got a lot of dips to try!

Photo Courtesy of @staciebillis Instagram

velopment in prior films, but in this show, there are rich scenes that elaborate more on his headspace and the steps he is taking to remedy his past actions. He has a friendship with an elderly man throughout this episode. And while this was certainly cute and fun for the majority, a revelation at the end of the episode left me absolutely floored and heartbroken.

With all of this talk on how great these characters are established in just the first episode, I can also firmly say that this is by far the best-written project Marvel has ever produced. It took just a few scenes to mark a notable improvement over a majority of the Marvel feature-length films.

There’s an exceptional scene with Bucky and his therapist that digs so deep into the character’s psyche and lays the groundwork for his arc. Dialogue always serves characters, and each scene does more and more to flesh out these two side characters in the major Marvel story.

Aside from me gushing over how great the writing is, the action is also incredible. However, if fighting is your selling point, I may wait until more episodes are released. This first episode has one quick, sleek and well-helmed action scene in the very beginning, but the rest is entirely set up for each character.

The two don’t even share a scene together yet, and I am so happy that they choose to take their time with this series rather than diving right in. However, I am excited about the future action because the scene in this episode was a very strong start.

Should you be excited for “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier”? Based on this first episode, my answer would be a resounding ‘yes.’ Marvel properties usually always place their priorities in character development, and this show so far has some of the best this franchise has to offer. I didn’t think I would love it this much, but next Friday can’t come soon enough.

By John Bizub Contributing Writer It is strange that we have entered a new year full of movies slated to be released. Films originally scheduled to be produced last year are either coming out in theatres this year or via a streaming service.

However, if there is one movie many are intrigued by, it’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

But John, didn’t Zack Snyder make a Justice League movie back in 2017, and it was a colossal disaster? Yes, and no; the backstory of “Justice League” is an odd one, and many still discuss it today. The story regards the financial success and the critical divide of Snyder’s last DC Comics outing, “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and decided to make a Justice League trilogy with the goal to release next year.

He was hard at work on the project, and many fans were very excited. However, things took a turn for the worse when Snyder’s daughter, Autumn, died tragically during the filming process of “Justice League”.

Zack had to make the ultimate decision to step away from the project to be with his family and heal. Due to this, Warner Brothers Studios decided to hire Joss Whedon, director of “The Avengers” and the creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” to finish where Snyder left off and give Whedon a producing credit.

Following this, the WB decided to cut

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

The Vine

the planned trilogy and make it only one film, which was shorter than two hours.

Upon release, the film was critically panned, as it felt like two different people created one movie, mostly being perceived as Whedon’s version over Snyder’s.

A group of Twitter users created the hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut in 2017, fighting long and hard for WB to finally release the original cut. And after three years, it is finally here on HBO Max! I applaud this decision because it goes the extra mile when advocating for artistic integrity in the film industry rather than just simply pleasing fans.

Personally, while I hate “Justice League,” I think Zack Snyder is one of the best filmmakers in the industry today, and people do not give him enough credit!

The film stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher and Henry Cavill. It repeats the story of the “Justice League” and how they must destroy the almighty Darkseid in order to save the world.

This cut is an additional two hours from Whedon’s version, but it does not use any of the footage from that version.

This means this is an entirely new film that is told by a singular visionary.

Was the wait worth it? In my opinion, absolutely! This is in my top three comic book films of all time. Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” is the definition of a comic book movie. It lives and breathes everything comic and does every character justice, no pun intended. This film

truly places Snyder’s DC Extended Universe trilogy into perspective. Man of Steel, being a “Fellowship of the Ring”esque setup film, builds the world of Metropolis and Krypton.

Justice League feels like Snyder’s “Return of the King,” as they are similar in the amount of audacity and soul. You can tell this was done by one true visionary.

While this is not Snyder’s most thematic release, it is a movie about the grief of a traumatized man after his daughter’s death. It feels like a cathartic experience for Snyder, allowing him to relate to these heroes.

The newest change in this version of the film is the additional 4:3 aspect ratio. This allows the audience to witness the full image and not the typical 1.85:1 ratio that is seen in other blockbusters.

The aspect ratio change is wonderful since it lets you witness everything on the screen.

The film’s humor lands and feels so right when used. It does not feel out of place, like Marvel’s version. You sense the League’s chemistry and root for everyone here.

Ray Fisher’s Cyborg shines here, allowing for more character development.

He is the heart and soul of this movie, and I couldn't be more thankful for that.

Everyone performs extremely well and is given an individual moment to shine.

One moment of the film that I consider to be my favorite part of any comic book film is the four-hour-long runtime.

It felt justified, and I did not sense a drag since there was always an exciting highlight within each act.

The score by Junkie XL is unbelievable, creating some of the most emotional moments in the genre. Sure, the story is the same plot as the 2017 film, but there is so much added weight to everything.

I am speechless by Zack Snyder’s “Justice League.” I already knew Snyder was one of the many visionaries of the blockbuster era of filmmaking, but this movie is well worth the wait.

Everything works so well as he creates thematic stories that are relatable for watchers. I hope this pushes Snyder to make parts two and three to this story!

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE GO TO FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM

By Jackie Campbell Contributing Writer Spring is just around the corner, and with it comes the return of hours in the sunshine. While it’s hard waiting for the days of picnics in the sun and laying on the beach, our skin can always use a break from the sun’s harmful rays. But, that doesn’t mean staying inside.

Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing outdoors might just be the perfect change in scenery. As we return to warmer weather, keep in mind, our skin’s health shouldn’t interfere with our happiness. The solution: sunscreen. While there’s no excuse for ignoring the importance of wearing sunscreen, some are undoubtedly better than others.

Many sunscreens include ingredients that have been seen as harmful to the environment and your body. Ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, homosalate and nanoparticles can act as hormone disruptors or act as allergens for the skin.

The best sunscreens have removed these ingredients in order to protect body systems, as well as

environmental systems.

Coral reefs are already in danger due to coastal development, dredging and fishing practices. Sunscreens and other cosmetic products have been damaging the health of coral reefs because of their role in hormone disruption in animals and their impact on the growth of algae. The chemicals, including oxybenzone, can even cause coral death and reduce fertility in marine life.

When it comes to sun protection factor level, make sure to wear sunscreen above SPF 30. According to Business Insider, sunscreens with an SPF above 50 make such a marginal difference in skin protection they aren’t worth purchasing. In fact, the mentality of having a “stronger” sunscreen may make you stay out in the sun longer without reapplying, causing more sun damage.

No matter your skin type or pigmentation, sunscreen is an essential part of spending time outside. The best thing for your skin is wearing sunscreen on a daily basis, regardless of your time directly in the sun. Ultraviolet ray exposure is present even on cloudy spring and summer days, making it important to wear sunscreen regardless of whether or not the sun is visible in the sky.

Sunscreen should be partnered with smart sun time. Wearing hats and sitting underneath umbrellas protects your skin without putting so much pressure on sunscreen to block the UV and certain times of the day are better to go out than others. Remember to reapply every two hours, or if your skin ever feels overexposed.

By Nathan Schmidt Inkwell Writer

I have never seen a book this dense. The pages are impossibly thin, the text small enough for ants.

But the words defy reality — literally. I dive in, and I get lost in another world.

Beautiful stories. Places I’ll never see, people I’ll never meet — I know them all like my own two hands. The toil is hard, but the rewards are manifold. What hidden wonders! The story is my playground. And the authors, my playmates across space and time. Behind this onionskin veil of words, I am safe. A pity, then, that I have to come back.

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

Coffee Break

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

The Coffee Break Team has put together a word search consisting of the Sweet 16 March Madness Teams! Be sure to check back for more next week!

If you would like to submit ideas for games and different word searches, DM us @FairfieldMirror on Twitter!

- Gonzaga

- Baylor

- Creighton

- Villanova

- USC

- Arkansas

- Oregon

- Oral Roberts

- Michigan

- Loyola Chicago

- Florida State

- Oregon State

- UCLA

- Syracuse

- Alabama

- Houston

Creative Commons / Flickr

Puzzlemaker / Discovery Education

Virtual Classes Collapse Black Market for Dry-Erase Markers

By Nathan Schmidt An investigative report by Stagnation over the last six months has revealed economic ruination in Fairfield University’s black market for dry-erase markers. With students moving online for some or all of their classes, the once-thriving illicit trade for the Expo brand markers has become the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dry-erase marker trade, known colloquially among students as the “black marker,” was a notorious source of grief on campus ever since whiteboards were first introduced circa 1998. Enterprising students routinely evaded notice of DPS, reselling markers to the highest bidder and causing shortages in the classroom.

“There’s nothing quite like picking up a marker that you’re sure was wet as a fountain pen last week, and finding that its ink is somehow simultaneously unreadably faint and impossible to erase,” said English professor Julian Vicar, who has wrestled fruitlessly with the so-called black marker for the past twenty years straight. “I don’t miss it. This is the one positive thing about moving to Zoom.”

Julian then turned away from his camera and added loudly, “Eliza! Eliza, I’m on Zoom right now, sweetie. Can it wait? Eliza, I’m talking to Stagnation. Please?”

Students have reacted to the absence of the black marker — once the most profitable, albeit unofficial, student organization on campus — with widespread apathy or even schadenfreude. Business student Clarise Grendel ‘22 is quoted saying, “Yeah, that’s not my hustle. I’m more into short-squeezing GameStop shares. But it is pretty cute how my professors think I used to read what they put on the whiteboard.”

The insider student sources who provided the information for this article could not be reached for comment, as they could not find a way to conduct a Zoom interview without their parents overhearing it.

Luckily for those few miscreant students who once hoarded all of the dry-erase markers on campus, the university administration has been working hard on an incremental return to classes in-person this semester. We may yet see a terrible renaissance of the felt-tipped monopoly in our time.

Creative Commons / Flickr

SPORTS Sports

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

Sports Editors: Julia Lanzillotta and Tommy Coppola >> julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu >> thomas.coppola@student.fairfield.edu

Baseball Makes Gains Against Golden Griffins

By Zachary Stevens Contributing Writer The Fairfield University men’s baseball season was stopped entirely after 11 games last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a long and anticipated wait, the Stags were back in action this past weekend, hosting the Canisius College Golden Griffins in a four game series. The previous meeting between the two teams was a split series in the 2019 season.

The first double header of the series took place on March 20, at Alumni Baseball Diamond Field, where the Stags won their season opener by a score of 4-7.

Starting pitcher Trey McLoughlin ‘21, demonstrated his dominance by striking out 11 batters and only giving up three runs in six innings pitched to receive his first win of the year.

Fairfield found themselves in a 3-1 hole in the second inning, but showed great resilience to prevail in the end and win the game.

The comeback started in the bottom half of the second, where Mike Becchetti ‘23 lined a double to right field, scoring Charlie Pagliarini ‘23 to cut the Griffins lead to 3-2. The Stags would tie the game on a Mike Caruso ‘21 RBI single and would then take the lead on a Mike Handal ‘22 run scoring double.

After a solo Golden Griffins homerun in the fourth, the Stags punched back in the same inning with three runs of their own. Becchetti scored on a throwing error, then back-to-back sacrifice flies from Handal and graduate student Dan Ryan gave the Stags a 7-4 advantage.

McLoughlin held the lead for two

more innings, where he was then replaced

by Nick Grabek ‘21 who would finish the game with a perfect seventh inning picking up his first save of the season.

The Stags have been eager to get back on the field, a win on their opener will be huge for the team's confidence. Head coach Bill Currier, has also been eager to see his team back and action, excited for the season.

“It's great to see the players have a reason for all the practices and hard work,” said Currier. “[With] All the hard work the kids put in, it's great to play. Everybody is seeing the new kids and the returning kids who haven't played in over a year.”

The nightcap game was a batting clinic from the Stags, who blasted six home runs in a commanding 13-4 victory, making the series 2-0 Fairfield.

Justin Guerrera ‘22, had a historic game belting three home runs, becoming just the third Stag ever to hit three home runs in a single game.

His historic game started in the very first inning, where he lined a missile for his first of the day to drive three runs home and give the Stags a 3-0 lead.

In his next at-bat, Guerrera sent the ball over the center field wall to extend the Stag lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third. Guerrera then ended his legendary night with a long home run in the sixth that cleared the scoreboard entirely.

“He commanded the zone very well and made the pitchers throw to his power spots,” said Currier. “He’s a very strong player who will be one of the best the conference has seen since Jack Gethings two years ago, with more power.”

Guerrera was not the only Stag to show his power in the final game, as the Stags belted six homers in the contest. The junior

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

The Fairfield University baseball team's overall record is 3-1 for the spring 2021 season.

led the team with six RBI and three runs scored in the win with Handal, Ryan and Becchetti all driving in a pair as well.

On the hill for the Stags was Michael Sansone ‘22, who battled for seven innings, picking up his first victory of the season.

Sansone was comfortable throughout the game, retiring nine of the final 10 hitters he faced and controlling the zone.

High on confidence after a season opener win, the Stags build on with another strong outing and start off the season with a record of 2-0.

In this week's issue...

-

Opinion: Men's March Madness Predictions (Page 14) Baseball Has Strong Start to Season, 4-0 (Page 15) Coach Kress Makes MAAC History (Page 15) Q & A With Softball's Senior Student-Athletes (Page 16)

The men’s baseball team completed the four game series the next day against the Golden Griffins of Canisius College, winning both games of the Sunday double header on March 21.

After the series sweep, the Stags now have a record of 4-0, marking the best start to a season in program history.

CONTINUE READING ABOUT BASEBALL ON PAGE 15

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

Opinion: Men's March Madness Predictions

By Thomas Coppola Assistant Sports Editor After two years, the most famous college basketball tournament in the nation is finally returning. The National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament, colloquially called March Madness, hosts 64 of the best college basketball teams in the United States.

The popular tournament was canceled last year at the onset of the pandemic; this year, however, play will begin like normal.

All teams are being kept inside of a bubble in the city of Indianapolis, meaning they will be restricted to the city during tournament play as to limit the spread of COVID-19. All games will be played in Lucas Oil Creative Commons/Wikipedia Stadium in Downtown Indianapolis.

To fulfill the commonplace tradition, I created my bracket this year in hopes of being This year's March Madness tournament is set to go on until the championship game slated for April 5, and only the Sweet Sixteen remain. the lucky winner of the ESPN Bracket Chal- more than any other team; their 26-0 record State University. In my personal bracket, I preAs we have seen in past years, lenge, which rewards the person with the most should be sufficient evidence of this. dicted that Ohio State would go to the Elite Eight the dominant Loyola University Chiaccurate bracket with a large sum of money.

The Fighting Illini are the seeded round and lose; the Golden Eagles held out the cago has come up big when they needed I’ve had a pretty solid history of predictions so at #1 in the Midwest division with a 23-6 re- Buckeyes by a final score of 75-72, busting my it most, and some can say that their sucfar, and I’m hoping that when the tournament cord in the 2020-2021 season. Their March bracket. There’s always next year, I guess. cess rides on one person: Sister Jean. is over, that success will be repeated.

Madness conquest began in a game against Every year I like to throw in one preAfter an inspiring pregame prayer Before the tournament started, I the bottom-seeded Drexel University. dicted upset that wouldn’t really make from Sister Jean, the team’s good luck made a few predictions about the final four.

One of the headlining games sense: the year, that was University of North charm, the Ramblers were able to top I believed previously that Gonzaga Univer- from the beginning of the tournament is the Texas versus Purdue University. the University of Illinois, the first numsity would play the University of Connecti- play-in match between Wichita State UniAs the 13 and 4 seeds, respectively, I ber one seed to exit the tournament. cut, and Villanova University will play the versity and Drake University. The Drake had a hunch that North Texas would bring All the magic and fun of the previous University of Illinois. I predicted initially Bulldogs outlasted Wichita State Shockers their best against the Boilermakers, and going March Madness NCAA tournament in 2019 that Gonzaga would go on to beat Illinois in one of the “First Four” games, which are into overtime, this was clearly the case. has come back, and fans everywhere have been in the final game, by a score of 78-74. games that ultimately decide who will play The Mean Green held Purdue’s offense excitedly keeping tabs on their brackets to However, this possibility is no longer in the tournament and who will not. scoreless throughout most of the overtime see if they have the chance to win big. the case. The University of Connecticut and The Bulldogs won by a final score of period, taking full control of the court. The Unfortunately, there are no more perthe University of Illinois were both early exits 53-52, a score that Drake University faith- Mean Green were led by senior guard Ja- fect brackets left according to an article from the tournament, meaning that my per- ful may consider way too close for com- vion Hamlet, who scored 18 points, hauled published by the NCAA. Once the Universonal prediction no longer makes sense. fort. They will now advance into the round in five rebounds and dished out three as- sity of Maryland knocked the University This may sound like an uneducated of 64, where they will take on the #6 seeded sists to lead his team past Purdue. of Connecticut out of the tournament, not guess (since Gonzaga is the #1 seed for the University of Southern California.

Underdog teams have been busting brack- a single perfect bracket remained.

West region), however I truly believe that One major shock to the world was the ets left and right, as 15-seed Oral Roberts UniThe remaining games in the tournathis year will be dominated by the top teams. March 19 contest of 15-seed Oral Roberts Uni- versity has been cruising through tough games, ment will be streamable via the NCAA webThis Gonzaga team deserves the #1 seed versity versus the dominant 2-seeded Ohio beating the 7-seed University of Florida. site or other platforms such as CBS.

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

Fairfield field hockey has a re- What’s one thing you want to cord of 3-0 this season. Who’s do more of, since spring has one to watch on the roster? officially started?

Your 2020-2021 4x5 Columnists:

Julia Lanzillotta, Tommy Coppola, Molly Lamendola and Sheila McCombs How have you been holding up with midterms?

After the convocation center, what should be next for Fairfield athletics?

Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

Dani Profita is a no brainer. I’m excited to see what kind of performance she’ll put on for her senior season.

Tommy Coppola Assistant Sports Editor

I’m going to agree with Julia... Living that ideal first-year stu- Not too bad, but I’m a little Dani Profita has everything dent dream, which starts with burnt out. she needs to lead her team this playing yard games on the year. quad.

I’m super excited to see my family and have a little break from classes.

We need a hockey arena so badly. Not too sure where it would go, but I’m sure they can figure something out.

The Ancient Greeks played a Love a dress day now and I Fairfield said… no mental field hockey type sport. don’t look as nutty ordering an health days! iced coffee.

A bath and a glass of non-alcoholic wine.

Uniform redesign. I’m talking 80s pop glam, with red rhinestones… 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid chic… totally ready for it.

Luzi Persiehl on defense, there is a reason she became the first Fairfield player to be voted NFHCA All-American last year!

I can’t wait to have a couple days off from classes! This semester of no breaks has been a lot for sure.

Hm, I think I agree with Lanz about the press boxes, while we all continue to scream for a new hockey arena.

Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief

Sheila McCombs Executive Editor

Going outside and exercising. I’m running on fumes.

Zoom school has NOT been good for me and I really need to see the sun a bit more.

What’s one thing that’s motivating you to push through until Easter break?

Definitely getting some more sun, just the idea of sitting on my porch to do homework sounds amazing!

I have had it. Officially.

Thinking about seeing my pre- I’ve made it clear I want a cious little rat-dog, Sophie. hockey arena, but before that I want nicer press boxes for University Field and the Alumni Softball Field.

Sports

Page 15

THE MIRROR | Week of March 24, 2021

Coach Kress Makes MAAC History

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Todd Kress is now the winningest coach in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference volleyball history.

By Kayla Amelung Contributing Writer Fairfield University volleyball head coach Todd Kress is the all-time winningest coach in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference volleyball history, as well as in Fairfield volleyball history.

Kress has been a Division I coach for 24 seasons, and has been coaching at Fairfield for seven straight seasons after coaching other programs. In total, he has coached 333 games at Fairfield University.

Coach Kress attended the University of Cincinnati with the intention of becoming a sports broadcaster. After multiple job interviews he was given an opportunity he did not expect.

“I was a broadcasting major graduating from the University of Cincinnati.

I was applying for a number of air positions,” Kress explained when speaking about the process of beginning his ca-

reer. “Someone saw me play from the University of Cincinnati and asked me to be the assistant coach. I wasn't really thinking about it much but I tried it to help out the players and team. I continued to assist in coaching and it led me to continue this career path.”

Kress has been a well rounded coach for many years. He began his career as an assistant volleyball coach for Thomas More University located in Kentucky. But, Fairfield University is where he began his head coaching career.

He has not only been able to complete many accomplishments this year, but when he coached the Fairfield Stags in 1995-1998, he was honored as the MAAC Coach of the year after leading the Stags to the first two MAAC Championships.

As a Fairfield volleyball coach, Todd Kress also received the award of American Volleyball Coaches Association District II Coach of the Year in

1998. He was given this award for leading the program to extreme wins which he continues to achieve till this day.

According to the official website of Fairfield Athletics, Coach Kress “ranks second in program history with a .688 winning percentage.”

After starting off his head coaching career with Fairfield University, he spent some years apart from the Stags and led the volleyball programs at Northern Illinois University, University of Buffalo and Florida State University.

Kress led the Northern Illinois University volleyball team in a successful direction when looking at their stats.

During the year 2000, their record was 24-9 and 24-6 in 2001, leading them to a MAAC Championship and National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. Due to these wonderful achievements, Kress was acknowledged as the 2001 MAAC Coach of the Year.

Kress led the University of Buffalo in 2019 to a great amount of victories and accomplishments. In the first few months of his career at Buffalo, he found a lot of success with the group, and was able to rebuild the program and mindsets of the players.

When returning to Fairfield, he had core values set for his team. “I'm big on trust, we all need to trust one another in order for a culture and system to work,” Kress explained. “Discipline is another value of mine. Where we try to get the most out of everything in the minute. We want the athletes to try their absolute best.”

Kress has an impressive record of 229-102 at Fairfield. As for his overall coaching career, the record is currently 463-297. The Fairfield Stags are 6-0 for their MAAC standings, and their win streak does not look like it will end any time soon.

In 2016, the Stags finished 18-0 in the MAAC regular season which made them the second team in the MAAC to ever finish with that record. The Stags volleyball team also competed the longest winning streak in the 2016 season, which lasted 22 matches long!

According to FairfieldStags.com, “the Stags were also the league’s most im-

proved club with a six-win increase” Fairfield set the record of hitting their 11 MAAC Championships during the 2019 season being Kress’ sixth championship.

“I think the fact that I have been blessed with working with an incredible number of students. I have been around an incredible group of people everywhere,” Coach Kress explained when reflecting on the amazing distinction he was presented with. “I reflect on the people that I have had the opportunity to coach and be around.”

The global pandemic has been a challenge for all sports teams all around the world. The Fairfield volleyball team has tried to take advantage of the challenge and make the best out of what was available to them. It was not something that was going to stop Kress or the volleyball team from getting the job done.

They used this challenge as an opportunity to push themselves and grow their relationships with one another. As Kress stated, “We had to try to control the uncontrollable”.

Kress made sure the team stayed unified during these difficult times.

“We still had to study game film, stay in contact with the team and keep relationships. We had to try to keep some normalcy and allow some aspects to be normal, which was still difficult,” Kress remarked referring to coronavirus’ impact on the volleyball team.

“In regards to long term affect you just stay appreciative to be in the gym whether they are good or bad. Don't take anything for granted and appreciate our time in the gym because you never know when it can be taken away from you,” explained Kress when speaking about how they will overcome the challenges being faced throughout the season.

Kress sees a lot of success in his athletes and continues to push them to be their best. He hopes to continue leading the team to a great path and conquer the goals they have set for themselves.

The Fairfield Stags will be travelling to Hamden, Conn. to take on the Quinnipiac University Bobcats on March 28 with games slated for 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Baseball Has Strong Start to Season, 4-0 CONTINUED FROM BASEBALL ON PAGE 15

The opener of the double header was a close contest, with the Stags winning by a narrow margin of 6-3. On the mound for the Stags, fans saw the return of graduate student John Signore, who has not pitched at home since May 5, 2018.

The sixth year senior started right where left off, as he pitched 5.1 innings while striking out six and allowing a lone run in his 2021 debut.

His six strikeouts brought his career total to 239, tying for second place on the program's all-time strikeout list, which is a huge accomplishment.

The one run he surrendered was the first of the game, where he gave up a solo home run in the second inning and the Stags were down 1-0.

As they did in the first game of the series, the Stags answered back, scoring in

four-straight innings.

Ryan began a two-out rally in the third after getting hit by a pitch. Thanks to a pass ball and a wild pitch on back-to-back pitches, where he reached third base.

Ryan would complete the run as he scored on another passed ball.

Graduate student Sean Cullen gave the stags a lead with an RBI single in the third inning.

Matt Venuto ‘23 and Guerrera, added insurance to the lead, homering in the fourth and fifth innings, extending the lead to 5-3.

The fifth inning home run

by Guerrera marked the fourth for the junior on the weekend.

The Stags would then add another run with a Mike Handal ‘22 RBI single in the sixth.

Canisius added some pressure in the final stretch of the game, scoring two runs in the seventh inning, and filling the bases with the go ahead run at-bat.

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Junior pitcher Jake Noviello.

Bryson Cafaro ‘21, would win the battle, ending the game with a strike out and a line out, securing his first save of the season.

Another gritty wins for the Stags, they show that they don’t mind playing from behind.

In two out of the three games so far this season, they have gone down in early innings, but showed no signs of being rattled, prevailing with strong wins.

The last game of the series was a much more dominating and comfortable win for the Stags, as they easily beat the Golden Griffins by a score of 8-0.

The afternoon game would feature the return of starting pitcher Jake Noviello ‘22, who made his first appearance on a mound since the win over Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships in 2019.

Returning from an injury, Noviello tossed a gem of a game, best of his career with a

personal best six innings and a career best seven strikeouts.

Fairfield gave run support to their starter with a pair of runs in the first and fifth innings.

The Stags then added to their lead in the fifth inning with thanks to a Handal RBI groundout and a two-out blast by Ryan, his second on the weekend.

The Stags busted the game open in the sixth with a two run double by Ryan and a two run single by Guerrera, putting Fairfield ahead at 8-0.

“Our goal is always to win the MAAC,” said Currier. “We achieve these goals by putting in our best effort each weekend and stay smart and healthy.”

The Stags definitely look like they will be competing for another MAAC championship and will be one of the most dangerous teams in the conference at this pace.

Fairfield looks to build on this historic start, as they travel to Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, NJ for another four-game set beginning on March 27.

SPORTS 16 Q & A With Softball's Senior Student-Athletes @Fairfield Mirror

Week of March 24, 2021

By Julia Lanzillotta Managing Editor The Fairfield University softball team missed out on much of their season last year, but finally was able to hit this field again this past weekend on March 20. They took down the Manhattan College Jaspers in three of this weekend’s four contests, proving that the team is off to a great start. Five student-athletes will graduate this year, including seniors Sam Merino, Lauryn Rhinehart, Mikayla Rubin and Drew Westford, as well as graduate student Lacey Olaff. The Mirror was able to get their take on how they’re feeling on their final leg of their Fairfield experience. !"#$"%#&''(#)*+)#$"%,#'-.',/'01'#"0# )*'#)'+2#.,'34567!389#*+:#*'(.';#$"%#<')# )*,"%<*#)*/:#.+:)#$'+,=#>/)*#)*'#+?,%.)#'0;# )"#(+:)#:'+:"0#+0;#)*'#/0)',2/))'0)#.+%:':#/0# +)*(')/1#.,+1)/1'#+0;#1"2.')/)/"0@ ABCB: Yes, I do think prior experience has helped us deal with the adversity during this past year. The fall season was especially hard on all of us. We were very excited to be back but nothing was normal. We didn’t have our usual weekend of games and couldn’t do our typical team bonding like we used to because the group size was too big. In addition, we barely had full team practices because in the beginning it was only small groups, and then we had a handful of pauses. It was challenging to stay motivated and practice on your own with all of these pauses, but us upperclassmen were able to find creative ways through Peloton apps and doing our past conditioning workouts to stay in shape. We shared these ideas with the rest of the team to help them stay motivated throughout the adversity.

DB5B: Reminiscing the softball team experience pre-COVID-19 has definitely helped us get through the tough times, it’s acted as the “light at the end of the tunnel.” There are days where the practices feel never ending, or just feel like all you’re doing is practicing. But, then you remember that things can get taken away so quickly again, so you learn to appreciate everything so much more.

We learned last year to never take things for granted, because our softball season got taken away so quickly. So yes, looking back on softball pre-COVID-19 has definitely helped us remember why we do what we do.

DBEB: The pauses in practicing and irregularity of knowing if we would have practice or even be allowed on campus the next day was so difficult. The softball team is so close and we all hang out together constantly but with not being able to do that as much this year it has been more difficult to see everyone as much. Thankfully we have a strong core group of returning players that has helped the team as a whole stay positive and be able to be there for each other even more this year with everything changing day to day. In terms of softball experience I am thankful that I know what it is like to compete at the Division I level without having to worry about COVID all the time, which I think has helped our senior class to keep the underclassmen focused and wanting to do everything right to be able to play and get back to normalcy.

CBEB: I think that having two full seasons under my belt has been very helpful because I know what it takes to play a full season. Many of our younger players haven't experienced that yet so it is good to let them know how it works. !BFB: I honestly don’t think anything could have helped me prepare for something like this to happen. It feels like I have dedicated my life to softball and having it ripped out from under me was something I never expected or could have seen coming. You always think something like an injury could possibly

fairfieldmirror.com

end your athletic career, but with an injury, there’s usually an estimated timeline of when you can return to the field, but with the pandemic, there was no end in sight for a while.

Last spring, our team went through the possibility of “maybe we just played our last game ever.” It was scary, but I couldn’t have asked for better teammates to go through something like that with. My team is the main reason why I was able to make it through all the uncertainty and pauses, they always had my back.

G"># ;"# $"%# &''(# +?"%)# )*'# :)+,)# "&# )*'# :'+:"0# )*%:# &+,@# F*+)# <"+(:# ;"# $"%# (""H#)"#+11"2.(/:*#;%,/0<#$"%,#:'0/",#:'+3 :"0@ ABCB: This weekend against Manhattan was extremely fun. We were screaming at the top of our lungs for the tiniest wins - a swing and a miss from our opponent and when we got walked. The energy was electric and you could tell that we were extremely elated to be back and playing a real game. It had been over a year since we had our last game of the Spring 2020 season, and we have been anticipating this weekend. I have always had the goal of winning the MAAC and going to the NCAA tournament. We were so close our freshman year with losing in the championship game, and ever since then I have been so hungry for a MAAC title. Besides that final goal, I just want to have fun and make the most of my time this year. It is my senior season and I want to look back and these times and remember how I gave it my all and had a blast. Playing a sport in college is basically working a full time job.

It is physically and mentally demanding, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. When I look back at my college years, softball will always be on the forefront of my memories. I am hoping this year will be special with a MAAC title, but either way, I want to play hard everyday until I can’t play anymore!

DB5B: Every year there’s always the jitters that are a mix of both anxiousness and excitement before opening weekend approaches and this they were definitely at an all-time high. Going 3-1 this weekend was a great start for us. This team has so much potential and I am so excited to see what is in store for us this season!

DBEB: I am really excited about the start of the season so far, as I mentioned before having a team that gets along so well is so rare but it makes it so much easier to show up and have fun everyday. We have an abnormal amount of energy all around that is infectious and will keep us all going through the next six weeks. We all have a goal to win the MAAC and to do that just focus on winning one game at a time. It won’t be easy playing every team four times, but we’re very fortunate that we have six great pitchers and other teams have only seen two of us. I hope that I can keep improving from years past and keep hitters off balance in the circle.

CBEB: I am very excited about the start of our season. To be back on the field playing games has been our goal for a long time. Now our goal has shifted to one thing and that is to win the MAAC Championship. We have been working hard and are ready to make a push for the title. !BFB: So, this past weekend we opened up against Manhattan and we went 3-1. We had a great start and played very well, but that didn’t surprise me. We have put in a lot of hard work over the past few months and it’s paying off. Our pitchers were phenomenal, our defense was in sync, and our offence was on fire!

Our team puts an emphasis on the fact that it takes all 20 girls to win, so even if someone doesn’t get to play that day or maybe they only get one at-bat, they are contributing, and we would not be able to win without all 20 of us.

Our goal for the season is of course to make the MAAC tournament and win it, which is a

little more difficult than in years past because only four teams make the 2021 tournament instead of the usual six. But, more importantly, we have an everyday team goal that is to get one percent better every day. Every day that we practice, the goal for all of us is to be able to say we left practice one percent better than when we showed up. It helps keep us focused on the small, important things and not become so overwhelmed with a 40+ game season. But yes, ultimately the goal is to finish the season with a big MAAC ring on our finger!

F*+)# 1+0# $"%# :+$# +?"%)# $"%,# &'(("># :'0/",# )'+22+)':# +0;# *"># $"%IJ'# <,">0# )"<')*',# )*,"%<*"%)# $"%,# K+/,L#'(;# 1+3 ,'',@ ABCB: I think it is crazy to see how much we have grown on and off the field through four years. I think the girls in my class are fantastic players and it is cool to see how much we have improved and accomplished in our college careers. I am very excited to see how we all do this year and I hope that we just go out there and have fun. I know everyone in athletics feels like the pandemic stole a year of their career. It is unfortunate that we couldn’t see how our junior year could have panned out. But, after that, we are now a million times more grateful to be playing and actually having a spring schedule. We are playing with a priority of having fun because we know what it is like to have the game taken away from us.

This positive attitude was able to help us go 3-1 against Manhattan last weekend so I hope we can continue with that mindset.

Senior outfielder Sam Merino.

Graduate student pitcher Lacey Olaff.

DB5B: There’s simply no other group of girls that I would want to finish my career out with. They bring so much to the table not only with how talented they are on the field, but just the people they are off the field. I’ve had the opportunity to watch them grow into their own since they came in as freshmen and I knew from the beginning that this softball program was going to be in great hands when it was their time to lead the way. They motivate and inspire everyone around them to be and do their best every day and it’s something that is contagious to everyone around.

DBEB: Sam, Drew, Mikayla and I have always been super close since we got to school.

We’ve lived together, go to dinner together and hang out all the time. I think because of this it is easy to grow together through the years and have the same drive to make each other and people around us better everyday.

We have been through a lot like having a season cancelled which has just made us be there for one another more. It is never a competition that someone is doing worse than you, but instead we push one another to work harder to be the best player possible.

CBEB: When you come in as a freshman, the people in your class are your first friends. We share the experience of being freshmen together. We spend so much time together and I am truly grateful to call these girls my best friends. It's easy to relate to people that are sharing the exact same experience that you do. We support each other through everything on and off the field.

Senior pitcher/utility Lauryn Rhinehart.

Senior catcher Drew Westford.

!BFB: Like I mentioned before, I consider Lauryn, Sam and Mikayla family. We always got along since the moment we first met and our dynamic is still the same today.

Honestly, after four years, that usually isn’t the case, but us four have stuck together since the beginning and I am beyond lucky that they are my fellow senior teammates and I have been able to experience all the ups and downs of college and sports with them.

CONTINUE READING AT WWW. FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM Senior infielder Mikayla Rubin.