University commits to seven-year sustainability initiative
Over the summer, St. Joe’s announced its commitment to becoming designated as a Laudato Si’ University by the Vatican. The university will partake in a seven-year plan, named the “President’s Laudato Si’ Initiative on Sustainability and Stewardship,” to combat causes of climate change and become a more sustainable institution.
The initiative is centered around three main principles: environmental stewardship, social justice stewardship and cura personalis stewardship, according to the July 17 announcement from University President Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D. These values exemplify the relationship between people and the environment, recognizing the importance of sustainability efforts for humanity as a whole.
“At Saint Joseph’s, our mission calls us to care deeply for the world and all who inhabit it,” McConnell wrote in an email to The Hawk. “This initiative isn’t just about sustainability. It’s about forming compassionate, informed citizens who will lead with purpose and respect for our common home.”
The initiative is based on Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” which implores all people to protect the Earth and work to combat climate change.
The Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform helps individuals and institutions make a plan to fulfill Francis’ call to action. It states seven goals for participating parties to work towards: response to the cry of the earth, response to the cry of the poor, ecological economics, adoption of sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality and community resilience and empowerment.
St. Joe’s path toward becoming a Laudato Si’ University is a long one and involves people throughout the entire
university community. Alumni Brian Dooner ’83 and Marlene Dooner ’83 are funding the initiative. Students, faculty and staff make up the sustainability guiding coalition, the group that will lead the initiative over the next seven years.
The coalition is currently working on the first phase of the initiative: a materiality assessment, which examines where the university is doing well in terms of sustainability and where it needs to improve, said Clint Springer, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, director of the Institute for Environmental Stewardship and director of the Barnes Arboretum who is a member of the coalition. Springer said he has been studying global climate change for over 20 years.
The materiality assessment, which examines all areas of the university from community outreach to facilities management, is expected to be completed within the next few weeks, Springer said.
Nicole Bowen ’26, an environmental science major and a member of SJU Green Fund, has contributed to the materiality assessment through her 2024 Summer Scholars project, which involved calculating Hawk Hill’s carbon footprint. Bowen said the university’s carbon footprint was comparable to the carbon footprint of universities of a similar size, with a similar number of students and a similar endowment per student as St. Joe’s.
“But just because it wasn’t over the top of comparable universities doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t decrease our carbon footprint heavily,” Bowen added. “The carbon that’s in the atmosphere now is from years and decades ago, so we can’t keep doing this.”
The next step of the initiative will be selecting which of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform’s goals to focus on and drafting a sustainability plan to send to the coalition’s consultants, Springer said. In the spring of 2025, this plan will be presented to the St. Joe’s community for feedback and reflection, with the hope that it will be revised and
implemented in the fall of 2025.
The creation of the university’s Laudato Si’ initiative is a result of various factors over multiple years. One major element that led the university to increase its sustainability efforts was when the Society of Jesus released its four Universal Apostolic Preferences in 2019, one of which is “Caring for Our Common Home,” Springer said.
The release of the Preferences also had an impact on individual organizations at St. Joe’s, like Campus Ministry, said Tom Sheibley, director of campus ministry.
“When the Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Jesuits came out … that did certainly make us ask ourselves, ‘How are we doing and how can we do better?’ And that has to be an ongoing conversation,” Sheibley said.
Daniel Joyce ’88, S.J., vice president of mission and ministry, said it is important for Catholic and Jesuit institutions to uphold this care for the planet.
“It’s a moral obligation for us to try to make sure our community lives with integrity, and in this case, integrity with all of nature, all life forms, and have a unity or harmony with the planet,” Joyce said.
The initiative also comes after years of advocacy from across the St. Joe’s community, Springer said. He and other faculty and staff — including McConnell, when she was provost and senior vice president of academic affairs — have been pushing for an initiative like this for a while, but they “lacked deep presidential commitment until now,” he said.
A number of student-led actions in spring 2024 were a major motivator for the university, Springer said.
“We were really able to accomplish and get to where we are today because the students spoke up, and the student voice was heard very clearly and very loudly,” Springer said.
University Student Senate and Green Fund, in particular, advocated for better sustainability efforts last semester.
Student Senate passed “A Resolution
in Support of a University Commitment to Environmental Sustainability,” presented by Green Fund, in April. The resolution called upon the university to create a committee andanoffice of“Creation Care” tomake and track progress towards sustainability goals.
“[Wewere]askingtheuniversitytotake action on, what are we doing in regards to sustainability and seeing how can we make progress on this? I think the response from the university has been great since then,” said Milton O’Brien ’25, Student Senate presidentandamemberofthesustainability guiding coalition.
Additionally, Green Fund organized an Earth Day walk and sit-in outside of Regis Hall, the Office of the President, April 22 to show that sustainability and climate justice are important to students.
Alexandria Marro ’25, president of Green Fund, said sustainability has been the “missing piece” of the university’s effort to carry out Jesuit values.
“You can’t care for the whole person unlessyoustartcaringforyourenvironment, because thats part of your personhood, and I started to consider the Earth as having a personhood,” Marro said. “It’s important that the university lives up to all the things that they claim that they’re good at”
Springer said the Laudato Si’ Initiative is crucial to St. Joe’s mission as a university, and allows the university to address climate change, which is “the largest scale social justice issue that the world has ever faced”
“Our role as a university should be to prepare people to go out and ask those harderquestions,tosolvesociety’sproblems, to help work towards a solution that is inclusive of all the cultures and differences that exist in society,” Springer said. “This is exactly what we should be doing. It is mission-criticaltous,inaway...Weneedto prepare our citizens and our leaders of the future for what’s coming”
The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University
Bella Privitera ’26 examines the impact of identity politics on the 2024 election.
St. Joe’s President Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., speaks to participants of SJU Green Fund’s Earth Day walk and sit-in outside Regis Hall April 22. PHOTO: LUKE SANELLI ’26/THE HAWK
ALLY ENGELBERT ’25 Editor-in-Chief
Students sleep outside in solidarity with the unhoused
LIV BIELAWSKI ’27
News Reporter
As the moon rose and the temperature dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit Nov. 9, eight students slept in Campion Student Center’s courtyard in solidarity with people experiencing homelessness.
The students were participating in a sleep out sponsored by Covenant House, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter and services to youth experiencing homelessness and human trafficking.
Ryan Huester ’25, who helped organize the event alongside Matt Dunne ’25 and Parker Hayden ’25, said the event was an opportunity to raise money for Covenant House and raise awareness during Homelessness Awareness Month.
“We want people to have a better understanding of the realities of homelessness, especially in Philadelphia, and then we also want to inspire them to make a change going forward for themselves, having a whole different perspective,” Huester said.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported 976 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Philadelphia in January 2024, up approximately 38% from 2023. The number of people experiencing sheltered homelessness (staying in an emergency shelter, safe haven or transitional housing) increased from 4,019 people in 2023 to 4,215 in January 2024.
Nationally, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased, according to HUD’s 2023 Annual
Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress. On a single night in January 2023, 653,104 people experienced homelessness, an approximately 12% increase from 2022.
Dunne said he wanted participants to learn how their involvement can impact people’s lives and recognize the dignity inherent within those experiencing homelessness.
“These are people right next to you. These are people that you know,” Dunne said. “You never know who it may be, and I think we just need to do a better job of trying to help the person next to us and our neighbors and figure out how we can do better.”
The sleep out event began with speeches from Covenant House representatives, as well as Joan McConnon, adjunct professor of accounting, and David Brown, who shared his lived experience with homelessness.
Brown said his experiences with homelessness began when his father kicked him out of his home at age 13. Brown spoke about how he and others around him experiencing homelessness survived in Philadelphia, before he eventually encountered Project HOME.
“They didn’t just walk by me. They seen a human being, and that’s what I want y’all to see. When you see these people in the street, see a human being,” Brown said. “Understand that a lot of it is not their fault.”
McConnon is the co-founder of Project HOME, a nonprofit organization that provides services to people experiencing homelessness. McConnon said that seeing students participate in the sleep out was
“energizing” and gave her hope that homelessness could be eradicated.
“It just gives me such hope that the generation to come will put a final end to this because it’s so unnecessary,” McConnon said. “My money’s on this generation to solve it.”
Seeing students participate in the sleep out was also impactful for Lusana Masrur, director of development for Covenant House, who noted how the students participating were in the same age range as the youth that Covenant House works with.
“You’re in college, you have aspirations, and the youth that we serve also have those aspirations,” Masrur said. “But they need to be connected to those opportunities.”
According to the 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, on a given night in 2023, 34,703 people under 25 experienced homelessness without a parent or guardian, over 4,000 more people under 25 than any given night in 2022.
Lianna Long ’25, who attended the
event, said that Brown’s speech about his lived experience was very eye opening.
“Having David speak about his real experience was very humbling, and the biggest thing was him saying that he was homeless for 25 years, and then anything he makes now, he gives it back to the community to ensure no one experiences what he experience[d],” Long said. “He has so little, but he still gives everything that he can, and I just find that so admirable.”
Following the speeches, about 50 students gathered inside The Perch to watch performances by St. Joe’s musicians, hosted by 1851 Entertainment. Between performances, the musicians read facts and statistics about people experiencing homelessness.
The final presentation of the night was a showing of the documentary “Lead Me Home,” which told the stories of real people who have experienced homelessness, before students settled in the courtyard for the remainder of the night.
Hawk Hill reacts to the 2024 presidential election
LUKE SANELLI ’26 News Editor
In the week since winning the 2024 election, President-elect Donald Trump has started assembling his team, which includes appointing his campaign co-manager Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff Nov. 7, Tom Homan as his ‘border czar’ Nov. 10 and Elize Stefanik as United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nov. 11.
Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States Nov. 6, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump’s victory brought an end to a divisive election and a tumultuous campaign season.
Wisconsin and its 10 electoral votes were called for Trump early Nov. 6, bringing his total to 277 electoral votes and surpassing the minimum 270 votes necessary to win
the election. Arizona was called for Trump Nov. 9, the final state to be called in the election. Trump finished the election with 312 electoral votes.
Republicans took control of the Senate Nov. 6, and votes in the House of Representatives are still being counted. There are still undecided House and Senate races across the country.
Trump’s win marks only the second time in United States history that a former president has been elected for a second, non-consecutive term. The first was Grover Cleveland in 1892.
It also marks the first time a person convicted of a felony has been elected to the presidency.
Quinn Hoffman ’25, who voted in Maryland by mail-in ballot, said his biggest concern going into the election was the southern border, and he was happy with
the results.
“The man I voted for won the election, and I think he stands for what I believe a little bit better,” Hoffman said. “I wasn’t happy with how it was the last four years, so I am hoping we can make a change to that.”
Sean Maluchluw ’27 said he was still processing the outcome of the election. Maluchluw, who could not vote due to his status as an international student, was concerned about how immigration might become harder under another Trump presidency.
“I think it’s going to be a little bit more difficult for those who are in my shoes, who are seeking a job or seeking an education or just seeking a better life out of here,” Maluchluw said.
Siena Muccini ’26 said she expected Trump to win the election, despite being in a Democrat-leaning area.
“The people that I was surrounded with,
I felt like a lot of people were voting blue,” Muccini said. “But then when I would look online, on social media, I saw all these other huge Trump rallies”
Although discouraged by the outcome of the election, Caroline Kuzy ’25 said she still felt hopeful because people seemed to be expressing their election opinions in a safe way.
“I’m glad that people did vote and exercise their right, no matter the outcome,” Kuzy said. “I think that it’s best that people move forward peacefully and with understanding”
Carlina Hershock ’26, Clare Yeatman ’26, SamuelLee’26andHelenaSims’25contributed tothisarticle.
An earlier version of this article was publishedonlineNov.8.
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK AND LUKE SANELLI ’26/THE HAWK
REPORTED BY CHRISTINA MOLINARI ’25 AND JAMIE SPRINGER ’25
Students sit on Campion Student Center’s courtyard during the sleep out, Nov. 9 PHOTO: MATTHEW WINARTO ’26/THE HAWK
Resources for people experiencing homelessness
Five Philadelphia organizations offering support
KILEY O’BRIEN ’25 Assistant Features Editor
November is National Homelessness Awareness Month, a time dedicated to bringing attention to homelessness in America. It is an opportunity to recognize the lives of people experiencing homelessness and educate those uninformed about the struggles they face. There is an abundance of resources from organizations who strive to decrease homelessness and assist those who are struggling. Here are five of these resources located in the Philadelphia area.
Project HOME
Project HOME is a Philadelphia organization that aims to break the cycle of homelessness by addressing the root causes of poverty. The organization provides a safe environment for people struggling to find housing. Their programs offer housing, opportunities for employment, medical care and education, among other resources.
The Bethesda Project
HopePHL
Pronounced “hopeful,” HopePHL was founded through the merging of People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and Youth Service, Inc. (YSI). This organization provides permanent housing to families experiencing homelessness, especially those escaping domestic violence. Their services include parenting workshops, on-site case management and individual emotional health sessions to support residents during difficult times.
Drueding Center
The Bethesda Project is an initiative that has been offering emergency shelter and housing since 1979. The initiative works throughout Center City in Philadelphia to help those struggling for basic necessities. They base their work around the core values of service, social justice, dignity and the worth of the person, alongside the importance of human relationships, integrity and competence.
Face to Face Face to Face is a Germantown-based organization centered around vows of
hospitality, mutuality and transformation. People experiencing homelessness can receive care and services from their health center, legal center, early child education program or Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, a social services organization that aids the underserved in Philadelphia. Face to Face serves 2,500 community members yearly.
The Drueding Center offers residential, community and childcare services to those in need in Philadelphia. They also run the Green Light Food Pantry, which promotes a healthy eating lifestyletoequipindividualswiththetools needed to live a healthier life. The center aims to build a better life for the younger generations while providing an outlet for families experiencing homelessness
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
Four Philadelphia locations honoring Native American culture
HANNAH PAJTIS ’26
Features Editor
November is Native American Heritage Month, a month nationally dedicated to celebrating Native American identity and tradition while amplifying Native American voices. Native American Heritage Month is a time for individuals to cultivate a deeper knowledge and appreciation for Native American contributions — both modern and historic — and can be a great point from which to continue year-round education and recognition of Native American cultures. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, here are four locations in and around Philadelphia providing opportunities for education about Native American history, identity and culture.
The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania Cultural Center and Trading Post
Open most Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania Cultural Center and Trading Post hosts an array of educational artifacts and pamphlets about the Lenape. The Lenape are the Indigenous people of the “Lenapehokink,” or “land of the Lenape,” which includes areas like southern New York, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The center is home to the University of Pennsylvania-hosted exhibit “Fulfilling a Prophecy: The Past and Present of the Lenape in Pennsylvania,” which features historical Lenape family heirlooms, traditional art and much more.
The National Constitution Center
Throughout the month, the National Constitution Center, located in Philly’s historic district, is offering a variety of programs celebrating Native American communities and their pivotal roles in U.S. history. Some featured activities are available daily, like a tribal mapping activity where visitors can find which Native American tribes lived or continue to live in their hometown. Other opportunities are on specific dates, like a Nov. 29 lecture
titled “Scholar Talk: Native Americans’ Fight for Civil Rights and Sovereignty Featuring Professor Paul Rosier,” which discusses Native American advocacy for tribal sovereignty and civil rights post-World War II.
Woodmere Art Museum
On Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m., Chief Adam Waterbear DePaul, story keeper of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, will be leading an evening of storytelling aimed at amplifying Indigenous voices. Story
keepers, also known as storytellers, are transmitters of oral history, traditions, values and wisdom. The event’s stories will pertain to the Lenape community and center around their history, culture and language. Held annually, the event is hosted at the Woodmere Art Museum and is a collaboration between the museum, the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania and Penn’s Morris Arboretum. Tickets to this event cost $20 for members and $25 for non-members.
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Hosting over 200 old and new cultural objects from shields to dolls, as well as digital interactive elements and video and audio recordings, the Penn Museum’s “Native American Voices: The People— Here and Now” exhibition explores Native American identity, culture and history, specifically in a context of self-governance. According to the online description, the goal of the long-term exhibition is to challenge Native American stereotypes and highlight the ways current Native American leaders uphold independence politically, artistically and linguistically.
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
Editorial: The election is over, now what?
It’s official: The most contentious and bitterly contested election of our lifetimes has come to a merciful end. For supporters of Donald Trump, the newlyelected 47th president of the United States, this is a moment of jubilation and vindication of their fervent support. Meanwhile, those who supported Vice President Kamala Harris are left wondering how this all fell apart. But, regardless of one’s political affiliation or choice for president, this election is a warning for everyone.
On Jan. 20, 2025, both parties will partake in a peaceful transition of power. After four years of wondering if a peaceful transition would take
place again, this is a hopeful sign for American democracy. The outgoing
“Similarly, the responsibility for promoting and protecting American ideals ... falls upon the entire citizenry.”
administration is now preparing to hand over the reins to a man they view
The dream of safety
ANN GREEN Guest Columnist
“Now, it is true that the nature of society is to create, among its citizens, an illusion of safety; but it is also absolutely true that the safety is always necessarily an illusion.” — James Baldwin, “The Last Interview and Other Conversations”
“… for the dream of safety dies hard.” — James Baldwin, “If Beale Street Could Talk”
Like many of you, the outcome of the presidential election is not what I had hoped and prayed for. I cannot fathom how hate beats out empathy and compassion. 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of African American and queer writer and activist James Baldwin, and it is Baldwin who I return to for reflection on our current condition.
Baldwin’s writings about racism, about whiteness and about U.S. culture
are absolutely on point at the present moment, but what has struck me the most are Baldwin’s words about safety. Baldwin always reminds us that people from marginalized communities already know safety is an illusion. To do the real work of democracy, we must figure out how to talk across our differences, and this is not — and was never — safe.
“Safety” has been repeated in multiple contexts over the last several months: our borders should be “safe,” we should be “safe” from crime, our campus should be a “safe” space. Our campus employs a rhetoric of safety to indicate a level of comfort. Yet immigrants, BIPOC people, pregnant people, women, transgender people and any minoritized group recognize the environment that surrounds them will not be comfortable or safe.
Even so, throughout his long career as a writer and activist, Baldwin is always hopeful. In “Nationalism, Colonialism, and the United States: One Minute to Twelve—A Forum,” he writes: “I do not believe in the … myth that we are all
as a mortal threat to democratic norms. This extension of grace and civility is the expectation and the standard for peaceful civic action, one which has been, and should continue to be, upheld by politicians on all sides.
Similarly, the responsibility for promoting and protecting American ideals (as well as the opportunity for each American to live freely without fear of persecution because of their identity) falls upon the entire citizenry. As we enter a new era of American democracy, let’s hope that everyone — regardless of who they supported for president — remembers and accepts this responsibility.
helpless, that it’s out of our hands. It’s only out of our hands if we don’t want to pick it up.” The future is not out of our hands. We can pick ourselves up and do the work. We can prioritize the common good and community over the illusion of safety or the fever dream of profit. To quote from another visionary, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Ann Green, Ph.D., is a professor of English.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANN GREEN, PH.D.
Dehumanization and passivity
Engage
SAHR KARIMU ’26
Photographer
in our enrichment
In reference to professors, we often hear the classic, “I pay your salary, so fix my problem” scenario coming from students. With this mindset, regardless of a student’s intentions, they, even if just for a brief moment, have reduced their professor’s personhood. This may sound extreme, but if we analyze the situation in totality, that is simply the reality. By making such comments and portraying this attitude, students communicate that their professors have become a tool for their degree requirements. Simply put, we mustn’t treat others like this. Our professors are so much more. Our education is so much more.
I fear in the college environment, the humanity of professors is often overlooked by students. They are treated by students as simply “instructors” and not people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to become
best friends with your professors. Rather, what I am saying is that it is imperative we acknowledge their personhood in totality. Being a professor is simply a “mask” they dawn for the day. Outside of the classroom, they are so much more.
On the other hand, I fear there is far too little relationism. There is far too little engagement. We are doing a grievous disservice to ourselves this way. We — not our professors — are turning ourselves into passive repositories, into which we expect our instructors to dump heaps of information into regurgitate later. In doing so, we are telling ourselves and the world that we are nothing but mindless robots willing to lap up the information presented to us and then spit it back out. Is that what an exemplary education sounds like to you?
I implore us all to become more relational. Let us ask more questions. Let us engage with the wisdom our professors provide. They are not tools; they are people in totality. And you are not a repository. You are an inexhaustible person; act like it.
Anger can be power
How to take the climate crisis into your own hands
BEN VANELLI ’25 Guest Columnist
President-elect Donald Trump has made it clear he supports expanding the fossil fuel industry and will pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement once again. This will be catastrophic for a climate that’s already suffering.
On Nov. 6, we experienced an 80-degree day. The climate crisis is not a “future problem” — it’s a now problem. Generation Z didn’t cause this, but we’re the ones who must band together to fix it. Here’s what you can do to have an immediate impact.
1) Write, call or visit your local officials. Let them know clean energy actually costs less — trillions of dollars less — than fossil fuel investments. Prove it by citing Cell Press’ paper, “Empirically grounded technology forecasts and the energy transition.” Write a short message to your representative. It takes two minutes.
2) Eliminate red meat from your diet. This is the single most effective way to minimize your carbon footprint. While the idea of an individual’s “carbon footprint” is largely a myth invented by Big Oil, it’s also true the meat industry is one of the main contributors to climate change through methane release and deforestation.
3) Protest. Stand outside your representative’s office. Be loud and be peaceful. Invite your friends.
4) Take public transportation. Philly sports fans, there’s a subway system directly to all four major sports stadiums. Beyond avoiding traffic and saving money on gas, public transportation saves around “37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually,” according to the Bay Area Transport Authority.
5) Communicate. Tell everyone you know that Earth is heating up faster than ever before. Share these steps with them. Encourage them to use their voice, too.
Now is not the time to be silent. Get angry and stay angry. As The Clash once
Reacting to the Past
sang: “Anger can be power. Do you know that you can use it?”
One day, we can have those crisp October afternoons at the orchard again.
White Christmas won’t have to be a dream
anymore. The heat being on in Bellarmine could finally make seasonal sense. But it has to start with us. Right now.
An underappreciated way of learning history
THOMAS VAN FOSSEN ’27 Guest Columnist
The debate is over. The conservationists won, and the damming of Hetch Hetchy will move forward. That was the result of a recent Reacting to the Past game in Jeffrey Hyson’s, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, American Environmental History class. Students, including myself, just spent two weeks in a heated debate about a topic we’d have normally passed over as another irrelevant, inconsequential moment of history. Reacting to the Past games put students in the roles of real people in history and allow them to make their own decisions that could completely differ from actual events. It allows students to see the
consequences of small actions and the behind-the-scenes situations that might have occurred in debates like these.
I wonder then: Why don’t more community members, professors and students incorporate these games into their classes and become active participants in them? According to Barnard College, reacting games provide an opportunity for students to truly engage with the material, and I completely agree. The game, implemented by Dr. Hyson, became truly heated and intense at times. Though it might seem silly, we took it seriously. We dug through real historical documents and found arguments, becoming passionate fighters for our historical characters’ beliefs. In the final game session, we all held our breath while waiting for the Senators to vote on whether Hetch Hetchy, a valley in Yosemite National Park, should be
dammed and turned into a water reservoir.
These Reacting to the Past games don’t just have to exist in upper-level history classes. Our General Education Program’s history class, Forging the Modern World, is the perfect place to include them. I understand there’s a lot of material to cover in such a short semester. However, including a short game, even for just a
week, may increase students’ interest in history and even encourage them to take upper-level courses in the future. I encourage both students and professors to get involved in these games. From political science to history classes, these games can make a real impact and get you interested in a topic you otherwise may have never known about.
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
Trump’s victory sends clear message to women
Decades of experience means next to nothing when competing with men
CAROLINE TRIMBLE ’26
Hawk Columnist
Kamala Harris, although imperfect, was the most qualified candidate in the 2024 presidential election. She has legal experience, including over 20 years working as a district attorney across California and six years as California’s attorney general. She has legislative experience, serving in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021. She even has White House experience, becoming the first woman Vice President of the United States in 2021. Despite all her credentials and past accomplishments, Harris lost the 2024 presidential election, leaving many voters distraught and frustrated.
Yet, it is not Harris’ loss that is so devastating; it is Donald Trump’s victory. The ability of a man found liable for sexual assault and convicted of 34 felonies to even
be nominated for president is laughable, but his dominant performance in the polls is beyond disheartening.
Trump is, and always has been, sexist, racist, homophobic and transphobic. He is a threat to democracy. Trump incited the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection on the Capitol after refusing to accept his loss to President Joe Biden and has discussed pardoning the rioters for their actions. He encourages hate and the belief that our country is no longer “great.” He does not have empathy and is not fit to lead our nation.
Over 75 million people decided Trump’s use of openly hateful rhetoric and his history of sexual assault were not egregious enough offenses to vote against him. The American people passed over Harris, the most qualified candidate for the job, in favor of Trump, a twice-impeached habitual liar who “fell in love” with Kim Jong-un.
Harris’ loss to Trump reflects the
constant need for women to work twice as hard to achieve the same accomplishments as their male peers. With a victory from Harris, young girls across the U.S. would have known a world in which, if they worked hard, they could have a job as
prestigious as president of the United States. Instead, Trump’s victory reveals a harsh reality: American society is more confident in a 34-felony-count rapist’s ability to be president than a woman of color with decades of political experience.
How identity politics cost Kamala Harris the election The danger of
BELLA PRIVITERA ’26
Opinions Editor
assumptions and miscalculating key demographics
Former President Donald Trump was declared the 47th president-elect of the United States Nov. 6, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in every battleground state — despite multiple forecasters predicting her win. The overwhelming message coming from the Democratic party afterward was, “How did this happen?” Perhaps one of the biggest factors to look at is identity politics, and how the Democratic party miscalculated its support from key demographics.
According to Richard Thompson Ford, J.D., identity politics suggests “a political orientation built around a (pre-existing) social identity.” Tressie McMillan Cottom, Ph.D., a New York Times columnist, builds on this concept, arguing that politicians employ identity politics to “cater to and respond to the identity-driven needs of
your base” and “turn out the people who will vote for you by appealing to who they think they are.” Identity politics involve people of all identities, not just minority groups and women, and a misunderstanding of this concept may have contributed to Harris’ loss.
For example, data shows minority voters and women align more with the Democratic party. But, it would seem Harris’ campaign made a miscalculation: They assumed minority voters would see themselves in Harris and vote for her. They banked on sweeping the votes of women and people of color, without doing substantial work to obtain their support.
But this was certainly not a sweep. Exit polls from the 2024 election show that 53% of women voted for Harris and just under 45% voted for Trump. But the most shocking numbers for analysts were the Hispanic/Latino vote (52% Harris, 46% Trump), which some argue propelled Trump to victory, and the Asian American vote (54% Harris, 39% Trump) — again,
split nearly down the middle. Racialized minorities, however, are small in number compared to white voters, likely a decisive demographic in Trump’s win.
While Harris’ campaign energized her base with famous speakers at rallies and a youth-driven social media presence, the
Democrats fell short in several key areas. In assuming guaranteed minority votes and not truly earning these votes campaignwise, they made a grievous mistake that may have cost Harris the election.
When did we lose our compassion as a country?
BIANCA
TALARICO ’27
Guest Columnist
Six bankruptcies, two impeachments, the incitement of a riot at the Capitol, being found liable for sexual abuse, 34 felony counts and four pending criminal cases did not prevent the former president of a failed term to be reelected. Undoubtedly, America needs a solid backbone to lead our country and move forward, but we may have just elected a dictator instead of a president. As our incoming vice president, Senator JD Vance, said eight years ago: Trump may be “America’s Hitler.” It’s essential to remember the newly-reelected Donald Trump will have minimal guardrails blocking him from making irrational executive decisions. Early on Nov. 6, news organizations called that Republicans will have majority control of the Senate, possibly foreshadowing a Republican majority in the House of Representatives
as well. There will be no one to challenge or “check” Trump’s behavior. By giving Trump this power, we allow his supporters, who mimic his personality, to act unjustly toward others. We condone their behavior of talking down to women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color and other marginalized groups.
The point of writing this is not to bash Trump supporters, because not all have adopted Trump’s hateful rhetoric, but these voters still decided Trump’s behavior was not a deal breaker. Yes, issues like the cost of living are a significant concern for most Americans, but America is more complex than that. It is supposed to be a place filled with opportunity and freedom for all, where education itself is not at risk and where we feel safe and heard. Yet, we live in a country where we have elected a sexual abuser into the highest level of power.
My message to anyone whose rights are threatened by the reelection of Trump: If you are feeling scared, worried or unheard, many others around you feel
the same. Go out into your community and voice your opinions, because they won’t go unheard. We, as young people, are the stepping stones for our country’s
future. With time comes change, and we will make those changes, no matter how hard the journey is.
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN 25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
HELENA SIMS ’25
Special to the Hawk
Pinnacle of Barbelin Hall
Barbelin Hall, or Barb as it is affectionately known on Hawk Hill, was the first building on St. Joe’s new-at-the-time City Avenue campus in the late 1920s.
The university was originally located near Old St. Joseph’s Church in Old City but moved to the current Hawk Hill location in 1927 after the construction of Barbelin was finished. Built of limestone and schist rock from nearby Wissahickon, Barbelin’s architecture represented the university’s attempt at making the collegiate gothic style more modern, according to Carmen Croce ’71, director of St. Joe’s university press. But there was another message as well.
“They were trying to indicate what the mission of this place would be,” Croce said. “This is a first class institution, and the arts and sciences are our métier.”
The building’s dedication in November 1927 included aviator Charles Lindbergh and ambassadors from all over the world. President Calvin Coolidge and Pope Pius XI also sent congratulatory letters.
A large piece of Barb is located in the St. Joe’s Archives. At 22 inches tall and 14 inches wide, the piece is a “pinnacle,” the stone top of one of the columns on Barb’s bell tower. Made out of limestone with similar gothic carvings to those found all over Barb, it has a round stone base with a column rising from it and is mounted to a rectangular wooden platform.
Sometime in the 1990s — Croce did not remember exactly when — it fell from the sky but didn’t break. A true Jesuit miracle!
“Luckily, nobody was under it,” Croce said.
Lesley Carey, St. Joe’s archivist, said the library acquired the piece in 2013, along with a number of other objects.
Jordan Gouge
LUKE SANELLI ’26
News Editor
Jordan Gouge ’25 is the president of the Student Nurse Association of Pennsylvania’s chapter on St. Joe’s Lancaster campus, where she organizes monthly meetings for SNAP members, public events and more for the purpose of academic and community development. Prior to becoming a nursing student, Gouge worked both in emergency medical services and as a police dispatcher. Her passions include the outdoors and working with children.
What’s your favorite spot on the Lancaster campus? The study rooms.
If you could be a place on campus, what would you be? We have a sim lab upstairs where we have mannequins that the instructor can talk through. They can have heart sounds, lung sounds, all the things. It’s really cool.
What is something about you that might surprise other people? I hunt. I’m a big, avid, outdoorsy type of person. Borderline tomgirl, always have been.
What is your definition of happiness? Going to bed knowing that you have made the most of your life.
Where would you most like to live? Montana or Wyoming.
Who is your favorite celebrity? Adam Sandler.
What’s something on your bucket list? Go to Iceland.
What do you value most in your friends? we’re all just going through the same phase of life.
Who are your heroes in real life? My dad. He favorite person.
Whatdoyouthinkisyourbesttrait? I have a teaching type of personality
What’s a word you would wan people to use to describe you? Approachable.
What is your most treasured possession? Memories.
What’s your biggest worry right now? Making it through the third semester. I know it’s probably really superficial, but you just have to take it one day at a time.
What inspires you about the nurses whohavegraduatedbeforeyou? Knowing that they made it out okay. Even though it’s hard, there’s still light at the end.
Currently in Pop Culture: Liam Payne
Story of his life in the spotlight
Liam Payne was brought into the spotlight at 16 years old when he auditioned for The X Factor, a British reality TV music competition, for the second time in 2010. Singing Ella Fitzgerald’s “Cry Me a River,” Payne wowed the judges with his charisma and strong tone. Although initially eliminated from the solo competition, he was later brought back by the judges to be formed into a group with four other contestants who were also eliminated — Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan. The group became known as One Direction, and after placing third on the show, they quickly took the hearts of teenagers worldwide
The band toured the world for five years until they called a hiatus in 2016. On Jessie and Lennie Ware’s podcast, “Table Manners,” Payne stated he felt there was no stop button
in the band’s schedule and that he lost control of his life. After the band was put on pause, the boys continued their musical careers as solo artists and explored other interests, while still capturing the hearts of old and new fans alike.
During Payne’s solo career, he released his debut studio album, LP1, with his hit single, “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo. This new era in Payne’s life allowed him to create his own identity and sense of self in the music industry. During his solo career, he embraced a distinctive sense of style that set him apart from his fellow bandmates, allowing him to express his individuality.
Mental health and substance use struggles
Payne was very open to the public about his struggles with mental health and substance use. He shared with Esquire Middle East that he struggled with anxiety and agoraphobia, making it difficult for him to leave the house. Payne also experienced depressive and suicidal thoughts. Payne revealed in a Sky News
What do you want to be when you graduate? A pediatric RN would be the end goal for me.
Interview that he struggled with feelings of loneliness and “people getting into [him] every day,” which sometimes left him thinking “when will this end?” To get support and comfort, he relied on friends and family and tried to look inside himself to figure out why he was feeling this way.
Death
Payne died Oct. 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at only 31 years old. A toxicology report released Nov. 7 by the local prosecutor’s office in Buenos Aires indicated Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants in his system at the time of his death.
No matter the struggles he was going through, Payne was still there for others, taking pictures with fans just hours before his death and visiting his former bandmate Niall Horan at his concert in Argentina days prior.
Payne left behind friends, family, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy and his seven-
year-old son, Bear.
Members of the St. Joe’s community seeking support are encouraged tocontactthefollowingresources: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS),610-660-1090 CampusMinistry,610-660-1030
TheOfficeofStudentOutreach&Support, 610-660-1149
The Jesuit community, 610-660-1400 Employee Assistance Program, 866-799-2728
A “pinnacle,” the stone top of one of the columns on Barbelin Hall s bell tower, located in the St. Joe’s Archives. PHOTO: MADELINE WILLIAMS ’26/THE HAWK
PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN GOUGE ’25
GRAPHIC: HANNAH PAJTIS ’26/THE HAWK
OLIVIA GASPARRO ’27
Features Columnist
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
Five Philadelphia-based movies to watch this fall
The unique and iconic culture of Philadelphia makes the City of Brotherly Love a perfect place for a film setting. It’s no surprise that some of Hollywood’s most classic films use Philadelphia as its backdrop. As fall enters full swing, there’s no better time for a cozy movie night, so settle in for five great films set in Philadelphia.
“Silver Linings Playbook” (2012)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Apple TV
Duration: 122 min
Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, this rollercoaster of a film has quickly become a Philadelphia classic. The film follows Cooper’s character, Pat, as he struggles with depression, bipolar disorder and manic episodes after spending eight months in a psychiatric hospital.
Obsessed with getting his ex-wife back, Pat goes through a long journey of recovery and change, during which he meets Tiffany (Lawrence), who also struggles with bipolar disorder. In the first half of the film, the two decide to go on “not a date” to the Llanerch Diner, a real diner on City Avenue/Township Line Road about 15 minutes south of campus in Upper Darby. In one clip, you can actually see a St. Joe’s billboard behind them outside the diner. Even today, fans ask to sit in the booth the iconic scene was filmed in, which now has a small plaque above it that reads: “This booth was used in filming ‘SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.’”
This motion picture is a must-see for everyone, not only Philadelphia natives. It is best known for its Academy-Award-winning acting and incredible depiction of the ups and downs of bipolar disorder.
“Rocky” (1976)
Where to Watch: MGM+, Amazon Prime Video
Duration: 119 minutes
This film is undoubtedly one of the most famous Philadelphia-based movies, and rightfully so. The scene in which Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) runs up the Philadelphia Art Museum stairs is so iconic that the museum stairs and the Rocky statue, erected in 1982, have become two of the most popular Philadelphia tourist attractions. The film follows the story of the fictional Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer from Philadelphia who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight the world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.
Balboa’s determination and grit, despite the odds, make for an entertaining story and an inspiring character. The film does a great job of giving a twist to the typical underdog story, and the film really stands the test of time despite being almost half a century old.
Ben Vanelli ’25, president of St. Joe’s Film Club, said the character of Rocky is so iconic because he “really reflects the spirit of the city” and the country.
“He’s not worried about winning, he’s worried about going the distance and making it all the way and pushing himself.
I feel like it’s just so American,” Vanelli said.
“Rocky” became such a success that it exploded into a full-fledged franchise with four sequels following the original Rocky movie, a separate “Rocky Balboa” movie and three movies in the “Creed” series starring Michael B. Jordan, who plays Apollo Creed’s son.
“The Sixth Sense” (1999) Where to Watch: Hulu, Max, Amazon
Prime Video, Disney+
Duration: 107 minutes
Although the setting of Philadelphia is not too frequently mentioned by the characters in “The Sixth Sense,” it’s still a classic. It was directed by M. Night Shyamalan, a critically acclaimed director who films most of his movies in his hometown of Philadelphia.
This film stars Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist assigned to the young and troubled Cole Sear (Haley Jole Osment). Sear struggles to make friends and interact with people his own age and is clearly disturbed by a dark secret. While Crowe attempts to get to the root of Sear’s problem, the two walk through the streets of Old City and Center City.
Gabrielle Miller, assistant professor of practice in the department of music, theatre and film, had the opportunity to meet and work with Shyamalan as a featured background character in some of his later films, such as “Split.”
“I really got to see his reverence for Philadelphia, and I think that really comes through in his films,” Miller said.
While most Hollywood directors film large portions of their movies on sets, Shyamalan chose to film “The Sixth Sense” inside a real brownstone in Philadelphia. The townhouse used as Crowe’s home is actually on Delancey Street, in the Society Hill district.
“Philadelphia”(1993)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Duration: 126 minutes
Considering Philadelphia’s rich legal history, it would be a crime not to include a courtroom drama in this list. “Philadelphia” tells the story of Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) and Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) after Beckett was wrongfully fired from his big-time law firm for having HIV. When Miller is the only lawyer who will fight for Beckett’s case, the film follows the journey of a close-minded man who changes significantly throughout the film as he learns more about the struggles of his client and fights for an unlikely cause.
Vanelli said the film raises questions about American values and how people uphold them.
“This is the city where you really have the right to life, liberty and
independence, and all men are created equal,” Vanelli said. “I think it’s asking us, ‘How true is that if we have to fight for the healthcare rights of people that we have marginalized?’”
Diving into the issues of discrimination in the workplace, homophobia and the AIDS epidemic, “Philadelphia” is an incredible display of deep-rooted character development that brings still-relevant issues to light.
“Invincible” (2006)
Where to Watch: Disney+, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video Duration: 105 minutes
This underdog story stars Mark Wahlberg, who plays Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender living in South Philadelphia who dreams of playing football. Based on the true story of St.
Joe’s graduate Vince Papale ’68, the film emphasizes Papale's determination despite his age and other factors, such as the fact that he never even played college football.
“Watching a film about someone that walked through the same halls and had the same courses as you is really exciting, and film is all about making those connections,” Miller said.
The final scene of the movie was filmed at Franklin Field, which is home to the University of Pennsylvania’s football team in Center City. The excitement and authenticity of this film really give it that classic, inspiring feel that Philadelphia sports fans can easily connect with. It builds off the undeniable spirit of Philly’s sports culture to bring real-life characters’ stories to the big screen, leaving viewers with an unwavering sense of Philadelphia pride.
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JAMIE SPRINGER ’25
Special to the Hawk
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
CineHawk: ‘The Substance’
TAYLA EVANS ’27 Distribution Manager
Splattered with gore and psychological thrills, the sci-fi horror film “The Substance” is incredibly uncomfortable in all the right ways. The movie follows Elisabeth Sparkle, who, on her 50th birthday, was fired from her job as an aerobics coach. After this incident, she turns to an unknown laboratory that can create a newer, better version of a person, injecting herself with what is known as “the Substance.” From this, Elisabeth’s ‘better self,’ Sue, is created. As the pair learn to navigate their shared existence — in which they cannot both be awake at the same time — Sue gains more and more fame and takes more time and youth away from Elisabeth. The cast consists of the iconic Demi Moore as Elisabeth, Margaret Qualley as Sue and Dennis Quaid as Elisabeth’s producer, Harvey. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, it is currently playing in theaters and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
Given the uncomfortable subject matter of aging throughout the film, Fargeat chose distressing camera angles and sleek cinematography. Utilizing distorting close-ups and static shots, the camerawork creates a sense of unease, though some shots feel out of place. Further, the retro-modern set reflects an almost timeless era, where the 1980s and 2010s exist as one, and the squelchy sound effects throughout the film make the audience squirm.
Most importantly, the gore in the film, while disturbing, is important to the storyline. Elisabeth’s discomfort in her aging body is integral to the motivation of the characters, and subsequently,
the audience. Fair warning: This film is incredibly graphic, gory and features full frontal nudity. This film is not for everyone.
While the subject matter of “The Substance” is disturbing, it showcases the clear standards that women in the entertainment industry can feel subjected to; they must stay young, skinny and pretty, or they are otherwise labeled as useless. The larger commentary about many women feeling uncomfortable in their skin due to society’s incessant pressures to stay perfect is reflected in Sue and Elisabeth’s inability to coexist. Sue is pretty, perfect and perky, all of which Elisabeth no longer feels like she is. Moore and Qualley’s performances are incredible, and they both fully embrace the beauty and tragedy of
the film. Unfortunately, much of the supporting cast largely fails to measure up to the acting prowess of the leads.
Altogether, “The Substance” is a beautifully grotesque commentary on the unattainable age and beauty standards that women endure.
CROSSWORD: Philly sports icons
Across 5.Holds the most wins of any manager in Philadelphia Phillies history.
7.Former MLB first baseman also known as “The Big Piece.”
8.Current executive for the Flyers who played on the team for all 15 years of his career.
9.Stepped over Tyronn Lue during the 2001 NBA finals. 10.Center who started 145 straight games for the Eagles.
Down
1.The Philadelphia 76ers 2020 first round draft pick.
2.Leads the MLB in number of complete games since 2009.
3.Former NFL player also known as “Weapon X.”
4.Super Bowl LII MVP.
6.Former Philadelphia Flyers player and recent Pittsburgh Penguins general manager.
Dreamgaze autumn
ZACH PODOLNICK ’26 Sports Reporter
With loud guitars and heavenly dreamscapes, this unusually warm autumn reverberates with the sounds of shoegaze and dream pop. Shoegaze (noisy guitars laden with pedal effects) and dream pop (spacious psychedelic sounds with added vocal effects) both work to capture the vibe of the season. Here are five songs to wrap you in an autumn day’s dreamy haze.
“Beautiful World” – Parannoul Parannoul, a Korean musician, is one of the beloved new artists in the shoegaze scene. “Beautiful World” captures a breadth of emotions so palpable you feel as though you are tasting the past. Soft spoken vocals bring a quiet quality to the song.
“Infinity Maps” – Panda Riot A lucid dream come alive, “Infinity Maps” captures the dreamlike slide into winter that takes place between November and December, a limbo captured beautifully into sound. Pedal and vocal effects create a dense sea of sound that entrances the listener.
“Sea, Swallow Me” – Cocteau Twins and Harold Budd Ethereal and moving as always, the legendary dream pop act Cocteau Twins certainly has a way with sound. “Sea, Swallow Me” points to how the swallowing tides of winter are coming, represented in Elizabeth Fraser’s angelic vocals.
“Analogue Sentimentalism” – Parannoul Parannoul is back again because I love Parannoul, and there’s nothing you can do about it. “Analogue Sentimentalism” captures through sound a nostalgia so deep and clear that listening can sometimes hurt. The synth line seeps with old memories of better times.
“Slowdive” – Slowdive
Finishing out the playlist is, of course, “Slowdive,” a legendary shoegaze band on the level of My Bloody Valentine. This self-titled song is autumn incarnate: detached vocals, a dreamy atmosphere and a descending feeling that leads you to winter.
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
TESS MARGIS ’26 Features Reporter
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
Best off-campus gyms to maximize your workout flexibility
LA Fitness
Address: 25 E. City Ave., Bala Cynwyd
Driving distance from Hawk Hill: 5 minutes
For many students at St. Joe’s Hawk Hill campus, the on-campus gym, O’Pake Fitness & Recreation Center, was under renovation for much of their time at the university. While the gym reopened this fall, the habit of working out at an off-campus gym stuck for some students. We scouted out some of the best gyms near Hawk Hill for those interested in working out off campus.
AFC Fitness
Address: 601 Righters Ferry Road, Bala Cynwyd
Driving distance from Hawk Hill: 10 minutes Hours: 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (Monday-Friday), 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)
Price-per-month: Varies member to member Equipment rating: 8/10 Crowd volume: Low
Located under I-76 across from Manayunk is AFC Fitness, one of the most popular off-campus gyms for Hawk Hill students. This gym offers a plethora of amenities to its members, including a sauna, steam room, two full-sized basketball courts, two pickleball courts, a turf room and even a pool. Not to mention, the incredibly friendly staff members always greet you at the front desk.
AFC Fitness is a chain of three locations in the greater Philadelphia area, but the Bala Cynwyd location has been around for over 20 years and improves every year.
This gym has been popular among St. Joe’s students because of the convenience of the location, low crowd volume and the amazing student discount they offered the last two years. The discount brought the monthly price down to $36. However, the club no longer offers this student discount for new members. AFC does not provide an average full price of a membership, as it varies member to member, but it can be fairly pricey.
“AFC is always going to be pretty much less crowded. It offers more amenities than O’Pake, and is pretty close to my house,” said Charlie Henry ’26.
Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. (Monday-Friday), 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)
Price-per-month: $30-$60
Equipment rating: 7/10
Crowd volume: High
Located right on City Avenue next to the Bala Cynwyd shopping center, LA Fitness is the closest gym to Hawk Hill, with some students even walking to the gym.
LA Fitness’ popularity is its one drawback: The crowd level is high no matter the time you go. That means despite all the equipment they offer, you can find yourself waiting for weights and machines for most of your workout. The gym can also be dirty, with weights off the rack and used paper towels, water bottles and other items cluttering the floor.
Still, LA Fitness has all the necessary equipment you might need. The location is very accessible, even for students without cars on campus, and the $30 basic membership gets you full access without breaking the bank. The $40 classic membership and $60 premier membership add access to every LA Fitness location in the state or in the country, respectively.
Planet Fitness
Address: 50 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore
Driving distance from Hawk Hill: 10 minutes
Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. (MondayThursday), 5 a.m.-9 p.m. (Friday), 6 a.m.-9 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)
Price-per-month: $15-$25
Equipment rating: 3/10
Crowd volume: High
Located just off the main drag in Ardmore, Planet Fitness is tucked next to a row of shops and eateries. The membership cost varies from $15 to $25, depending on the type purchased. A classic $15 monthly membership offers access to just the Ardmore location of Planet Fitness but not all the amenities. The $25 membership is
called the “PF Black Card” membership, which means a holder can use any Planet Fitness location and have access to a sauna, massage chairs and tanning beds.
The equipment quality is good, but there just isn’t much of it. They have more cardio machines than weight lifting equipment, and their dumbbells only go up to 70 lbs. They also do not have bench, squat or deadlift racks.
But the price can’t be beat. The crowds there prove it. If you are okay with some sacrifices, it’s a good option. It works for Nick Ruggieri ’26.
“It’s nearby. It has all the equipment I personally need, but around four to six gets pretty busy, so it can be tough to find the equipment you want,” Ruggieri said.
PWRBLD Gym Address: 167 Town Center Road, King of Prussia
Driving distance from Hawk Hill and University City: 30 minutes Hours: 24/7
Price-per-month: $60 (for full-time students) Equipment rating: 10/10 Crowd volume: Medium
PWRBLD is located in King of Prussia and will take around 30-45 minutes to reach by car from both the Hawk Hill and
What’s going on with the 76ers?
Unless you’re an Eagles fan, the Philly sports scene has been pretty hard to watch recently. With the NBA season starting back up, many Philadelphia 76ers fans were hoping for a fun and successful season, but so far, it has been the complete opposite.
Nine games into the season, the Sixers hold a 2-7 record, making them the worst team in the NBA (record-wise), tied with the Utah Jazz. On the surface, a team with three all-star players should not be this bad, but when you dive deeper into the team’s shaky start this season, you’ll begin to understand why
So far, point guard Tyrese Maxey has had to put the entire team on his back, averaging 27.6 points per game as his teammates, center Joel Embiid and forward Paul George, recoup from injuries. Luckily for Maxey, George was able to return for the Sixers game against the Phoenix Suns, but all of that luck went away when George missed the game-tying shot. George was shooting 1-for-7 from the three and 4-for14 from the field, finishing with a whopping
15 points.
Hopefully, this was just an off-game for the nine-time all-star, but if this trend of streaky shooting is a recurring theme for George, Sixers fans will need MVP center, Embiid, to show up following his return from an injury and a three-game suspension.
Embiid’s suspension was put in effect after he shoved and threatened Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes in the Sixers’ locker room. Embiid took rightful offense after the reporter’s recent column insulted Embiid’s commitment to the sport, while also mentioning his son and deceased brother, both named Arthur. Hayes has since apologized and edited his article, removing the references to Embiid’s family members.
Sixers fans can only hope the future will become brighter for their team as their two injury-prone stars begin to integrate back into the offense and as their young superstar, Maxey, recuperates from a recent hamstring injury that may keep him out for several weeks.
UCity campuses. But the drive might be worth it for 24/7 access, an abundance of Olympic squat, bench and deadlift racks, state-of-the-art bodybuilding equipment, a full 100 yards of turf, massage chairs, infrared saunas and a powerlifting room. The environment, equipment and overall vibe are what make this gym amazing. It is also a superb bodybuilding gym on this list, as evidenced by the powerlifters and professional bodybuilders who are there. It also draws influencers from all over.
While even the discounted monthly fee is too steep for most students, there are shorter-term passes available for lower prices, including a $40 weekend pass, a $75 pass that gets you five visits to any PWRBLD location and a $120 pass for 10 visits. The cheapest, a $20 one-day pass, is a popular option for the St. Joe’s students who opt to make the trek to take advantage of the gym’s awesome equipment and amenities.
PRESTON THOMAS ’28
Special to the Hawk
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
The exterior of AFC Fitness, located 10 minutes from Hawk Hill campus. PHOTO: AIDEN POWERS ’26
AIDAN POWERS ’26
Special to the Hawk
Women’s rugby hosts first tournament in two years
MONICA SOWINSKI ’26
Sports Reporter
For the first time this season, women’s rugby hosted a tournament on Sweeney Field, bringing its 2024 fall season to a close Nov. 9. This year is the first time in two years the club has been able to field a team.
The team claimed its first victory of the season in the first game of the tournament, a 22-15 win over the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. While the team lost the following two games against the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel, Bailey Kearns ’28 said that initial win was still extremely rewarding.
“We really wanted to win at least one game during our season, since we’ve only been playing for a couple months. The fact that we won our first game today on our own field is awesome,” Kearns said after the tournament.
It shows how far women’s rugby has come since they were last able to field a team in fall 2022. The team did not play in spring 2023, and their previous head coach was deployed in fall 2023. Current captains Brianna Kelly ’26 and Tess Margis ’26 stepped up, leading practices and managing the team of about five players.
But their limited coaching and fieldwork experience on top of classes made it difficult to continue running the team, Kelly said. She and Margis ran the team for two weeks before making the difficult decision to put it on pause. Once the news was in that there was a new coach for the spring 2024 semester, the balance between athletics and academics
became manageable.
“Once everything started falling into place, I swear I felt like I was dreaming, in a way. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s actually happening. I’m so happy,’” Kelly said. “At that point, I was able to actually enjoy rugby for what it is and not worry about what’s going on. Now I’m able to have the team and enjoy their company, enjoy the tournaments and enjoy playing it instead of worry about what’s happening next with the team.”
Head coach Greg Ebersole joined in January 2024. Since then, the handful of girls who are on the team have been consistently conditioning and recruiting potential players.
Now, the team is up to 20 players, with the majority having no prior experience. For this fall season, the goal was simply to learn the game of rugby and to get better, Ebersole said.
“We’ve learned it pretty quickly, and it’s just a matter of do[ing] a lot of off-season conditioning,” Ebersole said.
This season, the team played rugby sevens because Ebersole wasn’t sure the team would be large enough to play 15s, he said. Moving forward, Ebersole said he wants to recruit as many players as possible, with a focus on recruiting high school athletes.
“I’m going to go from a team right now that 75% of the players never played rugby before starting two months ago, and hopefully by the fall [2025], I’ll have three quarters of a team that played rugby for four
years in high school,” Ebersole said.
After two successful months with the team, Ebersole is hopeful for the future and is set on elevating the team going forward.
“I’m really impressed by their heart, the effort that they put in. They’re really quality people. I can’t wait till next season. We’re just going to get way better,” Ebersole said.
Kearns said she’s loved seeing how everyone’s skills align, allowing them to mesh well during games.
“Each of our skills differ from one another,” Kearns said. “One may be faster than the other, one has better hands, so when we have our starting formation, it’s wonderful to see how we all come together.”
With a full team, Ebersole sees the determination to improve and the leadership exemplified by the players.
“You’ll see a lot of successful people in life that played rugby. It’s one of those sports that people get into leadership positions,” Ebersole said. “I have a lot of strong women on my team that are going to go on to be successful professionals. It’s really good to see them put their heart into it. I see myself growing the program with the help of the captains I have now.”
Transitioning into the winter season, Ebersole and Kelly said the team has a commitment to conditioning together to build and maintain stamina for back-toback matches in the spring.
“We want to wear the SJU colors with pride and be like, ‘Yeah, we’re here to win,’” Kelly said.
Tess Margis ’26 is a features reporter for The Hawk.
Two basketball alumni inducted into hall of fame
EMIRSON DEVENIE ’26
Special to The Hawk
Paul Westhead ’61 and Jameer Nelson ’18, men’s basketball alumni, were inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame at a dinner reception at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, Nov. 7.
Nelson attended St. Joe’s from 20002004 after graduating from Chester High School, where he first started playing basketball. He returned to St. Joe’s in 2018 to complete his degree. During his time as a Hawk, he had a standout career and is recognized as one of the program’s most influential players.
Nelson became St. Joe’s all-time leading scorer with 2,094 points. He was a three-time All-Atlantic 10 First Team selection and earned a number of accolades, including National Freshman of the Year in 2001 and National Player of the Year 2004. His number, 14, was retired by St. Joe’s in April 2004 in recognition of his achievements at St. Joe’s.
Reflecting on his journey, Nelson credits Phil Martelli, St. Joe’s men’s basketball head coach from 1995 to 2019, for instilling a work ethic that influenced his success in both his collegiate and professional careers.
“Coach Martelli instilled the hard work, the grit and how to handle adversity as a player and as a student,” Nelson said. “He promised he could help shape me into the person I am now, and kept his promise.”
Nelson said his favorite memory as a Hawk was at his senior night on Hawk Hill, where he and his fellow seniors chose to play the last home game on campus rather than at an off campus venue.
“It’s just one of the things we wanted to do, to give back to the fans and to the community of St. Joes,” Nelson said. “I just think it was the right thing to do. I think that was one of my favorite moments.”
The Denver Nuggets selected Nelson
in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft, with the 20th overall pick, before then trading him to the Orlando Magic, where he earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Nelson went on to play for six different teams during his 15-year NBA career and became an NBA All-Star in 2009 while with the Magic.
Westhead grew up in Philadelphia and played basketball at West Catholic High School. He was on the men’s basketball team from 1958 to 1961 when Jack Ramsay ’49 was the head coach. After graduating from St. Joe’s, Westhead went on to coach at the collegiate and professional levels for over 40 years.
Westhead is best known for his innovative coaching style and championship success, especially during his time as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, who won the NBA championship
in 1980. Westhead’s coaching career began at Cheltenham High School in Montgomery county, before working as head coach at La Salle University from 1970 to 1979.
During his time as head coach at Loyola Marymount University, Westhead implemented his signature “speed” game style, which earned him recognition and helped guide the team to an NCAA tournament appearance.
Although his career stretched across multiple programs and professional teams, he said his time at St. Joe’s left a lasting impact on his career, especially playing under Ramsay.
“Anything you learn from Ramsay stays forever. He taught me how to play and helped me with coaching basketball,” Westhead said. “I owe everything to Ramsay and the St. Joe’s program.”
Paul Westhead shares a conversation Phillies legends Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, Nov. 7. PHOTOS: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
Brianna Kelly ’26 attempts to dodge Drexel defense on her way to score, Nov. 9. PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame honorees line up for a photo, Nov. 7.
Field hockey wins fourth consecutive A-10 title, hosts first round of NCAA Tournament
so tirelessly for this win.”
Four was the magic number for fourth-ranked St. Joe’s field hockey, which beat Massachusetts 2-1 to secure its fourth consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship Nov. 9.
No strangers to each other, the Hawks and the Minutewomen have faced off six times since 2022. In her three seasons as St. Joe’s head coach, UMass alumna Hannah Prince and her squads have only faced the Minutewomen in A-10 Championship games, with the Hawks winning each one. Even during Prince’s two years as an assistant coach, St. Joe’s beat UMass in the 2017 A-10 Tournament to give St. Joe’s its first NCAA Tournament berth.
“It’s a rivalry that runs very deep,” Prince said. “In the last handful of years, it’s been extremely competitive between the two teams. We’ve really been battling each and every game that we play, and I know it’s been a goal of ours that most likely we would face them in the final. Being able to come out on top is an unreal feeling, and I know that the girls worked
It also marked the last conference game between the two as UMass prepares to leave the A-10 Conference for the Mid-American Conference in July. Between the rivalry and the 2-1 overtime loss back in September — the Hawks’ only conference loss — fifth-year back Julia Duffhuis said the victory was even sweeter.
“We had a lot of anger and frustration that’s been building up throughout the season,” Duffhuis said. “We really just wanted to get back at them, especially since they came here last time and beat us on our field. We really wanted to return that favor and turn things around in our favor this time around.”
Senior midfielder Sol Borensztein earned her fourth A-10 All-Championship Team honors. She said the competition has beenstifferwitheachA-10championship.
“[In] past years, the competition wasn’t as high as now. You can see UMass is getting better every year,” Borensztein said.
“This was definitely the hardest year.”
With two seniors and nine fifth-year players, many of the Hawks have been with
the program throughout each of its four A-10 titles, and Prince has seen the benefits of that experiencethroughouttheseason.
“Peoplesteppedupwheretheyneededto, and we had a lot of voices coming from the players on the field, as well as the bench, and it was really just special to see them connect today,” Prince said. “Those leaders really just shined, and [were] really gritty and lived by our core values and door-diementalitytoday.”
While Duffhuis put the Hawk on the board in the first quarter, the Minutewomen answered in the third quarter. Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Borensztein converted on a penalty corner, and the Hawks retook the lead. The Minutewomen had an opportunity to tie it in the last minute withacornerthatwasthwartedbySt.Joe’s.
“It was a fight, definitely. We always kept that mentality to keep going,” Borensztein said. “I’m having no regrets, last game on Ellen Ryan [Field], so I’m really excited. I’mreallyproudofthisteam.”
Duffhuis also was named the Atlantic 10 Championship Most Outstanding Player. It was Duffhuis’ second Most Outstanding
Player honors in as many conferences. She was named Colonial Athletic Association tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2021 while at Delaware.
“It’s so fresh, so it’s hard to even put it into words,” Duffhuis said. “It’s just insane, MVP or anything like that doesn’t even really embrace what we’ve done here as a team today”
With their seventh A-10 title in eight years, the Hawks have earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Although Borensztein and her teammates expected their championship win to be their last game on Ellen Ryan Field, the Hawks learned Nov 10 theyd be hosting Lafayette in the first round of the Tournament back on their home turf.
An earlier version of this article was first published by the Philadelphia Inquirer Nov. 9 as part of the Inquirer’s college correspondent program.
MIA MESSINA ’25 Sports Editor
Field hockey poses with the A-10 Championship trophy following their 2-1 win over UMass, Nov. 9. PHOTOS: JOE SCHNEYDER ’12/SAY CHEEZE STUDIOS
Fifth-years Celeste Smits and Shannon McNally huddle up with head coach Hannah Prince, Nov. 9.
Field hockey hoists its fourth consecutive A-10 trophy, Nov. 9.