Nov 15, 2017 issuu

The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

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

Nov. 15, 2017

New drug abuse prevention course ALEX MARK ’20 Hawk Staff

The SJU Dance Marathon held on Nov. 11 raised $20,744.87 for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Photo by Kristen Babich ’20).

Suicide prevention walk

Out of the Darkness Walk brings community together BRUCE HOWARD ’20 Hawk Staff Various members of the St. Joe’s community braced the cold to participate in the third annual Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk on Nov. 12. to raise awareness for suicide prevention.

Hosted by the Dean’s Leadership Program (DLP), members of the community came together as one to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues. All the proceeds were donated to Active Minds, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising mental health awareness among college students.

The event was created by Mariah McHugh ’16, a former DLP member. Two students tragically took their own lives during the 2014-15 school year, and McHugh, along with other members of the program, wanted to create an event that would raise awareness for suicide prevention, along with mental health issues.

“This event serves as something for any individual that’s interested in attending to come, whether they come alone or bring others, that they’re not alone,” said Jessica DeStefano ’18, current co-director of the walk.

DeStefano further explained the overall importance of this event.

“That’s a representation of what this campus stands for, we’re a community who loves and cares for one another and to see 500 people standing as a whole it’s literally breathtaking,” DeStefano said.

Kim Uno ’20, one of many student participants, resonated with the idea of not feeling alone and emphasized there is always assistance available to students.

“Mental health is very internal and sometimes it feels like you’re alone because you think that no one feels the same,” Uno said. “For people that don’t think they can confide in someone, they must know that there is always someone that is willing to help and listen.”

Mitchell Mcllhenny ’18, another co-director of the walk, delivered a message to speak up whenever feelings of depression, anxiety or stress develop.

“If you are having trouble with this type of issue, reach out and talk to someone whoever it is that you’re comfortable with,” Mcllhenny

said. “Don’t suffer in silence because that’s where people make these decisions when they’re only looking at it through their own lens and not grasping the whole big picture.”

Several members of the community spoke before the walk, including University President Mark C. Reed, Ed. D.; Dean of the Haub School of Business, Joseph DiAngelo, Ed.D; DLP president Emer Ryle ’18; Active Minds head Marybeth Ayella, Ph.D; and director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Greg Nicholls, Ph.D. According to Nicholls, a mental health survey conducted by CAPS a year and a half

According to Nicholls, St. Joe’s is making a significant effort this year to raise awareness for mental health issues and the need to understand the symptoms of these issues as well.

“We have a suicide prevention team here at St. Joe’s that maybe most don’t know about made up of faculty, staff, administrators and student members as well., Nicholls said.

“We’re dedicated to preventing suicide and one of the key elements is training members in how to recognize warning signs of depression and suicide, how to respond, and help them get the help that they need.”

The Out of the Darkness Walk sold over 430 tickets and raised $8,000 for suicide prevention (Photo by Luke Malanga ’20).

ago revealed that 90 percent of students said they would not think less of someone who received mental health counseling. However, when asked if they felt most people would feel less about someone who received this kind of counseling, 60 percent said most people do.

“That’s where the stigma is,” Nicholls said. “Only 10 percent of our students would look down on someone, and I think that’s a misperception that there is this negative stigma, it exists, but not as much as people think and certainly reaching out for help is a sign of wisdom and strength.”

Kathryn Svoboda ’20 had a friend who took their own life recently. Svoboda expressed feelings of reassurance and comfort with having CAPS on campus.

“After finding out yet another one of my high school classmates committed suicide earlier this semester, this walk really resonated with me,” Svoboda said. “It reminded me that at SJU, you will always have a support system there for you whenever you need it.

Hearing all that CAPS provides for us here, I was once again reassured knowing that I will always have somewhere to turn to here.”

St. Joe’s is taking steps to address the national opioid addiction crisis with an online prescription drug abuse prevention course meant to be completed by students.

Katie Bean, assistant director of the Office of Student Outreach and Support, sent an email to students inviting them to complete the course. Taking roughly half an hour to complete, the course highlights the risks of abusing and sharing prescription drugs, the symptoms of an overdose and warning signs of addiction.

“Since we sent it to all students, [it gets] such a wide net of people to be familiar with it at all,” Bean said. “Maybe someone’s never thought about that at all. Or maybe someone’s very, very familiar with it. So [it] definitely gets people talking.”

As noted in the Sept. 8 email, St. Joe’s is one of the first schools in the nation to offer this course to its students. According to Marci Berney, director of Student Outreach and Support, the course is currently in its testing phase.

For Student Outreach and Support, an important aspect of this course is the data collected from students. Upon first logging in, students are prompted to fill out a survey about their own habits concerning prescription drugs. The survey is completely anonymous, but the data it provides can help determine the extent of the prescription drug abuse issue within the university community, information which had previously not been tracked.

“We have a lot of data around alcohol,” Bean said. “I could tell you, from the past 10 years, our rates and how they’ve changed.

But we haven’t collected data on [prescription drug abuse], so this will be our baseline moving forward.”

Data involving prescription drug abuse is especially elusive since a student’s illegal usage of medication is normally kept secret, unlike party drugs such as marijuana or alcohol.

Additionally, this new information will help determine the specific demographics of abuse and misuse within the student body, providing insight on how to tailor further education to students who need it most, Berney said.

The duties of Student Outreach and Support, in addition to providing wellness education to students, include helping students find the assistance they need for any kind of personal issues. If, for example, a student was seeking help at the office, Student Outreach and Support would suggest a referral to whichever on-or-off campus resource would best fit the specific student’s needs. Sometimes this treatment can come in the form of higher care outside of the university, in which case a student’s family or other means of support will be brought in to discuss available options.

“We want to make sure that students are as healthy as they can be, that they are safe, and that they are able to return to campus and be as successful as they can be,” Berney said.

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Nov. 15, 2017

News

Department of Public Safety reports (Nov. 3 - Nov. 9) Nov. 3 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm activation inside of the Nicoletti Music Studio. Public Safety officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by unknown means.

Facilities Management was notified.

Nov. 4 Public Safety was notified regarding drug paraphernalia found in a second floor suite of the LaFarge Student Residence. Public Safety officers responded to the area and confiscated the drug paraphernalia. Community Standards was notified.

Nov. 7 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm activation inside of an elevator located in Mandeville Hall. Public Safety Officers responded. Preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by unknown means. Facilities Management was notified.

Nov. 8 Public Safety was notified of a drug and marijuana confiscation inside a room on the third floor of Pennbrook Hall. Public Safety Officers, along with Philadelphia Police, responded and confiscated a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Community Standards was notified.

Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to being assaulted by another St. Joe’s student in the area of 54th and Wynnefield Avenue. Public Safety officers, along with Philadelphia Police, responded. The victim was transported to Lankenau Hospital for injuries sustained from the assault. Community Standards was notified.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Public Safety was notified by an area resident of a loud party involving St. Joe’s students taking place in the 5200 block of Church Road. Public Safety officers, along with Philadelphia Police, responded. Community Standards was notified.

ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

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Off campus

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

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Off campus

WHAT YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW A brief history of Thanksgiving SHOULD KNOW

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

ELIZA ROCCO '20 Hawk Staff

What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a holiday that has become known for its turkey feasts and parades. It is a celebration where family and friends come together to give thanks for the blessings they have received. The first Thanksgiving was held in 1621 after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest was successful. A celebration was organized with the colony’s Native American allies. The first Thanksgiving lasted three days, but today Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November.

How did Thanksgiving become an official holiday?

After the first Thanksgiving, there were many days designated for religious fastings and days of thanks. George Washington was the first to issue the first official Thanksgiving in the United States in 1789. He called upon Americans to express their gratitude and thanks for the country's newfound independence from Britain. New York was the first of many states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday in 1817. Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as an official nationwide holiday in 1863 during the height of the Civil War, scheduling it for the final Thursday of November.

At the height of the Great Depression, former president Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up one week, in an effort to give people more time to shopfor Christmas in 1939. “Franksgiving” as it became known, was met with much of disagreement. Roosevelt signed a bill in 1941 which officially moved Thanksgiving back to the fourth Thursday in November.

How is Thanksgiving celebrated today?

Each family has their own Thanksgiving traditions, whether it be playing a friendly family game of football, a 5k in the morning or group nap after all the turkey. On a nationwide scale, the President of the United States pardons a turkey every year in honor of Thanksgiving. It is unclear as to where this tradition comes from, but it is thought to have begun in 1947 with former President Harry Truman. Others believe it to have started in the 1860s with Abraham Lincoln after his son begged him to spare his pet turkeys life. One popular Thanksgiving tradition is parades. The Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the country. Celebrating its 98th year, the parade was first held in 1920 by Gimbel Brothers Department store. Once Gimbels closed in 1986, WPVI-TV stepped in to continue the holiday tradition. The goal among the organizers is to make this parade, “the most band-friendly parade in the country,” featuring 19 marching bands including high school, university and specialty marching bands. This parade brings together the City of Brotherly Love to celebrate and give thanks.

How do Native Americans commemorate Thanksgiving?

According to Indian Country Today Media Network, “the Pilgrims settled in an area that was once Patuxet, a Wampanoag village, but it had been abandoned four years prior because of a deadly outbreak of a plague brought by European traders. Before 1616, the Wampanoag numbered 50,000 to 100,000, occupying 69 villages scattered throughout southeastern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island. The plague, however, killed thousands, up to two-thirds, of them. Many also had been captured and sold as slaves.” Many Native Americans commemorate Thanksgiving as a “National Day of Mourning” with protests on the holiday at the top of Coles Hill overlooking Plymouth Rock. They believe Thanksgiving is portrayed as a celebration of happy times, rather than what actually occurred: bloody battles between the European colonists and the Native Americans which resulted in deaths of tens of thousands of Native peoples.

What was on the first Thanksgiving menu?

According to National Geographic News, “feasters likely supplemented their venison and birds with fish, lobster, clams, nuts, and wheat flour, as well as vegetables such as pumpkin, squash, carrots, and peas.”

How is Thanksgiving celebrated at St. Joe’s?

St. Joe’s celebrates its 41st annual Thanksgiving Dinner Dance. There are about 200 guests from senior community centers in the area that come to St. Joe's for this celebration. Students and guests come together to celebrate with food and dance. St. Joe's student acapella groups, City Belles and Hawkappella, will perform for the guests, while students volunteer to serve the guests and to take part in the event. The Thanksgiving Dinner Dance is a celebration filled with love, community and gratitude.

News

Nov. 15, 2017

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Revitalizing the Honors Program New Honors Student Advisory Council

St. Joe’s students created an Honors Student Advisory Council in fall 2017 to provide feedback to the university’s Honors Program and to help more students succeed in the program. While the Honors Program seeks to provide rigorously intellectual studies, some found it difficult to schedule around the program’s academic requirements and found the social aspect to be lacking.

George Frattara ’20, president of the council, created the organization to focus on improvements.

“This would be a way to unify and serve as one voice for students of the program,” Frattara said.

The council consists of former, current and prospective members. Their goal is to brainstorm not only academic changes, but social and civic opportunities for members.

Economics and international relations major Noah Henderson ’20, treasurer, and biology major Isabella Succi ’20, vice president, are also part of the executive board.

“This council would focus on growing the community aspect of the program [and] bringing everyone together,” Frattara said.

Henderson is a former member of the Honors Program and said the council will help students meet requirements, with one new idea being a mentorship program.

“It [a mentorship program] could’ve helped me,” Henderson said. “That would be a great way to get freshmen who are new to college, in a new environment, on the right path.”

The council has been in contact with similar honors councils from other universities to provide guidance for the new organization.

BRITTANY SWIFT '20 Opinions Editor Frattara and Henderson said a vision for the program would be for it to have a bigger impact on campus.

“Just getting the name out there of the Honors Program, bettering the name of the Honors Program, is all we could hope for, and hopefully some of the ideas we have could lead to that,” Henderson said.

Executive board of the Honors Advisory Council (Photo by Luke Malanga '20).

Joseph Corabi, Ph.D., director of the Honors Program, said the new student council will help the program improve and achieve its goals.

“The main benefit [of the council] I see is some students particularly who are not as outspoken would feel more comfortable giving feedback to an honors council rather than coming to me,” Corabi said. “I really value getting accurate feedback about the program.”

There are currently about 250 students

in the Honors Program, according to Corabi.

There’s a little fluctuation in this number yearto-year, but the percentages across the student body are similar.

Despite the number of students who graduate with honors, some students choose not to continue with the program due to issues, such as lack of course offerings and social activities, which the council hopes to overcome.

Brooks Lloyd ’18, finance and economics double major, took one honors course his first year. However, Lloyd said he searched the next few semesters for honors business courses but struggled to find one that fit his needs.

“I thought none of these would interest me or were in my area of expertise,” Lloyd said.

The limited amount of honors courses discouraged Lloyd from continuing with the program, so he said he chose to focus on his double major rather than try to catch up with the honors requirements.

Actuarial science major Rachel DeLuco ’18 is another former member of the Honors Program who could not continue due to the lack of academic availability in her schedule.

“At a certain point, there just weren’t any honors classes available that I could take that weren’t completely unnecessary,” DeLuco said.

Looking to the future, DeLuco said she hopes the Honors Program and new council can encourage a stronger, more cohesive community for honors students.

“I’m optimistic, because I don’t think they had a council a few years ago, so they’re definitely trying something different,” DeLuco said. “Hopefully they’ll listen.”

McShain bridge still closed No updates on progress of repairs LUKE MALANGA '20 Photo Editor

An inspection of the McShain Hall bridge in mid-September led to its closure, cutting off a key connection between the two sides of St. Joe’s campus for university members who use the bridge to safely cross City Avenue.

The bridge remains closed while temporary repairs are made, according to Timothy McGuriman, vice president of Administrative Services, who said the bridge should reopen by the end of November.

“Out of an abundance of caution and the fact that we now have an active construction site, the bridge is closed,” McGuriman said.

The Office of Residence Life notified McShain residents Sept. 21 the bridge was closed but no notification of the closure was given to the rest of the university. Residents have not received an update since the initial email.

“We haven't heard anything from the school, but there are rumors that it will open up after Thanksgiving,” said McShain resident Dino Charitos ’21. “SJU hasn't even said what's wrong with it.”

McGuriman, citing the need for “some maintenance” that engineers noticed during the inspection, said permanent repairs will be made once outside temperatures are warmer.

The Hawk filed a Right-to-Know Request with The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for a copy of the bridge inspection report but did not receive a response by press time.

While McShain Hall sits on the Merion side of campus, City Avenue is a state road, and the bridge spans two municipalities. Mul-

SAM BRITT '20 Hawk Staff

tiple jurisdictions complicated construction of the bridge 30 years ago.

“It turns out there are 21 jurisdictions that have to approve a bridge across City Avenue,” said Nicholas S. Rashford, S.J., who was president of the university at the time the bridge was constructed. “You got two cities, you got two counties, two electrical sources, two area codes for phones.”

Rashford joined the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) to get an inside position on the board to grant permissions for the building of the bridge. It was a strategic move that he said gave him contact with the state treasurer and the secretary of transportation.

“Once I was on the DRPA, every meeting I had, the state treasurer was at my right hand with the secretary of transportation right next to him,” Rashford said. “So every time I had a meeting I brought up what I needed. Everyone didn’t want to be the one to bring us down, so it fell into place.”

The construction of the bridge in 1988 was a monumental moment in St. Joe’s history, bringing together the two sides of St. Joe’s that were separated by City Avenue.

“Number one it is was a safety issue because I know there were people who would just cross, and they wouldn’t even go up to the light,” said Martin Farrell ’88, vice president of the Office of University Advancement, who graduated the year bridge construction began.

“It also made a statement for folks who didn’t know about St. Joe’s.”

Daniel Joyce, S.J., executive director of mission programs, who was also a senior when construction began, said the building of McShain and the bridge signaled a “new era of growth” for the university.

“The bridge was definitely a way for us to let the thousands of drivers passing by each day know that Saint Joseph's was a presence,” Joyce said.

TYLER HARGRAVES '19 Contributing Writer Another week has come and gone, and with its passing I am the slightest bit closer to returning to a life devoid of hurricane-related misery. I feel, by continuing to look forward to the coming weeks, I’ve been able to keep myself from being consumed by the recovery.

My life as a college student has continued to return back to its pre-Harvey levels of normalcy. This past week consisted of one midterm, and countless hours of studying for said midterm. Luckily for me, I did quite well on the exam, so my mind was able to rest for a short amount of time knowing at least I wasn’t failing. The school week did feel like it would take an eternity to end, even with several classes being cancelled.

Unfortunately for me, I had another extremely busy week involving my creative projects. I was responsible for several editing projects with the athletics department at Lamar University, a wedding video, and even a full day of shooting on a film set. To say my mind and body are completely and utterly drained would be an understatement. However, these are the endeavors that help to keep me sane, and also make certain my bank account actually has a dollar amount in it.

The past week wasn’t exceptionally different than previous weeks in regards to home recovery. The contractors continued to make progress on the drywall, and it shouldn’t be too long before the walls are fully restored. However, there was definitely a negative development this week in regards to our new cabinets. We are on a six-month wait list for our new cabinets to be built, so now instead of having brand-new wooden cabinets it looks like we are going to have to attempt to salvage the moldy cabinets we were fortunate enough to have not tossed into the debris pile to be hauled away.

There were a few moments this week where my mind did begin to wander, and linger on memories involving my destroyed home. They weren’t excessively long memories, rather simple flashes of moments.

Lingering on these moments caused a hurt that can really only be described as spiritual. A resonating pain that shot beyond my body, and directly into my sense of being.

That’s probably the hardest part about this recovery period: dealing with a pain which can’t be alleviated by medication or rest and knowing this pain will only go away through the passage of time.

For me, I hope the day will come when I can look back on this period of my life and view it as a step forward and as a positive moment in my growth as an individual that has enabled me to better comprehend this world, and everyone who inhabits it. I have a feeling this hope will become a reality. The only real question is how much more hurting I’ll experience until then.

Dispatch from Lamar will be a weekly feature in The Hawk.

Fencing around the McShain bridge blocks access during construction (Photo by Rodesha Washington '18).

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Opinions

Nov. 15, 2017

Thanksgiving traditions Our favorite parts of the holiday

Editor in Chief Vivian Milan ’18 Managing Editor Franki Rudnesky ’18 Copy Chief Emma Seely ’18 Faculty Adviser Shenid Bhayroo Contributing Adviser Jenny Spinner News Editor Charley Rekstis ’20 Opinions Editor Brittany Swift ’20 Assistant Opinions Editor Ann Marie Maloney ’18 Lifestyle Editor Rose Weldon ’19 Assistant Lifestyle Editor Emily Graham ’20 Sports Editor Nick Mandarano ’18 Assistant Sports Editor Alex Hargrave ’20 Assistant Copy Amber Denham ’18 Assistant Copy Becky Hartman ’18 Creative Director Kaitlyn Patterson ’20 Photo Editor Luke Malanga ’20 Social Media Manager Victoria Tralies ’18 Assistant Social Media Manager Anna Smollen ’19 Online Creative Director Kelly Smith ’19 Business Manager Michael Zito ’18 Assistant Business Manager Max Milano ’21

As temperatures drop and holiday spirits rise, The Hawk staff is excited for a long weekend meant to celebrate Thanksgiving with those we love. From eating mounds of mashed potatoes, gathering around our TVs for early parades, answering countless questions from family members and of course enjoying the few, blessed days off from class, we all have our own holiday traditions to cherish.

We wanted to share our own pieces of the holiday spirit that we look forward to every year. Bundle up in some blankets with a steaming cup of coffee so you can share our love of the holidays and reminisce about some of your own Thanksgiving memories.

Our favorite parts about Thanksgiving are… “...My alma mater, Easton Area High School, has a turkey day football game against their 111 year old rival, Phillipsburg High School. I always love watching the game with my extended family, and being with my family in general always makes me happy.” —Vivian Milan “...Spending time with family and friends, eating good food, watching Christmas movies and seeing everything decorated for the holidays.” —Franki Rudnesky “...Eating way too much food, then staying up late after a good nap to go Black Friday shopping at midnight with my high school friends.” —Emma Seely “...That my family is together again all at the same time. We just sit around our house and do nothing except watch TV and eat. Plus the amazing food that comes with the holiday is a bonus.” —Charley Rekstis “...Watching the movie "Christmas Vacation" on Black Friday. We cook for Thanksgiving, but then my family is ready to move on to the Christmas spirit almost immediately. It wouldn’t be the holidays without the classic Griswold family and buckets of popcorn to go with it.” —Brittany Swift

“...Listening to ‘Thankful’ by Josh Groban on repeat during Thanksgiving dinner.

Just kidding, we listen to Christmas music, too.” —Ann Marie Maloney “...A time to forget about the petty and materialistic notions of life and embrace being together and being grateful. If only I could get Walmart to feel the same way.” — Rose Weldon “...My personal traditions: watching the parade on Thanksgiving, special Thanksgiving dishes (crab stuffing, go Maryland!), decorating my house for Christmas and listening to Christmas music on the way home from Thanksgiving dinner. I love how November and December are one constant holiday celebration.” —Emily Graham “...Spending time with my family and eating my mom's green bean casserole and pineapple stuffing.” —Nick Mandarano “...Being surrounded by family. Getting to spend time with my family eating comfort food is why this time of year is the best." —Alex Hargrave “...Being fortunate enough to come home and spend time with most of my family and friends. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, from the food, reflecting on all I’m thankful for and the sense of coziness the time of year brings.” —Amber Denham “...Finally getting to see my family and sharing delicious food. The holidays are times when joy is everywhere, and that's what makes it my favorite time of year—not to mention that mashed potatoes and stuffing is the world's greatest combo. Seeing people come together and share a sense of community and love is inspiring.” —Becky Hartman “...The fact that it is a holiday based solely around two of my favorite things: family and food. I love to sit at the kids' table with my cousins and watch my uncles argue about politics. I love the turkey, the stuffing

and, most importantly, the pie. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to express my gratitude for all these things.” —Kaitlyn Patterson “...My family’s tradition of writing down what we are thankful for and then reading aloud what one of our other family members wrote.” —Luke Malanga “...Spending quality time with my immediate family. My sister comes down from New York and we watch movies with our parents by the fire. It’s very peaceful.”

—Victoria Tralies “...That I get to eat a lot of food, take a nap, watch football and then eat dessert (in that order). I also love getting to spend time with family that I don't get to see often, and hanging out with my cousins.”

—Anna Smollen “...Each Thanksgiving, my dad typically stands up and makes a toast to 'those who are with us and those who are not.' According to my grandma, it's bad luck to forget to individually clink your glass and say cheers to every person at the table. As simple as this tradition may be, it has helped me realize how grateful I am for the people around me especially as my family has changed in size over the years.” —Kelly Smith “...The feeling of connectivity that comes with these holidays. The feeling associated with strengthening the relationships with those we love.” —Mike Zito “...Thanksgiving dessert at my Mommom's house. Those moments surrounded by my family with the dining room so loud you can't even hear yourself think are the perfect way to end Thanksgiving Day.” — Max Milano —The Hawk Staff

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

Correction: In the Nov. 8 issue of The Hawk, the News article titled “Barnes Partnership” stated that the petition filed to the Orphans’ Court was filed on Oct. 3. The petition was in fact filed on Nov. 3.

FALL COLORS EVERYWHERE The gorgeous reds, oranges and yellows of the autumn season are on full display. Look around on your daily commute to class and admire the jewel-toned leaves, sweaters and even latte cups. Hurry, before we trade in fall for winter.

CLASSES CANCELLED BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK That’s right, we’re approaching the much-anticipated Thanksgiving break situated just before finals week smacks us in the face. This upcoming holiday break means time spent relaxing with friends and family, amazing food and maybe even some extra classes cancelled by professors eager to start break.

BASKETBALL SEASON STARTING Start dusting off your basketball gear, because the new season has just begun. The Hawks will be facing Princeton in the home opener this upcoming Saturday, Nov. 18, which means a sea of crimson will be congregating in Hagan Arena to show off our St. Joe’s pride. #THWND

COURSE REGISTRATION Course registration has descended upon us like a dark cloud, leaving misery in its wake.

Complaints have been ringing all over campus from students who couldn’t even find five open courses, students who got stuck with an 8 am and even those who don’t think they’ll be able to graduate because they couldn’t get a required course.

FALL SEMESTER CRUNCH TIME As much as we’re looking forward to a much-needed long winter break, the end of the semester really hits us hard. Ready or not, here come final tests, projects, essays, exams and of course decision-making about internships for next semester and jobs for those graduating this year.

TOO COLD It seems like just yesterday we were complaining about summer weather in October, but now we sure wish we had it back. Mother Nature seems to have taken us directly from summer to winter, with no pleasant in-between. Prepare for the Villiger wind vortex, whose wrath spares no one.

Opinions

Nov. 15, 2017

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Exercising empathy

A week of solidarity with migrants CAITLIN O'CONNOR '19

Special to The Hawk

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) student ambassadors at St. Joe’s coordinate an Immigration Week every fall, focused on the stories of migrants around the world and ways to advocate for reform. You may be familiar with our border fence, covered in statistics and images regarding refugees and migrants, which is placed in front of the chapel during Immigration Week. Ambassadors put on an event every day of the week to raise awareness about the U.S. immigration system and the struggles of migrants.

As a CRS student ambassador and member of the executive board, I felt that Immigration Week was a huge success this year. This is my second year involved in CRS and I feel a special connection to our Immigration Week events because one of the events was the reason I decided to become a student ambassador. My freshman year, I participated in the Immigration Simulation, an interactive activity where students and faculty take on the persona of someone who is attempting to migrate to the United States.

When I first participated in the simulation, I learned so much and I remember being overwhelmed by all the information I had just received. And now, I play the role of “judge” in this event and I rattle off facts about immigration. I find myself paying attention to the facial expressions of the participants who are hearing this information for the first time. That, in itself, is a motivating factor for me to continue on with

GILLIVER’S TRAVELS

ALEX GILL '18

Hawk Staff

The Jennings family is bringing journalist and anchor Lester Holt to their home this holiday season to moderate political disputes at their family gatherings.

One year after the controversial election of President Donald Trump, the American political atmosphere continues to be rife with conflict. The Jennings say they are far better prepared to deal with all of the challenges of their family’s diverse political atmosphere at the Thanksgiving table this year though.

“Lester is going to start by giving Grandma two minutes to justify her continued support of the President and explain why she will not be watching football after dinner,” father Keith Jennings explained.

“Following that, my hippie brother-in-law, Joe, will want to respond with something about the Green Party. Aunt Sally is then requesting two full minutes to voice her support for the troops without context or

the mission of CRS. When I see my fellow classmates’ shock when they learn about it, I know that it is something that needs to continue to be taught and talked about.

This year, we accomplished our goal

faculty could go from station to station as though they were migrating from countries such as Syria, South Sudan, Kenya and France, among others. At the end of the simulation, they found out whether they

Graphic by Kelly Smith '19.

of having an immigration event scheduled every day of the week. We invited students to sign an advocacy letter to their local representatives, expressing their support for DACA and pushing Congress to find a permanent solution for the Dreamers on Monday.

We held our Immigration Simulation on Tuesday and Thursday. Students and

were accepted or denied citizenship to the U.S. Participants then had the chance to sign advocacy letters and sign up for a raffle to win a CRS t-shirt.

Then, we hosted a documentary screening on Wednesday of “Fire at Sea,” which showcased migrants who stopped at the island of Lampedusa on their journey to Europe. We had a Migration Conversation

on Thursday night with Martina, a migrant from the island of Dominica. We ended Immigration Week on Friday with a Mass for Migrants in the chapel. Daniel Ruff, S.J., presided and selected readings specific to immigration and migrants. It was a great way to pull the week’s events together and reflect on everything we had learned.

Whether people migrated to the U.S. for better job opportunities, for better education, or to seek asylum because they are in danger in their home countries, the system is incredibly complicated. Even with all the research I have done and coordinating numerous events that are revolved around the immigration system, I know that I still have so much to learn.

I grew up in a city that has been named the most diverse city in the country and as such, most of my close friends are immigrants. They have migrated from places such as Colombia, Cuba, Ukraine, Nepal, Trinidad, England and Sri Lanka. While I grew up in such a diverse community, I had no idea of the struggles they faced getting into this country, until I got involved with CRS at St. Joe’s.

I am very thankful for all that I have learned from being involved in CRS Immigration Week. I feel a stronger sense of understanding for my friends and their families who have gone through the immigration process. It has made me a much more open-minded and empathetic person.

Moderating Thanksgiving dinner A satire about family political debates over the holidays provocation. So, it should be a lot more organized than last year.”

Family members also expressed concern for the eldest child of the extended family, Steve Jennings.

“He just went off to college for his freshman year,” explained Aunt Marie. “He’s proba-

bly been exposed to all sorts of new ideas."

Her voice dropped to a whisper as she told reporters, “I heard a rumor that he joined the College Democrats at his school, so I am more than a little concerned. I’m glad Lester will be there, but who knows what that boy is going to be bringing up.”

The trepidation of the family as a whole is understandable. Last year’s Thanksgiv-

ing dinner resulted in a shouting match between Grandma and Steve, a product of the tension following the election.

Grandma could not be reached for comment, but Grandpa reports that she has been preparing talking points in advance of the upcoming debate.

Graphic by Kelly Smith '19.

“She told me that if I don’t help her with her practice debates, she won’t bring her mashed potatoes, so I am stuck in a tough spot here,” Grandpa said. “I’ve been reading Democrat campaign platforms for weeks so that I can best oppose her when we practice.

Don’t tell her I said this, but they have some pretty decent ideas over there.”

Despite possible tensions, Holt is excited to moderate the debate.

“We have a number of strongly opinionated individuals on all sides,” Holt commented. “This should be an interesting and insightful time for the family and the nation as a whole. We are currently finalizing topics, but the list will likely include diverse issues such as kneeling during the national anthem, perspectives on building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, attitudes towards immigrants, gun control and if we have time, an in depth discussion of tax policy over pumpkin pie."

The Jennings family debate will be televised on CNN (against Grandma’s wishes) and streamed through their website. In addition to Holt’s moderation of the debate, NPR will reportedly perform fact checking online. If you or your family are interested in having Holt moderate Christmas dinner, reports say he is available and willing to offer his services.

6

Opinions

Nov. 15, 2017

There are no shortcuts Analyzing election results JULIAN LUTZ '18

Hawk Staff

Democrats won across America in the election held on Nov. 7. Some wins surprised no one, while others were tossups.

Two major shocks were that the Democrats won more seats in the Virginia House of Delegates than they had in nearly a century, and when a Washington Post story with 30-plus sources alleged that Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore had solicited teenage girls at custody hearings, high school classes and shopping malls.

At moments like this, opinions tend to overestimate current trends and pretend that what ended up happening was unavoidable. Looking at the 2017 elections, neither is true. But looking at the two parties as they sit right now, there are conclusions to draw, and they give Democrats reasons to be excited.

The best way to summarize the Republican Party in 2017 is to say that the party of personal responsibility and individual liberty has become the party of shortcuts. Flirting with white identity politics, phony flamboyance, rampant lying, fear-mongering and insubstantial culture war polemics are all shortcuts because they substitute tribalism and passion—and not much else—for realistic, workable policy solutions.

Trumpism is an ideology of shortcuts.

It grew in the GOP more than in the Democratic Party because older Republican staples—gerrymandering, opinion-wrappedas-news, systematic gridlock—are shortcuts too. But as President Donald Trump warns in "The Art of the Deal," “You can't con people, at least not for long. … If you don't deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on." The shortcut party is reaping what it sowed. It deserves to lose.

Recognizing the cheapening of the GOP brand, there’s one big implication:

Trumpism without President Trump is not a safe bet. Virginia GOP nominee Ed Gillespie failed to win a winnable race using the formula that worked for President Trump. Other politicians will notice.

Meanwhile, Roy Moore is facing far more backlash from the national party for sexual allegations against him than President Trump ever did. This is a more tangible takeaway for other Republicans:

neighborhoods’ social bonds to win power for their communities by protesting, reading, organizing and running for office. The list goes on. Not all of these citizen groups even support the Democratic Party, but by mobilizing ordinary voters, they’re motivating the party to follow.

The reason for all this? A year ago, President Trump’s victory left vast swaths of America feeling targeted or ignored by his

PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Graphic by Kaitlyn Patterson '20.

Beth Grossman 25.3%

Lawrence S. Krasner 74.67% NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR

Kim Guadagno 42.3%

Philip Murphy 55.6% VIRGINIA GOVERNOR

Ed Gillespie 45%

Ralph Northam 53.9% none of them are as important to the party as his actions may not have repercussions, but theirs will. The massive shortcut that is Trumpism will not win the GOP every race.

At the same time, Democrats are learning how to campaign. Groups like Indivisible, Black Lives Matter, Let America Vote and even the Democratic Socialists of America are bringing the elite, meritocratic left back into the neighborhood canvassing and town hall meetings that win local elections and build national movements.

Young people of color are building on their

treacherous, lying, white-focused campaign. So ordinary Americans stood up for themselves, organizing, marching, rallying, forming platforms and making calls to legislators when their rights were threatened.

And they’re not done yet.

Just as important as these activists’ passion is what they’re fighting for. This year, Democrats are seeing that “diversity issues” and “economic issues” don’t necessarily contradict one another. In the past year, droves of pundits have fretted that the American left is hung up on a platform of radical in-

clusion, at the expense of appeals to a broad coalition of voters. This was never true in practice, but it led some in the Democratic coalition to fear that this “economic appeal” was just a justification to ditch painfully underrepresented minorities in favor of white voters. In other words, answering a shortcut with a shortcut yet again.

The 2017 elections should show us that this is not the case for the Democrats. Their much-mocked “Better Deal” is a serious platform, with emphasis on labor unions, rural and urban development and corporate concentration, as well as civil rights. It’s a thoroughly credible platform for candidates of every ethnicity, gender, education level, zip code and sexual orientation. Case in point: Virginians elected Danica Roem as the first transgender person to win state office on a platform of filling potholes on local highways. If this trend is real, it looks like the Democrats have rejected another shortcut: the idea that you can’t fight for pluralism and economic dignity at the same time.

Back in Alabama, Democrat Doug Jones’s appeal to voters is a dignified balance of “tabletop issues” like healthcare, jobs and education with his history of fighting for civil rights. If he wins, it will be a clear mandate to Democrats that the path to victory isn’t just about going to the center, to the right or to the left. It’s holistic and starts from the bottom. It’s about listening to the concerns, fears and hopes of ordinary Americans, enlisting their help and their voices, translating those voices into real, credible platforms, handing those platforms to credible candidates and running like hell—in every town and in every district.

And that’s no shortcut.

Blurring the line between social media and news The problem with unfiltered information on Facebook JOSH BOSTROM '19

Hawk Staff

When certain industries are deemed excessively large or influential, they are often highlighted by the media or government as being “too big.” This has been seen before with the categorization, criticism and regulation in the rise of the tobacco industry—Big Tobacco—and the wide-reaching influence of the pharmaceutical industry—Big Pharma. In the past decade, with the exponential growth of technology companies, we have seen the rise of a new type of attention on the tech industry—Big Tech.

In the tech industry, critics focus on five companies due to their controlling size in the sector. Recently dubbed “The Big 5” or “The Frightful Five” by those weary of their size and influence, this group is composed of Facebook, Apple, Alphabet (the company that owns Google), Microsoft and Amazon. Together they account for over $3 trillion in wealth and have remained the focus of controversy—such as for their role in consumer privacy or monopolistic tendencies. However, lately these companies are under increased scrutiny for assisting in further dividing the country.

In a world increasingly consumed by technology, we have become conditioned for convenience. This convenience, howev-

er, has led many in society to turn to these tech companies for their news consumption, which has led to several recent issues.

While being able to receive news and social media in the same place may seem positive, the 2016 election revealed the potential side-effects of this convenience.

Many members of U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 presidential campaign by spreading false information about candidates, but the extent and scope of this false information wasn't revealed until recently.

Facebook, just one of the platforms utilized by Russia, released over 3,000 ads last month, reflecting the efforts undertaken by these foreign agents to influence the minds of the American people. Some ads were more blatant in their support for one candidate—such as a picture of Jesus and Satan arm wrestling with the caption, “If Hillary wins, I win” above Satan—but not all of the efforts to influence the election were so obvious.

Several Facebook pages linked to these efforts also had content supporting Democrats as well. In fact, the only clear objective in these pages and advertisements was to create instability and further divisions

among Americans.

Some ads were pro-Bernie Sanders, some ads spread anti-Trump information following the election. But the complexity of these efforts went as far as organizing pro-Muslim and anti-Muslim rallies at the same time and location in Texas, crossing from the boundaries of Facebook into the real world.

The problem with the Russian information campaign is that it is rooted in cheap, easily targeted and highly unfiltered ads.

These ads are highly customizable, targeting users with a variety of demographics, such as declared interests, location and even more complex parameters such as issues viewed as important based off content posted on profiles.

This controversy poses a new, unprecedented problem regarding the balance between freedom of speech on the internet and the need to regulate flow of information to protect citizens from false information by those attempting to influence the American people.

Government reactions to these foreign influence efforts has been strong, not only in the U.S. with the proposal of the socalled Honest Ads Act, but also abroad with

Graphic by Kelly Smith '19.

Germany’s Network Enforcement Law. If there is one thing to learn from Germany, however, it’s that a law such as this cannot be rushed, which many feel the U.S. government is doing.

While I believe something must be done to fix the issue of foreign interference in our elections, I am wary of the speed with which representatives have jumped to support this bill. The bill needs to be carefully debated to weigh the benefits with the possibility for First Amendment infringement—something that many in Germany regret, reflecting on the passage of their law.

No matter which path we take as a country, through the Honest Ads Act or something else, we need to have a solution before the 2018 midterm election, because there is no sign that the dissemination of this false information on social media will stop any time soon.

Lifestyle

Nov. 15, 2017

7

Word Search Meme Edition ROSE WELDON ’19 Lifestyle Editor

Solve the clue and find the word in the word search. Parentheses indicate number of letters.

1. This meme originated in 2016 with the Rio Olympics, where Michael Phelps was seen looking angry while awaiting a race (10, 2 words).

2. Ostensibly about a well-to-do neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, “_______ Style” by rapper Psy is the third most-viewed video on YouTube – and possibly the most loved meme of 2013 (7).

3. A six-minute video by motivational speaker Judson Laipply, “_________ of Dance” was, for a time, the most-viewed video on YouTube (9).

4. Parodied by everyone from “Family Guy” to Christoph Waltz, this Russian nonsense tune is otherwise known as the _______ song (7).

5. Model and actor Isaiah Mustafa became known as the “___ _____” guy for sitting on a horse in an ad for a certain line of body washes and deodorants (8, 2 words).

6. To understand this 2017 meme, one must know the rules: “You’ve heard of elf on the _____, now get ready for (noun) in the (other noun)!” (5).

7. Double _______, all the way across the sky! It's so bright, so vivid! (7) 8. This trend involves laying flat on the ground. Feeling wooden yet? (8) 9. The late, talented actor Gene Wilder achieved meme fame with the classic “Condescending Willy _____” (5).

10. “All Your Base Are Belong to Us” is one of the funniest video game typos, but what 1989 game did it come from? (8, 2 words) 11. Curious as to the background of a famous martial artist and “Walker, Texas Ranger” star? Then look no further than “_____ ______ Facts” (11, 2 words).

12. The animal star of this meme is really a prairie dog, but that hasn’t stopped millions from calling him “Dramatic ________” (8).

13. This PBS cartoon character's clenched fist became a popular meme used to express petty anger (6).

14. A tiny image of this performer, whose most recent hit was “One Dance,” can be placed anywhere, as long as it’s funny (5).

15. One of the greatest basketball players of all time isn’t immune to emotion, as “______ Jordan” showed (6).

16. As the cats like to say, “Can I has ___________?” (11).

17. A still from “Muppets Most Wanted” paved the way for a bit of silliness known as “Evil ______” (6).

18. Aim the camera at shoes. Now just scream, “What are _____?!” (5) 19. Celebrating 10 years of infamy this month is a meme that most viewers definitely don’t see coming. But we’re never going to give it up (8).

High-kick into gear St. Joe's Irish Dance Club steps on ERIN DUFFY ’20 Hawk Staff St. Joe’s Irish Dance Club competed in its first competition in the club’s young history on Nov. 4 at Villanova University and took home three awards.

The Intercollegiate Irish Dance competition included 13 schools from across the country. The morning focused on traditional dances such as the four-hand (four dancers) and eight-hand (eight dancers). The afternoon focused on what is called “fun number,” dances that can use non-traditional music and steps.

The Irish Dance Club placed fourth overall in the fun number, choreographed

by Delaney Coppola ’20.

The team placed third in a group traditional dance, and Patrick Hegarty ’19 won fourth in a solo treble reel, a traditional dance performed with reel music.

“I obviously didn’t know we were going to do well, but I think when a great group of people come together, and

The St. Joe's Irish Dance Club after its first competition (Photo courtesy of St. Joe's Irish Dance Club).

everyone tries really hard, it’s always great when they do,” Coppola said.

The Irish Dance Club was founded last year by co-presidents Coppola and Stephanie Crispell ’20. Before coming to St. Joe’s, the women had belonged to Irish dance schools which had competed against one another. When they discovered they were both going to attend the same college,

they decided to bring Irish dancing to St. Joe’s.

Last year, the club had about eight consistent members. This year, it grew to about 15 members, with others who have recently reached out to join.

“We want to share our love for Irish culture with everybody,” Crispell said.

Emily Turilli ’21 joined the Irish Dance

Club years after quitting when she was eight years old. She said she is quickly picking up all the steps she once learned, and is excited to continue dancing.

“I’ve always loved Irish dancing, but just never stuck with it,” Turilli said.

Crispell and Coppola have big plans for the future of the club. They performed at the Miracle Network Dance Marathon on Nov. 11, and also plan to compete in other Irish dance competitions soon.

They also want to become more involved on campus and aspire to perform at events, such as basketball games and Relay for Life.

Coppola said she hopes more people will take notice of the club after winning awards in a serious competition.

“We are just trying to get recognition that we are a club,” Coppola said, “and for all the hard work the dancers put into their dances.”

8

Lifestyle

Nov. 15, 2017

Ready, set...wait!

Getting a driver’s license later in life ALYSSA THOMPSON ’19 Special to The Hawk When Taicha Morin ’20 turned 16 and was first eligible to get a driver’s license in her home state of New York, she immediately opted against getting one.

Three years later, at age 19, Morin still doesn’t have her license. For one, she finds it easier to get around her hometown, the New York City borough of Brooklyn, without a car. During high school, when she first could have applied for a learner’s permit, she said she had more important decisions to make, like where she was going to attend college. Then there were the expenses: the license, the car, the insurance. Throw in the potential of a car accident, and she’s not rushing to get one anytime soon.

“I’m paranoid about getting in an accident,” Morin said. “I’ve seen some pretty bad car crashes, and it’s made me afraid to drive.”

Morin is not alone. A recent study conducted by the Society for Research in Child Development on “The Decline in Adult Activities Among U.S. Adolescents” found

Graphic by Kelly Smith ’19.

Some unlicensed drivers use ridesharing apps like Lyft and Uber (Photo by Matt Barrett ’20).

that 71.67 percent of eligible teens had their license at the end of 2016. That’s down from 83 percent of eligible teens with licenses in 2006 and 85 percent in 1996.

Julian Palermo ’20 only recently decided to get his license in order to travel to and from his current job. Prior to this decision, he held off getting his license as he attended a private boarding school in Massachusetts.

“My high school didn't allow us to park our cars on campus, so there was no need for me to drive during the school year,” Palermo said.

There are many reasons why young adults like Morin and Palermo are now delaying what was previously known as a crucial milestone or “rite of passage” into

adulthood. Understanding why this decline has occurred is not simple, though, according to Greg Nicholls, Ph.D., director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

“I think there are a couple of different parts to it,” Nicholls said. “I certainly think parenting has something to do with it. I think parents are more protective of their children. People feel there’s more danger out there, whether that’s real or not.”

Smartphones and on-demand transportation apps also allow many teens to access rides when they need them.

“With Uber and Lyft available, who needs a license and car when you can pay someone to drive you around?” Morin said.

Morin’s question echoes what Tia Noelle Pratt, Ph.D., visiting instructor of sociology, finds to be a contributing factor to the decline of teen drivers as well.

“The availability, even ubiquity, of these services decreases the need for having a driver's license and a car for getting around,” Pratt said.

Plus, Pratt added, with the cost of cars and insurance, “adulting is very expensive.”

In his book “What Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Know: An Insider Shows You How to Win at Insurance,” Todd Erkis, visiting professor of finance, mentions the expense of “adulting” as it relates to young adults and car insurance.

“Younger drivers are relatively inexperienced and are likely to get into more accidents,” Erkis said. “Insurance companies have to charge teen drivers higher premiums to account for this.”

For example, teen drivers who are accident-free can pay between $1,200 and $1,400 per year for car insurance, and that’s factoring in a decent GPA as well.

For teens who do put off getting a license, it still feels like a rite of passage when they finally do, even if that rite of passage is pushed later into their teens and twenties.

Lauren Browning ’19 finally got her license at the end of her first year at St. Joe’s.

“Once you get it, you feel so much more independent,” Browning said. “It’s like a breakthrough to adult life.”

Not my Superman Reflecting on the DCEU before "Justice League" ROSE WELDON ’19 Lifestyle Editor This weekend sees the release of “Justice League,” the latest film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), based on the classic DC Comics, where classic characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and Superman all hail. I’ve seen all the entries in the franchise so far, and in my mind they have ranged from surprisingly moving (“Wonder Woman”) to downright awful (“Suicide Squad). But I don’t think I’ll ever fully give myself over to enjoying the DCEU, and the reason for this has to do with one experience I had over four years ago.

In 2013, I turned 16, and as a present my mother whisked me away to Los Angeles, where we attended studio tours, walked on the Sunset Strip and even had a celebrity encounter, literally bumping into Ron “Hellboy” Perlman at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. It was a movie lover’s paradise, and I embraced all it had to offer.

A few days into our trip, my mom and I decided to watch a film at the world’s most famous picture house: Grauman’s Chinese Theater, also known as the place where celebrities put their handprints in cement.

We checked the showtimes, hoping to find

some arthouse foreign piece or romantic film. Much to our surprise, all that was playing was “Man of Steel.”

I’d heard through the grapevine that the latest entry in the Superman story was not a great movie, but this was Grauman’s, I was in Hollywood, and would be leaving in three days. It was either now, or never for the foreseeable future.

So we bought tickets and entered the lobby. It really was breathtaking - the art-deco design that ran throughout the interior, the illuminated posters of the innumerable classics that had premiered there, the knowledge I was walking in the same path Meryl Streep probably had at one point. Even the fresh popcorn tasted a little better.

One of the employees tore our tickets and pointed down a dark hallway. “It’s that way. Please enjoy the show, ladies.”

We nodded and entered the legendary theater, breathing in the history embedded in the walls, carpet and the majestic screen perched in the front. As we settled into our seats, I sighed with satisfaction. Grauman’s was all I thought it would be and more. But this was all about to change.

After a few dozen trailers and previews, “Man of Steel” finally began.

I should clarify I have never had a

special connection with Superman. I didn’t read the comics and only saw the first of the Christopher Reeve movies from the ‘70s and ‘80s. My knowledge only extended to his origin story, that he fought for truth, justice and the American way, and that he hardly ever killed his enemies.

But I knew enough to realize “Man of Steel” was wretched.

Who goes into a Superman movie expecting to see sorrow, death and wide-scale destruction? What was with the “Memento”-style editing? How was it possible for the filmmakers to waste Amy Adams so badly? And the most pressing of all: Why did Superman kill his enemy at the end when there was no good reason for it?

I ranted about this to my mother later that night at dinner. As she sympathized with me, I realized something awful: the movie not only wasted two hours of my time, but also had ruined my experience at what should have been a Mecca for this movie lover.

By total chance, I haven’t enjoyed a DC movie until this year’s “Wonder Woman.”

The two DCEU successors, “Batman v.

Superman” and “Suicide Squad,” weren’t great either, but at least for those I wasn’t in Hollywood itself at the most famous theater on Earth.

Graphic by Kaitlyn Patterson ’20.

Lifestyle

Nov. 15, 2017

9

Fearless in a new image

Taylor Swift evolves with "reputation" FRANKI RUDNESKY '18 Managing Editor Taylor Swift is back with a vengeance.

Swift released “reputation” on Nov. 10, and for those who thought she couldn’t completely reinvent herself any more than she did on “1989,” welcome to her sixth album.

On this 15-track record, Swift not-sosubtly calls out shady former friends, slimy ex-boyfriends and the public’s obsession with her private life. It’s not all negative feelings though, as she references her refreshing new relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn on multiple tracks. “reputation” is cohesive, with tracks woven together to create the full picture of Swift’s life in recent years: a pop star who’s fallen from grace, taken some time out of the spotlight to contemplate her next move and is now unapologetically reborn.

The musical journey begins with “...

Ready for It?,” one of four singles debuted ahead of the album’s release. This first single sets the tone, with a mixture of dark sass and sweetness. Next is “End Game,” which features Ed Sheeran and Future, an unusual collaboration that actually works, with its upbeat, catchy bridge and chorus.

“I Did Something Bad” is about a love in which she sings of the shaky foundation gone sour, but doesn’t play as an angry of a relationship formed by using this new song. Swift revels in being the heartbreakman to leave her former boyfriend, possibly er rather than being the one heartbroken, a reference to her relationseen in the lyrics, “They say I did someships with Calvin thing bad/Then why’s it feel so good?”

Harris and then Despite the vengeful theme, it’s a Tom Hiddleston. feel-good song, one only the "new Taylor" “Dancing could truly pull off. This same attitude is With Our Hands reflected in the 13th track, “This Is Why Tied,” a smooth We Can’t Have Nice Things,” in which pop song with an Swift almost explicitly disses Kanye West EDM-reminiscent beat for manipulating her when she thought drop, was one of the standthey’d repaired their friendship. outs of the entire album. I “Delicate” shows Swift’s lyrics are just wouldn’t usually comment as relatable as ever, as she croons about a on the ‘beat drop’ in a new relationship she is nervous to ruin Taylor Swift song, but by moving too quickly: “Is it cool then again nothing about that I said all that?/ this album is usual.

Is it chill that “New Year’s Day” is you’re in my the pared-down, sweet head?/’Cause melody we all needI know ed at the end of this that it’s whirlwind album; delicate.” just Swift and her pia“So it no, hoping the object of Goes…,” a title which this song will always could be a reference to be around for the small Graphic by Kaitlyn Patterson '20. author Kurt Vonnegut, is moments, like cleaning up a dreamy club beat. Swift after a party. delves into love triangles in “Getaway Car,” While her lyrical prowess is as strong

as ever, Swift’s voice doesn’t truly get the chance to shine on this album except for a few tracks, what with the heavy, 80s-inspired production on most of her songs.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because what Swift has created is a genuinely good pop album that fans will listen to all the way through.

The overall sound of this album is totally different from what listeners may have learned to expect from Swift. The songs are upbeat pop, with a pinch of rap here and a hint of EDM there, and lend more toward a dance party than a heartbroken crying session like some of her previous albums.

Unlike all of her former releases, there isn’t one song on “reputation” that’s a slow, sad tearjerker, as this album is unapologetically triumphant. Regardless of the media’s image of her, Swift knows who she is now and her music reflects that.

Whether the public will embrace “new Taylor” still remains to be seen, but she has made a strong statement and is waiting to hear a response. The only question now is, are you ready for it?

The spirit of Thanksgiving

Celebrating that holiday between Halloween and Christmas EMILY GRAHAM '20 Assistant Lifestyle Editor If you have been to Target, a mall or Center City recently, you may have noticed that as soon as Halloween ended, the Christmas season took full swing. With decoration sales, Christmas trees and ice skating rinks popping up all over the place, it can be easy to forget the other holiday between Oct. 31 and Dec. 25: Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is not always seen as the most exciting holiday. It may bring up some mixed emotions, and it does not have the commercial appeal as other holidays. However, it can still be a time worth celebrating for reflection, family and food.

Here are a few ways to make the most of the often-forgotten Thanksgiving season: Movies: Thanksgiving does not have quite the array of films as other holidays, but there are a few out there that take place around the holiday. Movies such as “The Blind Side,” “You’ve Got Mail” and even “Rocky” feature scenes that will make you look forward to the holiday dinner. If all else fails, the classic “A

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” will never let you down.

Decor: Although every department store has already set up its Christmas tree display, it’s not time to put away the fall

Graphic by Kaitlyn Patterson '20.

decorations just yet. While you may not feel motivated to trace your hand and make a turkey, there are also plenty of other ways you can decorate your space for the

Thanksgiving season. Pumpkins, autumn leaves and red and orange accents will help to foster the Thanksgiving spirit and allow you to hold onto fall for a little longer.

Activities: While many people limit Thanksgiving activities to the actual day, there are some ways you can celebrate the season to the fullest. Since it’s still fall, it’s not too late to visit a pumpkin patch or farmer’s market. Places like Linvilla Orchards can fulfill your final autumn wishes with pumpkins, fresh apple cider and seasonal activities, while also providing key ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner.

Friendsgiving: Although it might sound cheesy, a “Friendsgiving” dinner can be a fun alternative for those who may not enjoy or are unable to put together the traditional holiday celebration. With a Friendsgiving dinner, you can have all the benefits of the typical Thanksgiving dinner – namely, the food -- but on your own terms. You can surround yourself with friends and think about just how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Parades: Thanksgiving offers the best

parades by far. While the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a favorite among television viewers, those in the Philadelphia area have the opportunity to attend the country’s oldest Thanksgiving parade right in their town. Although these parades take place only on Thanksgiving Day, they’re a fun tradition you can look forward to in the weeks ahead.

Food: Saving the best for last, it’s finally time to talk about the highlight of the holiday: the food. Whether it’s turkey, stuffing or cranberry sauce, we all have our favorite Thanksgiving dish. While you may want to save the full meal for actual day, it is never too early to indulge in some pie or test out a new recipe to prepare for the big feast.

Thanksgiving is largely overshadowed by the Christmas season, which seems to be starting sooner and sooner each year.

While Christmas may be more exciting, Thanksgiving could still use some recognition, as it can be a time to be grateful, spend time with family and friends and eat some delicious food.

10

Sports

Nov. 15, 2017

Making a comeback

Shavar Newkirk has successful debut after ACL tear MARISSA PURNELL '18 Hawk Staff Almost a year after senior Shavar Newkirk ended his season early, due to injury, he was cleared to resume his basketball career at St. Joe's as one of five starters in the team's season opener against Toledo University on Nov. 11.

Newkirk's season ended last December after he tore his ACL on a fast break during a game against George Washington University.

Not only a starter, Newkirk scored 21 points in 20 minutes of play time, continuing last season’s average of 20.3 points per game before he was injured.

“It felt great to be back,” said Newkirk, who plays point guard. “I actually shed a tear before I stepped on the court. Being away from something you love for a whole year drove me crazy.

When I played, it felt amazing.”

During last year’s game against George Washington, Newkirk had been on a roll with his sixth straight point. At first, he didn’t realize he had torn his ACL. Instead, he thought he had just “tweaked” his knee and that with treatment, he would be able to return to the game.

When he was told otherwise, he started to cry.

“I work hard for a lot of things, and in my eyes this was going to be my breakout season,” Newkirk said. “So, when that happened, everything just stopped abruptly. It was emo-

tional. My father was there. I started tearing.

He started tearing. We shared a moment.”

Newkirk underwent surgery last January. He said he tried to stay focused mentally during his recovery process.

“I stayed optimistic first off because people told me that when your mental is strong, your recovery will go well,” Newkirk said. “So I did a lot of watching inspirational videos, doing things to get my mind off of it.”

Although Newkirk was not playing, he continued to support his teammates, watching all of the games, both home and away.

In addition, Newkirk surrounded himself with his friends to cope with the long recovery process.

“They don’t talk about basketball or my injury,” Newkirk said. “They just genuinely want to be with me.”

Every athlete is different when it

Senior Shavar Newkirk drives to the basket against rival Villanova University in the 2016-17 season (Photo by Luke Malanga '20).

comes to when they can return to their sport after an ACL tear, according to Bill Lukasiewicz, head athletic trainer.

“After the reconstruction, typical recovery time is anywhere from six to 12 months to return to sports,” Lukasiewicz said. “We typically would like them to be at 90 percent before they are cleared to play.”

Before Newkirk could play again, he had to go through ACL rehab with Brian Bingaman, the strength coach for the men’s basketball team.

“I got him after about six to eight weeks,” Bingaman said. “We did a lot of strength training. We did at least five days a week. Once he got his full range of motion, then we started incorporating different things trying to work on his hamstring flexibility, work on his functional range of motion and trying to re-teach him how to run and jump.”

Newkirk was cleared to join the team for his first practice on Oct. 31.

“My coordination was a little off,” Newkirk said afterward, “but I’m gonna get to it.”

In fact, Newkirk said he believes his skills are all still there.

“I think I actually got quicker,” he said.

“Right now, it’s all about building everything back up, making sure I’m stronger than what I was before.”

Men's tennis fights injuries

Navy Invitational brings challenges to end the fall tennis season ALEX KARPINSKI '20 Hawk Staff

The St. Joe’s men’s tennis team traveled to Annapolis, Maryland this past weekend to compete in the Navy Invitational from Nov. 10 through Nov. 12. The Hawks fought through a number of injuries, and the lack of success on the scoreboard did not reflect the many positive takeaways from the weekend.

Head Coach Ian Crookenden said his team played well, but knew the challenges of playing the team’s first indoor tournament of the year.

“The indoor game is much more of a power game than it is a control game,” Crookenden said. We were standing way back on the first day, as if we were playing outdoors, but we adjusted our game and stepped in as we progressed through the weekend.”

Playing indoors gives tennis players the opportunity to be much more aggressive.

There are no weather related conditions, such as wind, impacting the flight of the ball. Due to this, playing indoors allows players to step in and hit much more offensively than they often would outdoors.

“There were a lot of positive takeaways from the weekend,” Crookenden said. “But from a coach's perspective, it was a little skewed.”

Crookenden expected to be playing outside this weekend, and be able to assess the team’s final outdoor match of the fall

season. But the weather had other plans, forcing the players to compete inside due to extremely cold temperatures. This meant the Navy Invitational was much more of a preview for the coming winter season, rather than a culmination of the fall season.

Senior captain Tim Stierle agreed with Crookenden, and said there were many positive takeaways from the weekend.

“I think overall the team played well,” Stierle said. “But I think we could have played better, particularly in doubles. We performed very well in singles and we all fought very hard and never gave up, but we really need to improve our doubles play.”

Stierle was one of a number of Hawks who were hampered by injury or sickness over the weekend. Stierle has been hampered by problems stemming from an injury he sustained in the summer. But he refused to use it as an excuse for his 1-3 results over the weekend.

Other injuries sustained by St. Joe’s included junior Andre Fick going down with an ankle injury on Friday, leaving him unable to play for the rest of the weekend.

Freshman Johnny Massart did not even travel with the team due to flu-like symptoms and sophomore Nathan Fioravante dealt with an achilles injury.

Stierle emphasised the fact doubles

play needs to be improved going forward.

Finding combinations that will work before the winter season is very important . The Hawks had experimented and found combinations that worked during the outdoor season. However, that success did not translate to indoor play.

Experimenting with different partners is something Crookenden said the team would test in the coming months. Crookenden knows he has a strong roster, and is not afraid to give players deeper in the roster more playing time if they prove they are deserving.

“There will be utilization of talent deeper on the squad,” Crookenden said.

“This is due to different styles and experiences of players that are better suited for different conditions.”

Stierle also added that changes in certain technical aspects of the team play would result in improved doubles play.

“Heading into the break we need to work on the little things,” Stierle said. “We really need to work on volleying and finishing points.”

Being more aggressive at the net is one of the major aspects Stierle would like to see the team improve upon. Apart from a few specific question marks, Stierle is very confident in this roster going forward.

“If we keep putting 110 percent into our singles matches, and continue to improve on the doubles court, we will be heading in the right direction,” Stierle said.

The Hawks will look to improve over the next couple months with their winter season opener beginning on Jan. 27 against Chestnut Hill College.

Sophomore Beekman Schaeffer serves the ball at the SJU Tennis Invitational earlier in the season (Photo by Luke Malanga '20).

Sports

Nov. 15, 2017

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Starting off strong Women's basketball begins with blowout victory NICK MANDARANO '18 Sports Editor It was a scoring eruption when the St. Joe’s women’s basketball team defeated Niagara University on the road to open their season on Nov. 12. The 93-69 victory marked the most points the Hawks have scored in a game since Dec. 28, 2015 when St. Joe’s beat the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) by a score of 104-45.

Junior Alyssa Monaghan led all scorers with 23 points, shooting a perfect 8-8 from the field and 7-7 from three-point range, something no Hawk has done since Mégan Compain in 1997. As a team, St. Joe’s was 15-20 from beyond the arc as junior Kristalyn Baisden added another five three-point field goals of her own.

“We definitely have three-point shooters,” Head Coach Cindy Griffin said. “They were playing a zone, so we moved the ball really well. It went inside-outside and when you’re playing against a zone, your shooters have to shoot, and our shooters definitely shot.”

With 2:36 to play in the first quarter, public address announcer Adam Evans

called senior Avery Marz’s name as she entered her first career game for St. Joe’s. This was a historic moment for Marz, who has been recovering from a stroke that occurred a week before the beginning of her freshman year.

"I would say the beginning when I first checked in was more so when the nerves hit," Marz said. "Just the first check in, to hear you name be called and get onto the court, but as soon as I was in, it was just excitement and happiness to be in."

With 5:57 remaining in the game, Marz pulled up from three and scored her first collegiate points.

"When I finally scored, it was awesome because it was right in front of my bench, so I heard my coaching staff and all my teammates cheer for me," Marz said. "That was really surreal just to hear their excitement."

After the Hawks took an early commanding lead, the Purple Eagles managed to cut the deficit to just three points early in the second quarter. St. Joe’s responded with a 14-0 run to take a 36-19 lead.

Niagara was able to slightly outscore St. Joe’s in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the blowout loss handed to them by the Hawks.

Baisden supplied her squad with 19 points in addition to the 14 points junior Sarah Veilleux and senior Adashia Franklyn each added. Franklyn also pulled down 15 rebounds on her way to a double-double and provided excellent defense. St. Joe’s as a team led Niagara in rebounding 38-23.

“Adashia [Frankyln] guards the best post player on the other team, so she’s very contentious about defending and also rebounding,” Griffin said. “The fact that she can put 14 points on the 15 rebounds while holding the other team’s best player under her [scoring] average is terrific. That’s an allaround player right there.”

Although holding the Purple Eagles to just 35.2 percent shooting, Griffin wasn’t happy with the 69 points the team allowed and says that defense is definitely an area of necessary improvement.

“We scored 93, but we gave up almost

70 points,” Griffin said. “That’s an area where we absolutely need to improve on, is defensively.”

The Hawks return to the hardwood to face Bucknell University on the road on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m.

Junior Sarah Veilleux looks to drive past a defender on Jan. 29, 2017 (Photo by Luke Malanga '20).

Lasting pains lead to loss Men's basketball opens season with loss to Toledo NICK KARPINSKI '21 Hawk Staff The St. Joe’s men’s basketball team kicked their season off with a 98-87 road loss against University of Toledo on Nov. 11.

The Hawks were forced to begin their season without sophomore A-10 All Rookie selection Charlie Brown. He will miss at least the first three games due to a fractured wrist.

Senior Shavar Newkirk and junior Lamarr Kimble entered this game with extra motivation after their 2016-17 campaign came to an early close due to injury. Newkirk fell victim to a torn ACL on Dec. 30 of last year and Kimble had to miss the last seven games due to a fractured foot.

“Confidence and energy was very high because I hadn’t played in almost a year,” Newkirk said. “It was a great feeling to step back on the court.”

The Hawks were a little shaky in the first seven minutes of play. Senior James Demery and sophomore Pierfrancesco Oliva combined for only four points, which put St. Joe’s at an early 14 point deficit (18-4).

St. Joe’s managed to make it a four point game with five and a half minutes to play in the half, but Toledo quickly extended their lead and closed out the half, 45-36.

Demery was the leading scorer in the first half for the Hawks with 10 points. He was 4-6 from the field and 0-1 from three.

Toledo’s junior guard Jaelan Sanford led the Rockets in the first half with an impressive 16 points.

The first three minutes of the second half was a mirror image of the lackluster product St. Joe’s delivered during the first half. The score was 55-41 at this point, but it was only a matter of time before the Hawks started to catch fire.

Throughout the next seven minutes, St. Joe’s would outscore Toledo 17-8. Newkirk was the leading contributor with 10 points, bringing the Hawks to within three at the 10:27 mark. One minute later, Newkirk stole the ball, ran the length of the court and orchestrated a three point play off of an andone layup. This brought their deficit down to two points, with the scoreboard at 66-64.

However, the Hawks’ impressive surge wasn’t nearly enough to stop Toledo’s high power perimeter offense. The Rockets would go on a 12-4 run and expand their lead to double digits, closing out the game with a 12 point advantage at 98-87. At the end of the game, Newkirk reflected on the team’s defensive struggles.

“Our reaction time has to be a little bit faster,” Newkirk said. “We need to anticipate better. Most of the time we waited until something happened, and by that time it was too late.”

Newkirk led St. Joe’s in scoring with 21 points. He was 6-12 from the field and 2-3 from three. Kimble put up 10 points but re-injured his foot towards the end of the game. He has been sent back to Philadelphia for further evaluation by team doctors.

Demery finished with 16 points after being 6-9 from the field and 1-3 from three. Freshman Taylor Funk had an impressive debut performance, coming off the bench with 16 points.

Head Coach Phil Martelli commented on St. Joe’s overall performance in their opening game.

“From the first day of practice, I’ve been concerned about our foot speed,” Martelli said. “There were nine missed layups in the first half. But it was comforting to know that we could score the ball. Opportunities to win road games come up infrequently and you have to get it.”

Martelli also made sure to highlight Newkirk’s 21-point performance on the night.

“I was delighted by Shavar [Newkirk],” Martelli said. “Much credit to Bill Lukasiewicz [athletic trainer] and Brian Bingaman [strength coach], and his [Newkirk’s] courage and heart, and that’s a learned behavior. He’s a tribute to his family.”

Despite his impressive performance, Newkirk was not satisfied.

“I rank myself on wins,” Newkirk said.

“Even though I played well, we didn’t get the win, so there’s way more I could have done. I should have gotten my teammates involved a little more.”

Newkirk also made sure to comment on the team’s low free throw percentage, which was 55 percent from the line.

“I believe it was first game jitters,” Newkirk said. "We definitely need to see the free throw percentage go up.”

St. Joe’s continued its road trip at the University of Illinois at Chicago on Nov. 13.

They will then return home to Hagan Arena to face off against Princeton University on Nov. 18.

Junior Pierfrancesco Oliva drives to the basket in the Hawk Aid scrimmage (Photo by Luke Malanga '20).

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Sports

Nov. 15, 2017

Historic season comes to a close

Field hockey falls to North Carolina in NCAA quarterfinals ALEX HARGRAVE '20 Assistant Sports Editor After an Atlantic 10 Championship and a berth into the NCAA tournament for the first time, the St. Joe’s field hockey team’s season came to an end on Nov. 11 with a loss to fourth-ranked University of North Carolina.

The Hawks ended the season ranked 15 in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Coaches Poll, the highest position they have ever reached.

This historic season earned Head Coach Lynn Farquhar her second Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award.

“One of our goals is always to better our past, so it was exciting doing something [reaching the NCAA tournament] for the first time,” Farquhar said.

Junior Anna Willocks is now in the record books for earning her third consecutive title as Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year. She is the first student athlete in the conference to achieve this honor. Freshman Quinn Maguire was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, and sophomore goalkeeper Victoria Kammerinke earned the honor of Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

The Hawks’ decorated roster was not enough to beat an experienced North Carolina though. The game marked the Tar Heels’ head coach, Karen Shelton’s 88th NCAA tournament game.

“Karen is a very experienced coach; I wouldn’t be surprised if they came away with the title,” Farquhar said.

St. Joe’s held possession in the beginning of the game, but North Carolina capitalized first just nine minutes into the game. Tar Heels’ Eva van’t Hoog took a shot from the top of the circle that got past Kammerinke.

The Hawks’ defense played tight, allowing just one penalty corner in the first half, but the Tar Heels’ Gab Major scored two goals back-to-back off of loose balls near the cage to put North Carolina up 3-0 at halftime. North Carolina outshot St. Joe’s 16-0 in the first half, but the Hawks would come out stronger in the second half.

St. Joe’s matched North Carolina in shots with six each in the second half, but ultimately the Tar Heels would be the ones to score when Ashley Hoffman scored on a penalty corner 15 minutes into the half.

While the Hawks had their chances, they could not capitalize and their season ended in a 4-0 loss, but they are not deterred by the result against such a powerful program.

“UNC has a strong defensive unit, their center back has experience with our U.S. National team,” Farquhar said. “We had opportunities, but in tournament time you

Freshman Quinn Maguire attmepts to score past UNC goalie Amanda Hendry (Photo courtesy of Keith Lucas/Sideline Media Productions).

have to convert. That could really change the tempo of a game.”

Ending the season with a record of 18 wins, the Hawks hope to improve even more next year.

“We came out strong, and it was cool to see that we weren’t very intimidated by them and to be able to compete with them,” junior defender Joely Helder said. “In the years to come, we hope to have more experience like they [the Tar Heels] do so maybe we could come out with a win.”

Though there is still a year before the team’s next season, the Hawks will soon set goals for 2018. With the loss of only one senior, Jackalyn Pauling, and a strong showing this year from underclassmen, there is a lot of potential for another successful season.

“We want to win A-10s again; that’s always our goal,” Helder said. “Since we have this experience of getting to the Sweet 16, just to advance further than we did this season [is our goal], which I definitely think we could do.”

For now, the team will decompress until spring.

“I want them to enjoy this moment and really soak that in, and in the spring we’ll start working toward next year,” Farquhar said. “In the spring is where you start to build that championship mentality, so we definitely will have some goals.”

Saving the best for last

Hawks cross country set personal-bests in NCAA Regionals DREW RHOADES '20 Hawk Staff The St. Joe's men’s and women's cross country teams took to the ground in the early morning on Nov. 10 at the 2017 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships held at Lehigh University. The women had an excellent showing, finishing 13th as a team in a field of 28. The men finished 11th in a field of 26 teams in the 10k race.

Coming off the Atlantic-10 Championships where they finished second, the men experienced a disappointing region-

Grad student Dan Savage set a career best, finishing in 39th place.

als. Leading the Crimson and Gray was graduate student Dan Savage, finishing with a career-best time of 31:16.9, which was good for a 39th place finish in a field of 180 runners.

Following behind Savage was sophomore Zach Michon, who clocked in at a time of 31:30.2 in 52nd place. Senior David Dorsey finished 57th overall at 31:41.4. The Hawk’s number four and number five runners were junior Shawn Hutchinson and sophomore Josh Clark, who finished with times of 32:04.4 and 32:15.6, respectively.

Both were 10k collegiate-best times.

“Sometimes with these bigger types of races we’ll go out a little slower, and with today’s weather conditions, that’s exactly what happened,” Savage explained. “After around two to three miles, the race started picking up like crazy and I guess some of us weren’t ready for the intense pickup.”

The men don’t have much time to regroup though, as they finish up their season at the IC4A Championships on Nov. 18. in the Bronx, New York at Van Cortlandt Park.

“It’s [Van Cortlandt Park]known to be a tougher course with some pretty intense hills,” Savage said. “So going into it, I think we’re going to definitely try to cap off the season as best we can and come together and try to have another performance like we did at A-10 to solidify this good year.”

As for the women, the team was able to rebound from their performance at the A-10 Championships and come out strong, with senior Cassidy Weimer posting a new personal record in the final 6k race of her career. Weimer finished with a time of 21:15.8, good for a 46th place finish in a field of 193. Junior Lucy Harmon came in as the Hawk’s number two runner with a 63rd place finish and a time of 21:33.1, also a 6k personal record.

Junior Lindsey Oremus finished 79th overall, clocking in at 21:45.5, a season-best time. Graduate student Sydney Coughlin came in 112th with a time of 22:16.6 in her final 6k race, and junior Elaine Estes finished the scoring with a time of 22:29.6.

“These past two weeks we talked about taking away from the last race something that was good or bad,” women’s Head Coach Melody O’Reilly said. “You always learn something from every race and you're either going to do something again because you liked the way it went or you’re not going to do something again because it didn’t happen.”

Weimer felt sentimental about running the last 6k of her career.

“It was sad coming down the last 1000 knowing it was the end, but it’s been such a long season and to finally come across the line and turn around and see my teammates coming in right behind me, it was a

great feeling,” Weimer said.

The women finish up their season next week at the ECAC Championships in the Bronx, New York at Van Cortlandt Park on Nov. 18.

“I hope we perform really well,” O’Reilly said. “I get to race 10 girls in the collegiate championship and then another 10 of them race in the open race. I hope we take this really positive day [Nov. 10] and carry it right into Van Cortlandt Park."

Senior Cassidy Weimer set a new personal record in her final 6k (Photos courtesy of Tom Connelly).