Feb. 20, 2019

Feb. 20, 2019

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Volume XCIX

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Est. 1929

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www.sjuhawknews.com

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The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

Emily Fordham ’21 stands in her room and displays her Continuous Glucose Monitoring System and insulin pump system. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Students with diabetes worry about affording insulin ERIN BREEN ’19 News Editor When Emily Fordham ’21, a psychology major, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last summer, she started wondering if she had chosen the right career path, one that would pay her medical bills.

“It isn’t the most lucrative industry,” Fordham said. “Once I wrapped my head around what I was living with, I started asking questions like, ‘How much does this cost?’”

When it comes to insulin, the answer to that question can be staggering. The price of insulin has increased over 500 percent since 2005, according to a study done by the

Health Care Cost Institute. In 2017, American diabetes patients paid $237 billion in direct medical costs, an average of $16,750 per patient, according to WebMD Health News.

The development of type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the insulin a person needs, making the individual dependent on injected insulin for the body to function properly. Type 2 diabetes is the body’s resistance to naturally produced insulin. In this case, changes to diet and lifestyle are often recommended before insulin treatment.

For people with diabetes, the growing cost of insulin in the last decade has led people to turn to the black market, travel abroad

to buy insulin, or buy what they can afford and ration.

George Sillup, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing, said insulin costs are the result of aggressive price increases by manufacturers.

“Manufacturers have adjusted their formulations to create new analogs that can extend their product’s patent protection,” Sillup said. “This extended patent protection, or ‘evergreening,’ enables the company to prevent a less expensive or generic (biosimilar) version of their products so they can continue to raise their prices without other competition.”

Sillup also blamed a lack of competition in the market. The top three manufacturers

of insulin, Sanofi, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Company, continue to raise their prices, leaving those affected only one choice - to keep paying, Sillup said.

For many college students, these costs are an added worry to decisions regarding their futures.

“Everyone in college is worried about what they’re going to do after college, how are they going to support their dreams,” Fordham said. “Then having this additional cost on top of that, it definitely factors into how you’re going to do things.”

SEE PG. 3

Fordham uses a Personal Diabetes Managment system, on the left, to regulate her insulin levels, after switching over the winter break from using needles.

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Fulbright recognizes seven St. Joe’s semifinalists ALYSA BAINBRIDGE ’21 Assistant News Editor Seven St. Joe's students have been named semifinalists for fellowships with the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, making it the largest number of students to advance to the next phase.

Fulbright is a nationally competitive program that provides fully-funded fellowships to conduct research, complete a one-year master’s program or participate in an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in another country. About 10,000 people apply nationwide every year, and approximately 1,900 are awarded fellowships.

Of the seven St. Joe’s students named semifinalists, six of them are applying for ETA positions.

Mark Reynolds, Ph.D., director of the Office of Fellowships and associate professor of chemistry, said a record number of St. Joe’s students applied for Fulbright fellowships this year. In the past, between five to 15 students applied. This year, there were 24 applicants.

“It’s usually a good sign that you’re going to have multiple students who are going to be successful,” Reynolds said. “For a school our size and type, it’s a good number.”

Applicants for Fulbright choose not only the type of fellowship they want to apply for, but a specific country to apply to. Competitiveness varies from country to country, depending on how many people apply and how many the country accepts.

Colombia is one of the more competitive countries to win a fellowship for. In the

past three years, they have gotten about 200 applicants and accepted between 20-30 percent of them.

Hanna Neece ’19 is a semifinalist for a fellowship in Colombia and plans to supplement her ETA with a project that involves working with single mothers in Colombia.

She said she was drawn to Colombia because of experiences with people she knows from the country.

“One of my first Spanish teachers was from there,” Neece said. “One of my good friends from [when I studied abroad in] Chile is also Colombian, and he was so proud of his country and would always talk about the biodiversity there, the richness of the culture and how warm and friendly the people were.”

Reynolds said he thinks one reason the number of semifinalists is so high is also because St. Joe’s equips students with the skills and experience Fulbright is looking for.

“I think we’re a good fit for it because the teaching, research, service and study abroad are things our students do,” Reynolds said.

“The other part, of course, is being able to write well.”

Samantha Kominiarek ’19, a semifinalist for an ETA fellowship in Uruguay, has studied abroad in Spain, taught English to children at the Boston School of English and worked as a student teacher.

“I learned a lot [at St. Joe’s] about the teacher’s role in the classroom and how to help students learn,” Kominiarek said. “I think through all the experience I’ve gotten through working with different teachers and students, I’ve gotten such a good education that I’ll be able to embrace challenges.”

Fulbright semifinalist Samantha Kominiarek ’19 in the Post Learning Commons.

Fulbright semifinalist Angela Nguyen ’19 in the library. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Reynolds said there is no GPA requirement to apply for Fulbright. Instead, the program looks to reward well-rounded and experienced students.

“Some [fellowships] are very competitive and looking for people with 4.0 GPAs to apply,” Reynolds said. “Fulbright isn’t like that. They’re looking for students who are outstanding academically, but strong essays are a big component. Part of that is doing research on the country you want to visit and to know about it.”

Luigi Nuñez ’17 has applied for a graduate education fellowship with Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

“I applied to that school because of its strong international community and commitment to research and work that lends itself to the greater good,” Nuñez said. “My research at SJU was in operations research, and now I leverage that experience, and hopefully this degree, to maximize the use of data to inform decision-making in public health, so that more people can access high-quality health care, whenever they need it and without being financially burdensome.”

Angela Nguyen ’19, an elementary education and special education double major, is a semifinalist for a fellowship in Malta. She said she hopes her experience and her reason for wanting to pursue a fellowship set her apart.

“Some people do it because they want to go abroad and for the experience, but I want it for the education aspect,” Nguyen

said. “Coming from an education background applying for Fulbright, it kind of changes things because you’re doing it for a different purpose.”

Although Nguyen is excited to be a semifinalist, she said waiting for the results is stressful because she cannot finalize her postgraduate plans.

“You also have to apply for grad school, jobs,” Nguyen said. “It’s just a lot of unknowns.

I think that’s something that, as a senior, you just have to be comfortable with.”

Matt Barrile ’18, who is a semifinalist for an ETA in the Czech Republic for the second year in a row, also said applying for Fulbright as a senior is stressful and much easier post-graduation.

Barrile said he feels more secure as he awaits an answer this year, as he already has other plans to work on political campaigns for the 2020 elections if he is not awarded a Fulbright.

“The pressure is not there [now] that was [there] when I was a senior,” Barrile said. “I was worried about what my next move was.

I still don’t know [the outcome of Fulbright], but the path is a little bit clearer.”

After students are notified of the status as semifinalists, their proposals go on to be reviewed by the proposed host country. According to the Fulbright website, notification of selection can be expected anywhere from March 1 to May 31, depending on the country.

Task force formed to combat diversity issues ERIN BREEN ’19 News Editor Members of University Student Senate (USS) and Black Student Union (BSU) met on Feb. 13 with members of the president’s task force regarding the current state of inclusion and diversity on campus.

Jill Bodensteiner, director of athletics, Dan Joyce, S.J., executive director of Mission Programs, Shaily Menon, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Wadell Ridley, assistant vice president for government and community relations, were appointed to the task force, according to a Jan. 17 email from University President Mark C. Reed.

Adam Mullin ’20, student senator, Jason D’Antonio ’19, USS president, and Milan Morris ’19, BSU co-president, were at the meeting as representatives of the student body.

“Our goal was to see where the task force stood and where they wanted to go,” Mullin said. “[We looked at] the concerns students have laid out, so there is mutual understand-

ing between us as student leaders and the four leaders of the task force. There is clarity to what the student sentiment was and then on the administrative end, how they can process that and begin to work with it.”

In the email to the university community, Reed explained the purpose and objectives of the task force.

“Given the current vacancy in the position of Chief Diversity Officer (CDO), who would usually serve in this role, this group will serve to fill that void,” Reed stated in the email.

“Additionally, these individuals represent a cross-section of institutional perspectives and bring significant experience and insights, both internal and external, to Saint Joseph’s.”

According to D’Antonio, the group used the Student Action Plan created based on content brainstormed during a BSU and USS forum held last December in response to backlash against the handling of an incident of racial bias. That plan focused on ways to further inclusion and equity in the administration, USS, Residence Life, Community

Standards, recruitment and admissions, and classroom life.

“Over the course of an hour, we went through each item of our Student Action Plan and discussed each in length,” D’Antonio said.

“From there, we talked about relative stakeholders, the state of play, action items and general ways to create synergies rather than silos.”

Morris said ensuring both the student body and the task force were on the same page was a priority, and clarifying the meaning of the points of the action plan did just that.

“This will allow [the task force] to go further and have these conversations with different communities on campus like Residence Life and in the classrooms,” Morris said.

For Bodensteiner, the main question for the task force is how the group can continue the work already being done by student and administrative groups to further promote diversity and inclusion on campus. This happens by identifying the groups involved and the resources needed.

“This being the first tangible thing that

people are seeing, I think it’s a great first step,” Bodensteiner said.

Both Bodensteiner and Morris said that one of their goals is to make campus a more comfortable place for students.

“I feel having this task force will be a great step towards that as they are able to be another voice for our student body,” Morris said. “I am hoping that our task force is able to speak to all parties of our community in order to work with them to create better ways to move closer to a more inclusive and diverse community.”

The next meeting is planned for after spring break.

Bodensteiner said she is impressed with the work students have already done but knows systemic change will be a longer process.

“The important thing we talked about was that we can’t make the campus a more comfortable place from checking a box,” Bodensteiner said. “It has to come organically.”

Ana Faguy ’19 contributed to this article.

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

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Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., St. Joe’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY

Q&A with newly appointed provost ANA FAGUY ’19 Editor in Chief Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., was announced as the new provost and vice president for academic affairs on Feb. 13. McConnell spent the last 30 years at Rockhurst University, a fellow Jesuit institution, in Kansas City, Mo. In an email to students, faculty and staff, University President Mark C. Reed announced that McConnell would officially join Hawk Hill on June 15.

With a background in accounting and business, McConnell most recently was the associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of Helzeberg School of Management at Rockhurst University.

What prompted you to apply to be the provost and vice president for academic affairs position at St. Joe’s?

I believe in the shared mission of Jesuit higher education. I believe that as Jesuit higher education institutions, we have to position ourselves to meet the continuing challenges of the world.

And for me, that means educating the whole person and delivering high quality educational experiences. And I know that that is happening at St. Joe’s and I know that I can contribute to shaping that for the future.

You’re coming here from Rockhurst University. Why another Jesuit institution?

Students face challenges today that weren’t faced by students a generation ago. We don’t even know the jobs that students today will have 15 years from now and, because of that, we have to remain focused on educating, not

just for the current jobs that students will receive at graduation, but for the next 10, and that means a focus on liberal education, it means a focus on the core values, it means a focus on learning how to think and reason.

That to me is the essence of a Jesuit education. Quite frankly, I don’t want to be at another institution that’s not a Jesuit institution. I want to be a leader a Jesuit institution that’s committed to those core values.

What do you see as the role of a provost and vice president for academic affairs?

The role of a provost is to provide the academic leadership and vision for the institution and to make sure that the system and the individuals and the programs are all aligned with achievement visions. It’s a complex challenging job, but I can’t imagine any job that’s more satisfying.

Small classes are an important part of the educational experience at St. Joe’s. The Jesuit Council on Rhetoric and Composition has been tracking data for writing courses, and Rockhurst has typically been towards the bottom of that list. Was that something specific to Rockhurst? Do you have plans to make sure course caps at St. Joe’s stay low?

[Rockhurst's] are at 23. I think there’s extraordinary value in keeping class sizes small and reasonable, particularly in writing and rhetoric courses. There’s no question that there are challenges related to efficiencies in higher education, but there are some really key things that we need to keep hold of, and certainly class sizes in writing are one of those. Specifically to your question, I have absolutely

no intent of increasing class sizes in writing. Quite frankly, that is not something I would universally do, that is a conversation that I would have with faculty.

How do you plan to develop and nurture a relationship with students on Hawk Hill?

I’m looking forward to this. When you become a leader in higher education, it’s easy to be disconnected with the student experience, and I think you have to be intentional about creating those connections with the students. Whether it’s in the town halls or its going over to [Campion Dining Hall] and connecting with students in a luncheon engagement or a coffee engagement.

Intentionally finding those connections. It could be participating and watching the artistic and athletic events, but it’s really important. You can’t get disconnected and still serve the students.

On Hawk Hill, you’ll be working with a group of seasoned senior administrators.

How will you work through disagreements?

In Jesuit institutions there are these principles of Ignatian conversation and a couple of important principles are to listen first, listen carefully, to disagree respectfully and humbly, to search for the truth in what others are saying and to give the conversation the time it takes. That’s hard to do when you’re dealing with difficult challenges, but concentrating on that, it really comes from a place of respect and listening. There will always be disagreements but we will find a way to work collaboratively through the disagreements to do what’s best for the university.

In the fall semester, we had campus-wide protests and then conversations after a racist incident on campus. Social justice and institutional racism have become part of the national conversation. How do you plan to tackle these conversations at St. Joe’s?

We had some similar experiences at Rockhurst University, where some racist flyers were on doors. We met the challenge with open conversations and standing in companionship.

We stood in the quad together, as a university, with a commitment, not here not ever. Rockhurst has completed a climate study, which I understand SJU has as well, so [I’m] committed to deeply reviewing the climate study when I get there, taking action where I can, getting together with the rest of the higher administration to make sure that campus is open and welcoming to all. Because if one person doesn’t feel at home, then no one should feel at home.

What do you think is the most productive way for college campuses to have a dialogue about racism?

I don’t believe there is one thing that is the answer. I think that it’s an approach on all fronts.

There’s conversations that go on that should go on in the student life element. There’s also conversations about how we integrate the topics and have conversations within the classroom and within the academic side. It’s a deep, complicated question, and it deserves a multifaceted approach that is thoughtful, measured and that is a deep commitment from the institution at all levels.

Human trafficking in America underreported

Bowman Lecture Series speaker notes lack of statistics ZACH DOBINSON ’22 Special to The Hawk Human trafficking is significantly underestimated in the U.S., according to Dr. Makini Chisholm-Straker, M.D., one of two guest speakers at the annual Bowman Lecture Series, which took place Feb. 13 in the North Lounge

of Campion Student Center.

Chisholm-Straker is the co-founder of HEAL Trafficking (Health, Education, Advocacy, Linkage), a group established in 2005.

Human trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision and/or obtaining of somebody by force, fraud and/ or coercion for labor exploitation and/or sex-

ual exploitation. In order for someone to be considered a victim of human trafficking, they need to meet the criteria in the federal definition, according to Chisholm-Straker.

Chisholm-Straker said official statistics do not account for people who were born in the U.S., people who were smuggled in or people who came to the U.S. on a visa

and then got trafficked.

“That number probably is an underestimate because that was only how many people were coming in annually,” Chisholm-Straker said. “I think we should all care about trafficking because we’re all responsible for it.”

SEE PG. 4

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The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

News

LEFT: Dr. Makini Chisholm-Straker, M.D., speaks in Campion Student Center North Lounge. RIGHT: Students listen to Chisholm-Straker’s presentation. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Human trafficking in America underreported CONTINUED FROM PG. 3 Data from Polaris, a national nonprofit that runs an anti-trafficking hotline, indicates that more than 5,000 human trafficking cases were reported in the first half of 2018, compared to 8,524 reported cases in 2017.

Chisholm-Straker said her work as an emergency room doctor brought her into contact with human trafficking.

“I started doing anti-trafficking work [when] I was a medical student, and it looked like me listening to and learning from survivors of trafficking,” Chisholm-Straker said. “At that time most of the anti-trafficking movement was advocates, people who were working with survivors directly and law enforcement.”

According to the national human traf-

ficking hotline run by Polaris, 127 human trafficking cases were reported in Philadelphia in the first half of 2018, of which 106 were sex trafficking cases.

Panelist Monica Charleston grew up in North Philadelphia and created an organization called Kaleidoscope International to advocate for children and women who have been victims of human and sex trafficking.

Charleston said when she was young she was trafficked for eight years.

“There is definitely a problem [of human trafficking] in Philadelphia, there’s problem everywhere, but there’s definitely problems in big cities,” Charleston said. “Anyone can become a victim of human trafficking.”

Elaine Terry, Ph.D., organizer and founder of the lecture series and assistant professor of mathematics, said the lecture series was named after Thea Bowman, a

nun who was the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in theology from Boston College in 1988.

Terry introduced Chisholm-Straker before the lecture began.

“The series is important because we’re a [white] majority institution, and I think that many of our students don’t have experience with people who are different than themselves,” Terry said.

Chisholm-Straker said the co-founders of HEAL Trafficking want to shift the anti-trafficking movement’s approach to the larger problems with human trafficking.

“We wanted to expand it from one that is law enforcement focused to one that is rooted in public health principles so we are not just trying to arrest the problem away,” Chisholm-Straker said.

Jared Martinez ’19, who attended the

lecture, said he is currently working on his senior thesis research and found that the challenges with combating human trafficking stem from the general public’s overall lack of knowledge about human trafficking.

“In my research, I also found that one reason why there is a lack of general knowledge is because human trafficking is constantly changing and evolving,” Martinez said. “It takes seven or eight times for many victims to escape.”

Charleston said she spends her life advocating for victims of human trafficking and shares her story in hopes of educating people on the reality of human trafficking.

“There is life after trafficking,” Charleston said.

National Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 (888) 373-7888

Students with diabetes worry about affording insulin CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

Katherine Grimm ’21, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 9 years old, pays $600 every three months for her insulin, even with insurance coverage.

“It’s incredibly frustrating to know that I have a need for this one thing, and it’s incredibly easy to make,” Grimm said.

“They’ve been doing it since the 1920s. It’s just corporate greed.”

When Frederick Banting, M.D., and Charles Best, M.D., discovered insulin as a treatment for diabetes in 1921, they sold the patent to University of Toronto for $1, in hopes it would lead to affordable access for everyone who needed it. Today, because no generic versions of insulin exist and there are only four major companies controlling the market, the prices have increased although no substantial changes to

the drug has been made.

Fordham said she is appalled that companies are profiting off her insulin dependency.

“Taking advantage of a situation someone is in to make a profit off of someone who is less fortunate and diagnosed with something they did nothing to deserve,” Fordham said. It’s just not right.”

Walter Bryz-Gornia ’21, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was two years old, described needing to buy his own insulin once he graduates as “a looming anxiety.”

“On top of being successful to make enough money to afford a home, I also have insulin to worry about,” Bryz-Gornia said. “I don’t have the luxury of being able to take risks.

It’s not my fault that I was diagnosed with diabetes. [Companies found] something to take advantage of. I take the blow.”

Fordham, Grimm and Bryz-Gornia all

said they worry about needing to ration insulin at some point.

“When [someone] say[s] they are rationing, they are carefully calculating the food that they are intaking and the activities that they are doing and then providing what they think is going to be the bare minimum of what will be enough,” Fordham said. “It’s guesswork.”

Grimm said after graduating, if she is unable to find a job with good enough insurance to help her cover the costs of her insulin, she sees her two options as having to ration or sacrificing financial well-being to keep herself healthy.

“It’s definitely in the back of my mind, and it will most likely affect how I choose the place that I work after I come out of school,” Grimm said.

Bryz-Gornia said that because insulin is so expensive, he is already taking steps

to only use what he needs.

“I take precaution in making sure the insulin stays cold and nothing goes bad,” Bryz-Gornia said. “I only fill my pump half way, which leads to more injections, but I won’t waste anything.”

For now, Fordham said she relies on her parents and their insurance to help her cover the costs of her diabetes. She said she understands the privilege of being able to do so.

“I’m really fortunate that both my parents have great insurance coverage, so I don’t feel it as directly as some other people,” Fordham said. “It is already hard enough being a privileged college student living with this day-to-day. I can’t imagine living vial to vial.”

Department of Public Safety reports (Feb. 8 - Feb. 14) Feb. 8 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm inside the Sourin Residence Center. Public Safety officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a faulty washing machine. Alarm was reset.

Feb. 9 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm inside the Sourin Residence Center. Public Safety officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated due to unknown means. Alarm was reset.

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm inside the Villiger Residence Hall. Public Safety officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated due to unknown

means. Alarm was reset.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to person(s) unknown damaging his front glass window to his off campus residence located in the 5200 block of Rexford Road.

Philadelphia Police notified and responded. Incident under investigation.

Public Safety was notified by an area resident regarding students being loud in the 5600 block of Wynnefield Avenue. Public Safety officers, along with the Philadelphia Police notified and responded into the area.

Community Standards notified.

Feb. 12 Public Safety was notified by Access Security in regards to person(s) unknown

damaging end tables in the first floor commons area of the McShain Hall. Residence Life notified. Facilities Management notified. Incident under investigation.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to a suspicious person near the Drexel Arms Apartments. Public Safety officers along with Philadelphia Police responded, but were unable to locate the individual. Incident under investigation.

Feb. 14 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to a suspicious person near the Lincoln Court Apartments. Philadelphia Police along with property management were notified.

Incident under investigation.

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Opinions

Feb. 20, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

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Focusing on the real issue Gun laws and policies don't serve students Editor in Chief Ana Faguy ’19 Managing Editor Charley Rekstis ’20 Copy Chief Emily Graham ’20 Faculty Adviser Shenid Bhayroo Contributing Adviser Jenny Spinner Copy Editor Paige Santiago ’19 Copy Editor Kaila Mundell-Hill ’20 News Editor Erin Breen ’19 Assistant News Editor Alex Mark ’20 Assistant News Editor Alysa Bainbridge ’21 Editorial Page Editor Annie Clark ’19 Opinions Editor Dominique Joe ’19 Assistant Opinions Editor Devin Yingling ’22

If you’ve tried to adjust your schedule or apply for a parking pass on The Nest recently, you’ve likely been prompted to watch a grainy 12-year-old video called “Shots Fired: When Lightning Strikes,” which advises students on how to protect themselves in the event of an active shooter on campus.

While certainly well-intentioned, this video’s outdatedness speaks to a larger issue of students’ voices being drowned out in the national debate over how to solve campus gun violence.

There are few issues of greater concern to students in 2019 than addressing on-campus gun violence. Yet outdated and misguided proposals from politicians and schools continue to distract from meaningful and practical change, exemplified by a recently proposed Pennsylvania bill which would fund bulletproof infrastructure and increased security efforts in schools through a 10 percent sales tax on violent video games.

It is similar to another bill proposed in Rhode Island which would funnel profits from a video game sales tax into mental health services in schools.

The memo for Rep. Christopher Quinn’s (R-Delaware) bill cites unspecified research, which claims to show a correlation between aggressive behavior and video games. What it does not do is state a direct link between video games with violent content and school shootings. The bill also fails to mention guns even once.

Quinn’s bill is yet another installment in the series of misguided attempts to address campus gun violence without actually broaching the root issue of gun policy in the U.S. Whether or not there is a correlation between violent video games and mass shootings—and social scientists have yet to

find such a link—this bill would do nothing to prevent the sale of guns to people who shouldn’t have them.

The bill’s focus on managing gun violence, rather than preventing it, is visible in the rhetoric of the active shooter instructional video which all St. Joe’s students are required to watch on The Nest.

The video is used at several other colleges and provides guidelines on how students can keep themselves safe in the event of an active shooter. Its title, “Shots Fired: When Lightning Strikes,” refers to the rarity of mass school shootings.

While it is true that school shootings are rare, their rate of occurrence has more than doubled since the video was created in 2007. Data from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security shows that 2018 was the deadliest year for school shootings during the 48-year timeframe analyzed by the Center.

Of course, schools have a responsibility to make sure their students are provided with practical, in-depth knowledge of how to respond to potential safety threats, active shooters included.

The problem with the video lies in both its outdatedness and the fact that, when it stands alone in how schools respond to the possibility of an active shooter, students lack information on how they can engage with their political representatives to lessen the threat of a campus shooting occurring in the first place.

Bills like Rep. Quinn’s only serve as distractions from greater issues like gun over-availability. Even if Pennsylvania and Rhode Island decide to start taxing video games in a misguided effort to decrease aggressive behavior, there will still be 67 million more guns than people in the U.S. and

too many politicians who will blame the issue of campus gun violence on everything but guns.

Students know this. The survivors of the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., who later organized the March for Our Lives protest, exemplify the generation most impacted by campus gun violence and are most equipped to make recommendations on how to confront it.

One year following the Parkland shooting, and in the wake of yet another incident of multiple-casualty gun violence in Aurora, Il. on Feb. 15, we need to be moving away from rhetoric that centers on managing the issue of campus gun violence and moving toward models of actionable political change.

With all due respect to creators of mandatory active shooter response training videos and legislators looking for creative ways to address school shootings, the solution to eliminating campus gun violence is more straightforward than a video game sales tax, and it’s already been proposed by students living under the reality of increasingly common school shootings. Let’s take our cues from them.

—The Editorial Board This week’s Editorial Board is comprised of the Editor in Chief, Managing Editor, Opinions Editor, Assistant Opinions Editor, Editorial Page Editor, News Editor and Lifestyle Editor. This editorial reflects the views of the Board and not the entire Hawk Staff.

The Hawk welcomes Letters to the Editor, typically no more than 300 words. They can be emailed to hawk.editorial@gmail.com.

Lifestyle Editor Alex Hargrave ’20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Natalie Drum ’20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Cara Smith ’21 Sports Editor Nick Karpinski ’21 Assistant Sports Editor Sam Britt ’20 Assistant Sports Editor Ryan Mulligan ’21 Creative Director Kelly Smith ’19 Photo Editor Mitchell Shields ’22 Social Media Manager Erin Castellano ’20 Assistant Social Media Manager Angela DiMarco ’22 Business Manager Tom Trullinger ’21 Distribution Manager Addie Guyer ’19 Assistant Distribution Manager Gavin O’Reilly ’20

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST The newest St. Joe’s theatre production is now showing in the Bluett Theatre, and we heard that it’s one of the best plays the theatre company has put on in years. So skip the routine Manayunk plans we know you have on Friday night and support the hard, always entertaining work of the SJU Theatre Company.

WHAT PRESIDENTS DAY WEEKEND? Being at a Catholic school unfortunately means swapping our Presidents Day Weekend for Easter break in mid-April. At this increasingly hectic point in the semester, we would gladly take a three-day weekend.

A WINNING STREAK As of their close 64-63 win over La Salle University on Feb. 17, the St. Joe’s women’s basketball team has officially won four games in a row.

Senior guard Alyssa Monaghan also finished the game with 27 points, which is a career high for her. Keep up the good work, Hawks!

SORORITY ROOM BOMBING St. Joe’s sororities are “bombing” the rooms of new pledges, which means two things: extraordinary amounts of glitter and even fewer parking spots on a campus where parking is an Olympic sport.

SPRING BREAK APPROACHES It’s week six of the semester, which means that spring break is only two weeks away. We may not be feeling the mid-semester grind just yet, but we will admit to starting the countdown to spring break (16 days to go).

R.I.P. OPPORTUNITY The rover that discovered water on Mars is no more. Opportunity, as it was named by NASA, was taken out by a dust storm on Mars last week. Rest in peace, Opportunity. We’ll never forget you, and neither will the scientists who played Billie Holiday’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” when they realized the end was near.

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Feb. 20, 2019

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

What AirPods say about the user Millennials and Gen-Zers’ obsession with personal image DOMINIQUE JOE ’19 Opinions Editor Recently, I’ve noticed more and more students on campus wearing Apple AirPods. My initial response, after marveling at the idea that anyone is such a fanatic of Apple to buy what look like $159 cotton swabs that they jam into their ears, is that I must take a further analytical look at this device.

AirPods have become a socioeconomic marker lambasted in memes, but more importantly an everyday occurrence for Millennials and Gen-Zers, especially college students. AirPods and their “cult following” speak to the new and improved cultural fascination with personal image.

When AirPods were first released in December of 2016, I was astounded that earbuds with wireless connectivity could cost so much.

I remember growing up in the early era of Bluetooth wireless headsets, so it was odd to me that Apple was entering this arena. Early Bluetooth headsets were mired in longstanding mockery due to how ridiculous a person looked while wearing them.

Headphones with Bluetooth connectivity, for the singular purpose of listening to music, were accepted due to a level of pragmatism. No cord to get tangled in when you’re at the gym, no cord to deal with when you go on a run, no cord to get stuck on kitchen cabinet handles or door knobs.

Apple took these two things and melded them together. So AirPods have the microphone to make calls, as well as the capability to listen to music without a cumbersome cord in the way. And maybe even more importantly, they are discreet.

On the surface, AirPods have a real utility, but their market price was one that didn’t justify the purchase if one couldn’t afford it.

It is this idea of not being able to afford something seen as luxurious that make AirPods both mocked and admired.

As I said in a previous piece about Fyre Festival, social media creates an idyllic image that many people envy and wish they

debt, for example, due to the evermore normative idea that you need to go to college.

Also, as Morgan Stanley Research reports, Gen-Zers are stepping onto more financially stable ground, due to further generational interest in the tech and medical fields that will make college costs less worrisome overall. However, there is still that component that Gen-Zers (including myself) aren’t there yet.

AirPods come at a time when Millennials, and especially the first few years of Gen-Zers, are in college and accumulating a lot of debt.

AirPods feed into a more obtainable

The prevalence of AirPods is indicative of a new kind of social signifier that augments a person’s image and their preoccupation with obtaining these social signifiers. could obtain. AirPods fall into this preoccupation with image due to their price point.

AirPods realistically speaking can only be bought on a whim by someone who has $159 laying around. That person is not the lion’s share of Millennials and especially Gen-Zers (or more accurately Gen-Zers' parents).

While Morgan Stanley Research anticipates a “youth boom economy” with more Millennials and Gen-Zers entering the labor force, these generations of people are dealing with an inordinate amount of college

fantasy for Millennials and Gen-Zers, with a price point that is lower than $200 so one could save up and purchase them after a while. They are a marker of financial stability, if not great wealth.

And when social media is inundated with images of lofty spending, luxurious trips and the newest technological advances, AirPods have become a status symbol.

People have become so preoccupied with personal image and “brand,” most importantly everyday people, due to the cultivation of their social media.

I had a conversation with someone a few months back about making sure her “feed” was cohesive. This person was a normal college student who had maybe 300 or 400 followers on Instagram.

The prevalence of AirPods is indicative of a new kind of social signifier that augments a person’s image and their preoccupation with obtaining these social signifiers.

Clout culture with the, what I find horrendously ugly, all Supreme outfits and what not, is probably the furthest extent of this new and ever-evolving fascination with personal image. But AirPods are the most normative and least strange product of this new preoccupation.

AirPods in and of themselves are not bad or evil, but they do point to something I believe has become an issue within the Millennial and Gen-Z generations. The great lengths that the cultivation of personal image is starting to move towards is troubling.

It’ll start with a $159 pair of earbuds and end up with hundreds of people stranded on a Bahamian island for a “VIP” music festival experience.

We need to take a step back and think about the ways in which we are falling into this obsession with our personal image. We need to collectively think about how we are urged and how we urge others indirectly to take on a performative financial stability or overly admire great wealth.

AirPods in and of themselves are not the issue, but they are a product of a fascination that I think can and will horribly ravage our innate self-worth.

It's time for the recognition of women Delving into the absence of women in STEM MEGAN PIASECKI ’22 Columnist As our society is geared more and more towards equity for all, we need to discuss a certain problem that is still happening within our society: the fact that there are few women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These fields are still predominantly controlled by men.

In recent studies, women only make up around 25 percent of computer or mathematics related jobs, and only about 14 percent of architecture and engineering jobs in the U.S. This is not surprising, but it is still appalling. Often, when women are hired within these fields, they tend to get paid less than their male counterparts.

Women in STEM positions get paid about 79.2 percent of their male colleagues’ earnings, meaning they get about 79 cents to every dollar a man makes. For the same position, needing the same qualifications, there is something definitely skewed about these numbers regarding gender.

I feel that these inequalities start from a young age, when boys and girls are put on different paths in school when it comes to future careers and their natural capabilities. There are gender stereotypes that are ingrained into our society. Sadly, many of us perpetuate them without realizing it and leave girls in the dust when it comes to pursuing STEM. According to a study conducted by Lin Bian of Cornell University, girls aged five are likely to say that they are “really really smart,” then girls aged six and older said they associate the idea of intellectual brilliance with boys instead of girls.

We all know that is not true. Girls are just as smart as boys, and what matters is the work that is put into their studies. But why exactly do girls inherently seem to think this

much or that there are stereotypes surrounding women’s intelligence, but men also tend to be recognized more for STEM accomplishments than women do.

ILLUSTRATION: OLIVIA HEISTERKAMP ’19/THE HAWK

way, thus possibly self-sabotaging their chances in the STEM field?

This disposition towards academics and intelligence could be traced back to the fact that until fairly recently in countries like the U.S., women weren’t encouraged to get jobs or go to college.

In 1972, only 47 years ago, Title IX, a federal civil rights law, was passed as part of the Education Amendments that made it illegal to discriminate against gender when it comes to receiving a college education.

It isn’t simply that women don’t get paid as

If you think of some famous scientists you have learned about in school, very few women come to mind. Some names come immediately to mind: Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking. Yet, there are plenty of women in the STEM field that have done great things in terms of innovation.

The most famous female in science is probably Marie Curie. She defined radioactivity and discovered both radium and polonium. Not only that, but she is the only

woman to ever win two Nobel Peace Prizes for her contributions, and she is the only person to win two Nobel Peace Prizes in two different scientific fields.

Emmy Noether is another example of what women in STEM look like and can accomplish. In a letter about Noether, Einstein deemed her “the most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began.”

Noether worked with Einstein on most of his theories of relativity. She laid the foundations that he built upon. Noether also greatly advanced the field of Algebra.

She wasn’t always this successful however. Her mathematics education was delayed because her university did not want women to attend their school. She was also denied multiple postings due to the fact she was a woman and Jewish.

This didn’t stop her in the long run, and she later became one of the greatest mathematicians in history.

All of these women deserve recognition for their innovations, just like their male counterparts. STEM is a field for opportunities and innovation, and giving women an equal chance is opening the door to advancement and discovery.

Moving toward acknowledging all women in this field is a small step towards women today gearing their careers into STEM. It is vital that young women have role models that look like them from a young age into adulthood.

By showing young women throughout their lives that there are women in STEM who have done great things, we can encourage them to keep going.

The history of women in STEM is important and these women must be recognized for their great accomplishments and for all women in the future.

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

7

Navigating imposter syndrome Redefining success to cope with self-doubt KELLY SMITH ’19 Columnist Whether you’re a student, on social media or have a job, you’ve likely come face to face with the crippling self-doubt known as imposter syndrome.

Psychology Today defines imposter syndrome as “a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their own accomplishments.”

There’s no way to tell if someone is going through this, but I think it’s safe to say that many young people have experienced imposter syndrome at some point.

If you’re one of the lucky few who hasn’t experienced imposter syndrome, it feels like one minute you’re fully capable, and the next you become a fraud in your own mind.

You can have every award and recognition in the world and still feel like there’s someone out there who is more deserving than you.

The strangest part about this phenomenon is that when you experience success, you feel like there’s been a mistake. When you’re congratulated for an achievement—even when you know how much hard work has gone into it— you somehow feel unworthy.

When it comes to measurable benchmarks like awards and class rankings, satisfaction is hardly ever constant. Images in popular culture paint pictures of success in two very different ways: one being the rich man climbing his way up the corporate ladder, and the second being someone who came from humble beginnings and stumbled into the spotlight.

Our generation is consumed by the unhealthy assumption that overexerting ourselves to complete a task will guarantee re-

warding results. Imposter syndrome is by no means a medical diagnosis, but the root of it can definitely take a toll on mental health.

In my own experience, I’ve found that I frequently disregard my own successes. To combat these moments of self-doubt, I tend to

mentality that needs to change.

I realize that I am contradicting myself when I say that this mentality also needs to be normalized. It’s just as important to cultivate a common ground where people can talk about their inner dialogue with their peers so that

ILLUSTRATION: KELLY SMITH ’19/THE HAWK

overwork myself to the point of isolation.

I often see my friends studying for days on end, and they receive that nearly perfect score on an exam. Congratulating their achievement is usually followed by “thanks, but I could’ve done X or Y, better to get Z.” This is the kind of

they feel less alone in their experience.

I still haven’t arrived at a point where I’ve fully come to terms with my accomplishments, but I’m getting there. It has been a journey that has forced me to accept the things that I’m uncomfortable with, such as receiving validation.

Whether I like it or not, feeling validated is often needed in order to get perspective, and that’s perfectly okay.

The hardest part about “finding yourself ” when you live in a bubble is recognizing that you need to break out of that bubble.

Redefining success on our own terms is easier said than done, especially when there’s so much noise coming at us from every direction. I’ve realized that comparison is the enemy of progress, meaning that success is not at all linear.

Despite the fact that there will always be someone more skilled and accomplished than me, I find comfort in knowing that no one can ever live my life better than I can.

I’m still navigating my own journey with imposter syndrome, but I’ve come to realize the importance of taking pride in little victories.

I recently stumbled upon a YouTube video by a woman named Miss Varz, a student at Oxford University (and roommate of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai) titled “Having imposter syndrome at university.”

Throughout the video, she recalled feeling like she didn’t belong at Oxford when she arrived. Although she deserved to be there as much as everyone around her, imposter syndrome prevented her from doing things solely because she didn’t accept the accomplishments that brought her there.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remind ourselves that we have to be our own advocate in order to be satisfied with wherever our paths take us. After all, someone could be a student at the most prestigious academic institution in the world and still doubt themselves.

Celebrating the challenges we’ve faced can push us to accomplish so much more than what we think we’re capable of. You just might surprise yourself if you try.

Is this really a national emergency?

Trump’s response to the new spending bill ERIN FENZEL ’22 Guest Columnist With more than 800,000 federal employees furloughed and/or working without pay, the American public was bombarded with heartbreaking stories of people who were unable to pay their mortgages, looking for additional jobs and struck by their inability to provide for their respective families during the government’s most recent 35-day shutdown.

Ironically, “about 32,000 employees, out of the 245,000-person DHS [Department of Homeland Security] workforce, [were] not working and not getting paid as the partial shutdown reached its 25th day,” and this department is at the front of the issue President Donald Trump is fighting for: his border wall.

Luckily for the Department of Homeland Security and countless other federal workers, our governmental leaders will not be leaving their workers without pay for a second time.

The deadline of Feb. 15 marked the day in which a bipartisan deal was made in order to avoid yet another shutdown. As of Feb. 15, the U.S. government made it publically known that it was able to agree enough to keep the country moving.

After negotiations finished on Feb. 13, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

stated that Trump would sign the new spending bill. The spending bill passed on the Senate floor in a vote of 83-16 with bipartisan support.

The new spending bill will give more funding to the Department of Homeland Security and $1.375 billion of the $5.7 billion that Trump has been asking for to build the border wall.

This seems great at the outset. Maybe our polarized government is not so polarized after

the previous government shutdown as a scare tactic against Democrats in an attempt to make them more willing to work with him and give him his requested wall funding.

So what does a national emergency actually entail, and why is it so threatening?

The point of national emergency is for the president to deal with certain emergencies that require action too quickly for normal legislative proceedings, but are meant to be replaced within a year, unless otherwise renewed.

The worry concerning Trump’s call for a national emergency is that the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border does not constitute a national emergency and is a total misuse of federal funding that was “promised” to be paid for by the Mexican government. all and has actually learned some sort of lesson.

But of course there is a caveat. When McConnell announced Trump’s support of the new spending bill, he also stipulated that Trump would follow up by declaring a national emergency in order to receive his optimal level of funding for the border wall.

The threat of declaring a national emergency was used periodically by Trump during

Declaring a national emergency does not have any constitutional guidelines, meaning the president can call a national emergency on somewhat arbitrary acts.

The declaration of a national emergency also allows the president to use laws (123 in total) that do not have much to do with their emergency. These laws include, but are not limited to, foreign trade policy and

the use of military force.

The power of the president when it comes to declaring a national emergency is an extreme implied power, which was why the 1976 National Emergencies Act was created as a way to check the power of the president’s authority when declaring a national emergency. This act allows a Congressional committee to review and possibly terminate the national emergency.

The worry concerning Trump’s call for a national emergency is that the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border does not constitute a national emergency and is a total misuse of federal funding that was “promised” to be paid for by the Mexican government.

Falling short of his funding, Trump has decided that the best course of action is to call a national emergency in order to meet the $5.7 billion request and to “stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border.”

It seems ironic to call the need for a national emergency due to a humanitarian crisis while forgetting the humanitarian crisis is truly the separation of families at the southern border.

We don’t need to reallocate government money towards a national emergency that doesn’t exist. Trump said himself, “I could do the wall over a longer period of time, I didn’t need to do this. But, I’d rather do it much faster.”

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Feb. 20, 2019

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Making the most of the GEP The key to finding interesting and worthwhile classes ANNIE CLARK ’19 Editorial Page Editor I like St. Joe’s. I really do. I may spend a lot of time as The Hawk’s Editorial Page Editor writing about things the university could be doing better, but I will say without hesitation that transferring here two years ago was one of the best decisions I could have made for my academic and professional careers.

Since coming to this school, I’ve traveled to a new continent, worked directly with a local nonprofit to help them develop their social media presence, spoken to and learned about American mass incarceration from people serving time in prison, developed a marketing campaign and worked on a weekly newspaper.

I owe several of these experiences directly to our complex, sometimes maligned General Education Program (GEP).

Without taking courses that fulfil more than one graduation requirement, a student could take up to 22 classes towards their GEP credits. That’s over half of the 40 courses required of the average St. Joe’s student, and it’s a lot—too many, I would argue.

If the purpose of college is to figure out personal interests and channel them toward a future career or graduate program, then having as many as 22 general education classes leaves little room for electives that could po-

tentially change the course of a college career.

That being said, the GEP does offer some flexibility beyond the core classes required of all St. Joe’s graduates. With that flexibility, I’ve taken classes that I’ve found both interesting and illuminating. Here are three of my favorites.: 1. The Inside Out program is offered each semester and gives St. Joe’s students a chance to take a class alongside incarcerated students.

The theme of the course and the GEP require-

emphasis placed on mutual learning rather than service alone.

2. I didn’t know what to expect when signing up for my faith-reason course last semester, but my Myth and History in the Bible class was absolutely fascinating.

The topics of our reading assignments ranged from the history of Neanderthals to the purpose behind the biblical story of Jonah (it uses the Assyrians in an example of God’s forgiveness but was actually written af-

If the purpose of college is to figure out personal interests and channel them toward a future career or graduate program, then having as many as 22 general education classes leaves little room for electives that could potentially change the course of a college career. ments it fulfills can vary based on the professors teaching it, but I took it as Inside Out: Dimensions of Freedom to meet my philosophical anthropology requirement.

I got to speak with and know incarcerated (or “inside”) students from all walks of life, allowing me to break down stereotypes I had about people serving time in prison and making me aware of some of my own biases.

What I absolutely loved about this class was the different take it had on the service learning program at St. Joe’s. There was a real

ter the end of the Assyrian empire).

The class used both scholarly articles and primary sources for readings. Our textbook was a compilation of ancient texts which provided historical examples of biblical themes and motifs. If you’re even kind of interested in anthropology and ancient history, I would absolutely recommend this class.

3. No class I’ve taken at St. Joe’s better exemplifies my program of study (a communication studies major with a Spanish minor) than Current Events in Spanish Language Media.

It counted as both an upper-division elective for my Spanish minor and an integrative learning course (ILC) for my communication studies major. Throughout the course, we discussed how to evaluate a news source and the ways that coverage of a topic changes based on where a source is from.

I really enjoyed the collaborative environment this class fostered and how the events we discussed were, in a way, crowdsourced from what interested each of us (there were weekly student presentations on current events in Latin America and Spain).

And as an ILC, it really did fit perfectly with my communication studies major. I probably would have taken Current Events in Spanish Language Media even if it had not counted toward the GEP, but it did help me understand the thinking behind ILCS. Whether it’s an ILC or a “signature core” requirement, I’ve found that the key to making it through the GEP is choosing classes that I find genuinely interesting, and not making those decisions based on whether a class is offered at a convenient time or the amount of work I’ll need to put in to do well.

Even if I get stuck in a class that I truly can’t make the most of, I like to remind myself of what an incredible privilege it is to be in college at all.

With that perspective, the annoyance of a mandatory theology class is pretty microscopic.

Vaccinations are a privilege, so get them How vaccinations are necessary to improve global health DEVIN YINGLING ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Though anti-vaccination sentiment is not new, thereseems to be a sudden surge in discussion about it on social media.

One would think that vaccinations and immunizations would seem like a good thing in the age of ever-developing modern medicine. But it seems as though this isn’t the case.

According to CBS, “At least 43 people in Washington and Oregon have fallen ill in recent weeks with the extraordinarily contagious [measles] virus, which was [assumed] eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 as a result of immunization.”

I find it odd how this virus was eradicated by modern medicine, and there are still people who find immunizations more dangerous than subjecting their children to a potentially deadly disease.

So why is this a common belief?

Immunizations became known in “the early 1800s, following Edward Jenner’s cowpox experiments, in which he showed that he could protect a child from smallpox if he infected him or her with lymph from a cowpox blister.”

This procedure was protested for a variety of reasons, such as a fear of the procedure itself. It received dissent from clergy members, and there was a general distrust of science and medicine at the time.

Since Jenner’s findings, many factors have continued to prompt people to protest vaccinations.

The false study published about a link between immunizations and Autism Spec-

trum Disorder (ASD) is a common cause for vaccine hesitation. It is important to note, “studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD.” Beside this common “theory,” other reasoning for anti-vax supporters can stem from philosophical, social, political, religious and

of knowledge on the matter is astonishing.

I fully understand a big part of the anti-vax argument, which asserts that the government should not have a say in the private decisions of a family.

This is a fair assertion, considering some people may choose not to vaccinate their children for something like religious reasons.

ILLUSTRATION: OLIVIA HEISTERKAMP ’19/THE HAWK

various other roots and beliefs.

However, fear and general misinformation tend to the be the primary forces when it comes to parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. According to the World Health Organization, vaccine hesitancy is among the top 10 threats to global health in 2019.

The fact that there are people living in a world with advanced medicine who feel as though they have the right to subject their children to deadly diseases due to their lack

If the government required vaccines and this was enforced, that may infringe on one’s freedom of religion.

However the World Health Organization sustains the fact that “vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease. It currently prevents 2-3 million deaths a year, and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved.”

Moreover, vaccinations are already re-

quired by specific schools or professions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stipulate that “state laws establish vaccination requirements for school children. These laws often apply not only to children attending public schools but also to those attending private schools and day care facilities.”

So yes, vaccinating your children is a “private” matter. But choosing to subject your children to deadly diseases affects those outside of your home. Immunizations are already recognized by larger entities as being something necessary to sustain adequate health within a larger community.

Vaccinations for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus and other diseases are required to attend St. Joe’s with exceptions only for religious reasons. Clearly, a mindset supporting immunizations is pervasive and close to home.

Therefore, it should not be tolerated, not deemed acceptable to allow people to believe they have “the choice” or “the right” to let their child be subjected to deadly diseases when availability to medical care exists. We must recognize the threat anti-vax sentiment poses to the greater good and not just one child or one family.

The availability to vaccinations and preventative medical care at this moment in time is a privilege, not a right. It should be a right and a priority for all people, but sadly this is not the case. It is something we have to work for on a global scale.

There are people around the globe who die from preventable diseases due to their lack of adequate medical care and immunization availability.

We have an amazing level of preventative care in the U.S. For those that are able to access it, use it.

Lifestyle

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

9

STEVEN BRADLEY ON HIS YEARS AT ST. JOE'S

Bradley regularly spends time on the couch in the Student Senate office. PHOTO: DIMETRI WILLIAMS ’19/THE HAWK

CHARLEY REKSTIS ’20 Managing Editor As part of The Hawk’s coverage of Black History Month and ongoing coverage of race and diversity on campus, we interview black students about their experiences at St. Joe’s.

Our second Q&A is with Steven Bradley ’20, secretary of communications for University Student Senate (USS), historian for Phi Sigma Pi (PSP), treasurer for the Black Student Union (BSU), a Hawk Host and a player on the rugby team.

Bradley went to St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and decided to come to St. Joe’s because of his involvement with the Ignatian College Connection (ICC) program. Through the program, he visited Hawk Hill on multiple occasions and received the ICC scholarship.

After interning with a health care company for the past three summers, he is hoping to use his degree in communication studies to go into public relations after graduation.

How significant is the fact that St. Joe’s a majority white school?

It’s significant in a sense that it’s just how things go in the real world. One of the things that both my parents really instilled with me when I was a child was people are going to look different than you, but you have to be willing to go out there and push yourself and put yourself in a situation where you’re

not going to be comfortable. My dad really does that. He owns his own small business and he is connecting with different clients.

He said that it’s hard being a black business owner and trying to get clients of different varieties, especially white clients. He’s a very community-oriented person, so he knows how to work with people regardless of the environment. He knows how to form those connections and make himself comfortable and feel welcome to all people. He wanted me to be able to do the same and not only get used to being around people that don’t look like me and to learn that how you have to be able to make the best of it and go from there.

What does it mean to be a black male at St. Joe’s?

Being a black male at St. Joe’s is being able to fire off the stereotypes you see on television.

It’s one of the hardest images to always see people who look like me maybe on different career paths. There are different perceptions; people out there running their own businesses, people who are getting shot down whether it’s by the police or black men shooting at each other. They are being portrayed in music and TV as criminals and thugs, which isn’t the case at all. People go down different life paths, but at the end of the day we are not always what you see on TV. Being a black male at St. Joe’s is just a way of saying that I do not have to be that stereotype. I don’t have to live up to cer-

tain expectations. I set my own expectations and live up to however I want because I am not just a black male. I am a black male, but I’m also a guy that plays rugby, or a guy in Student Senate. I can define myself as whoever I want to be.

Did the racial slur incident that happened last semester change your attitude toward St. Joe’s?

Yes, because I felt like it was a moment that broke that sense of complacency. Even though I’m involved with diverse organizations, sometimes I have a hard time trying to express myself by being vocal. When an incident like that happens like last semester, it takes time for you to sit and think about what’s going on. It questions not only what happened to that person but what would have happened if it happened to me. How do you challenge yourself and your identity? As a black person in general, who can understand what somebody else went through in that situation? You can learn how to help support that person. You still have to be able to support your fellow peers, especially those who are the same color as you.

How does your involvement with Student Senate, PSP, Rugby and Hawk Hosts shape your experience at St. Joe’s?

It’s shaped my experience because it has offered a perspective of different environments you can be in. Going back to the idea of being a black male on campus, you have

to be willing to learn how to work with different environments. There may be a chance that you are working with people who look like you, and there may be a chance that you are the minority of the whole group. Being involved with Student Senate, PSP and these other organizations, the main thing I have learned is the idea that you may not necessarily speak for everybody, but you can offer your own unique perspective just like everybody else can. You can’t learn things you may not necessarily know just by looking at a person. Being involved helps out with being able to learn how to converse, learn and inform people about something they may not understand and at the same time being able to listen and get my own understanding.

How significant is it that you are part of the most diverse University Student Senate to date?

It shows that we are growing as an organization. As society changes, you have to understand that diversity is going to become more and more of an important factor. It’sreally great to be able to have a senate that reflects that diversity. Ideally, we want to keep that trend going. It’s always important, and it feels great to be a part of it. Hopefully, even when I’m gone you will still be able to see that diversity reflected. We want to make sure we are inclusive of all members of our community, not just one majority or minority.

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Lifestyle

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

! welcomes new faces on stage (From left to right) Brett Tillotson ’19 as LeFou with ensemble members Kerri Greco ’21, Kaleb Fair ’22 and Julianna Julia ’21. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

CARA SMITH ’21 Assistant Lifestyle Editor The SJU Theatre Company opened its production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” this past weekend, marking the company’s first ever Disney show and largest SJU theatre production in almost a decade.

The decision to produce such a large show was influenced by the recent influx of musical theatre majors. According to the show’s director, Renee Dobson, M.F.A., associate professor of performing arts, musicals have a cast of 16 to 18 people, but this show has a cast of 28, along with a crew of 12 and orchestra of nine.

“We have an influx of many more musical theatre majors over the last two years,” Dobson said. “We wanted to provide them an opportunity to perform in a show that had many roles in it. We wanted to provide for our musical theatre majors.”

Dobson said the department of music, theatre & film has tripled its enrollment of musical theatre majors over the past two-

years to a total of 14 students. The department of music, theatre & film has attracted students like Sam Jenkins ’21, who plays the lead role of Belle and is excited about the theatre department’s recent growth.

“Theatre is an underappreciated art form,” Jenkins said. “I do think that the more people we have, the bigger shows that we will be able to do and the more funding we will be able to make.”

Although the musical represents growth for the company, going from the typical size show to a larger production has taken some adjustment.

Lexi Mignogna ’21 is the student managing director of the SJU Theatre Company and plays the role of Madame de la Grande Bouche. She said she welcomes the adjustment to a larger production.

“Coming to a cast from the teens to a cast that is approaching thirty, plus crew, is definitely different in the green room for sure,” Mignogna said. “It is crowded, but it is lively and there is so much positive energy.

It is so great meeting new people and seeing new faces come out and audition.”

Not only is the theatre company gaining more exposure due to the larger production, but the musical also presents a unique learning opportunity for students that have never been in a college production before.

Ray Zuhowski ’21 plays the role of Beast and has been in multiple musicals during his time at St. Joe’s. Zuhowski said that the larger musicals present a different opportunity for actors and actresses than smaller musicals.

“It is a really great opportunity for people to grow as performers when you have a bigger cast,” Zuhowski said. “There is a lot more responsibility put on everyone in the cast, not just a select few.”

Even though the musical was larger than the typical production, there was still the same sense of community that was fostered in the smaller casts, according to Mignogna.

“The community of actors, technicians, directors, musicians, there are so many familiar friendly faces that it is almost like you feel that you are at home again,” Mignogna said.

Kerri Greco ’21, a member of the ensemble and a first time participant in the SJU Theatre Company, said that the cast’s

preexisting connections allowed them to be more welcoming to new students.

“The connection between the characters and [actors] are what drives the show,” Greco said. “With such a big cast, it was a bit difficult, but I think those previous connections that were already there made it easier to get [new] people involved.”

Dobson said the growth the of the SJU Theatre Company is a promising sign for the future of theatre on St. Joe’s campus.

Dobson sees “Beauty and the Beast” as an opportunity to spread the love of theatre to the younger community. After the show, Dobson has members of the cast meet children and offer to take pictures with them.

“It has been a while since we have done a musical that was family friendly,” Dobson said. “The most exciting part for me is bringing theatre to a younger generation. It is very important to keep the art form alive.”

The remaining “Beauty and the Beast” shows at the Bluett Theatre will be Feb. 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

LEFT: Alexander Velazquez ’20 as Lumiere, Ray Zuhowski ’21 as Beast and Jenn Tague ’20 as Mrs. Potts. RIGHT: Lexi Mignogna ’21 as Madame de la Grande Bouche and Sam Jenkins ’21 as Belle.

Lifestyle

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

11

Lessons in storytelling

Scribe Video Center serves West Philadelphia ALEX HARGRAVE ’20 Lifestyle Editor On the 3900 block of Lancaster Avenue, just under four miles from St. Joe’s campus, sits a storefront bearing the name Scribe Video Center.

The 37-year-old non-profit organization that seeks to give people the tools for social change through media arts moved to this location in April of 2018 under the direction of Executive Director and Founder Louis Massiah.

According to Massiah, a Philly native, Scribe gives people the ability to tell their stories through media.

“If you’re trying to reach a broad public, it’s important to know the language of documentary filmmaking, of non-fiction narratives,” Massiah said. “In some ways, the ability to communicate is a form of power.

If you can talk to people, it allows for discourse, and that ability to be involved in discourse is a form of power.”

The recipient of the Arts Leadership & Service Award at the 2018 Pennsylvania Governor’s Awards for the Arts, Scribe serves people of all ages, and people come from all over to utilize their services, according to Massiah. The organization is largely documentary focused, having produced over 100 films of various lengths throughout their tenure.

They offer a series of workshops on documentaries as well as script writing, camera lighting, production, the Adobe

suite, audio recording, color correction and more. According to Massiah, the participants in these workshops range in skill and age, from adults with an M.F.A. to college students to children.

Scribe’s services have changed since they opened their doors, but they remain based on what the community wants and needs.

“When we began in 1982, cameras were not ubiquitous,” Massiah said. “Getting access to a video camera was really difficult, so it became a place where people could share equipment. As the technology became a lot more accessible, it really is the skill of how you put things together.”

There are also screenings held both at Scribe and other locations, such as theaters throughout the city and even in the streets during the summer. Filmmakers from Philadelphia and elsewhere are also brought in to teach master classes like the one held on Feb. 13 by Stephen Maing, creator of a Sundance award-winning documentary called “Crime + Punishment.”

Kristal Sotomayor is the communications and outreach coordinator for Scribe, as well as a member of their film scholar program, in which members learn to make a documentary from start to finish. As a recent graduate from Bryn Mawr College, she recognizes the importance of what Scribe offers.

“Having access to filmmakers that have made it is really important and brings something to Philadelphia that we don’t have,” Sotomayor said. “Filmmakers here are often struggling to find the resources, and this is a

Stephen Maing speaks to a group at Scribe about his experience. PHOTO: ALEX HARGRAVE ’20/THE HAWK

wonderful resource for people.”

Maing spoke for two hours about his works and his creative process as an independent filmmaker to a diverse crowd of college students and adults who were expected to have some documentary experience.

Glenn Sonnie Wooden, a student in the University of Pennsylvania’s M.F.A. program, said Penn paid for the students in his class to attend Maing’s lecture. It was his first time at Scribe, but he compared the space to a church in the sense that it is a gathering of like-minded individuals.

“As I walk in, there are a lot of young black faces,” Wooden said. “Coming from the west

side of Chicago where they’re constantly cutting after school programs, seeing kids here around four or five o’ clock means they have a place of support within the community.”

As a filmmaker who tells stories that he feels are going untold, Maing said he sees the importance in allowing people in West Philadelphia to communicate their stories with the help of places like Scribe.

“It’s important that citizens from across the entire political spectrum understand the importance and power of creating narratives, so we can diversify the messages that get put out by the media so there is more representation in the world,” Maing said.

A taste of childhood

Girl Scout cookies boom on St. Joe’s campus NATALIE DRUM ’20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Coveted boxes of Thin Mints, Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties Girl Scout cookies are tightly gripped within the hands of St. Joe’s students. It does not take long for a glimpse of the iconic Girl Scout green to erupt a campus-wide frenzy.

Whether they know them by their new or original names, Samoas and Tagalongs students voraciously seek out the location of the young entrepreneurs in brown sashes. They flock to dish out copious amounts of cash at the cookie booth in hopes that a longtime favorite and irresistible treat will still be in-stock.

Beth Hagovsky, director of Student Leadership and Activities, currently holds the position of cookie manager, or “cookie mom,” for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.

“Last year when we did this, I knew I was sitting on a gold mine as the person who reserves the tables outside the dining hall,” Hagovsky said. “Needless to say, my daughter sold the most cookies in the troop last year.”

Hagovsky explained that selling Girl Scout cookies in this space was a stroke of random and non-strategic thought, but it made a lot of sense.

“When we are right there in front of you and you can immediately have that gratification, have the satisfaction of having that box of cookies with you, you’re like, 'Why would I not buy a box of Girl Scout Cookies?’” Hagovsky said.

Abby Vereen selling Girl Scout cookies outside Campion Dining Hall. PHOTO: ROSE BARRETT ’20/THE HAWK

Girl Scouts cookies attract and are purchased by people from all walks of life, but the success on college campuses may have to do with more than just the cookies’ taste and adorable salespeople.

“I think that for so many of you, because you are mostly 18 to 22, the memory of Girl Scout cookies is a lot more recent and current,” Hagovsky said. “You’re much closer to the age of when you and your friends were all selling them, so it has some nostalgia to it as well.”

From first through fifth grade, Maddy Gentile ’22 was a Girl Scout and sold cookies.

“It was all me and my friends, so I really liked it,” Gentile said. “I thought it was a lot

of fun to go around and sell cookies.”

While Gentile never sold cookies on a college campus, Girl Scouts coming to St. Joe’s has brought back many fond memories of her own personal experiences and the growth of the nation wide organization since her time as a Girl Scout.

“I reminisce a little bit,” Gentile said. “It definitely reminds me of when I was a Girl Scout, except now they have Venmo, which we did not have before, making it a lot easier for them to sell cookies.”

The mobile payment app has been a key player in the Girl Scout cookie business, increasing the cookie sales for Hagovsky’s troop.

“In that first two weeks of sales, I would say a third to a half of our sales came through Venmo,” Hagovsky said. “It’s really worked our well for our troop.”

Last year, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania partnered with the Manayunk Development Corporation to establish February as “Cookie Month in Manayunk.”

Every Saturday of February, different businesses on Main Street in Manayunk host a Girl Scout cookie booth for local troops, according to Director of Product Programs for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania Alejandra Sepulveda-Rivera, .

“We developed this opportunity not only to connect locally, but also to give the girls opportunities to meet real life women entrepreneurs, most of them are actually Girl Scout alumni,” Sepulveda-Rivera said.

“It is not just opening doors for the girls but they also are providing different program experiences and entrepreneur talks.”

Sepulveda-River said that they plan to expand the Cookie Month event to other areas.

“Our goal is to replicate it in different main street communities throughout our entire footprint so that we can tie in that community feeling to the cookie program,” Sepulveda-Rivera said.

“Nowadays not only my daughter but every girl needs to have a girl-led and safe environment where they can be themselves and can grow to be whoever they want to be without being judged,” Sepulveda-Rivera said. “I feel that Girl Scouts represents that.”

The Girl Scout cookie program started Jan. 17 and will end on March 10.

12

Feb. 20, 2019

Ariana Grande gets personal

“thank u, next” album delivers experience ALYSSA THOMPSON ’19 Hawk Staff Vulnerable, empowering, exhilarating, bold, relatable. Ariana Grande’s new album, “thank u, next,” is all of the above.

Each song shows a different side of Grande, building on her story.

Grande is a woman who has gone through an array of public heartbreaks, losses and tragedies. From the Manchester Arena bombings in 2017 to the sudden death of Mac Miller and the end of her engagement to Pete Davidson in 2018, the singer has had a difficult few years.

Grande used the studio as her therapy session, but still managed to create a fun pop album filled with R&B and hip-hop stylistic influences.

The album opens with “imagine,” where the song’s R&B-inspired beats thrive. “Tell me your secrets,” Grande says in this sultry, provocative track.

She discusses the idea of not thinking she is good enough, a feeling that it is all too familiar to plenty of women, on the second track, “needy.” Grande sings, “I admit that I’m a little messed up, but I can hide it when I’m all dressed up.” We can all relate to the idea that when we look good, we feel good.

In the song “NASA,” Grande talks about self-discovery and the importance of bettering herself. The tune begins with a voice-over saying, “This is one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind.”

This song is about the necessity of space to grow in a relationship.

“NASA” and “needy” seem to parallel one another in the theme of relationship troubles. In “needy,” Grande doesn’t want space apart from her significant other; she wants to be wanted. However, both focus on the same idea of being a little messed up.

“I can’t fake another smile, I can’t fake like I’m alright,” Grande sings, “And I won’t say I’m feelin’ fine. After what I’ve been through, I can’t lie.” Finally, Grande is opening up about the difficulty of living in the public eye amidst tragedy and heartbreak.

Despite its hip-hop vibe that makes listeners want to get up and dance, “fake smile” has a relatable message about having to smile through the pain.

Grande delved into the idea of hook-up culture in “bloodline” and “bad idea.” These tracks are inspired by 1980’s pop and are bound to get listeners out of their seats, while singing about a topic that can be taboo but relatable to so many college students today. “break up with your girlfriend, I’m

Sudoku

Lifestyle

The Hawk Newspaper

Black Women as Black History DOMINIQUE JOE ’19 Opinions Editor In commemoration of Black History Month, I wanted to look back, but also look forward, at the pivotal role black women have played in mixing and melding different musical genres and even creating their own.

History, especially music history, is overwhelmingly a narrative told by men.

Black music history is no different.

Here is a playlist to showcase the ingenuity and the creativity of black women.

GRAPHIC: KELLY SMITH ’19/THE HAWK

bored,” focuses on a similar, but slightly more controversial topic. The title says it all.

In the song, Grande sings, “I know it ain’t right, but I don’t care.” This song has a similar danceable tune, and its subject matter has caught the attention of many as it has been trending on social media, which is no surprise as it deals with cheating and breaking the trust of your significant other.

The single we all know and love, “thank u, next,” created a lot of buzz. In this song, Grande forgives her exes while identifying them by name. Grande says she’s met someone else, and that this one’s going to last, “Cause her name is Ari, and I’m so good with that.” The message of self-love in this song is one that women need to hear.

Female empowerment is a prominent theme in “7 Rings,” which was also released as a single prior to the album drop. She compliments herself (her smile, her skin) and sings about spoiling her girlfriends. There are so many fun, instagram-caption worthy quotes in this song, and it’s another one that people can’t help but sing along to. “ghostin” has been deemed Grande’s “strongest and most vulnerable song yet,”

by The New York Times. She talks about the difficulty of dealing with grief while being in a relationship with a new guy. “Though

I wish he were here instead/Don’t want that livin’ in your head,” Grande sings. It’s another serious tune that reflects what she’s gone through in the past year.

Grande’s song “in my head” may be one of the most relatable tracks on “thank u, next.” “Painted a picture, I thought I drew you well.” Grande sings, “I had a vision, seeing what isn’t there.” How many women can relate to the idea of wanting someone to be the person they dreamed up in their head?

In a room full of women, there’s a significant chance that most hands would be raised when asked this question. “make up” is yet another bold, sexy track on Grande’s album that highlights the benefits of arguing with your significant other - the make up sex. Grande sings, “Love it when we make up/Go ‘head ruin my makeup.” The exhilarating beat makes this song another great option to dance to or even add to your workout playlist. Scratch that - go ahead and add the entire album to your workout playlist.

With 12 unskippable tracks, Grande tells a story that is very personal, yet relatable to all women, exploring feminist ideals and sexuality. This album is a must-listen and one that is bound to be loved.

“That’s All” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “That’s All” is very much her quintessential sound. A gospel singer armed with a six-string, she melded praising the Lord with blues and swing style guitar. Her guitar playing pushed gospel music into the mainstream. Tharpe was an integral part of creating the foundation for the pop-gospel.

“Mississippi Goddam — Live in New York/1964” by Nina Simone Nina Simone was a revelation. As a jazz pianist and singer, she wrote some of the most gut-wrenching songs. As an activist, she wrote about black pride and black struggle. As “Mississippi Goddam” exemplifies, she also played around with musical genre. With its call-andresponse style, it sounds like a jaunty showtune with a blues song’s subject matter.

“On & On” by Erykah Badu There is no introduction or explanation that can be given for the astral plane travelling, mother of afrofuturistic jazz, neo-soul and R&B fusion. Off of “Baduizm,” “On & On” is the song that you think of when you think of Erykah Badu. “On & On” has this steady beat that reminds you of early hip hop where the DJ would continuously replay the break, but it is smooth like a jazz tune. Badu is ingenuity and creativity personified with the way in which she experiments with sound.

“Solar Plexus” by OSHUN OSHUN is a fairly new musical duo that pick up the torch that Erykah Badu set ablaze. OSHUN’s “Solar Plexus” is a smooth and distinctly afrofuturistic jam. It is self love and sunflowers rolled into an intoxicating beat. Black women have proven themselves time and time again that they are the future, and OSHUN is a testament to that.

“Nont For Sale” by Sudan Archives Sudan Archives, a self-taught violin virtuoso, melds together West African and violin plucking with a quintessentially smooth R&B sound. It is a sonic revelation to hear the way in which an artist’s inspirations and differing influences can come together beautifully to create a unique and different sound. “Nont For Sale” is proof of the beautifully precocious and ever-evolving nature of black music.

Scan this QR code to listen to the playlist on Spotify.

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

13

Injuries and poor player performance lead to Hawk basketball struggles JAMES MCCLOSKEY JR. ’20 Hawk Staff I entered Michael J. ’85 Hagan Arena on Feb. 8 with a new outlook on the St. Joe’s men’s basketball season.

With a monstrous 30-point victory over Saint Louis University where redshirt sophomore forward Charlie Brown scored 28 points, freshman guard Jared Bynum scored 20 points, senior guard Chris Clover scored 15 points and redshirt sophomore forward Lorenzo Edwards scored 11 points, I had high hopes for the rest of the season.

In the Feb. 12 game against St. Bonaventure, my high hopes came speeding to a halt once again in what has been a rollercoaster season for the Hawks. A 25-point defeat by a struggling St. Bonaventure team has led me to question what has gone wrong for the Hawks this season.

I have two theories as to why they have struggled: Injuries and poor player effort and performance.

It is no secret that the Hawks have had challenges with injuries this season. Redshirt junior guard Lamarr Kimble is out indefinitely with a wrist injury. Redshirt junior forward Pierfrancesco Oliva had a season-ending injury against Duquesne University on Jan. 1. Sophomore forward Anthony Longpre returned on Feb. 12 from a four-week stint in concussion protocol.

Redshirt senior forward Markell Lodge sustained a season-ending thumb injury on Feb. 8 against Saint Louis.

As the slew of injuries began to put more players out of our lineup than we have on the bench, it is plausible to pin the Hawks’ struggles on this misfortune.

However, there are certain obstacles preventing me from proclaiming this theory the sole reason that the Hawks have struggled to stay in the race for the Atlantic 10 Conference title.

In Kimble’s absence, Bynum has stepped

LaMelo Ball: the answer for St. Joe's men's basketball SAM BRITT ’20 Assistant Sports Editor Crowds of people line up outside Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena, creating a significant buzz in the air.

Vans from ESPN, not the usual ones from ESPN 2 or EPSN+, are stationed in the parking lot. The eyes of the college basketball world are on Hawk Hill.

It all starts with 17 year old LaMelo Ball.

The 6-foot-6-inch point guard out of SPIRE Academy is currently the 13th ranked player on the ESPN Top 100. He is a five-star recruit and has been a household name since he was 16 years old.

It is no secret that this season for St. Joe’s basketball hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. Some tough early losses and another seemingly never-ending slew of injuries has created some massive dents in the Hawks hull.

The St. Joe’s basketball program has taken on water, decreasing their chances to make it to the NCAA tournament.

Barring a miraculous run in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament, it will be another season ending a bit too early for Hawk fans. This recent stretch of middling seasons has infected the student fanbase with apathy. Students can just watch the Hawks lose from home, making the walk to Hagan that much more tiresome.

Changes need to be made. Wouldn’t getting a shiny new star turn some heads? A potential top 10 NBA draft pick? Who would want to miss that?

Ball would instantly be the most talented player ever to don the crimson and gray (sorry Jameer Nelson). He might even be the most talented to ever play in the A-10 (sorry David West). Ball would be a superstar from the get-go.

There isn’t a single team in the A-10 who would be able to bring in a star to match Ball.

This is a kid who put up 92 points in a game.

He’s the best playmaker in the country right now- he’s tall, athletic and he can shoot. Ball is the complete package.

Besides being the third best point guard

in the country for his class, Ball brings something extra.

He is a celebrity. His brother is playing alongside LeBron James for the Los Angeles Lakers. His father has been featured on ESPN numerous times due to his outrageous claims about the Ball family’s basketball ability. His whole family has a reality show on Facebook Watch. Imagine the Ball clan sitting right behind the scoring table, all dressed in triple B attire.

He has been covered by national media outlets since he was a spiky haired freshman on Chino Hills in California. That coverage won’t stop once he steps foot on Hawk Hill.

Suddenly, the talk of the sporting world isn’t Zion Williamson and the Duke UniversityBlue Devils. It’s the Hawks.

Every game would become a must-see event. The Hawks blowing out opponents left and right. The stands of Hagan packed to the brim with not only students but NBA scouts.

The NCAA wouldn’t miss out on the chance for Ball to be featured in March either.

There is a reason Ball hasn’t signed yet.

Coming to St. Joe’s could incite an investigation into whether Ball breached his amateur status by playing overseas, by signing with an agent or by having his own signature shoe. The odds aren’t exactly in his favor, but should that really stop us from trying?

Sure, if Ball plays and is eventually found guilty by the NCAA, maybe our wins get revoked. Maybe we forfeit a couple scholarships. Does that mean they didn’t happen though? You can’t have everyone unwatch all of the coverage. Sure, the years after could be painful, but you know what’s a great painkiller? Winning.

Kellan Grady, Davidson University’s star forward, picked the small school in North Carolina because he wanted to emulate Steph Curry. Just think what seeing Ball running the floor in Hagan would do for recruiting and admissions in general.

I get it, t’s a risk to sign Ball. But in order for people to show up and care about this team, what is the harm in offering a scholarship?

up as a team leader, effectively taking the torch from Kimble and running the offense for the Hawks. In the absence of Oliva and Longpre, Lodge and Edwards stepped into the role of big men for the Hawks, locking down the defense and providing offense at the necessary moments.

While yes, it very likely could be the injuries that have caused the second-seeded team in the A-10 preseason rankings to be 11th place, it may also be something else, player performance. Many are afraid to state: player performance.

In the Hawks’ loss to St. Bonaventure, they shot 16-for-55 from the field for a total field goal percentage of 29.1 percent, tying the worst field goal percentage for the Hawks this season. The other 29.1 percent field goal game also came against the Bonnies, this time on Jan. 9.

During that game, I witnessed a lack of hustle and game awareness from the Hawks. In the first half, the Bonnies went on a 23-6 run. I watched as every Hawk walked into the locker room at half time

with their heads down.

Coming out of the locker room for the second half, the Hawks’ heads were up again and looked ready to mount a comeback. When shots stopped falling in the second half, I watched as players began to lose confidence in themselves and their shot once again.

Passes were few and far between. It seemed as though every player on the Hawks was playing for themselves rather than the name on the front of their jersey.

Every fan in Hagan watched the confidence drain from the faces of the players. It was not the same Hawk team I have come to love.

I want to believe that the Hawks will turn this season around and find a way to enter the A-10 tournament in a position to make a run for the title.

I just hope the players and coaching staff believe in themselves even half as much as I am trying to believe in them.

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14

Feb. 20, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

Sports

“POPS” MARTELLI LEAVES BEHIND NICK KARPINSKI ’21 Sports Editor One constant, unassuming figure has lended his support to the St. Joe’s men’s basketball program over the past 24 years.

That figure was Phil Martelli Sr., the father of Head Coach Phil Martelli. Martelli Sr. died on Feb. 6 at the age of 87. A presence synonymous with the men’s basketball program, Martelli Sr. was better known by his simple but powerful title, “Pops.”

From 1995 to 2017, Martelli Sr. attended every Hawk men’s basketball home game, every home practice, every road trip game and every away practice.

Whether it was a win or a loss, a good practice or a bad practice, on the road or at Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena, before he left any venue, Martelli Sr. personally thanked

every member of the program. He waited until each person passed him in the hallway, so he could express his genuine gratitude for being able to watch the game he loved.

Martelli said his father’s simplistic thoughtful and selfless personality is what made his constant presence one of the most powerful to ever pass through the St. Joe’s basketball program.

“It was about the purity of the journey for him, he wanted others to feel uplifted by his presence and he never failed at that,” Martelli said. “It was always about everybody else, it was never about him.”

Geoff Arnold ’86, an assistant men’s basketball coach, met Martelli Sr. in 1985 during Arnold’s senior season for St. Joe’s. That same year, Martelli was hired as an assistant coach for the Hawks.

Arnold said that just by looking into

Pops’ eyes, you could feel his genuine and pure nature.

“To have history recited to you, you can have it read to you, but [since Pops] lived it you could see it in [his]eyes,” Arnold said.

“You felt that from Pops, you felt everything from him.”

Martelli described a similar aura, characterizing his father’s eyes as a passageway, that exhibited a pure and genuine spirit.

“When you looked in my father’s eyes he had joy being around the program, pride in what we were able to accomplish,” Martelli said. “His heart enveloped everybody. It wasn’t about a starter, a manager, a Hawk, a championship team, when you looked in his eyes, there was pride and true gratitude.”

Don DiJulia, former director of athletics, said it was that same gratitude that left

Phil Martelli Sr. raises his fist in Hagan Arena showing his support for the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team. PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

him puzzled during his first encounter with Martelli Sr. Pops shook DiJulia’s hand and thanked him after a game, leaving DiJulia questioning what he was being thanked for.

“After the first few times he thanked me, I remember thinking, ‘What did I do?’”

DiJulia said. “It was just him, saying thank you to everyone he met for just being who they were. Whether it was the coach, the athletic director, a manager, a walk-on player or a star player, there are so many duties and tasks that he carried out quietly with pride, his presence was always there.”

Martelli said that he could never fully understand the extent of his father’s gratitude.

“I don’t know what made my father so gracious, I asked him multiple times, [but] he was appreciative that he got to enjoy the game that he loved at a school, in a city, that he loved,” Martelli said.

David Duda, an assistant men’s basketball coach, experienced Martelli Sr.’s same gratitude when he played high school basketball at Bishop Kenrick. Martelli was the head coach at the time, and as a result Pops attended every single game. Pops never changed and never wavered in his loyalty, Duda said.

“Pops used to come to my high school games, put his fist in the air and shake all the players hands,” Duda said. “It’s been unique to know that he’s never really changed. He maintained the same personality through the love he had for his son.”

Martelli Sr.’s passion and energy is one that needs to be passed on to future players in the program, according to Mark Bass, an assistant men’s basketball coach.

“Guys are still going to envision Pops and his support in the stands,” Bass said.

“Hopefully players will share that with future guys that are coming in, to show what [Martelli Sr.] meant to them. ” While Martelli Sr. will be well remembered for his presence in the stands, Arnold said it was the time he spent with Pops away from the court that he will remember most.

“If you were ever able to travel with us, everyone from players to managers to coaches [knew] he was a soup aficionado,” Arnold said. “For some reason he always yelled out to me, ‘Hey Geoff, have you tried the soup?’ Before I could even answer, he would say ‘tremendous.’ If you got there after he tried it and asked, ‘Pops, how’s the soup?’ he would say, ‘highly recommended.’ I look back on that as one of my fondest memories.”

Martelli Sr. has arguably attended more home and away games, has been in more arenas and has known more coaches than anyone else in the history of college basketball, according to DiJulia.

DiJulia, along with all three of the assistant coaches, agreed that Martelli Sr.’s genuine smile is a trait that struck them to the core.

“He’s one of those people where if he said, ‘How are you doing?’ he actually meant to get an answer,” DiJulia said.

“His caring attitude to everybody will never be forgotten.”

Martelli said that his father’s final message was that every person had the responsibility to impact others each and every day.

“To think at the end of the day, people being able to say, he’s a good man, he left me better for each and every conversation that I had with him, that’s extremely difficult to do,” Martelli said. “[His constant presence] meant the world to me, and it will be one of the pleasures of my job that I will miss forever.”

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Feb. 20, 2019

15

GRATEFUL BASKETBALL PROGRAM

Phil “Pops” Martelli hoists the net after St. Joe’s men’s basketball wins the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship. PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

Hawk basketball players remember Phil “Pops” Martelli Sr. NICK KARPINSKI ’21 Sports Editor RYAN MULLIGAN ’21 Assistant Sports Editor SAM BRITT ’20 Assistant Sports Editor A week after Phil “Pops” Martelli Sr., the father of men’s basketball Head Coach Phil Martelli, died on Feb. 6, St. Joe’s men’s basketball players reacted by sharing personal memories that stood out to them.

They also shared what Martelli Sr. meant to the team as a whole.

Redshirt senior forward Markell Lodge “He always knew how to put a smile on every player’s face. He was the Hawks’ heart and soul. It’s completely different for us when we don’t see him after the games. We would always shake his hand.

I still feel his presence in the building, just looking over at where he used to sit.”

Redshirt sophomore forward Charlie Brown “Pops is the definition of loyalty.

That speaks volumes about him. [We’ll carry his presence] going out and playing hard, representing St. Joe’s the right way. Whether it’s leaving the arena or coming in, not seeing Pops resonates deep with this team. We all know how important he is.”

Senior guard Mike Muggeo “He was genuine. He would always seek you out after a game or practice. It shows who he is, who coach is and the whole Martelli family. I am very appreciative to be a part of their way of supporting people.”

Senior guard Chris Clover “My freshman year, Pops was always the guy that was standing there with his fist up. And after the game, Pops would always shake my hand, he shook everyone’s hand, and freshman year that was such a big thing for me because I was new, I was a freshman, I was trying to learn my way. He just made me feel like a part of the team. As time went on we got closer and closer. He always said some encouraging words, even after a loss.”

different because he wasn’t there with us.”

Redshirt junior guard Lamarr Kimble “Everytime we came out of the locker room, he’s always sitting there. He made sure he shook every one of the guys’ hands, thanking them for blessing him to watch the game. It didn’t matter if it was a win or a loss. His approach and loyalty was always the same. He’s one of the most powerful figures that will ever walk through this program. Every player that’s come through here will remember Pops. His impact will forever be and

continue to be, that’s why every time we hold our fist up now, we hold our fist up with Pops.”

Sophomore guard Taylor Funk “Every time you see him he would always say thank you. He would sit outside our door and not leave until he said thank you to every player. One time I snuck out to talk to my family and I was out on the court for about an hour.

Somebody came out and told me Pops was waiting for me because I was the last one here. I couldn’t believe he just waited there just to say thank you.”

Junior Guard Toliver Freeman “My first year as a freshman at practice, I shot the ball a lot, and one of the first things he said to me is, ‘You can really shoot.’ So that was heartwarming just to know someone of his magnitude, because he’s a big part of this program, complimented me in that fashion when I first got here. He’s definitely going to be missed, but we still feel his presence because he’s such a big part of this program.”

Freshman guard Jared Bynum “After every home game, he would be waiting outside of the locker room to shake our hands. It was a great experience. After the St. Louis game it just felt

Martelli Sr. sat in this section of stands during every home game and home practice from 1995 to 2017.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

16

Feb. 20, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

Sports

The St. Joe’s women’s club ice hockey team celebrates with the trophy following their first ever Division III Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference Championship. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SJU RECREATION

Women's club ice hockey wins first program championship SABRINA STAMPE ’19 Special to The Hawk The St. Joe’s women’s club ice hockey team won their first ever Division III Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference (DVCHC) Championship, beating Indiana University of Pennsylvania 14-4 on Feb. 17.

Prior to the championship game, the Hawks defeated Lafayette College, shutting them out 9-0 on Feb. 16.

Senior forward Erin Dougherty, who had two goals during the championship game, said the Hawks' strategy going into the weekend was to stay calm and composed and play the way they had during the regular season.

“We knew we had to play our game because we were undefeated going into the week-

end and it’s worked for us,” Dougherty said.

St. Joe's string of success helped prepare them for their run in the playoffs, according to Dougherty.

“Once we got past playing every team once, and then playing them again, knowing that we had the ability to beat every team, we weren’t exactly worried as long as we knew that we played the way we know how to play,” Dougherty said.

Freshman forward Clara Tomann, who had four goals for the team, said she thought it was an advantage being able to play the championship the day following the Hawks' semifinal shutout victory.

“We didn’t have a week go by to distract us from what our end goal was,” Tomann said.

Dougherty said she thought their ability

to play as a unit this year was a big factor in their added success this season.

“This year, no matter who was on the ice, we were scoring goals, we were playing as a team, we were playing good defense,” Dougherty said. “Everything was coming from every single player on the ice. It wasn’t just a focus on one or two people.”

Tomann said the team's emphasis on working together in practice helped them to develop chemistry on the ice throughout the season.

“We only practice once a week but just getting the most out of those practices and knowing each player helped us in getting that win and going undefeated this season,” Tomann said.

The team’s consistency throughout the

season showed during Sunday’s championship victory. Their offense carried the load, scoring four goals in the first period, four in the second and five in the final period.

Head Coach Sydney Flemister ’17 said she was excited to see how far the program has come in the few years it has been around.

“When I attended St. Joe’s, I played all four years on the team, so it was super exciting to see the first program championship win,” Flemister said.

After the win, Flemister said she is hopeful for the program’s future.

“As long as we have the same commitment and enthusiasm as we did this year, I am sure we will have many successful seasons to come,” Flemister said.

Women's rowing "Guts Week" prepares team for season RYAN MULLIGAN ’21 Assistant Sports Editor As the sun rises over the Schuylkill River in mid-February, the St. Joe’s women’s rowing team is already deep into their preseason practice. An indoor preseason that yields five months of early wake-ups, long hours on stationary rowing machines and extensive cross training is capped off with what the team has dubbed “Guts Week.”

During one week in the fall and one week in the spring, women’s rowing Head Coach Gerry Quinlan divides the women into five or six teams, putting them through various exercises including swimming, weight lifting, running and two-on-two rowing. Everything the team does throughout the week counts towards a running point total that is tallied at the end of the week. The winning team takes home vintage St. Joe’s rowing gear.

Guts Week breeds competitiveness, according to Quinlan, but is also a fun way to bring out the best in his team.

“It’s about holding up your end of the bargain and competing,” Quinlan said. “We do different things so it’s not just general rowing stuff, so people can shine in effort and gutsing it out.”

Junior co-captain Shannon Mulgrew also said that Guts Week lets teammates shine in specific areas that they excel. She said it is also a good indicator of how the team will respond to adversity during the season.

“Guts Week brings out a unifying competitiveness which is exactly what we see during the racing season,” Mulgrew said. “Racing season is upbeat and competitive, so Guts Week shows that sense of aggression and spirit.”

With such a strenuous and lengthy preseason before races commence, the presence of experienced players like Mulgrew is all the more important. Mulgrew said the length of Guts Week is the most difficult part, but the idea that race day will eventually be upon the Hawks is what pushes them through the preseason, according to Quinlan.

“The seniors bring a good perspective to it, especially to the freshmen, who will realize that there’s a reason that we’re doing this,” Quinlan said. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel and the harder we work now, the more successful we will be during the spring.”

The light at the end of the tunnel is race season, especially for the seniors, as this is their last one. They not only bring added perspective and a new sense of leadership to their last Guts Week, but it also holds sentimental value, according to senior Fiona McKee. “Last one fast one, as we always say,” McKee said. “As a senior you definitely want to go all in, but you’re also a leader for the underclassmen. It’s definitely a mentally and physically exhausting week, so being there for them and just letting them know that they have to push through it is a big part of it.”

Practicing two to three times a day for months on end without any real competition makes Guts Week and the race season all the more exciting to McKee, and it makes it that much more important to keep the younger players focused. Mulgrew and fellow captain sophomore Shane Devine, along with a strong senior class, will be tasked with leading the largest team Mulgrew has had during her time at St. Joe’s.

“At the end of the day it’s about trying to be the best in the room,” Mulgrew said. “It goes to show you are only as strong as your weakest member. This is very relevant to rowing because individually you must be talented, but the boat won’t move without teamwork.”

Quinlan echoed this sentiment, saying that holding each other responsible was one of the purposes of Guts Week and something he looked to instill in his team throughout the preseason. “[Some of the values are] being accountable to your teammates and that everybody’s important no matter what your role is on the team, it’s an important role,” Quinlan said.

“Guts Week shows us who really wants to win, and it shows us their will.”

The women’s rowing team during a preseason practice. PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS