Jan. 30, 2019

Jan. 30, 2019

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Volume XCVIX

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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

Police and Public Safety increase patrols in response to robberies

Lamont Mapp, a lieutenant in the 19th district of the Philadelphia Police Department, updates University Student Senate about police responses to robberies off-campus. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

The Office of Public Safety & Security has increased security measures in response to multiple robberies near campus during the month of January, according to Arthur Grover, director of Public Safety & Security.

The Office of Public Safety issued university-wide crime alerts beginning with the first robbery on Jan 10.

“We have had three robberies in three-and-a-half weeks in a four-block radius,” Grover said, addressing a meeting of the University Student Senate on Jan. 28. “What we are seeing around here right now is an aberration. We are not used to that, and we are not going to get used to that.”

Grover said his office was coordinating with local law enforcement to increase police patrols in the area. Grover recommended students use the campus shuttle and escort services, avoid walking alone and stay in well-lit and populated areas.

“We had no muggings in 2018,” Grover said. “But, here in 2019, we are seeing a trend. It is disturbing.”

The crimes all happened between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., and the perpetrators

operated as a group of three individuals, Grover said.

On Jan. 10, at about 7:20 p.m., a female student was approached by three men as she walked toward the corner of 51st Street and Wynnefield Avenue. Two of the men had handguns but ran away when a car pulled up at a nearby stop sign. The student was not hurt.

On Jan. 23, at about 9 p.m., a male student who pulled up in his car near his house on the 5300 block of Wynnefield Avenue was approached by three males, one of whom had a handgun. The men entered the student’s car, then drove away with the student in the vehicle. After forcing the student to hand over his wallet and cellphone, the men released him. The student was not injured and his vehicle was later recovered several blocks away.

Lamont Mapp, administrative lieutenant for the Philadelphia Police Department’s 19th District, said his division was aware of the problems near campus.

“We deploy our bike officers to our hot spots,” Mapp said. “Right now St. Joe’s is a hot spot. This area is a hot spot.”

The commanding officer of Philadelphia’s Southwest Detective Division, Frank R. Milillo, who is coordinating his

investigation with St. Joe’s Public Safety investigator, said there has been a citywide increase in the theft of cell phones.

“We got some suspects that we are working on and hopefully in the next couple of days, we’ll bring this person to justice,” Milillo said.

Grover said at the Senate meeting he wanted to dispel a rumor on social media that the crimes are somehow gang related.

“There is no indication that people are being initiated into a gang by doing these robberies,” Grover said. “There’s plenty of information that they are stealing them for a profit motive, and there’s a fence out there that is buying these phones.”

Sarah Strickland ’21, who lives in Pennbrook Apartments, told The Hawk she no longer walks to campus.

“I take the shuttle because I do not feel comfortable walking to campus anymore,” Strickland said. “I would hope that Public Safety would sit in front of Pennbrook like they do in front of Lannon.”

When calling for an escort from Public Safety, Strickland said it takes a while for the escort to arrive.

“We have been authorized to put, on an overtime basis, additional escort vehicles out there, so waits should be dimin-

ished,” Grover told Student Senators at their meeting.

Anthony Minunni ’20, who lives in Merion Gardens Apartments, told The Hawk that while the incidents are unfortunate, he is personally comfortable walking on City Avenue.

“There is such a small distance between where my past dorms have been, past and current, and campus, that I just never felt unsafe,” Minunni said.

Minunni added if the university makes sure Public Safety escorts are available and adds more if necessary, students will feel safer.

Student Senate Treasurer Michael Efstration ’19, told the Hawk after the Senate meeting that it is important for Public Safety to use as many resources as they can.

“I think obviously employ more staff during the night time, during the times the muggings are happening,” Efstration said. “I guess it is hard to tell if they can do more, but I think there is more to be done in any capacity.”

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Jan. 30, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

News

Alpha Gamma Delta sisters cheer in O'Pake Recreation Center on Bid Night. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Sororities shorten recruitment schedule ALEX HARGRAVE ’20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Primary recruitment for St. Joe’s campus-based social sororities, previously a two-weekend event, was condensed into a single weekend for the first time this semester.

The compressed schedule, along with other changes, is being implemented by Nicole Morse, who was hired as the assistant director of Student Leadership and Activities in August 2018. Morse is the advisor to Greek Life on campus, overseeing five social sororities and three social fraternities.

Despite concerns from chapter leaders and sorority members about the condensed time, Morse moved ahead with the changes for the weekend of Jan. 25-27.

By the end of the weekend, 227 women enrolled in sorority recruitment, slightly above last year’s numbers, according to Gianna Gesualdo ’20, incoming vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council.

Morse said the changes were carried out in part to attract students who might not be able to commit to a longer recruitment process.

“We want to be a welcoming and inclusive community, making sure if there are athletes or people in theater that we don’t take so much time that they have to feel like they aren’t able to do this, because that’s not true,” Morse said.

Morse said she also condensed the process to one weekend to free the space in Campion Student Center for other clubs and organizations.

The condensed weekend does not give the chapters any less time than they had in the two weekend process, but the fast turnaround is challenging, according to Tina Giordano ’20, president of Sigma Sigma Sigma.

The weekend ends on Sunday with Bid Night, during which those rushing received an invitation from one of the sororities they gave preference to.

“For the sororities going to recruitment and the sisters who are already initiated, it’s a lot to have to quickly turnaround from meeting people on Saturday and inviting them into our sorority on Sunday,” Giordano said. “It is a quick turn-around that we’re not used to.”

But for Olivia Tilton ’22, who rushed

this past weekend, the three-day schedule made her decision easier.

“I like the fact that we didn’t have to wait, so we didn’t have a lot of time to overthink decisions,” Tilton said.

Chapter members who went through the two-weekend recruitment process in the past also saw the benefits of condensing the event for those rushing.

“It makes it a more independent experience because that whole week between the two weekends is not knowing if you should talk to your friends about how you’re feeling,” Gesualdo said. “This allows them to be left with their own thoughts and to make those decisions.”

But for those doing the recruiting, the one-weekend process was also exhausting to pull off.

By Bid Night, Lauren DiAngelo ’20, president of Alpha Omicron Pi, said she felt the effects of the different process.

“Personally, I liked the two weekends,” DiAngelo said. “It’s easier for planning because this takes up a whole weekend, so you don’t get a lot of schoolwork done or sleep.”

In addition to the schedule, Morse said one of the biggest changes this year is

that potential recruits were informed upfront about the costs of joining a sorority.

“We also have financial transparency in our process for the first time,” Morse said. “The second day of recruitment every chapter that they visit will give them a dues and fines breakdown and the chapter will actually present what their dues are and how that affects them as both a new member and an initiated sister. We have a very formalized version this year where we worked with every chapter to come with this spreadsheet that looks the same for everyone.”

Ultimately, though, Morse said it will take time to evaluate the success of the changes.

“On the back end, the chapters may not see how that affects them directly until they get them in their new member education and meet those people and hear them say that it was a really positive and fun experience for them,” Morse said.

That feedback will help determine whether the changes will remain for future recruitment events.

“If people really really hate it and need that time, then we can grow and change in a different direction,” Morse said.

Changes coming to Kinney Center ALEX MARK ’20 Assistant News Editor After two months on the job, the new executive director of the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support is starting to make a list of what he would like to accomplish during his tenure at St. Joe’s.

Angus Murray, former CEO of Variety— The Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley, joined the Kinney Center last November.

“The first couple months have been drinking from the fire hose in terms of information absorption,” Murray said.

One of the goals on Murray’s list is to enhance the ASPIRE program’s support for its students. The ASPIRE program helps St. Joe’s students on the autism spectrum adjust to college life.

“We'd like to expand that program and really make sure that we are supporting these folks, not just to get their diplomas but then for life after their diplomas, making sure that they are able to make the transition into the workplace,” Murray said.

Also on Murray’s list is collaborating with the Career Development Center to expand the Kinney Center’s current vocational readiness

skills training that ASPIRE students receive.

Lindsey DelCarlino, associate director of programs at the Kinney Center, said a stronger relationship with Career Development would be a valuable asset to ASPIRE students.

“Through learning tips to strengthen their resumes, to understanding how to navigate the interview process, working with Career Development only provides value to our ASPIRE model,” DelCarlino said in an email to The Hawk. “We want our ASPIRE students to have as many resources as needed to successfully land a career after graduation.”

Another way to help those students,

Murray said, is to educate companies about neurodiverse workplaces (workplaces that include people with a variety of neurological conditions).

“We’ve done a really good job of taking folks on the spectrum and saying ‘Hey, you need to do X, Y and Z when you’re at the workplace,’” Murray said. “We’ve done a poor job of saying to the workplace, ‘Hey, you need to do this in order to have these people be successful.’”

SEE PG.3

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Jan. 30, 2019

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New devices to enhance pedestrian safety ALYSA BAINBRIDGE ’21 Assistant News Editor Pedestrian safety and traffic-flow mechanisms were recently installed on City Avenue as part of an ongoing project to make the road safer.

The long-term project by the university is in conjunction with the City Avenue Special Services District and has been in the works for several years, according to Tim McGuriman, associate vice president of Administrative Services.

These improvements come after a December 2017 incident in which a student was struck by a car that ran a red light at the Lapsley Lane intersection. McGuriman said that the project was already in the works when he started at St. Joe’s in July 2016 and was not inspired by a specific incident.

“The ones that could be done more easily were done over the break,” McGuriman said. “These were bundled as sort of more immediate installations that could be done.”

McGuriman said that aside from the rumble strips and numerous speed limit signs, the project included other installations that aren’t as visible to pedestrians.

One of those is a device that detects pedestrians at crosswalks without them having to push the button. It also signals pedestrians to cross early enough to establish themselves in the crosswalk.

The university investigated how effective these measures would be by using other schools are examples, according to Cary Anderson, Ed. D., associate provost and vice president of Student Life.

“When there was conversation about putting in speed strips, we knew there were some at Thomas Jefferson University,” Anderson said. “A group of us drove over there just to see what they were like.”

The rumble strips installed on City Avenue are similar to the ones at Thomas Jefferson University.

McGuriman said the project is sponsored not only by the university, but by state grants and allocations, as well as other members of the City Avenue Special Services District.

Anderson said while these safety mea-

Cars approaches the new rumble strips on City Avenue. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

sures have been added, Public Safety officers are no longer patrolling the crosswalk at Lapsley Lane, a pedestrian safety measure no longer implemented now that McShain Bridge has reopened.

“When the bridge was closed, that took away one of the, in my opinion, safest ways to cross the road,” Anderson said.

“Now that the bridge is open, Public Safety will go by periodically, but then they’re out doing their patrols.”

Students have noticed a change in traffic flow on City Avenue since the mechanisms were installed.

Sabrina Grandrimo ’20, who drives to campus from Manayunk, said these new safety measures are effective in slowing down traffic on City Avenue but do not disturb her commute.

“Everyone knows that [the rumble strips] are bad on your car, and City Avenue is so slow now because they’re watching where they’re going, especially with the pot holes,” Grandrimo said. “It took

the same amount of time to get to class. It makes you more aware because you don’t have all this space in front of you to fly down the street.”

Grandrimo did, however, say she isn’t quite sure how effective the speed limit signs are.

“The speed limits are kind of hard to read and see when they’re beginning,” she said.

McGuriman said this isn’t the end of the initiative to safen City Avenue traffic. There are more plans for the future, including stamped crosswalks, that are pending approval.

“When you cross between the crosswalk now, there's an identified crosswalk,” McGuriman said. “But we’re looking to put in stamped intersections that will indicate a broader pedestrian crossing, make them more identifiable.”

Another mechanism that has been discussed are medians that will serve as a “place of refuge,” as McGuriman called it, for pedestrians if they ever get stuck in the

middle of the road when the light changes.

Although both Anderson and McGuriman said these measures have allowed the university to make great progress in pedestrian safety, it’s ultimately up to drivers and pedestrians alike to be aware of their surroundings.

“Encouraging people not to be texting and talking on phone when crossing is important,” McGuriman said. “I still see people crossing mid-block, trying to beat a light. You could put any number of measures in place. It still comes down to a lot of individual responsibility.”

Brian Gallery ’22 said that although being slowed down on City Avenue can be frustrating, he welcomes the reminder to drive more safely.

“It’s so easy to fly down City Avenue but with the rumble strips, it’s a good reminder,” Gallery said. “As a driver, it’s annoying I guess but as someone who wants people to cross safely, I think it’s an amazing idea.”

Future of Kinney Center CONTINUED FROM PG. 2 So far, the Kinney Center has built relationships with companies such as Aer Lingus, SAP and Vertex, including creating a guide for Aer Lingus to help people on the spectrum with travel, Murray said.

Also, while the Kinney Center is currently focused on applied behavioral analysis (A.B.A.) therapy, Murray said the inclusion of therapeutic recreation and occupational therapy would further benefit Kinney Center SCHOLARS (Students Committed to Helping Others Learn about Autism Research and Support) by exposing them to the kinds of practices they would experience in the workforce.

“I come from the world of hiring [direct-care staff],” Murray said. “And so these guys are coming out of SJU with a breadth of experience that most undergraduates don’t have when they leave college, and I think that there is room to expand that and get some other disciplines involved.”

That expansion could come from part-

nerships with departments in other universities, Murray said. The Kinney Center is currently in discussion with Temple University’s therapeutic recreation department and Thomas Jefferson University’s occupational therapy department, among others, he said.

Marygrace Hallinan ’19, a case manager for the adult day program at Kinney, has worked at Kinney since her first year at St. Joe’s. Hallinan said the staff is relieved to have a new director in place after so many months without one. The former director, Ryan Hammond, left the Kinney Center in the spring of 2018 to take a job as the executive director of the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Challenge.

“I absolutely loved our previous executive director,” Hannilan said. “She was dedicated to getting to know us as her employees. I know that she was very dedicated to the autism community in general in Philadelphia. What I would love to see in the new executive director is drive. And I’d say he’s done a great job in his efforts to get to know us.”

Angus Murray, executive director of the Kinney Center for Austim Education and Support.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

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The Hawk Newspaper

Jan. 30, 2019

News

Five-year Food Marketing Co-op discontinued Department opts to change to four-year program ERIN BREEN ’19 Copy Chief The five-year Food Marketing (FMK) Co-op Program, which offered students 18 months of work experience as part of their undergraduate degree, is being phased out with the class of 2022.

The program will be replaced with a four-year model, offering two six-month work terms, in line with other Co-op programs offered by the Erivan K. Haub School of Business.

“After discussion with the faculty of the food marketing department, it was decided by consensus to modify and improve the Food Marketing Co-op program to allow students to graduate in four years along with the students they entered with as freshmen,” said Joseph DiAngelo Ed.D., dean of the Haub School of Business and interim chair of the food marketing department.

In the new version of the program, students will have Co-op semesters in the fall of their sophomore year and the spring of their junior year, and will make up missed classes in the summers after their freshman and sophomore years.

Previously, students in the five-year program had Co-op semesters in the spring of their sophomore year, the fall semester of their senior year, and the fall of their fifth year, taking two classes during internship semesters.

DiAngelo said the logistics of arranging for students to take those classes while interning contributed to the decision to move to the four-year model, in which students will take specialized summer classes alongside peers in the other Co-op programs.

“More and more, we have students in New Jersey and California, so we have to do classes online,” DiAngelo said. “We didn’t have all the classes online. Some of the classes they needed were Arts & Sciences classes, very few of them were online, so then you had to arrange for independent study. It was just becoming a nightmare to organize.”

In a December 2018 email sent to FMK Co-op students, Jerome Bradley, director of the Co-op program for the Academy of Food Marketing, highlighted the benefits of gaining one year of industry work experience, graduating in four years with peers and matriculating with students enrolled in the general Co-op program.

Madison Silvestri ’20, a student currently enrolled in the Food Marketing Co-op Program. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

DiAngelo said one of the main reasons behind the switch was making sure FMK Co-op students could graduate with their peers, adding that the decrease in work experience would not adversely affect students’ job prospects.

“You can’t have it both ways,” DiAngelo said. “You can’t have the 18 months [of work experience] and graduate in four years.”

But Emma Hughes ’21 said it was the 18 months of work experience that drew her to the program.

“The changes will keep students graduating on time which looks better to prospective students, but I feel that it may cheapen the whole Food Marketing Co-Op experience,” Hughes said. “The three internship opportunities provide more work experience, opportunities to learn about yourself and what you like, and the ability to have options. I am not sure if two internships will be able to truly make the program as notable as it currently is.”

Students currently enrolled in the fiveyear program will not be affected by the change, Bradley told The Hawk.

“They are grandfathered in and will be able to do their full three Co-op experiences as before,” Bradley said. “This will end in December 2021 with the class of 2022. We will run both programs simultaneously for the next three years.”

Although her own Co-op experience will not be affected, Madison Silvestri ’20 said she feels badly for freshmen who came to St. Joe’s specifically for the five-year program. Freshmen apply for the program during their first year, so the only option now available to the class of 2022 is the four-year Co-op.

“There are a lot of people that see the perks of the [five-year] program,” Silvestri said. “So I feel badly for the ones that wanted to do it and now they can’t.”

John Stanton, professor of food marketing, said the department has a great

reputation within the food industry and the changes will only improve students’ educational experience.

“The faculty decided that students should be able to have the Co-op program and take minors or other elective courses that will further enhance them,” Stanton said. “An example of a powerful combination would be FMK Co-op major with a minor in analytics. Being able to minor and have course flexibility is now in vogue. The new four-year Co-op program makes that easier.”

Of the 45 freshman students that are currently food marketing majors, 10 are already signed up for the new four-year Co-op program, according to DiAngelo.

“The new four-year year Co-op is better in my opinion," Stanton said. "Our job as academics is to ensure that you get the best education we can deliver. This sometimes means making changes.”

Department of Public Safety reports (Jan. 18- Jan. 24) Jan. 20 Public Safety was notified by Residence Life regarding an odor of marijuana coming from a room on the 5th floor inside Villiger Hall. Public Safety officers responded to the floor with Residence Life. No drugs or drug paraphernalia were located. Community Standards notified.

Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm at Morris Quad Townhouses. Public Safety officers responded and checked the building without incident. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student smoking an electronic cigarette. Alarm was reset.

Jan. 21 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to person(s) unknown taking his jacket from an unsecured locker inside the O’Pake Recreation Center. No police report at

this time. Incident under investigation.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to person(s) unknown taking his wallet from an unsecured locker inside the O’Pake Recreation Center. No police report at this time. Incident under investigation.

Jan. 22 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student of being approached off-campus by three male suspects, one of them brandishing a handgun and forcing the student to hand over money, his iPhone and his vehicle in the 5300 block of Wynnefield Avenue.

Public Safety officers and Philadelphia Police were notified and responded. The student sustained no injuries. Student’s vehicle was recovered. Incident under investigation by the Philadelphia Police.

Jan. 23 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to being approached by a suspicious person described as a juvenile, approximately 10 years of age in the 5600 block of Woodbine Avenue asking for money. Student said that the juvenile followed her home, but eventually left the area. No police report at this time. Incident under investigation.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student of being approached off-campus by three male suspects, one of them brandishing a handgun and forcing the student to hand over identification, her iPhone and her vehicle in the 3700 block of Cresson Street, Manayunk, Pa. Philadelphia Police were notified, responded, apprehended the suspects two blocks away. The student sustained no injuries. Student’s vehicle was recovered. Incident under investigation by

ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

6

On campus

0

Off campus

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

1

On campus

0

Off campus

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

Opinions

Jan. 30, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

5

Prioritize safety, but don’t forget facts Developing measured responses to the robberies

Editor in Chief Ana Faguy ’19 Managing Editor Charley Rekstis ’20 Copy Chief Erin Breen ’19 Faculty Adviser Shenid Bhayroo Contributing Adviser Jenny Spinner Copy Editor Paige Santiago ’19 Copy Editor Kaila Mundell-Hill ’20 News Editor Natalie Drum ’20 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 Lifestyle Editor Emily Graham ’20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Alex Hargrave ’20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Cara Smith ’21

In recent weeks, the St. Joe’s community has been shaken by news of four off-campus armed robberies victimizing St. Joe’s students either at their off-campus residences or in areas surrounding the main campus.

A fifth incident was communicated in a Jan. 27 announcement on The Nest, detailing an incident involving a St. Joe’s student and an unidentified assailant. The student was pushed to the ground by the assailant, but was not robbed and arrived safely back at his residence hall before reporting the incident to Public Safety later that day.

With notices like these arriving in our inboxes each week since the beginning of the semester, it is understandable to be afraid for our personal safety and the safety of our friends, especially if we live off-campus and frequently walk home after late nights in the library.

What we shouldn’t forget is that these robberies appear to be part of a specific pattern and are not wholly indicative of the safety of our on and off-campus communities. There are steps we can take as students to protect ourselves until we know more about the circumstances surrounding the recent robberies.

At St. Joe’s, we have access to aroundthe-clock vehicle escort service which will transport us directly home, even if we live in off-campus housing. Students should not be reluctant to call Public Safety for an escort home after dark, even if there is a wait time or they are with a large group of people.

Of course, the university also has a responsibility to use its resources to ensure the safety of its students, taking both precautionary and reactionary measures in response to the recent incidents, as it has done and should continue to do. These measures can supplement our own precautions.

The recent stationing of Public Safety

vehicles in areas immediately surrounding the university provide peace of mind to students who may be wary of walking off campus after the recent robberies. However, certain details of the new patrols in “off campus areas surrounding the university,” promised in Jan. 15 and Jan. 24 emails from the Office of Public Safety & Security, remain unclear.

Providing students with specifics about where and when they can expect additional patrol cars to be stationed, whether via email or on The Nest, may alleviate some widespread fears about walking outside of the main campus, especially in the dark.

Communication from the university surrounding these incidents has been, for the most part, timely, accurate and thorough, reassuring the school community that any necessary updates will be relayed in the same manner.

Even as we take common sense precautions to protect ourselves, we need to remember the facts we do have which point to these robberies being part of a trend, rather than the new normal.

The perpetrators’ identities in the majority of the recent armed robberies remain unknown, giving way to rampant speculation. We need to be wary of spreading alarmist rumors on social media or in conversation. Any information about the recent incidents that has not been verified by the Office of Public Safety & Security or the Philadelphia Police Department cannot be trusted as fully accurate.

We don’t need to change our perception of St. Joe’s as a relatively safe place to live and go to school. Communications from the Office of Public Safety & Security have stated that the Philadelphia Police Department considers robberies of cell phones to be a citywide problem. Police have also said that there is no particular school being

targeted with the recent robberies, so there is no need to feel especially unsafe as a St. Joe’s student.

Statistics can help put emotional reactions in perspective, so here are some calming facts: St. Joe’s has one of the lowest rates of on campus crime among colleges in the area, according to a 2017 analysis by Philly News website Billy Penn. Additionally, crime statistics from the Philadelphia Police Department show that armed robberies in the city have decreased from the same time period one year ago–the second and third weeks of January.

Allowing ourselves to become paralyzed with fear can have negative psychological effects, and can cause racial stereotyping of members in the surrounding area. We can take steps to protect ourselves without falling victim to alarmism. We’re smarter than that.

—The Editorial Board This week’s Editorial Board is comprised of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Opinions Editor, Editorial Page Editor, Assistant Opinions Editor, Assistant Lifestyle Editor, and Assistant News 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.

Corrections In the Jan. 23 issue of The Hawk Newspaper the caption under the top photo mistakenly identified Taylor Funk ’21 as Chris Clover ’19.

Funk was pictured staring down a University of Davidson defender on Jan. 15.

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

BACK IN BUSINESS The longest government shutdown in American history is over, at least for now. Thousands of federal workers are having their pay reinstated and the temporary end of the shutdown also means a reopening of some Philly staples. We’ll be at the Liberty Bell this weekend just to tell it how much we missed it.

SUPER BOWL 2019 We’ll admit it—the upcoming Super Bowl doesn’t feel as special this year because the Eagles won’t be playing. That won’t stop us from tuning in, but we’ll be doing so without the promise of another victory parade.

AN ACCIDENTAL OPEN HOUSE A regular Saturday tour wasn’t supposed to be an Open House, but it ended as one. A routine Saturday tour ended up having 500 attendees.

It seems like an accidental prelude to Admitted Students’ Day 2019

MEATLESS OPTIONS IN CAMPION Vegan stir fry in Campion is no more. We can’t say we miss it, but it was a reliable meatless option that has now disappeared. It appears to have been replaced with a “vegan chicken taco,” an item whose existence contradicts itself.

TRANSPARENCY TRENDS There’s been some frightening news about off campus robberies coming out since the beginning of the semester, but it has been communicated effectively and quickly. Thanks, St. Joe’s.

CAN I PARK HERE? There’s always room for improvement. Public Safety, please cc us when parking spaces are going to be sectioned off so we can plan accordingly.

Students pay an exorbitant amounts of money to park in spaces on campus. It'd be nice if you gave us a heads up.

6

Jan. 30, 2019

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Markell Lodge has the ‘It Factor’ Lodge's presence is undeniable on the court JAMES McCLOSKEY ’20 Guest Columnist Currently at 9 wins to 10 losses overall, and 2-5 within the Atlantic 10 (A-10) Conference, the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team has seen better days.

At the start of the season, Markell Lodge ’19 was playing minimal minutes. In November, Lodge played a total of 26 minutes in seven games. In December, Lodge saw a rise in his time on the court from 26 minutes to 58 minutes.

This increase in minutes coincided with a 92-82 win over Princeton University and a 45-42 win over Loyola-Chicago University.

With 88 minutes thus far in the month of January, Lodge is seeing the an uptick in the amount of minutes he plays.

If you watch the men’s basketball games on a fairly consistent basis, you will notice the change.

Coincidentally, or maybe not so coincidentally, the moment Lodge stands from the bench, removes his warm-ups and trots to the scorers table, the atmosphere in Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena begins to change.

The heads of those in the student section turn. Applause and screams arise from their throats because they know that something special may happen in the next few minutes.

For the few minutes that Lodge is on the court, he is the team. The team may not run

through him. He may not have the ball in his hands. But he is the team.

When you think of the ideal teammate, the ideal player to support, what characteristics come to mind? Hustler?

Supportive? Hardworking?

Lodge is all of these and more.

Looking at the stat line after a game, you may not notice Lodge even played.

He averages 2.2 points per game and has yet to have a double-digit scoring game this season. He averages 2.5 rebounds per game, nothing to brag about.

If you watch a Hawks men’s basketball

given up. Lodge is the player that everyone else knows they can toss the ball up to for an alley-oop dunk at any moment because he is always ready.

Opponents are afraid of him when taking a shot or going for a layup. Why? Because his vertical leap is one of the highest in the NCAA. It was recorded his sophomore year that he had the St. Joe’s men’s basketball programs highest vertical leap at 39 inches.

He seems to be beat out by only Duke University’s Zion Williamson, whose vertical leap is 40 inches high.

With the season of the Hawks in disar-

When you think of the ideal teammate, the ideal player to support, what characteristics come to mind?

Hustler? Supportive? Hardworking? Lodge is all of these and more. game, or, better yet, are in attendance for a game, you know Lodge. He runs the fastest, jumps the highest, and has the most electric highlight reel of any player this season, even if the statistics might not match up.

How can one define Lodge? He is the heart and soul of this team. Lodge is the first player to go for a rebound every time a shot goes up, offensively and defensively. Lodge is hustling the hardest down the court after a turn over to ensure that an easy bucket is not

ray, it is Lodge that needs to be leaned on for the remainder of the season. With Lodge’s collegiate career coming to an end after this season, the Hawks must take advantage of him while they can.

Scoring is not a crucial aspect of Lodge’s game. Some may argue that is why he is not playing. That is why he shouldn’t be playing.

I argue differently.

It is the little moments that Lodge brings to this team that are the reason he should

be on the court. From the pick-and-rolls he completes with Jared Bynum ’22 and Chris Clover ’19 to the timeout handshake he has with Charlie Brown ’20, it is clear to fans around Hagan that Lodge is an integral component of our team.

There are 11 games left in the Hawks’ regular season. If this team wants to do well in the A-10 tournament; if this team wants a chance at making a run for the NCAA Tournament, they must take advantage of the man that is Lodge.

If Lodge consistently plays 25 minutes or more, he will be able to influence the success of the team in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

The St. Joe’s fanbase is looking for someone to give us hope onto when we are below .500 midway through the season. Lodge brings energy and excitement.

Lodge is one of the most experienced players on the team. He has felt what it means to win and win big.

Say what you will about Lodge not being a great shooter, that is fair. But do not tell me he should not be playing a larger role on this team. If you pay attention to the interactions and chemistry of this team, both on and off the court, Lodge has the ‘It factor.’

I, for one, will continue to stand and scream and cheer when Lodge enters the game because I know that something big, something exciting is about to happen. I hope you stand too.

How to respond to the crisis in Venezuela Maintaining stability key when dealing with Venezuela JULIAN LUTZ ’19 Columnist Venezuela is in turmoil.

The nation is facing a humanitarian, political, and economic crisis all at once. It wasn’t long ago that the country was a role model to democratic socialist states all around the world, but now under President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela has descended into disorder and widespread misery.

Maduro’s centrist opponent, Juan Guaido, has claimed the presidency. Now, most of the Western Hemisphere is ready to install him as the legitimate leader. They are within their right to, but they need to be cautious.

If we examine the situation along with its possible solutions, it becomes clear: deposing Maduro is a worthy cause, but there are many ways in which it could go seriously wrong.

Economically, Maduro inherited the flawed but widely admired economic system shaped by Hugo Chavez, and made it worse. Chavez’s system entailed massive amounts of spending on social programs and small, citizen-run businesses. All of this was funded by the profits of the staterun oil company, back when oil was scarce and expensive.

By the time Chavez died and Maduro took over, oil prices and government funds were plummeting and Maduro’s main response was to somehow spend more.

This drove up the state’s debt, but also resulted in inflation, with the Venezuelan government literally printing money it didn’t have to spend on programs it couldn’t afford.

Eventually the country lost foreign investors, imposed price controls, faced

ghastly food shortages, and collapsed as a society. Hunger refugees streamed out of the country, deathly skinny because of the dieta Maduro, or Maduro diet. Maduro inherited boundless control over his country’s economy and used it to destroy every sector of it unapologetically.

And now, he still wants to lead. In response to his own failures, he has clung violently to power. From the outset of his presidency, Maduro has overseen shady elections, blamed his opponents for power outages he ordered and used emergency economic powers to strangle private business.

As opposition grew, Maduro imprisoned his main opponents, packed the Supreme Court with supporters and allowed

Venezuela doesn’t have the characteristics to do so, especially in the wake of Maduro’s regime of crackdowns. Without checks on executive power, there’s a strong risk that Maduro’s successor will have the same opportunity to become a dictator.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan society is divided. The state is polarized by ethnicity, class and lifestyle. Socialism is still broadly popular but so are many other political ideologies.

Add in the military and a stream of “ifs” start to point to civil war. If Maduro can rally supporters, if he can’t rally many, if the military advances their own leader and so on, things could turn even more violent overnight.

Regardless of what exactly happens within Venezuela, other countries in the re-

For Americans, the worst case scenario is becoming bogged down in a war in Venezuela, supporting a moderate who won’t be able to maintain stability, all as regional and global pressures meddle and interact. police to gun down protesters.

Flash forward to today and it’s clear Maduro has failed at being both a democratic leader and socialist leader. His rule is a strong argument for checks and balances and against centrally-planned economies.

Maduro is a tyrant, plain and simple.

The world’s democracies should absolutely find an effective way to remove him from office.

But that’s where things get complicated. Removing Maduro and replacing him with someone better is a tricky, multi-step process with any number of risks along the way.

gion pose problems of their own. Colombia is coping with the end of its own long civil strife. Instability in the region could undermine Colombia’s progress towards peace.

Worse, Brazil’s right-wing government looms over Venezuela’s crisis. If the situation in Venezuela turns violent, Brazil’s military would inevitably play a role and President Jair Bolsonaro could have the chance to grab more power for himself.

Venezuela’s foreign patrons have a stake in the situation as well. During Chavez’s reign, two of his biggest oil buyers were Russia and China. As Maduro’s government has spiralled, those two have

kept a close watch; just a few days ago, Russia sent mercenary troops to support Maduro. Ultimately, Russia and China will support whoever can get them access to oil. While that option is Maduro, we still have reasons to worry.

Finally, the biggest foreign wildcard in Venezuela is the United States. In the absence of a president with a strong foreign policy vision, America’s policy is being determined by the angriest of conservatives.

National Security Advisor John Bolton is a strong supporter of Guaido, which is great, except that John Bolton is best known for wanting to invade every country he does not like. The new special envoy to Venezuela is Elliot Abrams, who helped plan the overthrow of Manuel Noriega of Panama in 1989.

Also thirsty for regime change are sens. Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham, who have repeatedly floated the idea of military intervention in Venezuela.

For Americans, the worst case scenario is becoming bogged down in a war in Venezuela, supporting a moderate who won’t be able to maintain stability, all asregional and global pressures meddle and interact. America has drained its military in costly wars for 18 years for wars that still aren’t over.

The best course of action in Venezuela would be to have the military break from Maduro and apply as much diplomatic pressure as possible to install Guaido.

With this, the military would support free elections and programs to support civil society so that the people of Venezuela can get a real choice in their leadership.

Venezuela isn’t a lost cause, but it isn’t a problem I trust Trump, Bolton, and Bolsonaro to solve.

Opinions

Jan. 30, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

7

Trump continues to skate on thin ice What Buzzfeed's piece says about the nature of the presidency DEVIN YINGLING ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Trying to understand the entirety of President Donald Trump’s Russia scandal is as difficult as trying to walk across a tightrope over the Grand Canyon while blindfolded.

The situation is filled with informational gaps as well as various lies and scandals permeating every sector: a common trend within the Trump administration.

The latest, and arguably infamous, Buzzfeed article regarding the Russia-U.S situation, written by Jason Leopold and Anthony Cormier on Jan. 18, asserts that “Trump [allegedly] directed his longtime attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, according to two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter.”

So in order to assess what this means to the Trump-Russia scandal, it has to fit somewhere into the big picture. After scanning the web for hours and with the assistance of Lisa A. Baglione, Ph.D., professor of political science at St. Joe’s, I found that there seem to be three main “themes” that summarize the gist of the whole situation.

First, one issue that the American people find concerning is how the Trump campaign in 2016, and the presidential election as a whole, was compromised by Russian meddling. This event seems to be the most straightforward and best under-

stood phenomenon.

According to BBC, “the central focus of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation is to uncover any ties between Russia and the Trump presidential campaign.”

However, if you know anything about the nature of the Russian leadership, it’s pretty clear that Putin’s Kremlin is a heavy instigator within American elections and politics as a whole.

For example, in 2007, Trump claimed a potential real estate deal in Moscow had fallen through but another deal was close.

Then in 2008, Trump sold a Florida mansion to a Russian billionaire for $95 million.

Keep in mind, these aren’t the only instances proving economic interests exist between Trump and Russia.

Which to bring it full circle, we come to the latest Buzzfeed article that specifical-

We cannot have a man who has shut down the government in order to keep a promise he damn well knew he couldn't keep, and now he has a piece on him that implies he committed a crime worthy of an impeachment trial.

Second to this comes the concerns many have with the political ties Trump holds with Putin. Russia has constantly been a national security issue for this country, and by linking himself with Putin, Trump significantly compromises the national interests of the U.S. Trump is putting himself in the best possible position to act as the perfect pawn in Russia’s global political agenda.

Finally, the economic ties Trump maintains within Russia poses a threat to his position as president and to the American people because in order to even economic interests with Russia, one must have some kind of personal or political ties.

ly targets Trump’s economic interests within Russia.

As of right now, no other news outlet has come forth with claims that would corroborate Leopold and Cormier’s reporting, and thus the credibility of their article is up for dispute and investigation.

However, let’s say that this information is true. What does that mean for the Commander in Chief?

Well, Trump would have committed a serious crime, and thus be held accountable for obstruction of justice. This is quite a viable basis for an impeachment hearing.

This Buzzfeed article obviously isn’t the

first instance in which Trump or one of his officials have publicly lied, either to Congress or the U.S. people. If the information within the Buzzfeed article is true, this is just another example in which President Trump has created an unnecessary illusory environment on Capitol Hill.

I don’t care what party you identify as, this is an issue that affects the nation as a whole, and is not simply a partisan issue.

We cannot have a man running the government who is known to be a habitual liar and believes he is above any federal law. We cannot have a man who has shut down the government in order to keep a promise he damn well knew he couldn't keep, and now he has a piece on him that implies he committed a crime worthy of an impeachment trial.

Once the article was released, Trump tweeted in response “Fake News is truly the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!” How can we let him emanate this bombastic authoritarian language like it’s nothing?

So a message to Trump: We know you are compromising the best interest of this country whether or not this specific article can prove it.

Instead of tweeting about an article that could quite possibly get you kicked out of office and trying to cover your back by attacking the press, how about you get back to work to definitively (not just a two week quick-fix) reopen the government you shut down over a petty promise you can’t fulfill?

It may be a messy March for the UK The Brexit plan emphasizes a worrisome trend of isolationism MEGAN PIASECKI ’22 Guest Columnist When looking at British politics right now, one thing seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind: Brexit.

Brexit, a portmanteau of “British” and “exit” which is meant to describe Britain’s impending exit from the European Union (EU), is the idea of the Conservative party, headed

by Prime Minister Theresa May. May is not necessarily well liked among those in the British political sphere for both her Brexit plans and not-so-killer dance moves.

Theresa May aside, I still have some major concerns that I feel need to be voiced pertaining to the viability of Brexit. Will Brexit ever actually happen? And if so, what will this mean for the ideals of the western world?

The EU is a collection of 28 member states, all countries in Europe. Their main goal is to promote peace within the region through political and economic connectivity and the use of a single currency, the euro. One of the EU’s primary focuses is sustaining economic stability within the countries of membership.

This does, however, come with a price tag. Most countries within the EU have to

include a Value Added Tax (VAT) in order to get the funding they need to continue to function.

Economic policy is the major problem

Personally, I feel that the British decided to leave the EU for one thing and one thing only and that is in order to have complete sovereignty. The people of Great Britain have

ILLUSTRATION: OLIVIA HIESTERKAMP ’19/THE HAWK

for the British people and the EU. One of the major reasons British citizens voted on leaving the EU is that unemployment rates have risen in southern Europe. Stagnation has also risen throughout the entirety of the European economy.

always seemed to define themselves not as Europeans, but as British.

Therefore, Brexit and the astonishing vote of approval it received initially did not surprise me. The Brits already refuse to fully adopt the euro and they accept both the

British pound and the euro when you visit the United Kingdom (UK).

On this note, it is confusing as to why the government is having so many problems withBrexit. Recently, the revised plan that May presented to Parliament was quickly rejected, leaving the government with few options on what to do before the decision deadline on March 29 rolls around.

The options left to them are to leave the EU with no plan at all and ‘break hard,’ or to accept a revised version of the plan May presented. The final, and most likely, option is to have a referendum to call off Brexit altogether.

None of these options seem to be the ideal choice and it is not shocking that the UK is currently spinning on its head.

It seems to me though, that the entire idea of Brexit has one underlying theme I mentioned earlier and that is isolation.

This trend towards isolation is not only dangerous but it can cause an influx of it within other countries as well.

Brexit, in my opinion, is perplexing. It seems to be a bad idea but at the same time I completely understand why the UK has chosen to do so. The dilemma at this point is how exactly will the Brits get out of the EU and will it be messy?

I guess we will all find out March 29.

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Jan. 30, 2019

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Supreme Court lifts injunctions on trans ban Being passive to this executive action can't be tolerated BRITTANY SWIFT ’19 Columnist On Jan. 22, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump’s ban on most transgender people in the military to go forward while the legal challenges to the order continue to filter through the court system.

Essentially, the White House could potentially start implementing the ban quite soon since the Supreme Court has technically allowed it, even while appeals remain active.

Although this decision is not an official ruling, it sure feels like one. The ban has been on hold for about a year and a half due to multiple legal appeals and this new allowance feels like a stamp of approval from both our executive and judicial branch.

In July 2017, Trump informed the country through a tweet that transgender individuals cannot “serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.”

In his tweet, Trump reasoned that "Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”

Not only is this ban outright discriminatory and offensive, the logic behind the ban stands on shaky grounds.

Last year, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps all testified in front of the members of Congress that there have been no reports of issues involving discipline, morale or cohesion while transgender people have been allowed to serve.

The president need not speak of allowing transgender individuals into the military in the future tense. It currently is allowed and there seems to be no evidence to support his claims of “disruption.”

ILLUSTRATION: OLIVIA HEISTERKAMP ’19 /THE HAWK

Almost immediately after the announcement of Trump’s ban, lawsuits arose–calling the ban a breach of our constitutional rights and discriminatory--which stalled the overall enforcement of the ban.

Now, with the new Supreme Court decision, the Trump administration can move forward decisively with its ban while the appeals cases move through the lower courts and up.

If the ban has been on hold for more than a year to ensure its constitutionality before implementation, why has a preliminary allowance been allowed to pass now? Why

can it effectively bypass the complete judicial check on its legality?

An alarming pattern has been emerging, and we see the executive branch’s control slowly begin to overpower the judicial and legislative check on its power.

What has been our sacrifice during these shifting power dynamics? Our rights.

We cannot accept our rights as the stakes in this power game. Trump’s ban on transgender individuals in the military is unconstitutional, hateful and blatantly ignorant. We cannot passively accept it.

We as a nation also need to be con-

cerned about the long-term consequences of not only denying a group of people their rights, but denying their rights along the bitter, partisan lines that have now seeped into the judicial branch.

Although the Supreme Court's decision is not necessarily binding, it was ordered by a 5-4 vote. This split vote suspiciously mirrors partisan political disagreements.

The five justices who voted to reinstate Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military were all nominated by Republican presidents. The remaining four dissenting justices were all nominated by Democratic presidents, now in the minority on the court.

The judicial branch is supposed to be non-partisan, which is why Supreme Court justices serve for life. Yet, this contentious order involving transgender rights–a topic that often plagues the political arena–appears to clearly reflect partisan lines.

If the highest court in the judicial system has become politicized, we as American citizens should be concerned. Future decisions that interpret American laws–that interpret our guaranteed rights from constitutional rights like the fourteenth amendment– should not be determined by political sentiments the justices hold.

Since the Supreme Court has momentarily allowed a ban on most transgender people serving in the military and has allowed this on national partisan lines, our future protection of rights by an impartial judge will continue to be at risk.

Dangerous patterns are emerging in our government. If we sit passively crossing our fingers that another branch will balance the executive’s regressive political agenda, or that 2020 will offer a voice for the American people in time, then we are simply condoning the disintegration of American institutions and rights in the present.

The rise and fall of Fyre Festival How social media affected the musical festival that never was DOMINIQUE JOE ’19 Opinions Editor The Fyre Festival controversy brings together everything that mainstream society holds near and dear right now: social media, influencers, the “fantasy” of beautiful locales and deception and deceit. All brought to you by Twitter after the festival first flopped and is now back to the forefront of society’s mind due to your favorite streaming platforms, Hulu and Netflix.

The Fyre Festival was a musical festival planned by the Fyre booking app as a ploy to garner attention for the platform and brand.

As a promotional tool for the booking platform, Fyre Festival was meant to be the most luxurious musical experience.

Fyre Festival and its controversy is totally and completely grounded in our ever-growing attachment to social media.

It was, as we now know, the intention of Fyre’s CEO, Billy McFarland, to create a tangible experience of the opulence and wealth that we see on social media for its more general users. Not everyone can be Kendall Jenner or Emily Ratajkowski, but Fyre Festival would be as close as one could get to this lifestyle.

Because tickets for the festival could feasibly be purchased by many people of different socioeconomic standing, everyone to a certain extent could be more than their means from May 5 to May 7, 2017. So the fear of missing

out, or FOMO, could be alleviated in a sense, as long as you bought your tickets fast.

The lead up to the Fyre Festival, while alleviating a lot of the anxiety that comes from social media, also played on the ways in which we are drawn to social media.

McFarland played on social media culture so well. He had the advertisements boosted on Facebook and Instagram, with famous Instagram and runway models featured. He played on our ingrained American capitalistic greed and our need to be the “haves” instead of the

A notable account of these kinds of cryptic tweets and Instagram posts is back in 2015 with the rapper A$AP Rocky. He lost something like 100,000 followers in 10 hours for trying to promote his “At.Long.Last.A$AP” album. He posted 12 consecutive blank white posts, before the posts turned into a kind of gradient from white to black, and then a kind of art piece.

This is all to say that the abstract posting back in 2015 grabbed people. It caused a kind social media mayhem, and the Fyre Festival

Fyre was playing on everything that makes social media attractive and everything that makes social media kind of awful. Fyre Festival was born from social media and died because of social media. “have-nots”.

In the Netflix documentary “FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened,” they spend a significant amount of time talking about the Fyre orange tile that all of the social media influencers were posting while gearing up for the music festival.

Abstract announcements were nothing new to social media at the time that Fyre was using the orange tile. If anything, musical artists were using these abstract live feeds and Instagram posts to announce tour dates and new musical projects.

was tapping into that. The orange tile was no different. It created a level of mystery and intrigue, and also probably some outrage. Fyre was playing on everything that makes social media attractive and everything that makes social media kind of awful.

Fyre Festival was born from social media and died because of social media.

We watched as social media was able to cultivate the experience but also as it shed light on the reality of the situation.

It has been two years since Fyre Festival grabbed everyone’s attention on Twitter. At-

tendees at the Fyre Festival used Fyre’s own #fyrefestival tag to debunk all of the booking app’s initial lies and deceit about the overall experience. We watched as people live-tweeted what was supposed to be the music festival of the year crash and burn.

Us at home revelled in the absolute chaos of hundreds of people, presumably spoiled rich millennials, getting stranded on the Bahamian island of Exuma. We made memes about it. It was everywhere.

And even still, after the original social media wave surrounding Fyre Festival ebbed, with these documentaries we see a resurgence in interest on social media. The other day I saw a meme about the infamous Evian water story from the Netflix documentary.

A music festival bred and destroyed by social media has regained our attention and our awareness. It may be because of how reliant we are on social media that we have decided to resurrect this dead meme in a new and interesting, while also looking back somewhat fondly on its original demise.

The Fyre festival story grabs us because of the way in which social media makes us anxious, jealous, susceptible to avarice and incredibly insecure.

It is a story mired in major controversy and actual criminal activity. But even still, we grow to understand the major players in this flopped festival because they are driven by everything we are driven by when we log into our Instagram and Twitter accounts.

The Hawk Newspaper

Lifestyle

A touch of sparkle

Jan. 30, 2019

9

Student finds confidence through competition

(Left) Marina Maida ’19 with Elisa Rivera, who has gone to the Miss America pageant with Maida for two years. (Right) Maida after winning the title of Miss Wilkes Barre/Scranton.

CARA SMITH ’21 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Marina Maida ’19 was severely bullied by her classmates during middle school. She described herself as being a classic dorky 11 year old, which drew attention from other kids at school.

“Kids would throw things at me on the bus, girls were really nasty to me and people had MySpace pages dedicated to being really awful to me,” Maida said. “My school didn’t do anything about it.”

Years of bullying had negative effects on Maida’s self-confidence and interpersonal skills.

“I couldn’t look people in the eye, I read constantly and I had maybe one friend,” Maida said. “I would keep my head down in the halls and I read five books at once just to avoid talking to people.”

Despite her low self-esteem, when 12-year-old Maida got a flier in the mail about a local National American Miss pageant in her small town outside of Scranton, PA, she thought it might help her social skills to give it a try.

Through this pageant, and other local ones, Maida was introduced to the Miss America organization where she has continued to compete in pageants since.

Due to the rigorous components of pageants, like private interviews, creating a platform and answering sophisticated questions publicly, her confidence and social skills flourished.

“It actually makes me tear up a little bit,” said Susan Maida, Marina Maida’s mother, who drives Marina to every pageant affiliated event. “She had a really tough time when she was younger and the pageants gave her a voice and a platform that made her stronger.”

While competing as a teen, Maida ran on the platform of bullying prevention to advocate for young women like herself.

A pageant contestant’s platform is a cause that she supports to either promote awareness, raise money or implement a program she has created that will help address issues related to her cause.

Although pageants boosted Maida’s self confidence, she clarified that it was not the make-up and dresses that made her feel better about herself.

She gained comfort in not only herself, but through her grounded thoughts and opinions.

“Having the opportunity to be someplace where I can advocate for something, and not see that someone was advocating for me, made me feel comfortable in my own skin,” Maida said.

This December, while running on her current platform that allows her to advocate for career and college readiness, Maida won the title of Miss Wilkes Barre/Scranton by competing in a local Northeast Pa. pageant.

Maida’s platform was shaped by her own experiences at St. Joe’s. During the first semester of her freshman year, Maida felt overwhelmed by the amount of careers she never realized were possible to pursue.

“It was one of those situations where I made use of all the opportunities and resources I had available to me,” Maida said.

“My platform is just reaching out and being a call to action by saying you can make your own opportunities with networking and mentorship.”

Although pageant contestants are required to run on charitable platforms, Maida’s mother said that she is still concerned about how the media portrays young women who participate in pageants.

The self-growth and skills that pageant contestants gain from these contests are often overshadowed by fictional drama perpetuated by the media.

“You wouldn’t think that, [with] these shows like ‘Toddlers and Tiaras,’” Maida said, “I don’t know if it gives you the right picture of what it is all about.”

Charlie Kasko, executive director of the NEPA Scholarship Pageant Association, works closely with Maida as her director and also clarified that the true importance of pageants isn’t the outward appearance of the contestants.

“What makes the organization so unique is girls like Marina have this ability to make a difference in their community,” Kasko

said. “Its real effect is what all these girls like her all over the country do with their lives.”

In addition to the tremendous skills and opportunities that Maida has gained from participating in pageants, she is also thankful for the sisterhood that the pageant community offers.

“You make friendships that literally withstand the dresses,” Maida said. “I don’t fit in half my dresses anymore, but I am still friends with the people that I was wearing them with.”

Currently, Maida is preparing to compete for Miss Pennsylvania through the Miss America organization.

Due to restructuring in the Miss America organization as a result of eliminating the swimsuit portion of the pageant, the date of the Miss Pennsylvania pageant has not been finalized.

Although she does not know the exact timing of the pageant, Maida is excited at the prospect of being able to share her platform statewide and participate in more philanthropy events.

“In reality, it’s just young women like you and me trying to make the world a better place,” Maida said. “We just have some sparkle on our head.”

Maida attends a charity event with her sash and tiara. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARINA MAIDA ’19

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Lifestyle

The Hawk Newspaper

Jan. 30, 2019

Hawks fly home

Students describe their transition after studying abroad EMILY GRAHAM ’20 Lifestyle Editor CARA SMITH ’21 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Students who went abroad last semester have returned to campus after being away from Hawk Hill since May. While exciting, the transition back to campus can be difficult for some students.

We asked students to reflect on their experience returning to campus this semester.

“It’s a strange adjustment, but it is also really nice to see everyone and get back in the swing of things.

My experience studying abroad was completely different from a university in the U.S. I was living alone in a massive city and commuting to school everyday, taking my classes and then going back home. But being back here, it is simply like being back at college because that experience was just something completely different. Overall, it has been a positive experience being back.”

– Nat Gallen ’20, studied in Santiago, Chile PHOTO COURTESY OF NAT GALLEN ’20

“The challenges I was faced with were nothing like I ever would have imagined. I was blindsided with whatever came my way and I learned how to handle it. I’m learning to let go of the anxiety that consumes me and remind myself that everything happens for a reason. Mental health was never a priority before I realized how much better I became when I focused on my happiness. People keep asking me if I miss it, but for now I am very content with being back home at St. Joe’s.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANI SCHMIDT ’20

– Dani Schmidt ’20, studied in Vienna, Austria PHOTO COURTESY OF MOLLY WHITSON ’20

“I expected to be able to quickly adjust to the culture of St. Joe’s but it has actually been more of a challenge than I anticipated. Since I was only engaged in academics for half of the time, returning to a full-time academic workload is a challenge. I met a lot of amazing people and connected with many children in South Africa who taught me about the joyful beauty of life. Missing these people has been part of readjusting to campus life but I am happy to bring the new outlooks they taught me to St. Joe’s.”

– Molly Whitson ’20, studied in Cape Town, South Africa

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK WARPINSKI ’20

“Adjusting back to SJU from studying abroad in China was a little difficult. A lot has changed here on campus. I am getting the hang of Canvas and how classes are here again. Some of my friends made new friends while abroad and here on campus, so it can be difficult to see where you fit into these new relationships with people. There are some things I miss from studying abroad, like food and friends. I am still adjusting a little, but I am glad to be back here at SJU.” – Nick Warpinski ’20, studied in Beijing, China

“I didn’t realize that it would definitely be a transition back in life in the U.S. I found myself comparing everything to Spain and was always wondering what I would have been doing at this time if I was in Spain. While it still was an adjustment coming back onto campus and seeing all the changes that happened in one semester—the new Saxbys, the changes to Starbucks, hearing about the student protests, finding my favorite spot in the library again, seeing all the new freshmen—it was definitely so refreshing to see familiar faces again and be reunited back on Hawk Hill.”

– Stephanie Crispell ’20, studied in Madrid, Spain PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE CRISPELL ’20

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK BERNSTIEL ’20

“It has been both exciting and challenging acclimating to life back at St. Joe’s. One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my time in Copenhagen was the importance of breaking out of routine, and growing through saying "yes" to new experiences and opportunities. In taking a hiatus from my commitments at St. Joe’s, I was able to spend more time focusing on what excites me and what I am passionate about. Now being back, it can be difficult to find time for these passions amid the busyness in the everyday life at St. Joe’s. While it's been difficult, it's already been an amazing growth opportunity in adapting to life back on campus, where I have to seek out my friendships and passions with greater purpose. St. Joe's has been and will always be my home, and right now it's just figuring out what that means to me at this point in my collegiate career.”

– Mark Bernstiel ’20, studied in Copenhagen, Denmark

Lifestyle

The Hawk Newspaper

DOMINIQUE JOE ’19 Opinions Editor

St. Joe’s students seek four-legged companions Lucia Casaleno’s ’19 cat Mona Lisa. PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCIA CASALENO ’19

Henry had no idea that what was left of his nine lives would change when roommates Mikayla Birney ’19 and Angie Barone ’19 walked through the doors of the North Philadelphia SPCA last summer.

Birney and Barone had been itching to adopt another kitten ever since taking in a stray cat during their sophomore year.

Since June is recognized as National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, the SPCA made their cats adoptable for $20.

“It was good that he was only $20 because we were definitely broke, but we really wanted a cat,” Barone said.

Like many other shelter animals, Henry had a rough start in life. He was a battered cat rescued from a bad home and showed up at the SPCA gaunt, anxious and lethargic.

Henry’s condition, as seen in many other rescue animals, increased the responsibility Birney and Barone were taking on.

“I consider adopting a pet much the same as having a child,” said Christine Daniels, president of the non-profit organization Spay and Save. “I think the responsibility and the commitment need to be the same.”

The two roommates recognized that responsibility from the start and they think it should guide other students who are considering adopting pets while still in college.

“It is taking care of another living being, so it is something you need to consider and think about,” Birney said. “Don’t just do it on a whim.”

Like Birney and Barone, college students often choose to adopt animals for emotional support. Such animals are distinct from emotional-support animals, or ESAs. People with ESAs often have mental health concerns and are “prescribed” a pet by their doctors out of a medical necessity. Many students, though, said they benefit from the emotional support an animal provides.

Adopted animals are “5,000 percent” emotionally supportive, said Lucia Casaleno ’19, owner of kitten Mona Lisa.

“All three of my roommates and I suffer from panic attacks sometimes, and it’s just very soothing to have her there,” Casaleno said.

Along with the benefits, adopting a pet while in college can pose significant challenges in a student’s daily life.

Students have to make room for their pets in their often busy schedules, said Liz Mitchell ’19, owner of Dani, a Staffordshire terrier.

“I definitely don’t spend as much time on campus now anymore,” Mitchell said. “I used to spend all day on campus, but now I just go home because I’m with her.”

Mitchell also said she recognizes how high-stress times during the semester, such as midterms or finals, are even more overwhelming when she has to focus on studying while still caring for Dani.

“I think that folks need to realize that pets are not property,” Mitchell said. “Pets are family and the commitment should be for life.”

Morgan Polley, public relations and development specialist for ACCT Philly,

Cannoli lounges in the sun. PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS HAUK ’20

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Study to something smooth

Finding a furry friend

DEMI SIMMS ’20 Hawk Staff

Jan. 30, 2019

the area’s largest animal shelter, agreed that adopting an animal is a lifetime commitment, especially if you adopt a young pet.

Polley said for college students, residential logistics can also be a challenge.

“A lot of landlords either don’t allow pets, have a restriction on the types of pets, or require a fee, so always make sure you’re able to have pets where you are,” Polley said.

ACCT Philly requires potential adopters to prove that they are legally allowed to have animals in their place of residence.

Residence halls at St. Joe’s do not allow pets, so students have to wait until they move off-campus to adopt an animal.

Some shelters also require proof of financial stability. Thomas Hauk ’20 had to prove he could afford to care for his kitten Cannoli.

“It is very reasonable because they want to make sure you can pay for the animal, and it’s going to a good home,” Hauk said.

“But that’s oftentimes tough for college kids that don’t necessarily work all year.”

And then there is the issue of roommates.

“Make sure everybody is on board with taking care of an animal,” Polley said.

Students must also consider what happens after graduation when they and their roommates part ways, but each still has an emotional attachment to the adopted animal.

In Birney and Barone’s case, Henry belongs to both women. Who takes him when they graduate?

“We get that question all the time,” Barone said. “We really don’t talk about it because we don’t like to think about not having him together. ”

Henry perches in a window seat. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGIE BARONE ’19

With the first two weeks of the spring semester coming to a close, long-term projects are being assigned and papers are in their infancy. Here is a smooth jazz playlist for those first long days in the library, logging more hours than you’d really like in the stacks.

“Bueno Funk” by Peter White Peter White’s “Bueno Funk” is jazz fusion at its finest. Taking on a kind of flamenco-esque guitar style at moments and supported by the standard jazz horn, “Bueno Funk” has a cohesive and lilting sound that can be that background music while you scan through a dense reading.

“Promenade” by Peter White If you are a guitar aficionado, White’s acoustic guitar work intermingling with a funky and jazzy accompaniment will definitely be for you. “Promenade” has both the danceability and relaxed quality that any good smooth jazz song should have. If you need a song to pick up your spirits while slogging through an assignment, White’s “Promenade” is for you.

“Human Nature” by Miles Davis Yes, Miles Davis made a foray into smooth jazz and all the jazz purists had to get over themselves. Davis’ rendition of the King of Pop’s “Human Nature” has a special magnetism. Davis’ trumpet sits on the track, never overshadowing the other musicians.

The free-form improvisation he is known for is explored, but minimally. This song is good for those moments when you just need to sit back from a paper and feel the music.

“Dreamin’” by George Benson and Earl Klugh “Dreamin’” is a two-for-one jazz guitarist experience. George Benson and Earl Klugh as a guitar duo play magically over a quintessentially smooth jazz backing track with its synths and steady beat. Playing with a level of finesse and flourish that can only come from seasoned guitarists like Benson and Klugh, they create a chill atmosphere for those assignments.

“Malibu Wave” by Kilauea Without a saxophonist, Kilauea’s sound in “Malibu Wave” is more on the easy listening side of smooth jazz. The piano and guitar work have an almost call and response relationship, playing off one another. It’s just a fun, jazzy, almost tropical sound with the drum break for those times when you just need something in the background while you really focus in on an assignment.

“Personal Touch” by Boney James Boney James’ “Personal Touch” is a smooth jazz song through and through.

James’ saxophone flows over the song. Even in moments of flourish, James’ saxophone never compromises its purely smooth nature. “Personal Touch” is a great song for when you are in the stretch and need that final push to get assignments done.

“Boulder Coaster” by Blue Chip This song is an upbeat smooth jazz experience. Where most smooth jazz will lull you into a quiet mood, “Boaster Coaster” is a pick-me-up with a Spanish guitar flare. “Boulder Coaster” is for that revelatory, unabashedly happy moment when the work is done, you’re packing up and making your way out of the stacks after a long night of studying.

Scan the QR code to listen to the playlist on Spotify:

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Jan. 30, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

Starting the week with mindfulness

CAPS offers weekly group meditation CHRISTINA PHOTIADES ’20 Hawk Staff “Mindful Meditation,” which was first offered on campus last fall, invites community members to enjoy the benefits of meditation in a group setting.

Greg Nicholls, Ph.D, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), which sponsors the weekly meditations, said people who meditate regularly report less anxiety, reduced stress, improved focus and better health overall.

“Meditation improves attention, compassion, self-awareness, and reduces emotionality so that one can better respond when one feels stress, rather than react, often in regrettable ways,” Nicholls said.

The sessions, which are held in Sunroom 1 of the Campion Student Center, take place at 11 a.m. every Monday. Each meditation lasts for about 45 minutes and begins with an exercise to release tension and prepare the body and mind to meditate.

After a group activity, the sessions move towards a guided meditation.

Jill Welsh, associate director of the Faith-Justice Institute, has attended the Mindful Monday sessions regularly since they began on campus.

Welsh said she was interested in the sessions at St. Joe’s because they were reflective of what she learned during a nine-week training in mindfulness at the University of Pennsylvania in 2014.

For Welsh, meditation can be a tool to practice Jesuit values by working on being more present, regulating stress and coping with difficult situations for personal health and well-being.

Members of the St. Joe's community participate in meditation. PHOTO: ROSE BARRETT ’20/THE HAWK

“Mindful Mondays are a way for CAPS to offer the Ignatian value of ‘cura personalis’ to the university community as well as an additional service to our student community,” Welsh said.

Welsh said that she thinks people are hesitant to try meditation because it can be intimidating for those who are not familiar with it.

“The purpose of mindfulness and this type of meditation is not judging yourself or how well you think you meditated,” Welsh said. “It's about finding healthy balances in our own lives.”

Valeria Gonzalez ’21 attended the sessions consistently last semester, but she was not familiar with the concept of meditation before she went to the sessions. She said her motivation to go was she wanted to learn how to cope with her stress.

“I was not sure what to expect and was a bit nervous, but Dr. Nicholls was very welcoming and I felt a lot more comfortable after he explained the basics of what mindfulness is,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez added that after beginning to attend, she saw a decrease in her anxiety.

Nicholls said meditation is a simple technique, but it’s not always for everyone.

He said for some people, meditating efforts of any kind can induce more anxiety and occasionally panic. For others, it is a way to focus on being in the moment.

“It's simply a way to ‘rest in awareness’ with acceptance, free of self-judgment,” Nicholls said. “A wandering mind is an unhappy mind, so it helps one to be more present focused.”

Crossword: name the singer edition

Across:

Down:

7. All Night 8. The Middle 11. Take a Chance On Me 12. Power 13. Wildest Dreams 14. 7 Rings 15. Take Me to Church

1. Ho Hey 2. Riptide 3. Wild Things 4. Centuries 5. I Like It 6. Pink + White 9. In My Feelings 10. Let It Be

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Sudoku

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Jan. 30, 2019

13

Women’s club ice hockey remains undefeated played on the team throughout her four years at St. Joe’s, said that while young talent has been key, combining it with experience has brought the season together.

The St. Joe’s women’s club ice hockey “We have some girls on the team team has clinched first place in Division III who started playing in college and now of the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey that they’re a little older [and] it shows,” Conference. The Hawks are currently un- Flemister said. defeated, improving their record to 6-0 afA player who may not have a lot of ice ter defeating the University of Virginia 9-3 hockey experience at St. Joe’s, but brings on Jan. 26 and 8-2 on Jan. 27. high-level athletic experience to the team, Senior forward Erin Dougherty, who is senior forward Monica Tice. has played on the team for all four years Tice played four years of Division I of her college career, said young talent has field hockey for the Hawks and was a two made the difference this season. year captain during her junior and senior “This is the first time that it’s been pri- seasons. She said field hockey prepared marily younger girls playing,” Dougherty her for what is her first season on the ice St. Joe's player makes a play on the puck against the University of Virginia. said. “We’ve really started to play a good hockey team.

PHOTOS: NICK KARPINSKI ’21/THE HAWK. team game together. No one is scoring all “[Field hockey] has helped my stick the points, everyone is contributing.” skills so much,” Tice said. “I’m a little Head Coach Sydney Flemister ’17, who shaky getting back on skates, because last time I played was sophomore year of high thing the Hawks will need headed into school, but field hockey definitely helped their game against Indiana University of me to stay in shape.”

Pennsylvania on Feb. 2, the Hawks’ most The combination of experience and challenging opponent. youth are not the only things that set this “We’re in the homestretch of the seateam apart, according to senior goalkeeper son,” Dougherty said.“We’ve kept that moElizabeth Difilippo. She said communica- mentum so I think we’ll be able to maintion on the ice has also been crucial. tain it for the rest of the season.”

“We talk to each other on the ice more Flemister said the team’s loyalty and than any other team,” Difilippo said. “A lot willingness to always show up will be helpof players contribute during games in that ful in closing out the season successfully. respect.”

“One thing I always love about this team Freshman forward Clara Tomann said is that everyone is close,” Flemister said. “When constant enthusiasm is also something that we get out there, even when we’re having a helps to maintain good communication tough game, everyone has fun because they throughout games. work hard for one another.”

“We try to hype each other up,” ToThe Hawks have two games remaining mann said. “Between periods we just like in the regular season, one against Indiana to get all our teammates enthusiastic and University of Pennsylvania on Feb. 2 at get loud on the bench.”

Oaks Center Ice in Phoenixville Pa. and Dougherty said this type of commu- one against Lafayette College on Feb. 9 in nication is what builds momentum, some- The Rink at Lehigh Valley.

Hawk defender stares down University of Virginia offense.

NICK KARPINSKI ’21 Sports Editor

Spring sports use winter break as preparation for season SAM BRITT ’20 Assistant Sports Editor For most St. Joe’s students, winter break is a time to relax after a semester ends, but for student athletes who take part in a spring sport, it is a time for preparation.

Women’s lacrosse senior attack Rebecca Lane went home to Australia over winter break. Eight thousand miles away from Hawk Hill, she still had to stay on top of her training.

But being home in the warm Australian December didn't bother Lane. “[The warm weather] made it easier for me to get out and do all my running and lifting sessions,” Lane said.

According to Lane, the entire team made it a priority to get their training sessions in over the break and was focused on keeping the momentum they built over

Senior softball pitcher Ashley Ventura winds up for a pitch in Hagan practice gym.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

the fall season going.

“This fall was really successful for us game wise and conditioning wise,” Lane said. “We are the fittest and fastest we have ever been so over break I think people wanted to capitalize on that.”

On the men’s side, junior defenseman Tyler Makar said he realized the importance of staying in shape over winter break. Since the team isn’t always together to train during that time, it is important for the team’s leadership to keep in contact with all the players.

“We make sure we are holding each other accountable,” Makar said. “The captains do a great job in the group chat reminding us it is time to buckle down and get ready for the season.”

Senior softball pitcher Ashley Ventura said she knows how rigorous the softball team’s schedule can be. Thus their pre-season prep is intentional in preparing players for potential strain on their bodies.

“Over break we are preparing ourselves mentally and physically for a long season,” Ventura said. “We average five games a week so we are constantly preparing ourselves because it takes a toll on our body.”

Once the team returns to campus, they begin practicing together again. Most of the spring sports function on a set schedule, practicing six days a week with lifting and conditioning spread throughout.

The baseball team, however, is forced to take a different approach. According to senior outfielder Charlie Concannon, the team’s practice schedule depends on whether they are able to practice outside, weather permitting. If conditions don’t allow, they attempt to reserve gym time.

Philadelphia’s east-coast weather poses a challenge to the baseball team. They are often not granted many outdoor practices before their first weekend, so when they get the opportunity to get on the field they jump at it.

Junior defender Tyler Makar scans the field during a game against Drexel University.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIDELINEPHOTOS, LLC.

“The past couple of days, we have been crazy enough to go outside,” Concannon said.

“We don’t always get to do that. It can get a bit slow when we are inside because you just can’t do as much as you can if you were outside.”

These outdoor practices have added importance due to how young the baseball team is. With only four seniors returning there are a lot of underclassmen taking larger roles this season.

“It is just about getting those guys as many reps as possible and relaying as much experience to them so they can be prepared.” Concannon said.

The men’s lacrosse team is facing a similar situation. The influx of young players is causing the team’s preparation to take a little longer than previous years, according to Makar.

“I don’t think we are where we want to be just yet,” Makar said. “We have a lot of young guys so we are moving a little slower than we have in the past. I think that the younger guys have done a great job trying to catch up to the speed that the older guys are at.”

The lack of experience has resulted in the team moving away from competitive drills and more toward inputting new offensive and defensive systems, according to Makar.

“It is definitely more on the install side and learning,” Makar said. “A lot of these guys were in high school last year. It is a huge adjustment.

We just brought in a new offensive coordinator too so the young guys had to take a bit of a turn and start to learn from new coaches.”

Last season, Ventura said the team struggled to play together. Over break ,their practices have revolved around creating a game environment.

“Our practices are totally different from last year,” Ventura said. “The practices are more game-like so it is getting us prepared.”

After all the preparation in the winter, Lane said she can’t wait to get back out on the field with her teammates.

“Speaking for all of the seniors, I don’t think we are going to leave anything back," Lane said. "We are going to put everything out there on the field."

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Jan. 30, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

Sports

St. Joe's dance team finishes season at Nationals COLLIN MESSENGER ’22 Hawk Staff The St. Joe’s dance team concluded their 2018-19 competitive season at the Universal Dance Association College Dance Team National Championship in Orlando, Fl., bringing home a third place finish in the pom division and a fourth place finish in the hip hop division.

Head Coach Brittany Ambrose said that as a coach, she could not have asked anymore from her dancers.

“They really left it all out there and they gave every ounce, so there is no looking back with any regrets," Ambrose said.

A week prior, the dance team took home a pair of first place finishes in the pom and hip hop divisions at the regional UDA Northeast Competition.

St. Joe's dance celebrates first place finishes at regionals.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SJU DANCE

Junior dancer Giovanna Boscarino said the team’s performance at regionals gave them confidence going into nationals.

“This year marked the seventh time we have been regional champions for our hip hop division and the first time in a while that we have been pom champions,” Boscarino said. “It was motivating to go into nationals the following week, after starting on a great note and knowing that we are capable of competing with and going up against the best teams.”

Boscarino said that every minute of preparation was done solely with nationals in mind.

“The nationals that we attend in Orlando is something that we work for starting from August all the way until January when we leave,” Boscarino said. “We spend all of our winter breaks here practicing for our pom and hip hop routines to make sure that they are perfect and every trick, form and move hit is as we would want it to be on the nationals floor.”

Ambrose said that this year’s team has created a standard for St. Joe’s dance as a result of their performance.

“We’ve put ourselves on the map as a competitor and a force to be reckoned with year after year,” Ambrose said. “There is an expectation now for St. Joe’s to attend nationals and provide an entertaining four minutes in total to the crowd to show our athleticism, our spirit for our university and our competitiveness.”

Senior captain Heather Briody said that while a large part of their time is spent entertaining at the men’s and women’s basketball games, nationals always remained the team’s

The St. Joe's dance team poses at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fl. during the College Dance Team National Championship.

primary focus throughout the season.

“As much as we are a sort of spirit squad for the basketball teams, nationals is something that we look forward to every single year and we work day in and day out for,” Briody said.

This year at nationals, the team performed for two minutes in each of their pom and hip hop routines, placing the weight of all their preparation on four short minutes of competition.

Briody said in those moments the dancers simply have faith in each other and their preparation.

“It’s all about trust,” Briody said. “It re-

ally comes down to [those] four minutes that we get on the floor; and so, we just have to be confident in ourselves and each other.”

Ambrose said she ultimately credits her team’s successful competitive season to the close relationships her team developed.

“The sisterhood that these girls have created really just shows their dedication and love for one another,” Ambrose said. “Some of these girls would be hurt and ailing and not show it at all, because they want to [compete] not for themselves, but for the girl standing next to them."

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Jan. 30, 2019

15

Kimble and Toppin wear Christian faith on their sleeves Kimble's tattoo represents faith and basketball. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS '22/THE HAWK

NICK KARPINSKI ’21 Sports Editor Lamarr Kimble, a St. Joe’s redshirt junior guard, and Obi Toppin, a University of Dayton redshirt freshman forward, have etched faith and basketball into their everyday lives in a literal and permanent fashion.

Both Atlantic 10 Conference players, who have yet to meet one another, have almost identical tattoos on their left shoulders, symbolizing the connection between Christian values and basketball.

Both tattoos portray the image of hands in prayer with a basketball hovering just above the fingertips. Kimble and Toppin customised their tattoos, making the images more meaningful with intentional details.

Kimble utilized a personally significant Bible verse, Philippians 4:13, placing “Philippians” on a banner directly below the hands and “4:13” on the image’s left wrist.

The verse states “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

“That’s something I always stand by,” Kimble said. “It always stood out to me from when I learned it in middle school.”

The hands pictured in Toppin’s tattoo are his own, something the tattoo artist made as a free drawing, not employing the use of a stencil. Toppin said the image symbolizes him praying every day that he’ll go far in his basketball career.

According to both Toppin and Kimble, there is a strong correlation between faith and basketball, especially having both grown up in environments where the two things played such important roles in their lives.

Toppin said the meaningful relationships that he has built with family members demonstrates the connection between faith and basketball.

“Growing up, my family was very spiritual,” Toppin said. “The combination of my dad being a basketball player and my grandmother always being around praying for us showed me how the build off each other.”

Bill Rickle, S.J., an athletics and student life campus minister, agreed that there is a correlation between faith and basketball and said questions about having faith come up

especially when players are injured.

“That puts a break on what they love to do,” Rickle said. “It puts them back off their feet. It’s a precious time to reflect because you literally have to sit still for a while.”

Kimble has dealt with several injuries throughout his collegiate career. Now on his third injury, the first two of which were season-ending, Kimble said the tattoo, along with what it symbolizes, has helped him to trust and believe in something.

“Whatever the type of person that you are, if you believe in something, don’t let anybody change it,” Kimble said. “I don’t want anybody to look at me and think another way. I will continue to be myself, show that and express that.”

While it may seem that tattooing such a symbolic image would yield added pressure to carry out his faith, Kimble disagreed, saying it’s a part of who he is. Top-

pin said God’s plan doesn’t add pressure to how he carries out his life.

“It’s not pressure, it’s opportunity,” Toppin said. “If something goes bad, there are always opportunities to learn from it.”

Kimble said his tattoo acts as a reminder of his faith every day. That’s why he wanted it to be permanently stamped on his arm.

“Just looking at it every day, I remember and see that I’m walking on Christ’s shoulders,” Kimble said. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at without God giving me the talent and mental strength to get through high school and to get to college.”

Toppin agreed, saying it’s something to look up to.

“When I’m playing, I’ll look at the tattoo and tell myself that God put me in this position so I need to be grateful for it,” Toppin said.

Rickle said having physical reminders

of the content and the importance of faith is extremely significant.

“The entire sacramental system revolves around that,” Rickle said. “We use physical things to express deeper realities.”

Kimble said that when he looks at pictures that people have captured of his tattoo, they resonate and have a deeper meaning to him.

“It reminds me that I’m representing something bigger than myself,” Kimble said.

Embracing the meaning behind the tattoo on and off the court helps to represent what it means to be a Hawk, according to Kimble.

“I’m thankful for every time I’m able to get back on the court,” Kimble said. “In terms of me coming to St. Joe’s in a Jesuit program, representing the Hawks, bringing things together, with the person that I am and the values I bring.”

Dayton's Omi Toppin has a similar tattoo to Kimble on his left shoulder. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ERIK SCHELKUN, ELESTAR IMAGES

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Jan. 30, 2019

The Hawk Newspaper

Sports

Men's basketball coaches, Phil Martelli and Geoff Arnold wear matching sneakers to spread cancer awareness. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Coaches step out for cancer awareness RYAN MULLIGAN ’21 Assistant Sports Editor For one week of each college basketball season, coaches across the country ditch their dress shoes in favor of sneakers, taking part in the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week to draw attention and raise funds towards cancer prevention.

Coaches vs. Cancer is a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Collegiate men’s basketball coaches across the country team up to raise awareness for the American Cancer Society.

The program has raised over $100 million since 1993. St. Joe’s men’s basketball Head Coach Phil Martelli serves as the chair of the Coaches vs. Cancer Council, which includes some of the biggest names of storied programs in college basketball including Duke University men’s basketball Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Temple University men’s basketball Head Coach Fran Dunphy, and Syracuse University men’s basketball Head Coach Jim Boeheim.

“I consider my involvement to be a responsibility,” Martelli said. “From the very beginning of my career, Coaches vs. Cancer screamed at me as a way to make a difference because all diseases are awful, but cancer’s non-discriminatory. There is no one I’ve ever met that hadn’t been impacted.”

The St. Joe’s basketball community does not have to look very far to find evidence of Martelli’s claim. Assistant men’s basketball coach Geoff Arnold is a prostate cancer survivor himself, having initially been diagnosed in 2013.

“Six, seven years ago, it was something to do,” Arnold said. “[Now] I’m a prostate cancer survivor, so it took on a whole new meaning for me.”

The Hawk coaches were unified in their sneaker choice, wearing grey Nikes with yellow shoe laces in their two games during the Suits and Sneakers Week.

The laces are in memory of “Princess Lacey” Holsworth, a Michigan State college basketball fan who captivated the nation and came to be the brightest part of the Spartan’s NCAA Tournament run to the Elite Eight in 2014. She died at the age of eight in April of that year, shortly after the college basketball season came to a close.

Suits and Sneakers Week is one way to draw attention to the fight against the disease. The target audience is the fans, according to Martelli and Arnold, as they hope the eccentric shoe choices will draw fans across the country to the cause.

“I hope that it sends [fans] somewhere to say ‘how can I get involved?’ ‘What’s my touchpoint for Coaches vs. Cancer?’”

Martelli said. “The coaches doing this this week and being on television at a game, if we can get one person to touch it and to feel Coaches vs. Cancer, maybe that blossoms into ultimately finding a cure.”

While Suits and Sneakers Week is currently solely a movement to raise awareness, Martelli hopes to make it into something more tangible.

“We have to figure out a way to monetize this opportunity, we haven’t gotten there yet, but we will,” Martelli said.

While Martelli and the rest of the Coaches vs. Cancer Council will contin-

ue to look to benefit the American Cancer Society in any way possible, Director of Athletics Jill Bodensteiner said she's grateful to have a coach that uses his position to transcend basketball and impact those in need.

"He is a national leader among coaches in fighting cancer and he and [his wife] Judy donate an enormous amount of their personal time and energy to the cause," Bodensteiner said.

Martelli is very involved in the movement. He said he could not envision it any other way.

“Once I engaged with Coaches vs.

Cancer, to me, there was no option,” Martelli said. “You can’t go into this and put your toes in the water, you have to jump in and get the water over your head and

that’s what I’ve done.”

His commitment to Coaches vs. Cancer was on full display last week, as he coupled the sneakers with socks, a pin and a tie, all representing Coaches vs. Cancer in the team’s comeback win over Richmond University and their Big 5 loss to the University of Pennsylvania at the Palestra.

For Martelli and coaches across America, advocating for the cause in any way possible is just a small step in a much greater effort. One that can change the course of human history, according to Martelli.

“There’s so many, so many good people that are backing this that I believe that the cure is on the horizon,” Martelli said.

“It may not be in my lifetime, but it’s going to be in [our younger generation’s].”

Coaches line the bench with matching sneakers.