THE MIRROR Student-run newspaper
Spring 2013 open house
Special edition
www.fairfieldmirror.com FairfieldMirror The Fairfield Mirror
WELCOME TO
STAG COUNTRY S
o you think you might want to be a Stag. We understand how difficult and daunting it can be to choose a college, so we’re here to help. This special edition of Fairfield’s student-run newspaper The Mirror will give you an overview of the University -- from the perspective of students who were in your position not too long ago. Read a welcome message from the Office of Undergraduate Admission and learn
about news and events happening on Fairfield campus on page 2. Get to know some of the faculty members on page 3 before getting to know your fellow Stags in the student spread on pages 4 and 5. Get a glimpse into Fairfield’s social life on pages 6 and 7. To end your day, we take you on a walk through campus on page 8, pointing out some places you might have missed on your tour. We hope you enjoy your day at Fairfield!
Special Edition
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
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Welcome, prospective students! The Office of Undergraduate Admission would like to welcome you and your family to Fairfield University, and once again offer our congratulations on your admission to Fairfield! We are delighted to have you on our beautiful campus today, and we are excited for you to take advantage of all the opportunities available during our program. Your day on campus will include presentations by faculty and administrators about all aspects of academic life – from specific majors to how students can integrate the vast array of available opportunities. The Student Life Fair will provide you with a taste of what students do outside the classroom. With the majority of our clubs and organizations represented, we encourage you to explore the possibilities of a future on Fairfield’s campus. Our club representatives are thrilled to be able to talk with you about how important co-curricular involvement is to a Fairfield student. Learn about their organizations, their time management skills, and their lives here at Fairfield. Enjoy fine music and entertainment in the Rec Plex Field House where a few of our performing groups will display their talent. We know that the decision ahead is an exciting, yet difficult, one to make. The next four years of your lives are important ones. You will grow, form lifelong friendships, and advance toward a bright future. We hope that you will feel the support of the Fairfield University community throughout your visit today. Thank you for attending and please enjoy your day. Best of luck with your decision, and we hope that you will one day call Fairfield University your home. Sincerely, The Office of Undergraduate Admission
THE MIRROR Incorporated 1977
Loan Le, Editor-in-Chief Danica Ceballos, Executive Editor Luigi DiMeglio, Managing Editor Editors Salvatore Trifilio, News Dylan Dembin, The Vine Leigh Tauss, Opinion Molly Leidig, Coffee Break Jennifer Calhoun, Sports Kaitlin McEwan, Assistant News Robert Hagstrom, Assistant News Shauna Mitchell, Chief Copy Editor Nicholas DiFazio, Photography Online Brian Arpie, Web Manager Thomas Shea, Multimedia Manager Margaret Andrew, Online Editor Business Department Email: advertising@fairfieldmirror.com Brian Cleary, CFO Adviser Dr. Tommy Xie Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com
Special Edition designed, written and compiled by: Martin O’Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Kelsey Guerin, Vine Editor Emeritus Sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Admission
FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY NEWS BRIEFS Neil FUSA’s spring concert features deGrasse Kendrick Lamar Tyson to speak at Quick Center Fairfield University will delve into the cosmos this month. On April 22 at 8 p.m., Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson will present a speech at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The speech is titled “This Just In: Latest Discoveries in the Universe.” Tyson is an astrophysicist who is currently the director of the Hayden Planetarium as well as a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History. He has also made frequent appearances on television and online, ranging from being the host of “NOVA scienceNow” on PBS to being the subject of a widespread internet meme. The Mirror asked students via social media what they wanted to hear from Tyson.
Not everyone had questions about his work in astrophysics. Senior Ryan Krebs said, “Ask him how he felt about having a cameo in Action Comics Annual #1.” Krebs was referring to Tyson’s comic book appearance alongside Superman, in which he used scientific methods to explain how to be certain of the destruction of Superman’s homeworld Krypton. In an interview with NPR, Tyson said, “It was a huggable moment. Maybe the next panel would have had me hugging him.” Tickets are $45 to the public and can be purchased by visiting http://www.fairfield.edu/ arts/qc_index.html or calling the Quick Center at 1-877-ARTS-96.
Professor, students release “Dogwood” literary journal A year of hard work will soon culminate in the release of the 12th issue of “Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry and Prose.” The launch party is set for 7 p.m. on April 18 at the Fairfield University Bookstore, located at 1499 Post Road. Named for the flowering trees found throughout Fairfield in the spring, “Dogwood” is a national literary magazine sponsored by the University’s College of Arts and Sciences and English Department. Through a blind submissions process, students enrolled in the World of Publishing I and II classes select works from both up-and-coming and well-established authors for each issue. For their work on “Dogwood,” students receive editorial credit in the journal’s masthead. Students participating in World of Publishing I
earn the title of assistant editors, and World of Publishing II students become associate editors. In addition, three students each year are chosen to oversee the publication process as managing editors. The managing editors of this year’s issue of “Dogwood” are Danielle Anctil ‘13, Loan Le ‘14 and Anna Wolk ‘13. “Working as a managing editor for Dogwood has been an awesomeexperience that has given me a deeper understanding of how a literary publication is run,” said Anctil. Assistant Professor of English Sonya Huber leads students through the publication process as “Dogwood” editor. She assumed this role in 2011, reviving it after a year-long publication hiatus beginning in 2010. As editor, Huber teaches World of Publishing I: Prose in the Fall se-
mester and World of Publishing II in the Spring, guiding students as they select and edit submissions and help design the journal. Assistant Professor of English Carol Ann Davis instructs the Fall course World of Publishing I: Poetry, which selects the poetry submissions for “Dogwood.” Local authors who have contributed to “Dogwood” in the past two years will be at the release party on April 18 to perform readings of their work. Also in attendance will be sculptor Gordon Skinner from New Haven, Conn., who provided the cover art for this issue of the journal. “I’m so excited for the release party, to promote Dogwood and share what we’ve produced with the community,” said Anctil. “I think we’re all proud and definitely excited about the direction Dogwood is heading.”
There are not many things in the world that can cause silence in Barone at 6:30 p.m. At that time on March 5, FUSA President Rob Vogel’s voice came over the loudspeaker in Barone via WVOF airwaves to announce this year’s artist for the Spring Concert. Vogel broadcasted a brief compilation of several songs by Kendrick Lamar, revealing him as the headlining artist; the cafeteria immediately erupted. “I screamed in Barone in front of everybody because he’s one of my favorite artists and I’m really excited,” said Emma Pichl ‘15. Lamar is a hip-hop artist based in California who gained mainstream notoriety after the 2010 release of the mixtape “Overly Dedicated,” and he has recorded with the likes of Drake, Dr. Dre and Busta Rhymes. His second studio album, “Good Kidd, M.A.A.D. City,” was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2012. Although the immediate reaction in Barone would suggest universal knowledge of the artist, student reactions varied across the board. “I personally did not know who he was, but just going off of everyone’s reactions, I think it will be a lot of fun,” said Megan Connors ‘16. Freshman Robert Schwartz was also unfamiliar with Lamar’s music. “I’ve heard of him, but I honestly couldn’t tell you one song he does.” However, Schwartz expressed less enthusiasm than Connors about attending the concert anyway. “It depends how much tickets are. If it’s upwards of 40 bucks, probably not.” In order to please as many members of the student body as possible, concert organizers Sara Robicheau ‘13 and Gina Tiftikidis ‘13 released a survey last semester through social media to gauge student interest in specific genres and artists, receiving approximately 600 responses. Using the results of this survey, the concert organizers then selected Lamar to headline the Spring Concert. “The success of the Fall Concert gave us a great opportunity to have a second concert, but we knew
the pressure to top it was high,” said Robicheau. “It was a tough decision, but we are confident and feel Kendrick will speak to an even larger crowd, as he is so relevant to the hip-hop genre today.” Kendrick is also scheduled to perform on April 19 at University of Connecticut and again on April 26 at Central Connecticut State University, with Steve Aoki as his opener for both shows. Instead of Aoki, FUSA has secured DJ and producer 5 & A Dime as the opening act. Some students expressed disappointment in this selection, but Vogel believes that 5 & A Dime will be a good opener for Lamar. “With Kendrick, it’s somebody that will be able to hype up the audience beforehand, and that’s all we will really need an opener to be doing.” Last year, Fairfield did not have a Spring Concert. So what makes this year different? Vogel explained that the Spring Concert is funded by an initial $5,000. This is set aside in FUSA’s yearly budget of approximately $300,000 based on a $95 tuition fee for each student. “We had that $5,000 of budgeted funding that we were going to put towards it and then any other kind of revenue that we had received over the year,” said Vogel. This additional revenue includes rollover from last year’s budget, Fall Concert profits and higher student enrollment than previously predicted. “Those kind of different things gave us a little bit of budgetary flexibility, to not reallocate, but allocate some funds for the first time after the budget process was done,” said Vogel. “It is something that, because of our success throughout the course of the year, we are able to do.” The Fall Concert, consisting of artists Diplo and Krewella, sold approximately 1,900 tickets, coming close to selling out. FUSA declined to share the figure of exact profits from this show. FUSA will release ticket information for the Spring Concert on Monday, March 18. The concert will take place on May 1, the final day of classes for the Spring semester.
Special Edition
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
Dr. Giovanni
John
Ruffini
Neal
I came to Fairfield University in the fall of 2008. I finished my PhD at Columbia University in New York City, and after graduation worked at a non-governmental organization in Washington DC. Because I had always been interested in African affairs, I worked on democracy promotion programs throughout Africa, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Liberia. We worked with civil society organizations and political parties in these countries on standard techniques of political participation, including focus-group polling and “get out the vote” strategies. My work with these programs included two trips to Liberia, where I served as an election observer in the 2005 presidential election culminating in the first elected female head of state in Africa. My observation work included trips throughout Liberia’s Bong County, where we visited polling stations at a leper colony and a center for demilitarized formal rebels. Before that, I had held several internships in the State Department and the United States Senate. I worked with the office in the State Department handling the peace negotiations between north and south Sudan, before the two sides in that civil war agreed to split into separate countries. I also worked in the U.S. embassies in Ethiopia and Djibouti, where I researched aspects of the drug trade between the two countries. Years before, Ethiopia had been the first overseas country I ever visited. Its fantastic ancient and medieval sites were a major attraction for me during my graduate studies. While at Columbia University I studied Greek and Roman history, and was particularly interested in Greco-Roman rule over Egypt. I went to Egypt several times, and was able to participate in several seasons of archaeological work on Amheida, an ancient Roman city in an oasis in Egypt’s western desert. We were the first people to excavate in this site, which had been abandoned since the fourth or fifth century AD. This work brought us into homes of that city’s citizens left empty since they had walked away 1500 years ago. The kinds of artifacts and written records we found are the raw materials of ancient history, the ingredients that form the backbone of the classes I teach at Fairfield.
I worked in the advertising business in New York City for over twenty years, most of them at Campbell Mithun Esty, the twelfth largest advertising agency in the world, where I found a corporate culture that fit me perfectly. I helped run Esty for sixteen years, developing national ad campaigns for such clients as Mastercard, Nissan, Travelers Insurance, Colgate Palmolive, RJ Reynolds/Nabisco (Oreos), Jeep, Anacin, Seagrams, Everready, Corona and Minolta. I was the Executive Vice President, General Manager of the company, and I found helping train young professionals one of the most satisfying parts of my job. I found advertising to be an exciting, fulfilling occupation, and I encourage Fairfield University students to consider the opportunites in an advertising career. I loved the excitement of creating marketing and advertising campaigns for some of America’s greatest companies, and working with their marketing executives. I loved creating television and print ads that were effective against competitive companies, and I loved working with some of the country’s most talented creative people. Advertising is a career for young people who love the combination of Hollywood and Wall Street that allows us to create campaigns that affect American consumer buying patterns. After retiring from advertising, I started teaching here at Fairfield University, and I found that I loved teaching and mentoring Fairfield students more than anything. Fairfield is a unique and wonderful university, and I have learned a great deal from the professors and administrators who teach here. Most of all, I have been able to pass along to the students the moral and ethical lessons the university instills in each of us, and I have been fortunate to combine the skill set I acquired in advertising and the ethical outlook of the university to help students prepare for their future careers. My passion is advising students on their progress and hopes for their futures, and giving them tips on not only how to get a good job, but also how to get promoted within an organization, so they can realize their goals in today’s business world.
Classical Studies
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Yael
Eliasoph Modern Languages
Marketing
If somebody would have told me during my childhood criss-crossing the Mediterranean that I would eventually spend most of my life as an Italian language professor at Fairfield U — and spending time with our five grandchildren in the San Francisco bay suburbs — I would have told them to re-read Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Of course, life is always an unpredictable journey. Sometimes good luck and good fortune spins us in the right direction. My parents were truly like characters out of “Schindler’s List” — blown across the cruelty and chaos of WWII and its aftermath. My mother’s family are Italian Jews, living in Florence for centuries. My father was a volunteer soldier in “His Majesty’s Jewish Brigade” — Jewish soldiers who wanted to get into the fight against Hitler’s monstrous quest to control Europe while exterminating the entire Jewish population. It was by a miracle my grandparents were rescued out of the Bergen-Belsen death camp. I am here because, at the end of the war, they met near Assisi when my father’s unit liberated my mom’s family who were hiding with the help of their Christian friends. By the time I was born, they were moving between the newly created state of Israel and Italy, where my father was an executive for Israel’s maritime ships. So naturally I was bilingual in Italian and Hebrew. I had attended the American school in Naples, Italy, where the Navy children of the Sixth Fleet were my classmates. Not only did I acquire my English skill, but I thought hotdogs and hamburgers were the greatest! In college, I majored in French and learned some Portuguese. Living in Europe, we were aware of a multilingual world; my dad was fluent in seven languages. Students often ask me, “Do you think or dream in Italian or English?” My answer is: “I can’t remember, but it was a wonderfully rich life of travel and multicultural adventures.”
Fairfield Faculty...
...as told by the teachers themselves
Special Edition
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
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Peter Lyons, Class of 2013
Favorite campus meal:
Buffalo chicken turnover from Levee
My Fairfield gear:
Great on-campus study spot:
Library collaboratories
Campus clubs and activities: University mascot; Glee Club, Social Chair; The Bensonians, PR Manager; Lord’s Chords; FUSA Senior Class Senator; Lector; Class of 2014 Parent Orientation Leader Honors and Awards: Beta Alpha Psi
Mascot suit
“Veni Vidi Vici. But in all seriousness, it’s been a great four years. Since freshman year I’ve always taken my current roommate John Bykowsky’s advice: ‘Do it for the story.’ The friends I’ve made will be by my side for the rest of my life; the experiences and opportunities Fairfield has given me are more than I could have ever asked for. The hypothetical ‘they’ say that ‘college is the best years of our lives’ ... I guess it’s all downhill from here then.”
Arturo Jaras Watts, Class of 2014
Favorite campus meal:
Vegetarian wrap from Barone
Great on-campus study spot:
McGrath Commons
Campus clubs and activities: Proactive Investment Club (PIC), President and Founder; Resident Assistant; Champions Mentoring Program
My Fairfield gear:
Kairos retreat necklaces
Honors and Awards: Gladys Brooks Award (Asian Studies Scholarship); Udall Scholar
“Fairfield University is my home and a darn good one at that. Literally, everything I could want is at my fingertips -- from a gym with flexible hours, to brilliant and welcoming professors who are happy to get to know you personally, to delicious food, to a hidden zen garden, to research opportunities, to the friendships of a lifetime, to...”
Stag Spotlight: The Fairfield Student Community
Special Edition
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
Carsen Mata, Class of 2015
Favorite campus meal:
Chili and french fries from the Stag
Great on-campus study spot:
My room in my townhouse
Campus clubs and activities: Women’s varsity volleyball, Cocaptain Honors and Awards: Coach’s Award (2012 Athletic Department Banquet); 2012 MAAC Volleyball Champions My Fairfield gear:
Dri-fit warm-up shirt
“I transferred to Fairfield after spending my freshman year at NC State in Raleigh, NC. In comparison to the big, state-school atmosphere Fairfield offers a lot of attention to its students both in the classroom and in the community. I like that everyone here knows each other and enjoy the friendships I have made thus far.”
Hope Agresta, Class of 2016
Favorite campus meal:
Ice cream from Barone
Great on-campus study spot:
BCC Mezzanine
Campus clubs and activities: FUSA Class of 2016 President; Eucharistic Minister; JTB Heart Club My Fairfield gear:
Fairfield hat
“Coming into my freshman year I was nervous and excited. My high school was very small and I was curious to see how I would take to living on my own for the first time. Surprisingly, it was not long until I began to call this place home. The teachers gave me the personalized care that I was used to. Looking back, I am very happy with my choice to study at Fairfield University.”
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Special Edition
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
Your future at Fairfield
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PRESIDENTIAL BALL More commonly known as Prez Ball, this semi-formal dance is held on the lawn of the school president’s residence, Bellarmine Hall.
September
JAIL N’ BAIL This fundraiser for Special Olympics allows you to have your friends arrested and detained in a faux-holding cell by Fairfield Police for a certain price. How do they get out? Raising more money.
So you may notice a gap in our timeline. Don’t worry, there is plenty of programming throughout the year. These are the most wellknown events.
FALL CONCERT FUSA is responsible for throwing a concert every fall. Past artists have included Diplo (pictured), Far East Movement and Sean Kingston. This year, over 1,800 people were in attendance. Based on the success of this concert, FUSA may also hold a Spring Concert in late April or early May. This year’s artist? Kendrick Lamar.
April RELAY FOR LIFE Held in the traffic circle, the annual Relay for Life at Fairfield is a great social event with an even greater cause. Last year raised over $29,000.
CLAM JAM Held on the Point at Fairfield Beach, this annual end-of-year celebration is (in theory) only open to upperclassmen. In past years, it has been sponsored by Red Bull. To put it simply, this is the largest party of the year thrown by Fairfield students. It has no official association with the University.
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
Special Edition
Fairfield Glossary
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In all likelihood, you will hear many Fairfieldspecific terms during your time here, and at first, you will have no idea what they mean. But don’t worry - we compiled a list of the most common nicknames, acronyms and terms around campus.
Barone - Cafeteria located on the 4th floor of the Barone Campus Center (the BCC). Also abbreviated as the caf.
Kairos - A campus retreat, where the first rule of Kairos is you don’t talk about Kairos, and the second rule of Kairos is you don’t talk about Kairos.
Chicken Turnover - A cross between a calzone and stuffed bread made by the Levee.
The Levee - The on-campus restauraunt and bar located near the townhouses.
Club DiMenna - A nickname for the DiMenna-Nyselius Library. Also doubles as unofficial campus-wide housing during finals weeks.
The Mirror - Fairfield’s student-run campus newspaper. (You should join.)
Dimitri Salad - Salad in a bread bowl with crispy or grilled chicken made by the Levee. DSB - Abbreviation for the Dolan School of Business. Not to be confused with Dolan Hall, which is upperclassmen housing located on the extreme opposite end of campus. Einstein’s - On-campus cafe for breakfast and lunch items. Sometimes still referred to as Jazzman’s out of habit, which was the previous vendor. FUSA - The Fairfield University Student Association, which is Fairfield’s student government. They are responsible for handling most student affairs and organizing events like the Fall Concert. The Grape - A nickname for the popular off-campus bar The Seagrape, located on Reef Road by the Fairfield beach. The HAM Channel - Fairfield’s student-run television network, which broadcasts student-produced shows and projects and covers campus events.
Mug Night - A monthly social event for seniors during the year (and once for juniors) held at the Levee. The Point - Cluster of senior houses located on the Fairfield beach. The Quad - The collection of freshman and sophomore dormitories on the main campus area, right past the Stag statue. Buildings include Jogues, Regis, Gonzaga, Campion, McCormick and Loyola Halls. Res Life - The office of Residence Life, who manage student housing and the Resident Assistant program. The Stag - On-Campus “diner” located on the 3rd floor of the Barone Campus Center. Townhouses - Junior and senior housing located in the far northeast area of campus The Village - The group of mostly upperclassmen apartments located behind the library. WVOF - Fairfield University’s student radio station. Their station is 88.5 FM, and they also stream live on their website.
#FollowFairfield Fairfield University inspired Twitter accounts
The Mirror (@FairfieldMirror) Bio: Fairfield University’s awardwinning and student-run newspaper
Mirror Sports (@MirrorSports) Bio: Live action, updates, and sports news for Fairfield University Athletics
FUSA (@FUSA47) Bio: The representative body of Fairfield University’s students, responsible for student advocacy, programming, and club management.
Fairfield University (@FairfieldU) Bio: Official Fairfield University account - Education for an Inspired Life. News & info about our Jesuit university founded in 1942
Fairfield Admission (@Fairfield_Admis) Bio: Fairfield University’s Office of Undergraduate Admission is on Twitter! If you have any questions about visiting or applying to Fairfield, tweet us!
FU Turkeys (@futurkeys) Bio: You know those turkeys that grace your campus? Well that’s us and now we’re taking to social networking to fill you in on our lives.
ffldbroproblems (@FUbroproblems) Bio: bros at a school with 60% girls, live the life of a FAIRFIELDBRO
Special Edition
A walk around campus
So you are thinking of attending Fairfield University, huh? We put together our own tour of Fairfield to help you decide whether or not you dig your potential surroundings for the next four years. Start by entering from the Barlow Road entrance and you will soon see your first destination.
THE MIRROR | Spring 2013 Open House
The Bellarmine Pond shares its namesake with a considerable amount of other school landmarks, but this one is hard to miss. Located on the corner of Bellarmine and McInnes Roads, you can bring any kind of personal activity here to enjoy in the respite of nature. Now head left at the fork in the road up Bellarmine Road. Your next destination will be on your left in the castle-looking building.
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The Bellarmine Museum is located in the basement of Bellarmine Hall (we weren’t kidding about there being a lot of Bellarmines to remember). The museum houses Renaissanceera paintings, Greco-influenced plaster casts and more. Continue on Bellarmine Road. The next spot is also on your left, but look into the woods behind a small parking lot.
The Egan Chapel is where mass is held weekly. The basement houses the McGrath Commons, a great study spot for those looking to get away. If you’re a Pixar fan, check out the fish tank that has almost every type of fish seen in “Finding Nemo.” Proceed from the front entrance of the chapel towards the BCC, the white building in plain sight. Walk alongside it towards the traffic circle and then look left. You should see your next destination.
The Zen Garden is nestled away between the back of the Regis parking lot and the Bellarmine Museum. It is an extremely serene environment, perfect for meditating, reading or even taking a nap. Now backtrack a little on Bellarmine Road. Your next destination will be on your left, accessible by a cobblestone walkway. Keep an eye out for a statue of two figures facing each other.
The Stag statue sits right in front of Gonzaga Hall, constantly reminding freshmen of our school's mascot. Since its arrival in 2009, a tradition of "riding the Stag" has become very popular during the late hours of the night. From here, you can see the traffic circle. Walk to it and continue straight down Loyola Drive (towards the main entrance). Bear left onto Lynch Road and your desiination will be on your right.
Although you might think that coming here prior to being 21 will be useless, you are completely misinformed. You don't have to be of age to play pool, eat a tasty chicken turnover and potentially watch some live music or a game. The Levee, located on Lynch Road (the way to the townhouses), is the best alternative for on-campus dining. However, be sure you have cash or Stagbucks - they don’t take plastic. Sit down and relax for a little while. You have enjoyed some exercise walking around campus. Now it is time to enjoy some grub.
...and you are done! So now that you have seen some notable spots on campus, you should have a better idea of whether or not Fairfield is right for you. Of course, these are only a few of many locations, each with their own unique history. So be sure to go beyond this tour and check out everything while you are here.