The Fairfield Mirror 11/8/23

THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper

Week of November 8, 2023

Vol. 50 Issue 7

MAGIS CORE CURRICULUM

Five Years After Implementation, SJ Courses Meet Demand

BY JULIAN NAZARIO Copy, Head News Editor

Kathleen Morris/The Mirror

A Peace Pole is located outside of the Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Campus Ministry Center. The monument is symbolic of peace, which aligns with the Center’s efforts to support students of all faith backgrounds within the Fairfield community.

Prisoners of Hope: Three Jewish Voices Respond to the War in the Middle East

BY KATHLEEN MORRIS Assistant News Editor Just outside the entrance to the Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Campus Ministry Center, a wooden stake stands in a pile of multicolored stones. The stake is covered with white signage, the words of each plaque written in a different language. The outward-facing sign is written in Jewish script. ‫תומדא לע םולש יהי‬ The Hebrew letters are joined by seven other languages, including an English translation that reads, “May peace prevail on Earth”.

The message reveals that the post is a Peace Pole, an internationally recognized symbol of standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. In the face of international unrest, the pursuit of peace remains paramount.

The reverberating effect of conf lict within the Middle East has sparked conversation within the Jewish community on Fairfield’s campus.

The following interviews serve as a collective call for peace in the wake of a humanitarian crisis that has destroyed the lives of thousands.

Rabbi James Prosnit, Jewish Chaplain at Fairfield University In his office nestled in the basement of the Egan Chapel, Rabbi James Prosnit sits nearly 6,000 miles from the heart of Israel.

Yet, his faith allows him to feel close to his ancestral roots in

Jerusalem.

“In a sense, all Jews have ties to Israel,” Prosnit shared. “There is a strong dynamic between Jews who live in the diaspora and those who live in Israel.”

As Fairfield’s Jewish Chaplain, he is able to fuel this dynamic through his work in the synagogue and in the classroom.

Prosnit teaches within the Religious Studies Department and feels privileged to facilitate interfaith discussions among students.

“I think it is important for a Jesuit institution to embrace diversity and radical hospitality,” Prosnit underscored. “A lot of students at Fairfield have grown up with parochial backgrounds and haven’t had the chance to meet people of different faiths or different national origins. It’s very meaningful to be able to share some of my traditions with others.”

He acknowledged the spiritual connection that Jews associate with the Holy Land.

“Sometimes borders get changed and adapted because of practical purposes, but the idea of Jewish presence in the land is crucial to who I am,” Prosnit explained.

He is cognizant of the differing ideologies pertaining to land ownership within the Jewish community.

“A more fundamentalist Jew might say, ‘We know the boundaries of the place because God gave it to Abraham and it’s described in the Bible,” he said. “As a more liberal Jew, that’s not necessarily where I stand.”

Prosnit commented on the “murkiness” of these definitions, noting the ambiguity that has sparked hostility throughout history.

“Some people have said over the years if there wasn’t the Holocaust, there wouldn’t be a State of Israel,” he considered somberly. “I usually f lip that around and say if there had been a State of Israel, there might not have been a Holocaust.”

The recent fatalities have evoked memories of the Holocaust for many Jews, including Prosnit.

“There was Holocaust imagery attached to this massacre,” he described.

“I was born after the Holocaust. But, I’ve seen a lot of problems in Israel and this was the hardest to see. The unfortunate thing is how the war resembles events of the past.”

Prosnit finds the situation to be “heartbreaking,” but understands Israel’s decision to respond.

“There have been many opportunities for a more peaceful settlement to the situation, and I think that there have been many rejections of those offers,” he stated. “Israel cannot allow thousands of their citizens to be killed and not retaliate. It’s a terrible situation for Israel and for the civilians in Gaza.”

Prosnit expressed deep concern for the future, posing a desperate question: “How does this end?”

“There have been many conf lagrations between Israel and its neighbors over the years,” he continued.

“But, they have all ended at some point with some kind of ceasefire or an

When Fairfield University implemented its Magis Core curriculum in 2019 for the Class of 2023 and beyond, it was featured as an innovative curriculum that reduced the number of required courses by five, from 20 to 15, and introduced “signature elements”, such as social justice and intensive writing courses.

However, the Magis Core curriculum has been the center of multiple complaints due to the university’s lack of preparation during the implementation phase of the core and the limited number of Social Justice (SJ) courses offered. In April 2022, Professor Elizabeth Petrino, then-Chair of the Magis Core, wrote a letter to the editor addressing student concerns regarding the social justice classes, In her letter, Petrino attributed the SJ course offering problems to increased enrollment at Fairfield and a rapid execution of the Magis Core. “We were committed to offering the core curriculum with Signature Elements before sufficient courses had been approved,” said Petrino on the university’s decision to implement the core with the Class of 2023. “The result has been that we began with fewer courses than we needed, and we are still in need of more.”

The troubles with obtaining SJ attributes even contributed to the Magis Core Curriculum Committee waiving specific SJ2 and SJR attributes for students graduating in 2024. The changes meant that students only had to take three courses with social justice attributes, regardless of the classification.

“We did note in particular that we see that the SJ element needs for the Class of 2024, there was a lack there in terms of which courses students were able to fulfill,” Petrino mentioned to The Mirror back in May 2023.

Five years after its rushed implementation, university officials are celebrating finally getting enough courses to meet the demands of students.

“

We expect that after this year everybody from the class of 2025 [and] further should be able to meet [the SJ requirements] using the regular registration process.”.”

-Glenn Sauer, Ph.D. Director of Magis Core

“I think we are in a pretty good place, I think we are pretty close,” said Dr. Glenn Sauer, the new director of the Magis Core when asked about the status of social justice course offerings. “We did make the decision, I think at the end of last spring, that any members of the class of 2024 could use any three SJ elements to meet their requirements, but we expect that after this year everybody from the class of 2025 [and] further should be able to meet [the SJ requirements] using the regular registration process.”

He went further to state that Fairfield “should have

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Fairfield Ranked Among ‘Top Colleges in America”

Religion Should Not Be Used to Justify Hateful Politics

Get Ready With Me For a Fairfield U Basketball Game

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THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

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In the Face of Conflict, ‘Humanity Comes First’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

acknowledgment that we cannot continue to do this. But, in this particular instance, it’s very worrisome that there is no clear endgame here.”

Amidst the unknown, Prosnit has found solace in unity.

A community gathering was held at Temple Israel of Westport on Oct. 9, just two days after the attacks began. The service, which was promoted on Campus Ministry’s Instagram, garnered attendance from over a thousand supporters.

“It represented the fact that we, as American Jews, are bound to Israel,” he said. “It was significant to me that Father Rourke and Father Mulreany were there with members of the Christian clergy, as well as Senator Blumenthal and Governor Lamont.”

He values this striking sentiment of solidarity and identified the necessity to replicate such support at Fairfield.

“I’ve spoken to several Jewish students on campus who are suffering, as they are dealing with things that their friends don’t quite understand.” Prosnit disclosed. “We have to put things aside and become unified. So, if non-Jewish friends show their support during worship, it would be very appreciated.”

A Shabbat Service was held on Oct. 13 in the interfaith prayer space in Faber Hall.

As the service commenced, the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar was paired with the slight creak of folding chairs as students and faculty filed in. The wood-paneled room was filled to capacity, becoming consumed with the lyrics of “Hallelujah” and lines of poetry pleading for peace.

The evening finished with a rendition of “Hatikvah,” the national anthem of the State of Israel.

“

We must always be hopeful that things will get better, and that hope implies activism.”

Rabbi James Prosnit Jewish Chaplain at Fairfield

Within the tear-soaked service, an essence of hope prevailed. Prosnit examined this hope by referencing the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

“Sacks says, ‘Jews cannot be optimistic,’” Prosnit illustrated. “We’ve seen too much pain and suffering as humanity to be optimistic about the future.”

“But, at the same time, we are prisoners of hope,” he maintained. “We must always be hopeful that things will get better, and that hope implies activism. I have to work to make things better and, in my role, that is one of the things that I hope to do.”

Dr. Glenn Dynner, Director of the Bennett Center at Fairfield University “My first instinct was to actually buy a ticket to Israel, which no one else seems to be doing.”

Dr. Glenn Dynner, Director of the Bennett Center at Fairfield University, reveals the guilt he feels for his “cushy existence” in the United States. His desire for a direct approach, despite travel advisories imposed by the U.S. Department of State, is tied to his intimate attachment to Israel.

Dynner is mourning the deaths of friends and colleagues. He characterized his loved ones as people who have exhibited “tremendous empathy” in their roles as doctors, professors and peace activists.

“It’s very difficult when you know what these victims have contributed and could contribute in the future to civilization,” Dynner expressed. “I understand that they were living in a ticking time bomb that was created in part by their own government. But, these were the very people who were fighting to change that. Gaza just ran out of patience.”

Images of the deceased were included in Dynner’s presentation at the “Community Teach-In and Dialogue: The War Between Hamas & Israel in Context” held on Oct. 12.

The event was publicized in an email sent by Provost Christine Seigel, Ph.D. and Dean Richard Greenwald, Ph.D. of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The email stated that the gathering would allow the academic community to “learn, join in dialogue and pray for a quick peaceful settlement.”

However, Dynner believes that the university should take a larger role in denouncing the “moral atrocities” occurring in the Gaza Strip.

“I think a Jesuit institution is an appropriate place to have this discussion occur because there is an awareness of the history of anti-Semitism,” he said. “Let it be done, though, in a way that is not last minute and not poorly advertised and promoted. Let it happen in a place where everyone can hear.”

Dynner commends Campus Ministry for addressing the conf lict “without apologies and without the kind of contextualization that sounds a lot like justification.”

“It would be extremely valuable if the administration could learn from Campus Ministry and issue an unequivocal denunciation of the moral atrocities occurring in Gaza now,” Dynner insisted.

“

I think a Jesuit institution is an appropriate place to have this discussion occur because there is an awareness of the history of anti-Semitism.”

-Glenn Dynner, Ph.D. Director of the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies

The concept of morality defines Dynner’s analysis of the crisis and the continued cycle of violence.

“This violence is totally unacceptable, beyond the bonds of morality or humanity,” Dynner stated. “It’s not only an Israeli problem morally. It is a Palestinian problem. And, you could say it is a Muslim, Islamic or Arab problem. You’ve lost a moral high ground when you engage in these kinds of atrocities, which only makes it much more complicated because now nobody really knows what they’re allowed to feel.”

As he processes his grief, Dynner has decided to take tangible action steps.

The Bennett Center provides Dynner with a platform to connect with the Greater Fairfield Jewish Community. He has built on the common goals of social activism and spirituality within the secular society.

Dynner believes that these goals should inform legislative action.

“I have written to my senator about my colleague’s son, who’s in captivity,” Dynner asserted.

“I've had a phone conversation with my Congressman, Jim Himes. It felt really good to have this on his radar and he is taking it very seriously.”

Dynner has also been in touch with relatives in Israel and across the United States. These relationships have allowed him to find a sliver of hope amidst the gruesome reality.

“For me and for many Jews, it’s a real conf lict because we know practically that a ruthless military reprisal may be necessary for the future existence of the State of Israel,” Dynner communicated. “On the other hand, we also understand and empathize with the agony of Gazan civilians that this might entail. It’s a very, very tough thing to be going through.”

Moving forward, this hope will sustain Dynner and the entirety of the impacted population.

“There has to be hope for Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank and in America,” Dynner articulated.

“There has to be hope for Jews living in Israel. What they all have in common is that common hope, which is that you can live a decent life. A life free of persecution, free of discrimination and free of violence. Everybody shares this hope. We just need to figure out how to get there.”

Raz Amir, Class of 2024 On the morning of Oct. 7, senior Raz Amir's phone was f looded with messages from friends and family in his home country of Israel.

As a forward on the men’s soccer team, Amir was gearing up to compete in a match against Canisius College. With four hours until kick-off, thoughts of points and plays were replaced by haunting images of violence.

Amir had received a link to a group on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app. According to a Wired article, the app was “familiar to many Israelis” and “previous escalations of violence tended to coincide with an uptick of activity on Telegram.”

He recalled scrolling through graphic content, leaving him riddled with shock.

“When I saw the videos, I saw faces of people that I know,” Amir revealed.

Yet, in a state of disbelief, he put his phone aside and left for the field.

“My head was not there,” Amir recalled. “I don’t know how I was able to play.”

Over the next few days, he began to process the horrors he had witnessed. His sadness was incapacitating, leaving him unable to get out of bed or complete homework.

“I couldn’t function for the first week,” Amir recounts.

“I cried like a baby.”

The losses cut deep, as he found out one of his best friends was killed at the Tribe of Nova music festival. Amir had served alongside this friend in the Israeli military, an experience that shaped his understanding of the war.

“I know how things work,” Amir said. “I know that there are lines that soldiers cannot cross, like hurting civilians.

Humanity comes first.”

Amir was recently re-drafted by the Israeli government and considered withdrawing from the university. However, he is focused on completing his academic and athletic journey at Fairfield.

“I left everything behind, but I have a purpose,” Amir described.

He calls his mother daily, but phone conversations do not lessen the pain of being separated by a 13-hour plane ride. Alone in Israel, she is subject to frequent alerts and is required to take shelter.

“I blamed myself for her suffering, as I am here and so far from Israel,” Amir disclosed. “I am still blaming myself.”

In his final year at Fairfield, he had hoped to have “the semester of [his] dreams.”

But, his productivity has been paralyzed. In addition to the rigor of his athletic schedule, Amir is attempting to balance six classes and a job at the RecPlex.

“It’s my last year, so I intended to be very motivated,” he explained. “After everything happened, I missed two weeks of assignments and work. Now, I’m just chasing shadows.”

By taking “small steps every day,” Amir has reclaimed his stride through the support of peers and faculty members.

“My coaches never gave up on me,” Amir shared. “When I felt like I couldn’t play or do anything, they told me that they had trust in me and reminded me of my importance to the team.”

The coaching staff includes Carl Rees, Javier Decima and Aidan Rahill. Amir was touched that the coaches addressed the conf lict in front of the team, emphasizing the necessity of camaraderie in the face of hardship.

He has also been uplifted by the kind messages from Rabbi Prosnit, his professors and even strangers.

Still, Amir understands that words of condolence cannot reverse the trauma.

“If I try to explain the situation, it’s not going to change anything,” Amir said. “It’s not going to bring back the people that died. Civilians from both sides are getting hurt. There are no winners in war.”

Photo Contributed by Raz Amir ‘24

Raz Amir ‘24 served in the Israel Defense Forces at the age of eighteen. The State of Israel requires every Israeli citizen over the age of 18 who is Jewish, Druze, or Circassion to defend their country.

Today, Amir plays as a forward for the Fairfield University men’s soccer team. Amir values the support of the coaching staff and his teammates as he navigates his grief associated with the conflict in the Middle East.

Photo Contributed by Fairfieldstags.com

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

News

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Fairfield University Recognized Among Top Colleges in America

BY SAMANTHA RUSSELL Assistant News Editor Fairfield University is officially ranked among the Top Colleges in America for 2023-2024, according to new rankings published by Scholarships360 on Oct. 25. The list only recognizes the top eight percent out of 1,800 colleges and universities nationwide.

Fairfield University stands as one of six Connecticut schools and one of five Jesuit institutions in the country to be recognized by the organization. Fairfield, Wesleyan University and Yale University are Connecticut’s only qualifying private institutions; Connecticut’s list of honorees is completed by the University of Connecticut, University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus and University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus.

“Fairfield really stood out when we looked at the outcome metrics of degree completion and salary – both of which are significantly above the national median,” stated CEO and Cofounder of Scholarships360 Will Geiger in a statement to The Mirror.

The annual list is determined through a careful evaluation of affordability and student outcomes. Scholarships360 calculates student outcomes specifically through graduation income, completion rates, average student debt and net price.

For Fairfield University, the following data was compiled: Median Earnings 10 Years Post-graduation: $95,393.00 6 Year Graduation Rate: 84 Net Price: $43,569.00 Median Debt: $26,000 Although the Jesuit institution was recognized as a top college overall, a rank as a top college in affordability was not achieved. Regarding affordability, individual factors such as state residency are not taken into account. However, the organization reminds readers that listed institutions have a “great track record” for being affordable and may also issue strong financial aid packages.

Geiger contends that, unlike other collegiate rankings that examine “vanity” elements such as peer reviews and graduate donations, their organization directs attention towards real student benefits. Leaving behind the common obsession with prestige, their editorial team utilizes only the facts to decide which schools are truly committed to their students.

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Tommy Coppola, Editor-in-Chief Brooke Lathe, Executive Editor Max Limric, Managing Editor Julian Nazario, Copy Editor Editors Julian Nazario, Head News Samantha Russell, Assistant News Kathleen Morris, Assistant News Liz Morin, Opinion Abigail White, Head Vine Jacqui Rigazio, Assistant Vine Ryan Marquardt, Head Sports William McGuire, Assistant Sports Staff Photographers Kyler Erezuma & Shea Burns Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com William McGuire, Chief Financial Officer Advisor 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 Fairfield University or its Board of Trustees

“We want our Top Colleges lists to help students make a very high-stakes decision and think about college like an investment,” reported Geiger. “We also didn’t want to rank colleges in a numerical order. Instead, our College Lists help show students the colleges and universities that are providing the strongest value or are the most affordable.”

All data used for selections was obtained through the Department of Education’s College Scorecard dataset to, according to Geiger, “ensure accuracy and consistency.”

The list also notes that the Scorecard lacked data from certain schools, hence blocking their ability to assess potential qualifiers. Among these schools were U.S. Military Academies.

With over 2,500 four-year colleges in the United States, Fairfield University fares evidently well among its competitors, beating out fellow Connecticut institutions such as Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac University. Other Catholic schools in New England, such as Fordham University and Providence College, are neither given the same glory as the Jesuits on North Benson.

Scholarships360 is a virtual platform that provides over four million students the necessary tools, advice and recommendations to make an informed choice about higher education. This information is offered by experts each year and additionally aids students with financial dilemmas.

“We see the process of paying for college as a problem of ‘shopability’–students have thousands of options and must sift through dozens of data points to make a good decision,” said Scholarships360 Cofounder and Chief Operational Officer Brian Geiger.

Geiger shared that a vast portion of the organization’s mission is to “bridge the information gap when it comes to shopping around for college.” As a first-generation student himself, as well as a former admissions officer and high school counselor, he understands the disadvantages faced by underrepresented students in obtaining this inf luential knowledge as well as paying for school overall.

“Scholarships360 provides content that is vetted by college admissions experts, a scholarship matching platform, and other tools to help students make all of the big decisions around their higher education,” he declared. “We also fund a number of exclusive scholarships that students can apply to through our platform.”

During his own college search, the U.S. News & World Report College Ranking proved extremely helpful in determining his perfect collegiate fit and discovering

Creative Commons/ Fairfield Flickr

Fairfield’s position among the top-ranked universities in the United States comes from student’s degree completion and salary. The recent uprise in national rankings comes amid lower acceptance rates and record-breaking number of applications.

unconsidered options. Nonetheless, Geiger notices an apparent stray in their original goal to serve as a resourceful and consumer-friendly tool.

“We’ve seen colleges try to game the system, cut corners, or even provide incorrect data to get a leg up,” he confessed.

He predicts an increase in more relevant ways to assess colleges, but also believes much of that responsibility lies in the institutions themselves.

In light of these scandals, numerous colleges and universities have voluntarily withdrawn from the U.S. News & World Report Rankings this past year, including Yale, Harvard and Columbia University. USA Today disclosed in February that “dozens of medical schools and over 40 law schools” declared their decision to stop providing information for the list under the reasoning of admittance biases and unfair punishment regarding graduate careers.

To begin the journey towards amends, Geiger places prime responsibility on the institutions themselves.

“I also think that it’s up to the colleges and universities to do a better job of explaining their value and telling their story, as opposed to simply relying on a numerical ranking.”

First Generation Students Honored With Week of Interactive Events

BY GRACE LANNIGAN Contributing Writer Over the week of Nov. 8, Fairfield University joins in the nationwide collegiate celebration of First Generation Week. The week seeks to highlight and honor the stories and perseverance of first-generation students pursuing higher education.

Associate Director of Student Diversity & Multicultural Affairs, Karl Uzcategui, recognizes First Generation Week as “an occasion to honor the distinctive journeys and accomplishments of those who are trailblazers in their families.”

“This week is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to creating an environment where all students, regardless of their background, can thrive,” Uzcategui shared.

In honor of First Generation Week, students come together to organize events that educate and enrich the Fairfield community on the importance of first-generation experiences.

As such, the Office of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs seeks to provide a forum for dialogue and interaction centered around first-generation issues, with students of all backgrounds being invited to attend a range of events organized over the week.

On Nov. 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., SDMA hosted a movie screening that aimed to grant students exposure to first-generation experiences. Uzcategui

celebrated the movie as giving “valuable insight into the challenges and triumphs of first-generation students as the movie fosters understanding and empathy within our community.”

Students will host a “First Generation Day Tabling Event” at the Barone

“

“This week is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to creating an environment where all students, regardless of their background, can thrive.”

-Karl Uzcategui SDMA Associate Director

Campus Center on Nov. 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The table is designed to be an interactive station celebrating and supporting the first-generation student body.

It also grants an avenue for first-generation students to connect with one another and learn about the resources provided to them through the University.

On Nov. 9 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the BCC 100, SDMA will host “Navigating Complex Conversations

with Lucy Katz Fellows.” The peer-led dialogue will focus on addressing difficult issues surrounding first-generation experience as it seeks to foster deeper connections amongst first-generation students desirous of making a meaningful impact on the broader Fairfield community.

Lastly, on Nov. 10 also at BCC 100, the office will host an open dialogue session where students are invited to meet and openly discuss the needs of first-generation students on campus from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event seeks to encourage free-flowing conversation and honesty about first-generation student needs.

First Generation Week is an opportunity for Fairfield students of all academic backgrounds and experiences to unite in honoring the initiative and accomplishments of first-generation students.

Fairfield University Student Association President Aliyah Seenauth ‘24 is a first-generation student herself. In anticipation of First Generation Week, she says “If I could recommend anything to the student body, I would suggest reading about the history behind first-generation college student day. Additionally, there is nothing better than listening to one’s lived experience.”

The story of each first-generation college student is unique and worthy of celebration. These events provide a forum by which all students can join in the collective celebration of Fairfield University’s first-generation student body.

News

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

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College of Arts and Sciences Nearly Doubles Offerings of Courses with Social Justice Attributes for Spring 2024 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

enough courses” for students to meet the Magis Core social justice requirements within their four years at Fairfield, contingent on enrollments not rising dramatically.

Sauer also explained that the Magis Core Committee adds courses to their approved lists on a monthly basis and they have worked to incentivize the submission of additional signature element courses by faculty with a cash stipend. As a result of a campaign to get professors to submit courses for SJ approval, Bauer confirmed the SJ committee received 81 proposals for the spring semester. A similar number of proposals are expected for next year.

In a separate statement, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Richard Greenwald, Ph.D. also confirmed the rise in courses with social justice attributes and alluded to a continuation of the recent trend.

“CAS takes its responsibility in offering the Core seriously and has been working tirelessly to provide the needed courses that meet the rigorous curriculum. I am pleased to see the number of SJ courses increasing, and I expect to see many more added very soon,” said Greenwald to The Mirror.

An independent search by The Mirror confirmed that courses with Social Justice attributes have increased in the previous years. Spring 2023 social justice courses saw an 82% offering increase compared to the number of courses offered in spring 2021.

Social Justice 2 saw a 230% increase over two years, with 43 courses being offered for this semester compared to the 13 available for the spring of 2021. Meanwhile, MSJ1 now has almost twice as many courses compared to 2021, with 19 more courses being offered.

Social Justice Race, one of the most difficult courses to find due to its low availability, saw a 66% increase over the two-year period. For the next semester, students can select any of the 20 classes that offer the race attribute. Out of the 20, six courses are offered as Religious Studies classes, while the music and history departments both offer four classes each.

Asked whether the College of Arts and Sciences should carry all the weight of social justice offerings, Professor Bauer said that the perception relies on the way the Magis Core proposal was designed.

“The original Magis Core proposal, which was approved by the faculty university-wide, was that all of the courses would come from the College of Arts and Sciences,” explained Sauer, who is also a Biology professor.

He emphasized that over time and in consultation with the other university schools, attributes

such as WID, Writing In the Discipline, were developed so students could take writing courses within their major.

On this, he went further to explain that “we are getting courses from across the university and I would imagine that we will continue to expand going forward.” Because the humanities, sciences and math are foundational elements to Jesuit education, Bauer explained that students should still see a great number of Magis Core courses coming from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students, however, feel like the process of classes obtaining social justice attributes could be improved and more proactive.

“I feel as though more classes should be counted [towards] the Social Justice requirements. There are little to no classes available for the SJ attributes that I need, and the ones available require prerequisites that I do not have,” said sophomore student Jessie Beart-Caruso.

She also mentioned her shock at realizing her Culturally Responsive Teacher class, an education whose course description emphasizes discussions on students’ racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The course, taught by Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Director, Yolehema Felican ‘12, only has an “Educational Studies

Diversity” attribute.

In his statement to The Mirror, the CAS dean explained the “complexity” of redesigning existing courses to accommodate social justice attributes.

“The faculty member must submit their new course to the Magis Core Curriculum Committee through the attributes subcommittee. Once approved by the subcommittee, it goes to the full committee and then the Arts & Sciences Curriculum Committee, and then to the University Curriculum Committee,” said Greenwald.

However, while professors enlist their courses for the lengthy review process and more courses are added, Dr. Bauer encourages students to work with their advisors to identify courses that meet the student’s particular needs and interests.

“We do really encourage students to work with their advisors to identify not only a course that just meets a signature element object, but is it one that’s interesting to you, and is it one that in some way relates to your overall program of study?”

The graph depicts the growth in the number of courses offered by the Fairfield University faculty, tracking an increase from Spring 2021 to Spring 2023. The largest increase can be seen in MSJ2 courses, rising from 13 to 43 courses offered. While the increase represents a milestone, more courses are still expected to be added over the next months.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

Opin ion

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Editor: Liz Morin Email: elizabeth.morin1@student.fairfield.edu

Universities Should Not Pick Sides in Controversial Issues

BY COOPER AITKEN

Contributing Writer

Photo Courtesy of University of Central Florida

World events can be very controversial to discuss, and many people tend to lean toward whatever the more popular side is. However, taking a side without being well-researched continues the spread of misinformation.

Speak Up About Current Events, Don't Stay Silent

BY CRYSTAL ARBELO

Contributing Writer

There are two types of people.

Those who are bystanders and those who take initiative when witnessing something they disagree with.

As Americans, we often pick and choose when to be a bystander and when to speak up.

Why talk if you don’t share the popular opinion, right?

Wrong.

Our society was founded on doctrine that believes one does not need to follow the popular opinion, it lives on the very idea that there is more than one side to a story.

Most stories of activists and heroes we grow up learning about are those of the ‘underdog,’ who questions norms and are the change they want to see in the world.

Where has this mindset gone?

With every new story unfolding globally, Americans tend to lean into what the general consensus is.

We stopped valuing the idea of multiple points of view simply because it takes too much time.

We became comfortable with trusting the first source we came across.

This comfort is more than just “comfort”. It is an underlying sign of privilege.

While we sit on our beds scrolling through our

phones, real people struggle to get their stories told for some sense of justice.

Lives are being destroyed in all corners of the world, and we choose to look in the other direction because it is “too sensitive” or “not my place”.

To those excuses, I raise you this. If not you, then who? Politics needs people speaking up. It needs to have a debate, to have multiple voices in a conversation.

If not, we end up with a society ruled by the few who are clever enough to say whatever makes them popular.

At that point they’re

I don't know “ but about you, I'd rather

not live in a world where those who scrambled to say whatever gets them elected are at the top of the totem pole."

-Crystal Arbelo

not even brave enough to speak their own truths.

Former President Jimmy Carter puts it best.

“Silence can be as deadly as violence.” Saying nothing is synonymous with saying it's okay.

Where would we be if

leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony deemed their own causes as too sensitive?

And more importantly, where would we be if the millions of people who supported them agreed?

There is an infinite amount of power in numbers, and the day-to-day people who helped each social movement come to fruition are often overlooked when recalling the stories of change.

If everyone decides that someone else will get to it, nobody will get to it.

This mindset is detrimental to change and the Achilles heel of politics.

Of course, along with most things, expressing yourself should come with some caveats.

If what you have to say is truly the “right” thing, then you shouldn’t need to use anything short of respect when addressing it with others.

If you have a genuine argument, then you should be able to find genuine facts to back it up.

I’ll leave you with this.

Next time you come across a political topic that scares you, face that fear.

Stop hiding behind the blanket of not being affected.

The only reason why these topics are considered sensitive is because we make them sensitive by tiptoeing around them.

Rip off the band-aid of ignorance and join the conversation.

The images we have seen from Israel and Gaza in the last three weeks should hurt every single student on this campus.

This has been particularly shocking to those of Palestinian or Jewish descent.

Many American organizations have issued statements regarding the conflict, including universities.

However, in a world where Harvard students are being publically doxxed for being Pro-Palestine and their University’s President faces backlash for saying that it sounds bad when Israel promises to open the “gates of hell” onto Gaza, you can’t fault Fairfield for not wanting to throw its own hat in the ring with its own statement.

And it shouldn’t, either. Fairfield University as an institution has no authority to speak on this topic, or most other global crises.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is one that started over a century ago.

I won’t try to give you a history of the conflict, as it is so controversial and complex that I have no right to tell anyone what I think about it.

Neither does Fairfield University.

Since the issue is so controversial, and many Muslim and Jewish students are passionately pro-Palestine or pro-Israel, it would be a poor public relations choice for the

University as an institution to issue a statement of support to either side.

The only thing Fairfield can do is issue a statement of condolences, which does nothing to help anyone in the crisis itself.

What Gaza needs is substantial aid that Israel is blocking, especially fuel, and frankly, they don’t care what any American university thinks about the situation in Gaza.

Whilst this does affect Jewish and Muslim students on a larger scale, there is no statement that Fairfield could issue that could substantially help anyone.

Fairfield continually advertises their counseling services, regardless of world news, and this conflict is simply too far removed from the University for any statement to be relevant to most students.

The internet has caused a strange social phenomenon where it seems that everyone has a need to share what they think on every topic and hear what everyone else thinks on topics publicly.

The truth is, Fairfield University has truly nothing to do with what is happening in the Middle East.

It’s frankly strange that anyone would want to hear what the administration has to say on Israeli-Palestinian geopolitics.

FUSA sent out a statement via email to all Fairfield University students on Oct. 13 regarding

the current situation in Israel-Palestine.

They specifically mention the rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes in the email, writing, “anti-semitisim, discrimination and hate are agendas [...] will never be tolerated,” and offering a Shabbat service the same day.

However, they mention nothing specifically towards anti-muslim hate crimes or Palestinian students separate from the pain that Israeli and Jewish students are feeling.

This is surprising only because of the magnitude of horror that those in Gaza are currently facing.

At the time the email was sent out, Israel had inflicted devastating airstrikes against the Gaza Strip and cut the area off from all resources.

According to the UN, this retaliation from Israel has amounted to a “war crime”, but Hamas kidnapping hostages is also considered a war crime, which goes to show there truly is no side that everyone can and does support.

So for FUSA, an organization that is supposed to represent the entirety of campus, to issue a statement largely aimed towards Jewish students is frankly problematic, considering how divisive the conflict is.

The University Administration and other university organizations that are supposed to represent the entirety of the campus community should not address contentious global conflicts.

Photo Courtesy of NPR

In the wake of the Israel and Gaza crisis, many protests have broken out on college campuses as well as a rise in anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim attacks. Many individuals are calling for universities to address the conflict, but their voice does not have much power in this conflict.

Opinion

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Religion Should Not Be Used To Justify Hateful Policies

By Maddie Hossler Opinion Editor Emerita

The Republican Party recently selected Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson as the new Speaker of the House.

While he had had little national name recognition before his nomination, Johnson was the candidate who could finally unify the Republican coalition following the rejection of the more moderate Kevin McCarthy and the further right Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise.

This has spawned a media frenzy aimed at answering one question: What does Mike Johnson believe?

The answer Johnson provides for himself is surprisingly simple.

In a recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Johnson commented on the media efforts to uncover his policy positions, saying, “well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it.

That’s my worldview.”

But, of course, that only partially answers the question at hand. It is impossible to distill scripture in a single political worldview, both because of the sheer variety of theological perspectives throughout the various Christian traditions and the simple logistical obstacle that Jesus lived long before the advent of Social Security.

So, what does the Bible-based political worldview mean to Mike Johnson?

Scholars Andrew Whitehead and Samuel L. Perry recently published an article in Time Magazine, identifying Johnson as an adherent to the ideology of Christian nationalism. While Johnson has denied that he identifies with the term, Whitehead and Perry prove that the label sticks.

Whitehead and Perry break down the Christian nationalist political ideology into four parts: traditionalist social arrangements, authoritarian social control, ethno-racial boundaries and populist conspiracy theorizing. According to his previous policy positions, it’s clear that Johnson embraces all four.

He was a key player in the effort to overturn the 2020 election results and has promoted the “Great Replacement Theory” and a host of election

Photo Courtesy of Esquire Representative Mike Johnson from Louisiana was elected as Speaker of the House, but his controversial political beliefs are concerning many people.

fraud conspiracies. He has supported legislation limiting discussion of racism and the LGBTQ+ community in schools, equivalent to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” and “Stop WOKE” bills. He has introduced legislation that would change the standards for proving fear of persecution in asylum cases, making it harder for immigrants to seek asylum.

Johnson has taken a hard-line stance on abortion, proposing national bans. He has also made the bizarre claim that legalizing abortion is responsible for school shootings (something that I will briefly sacrifice the scholarly aura for because, as someone from Sandy Hook, I cannot in good conscience put that on paper without calling it out as unforgivably vile and offensive to survivors).

Prior to his political career, Johnson worked as an attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated this organization as a hate group as a result of its advocacy for conversion therapy, recriminalizing homosexual activity and state-sanctioned sterilization of transgender individuals. And yet, standing in the middle of all that hate is their slogan: “For Faith. For Justice.”

So when Mike Johnson reads the Bible, that’s

what he sees: an endorsement of hate, dehumanization and silencing of democratic discourse in a pluralist society. We’ve seen this hate come to our own campus, with the recent posting of a note to the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies bulletin board claiming that “you are teaching doctrine that goes against the Bible.”

I’m an alumna of Fairfield University, a proud product of a Jesuit education, and that’s surely not what the Jesuits have taught me a Bible-based worldview is supposed to mean.

The Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States describes Ignatian Spirituality as compelling believers to “build a world that is reflective of our God, a God of peace, compassion, mercy and justice,” claiming that “God has given each of us different skills, passions and life experiences that have a role to play in this transformative work.”

The Fairfield University mission statement says of Jesuit education: “The promotion of justice is an absolute requirement.” The university’s description of Jesuit identity proclaims devotion to cura personalis, or “care of the whole person”, saying that Jesuit education is informed by “diversity and inclusion - of peoples, cultures, ideas and

traditions.” The Campus Ministry website identifies one of the “guiding principles and values” as “Hospitality: welcoming students to participate in community, valued for who they are.”

Operating on these principles, the university website claims that “Fairfield is committed to providing a safe, affirming and inclusive community” for LGBTQ+ students as a part of its “reverence for the human dignity of every person.”

In a recent letter to the editor, the CAS-DEI committee condemned the posted note as “contrary to the University’s Jesuit Mission.”

The university’s “Magis Core” curriculum has been recently amended to include requirements for social justice courses that discuss race, gender and intersectionality.

This is what Jesuit values look like in the world: social justice, diversity and caring for others.

Has the institution of the Catholic church always reflected ideals? Far from it. Our own campus has frequently struggled to live up to these principles and meet the challenges of living and governing according to the Jesuit worldview.

But, Mike Johnson looked to the Bible and saw the hate of Christian nationalism. In a time when his ideas and his prejudices are winning the day in the House of Representatives, I have never been more comforted by the fact that Ignatius of Loyola looked to the same Bible and instead saw Jesuit values.

The Jesuit mission holds us accountable.

Work for social justice is our “absolute requirement.”

Regardless of how that requirement has translated into your personal politics, it should offend you that Mike Johnson uses the Bible to work against every value the Jesuits hold dear.

When we take the values we learn here out into the world, we should never forget to prioritize the acceptance and dignity of others. We should never be afraid to call out those who use religion as a tool for denying the value of those things. It’s a good day to heed the words of Saint Ignatius and “go forth and set the world on fire.” It’s a good day to be Jesuit-educated.

Meta's New AI Chatbots Abuse Modern Technology

By Liz Morin Opinion Editor

Netflix released a new season of “Black Mirror” on June 15. If you don’t know the plot of “Black Mirror,” it is a science fiction and dystopian anthology series.

Basically, the seasons are short, and each episode is different both plot wise and character wise.

One episode in the fifth season is called “Joan is Awful,” and it revolves around Joan, whose life is adapted into a television series starring Salma Hayek.

It becomes a really strange watch (spoiler alert!) because you learn that Salma Hayek has someone playing her, Joan is actually playing another Joan and so on and so forth.

It turns out everyone is artificial intelligence except for the original Joan, who we don’t see until the very end of the episode.

Confusing right? However, I remember watching and clearly recognizing that it’s a commentary on technology's impact on society. But I also remember thinking how dramatic it felt. Could a streaming service really trick someone into stealing their image and likeness for profit?

I guess they can.

In Sept. 2023, Meta, run by Mark Zuckerberg, announced that they would be adding chatbots of celebrities to their platforms. This isn’t like ChatGPT talking to people online as if they were a Kardashian. This is Meta

paying celebrities $5 million for their image and likeness, even making hyper-realistic Instagram accounts of this AI. This appears harmless—how can an AI celebrity hurt anyone? But, personally, and I doubt I’m alone, I find it an abuse of a powerful technology.

When SAG-AFTRA went on strike, part of their concerns centered on film companies using actors’ images and likenesses and making an AI double.

That way, they don’t have to abide by payment and labor laws, and they can make the “actors” do things a human actor may not be able to do. When ChatGPT was released, a big concern was the jobs it could impact, such as engineering, writing, graphic design and others, but some careers, like acting, really were not at risk. The introduction of human AI now poses a risk to an entire industry.

I never saw a big issue with ChatGPT beyond those who would abuse its services.

As a writer, I find it really helpful to ask for plot ideas or names for characters.

They are harmless things that greatly help my work. I know that there was worry about students using it for plagiarism, but if you’ve ever asked it to write an essay for you, it is so clear that it was written by a computer.

And now, there are services that most professors can use to tell if a submitted essay is written by AI. For any negatives that ChatGPT provides, I genuinely think there is

a way to use it positively.

However, what benefit comes from a celebrity selling their personality to become a computer? Nothing really.

An argument could be that it’s easy human interaction, but there are numerous other AIs, such as Snapchat, that provide that without having a human image and likeness.

What this does prove, however, is that AI is easily abused and is progressing too fast.

We’ve seen computers in the movies becoming too smart and taking over the planet.

It seems dramatic, but computer experts have expressed that something similar can happen in real life. “This rapid acceleration promises to soon result in ‘artificial general intelligence,’ and when that happens, AI will be able to improve itself with no human intervention,” said researcher of consciousness Tamlyn Hunt.

“It will do this in the same way that, for example, Google’s AlphaZero AI learned how to play chess better than even the very best human or other AI chess players in just nine hours from when it was first turned on.”

Seeing that technology giants like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak have signed letters asking for AI development to slow down proves that even people who know the most about this industry are concerned about the future of AI. Part of their concerns was that AI can make up false information, and as the

technology improves, that ability to create false information will expand into unknown territory. This all ties back to one fear: the loss of control.

I find what Meta is doing with celebrities to be deeply concerning. If they can easily create a realistic image, voice and all, what’s stopping them from doing it to everybody at some point? At least celebrities have what is called NIL protection, which protects them from commercial use of their persona. Every day, so-called normal people don’t have that sort of protection.

When Mark Zuckerberg was asked why he created these AI celebrities, he said there's a “huge need” for AI versions of celebrities.

What huge need? To talk to a celebrity you know is fake?

To enforce a lack of human communication? Tom Brady's likeness, named Bru, talks about sports. You can talk to anyone about sports.

Artificial intelligence can help the world if we use it correctly. Africa has utilized it to help stop poachers, Denmark has used its voice recognition capabilities to help people in cardiac arrest and Houston utilized AI to help navigate the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

This is what there is a huge need for. Artificial intelligence that can help humanity from destroying itself, not a celebrity you can talk to online.

The Vine

By Brooke Lathe Executive Editor

The best time of the year has finally arrived: basketball season! School spirit, fastpaced competition and a Stags Hospitality hot dog … I can’t picture myself attaining such joy from anything else.

My love for our brand-new Leo D. Mahoney arena is no secret. With its grand opening nearing its one-year unveiling anniversary, it has not only heightened my love for student-athlete support but has also instilled a surprising interest in a sport I never gave much thought to before.

Now that both Fairfield University men’s and women’s teams are kicking off the 2023-2024 season with their first game on Monday, Nov. 6, I’m sure you can understand how quickly my excitement and smile are growing.

Last February, I explained everything you need to know about the games, from ticketing and where to sit to what to order at the snack stands. What may be the most important part of each game, however, is getting ready for it.

Drown Yourself in Stag Spirit I purposefully bought red cargo pants from H&M, which I refer to as my “Red Sea” pants, and it was one of the best fashion decisions I’ve made. I suggest you add a staple

By Caitlin Shea Contributing Writer

On the night of Oct. 30, students and professors alike filled the Dogwood room in the Barone Campus Center with anticipation.

Dr. Barry McCrea, an academic and professor at the University of Notre Dame, was invited to Fairfield to deliver a speech. The author of the novels, “Languages of the Night,” “In the Company of Strangers” and “The First Verse,” Dr. McCrea presented us with his ideas surrounding the European Generation X novel.

Born in 1974, McCrea is a part of Generation X, also known as the Forgotten Generation. Raised during a time of political turmoil and lower-class economic capital, Dr. McCrea points out how these aspects of

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Fairfield accessory to your closet too, as I enter the arena with ease without holding up bring those. personally feel it’s a vital rite of passage of the herd of attendees.

Make sure to secure your free student being a Stag. If you don’t have a statement While outside bags are no longer pro- tickets on Sunday, Nov. 12 to cheer on your piece, however, a simple red Fairfield shirt hibited from the arena, they are still checked fellow student-athletes and university at the will do. when you enter the game—so be smart next home game.

You can buy university gear in our Stag about what you carry in as there is a list If that doesn’t tempt you, then surely Spirit Shop on or off campus at the Post of what you may or may not bring. These seeing me house a hotdog and yelling at the Road bookstore. After you go to your first items, of course, exclude the rally towels or referee will put some pep in your step. See game wearing red, however, you can also en- pom poms because you should definitely you there! ter the arena’s team store to buy basketballspecific or Red Sea Madness merchandise.

Host a Pre-Game Gathering With seven roommates, I can say with confidence that building the anticipation for the game an hour or two before it starts is one of the fun parts of being in college.

Packed in our living room and wearing all red, you can blast some hype music to manifest a “W” or make posters for friends or classmates who are on the court.

You can also have some fun painting your body with red paint or decorating yourself with other accessories like beads, stickers, foam fingers and more.

Travel Light Tickets go on sale 24 hours before each game. Once you sign up, you will receive an email with a QR code of your claimed seat.

I suggest adding this to your Apple wallet if you have an iPhone, as it pops up on Abigail White/The Mirror your home screen a few hours before tipoff. With this convenient routine, you can Executive Editor, Brooke Lathe, enjoyed the home opening game for the Fairfield Univerquickly pull up your ticket at the door and sity women's basketball team on Nov. 5, 2023.

the generation can be found throughout their idea of the novel. Commonalities found within this generation's work further prove this point, such as the use of extended metaphors, digressions, delays in the narrative and overall themes of how “money is scarce, but time is plentiful.”

Novels written by those of Generation X are oftentimes stories of simple everyday life, that move forwards and then backward again, yet are elevated into epic adventures.

These novel’s protagonists refuse originality, and disprove the idea that every individual has to be a brand, one of a kind, extraordinary. These characters find their voices in the mundane of everyday life.

“Brilliance in the Gen X view does not mean worldly success.” These authors write

for the sake of telling their generation's story.

“I will not entirely die.” This motto acts as their main purpose.

Dr. McCrea also points out how he found this connection within the novel and generation with the Baby Boomers and the Millenials. Both of which, oddly enough, share the same themes of rags to riches. These novels tend to tell the stories of grand proportions, how knowledge, beauty and drive can promise the mobility of class.

These novels are often very political and frame all aspects of life as a competition.

These are more of what we as readers see on the selves, stories that promise a grander aspect of life.

Dr. McCrea’s speech has influenced me to think back on novels I have read in the

past and discover these patterns of generational influence within them. For example, “Normal People” by Sally Rooney reflects the rags-to-riches story of the millennial generation, something that I did not notice while I was reading the story. While listening to this speech, I also found myself questioning what our generation’s novel will look like. What influences—economic, political, religious—will have a play on how our stories are told? Who will be the ones to write them?

While Gen X may always be late, it is obvious that they still have a great impact on the world, and specifically, the idea of the novel.

After listening to Dr. McCrea’s speech, I challenge you to think more deeply about the novels you are reading, and why that story is the one being told.

By Jacqui Rigazio Assistant Vine Editor

Growing up, I have always been an avid reader. Constantly devouring any book I could get my hands on, I’ve found myself fascinated by the different worlds and profound meanings that lie within the pages of a book. Because of this, it was no surprise to anyone when I declared my major in English at Fairfield University.

Through this major, I now find myself reading more books than I ever have before. Typically reading one book a week, the English curriculum has exwposed me to a wide variety of texts during my two and a half years at Fairfield so far. While this timeline is tricky to keep up with at times, I am very grateful to be reading such versatile literature at a young age. Based on the courses I’ve taken at Fairfield so far, here are my top three favorite books that I have read as an English major.

“The House of Mirth” by Edith Wharton When thinking of the best books I have read for class, “The House of Mirth” is the first to come to mind. I read this book during the second semester of my sophomore year while enrolled in Professor Emily Orlando’s, Ph.D., class “Edith Wharton and Her Circle”. This book follows Lily Bart, a wealthy, single woman living among New York City’s elite as she searches for a husband to appease societal standards. Set in the late 1800s, Lily deals with the pressure of keeping her social status while she falls from wealth.

Not only is this book a genuinely entertaining read, but all of the themes are still very relevant to present-day life. Just like us in 2023, Lily deals with relationships, social status, cliques, money and beauty standards.

By Fiona Killeen Contributing Writer

As the leaves begin to change color and the air becomes crisper, the days also start to become shorter. Every year, the first Sunday in November marks the end of Daylight Savings Time, and clocks are set back for an hour. By turning the clocks back, we are given an extra hour of sleep and morning daylight, but lose the prolonged nights. Here are some tips on how to preserve your motivation during the shortened days.

Taking Advantage of Morning Light The clocks being set an hour behind lets us see the sunrise an hour

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The Vine

One of the coolest things about this book for me was that it inspired the CW’s hit television series “Gossip Girl”.

As a “Gossip Girl” fan, I was fascinated to make connections between Lily Bart’s world, and the lives of main characters Serena and Blair. While “The House of Mirth” unfortunately does not have an uplifting ending, it left me with an immense appreciation for quality literature and reminded me why I became an English major in the first place!

“The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson Taught in my “Native American Literature” class by Professor Peter Beyers, Ph.D., this novel was unlike anything I had read up until this point. As the title of the course suggests, this class focused on texts about Native American culture. We learned about Native American traditions, values and family life and the trauma they faced when white settlers colonized their land.

“The Seed Keeper” is a novel about Rosalie, a Dakhóta woman trying to reconnect with her long-lost Native American culture. Rosalie strives to preserve the Dakhóta way of life in modern society and decolonize her own life in order to regain her cultural identity.

While this book is pretty lengthy at 392 pages, I was flying

earlier. Since the winter months are marked by longer nights, the transition to shorter days can be disorienting and disruptive to people's daily schedules. If you are someone who usually exercises in the evening, you may experience decreased motivation to trek over to the gym when it is dark during an hour that you have become accustomed to being lit during the summer. To combat this decrease in motivation, consider shifting your schedule to match the earlier hours of d a y l i g ht and exercise in the morning.

through every page, eager to read more of Rosalie’s story. This novel was entertaining and easy to understand while also revealing critical aspects of Native American culture that I had never known before.

“The Seed Keeper” opened my eyes to a culture completely different from my own, and exposed the brutal realities of Native American colonization that some American history classes don’t discuss. I would recommend this book to any reader; not only for the intense plot, but also to educate oneself on Native American culture and history.

“Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson This is a novel that I read a couple of weeks ago in my “Young Adult Literature” class taught

by Professor Bryan Cran-

Practicing Proper Sleep Hygiene Setting the clocks back an hour may not seem like a major change for a lot of people. However, people who are already prone to sleep difficulties may experience a harsher adjustment. To create a smoother transition for yourself, consider implementing better sleep-promoting habits. I know it can be tempting to unwind before bed by perusing social media, however, the blue light that is emitted from technology can disturb your sleep patterns. The hormone melatonin is produced by the brain and is important for healthy circadian rhythms. The issue with using electronics before bed is that the blue light emissions can suppress the production of melatonin. In order to set yourself up for the best possible sleep con-

dall, Ph.D., and I have not stopped thinking about it since.

In true Young Adult literature form, this novel follows Melinda, a high school outcast who keeps to herself and is rejected by her former friend group. Melinda experiences trauma and social anxiety, and it is later revealed that this is because she is dealing with the aftermath of being raped.

While the majority of this novel is very sad, it follows Melinda as she learns to find her voice and eventually speak up about what she went through.

She then inspires other assault survivors to come forward and feels supported by other girls at her school. This novel left me feeling so empowered—I stared at the last page for a solid five minutes just wrapping my head around what a phenomenal book I had just read.

“Speak” is actually one of the most banned books in schools due to its touchy subject material, but I think that every high school student should read this book at least once. It sheds light on such an important and relevant topic that not many people discuss.

This book has been the reason that many assault survivors are able to speak up and find their voice, which is why I label “Speak” as a must-read for everyone.

While this only scratches the surface of literature in the English curriculum, these three books stand out in my memory as the best novels I have read through classes at Fairfield.

You don’t even have to be an English major to enjoy the stories that these books have to offer! I think that anyone— English major or not—would appreciate the important messages and themes within these three books.

ditions when the hour changes, consider limiting the technology you use before bed.

Sticking to a Routine As important as sleep hygiene is, consistent results depend on how diligent you are with your routine. Creating a realistic schedule, whether it be for daytime or nighttime is crucial for keeping yourself focused and disciplined.

To ensure your immune system and sleep-wake cycle stay healthy and balanced, concentrate on prioritizing the practices that contribute to your best possible sleep schedule.

Schedule Mood-Boosting Activities When the weather seems bleak and cold, it can be helpful to have something enjoyable to look ahead to. This is especially true for when finals start to take place.

Treating yourself to the seasonal menus that places such as Starbucks and Dunkin feature can be a simple way to take a well-deserved break while also reminding yourself about the joyful parts of the season.

Along with the limited edition menus, think about shopping downtown in the Fairfield University Bookstore for a new warm sweatshirt. Another way to boost your mood during days that nighttime comes quicker is to develop a new hobby that will make you excited to participate.

Hobbies that can be done with friends are even more beneficial for ensuring you stay socially connected during the dreary days.

With the change of seasons, we are presented with the opportunity to start fresh and embrace new experiences.

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

The Vine

By Abigail White Head Vine Editor

Homework. Late-night classes. All-nighters. Screen Time. 8 a.m.'s. Sleep can be quite hard to come by when you are caught in the constant bustle of college life.

From busy class schedules, to clubs and events, to homework and study sessions, to social obligations, there is always something happening on a college campus. And these things often deter us from committing to a consistent sleep schedule.

And as a college student myself, let me tell you–there is nothing worse than feeling drowsy in class or having to skip out on social activities because you are too tired.

It can be hard to balance the excitement of college while still getting the right amount of sleep so we have the energy to enjoy the excitement. Cornell Health advises students to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night in order to avoid sleep deprivation. But despite this recommendation, students are only averaging 6 to 61/2 hours of sleep a night. If you are averaging about the same, you may be shocked to learn that you are sleep deprived.

Sleep deprivation and deficiency can have short term effects like changes in mood, increased anxiety, drowsiness, weight gain, and low energy. None of us want to suffer from these side effects while trying to live our best college lives.

But sleep deprivation can have long term effects that will follow us past our college careers according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. These effects include heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, stroke and depression.

This is why it is so important

to fix our sleep schedules now, before the seemingly annoying short term effects progress into longterm health issues. Though we may think prioritizing our assignments and social obligation over sleep in our college years is most important, sleep deserves to take an important spot on our priority lists.

You may now be asking yourself, “how exactly do I fix my sleep schedule?” You may feel so far off track with your sleep schedule that it seems impossible to fix it now. I can assure you that there are some easy and attainable steps you can take and goals you can set to improve the quality of your sleep.

Here are 5 small things you can do to get your sleep schedule back on track: 1. Exercise More This tip might not be the first thing that people think of when attempting to fix a sleep schedule, however, exercise is extremely beneficial to your sleeping patterns. In an article, Johns Hopkins Health demonstrates evidence that about 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day can increase the amount of slow sleep an individual gets a night–slow sleep being the deep sleep that really gives your body and brain the chance to refresh.

So if you are having trouble sleeping, you may want to break out your sneakers and hit your campus gym. Fortunately, for many college students, gym memberships, exercise classes, and facilities like weight and cardio rooms, running tracks, lap pools, etc. are included in the price of tuition. So take advantage of these exercise facilities while you can!

If you exercise regularly but falling asleep is still your problem each night, you may want to take a look at what time of day you are ex-

By Fiona Wagner Contributing Writer

Photo Courtesy of @friends Instagram

@freinds on Instagram posted this photo of Matthew Perry to express devastation over the actor's passing on Oct. 28, 2023.

ercising. When you exercise, your body is releasing endorphins, and this increased brain activity can keep some people up late at night.

If you find yourself constantly working out close to your bedtime, you may want to test out an earlier work out session to give your body some time to wash out the endorphin levels. As the Johns Hopkins Health article puts it, give yourself some time to “wind down.”

2. Limit Screen Time Before Bed This one seems so obvious, yet not many of us actually make a commitment to limit our screen time before bed. It’s hard. I get it.

Especially as college students, we are constantly on screens, using our laptops to complete our procrastinated assignments late at night and our phones to socialize via messaging and social media.

But it has been found that exposure to blue light in the hours leading up to your bedtime can actually hinder sleep. According to the sleep foundation, blue light will suppress the body’s release of melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel drowsy. So, if we are on our phones and screens Sometimes a late-night cram session is necessary to keep up your grades, but if you find yourself using technology simply for entertainment late at night, try swapping your screen for something else.

Crack open a book, play a board game with your roommates, write in your journal. If you absolutely have to be on your screen late at night for work-related purposes, try turning on “night shift,” a feature that Apple products,as well as a lot of other electronic products, have to take the blue light out of your screen. Limiting your screen time can be hard, but try to do it

We were all deeply saddened by the loss of Matthew Perry last week. While Perry had many standout roles, Chandler Bing in “Friends” was one of the most beloved characters in TV history.

Here is a list of my personal favorite “Friends” episodes to honor Matthew Perry.

5. “The One with Unagi” (6x17) This is one of the funniest episodes of the whole show. In this episode, Ross tries to teach martial arts to Rachel and Phoebe, while Chandler and Monica give each other homemade Valentine’s Day gifts. Ross is the standout of this episode and his martial arts teachings will definitely make you die of laughter 4. “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” (5x14) Monica and Chandler have been sneaking around since London and finally in this episode, the lies come to an end. Phoebe and Rachel discover Monica and Chandler’s secret and they try to mess with them. Phoebe

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before bed as much as possible for the best sleep possible.

3. Cut Back on the Caffeine Tis is a hard one. There is nothing better than a morning cup of coffee or a midday pick-me-up from Starbucks or wherever you get your coffee. However, a recent study conducted by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that 400 mg of caffeine up to six hours before bedtime significantly disrupts sleep.

The relationship between lack of sleep and the consumption of caffeine can turn into a vicious cycle. But if you must drink your daily cup of coffee, make sure to have more than six hours in advance of your planned bedtime. And if you are drinking coffee simply for the delicious taste, maybe give decaf coffee a try, to eliminate your daily intake of caffeine.

gets flirty with Chandler, which then allows Monica to realize that they know. The entire episode is a hilarious game of chicken where Phoebe and Chandler try to get each other to crack.

3. “The One With The Rumor” (8x9) The next episode takes place during Thanksgiving and guest stars Brad Pitt! In this episode, Monica invites an old friend from high school, Will (Brad Pitt) to join them for Thanksgiving dinner, but she doesn’t know about his hatred for Rachel.

Will and Ross had an “I Hate Rachel Green” club in high school and they used to make up rumors about her. This episode is hilarious, festive and witty all in one.

2. “The One With The Football” (3x9) Here is another Thanksgiving episode, but this time it revolves around football.

In this episode, the gang decides to play a friendly game of football while waiting for their dinner to cook.

The game quickly escalates because

4. Set a Scheduled Bedtime Every Night According to the Sleep Foundation, following a consistent sleep schedule helps train your brain to feel tired around your bedtime. So set a bedtime and set a routine. Try to have all of your work done by a certain hour so you can start to wind down and get ready for bed.

Of course, college schedules can cause fluctuating bedtime schedules, but try your best to adhere to a strict one. You can even set alarms to remind yourself to start getting ready for bed if you think you need them.

Some of these seem harder than others, but if you start making little efforts to cut out screen time of caffeine, schedule work and bedtime, and find time to exercise, your sleep may greatly improve.

Your body and your brain will thank you later!

of Ross and Monica’s competitiveness with each other. This episode is hilarious and brilliant as the two siblings compete for the “Geller Cup,” an old prize they made up as kids, and the rest of the gang could care less about football.

This is the best Thanksgiving episode, in my opinion.

1. “The One With the Embryos” (4x12) This is my all-time favorite “Friends” episode and I frequently rewatch it. While this episode features Phoebe undergoing surgery to get pregnant, people remember this episode as the one with the game show.

Chandler and Joey compete against Rachel and Monica in a trivia game about each other.

This episode never fails to make me burst into laughter and Ross as the game show host is hilarious.

If you are feeling a binge of “Friends” or just want to revisit some great Chandler moments, I highly recommend watching the episodes listed above.

The Vine

By Isabella Sagarese Contributing Writer

The cool breeze of autumn not only inspires us to wear sweaters but also to make some cozy meals to keep warm.

Here are some of my favorite dishes that are needed on a chilly day!

Butternut Squash Soup Over fall break, my mom made the most delicious butternut squash soup.

Topping it with chives and sour cream brings even more flavor into the mixture.

Doesn’t this sound like the staple fall meal?

Chicken Pot Pie Chicken pot pie is another fall favorite of mine that only requires a few ingredients and a bit of chopping.

It combines chicken and vegetables in a stew-like mixture

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

topped with puff pastry.

Creamy and mouth-watering, it is a classic dish that is made perfectly in individual portions.

Stuffed Peppers Another recipe that comes to mind is stuffed peppers filled with ground beef, tomato sauce, rice and cheese. On TikTok, many can be seen cutting a little jack-o’-lantern face into the side of the pepper to make it Halloween-themed.

So adorable!

H a s h brown Casserole Hashbrown casserole offers an excellent combination of soft and crunchy. Using

By Thomas Senesac Contributing Writer “Lycidas” was composed in November of 1637, by John Milton, and is a poetic elegy for Milton’s friend and classmate at Cambridge, Edward King, who passed away in a shipwreck over the Irish Sea. Both Milton and King were aspiring poets; however, King was also a promising young minister; something that Milton was urged by his family and classmates to become as well.

To Milton, their similarities must have made King’s death all the more frightening; and this fear was driven by his overwhelming ambition.

Famously, Milton, in both “Paradise Lost” and “On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity,” speaks of himself as a prophet and even compares himself to Moses.

He sought, as a young man, to write an English epic poem of Arthurian legend that would rival Virgil’s “Aeneid,” Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey.” This envisioned epic would eventually become “Paradise Lost,” the greatest work of English poetry.

However, in this poem, Milton tries to cope with the idea that he may not be allowed to fulfill his dreams; Fate or God may cut his life short, as it did for the pious and promising young man: Edward King.

The poem is an elegy written in the pastoral style which, stretching back to Greece in the third century BCE, romanticizes ancient agricultural life as pure and in “Lycidas” portrays the narrator as a wandering shepherd in mourning. Throughout the poem, we hear the voices of pagan and Christian figures such as Apollo, Camus and St. Peter, all of whom commiserate over the death of King.

One theme in “Lycidas” that is particularly powerful is the disillusionment of the Shepherd.

There are two sections in particular where this is present,

only a few ingredients including potatoes and sour cream, create the base. Then,

top with cornflakes.

It is one of the best foods to bring to a party because it is so easy to make.

Apple Cider or Chai Apple cider is the perfect

both of which begin with the phrase, “Ay me!” (Milton, 56, 154).

In one section, from lines 132 to 164, the Shepherd calls on Alpheus, a river god and Arcadian hunter from Greek mythology, and requests that he throw flowers on the hearse carrying Edward King’s body.

Milton writes, “Throw hither all your quaint enammll’d eyes, / That on the green turf suck the honied showers, / And purple all the ground with vernal flowers” (Milton, 139141). These lines are colorful and melodious and go on to describe, beautifully, the flowers that are to be thrown, but Milton soon realizes that this cannot be; King’s body is lost forever.

Milton writes in overwhelming lines, “Whilst thee the shores and sounding Seas / Wash far away, where’er thy bones are hurl’d, / Whether beyond the stormy Hebrides, / Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide / Vist’st the bottom of the monstrous world” (Milton, 153-157).

Additionally, the entire poem, until the arrival of the voice of St. Peter, is simply a Christian poet daydreaming about ‘pagan’ figures who he imagines as being the guardians of nature, but are not able to save Lycidas.

“Lycidas” is a poem that is difficult to understand through the first reading because of its many allusions, however, it is an acute example of

Page 11

drink that is sweet with a slight spice to accompany any of these dishes. After a chilly day outside, you can even heat it up in the microwave to warm you up!

Another option is chai, a sweet and milky tea with notes of cinnamon and black pepper.

Spiced, Warm Desserts Pumpkin pie and cinnamon rolls are some dessert ideas to finish off the meal.

And of course, I had to include Taylor Swift’s chai sugar cookies that contain fall spices and warm vanilla, buttery tastes. What's better than that?

Enjoy any of these cozy fall foods and the rest of your fall season!

Milton’s powerful poetic voice; and given that “Lycidas” has been revered for centuries, many great minds have provided commentaries to the poem and have given many different perspectives through which to read it.

Coffee Break

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

Coffee Break Satire, games, Puzzles and More Editors: Brooke Lathe, Max Limric, Kathleen Morris

Page 13

Sports

Sports

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

Head Sports Editor: Ryan Marquardt >> ryan.marquardt@student.fairfield.edu

Page 13

Assistant Sports Editor: Billy McGuire >>william.mcguire@student.fairfield.edu

Women's Basketball Crusades to Victory in Season-Opener Against Lehman

By Brooke Lathe Executive Editor

As crowds of people herded into the Leo D. Mahoney Arena awaiting the Fairfield women’s first home game, no one could’ve expected just how strong the Stags would start off their 2023-2024 season.

In front of the 976 fans in attendance, the women’s team decimated their opponents from Lehman College in a 101-14 win, securing them their highest-scoring game since 1999.

This not only set high expectations for their next 28 games, but also for the class of 2027 as the four first-year players collectively scored just over half (57) of the Stag’s final score.

The three highest scorers all came from first-year

student-athletes. Forward Meghan Anderson ‘27 led the game with a team-high of 19 points. Following closely behind her, guard Casey Prior ‘27 and guard ​​ Kaety L’Amoreaux ‘27 were able to net 15 and 13 points, respectively. As for Prior, all of her points came from 3-point shots.

Contributing to the record-breaking game, graduate student guard Nicole Gallagher made a name for herself in a different way, as she joined the 1000th-point career club in her debut with the Stags. Gallagher spent her entire undergraduate playing for Bryant University, racking up 995 points before coming to Fairfield this season.

Five of the remaining points she needed to earn her title were all she was able to score this past Monday, but it’s clear her presence for the Stags will be invaluable as the season continues.

By halftime, the score revealed a staggering 47-point lead as the scoreboard read 50-3. As both teams headed into the locker room, Lehman’s field goal percentage stood at zero percent, whereas the Stags held stable at 45.75.

Despite the Lightning Bug’s finally scoring their first few shots of the game outside of a free throw in the third quarter, Fairfield’s defense and quick-thinking were nothing short of unstoppable.

The women forced 16 steals and secured 47 rebounds throughout the course of the game, directly contributing to their triple-digit victory.

The women’s team will see if their first game was just luck or a beginning to a new routine as they head to Nashville, Tenn. on Friday, Nov. 10 to take on Lipscomb University.

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

On Nov. 6, the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team kicked off the new season in front of the Leo D. Mahoney Arena crowd with a 101-14 win over Lehman College.

In this week's issue...

- Women's Soccer Puts Up Valiant Effort In MAAC Tournament (Page 14) - Volleyball Honors Seniors Before Sweeping Conference Foes (Page 15) - Field Hockey Falls Short Against Wagner to Conclude Dominant Season (Page 15) - Opinion: Ohtani, Bellinger Highlight The Top MLB Free Agents in 2023 (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

Women's Soccer Puts Up Valiant Effort In MAAC Tournament

BY BILLY MCGUIRE Assistant Sports Editor The Fairfield University women’s soccer team punched their ticket to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship game on Thursday, Nov. 2 at Lessing Field, trouncing Mount Saint Mary’s University in the process, 3-0.

After a quiet first half that saw no offensive action, it was all Fairfield in the second half.

The offensive started to go on a tear at the 58th-minute mark, as defensive back Meghan Carragher ‘26 executed a successful corner kick that found her teammates, forward Maddy Theriault ‘26 and midfielder Allie Kirby ‘24, with the latter sinking a shot past Mount St. Mary’s goalkeeper Kill Keshwar for a 1-0 lead.

Kirby netted her third goal of the campaign while being assisted

by Theirault and Carragher, who each got their sixth assist of the year in the process.

Five minutes later, the Meghan Thierault show began on Lessing Field, as the Palmer, Mass. native netted her ninth goal of the campaign thanks to an interception from forward Elle Scott ‘24 as she intercepted a goal kick. The Ashby, Mass. native then found her fellow Bay State companion downfield, who fired one through to give the Stags a 2-0 lead.

The show did not stop there, as Thierault scored again four minutes later at the 67th-minute mark, as Scott passed the ball

over to midfielder Reagan Klarmann ‘25, who found Thierault who then ran down the ball by trouncing Keshwar to obtain her conference-leading tenth goal on the campaign. This was the first time in Thierault’s career that she hit double digits in goals.

That was all she wrote, as the Stags secured the shutout in frigid conditions at Lessing Field.

Without the spectacular efforts of goaltender Katie Wright ‘26, no shutout would have likely materialized. The Sutton, Mass. native stopped five huge shots and became a thorn in the Mountaineers' side in the process. The biggest save of the night came on a penalty kick at the 78th-minute mark, making a huge save that effectively put the nail in the coffin. This was her seventh shutout of the season and the 11th of her collegiate career, placing her seventh on the all-time program list.

With the win, the Stags made their first MAAC championship appearance in four years, along with the tenth in program history. Head coach David Barrett was very pleased with his team’s effort.

"We're obviously pleased to get the result," said head coach David Barrett, after gaining the pass to his second MAAC Championship match, according to the game’s official press release. "I thought we were a little conservative with our possession in the first half. In the second half, we were more dangerous and put them on their heels more. We were effective enough

Photo Contributed by the Sports Information Desk

The Fairfield University women's soccer team fell short against Qunnipiac University in the MAAC Championship this past Sunday, Nov. 5. in the second half, we had some good finishes. We're pleased to be moving on."

Three days later, on Nov. 5, the Stags played in the MAAC championship game against the Quinnipiac University Bobcats.

Even though the herd put in a spirited effort against a 13-win program, the Stags fell short, 1-0.

In a game that was all about defense, the Bobcats scored 49 seconds into the match off of a corner kick that found MAAC Golden Boot awardwinner Courtney Chochol to give

Quinnipiac a 1-0 advantage. This became the only scoring action on the day, as the scoresheet remained unchanged for the rest of the game.

Even though Fairfield fell short, they still managed to keep the Quinnipiac offense in check.

Those efforts were led by the brilliant efforts of goaltender Wright. The Sutton, Mass. native made three saves on the day, but also set the tone for the rest of the unit in front of her, as the defense frustrated the Bobcats with takeaways and being in a

The Weekly 5x4

solid position to make plays.

The squad got outshot 13-10, the first time the team had been all season.

On offense, Theriault led the pack with four shots, while Scott had two more, making a solid push but failing to get anything past the Quinnipiac defensive force.

The Stags conclude their season with a 10-6-4 mark, including a 7-2-1 pact in MAAC play. For information surrounding the women’s soccer team, please visit fairfieldstags.com.

Five People. Four Questions. Because we have witty things to say.

Tommy Coppola Editor-in-Chief

Brooke Lathe Executive Editor

Max Limric Managing Editor

Julian Nazario Copy, Head News Editor

Liz Morin Opinion Editor

Any tips for underclassman registration?

Make a bunch of plans.

If you aren’t prepared, you aren’t ready.

Double-check the enrollment the day before.

I always planned classes that were filled from the previous round.

No. All of my registrations have gone seamlessly. Knock on wood.

Have like 5 plans and then redo them the night before…ALWAYS HAVE BACKUPS.

I’ve always been lucky with registration, but I would say make multiple plans.

What team do you think Shohei Ohtani ends up on?

I think he could succeed as a Yankee, but I don’t know for sure.

Who?

Is this baseball?

What happened to him?

I have no idea who that is.

What is your favorite fast food place?

I know the Taco Bell menu like the back of my hand.

My Asiago Ranch Chicken Club sandwich with no cheese at Wendy’s never fails me.

Does Chipotle count? If not, Wendy’s.

Five Guys hits hard.

The Starbucks Barista knows my name now so I’d have to say Starbucks.

How is OG Fortnite?

It feels like 2017 again and I couldn’t be happier.

Fortnite is for 12-yearolds and below. I said what I said.

I can’t wait to play with my sista over Thanksgiving.

I don’t play it, but my roommate is enjoying it (maybe too much!)

My siblings wanted to play it together but I didn’t know how to download it.

Sports

Page 15

THE MIRROR | Week of November 8, 2023

Volleyball Honors Seniors Before Sweeping Conference Foes

By Danny McElroy Contributing Writer The Fairfield University women’s volleyball team put together another week-long sweep in their final homestand of the regular season with wins over Manhattan College, Siena College and Marist College.

The trio of victories puts the Stags one game ahead of Quinnipiac University atop the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MA AC) standings and secures a first-round bye in the conference tournament, which will be held at Leo D. Mahoney Arena from Nov. 17-19.

The week began with a Wednesday night match against Manhattan. Paced by a terrific ten-kill, four-block outing from right-side hitter Mamie Krubally ‘27, the Stags coasted to a

relatively stress-free 3-0 win over the Jaspers.

Supplementing Krubally’s performance was a team-wide defensive showing that held Manhattan to 9.9% hitting, and a combined total of eight service aces, matching the Stags’ season high in a three-set match.

“Everything started from our serve tonight,” said head coach Nancy Somera in a press release after the game. “Manhattan runs a very good offense, but our serve had them out of system and helped us stay organized defensively.”

Both setter Abby Jandro ‘26 and outside hitter Svenja Rodenbüsch ‘25 had three aces to lead the way. Outside hitter Allie Elliott ‘26 finished second on the team in kills behind Krubally with eight.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, the

Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk

Senior Kyla Berg secured her fourth MAAC Libero of the Week of 2023, which is her sixth throughout her career.

Stags took down Siena in a dominating 3-0 win, including back-to-back 25-9 victories in the second and third set.

Krubally and Elliott again

Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk

The Stags volleyball team celebrated seniors Kyla Berg and Noelle Carey along with graduate student Elle Shult.

led the offense with 10 and nine kills, respectively, and Fairfield showed out with another suffocating defensive display, limiting the Saints to a mere .044 hitting percentage.

Saturday was also Senior Day for the Stags, who celebrated the careers of liberos Kyla Berg ‘24 and Noelle Carey ‘24, as well as middle blocker Elle Shult ‘24, all three of whom will be graduating after this season. Coach Somera, who is in her first year at the helm for the Stags, credited the leadership of the seniors as a major factor in the team’s success this season.

“Our seniors have been so crucial with the maturity and experience they bring to our team,” she said in an interview with the Mirror. “For all that they do on the volleyball court, I know that there’s also so much they do as leaders outside of our gym that makes us a better team.”

Shult returned to the floor for the first time since Oct. 1 as part of the festivities and tallied

three kills and three blocks.

Lastly, on Sunday, Nov. 5, the Stags took down Marist in a competitive 3-1 affair, avenging their 3-2 loss at the hands of the Red Foxes earlier in the season.

Outside hitter Mikayla Haut ‘25 led the way with 12 kills, and setter Blakely Montgomery ‘25 had a double-double with 38 assists and 15 digs.

On the defensive end, Krubally and middle blocker Maya Walker ‘26 each had six blocks in the contest.

The Stags will take the week off before heading to the Garden State this weekend to close out the regular season schedule with matchups against Saint Peter’s and Rider University in Jersey City, N.J., and Lawrence, N.J., respectively. A win in either game will secure a share of Fairfield’s fifth consecutive regular season conference title.

Fairfield’s first serve against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks is scheduled to occur on Saturday, Nov. 11 at noon.

Field Hockey Falls Short Against Wagner to Conclude Dominant Season

By Ryan MArquardt Head Sports Editor On Friday, Nov. 3, the Fairfield University field hockey

team traveled to Staten Island, N.Y. to take on Wagner College in the Northeast Conference (NEC) semifinal game. The Stags just couldn’t overcome their

three-goal deficit through the first three quarters, losing the game and ending their season.

The Stags previously played Wagner on Oct. 13, where they

Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk

Junior Augustina Casteluchi slotted in the Stags' only goal against Wagner, who they played in the NEC Semifinal game.

won 2-1.

Wagner was able to score early with a flurry of offense.

Wagner found the back of the net two times in the first quarter of play on three shots. Their first goal came 10 minutes in off of a penalty corner and a tipped shot.

Just three minutes later, they scored on a breakaway to take the commanding 2-0 lead.

The second quarter saw one shot, which came from the Stags but they were not able to score.

The teams went into half at 2-0.

The third quarter saw Wagner extend their lead to a commanding 3-0 advantage after an opportunity created off a penalty corner.

The Stags only managed three shots through the first three quarters, but they were able to open up the scoring opportunities in the final frame of play.

The Stags turned it up, getting seven shots off and scoring one while not allowing Wagner any in the fourth quarter. The only one to find the back of the net came from the Stags' first penalty corner of the game. Graduate student Frances Mirabile sent the ball into play, which was followed by Carmel Van Dijk ‘24, who passed it onto Augustina Casteluchi ‘25 who sent it past

the Wagner goalkeeper giving the Stags their first and only goal of the game.

The Stags kept fighting with multiple offensive opportunities in the final few minutes of play but were unable to finish. Wagner goalie Puck Schenk ended the game with five total saves, with three coming in the last three minutes of play and the Wagener defense was able to block two Fairfield shots.

The Stags ended the game with 10 total shots which doubled Wagner’s shots and had four corners to Wagner's three.

This loss ended the Stags' season with an overall record of 14-4, ending their regular season undefeated in conference play, going 7-0 before the loss to Wagner in the semi-finals. Lucie Vincent ‘27 led the Stags in points with 30, with her 13 goals and four assists on 55 shots. Following Vincent was Alex Senior ‘26 with 18 points on eight goals and two assists on 37 shots. Goaltender Payton Rahn ‘24 ended with 16 goals allowed and 57 saves giving her a 78.1% save percentage on the year. The Stags outscored their opponents 48-17 on the year and outshot their opponents 241-139.

@Fairfield Mirror fairfieldmirror.com

Week of November 8, 2023

Sports 16

Opinion: Ohtani, Bellinger Headline The Top MLB Free Agents in 2023

By Billy McGuire Assistant Sports Editor Another successful Major League Baseball season is in the books, as the Texas Rangers won the 2023 World Series over the Arizona Diamondbacks, their first title in franchise history.

With the conclusion of the World Series, we now head into hot-stove season, meaning that the storm that is free agency, along with trades, will soon begin to occur. Many of the game’s most talented players could potentially be on the move, including two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, who is expected to sign the richest contract in the history of the game. It will also be interesting to see what the San Diego Padres do with superstar outfielder Juan Soto, as he is in the last year of his contract before hitting free agency next winter. And the Padres are rumored to be trimming their payroll heading into the new campaign.

Here are my top five predictions for what will happen this offseason.

1. Shohei Ohtani signs with the Los Angeles Dodger s

Shohei Ohtani is arguably the most decorated player of this generation. The Japanese phenom is a force both on the mound and at the plate. Since joining the Los Angeles Angels from Japan in 2018, he has pitched to a 38-19 record with a 3.01 ER A, along with a .274 batting average with 171 long balls and 437 runs batted in (RBIs). For you stat nerds out there,

he has had a 19.4 wins above replacement (WAR) since entering the league in 2018.

Ohtani is in line to secure a contract that could net him around $500 million.

He is a golden jewel that can make any team better. Every team that has the cash balance will no doubt make a run at him.

There are some concerns with the Japanese star’s health, however. He is not in line to pitch in 2024 after injuring his elbow. He did not play in any games in September after the Angels collapsed and fell out of the playoff picture. So with severe limitations coming into next season, there are questions surrounding whether or not he’ll keep up his torrid pace once he makes a full recovery.

Ohtani also has made it clear that he wants to remain on the West Coast, in order to remain closer to Japan. This means teams such as the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Boston Red Sox are effectively eliminated from the bidding.

Ohtani does have a plethora of teams to choose from, including the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and the Angels.

The Angels are in dire straits after collapsing last season, with a farm system that is also in horrific shape. Ohtani has signaled that the chances of returning to Anaheim are slim. This leaves the remaining West Coast teams in the running.

Ultimately, Ohtani will remain in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area but will be trading in the Halo Red for Dodger Blue, securing a long-term 10-year, $500 million contract in the process.

Photo Courtesy of @cody_bellinger Instagram

Outfielder Cody Bellinger is in line for a huge payday after a successful campaign with the Chicago Cubs.

Photo Courtesy of @shoheiohtani Instagram

Free agent and two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani is in command to make up to $500 million in free agency this winter.

Service (NLCS) appearance the year prior, as well as possessing the superpower 2. Cody Bellinger signs talents of third baseman Manny Machado, a 12-y ear, $250 million right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., shortstop contr act with the San Xander Bogaerts, and Soto in the middle Fr ancisco Giants of the lineup.

The San Francisco Giants have had The Padres want to trim payroll after very poor luck when it comes to securing this season, and with Machado, Tatis, and top free agents in recent years. Last seaBogaerts locked up long-term, Soto is the son, they nearly signed New York Yankees odd man out. He is due for free agency in outfielder Aaron Judge, before the Bay a year, and if the Padres want to secure Area native bowed at the eleventh hour a return, they need to do it this winter. to return to New York. They also came Some of the teams in the running for Soto close to landing all-star shortstop Carlos include the Yankees, Mets, Cubs and Red Correa from the Minnesota Twins, before Sox, but I believe there is one team that they raised concerns about his knee, could make a splash for him that not too which in turn led him to verbally agree to many people are talking about. a deal with the New York Mets before they And that team is the Seattle Mariners. also had concerns about his knee, which I might get some f lak for this one, then led him back to Minnesota on a new especially since they may not have the six-year pact. necessary financial resources to secure Ohtani most likely is going to Chavez the stud long-term, as well as having Ravine, and the Giants for sure are goyoung guns Julio Rodriguez and Jarred ing to go after any of the top remaining Kelenic manning the outfield. I believe position players available, especially after the Mariners can take that big step forbeing spurned last offseason by Judge and ward with Soto, and the dynamic duo of Correa and with their hated rivals signing Soto and the young buck Rodriguez can the best player in the game. Bellinger fits be a thorn in their fellow AL West foes' the bill. He fills a much-needed void in side for years to come. the team’s outfield and he can slot in at How will the M’s make this deal center field. He can also play in any of the work? They can start with Kelenic, who corner spots as well as first base if called can easily replace Soto in San Diego at upon. He brings a gold glove, as well as a cheaper price as well as longer team some much-needed consistent hitting to control, and they can also part with two the table, batting .307 with 26 home runs of their top prospects in the MLB top 100 and 97 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last prospects list, catcher Harry Ford and offseason. outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez. Throw in a Bellinger also has a relationship with couple more minor-league or MLB-depth team president of baseball operations pieces and make it a deal.

Farhan Zaidi, who crossed paths with The Mariners should also find a way Bellinger when he was general manager to make this work. They haven’t been of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The familiarafraid to spend in the past, with them ity with the front office, the filling of the stealing Robinson Cano from the New team’s center field position and an impact York Yankees a decade ago, and pouring bat in the middle of the order, as well as money into their starting rotation nowabeing a West Coast guy himself, makes days with pieces such as Luis Castillo and the Giants an intriguing fit for Bellinger.

Robbie Ray locked up long-term.

If Seattle wants to be in the same 3. Juan Soto tr aded to class as their divisional rivals like the the Seattle Mar iner s in a Houston Astros and the Rangers, they stunning tur n of events have a major opportunity with premier The San Diego Padres were an talent on their hands. unmitigated disaster last season. They Read full article at finished the season 82-80 despite comwww.fairfieldmirror.com ing off a National League Championship