Dec. 7, 2016

The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

Volume XCV | Est. 1929 | www.sjuhawknews.com

Dec. 7, 2016

Learning outside of the box

Summer Scholars opens applications to allow students and faculty to collaborate SAM HENRY ’19 Assistant News Editor The Summer Scholars Program at Saint Joseph’s University allows undergraduate students of both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Haub School of Business the opportunity to conduct independent research with a faculty mentor on the subject of the student’s choosing.

The program, which runs from late May through early August, has formally been in place at St. Joe’s for the past 10 years. It stemmed from research activities that revolved around the natural sciences. In 2005, University Administration committed nearly $100,000 in additional funding to provide positions for students throughout the university.

“It is a great opportunity to work oneon-one with a faculty member that you haven’t experienced that is very different from what you have in the classroom,” said Jean M. Smolen, Ph.D., associate Dean of Math, Natural Sciences, and Computer Science.

“So you get the experience, the benefit, of a faculty member’s expertise, you get to

work on one thing full-time, and you also, depending on what you are doing, get to interact with other students that are participating.”

In addition to a recommendation from your proposed mentor, the application process entails drafting a one to two page proposal of your research with the faculty member who you have chosen to work with. Faculty members who have volunteered to be mentors for the program can be found on the program website.

“If a student does want to work with a faculty member who is not listed, I would encourage them to still speak with that person,” Smolen said. “Sometimes faculty have said to me, ‘Oh you know I didn’t sign up to volunteer, but a student approached me and I want to work.’ And that’s OK, we are flexible as far as that goes.”

While students often conduct research that pairs with their major, students are able to choose any department and subject matter that interests them.

University President Mark C. Reed listens to students present their findings.

Students present their research from Summer Scholars (Photos courtsey of Melissa Kelly).

Eric Adjei-danquah, ’17, a biology major, participated in the program following his freshman year researching how socioeconomic differences and philosophical value systems are perceived to create differences within the black community, working with Brian Yates, Ph.D., assistant professor of history.

“I chose history because it was something different...It’s something that I enjoy but I didn’t really get a chance to do throughout my undergrad process because I was so focused on bio,” Adjei-danquah said. “So I chose to do history because I enjoyed it and my project was something that was really close to me.”

Adjei-danquah chose to participate in Summer Scholars because he would be able to control and direct his research.

“You can pick and choose how you want to learn, which way you want to learn, and sort of what you want to learn even though you are studying comprehensively, then tailoring that to a really specific project,” Adjei-danquah said. “I really enjoyed that.”

Students who are chosen to participate

in the program receive a stipend of $3,200 and are offered a reduced cost of housing at $500.

Further, participants are required to attend Celebration of Student Achievement Day, which is held in the spring, and a Summer Scholars Dinner where students are able to present their work. This past year’s dinner was held on Nov. 15.

“One of my favorite things is the dinner that we have in the fall and it’s because a lot of times parents and other family members will come to the dinner and also to the poster session that we have before the dinner, so they get to see what their sons or daughters are working on,” Smolen said. “It is sort of a culmination of all of the work that everyone’s done; people have finished products, mentors attend, and it is a nice way to recognize the hard work that everybody did and also to recognize the donors that contribute to the program.”

The applications for summer 2017 opened on Nov. 21 and will remain open until Feb. 6, 2017.

Reed signs letter to protect undocumented students St. Joe’s joins 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in solidarity

ANA FAGUY ’19 News Editor The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) released a statement on Nov. 30 in protection of undocumented students. Of the 28 presidents from Jesuit colleges and universities, 27 signed the letter, including Saint Joseph’s University President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D. Reed, on behalf of St. Joe’s, also signed two other statements: One was released by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) and another was released by Pomona College, at the end of November 2016.

“I felt it important to join in solidarity with our fellow Jesuit colleges and universities, particularly those with larger or significant numbers of undocumented students,”

Reed said. “It is important to note that this is not a ‘new’ issue for Jesuit colleges and universities, nor for Catholic colleges and universities more broadly.”

The central office leadership of the AJCU communicated with all of the Jesuit institutions regarding an opportunity for discussion via conference call, as well as individual conversations among college and university presidents, according to Reed.

The statement created by Pomona College supported both the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and undocumented immigrant students. As of Dec. 2, more than 450 colleges and universities across the country have signed the statement agreeing to meet with U.S. leaders, according to Pomona College’s website.

According to U.S. citizenship and immigration services, the Secretary of Home-

land Security announced in 2012 that certain people who came to the U.S. as children and meet several guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal.

“They are also eligible for work authorization,” the statement continues. “Deferred action is a use of prosecutorial discretion to defer removal action against an individual for a certain period of time. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.”

Campus ministry is a safe place for undocumented students, according to Thomas Sheibley, director of Campus Ministry.

“Children who came here with their parents as undocumented immigrants have an opportunity under DACA to be out of the shadows, to pursue education,” Sheibley said. “They have been invited by our government to be more of a part of

our society in that way. To either undo that from people who are benefiting from it or to deny that same opportunity from other young people in the future who are in a similar situation I just think ethically it is the wrong thing to do.”

There are less than a dozen undocumented students at St. Joe’s, according to Joe Lunardi, vice president of Marketing and Communication. Reed said he strongly believes the decision of a president to sign statements should not be a quick or a common one.

“It [signing statements] should be done sparingly,” Reed said. “With the recent statements, I concluded endorsing them was appropriate and consistent with our Jesuit mission and Catholic identity and was time-sensitive. These are not partisan political statements, nor do they advocate in any way for not following the laws of our country.”

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News

Dec. 7, 2016

Department of Public Safety reports (Nov. 25 - Nov. 30)

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ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

Nov. 25

Nov. 28

No incidents to report.

No incidents to report.

Nov. 26

Nov. 29

No incidents to report.

No incidents to report.

Nov. 27

Nov. 30

Public Safety was notified of a power outage in Moore Hall, the Morris Quad Townhouses and Ashwood Apartments. Public Safety officers responded, along with Facilities Management and PECO. Power was soon restored without incident.

On campus

Off campus

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DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

Public Safety was notified by The Office of Residence Life in regard to a suspicious person asking for money near the Rashford Hall parking lot. Public Safety Officers responded, but were unable to locate the individual.

On campus

Off campus

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

Policies to be reviewed St. Joe’s administration discusses updates in Student Handbook Graphic by Luke Malanga, '20

ASHLEY CAPPETTA ’17 Copy Chief This is part two of an ongoing investigation into the Saint Joseph’s University Student Handbook.

The Saint Joseph’s University 2016-2017 Student Handbook, effective June 22, 2016, was distributed online to the student body, staff, and faculty. It is signed, or acknowledged, by the student body electronically, when students log into The Nest at the beginning of the fall semester.

In order to have access to The Nest, Saint Joseph’s students are required to sign the Student Handbook prior to beginning the academic year. Regardless of whether the students have read the policies in-depth or not, the student body is expected to be aware and to adhere to the policies.

“You acknowledge it [the Student Handbook] when you log on during the beginning of the semester, and you understand that you are responsible for its policies,” said Cary Anderson, Ed.D., vice president of Student Life and associate provost.

The Student Handbook is reviewed annually, according to Anderson.

“Every summer, there’s a review of the policies,” Anderson said. “Generally speaking, there’s not really any wholesale changes to things. Through the years, if there’s laws that change—around Title IX, for example—there’s always new things coming out [to update in the Handbook] to make sure we are in compliance with the law. There’s updates made to these types of things.”

St. Joe’s also communicates with neighboring schools in order to better address policy, according to Anderson.

“What I do is consult with other vice presidents at other area schools or Jesuit network[s] to talk about what their policies

are and try to understand that,” Anderson said. “There are a lot of webinars that different organizations put on about various areas—kind of specialty areas. So, we view those over the year to see what other people are doing and [what the] best practices are, either compliance or case laws.”

Two different kinds of policies exist in the Student Handbook: Student Life policies and University Council policies. Student Life policies are developed by The Office of Student Life, while University Council policies are owned by the University Council, according to Anderson.

“We have policies that Student Life does, just on its own,” said Anderson. “And then there’s ones that go through University Council. Those [University Council policies] are for implications across a broader swath of the university. And it may or may not be part of specific students, it may affect other people."

Policies that fall under the scope of University Council have a different, more time-consuming process of review than that of Student Life.

“The University Council process— [and] changing the policy through that process—is not as nimble to change things…

The University Council policies are owned

by University Council, and any changes to those policies need to go through University Council,” Anderson said.

The University Council, according to the Student Handbook, “is the main body for policy formation at the university.”

Anderson said the University Council is comprised of several committees.

“In terms of University Council, there are two committees, sub-committees of the University Council, undergraduate students, and one is adult, graduate students, and there are representatives who are on those committees,” Anderson said. “And if

and when those meet, then that’s the time for student input on those policies.”

When asked to comment on which policies are vetted by University Council, Dawn Burdsall, M.B.A., assistant provost for Operations, said in an emailed statement, “Any policies that are in the Student Handbook that were approved by the University Council are designated as such in the handbook.

(Example: Academic Dishonesty Policy on p. 34 of the 2016-17 Student Handbook).”

Other policies approved by the University Council, according to the Student Handbook, include Community Standards policies, the Policy on AIDS, and the Sexual Activity Policy, among others.

This summer, according to Anderson, Student Life decided to look at the policies attributed to the University Council.

“I, with the associate vice presidents, decided that this was the time we were going to look at all the University Council policies. [We decided that] we would update those and then put the ones that needed to go through the University Council through the University Council in that particular piece… Quite honestly, a lot of the policies have sat there for quite a while, and again [this summer] we decided it was time to kind of look at those things.”

Policies added to the Student Handbook in August 2015 include the new Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation, as well as the new Sexual Misconduct Policy, according to Anderson, which were updated for and reflected in the 2015-2016 Student Handbook, with an email notification sent out to all students.

Further, an addition of Pregnancy and Genetic Info to the Discrimination Policy per Federal Guideline, according to Anderson, was reflected in the 2015-2016 Student Handbook. This update was added on Dec. 4, 2015, without a notification sent to stu-

dents.

Currently, there are a few aspects of the Handbook that are in the process of revision.

“I can say that the Sexual Activity Policy, we started looking at that and I’ve been having conversations with folks about that since the summer,” Anderson said. “So, this was one of the ones that was identified early on as a policy to look at, and that’s a University Council policy. So...all of those are in play right now, where they will end up I don’t know at this point.”

In terms of reviewing specific language, Anderson said that the Handbook is addressing gender inclusivity by focusing on gender-specific pronouns.

“We’re going through the Handbook right now and we’re taking out gender specific pronouns, and that kind of thing…

The movement to make the language more gender inclusive is absolutely something I would like to move forward with.”

Striking a balance, though, according to Anderson, is Student Life’s mission.

“A student need [and] a student definition of diversity and my need and my definition… Have different views,” Anderson said.

“So, it’s incumbent of the Office of Student Life and my position, to take all of those interests in these different things and try to find a balance in all of that.”

The Student Handbook, in all of its facets, according to Anderson, reflects the university’s Jesuit ideals. Anderson said that finding that balance, while keeping students’ needs apparent in the Handbook, is integral to fostering inclusivity.

“A lot of these policies reflect the context of the institution," Anderson said.

"Again, finding that balance… Is there room for improvement? Absolutely.”

News

Dec. 7, 2016

3

The making of a Trump administration Since his election, Donald Trump has been building his presidential cabinet; over the coming weeks, more choices will be announced. Here is the most updated version of his team:

Graphic by Luke Malanga ’20

Data compiled from The New York Times as of Dec. 5

Sharing his story

Leslie Schwartz, Holocaust survivior, speaks to St. Joe’s SAMANTHA HORTON ’18 Special to The Hawk On a cold and rainy day in May 1944, 437,402 Hungarian-Jews were taken to Auschwitz concentration camp in southern Poland. After this five-day, brutal journey to the camp in cattle wagons, Leslie Schwartz found himself standing in the selection line.

Schwartz is the only survivor out of his immediate family, and eventually ended up in Auschwitz. Auschwitz Concentration Camp had 1,095,000 Jews deported, of which 960,000 died. After being in Auschwitz for 10 days, he was then sent to Dachau in southern Germany to work on the railroad.

Schwartz, 86, came to Saint Joseph’s University on Nov. 29 to share stories from his time at Auschwitz and Dachau.

“When I arrived [in the United States] after the war, my uncle and my cousins said to me ‘Please do not talk about your past anymore. You are now living in the United States,” Schwartz said. “I never spoke until 2007.”

After 65 years of silence, he finally decided to share his story with the public.

Schwartz embraced his past and travelled back to Auschwitz, Dachau, and Poing where he once fought for his life. By traveling, he decided he no longer wanted to stay silent. Instead, he wanted to share his story and allow people to learn from the past.

Since 2007, Schwartz has spoken at 1,000 high schools.

“I am telling my story and I try to make it a point of how important it is to love each other,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz worked closely with Melissa Chakars, Ph.D., associate professor of history, to coordinate this event.

Chakars hopes that students were able to learn something from this event and reflect on what has happened in the past in order to move on into the future.

“We need to think about forgiveness and how we can prevent these things from ever happening again,” Chakars said.

“What I want students to get out of this is that there were horrible things that happened in the past, and that these stories need to be told,” Chakars said. “There are moments of humanity that we need to retain.”

Students first watched 20 minutes of Schwartz’s documentary “The Muhldorf Train of Death,” and then participated in a question and answer session with Schwartz.

Questions ranged from what his experiences were to his feelings about what is happening in the world today.

Brian Gallagher, ’18, was one of the many students who attended the event.

“I think it is incredibly important to maintain this living memory of the Holocaust,” Gallagher said. “The whole motif is to maintain this idea that it shouldn’t happen again.”

Students were not the only ones who attended the event; professors, alumni, and many others came out to hear what Schwartz had to say about his experiences.

Carol Anderson, a friend of an alumni, explained what she hoped to learn from the event. “[I wanted to know] how they were able to live the rest of their life; how do you come out from that and find hope and optimism?”

Anderson said.

CHARLEY RECKSTIS ’20 Hawk Staff Some of the main topics that came up in the discussion were the concepts of determination and a positive mindset. Schwartz explained to the students how it was determination that got him through the horrible times at Auschwitz and Dachau.

“I was a 14-year-old child who endured and suffered so much,” he said. “We had a false liberation and I was starved and I ran to a community where this woman gave me some milk and a piece of bread and suddenly I hear somebody screaming ‘Hands up!’. I

thought, ‘I lived through all of these horrible times and now I have to die.’ I started running and he shot me and the bullet went through my neck and went out of my cheek.”

When lying on the ground after being shot, Schwartz had a choice: of staying on the ground and being shot again, or getting up and continuing on. He chose the latter.

“Those who are fit survive, and those who aren’t just fade away,” Schwartz said.

Leslie Schwartz answers student questions after sharing his story. (Photos by Luke Malanga, ’20)

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News

Dec. 7, 2016

Defining boundaries

Taking a closer look at St. Joe's Clery Act sexual assault statistics ANGELA CHRISTALDI ’17 Managing Editor

According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), 23.1 percent of female college students and 5.4 percent of male college students will experience sexual assault during their four years of undergraduate education.

The Clery Act, a national law to prevent campus crime, mandates that all colleges and universities report the statistics of campus crime, including sexual assault and rape.

The report is released annually on Oct. 1 of the following year by colleges and universities nationwide.

According to Kiersten White, Ph.D., assistant vice president for Student Life, the Clery Act consists of three locations universities must report.

“The Clery Act focuses on reporting of campus crime statistics in very specific geographic categories,” White said. “There are four categories, one is a subset of another: On-campus (a subset of that is residence halls), non-campus [university-owned buildings that are not on main campus], and public property. So there are four very specific geographic locations defined by the Clery Act; institutions then look at the definitions of those geographic locations, and apply it to their own campuses.”

Saint Joseph’s University’s Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report (the university’s annual report of its Clery statistics) states that, during the 2015 calendar year, two instances of rape occurred in on-campus housing, one instance of fondling occurred on-campus, one instance of dating violence occurred in on-campus housing, and four incidents of stalking occurred on-campus (three occurred on-campus, and one in on-campus housing).

The Clery Handbook, available through the Clery Center to aid universities in figuring out their geographic boundaries for reporting, defines public property as, “all public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities, that is within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.”

The Handbook requires campuses to report crimes committed on the road that

is immediately adjacent to campus, as well as the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road.

“What that leaves out is our typical off-campus houses and apartments where students reside,” White said. “So that off-campus geographic location is not always captured in the Clery Act statistics.

So, public property captures some of that, but that’s really talking about what’s around campus, not necessarily Manayunk or Roxborough or 63rd St.” The geographic parameters of the Clery Act mean that incidents that occur in areas where students typically live - for example, on 63rd Street, in Manayunk, or even just a few blocks from campus - are not included in the annual report.

The Clery Act, signed in 1990, is named for Jeanne Clery, a student of Lehigh University who was raped and murdered in 1986 by a fellow student who she didn’t know. The act, which resulted from efforts by her family, is enforced by the Department of Education, and covers campus crimes, including liquor law violations and more violent crimes like murder, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

However, since the geographic locations are so strictly defined by the law that means that, as a result of the strict definitions of the Clery Act, some instances of assault or rape that do occur are not listed in the report.

“You see the [statistics], and say, ‘Wait, there must be more [incidents],’ and there are, typically, because it’s not in that area that Clery defines,” White said. “There are more reports; we may receive a report of a sexual assault that happens in an off-campus house or somewhere not defined by Clery.”

Mary-Elaine Perry, Ph.D., Title IX coordinator and assistant vice president for Student Development, echoed White’s statement, saying that instances of sexual assault or rape occur off-campus, and are, therefore, not covered under the parameters of the Clery Act. “The other piece of it is, a lot of students don’t report,” Perry said. “Maybe they don’t know who the person is that assaulted them,

or maybe they do know, and they don’t want to get that person in trouble, and I’ve heard that many times, ‘I don’t want to get him in trouble.’ More often than not, it will be a male perpetrator.”

According to RAINN, only 20 percent of female student survivors of sexual assault report incidents of assault to law enforcement. The organization states that the remaining 80 percent of women do not report sexual assault for several reasons, including the belief that police would not or could not help, the belief that the incident was “not important enough” to report, or, as Perry said, the desire not to get the perpetrator in trouble.

White also stated that the United States Department of Education, in conjunction with the Clery Act, is very clear about what should and shouldn’t be included in colleges’ and universities’ annual reports.

“They’re clear about not adding those numbers [of off-campus incidents] into your Clery report, because that’s not how the law is defined,” White said. “Adding different reports into those numbers can confuse people.

And so, really, the annual security report is in place to help people become aware. It’s an educational opportunity, and the last thing we want to do is conflate some of that information.”

Abigail Boyer, M.S., is the associate director of programs at the Clery Center, located in Wayne, Pa. She said that the Clery Center trains institutions in order to avoid mis-reporting data, and that one of the organization’s primary goals is to help institutions create environments in which people would feel comfortable reporting incidents.

She said that some of the challenges that may lead to misreporting include a lack of training for responsible employees, or a misunderstanding of what incidents must be reported.

“The Department of Education enforces the Clery Act,” Boyer said. “If the Department finds an institution to be out of compliance, there can be fines of up to $35,000 per violation.”

Boyer said that as a result of the Clery

Center’s training, it is less likely that institutions will misreport data. According to Boyer, it is the Clery Center’s hope that this training will help survivors feel more comfortable reporting incidents to campus authorities. The training includes discussion of the restrictions of the Clery Act, and provides institutions with resources to help survivors.

“A survivor may not want others to know about their experience, or have concerns or confusion about what to expect when reporting to police or to a campus official,” Boyer said. “Sometimes they may not know that certain reporting options even exist, so it's important for institutions to proactively communicate about the resources and reporting options available to survivors on campus.”

Perry stated that there are still options for survivors who choose not to report the incidents to authorities. Aid can still be provided to survivors by several campus organizations, including the Rape Education and Prevention Program (REPP) and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

“The counselling center is completely confidential,” Perry said. “They can certainly take advantage of what we offer to all students; they can contact REPP and get assistance through REPP by working with Dr. Bergen [Raquel Kennedy Bergen, Ph.D., sociology professor and director of gender studies], they can certainly work with the counselling center, and there are community resources as well.”

Perry listed the benefits to reporting an incident, many of which include support from the university. She said that, if there is knowledge of the incident, accommodations can be made to ensure that the survivor does not have to interact with the perpetrator, whether that includes having someone switch classes or residence halls, or placing contact restrictions.

These accommodations are available to all students who report incidents, regardless of whether or not the student decides to pursue a case against the offender.

Graphic by Krista Jaworski, '17

Opinions

Dec. 7, 2016

5

Editorial: 2016 to 2017 The Hawk Staff reflects

Before we know it, December is going to wrap up like a gift box with fancy wrapping paper and a sparkly ribbon. The Hawk Staff is also winding down and signing off for 2016— a year with plenty of ups and downs— which has us feeling both nostalgic and ready to move forward. This January, when we all return to Hawk Hill, a new staff will be taking over. To say goodbye, we decided to do some reflection to recap our memories; specifically, what our most memorable moments were in 2016, and what we’re looking forward to in the new year.

What was your favorite memory of “The 26 Mondays I got to stay up late with this amazing staff.”

What are you looking forward to in Molly Grab ’17

“Having time for roommate family dinners.”

Editor in Chief

“Spending a crazy amount of time with–and traveling with--my favorite people, aka the Hawk staff.”

Angela Christaldi ’17

“My favorite moment of 2016 was gaining a fantastic addition to my Phi Sigma Pi family: my wonderful Little, Kiera Kelly, ’19!”

Ashley Cappetta ’17

“I’ll always remember becoming closer with The Hawk Editorial Board during our conference trip to D.C. Love you all!”

Julia Le ’19

“A few days after Nov. 8, when some journalism students said to me, we have lots of work to do, but we got this.”

Managing Editor Copy Chief

Business Manager

“I’m looking forward to the Spring Concert–hopefully it’s someone good. Not that anyone will beat Panic! at the Disco.”

“One moment that I am looking forward to in 2017 is dropping PSP (kidding).”

“I’ll be relocating for co-op next semester and then hopefully studying abroad next fall, so I’m looking forward to each change!”

Shenid Bhayroo

“Graduation day! When I have the privilege of watching proud new graduates receive their diplomas, and get ready to make the world a better place.”

Jenny Spinner Contributing Adviser

“I’ve been buying diapers for 14 years. I would like to stop buying diapers in 2017. And also finish a book I’ve been working on for 14 years. More books! Fewer diapers!”

“Welcoming the Class of 2020 to Hawk Hill during orientation this summer is something I will never forget.”

Ana Faguy ’19

“I’m looking forward to going abroad during the fall semester.”

“Going to the Associated Collegiate Press Conference in Washington, D.C. and getting to know everybody on The Hawk staff even better.”

Sam Henry ’19

“I am really looking forward to taking a class on privacy and surveillance in the digital era!”

“Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!”

Faculty Adviser

News Editor

Assistant News Editor

“Singing Bohemian Rhapsody at the top of my lungs with Brendon Urie and all of my friends at Spring Concert.”

Maria Spirk ’17

“I cannot wait until St. Joe’s Women’s Ultimate starts back up and we enter our inaugural tournament.”

“Watching my plane take flight from JFK to start a new adventure this past May and learning to be a #globalhawk.”

Victoria Tralies ’18

“Finally learning to find peace with the unknown and the beauty of serendipity.”

“My favorite moment of the year was each and every time I got to pet a dog on campus.”

Opinions Editor

Assistant Opinions Editor

Katie White ’17

“I’m looking forward to never having to take another business class ever again.”

“One moment that I will always remember from 2016 is experiencing my first MRT; but do I really remember it?”

Ciarra Bianculli ’17

“One moment that I am looking forward to in 2017 is student teaching at Neumann Goretti High School, where I’ll begin my journey to become the best teacher ever.”

“I’ll never forget our men’s basketball team winning the Atlantic 10 Championship!”

Nick Mandarano ’18

“Continuing to be the Sports Editor!”

“Going on Collegiate Challenge to El Paso, Texas was one of the most unforgettable experiences of 2016.”

Krista Jaworski ’17

“Next year I’m looking forward to interning at Philladelphia Magazine!”

“I will remember the nights I spent with my suitemates in Lafarge Hall.”

Lifestyle Editor

Assistant Lifestyle Editor Sports Editor

Creative Director

Joey Toczylowski ’19 Photo Editor

“A moment that I look forward to having in 2017 is being able to make new friends and build a stronger relationship with past friends.”

“One moment from 2016 that I will remember is performing in the SJU Theater Company’s musical ‘Carousel.’”

Caitlyn Sottile ’18

“One moment I am looking forward to in 2017 is my first day interning at 101.1 More FM.”

“Giving a presentation to the corporate executives at Wegmans Food Markets and being offered a position for after graduation as Management Trainee!”

Kristen Adams ’17

“I am looking forward to going on a family trip. I’m not sure where yet, but I love to travel!”

Abigail Gorman ’17

“I’m looking forward to my birthday, because it is stable and predictable unlike my future.”

“Singing the national anthem at one of the men’s basketball games last season!”

“I had a lot of fun seeing Panic! at the Disco play the spring concert. I had less fun running to the library afterward to write an assignment that was due the same night.”

Digital Media Manager Assistant Business Assistant Copy

Liz Krotulis ’17 Assistant Copy

“Getting to know my El Paso group for WIP 2017, and every conversation had with everyone on my Writing Center shift Thursday nights in the Post Learning Commons.”

Mark De Leon ’17

“One moment in 2016 that I’ll always remember was my first Friendsgiving.”

Vivian Milan ’18

As a comedian, breaking my foot playing rugby and becoming “peg leg girl” for my senior year.”

Brenna Ritzert ’17

Assistant Copy Assistant Copy

Distribution Manager

“I try to get to one men’s basketball game each season and in 2017 I hope to see SJU play (and beat) the University of Pennsylvania at the Palestra.”

“Looking forward to having a chair with pivoting armrests in The Hawk office, and (hopefully) not matching or coordinating outfits with anyone in my fraternity.”

“In 2017, I’m looking forward to new adventures with friends and seeing my friends that have been abroad during the fall semester.”

“I’m honestly looking forward to rehabbing my foot so I can run again.”

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Opinions

Dec. 7, 2016

Serving the soul Winter Immersion Program participant reflects on El Paso MARK DE LEON ’17 Assistant Copy I distinctly remember sitting on my cousin’s couch last Christmas. She asked me to talk about my impending service trip to the border that my dad mentioned to her earlier that day. I knew this conversation would be difficult because every time I wanted to talk to anyone about what my immersion trip was going to do and our intentions of going, it involved a lot of background explanation. Immersion trips are entirely different compared to other service trips. It is hard to pinpoint anything exactly except the fulfilling and frustrating feeling that comes along with returning.

Being on an immersion trip at St. Joe’s requires a great deal of commitment from the student in terms of money, time, and effort. Immersion trip groups meet every week during the fall semester and each trip costs, whether domestic or international, a considerable amount of money. However, I will argue that because of how much each student puts into their trip, they receive incredible insight and perspective into the human condition coming back to campus.

Every January, groups of St. Joe’s students embark on a trip to immerse themselves in new cultures and lifestyles in Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, the Gulf Coast, and El Paso, Texas. They utilize fall semester meetings to introduce themselves to the social justice issues that affect the communities that they will soon join. It is the program’s intention to have students enter their communities as humbled learners. Students are not there to save the community. In fact, it can be irritating to feel helpless when con-

fronted with the idea that the focus of the trip is to learn and connect, not to rebuild a school or clean the neighborhood. The trips are not meant to be what many consider poverty tourism, where visitors to an impoverished community are only there to witness the conditions firsthand, and use the experience to confirm their ideas of what it is like to be impoverished or live in a certain country.

True immersion involves an openness in heart and mind, a willingness to be vulnerable and be challenged by the ideas presented to the person. It involves reaching out and establishing communication with the people they talk to as their genuine self, contemplatively listening to the stories of experiences with poverty or the government. That sincerity is reciprocated and joyful moments can be witnessed in sharing a meal made together or playing soccer with kids after school. No one is treated as inferior but as companions that share the same journey. Relationships with the host organizations are forged in these small moments in a manner that donations and email communication cannot fully display.

Contextualizing issues, such as poverty and immigration, from both sides with a human face helps solidify a better understanding that statistics and news reports cannot fully convey. While these moments can be experienced at a local level, the reality of the distance, culture, and language barriers presented in each trip helps make the effort to reach true human encounter much more determined. There are no distractions

or lifelines to rely on except compassion and empathy for one another and the support and shared struggles of your group members. The limitations allow each person to be fully challenged to reflect on the day’s experiences and interactions. From the multiple interactions with Cristo Rey Lutheran community members, Border Patrol Agents, and detention center guards and prisoners during my week last year in El Paso, I was able to better understand that poverty and political unrest affects many aspects of the human condition, including the physical, emotional, governmental, and spiritual factors that are not so easy to grasp.

After a week of living simply and learning how these communities experience their joy and struggles, I feel enriched but also frustrated. Having direct interaction with the structural causes of social inequity and the shortsightedness that can disregard human dignity hurts. It is remarkably infuriating at times.

While we are able to learn so much and genuinely connect with community members, we then get to return to our lives of relative luxury. While it is important to gain appreciation of the blessings and fortunate opportunities we have, immersion trips do not end with that conclusion nor should any service trip. In the end, the trip-goers must grapple with the change that has happened, no matter how little it seems at the time.

Whether that change has impacted their lifestyle choices, a better way to see both sides of an issue, or the ability to be pushed completely out of one’s comfort zone, the

participant is inspired in some capacity. For some, it acts as a taste of working with others in solving social injustices and dedicating a year, even devoting a life, to service.

Perhaps it is an invitation to find how to better utilize the passions and gifts one has to benefit others in return. For me, going to El Paso directly led to me volunteering for Weekly Service at Lifting Up Camden’s Youth (LUCY) Outreach in Camden, where many of the after-school participants I get to know come from families that are impacted

by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). Immersion trips help make certain to humanity that separation, isolation, and willful ignorance should not influence decisions that affect the world.

So I wish the best of luck to all the Winter Immersion Programs trips setting off this January. This experience will ruin you in the most provocative and beautiful way. I am sorry for the difficult conversations with family members regarding what their donation to your airfare will cause. It cannot be avoided. I also apologize to anyone who will listen to a participant detail their experience come next semester for any exhaustive use of Ignatian Spirituality or Catholic Social Teaching buzzwords. I’ll be honest: it’s the toolset we have the easiest access to that can contextualize our week. Be patient with that participant because no Facebook album, Instagram post, souvenir, or gift will truly capture the impressive beauty of what life is like in the communities that we became a part of.

Make Christmas merry again Why people who don’t agree (with me) are completely wrong JULIAN LUTZ ’19 Hawk Staff We are living in a divided nation.

Wham!’s “Last Christmas” is a bad song. First of all, it is stained with the great sins of all ’80s music: cold, inhuman synthesizer and a random echo effect. Trendy at the time, these choices take away from every song they blight. Synthesizer ages the soundtracks of hundreds of classic movies. Meanwhile, random echo is why Leonard Cohen’s first recording of “Hallelujah” is so cruddy and unlistenable. “Last Christmas” gave both its heart. And the very next day, they gave it away.

And by the merry-stinking-way, “Last Christmas” is no “Hallelujah.” Its gloomy chord progressions and somber lyrics lump it with the most deplorable group of all—sad Christmas songs.

A familiar scene: You throw on a coat to run to the store and pick up peppermint bark chocolate. The supermarket radio lulls you with the ambient warmth of “White Christmas,” and then, Wham!—pun intended—you’re thinking about how a failed relationship can taint the happiest holiday.

Sad Christmas songs pop up when you least expect them, like boxed chocolates with mushy raspberry fillings.

I can’t understand how a rational person wouldn’t agree.

As a righteous man, I have always hated this song. Growing up, we had plenty to worry about. From paying for gifts to putting up the tree to chipping in on Christmas breakfast to putting out the annual tree fire, the holiday season brought more than enough stress. From

the first weekend in November to Dec. 26, radio music has served Philly the fuzzy and familiar, helping us through the holiday hell. We needed it. We needed warmth and understanding. We did not need musicians harping about their heartbreak.

The best Christmas songs are the ones that evoke good feelings, good memories, objectively perfect classics like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or “I Want a Hippopatus for Christmas.” Every experience I’ve had in life points to these songs being good, and “Last Christmas” being bad. It’s my deeply felt opinion, and really, isn’t that about the same thing as a fact anyway?

This is about more than Christmas music. If “Last Christmas” is a Christmas song, Christmas means nothing. If people can’t look at their own memories and tastes and come to the same conclusion as me, maybe there are just no such things as facts.

And I don’t want that! I want there to be facts. Specifically, I want there to be my facts.

Of course, there are bound to be different opinions. Most people other than me are wrong about most things. Maybe, if you see it my way, that’s true for you too. Yes, we, the perpetually correct, must be understanding. Maybe our friends who actually like this song are just misguided. I have friends who root for the Dallas Cowboys, and friends who can, without hesitation, eat shrimp. They say it’s a difference in taste, a different interpretation, a different opinion.

But you and I? We know better. “Last Christmas” deserves to go.

Opinions

Dec. 7, 2016

7

the real truth about

Home is where the math is

REAL numbers SARAH COONEY ’17 Hawk Staff As I write this, I’m in the midst of graduate school applications. Amid the flurry of GREs, application fees, and personal statement revisions, it’s suddenly become all too real that next fall I could very easily be living halfway across the country. With that in mind, please forgive my sentimentality and slight deviation from strictly mathematical subject matter. It’s time to get a little nostalgic this week and reflect on what the idea of a home means to me.

I spent hours over several weeks sifting through hundreds of programs on the American Mathematical Society’s website, pouring over faculty research interests and statistics about gender diversity, to come up with a final list of about a dozen graduate schools to apply to. Much to my mom’s chagrin, the schools on my final list are dotted across the country, from east to west and north to south.

I grew up in a small, rural town in central Pennsylvania, in the house my parents moved into right after they got married, and where they still live today. My first major move took place early one Saturday morning in late August 2013, and brought me to Hawk Hill. Since then, I’ve also spent summers living in Maryland and Georgia to do research, and four months all the way across the pond studying abroad in Cork, Ireland.

Despite the fact that it sometimes feels like I’m constantly packing or unpacking a suitcase these days, I don’t get homesick. Sure, I miss family and friends and get nostalgic for familiar places at times, but I can’t call it homesickness, because each new place has become a home.

They say “home is where the heart is,” and I completely agree.

I think that home is a feeling more than

any specific place. It is the feeling of contentment that comes from being surrounded by caring and supportive people and from doing what you love. Home is a group of best friends who have been there for you from the very beginning of freshman year.

Home is creating lasting relationships with randomly-selected roommates through taking trips to Rita’s Italian Ice, traipsing around Europe, or making jokes about Ramsey Theory. It is also growing personally and academically over the past three and a half years on Hawk Hill. It is spending days engineering software to solve real world problems or researching interesting mathematical ideas. Even visiting new and exciting places, fulfilling a lifelong dream, can give me a sense of home. I guess to say it another way: I find home to be a sense of fulfillment and an inexplicable feeling of being on the right path. Furthermore, I think

that as we move through life, we create a collection of homes that each stay with us even if we never physically return to them.

Even as my stomach ties itself into nervous knots over the looming decision I will be making about graduate school in the not too distant future, I am sure that it will be the right choice. With my passion for math and my love of learning, I have no doubt that whether I end up in North Carolina or Nebraska, this time next year I will have added a new sense of home to those I’ve collected throughout my lifetime.

As the semester draws to a close, I hope that all of the freshmen, finishing their first semester, are beginning to find their own sense of home on Hawk Hill. To my fellow seniors, May 20 is looking way too close, but a little piece of St. Joe’s will stay with us in the friends we’ve made and the lessons we’ve learned.

‘Safety Dance’ Actions speak louder than pins

ABIGAIL SWEETMAN ’18 Hawk Staff

To put things lightly, it’s been a rough few weeks for everyone, and not just for the reasons we anticipated. Usually, November brings papers, midterms, and the somber but unavoidable conclusion that we’ll all have to go home for the holidays and attempt to explain to our anxious relatives why we’re still single. This year, we’re all still reeling from the effects of a divisive election that has produced animosity throughout the political spectrum. We’re still trying to figure out how to respond to everything that’s happened since Nov. 8.

In June of this year, the outcome of a British referendum determined that the U.K. would leave the European Union (E.U.)—an unexpected development known as “Brexit.” This decision was followed by a period of xenophobic tension and specific attacks towards immigrants and E.U. citizens. To combat feelings of fear and helplessness, a Twitter user, identified as “Allison” in an interview with BBC, suggested that sympathetic individuals could show solidarity by wearing safety pins, identifying themselves as supportive resources for those who felt scared and disenfranchised by the destructive aftershocks of general political action.

Many Americans have associated aspects of the June Brexit decision with the Nov. 8 presidential election: Both were sur-

prising outcomes to general elections with the potential to threaten the futures of certain populations. In response, Americans have adopted the safety pin idea in an attempt to provide pillars of security to those who feel stripped of any shields they previously had. While it’s certainly an honorable measure, I’m here to offer some things you might want to consider before you make yourself a walking pincushion for the sake of the disenfranchised. Advocacy is never as simple as it seems.

I’m going to start off by saying something you might not like. You cannot declare yourself an ally. You also can’t declare that you have a medical license, walk into a surgery suite, and hold out your hand for a scalpel so you can perform an emergency splenectomy. Yes, that seems like an extreme comparison to make, but here’s the gist: Some distinctions require action. There are certain things you need to know before you perform a splenectomy. First, you have to know what a spleen is, but you also must go through a rigorous process in which respected medical professionals have determined that you are qualified to perform a potentially dangerous procedure on patients that trust in your competency to remove their spleens and also not kill them. You also have to pay a metric ton for medical malpractice insurance.

Likewise, being an ally is not a decision you make. You can’t just put a safety pin on your sleeve and designate yourself as someone who is trustworthy and caring. Your status as an ally is earned, and it’s earned through action. Your safety pin can’t speak against oppression, but you can.

Your safety pin can’t chastise your friends when they make “harmless” remarks about your Muslim neighbors, but you can. Your safety pin can’t wash swastikas off windows, donate money to Planned Parenthood, or politely flip off a group of men harassing a girl who’s just trying to get home safe—but you can.

Essentially, my problem with safety pins is that they don’t do anything. They’re the laziest form of advocacy, to the point where I wouldn’t hesitate in calling them self-serving. They’re exceptionally “othering”, and I say that because they designate the wearer as someone that doesn’t see themselves as part of the problem of systemic oppression. Someone who wears a safety pin might be white, straight, cisgendered, and vaguely Christian (if they have religious inclinations)—essentially, a part of the “tyrannical majority.” However, they do not identify with the “bad white guys,” because the safety pin means they’re “a good guy,” without any basis of action that confirms that they deserve that distinction.

Graphic by Krista Jaworski ’17

These symbols are also “othering” in another, subtler way: They operate on the assumption that oppressed individuals need and want the help of a White Knight Safety Pin Savior. Such saviors simultaneously designate themselves as “greater than” the oppressed and the oppressor by declaring that they themselves do not need help but are blameless for the situations of others. Unless you’re prepared to actively fight against the oppression you demonize, you cannot declare yourself a savior.

I do think that the safety pin movement has come from a very pure and very noble place, but if you plan on wearing a safety pin, you must ask yourself why you’re wearing one. If you want to wear a safety pin because you feel helpless and guilty about the privileges you have and how you may come across to someone with a different background, it might be a good idea to reconsider why you feel that way.

If you feel helpless, you are not. You are capable of working for real change, and symbolism is an ineffective surrogate for advocacy. Safety pins are quick fixes, but eventually you’ll have to break out a needle and thread to make an alteration that won’t fall apart.

Are you going to be part of something permanent?

8

Lifestyle

Dec. 7, 2016

On the job

What happens when you take on college from nine to five ALEX KARPINSKI, ’20 Special to The Hawk Before I left the Heights School in Potomac, Md. to come to Saint Joseph’s University, my headmaster Alvaro De Vicente left me with one last bit of advice: “Treat college like a 9–5 job.”

De Vicente is one of the smartest people I know but I had some lingering doubt about the seriousness of his comment. Did he actually want me to follow this advice literally?

He said, “Take your books with you when you leave your dorm room for your first period class and don’t come back to the room until about 5 p.m. when you are finished with your studies and are ready to head out to dinner and an evening of relaxation.”

Because time management is one of the largest problems that most freshmen in college face, this strategy would be the best way to efficiently use and manage my time, De Vicente told me.

So for one week, I decided to put his plan into action and treat college like a 9–5 job.

While I thought I managed my time pretty well already, I wanted to see what happened if I implemented a routine schedule into my day. How much more productive could I be?

I put some basic restrictions on what I would do throughout the day. I would leave

for my first class at 8 a.m. and wouldn’t return to my residence hall until 5 p.m. I also wouldn’t watch Netflix on my computer during the day and would try to keep the amount of time I spent on my phone to a minimum.

With that, I woke up on Monday, carried what felt like 100 pounds of books outthe door, and began my week of ultimate productivity, minimal midday “The Walking Dead” episodes, and no naps.

Kim Allen-Stuck, Ph.D., vice president of Student Success and Educational Support, said the collective enemy of the college student is napping, Netflix, and video games. I can attest to all except for the latter consuming a large portion of my free time.

Many times during the semester, after finishing my last class at 12 p.m., I would find myself going back and spending the next five hours watching episodes of “The Office” and sleeping.

I had to find alternative ways to fill up all the free time I had during the week. I made a point to do all my studying during the day, visit as many office hours as possible, and try activities I normally wouldn’t, such as going to the Career Development Center.

Throughout the week I went to different professors’ office hours every day. On Tuesday and Thursday I met with Tesfali-

det Tukue, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting. We spoke about the process of becoming an accountant and the necessary steps to make that a reality, such as passing the CPA exam.

On Tuesday I also spoke with Cathlyn Mariscotti, Ph.D., adjunct professor of history. We spoke about misconceptions about Muslims in the United States as well as 18th century global trade.

Academically, these meetings had a greater impact than all the studying I did throughout the week. With the help of my professors, I found it easier to grasp concepts and understand the courses in general. Studying and preparing for tests became much less time-consuming and stressful.

On Thursday I went to the Career Development Center, which I thought was mainly a resource for upperclassmen, but my assumption was wrong. After talking to Assistant Director Christine Falcone, I left the Career Center with a laundry list of activities to complete before my follow-up appointment after Thanksgiving.

My study time also became much more productive. I knew I had a specific number of hours in which I couldn’t go back to my dorm, so I made a concerted effort to finish all my work before 5 p.m.

I wasn’t always able to accomplish that goal, but I was never in the library past 11

p.m., unlike my usual study habits.

I began to notice that that creating a schedule for myself was very beneficial in managing both my time and work.

According to Dan McDevitt, director of Student Success and First-Year Experiences, establishing such a routine is key for productivity.

“In high school you might be in school from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and have a relatively strict routine,” McDevitt said. “In college there’s no routine. College free time is a trap where you might think you have all this time, but if you’re not using it the right way it can catch up with you really quickly.”

Creating a routine is the best way to combat laziness. I gave myself a schedule and found I was easily keeping up with my work, studying for tests, and felt much less pressed for time.

When I told De Vicente I was employing his 9–5 work-like approach to college for a week, he wasn’t surprised. He knew that this process yielded results and believed all students should create a routine around their school schedule.

He was right, as always.

The following Monday I grabbed my book-bag and proceeded to my 8 a.m. class—ready to start my full-time job as a college student.

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Lifestyle

Dec. 7, 2016

9

Disney mania

Students cast their votes for best animated Disney film ROSE WELDON ’19 Hawk Staff The number one movie in the nation right now is Disney’s “Moana,” a musical adventure featuring the company’s first Polynesian princess. Starring Dwayne Johnson and newcomer Auli’i Cravalho, the movie also includes music by “Hamilton” composer Lin-Manuel Miranda. As of this writing, it has grossed over $150 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, and is “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 97 percent approval rating.

“Moana” is the latest in the Walt Disney Animation pantheon, which consists of more than 50 films, both hand-drawn and computer-generated, and dozens of memorable titles, all of which helped make the name Disney synonymous with “childhood.”

All too often, I hear people argue over which film is the “best” Disney movie ever.

While I don’t think it’s possible to find a “best” one, as the majority of them are praised for different reasons, I decided to do the next best thing and find the most popular one. So I polled 55 Saint Joseph’s University students, asking them to pick their five

favorites from the lineup of over 50 theatrically released films (let’s face it—you can’t just pick one!). The top five were as follows, including the percentage of votes: 5. Tie: “Peter Pan,” “Aladdin,” “Hercules” (21.8 percent) 4. Tie: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Tangled,” “Frozen” (25.5 percent) 3. “The Little Mermaid” (30.9 percent) 2. “Mulan” (32.7 percent) 1. “The Lion King” (36.4 percent) That’s right, the winner was “The Lion King,” with a little more than a quarter of the vote. Given that the film was close to the most profitable animated movie of its decade, spawning a Broadway musical and several catchy earworms (looking at you, “Hakuna Matata!”) the win was definitely anticipated. “Mulan,” however, was more surprising to me. Sure, I know people like it, but it wasn’t a major hit when it came out. Then again, do you know anyone who doesn’t burst into song when “I’ll Make a

Man Out of You” starts playing?

When it comes to “The Little Mermaid,” the less I say, the better.

I can’t say I’m surprised by the popularity of “Tangled” and “Frozen.” I know girls from high school who are still singing those songs. To be honest, though, I was disappointed that my own favorites weren’t higher on the list. It would have been nice to see “Beauty and the Beast” place at third, or see “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Pinocchio” or “The Princess and the Frog” place at all. Even so, all of those movies received more votes than the one I love most of all, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

If you could call any Disney animated feature a “cult film,” it would probably be “Hunchback.” It is darker and more mature in tone, content, and design than anything put out by the House of Mouse. I mean, there’s a song where an old priest sings to God about his lust for a young woman while imagining her in his fireplace. As a result, the film wasn’t financially successful in North America, but it’s still held in high

regard by its fans for the fact that it took risks—comic relief gargoyles and unnecessary Kevin Kline-Demi Moore romance notwithstanding.

In fact, one could possibly say that “Hunchback’s” risk-taking led to a more creative (but aesthetically varied) output from studios in the early 2000s. True, audiences got “Home on the Range” out of that deal (Ladies and gentlemen, Roseanne Barr as a cow!), but without “Hunchback” we never could have seen the vibrancy and vision of “Wreck-It Ralph,” the clever subversion of “Frozen,” or the controversial subjects tackled in this year’s “Zootopia.”

Then again, popularity in the moment really doesn’t matter in the long-run. The one word that always comes up when one describes the Disney Company is “timeless.”

As long as the message is one that anyone can relate to, and the story one that we all can recognize, there is no limit to the stories out there for Disney to tell.

How’s that for a fairy-tale ending?

Take me to ‘The Church’

An inside look at one of Philly’s coolest concert venues CHRISTOPHER FASTIGGI ’18 Special to The Hawk On a random Tuesday night near Chestnut Street, hundreds of music aficionados tightly pack into a hot basement. They are here to see veteran punk act Jeff Rosenstock take the stage in the basement at the First Unitarian Church.

With supporting acts such as Teenage Bigfoot, Hard Girls, and Katie Ellen, fans sing and slam-dance the night away until the 11 p.m. curfew hits. The sweaty hundreds emerge from the basement as a gust of fresh air whips them in the face. People compete for cabs while others reflect on their time at the Philadelphia underground venue—the end of a typical Tuesday of music in a church basement.

The First Unitarian Church is one of Philadelphia’s most iconic music venues. It has grown into a cult following for the indie and punk rock shows that take place in the basement. The First Unitarian Church has hosted now popular and global rock acts such as Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, and Philadelphia’s own The Wonder Years.

According to the R5 Productions website, the Church was founded in 1996 by R5 Productions Promotion Agency. The venue follows a strict “do-it-yourself ” attitude that allows for cheap shows for all ages. The staff is overly friendly, offering dollar waters in a basement with broken air-conditioning and

slow-moving fans.

Brenden Hubbard has been working at the First Unitarian for almost eight years.

“Seeing old friends and people I do not get to see all the time is why I stay here.

There is a real sense of community,” Hubbard said. “There’s not many rules here, but we stick together. Everyone knows what to do here, compared to other venues, which allows for a chill environment.”

Not only does the staff enjoy the environment at the Church, but the performers look forward to their tour stop in Philadelphia in order to visit the venue.

Tiffany Tavella is the lead singer in growing Philadelphia punk band Teenage Bigfoot. She is very excited this specific night, as it is her band’s first time playing at the First Unitarian.

“I was freaking out in the car on the way here. ‘We’re playing [in] the Church!’ I screamed,” Tavella said.

After growing up in Philadelphia, Tavella has been to many shows at the Church and believes that the D.I.Y. vibe makes it special.

“The people who keep this place alive are people who still care about our scene. It makes it that much more special playing on the performer side now,” Tavella said.

Not only is The First Unitarian Church

Photo by Christopher Fastiggi, ’18

the home to many Philadelphia music fans, it is also home to a group of Saint Joseph’s University music fans.

Michael Farrell, ’19, has been attending these shows in Philadelphia for the past three years. He has been to the First Unitarian Church three times in his two years at Saint Joseph’s University.

“In high school, I would look at the shows on Youtube and it looked crazy to me, so I could not wait to get there when I got to St. Joe’s,” Farrell said.

Farrell can attest first-hand to the crazy crowd atmosphere at the First Unitarian Church, as he is a regular attendee.

“There is not a lot of adult supervision,

so you can kind of do whatever you want.

I remember the first show I went to there I saw The Hotelier and I was up in the front,” Farrell said. “I was not expecting the crowd to be so aggressive, so me and my buddies in the front got absolutely crushed, but it was a great time.”

For over 20 years the Church has been putting on memorable indie rock showsin Philadelphia. Whether it is the band you saw play, the cuts you got dancing, or the booze you snuck in, everybody has a memorable story from seeing shows in the legendary First Unitarian Church basement.

10

Lifestyle

Dec. 7, 2016

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

“Been there, tried that” invites Hawks to share their moments of adventure and discovery in trying something new.

Cracking up and breaking down

Five days without laughter brings new perspective to happiness JENNIFER ALTONJI ’20 Special to The Hawk I love laughing.

I am one of those people with a weird, easily identifiable laugh; the kind that you can’t hide from. My poor friends hear it constantly because I laugh all of the time.

I am a generally happy person, and I attribute a great deal of my happiness to my ability to laugh at almost anything.

“Laughter brightens your mood even if you have to force it,” said Greg Nicholls, Ph.D., director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

Nicholls informed me of an exercise known as laughter yoga, where participants force themselves to laugh for a period of time in groups. The practice of “laughter yoga” has a positive effect on the overall mental health of those who partake in the activity.

“It shows how we can produce an emotion through behavior,” Nicholls said.

So what would happen if I were to stop laughing? I wondered.

I told my friends that they would not hear my beautiful (read: obnoxious) laugh for a full five days. For those days, I would do my best not to laugh, giggle, chuckle—

nothing.

Day one was a disaster. The minute I woke up, I was laughing with my roommate about how we had, yet again, stayed up way too late the night before. I immediately realized my mistake and cursed, scaring her.

That night I made the mistake of going out to eat with my friends. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing when I was with them.

Some of them even tried harder to make me laugh because they wanted to mess with me.

I tried many different ways to substitute laughter such as giving a thumbs up, “wiggling” and just saying the word “lol.” None of these tactics worked. Their ridiculousness just made me laugh more.

By the third day, I had cut off spending time with my friends significantly and spent most of the day sleeping. I was miserable.

Every time I accidentally laughed, I would get mad at myself and mad at whoever made me laugh. Every time I didn’t laugh when I should have, I felt horrible because I could see the hurt expression on my friends’ faces, even though they knew I wasn’t supposed to be laughing.

Throughout the week I felt like a com-

plete and utter failure.

I was exhausted all the time, way more forgetful than usual, constantly angry, and when I wasn’t angry, I was crying. To make things worse, on day four of my abstinence from laughing, my boyfriend came to visit for the weekend.

He made it his job to make me laugh, and although his intentions of making me happy were pure, he only ended up upsetting me even more. That Friday was the first time he ever saw me cry, and it was over a lack of Nutella in my room.

My emotions were all over the place that week. I isolated myself from my friends and began to resent them, and my academic performance dropped noticeably. I overslept for a French test, which in my temporarily muddled mind, meant the end of the world.

I was going to lose my scholarship and have to drop out of college and work retail for the rest of my life.

I knew if I could just get out of my bed and be with my friends, I’d be much happier, but I was scared to even smile out of fear of my smile turning into laughter. My friends noticed the change in my behavior by the

third day.

“You were a b***h,” my friend Robert Rizzi, ’20, told me when I asked him to describe my behavior during the week.

The first day I could laugh again felt amazing. One of my friends made a joke that wasn’t even funny, and I laughed so hard I scared everybody else in the room. I felt a twinge of guilt for my laughter and had to remind myself that it was ok to laugh again.

About a week after my last day of no laughing, I was still feeling the effects. Minor inconveniences upset me way more than they normally would, and any academic slip-up felt as if it was the end of the world.

Sometimes, I would even start to smile and subconsciously tell myself not to laugh.

Two weeks after the experiment, I no longer feel guilt every time I laugh, but the tiny voice in my head is still there trying to tell me to stop.

I expected this experience would be difficult for me, but I never knew exactly how necessary it was for me to be able to laugh until I had to give it up. It only took five days to realize just how different—and unpleasant—a life without laughter can be.

Lifestyle

Dec. 7, 2016

11

‘Empty chairs at empty tables’ Lessons learned while eating alone EMILY GRAHAM ’20 Special to The Hawk When you Google search “eating alone in college,” you’ll find a string of panicked Yahoo! questions, advice columns on how to avoid it, and websites for social anxiety support.

As a nervous freshman, I can relate to those anxieties. During my first two months at Saint Joseph’s University, I never ate in Campion Student Center alone. If I couldn’t find anyone to go with me, I would eat a granola bar in my dorm and wait until the next meal.

That’s why I decided to do the socially unacceptable: eat all my meals in Campion by myself.

Not only did I want to face my fears of eating alone in a public place, but I wanted to see just what was so bad about it. Would I really become a social outcast like you see in the movies? Or would the effects be more internal—anxiety, loneliness, and sadness?

After talking to some other freshmen, the general opinion seems to be that they would eat alone if they had to, and it probably wouldn’t be that bad. However, most strongly prefer to eat with others.

For students at St. Joe’s, meals are seen as social time.

“It’s a good stress reliever,” Kaci Gallagher, ’20, said. “It’s nice to talk about things other than school and just relax with friends.”

Before I started, I tried to make a game plan of what time to go to Campion, where to sit, how to act, and even what to eat there. Every choice I made seemed like it could be subject to judgment, and I wanted to lie as low as possible.

The only other step I took to prepare was to tip off my friends so they wouldn’t try to sit with me.

The week came with highs and lows, which mainly depended on the time of day that I went to Campion. Altogether, I ate 12 meals in the dining hall by myself—three breakfasts, five lunches, and four dinners.

At certain times, I felt like everyone I knew was there: classmates, neighbors, even a woman from my high school. And of course, I always felt like all of them were judging me. If I made eye contact with anyone, I automatically thought they must be staring at me.

The worst part was when I saw acquaintances. A few times, I found myself sitting a couple tables away from a group of acquaintances and wondering what they must be thinking. Did they like me enough to invite me over? Would they even care enough to be concerned?

Most of the time, no one would invite me to sit with them, and I felt silly for thinking that they might.

Graphic by Krista Jaworski ’17

The one time someone did approach me, I felt grateful, but embarrassed. This friend of a friend had good intentions, but her pity was painful, and turning her down was tough.

To better understand the psychological impact of my experiment, I talked to Kim Logio, Ph.D., chair of the sociology department.

“Food is a shared experience important to our culture,” Logio said.

She explained that because meal time is a cultural symbol, eating alone has developed a stigma, especially among college students. The isolation and lack of social time can cause a decline in wellbeing.

Logio said that while children are growing up, sharing meals is an important part of family life. There is a strong correlation between children who do not have shared family meals and future involvement with drugs, gangs, and other similar behaviors.

“When we are away from our families, we need to recreate that bond,” Logio said.

Our friends become our family, and when we can’t replace the meal sharing experience, we feel the effects of isolation.

This feeling of isolation is exactly what I experienced when I ate alone. I could not share my stories from the day, and I had no idea what was going on in my friends’ lives.

What’s more, I didn’t see some of my friends all week because the only time I normally saw them was during meals.

Although it was sometimes nice to have some alone time, I found myself becoming detached. I learned that earbuds are a solo diner’s best friend. As I looked around at other people eating alone, they all had earbuds in and laptops open.

Toward the end of the week, I tried to just sit and be present. I didn’t try to look unapproachable, and was simply able to enjoy my me-time.

Despite the low points, eating alone wasn’t all bad. In fact, it was sometimes freeing.

When I was hungry at 4:45 p.m., I could go to dinner without having to worry about who I was going to sit with. It was also nice to have some time to myself in the middle of a busy day.

Some people, like Hayden Seig, ’20, love eating alone.

“I spend a lot of time with other people throughout the day, so it’s nice to just have a meal alone where I can relax,” he said.

For him, it’s a time to unwind and focus on himself.

“I can think about my own thoughts rather than have to worry about someone else’s,” he said.

For me, the social benefits outweigh everything else. When I finally got to eat with my friends again, I really realized what—and who—I was missing.

12

Lifestyle

Dec. 7, 2016

Wishing for winter break Holiday activities to get you through finals week CIARRA BIANCULLI ’17 Assistant Lifestyle Editor

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas lights are shining, Mariah Carey’s Christmas album is rightfully being overplayed, and Saint Joseph’s University students are panicking over finals.

Some of us may be completing mounds of work that our teachers decided to assign right before finals week, while others may already be ahead of the game with studying and preparing for exams. Yes, it is the

most wonderful time of the year, but college makes it the most stressful time as well.

Luckily, the end is in sight. Soon enough, the semester and finals week will be over, and there will be plenty of time for fun activities to celebrate the holiday season.

Here is a list of some things you can do over winter break: Explore the City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia has so many Christmas ac-

Philadelphia”s Christmas Village is the setting for all kinds of holiday fun. (Photo by Joey Toczylowski, ’19)

tivities to offer during the holiday season.

You can shop at all of the stores uptown for your loved ones. While you’re in Macy’s, check out the light show that they host each year right in the middle of the store.

Then walk over to City Hall’s Dilworth Park and browse the Christmas Village. If you are feeling sporty and spontaneous, go down to Penn’s Landing and try to conquer the art of ice-skating.

Cruise through your town: One of my favorite activities during Christmastime is to drive around, listen to Christmas music, and look at the holiday decorations that cover my city—all while getting to bond with my friends. This is a fun and comforting activity, especially for a bitter, cold December night when you just don’t feel like exposing yourself to the winter weather.

All Christmas movies, all the time: If you are someone like me who is obsessed with curling up near your Christmas tree at home and watching holiday movies, you’ll be happy to know that Hallmark channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” plays Christmas movies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When you need a break from Hallmark movies, Freeform’s “25 days of Christmas” runs all the classic holiday movies that are near and dear to our hearts. What better way to celebrate the ending of the semester than not moving from your couch or bed?

A sweet treat: Nothing says Christmas like tons of cookies and other treats. Pinterest is filled with creative recipes for you and your loved ones to bake together to distribute at holiday gatherings. If you can’t bake, that’s what gingerbread houses are for. Grab a kit and get to work on building the perfect gingerbread Christmas village.

Kick back and enjoy the time off: Before you know it, the holiday season will be over and we will be back on Hawk Hill getting ready to start the spring semester. Try to enjoy your time off by relaxing and taking the time to take care of yourself. Bingewatch a couple Netflix shows, catch up with friends you haven’t seen in a while, and get plenty of much-needed sleep. After a stressful week filled with final exams and assignments, winter break is the perfect opportunity to spend time outside of the four walls of the library.

However you choose to spend your winter break, I hope that it is filled with lots of love, laughter, and memories made with your loved ones. College students deserve this time to get back in touch with ourselves and focus on things that are not related to academic studies. While the thought of the semester ending hangs over your head, remind yourself repeatedly that there is a light—or many Christmas lights—at the end of the tunnel.

Finding 2016’s silver lining Looking on the bright side with a year in review JILLIAN BUCKLEY ’19 Special to The Hawk As we look back on the closing year, it may seem like 2016 will be defined more by fear than by optimism. The influx of worrisome news stories may make it look as if all hope is lost. However, while the events of 2016 have left many people shaken and afraid, there is still time to reflect upon positive moments. Think about the ones listed below and many others like them, whenever we find ourselves beaten down by the tough times this year.

1. The Ice Bucket challenge did more than just give us chills: The money it raised helped discover the gene that is the most commonly contributed to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which has brought scientists one

step closer to eliminating it.

Glass,” “Finding Dory,” and “The BFG.”

2. The Cubs became World Series champions for the first time in 108 years, which simultaneously delighted fans and broke the alleged “curse” put upon the team by a tavern owner in 1945.

heartfelt speech touched upon the importance of preserving the environment for future generations, stating, “For our children’s children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed... Let us not take this planet for granted.”

3. If you’re feeling nostalgic, Blink-182, Green Day, Sum 41, 3 Doors Down, Elton John, Weezer, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, and many more iconic artists all released new albums.

5. We were reassured that magic exists with J.K Rowling’s additions to the Harry Potter franchise through the play “The Cursed Child,” and the movie “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.”

4. Leonardo DiCaprio won a long-awaited Oscar for “Best Actor in a Leading Role” for his performance in “The Revenant.” His

6. Speaking of movies, many 2016 releases appealed to our youthful sides, such as “The Jungle Book,” “Alice Through the Looking

This list is only a small sample of the many positive events that occurred during the year. Recognizing these moments and finding the good in a challenging year can be a meaningful way to prepare ourselves for a positive 2017, In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

7. Universities, including Boston University, Pace University, and the University of Kansas, are creating support groups and offering counseling for students who were negatively affected by the 2016 election.

Lifestyle

Dec. 7, 2016

13

Horoscopes Aries

Your creative energy is a force to be reckoned with, Aries. Your peers tend to turn to you for inspiration, and you never struggle to produce new and interesting ideas.

Use this skill to your advantage this week and bring a burst of vitality to an otherwise bleak time of year.

Taurus

Your dedication to work and school is commendable, but always having your nose to the grindstone means you’ve been missing out on other opportunities around you.

Keep an eye out for a new romantic interest this week, and you may discover that love is waiting for you where you never thought to look.

Gemini

The chilly weather and rainy days have left you feeling stuck in a fog, Gemini, but your luck is about to change. As Jupiter aligns with your sixth moon this week, your sense of optimism will soon be restored. Share some joy with those around you this week and you will find yourself feeling much more elated.

Cancer

With the disappointment you’ve been feeling in your balance between relationships and work, it may be tempting for you to lose trust in those around you, but have a bit of faith, Cancer. If you believe that everything is going to come together, then you’re one step closer to reaching a sense of inner peace.

Leo

Your communication skills are not always where they should be, Leo, and you’ve been struggling to take the time to be as open and approachable as you should. Whether it’s responding to a friend’s message right away or reaching out to someone you’ve lost touch with, now is your chance to take a step toward more connected relationships.

Virgo

It’s not often that you experience heart break, Virgo, but it is bound to happen from time to time. Take the opportunity this week to reflect on what’s in your heart, and allow yourself to experience your emotions without self-doubt. Remember that time will heal all wounds.

Libra

Finals week has arrived, and with it, an entire semester’s worth of work to finish. Luckily, the stars are on your side, Libra. Prepare to rise to the occasion this week as you finish your assignments on time and glide through group projects with confidence. Take pride in the fact that you’re more prepared than you believe.

Scorpio

You often feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, Scorpio, but as Saturn moves into your rising house, you will be met with the strength it takes to regain control over your life. Make an effort to focus more on your own interests this week, and remember that you are in control of the things that burden you.

Sagittarius

Your unparalleled organization skills and drive leaves others wondering how you manage to get it all done. This week, congratulations are in order, because your sense of responsibility is at its absolute highest.

Enjoy the recognition for a job well done, Sagittarius—you undoubtedly deserve it.

Capricorn

They say it’s never too late to learn something new—and you’re a prime example of that this week, Capricorn. While you tend to hold a somewhat pessimistic outlook on life, you will soon make a discovery that challenges all of that. Embrace this change of heart and celebrate the opportunity to look at the world in a new light.

Aquarius

Good work, Aquarius. You’ve been serious about setting goals for yourself lately, and it’s already begun to pay off. Take some time to celebrate everything you’ve accomplished so far. Prepare to keep pushing your limits and see how far this new mindset can take you.

Pisces

Your daily life has been feeling a little monotonous lately, Pisces, but all that is about to change. As Saturn aligns with your second moon, your taste for adventure will be awakened. Prepare to embark on the journey of a lifetime by introducing some much needed excitement back into your life.

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14

Sports

Holy War Defeat Women’s basketball falls to rival Villanova CHARLES SCALIES ’20 Special to The Hawk “Boxing out, boxing out, boxing out:” the first words Saint Joseph’s University’s women’s basketball Head Coach Cindy Griffin said following a tough 62-54 loss to Villanova University.

That was the story of the game for the Hawks as the team was out-rebounded by 14 and surrendered a total of 12 offensive rebounds. Of those 12 offensive rebounds, five of them came in the fourth quarter. The most pivotal offensive rebound came with just under three minutes to go, leading to a three-pointer by Villanova’s Kelly Jekot and extending the Wildcats’ lead to 56-50— a play that Saint Joseph’s could not come back from.

For Saint Joseph’s, this game was not a total loss. One of the positive aspects was the play of junior Chelsea Woods. The All-Tournament Team selection from the UNM Thanksgiving Tournament played a career-high 39 minutes, leading the Hawks with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

“She is the most productive player that we have,” said Griffin when asked about Woods’ performance. “She had a double-double. She certainly got some loose balls and kept some possessions alive for us.”

Junior Adashia Franklyn also reached double figures in scoring. Franklyn pro-

vided Saint Joseph’s with 14 points on 7-11 shooting and added 3 blocks as well. She had a huge third quarter, scoring eight of the 15 points in the quarter for the Hawks.

The inside presence of Franklyn will be key for the Hawks for the rest of this season as they do not have any starters over 6’1”. Unfortunately for Saint Joseph’s, Villanova’s star junior Alex Louin overshadowed the performances of Franklyn and Woods.

Despite their third single-digit loss of the season, Griffin sees the positive side of things.

“It gives you more experience,” she said. “We have not won these close games yet this year and I believe that we will. That is a positive thing that we have been in these situations.”

Experience like this is invaluable to a team that entered this season losing half of last year’s scoring. That kind of roster turnover throws younger players into the fire right away, creating a lot of learning.

Saint Joseph’s remains winless at home this year and has now lost two in a row to Villanova and have lost two of their last three games this season.

The Hawks will play on Friday, Dec. 9 against the 6-2 Central Michigan Chippewas at 7 p.m.

Women’s basketball photos by Joey Toczylowski ’19

Dec. 7, 2016

Sports

Dec. 7, 2016

15

Hawks fall to wildcats Men’s basketball loses to defending NCAA champs ALLEN R. SMITH ’19 Special to The Hawk The Saint Joseph’s University men’s basketball team lost a tough game to the defending NCAA champion, the Villanova University Wildcats by a score of 88-57.

“The plan was to have them go over the top of us, not through us,” Head Coach Phil Martelli said. “We wanted to avoid the spurts like at the end of the [first] half when we scored eight points in eight minutes.

Those spurts will get you. We wanted to play the game in segments and we weren’t able to do that in that segment.”

Villanova started the game with the ball after winning the opening tipoff, but the Hawks had the first points with a three-pointer from freshman Charlie Brown. Both teams began the game slowly with a couple of missed shots and early fouls. Both teams had trouble with shooting for the first few minutes of the game. Eventually, both teams were able to get into a groove and the scoring opened up.

The Hawks and the Wildcats were matching each other with threes for a while, enabling the Hawks to keep the game close. St. Joe’s made some great plays, too.

Brown was able to dribble through the Villanova defense and finish with a put back by junior Shavar Newkirk. Sophomore Lamarr Kimble shot right over Villanova’s Eric Paschall for three points, and senior Brendan Casper stole the ball and passed it to Newkirk who finished the play with three points.

The Hawks were looking good halfway

through the first half. They had and maintained a lead for some time. However, Villanova was able to put together an 11-0 run, take the lead and never look back. The Wildcats took a 13-point lead to the locker room at halftime.

The second half opened with fouls from both sides. After that, Villanova made the most of their field goals from beyond the three-point arc.

“They played with a rhythm and a poise. We never hurried them or made them go faster,” Martelli said.

The Hawks had a tough time on both offense and defense in the second half.

“The thing we really have to zero in on is our two-point shooting,” Martelli said after the game. “We just shot 16-for-47 on two’s. When you’re playing this level game, you have to make those shots. I’ve got to look at what we practice and how we practice.”

The Hawks had a 25 percent field goal percentage and 16.7 three-point percentage in the second half. The Hawks were better with their foul shots. In the second half, the Hawks went 9-11 from the line. Overall the Hawks went 10-13 (77 percent) on free throws. This was better than their 66 percent rate for the season.

“We’re not a three-point shooting team, so we have to make our two’s and we didn’t,” Martelli said.

Kimble led the Hawks in scoring with 15 points. He was 6-14 from the field, 1-2

from beyond the arc and was perfect from the foul line going 2-2. He also had rebounds and assists. Sophomore Markell Lodge led the team in rebounds with 10.

Villanova shot 52 percent overall and 47 percent from beyond three. This was better then their seasonal average of 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. The Hawks shot 39 percent from the field, which is worse than their 42 percent average this year. They also shot 33 percent from beyond the arc, which was worse than their 37 percent seasonal average.

The Hawks also had issues with rebounding. They were out-rebounded 4234. They also had trouble stopping Villanova’s bench, which helped Villanova with 20 points, 10 more points than the Hawks received from their bench.

Overall, Villanova’s shooting and experience helped in the game. The Hawks put up a good effort, but it was not enough against the defending champions.

“I hope that everybody is willing to self-examine,” Martelli said. “Anger and frustration don’t do it. You have to self-evaluate and say, ‘I’ve now played seven college games and where do I need work? Is it getting with a coach and watching film?

Is it for me to mix defenses?’ The mindset is that you start with the man in the mirror and go from there.”

The Hawks will play at 6 p.m. on Dec. 11 at Drexel University.

Men’s basketball photos by Luke Malenga ’20

16

Sports

Dec. 7, 2016

On the rise Ultimate Frisbee shows continued growth DANIELLE CIAMPOLI ’19 Special to The Hawk A Frisbee, some orange cones, and a well-exercised forearm for some spin motion—these are the basic essentials for Ultimate Frisbee, a soon-to-be Olympic sport.

On Sweeney Field, the Saint Joseph’s University Ultimate Frisbee team’s practice diligently under bright lights. The male and female teams share the 70-yard field, while both teams strive for the same purpose—to see what they are capable of achieving with one disc.

In shorts, t-shirts, and cleats, the players practice for an hour and half, despite the strong gusts of wind on any given night.

They scrimmage against one another, perform drills, and perfect their throws, stopping only briefly for water breaks.

This sport is much more than a picnic activity or a game of fetch with Rover.

“People don’t give [Frisbee] the credit it deserves”, said senior Michael Corcoran. “We’re not just a bunch of guys wearing flip flops.”

According to the U.S international governing body of Ultimate Frisbee, since the introduction of Ultimate Frisbee in 1968, seven million people of all ages have started playing in more than 80 countries all over the world. Many people are attracted by the minimal amount of equipment needed, the non-contact interaction, and the emphasis placed on teamwork, athleticism, and skills.

Ultimate has grown into a competitive sport in high schools, colleges, and leagues governed by official rules. In 2012, it became a major league sport, consisting of eight teams divided into the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Philadelphia Spinners is one of the four Eastern Division teams. In the 2016 season, the Spinners won the MLU Championship by beating the Portland Stags. The Spinners fought hard despite a two-hour rain delay and finished the season with a historic win.

St. Joe’s alum Billy Sickles, ’14, played in the championship game for the Spinners.

Sickles, who now sells sponsorships for the

league and for the Ultimate franchises, is also head coach of the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team at St Joe’s. A sports marketing major, he first worked for the league in 2014 preparing and assisting with games. However, he was not satisfied watching from the sidelines.

“Seeing the team motivated me and made me realize that I can play at that level and make an impact for the team,” Sickles said.

Since joining the Spinners in 2015, Sickles has proved his ability to play in the major league. With 15 goals and 27 assists, Sickles established himself as the highest scoring rookie, earning him the title of Rookie of the Year for 2015.

With a successful first season behind him, Sickles returned in 2016. He scored a total of 41 points during the season and assisted the team to victory in the championship game. Sickles was voted 2016 MVP for the East Conference for his consistent and dynamic abilities as a player.

“I like to consider myself a pretty versatile player, someone who can handle or cut if the situation calls for it,” Sickles said. “I fill in wherever I am needed. I was just happy to be a part of the team.”

Sickles brought his knowledge from the professional league to the Ultimate team at St. Joe’s. In 2015, he decided to be the first coach of the team. He reached out to Bert Catzen, ’14, his co-worker from Major League Ultimate and former teammate at Saint Joseph’s, to assist with coaching. The team had a successful season under their coaching and though the team lost their final tournament, the players were grateful for the memories. They were happy to end the season playing with the seniors before saying goodbye.

“It was a sad day but it was the best time playing with the seniors for one last time,” Corcoran said. “They were my best friends”.

After losing nine seniors last year, the

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returning members have been given the opportunity to rise as players, as well as to provide the new members with the leadership they received under the former seniors. Sickles called on former captain from his team, Joe Brennecke, ’11, to help with the upcoming season. Through the assistance of Brennecke and returning players, the new members are learning quickly. The coaches are hopeful for the season.

“The team has a nice mix of veterans and young guys who are starting to show potential. It’s easy to get excited about the future of the team,” Sickles said.

Sickles is not the only coach looking forward to this season. Catzen sees growth for a very important aspect the sport: women. With a few returning female members and the interest from new women, Catzen formed a separate team of about 15 female players. He asked former teammate from St. Joe’s Ultimate team, Alison Joyce, ’12, to be assistant coach. The addition of the women’s team is an important aspect for female growth in the sport. In past years, there were barely enough females to fill a roster.

“At some points I was the only woman on the team that played in tournaments so having a team just for women is a very big difference,” Joyce said.

Surrounded by other women around similar levels provides a less intimidating environment where the girls can focus on learning the sport at their own pace. In previous years playing with more experienced men, it was a slower process for the females to learn. As a result, many were intimidated to try the new sport.

“If it was co-ed still, I can’t say that as many girls would have come out. The girls have picked up on skills so much faster than we had when we learned on the team,” junior Erin McLaughlin said.

With a relatively inexperienced team, Catzen and Joyce provide support and guidance. The team has been spending the season improving their skills in catching,

throwing, and working as a team. Despite the bombardment with many new skills, the women’s team shows progress.

“Their ability to take in that information and display it on the field has been extremely impressive,” Catzen said.

The coaches are hoping to focus on short-term goals and maintain interest for the sport. They want to gain more girls and hold their own in competitions.

Since the sport of Ultimate is not yet fully established, and women are already playing in co-ed leagues, they are proving to be successful. Having Joyce as a role model who plays on a team with both males and females in a club team demonstrates that Ultimate is a sport where females prove their strength. Both coaches hope to emphasize this.

“I really want to drive home to the girls the idea that there is really no reason why they can’t do it,” Catzen said.

This message is one that the coaches hope to convey. All four coaches were once players, newcomers to Ultimate Frisbee.

Now, the coaches are trailblazers for the sport, all because of a Frisbee, some cones, and of course their powerful forearms.

This has created the national phenomenon bringing sports to other countries, bringing communities together, and encouraging equality for women in sports.

Sickles recently signed for a third season for the Philadelphia Spinners. Until then, he will watch from the sidelines once again. This time he is watching the establishment of two strong teams that he helped launch with the help of his former teammates. Since the creation of the team in 2008, the team has grown from an all male team with 10 players and no coach, a disc, and some cones to a team of 50 players, both men and women, with the help from three of his former teammates.

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