November 11, 2020

Nov. 11, 2020

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Volume CI

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Est. 1929

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www.sjuhawknews.com

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The Student Newspaper of Saint Joseph’s University

BIDEN HARRIS WIN

Biden supporters celebrate outside of Philadelphia City Hall on Nov. 7.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

President-elect Joe Biden speaks in Hagan Arena for the Evelyn S. and Anthony M. ’60 Carfagno Lecture series in 2018. PHOTO: LUKE MALANGA ’20/THE HAWK

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FEATURES

OPINIONS

05

Tayler Washington ‘22 addresses what we have left to do following the election

09

Project Sunshine engages with pediatric patients

SPORTS

11

Strength and Conditioning Coach Eric Lang looks to bolster Hawks

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Nov. 11, 2020

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Students connect with their faith virtually amidst COVID-19 restrictions Attendees in the Chapel of Saint Joseph are stationed six feet apart in a modified Mass layout. PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

CARA SMITH ’21 Copy Chief Christian Peeney ’22 stood by himself at the altar singing a hymn with his mask on, during the 6:30 p.m. Mass in the Chapel of Saint Joseph. About 40 other students were encouraged to “sing silently in your hearts.”

Peeney’s voice was only slightly muffled as he sang the Gloria: Mass of a Joyful Heart, Psalm 63, the Eucharistic Acclamations: Misa Luna Santo, the Memorial Acclamation, the Communion Hymn: “Taste and See” and the Closing Hymn: “Awake, O Sleeper.”

The Mass-goers sat in individual chairs six feet apart with masks on. The accompanying musicians behind the altar sat four feet from each other. During the sign of peace, students waved from their respective seats and put their hands up to the ceiling in the “Orans” position for the Lord’s Prayer.

An iPhone propped up on a tripod just in front of the altar livestreamed the Mass on the Campus Ministry Instagram for those who elected to view from home.

One of those on the other end of the Instagram feed, Erin Doherty ’22, said she used to attend Mass regularly, but stopped attending Mass and Wednesday Worship this semester because of new COVID-19 protocols.

“It’s definitely the safe thing to do, but the sense of community was definitely lacking for me,” Doherty said. “I’m used to singing along with my peers and giving people hugs and handshakes during the sign of peace.”

Kristin Long ’22, Weekly Service community partner coordinator and peer minister, said although the services are different this semester, it is not what impacts her faith the most.

Long said she is a regular in-person Mass attendee.

“When I think of faith, I think of community, especially here at St. Joe’s,” Long said. “I will always miss what it feels like to have a conversation with someone, where

you can reach your hand out and be with another person.”

Bill Rickle, S.J., campus minister of athletics and student life, said he has had very little close contact with students because he is in a vulnerable age category.

“I’m a naturally gregarious person,” Rickle said. “Not being able to interact with students in a significant, close-up way has been really hard.”

Dan O’Connell ’23, peer minister for the recently canceled Winter Immersion Program (WIP), said connecting to his faith this semester has been a challenge.

“I am not going to act like it is not harder,” O’Connell said. “My faith is based here at St. Joe’s through community. And community is one of the things that has been impacted the most.”

Doherty said she is also finding it harder to connect to her faith this semester and reached out to Campus Ministry for extra support.

“My faith isn’t something that is always at the same level,” Doherty said. “I recently reached out to a campus minister about potentially getting spiritual direction.”

Spiritual direction is a one-on-one conversation with a peer minister to discuss a student’s personal faith and is still being offered with new social-distancing protocols.

Tom Sheibley, director of Campus Ministry, said Campus Ministry is doing their best to continue programs, like spiritual direction, and to modify programs to support students on and off campus through virtual events on Zoom.

“It’s certainly by no means the same as being together with other people in the same place, growing in faith so closely, accompanied by growing in friendship and closeness with other people,” Sheibley said.

As a leader within Campus Ministry, O’Connell said adapting to schedule changes and COVID-19 protocols pushed Campus Ministry to be more creative.

“It’s challenged me in a good way to adapt to the environment, and still get across

A Eucharistic Minister hands out communion.

similar ends or goals of building community, an awareness of civic engagement, applying that faith and promoting a more just world,” O’Connell said.

Specifically, O’Connell said after WIP was canceled, he refocused his efforts to support first-year students to “dive deeper into their faith,” as a leader in the Engage program.

Shelby Wilson ’24 is a member of Engage, a new program for first-year students which serves as an introduction to Campus Ministry and growing in faith in college.

Wilson said that the program helps her maintain her relationship with God amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

“Campus Ministry has encouraged a lot of people to lean on their faith and spread kindness among these moments,” Wilson said. “It has changed my first-year experience as a college student.”

O’Connell said that Campus Ministry always emphasizes social justice, but even more so this semester, with the election, coronavirus pandemic and movement for racial justice.

“One thing I love about St. Joe’s is that we come out and we say we are a university with and for others of all people,” O’Connell said. “That starts with allyship. Our faith calls us to promote a better world for the common good of all people.”

Long said Campus Ministry makes it clear that they are always here to support the St. Joe’s community.

“Even during this crazy time, which doesn’t always make it easy to connect, they’ve made it so open that they’re there for prayer, for conversation and to just be with you, even if it’s from six feet apart,” Long said.

News

The Hawk Newspaper

Nov. 11, 2020

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Rise in COVID-19 cases limit students’ activity before break DEVIN YINGLING ’22 News Editor With two weeks left until students are set to return home for Thanksgiving, the university is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak in Villiger Residence Hall.

“After noting positive and symptomatic cases in Villiger, Residence Life sent a communication to all Villiger residents asking them to self-disclose immediately if symptomatic or receiving a positive test,” wrote Cary Anderson, Ed.D., vice president for Student Life and associate provost, in an email to The Hawk.

Anderson said Residence Life also asked all Villiger residents to participate in surveillance testing. Villiger, the university’s newest residence hall, houses about 400 first-year students.

As of Nov. 8, there were an estimated 35 active COVID-19 cases on campus, according to the SJU Dashboard.

Makenna Thorpe ’24 and Carolyn Alfier ’24, who live on the fourth floor of Villiger, confirmed their floor has an outbreak. They found out on Oct. 28 that they had been exposed to someone in Villiger who tested positive for COVID-19.

The women were quarantined in Sourin Hall the next day, and then decided to go home on Oct. 30. Neither of them tested positive, and they are cleared to return to campus on Nov. 12. Both said they are excited to come back to campus, even though they will not be on campus long before returning home again for Thanksgiving.

“I think we are going to be aware of who we’re hanging out with,” Alfier said. “The kid who had it, we didn’t know he even got tested, and he didn’t tell us. So, we’re going to be more aware of who we’re hanging out with and just do the essential things.”

COVID-19 case numbers have been on the rise nationally and in Philadelphia. As of Nov. 7, Pennsylvania reported the largest spike in cases since the start of the pandemic, bringing the statewide total to 227,985.

Philadelphia contributed 1,779 positive cases as of Nov. 9, bringing the citywide total

to 49,394 cases.

On Nov. 6, Anderson sent a university announcement to students and parents, asking students to abide by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) recommendation that “all Philadelphia universities and colleges limit activities to those that are essential in the 14 days prior to leaving campus.”

According to an email to The Hawk from Gail Benner, director of public re-

confirmed in an email to the Hawk.

“Students should heed this recommendation, but we are not going to patrol on and off campus for people meeting in a safe manner,” Anderson wrote. “Students need to make responsible decisions about their return home.”

The announcement advised students who wish to quarantine on their own for 14 days prior to returning home to notify the university of their plans. Students are not able to use

As COVID-19 cases increase nationwide, the university is encouraging students to limit nonessential activity.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS '22/THE HAWK

lations and media, the PDPH specifically recommends that until the break, “students should not attend any social gatherings and limit all contact outside of their campus household (roommates and housemates).”

Students are encouraged to attend classes, access grab-and-go meals and seek medical care if they are ill, but otherwise minimize activity on campus, the Nov. 6 announcement stated.

Various services will still be available for students until Thanksgiving break, including access to the Campion P.O.D. Market, Drexel library, O’Pake Recreation Center and Campion Dining Hall, Anderson

on-campus quarantine space or meal delivery if they choose to quarantine, however.

Anderson confirmed in an email to The Hawk that on-campus spaces are not available for asymptomatic students.

“As stated in the announcement, we do not have quarantine space for voluntary quarantine,” Anderson wrote. “Since every circumstance is unique, students should make a plan with their family.”

Anderson pointed to a number of virtual events and activities on the university calendar for students looking to be engaged over the next two weeks.

“We are a community,” Anderson wrote.

“This is not a one-way street. We are looking for students to engage with us on solutions and enhancements to campus life. If students don’t see something on the calendar that is for them, get in touch with our office and let’s talk about planning something that is. We need student leadership, creativity and feedback.”

Nic Schoppe ’22, co-president of Hawk Hill Productions (HHP), said in compliance with the PDPH guidelines, the final two in-person events HHP had planned for this semester were canceled. One was a food truck festival, scheduled for Nov. 16. The other was winter festival. He said although this outcome is disappointing, HHP is adapting their plans to continue to allow for students to remain active in the community.

“In the coming days, we’re planning on rolling out some of those grab-and-go events we think are going to be exciting for students to keep them engaged as we would with regular in person events,” Schoppe said. “We’re hoping for a good outcome with that.”

Both Schoppe and Jillian Garvey ’21, University Student Senate (USS) president, mentioned that social interaction among students, especially just before going home for an extended break, is important for students’ overall well-being.

“Bringing students out of their dorms, making sure that they’re having a good time when they come to these events and being able to see people in person and mingle at these events is what we’re looking for,” Schoppe said. “We really try to make it as exciting as possible and interactive and engaging so that people aren’t left sitting in their rooms.”

Garvey said she recognizes that trying to balance the needs of students and the need to monitor public health is difficult for universities nationwide. But she said the new guidelines are also a “devastating blow” for students who now find their activity on campus even more limited.

“Students end up having to accept the results and then try to figure out what can we do going forward with the cards we’ve been dealt,” Garvey said.

Department of Public Safety reports (Oct. 23 - Nov. 5) Oct. 23 Public Safety was contacted by an Allied Universal desk attendant in regards to an alcohol confiscation in the Rashford Hall lobby. Public Safety responded and confiscated the alcohol. Community Standards was notified.

Oct. 24 Public Safety was notified by Residence Life regarding an unknown person drawing a sexually offensive picture on the wall of the third floor stairwell in LaFarge Hall. Community Standards was notified.

The Title IX Coordinator was notified.

The incident is under investigation.

Public Safety was contacted by an Allied Universal desk attendant in regards to an alcohol confiscation in the Pennbrook Apartments Lobby. Public Safety responded and confiscated the alcohol. Community Standards was notified.

Public Safety was notified by an area resident regarding an unknown person from the Ashwood Apartments throwing

a pumpkin onto the property of a resident who resides in the 6000 block of Overbrook Avenue. Public Safety officers were notified and responded to the area. There are no injuries to report. The incident is under investigation. Community Standards was notified.

Oct. 25 Public Safety was notified of a fire alarm in Lannon Hall. Public Safety officers responded. The preliminary investigation revealed the alarm was activated by a student cooking. The alarm was reset.

Oct. 26 Public Safety was notified by a St. Joe’s student in regards to an unknown person taking one of their ear buds from the student when it was dropped on the ground.

The Philadelphia Police was notified and responded. The incident is under investigation.

Oct. 28 Public Safety was notified by an area resident of a noise complaint in the 2400

block of North 54 Street. Public Safety officers and the Philadelphia Police were notified and responded to the area. Community Standards was notified.

Oct. 30 Public Safety was notified by the Student Health Center in regards to a quantity of N-95 masks missing from the supply room. The incident is under investigation.

ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS

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On campus

Off campus

Oct. 31 Public Safety was notified in regards to three males throwing eggs at parked vehicles in the Hagan Arena parking lot.

Public Safety officers and the Philadelphia Police were notified and responded to the area, but were unable to locate the suspects. The incident is under investigation.

Public Safety was notified of a recent bias incident regarding a St. Joe’s student’s Snapchat account being hacked with a message containing a racial slur. Student Life and the Bias Activity Review Group Coordinator were notified. The incident is under investigation.

DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS

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On campus

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Off campus

Call Public Safety:

610-660-1111

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Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Nov. 11, 2020

From the editors Our responsibilities endure To our readers:

Editor in Chief

Jackie Collins ’21 Managing Editor Ryan Mulligan ’21 Copy Chief Cara Smith ’21 Faculty Adviser Shenid Bhayroo Contributing Adviser Jenny Spinner

Copy Editor Celia Hegarty ’21 Copy Editor Carly Calhoun ’21 Multimedia Editor Nick Karpinski ’21 News Editor Devin Yingling ’22 Assistant News Editor Eddie Daou ’22 Assistant News Editor Christine DiSanti ’21

The Hawk, along with many news outlets across the world, has reported stories about the coronavirus pandemic and the pandemic of systemic racism that America began reckoning with after millions across the country marched in the streets demanding justice for George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police in May this year.

The Hawk also reported on the race up to the 2020 presidential election, which was greatly influenced by coronavirus restrictions. The last four years of the current incumbent of the White House has been tumultuous, with unprecedented attacks on journalists and the media in general.

America is more divided than ever.

Approximately 76 million votes were tallied for now President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Approximately 71 million votes were tallied for U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Mail-in votes are still being counted.

The election has been decided, but the nation remains divided, even in our university community. Now, more than ever, difficult conversations about racial injustice, economic inequality and a more comprehensive response to the ongoing pandemic must continue. These conversations must also result in concrete actions. The Hawk will continue to report on these important

issues, so that we may continue to facilitate conversations within our campus community. We will continue to do so with factbased reporting, without fear and without favor. We will continue to report on stories about racism and about the pandemic. We know that Black, brown and Indigenous communities have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus.

Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel

“The election has been decided, but the nation remains divided, even here in our divisions in our university community.”

Levine reported that our state is beginning to see the highest coronavirus rates since the pandemic began eight months ago– and we are anticipating a winter peak. In about two weeks, we will return home for Thanksgiving break. We must be very mindful of the health and safety of our families and our communities. We must take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our community members on campus, especially giv-

en the recent spike in cases at St. Joe’s.

Colleges and universities in the U.S. continue to be hotspots for the coronavirus.

The New York Times college and university coronavirus data reports over 252,000 cases and at least 80 deaths in over 1,600 colleges across the U.S. since the pandemic began.

Most of the reported deaths, according to The Times data, were in the spring, and involved college employees, not students.

Young people came out in record numbers to vote in this election, but these same young people could also spread the coronavirus as they return home for Thanksgiving break. Our job did not end at the ballot box.

Our job is to keep physical distancing and to keep wearing our masks.

It’s great that we’ve made it this far, but the two most important weeks of the semester are still to come. Let’s try to be safe. Take care of yourself and show care for others.

Part of The Hawk’s mission is to be a platform to elevate diverse voices. Please continue to share your experiences and thoughts with us during this election year. You can DM us on Twitter or Instagram (@sjuhawknews).

If you prefer email, write us a letter at hawk. editorial@gmail.com.

-Jackie Collins ’21, Editor in Chief & Ryan Mulligan ’21, Managing Editor The Hawk welcomes Letters to the Editor, typically no more than 300 words. They can be emailed to hawk.editorial@gmail.com.

Opinions Editor Tayler Washington ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Sehar Macan-Markar ’22 Assistant Opinions Editor Maggie Brennen ’22 Features Editor Giana Longo ’22 Assistant Features Editor Nenagh Sheehan ’21 Assistant Features Editor Elaina Wall ’21 Sports Editor Riley Frain ’21 Assistant Sports Editor Tyler Nice ’23 Graphics/Illustrations Editor Casey Wood ’23 Photo Editor Mitchell Shields ’22 Social Media Manager Sam Jenkins ’21 Business Manager Angela DiMarco ’22 Assistant Business Manager Colin Messenger ’22 Assistant Business Manager Danny Remishevsky ’23 Distribution Manager Alec Mettin ’24 Distribution Manager Deborah Duong ’24

SOUP SEASON Soup has earned its place in the hot section this week not only because it’s literally hot, but also because it’s the perfect meal for the chilly weather. What’s more comforting than sitting inside with a nice warm bowl of your favorite soup when it’s cold outside? Truly nothing.

SHORTER DAYS Even though the end of daylight savings time happens every year, it still manages to surprise us every time. Who thought it was a good idea for it to be dark out at 4:45 p.m.? We just want to talk.

KAMALA HARRIS Not only is Kamala Harris making history by being the first woman to be vice president of the U.S., she is also the first woman of color to have the position, showing young girls everywhere that they too can have a place in the White House. It’s about time!

LATE ELECTION RESULTS That feeling you had in the pit of your stomach last week? You weren’t alone, we all felt it. Checking for election updates constantly and watching Pennsylvania change colors back and forth on the map was not fun. We’re just happy all this craziness is finally over!

CHRIS CUOMO Chris Cuomo is the underdog brother of New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo. Sure, his brother is popular among the New York population with his morning and evening COVID-19 conferences. But Chris Cuomo made the news fun to watch during the hectic election cycle. He’s a funny meme on TikTok and, we’ll say it, he is simply just adorable. Keep doing you, Chris Cuomo.

CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS SPIKING All we have to say is please just wear a mask and social distance, especially if you’re going home to your families for Thanksgiving break in two weeks.

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Nov. 11, 2020

5

We still have work to do This is only the beginning TAYLER WASHINGTON ’22 Opinions Editor After a taxing week of incessantly watching the electoral map reach 270, many of us received the outcome we were expecting. Joe Biden pulled through on Saturday, Nov. 7, an announcement that allowed BIPOC, the LGBTQIA+ community and women a sigh of relief. As we’ve mentioned before, a lot was riding on this election as far as essential human rights.

While we can allow ourselves a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, we need to acknowledge that our job is not over yet. In fact, it has just started. Voting was just the beginning. There is still much work to be done.

We are still upholding an inherently racist judicial system that does not value Black and brown lives. We still have a Supreme Court justice that was appointed under rushed and partisan circumstances and is a threat to women’s health care. And, nearly half of the country decided that all of the racist, homophobic, mysoginistic, xenophobic and anti-democratic words and actions of U.S. President Donald Trump weren’t prioritized concerns when casting their votes, and were willing to vote for another four years of him in office.

Trump’s motto for this election season was, “Keep America Great,” when America is far from it. The Trump campaign gave the people who hurt and destroyed our democracy a platform to further their inherently anti-democratic agenda. The values these

people hold aren’t going to go away because their “fearless leader” does. America is based on white supremacy and will demonize anyone who gets in the way of it.

Maybe we won’t have a white nationalist as our president anymore, effective Jan.

for who was going to be elected president.

If anything, this election did not solve our problems, but it showed that change can start in our own city when people work towards it, especially young voters. But we have to follow through with that change. We

“While we can allow ourselves a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, we need to acknowledge that our job is not over yet.”

20, 2021, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to hold President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris accountable for the next four years. Both of them have a track record when it comes to Black incarceration, and following through on some questionable policies in their respective roles as vice president and senator.

This serves as a reminder that most of us settled when it came to electing Biden and Harris, because they would enable us to work towards the democracy that has been wrongfully barricaded from us for the past four years.

The question remains: where do we go from here? Our neighbors with TrumpPence signs will still be here, the Proud Boys who were told to “stand by” are still standing by and our system is still broken. As members of the Philadelphia community, our votes were a part of the deciding factor

cannot leave it in the hands of politicians, as we’ve seen that none of them are perfect.

We must continue to hold our government and politicians accountable, and not on a pedestal. We must continue to protest for Black lives and women’s rights. We have to challenge this system that does not allow for equal opportunities and representation.

The most recently elected Congress has more BIPOC and women than ever before, a result of this election showing us that it’s possible for us to move towards an ideal U.S. While we’ve been holding our breaths all year leading up to this election, it’s time to let it go, but not let our guard down. This is only the beginning.

2020 Election: in review Biden approaches the next four years PATRICK ADAMS ’23 Columnist Joe Biden is the President-elect. The only thing left is for U.S. President Donald Trump to concede defeat.

According to the Associated Press, Biden picked up a win in Wisconsin by a margin of 20,000 votes, a win in Michigan by 146,000 votes, a win in Pennsylvania by 45,000 votes, Arizona by 15,000 and lastly, Nevada by 36,000 votes. Georgia has proved the closest, with Biden leading by just 11,000 votes at the time of publication.

While every major news network projected a Biden victory, President Trump has repeatedly called for the counting of more votes, most of which are mail-in ballots.

These later counted mail-in votes were what supplied Biden his win.

In Pennsylvania, PBS news estimates 78% of mail-in ballots have been going to the former vice president. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering President Trump’s repeated attacks on mail-in ballots, saying his supporters would opt to vote in person instead. Despite this, record U.S. voter turnout not seen in 100 years gave Biden over 75 million votes, or 50.7% of the electorate.

This election season, almost every poll projected a Biden victory. The polls certainly weren’t as wrong as they were in 2016. But the polls did not predict the race being as close as

it was, and heavily underestimated President Trump’s chances of winning, again.

There will always be upsets, but pollsters are definitely trying to remedy any bias against President Trump. However, if the so-called “silent majority” won’t talk to them, they can’t complain when the polls reflect that. Also, the so-called “silent majority” will lose the popular vote for President Trump twice in a row.

While we all waited for every vote to get

counted, the U.S. broke record after record of daily COVID-19 cases.

With record positive cases being recorded in the last five days, the current crisis puts into perspective exactly what is at stake in this election. Sadly, President Trump has solely focused on reelection and lamented about the focus on COVID-19 numerous times, even

complaining at a Florida rally days before the election, “It’s COVID, COVID, COVID, you can’t watch anything else. On Nov. 4, you won’t be hearing so much about it.” He spoke as if a victory suddenly means neither him nor Biden would be pressed on the challenges COVID-19 has created.

Unfortunately, for the over a million lives lost around the world, and their families, the severity of this pandemic was not

TODD ERKIS Columnist Professor Erkis, I have a full-time job after graduation. They have sent me a bunch of forms to fill out including a tax withholding form, an I-9 form and elections for insurance and a 401(k). Can you help me understand what to do with all of these forms? - Joey T. ’21.

First, congratulations on getting a fulltime job. Yes, all of the forms can feel overwhelming. Everyone’s situation is different so I am not suggesting or advising you (or any reader) on what elections to make. What I will do is explain the forms and the implications of the different elections.

The tax withholding form is called a W-4 form. This form tells your employer how much to withhold from your future paychecks for federal income taxes. It is important to note that this form has no bearing on the amount of taxes you will owe. When you file your tax return in April, the amount you owe will be compared to the amount withheld during the year. If the owed amount is more, you pay when you file. If the owed amount is less, you get a refund. There are financial penalties for too little withholding during the year so a person fills out this form to hopefully get the withholding close to what is owed.

The form has questions for you to answer to help determine the amount withheld. Most people will just complete Step 1 (choice of their filing status – single, married filing jointly or head of household, which is a married person with dependents) and skip the other steps. If you will be working multiple jobs, or your spouse works, you likely will get a refund when you file unless you complete Step 2. If you have dependents, you will fill out Step 3. Claiming more dependents lowers the amount deducted from your paycheck. You also have the ability to have a specific dollar amount withheld each paycheck, but this is not commonly done.

The I-9 form is asking you to attest (or state) that you are eligible to work in the U.S. It is a crime to lie on this form if you are not eligible to work in the U.S. People eligible to work in the U.S. are citizens, non citizen nationals, lawful permanent residents and those with an authorization to work in the U.S. People who are not authorized to work in the U.S. will know that this needs to be addressed. The second part of the form asks you to provide proof of identity and employment authorization to prove you are eligible to work in the U.S. Insurance and 401(k) elections vary significantly from company to company. I suggest you talk over the options with your company representative so you understand your choices. One thing to remember is that under current law, a person under 26 can remain on a family plan (i.e., your parents' health insurance) even if the person no longer lives at home or is married and is not financially dependent on their parents. If this applies to you, it may be cheaper to stay on that plan if your parents are okay with it.

Anna Lubomirski ’21: From my experience in part-time jobs, forms like the W-4 and ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK I-9 actually seem more intimidating than they really are. It looks like there is a lot of stuff invented by the media. The results of this going on, but if you read through carefully, election must not be interfered with, regard- you will understand what you have to do and less of the biases of whoever predicted and won’t have any problems. In terms of a 401(k) reported on it. Sorry, Mr. President, but facts and insurance plan, my understanding is that every company has a Benefits Office, which don’t care about your feelings. is more than willing to help and is where you can make an appointment to discuss and get some more advice. I would strongly recommend doing this before picking a plan.

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Nov. 11, 2020

Opinions

The Hawk Newspaper

Remembering Walter Wallace Jr. CAREN TEAGUE ’23 Special to The Hawk On Monday, Oct. 26, many of us learned of the tragic murder of Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old Black man who was fatally shot by police in West Philadelphia.

As a Black student on this campus, and as a resident of Philadelphia who lives only blocks away from where this tragedy happened, I decided to speak out in response to this situation at an event led by Nicole Stokes, Ph.D., associate provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Sadly, this event did not have the turnout that myself and other students had hoped for. So, if you didn’t get the chance to hear my speech, here it is: What do you say to a group of people who chronically encounter and endure the horrors of trauma? What do you say to your son, or your daughter, or your younger siblings? And how do you know when the last time you will see them will be? Walter’s mother watched him die; she pleaded for his life while his sons were minutes away waiting for him to come home.

On that Monday at 4:56 p.m., I opened a message to a video that I wasn’t expecting to see. The last time I cried myself to sleep over a tragedy like this was following the murder of George Floyd, and I surely did not expect

Teague stands at the podium delivering her speech in the Chapel of Saint Joseph.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

to feel this way again, especially during one of the most stressful and important time periods of the year: the days leading up to Election Day. In this society, and this community, we

watch death more than we watch life. We mentally dwell on trauma. My best friend was one block away from the shooting when it happened. He heard every shot. When he told me this, I couldn’t help but fear that it

could’ve been him. It could’ve been my father, or my brother, or my best friend. We talk about death like it’s a casual conversation. Another life lost, and then we move on. As a society, we have been numbed. It happens so often that sometimes we forget to notice that it is happening. I say this to say that, as individuals, we should be more sensitive to the grievances of others. At the end of the night, we put down our phones and our homework, but I have to sleep in this skin. I can’t put down my identity.

Sometimes it’s a weight heavier than a lot of people can bear. It doesn’t just affect Walter’s family or his children; some of us can’t sleep at night because of how terrorized we are.

So ask your friends how they are doing.

Pay attention to them. And later on in life when you make decisions, and as you grow into your lives and careers, remember the system that we are all a part of. Remember all of those we lost and those who were hurt by individuals in power. Make your decisions remembering the community you got your education in.

I know you’ll hear it a million times, but we are the future. We really are. You, the students, are the voices of justice. We have the power through our protests and our perseverance to create the infrastructure that maintains stability and peace in our society, so don’t let your power go to waste. We can do this.

Why I changed my major twice How the pandemic influenced my area of study LESLIE QUAN ’22 Columnist “What’s your major?” is a fairly simple question for most students. But for me, I feel I always have to preface my answer with a fairly long back story in order for people to understand how I picked my current major.

Before college, I wanted to major in environmental science; I loved being outdoors and I definitely wasn’t pleased with how we were treating our planet, so I wanted to change that. My freshman year as an environmental science major went well, and even though my biology courses were a bit overwhelming, I never doubted what I wanted to study.

It wasn’t until the summer going into my sophomore year that I realized that the environmental science major may not be for me. That summer, I became a photographer for a modern sushi restaurant in my town, and I eventually had the opportunity to set up their website too. I loved the work I did, and I began thinking about changing my major to something that involved art and technology.

After scouring the St. Joe’s undergraduate programs for about a month, I decided that the communication studies major was the perfect fit for me.

I entered my sophomore year as a communication studies major, and for the first time, I felt liberated from the pressures that my environmental science major put on me. In my communications courses, I was encouraged to be creative and to think out-

side the box, which was much different from when I was cramming information about cells and genetics into my brain at midnight.

While I loved the communication studies major, I still didn’t feel at peace with where I was. At the end of my sophomore year, I realized that part of me wanted to return to more science-based courses. So, I went through the process of changing my major. Again.

At that point, I was entering my junior year, so my options were pretty slim. And by slim, I mean I only had one option. The interdisciplinary health services (IHS) major was the closest I could get to a more science-based major. While I never really expressed interest in the IHS major before, I decided that switching my major to IHS would be a very timely choice.

I changed my major from communication studies to IHS during the coronavirus pandemic. For me, I felt uncertain about my second major change, but living through a pandemic has certainly motivated me to learn more about diseases and the social determinants of health.

As of now, I’m starting to find a deeper interest in the IHS major. Even though it seems like I’m starting from scratch, I like to think that I’m starting from experience.

Changing your major is pretty common, but changing your major twice can definitely be unnerving.

When I tell people that I’ve had a different major every year of college, I tend to get the remark “So are you going to change your major again senior year?” And I’d like to address that question with a very big “no.”

It’s a bit too late to start a new major at this point, but I’m not concerned about

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

that because I truly feel like the IHS major couldn’t have come to me at a better time.

In my IHS classes, I’m learning more and more about the pandemic that we’re living through, and it’s incredibly fascinating.

I think that sometimes when we enter college, we have this grand idea of how things are going to go. However, I’m here to tell every student that anything can happen. And when unexpected things do occur, don’t be afraid of change.

Even though it may seem like things are completely out of your control, just know that being in college is all about exploring your options. It’s all about learning who you are and what you feel deeply connected to and passionate about. Choosing a major is about discovering something that challeng-

es you and fits with what you’re good at.

College is the time to explore a multitude of subjects, so if you are feeling trapped in your major, you probably are. But don’t be afraid to change that. Don’t limit yourself to what you know; expand your knowledge of the world by shaking it up a bit and embracing new experiences and ideas.

Changing my major twice has been quite the journey, but through the challenges, I have grown and learned more about myself than I would have ever imagined. It’s never too late to pursue something you’re interested in, and I think it’s better to move through life making those difficult decisions rather than sitting around and wondering, “what if?”

Features

We asked first-year students at St. Joe’s, who have never attended a pre-pandemic campus, and only know it as a place of masks and brown paper dinner bags and tents and often empty common spaces, to capture the campus from their perspective.

Our ask is based on Bloomberg CityLab’s Coronavirus Map Project, which was published in June and features maps that people all over the world created to document their city, neighborhood or home spaces as impacted by the pandemic.

Of the more than two dozen maps we received, we find first-year students grappling, as they do every year, with trying to get to know their new home. We see sunrises and study nooks and running paths. We see exhilaration and loneliness, desires for connections and the relief of solitude. We see students coming to terms with a semester on Hawk Hill like no other, but still finding their way.

If you’d like to contribute a map to our series, please contact Giana Longo ’22, Features Editor, at thehawkfeatures@gmail.com for submission guidelines.

The Hawk Newspaper

Heavenly Perez ’24: Switching from quarantine at home to college was a very drastic change in my life. I went from seeing the New York City skyline and busy streets to being surrounded by trees and hawks.

My experience at St. Joe’s thus far has been like a huge board game. I now have new rules, a new environment and new goals.

On a normal day at St. Joe’s, I go to Campion, then to class in Merion Hall, then back to Campion, and last,

“My experience at St. Joe’s thus far has been like a huge board game.

I now have new rules, a new environment and new goals.”

Heavenly Perez’s Map

“In this map, I show the places I visit and pass by on a daily basis, like a game piece, hopping from place to place. From being in class to quarantining, college life is so different, especially in the middle of a global pandemic.” back to my dorm room in Lafarge Residence Hall.

I pass by many places and see many new faces.

Some days I would go to the store with some friends, and some days I would stay in and watch Netflix. You can always catch me doing homework in my dorm room or in the library. I usually hang out in my suite or on the Villiger lawn area.

Nov. 11, 2020 7

I use a variation of the game Monopoly to show what my everyday life is like.

In this map, I show the places I visit and pass by on a daily basis, like a game piece, hopping from place to place.

From being in class to quarantining, college life is so different, especially in the middle of a global pandemic.

Perez is a theatre major from Brooklyn, New York.

8 Nov. 11, 2020

The Hawk Newspaper

Features

CineHawk Review: “Nocturne” JAYLEN DOTSON ’21 Columnist From writer and director Zu Quirke and prolific indie horror juggernaut Blumhouse Productions, “Nocturne” is a part of the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” collection that the company created for the streaming service Amazon Prime, where it is currently available for viewing. It stars Sydney Sweeney, Madison Iseman, Jacques Colimon, Ivan Shaw and Julie Benz.

“Nocturne” is a “mad artist” story in the same vein as “Black Swan” and “Whiplash.”

It tells the story of Juliet, an aspiring classical musician living in the shadow of her twin sister Vivian, with whom she attends a prestigious music academy. Her luck begins to change at the start of the movie when she comes across the journal of a classmate who took their own life. The songs contained within the journal push her musical ability to new heights, but she slowly realizes that there is a malevolent force contained within its pages.

First and foremost, “Nocturne” is a horror film, meaning its primary purpose is to provide its audience with satisfactory scares, and by that standard, it achieves moderate success. Unlike other Blumhouse pictures, the film mostly avoids an escalating body count of increasingly over-the-top kills in favor of building a creepy atmosphere through slow-burning suspense. This is largely accomplished by lead actress Sweeney, who perfectly captures the internal turmoil and resentment of an overshadowed

NICK VAGNOZZI ’22 Columnist MIKE MIRANDA ’22 Columnist Cheesesteaks are a staple in the city of Philadelphia, and so too is the endless debate about where to get the best one. We researched a variety of local Philadelphia magazines, news outlets and recommendations from Philadelphia natives to identify the top cheesesteaks shops in the city.

For this week’s cheesesteak review, we went to John’s Roast Pork, a steak shop that claims to make the “ultimate cheesesteak” in Philadelphia. Located on Snyder Avenue, near the sports stadiums, John’s Roast Pork is a very interesting shop in the heart of South Philadelphia. They do not have the typical aesthetic we’ve been accustomed to in a normal cheesesteak shop. Also, their specialty is not actually the cheesesteak, but rather their roast pork sandwich.

John’s true intrigue comes from its crucial, and possibly criticized, decision to not use cheese whiz, a classic and fan favorite in

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

artist, but hides behind an empty smile and sophisticated manners. Every scene she is in, there is this constant dread that she could snap at the slightest provocation.

Lindberg Academy, the elite prep school that the sisters attend, is a most appropriate setting for this kind of story. Its high standard, pressure cooker atmosphere feels almost too real, and is something that students who attend similar kinds of academies can relate to.

During assemblies and lunch hours, long, suspenseful shots put viewers in Juliet’s mindset, which only adds to the film’s creepy mood.

The staff of Lindenberg’s music department is headed by Gordon, played by JoNell Kennedy, and music teachers Rog-

er and Dr. Cask, played by John Rothman and Ivan Shaw, respectively. Kennedy does nothing special in her turn as a prep school principal, hitting the familiar beats of polite, Stepford smiles hiding rank opportunism, but offering nothing subversive. The same can be said for “jaded, wash-out teacher” types like Roger and Cask, though at the very least, they tie in to “Nocturne’s” central theme: aspirations of greatness dashed by mediocre talent.

While the story that “Nocturne” is telling has been done many times before, it might have been better to simply focus on being a grounded psychological thriller about a young woman slowly unraveling

the cheesesteak world. In eliminating cheese whiz, many cheesesteak consumers have placed John’s on the hot seat.

Nonetheless, this spot has a reputation that precedes it, firmly holding its name among the greats in Philadelphia’s cheesesteak world.

It would be an understatement to say that John’s steak is a hot commodity. John’s faithful customers are relentless, with a line typically wrapping around the block and crowds gathering at the pickup window. If you’re making the trip to John’s, be prepared to dedicate a good chunk of time.

John’s cheesesteak was something unlike any other. The steak itself was a mixture of sliced and chopped steak, overcoming what could possibly be the cheesesteak consumers’ longest debate of what they enjoy more: sliced or chopped. From the start, this surprising cheesesteak clearly separated John’s from the rest of the city’s big players.

Not only was the steak in a category of its own, but it was seasoned to perfection and mouthwateringly tender.

Phenomenal steak aside, the other elements of this steak were less flattering. The

roll and cheese could be categorized as mediocre at best.

The lack of cheese whiz was a true downfall to consumers that prefer whiz over other cheeses. The alternatives, American and provolone, just felt underwhelming in comparison to the steak’s unique features.

The presence of the cheese in the steak was also extremely spotty, leaving some areas all steak and roll while others had an overwhelming amount of cheese.

The roll also left us underwhelmed in that it was too thick and chewy, instead of warm and soft. With the greatest equilibrium of the two steak worlds imaginable in

under pressure. Unfortunately, in an impotent attempt at a hook for more traditional horror fans, the story adds a vaguely supernatural notebook to its premise.

The movie feels so confused in its use of this plot point that it almost seems as if it was added in post-production. As Juliet begins to act out the “prophecies” contained in its pages represented by admittedly creepy drawings, she is disturbed by random flashes of light and some generic body horror hallucinations. It all ultimately builds to a predictable, somewhat vapid, conclusion that will just leave viewers more confused than haunted.

Overall, “Nocturne” is just an average Blumhouse movie. Its only real strengths are some moody cinematography and strong performances by its cast. Otherwise, it is difficult to recommend.

Rating: 5 Hawks out of 10

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

one sandwich, both sliced and chopped, the roll almost served as a barrier to experiencing these exceptional flavors inside of it. The roll was large, thick and lacked any special flavors to compliment the unique style of the steak.

The ability to create this cut of steak was downright revolutionary and continues to serve as the middle ground between the two opposing sides of the cheesesteak world.

But, while this steak itself surpassed all expectations, the thick, chewy roll and poor cheese selection left us wondering what could have been.

Rating 7.9 out of 10

ILLUSTRATION: CASEY WOOD ’23/THE HAWK

Features

The Hawk Newspaper

Nov. 11, 2020

9

Project Sunshine engages with isolated pediatric patients JACKIE COLLINS ’21 Editor in Chief

Jordan Olenginski ’21 started the St. Joe’s chapter of Project Sunshine in fall 2019 to help make the lives of hospitalized children “a little happier, a little brighter.”

Project Sunshine is an organization that partners with medical facilities across the U.S. Volunteers engage with children that are hospitalized through creative, recreational and educational programs. The purpose of these activities, most popularly the arts and crafts programs, are to encourage self-expression and imagination.

Chapter Leader Olenginski and the other volunteers of the St. Joe’s chapter normally visit the children at Pediatric Specialty Care at Philadelphia, 15 minutes from campus. But since the coronavirus pandemic hit, it has been difficult for them to give the children the support they need.

“When COVID[-19] hit, obviously we weren’t allowed to go in [Pediatric Specialty Care], only essential personnel, which makes sense since they’re a very vulnerable population,” Olenginski said.

“So, we haven’t been able to be there since March. They’ve been really isolated.”

Children who are hospitalized at this time are experiencing increased isolation and emotional distress, as they can’t have visitors other than one caregiver, and interaction with other patients is not permitted, according to the organization’s website.

Even though they can’t be there in person, Project Sunshine has made an

effort on a national level to connect with children virtually by launching TelePlay, a program that brings together small groups of patients and trained volunteers by video conference to engage in stress-reducing play and activities that mirror the typical in-hospital play experience.

The St. Joe’s chapter intended to initiate their TelePlay program on Oct. 29, but Olenginski said they have been experiencing some “hiccups.”

“We didn’t have [any patients] sign up for our session [on Oct. 29],” Olenginski wrote in an email to The Hawk. “The organization is trying to advertise it a little better before we schedule another session.”

Additionally, Olenginski said that Pediatric Specialty Care does not have the funds to provide iPads for every child patient to join TelePlay, but Project Sunshine is working with the hospital to provide them with this technology.

“Since Pediatric Specialty Care does not have the technology to do it right now, we’re actually doing national TelePlay,” Olenginski said. “So we’re holding virtual sessions, and any kid from any hospital in the world could join our session. That’s how it’s going to work for a few weeks until we get Pediatric Specialty Care devices to join with us.”

Besides a lack of technology, another barrier posed is the consent needed by the children’s parents or guardians.

“If they don’t have that paper signed, they can’t join the session, even if they signed up [for TelePlay], which kind of stinks,” Olenginski said. “If their parent or guardian isn’t in the room with them, they can’t join.”

For the first few sessions of TelePlay, only executive board members of the St. Joe’s chapter will volunteer to not only gather tips for their general volunteer base, but to also properly train them on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in place, according to Olenginski.

“I’m just training the [St. Joe’s] volunteers if a nurse comes in to do a treatment for a kid, we have the capability to turn their video off,” Olenginski said. “So protecting their privacy, because there’s going to be other kids on the call, so we need to be respectful, mute them if a nurse is in the room talking about their treatment and talking about their illness.”

In the meantime, the St. Joe’s chapter is working on assembling activity kits to be distributed to hospitalized children.

Clare Monte ’22, communications director of Project Sunshine, doubled as a sending sunshine volunteer in March.

“A box was sent to me with materials for 100 kits,” Monte said. “There are certain things that I had to put together and then make sure all the materials were in the bag. And then I sent the boxes back to Project Sunshine, and they distributed them to hospitals.”

Teagan McCarthy ’22, a sending sunshine volunteer, also assembled 100 basketball themed activity kits with her mom during quarantine. She said these activity kits are, now more than ever, important for the children to receive under the isolating circumstances brought on by the pandemic.

“Usually Project Sunshine will be direct service events, where we’ll go into

the hospital and stay with the kids and do these activity kits with them,” McCarthy said. “But because we haven’t been able to do that, sending these is a big thing in their lives that brings happiness. So we’re hoping at least giving them the activity kits can bring some joy into their lives while they’re going through whatever they’re going through.”

Although it does not compare to the in-person experience, Olenginski is hopeful that the TelePlay and activity kit efforts will keep hospitalized children engaged and entertained during this isolating time.

“I know it’s not going to be as amazing as it is in person, but it’s still something they can look forward to, because they really are very isolated, more isolated than they’ve ever been,” Olenginski said.

Teagan McCarthy ’22 put together activity kits in March.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MCCARTHY

Student gains attention after releasing music online NENAGH SHEEHAN ’21 Assistant Features Editor

After dropping a freestyle mixtape to Lil Uzi’s song, “20 Min” in 2016, Fernando Acosta’s ’22 music career took off.

“I dropped a Lil Uzi freestyle during my junior year of high school, and that song was popping off and got around 200 likes [on SoundCloud], which isn’t crazy numbers but back at home in Puerto Rico, it was,” Acosta said. “I got a lot of positive feedback after dropping that and had a lot of people asking to drop my tape, so I knew I could make something out of this.”

Acosta’s music career began when he was 15 years old in Puerto Rico, after he got his mother’s hand-me-down MacBook Air that came with the GarageBand music editing app.

“I started slowly mastering GarageBand and I started dropping stuff that was super basic around sophomore year of high school,” Acosta said. “So for Christmas, I got a Razor Lab that came with FL Studio and started dropping more complex music.”

Acosta goes by “Chmst,” pronounced as chemist, when he produces, and Dexter when he raps, in reference to the 90s cartoon, “Dexter’s Laboratory.”

Acosta said in 2016, drawing inspiration from American and Puerto Rican artists, he started to make trap beats using both English and Spanish in his songs. Trap beats are a subgenre movement within hip-hop that uses hard 808s, meaning a base, subbase and high-intensity notes called hi-hat’s that

hit on every count of the beat.

Acosta said that his songs are mostly freestyle, meaning he only writes the chorus. He hums a note, matches the pitch with a keyboard and samples old school sounds like jazz or Japanese instrumentals, used in traditional Japanese songs, to be in the background of his beats.

“When I feel like I need to get something off my chest, my outlet is music,” Acosta said. “I’ll make a beat, put my headphones on and freestyle lyrics with a flow.”

Acosta collaborated with Luis Marqués, who said that Acosta takes bits and pieces from some of his favorite artists and creates a unique sound that will surely turn heads once fully developed.

“He can go as far as his effort and dedication can take him,” Marqués said.

“He’s extremely talented, and I could potentially see him as a significant influence in generations to come if he is truly dedicated to the nit and grit of music.”

Javier Carrion, Acosta’s friend from high school, started to collaborate with Acosta after he bought his first microphone.

“At first, it was really raw and we really didn’t know what we were doing, but somehow we were able to get a good sound,” Carrion said.

Carrion said he collaborates with Acosta on a producer to singer level, and Acosta has made a lot of beats for him. “[Acosta’s] music is really a mixture of whatever he’s feeling at the moment and what’s really impressive about him is his ability to externalize those feelings to music, mainly beats,” Carrion said. “I

Fernando Acosta ’22 releases music on SoundCloud. PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

just love the transparency in his music, his versatility is key.”

Acosta said one of the most rewarding parts about making music is seeing people interact with it. Acosta sees it as a way to build relationships that he may not have had otherwise.

“As cliché as it sounds, besides music being a vehicle for myself, I love seeing how other people interact with it,” Acosta said. “It’s nice connecting with people through my music.”

Francisco Santos, who rapped with Acosta, said Acosta has produced one of his most successful songs, gathering about 10,000 views on SoundCloud. “[Acosta] is not only very versatile, but he also has a connection with all sorts of rappers in Puerto Rico,” San-

tos said. “There is a divide between trap stars, lyrical hip hop rappers and reggaetoneros, which is mostly singing and dancing, but [Acosta] has friends in all of those subgenres and has collaborated with all sorts of rappers.”

Acosta said he is working on a project now that he hopes to drop at the turn of the calendar. He doesn’t think there is any limit on where his career can go.

“It’s a matter of time until I get into my own style, it’s been a minute since I’ve dropped a tape,” Acosta said. “That being said, I am working on something and planning to drop it by January. I want to be big. I want to be on covers like Vogue, People and Time Magazine.”

10 Nov. 11, 2020

The Hawk Newspaper

Sports

A moment in SJU Athletics: field hockey RILEY FRAIN ’21 Sports Editor Since The Hawk is unable to bring our readers typical sports coverage due to the coronavirus pandemic, we want to reflect on sports highlights from years past. This week’s edition highlights the elaborate history of field hockey at St. Joe’s, one of the schools’ most successful athletic programs of all time.

St. Joe’s field hockey played its first season on Hawk Hill in 1974 following a petition signed by hundreds of students which called for the expansion of women’s athletics on campus. While the team originally operated at the club level, interest among the student body was high and yielded a large number of athletes who wanted to join the new program.

Marianne Ritchie, The Hawk, 1974: “Petitions signed by hundreds of students who see the value in expanding the women’s athletic program at St. Joseph’s have succeeded in bringing into existence the St. Joseph’s Women’s Field Hockey Club.

In April of last semester, Father Michael Blee gave the okay to organize a team. Both a constitution and a budget has been approved, allocating sufficient funds for equipment and officials.”

After their first season on campus in 1975, the field hockey team was granted varsity status. Ellen Ryan, former women’s athletic coordinator and St. Joe’s Athletics Hall of Fame member, helped the team schedule games and purchase equipment.

At a time when collegiate athletics were not inclusive of women, field hockey played a key role in increasing female involvement in sports at St. Joe’s.

Raymond O’Brien, The Hawk, 1975: “Women on the St. Joe’s campus can expect to receive a more equitable share in college athletic facilities due to a college council vote in favor of a proposal granting women equal treatment with men in the use of athletic facilities […] The suggestion stated the need for improved tennis courts, better security for the tennis courts and fieldhouse area, an assistant Athletic Director to assist with women’s athletics and an urgent need for regulation on [women’s] field hockey.”

After the induction of Title IX in 1972, the St. Joe’s field hockey team set the groundwork for what would become one of St. Joe’s most successful athletics programs.

The squad rolled to five wins through their first six games of the 1975 season, which featured a 2-1 win over established rival Villanova University and a 6-0 shoutout against Big 5 member LaSalle University.

Throughout the years, field hockey has continued this winning tradition on Hawk Hill.

In 1986 the Hawks took down No. 17 Rutgers University in a hard fought 2-1 victory led by Linda Buonanno, the first First-Team All-American and one of three to achieve the honor in St. Joe’s field hockey history.

Michael Skelly, Hawk Sports Editor: “St. Joseph’s University, the small Catholic school known for upsetting the giants in the past, pulled off another David and Goliath act Tuesday as the women’s field hockey team stunned 17th ranked Rutgers.”

In 1993, St. Joe’s played defending national champion Old Dominion University and lost by a score of 1-0. Despite their loss, the field hockey team’s resilience and strong defensive work kept the national champions at bay throughout the course of the game.

Peter Gancayco ’96, Assistant Sports Editor: “This past Saturday, the St. Joseph’s field hockey team played nationally ranked and defending national champions Old Dominion […] Senior goalie Lisa Fasano played a marvelous game giving up only one goal while recording 10 saves. Seniors Jeannine Sweeney and Kristi Burke were the core of the SJU defensive wall that stymied the high powered ODU offense.”

More recently, St. Joe’s field hockey has seen the pinnacle of its success, winning the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Atlantic 10 (A-10) Field Hockey Championships and sending the team to three consecutive NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships.

Throughout their historic three season run, the Hawks reached as high as a No. 10 national ranking going undefeated in the A-10 in both 2018 and 2019 and have consistently been among the ranks of the top 25 teams.

Sam Britt ’20, Sports Editor: “The St. Joe’s field hockey team defeated Virginia Commonwealth University 1-0 in the Atlantic 10 Field Hockey Championship game on Nov. 3. Among the team’s achievements: three consecutive outright A-10 regular season championships, two consecutive A-10 tournament championships, currently ranked 10th overall in the country.”

With the long standing success of the St. Joe’s field hockey team and their rise to becoming an A-10 powerhouse, St. Joe’s is what many fans would call a “field hockey school.”

Lynn Farquhar, Head Coach, 2018: “We are a program on the rise. We have had a great group of committed workers who have come in and some alums who have helped us start it. We are hoping to continue this trend […] We are in the heart of hockey.

There is no reason why we couldn’t be a field hockey school.”

In 1986, the St. Joe’s field hockey team took down No. 17 Rutgers. PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

Sports

The Hawk Newspaper

Nov. 11, 2020

11

Worth the weight: teamwork during the offseason TYLER NICE ’23 Assistant Sports Editor In the seventh game of last year’s season, Taylor Funk, junior forward for the men’s basketball team, tore a ligament in his right thumb and was subsequently ruled out for the season. While Hawks’ fans saw Funk dressed in street clothes during games last season, few were aware of the physically demanding conditioning program he completed behind the scenes to improve his body composition.

One workout was to run the stairs of Hagan Arena while the team practiced. Funk said that he ran about six miles of stairs during one session. Pushing him during the entirety of the intensive cardio session and completing the workouts alongside him was Eric Lang, head strength and conditioning coach for the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team.

“I really respect that,” Funk said. “I’m not sure how many strength coaches would run six miles of stairs with you.”

Lang arrived on Hawk Hill in June 2019 after working with the Houston Rockets organization for three years, serving as the Rockets’ assistant strength and conditioning coach and head strength and conditioning coach for their G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

In his role as head strength and conditioning coach at St. Joe’s, he said he designs meal plans, individualized corrective mobility programs and individualized strength programs for each player on the team. He attends all practices and games, and leads team strength training and conditioning sessions.

Billy Lange, head coach of the men’s basketball team, wrote in an email to the Hawk that Lang is transformational in regard to the body development of St. Joe’s players.

“We want to be the best in college bas-

ketball in the space of body development and Jill [Bodensteiner's] commitment to hiring Eric Lang was a major step,” Lange said. “Eric is transformational. Our player’s feel Eric’s preparation and authentic care for their whole being as he equips them for life in all ways related to their physical health.

We are excited for what the present and future hold under his energy and guidance.”

After Funk’s injury in early December 2019, Lang developed an individualized conditioning plan for Funk to resculpt his body while ensuring that his conditioning level remained high.

“It’s not like he hurt his lower body, so for him, we really focused on his body composition and conditioning,” Lang said. “I wanted to make him feel as if he had not missed a season from a conditioning standpoint.”

Funk said that in order to become a better player for his position, he had to shed weight from his then 240-pound frame. Under Lang’s direction, Funk said he began to do various forms of cardio every day. “[Lang] said that in order to see the results, you really have to nail the cardio,” Funk said. “I was running, swimming, riding a bike, running stairs or doing sprints every day.”

Funk also said Lang stressed the importance of eating healthy.

According to Lang, diet and nutrition were especially important to Funk, as someone who aimed to decrease his body fat percentage.

“For him it was eating cleaner, healthier foods,” Lang said. “Making sure he was eating appropriate portions for his goals.”

Funk stopped eating sugar and bread, and focused on eating lean proteins. For that, he said that Lang offered a dietary rule of thumb.

“The more legs on an animal, the more fat there is,” Funk said Lang told him. “So

A former member of the Houston Rockets staff, Lang joined the Hawks in 2019.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SJU ATHLETICS

cows or anything with four legs, mostly fat.

Then you get down to chickens and it’s less.

And then, eggs and fish. It just always stuck with me, so I ate a lot of eggs, and a lot of fish.”

Currently, Funk weighs 210 pounds. He said that the hard work under Lang’s direction bodes well for his jumping ability, lateral movement and leg strength. While the hard work wasn’t always enjoyable, Funk said it is rewarding.

“I mean it wasn’t fun, but it kind of got addicting because you saw so many results so fast,” Funk said.

For Lang, successes like Funk’s aren’t accidents, but rather the byproduct of commitment and diligence. He said that body maintenance is what separates the great players from the average ones.

“A lot of times, it’s taking care of their bodies and nutrition, stretching a little bit more, waking up and getting an extra lift in,” Lang said. “They really put the work in.

The little things they do every single day are what make the biggest difference.”

Funk credits Lang with providing him with the foundation and the support needed to transform his body.

“I don’t think I could have done that without the knowledge he gave me and the conversations we had,” Funk said. “Everything I did, he would do with me. While I would run a suicide, he would do it with me.

When I went on the eliptical, he would do it with me.”

The state of the Sixers How offseason changes will affect the team RILEY FRAIN ’21 Columnist While the Philadelphia 76ers have made their way to the NBA Playoffs during their last three seasons, the Sixers’ playoff resume is plagued by early bow outs, failing to progress past the semifinals in any of their last three appearances.

While making the playoffs is great and would be a metric of success on the basketball court for many, winning a championship is really what the fans want. To do that, the Sixers need continued improvement, not staggered consistency.

Early on in this offseason, change came to the Sixers organization. They fired Head Coach Brett Brown after seven seasons and brought in former NBA Coach of the Year Doc Rivers from the Los Angeles Clippers.

On top of that, the ownership group brought in Daryl Morey, former general manager of the Houston Rockets, who will step into the role of president of basketball operations for the Sixers.

All of these new additions were made with the intention of improving on that poor postseason record and to help the team take the next

step to contend for an NBA Championship.

These coaching and front office changes are exciting for fans to see, but they don’t address the current issue within the Sixers organization. The talent the Sixers have on the court is evident with stars such as Center Joel Embiid and Foward Ben Simmons.

However, their skills do not complement each other.

A big man such as Embiid, who specializes in scoring below the rim and finding space in the paint, matched up with someone like Simmons, who often struggles to shoot from deep and wants to drive to the hoop, compacts the whole offense and cramps everyone inside the three-point line.

The Sixers need to create space to find more success against strong opponents. And to do that, they need to prove a serious threat from the three-point line. If everyone is cramped within the key and looking to attack the rim, it’s easy for teams to guard against and gameplan for the Sixers as they reach the playoffs and only play superstar teams.

As the new president of basketball operations, it will be Morey’s job to find and bring in players who can complement their star players. Being a former member of the

Houston Rockets organization, reports have suggested one player Morey is interested in is former NBA MVP James Harden, a renowned three-point shooter.

While a move like this might be a little much to ask for, as a Sixers fan, this signifies that the Sixers are taking a step in the right direction in pursuit of a championship.

As the NBA continues to progress through their offseason, we’ll see more changes and new personnel within the Sixers organization.

While fans may be disappointed to see certain faces leave the organization, the Sixers have to do what’s necessary to take the next step to becoming a championship caliber team.

The last time the Sixers advanced past the conference semifinals was 2001.

PHOTO: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THEHAWK

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Nov. 11, 2020

News

The Hawk Newspaper

ELECTION 2020 PHOTOS: MITCHELL SHIELDS ’22/THE HAWK

Biden-Harris supporters walk down Broad Street from City Hall to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where Biden-Harris and Trump-Pence supporters have been protesting since election night.

A woman holds a Kamala Harris sign among Biden supporters at 12th and Arch St.

A Biden-Harris supporter holds up a sign in front of the Convention Center at 12th and Arch Street.

Biden-Harris supporters and Trump-Pence supporters near the Convention Center.