Fairfield Mirror 2/5/2020

THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of February 5, 2020

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Vol. 45 Iss. 14

TMZ is Unethical

Does Deals on Drinks

By Danielle Sondgeroth Contributing Writer

This month, Fairfield University rolled out a new promotion at the Dunkin’ locations on campus, offering reusable tumblers for $9.99 when purchased before Feb. 1. This new promotion provides an opportunity for the Fairfield community to engage with the university’s efforts to be environmentally conscious.

Students will be able to use the tumblers at each Dunkin’ location to fill them with up to 24oz of any drip coffee for $1.89, the price of a small coffee, compared to a 24oz XL coffee which costs $2.49. Dunkin’ customers will receive around 20% off each drink by buying a tumbler.

The initial purchase of a tumbler also includes any 24oz drip coffee.

First-year Claire Urban is an avid coffee drinker and was very excited about the prospect of the new reusable containers. “You get coffee for cheaper when you bring it,” said Urban. “It’s a big discount for coffee.”

According to the promotions posted around campus, students that buy the tumblers will also receive “surprise perks and freebies throughout the semester.”

This promotion provides a way for the university to encourage waste reduction on campus by eliminating the need for disposable coffee cups.

“It pays for itself and it saves the environment,” commented Jessica Cuntrera ‘22, who then took a sip from her newly-purchased tumbler.

The new tumblers are a conscious effort by the university to decrease the amount of waste produced by food services on campus. Fairfield’s Director of Food Services, Duane Gornicki, said that Fairfield University is making great strides to reduce waste on campus, including removing the receipts from Dunkin’ locations.

“We found the receipts all over campus stuck to the ground,” Gornicki said, “so we created a process where we eliminated the need for receipts. It’s better for the environment and now it’s a bit more personal– we call you by your name.”

According to Gornicki, Fairfield has always had a reusable cup program at the coffee shops Photo taken from on campus, but they Dunkin’ Instagram weren’t as popular.

“We’ve alThe campus Dunkin is beloved among students ways had a reusable cup-type program in Einstein’s, our old coffee shop,” Gornicki said. “We did not do such a good job at promoting it, but you could return your cup and we’d give you a discount off your purchase. It wasn’t widely used or advertised.”

Despite the lack of awareness at Einstein's coffee shop before Dunkin’ came to campus, this tumbler promotion seems to be popular and worth the price.

A group of students sitting in the BCC all agreed that this promotion is an amazing opportunity for the campus community. “I just wish it came with a straw,” joked Jakob Matala ’22.

Opinion TMZ broke ethical journalism with premature anouncement of Kobe Bryant’s Death.

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Women’s Basketball

Sports Women’s basketball wins over Marist 72-70.

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McGowan Deemed New Library Dean

By Sheila McCombs Chief Copy Editor As of Jan. 1, the DiMenna-Nyselius library has a new University Librarian in Christina S. McGowan. McGowan is not a new figure in the university library, having a long record of working within the library’s community.

Here at Fairfield University she has worked as the head reference librarian from 2003 to 2011, and then as the assistant university librarian for reference and circulation services from 2011 until May of 2019. She has been working for the university for 22 years now, after first working at Sacred Heart University for three years. McGowan was also an interim university librarian two seperate times before actually receiving the job as of this year.

She thought she was “ready for the next step” when coming to Fairfield and that she “has been fortunate to get a new position” which has “allowed [her] to be challenged” throughout her career here.

The Mirror also got the chance to ask McGowan about some of the changes she wants to use her new positions to make. She spoke about the recent introduction of “external reviewers,” who are professionals that were hired to take a “holistic view” of the state of the library as it currently is.

These reviewers have generated a report that has been shared with the university provost and will be shared with the library staff this week. Due to the fact that the report’s findings have not been released to the staff, McGowan did not want to release these findings The Mirror at the time of reporting.

The report was contributed to by students, faculty and administration to create the final findings.

She commented on the findings of the report, saying that “some of them did not surprise me at all.”

She has been a co-chair of the Academic Commons working group since August, and the group has been working to meet their goal of collaboration within the library and its programs. The Academic Commons working group is made up of people from all of the different offices in the library that meet to discuss things like logistics, marketing and research.

Some of the big projects McGowan wants to

work on this year involve aspects of the Academic Commons, or the new collection of offices including The Writing and Math Centers, The Office of Academic Retention, and others, all just installed this year.

McGowan said that the group asks, “Now that we are all together, what are the things that will help us be a more cohesive unit and work better for the benefit of the students?”

She has had a really positive experience with working with the other offices, and it is something she wants to continue into the new year.

One of the most pressing issues for the library this year, and that The Mirror has reported on previously, is the loss of seating to the renovations that occurred earlier in the year. There has been a sense of worry among students about available study spaces and if adding new offices was the best use of that space.

When asked about these concerns, McGowan said, “I don’t have the exact numbers, but we heard that we have the same number of seating if you include the Writing Center and the tutoring rooms.”

The staff also conducted multiple surveys during finals week, such as the “Why did you choose this seat?” survey to try and distinguish the best way to use their available space.

The library staff are working with facilities and the provost’s office to figure out how to optimize the space. They have been given the funds to update their seating in the downstairs portion of the library to make sure that the space, which is used the least by students, is updated.

“We hear you and we want to fix the problem not just in the anecdotal but physically. It is something that is incredibly important to us,” McGowan said.

McGowan also commented on the new programs she believes the library could offer, speaking Christina S. specifically about the Student Library

Advisory Board and how she “always wants to hear from students about what they want to see in the library.”

Other such programs included the citation programs the library holds to help students learn how to properly cite throughout the year and those in partnership with the Fairfield Public Library like “One Book One Town,” where all of the libraries encourage their patrons to read the same book and plan multiple events around it to bring the libraries together.

The library under McGowan wants to always “work to support students,” but is also expanding their programs to faculty. They are sending out a survey to figure out what faculty needs, things like “support for classes, publishing workshops and publishing celebrations.”

The major goals of the library appear to remain the same: to support the students, the faculty and the University.

JLo and Shakira

Vine JLo and Shakira steal the show at the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Page 16

Photo Courtesy of News@Fairfield

McGowan was named the new dean of Dimenna-Nyselius Library on Jan. 1

News

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

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News

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

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The Mirror Reflects on this Week in Social Media Compiled by Colleen Vann Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

1/29 10:52 a.m A faculty member reported that a university laptop was stolen from a vehicle while in Canada. The Fairfield Police Department has been notified and the situation is currently under investigation.

2:33 p.m A staff member was trapped in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business’ east elevator. The individual was freed and a service call was made for repairs.

1/31 1:05 a.m A group of individuals ran from Public Safety officers and hopped a fence towards College Park Drive. The individuals were identified and referred to student conduct.

2/1 12:04 a.m A student at The Levee handed a Public Safety officer a fake I.D. The I.D was confiscated and the individual was referred to student conduct.

1:10 a.m A student was reported driving under the influence. Public Safety parked the vehicle and drove the operator back to their residence hall and they were referred to student conduct.

2/2 12:01 a.m A student was documented for disorderly conduct while at the checkpoint and they were referred to student conduct.

2/3 8:39 a.m A burglary in Donnarumma Hall was reported. A laptop was stolen from a faculty office suite. The Fairfield Police department was notified and the situation is under investigation.

THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977

Lexi Thimble, Editor-in-Chief Katherine Klima, Executive Editor Julia Monteleone, Managing Editor Editors Sheila McCombs, Chief Copy Julia Monteleone, Interim News Catherine Santangelo, Opinion Gracianne Eldrenkamp, Vine Molly Lamendola, Assistant Vine Julia Lanzillotta, Sports Tobenna Ugwu, Coffee Break

Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com Lila Condon, Director of Finance

Advisor Dr. Tommy Xie

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

News

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

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Spoonfuls of Advice for Students

By Colleen Vann News Editor

Four recent Fairfield University graduates sat before about 40 current students for an alumni panel hosted by Fairfield’s Spoon University club last night, Feb. 3, in the Aloysius P. Kelley Center.

"Spoon University is a community on campus for all things food! Whether you’re into marketing, writing, event planning or photography, we have something for you!” said Emily Goryeb, the Photo Director of Spoon at Fairfield. “For tonight’s event, we hope to show students on campus how unique our club is and how our amazing alumni have used their Spoon skills in their jobs today!"

The four panelists were David Buckley ‘17, Sean Ahern ‘19, Victoria Marano ‘18 and Lindsey DeMunno ‘18, who were all members and leaders of Spoon University at Fairfield during their time as undergraduates. Their personal stories and advice were catered towards students interested in media, marketing, sports and publishing.

The main points that the entire panel hit were about not getting discouraged in the job searching process and the importance of networking.

Marano, a coordinator at Viacom CBS, shared with a laugh, “I graduated without a job, and had a mental breakdown.”

Other panelists shared similar stories of graduating without a job lined up, but that reemphasized the point they were making that that is not only okay, but normal– particularly in the media and communication industries.

“Don’t give up,” Marano said. “Something will come up,” she continued.

Ahern, a researcher at CBS Sports, added to the importance of keeping your head up during that often stressful time, saying, “Keep persevering, and keep that positive mindset.”

The panelists acknowledged that this understanding that the process is difficult, but the fact that everything works out is one that is hard to see while you are experiencing the hardships.

“I wish I knew that’s it was okay that I was going to get rejected,” said DeMunno, a social media producer at Bankrate, Inc., in a reflection about her time immediately following graduation.

The panelists encouraged students to be open in their job searches, as you never know what you might learn, or when you will find a new interest or passion. That being said, they also urged the students in attendance to never settle for a job.

“Don’t be desperate for a job,” said Buckley, a social media customer experience specialist at Daniel Wellington.

“Don’t pigeonhole yourself into a job,” Ahern added.

In addition to that inspirational and encouraging advice, the panelists also gave students practical advice, mainly in the importance of networking, and networking properly.

Ahern focused on how helpful it can be to reveal to possible employers that you have a true

passion for, or interest in, the job or field into which you are entering. He explained that this makes your resume come to life in a sense that rather than words, people can see determination and an eagerness to learn more.

Buckley suggested that students apply for jobs that require two to three years of experience because oftentimes the organizations and projects that students are involved with in college provide experience and skills similar to the ones necessary for the position of interest.

Overall, the panelists encouraged students to reach out to alumni and network.

“You can literally get a job by talking to somebody and then following up,” said Marano.

Following the panel, students approached the panelists in a more inforColleen Vann/The Mirror mal manner and took the opportunity they had to Panelists pose for a photo in the Aloysius P. Kelley Center. network with the alumni.

“Alumni love to give back to the University and provide opportunities for students to explore different careers and industries,” said Kimberly Nickolenko, director of career engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences. “The more opportunities they can get to practice their networking skills the better.”

Crandall Fosters Inspirational Classrooms The Connecticut Writing Project serves as a conduit for Crandall’s passion for writing and educating

By Lexi Thimble Editor-in-Chief It is professors like Bryan Crandall, Ph.D. that students say is why they love learning.

“He has taught me how to think outside the box and learn how to engage all of my students,” Stefania Venderella ‘20 stated via electronic message. With a major in English concentrating on teacher education and minors in educational studies and psychology, Venderella’s time with Crandall has well prepared her to lead her own class one day.

“He has allowed me to learn how I can find connections with all of my students and build a successful classroom community...Dr. Crandall is a mentor to me and I continue to learn more and more from him and this program every year!”

By his own admission, Crandall’s love for teaching, writing and the connection between the two has been a constant since he himself was a student.

“I’ve always joked that I knew I was doomed to be a teacher while I was still in school,” Crandall said via email.

“Often, in the margins of notebooks, I would doodle ideas and ways to make classes more interesting than they actually were. In my head, learning is pretty magical, but the majority of educators made it dull and painful.”

Crandall received his undergraduate degree in English literature at Binghamton University in upstate New York and went on to the University of Louisville to earn two Masters’ degrees, the second of which came through the Kentucky Institute of Education and Sustainable Development. He remained in Kentucky long enough to become a teacher at a Louisville public school in 1997, which he valued for its mission of “diversity, inclusivity and excellence.”

His time as an undergraduate and later as a teacher not only taught him the skills associated with his studies, but opened his eyes to the world beyond the United States. Crandall was mentored under scholar Carole Boyce Davies while studying abroad in London, learning from her what he termed were essential critical thinking skills.

He received a Fulbright Memorial Scholarship to teach in Tokyo, Japan and during his later tenure in Kentucky, he participated in the school’s partnership with the Roskilde Lille Skole in Denmark.

He states that this time he spent in Kentucky was a “magical experience.”

“The state assessed students through portfolios, and writing across the curriculum in a variety of genres was the norm,” Crandall said. “For several years, my urban school students scored at the top of the state and a couple of times they were number one...the diversity of the student body made all of us better.”

Dr. The rewarding nature of Crandall’s experience could also be attributed to his introduction to the National Writing Project in 2002. He took part in the Louisville chapter that year, believing strongly in the project’s investment in strengthening writing skills in educators across the country.

“[The National Writing Project] recognizes that teachers are professionals, have expertise, and are best positioned to provide professional development for colleges. The teachers teaching teachers mantra works,” Crandall said.

Crandall is the current director of the Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University, which is one of 180 sites across the nation. He became director in 2011, the same year he was completing his dissertation at Syracuse University and became a faculty member in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions and English here at Fairfield University. He began a tenure track in the GSEAP in 2013, and is currently an Associate Professor of English Education.

He says that much of the work he does with the Writing Project centers around teaching educators how to be better writ-

teachers student-teaching opportunities and teach them skills to bring to their future classrooms. Crandall also spoke to the creation of summer programs for pre-college aged kids who wish to hone their own writing abilities.

Called the Young Adult Literacy labs, these summer camps for children grades third through twelfth have given students the chance to teach both teachers and their own peers.

“During the summer, teachers attending the institute for teaching writing have numerous opportunities to work with young people on a wide variety of genres, including Ubuntu Academy, our literacy program for immigrant and refugee youth,” Crandall said. “We have served 100s of teachers and 1,000s of kids as a result.”

Crandall’s research on immigrant and refugee youth was another area of study that emerged while working in Kentucky. He began volunteering with refugee relocation services in 1998 and witnessed firsthand the challenges refugees faced when entering the United States education system for the first time.

“I learned from my own students and volunteer work that the perseverance, dedication, drive, and hard work of immigrant and refugee youth are exceptional.

Actually, they are inspirational,” Crandall said.

“That is why much of my research has turned to them. The most rewarding work I do is through working with them. They are the hope of what is possible. They are the vision of the dream.”

It is clear that his students have seen the direct effect of that experience in both his teaching and mentorship.

“Dr. Crandall is an absolute force...I consider myself extremely fortunate to have him as a mentor and a friend,” said Justin Wooley ‘20 over electronic message.

Both he and Venderella have studied under Crandall as part of the Connecticut Writing Project.

“If I am being completely honest, I believe that what makes Bryan so extraordinary is the intense care that he has when attending to his students, work, and life. Ubuntu—the African philosophy of togetherness, community—is a large feature of Bryan’s way of being, and that’s what it is like working with him; it is a community, family.”

Just as his students have recognized the impact of Crandall’s teaching, so has he come to value what his students have taught him throughout his years of teaching.

“One hidden truth about teaching is that the students you teach that seem to be merely temporary, year to year, actually turn out to be a permanent fixture in your life,” Crandall said.

“It has been amazing to see my students grow up, Photo contributed by Dr. Bryan Crandall enter the adult world, and experience rather incredible Crandall poses in front Fairfield University’s Stag Statue. lives. It’s also great, time to time, to hear from this or that ers while also teaching them how to better communicate those student with a memory they have of your teaching or a note skills to their students. about something you once said that stuck with them throughout The Writing Project works specifically with Fairfield’s their lives. Those connections – the human connections – are teaching and education Masters programs to give emerging what I love most about teaching.”

Opinion

Opinion

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THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

Editor Catherine Santangelo» catherine.santangelo@student.fairfield.edu

Kobe Bryant Shared His Life...TMZ Prematurely Shared His Death

By Caroline Chapman Contributing Writer

It was 2:32 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26, and the notorious TMZ story with the headline, that has since been taken down, in its aggressively bolded black font read “Breaking: Kobe Bryant Has Died In A Helicopter Crash.” In an instant the

Pictured: Basketball legend Kobe Bryant Creative Commons/Sports Illustrated

world had learned that one of the most notable athletes of the past two decades had died. And by terrible circumstance, it was also the exact moment that his own family would receive the same devastating news.

According to InStyle, on Thursday, Jan. 29, TMZ’s founder Harvey Levin admitted that he was in communication with Bryant’s representatives before publishing the story and that the families could have likely become aware of the incident from TMZ’s reporting or social media. Their report was let out to the public four hours before an official announcement was made.

There is no surprise that in an era of hyper information and communication, our words rapidly spread and often without bounds. With this advancement at hand and the speed at which we share information, journalists and figures within the news media must claim a new responsibility in how to ethically navigate their roles. The nature of the information they have access to is considerably fragile, especially when it involves a delicate matter like death.

TMZ’s despicable decision to report and publish the death of Kobe Bryant prior to the knowledge of the victims’ families was an act of selfishness, one that rejected these families the deserving right to this information first and foremost.

We are all witness to the increasingly difficult moral dilemmas behind news media in conjunction with the public's persistent fascination with celebrity life. We are subsequently called to establish and advocate for an ethical boundary in the world of reporting. TMZ’s careless approach and dehumanizing coverage of celebrity subjects should push journalistic practitioners more than ever to learn how to decipher when it is appropriate to publish stories and when it is not.

As a prominent figure, Kobe Bryant’s life garnered significant outside attention by default. But deceitfully so,

Creative Commons/Wikimedia Commons

TMZ used his celebrity status as an excuse to prematurely release the news of his death, almost as if it was the public’s right to know. However, Bryant’s status as a celebrity did not exempt him from the fact that he was still a human. No matter his image as a larger-than-life figure, and the unprecedented achievements he made in his short 41 years of life, at the end of the day, Kobe Bryant was a human like you and me.

Journalists are given the profound privilege of collecting and sharing stories. How they choose to tell their stories is often how the world receives them. There should be repercussions for tabloids like TMZ who damage the reputation of a journalist’s role by telling stories without empathy and rejecting ethical journalistic practices altogether.

Kobe Bryant shared his life with the entire world. He gave the news media a front row seat to all of his greatest shows; five championships, two Olympic Games and even an Academy Award win. On countless occasions journalists were given the opportunity to pay witness to his triumphs and many of his joys. But when it came to the moment of his death last Sunday it was time for them to take a step back.

The front row should have been reserved for his family, his wife, daughters, friends and teammates, but TMZ stole their seats.

Impeachment Marks a Dark Moment in Our Nation

By Stephen Blinder Contributing Writer

My friends, no matter what side of this debate we choose to be on, this is indeed a sad moment in our nation’s history. So let us take this moment to think, reflect and remember what the office of the president should look like, should strive to be. Remember that what happens in this moment will be set as a precedent for future generations so that our children and our children’s children can live in a more just, more decent and more united political time. I support the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump, but don’t think for one moment that I’m happy about it. No, in this somber moment I can’t help but pity those involved in the impeachment trial and pity our president who has been charged with breaking his solemn oath. Today is a sad day.

Whether or not you support impeachment, this moment is a somber time for our country. Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, Independent or Unaffiliated, now is time of reflection. Impeaching a sitting President on grounds of violating the very Constitution he swore to defend doesn’t warrant celebration. This historic moment we live in should remind us of the values that the highest political office in our country should stand for, what every occupant of that office now, in the past and in the present should strive for and the importance of these values in defining our country.

According to The Guardian, there have only been three United States presidents to be impeached by Congress: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998 and now Donald Trump in 2019. In nearly 250 years, Congress has used its only Constitutional power to remove a sitting president three times. You might wonder why, especially in the modern political era where divisions across party lines have never been stronger, would Congress enact articles of impeachment only three times? The answer, I believe, is that Members of Congress understand the inherent risks associated with impeaching a sitting president. They understand how this might divide the country, dominate the media and yes, potentially even serve that individual’s political interests. But the power to impeach a president is so much bigger than politics or the era we live in. Instead, impeachment charges the president with violating the Constitution, the sacred text our elected officials swear to abide by, swear to act on and swear to defend. Charging the president with this violation is essentially charging them with Pictured: President Donald J. Trump failing to comply with very rules and values of the office they sit in.

Photo Courtesy of @realdonaldtrump Instagram

Editorial Board "Baby Nut, Doo Doo Doo..."

Katherine Klima Executive Editor

While most Americans were picking sides between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, others found themselves getting involved in a different battle.

During Super Bowl LIV on Sunday Feb. 3, one of the more noted commercials to appear was a part two to a previous Planter’s commercial that premiered on Jan. 31, which killed off their iconic mascot, Mr. Peanut.

In this part two Super Bowl commercial, various people and mascots such as Mr. Clean and the Kool-Aid Man gathered for the funeral of the 106 year-old Mr. Peanut, who nobly died saving his friends in a freak accident.

As they gathered to say their final goodbyes, a sudden heavenly ray of sunlight caused what was left of the original Mr. Peanut to be reincarnated into what they’ve dubbed “Baby Nut.” Since the introduction of Baby Nut, Buzzfeed reports that Twitter’s exploded as they’ve deemed “Baby Nut” to be one of the weirdest commercials to premiere at the 2020 Super Bowl. Along with this

public outrage, Movie Web said that a new form of tension began as people put Baby Nut up against Baby Yoda, also known as “The Child” from the hit 2019 Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.”

Since premiering, the Baby Nut versus Baby Yoda debate has been one of the only things to take up my Twitter feed. Somehow they’ve managed to make more traction on my social media than the Super Bowl and the Iowa Caucus.

I saw the Baby Nut commercial live and all I have to say is I’m taking the Baby Yoda side in this debate solely for the fact that I despise everything that is Baby Nut. I already lost it when they decided to kill off Mr. Peanut, a basic mascot that’s done absolutely nothing wrong. To see that they’ve reconstructed Mr. Peanut into his own version of a Muppet Baby only pushed me over the edge.

Look, Planters was smart for hoping for this marketing trend. I’ll give them that, but it’s going to get old fast. We already have trademarks like Baby Groot and

Creative Commons/Wikimedia Commons

Baby Shark, so why does Planters need to jump on this baby trend? What’s wrong with the mascots we’ve known for years?

Truthfully, despite the fact that I am pro-Baby Yoda and those, “I’m going to turn Baby Nut into peanut butter tweets” make me hysterical, the whole trend is going to get annoying. As much as I’m enjoying these tweets now, I know I’m going to care less soon. This happens everytime companies start to overuse a concept or blow something out of proportion. One personal example I can think of is when the hit 2013 Disney film “Frozen” came out. I loved it, but as a month passed and I kept seeing and hearing “Let It Go” or “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” everywhere I went, I got frustrated.

If you want to indulge in Baby Nut or this trend in general, live your best life. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with following a trend like this and if it gives you joy, be happy. However, I will be annoyed if this trend gets blown completely out of proportion.

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

Opinion

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Banning Treatments Punishes Transgender People for Not Conforming

By Stella Henry Contributing Writer

No matter where you sit on the ideological spectrum, it’s hard not to acknowledge that it can’t be easy to be transgender– that is, be a biological female that identifies as a man or vice versa. From the time they are small children, transgender individuals are plagued with the feeling that they just don’t belong in the body that they’re in, and often have to put up with abuse or bullying from family and strangers alike on the basis of their gender identity. As if that wasn’t bad enough, puberty usually comes with considerable challenges for transgender youth, as the changes that accompany it have the potential to further heighten any preexisting gender dysphoria, which is a fancy term for a feeling that someone’s body does not match the gender that he or she identifies with. If someone that was born with a male body but identifies as a female begins experiencing a deepening of their voice or the development of facial hair, for example, the result can be psychological devastation.

To ease this dysphoria, many doctors prescribe “puberty blockers,” which are essentially medications that block certain hormones associated with the development of secondary sex characteristics, such as body hair or menstruation. But there are some who claim that these drugs can come with harmful side effects for children and teens. To that end, according to Vox, eight U.S. states have introduced legislation that

would ban health care providers from prescribing puberty helping transgender youth make a more seamless transition to blockers to transgender youth as well as performing gender- adulthood in what could otherwise be a very rocky one.

The teen years especially can be a very vulnerable time confirming surgeries, and would allow the courts to prosecute for transgender people, as they providers for doing so, leading to fines grapple with their gender idenand potentially even time behind tity while trying to cope with bars. It should be obvious that this all the physical and emotional is going way too far. Although puchanges that come with growing berty blockers do have the potential up. Unfortunately, this translates to cause side effects, the same is true Creative Commons/Wikipedia into a risk for developing a menof all medications, and in many cases, tal health condition that is three the benefits of taking puberty blockers to thirteen times higher than the general clearly outweigh the drawbacks. population, and a markedly increased risk Of the eight states considering legislaof suicide among transgender teens, as Vox tion to ban puberty blockers, only South Dareports. According to a study published kota has passed the law in its House of Repby the American Academy of Pediatrics, resentatives. Last week Vox reported that the over 40 percent of non-binary teens have atbill, which would impose a $2,000 fine and up tempted suicide at some point, compared to to one year in prison for doctors convicted of preabout seven percent of the general teenage popscribing puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones, ulation according to Child Trends, a non-profit passed the South Dakota House, which is comprised organization. But there is a considerable amount of a considerable Republican majority, by a vote of of evidence, as reported by NBC News, suggest46-23. When asked to comment on the legislation, ing that the use of puberty blockers may decrease The Washington Post quoted Fred Deutch, a member the risk of suicidal ideation in transgender youth, of the South Dakota House of Representatives and the meaning that the drugs could be helping to save lives. bill’s primary sponsor, who said “the legislation would proAdvocates of the South Dakota bill as well as similar bills tect vulnerable children who are being chemically castrated, that are pending in other states say that the laws do not truly sterilized, and surgically mutilated.”

But this ignores that the vast majority of transgender ban puberty blockers because even if they were passed, people youth do not actually undergo gender confirmation surgery over a certain age, which is 16 under the South Dakota bill, until after they become adults. That said, it is true that pu- would still be able to access the medications. But that point berty blockers come with potential side effects; according to is totally moot, since the whole point of puberty blockers is the Mayo Clinic, these can include weight gain, headaches and to stop puberty from progressing and cannot actually reverse loss of bone density. However, puberty blockers are reversible any changes that have already occurred, such as facial hair or and are only taken temporarily as a way of allowing transgen- breast development. This means that the earlier on in puberty der youth to delay puberty until they are ready to begin of- that the drugs are started, the better the results will be, and by ficially transitioning to their preferred gender. As of now, 16, most teens have already developed to the point where the the law is set to be held to a vote in the state’s senate drugs would be totally useless. chamber, and if it passes there, medical professionals across South Dakota To read the complete article, visit our website at could be put behind bars just for www.fairfieldmirror.com

Creative Commons/Needpix.com

Eilish Looks Stylish in Humility

By Rebeccah Worth Contributing Writer

Billie Eilish’s five big wins were the talk of the night at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards which were held on Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Eilish’s wins made her the first woman in Grammy history to take home the Big Four awards: best album, best record and song of the year and best new artist.

Eilish’s debut album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” won album of the year and she took home record and song of the year for her hit “Bad Guy.” Additionally, Eilish set several age-related records.

her music reaches her audience than her outward appearance.

In addition to Eilish’s quirky style and amazing singing/ songwriting talent, according to NBC News, writer Rachel Simon argues that Eilish’s popularity is heavily linked to the fact that her success does not hinge on the failures of her peers. This statement is

At just 18 years old, Eilish is the youngest album of the year winner in Grammy history. However, EilPictured: Singer Billie Eilish performing at the Grammys ish clearly has not let Photo Courtesy of @billieeilish Instagram her success get to her head. Before winning her fourth Grammy of the evening, Eilish was cap- agreeable because even though Eilish is aware that tured by the camera crew mouthing, “Please don’t be she has become a “dark pop” sensation, she is not me,” and visibly shouted, “No” when it was revealed caught up in the competition. that she was the winner of the award, according to “Everybody’s always trying to make everyInsider. body compete,” Eilish told the Los Angeles Times Eilish’s humility and gratitude for her grow- last April. “They’re like, ‘Billie’s album might pass ing success and her fans are huge reasons why she is Ariana’s’… But just stop. I don’t care.” so popular as an artist. Furthermore, her “dark pop” Rather than compete with other artists, Eilmusic style coupled with her dreamy vocals allows ish is focused on supporting her fellow pop stars. her to connect with her fans while normalizing the For example, when Eilish was accepting her fourth feelings of depression and isolation that many teen- award of the evening, she said that Ariana Grande agers experience at some point in time. deserved the award instead of her.

As a fan of Eilish, I appreciate her laid-back “‘Thank U Next’ got me through some s-, and style and the fact that looks are not all that important I think it deserves this more than anything in the to her. Eilish’s IDGAF style often consists of baggy world,” Eilish stated during her acceptance speech.

T-shirts, track suits and unique accessories.

Eilish truly took her humble attitude to new According to Seventeen Magazine, Eilish highs on her historic night of winning five Gramhas previously slammed critics for their negative mys. The teen sensation proved that her growing comments on her fashion style and stated that she popularity has nothing to do with bringing others chooses to dress in this way to avoid being sexual- down and everything to do with her gratitude and ized. It is obvious that Eilish is more focused on how respect for her fellow artists in the industry.

Photo Courtesy of @fairfieldu Instagram

Fairfield Campus Advertisements Could Be Improved

By Alonna Nesto Contributing Writer

How many of you actually stop and read the posters taped to the walls of our academic buildings and the Barone Campus Center? Some of you probably instantly answered that you don’t read them, that you are completely involved in campus activities or that you didn’t even see any posters.

While many of the posters are brightly colored, students seem to constantly be in a rush.

I believe that Fairfield uses a good variety of ways to advertise events such as physical posters, social media postings and emails. While Fairfield takes advantage of the many ways they can advertise, many students still decide not to attend events, or they just do not pay enough attention to the forms of advertisement on campus.

A good amount of the events occur on the weekend when many students want to go out and drink as opposed to sitting at an event. Also, I have noticed that many students only seem to attend events when they are required to by a professor and must write a reflection paper on it. Many first year students also have to attend events in order to pass their First Year Experience course which forces them to attend campus held events.

I think we as the students are to blame more than the advertising for the low turnout at events.

Although the students are to blame, there can still be improvements made in Fairfield’s advertising techniques. One of the improvements that should be made is changing the location of some of the posters.

Students walk in and out of the academic buildings to attend classes every day, but the location of some of the posters are in really bad places.

Many are placed along the staircases of these buildings as if students are going to stop on the stairs to read them. The stairs have crazy traffic jams when classes are beginning and ending where students are pushing others just to move an inch.

Also, when students walk in the hallways on their phones, they barely even tilt their heads up. Therefore, I don’t think students are going to give these posters the time of day.

As a student, I definitely pay more attention to the emails that I receive. While I pay attention to my emails, I still do not think they are 100 percent efficient for spreading the word about events to other students. I always see student’s email inboxes filled with 1,000 plus emails, and maybe they will occasionally click on one, but they rarely read the full email. I definitely will skim through emails more than I would read a poster, but as a student, if the headline or subject does not appeal to me, then I will completely disregard the email.

One of the emails that I specifically think advertises events successfully is the Engagement at Fairfield emails. It is an entire list of events that are either going on during the week or weekend sorted by each day and time. I normally read through the list quickly to see if anything jumps out at me.

Another way I stay informed is by following many of the Fairfield accounts on Instagram such as sports and clubs. Whenever there is an event coming up, normally an Instagram story or post will be sent out providing more information. Since I am an avid Instagram user, it is hard for me to miss these posts.

I believe that coming up with advertising methods at Fairfield is extremely difficult, because some students will pay attention and some won’t even acknowledge forms of advertisement such as posters and emails. I think Fairfield uses a good variety of techniques, but many students will only pay attention to events they are interested in.

Overall, I think the students are more to blame for not attending the events compared to Fairfield’s advertising techniques. Students, you should take a look now and again, attend an event some time! They could make your Fairfield experience even better.

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features Editor Gracianne Eldrenkamp gracianne.eldrenkamp@student.fairfield.edu

Shakira and JLo Have a Ball at Half-Time

Photo Courtesy of @shakira Instagram Photo Courtesy of @jlo Instagram CreativeCommons/Pixabay

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Shakira and JLo Shake it Up at the Super Bowl pected, Shakira performed what is arguably her biggest hit, “Hips Don’t Lie.” She crowd-surfed and kept up her bright, fun Every year I get so surprised by performance as more fireworks sparkled the Super Bowl, because I don’t follow in the air. football in the slightest, but somehow I Lopez started her portion of the peralways know who’s playing the halftime formance with a throwback song, “Jenny show. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy seeing from the Block” as she swayed impecJennifer Lopez and Shakira perform, but cably to the music. She then performed thankfully the Super Bowl LIV halftime “Get Right” in such a dynamic way that I show was a fantastic surprise. There has felt myself getting pumped, and I wasn’t been some backlash with the sexual naeven close to Hard Rock Stadium while ture of Lopez and Shakira’s dancing, but watching. the general consensus agrees that they Dancers crawled on stage for “Waitcreated a highly entertaining show on ing for Tonight,” and Lopez pole danced Feb.2. above them, showcasing her talent from Decked out in all red, Shakira start“Hustlers.” J. Balvin came to the stage for ed the show strong high energy dancthe mesmerizing performance of “Love ing to her song, “She-Wolf.” She then Don’t Cost a Thing” before the show switched to a beautifully sung perfortransitioned into “On the Floor” which mance of “Empire” where she showcased had vibrant dancing and flawless singher skills on the guitar. As strange as it ing. The highlight of her performance might sound, seeing Shakira shred on a was when her daughter, Emme Maribel sparkling black guitar was so similar to Muniz, Shakira and a crowd of children seeing classic rock bands do the same. performers joined her to sing “Let’s Get It further proved how fantastic of a perLoud” and “Born in the USA.” As she former Shakira is that she so quickly sang “Born in the USA,” Lopez proudly transformed from a early 2000s Latina wore a fluffy Puerto Rican flag as a cape pop queen to a rock star. to show pride for her ethnicity.

Photo Courtesy of @shakira Instagram She then seamlessly returned to her Shakira and Lopez then performed classic style with a short dance break Shakira and Jennifer Lopez finish their performance at the Super Bowl.

“Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” and before going into her song “Whenever, the song turned into a lively dance break.

Wherever.” That song was one of the most spectacular of the night, fireworks exploding The dancing included classic Latina dancing along with flips, twirls and generally a sense of in the sky as Bad Bunny joined her on stage and they started singing “Like it Like That.” beautiful, organized chaos.

One of the highest points of energy and excitement in the performance was when ShaAll in all, the Super Bowl LIV Halftime show was definitely one of the best in the kira sang “Chantaje.” Not only was her dancing fast-paced and visually stimulating, but past few years. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira created such an entertaining and energetic perthe backup dancers played various horns as they matched her intense energy. Then, as ex- formance that even the viewers at home could feel the excitement.

By Gracianne Eldrenkamp Vine Editor

Celebs Bring it on at the BAFTAs

By Molly Lamendola Assistant Vine Editor

hansson sparkled in soft pink, that had feathers all down on the skirt and sequins all over the bodice. She looked like a majestic flamingo, but one that’s just a dynamite actress who deconstructs the sex symbol concept.

Other than those women, many went quite simple for the event. My actual love, Laura Dern, nominated for “Marriage Story” showed up in a vibrantly bright red dress. But other than some sparkly bits on the breast area, and my thing for velvet, it was quite plain. Same with Margot Robbie, who decided to do a very classic but simple black Chanel gown. It was just all black with a little bit of black lacey bits on the shoulders and hip area.

I think there’s a balance between simple and risk-taking and I think my favorite women, Saoirse Ronan and Greta Gerwig, found said balance.

Ronan was in a very simple, spaghetti-strapped black gown, yet dressed it up with a fun swoopy hairstyle and some bright dangling earrings. Gerwig, on the other hand, stunned in a velvet green number with silvery sparkly straps. I also love that though her husband is also a filmmaker, whose movie “Marriage Story” is a hot contender for a lot of awards this year, the magazine articles always say, “Greta Gerwig and her husband.” Who knew that this was a place we could be in the film industry! A woman's name first!

Honestly, I’m throwing quite a lot of large rocks from my little Loyola dorm room sat typing this in my black Fairfield University sweatpants and fuzzy socks. I am in no way a fashion expert, nor do I pretend to be except when I write about BAFTA fashion. I’m an expert in that.

But, even if I’m not an expert, maybe one day I’ll be accepting my award for Best Actress and Director in the LiveAction Remake of “Cinderella II: Dreams Come True” and the young, new Mirror Fashion Columnist can make fun of my ugly dress. One can only hope. ot Ph

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Oh the British Academy of Film and Television Awards, what a random bit of an award ceremony it is. If you’re not aware, the BAFTAs were Sunday, Feb. 2. It’s usually one of the forgotten award shows, especially for Americans who were more focused on preparing for the Super Bowl or wrapping up their extensive Groundhog’s Day celebrations to watch a bunch of film and television people accept very oddly shaped face awards in front of the royal family. Yet, they all do look nice accepting their awards and that’s what we’re here to talk about, fashion at the BAFTAs! Let’s start off with our man Joaquin Phoenix. He’s been on a bit of a roll this awards season and thus has worn the same suit, purposefully so, to every show. It’s the perfect black suit to pair just beautifully with him calling out the whitewashing of Hollywood or how he stated in his acceptance of his BAFTA for Best Actor as the Joker in “Joker”, the “systematic racism” in Hollywood. Going even further in his speech, he said that he knows that he is part of the problem by taking awards away from hard-working actors of color who the system is just not built to support.

Most of the men, unfortunately, showed up in nothing but a black tux. You can’t trust anyone in a completely black tux. I’m looking at you Quentin Tarantino in your all-black ensemble! Literally, he showed up in a black shirt, black suit, black shoes and a black-tie. What are you trying to prove buddy? You look like you’re trying to do the Gotye music video thing but in front of a movie screen.

Sure, okay, Adam Driver popped over to the show in some black too. Yet he gets a bit of a pass because he was in black velvet, and I have a thing for anyone in velvet. I think it looks so cool. But honestly, would it kill the men to take some fashion risks? They all look quite dull when comparing it to what my killer ladies brought to the BAFTA party. So let’s move on to my women! They’re a lot more fun to chat about.

Lily Rose Depp wore lace pants. Are you kidding me?

She’s in “The King” with her heart-throb boyfriend Timothee Chalamet and then shows up in a lace pantsuit to the BAFTAs. Ridiculously stunning. Especially when paired with her downturned lip and the type of elite confidence she just emits naturally. Seriously, eye contact with her could melt ice. She looked just lovely.

Florence Pugh is next, as she looked simply fabulous. Not only did she stun in all of her roles this year (“Little Women” and “Midsommar”), but she showed up to the BAFTAs in a hot pink ruffled number by Dries Van Noten. I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard of the designer before today, but Florence Pugh looked like such a beautiful little piece of origami that I’ll keep him in mind for my third wedding.

Scarlett Johansson is last on our list for those who took a bit of a fashion risk at the BAFTAs. Nominated for both of her roles in “Marriage Story” and “Jojo Rabbit”, Jo-

Lily Rose Depp poses dramatically.

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

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"The Gentleman" Is Shockingly Good

By Tyler Zikias Film Columnist Guy Ritchie is a director who is usually hit or miss when it comes to critical success.

One of his first efforts, “Snatch,” has become a cult classic of sorts, while his most recent film retelling the story of King Arthur was ultimately a commercial and critical flop. With “The Gentlemen,” Ritchie returns to the crime drama with an outstanding cast backing him and a meta script that surprisingly works. My expectations for “The Gentlemen” were very low. A January release paired with what seemed to be a strange hybrid between the gangster genre and the recent “Kingsman” films didn’t exactly peek my interest. But, after finally seeing the film, I can say that it is a blast from beginning to end. It isn’t a clean journey, but it is relentlessly entertaining throughout and ends on a high note.

The cast is perfect on all fronts. Matthew McConaughey, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunham and Michelle Dockery all provide fun and witty performances, but the real stars here are Hugh Grant and Colin Farrell. The two give each of their characters unique ticks that could be strange or may not work in the hands of lesser actors. Ritchie’s script excels in giving every performer on screen a hefty amount of material to work with, making “The Gentlemen” a rare ensemble film that gives every actor more than a few scenes to truly shine.

Above all else, the film is a blast. Sure, there is quite a lot that doesn’t work. The first act doesn’t get to the story fast enough and suffers with pacing, and far too many characters are introduced back to back for the viewer to care about all of them. However, the actors on screen are giving such zany performances and the story is somewhat interesting enough to keep you engaged, that you can’t help but have a great time. The dialogue is fast, smart and full of laughs making every scene a blast. The action scenes are also expertly helmed with quick editing and powerful shot composition. I honestly didn’t expect this kind of craft from Ritchie so late in his career after his past few duds.

Is “The Gentlemen” perfect? Not at all. The first act as I mention drags a lot and doesn’t set up a tangible storyline. The film feels very back heavy with a lot of the information and twists revealed at the very end. A lot of the twists work in the moment, but in hindsight, most of them could have been spread throughout the narrative or removed entirely. Also, at just over 110 minutes without much story, “The Gentlemen” feels a little too long. But, I can’t deny the fact that I had a great time watching it. The performances and action were fun enough to keep me laughing and engaged throughout its runtime. I would definitely recommend that you check out “The Gentlemen” if the gangster comedy is your cup of tea.

Grade: B

Photo Courtesy of @bojackhorseman Instagram

BoJack Horseman Takes His Final Bow was on a month-long bender with her where he attempted to make amends. While drinking and doing copious amounts of drugs, he and Sarah Lynn went to visit a friend’s

By Gracianne Eldrenkamp daughter who he almost Vine Editor had an underage relaNetflix concluded BoJack Horseman with the second part of its sixth season on Jan. 31. tionship with, his sister Although the series finale was bittersweet, as it is with all series, it’s one that was poignant, and his friends. They meaningful and thought-provoking. As much as we, collectively as a unit, hate to say good- ended their bender looking at bye to a show that gave such complex, funny and realistic cast of characters that were loved the stars in the planetarium where Sarah for so long, we’re ready to say goodbye. Get ready for some spoilers!

Lynn overdosed on heroin BoJack had with Season six sees a lot of the open issues of the earlier seasons get blown open and then him, poetically named after him, “BoJack.” quickly resolved. Last season BoJack (Will Arnett) was in a bit of trouble as it was discovThe reporters know all that BoJack ered by a reporter that he lied about his whereabouts during his friend, Sarah Lynn (Kristen lied about Sarah Lynn’s death before the Schaal)’s death. Though he told police that he received a call from her and thus rushed to beginning of season six, but don’t discover the scene to find that she overdosed in the planetarium, that was actually a lie. Instead, he she overdosed on drugs BoJack gave her, nor do they know about the issues with the underage girl until talking to BoJack friends until about halfway through the season. Once BoJack discovers that the story is coming out, he BoJack stands at his star on walk of fame. tries to beat the public opinion and do a tell-all interview in an attempt to make him come out on top of this controversy.

This backfires as the public supports him–almost too much–blindsiding and enchanting BoJack that maybe he could do another interview to get him more love from the public. In the second interview, he trips and reveals too much, turning the public against him and thus sending him into another spiral.

This may be a controversial opinion, but the second to last episode of the series should’ve been the show’s last. What gave BoJack Horseman its magic was it’s rejection of the classic television show model. Instead it chooses to show the darker side of the entertainment world, focusing on what we as an audience also don’t see. The last episode doesn’t follow this standard. Though, I won’t lie, it’s nice to see a satisfying end for all my favorite characters and to know that they’re all in a good place. Yet, it would’ve been more cool and groundbreaking for a show that sought and successfully broke the television mold, to continue with this practice. Ending it with me hysterically sobbing while watching BoJack have a hallucination of him just asking Diane (Alison Brie) how her day was… it just needed to end that way.

They say that because of the time we spend with television characters, we often find ourselves so invested in their lives and stories that we become a part of their lives as invisible ghosts. Because of that, television characters often feel like friends: we get mad when they mess things up and get excited when they’re doing what we feel is right. While watching “BoJack Horseman,” the characters really do become a part of your life and affect you emotionally. So much so, that Photo Courtesy of @bojackhorseman Instagram we have no idea what shows to look forward to now. We’ll be waiting for someThe main characters of "BoJack Horseman" sit at their diner. thing to step up to the plate.

By Molly Lamendola Assistant Vine Editor

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

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Halsey's Newest Album is 'Manic'

By Sheila McCombs Chief Copy Editor I am going to be honest with you, readers. I love Halsey. I have loved her since she released “Badlands” back in 2015. Does that mean my article reviewing her new album “Manic,” released on Jan. 17, is going to be a little biased? I mean, yeah. However, I promise to try and do my best to remain objective!

To me this album felt like Halsey showing off the range of talents she has amassed in terms of both style and songwriting over the last five years of being a major star. Most of the songs on the album don’t seem to follow in one specific pattern or style, but really each song tells its own story, in its own way. Halsey always writes personal albums, but this one is definitely her most personal to date. It feels like a view inside her mind on things like her relationships, her rapid rise to stardom and her hopes for her future. When you finish listening to the album you feel like you have had a long conversation catching up with an old friend, not like you have listened to an album made for everyone.

The amount of emotions that can be felt through this album are amazing to me and as always, it is because of the truly great lyricial work that Halsey creates. One of the most impressive songs to me lyrically and musically is “Finally // The back cover of Halsey's album "Manic." beautiful stranger.” This song is slower and more romantic then the music usually made by Halsey, and that is what makes it so poignant on the album. It’s a slow guitar ballad without any of the technologically enhanced vocals that have come to define Halsey’s style. One of the lyrics goes, “I’ve never seen a mouth that I’d kill to kiss and I’m terrified but I can’t resist,” and this is just a small part of a lyrically perfect song, at least in my opinion.

I don’t really want to use this article to talk about the major radio hit singles that have already come from this album like “Graveyard” and “Without Me,” simply because I feel as though they have gotten enough press. Some of the other songs that really made this album for me are “Ashley,” titled after Halsey’s given name, “3 AM” and “929.” “Ashley”

speaks to the amount of internal struggle that she seems to face when entering a new relationship and what worries her the most. Halsey allows every listener to view her insecurities in this song. “3 AM” is touching on older songs by the singer like “Alone” and “Roman Holiday.” If this song doesn’t make you want to sing/ scream along and blast it in your car, then we have very different tastes in music and I feel sorry for you. It gives a real message of the isolation and loneliness that the artist feels comes along with her celebrity, similar to “I HATE EVERYONE,” also on the album. Even with this deep message, the song still manages to sound upbeat which is something that makes it even more powerful to me. “929” has a very interesting short style of music and beat, making it sound almost like a stream of consciousness then a thought out song.

It also touches on the struggles of being famous, one of the major themes of the album, and it also talks about Halsey’s struggles with mental health and substance abuse. I love the unabashed honesty of all this music and it is one of the major reasons that I like the album.

Halsey also has some features on the album, however I wasn’t the biggest fan of most of them. All of the features are Photo Courtesy of @iamhalsey Instagram titled after the name of the artist featured on them with “interlude.” SUGA and BTS have a feature together, but to me it seems out of place along with the other songs on the album. This can also be said of the song with Alanis Morissette; it feels as though it was just thrown in there to have the feature rather than for the overall good of the album. The one interlude I really like was with Dominic Fike. The song is short but the tone and the lyrics fit in perfectly with the rest of the stories that Halsey is trying to tell on this album.

All in all, I loved this album. I truly think that no matter what type of music you listen to you can find something to enjoy within this album. So go, give it a try, and I hope you find the joy in it that I did!

Transparent T.Swift in 'Miss Americana'

By Julia Monteleone Managing Editor On Jan. 31, Taylor Swift’s documentary “Miss Americana” premiered on Netflix. Directed by Lana Wilson, the documentary is perhaps the most translucent look fans have ever gotten into the pop star’s personal life since she soared to stardom at sixteen.

The film depicts Swift’s career from start to finish, from the view of Swift herself. She describes what stardom felt like for her and how it affected her growing up in the spotlight. She talks about some of her most notorious moments, such as when Kanye West jumped on stage and stole the microphone from her at the Video Music Awards.

One of the strongest themes throughout the film is truly how lonely Swift felt in recent years since the world decided to “cancel her.” She takes us through the writing of “Reputation” and how she felt the need to take control of a narrative that has been in the hands of the press since she was just a teen with a guitar.

Under the scrutiny of the spotlight she confesses to seeing bad pictures of herself and not eating. This is the first time Swift has alluded to having an eating disorder, and she is honest in that she felt she was doing what she needed to do to be loved by the world that was watching.

What is revealed about Swift is an unparalleled work ethic that propels her forward as she gets older. One of the most heart-breaking moments is when she is on the phone hearing that she wasn’t nominated for any Grammys for her album “Reputation,” to which she responds, “I just have to work harder.”

The success of the following album she wrote only drove Swift forward. Following what she seemed to feel was the failure that is “Reputation,” Swift came out with a stand-out album last year. Swift once again proved she could reinvent herself after the advent of “Lover,” a powerful pop album that easily hit the top of the charts.

Swift also gives a look into her current relationship, which she has kept almost entirely out of the spotlight since its beginning. After explaining after a particular success she felt she should have someone to call, but didn’t, she discusses the happiness that her family and her relationship brought into her life.

Joe Alwyn, a British actor, has been connected to Taylor Swift for over a year now, but up until now there was not much the press knew about their relationship. She discusses her decision to keep her relationship to herself, and what it has done for her and Joe as a couple.

The final segment of the film follows Swift’s decision to enter the political realm. Taylor has carefully kept her opinions hidden away since the beginning of her career, but felt a new sense of responsibility to use her platform for good.

This decision is not taken lightly by her team, who cautioned her that becoming too political could rub people the wrong way. However, Swift insisted on making

public her backing of policies such as the Equality Act, which she feels is a necessary human right.

Overall the film is an open and honest look into Swift’s life and career. She is more transparent and more outspoken than she has been in her entire professional life as a performer. As a Taylor Swift fan, I felt deeply saddened for her as she experienced such loneliness in her career despite being so loved by fans like me, who have grown up with her. However, I am happy to see her in this light where she appears to be more herself than ever.

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

The Vine

Inkwell Spotlight Take Me Home, Galway Girl

By Katherine Klima Co-Editor-in-Chief at The Inkwell

CreativeCommons/MuratCelik

Glass shattering, beer splattering, people chattering.

We’re coming out of our cage, doing just fine.

In search of some garlic mayo, Ayyy-yo.

Her hair is black, her eyes are blue, she’s playing a fiddle ‘round salthill.

Look -just give me an irish pub or give me an irish pub.

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Big Art in the Big Apple

By Phoebe Charpentier Contributing Writer

how Kubrick created this future relationship between man and technology through his own research in the 1960’s. The exhibition will only be up until July 2020, so be sure to get your tickets and visit before time runs out.

In the spirit of spring and enjoying the outdoors, it would be a treat to visit Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn campus to view their GenZ exhibit. One interesting thing about this work of art is that there’s no beginning or end; it simply flows around in one big loop. As Pratt is known for their public art installations, this will surely be an inspirational collection for all of us college students.

Of course you can find countless sculptures and statues throughout the city as you wander around, and you can stumble upon countless smaller art museums and exhibits.

Although I have yet to visit any of these exhibits myself, I’m looking forward to the endless amounts of art available at my fingertips. I hope that everyone gets a chance to experience some of these wonderful works of art.

New York City is a hub for the visual and performing arts, and it’s ever so conveniently only a 90 minute train ride from our campus. There are plenty of new and exciting art exhibits to see this year, for those who may be looking for something to do on the weekends. Maybe head down to Manhattan, try a hole-in-the-wall pizza place and enjoy some of the plentiful art available in the city.

For those who like to visit some of the big and famous museums, there are new exhibits to look forward to.

Donald Judd’s Retrospective collection in the Museum of Modern Art will be on display until July 11, featuring all different modes of art. As an artist, Judd focused on a lack of meaning and narrative behind his pieces, shooting for the creation of art for art's sake, which is reflected in this exhibition. For fashion lovers, the Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology will have an entire exhibit exploring the idea of power and fashion within a society titled Power Mode: The Force of Fashion. On display until May 9, this collection of clothing from multiple centuries depicts how clothing is used to display, create and perpetuate different power structures.

If you’ve seen our campus’s collection of Cuban art and were deeply inspired, you may also be interested in visiting the Whitney Museum of American Art where there’s currently an exhibit of over 200 works by Mexican and American artists. The idea behind the exhibit is to explore the interaction of Mexican and American artists as Mexican muralists impacted social movements through their epic art. It’s titled Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art (1925-1945), and will be open until May 17.

For film lovers, there’s an exciting exhibition at the Museum of Moving Images in Queens tilted Envisioning 2001: Stanley Kubrick’s Space Odyssey. There are many collectors Photo Courtesy of @movingimagenyc Instagram items and behind the screens works on display that will interest anyone who A scene from Fritz Lang's film METROPOLIS. enjoys the magic behind movie making. It touches upon

Taste the 'Best Deli in CT'

By Christina Engelke Contributing Writer

rolls. The overflowing contents of these masterpieces provide the perfect counterpart for the dense yet delicate roll. In particular, the housemade mozzarella cheese is a must-try.

Arthur Avenue’s Italian excellence finds its Connecticut home in Gaetano’s Deli. Re- So fresh and flavorful, it is mouth-wateringly delicious and pairs perfectly with nearly any cently named the “Best Deli in Connecticut” by Food Network, Gaetano’s is an Italian meat selection. From Oldani salami to breaded chicken cutlets, the opportunities are endAmerican dream with nearly four Connecticut locations in Westport, Stratford, Monroe less and foolproof. A personal suggestion? The buffalo chicken. Unlike any other I’ve come and soon Shelton as well. Daily deliveries of delicious Italian bread from the Bronx’s Addeo across (and that’s a lot), Gaetano’s “spicy blue cheese buffalo sauce” is all at once sweet, spicy and Madonia’s bakeries make walking into this rather unassuming deli on Post Road and undeniably delicious. For those who fear and flock to spice alike, the “Bada Bing feel like walking right onto Arthur Ave. However, with some of the warmest and Bada Buffalo!” sandwich is a tough one to beat. Still, though, friendliest individuals around behind the counter, it’s arguanything and everything which I’ve been lucky enough to ably even more reminiscent of coming home to an try out at this beloved deli is worthy of praise.

Italian American Sunday dinner. Put simply, the Gaetano’s Westport location, the closest of the men and women of Gaetano’s make each and four to campus, has earned recognition and rave reevery customer feel like family. With emviews from many Fairfield University students. The phatic greetings, insistent samples and 10 minute-long drive has not deterred the frequent careful concern to remember frequent visit of stags. While the sandwiches inarguably visitors, their food is matched by their play a major role in this, the love is due in high quality service. Beyond the mullarge part to the man in charge, Milanno titude of meats and cheeses, Gaetano’s Ukehaxhaj. Starting his career alonggreatness is evident just upon entering side co-owner Guy Catalano nearly 25 the establishment. years ago on Arthur Avenue, Ukehaxhaj But sterling service is learned his craft from arguably the best not all which keeps customers in the business, according to Gaetano’s returning and raving: the sandDeli website. Milanno has become a bewiches are top notch. More loved local figure for many Fairfield stuthan 20 possible suggested dents for his kindhearted demeanor and combinations decorate their undeniable expertise in the deli industry. menu, but any ideas and requests Sharing stories of his young sons and his are more than welcome. While own youth, the deli owner treats his college the menu does extend beyond the age clientele with an almost fatherly familiaragram realm of sandwiches, it’s difficult ity. Whether it’s your first or your fiftieth Gaetaanosdeli Inst et ga @ of sy Photo Courte to focus on anything absent of no’s sandwich, Milanno and his employees make you the Arthur Avenue Italian hero Some deli sandwhices that are available for lunch. feel like family.

Coffee Break

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2019

Coffee Break Editor: Tobenna Ugwu tobenna.ugwu@student.fairfield.edu

MARVELOUS MIRROR MEMES

University Outsources Management of Record-Breaking Snowfall to Students

By Rosemary Harper Contributing Writer for Stagnation

Last Tuesday, Fairfield encountered a massive blizzard that buried the entire northeastern region in snow for three days. Everything in town was shut down, thousands of homes lost power and road conditions were impossible. Winter storm Hades (named after the ancient Greek god of hell) was determined to be the worst storm by meteorologists across the country, yet the university remained open as usual. That morning, students woke up to a surprising notification in their inboxes, announcing that the school would be open and classes would be held as scheduled.

“Despite mildly troublesome weather conditions, Fairfield University will be open as usual. Nothing is cancelled. Shovels will be provided (to be picked up from FUSA office) to all students to ensure ease of mobility between campus buildings.”

For 72 hours, Fairfield students and faculty furiously dug their way around campus with what later were figured out to be spoons from the Tully. When we say “later,” we mean after the barricade of snow melted enough for a short walk from Gonzaga to Canisius to be manageable. The result of this extensive digging period was an elaborate system of tunnels unintentionally (yet carefully) cultivated by some students and faculty. However, many other students from all undergraduate classes were seen slamming themselves headfirst into the walls of snow like rams. Their parents would be so proud.

Photo contributed by the Stagnation Staff

Read More at: http://myfairfieldstagnation.wordpress.com/

Page 12

Sports

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

Page 13

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

This Week in Sports: What You Missed

In Case You Missed It: Thursday, January 30th -Women's Basketball won against Marist, 52-48 Friday, January 31th -Men's Basketball lost to Rider, 68-52 Saturday, February 1st -Men's Tennis lost to Fordham, 5-2 Sunday, February 2nd

Photo Contributed by Sports Information Desk

On Saturday, March 7, Fairfield University will hold a farewell reception for Alumni Hall from 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. following the women's basketball team's final official game in the building earlier that day at 2:00 p.m.. Alumni Hall has been a monumental building on Fairfield's campus since its establishment in 1959, but will be knocked down and replaced by the new Arena and Convocation Center. President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, Reverend Charles H. Allen, S.J., University Chaplain and special assistant to the president will all deliver special remarks at the reception. The purpose of the event is to provide an opportunity for those who have made memories in the building to share them with others.

The cost of admittance to the farewell ceremony is $25 per person, and will include food, drinks, music and a vintage Fairfield shirt. A portion of the money raised through ticket sales will be put towards the construction of the new Arena and Convocation Center.

-Men's Tennis lost to Brown, 6-1

Upcoming This Week: Thursday, February 6th -Women's Basketball at Niagara, 7:00 p.m.

Friday, February 7th -Men's Basketball at Siena, 7:00 p.m.

-Men's & Women's Swimming and Diving, Boston Winter Open Saturday, February 8th -Women's Lacrosse vs Holy Cross, 1:00 p.m.

-Men's Tennis vs UConn, 3:30 p.m.

Photo Contributed by Sports Information Desk

The Fairfield University women's lacrosse team has won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships for the past two years, and were voted in the top spot by the MAAC's nine head coaches in the league's 2020 Preseason Coaches' Poll. Kelly Horning '21 and Maggie Reynolds '21 were named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team, representing the Stags.

Last season, Horning earned First Team All-MAAC recognition after amassing 34 caused turnovers and collecting 49 ground balls, which was a team best. She scored 28 goals, and dished out eight assists. Reynolds averaged 1.89 caused turnovers per game, with 36 to the 2019 campaign, a number which led the conference.

The Stags are slated to begin the 2020 season at home on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 1:00 p.m. against The College of the Holy Cross.

In this week's issue...

- Men's Basketball Breaks Down After First Half (Pg. 14) - Swimming and Diving Steals the Show at Senior Day (Pg. 15) - Kramer Clobbers Marist With Last Chance Basket (Pg. 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

Men's Basketball Breaks Down After First Half

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

Tensions were high at a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball match between the Fairfield University Stags (8-12, 4-5 MAAC) and the Rider University Broncs (12-8, 6-4) on Friday, Jan. 30. The Stags had the home-court advantage, playing on George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall, but after a less than impressive second half performance, they let Rider take home a 68-52 win.

The first half showed great promise for Rider when they established an early lead. Later, they pulled further away from Fairfield when they went on a powerful 7-0 bout, which was stopped with the Broncs ahead, 9-4. Junior guard Taj Benning halted his adversaries’ hot streak, and trimmed their five-point lead to two with an unbelievable three-point basket. Rider regained some traction, but when they were up 13-8, Fairfield went on a 12-2 run which squashed the Stags’ five-point shortcoming. During that time, Fairfield reclaimed the lead in the thirteenth minute of play when Benning netted another three-pointer, breaking the tie, 18-15. The rush was stopped by Rider who fought to keep the deficit as small as possible. They continued applying pressure, and put themselves within one point of the Stags, 20-19. Time went stale in Fairfield’s favor, and they would enter the second half in the lead. This positive momentum would not last long, as Rider returned from intermission with a vengeance.

Fairfield was able to hold Rider off for some time, but they quickly spiraled downward. What sealed the fate of the Stags was a dunk by Dimencio Vaughn, which repossessed the lead for Rider by a single point, 3534, with 17 minutes and 36 seconds left in the half. Vaughn had a superb night, pacing Rider’s strong force with a field goal percentage of 60 percent, supplying 15 points and having a hand in seven rebounds. Their edge then snowballed when they accumulated 20 points, making Fairfield’s meek seven points over the same eight minutes look weak. The stretch concluded in a 12-point superiority for the visiting team, which left Fairfield with a lot of latitude to make up for in twelve and a half minutes. Junior Jesus Cruz did his part to try to put the Stags back in the game late in the second period, contributing all seven of his points scored that evening in the latter half of the night. However, Cruz’s efforts were not enough to save his team.

Benning’s stand-out performance on Friday resembled others this season. In the 37 minutes where he saw the court, he posted 19 points for Fairfield; 13 of which were amassed in the first half of play. This showing superseded his previous career-best of 15 points in a single game which was established just weeks earlier on Wednesday, Jan. 15 against St. Peter’s University. The 15-point turnout was repeated again two days later at Iona College. This would be the third time in the last five games where Benning had either matched his scoring-record, or instituted a better one. Graduate student Vincent Eze chipped in nine points to try to keep the Stags afloat, while rookie Chris Maidoh lead his team in rebounds, picking up six for the Stags.

A handful of individuals donning red jerseys could be commended for the way they played, however what led to their demise was a weak second half, which was inconsistent with how Fairfield had proven they could play.

The Stags will take the stage at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 for Photo Courtesy of Sports Information Desk another conference game, this time against Monmouth University (13-8, 7-3 MAAC), at 7:00 p.m. Junior guard Taj Benning scored 19 points against Rider.

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

Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

Lexi Thimble Editor-in-Chief

Your 2019-2020 4x5 Columnists:

Julia Lanzillotta, Lexi Thimble, Katherine Klima and Julia Monteleone

The FUSA presidential elec- What are your thoughts on tion is coming up... what do the health center moving to you look for in a candidate? Jogues?

Which professional sport has the most exciting postseason?

What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?

Your message to people considering writing for The Mirror:

I am looking for someone who aims to be 100 percent transparent with the student body. I want to know what they are doing to actively change Fairfield for the better.

Nothing beats playoff hockey.

Jimmy Fallon's Michelob ULTRA commercial was funny and I loved seeing all of the cameo appearances by iconic athletes.

The hardest part about contributing to The Mirror is taking the initial leap to sign up! All are welcome- this paper would be nothing without contributing writers!!

Uhhhh the Super Bowl...? Hand to god I know nothing about sports, if that hasn't yet been made clear.

Have to go with the Smaht Pahk Hyundai commercial--my Boston heart is WEAK for Chris Evans, Rachel Dratch, John Krasinski AND Big Papi all in one place.

The Mirror is one of the best thing I've ever done here at Fairfield. It's an amazing resume builder, a place to make wonderful friends and you learn so much! Come apply!

Email info@fairfieldmirror.com!

I won't be here to enjoy it, but good for them. Probably won't feel like you're traveling to Narnia.

Oof– good question. The Super Bowl is always fun to watch?

The Google commerical with the old man trying to remember his wife. Gave me a good cry. Worst was Baby Nut– the world didn't need that.

Hey, you should join! The Mirror is awesome and will give you such good material for your resume.

I've loved my time here and you'll learn so many skills. So send an application in!!!

I wish I was going to be here to use it!!!!

The Super Bowl is always such an event it feels the most exciting.

Kat stole mine. That made me cry!!

The Mirror gave me my very own place on this campus where I could truly be myself! I also truly love every person on this staff and they are all wonderful people.

FINALLY we will have a health center that's easily accessible to those who may need it in the case of an emergency!!!!!

Honestly? About time!! Who I would look for someone with experience and a dedication to the wants to trek to Dolan? students.

Someone who knows what they're Katherine Klima doing and will put the school's Executive Editor best interests first.

Someone who is dedicated and

Julia Monteleone willing to put the job first and Managing Editor realize its importance.

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of February 5, 2020

Page 15

Swimming and Diving Steals the Show at Senior Day

By Julia Lanzillotta Sports Editor

On Saturday, Feb. 1 the Fairfield University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams welcomed the Manhattan College Jaspers to the RecPlex pool. Both the men’s and women’s teams swept all 16 events, with winning scores of 233-56 and 239-44 respectively.

The Stags celebrated senior day at their last home meet of the season.

Graduating seniors on the women’s roster include Lauren Belecanech, Courtney Dye, Katelyn Hahn, Emily Holman, Juliana Lally, Tara Lenahan, Shannon McDade and Colleen Young. Honorees on the men’s side were Nick Adams, Brendan Finnegan, Nick Giardiello, Austin Kenyon, Harrison McGovern, Ian Nelson, Jordan Rahurahu, Michael Sparks and Phillip Zyskowski.

Fairfield’s divers did their part in contributing to a clean sweep.

Diving for the women was Caitlin Campbell ‘22, who won the 3 Meter Diving with a score of 190.57, and finished in second place in the 1 Meter Diving scoring 195.67. Her teammate, Erin Win ‘22, notched first place in the 1 Meter Diving, edging out Campbell with a score of 201.59. First-year Samuel Tonole represented the men’s team and took home first place in the 1 Meter Diving with a final score of 224.24 and second place in the 3 Meter Diving (222.23).

Fairfield appeared strong in the pool, and kicked off the swimming portion of the meet with groups in the 200 SC Meter Medley Relay. First place finishers for the women were Morgan Rogers ‘23 (31.90), Victoria Krivitsky ‘21 (35.71), McDade (31.35) and Holman (27.62), who stopped the clock at 2:06.58. Just behind them were Belecanech (35.22), Lenahan (35.34), Juliana Lally (31.20) and Dye (29.68) who finished in 2:11.44. The men’s team mirrored their female counterparts’ success and also claimed first and second place finishes in the 200 SC Meter Medley Relay. The winning quartet who finished in 1:45.06 was made up of Will Robinson ’23 (27.12), Peter Sloan ’22 (29.05), Rahurahu (25.48) and Nelson (23.41). Second place finishers were Evan Fair ’22 (27.34), Guillem Perez ’23 (30.63), Arion Mete ’21 (26.57) and Adams (24.55).

Next on the schedule was the Women 800 SC Meter Freestyle, where rookie Julia Courtney won in 9:38.11, just ahead of Shannon Feeley ‘22 who clocked in at 9:42.86. Again, in the same event the men produced a parallel picture of success when Patrick Boyle ’22 (8:41.74) and Chris Ford ‘23 (8:55.62) claimed first and second place.

Manhattan’s Mackenzie Tuttle was edged out of second place in the Women 200 SC Meter Freestyle by 1.92 seconds, letting Fairfield’s Sara Ostensen ’21 (2:12.83) and Maria Nitti ‘21 (2:15.00) claim the top two spots. In the Men 200 SC Meter Freestyle, the Stags went one-twothree due to stellar races

by graduate student Erik Hren (1:54.69), Peter Gori ‘22 (1:57.35) and Finnegan (2:00.62) who finished in that order.

On the women’s side for the 100 SC Meter Backstroke, Morgan Hansen ’21 (1:07.87) won for the women. She was succeeded by Lally (1:10.95) and Holman (1:11.47). Robinson (57.42) placed first for the men and Thomas Willemse ’22 (1:02.30) garnered second place recognition. In the 100 SC Meter Breaststroke Fairfield took ownership of the first three finishing spots. In first was Colleen Young (1:18.09), then there was Krivitsky (1:18.44) and Lenahan (1:19.93) in second and third respectively. Sloan (1:05.27), Perez (1:07.41), McGovern (1:09.21) and Bexhet Dovolani ’21 (1:10.23) dominated in the men’s category of the 100 SC Meter Breaststroke, locking up the top four finishing spots.

Although the 200 SC Meter Butterfly is an individual race, a team effort was made when Madelynn Mowad ‘22 (2:27.35) and Haleigh McLaughlin ‘21 (2:38.75) of the women’s team finished one after the other to win the event. In the 200 SC Meter Butterfly, Fair (2:07.44), Rahurahu (2:07.55) and Zyskowski (2:16.44) secured first, second and third place for the men.

Other first place mentions for the women go to Mowad in the 100 SC Meter Freestyle (1:01.27) and the 200 SC Meter Individual Medley (2:27.24), Samantha D’Alessandro ‘22 in the 50 SC Meter Freestyle (28.11), Lenehan in the 200 SC Meter Breaststroke (2:53.93), Ostensen in the 400 SC Meter Freestyle (4:44.65) and Hansen in the 100 SC Meter Butterfly (1:05.47). The women remained victorious after an excellent showing in the 400 SC Meter Freestyle Relay, comprised of D’Alessandro, Nitti, Hansen and Ostensen who finished in 4:13.83.

Other names of Fairfield’s top-tier men who had a hand in Saturday’s landslide win that should be mentioned are Nelson who won the 50 SC Meter Freestyle (24.09), Finnegan in the 100 SC Meter Freestyle (54.64), Fair in both the 200 SC Meter Backstroke (2:08.56) and the 200 SC Meter Individual Medley (2:09.63), Ford in the 200 SC Meter Breaststroke (2:30.03) and Rahurahu in the 100 SC Meter Butterfly (57.09). Fairfield’s men also won the 400 SC Meter Freestyle Relay due to efforts by Hren, Rahurahu, Gori and Finnegan who stopped the clock at 3:34.80.

Next, the program will travel to Boston, MA for the Boston Winter Open hosted by Boston University from Friday, Feb. 7 to Saturday, Feb. 8. After that, they will take to Buffalo, NY for the 2020 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships where the women look to uphold their championship title for the third year in a row.

Photo Courtesy of Sports Information Desk

The Fairfield University men's and women's swimming and diving program honored 17 graduating seniors on Saturday, Feb. 1 for their Senior Day meet against the Manhattan College Jaspers.

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports

Week of February 5, 2020

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16

Sports Editor: Julia Lanzillotta » julia.lanzillotta@student.fairfield.edu

Kramer Clobbers Marist With Last Chance Basket

Photo Courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Redshirt senior Katie Armstrong finished the game with 14 points and seven rebounds, tying with Lou Lopez-Senechal '22 who had seven rebounds of her own and a total of 19 points to the game.

By Haley Norton Contributing Writer The Fairfield University women’s basketball team (72) played Marist College (7-2) this past Thursday, Jan. 30, and The Mirror’s happy to report that it’s comeback season.

Marist is the second seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, with Fairfield trailing right behind them as the third seed. While Fairfield didn’t start off the game too strong, they never lost their fight and ended up pulling out a very exciting win. They ended the game 52-48, and the energy in Alumni Hall was unbelievable.

Starters included Sam Kramer ‘20, Katie Armstrong ‘20, Callie Cavanaugh ‘21, Lou Lopez-Senechal ‘22 and Rachel Hakes ‘22. The game kicked off well, with Armstrong winning the tip off and sending it straight to Hakes. Kramer quickly got back-to-back rebounds that lead her to score the first basket of the game. By the end of the game, Kramer had seven rebounds. Fairfield kept the momentum going with Lopez-Senechal clinching a basket under shot-clock pressure. Marist is both a tough and physical team, so Fairfield started pressing them only four minutes in. Marist quickly took the lead after a few turnovers that lead to wide open shots. Fans saw Sam Lewis ’21, Andrea Hernangomez ’22 and graduate student Kendra Landy make it into the first quarter. Lopez-Senechal had a powerful block that caused hysterics from the crowd. At the end of the first quarter, the Stags were down 21-8.

Marist had been playing some tight defense, and Fairfield needed to step it up and match that energy. The Stags also hadn’t been hitting as many shots as they should, whereas Marist quickly climbed to 21 points. But the Stags came out blazing in the second quarter. Armstrong had a fantastic block to get things going, and it led to Lopez-Senechal hitting a three-pointer. Lopez-Senechal totaled three three-pointers and lead the team with 15 points this game; the only other player to hit the 15 points mark was Kramer. The Stags bounced back and started putting a lot of pressure on Marist, who fumbled a bit under the pressure. Cavanaugh hit three out of four free throws to bring the score up, and Kramer had a lovely play where she snatched her own rebound and took the ball right back up to the hoop. The Stags were only down by one point at the end of the first half, with a score of 28-27.

They came back to the court with insane energy that you could feel radiating through the floorboards of Alumni. Fairfield started pressing again after only three minutes of game play. At this point in the game, Hernangomez got back in and showed us why her team was so good. She immediately had a steal to get going, and then had a great play with Lopez-Senechal down low. Hernangomez later banked two points and a free throw to steal the lead. The third quarter concluded in Fairfield’s favor, 39-38.

By this point in the game, fans were going crazy and Fairfield showed no signs of slowing down. Hernangomez accidentally bodied a player on Marist and got a foul, but followed up with a crazy block that made the crowd go absolutely wild. With two minutes left in the game, the Stags were up 49-43 and every fan was on their feet. Fairfield performed well under the pressure and was able to cinch the win, with a final score of 52-48.

Sam Kramer, one of Fairfield’s star players since her freshman year, was extremely

proud of the comeback they made. When asked how they could rally and bring the heat come the second quarter, Kramer said, “After losing and having a slow start vs. Rider two days prior, we knew we couldn’t waste another second…The second quarter was huge in terms of our confidence and momentum heading into the second half.”

The Stags are in the height of their season, and only had one day to prepare for this game. “It was important that everyone was locked in for those two to three hours we were in the gym and watching film. We really keyed in on player tendencies and having control of the pace of the game,” said Kramer.

When asked about any standout moments in the game, Kramer pointed to Andrea Hernangomez and her trailblazing performance. “My first thought was Andrea’s block in the fourth quarter…Sometimes scoring isn’t what always brings the energy…Defensive plays that like that one had everyone yelling and cheering in Alumni…Her energy throughout the fourth quarter was contagious and contributed greatly to sealing the win.”

It’s easy to see that the energy this team has and the connection they have on and off the court is a big reason why they always deliver.

Make sure you tune in on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7:00 p.m. to see the Stags face off against Niagara University in Niagara, NY.

Photo Courtesy of Sports Information Desk

With one second left, a game-winning layup by Sam Kramer '20 put the Stags ahead, 72-70.