Hawks perform in alma mater competition at men’s basketball game
UCity community reacts to proposed building closures
LUKE SANELLI ’26 News Editor
Key buildings on the University City campus are likely to be vacated by the end of summer 2025, according to an email to the university community.
The closures of McNeil Science and Technology Center (STC), 4140 Woodland Avenue, Alumni Hall and the Athletic/Recreation Center (ARC) are part of the university’s continued “strategy to centralize undergraduate living and learning on Hawk Hill and create a hub for specialized health professions and related graduate programs in University City,” according to the Jan. 16 email, sent by Jill Cleary ’00, Ed.D. ’23, vice president of administration and operations, and Jean McGivney-Burelle, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of academic affairs.
The STC houses 13 research laboratories ranging in size from 200 to 600 square feet, eight teaching laboratories, an auditorium and
additional office spaces. The ARC contains an indoor track, basketball court, cardio and strength centers and additional meeting spaces which can be used by student groups.
4140 Woodland Avenue houses student study spaces, the Office of Facilities Management’s shop space, the P.O.D. and Freshens, the on-campus dining option following the closure of Wilson Dining Hall in Wilson Student Center at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
The university’s intent to vacate these buildings marks the most recent steps toward an overall plan to sell the UCity campus either individually or as a whole, according to property listings. If the entire campus is sold, certain buildings would be leased back to the university, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer Jan. 22.
“I can share that interest is strong and we do have offers on our outlier properties,” Cleary wrote in a follow-up email to The Hawk, though she said she could not provide further information at this time.
The closures will coincide with “several enhancements” regarding food, fitness and study areas on the UCity campus, the Jan. 16 announcement stated.
Woodland Hall will gain a coffee cafe, and the Integrated Professional Education Complex (IPEX) will see “on-demand fresh food options,” Cleary told The Hawk. These services will provide on-campus food options previously provided by Freshens and the P.O.D.
The Woodland Hall cafe will also include both individual and group study spaces, Cleary wrote.
The STC’s closure will not affect course availability for UCity students, wrote Nathan Baird, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of chemistry, in an email to The Hawk. Classes formerly held in the STC will be moved to IPEX, Griffith or Woodland Hall or be held online, he stated.
Baird added that research and teaching labs in the STC would be moved to Hawk Hill’s Science Center, with the Science Center’s labs undergoing renovations “to better accommodate the specific teaching and research needs of our faculty and students.”
STC has seen a decline in the number of courses scheduled this academic year and primarily offers biology, pharmaceutical science and physics classes, Baird wrote.
“The decrease in course offerings reflects the university’s strategic shift to Hawk Hill for undergraduate programs, reducing the number of general education and natural science courses needed in University City,” Baird wrote.
In the spring 2024 semester, 72 classes were scheduled in the STC, compared to only 22 in spring 2025, Baird wrote.
Sarah Mele ’27 and Jacob Phelps ’28 were joint winners of the annual alma mater singing competition held during halftime at the men’s basketball game in Hagan Arena Feb. 22.
The singing competition, hosted by the Office of Vice President for Mission, is part of the celebration of Mission Week, a weeklong series of events celebrating the university’s commitment to Jesuit values.
After making it through the first round of the competition a few days earlier, Mele and Phelps said they found ways to stay relaxed in the days, hours and minutes leading up to the final performance at the basketball game.
On the day of the competition, Mele said she kept herself occupied by working an early shift at her job at a donut shop and then spent time with friends before doing final preparations for the competition.
“I rehearsed the song a little bit and figured out what note I was gonna start on,” Mele said. “Other than that, I didn’t really do much, just staying calm, talking with my friends.”
Phelps said his preparation before the competition consisted of singing and voice practices, and on the day of the competition, he stuck to basics.
“[I did] nothing too special and just practiced this [song sheet],” Phelps said. “I sang some scales, did some lip trills also. That really helps with breath. Breath is really important.”
Eric Thompson, program manager in the Office of Vice President for Mission, organized the event and served as a judge for the first part of the competition, along with the Rev. Dan Joyce ’88, S.J. Thompson said the initial six singers were graded based on technique, musical accuracy and personal expression.
“There’s usually about three or four judges who are various staff members, and they’ll go through that rubric, and, in the end, we tally the scores, and the final two are invited to sing the alma mater,” Thompson said.
Mele said she first competed in the competition in 2024, but didn’t make it to the final round.
“I knew it was a thing, but I didn’t know the words or any of the origin behind it, so last year is when I learned about it, and then I took that in with me this year, because now I knew the song and the words,” Mele said.
Mele said she has been singing for most of her life, as she participated in musical theater and was part of a choir during middle school.
“The first time I got into singing in front of crowds was in elementary school. I was in my drama play, and it was more like musical theater type stuff. And then in middle school, I was in a select travel choir,” said Mele. “It’s always just been a part of my life.”
Phelps said his rendition of the alma mater has a sound stemming from his singing experience and his classical singing training.
“I felt very, very, very confident going in,” Phelps said. “I did a lot of practice. I’ve done some [singing] things in the past. I’ve performed at Carnegie Hall three times, actually.”
Joyce said the alma mater, which was written in the 1950s by a faculty member and a student, gives students the opportunity to add their own personal expression to a timeless piece.
“It’s just a solid song that just talks about being a community and moving forward as St. Joe’s,” said Joyce. “I love when students make it their own and unique for them.”
Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University
’26
Sarah Mele ’27 and Jacob Phelps ’28 jointly won the annual alma mater singing competition held during the men’s basketball game, Feb. 22.
PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
JACOB PEIFER ’25
Special to The Hawk
First Year Seminars removed from new curriculum
TAYLA EVANS ’27
Special to The Hawk
This semester marks the end of the First Year Seminar at St. Joe’s.
The 33 sections of classes with course number 150 being taught this semester, with topics including Sex, Drug & Rock n Roll in IR; Restorative Justice; to Race and Sport in America; to Ripped from the Headlines News — represent the end of an era after the seminar was voted out of the new Cornerstone Core Curriculum (CCC).
St. Joe’s faculty voted in 2023 to approve the new general education requirements, which will go into effect with the class of 2029 in fall 2025.
The General Education Program (GEP) was too big and wasn’t adequately meeting the needs of students in certain academic programs, including those gained in the mergers with University of the Sciences and Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, said Jim Boettcher, Ph.D., professor of philosophy,
chair of of the General Education Program Oversight Committee and co-chair of the The Core Curriculum Reform Task Force.
A 2021 program review report highlighted areas where the GEP could be improved, including the First Year Seminar course. Core components of the course, like library and information literacy and oral communication, “were not being evenly realized across all sections,” Boettcher said.
“It would often serve the narrower focus of recruiting students into specific majors, rather than its original purpose, which was to introduce students to the life of the academy, to research, to thinking, to writing across disciplines,” Boettcher said.
That wasn’t the case for Nancy Fox, Ph.D., professor of economics, who said that teaching her First Year Seminar course was one of the greatest experiences she has had in 39 years at St. Joe’s. Fox said students of all majors took her First Year Seminar, and that aspect was an advantage of the course.
“They get to be with people who are
not in their major,” Fox said. “They get to consider topics that they might not otherwise think about.”
Charles Huber ’26, a finance major, had Fox as his First Year Seminar instructor.
“As an overall experience, I would say it was honestly a highlight in terms of the classes I’ve taken at St. Joe’s,” Huber said. Huber said the removal of the course in the new curriculum was “surprising but not unwarranted.”
“I don’t necessarily feel negatively or positively towards it, it just kind of is what it is,” Huber said. “They’re trying out something different.”
Long-time instructors of the classes saw other benefits of the courses. Jeffrey Hyson, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, who has been teaching First Year Seminar classes since 2010, said small class sizes — typically no more than 20 students — fostered a close connection among students and between students and faculty, important components of students’ first year experiences.
“I do know for a lot of students, that first year, especially that first semester of college, one of the many challenges is finding your people,” Hyson said. “Just meeting people who share your interests or whose personalities you enjoy, and it’s harder to do that in larger classes than it is in a First Year Seminar.”
Martha Easton, Ph.D., associate professor of art history, also acknowledged the role the course played in the First Year Experience program, which is intended “to create a sense of belonging for all first year students.” At the start of the fall 2025 semester, there will no longer be an academic course associated with the program, which includes multiple early arrival programs, orientation and other events.
“Now, there’s no designated course
where they can learn how to go to college,” Easton said. “So, I think that’s a disadvantage.”
First Year Seminar instructors had the ability to plan events and excursions to supplement the academic component of the course. Instructors were allotted $18 per student. Activities included guest speakers, trips and food, all of which served the greater purpose of enhancing the class experience, Nancy Komada, director of student transitions, said.
Ken Weidner, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, utilized this aspect of the course and took his class to a local mosque.
Some instructors designed their First Year Seminar from scratch. Weidner taught Serious Comedy and Social Justice, in which students read academic sources alongside watching comedies as a way to discuss topics that may otherwise be uncomfortable. By the end of the course, students were able to see “how corrosive and destructive social dominance of one group by another can be,” Weidner said.
Weidner said he will miss his course but understands the change.
“We needed to do that for the good of the university, to meet the needs of all of our students,” Weidner said.
Weidner said some instructors may reshape their First Year Seminar courses into another course offering. Fox is one example. In fall 2025, Fox said she will be teaching “Ripped from the Headlines: Economics in the News” as an upper-level economics elective course.
Students in the outgoing GEP curriculum must take an alternative theology, religion or philosophy course to replace the First Year Seminar, if they have not yet taken it, as per the GEP Policies & Procedures.
University buildings face floods due to freezing temperatures
VINCENT KORNACKI ’25 Managing Editor
Low winter temperatures caused pipes to freeze, resulting in flooding in several buildings on the Hawk Hill and University City campuses.
Merion Hall and Griffith Hall were flooded at the beginning of winter break, while England Library and O’Pake Fitness & Recreation Center flooded around Jan. 20, wrote Ken Ogawa, associate vice president of administrative services, in an email to The Hawk.
“When temperatures drop low, even small issues — such as a mechanical component not functioning optimally — can lead to frozen pipes,” Ogawa said. “Given that the same extreme weather impacted all campus buildings at roughly the same time, it is not unusual that multiple incidents occurred in close succession.”
The most significant damage occurred in Griffith Hall and O’Pake Fitness & Recreation Center, resulting in the closure of sections of those buildings.
In Griffith Hall, the Marvin Samson Pharmacy Museum for the History of Pharmacy had to be reorganized to avoid damage being done to the collection.
Emma Gunuey-Marrs, the museum’s
assistant curator, said while some items were affected by the flooding, the UCity community helped with cleanup efforts.
“Some of the collection items that were on display did get wet during the initial incident,” Gunuey-Marrs said. “So nothing was lost, which is really wonderful and a testament to how quickly we were able to address the issue. On that Monday, we came in, and a huge group of volunteers from PCP [Philadelphia College of Pharmacy] just descended over the break and helped us de-install pretty much the entire gallery.”
Gunuey-Marrs said portions of the ceiling were damaged enough that it needed complete replacement, and some items were impacted more than others.
“The object that was the most affected was a botanical map,” Gunuey-Marrs said. “It’s a large work on paper, and so there’s an amount of staining that is visible, but it’s still intact. So, we did not lose that piece.”
Because of the flooding, Gunuey-Marrs said the artist in residence show that was supposed to be installed in January has now been postponed to the fall 2025 semester.
In O’Pake, meanwhile, a burst sprinkler line on the second floor led to damage in two hallways and to the wood basketball floors.
Ogawa said that repairs to the court are currently in progress and are expected to be
completed over spring break. Half of a first floor basketball court remains closed until the repairs are finished.
Gavin Kneller ’27, a member of the club volleyball team and a front desk attendant at O’Pake, said this closure causes some disruption for gym-goers.
“If the gym’s taken [by] a club team or the dance team, or someone else has the gym reserved, and the people that are coming here do recreational stuff, like basketball, in the gym, they can’t do it because there’s only two gyms, and the one on one side of the court isn’t functional,” Kneller said.
In contrast, only the carpets in Merion
Hall and England Library were damaged and were quickly replaced.
Ogawa emphasized the Facilities team’s quick response to the flooding.
“In each case, our Facilities team responded quickly — within minutes to hours — to stop the flooding and begin mitigation efforts,” Ogawa said. “The exact duration of flooding varied depending on the situation, but our team acted as swiftly as possible to minimize impact and begin the recovery process.”
Monica Sowinski ’26 contributed to this article.
Feb. 16 Public Safety notified of a vandalism incident in Merion Gardens Apartments. Public Safety responded and the incident is being investigated.
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Brian Yates, Ph.D., professor of history and director of the American Studies Program, teaches his First Year Seminar, Race and Sport in America, Feb. 24. PHOTO: HANNAH PAJTIS ’26/THE HAWK
The repairs to flooding damage in O’Pake Fitness & Recreation Center are expected to be completed over Spring Break. PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
100 dollars and a dream
Philly compost organization promotes sustainability and community
HANNAH PAJTIS ’26 Features Editor
Living by himself in a second-floor South Philadelphia apartment in 2009, Tim Bennett knew he wanted to start composting. What Bennett didn’t know was how difficult composting would be in urban Philly.
“I thought maybe there was a place I could take [food scraps], and I couldn’t find it,” Bennett said. “And I thought, maybe there was someone who would come and pick it up, and there wasn’t.”
Composting is the natural process of recycling food scraps and other organic materials, which decomposes into a nutrient-rich fertilizer. Compostable items include food waste like eggshells and produce, but also non-food items like yard clippings and wood chips. In areas like Philly, where many live in apartments, it can be difficult to know how to start composting, especially if they don’t have a garden.
Bennett’s solution was building his own composting organization from the ground up.
“I put 100 bucks in a bank account and said, ‘This probably won’t go anywhere, but let’s see what happens,’” Bennett said.
Over the past 15 years, Bennett’s 100-dollar investment has grown into Bennett Compost, a city-wide organization centered around reducing food waste and making composting accessible for Philadelphia residents.
How it works
Bennett Compost’s main initiative is residential pick-ups. Through Bennett Compost, community members can purchase a five gallon bucket to hold compostable scraps in. Households place their buckets outside, where collectors will empty and compost them.
To participate in residential services, community members can choose between “basic” and “premium” plans. Under the premium plan, the compost bucket is switched after each pick-up. Both plans include a one month free trial.
“People who use that service also get some compost back if they want it in the spring or fall for use in their home gardens,” Bennett said.
Commercially, or in the cases of universities and businesses, compost is sold both as itself and as soils.
“We sell that compost, both as just compost and also we make some soils from that,” Bennett said. “We use it to make different kinds of soils that people can use for potting mixes or raised bed gardening.”
Residential and commercial pick-ups are done five days a week. Bennett said about 40% of these trips are done on electric bicycles. On average, each collector visits around 150-200 households daily.
“We’re picking up from 6,000 households throughout Philadelphia, over 100 businesses, including people like the Phillies, Drexel, Penn, hotels, and we’re keeping four million pounds of food waste out of landfills every year,” Bennett said.
The journey
Bennett said his organization’s growth “didn’t happen overnight.” The first step, Bennett said, was figuring out the logistics behind building compost bins, which hold and break down organic matter. His solution was striking a partnership with a South Philly community garden.
“I said, ‘Hey, you give me a little bit of space to build some compost bins and do some composting here, and I’ll give you as much compost as you want from whatever I make,’” Bennett said.
Bennett’s next task was finding out how to do compost collections, which was difficult, as he didn’t own a car at the time. To combat this barrier, Bennett rented pick-up trucks, renting at night to save money.
After these initial preparations, Bennett hung flyers and hosted events to try to gauge interest and participation. For the first few months, less than 10 people had signed up for the service. Bennett then decided to take the little money he’d made so far and put it toward attending a bigger event.
“It was this beautiful September day in Philadelphia, 75 degrees and sunny,” Bennett said. “So, of course, there are tons of people there. And I just had a sign that says ‘composting,’ and if you’re interested, give me your email address, and we’ll tell you how to sign up. And we probably left with over 10-plus people who were interested.”
Currently, Bennett Compost has a team of 25 full-time employees and offers services in every neighborhood of Philly.
“It doesn’t feel real half the time,” Bennett said. “I had no idea whether this would grow.”
Community outreach
Bennett Compost runs various initiatives aimed at maximizing compost use and sustainability while promoting community engagement. One of these initiatives is their prison compost program, which gives incarcerated individuals paid internships as part of early release programs.
John Williams, Bennett Compost’s collections manager, got his start with Bennett Compost through the program, first starting to work with the organization six years ago when he signed up for the program while incarcerated.
“I wanted to know about compost because it was something new to me,” Williams said.
Williams’ original connection to Bennett Compost was through Laura Cassidy, sustainability manager at the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Cassidy and Williams built a relationship, and Cassidy eventually introduced Williams to Bennett.
In the prison composting program, Williams collected food scraps from about 5,000 incarcerated individuals daily and broke them down into compost. One of the highlights of the program, Williams said, was being able to assist those around him.
“It was helping the other inmates and changing people’s lives the best way I can,” Williams said.
Additionally, Bennett Compost works with
local schools and recreational centers to turn food waste into compost.
For beginners looking for more information on how to start composting, the Bennett Compost website provides guides with instructions on how to determine how much compost is needed for different sizes of garden plots and beds.
Bennett Compost also sends newsletters, which was how Nancy Komada, Ph.D., director of student transitions in the Office of Student Transitions, found out about the organization.
Komada said while reading the newsletter, she saw an opportunity to tour the Bennett Compost facility. She went on the tour last spring and was amazed by the organization’s sustainability efforts.
“They took us around the beginning of composting and then all the way around to the end of it at the other side of the building,” Komada said. “And they had all the hay and the straw from the zoo that was left over from the animals. I was just like ‘Wow, what a concept.’”
Environmental benefits
Bennett said composting has a variety of environmental benefits, such as combating climate change.
“When you put food in the trash and it goes to a landfill, it breaks down anaerobically, and that is a fancy word for ‘without oxygen,’” Bennett said. “That means it’s sending methane gas into the atmosphere. Landfills are actually the third leading contributor of methane gas in the United States. There’s a lot of methane that’s coming off of landfills, and methane is a much more harmful greenhouse gas in effect
‘We lose a central meeting place’
FROM PG. 1
Carlos E. Moreno, DrOT, assistant clinical professor of occupational therapy and the faculty liaison for diversity, equity and inclusion on the UCity campus, said he wouldn’t be losing any classrooms due to the STC’s closure. However, Moreno said due to the STC’s location in the middle of campus, UCity loses a community marker with its closure.
“It’s a central gathering place for all members of the community, students, faculty,” Moreno said. “And so, losing that, we lose a central meeting place, a central welcoming space.”
Moreno also noted that the STC was used by occupational therapy students for important milestones and ceremonies, including capstone presentations and the pinning ceremony for
occupational therapy students.
In place of the services provided by the ARC, the university is exploring a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania and will be adding an indoor fitness center in Glasser Hall, wrote Jill Bodensteiner, J.D., vice president and director of athletics. Bodensteiner said the ARC has experienced daily averages of 115 to 150 users per day during the 2024-25 academic year.
Liang Ren ’25, University Student Senate’s student body vice president at UCity, said at a Jan. 23 meeting of students within the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, students voiced their concerns, particularly with how closures seemed to disregard student feedback.
Bodensteiner said the new enhancements, particularly the new fitness space in Glasser, will take student opinions into account.
“The design and equipment will be influenced by student feedback,” Bodensteiner wrote. “We’re also working to activate outdoor recreation areas, with details to be finalized based on student input.”
All additions will be made during the summer of 2025 to be ready for the fall 2025 semester, Bodensteiner wrote.
Abigail Gracius ’26 said she doesn’t hold much trust in the university’s word about the proposed replacement services.
“When I first deposited and was told about the merge, we were told that nothing was going to change, that it was just going to be a name swap. We’d never have a class on the Hawk Hill campus,” Gracious said. “And literally a semester in, I had a class on the Hawk Hill campus. And then as the years progressed, everything was getting moved to Hawk Hill.”
of climate change than even carbon dioxide, which we talk a lot about.”
Compost, when put on the ground, helps plants pull carbon out of the atmosphere, Bennett said. The plants then produce oxygen, which is stored in the ground and released through the plants’ processes.
“They’ve found that if you are using compost, that the plants actually help the soil to hold more carbon,” Bennett said. “So, not only are you reducing the amount of methane you’re putting in the air, you’re helping plants and the soil to hold more carbon, helping with climate impacts and offsetting emissions.”
Making an impact
Bennett said a goal of Bennett Compost is to make composting easy and accessible, especially in urban areas like Philly, where people might not know how to start composting. “I think my general belief is that people want to make the quote unquote ‘right choice,’” Bennett said. “They want to make the responsible choice. But if we make it too hard, too difficult, too cumbersome, they’re going to throw up their hands and be like, ‘I can’t do this,’ and they’re just going to go with the easier choice. So, if we make it convenient and easy for them to do it, then why wouldn’t they?”
The idea of making the “right choice” mirrors the very decision Bennett made when deciding to go for his dream in the first place.
“Part of what drew me to it at the beginning was not just that it was maybe an opportunity to start a business, but it was an opportunity to start a business that I felt would do work that mattered,” Bennett said.
Ren said the professional working groups on the UCity Student Senate have been gathering input from undergraduate students for faculty members to pass on to the university. Ren also said there are faculty members who have been “a great help in facilitating the conversation between the two campuses.”
Ren suggested that more members of the St. Joe’s community should visit the UCity campus to take advantage of the community’s offerings and to listen to student voices.
“[UCity students] want to know that the people who are deciding our campus has actually been to our campus multiple times and is willing to put their efforts into talking to the students themselves,” Ren said.
Liv Bielawski ’27 contributed to this story.
A Bennett Compost collector does residential collections on the back of a bike on Seltzer Street, Philadelphia. PHOTO COURTESY OF TIM BENNETT
Editorial: Black History Month ends. Black history continues.
Black History Month is drawing to a close amid a national barrage of attacks on its existence. From tech conglomerates to government agencies, there has been a noticeable shift away from prioritizing Black History Month. That does not mean, however, that St. Joe’s should follow this trend. It is precisely because of these headwinds — not despite them — that recognizing and celebrating Black history year-round is more important than ever.
Black history is American history. It is local and global history. It is history, point-blank. Any historical account lacking the inclusion of Black Americans and communities is woefully inadequate and incorrect. This reality both reaffirms
the unique historical significance of Black voices and demonstrates why it is so vitally important to uplift Black history any month of the year.
What does supporting Black voices look like at St. Joe’s? To start, students can support the work of affinity groups like the university’s chapter of Black Student Union (BSU). Even by just attending BSU’s events, students can reinforce the message that their work is valued on this campus. In the classroom, there are ample opportunities for students to approach their coursework the lens of racial justice. In their workplaces on and off campus, students can, and should, make it known that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an important part of
The tax on free trade
EMMA HENDRICKSON ’26 Guest Columnist
Since Jan. 20, President Donald Trump has been implementing his new protectionist trade policy, with tariffs either placed or threatened on products from China, Mexico and Canada. Additionally, he’s introduced reciprocal tariffs, meaning the U.S. will now match tariffs imposed on itself by other countries.
One of the reasons for these policies is the large, multi-year push in Congress urging the U.S. to close its trade deficit, something that is harmful to economic growth. But what if this trade deficit and new tariffs are not the true root of our nation’s economic issues?
Economics, broadly, is the study of how a society’s finite resources are distributed among its members. In a world where resources are becoming ever more finite, you cannot consider the future of the economy without considering the environment in which it stands.
So, what does this potential trade war mean for the environmental economy? Trade policy in the United States has never protected environmental conservation efforts. Global free trade agreements — spearheaded during
the Uruguay Round of the 80s and 90s, the largest global negotiation on trade — allowed for the boom in global economic growth of the last 30 years. But this is also a main factor behind the unsustainable production methods that we know today.
What we’ve seen for many decades now is offshoring of production and manufacturing made easy by free trade agreements. Proponents of free trade claim that it creates well-paying jobs in countries that are otherwise worse off. But, oftentimes, multinational corporations purposefully target nations with abundant resources
a cohesive and productive environment. As we transition into Women’s History Month and beyond, it is also important to remember the intersection of Black communities with other groups when commemorating their histories.
The responsibility for recognizing Black history lies with all of us, not just Black students. It is incumbent on every student, regardless of background, to understand and appreciate the value of Black voices, even if this is not currently reflected on a national scale.
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and few environmental or financial regulations. These areas end up experiencing long-lasting environmental degradation that ultimately imprison their economies. We’re living in an era of dramatic shifts in global trade policies, from protectionism to liberalization — and at the heart of this shift lies the climate crisis. In the coming years, there will be a new definition of wealth for a nation, one that will consist less of financial assets and more of viable land and natural resources. What will an anti-deficit agenda look like in this new reality?
Ukraine: A three-year tragedy
The reality of America helping Ukraine
losses in marginalized communities. Americans want a government focused on America.
As we approach the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a time of reflection comes and goes for Ukrainian Americans and Americans in general.
Ukrainians reflect on the siege their country has been forced under for three years with no end in sight. They ponder the demands President Donald Trump wants to enforce in order to end the war, and question how those demands benefit Ukraine.
Americans reflect on the money “wasted” on Ukraine while our own country suffers from flooding, raging wildfires and devastating
Regardless of opinions, the three-year war between Ukraine and Russia brings emotions to the surface for all involved. And the overwhelming consensus is this: The war must end with Ukraine being independent from Russia.
Russia does not get to dictate how much of Ukraine it wants. Russia had its borders drawn when the Soviet Union was dissolved, and the people of Ukraine deserve to have their country belong to them. Not just 80% of their country to appease Russia, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
With a potential end to the war in sight, America faces a crucial decision. We can help Russia and Ukraine come
to a peaceful agreement that benefits both countries equally. Or we can side with a dictatorship and install fear in a tiny nation that deserves more help than we’ve given them already.
The right choice is in front of us. Or is this “Golden Age of America” no longer the leader the world expects it to be?
ANASTASIA KUNICKA ’28 Columnist
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN 25/THE HAWK
CAROLINE TRIMBLE ’26
Hawk Columnist
President Donald Trump has taken steps towards fulfilling yet another promise he made on the campaign trail: reinstating his controversial Migrant Protection Protocols. Most commonly referred to as the “Remain in Mexico” program, the policy requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico, not the United States, while their cases are pending in immigration court. The policy denies the fundamental right of seeking asylum by failing to provide
potential asylees with protection while awaitingthegovernment’sdecision.
Duetothe “RemaininMexico” program, asylum seekers are forced into dire conditions while waiting for their cases to be heard in immigration court. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a 2021 Biden-era explanation for terminating the Migrant Protection Protocols, there are “widespread” reports of potential asylees being targeted by criminal organizations due to their status and lack of support The DHS also reported that those forced to wait in Mexico faced barriers in “accessing stable and safe housing, health careandotherservices,andsufficientfood”
‘Remain in Mexico’ program limits the right to claim asylum
forthemselvesandtheirfamilies
Despite these obvious human rights concerns, the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to restore the “Remain in Mexico” program Trump and other Republican lawmakers argue that the program is necessary to decrease migrant numbers; however, it does nothing to fix the true issues within the immigration system The “Remain in Mexico” program fails to meet the needs of those at the border, and does not address the extensive backlog of asylum cases waiting to be heard. Furthermore, the program subjects asylum seekers to dangerous living conditions while they await a decision, endangering their
Elon Musk’s fork in the road
Efficiency or disarray in DOGE?
ISAAC SCHWARTZ ’25 Guest Columnist
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, showed up on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Feb. 20 alongside Argentinian President Javier Milei. Sporting sable shades and a chainsaw, Musk indulged in a metaphorical celebration of the “waste” he seeks to remove from federal spending through the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE).
President Donald Trump’s first day in office included the renaming of the United States Digital Service, replacing “Digital”
with “DOGE,” with Musk blazing forth as its head. DOGE is not legally headed by Musk. Rather, he is listed as a special government employee of the federal government, serving as a senior advisor to the president. Multiple DOGE employees work or have worked at Musk’s SpaceX, Tesla or X companies.
As part of mass firings prompted by DOGE, the Department of Energy (DOE) recently terminated an estimated 1,800 employees, over 300 of which worked at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). These are the people responsible for many nuclear projects, such as curbing the radiation from plutonium decay in nuclear warheads.
Less than a week after the firings, Teresa
Robbins, NNSA’s acting administrator, rescinded the terminations, possibly impacted by a mass outcry from concerned nuclear and geopolitical experts. All but around 25 momentarily-fired NNSA workers have been reinstated, following the agency’s initial inability to contact the individuals as a result of redacted access to their work emails.
While it is economically judicious to impose austerity measures in government policy, it is more important to exercise caution when firing federal employees, especially those who assemble nuclear warheads, prevent the spreading of nuclear radiation and monitor global nuclear activity. Musk should take pride when
liveswhiletheyseeksafety.
Discourse surrounding the “Remain in Mexico” program highlights the intersection of politics and morality within the immigration debate. The program lessens the number of migrants in the country, but is that really worth putting vulnerable individuals at a greater risk for harm?
Asylum seekers are human beings with certain inalienable rights, a fact that the “Remain in Mexico” program disregards in thenameofsecurity.
DOGE is efficient, but he should also ensure that chaotic processes, leading to the reversal of hundreds of terminations across federal agencies, are corrected. Failing to increase the level of caution used in terminating federal employees would be obstinately foolish.
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
CARTER KARPINSKI ’25 Columnist
It is with great pleasure that I present my newest proposal in improving our wonderful school: the department of St. Joe’s logistics and organizational productivity (SLOP). The department of SLOP’s objective will be to cut wasteful spending by the school in five simple steps.
Step 1: We will no longer serve “food” in the traditional sense. Studies show students don’t actually need food. No more will this university waste resources on fruits and vegetables, which are actually very bad for you. We will exclusively serve gelatinous protein blocks Campion Student Center will also be renamed “Champion,” as only winners eat there.
Step 2: We will replace the library with a single Amazon Fire that everyone can share, since no one reads books anymore. We will also rename the Drexel Library to “THE ST. JOE’S LIBRARY OF EXCELLENCE.”
Step 3: During a very real audit I conducted with the help of local elementary school students, we looked at all the spending done by each department. We also looked at everyone’s social security number. Anyway, we discovered the school is wasting thousands on useless courses, such as science, business, something called ethics and other things I’ve never even heard of. From now on, we will offer only one major: SMARTNESS!
Step 4: In this very obvious move, all faculty will be fired and replaced with a laptop running ChatGPT and displaying YouTube video essays.
Step 5: With all of these savings, we will buy Villanova, Temple, Drexel and Penn! I have asked their students, and they all said they would love to be Hawks.
While this may harm the quality of life for students, plummet our academic prestige and potentially lose us our accreditation, I believe my ideas will be worth it in the long run. These plans could potentially save our school BILLIONS (up to $3,000). These savings will not be passed onto the students
A proposal to cut university wasteful spending
A satire on bringing DOGE to St. Joe’s
and,inthisplan,Iwillalsodoubletuition.
I hope these changes excite everyone else as much as they do me. We will be entering a golden age of St. Joe’s!
The power of rest We must learn to take time for ourselves
SAHR KARIMU ’26 Photographer
As midterms approach, it can be tempting to lock ourselves in the library until closing time. While this shows an earnest commitment to our education, we must also consider the value of our spiritual, emotional and physical well-being through rest. In the hustle and bustle of college life, making the time and space for ourselves to rest is invaluable. When we leave our university to embark on our careers, we may find ourselves in the process of continual work, and so, in this budding period of our growth, it’s important to learn balance before life’s larger stressors pick up.
College life can produce a lot of stress,
which often bleeds into other areas of our lives. Chronic stress can lead to decreased cognitive functioning, such as attention and concentration. Many of us find ourselves juggling multiple responsibilities — whether they be classwork, club activities or work outside of school. These can become major
stressors that impact our health. The key to relieving ourselves is to learn proper rest.
Proper rest in the tense setting of college does not mean abandoning our work completely. Rest for us students can come in the form of taking study breaks wisely, intentionally scheduling
naps throughout our days or simply going on walks to recharge our drained batteries. These small techniques — paired correctly with effective time management strategies — may be the key to lightening our loads. Another powerful way to deal with our stress as college students is to exercise. Research shows that exercise is an effective tool for combating psychological stressors. Additionally, implementing physical activity into our schedules can improve our quality of sleep, moods and cognitive clarity, which help increase academic performance.
As someone still learning this skill of rest, I go back to these tips in times of overwork and burnout. It’s been difficult taking my foot off the pedal at times, but I know once mastered, it will be a skill that serves me for the rest of my life.
Independence Hall: Take the trip back into history
THOMAS VAN FOSSEN ’27
Guest Columnist
Just seven miles from campus lies arguably one of the most important sites in American history: Independence Hall. Just a few weeks ago, on a cold, windy afternoon, I and some classmates in John Morton’s, Ph.D., America in Age of Revolutions class took a trip to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. We walked around the site, getting a tour of Independence Hall by a park ranger, and then went over to the Liberty Bell.
While it may seem like a mundane trip to some, I encourage students at
St Joe’s to give the site a chance. Sure, you’ve read about it in a textbook, listened to a monotone spiel by your teacher about how important it is in your high school history class or maybe even took a trip to the site in eighth grade. However, going at an age where you can truly understand what went on there is such a different experience.
Trips to historical sites like Independence Hall can offer a different perspective into a place that otherwise may seem like another boring part of history. You’re not reading a book but actually taking in the place where important historical events occurred. You’re standing where George Washington stood. You’re standing where the Declaration of Independence was written. You’re
standing where people from around the world come to travel to get a taste of what the United States is all about. Independence Hall is less than a 30-minute trip from campus. Take the train, the bus, an Uber or even drive, and you’re at a place that led to the formation of the United States. I urge you to take the trip down there. We’re all in a position where we can see a place that so many people around the country and the world wish they could visit. Go visit one weekend — it’s something you won’t regret.
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA 25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
Curtains close on ‘Merrily We Roll Along’
KILEY O’BRIEN ’25 Assistant Features Editor
The department of music, theatre & film and the SJU Theatre Company presented “Merrily We Roll Along,” in Bluett Theatre from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23.
Taking viewers through three decades of the entertainment business, “Merrily We Roll Along” is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.
The play was adapted into a musical by Stephen Sondheim in 1981 and follows the lives of Franklin Shepard and his two close friends as they navigate success and ambition through Hollywood.
“I chose to do the musical because it was written by Stephen Sondheim, Broadway’s most prolific composer,” said Renee Dobson, M.F.A., associate professor of performing arts and artistic director of Bluett Theatre. “His music is always a challenge for the students to perform!”
Abby Williams ’25 leads the cast as Mary Flynn alongside Fred Mader as Franklin Shepard and Robbie Whitney as Charley Kringas. Williams said she felt more attached to this character than any other character before.
“I feel I can relate to my character in a lot of ways, but we also differ in other ways,” Williams said. “It’s always fun to play a character like that because you feel more connected to their story, feelings and emotions ... There’s an aspect to storytelling that theater has unlike anything else, and it’s thrilling to be able to do that in front of live audiences.”
Ryan Jansen ’27 worked on the
production as the light board director, cueing the lights at the appropriate times for the performers. Jansen said the comedy element and the historical pieces of the show brought the show together.
“I was most excited to see the crowd’s reactions to the jokes, as well as the historical aspect of the show,” Jansen said. “It will sometimes discuss things like the Kennedy Family, the end of the Vietnam War, as well as listing the year the scene takes place in.”
The musical reflects ideals shifting in the mid20th century and how the period impacted societal choices in the entertainment industry.
Williams said the reverse chronological order of the show added another fun element to the production, as it challenged her vocal range
“Since the show goes backwards in time, I love getting to play a range of ages,” Williams said. “As Mary gets younger throughout the show, I would raise my voice up a bit higher and get a little more geeky, awkward and innocent.”
Jansen said the musical presented obstacles, but their preparation paid off once it was showtime.
“Things sometimes can seem like it’s not working well and there might be issues, but once that last week of rehearsals hit,
we hit every mark and make it happen,” said Jansen.
Dobson, who has served as the artistic director of Bluett Theatre for the past 22 years, said watching the students unfold the story is always a highlight of the production.
“My favorite part of putting the show together is seeing the sense of accomplishment the students get when they master the complex music,” Dobson said.
Williams said the theater company at St. Joe’s has become stronger in recent semesters, and this has shown through their support for one another.
Do you want to deliver the Student Address at Commencement?
“Over the past year, there’s been a strong community that’s been formed within SJU Theatre Company that hasn’t been there in a while… [And] as long as audiences feel something and have opinions on the story and characters during a show, I know I’ve done my job as an actor,” Williams said.
Students in this year’s graduating classes are welcome to submit a commencement address for consideration. This invitation is open to students enrolled in all degree programs, including students in adult learner programs and graduate programs.
Criteria:
n Candidates must finish all degree requirements by May 2025 with an overall GPA of 3.5 or above. Students will also be evaluated on the basis of leadership, service, and contribution to the mission.
n The delivered speech cannot be longer than 4 minutes.
n For undergrads, eligibility to present at a particular ceremony is determined by the location of primary major. Students who finished degrees in Summer & Fall 2024 are eligible to participate in commencement & give the address.
n Finalists will be invited to submit a video of the reading of their proposed speech to be reviewed by the selection committee.
To submit a speech for consideration, email:
Marcus Solomon ’27, Abby Williams ’25, Robbie Whitney ’25, Fred Mader ’27 and Nell Duesler ’28 in “Merrily We Roll Along,” presented by SJU Theatre Company. PHOTO: MELISSA KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY
Exhibition of incarceration art prompts reflection
TESS MARGIS ’26
Features Reporter
Visitors at the Francis M. Maguire Art Museum were invited to reflect on the theme of “Walking with the Excluded” by viewing art featured in “Make or Break: Creativity as an Act of Survival” Feb. 20. The exhibition, which is on display until March 30, showcases the art of 16 artists who created their works while incarcerated in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Themes explored in the exhibit included categorization and labeling, social justice and achievement in the face of adversity.
Paired with the exhibition was an art-making activity called “Visio Divina / Sacred Seeing: Reflection and Art Making in the Museum,” which invited participants to explore the relationship between art and spirituality.
Becky McIntyre ’17 led the event for Mission Week. She was active in Campus Ministry during her time at St. Joe’s and was asked to come back to her alma mater for the event. After brainstorming with Jeanne Bracy, associate director of the Maguire Art Museum, she planned the Visio Divina activity.
“Visio divina,” which means “sacred seeing” in Latin, is a form of prayer in which a worshipper takes time to focus on an image rather than a scripture. Participants were invited to partake in visio divina by choosing a photo to reflect on for 10 minutes.
McIntyre said the idea to have participants partake in visio divina came from the themes of the exhibit.
“This exhibit is demonstrating folks creating art who are on the fringes of society, who may have been incarcerated or institutionalized,” McIntyre said. “When they asked me to do something during Mission Week, it just made sense to connect with the apostolic preferences
and walking with the excluded.”
Peter Norberg, Ph.D., professor of English and senior associate provost for academic and faculty support, put the museum in touch with McIntyre and participated in the reflection. Norberg spent his 10 minutes sitting with “Pencils” by Heinrich Reisenbauer.
“Seeing it made me think about how grateful I am to be an educator and how each one of our students, in many ways, needs to take up their own pencil and write their own story,” Norberg said.
Erin Downey, Ph.D., assistant curator at the Maguire Art Museum, said there’s a connection between self-expression and how it’s impacted by incarceration.
“There was a compulsion to express
themselves under dire circumstances,” Downey said while talking about the exhibit to visitors. “Many of them used unconventional and discarded materials to create their pieces.”
After reflection, participants were given watercolors and were tasked with making their own art pieces. Some created abstract works of art, while others painted scenes. The Rev. George Bur, S.J., university chaplain and special assistant to the president, said he often takes walks in The Barnes Arboretum and chose to paint himself walking on a path by a large tree.
“We were directed to just let the paint flow and let the image come up out of the collections of color and line that we put
CineHawk: ‘All the President’s Men’
There is nothing more engaging than a ’70s political thriller. Based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, “All the President’s Men,” directed by Alan Pakula and written by William Goldman, is one of the most enthralling, engaging and realistic films of the “new Hollywood” era. The first 20 orsosecondsfeatureanextremeclose-upof a piece of blank paper — so long that you think your player has stalled — until BAM! The loud and ferocious punch of a typewriter’s type bar nails some letters to theemptycanvas.Andwe’reoff.
In the film, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) is assigned to cover a burglary at The Watergate Hotel — a back page story— until some deeper digging reveals the recording bugs the burglars were carrying may have been part of something much larger. Joining Woodward on the story is long-time reporter Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman). The two then “follow the money,” as one of Woodward’s anonymous sources suggests However, getting those involved to talk is like pulling teeth. Little by little, more names and information are leaked to the two reporters. For a story relying so heavily on the audience’s attentiveness to names of government officials, documents and paperwork, you’d think this movie could beintherunningforthemostboringfilmof alltime.But,it’stheopposite.
on the paper,” Bur said.
Bur said he thinks the practice of visio divina introduces people to a method of opening themselves to the presence of God, not in word but in image. Basing the reflection on the “Creativity as an Act of Survival” exhibit also gave him time to think about how creating art can help someone who is suffering.
“It reminded me of people that I know who are struggling with social realities, just like a prisoner or a person who was institutionalized,” Bur said. “So, how is God there? Well, I saw a lot of hope in those pictures.”
Gordon Willis’ cinematography is a key reason why this film is so enthralling. He shoots the film as if it’s a Spaghetti Western, with wide, sprawling shots of the D.C. area and The Washington Post newsroom. It lends the film a massive scale and enhances the isolation felt by Woodward and Bernstein as they work against the odds. Additionally, the natural performances of the entire cast, tied in with real television footage of then-President Richard Nixon’s administration, help keep the film
grounded in reality.
“All the President’s Men” is an excellent display of paranoia at its most upside-down: the people trying to tell the truth are forced to doubt it, coming under threat from those in power who are trying to silence them. But the truth has a way of coming out, and the work of these two journalists is a hopeful reminder that even the president can be held accountable.
Community members look at art in the
“Make or Break: Creativity as an Act of Survival” exhibit in the MaguireArt Museum, Feb. 20.
PHOTO: TESS MARGIS ’26/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
BEN VANELLI ’25 Photographer
On The Beat: The Tom MacDonald Problem
Inserting an agenda into art is nothing new. Whether political, sociological or even about the state of love, artists have communicated their beliefs through artistic media for years. Yet, in the past few years, it seems people with agendas have turned to art to spew their ideologies for agenda’s sake rather than for art’s sake. I want to make it clear that while someone with an agenda can turn to art, and it can be a great pairing, some exclusively have an agenda and are not interested in the art whatsoever.
Tom MacDonald is the prime example of what I’m trying to grab at. A Canadian conservative rapper who is obsessed with the U.S., MacDonald should sound hilarious. However, he’s anything but a joke. MacDonald uses his platform to popularize a subgenre of hip-hop called “MAGA Rap,” which he pioneered. The actual backing tracks that Tom MacDonald raps over are often horrible and amateurish. This is because MacDonald only wants to push an agenda that borders between propaganda and hate speech.
So, what is this “agenda”? In short, it’s the same ideologies many on the right flank have been trying to sell people for years: that being “woke” makes you the enemy, that President Donald Trump is restoring “American values,” that cancel culture can’t “cancel” him and that being a Christian in the U.S. is just about the best thing you can be. Now, all these ideas could be any Tom MacDonald song, but that’s not what makes MacDonald such a presence in the conservative mainstream. MacDonald’s biggest draw has been bringing in similarly “canceled”
conservatives to help emphasize his point. His features include the likes of Roseanne Barr on the song “Daddy’s Home,” which sounds like a joke, but it isn’t. The lyrics feature MacDonald rapping about the return of Trump to the White House. Barr was fired from ABC News for a racist remark she made on Twitter and now spends her time recalling this moment by rapping about how she can’t be canceled by the “woke mob.” Ben Shapiro, a radical right-wing host for the Daily Wire, is featured on the track “FACTS,” a reference to his famous quote, “Facts don’t care about your feelings.” The track sees Shapiro
CROSSWORD: Batter up
VANELLI ’25
fat-shaming Lizzo and stating he’s on television, an ironic remark for a song titled “FACTS,” considering he hosts an online podcast and is not featured on live television. Lastly, frequent collaborator Adam Calhoun, another “MAGA Rap” rapper shows up for MacDonald, specifically on their collaborative album, “The Brave 2.”
By prioritizing an agenda, MacDonald loses everything else. At no time does his music stand out for creativity alone; he uses shock lyrics and ridiculous features to get him coverage. There should also be careful consideration about how hip-hop was born and has evolved. MacDonald’s
hatred of all things “woke” goes against the genre itself, which started and continues to be left-leaning. I want to circle back to the idea of putting an agenda in art and ask again: Can it work? I can name hundreds of artists where it did work, but it seems for MacDonald and his counterparts, the art falls flat because they only want to sell a message. MacDonald’s work leaves a great big question: If someone’s art is the end to a mean, is it art? And if so, at what point does art become nothing more than meaningless propaganda?
Across 2. The international city where the first game of the 2025 MLB season will take place.
4. The only team to never clinch a World Series appearance, yet holds the record for most single-season wins.
5. The MLB east coast Spring Training league.
6. The term for a player who can bat from both sides of the plate.
7. Actor known for his roles in the baseball films “Bull Durham,” “Field of Dreams” and “For Love of the Game.”
10. The oldest ballpark in MLB.
11. The name on the back of the jersey of the 2008 World Series MVP.
1. The MLB west coast Spring Training league.
3. A highly-anticipated day of celebration for baseball fans, marking the start of the baseball season.
8. The city that houses the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
9. The Philadelphia Phillies’ MV3 (last name).
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
PARKER HAYDEN ’25 Hawk Staff
BEN
Photographer
An idiot’s guide to rugby
FISHER ’25
Three years ago, I began playing rugby. Simultaneously, my dad began watching rugby. But there was a disconnect: While my rugby knowledge was exponentially increasing as I played, my dad was simply watching my games for the sake of watching my games. He was enthralled by the big hits and constant action of the game, yet, for much of it, he did not know what was going on.
After playing for a while, I found that this lack of understanding of the game was common. I was discomforted by this fact. Despite the sport’s complexity, a basic understanding of the game can illuminate its beauty. Further than that, a basic understanding of the game can allow you to enjoy watching the sport beyond its sheer physicality.
If you’ve found yourself wondering how the game really works, here are the basics that can help anyone, regardless of sports knowledge, understand the game of rugby.
The format of the game
There are two types of rugby: 15s (or 15-a-side) and sevens. The number attached to the name refers to the number of players on each side. These number variations create differences in the format of matches (or games), such as the duration of the match, but the basics are the same. Within 15s, there are two types of position groups: forwards (players No. 1-8), which are sometimes referred to as a pack, and backs (players No. 9-15). The numbers define their position within each group and on the field.
The goal of the game
In rugby, a “try” is a score worth five points and is only granted when a player touches the ball down into the try zone (a rugby player’s word for end zone). The goal of any match is to score tries and prevent the opponent from scoring tries. The touching down of the ball is important because after scoring a try, the scoring team can score two more points by kicking the ball through a field goal post. This is called a conversion, which takes place in line with where the ball was placed down in the try zone. After this sequence is finished, the opposing team kicks the ball off back to the same team that scored. Points can also be earned by kicking a field goal worth three points.
Moving the ball
The ball cannot be passed forward. The only way to move the ball downfield is by throwing the ball backward to a teammate and running forward. If the ball is passed forward, then a scrum is awarded to the opposing team. A scrum will also be awarded to the opposing team if any player hits the ball forward, which is called a “knock on.”
The scrum
The scrum occurs between the two forward packs, and is a battle for the two to three meters in front of them. During the scrum, each team’s forwards bind together. Then, after the referee calls “Crouch! Set! Bind!” all eight forwards work together to drive back the opposing eight forwards. As this battle is occurring, the scrumhalf (player No. 9, a back) on the team who has possession rolls the ball into the scrum to begin open play.
Open play
Open play is constant movement. It consists of consecutive phases of moving the ball to gain meters, which is the equivalent to gaining yards in American football. A phase ends when the ball carrier is tackled. Once the ball carrier is tackled, the defending team has an opportunity to steal the ball, known as a poach. To protect the ball and its carrier, the offensive support runners create a “ruck” by standing over and around the tackled runner. Defenders can also counter-ruck to create disruption or attempt to steal the ball.
Lineouts
If a ball carrier is tackled out of bounds, or if the ball is kicked out of bounds (known as “kicked into touch”), then each forward pack engages in a lineout. During a lineout, each forward pack lines up five meters from the touch line (like a side line), creating a small, open channel between the two packs. The team’s hooker (player No. 2, a forward) throws the ball in a straight line through the channel from outside the touch line, giving a chance for each team’s forwards to gain possession. One of the forwards often becomes a jumper, meaning they are lifted into the air by two of their teammates in an attempt to catch the ball higher in the air. In the instance of the hooker’s throw not being straight, then the lineout is restarted with the ball given to the other team.
Common penalties
Offsides penalties occur when a defender is in front of a ruck. However, this does not necessarily mean open play will stop. If the offensive team continues to advance the ball forward, play will continue with the team having advantage, so if there is a stoppage of play, the offensive team will receive the ball and go back to the spot of the penalty, with the defending team 10 meters away. The 10-meter penalty is also awarded for tackling penalties, such as high tackles, which are tackles above the chest area that could risk injury to the head or neck. High tackles may also result in a yellow or a red card given to the tackler, depending on the severity of the penalty. A yellow or red card will result in further penalty to the player who received the card.
MAXIMUS
Sports Reporter
GRAPHICS: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK lineout
Executive bill targets trans athletes Transphobia
PRESTON THOMAS ’28
Columnist
at an all-time high
On Feb. 5, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports. This is the fourth order Trump has signed directly targeting transgender people since assuming office Jan. 20.
The “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order aims to stop “men” from stealing victories from biological women, but all this order really does is continue to perpetuate transphobia.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif was the target of transphobia and harassment after being falsely labeled as transgender. Recently, Trump even referred to her as the “male boxer.” People began referring to Khelif as transgender after her 46-second win against boxer Angela Carini, which Carini said was due to the strength of Khelif’s severe punches. This led to a flood of hate messages to Khelif and even a report that she had levels of testosterone in her system that were somehow too high for cisgender women. However, this claim means nothing, as there is no “correct” amount of testosterone or estrogen for all people, cisgender and transgender alike.
Due to these accusations, committees attempted to mark her ineligible and take her medal.
While Khelif has been successful in combating these efforts, the situation highlights the way many view transgender female athletes in sports: as some type of unbeatable force. But this is not true, and there are a plethora of examples of trans athletes losing to cisgender individuals.
I find this thought process odd because when people debate trans athletes in sports, they always seem to target trans women and somehow ignore trans men. Even outside of sports, politicians are often seen attacking trans women and stopping them from doing simple things, such as using the women’s restroom. Most times, they ignore transgender men who live the same lifestyle as their female counterparts.
Transphobia within America seems to only be getting worse, and the Trump administration’s policies seek to increase discrimination against trans individuals and outright alienate them. We must combat this exclusion by protecting and uplifting all transgender athletes, who deserve recognition for their abilities without facing discrimination.
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
Reynolds record watch
Erik
Reynolds II within striking distance of program scoring record
PHOTO: MADELINE WILLIAMS ’26/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
Soaring to new heights
MIA MESSINA ’25 Sports Editor
At the beginning of the men’s basketball season, there were murmurs about the possibility of senior Erik Reynolds II becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer. The guard from Temple Hills, Maryland, sat at 1,616 career points, just 428 shy of the 2,094-point record set by Jameer Nelson ’18, who played for St. Joe’s from 2000-2004 before getting drafted into the NBA. Nelson returned to complete his degree in 2018.
Reynolds put up 606 points in the 2023-24 season, so 428 in the 2024-25 season seemed entirely possible. He entered the season 15th in program scoring, and put up 29 points in the first game of the season against Navy. He was officially less than 400 points away from the record.
But the next game out against Central Connecticut State, he only had five points. Against Villanova, he had just nine. And so, a season of hot and cold stretches began for Reynolds, who was usually the most reliable shooter. Slowly, he climbed up in the program ranks, but the record no longer seemed to be a sure thing.
But now, Reynolds has put up double-figures in every game since the Hawks played Loyola Chicago Jan. 11. Of those 11 games, five were 20-plus point games.
With his first basket against La Salle Feb. 12, Reynolds moved into second in program scoring, surpassing Langston Galloway’s ’14 1,991 points. With his 10th point of the game, Reynolds became just the second Hawk in program history to reach 2,000 career points. He finished the game against the Explorers 83 points shy of Nelson’s record.
In the two games that followed, he put up 11 points against George Mason and 19 against George Washington. By his 125th career game, Reynolds was within 28 points of the record, scoring 25 against Richmond Feb. 22. Nelson set the record in 125 games, while Reynolds is on track to break it in 127. Along with Nelson’s record, after the game against Richmond, Reynolds is just nine three-pointers shy of Galloway’s all-time three-point record (343), set in 133 games. Reynold entered into the season fifth in three-point scoring. It’s only a matter of days until Reynolds further cements his name as one of the St. Joe’s greats.
Alum writes book on the 2003-04 men’ s basketball team
What was your routine when writing the book?
Sportswriter Aaron Bracy ’98, M.S. ’99, is seeing his lifelong dream of writing a book come to life with ‘A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the w Saint Joseph’s Hawks,’ a book about St. Joe’s 2003-04 men’s basketball team. As a criminal justice major at St. Joe’s, Bracy covered women’s basketball for The Hawk, worked for the sports information office and was involved with the studentrun radio station, Radio 1851. Bracy now works full-time as an academic designer for McGraw Hill, freelances for the Associated Press and Hoops HQ, and runs Big 5 Hoops and Bracy Sports Media. After starting his research in late November 2023, Bracy conducted over 90 interviews for the book before shifting to writing. Bracy began the writing process in May 2024 and finished the book by August 2024, to be released March 1. The Hawk spoke to Bracy about his process and what it was like to achieve this long-held goal.
What did your day-to-day routine look like when you were interviewing?
I would do my interview, I would either try and transcribe it right away, or I would do it that night. I transcribed all my own interviews … I wanted to transcribe it all because I could relive the interview, and it gets me thinking about how to use the quotes and how to tell the story, and so that was a little painful, the interviews. Especially Phil Martelli. I talked to him for three hours at his house. Transcribing that interview took me eight or nine hours.
I had all this research, and I put the research and the interviews into these buckets. From there, I would handwrite an outline for each chapter, and then I would just start writing. That was really the most enjoyable part of the process, the writing. One thing that really got to help me was I would write the outline a lot of times at night, and then I would go to bed. I would wake up real early, crazy early, like two in the morning, three in the morning, and it was fresh in my head, and I’d start writing. I would write each chapter, and once I felt like it was pretty good, I would record it on my phone, and I would take it for a walk, and I would listen to it. How did it sound? … I would be in my notes, making changes as I’m walking. It helped to get some fresh air and get out of the house. And I’d come back, and I’d revise it, and then I would print it out and put it on the countertop for my wife, and then she would read each chapter. What was it like to physically hold your book in your hands for the first time?
I’m someone who always has a book with me. Books have been my friends. I love reading. I love books. And to have a book with my name on it, there are no words that can describe the feeling. It’s just surreal, is
the best way I can say. When I was writing it and reading it, I was getting emotional, but then to actually see the actual book, whenIfinishedthebook,Iwasjustintears. This is always something I wanted to do.
Were there any skills you learned at St. Joe’s that helped you along the way? For me, it starts with the Jesuits and their mission, [caring for] the whole person ... Through St. Joe’s, I really came
to become a lot more spiritual and a lot closer to God. I think, and I hope, St. Joe’s has helped me to be a better person. And I hope that the book, in some ways, gives the messageofwhattheseguyswereabletodo. It was just so much greater than basketball, in the way that they were able to come together, play as a team, the way they were abletoovercomesomanyobstacles.
Aaron Bracy ’98, M.S. ’99. wrote a book on the 2003-2004 men’s basketball team called “A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks” that will be available March 1. PHOTO: MIA MESSINA ’25/THE HAWK
MIA MESSINA ’25
Sports Editor