Fairfield Mirror 03/31/2021

THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of March 31, 2021

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Vol. 46 Iss. 18

50 Years of Women at Fairfield: What Progress Has Been Made?

Photo Contributed by Fairfield University Archives

35 Sophomore Housing COVID Causes Decrease Groups Pushed to in Attendance of Secondary Lottery RA-Hosted Events

By Madeline West Assistant News Editor

By Nicole Maher Contributing Writer

The pick-times for the 2021-2022 housing lottery for rising juniors and seniors were posted on Monday, March 15, before the housing selection process took place on Friday, March 19.

In an email sent from the Office of Residence Life on March 15, 35 rising junior groups were told they would be unable to participate in the initial lottery.

This was due to the fact that for the amount of groups formed, there was not sufficient housing to fit them during the first lottery selection.

Further, they were told to “not log-in and attempt to select housing during the online selection process.”

After the housing selection process, the Office of Residence Life stated in email to these students that there would be “approximately six four-person units that will remain unselected [and] approximately 17 eight-person units that will remain unselected.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Fairfield University to put strict guidelines on all types of events being held across campus to ensure the safety of their students and faculty.

Events hosted by Resident Assistants in residential halls across campus have been no exception to these guidelines and have been greatly affected by the safety measures.

Senior Sana Malik is serving her second year as a Resident Assistant and has witnessed the impact of the pandemic on RA-hosted programs firsthand.

Malik is currently an RA for first-year residents in Campion Hall.

Having served as an RA for first years in Gonzaga Hall last year, she has noticed a tremendous difference in program attendance post-COVID compared to before the pandemic.

Malik described how providing residents with food during programs was one way she used to boost her attendance.

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Fairfield University celebrated 50 years of women attending the university this year.

By Colleen Vann Contributing Writer

INSIDE

March is Women’s History Month, it’s the time when we celebrate amazing leaders such as Malala Yousafzai, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Greta Thunberg and Michelle Obama, to name a few.

Those names represent just a fraction of powerful and admirable women, but we also have many inspiring women right here on Fairfield University’s campus who deserve recognition.

Perhaps what is most important to recognize is the interconnectedness of every powerful woman to the next.

Emily Orlando, Ph.D, professor of English at Fairfield University, said it well when she wrote via email: “I stand on the shoulders of giants. I have succeeded because others have opened doors for me and because I work hard and I love what I do.”

Orlando, a recent President of the Edith Wharton Society, a group of scholars founded in 1983 dedicated to the continued study and appreciation of Wharton’s impact on the American literary canon, noted a change in the professional area of higher education, as well as a change within the student body:

more women putting themselves out there and finding success.

Reflecting on her own career as a professor, Orlando wrote of her own experience as a college student in the 1990s that: “I can only think of one woman who managed to climb the academic ladder up to full professorship.”

And now, Orlando is surrounded by a network of women who act as leaders in academia.

One of those women is Karen Donoghue, the vice president for student life at Fairfield University.

Donoghue graduated from Fairfield in 2003, and during her years as a student she was already a leader. She was the first woman to be elected the Fairfield University Student Association President before she ended up continuing her career at her alma mater.

These women both recognize the significance of relationships with other women in finding their success.

For Orlando, she expresses her appreciation for women by designing literature courses that focus on women.

Orlando shared her reasoning for this: “As the critic Paul Lauter has shown, successful writers who were wom-

en, working-class or persons of color got dropped out of the literary canon when it was built in the 1920s. That canon (list of classics) was constructed by a white male professoriate.”

Bringing women writers back into the forefront, as Orlando describes, has also found increasing popularity among students, as the course fills rather quickly from students across various disciplines.

Not only do these courses represent a change from just a few decades back, they also represent the shift in the general mindset of society, particularly of the younger generation as they come into adulthood.

Orlando noted, “When I came to Fairfield in 2007, not one of my students would admit, in front of the class, to being a feminist. Now, the overwhelming majority of my students, even the men, who take my classes identify, quite proudly, as feminist.”

And the practice of celebrating and recognizing the women around you does not always relate to the past. Those around us everyday can inspire us just as much as those who came before.

Donoghue experienced this when she was on this campus as a student.

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Construction Begins on New Convocation Center

Photo Contributed by @FairfieldStags on Twitter

Construction has recently begun on the new Convocation Center.

During the process of the destruction of Alumni Hall, its old floors were uncovered.

Alumni Hall has been a historic building on campus since its opening on Dec. 5 1959, when it became home to the men’s and women’s baskeball teams, as well as the women’s volleyball team. During this time, the basketball teams had three Metro Altantic Athletic Coference wins each and the women’s volleyball team had 11 MAAC-champions. All from the courts of Alumni Hall. Besides just sporting events, the hall has hosted hundreads of concerts, events and other gatherings over the years.

The new Convovation Center will be 85,000 square feet and hold 3,500 seats for Stag fans and vistors alike. The building was orignally meant to be finished in 2021, but due to COVID-19 the start of construction was delayed. The new Center is meant to be finished in the next 18-24 months. The Mirror will continue covering the construction of the hall as it continues over the coming months.

Opinion

Vine

Read about FUSA’s first Sustainability Week.

Read all about the positive effects of weekly testing on campus for students.

Learn more about student favorite Firehouse Deli.

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News

Sports

Read about Senior Kelly Horning of Fairfield University women’s lacrosse team who reached 100 Career Points.

Page 15

News

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

University Hosts #HopeLivesHere Event

By Andrew Murphy Staff Writer Over fifty students gathered around the Stag Statue at Fairfield University on the evening of Thursday, March 25 as part of the #HopeLivesHere suicide awareness and prevention campaign.

Staff from Campus Ministry, Counseling and Psychological Services and the Student Health Center organized this event, leading a candlelight vigil in honor of

those who lost their lives to suicide.

“Tonight is about reminding people that there is hope, that they matter, and that we are with them,” said Mark Celano PhD, a psychologist with Counseling and Psychological Services.

Campus Minister Katie Brynes began the evening with prayer. With Celano speaking next on the importance of this vigil, and the initiative in general.

Suicide remains the tenth

Photo contributed by Melina Calle

Students at the #HopeLivesHere event organized by Campus Ministry, Counseling & Pyschological Services and Student Health Center.

leading cause of death worldwide, leaving about 800,000 victims annually, and the second leading cause of death amongst those 15-24 years old.

Celano spoke about how the feeling of hopelessness contributes more to suicide than any other factor.

He also emphasized how just by being there for somebody, a person can help alleviate this feeling.

Students in attendance received green wristbands that say “Fairfield U Cares” and “#HopeLivesHere”.

These wristbands, just like the green ribbons tied around the trees in the center of campus, serve as a reminder that people struggling with depressive or suicidal thoughts are not alone.

Melina Calle, a Post-Doctoral Fellow from Counseling and Psychological Services, concluded the event by reading the names of victims that attendees asked to be recognized.

One of those victims remembered was Julia Ryder ‘13, who took her life while on-campus during her sophomore year.

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FUSA’s First-Ever Sustainability Week Comes to a Close

By Madison Gallo Head News Editor

By Sydney Weis Contributing Writer

The Fairfield University Student Association hosted its first ever Sustainability Week beginning on Monday, March 22 and ended on Friday, March 26.

When FUSA President Vincent Gadioma ‘22 and Vice President Tobenna Ugwu ‘22 ran for office in Spring of 2020, they identified sustainability as a major part of their campaign platform.

Coming into office, they identified three key ways they can tackle the issue of how to make Fairfield more sustainable.

The first of the three points is advocacy.

To fulfill this, Gadioma and Ugwu have worked closely with the Campus and the Faculty Sustainability Committees to “ensure that the University has sustainability at the forefront of every major decision,” according to Ugwu in a statement to the Mirror.

Their second point

was to “amplify the work and voice of students and groups on campus who are passionate about sustainability.”

The last point aims to change campus climate around sustainability.

Sustainability Week combines all three of these points, but focuses mainly on changing the campus climate regarding sustainability.

“This week, we hosted both in-person and virtual events, and raffled off reusable water bottles to all of the attendees,” Ugwu said.

He continued by saying, “We worked in partnership with the Fairfield University Art Museum to host a bird drawing and painting competition, where students had the chance to draw birds that were local to the town of Fairfield, either from a catalog provided by FUAM [Fairfield University Art Museum] or by going outside to draw a bird in nature.”

CONTINUED ON WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM

Residence Life Does “Not Foresee Class Size Being an Issue” for Housing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The next steps for students who were unable to participate in the initial lottery were emailed to affected students on March 23.

This stated that a supplemental lottery would open on March 23, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. and close on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.

But it went on to state that, “only groups of four or eight are valid to select housing in the Supplemental Lottery.”

The Mirror reached out to the Office of Residence Life about the situation.

Meredith Smith, the associate dean of students and director in the Office of Residence Life said that this wasn’t a unique situation, and that there is a supplemental lottery and a post-lottery process built into the schedule each year.

For the groups participating in the secondary lottery options, they can either stay together in their original groups and “be placed in housing as more spaces become available” or reformat to fit in the open spaces on campus.

In the March 15 email, Residence Life stated that groups that remained together and entered the waitlist did run the risk of being split up due to lack of availability.

According to the On Campus Housing Lottery Booklet for 2021-22, specifically for the class of 2023, there were 55 four-person living options, 69 five-person living options, 52 six-person options and 2 8 options for groups of eight.

However since Class of ‘22 selected prior, these numbers were subject to change.

Sophomore Caroline McConville is one of the students who was notified her group would be unable to pick in the initial lottery.

“It was honestly really disappointing when we were emailed only four days before picking that our group was too large and split-

ting up or adding would be our only option,” McConville said.

She added that, “we just wish communication was sooner and more transparent with the fact there were so many groups and we were told so soon to when we were supposed to pick — our excitement for a townhouse was torn away.”

Smith stated that it just happened that, “This year, the five-person and six-person configurations were the most popular with more groups entering the lottery than we have units available.”

“

It was honestly really disappointing when we were emailed only four days before picking that our group was too large and splitting up or adding would be our only option.’”

- Caroline McConville ‘23

She goes on to reiterate the point that, “All juniors and seniors who entered the lottery will have housing next year.”

Sophomore Kayla Brosnihan who was also unable to participate in the initial lottery said, “If the number of housing options and students was already known by [the Office of Residence Life], they should have informed the six-person groups they needed to split during roommate selection versus four days before actually picking.”

Some students in groups who were able to participate in the initial lottery also commented

on the selection process this year.

Sophomore Giulianna Gentili stated, “I’m so excited that the lottery went well for my group, but it’s disappointing that not all of my friends were able to live close by.”

She continued, “I think the changes in group numbers made it difficult for everyone to get a situation they’re happy with.”

Sophomore Carly Manzi echoed Gentili’s statements.

“I’m really glad the housing lottery worked out in my favor, but [the Office of Residence Life] should have been more clear about the number of housing available,” Manzi said.

The room selection process for supplemental housing will take place Friday April 9 at 9:00 a.m. and will “continue until all housing is selected.”

Several students cited concerns with class size during the housing process.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Capone, who was also part of the group that could not participate in the initial housing selection stated that, “[The Office of Residence Life] is very descriptive with housing information, but should have been more clear with communicating exactly how many houses were available, especially since the Class of 2023 is bigger than the previous years.”

Smith said she and the Office of Residence Life do not foresee class size being an issue and that they “have carefully planned for this contingency.”

The school opened Barnyard Manor in the Fall of 2019, and is working on adding a third block to this area that opens next Fall.

Junior Caroline Kavanagh was unable to participate in the initial housing lottery last year when she was a rising junior.

“My group and I felt confident that we were going to get a good number because of the dedication we had to our Build-a-House project,” Kavanagh said. “Howev-

er, we were all a little disheartened when we did not get Build-a-House.”

The Build-a-House Program is an opportunity for upperclassmen to create their own living and learning community with the establishment of their own thematic townhouse or apartment. Additionally, any groups accepted to be part of the Build-a-House program are given priority during the picktime process of the housing lottery, according to the Housing Lottery Booklet that states, “Seniors BuildA-Houses/Seniors will receive the best individual priority lottery numbers, followed by the Junior BuildA-Houses, and then the junior class.”

After her group was not accepted as one of the Build-a-House groups, they did not receive a lottery number and had to enter the supplemental lottery. Her group chose to split up to get another lottery number.

“As far as [the Office of Residence Life] is concerned, the communication on their end was subpar,” Kavanagh said. “We had to

send several emails to get a straight answer, and we had to call [the Office of Residence Life] to confirm we would get a townhouse at all.”

She said they “were ensured they would get a townhouse in the supplemental lottery,” but that “there weren’t any townhouses left” when her pick time came about.

Now Kavanagh lives outside the gates of campus, in a campus-owned house on North Benson Road, the same road the University is on. “Don’t get [me] wrong, I liked the way everything worked out,” Kavanagh said. “But we wish that [the Office of Residence Life] communicated with us a bit better about our situation.”

Students who want to further discuss the lottery and any other concerns with on-campus living for the 2021-22 year should contact the Office of Residence Life at residencelife@fairfield.edu or 203-254-4215. There they can schedule a time to meet with a Central Staff member to further discuss issues, questions, and concerns.

The Mirror / Nicole Maher

Residence Life stated the five and six-person housing configurations were the most popular choices for rising juniors, thus many groups will have to reconfigure during the post-lottery process.

News

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

Page 3

2021- 2022 FUSA Senate Election Results Compiled by Madeline West Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

3/16 3:16 p.m.

A report of a student hit and run to a vehicle occurred up at the townhouses. It is currently under investigation.

3/19 11:44 a.m.

There was an oil spill at the Egan School of Nursing.

The fire department along with D.E.E.P were contacted and handled the situation.

3/20 12:45 a.m.

Criminal trespassing was issued to non students at the townhouses.

3/21 3:28 p.m.

A faculty member reported a hit and run in the DSB parking lot.

3/21 9:40 a.m Vandalism occurred in Rafferty Stadium when a fence panel was found ripped out of the ground.

John Stalzer - 76 votes (Class Presi3/23 12:24 p.m.

Narcotics possession involving three Prep students in McAuliffe Hall parking lot. Students were identified and addressed by prep administration.

3/27 5:15 p.m.

A criminal trespass warning was issued to an individual who was escorted off campus earlier in the evening.

3/27 10:59 p.m.

The glass door on the East Campus Center entrance was found shattered.

3/29 9:02 a.m.

Harassment report was filed involving the parent and a university staff member. It is currently under investigation.

Incorporated 1977

Molly Lamendola, Editor-in-Chief Sheila McCombs, Executive Editor Julia Lanzillotta, Managing Editor Editors Madison Gallo, Head News Madeline West, Assistant News Peyton Perry, Opinion Brooke Lathe, Vine Julia Lanzillotta, Sports Thomas Coppola, Assistant Sports Tristan Cruz, Coffee Break Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com Lila Condon, Chief Financial Officer

Advisor Matt Tullis Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com

The Mirror is the recognized student newspaper of Fairfield University. Opinions and ideas expressed herein are those of the individual student authors, and not those of the Fairfield University or its Board of Trustees

dent) Casey McCombs - 71 votes Matt Morris - 64 votes [Last two senators to be determined]

Class of 2023: 187 ballots cast Jack Legere - 97 votes (Class President) Vincent Rotondo - 94 votes Danielle Dunne - 94 votes Manjot Singh - 92 votes Madeline West - 80 votes

Class of 2024: 123 ballots cast Steven Burns - 72 votes (Class President) Jack McGlinchy - 69 votes Gabby Villa - 50 votes Autumn Arel - 44 votes Matthew Adamski - 41 votes

3/22 11:47 a.m.

“Stand-up student” said he hit an occupied van in Kelley Garage.

THE MIRROR

Class of 2022: 114 ballots cast

RA’s Look Forward to Moving Events Outside CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“Last year we were allowed to order food and give it out at events,” Malik said. “This year we are not allowed to give out food at all, even if it is prepackaged.”

Along with food, in-person interactive activities were another way Malik attracted residents to programs in the past. She described hosting a Cultural Night last year in which she taught residents how to apply Henna and allowed them to try Brazilian and Indian food.

This was one of her most attended events.

With the new pandemic directives, Malik has tried to modify past programs in a way that allows everyone to remain safe, but has not been able to draw the same attendance.

“I hosted makeup and skincare programs last year which both had good turnouts,” Malik stated.

“I tried to host similar events over Zoom this year and no one came.”

Senior Wiktoria Krzak, a Senior Resident Assistant for sophomores in Claver, has also turned to Zoom for hosting programs.

“RAs have tried their best to put on great programs while also abiding by the COVID directives,” Krzak said. “The safest way would be to put on a Zoom program.”

These pandemic directives mentioned by Malik and Krzak include guidelines on topics such as social distancing mea-

sures, room capacities and what RAs are allowed to provide to residents.

Like Malik, Krzak has also seen a sharp decrease in the number of residents attending her programs this year.

“The one program I had that had the most people, which was three residents, was a Navigating Linkedin Zoom program,” Krzak explained. “It was to go through the basics of Linkedin and help residents start their profiles.”

Krzak connects this lack of attendance with the Zoom fatigue students are likely experiencing from attending virtual classes during the day.

Senior Brandon Alonso, an RA for upperclassmen living in Barnyard Manor, also mentioned Zoom fatigue when referencing his poor attendance to programs.

“Most of the residents do not want to spend their free time engaging with Zoom after spending most of their days on it,” Alonso said. “It also didn’t help that we weren’t allowed to give anything away due to protocols.”

Alonso was an RA for upperclassmen at 47 Mahan Road last year, and mentioned that attendance of junior and senior residents has always been low. However, since the beginning of the pandemic, it has decreased even more.

As a way of attracting residents to his programs, Alonso has tried to provide different incentives. “The big trend was virtual gift cards,” he described. “But even that at times wasn’t enough

to encourage residents to attend.”

While attendance has been decreasingly low throughout the academic year, there is hope that with warmer weather more students will attend.

“I took residents to a sunset yoga class in the early fall,” Malik said. “I was able to get more people involved because it was outside.”

Malik is hoping to host more outdoor programs this spring as a way of increasing attendance.

She plans to put together a tye-dying face mask program on the lawn outside Campion Hall in the upcoming weeks for her residents.

Photo Contributed by @jogueshall on Instagram

A poster made by a Resident Assistant in Jogues Hall promoting a Valentine’s Day-themed event.

News

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

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“Progress Has Been Made, but it Shouldn’t End Here” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“I made a solid group of friends, and was mentored by some amazing faculty and staff. I was encouraged by this supportive community to run for FUSA,” Donoghue shared.

That sense of support is still felt by current students, thanks to amazing faculty and staff members like Orlando and Donoghue.

Brigid Belger ‘22 is a passionate leader on our campus, and she is not hesitant to share her admiration of and thanks to the role models that surround her.

Belger is the co-president of The Concordium, a new club that pairs students with members of the elderly community with the hopes to eradicate loneliness through reciprocal conversations.

She also serves as the treasurer of the Social Work club, which she helped get running last year.

Belger holds other leadership positions as the president of Club Swim and an alumni mentor in the Ignatian Residential College.

Aside from working with a group of other women to bring The Concordium to Fairfield, Belger has found herself supported by an entire community of strong women, particularly her advisor, Kim Oliver, Ph.D., whom she credits with her decision to major in social work.

Belger reflected on her personal experience at Fairfield, and growing up as a woman.

“One aspect of being a woman that I have struggled with is that there are so many expectations that society has around what it is to be a woman and what it is to be a teenager growing up in the 21st century,” Belger shared.

She related this to college in particular, recalling the struggles she felt first-year with the expectations for young women to get dressed up and go out every weekend, when sometimes it felt more in her character to stay in with friends and watch a movie.

However, over the past three years, and with the support of the right friends and advisors, Belger learned to balance those expectations, separating the beneficial from the superficial.

“I’ve really grown into my-

self

over the past three years,” she said.

And in terms of leadership, Belger believes that same time for growth is necessary.

She has followed her passion for Servant Leadership, which in her words is “the spirit of living and breathing for and with others.”

That passion has led her to accomplish many great things.

Tushi Patel ‘22 is another woman who deserves recognition for the positive impact that she has made on our campus.

She has served as a Cura Personalis Mentor, a Resident Assistant/Senior Resident Assistant and in various leadership positions within the

“

Gender discrimination is still present. We have a duty to mentor and encourage women to be loud and present in spaces that have been traditionally dominated by men.’”

- Karen Donoghue

South Asian Student Association, including president.

Patel’s personal experience has in some ways led her to take on these roles on campus.

“My experience at Fairfield University has been a really positive and impactful time for me,” Patel shared via email.

“Having said that, being a woman of color at a PWI [predominantly white institution] has its challenges as it does within the global community, but I’ve been fortunate to have a community of supportive

women who constantly inspire me and empower me.”

While every woman will have her own story, it seems a common trend that women support one another and build each other up, allowing for us to fill our world with even more strong, inspiring leaders.

Orlando’s advice for women studying at Fairfield now, as those coming in the future is as follows: “I would say find a mentor--someone you aspire to be-and surround yourself with good people who share your values. Attach yourself to causes that matters.”

That is exactly what Belger did when she helped bring the Concordium to Fairfield and continues to follow her passion of servant leadership.

Patel followed this advice as she cultivated her relationships within SASA. Patel wrote: “Growing up I would be the only South Asian female within my schools and class, therefore, coming to Fairfield and immediately being embraced within the South Asian community at Fairfield and the larger community, I felt called to be involved within SASA, as well as the other leadership roles to celebrate my own identity, culture, and bravely share it with others while cultivating bonds of friendship with others.”

All of these women share the common belief that all women are capable of amazing things.

Belger would encourage other women heading to college or in the process of growing to, “Be true to yourself and your values, and find people who let you thrive, find advisors that will unconditionally support you, and care about your wellbeing not just your academic success.”

Patel wants to remind women, “Don’t ignore your own potential. And know this there is no such thing as failure. In the moment, it will feel as if you have failed and it will look like it, but life is not perfect, being a leader does not necessarily mean you have everything figured out. It’s okay to make mistakes. Learn from them.”

Progress has been made, but it shouldn’t end here.

As Donoghue said, “Gender discrimination is still present. We have a duty to mentor and encourage women to be loud and present in spaces that have been traditionally dominated by men.”

Fairfield alumni Frank Figliuzzi ‘84 published book “The FBI Way.”

Opinion

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

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

Weekly Testing on Campus Makes Students Feel Safe and Allows a Sense of Normalcy

By Kaitlyn Drake Staff Writer

Creative Commons/Fairfield University

Last semester, I made my debut as a contributing writer for The Mirror with an article criticising Fairfield University’s lack of precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the University and the students were to blame, but one thing that I failed to mention was the University’s insufficient testing. Last semester, Fairfield University deemed it responsible to randomly test a mere 10 percent of the population, which clearly led to a number of complications. However, the COVID Health team has decided to continue offering weekly testing for 100 percent of the population in the spring semester, at least until our break.

This could not be a better move. A dedication to weekly

testing gives us more accurate numbers of infected students, which then allows students to feel more secure about the choices they make on campus. Personally, I was nervous to go to my in-person classes when we were in Covid-19 Status Level: Code Orange last semester, since it was unknown who did and who did not have COVID. As someone who was only tested a handful of times last semester, I was also nervous that I could be spreading COVID to my classmates without even knowing it.

With the security of mandatory weekly testing for all students, I have felt better about the choices I make when I socialize and more comfortable with the prospect of learning in person.

As a Resident Assistant, I was also nervous about the COVID-19 pandemic hitting my residents. Going on duty means going on rounds, and going on rounds means that I must check the wings of all students in the building to make sure everyone is safe.

When the pandemic hit my building last semester, it was scary to even just enter the wings of those who were contact traced and put into isolation. Though it was not the residents’ fault, it was still a chaotic time for the RAs. Luckily, this only happened once or twice, but it was still a lot to handle. Now that we have weekly testing, I know that I feel more comfortable doing my job, which has made a huge impact on the residents as well.

The effects of weekly testing has made the entire student body’s mood lift. In the fall semester, the amount of unknowns were tough for students, especially those who were already worried about their classes. Now that we are in a consistent green zone, I have noticed that more students feel comfortable eating in the Tully, where many of us were known to stay for long periods of time last year, utilizing the lounges, and even playing games outside. Though this is partially because of the spring weather, I have noticed that many students have been feeling

comfortable enough to sit outside in the quad with their friends to do homework or just catch up and relax. This, I believe, is a result of weekly testing. Weekly testing nips the problem in the bud before it can even happen, and our low numbers for all the population instead of just a fraction makes the student body more confident that they are doing the right thing.

One of the things that is more inconvenient about weekly testing is the absurd line that forms before testing is open. I consistently get tested at 9:00 a.m. on Mondays, and even if I show up at 8:45 a.m., there are always people there. Now, two lines have been made to make sure the first line does not get out of hand. However, the line for those who show up later gets merged with the first line, which is a little bit confusing if you show up early, like me. Despite this, testing moves along relatively quickly, and most times, I am in and out of the Rec Plex within five minutes.

Though it seems like weekly testing is here to stay, at least for now, I believe that another step should be taken. Recently, the student body was emailed about the proposition of receiving COVID vaccines on campus. If the campus wants to continue making its students more comfortable and secure in a time of total chaos, it is imperative that we receive vaccines as soon as possible. Professors, too, should be included in this - the pandemic has been hard on them as well. Students are our future, and with the high amounts of contact that they are exposed to on a daily basis, they should have adequate access to protections against the virus that has ruined an integral part of their lives.

Overall, though, Fairfield is doing a good job this semester with keeping students safe and ensuring that we feel reassured. Now, students can attend classes, eat in the Tully and hang out with their friends without the constant fear of getting COVID from someone who was not tested. Finally, it seems like we may have some sense of normalcy.

Students, Professors and Faculty Need a Work-Free Easter Break to Regroup

By Madison Feely Contributing Writer

After long, cold winters, spring break is always something to look forward to. Whether traveling somewhere tropical or having a “staycation” it's a time to relax and enjoy those around you. This year everything has changed; big or small, our lives are very much different than in years past.

In speaking with other students, I found a common theme in everyone's responses. Students, faculty and professors are exhausted. Mentally and physically, everyone is drained. Between COVID testing, school work, grading papers and tests and even just daily duties, the work seems never ending. Professors by no means should be assigning work over the break. Though we had an extensive Thanksgiving and Christmas break, we have not had a moment to slow down and rest since. The break is short as it is, consisting of really only four days off from school. Students for so many reasons need time to rest and relax and spend time with their families and friends. It feels as though life was a lot slower at this time last year, where a majority of everyone spent most days at home with little going on. Keeping in mind the pandemic is nowhere near over, life has surely sped up; yet, there is still some hope.

Mike Delletorre, also a senior at Fairfield University feels very similar, and speaks strongly on the topic, “While us students may not like it, it probably was a good idea to cancel spring break. It stinks for students because we obviously want to have time off from school and a chance to go

on vacation so we lost out on that part,” he said. “Professors should absolutely not be assigning work. It’s spring break, give us a break!”

Senior Julia Canestrari agreed. “I don’t think it was a good idea to cancel spring break,” she said. “Professors really shouldn't be assigning work over the break. After all, it is a holiday and this is a Jesuit university.”

Senior Isobel Dagon has a realistic approach on the subject. “The students want to have a spring break but it was probably a smart idea to take it away,” she says. “Students are taking advantage of this easter break and treating it like spring break so it doesn’t make a difference if they canceled spring break or not. Professors shouldn’t be giving work over this break. We need time to regroup and rest.”

I personally have been greatly overwhelmed the past few weeks in terms of school work. Many students feel as though we have a significant more amount of work this semester than last. Cenestrari added, “COVID has affected me and my friends so much. I had five midterms this past week. It is exhausting.” I know for myself I believe that professors think that because we aren't in the classroom that we have more time to do work, therefore they have been assigning more and more things. Though I am used to it, learning online is very difficult and can often be frustrating.

It is incredible to think that my final year in what should have been a classroom is on my computer, sitting in my beach house.

Most if not all years, seniors at Fairfield travel to warm places with their friends and enjoy some time away

before graduation. It has been a tradition that has gone on for many years, celebrating their time at Fairfield. This year will be very different. I know many people plan to head south in hopes of some rest and relaxation, but there will be no massive spring break parties. Though this is hard on everyone and extremely disappointing, the important thing is that people stay safe and healthy. The more careful we are, the faster we will get out of this and eventually, hopefully, return to normal lives where we can have vacations and enjoy time with loved ones. It is my hope that professors and students take this coming break to rest and regroup in preparation for the coming two months.

Creative Commons/ Fairfield University

Human Evil being Created Rather than Born Does Not Serve as Justification for its Existence

By Tomas Di Leo Contributing Writer With the rapid emergence of anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States, I have begun to contemplate the unforgivable acts that we as humans commit towards each other. It troubles me to think that some must fear for their safety due to circumstances which were entirely outside of their control. For the Asian American community, it is the coincidence of being born genetically predisposed to certain outward characteristics and the damaging rhetoric that President Donald J. Trump has created since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The problem that plagues the Asian American community is one that is, sadly, shared by many races and ethnicities. Violence and hate run rampant throughout the world and can manifest itself in many different forms. It can be blatant, like murder, sexual assault, hate crimes or trafficking; it can be shrouded by a veil of falsehood, like systemic racism, manipulation or lies. Despite their different names and definitions, these actions all share one thing in common: the degradation of the human spirit, mind and body. Whether you are the victim or the abuser, a fork in the road is left for you when you take part or are involved in such hateful acts. You can grow into a stronger, more complete person who’s come to an understanding and found peace within their actions and the actions of others. In contrast, a person can become lost within their hate or the hate of another and will be forever

troubled; their vision blurred by chaos and rage.

It’s my belief that while the latter is the far more common solution, the former is the option we should all strive for. It is with a cautious pride, that I admit to myself and to you that I have come to embrace the former. I say cautious because I have realized how thin the barrier between love and hate can be; I am certain that within my lifetime, my being will ebb and flow between these two realms of my humanity. However, I find no discomfort in this thought because I realize I am an imperfect being who will, at times, be forgetful of the morals and standards he has set for himself. For it is not failure that we should be ashamed of but the derailment of our journey towards perfection.

I have reached a point in my journey where I now begin to contemplate human evil once more. If I have come to one conclusion, it is that evil is not born but created. People are not born evil, but the way that they are born, and their environment can predispose them to evil.

If a man is born into a racist family, he will most likely share those racist ideals. If a child grows up alongside gangs and gang violence, surely, he will be at higher risk of getting involved in those institutions.

What makes evil so difficult for me is that, at times, it is not senseless. I think more often than not, people will have their own justifications to help bear the burden of that sacrifice. Some will wage war to protect the ones they love at the detriment of their enemies, who may also be waging war for the betterment of their people. People

will transform themselves into thieves to feed their families and put their children through school. Others will harm those that are born or look differently from them because that is what their family and society taught them.

Nevertheless, this understanding of evil should not serve as a justification for its existence. Man can be influenced and tempted towards evil, but there comes a point where it is his decision to remain within that wickedness. I believe that it is this moment that creates a distinction between those who are able to expand their worldview and those who wish to remain within the comfort of their own ignorance.

This is an extremely difficult topic for me to contemplate because I find the idealistic side of my conscience formulating good arguments. Can there not be a world where we can see past the outward characteristics of our nationality and race? Will there be a time where we can look past cultural barriers to see how similar we are? Before we commit atrocities, can we think of the people we are sacrificing as brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers? Can’t we take the time out of our days to examine the soul of another and see that their life isn’t so different from ours?

To see that we all struggle, that we all fail, that we all smile, that we all laugh. Perhaps it would be better to do away with the conventions of good and evil, and to see them as two parts of the same whole that we have named humanity.

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

Opinion

Democrats' Disregard Towards Women Runs Rampant

By Cole Townsend Contributing Writer I distinctly remember when I, as a young boy, approached my parents about politics for the first time. I asked if we were Democrats or Republicans. My father held my hand as his eyes, brown as my skin, met mine. He explained that because we were black, we were Democrats. My mother then opined that Republicans didn’t care about women, but Democrats did. For years, that answer satisfied me.

But as the first black President, a Democrat, came and went—leaving us with the Flint, MI water crisis, undeterred police violence, unprecedented income inequality and an enduring gender pay gap—I would eventually question the party’s commitment to disadvantaged communities. This skepticism catalyzed a revelation, which I believe must be shared: Democrats by and large use equity-seeking groups as little more than props, to be embraced when convenient, and dismissed just as easily. As we approach the end of International Women’s Month, I feel it necessary to reflect on how this tendency has manifested with respect to women.

Take, for example, liberal’s selective embrace of the #MeToo movement. When then President Donald J. Trump’s Supreme Court appointee Brett Kavanaugh was accused of attempted rape by Christine Blasey Ford, Democrats emphatically latched onto her story, elevating her testimony on the Senate floor and across airwaves, as well as highlighting her harsh dismissal at the hands of conservatives.

While I am often a vocal critic of the Democrats, I was proud of the party for their apparent principled stand; Ford seemed highly credible and enjoyed no clear benefit for inserting herself into the public dialogue. And whether one supported the #MeToo movement’s directive to “believe women” universally, one certainly could not deny Democratic adherence to it. This commitment, however, would soon be tested—and Democrats and their allies would fail spectacularly.

During the 2020 Democratic primary, exJoe Biden staffer Tara Reade accused the former Vice President of sexual assault. She was by no means alone in this matter; Reade was the eighth woman to accuse Biden of inappropriate behavior, and was herself inspired by the admission of former Nevada lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Lucy Flores that Biden had kissed the back of her head without consent in 2014. Reade’s first attempt to go public was timid, and she ultimately retreated after facing backlash from liberals who accused her of being a Russian disruptor, owing to a since-deleted Medium post in which Reade praised Russia and its President.

Reade realized she would need backup, and in January of 2020 she reached out to Time’s Up, a nonprofit outgrowth of #MeToo was tasked with providing legal funds, PR, and other services for accusers of powerful individuals. According to The Intercept’s Ryan Grimm, despite initial support, the organization decided not to take up Reade’s case, citing concerns that pursuit of a candidate for fed-

Creative Commons/ Pixabay

eral office might jeopardize their nonprofit status.

Mainstream outlets refused to pick up her story, and without the support of Time’s Up, it seemed her crusade was over.

Seeking exposure, Reade would eventually appear on the Katie Halper Show in March, detailing, to some extent, her alleged experience with the former Vice President during her tenure at his Senate office. Despite rousing attention in left wing circles, Reade’s story was still denied mainstream vetting until Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti of “Rising” interviewed her on March 26. Only then did mainstream outlets address Reade’s claims.

More than two weeks after Reade’s “Rising” appearance, the New York Times addressed Biden’s accuser for the first time. Reade lived what MJ Lee and Ellie Kaufman, writing for CNN, described as a “complicated life,” which made her story somewhat difficult to follow. Due to a physically abusive marriage, Reade was forced into a “protection program” in the 1990s, which entailed changing her name and required her to attend a litany of colleges as she painstakingly scraped together the credits required to graduate.

Lee and Kaufman insist Reade’s claims— that she, under the assumed identity of Alexandra McCabe, graduated from and subsequently worked for Antioch University—were false, a charge parroted by the Times, who stated Reade “had never obtained the undergraduate degree required for law school admission.”

As reported by Grimm, these revelations prompted Reade’s law school to revoke her degree, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, “where she had testified in under just under a dozen domestic trials”, to investigate her for perjury.

Time has vindicated Ms. Reade; in the year since, the law school has reinstated her degree, the D.A. concluded their case, and Antioch “softened” their claims, acknowledging Reade’s three-year tenure on their affiliate faculty.

While it is undeniably positive that her ability to secure a livelihood has been reinstated, the damage has been done—her credibility was leveled, her claims discarded, and Joe Biden, now President, avoided confronting these allegations publicly. Yes, Reade’s life was messy, but such a narrow focus on her fraying threads indicates an unwillingness to “believe women” when they threaten the power of liberal elites like Joe Biden.

Reade’s case is a visceral example of Democratic disregard for women, but it is by no means the only such example. Their policy pursuits convey, just as loudly, if not more so, a lack of concern for women, despite rhetoric to the contrary. In 1976 the overwhelmingly Democratic Senate passed the Hyde Amendment, a bill which banned federal dollars from funding abortions, making it difficult for low-income women to receive them.

While it is true these were different political

Creative Commons/ Obama White House Archives

times and a different Democratic Party, the Hyde Amendment has maintained the quiet support of the modern party as well. It had, for example, the endorsement of Biden until it inspired backlash during his 2020 primary bid, and is still in effect, despite a slim Democratic Senate majority.

Furthermore, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the official campaign arm of Democrats in the House, decided to undermine all primary challengers to sitting Democrats, even when it has meant defending anti-abortion Democratic Dan Lipinski. Thus, the betrayal is twofold: not only do Democrats actively resist fighting for a woman’s choice, but they also deter primary challenges, perhaps the most effective ways to boost the number of female office holders.

Democratic economic policy further demonstrates the dissonance between their espoused support for women, and material antagonism towards them. In the 1990s, Democrats, keen to shake the growing stigma of the New Deal Era, sought a “third way” between their social democratic predecessors and the Republicans. This rebranding exercise pushed them towards a right-wing economic agenda, typified by their agitation for “welfare reform,” otherwise known as austerity.

As reported by Jacob Passy of MarketWatch, one such reform, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, instituted during the Clinton presidency, “replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, an entitlement program for low-income families, with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.” In typical poor-demonizing-1990s-fashion, the program required recipients to find work after receiving benefits for two years, restricted citizens from receiving more than five years of benefits over a lifetime, reduced available aid for unwed parents, and made way for states to enforce further imposition.

CONTINUED ON: WWW.FAIRFIELDMIRROR.COM

President Biden and Administration Needs to Toughen Up on Immigration Policy

By Brittany Misiora Contributing Writer

Only two months into President Joe Biden’s first term and already the administration seems to have lost control of the United StatesMexico border. In the last two months, migrants from every South and Central American country have surged to the border. Now, the lack of planning and cohesive immigration policy seems to be really coming for President Biden.

Going back to 2016, when former President Donald J. Trump ran for president on tough immigration policies, which at the time were highly controversial, illegal crossing at the USMexico border have been a major topic because of how detrimental these policies are to the core of our nation. After he was elected Trump began constructing a border wall in order to better protect our nation and try and reduce the amount of illegal immigrants coming into the country.

However, once President Biden came into office, he immediately stopped construction of the wall. Today, Biden and his administration are facing a lot of heat because of their incohesive immigration policies and lack of transparency in terms of the migrant filiclites.

The Biden administration is being called out on their lack of planning in regard to the surge of illegal immigrants at the southern border. When Biden announced he was running for President, one of the first policies he spoke about was imigration. At the first presidential debate, Biden made sure to be very specific about illegal migrants and how his plans would differ from the former Trump administrations, Biden said,

“All those people seeking asylum, they deserve to be heard. If you want to flee and you are fleeing oppression, you should come." Statements similar to this were made frequently and therefore the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement warned Americans that those statements would be dangerous because it would encourage illegals to come.

This was proven when in February, ICE released that they had encountered 100,441 individuals in February, which was a 28 percent increase just from January. They also added that 9,457 of those people were unaccompanied children and 71,598 were single adults, which is a major issue because the border is a major hotspot for child and sex trafficking Because of the recent rush to the border

by Central Americans, facilities have been filled up and as a result, the Biden Administration has given ICE a total of $86.9 million dollars in order to place families in hotel rooms because of the lack of space and supplies. This is interesting because the Biden administration seems to rather give $86 million to non-Americans, however still is dragging his feet in allowing for businesses to be fully open and let Americans work.

The media has been prevented from entering these facilities however photos were leaked and the reaction from the public has been extremely harsh. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas released a statement on Biden and the obvious lack of transparency and honesty about the conditions at the border, “Joe Biden doesn’t want you to see,” Cruz told reporters at the United States Capitol. This is an example of the blatant double

standard because during the Trump Presidency, many Democrats were calling out the “kids in cages,” yet here in the Biden Administration immigration is a lot worse off.

President Biden and his administration desperately need to toughen up on imigration policy because if not, the US southern border is going to continually be overrun with a large amount of illegal immigrants, and as a nation, we need to show how strong our borders are.

The United States has the most lenient system of immigrants and we grant hundreds of thousands of immigrants asylum every year however, having a weak system of immigrantion means we are a weak nation. A nation of laws must provide a path of citizenship to those who

display merit. No one should hate a migrant from Honduras for wanting a better life for their family, but as Americans, we have to put pressure on our leaders to protect Americans first.

Our nation cannot withhold this type of amount of immigrants who have limited education and skills.

How is this going to affect the United States and true citizens? If the Democrats have their way, their policies will ensure illegal immigrants free healthcare, full voting rights and free housing.

The American population needs to hold radical Democrats responsible because it was their policies and encouragement that has led to this overflow.

Creative Commons/ White House Archives

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

The Vine

By Jackie Campbell Contributing Writer

By Brooke Lathe Vine Editor It’s time to stock your shelves with Cadbury products and tell tales of a bunny named Peter. Easter break is approaching and it’s worth considering why students get this time off. Being

a holiday recognized around the world, the Easter celebration combines traditions from different time periods all over the globe.

From a religious standpoint, Easter celebrates the Christian Savior Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s spiritual and bodily resurrection. It is believed Biblically that Christ was resurrected on the third day following his death,

which is why Easter comes on the Sunday after the acknowledgment of Good Friday, on which Christians remember Christ’s crucifixion.

The date of Easter changes every year based on the Jewish calendar, which is based on the moon’s cycle. Biblical tradition states that Jesus was crucified and buried after Passover’s celebration, which falls over the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Because Christians want to celebrate Easter after Passover, which falls on a different date yearly, so does Easter. Ideally, the holiday now lands on the first Sunday after the Passover moon.

While Easter has roots in the resurrection story, it is usually much more than a religious holiday for Christians. Fun and fantastical elements like the Easter bunny and dyed eggs have enchanted children and families for many years. The origin story of the Easter bunny actually comes from German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700s. They loved to spread tales of an “egg-laying rabbit.” Easter eggs connect to the

Creative Commons/Hippopx

By Olivia Burke Contributing Writer

Did the title fool you? No, Fairfield is not canceling exams anytime soon, unfortunately. Sorry to play this cruel joke on you, but it’s all in the spirit of the upcoming April Fools’ Day! In honor of this day, I have decided to research the history behind a holiday loved by pranksters and practical jokers.

April Fools’ Day, celebrated each year on April 1, is a holiday whose origins are not exactly clear.

The holiday is celebrated in many different cultures around the world and has been for centuries.

According to History.com, some historians believe that April Fools began in France in 1582, the year that France switched from using the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.

This led to a common confusion surrounding the new year’s start, which was on April 1 in the old calendar.

Those who were late to hear the news regarding the calendar change continued to celebrate the new year on April 1 instead of January 1.

Due to this, people were mocked and called it “April fools.”

These same people became the victims of pranks, such as having paper fish being placed on their backs and being called

“poisson d’avril” or “April fish.”

This was meant to symbolize their lack of intelligence, similar to a fish that is easily caught at the hands of fishermen.

The mysterious origins of April Fools’ Day may also be linked to other festivals, such as the ancient Roman festival “Hilaria,” in which celebrators dressed up in cos-

“Osterhase,” or Easter hare, but also bring back connections to Christian theology. Eggs represent the life and emergence of Jesus from the tomb.

Even further, egg hunts were popularized in the late 16th century by the Protestant reformer Martin Luther. He created egg hunts for his congregation and had men hide the eggs for the women and children to find. This was another innuendo to the story of the resurrection, in which the empty tomb was discovered by women.

Another tradition may include our annual main course: ham. As written in thedailymeal.com, lamb was usually the customary meal.

This stems from the Jewish holiday Passover, which celebrates Israelites being liberated and their exodus from Egypt. It was standard for followers of the Jewish faith to eat lamb on Passover; however, when the same people converted to Christianity, they continued this custom during the Easter holiday.

Nevertheless, ham became a great alternative because farmers could preserve the meat during winter months by curing it, so when spring arrived, it was available to eat. Ham was also more affordable for most households and came in a larger serving size, which is why it has become more popularized.

Easter is also a big holiday

of Egyptian gods Osiris, Isis and Seth.

In Britain, the holiday spread throughout the 18th century, with traditions such as "hunting the gowk" in Scotland.

People were sent on fake errands, with a “gowk,” meaning a cuckoo bird, symbolizing a foolish person.

This two-day event continued with

Creative Commons/Farmersalmanac tumes and mocked others towards the end of March.

Those who took part in this festival were members of the cult of Cybele and were said to have been inspired by the tale

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Tailie Day, involving playing pranks based on people’s backsides, such as pinning a fake tail.

April Fools’ Day may also be linked to the vernal equinox, the first day of Spring in

commercially for candy companies since so many people participate in Easter egg hunts and create baskets that include many different sweets.

It’s the second biggest holiday for candy revenue, following Halloween. According to womensday.com, the most popular Easter candy includes Cadbury Caramel Eggs, Resse’s milk chocolate bunny, Peeps, Palmer cookies & cream Easter eggs, Lindt gold bunnies and Cadbury mini eggs.

Continually, most families create festive baskets to commemorate this holiday. In addition to the candy above, most baskets are filled with toys, stuffed animals, clothing or colored eggs! While you can most certainly purchase a basket at any local store or online company, many people create homemade presents to make it more personal and memorable.

However, the continued coronavirus pandemic could take a toll on candy purchases, with large gatherings being limited to smaller groups or canceled altogether.

The Easter season overall celebrates the coming of spring, new life and growth. The spring is a great opportunity to focus on success and positivity, especially as the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be distributed and hope for togetherness remains strong.

the Northern Hemisphere.

This is due to nature “playing a trick” on us during this time with the unpredictable weather changes that occur as Spring approaches.

In more modern times, major companies take part in the April Fools’ Day fun, such as Burger King.

In 1998 the companies advertised the "Left-Handed Whopper," a made-up sandwich supposedly designed to be more easily held by left-handed customers.

Another popular company that tricked users was Google.

They claimed that they had a search engine that could be used telepathically.

Radio stations also notoriously play elaborate jokes to trick their listeners on April Fools’ Day. One of the most notable occurrences was in 1992 when National Public Radio brought Richard Nixon on as a guest, who announced that he would be running in the upcoming presidential election for another term.

The radio station then revealed that it was not Nixon, but only an actor who was playing a joke on listeners.

Now that you’ve been educated on the history of this wacky and mysterious holiday take some inspiration from the pranksters of the past and go out and have some April Fools’ fun!

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THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

The Vine

By Jessica Colloca Contributing Writer The spring semester is always a busy time for students, regardless of their class year. The pressure to land an internship, a post-graduation job or an acceptance to graduate school may be weighing most of us down. But to help you relieve some stress, here are five tips to help you craft a professional resume that could help you land your dream job!

Utilize verbs in your bullet points - Underneath your job title, you should include three to five bullets describing what your work position consisted of and start these descriptions with a verb. For example, “Researched trending topics in order to pitch a successful marketing campaign to clients.”

Try to showcase your soft skills like public speaking, attention to detail or time management within your points, so you don’t need to include a separate section for them.

Furthermore, it is important to make sure all of your verbs are in the same tense throughout your resume.

Quantify as much as you can - Resumes should be easy to skim, and numerical figures draw the readers’ eye right away. Try to avoid words like “many,” “a lot,” “numerous,” “several” or “multiple.”

Be as specific as you can when describing quantifiable information. For instance, you could write, “Tutored over 50 students at the Writing Center during the Fall 2020 semester.”

Use keywords - Each job posting includes a qualifications section. Make sure to include some of those buzz words within your resume to ensure you’re considered a

sufficient candidate for the position. If a job description calls for someone who is proficient in Microsoft Office, you could include that you have utilized Powerpoint or Excel in one of your sections.

Be sure that you are catering your resume to each job you are applying for. Although it is tedious, it could be the

By Brooke Lathe Vine Editor On any day of the week, Fairfield residents are known to flock over to Reef Road, hungry for some good food. What used to be a busy fire station is now one

tomers with two menus, each sheet filled with mouth-watering items to choose from. The breakfast menu consists of wraps, omelets, bagels and more

Brooke Lathe/The Mirror

Photo taken outside of Firehouse Deli on Reef Road in Fairfield. of the most well-known family-owned businesses in Fairfield, Conn., which has kept most of the town fed and full since 1969.

Firehouse Deli provides cus-

for just under $6 or less. And once noon passes, lunch is served. Firehouse creates delicious cold, grilled and hot sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers and fresh salads.

My personal favorite, which seems to be

Pexels

the town favorite as well, is the “Fairfield U Chicken Panini.” This delicious sandwich consists of grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo. Talk about yum!

But if this isn’t your type of flavor palette, their owner Billy shared with me their most popular sandwiches: the thanksgiving, the red dragon panini, the grilled Billy boy, and the ‘prez.’

These meals are seriously no joke - People Magazine recently voted Firehouse Deli as “Best Sandwich in CT.” If this isn’t enough to make you go, I’m not sure what is.

Maybe you have a strict diet! Firehouse also provides a list of healthier options too, such as their popular salad bar.

Due to COVID-19, it is not currently open; however, you can still order a custom-picked salad. The deli also has fresh daily specials, which you can ask about during your visit.

Although what’s even better about this location is while they accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card and cash, they actually allow Fairfield University students to pay with StagBucks as well! There is no amount limit set when using your school-issued card; just make sure you have enough in your account.

Continually, the deli is only a few steps away from the Stag Bus stop on Post Road, so it is extremely convenient for all students to visit.

In front of the store sits a handful of brown picnic tables, where

difference between moving on to the interview process or being thrown into the rejection pile.

Don’t be afraid to get creative - Depending on the company you’re applying to, don’t be afraid to let your personality come through on your resume.

This includes adding colors to your header, switching the fonts or reformatting the page to look more creative. If you are applying to Spotify, for example, you could make all of your titles green and use their font for your bullet points.

You could even include the company’s logo next to your header.

Relevant experience should be at the top of the page Your most relevant experience should be at the top of your resume.

Once again, your resume should be easy for the hiring manager to read; they should be able to decide that you’re qualified for the job quickly while reading through the professional experience section.

Underneath this, they can read through your extracurriculars to see how well-rounded you are.

If you follow these tricks and tips, there’s no doubt you will land an interview.

However, if you still need someone to take a look at your resume or have any specific questions, you can contact your school’s career counselor at the following email addresses: College of Arts and Sciences: cascareers@fairfield.edu Charles F. Dolan School of Business: dolancareer@fairfield.edu School of Engineering, Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies: careers@fairfield.edu

you can enjoy your meal. If it is a nice day, I totally recommend dining out and soaking up the good weather. But, if the chairs are filled due to the large crowds, there is also a beautiful public park across the street where you can relax.

This area is also known as the Sherman Green Lot. Although, if I were you, I would even suggest taking a three-minute drive down to the beach and eating there instead. I love to hear the waves crash-

to 4:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Grab your group of friends and head over quickly; I guarantee you won’t regret it!

ing and feel the sand in my feet during the day, as it truly releases any Photo Courtesy of @whatsdanieating built-up stress.

Instagram Firehouse Deli is open from 10:00 a.m. Pictued is the 'Fairfield U' panini from Firehouse.

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

The Vine

By Brooke Lathe Vine Editor I consider myself a pretty clean and organized person. I always make my bed, throw away my trash and put my clothes in my closet or laundry basket. I basically just keep everything tidy on a daily basis. And while most people can probably agree with me, there are definitely some others who would not.

Spring cleaning is a designated time in which people are encouraged to cleanse their entire house from top to bottom and make some other renovations to enjoy the seasonal change. This includes everything from tossing out those outdated salad dressings to planting a beautiful row of flowers in your front yard.

During the cold winter, most homes are insulated, making it easier for the dust to accumulate and for the air to become stagnant. Continually, that severe seasonal depression can leave many people struggling with keeping their house neat. It’s no wonder why living in an unkempt environment can impact your emotional health and physical well-being. Though the cleaning process can definitely be daunting, you will notice a huge stress release and an improvement in your mood when all is said and done.

So, when you gather the courage to lift those carpets and reveal the monstrous dust bunnies, here are some spring cleaning tips to keep in mind!

Windows - I love to keep my window open during the warmer months. It makes my room smell summery, I hear the beautiful birds chirping and my room is il-

By Sheila McCombs Executive Editor As spring and summer begin to roll around, the world of book publishing always comes abuzz with new releases for the season. I love reading, but I never have as much time during my busy semesters.

To fill my non-reading hiatus, I research what new books are coming out, and I compiled a list of which ones I want to read over the summer. So, I want to share my list of what books I am looking forward to in the coming months!

“Girlhood” by Melissa Febos, Release Date: March 30th This book of essays focuses on the unique experience of growing up as a young girl and the pressures, trials and tribulations that come with it. These issues are so rarely accurately depicted in literature, so this book looks to amend that representation gap. Continually, there is a mix of personal stories blended in with the experiences of others. This book actually came out yesterday, so you can get your hands on a copy now!

luminated with natural sunlight. However, I always seem to leave a bunch of fingerprints on the glass or have a large bug graveyard sitting near the screen. My favorite product to use for a quick makeover is ‘Windex’.

I also think the season change marks a perfect time for a switch in curtains too.

Search for some lovely spring patterns or soft bright colors to lift your spirits. You can even

Pexels add a small flower pot or other decorations to the sill.

Kitchen - Talk about a deep clean galore! The kitchen is home to so many appliances that are obviously bound to get dirty.

“Cook This Book” by Molly Baz, Release Date: April 20th Something that I have screamed about frequently in The Mirror is my absolute love of cooking and cookbooks, and my thrilled anticipation of the release of this book fits that pattern perfectly. This book is written by Molly Baz, formerly of Bon Appetit test kitchen fame, and is the perfect foundational cookbook of simple, delicious recipes.

The best thing about this book is that throughout the pages are QR codes that you can scan with an app on your phone.

Which actually allows you to view videos narrated by Baz on her written techniques! I simply cannot wait for all of the cooking I will be doing when I get my hands on this book!

“Secrets of Happiness” by Joan Silber, Release Date: May 4th This fictional novel focuses on a young man named Ethan, who learns as an adult that his father has been keeping a second family, a wife and two sons, from Ethan and his mother. The book then follows the aftermath of that discovery and the intertwining of the two families. While I have never been a big

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And, of course, scrub the tub and toilet.

Douse the bowl in the toilet cleaner and turn on the fan to reduce the chemical fumes. Additionally, you may want to wash the floors too.

You can also easily organize the bathroom by purchasing a drawer divider and separating your toothbrush, toothpaste, makeup and other skincare items for a finishing touch.

But, first and foremost, I suggest you really go through the fridge. I can not express this enough. There have been many occasions where I have gone to eat something but soon realized it was expired. So, take everything out quickly, wipe down the shelves, throw away any old food and reorganize the safe-toeat products back into their home.

Checking the ‘good-by’ dates goes hand and hand with your pantries too. Don’t just look through the items by picking them up and reading the year, but instead, take everything out at once and only put it back in if it is safe. This way, you have a greater chance of purging your cabinets of all the spoiled products and organize your drawers in the process.

Lastly, thoroughly wash all appliances!

This includes emptying the crumbs from the toaster, wiping the microwave free of grease, scrubbing the oven and emptying the sink. To add an extra flair, clear away all of the clutter on your countertops and light a candle.

ter clothes and store them away for next year; the warmer weather is here to stay! Bring down your summer attire and try them all on.

If they don’t fit anymore or they don’t match your new style, wash and fold them into a trash bag and donate them. For any items that still fit you and you love, hang them up or tuck them into your drawers! You also may want to switch out your shoe selection to some sandals rather than snow boots.

Bathroom - Everyone’s dreaded chore will always be cleaning the bathroom, and it is certainly with reason. But even while you plug your nose and wash away your own filth, just imagine how relieving it will feel when you are finished.

Make sure to dig far into the shower and sink drain for washed-down hair. It can be super damaging and will certainly clog your pipes, this I know for sure as I have experienced it all of my life. Some hair may also lay on the sink countertop if you shave your face, so make sure to wipe up those pieces or any other piles of hardening toothpaste with ‘Clorox Disinfecting Wipes’.

Decorations - Now that you’re all clean, no one is stopping you from adding some extra spice to your home. Most people find enjoyment hanging up different shower curtains or laying down a fresh bath mat or rug. You can even switch your bedding for a new beginning.

However, my favorite spring renovation is when people update the outside of their house. Welcoming patio furniture, a freshly mowed lawn and a beautiful landscape filled with flowers always take my breath away.

So take the day or weekend off, blast some music and get to cleaning. Not only will you feel incredibly productive, but the weight

fiction reader, this book is right up my alley. I have always loved family dramas, and this story seems to have enough for sure!

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams, Release Date: May 11th Just when I thought I could not love Stacey Abrams anymore, she comes out with a mystery novel based around the Supreme Court!

Tell me that is not the coolest idea for a book you have ever heard, and I will call you a liar. If you don’t know, Abrams is a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives and a current voting rights activist.

Her new book is set to focus on a young lawyer who finds something amiss when a justice of the Supreme Court is poisoned before an important vote, and then she seeks to find out if there is any foul play. The description of this novel sounds absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to read it!

These are just some of the many books I am excited about. I hope that you found this list helpful and picked out something to look forward to as well! Have fun and happy reading!

Closet - Go through all of your win-

Page 11

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

The Vine

By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist If there is one genre of movies that I have a complicated relationship with, it’s films driven by pranks. Very few manage to weave in a coherent narrative within the movie’s structure without being solely driven by only jokes. There are a few films in this “hidden camera” genre that do this very well and work on their own as movies, like “Borat” or “Bad Grandpa.”

However, the rest in this genre, like the “Jackass” movies, tend to be entertaining at the moment but leave no real impact. “Bad Trip,” a film that I kind of enjoyed and laughed a lot during, is one of those movies.

I was excited for “Bad Trip” for one reason: Eric Andre. I think that Eric Andre’s brand of absurd humor and his experience with this type of comedy would lend themselves perfectly to this film style. I also think his sense and style of comedy is a bit more intelligent in its execution than someone’s like Johnny Knoxville in “Jackass.”

I thought that Andre would be the one to weave in the presence of a narrative as one of the writers on this film while also delivering hilarious gags.

Andre delivers on one of these fronts by implementing hilarious scenarios for himself, Lil Rel Howery and Tiffany Haddish, to partake in.

The movie is relentless in its humor that it is almost exhausting. There aren’t any breaks in big setpieces to allow the viewer to relax.

I had to take a break about halfway through the movie to breathe for a moment because of how fast and without stop these moments come.

Two outstanding moments take place in bars or restaurants that push the limits of this genre. It allowed for real interaction with the film’s characters by those who are regular bystanders.

These people weren’t just reacting to absurdity; they took part in it, which I thought was very cool.

However, the half-baked attempt at a narrative is

By John Bizub Contributing Writer The beginning of every year is a hectic few months for film fans as they try to make sense of what will be nominated or cast aside when it comes to Academy Awards nominations.

Last year was very different for movies since there were more independent films rather than tent-pole blockbuster films.

With that being said, there were a handful of titles that have gained some award buzz within the past few months. Movies like “Nomadland,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Minari,” “Mank” and others have all received their fair number of recognition from critics and audience members alike.

My thoughts from this year's award nominations varied from indifferent to unsurprised.

While I am glad plenty of films received the attention they deserved, there are others I think should not have.

There were no real surprise nominations other than Danish filmmaker, Thomas Vinterberg, receiving a “Best Director” nomination for his latest film, “Another Round,” which was rightfully deserved.

However, they had me thinking of the movies or certain aspects of films from last year that were cast aside and could fill one of

the spots in the nomination list.

Ludwig Göransson for “Best Score for TENET”

In my honest opinion, I think Christopher Nolan’s “TENET” is his magnum opus and my favorite from last year.

But of course, I was not surprised when it was not nominated for any major awards.

However, if there is one thing that stood out to me as “Oscar-worthy,” it is the music

by Ludwig Göransson.

It delivered one of the best scores ever to be brought into the blockbuster medium, changing different rhythms of tracks that still are implemented into my mind.

It could have easily taken one of the other nominee’s such as the score for “News of the World,” as that score felt unspecial and did not leave a lasting impression on me upon listening.

Mads Mikkelsen for “Best Actor for Another Round” If there was one movie I could not get enough of in 2020, it was Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round.”

It was clever, funny, original and a wonderful satire on the modern era’s drinking culture.

The film was carried by a career-best performance by Mads Mikkelsen, who

what dragged “Bad Trip” down for me.

It blends road trip elements from other movies with the hidden camera style but makes the film less interesting.

The story feels like an afterthought, but I really think it could have gone to different, more interesting or absurd places than where it went.

It revolves around Eric Andre’s character, Chris, who travels to New York from Florida to meet his high school crush, Lil Rel Howery’s character, Bud. Meanwhile, Bud’s sister, Trina (Tiffany Haddish), chases them to get her car back.

It is such a simple story that it doesn’t feel natural next to all the absurd dialogue that happens in actual hidden camera material.

I think a story that steered into the absurdity of their actions would have served the movie much better in the long run. I couldn’t help but be reminded of “Bad Grandpa” when “Bad Trip” introduced its road trip storyline. As silly as “Bad Grandpa” is, it actually takes a surprising amount of time to introduce its characters.

That story follows a grandpa and his grandson traveling cross country to deliver the boy to his father.

The grandpa starts the movie not liking his grandson but slowly learns to love and appreciate him.

This is a simple story too, but at least there is a clear effort put in to have an arc for its main character. “Bad Trip” lacks this dedication to its characters and definitely could have done better in this regard.

“Bad Trip” is definitely a mixed bag. I laughed a lot while watching it, but it wasn’t so fun that I would watch it again with friends. I ts first half is really strong, but its ending falters since it tries to wrap up story moments that are poorly set up throughout the film.

Maybe give it a shot if you’re looking for something to watch, but definitely don’t drop everything to watch it.

Grade: C

played Martin, which makes it a shame that the Academy did not recognize that.

He was truly terrific, as he brought in some of the most memorable scenes of the year.

I think if you replaced Gary Oldman in “Mank” with Mikkelsen, the nominees would be very competitive.

“Da 5 Bloods” for “Best Picture,” “Best Actor” (Delroy Lindo/Chadwick Boseman) and “Best Director” (Spike Lee)

Right off the heels of Lee’s critic hit “BlacKkKlansman,” many were wondering what Spike Lee’s next project would be.

What we got was a somber look on brotherhood, memory, age and mental health that was critically praised upon the flick’s release on Netflix.

The film has an awe-inspiring performance by Paul (Delroy Lindo) and a wonderful performance by Chadwick Boseman who plays Stormin.

In Boseman’s case, I think he was nominated for the wrong role.

In Lindo’s case, I do not understand how the Academy turned a blind eye at his performance that sent goosebumps down my spine.

Not only that, but Spike Lee had some of the best directing of last year since it was

released at a perfect time, and said so much in one film.

It is one of his best productions. So you’d think the Academy would nominate this film, right? Nope!

The Oscars are just a marketing gimmick if we are all being completely honest.

The title of “Best Picture” is just for people to buy the film on DVD/ Blu-Ray or VOD, but it is great when the movies that deserve to win, actually win. “Parasite,” for example, was a brilliant film, and I will stand by its “Best Picture” win in 2020.

I’ve slowly gained less interest in the Oscars every year, but it's fun to look back on the what-if nominations.

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

Coffee Break

Page 12

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

The Coffee Break Team has put together a Word Search based on Men and Women’s Fairfield Sports Teams!

Be sure to check back next week for more!

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

- Soccer - Baseball - Lacrosse - Cross Country - Golf - Rowing

- Tennis - Basketball - Swimming (&) Diving - Softball - Field Hockey

Puzzlemaker / Discovery Education

SEO Expert Makes Stagnation 1st Place on All Google Searches

By Nathan Schmidt My friends, we have made it. We have struck gold.

Last week, Stagnation was approached by a talented SEO expert looking for work. Although their name is Kathy, we will keep them anonymous in this article. By revamping Stagnation’s website design and fixing our metadata using legitimate techniques, we have achieved the unthinkable: reaching the top page result for every possible Google search.

They said it could not be done. But with Katie’s help, we have defeated the entire internet. Stagnation is now an unstoppable force of nature, impervious and sovereign. When people search for cake recipes on Google, they get sent to Stagnation. When they search for Facebook because they’re too lazy to enter the same text into their URL bar, they get sent to Stagnation. When they search for conspiracy theories about breakfast cereals made out of shrimp — you guessed it. The sky is the limit when you answer solicitations over email.

You might be concerned that Cathy’s work is, in some way, not legitimate. I once shared your concerns. But when I reached the end of the email and found the final line highlighted in bright cyan, I realized I was dealing with a professional. It is an honor to work with a technological wizard of this caliber. Thanks to this powerful and trustworthy ally, Stagnation has become the ascendant power of the internet.

We’re going to the moon, dear readers. All it took was answering one unasked-for message.

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SPORTS Sports

Page 13

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

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

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

!"#$%&'$(%)*+%,-#./%012%3*#40.$#(5%6780*9$%$7::0.%;-80%<7$(<7*02%-;-#*$(% =#-;-.-%3*#40.$#(5%2'0%(7%>?@)ABCD%<.7(7:71$E The Fairfield University women’s soccer game slated for March 30 against Niagara University was postponed due to COVID-19 protocol. It has not been made public which of the two teams caused the postponement. Fairfield’s season record is 1-1-1, and with only six games scheduled for the regular season, and the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships beginning on Friday, April 9, this change in plans is surely frustrating. Nonetheless, the Stags will take to the field again on April 3 at 10:00 a.m. against the Canisius College Golden Griffins. The Stags have a remarkable record against Niagara, with 21 wins, 10 losses and two ties in the teams’ history together beginning in October of 1993. The MAAC foes haven’t faced each other in over a year, with the last match being on September 21, 2019, when the Stags won by a four-goal margin (5-1). In the last ten matchups against the Purple Eagles, the Stags went 4-4-2, indicating that the game could go either way based on recent history. The date that the game has been postponed to has not yet been announced.

In this week's issue...

-

Stags Stifled By Peacocks (Page 14) Volleyball Named MAAC Regular Season Champs (Page 15) Kelly Horning Reaches 100 Career Points (Page 15) Guerrera Garners Conference Recognition (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

Stags Stifled By Peacocks

By Zachary Stevens Contributing Writer

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

After being stopped short mid-season due to the COVID-19 virus, the Fairfield University men’s soccer season is back in action. This past Friday, March 26, the squad traveled to Jersey City, NJ where they faced the Saint Peter’s University Peacocks at Jaroschak field.

Although the Peacocks were the regular season champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 2019, they have struggled against the Stags in the last several meetings, winning just one game in the last five years over Fairfield.

Heading into this season's current matchup, the Stags had played two games overall, with a record of 1-1.

The Peacocks on the other hand have been restricted due to COVID-19, which meant the afternoon game was their first of the season.

The game began with the Stags on their back heels, as they were completely submerged by the Peacocks dominance of possession and attacking moves. The ball was kept in the Fairfield half of the field, where goalkeeper Gordon Botterill ‘21 was called on early in the fifth minute to make a save for the Stags.

Fairfield withstood the pressure and countered the Peacocks momentum with Alex Oliveira ‘23. He glided past Saint Peter’s goalkeeper Robbie Anderson and slotted in the first goal of the game to give the Stags the lead, Oliveira’s second of the season.

The Stags were not happy with one goal, scoring another three minutes after their first. Fairfield had won a free kick in the Peacocks half of the field, where a Saint Peter’s defender brought down a Stag in the box, causing the referee to call a penalty foul.

Junior Jonathan Filipe converted from the spot, slotting his first goal of the season and giving the Stags a two goal lead. The Peacocks, who were the aggressors in the beginning of the contest, found themselves in a deep hole with time dwindling in the half.

The first 45 minutes for the Peacocks weren’t completely empty, as Saint Peter’s Dominic Laws scored a thirty-ninth minute scrappy goal from a corner kick, cutting the Stags lead 2-1 going into the break.

The goal let in by Fairfield before half-time was disappointing, but the comfort associated with a one-goal lead was surely good for the Stags’ momentum.

This quickly changed when the Peacocks made a driving move into the box, which resulted in them being rewarded with a penalty in the fiftieth minute.

Jordan Jowers of the Peacocks converted from the spot, tying the game at two-a-piece and shifting the momentum towards the Peacocks. The Stags did try to fire back with a bottom center shot by Cormac Pike ‘22 that was saved by Saint Peter’s goalkeeper Anderson.

Only three minutes after Fairfield’s shot on goal, the Peacocks took their first lead of the game with a goal by Laws, his second of the game, assisted by Philip Smith to make the score 3-2 for Saint Peter’s.

This meant the Stags had to dig deep, but with only 20 minutes left in the game, time was of the essence. The comeback started with fifteen minutes remaining in the second half, where the Stags scored with a strong team goal.

The move started with Joseph Lozowski ‘23, who provided a dashing run down the right corner of Saint Peter's defensive third, where he carried the ball and shot a cross to the center of the six-yard box. Thomas Drillien ‘24 controlled the cross and one-timed a shot that hit the top cross bar and landed beyond the goal line for a thrilling Stags equalizer.

The tie did not last for very long, as Saint Peter's received a second penalty kick chance just 40 seconds after the Stags had just scored.

Jowers powered the penalty kick low to the ground, where it skipped past Botterill to regain a one-goal advantage for the Peacocks.

Fairfield pressured aggressively down the pitch for another comeback goal, but Saint Peter's was able to stifle the Stags from a tying goal in the final 15 minutes of the game.

A tough loss for the Stags was a thrilling contest for the fans watching online, as this was a seven goal affair.

The Stags can definitely score goals, if they can adjust on the defensive end they will be a very dangerous team in the MAAC. The Stags now have an overall record of 1-2, which is not the start the team wanted, but should not panic as there are many games left to play in the season.

Fairfield will travel to West Long Branch, NJ to face the Monmouth University Hawks on April 1 at 4:00 p.m. The previous meeting between the two teams resulted in a 3-1 win for the Stags, meaning this a perfect opportunity to return back to a record of .500 (2-2).

Senior goalkeeper Gordon Botterill faced 12 shots, made three saves and let in three goals on Friday's game against the Saint Peter's University Peacocks, where the Stags lost 4-3.

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

Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

Tommy Coppola Assistant Sports Editor

Should teams who’ve played less games due to COVID be able to win Championships?

Julia Lanzillotta, Tommy Coppola, Molly Lamendola and Sheila McCombs What’s one thing you hope to see from Fairfield athletics before you graduate?

Do you think that by next semester, Zoom classes will be done with?

If you had to switch your major, what would you switch it to?

That’s the only way to play right I’m going to Cape Cod and I am Fairfield basketball making it to now. It seems fine since they’ve so excited to spend time with the NCAA tournament… and had less chances to lose, but the people I love. doing well. they’ve also had less chances to win.

I think that they will definitely Probably something in the be sparing, but not completely business school, since Dolan obsolete. has taken off so much.

Yes, of course! This year at least, I’m going to head home and I want to be able to sit in the everyone deserves a chance. spend some time with my fam- student section of the new conily! vocation center. That would be a dream come true.

It will probably be an option but I think they will try to push in person classes with the vaccination rollout.

Although I’m a marketing major, I think Spanish would be a lot of fun.

I don’t think so, I think professors have gotten used to the ease of using them.

Bioengineering and Theatre.

Sure why not! More sports!

Headed home to take many Synchronized swimming as a baths and drink lots of tea.

DI sport.

I think so, not being able to play due to COVID is just a necessary evil right now and it is totally random!

I am headed back to New York to spend many amazing days with my family, and get a real bagel!

Molly Lamendola Editor-in-Chief

Sheila McCombs Executive Editor

What are your Easter break plans?

Your 2020-2021 4x5 Columnists:

I am with Lanz! Every year we I hope so, but realistically I have been getting a little closer think it’s going to take a little to making the tournament, and I longer to go away then that! am so ready!

Hm, I came into Fairfield as a politics major and I still have a lot of love for that field, so polysci!

Sports

Page 15

THE MIRROR | Week of March 31, 2021

Volleyball Named MAAC Regular Season Champs

By Julia Lanzillotta Managing Editor The Fairfield University women’s volleyball team made it nearly to the end of the regular season slate without a single loss, until they faced the Quinnipiac University Bobcats in Hamden, Conn. for a pair of games on March 28.

On an eight game win streak, the Stags took on the Bobcats with a thirst to uphold that undefeated record, and the odds looked like they could do it after Sunday afternoon’s first match where the Stags came out on top, 3-2. Unfortunately in their final match of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season schedule, the Bobcats upended the Stags, 2-3.

Quinnipiac took the first set, 25-15, leaving Fairfield to answer back in the second. Fairfield answered back with an equalizer with a 25-22 win. Quinnipiac continued the flip-flop trend taking the lead once again, 25-20. Finally Fairfield caught up in the fourth set with a massive 25-16 win, and they would continue that momentum into

the fifth and final set where they blew the Bobcats out of the water with a 15-9 defeat, putting the Stags in a good place headed into the second game later that day. Leading the attack that afternoon was outside hitter Emily Schillinger ‘22 who broke her own career record, with 18 hits to the match . Behind her in kills were seniors Kaylie Butts with 14 and Luci Albertson with 13 of her own.

Rookie Simone Tyson put on a remarkable performance with her first double double as a Stag (18 digs, 12 kills), while graduate student Manuela Nicolini amassed 50 assists and 16 digs, flexing her extensive experience on the team. Meanwhile, Georgia Via ‘24 was a defensive dynamo who registered 30 digs (just two below her career-high set on March 14 at Iona College), plus six assists.

Tyson and Via weren’t the only first-year students to make a significant impact on the court. Ella Gardiner ‘24 set a new personal best in blocks with eight to the match.

Unlike the trend that the first game seemed to follow, the Stags took off later in the day claiming the first two sets mak-

ing it look easy (25-17, 25-18). The third set started with Quinnipiac beating Fairfield to the board, claiming the first three points, two of which were collected off of attack errors from the Stags. It was clear that Quinnipiac was the stronger team this frame, but Fairfield still had the upper hand going into the fourth set.

The Stags and Bobcats were neck and neck for the first seven points, but took off with five consecutive points to give them their first lead of the fourth, 12-9. Quinnipiac held on until the end, though, and managed to reach 25 before Fairfield to tie the game, two sets apiece. Holding Fairfield afloat was Morgan Doll ‘23 who tallied 21 kills and 18 digs that night. Via came back later in the day as a libero, with 27 digs to lead the charge for the Stags. Honorable mentions also go to Alexis Rich ‘22 reaching the double digits in two categories, with 56 assists and 10 digs.

Tyson showed no signs of stopping with a second double-double (13 kills, 15 digs) to finish off the day full of competition.

Regardless of the disappointing loss,

the 9-1 record on the season was enough for Fairfield to notch their nineteenth MAAC Regular Season Championship in the past 25 seasons, according to FairfieldStags. com. This accomplishment can be added to the list of accolades that head coach Todd Kress has, as his eighth MAAC Regular Season Championship title with the Stags. His past conference recognition in this category were in the years 1996, 1997, 1998, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and now in the spring of 2021, making this the Stags’ second consecutive regular-season MAAC title.

Now is time to look past what has unfolded during the regular season, and the Stags must look ahead to the 20202021 MAAC Championship Tournament.

It is scheduled to last from Thursday, April 1 to Saturday, April 3 in Albany, NY and will be streamed on ESPN+.

The Stags will go into the tournament with the top spot as the number one seed, but will need to fight seven other conference competition for the title of MAAC Champions.

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

The Fairfield University volleyball team has finished the regular season at the top of the conference with nine wins and one loss following their final game against Quinnipiac University.

Kelly Horning Reaches 100 Career Points

By Thomas Coppola Assistant Sports Editor On March 19, Kelly Horning ‘21 of the Fairfield University women’s lacrosse team surpassed 100 career points, a milestone few players have achieved before her. With an assist to a goal scored by Diana DeVita ‘21 in the second half of their contest against Manhattan College, Horning finally broke the century mark.

“I didn’t really realize that’s where I was in my career,” Horning said. “But before the game, my coach actually came up to me and told me I was really close, and that I was going to break it that day.”

Coming from a lacrosse-oriented family, Horning was destined for an achievement such as this one. From the age of four, she was coached by her father, Charlie Horning, through the ranks until she came to play at Fairfield.

The team has fought their way through the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference thus far into the season, and they are currently sitting atop the competition

with a 5-0 record. They are currently the only undefeated team in the MAAC. “Every game has pretty much been a battle,” Horning said about the teams they have played this season. After two close bouts with Quinnipiac University, a tight race against Niagara University and two big wins against Manhattan University, the team has proved that they can bring home yet another MAAC championship, just as they have done in their last two full seasons.

This season is a bit different from the last, however, as the 2020 Spring season was cut short due to the early spread of the pandemic. “We’ve always said we wanted to get four rings and that was our dream, but we couldn’t get one last year so getting three would be really awesome,” Horning said.

The team secured the MAAC championship in 2018 and 2019, and are looking to repeat this success in 2021.

Thinking more long-term, Horning hopes that she and her teammates can continue to play their game throughout the season and stay undefeated in the

MAAC, which will be no easy feat.

For Horning, personally, the April 1 and April 3 games against Monmouth University are on the radar.

“They definitely want to beat us, and I know that for sure because we’ve seen it in the past. It’s always a fun one.”

As a senior, Horning intends to play another year of lacrosse at Fairfield after she graduates; she will be capitalizing on the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s new ruling that grants seniors with an extra year of eligibility. This way, she may be able to get the fourth ring that she and her teammates dreamt of after their first MAAC championship in 2018.

Beyond lacrosse, however, Horning plans to attend graduate school at Fairfield University to gain a master’s degree in education.

In the coming weeks, the women’s lacrosse team will take on Monmouth University in two games on the road, as well as hosting Siena College on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium on April 7 at 1:00 p.m.

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Senior Kelly Horning of women's lacrosse.

@Fairfield Mirror Week of March 31, 2021

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16

Guerrera Garners Conference Recognition

By Emily Miller Contributing Writer For the first time in his career, Justin Guerrera ‘22, an infielder on the Fairfield University baseball team, was named a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and received the title of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

These accomplishments come after a historic opening weekend by both Guerrera and the baseball team, where Fairfield completed a four-game sweep over Canisius College.

The Stags took both games in the Saturday, March 20 doubleheader, winning game one with a 7-4 win, and sweeping game two with a shut out of Canisius 13-4.

Fairfield and Canisius then returned to Alumni Baseball Diamond on Sunday, March 21 in another doubleheader. The Stags overtook Canisius 6-3 in game one and shut them out 8-0 in the second game.

The 2020-2021 baseball roster became the first Fairfield baseball team to start a season 4-0.

Guerrera became the third ever Stag to hit three home runs in one game and help the Stags to a 13-4 victory over the Golden Griffins. He was a crucial piece of the puzzle this weekend, batting .533, going 8-for-15 with nine RBI and seven runs scored, highlighted by a historic four homers.

Guerrera is honored to accept these nominations, saying, “It’s definitely a humbling experience to be named both of those titles.

I really appreciate those who chose me for those awards along with some of the best in the country. I am just proud

Justin Guerrera '22 of the Fairfield University baseball team had an incredible start to the season in the four home games over the span of two games against the Canisius College Golden Griffins on Saturday, March 20 to Sunday, March 21. The Stags are off to an undefeated start, going 4-0 so far. Their four-game slate against Saint Peter's College has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. of my teammates and I for being able to take away four wins this weekend.”

Guerrera still feels some nerves prior to games, but has adapted well to the trials and tribulations of life as a collegiate athlete.

“There’s always the butterflies before a game, I usually get them before the national anthem when I’m standing out there but the actual game there are never usually jitters.

It’s second nature, something that I have been doing my whole life. I just let myself

do what I know I am capable of doing.“ The coaches of the Fairfield baseball team have made a large impact on Guerrera’s life, both athletically and personally.

Guerrera attests, “They’ve helped me tremendously. Coming in as a freshman two years ago, they really helped me transition from high school to college baseball. They really taught me a lot about the game and about myself. “ Bill Currier is entering his ninth

season as head coach of the Fairfield University baseball team.

He has led the Stags to their first-ever MAAC Tournament Championship, two regular season titles and four 30-win campaigns, including a program record 35 in 2019.

In total, Currier has been a head coach for 32 seasons and has accumulated 704 victories over that span.

Before coming to Connecticut, Currier earned the most coaching victories in the history of his alma mater the University of Vermont.

In his 22 seasons with the Catamounts, Currier was a part of 486 wins, earned three America East Coach of the Year honors, and helped the squad to two conference Regular Season Championships.

Justin Guerrera has grown immensely through the Fairfield baseball program and is excited to continue to push the boundaries for the program.

“Personally, I am just trying to live up to the expectations that have been set for me, and just help the team win in any way possible.

As a team, our end goal is to win a MAAC championship. We’re hoping this year with the talent we have we are able to go farther into a regional and maybe even a super regional and compete against some of the best teams in the country.”

Guerrera concludes, “It is a great honor to be nominated for these awards and I am super proud of my team for everything that we have been able to accomplish so far. I just hope that we can keep it moving forward and have a successful season, growing as a team throughout the duration of the season.”

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Guerrera was named Collegiate Baseball's National Player of the Week, as well as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week following his performance against Canisius.