THE HOFSTRA
CHRONICLE
HEMPSTEAD, NY VOLUME 87 ISSUE 1
TUESDAY September 14, 2021
KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935.
A&E
features
Remembering Taylor Rose Clarke: Reflecting on her impact and legacy
“Shang-Chi” rings in box office sales By Anna DeGoede ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
Today, readers of The Hofstra Chronicle have the privilege of reading a newspaper with prestige, reach and power. This effect is backed by the relentlessly dedicated work of Taylor Clarke, who put blood, sweat and tears into its content up until her final moments here with us. Her passion for her craft, commitment to her community and mighty pen were unparalleled. With Taylor at the helm, The Chronicle was firing on all cylinders. She worked with grace, candor, patience and love – and it seeped through every page of every issue. Having worked closely with Taylor as co-editors, I can tell you her work was motivated by pure belief in its importance and
compassion for others. By getting to know Taylor even more personally, it became quickly apparent that most everything she did in her life was driven by these values. In her short time here, she has done more good than most people do in a lifetime. Not only has she touched lives through her words and reporting, but Taylor has physically saved dozens, if not hundreds of lives through her activism in encouraging organ donations and being an organ donor herself. While the rest of the office dreaded the inevitably long and exhausting layout nights, Taylor showed up excited and eager every time. Taylor, the recipient of a heart transplant, referred to
her days as gifts. She knew very well each day that she was given a second chance at life. Despite the immense pressure, time and energy (many sleepless nights) that went into being an editor, Taylor showed up smiling. I’ll always remember how bewildered I used to be looking at her joyously editing away at 3 a.m. on a school night. It’s a philosophy we can all learn from, and no one knew it better than Taylor – each day is a gift. Today, we all miss Taylor. We are confused and angry that she was taken from us way too soon. But look at it Taylor’s way: what a privilege that we can say we knew her, and what
CONTINUED ON A6
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” Marvel’s first film starring a predominantly Asian cast, faced obstacles to its success before the movie even hit the theaters. One hurdle, fans noted, was Marvel’s apparent lack of “Shang-Chi” promotions compared to other films. This issue was enforced by the fact that Disney CEO Bob Chapek dubbed its release strategy “an interesting experiment,” a comment which sparked backlash from audience members and cast members alike. In spite of Marvel and Disney, “Shang-Chi” has managed to surpass past Labor Day box office records, netting an estimated $75.3 million its opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo.
“Shang-Chi” tells the story of Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), an ex-assassin who works as a valet to escape the influence of his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung). The twist: Wenwu is really thousands of years old, thanks to a magical set of ten rings that grant its wearer immortality and other powers. After years of complicated and tense family dynamics, Wenwu attempts to reunite his children and revive his late wife, Ying Li (Fala Chen). To his surprise, he is faced with opposition from many sides, including from his own son.
CONTINUED ON B2
Photo courtesy of Forbes “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has a rating of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Hofstra Chronicle is back for the fall semester! Keep an eye out for our next issue on 9/28.
A2 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
NEWS
Hofstra honors twentieth anniversary of 9/11
By Ahjané Forbes 203 Student Center hofstrachronicle@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief Micaela Erickson
Managing Editor Jessica Zhang
Secretary
Visvajit Sriramrajan
Business Manager Jacob Lewis
News Editors
Ahjané Forbes Marjorie Rogers
Assistant News Editors Madeline Armstrong Megan Naftali
A&E Editors
Victoria Bell Eleni Kothesakis
A&E Assistant Editor Kat Salmon
Sports Editors
Anthony Roberts Mike Senatore Will Wiegelman
Features Editor Audra Nemirow
Assistant Features Editors Anna DeGoede Julian Rocha
Opinion Editors
THE CHRONICLE
NE WS E DI TOR
Hofstra University observed the twentieth anniversary of 9/11 with a remembrance ceremony on Friday, Sept. 10. “On Sept. 11, 2001, at 8:46 a.m. a hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts, crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, tearing a gaping hole in the building and setting it on fire,” said Bernice Aquino, Vice President of the Student Government Association (SGA) as she recounted the events of 9/11 during her opening remarks at the ceremony. “At 9:03 a.m., a second hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 175, crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center and explodes,” she continued, adding that another flight crashed into the Pentagon, forever changing history. The Hofstra Reserve Officers Training Corps conducted the Presentation of Colors following Aquino’s opening remarks. Kyla Surjbali, a member of the class of 2023, sang the national anthem. “As we prepared to honor those who were killed on Sept.11, it is important that we acknowledge the disconnect some students might feel from this event,” said Rabbi Dave
Siegel, Executive Director of Hofstra Hillel, as he delivered the ceremony’s invocation. Because the attacks occurred over 20 years ago, many students at Hofstra have little to no memory of Sept. 11, 2001. In the past, the University has coordinated Explore Next Door (END) trips for students to go to Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, the site of the attacks, to learn more about the events of that day. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, these trips are not being offered at this time. “Given a lot of the restrictions right now to get in and out of the city for students, we were unable to plan that this year,” said Zaibis Muñoz-Isme, Associate Dean of Students at the Division of Student Affairs, in regards to the University’s END trip offerings. She added that first-year and transfer students who are interested in attending an END trip might soon have the opportunity to do so as New York continues to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I imagine that we will have more END trips throughout the semester,” Muñoz-Isme said. Siegel discussed the relation of the victims to their friends and families and the importance that the Hofstra community has in remembering the 27 lives that
were lost. “We must always remember that these individuals are not just names or numbers but they are brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands and wives and even childhood friends,” Siegel said. Following the invocation, Hofstra University President Dr. Susan Poser gave her remarks. The podium stood a few feet away from the plaque dedicated to the Hofstra 9/11 victims, whose names are engraved on a sculpture located in the middle of the labyrinth in front of CV Starr Hall. “The sculpture represents a phoenix, a mythological bird that is a symbol of rebirth,” Poser said. “In this way we will remember them always.” The ceremony honored the families of two alumni, Courtney Walcott and Joseph Hunter. The families, who were in attendance, honored their loved ones with the presentation of roses on a wreath. To honor the memory of Walcott and Hunter, Hofstra has created an endowed scholarship dedicated to them both. The University provides these scholarships to children and spouses affected by the Sept. 11 attacks. “It’s good that 20 years later they have not forgotten and it’s a beautiful day,” said Andrew
Walcott, brother of Courtney Walcott, as he took note of the clear blue sky beaming over the ceremony. “It was a day like this when the tragedy happened.” Courtney Walcott was a cornerback for the University’s football team and graduated from Hofstra in 1990. On a remembrance plaque dedicated to Walcott in Joseph M. Marigotta Hall, it is noted that he worked as a Client Services Manager for I.Q. Financial Systems at the World Trade Center. “He is always in our hearts,” Andrew Walcott said. Last year the University held the Sept.11 remembrance ceremony entirely virtually on a livestream via YouTube. However, this year attendees could choose to go to the ceremony either in-person or virtually. Many people who went to the ceremony, both in person and virtually, were happy to pay their respects and show their love and support for the families in attendance. “With everything that’s going on with the pandemic, it’s important to stay connected to the things that matter,” said Victoria Simon, accommodations specialist and student success coordinator at Student Access Services.
Daniel Cody Yashu Pericherla
Copy Chiefs
Antonia Moffa Julia Razzante
Assistant Copy Chiefs Visvajit Sriramrajan Kayla Blonigen
Multimedia Editors Adam Flash Jacob Lewis
Assistant Multimedia
Editor
Alexis Friedman
Social Media Manager Tori Licata
Editor-at-Large David Lazar
The Chronicle is published onTuesdays during the academic year by the students of Hofstra University. The Chronicle is located in Room 203 Student Center, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. 11549. Advertising and subscription rates may be obtained by calling (516) 463-6921. The Chronicle reserves the right to reject any submission, in accordance with our written policies. All advertising which may be considered fraudulent, misleading, libelous or offensive to the University community, The Chronicle or its advertisers may be refused. The products and opinions expressed within advertisement are not endorsed by The Chronicle or its staff.
9-11 // Photo courtesy Ahjané Forbes Ahjané Forbes / The Hofstra Chronicle The Hofstra community gathered to remember the 27 alumni and student lives lost during the Sept. 11 attacks.
THE CHRONICLE
NEWS
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A3
A4 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
NEWS
THE CHRONICLE
Students raise concerns about on-campus quarantine housing
By Madeline Armstrong ASSISTA N T N E W S E D I TO R
“There literally has not been a day where I have not cried,” said Elisabeth Ford, a sophomore journalism major. “It feels like a prison.” Ford is one of the many Hofstra University students to have been placed in the University’s on-campus quarantine housing this semester. In the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester, a section of one residence hall, Colonial Square (CSquare), was reserved for students to quarantine if they tested positive or were in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. As more courses were made in-person this semester, quarantine housing remains available to students. However, multiple students who have been forced to isolate in the on-campus quarantine housing were dissatisfied with their experience. Students have expressed that the isolation took a negative toll on their mental health. Anthony France, a sophomore music education major, was put into isolation last semester when he and his girlfriend came into contact with a family member who tested positive for COVID-19. Both were put into suites next to each other but were not allowed to visit each other. “We had to plan when to pick up our meals from outside the door,” France said. “And all we would do was stick our heads out, pick up the meals and wave hi.” While France said he suffered mentally during his time in quarantine, he felt “lucky” to have already been seeing a therapist and was able to meet with them virtually. Upon entering quarantine, all students are supplied with a welcome letter that provides them with a list of resources should they need anything during the isolation period, according to Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Jean Peden Christodoulou. The Student Counseling Center has also put a plan in place to support those in quarantine. “Part of that effort includes both reaching out to students individually and providing an
opportunity for students to access our ‘COVID group,’ which we host one evening a week,” said John Guthman, executive director of Student Counseling Services. “In addition, we reach out to each student individually as they cycle into quarantine housing to check on them.”
neither Ford nor France received a phone call from anyone checking in on them while they were at CSquare. “No one [was] checking in on us ... not even calling us,” Ford said. “At my brother’s school [Vanderbilt University], they would have a nurse come in
her and the University. She has struggled to contact health services about obtaining a rapid COVID-19 test. She is still unable to be tested and will be forced to remain in quarantine two days longer than necessary. France struggled with similar communication issues. He and
Photo courtesy of Elisabeth Ford Students in quarantine housing have found that resources are not as readily available as initially stated.
While Guthman claims that counseling services reaches out to each student individually,
twice a day to check on them.” Ford also felt frustrated by the lack of communication between
his girlfriend were exposed to COVID-19 but had not yet been tested. During their quarantine
stay, they were both taken to the Student Health and Counseling Center to be tested, but never received their results. “As far as we know we were [negative],” France said. “We never had any COVID symptoms.” Nevertheless, they both remained in quarantine for 11 days. “It’s just so stressful to have to take care of yourself, but also take care of the situation you’re in,” Ford said. Guthman urges students to reach out if they are struggling mentally from the isolation and stress of quarantine. “While services are available, we trust that students will access those services and take advantage of them as needed,” Guthman said. “We are not empowered to impose ourselves.” However, many students did not feel supported mentally during their isolation period and believe the University could have made their mental health services more accessible. “I think they should have made [Hofstra’s mental health services] more open or obvious for those in quarantine,” France said. “Everyone I know who had to quarantine, they came out feeling worse than they did coming in, and these are people who had COVID.” In an effort to provide more support to students living in on-campus quarantine housing, Christodoulou said that the University has hired a fulltime employee in the Division of Student Affairs. Starting this week, their role will be to coordinate the operation aspects of quarantine isolation housing. “We decided to make this a live-in position,” Christodoulou said, “so that someone is always available to students in quarantine housing.” Christodoulou and Guthman encourage students to stay connected virtually during their time in isolation and to reach out to University resources if they are struggling. “[The University] did their best for the most part,” France said. “It’s just unfortunate.”
THE CHRONICLE
Bill of Rights lobby experiences flooding
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A5
NEWS
Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Julian Rocha
On Monday, Sept. 6, PS was called to the Graduate Residence Hall because a student failed to comply with the visitor policy. The student was then reported to OCS.
Photo courtesy of Tyler Mroczek
By Marjorie Rogers NEW S E D I TO R
Hurricane Ida barreled through Long Island on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 1, bringing torrential rain to Hofstra University’s campus. The hurricane caused flash flooding throughout the New York metropolitan area, including an incident that occurred in the lobby of one residential hall, Bill of Rights. Around 9 p.m., Tyler Mroczek, an on duty Resident Safety Representative (RSR) and junior journalism major, noticed the lobby had begun to flood when water started pouring through the ceiling tiles. The leak occurred within close proximity to several electrical fixtures, according to Mroczek. He said this created safety concerns, which he shared with others who were gathered in the lobby. “We were scared someone was going to get electrocuted because it was right by the printer and all the lights,” Mroczek said. At the time of the incident, Mroczek alerted a Public Safety officer and the Resident Safety office of the leaking ceiling. He said he did not see anybody from the University come to assess the water damage. “Eventually it just stopped on its own,” Mroczek said. Caitlyn Wrang, a junior film
studies major and a resident of Bill of Rights, also experienced ceiling leakage in her 11th floor room. She said flooding during major storms has been an issue in her room dating back two years when she first moved into her living space. “I called maintenance last year to fix the problem and it’s still not fixed,” Wrang said, She added that to temporarily fix the leaking problem, she bought herself a bucket. When there is a leak she uses the bucket instead of calling maintenance. Wrang states the University maintence team is inefficient and fails to consider students’ privacy. “[Maintenance] didn’t even give me a warning that they were coming,” she said. “They just come to your dorms.” The University released an official statement regarding to the flooding. “During the historic rain event associated with Hurricane Ida, our campus experienced a ceiling leak in the lobby of the Bill of Rights residence hall,” the statement reads. “The leak was repaired quickly, no students needed to be relocated and our campus was ready for full operation by 7 a.m. the morning after the storm hit our region.”
On Monday, Sept. 6, PS was called to Suffolk Hall because a student had admitted to smoking marijuana. When PS searched the student’s room, numerous bottles of alcohol were found.
The student was referred to OCS for a drug and alcohol violation. On Thursday, Sept. 9, PS was called to the Student Center by two female students. The students noted that a male campus visitor was asking various questions which made them feel uncomfortable. By the time PS arrived on the scene, the visitor was gone.
On Sunday, Sept. 12, a Hofstra student reported damage to their automobile at parking lot 7 North. When PS arrived on the scene, there was visible damage on a rear tail light.
sdfjs;dlfjk;sldkfj;aldfjk
Key PS = Public Safety RSR = Resident Safety Representative OCS = Office of Community Standards
Jacob Lewis / The Hofstra Chronicle
A6 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
FEATURES
THE CHRONICLE
Remembering Taylor Rose Clarke: CONTINUED FROM A1
a gift every day spent with her has been. The truth is that when you live life the way Taylor did, you stick around. Taylor is with us through her philanthropy, through those who received an organ because of her activism, through the person who received the organs she donated, through those she inspired, through those who benefitted from her stories and reporting, through those who she made smile in the office, through the words on this page and through the many people who will continue to be impacted by the unwavering trajectory of The Hofstra Chronicle. They’ll have Taylor to thank. - Katie Krahulik, Managing Editor (Class of ‘19) The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Taylor Rose Clarke is sitting in her car after layout nights. After submitting that week’s edition of The Chronicle, we’d leave the office around 3:30 in the morning and catch up as she drove me home.
No matter how many hours we’d been in the office or how grueling the edits were that week, she would always offer me a ride. This gesture was one of many acts Taylor did to make layout nights special. No one cared about The Chronicle more than Taylor Clarke, and she showed it by the presence she brought to the staff. Whether it was gathering a group of editors to hang out in the School of Communication, playing music during layout nights or spending time in the office throughout the week, she went out of her way to make sure everyone felt welcomed and included. She made spending every Monday night huddled up in The Chronicle’s office poring over typos and InDesign formatting the highlight of my week. She matched this effort in every endeavor she undertook. She was passionate, dedicated and invested in everything she pursued. Taylor truly wanted The Chronicle to be the best it could be and was willing to go above and beyond to make that hap-
Photo courtesy of @taylorclarke_ on Instagram
pen, from suggesting ideas for TikToks we could make, to her determination to write for every section in the paper, to undertaking insurmountably difficult stories. And as a testament to the extraordinary person she was, she always pulled it off. The Chronicle, and every one of us, are better off for having known her. Taylor Rose Clarke truly was one of a kind. What everyone wants to be is what she was – smart, funny, hardworking and kind. I know I’m not alone in looking to her as a role model. She was the kind of person everyone recognized. She was proud of who she was, honest, humble, a spark in everyone’s life. There are no words to truly sum up the kind of person she was, much like there are no words to describe the feeling of realizing I would never speak to her again. I am incredibly grateful for the two years in which I knew Taylor, and I know that her memory will live on – with me, with her friends and family and with the office she helped to grow. - Mia Thompson, Copy Chief (Class of ‘19) Taylor lit up every space she came into and she always, always, always gave 110%. In my 10 years teaching at Hofstra, I have never seen a student embrace college the way Taylor did. Teaching her was an absolute joy because she saw all her classes as an opportunity rather than a chore and she sustained that enthusiasm even when The Chronicle was on deadline or when midterms were looming. Given Taylor’s role at the paper I would have forgiven her for skipping classes, but she never slacked off on anything, ever, and she just always seemed quite joyful about life. During Taylor’s senior year I was called to provide a reference for an internship (which she totally got). I remember laughing when I chatted with the woman on the phone because I advised her she’d wind up creating a full time post to keep Taylor because she was THAT good; she really
was someone you wanted to keep around. The world is a poorer place for her passing. - Kelly Fincham, Associate Professor of Journalism at Hofstra from 2010 to 2021 Taylor Clarke left a beautiful impact on the world and brought out the best in others. I am a better person for having known her and The Hofstra Chronicle is better for having been guided by her leadership. She never judged. She always listened. To say that she was kind is an understatement. She had this angelic aura and everyone realized it. I was constantly inspired by her as both a friend and colleague and continue to be every day. Taylor truly believed that with words we could change the world and used her storytelling gifts to amplify the voices of the voiceless. She undoubtedly would have won a Pulitzer Prize. I was lucky to share so many memories on and off the Hofstra campus with her. We toured the BuzzFeed headquarters in Manhattan, danced all night in Rockville Centre bars, stayed up until (and past) sunrise for election night coverages and dined at new local restaurants. During all these moments, no matter how stressed she was, Taylor was an open book and an old soul. One night, probably well after 3 a.m., while laying out the newspaper in the Student Center office, she was talking about her heart transplant. Taylor had told me that one of the things she was most concerned about after waking up from the transplant surgery was whether she would still love the same people now that she had a new heart. I couldn’t believe what she was saying. I kept thinking, how could this young woman who had been through so much be thinking about others from that hospital bed? In that moment I realized how special Taylor was. Even though she had been through so much, her compassion for her family and friends was shining through. I think about that conversation a lot and it has made me try to be selfless like how she was.
Most importantly, I think Taylor would like for my tribute to her to include a call of action to others, because that is what she did best. Her accomplishments in journalism are impressive, but for me, her volunteering with organ and tissue donation is the most profound. I encourage everyone to sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor and then encourage others to do so. She saved countless lives through signing others up to become living donors, or to eventually donate at passing. That little heart on your driver’s license indicating your donor status meant so much to her, and it now means the world to me. Even in death, Taylor is still giving now as a donor herself. It is comforting to know that while my friend is no longer with us, she continues to have a physical presence in our world through the bodies of others. Those recipients are carrying an angel with them, and we are all carrying memories of our angel with us. - Jill Leavey, Managing Editor (Class of ‘20) I got to know Taylor Rose Clarke through my involvement with The Hofstra Chronicle, where she was assistant news editor, then news editor and then editor-in-chief her senior year. As a leader, she always made you feel important and valuable, from the shyest freshman staff writer to the paper’s executive board. Taylor also had a hand in most of The Chronicle’s biggest stories during her time at Hofstra, whether that meant investigating things on her own or guiding other reporters as they worked to inform the Hofstra community about important issues. A lot of my peers and I learned just as much – if not more – about journalism from The Chronicle as we did from most of our classes at Hofstra, and Taylor’s leadership played no small role in that learning experience. Outside The Chronicle, Taylor was a delightful presence on campus. We had a few classes together, and I always enjoyed working with someone so
THE CHRONICLE
FEATURES
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A7
Reflecting on her impact and legacy dedicated yet witty and down-toearth. Even once COVID-19 sent us all home for the latter half of the Spring 2020 semester, Taylor was always there to complain about Zoom classes with me and trade notes and tips when it came to completing our classwork. I looked back on our text message history while writing this (yes, it was painful) and was struck by how much fun it was to just talk with her about stuff as silly as what kind of music our dogs enjoy and random funny TikTok ideas. I remember a conversation where she joked about wanting to skip a class and I dramatically responded with something like, “I guess that’s why they tell you to never meet your heroes.” I was kidding, but as cheesy as it sounds, Taylor continues to inspire me to be a better journalist and a better person. Her commitment to ethical, responsible reporting and to treating everyone with respect are things I try to embody every day. The last message I ever received from Taylor was in August of 2020, when she had graduated and I was in my final semester of college. As always, she sent encouragement and positivity, closing with “I miss you!!!” (I, of course, said “Miss you too” with a couple of teary emojis.) This time, Taylor, it’s right back at you. - Elizabeth Turley, Copy Chief (Class of ‘20) From the first semester I met Taylor, in my introductory news writing class, it was clear she would be an extraordinary reporter – brilliant and principled. She was determined to tell stories that mattered. She was a tenacious reporter and a graceful writer. When asked to interview any Hofstra professor about their research, she chose the dean of the engineering school; she was never scared to tackle a tough topic or try something new. As Editor-in-Chief of The Chronicle, she upheld the highest standards of accuracy and fairness. She wrote and published investiga-
tive stories that took tremendous courage – more courage than I’ve ever mustered in my career – and for which she, and the paper, won many prestigious awards. And yet what inspired me most about Taylor was her gift not for journalism but for kindness. She, of all people, knew how precious time was, yet she was so generous with her own. No matter how busy she was – running the student paper, excelling in the Honors College, advocating for organ donation and interning – she would help anyone who needed it as though she had all the time in the world. She endured so much but smiled so readily. She was grateful. She was loving. She was optimistic. How many of us would be, in the same situation? When I think of Taylor’s passing, I am, like so many of my colleagues, overwhelmed by the unfairness of it all. But I try to remember what Taylor taught everyone around her by example, about kindness and strength, about how precious life is. She wanted to change the world with her journalism ... and she did change it, with her courage. She will always be in our hearts. - Carol Fletcher, Associate Professor of Journalism at Hofstra University When you read things about how incredible people were in their lifetime after they’ve passed away, people always speak highly of them. For Taylor Rose Clarke, even the highest praise of her character, her devotion, her friendship and her soul is not enough to cover what an incredible, inspiring and kind person she was. No words could do her justice; she was so much more than any description or any act of kindness or any one thing. I met Taylor through The Hofstra Chronicle, and I will be forever grateful that our paths even crossed. When I think about all of the tiny choices that had to be made for Taylor to be at Hofstra, for us to even meet, I consider myself lucky beyond words. We were friends instantly, both of us in the news section with Katie
and Jill, and she quickly became one of my closest friends. Taylor was someone you could always rely on, someone who, without fail, could make you smile and give you the best advice and make all the bad things seem more under control. She was a calming presence when she needed to be, but at the same time the most bubbly, hilarious and outgoing person. She was an incredibly gifted journalist and an exceptional friend and person. I learned so much about love and life and the world from her, and she always made me smile. I miss her every day, and she was truly unlike anyone else, which is something people just tend to say, but it is so true for her. She was a one-of-a-kind person, and everyone who had the opportunity to meet her should be so, so thankful. We will never forget you, Tay, and I know that these memories we had together in the few years I got to have you in my life will be with me forever. - Melanie Haid, Editor-in-Chief (Class of ‘21)
Photo courtesy of @taylorclarke_ on Instagram
Taylor Rose Clarke’s life was one not just of leadership and tenacity but also goodwill. She had a positive influence on fellow students and faculty alike, bringing a sense of optimism to those she interacted with. Taylor was an accomplished journalist and an especially passionate volunteer for LiveOnNY, a non-profit working to encourage organ donation for terminal patients. Although Taylor is no longer with us, her legacy will continue to live on in The Hofstra Chronicle’s newsroom and beyond. - The Hofstra Chronicle Editorial Board
Photo courtesy of @taylorclarke_ on Instagram
A8 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
FEATURES
Back in person, but not back in time By Julian Rocha ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
Although Hofstra’s campus was open to students last year, like other universities around the country, life was far from normal. A good portion of classes met over Zoom, club meetings were either online or entirely nonexistent and there was an eminent feeling of concern regarding the ongoing pandemic. As this semester kicks into high gear, it brings a sense of familiarity to the upperclassmen who were on campus prior to COVID-19, but it is far from the “normal” that so many yearn for. Mike Roller, a senior political science and public policy major, is president of Hofstra’s Model UN chapter. He notes a stark difference between this year and prior years, yet remains optimistic toward what is on the horizon. This school year is Roller’s second as president of the Model UN chapter, but his role is continuing to change as Hofstra transitions away from virtual operations and toward more face-to-face activity. “Coming back to campus has absolutely been a big shift for me; I’ve dreamed of being president of this club since 11th grade in high school,” said Roller. “Even though I had the role last year, it’s just so refreshing and rewarding to have everyone in the room again.” When he oversaw Model UN as a junior, Roller made the most of the atypical meeting format. “Our club is all about communication, the exchange of ideas and the solving of global issues,” Roller said. “Needless to say, we had a lot to talk about.” Regularly seeing familiar faces in the Model UN Zoom calls made Roller’s time wielding the digital gavel much more enjoyable. “Going to virtual meetings was refreshing,” Roller said, “because I got to check in with my friends and hang out [with them] for a little while. I just
hope everyone was having as much fun as I was!” It is clear to Roller that life on campus has changed a lot over the past year and a half, as many of his fellow club members from before COVID-19 have graduated during that period. Just like countless people of all ages, Roller misses parts of his pre-pandemic life. As a commuter student, he spent much more time on campus with his friends and in the classroom before the pandemic began. Stepping back onto campus this fall provides opportunities to both rekindle old connections and build new ones. “I see a lot of fresh faces on campus ready to move past the troubling times,” Roller said. “I’m predicting a renaissance of campus activity this year!” Valerie Langlois, a sophomore filmmaking major, is also glad to
conscious of her responsibility to heed the remaining regulations. The Axinn Library, one of the most important locations on Hofstra’s campus, has had its operations altered by the pandemic. Marie, who requested that her last name not appear in this article, works at the circulation desk and greets those entering the library. She notes that the recent no-food policy is a large change. “It’s a lot to ask for,” Marie said, “having the students not eat in the library.” At such a highly frequented place, older students are often tempted to pull out a snack and eat, as they may have in the past. However, she emphasized that the students “are very kind and sweet. They have done a good job of following the rules.” Being on campus during a pandemic has been daunting to many members of the Hofstra community, but Matthew, who also requested the omittance of his last name, works at the Curriculum Materials Center desk in the library and has noticed a rise in the overall enthusiasm of students so far this semester. “The students seem much more interested and are asking us lots more questions,” Matthew said. “The study rooms are filling up much more significantly, and there has been a lot more activity, which is great to see.” Roller, Langlois, Marie and Matthew are only a handful of the thousands who are glad to be back on campus here at Hofstra. The past year and a half have been tough for all, but the Hofstra community has shown it can get through it. Campus is bright and vibrant at this point, and it is full of people ready to tackle what is next. By looking toward the future and being safe and responsible, every member of the Pride can play a part in making this return to campus special.
“I’m predicting a renaissance of campus activity this year.” be back on campus, surrounded by her peers. The social isolation was challenging to her, as it was for many others. “Due to the restrictions last year, it was so hard to see everyone I wanted to,” said Langlois. As a member of the class of 2024, Langlois’ class did not have the opportunity to attend in-person orientation or Welcome Week events. As a result, Langlois and her peers took it upon themselves to branch out on their own as much as they could, given the pandemic restrictions. Coming into this fall semester, Hofstra increased the capacity of indoor seating areas and lifted almost all its restrictions on in-person classes. This difference was well received by students such as Langlois, who have exercised proper precautions over the past year and a half. Eager to meet new people, she plans to take advantage of the new freedoms on campus while remaining
THE CHRONICLE
Overheard
at
hofstra “I’m not a communist now, but if I was around in the 1940s, I would definitely be a communist.”
“Person 1: “I have my own drawer in the health center.”
“Person 2: “I have my own drawer in the morgue.”
“I think Alaska is just Maine if there were no rules and it was worse.”
“Begone, toad!”
“Hangman is the best evidence of a disturbed mind.”
“Hofstra is just if Comic Sans went to private school.”
“Oh my god are we really talking about Ted Bundy AGAIN?”
“We live in a country where at 18 years old you can go to war, but you can’t have a drink with your professor.”
THE CHRONICLE
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A9
FEATURES
T h i s Ho f s t r a L i f e : By Audra Nemirow FEATURES EDITOR
Christopher Chang, a first-year graduate student in the Physician Assistant Studies Bachelor of Science and Master of Science (BSMS) dual degree program, grew up on Long Island. To Chang, Hofstra is just far enough away from his home. He harbors a deep love for Long Island, especially for his hometown of Huntington, proving that you do not have to stray far from home to embrace the variety of life. “I’m the one who’s introducing more of my friends to Long Island, since I was born here,” Chang said. “I have a lot of friends who are out of state, so it’s nice to introduce my friends to the things I grew up with.” Many of Chang’s closest friends are also in the BSMS program. These are the people who he has studied with over the years, those who have felt the specificity of that program’s difficulties and joys. But Chang has also been able to meet people
By Anna DeGoede ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
Christopher Chang
in all different fields of study. Much of this happened through his involvement with the Honors College, as he has been able to interact with and befriend a diverse group of people. This, combined with his choice to live on campus rather than commute, has been essential to his sense of community at Hofstra. “Unless you live here or you’re here every day, it’s hard to experience what campus life is ... I have friends who are commuters, and they come [to Hofstra], they go to class, and they go home,” Chang said. “It’s just very different from joining a club to having fun with friends on campus, to just enjoying campus life as a whole.” This is Chang’s third year as a Resident Assistant (RA), an opportunity that has allowed him to take on a leadership role and further embed himself in the Hofstra community. “I want to meet as many people as I can,” Chang said, “and being an RA just allows me to meet more people that I normally
wouldn’t be able to meet.” As an RA, Chang does not see himself as a mere enforcer of rules, but as a friend and mentor. “I don’t want to get people in trouble,” Chang said. “I hate doing that. I want to be the RA who is there for them no matter what. I want to be my residents’ greatest cheerleader.” Much of this drive to help others and participate actively in his community is an extension of his lifelong attachment to Christianity. “I was born in a Christian household,” he said, “and my parents are Christian. Because of that, I take after their faith. It is something that has been with me for my whole entire life ... you always have a brother or sister who is willing to help you. They are always willing to be there for you, which is something that I take to heart. It doesn’t matter what your religion is or anything, always having that support system is something that will carry you through life.” Chang brings similar feelings
to his chosen career path. The particularity of the physician’s assistant (PA) job was thanks to the example his brother-in-law set, but to Chang, the choice to join the medical field at all is based on his profound need to express empathy. For this reason, he has long known that he wanted to be a part of medicine. “I’ve always liked helping people,” Chang said. “I want to make sure everyone around me is always in the best mood possible. So, because of that, I want to make sure everyone’s healthy; I’m like the dad of my friend group. Knowing that I can help people with my major, firsthand, is something that’s really special to me.” Studying to become a PA is extremely demanding, but Chang tries to make time for his other interests as often as he can. He is involved in several clubs on campus: Hofstra Esports allows him to exercise his love of video games, the Hofstra InterVarsity Christian Fellowship connects him with others who share his
faith and the Hofstra Physician Assistant club provides him with opportunities for professional development. Chang also has a deep connection to the performing arts, with a particular penchant for Broadway shows. “I went to Broadway shows as a kid,” he said, “my first Broadway show was at age three. From there, I’ve always been engrossed in musicals. I’ve performed in musicals ... I can’t act or sing for my life, but what I can do is I can play an instrument.” Chang may boast an eclectic life, but with approximately nine hours of classes on most days, it is by no means easy to balance everything that he loves. “You can’t study all day, otherwise you’ll get burnt out,” he said. “You can’t hang out all day, otherwise you can’t study. You have to find that sweet spot of time management for you where you’re able to do as much as you can without sacrificing something.”
Chron Cooks ft. Anna DeGoede: Sweet and Spicy Popcorn Ingredients:
Instructions:
Two packages of microwave 1. Sweet popcorn: Pop one package of popcorn according to popcorn (lightly salted the instructions. Open the bag while still hot and dump preferred) a generous amount of the cinnamon sugar into the bag. Reseal and shake to mix. Cinnamon sugar (can also substitute with cinnamon and regular sugar if needed)* Cayenne pepper* Anna DeGoede / The Hofstra Chronicle
This flavor combination, based around ideas in Whirly Pop’s official recipe book, was a family staple when we lived in The Gambia. My dad, an avid popcorn lover, would make popcorn on the stove and mix the sweet cinnamon with the spicy cayenne to make a complementary combination. Then we would share the popcorn with our groundskeeper, a very sweet old man named Keta, every night we made it.
2. Spicy popcorn: Pop the second package of popcorn according to the instructions. You can then either dump the popcorn into a bowl and season to taste or sprinkle the cayenne pepper into the bag and shake as with the sweet popcorn.
3. Feel free to combine the two batches or keep them sepa*The amount of seasoning rate. you put onto the popcorn is up to the cook’s discretion 4. Enjoy!
In Memory of Taylor Rose Clarke (1996-2021)
Taylor Rose Clarke served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Hofstra Chronicle from 2019 to 2020, leading with kindness and grace. In her time in the newsroom, she made an undeniable impact, serving as an inspiration to the Hofstra community past and present.
Photo courtesy of @taylorclarke_ on Instagram
Photo courtesy of David Henne
Photo courtesy of Taylor Clarke’s Facebook
Photo courtesy of Taylor Clarke’s Facebook
Photo courtesy of Ahjané Forbes
Photo courtesy of Melanie Haid
Photo courtesy of Alex Licata
Photo courtesy of Melanie Haid Spread by Adam Flash, Jacob Lewis and Alexis Friedman
Arts and Entertainment
VOL. 87 ISSUE 1
“Shang-Chi:” ringing in box office sales B2 Courtesy of The New York Times
B2 • September 14, 2021
A&E
THE CHRONICLE
“Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings” marvels fans CONTINUED FROM A1 One of the most prominent features of the movie is its fight scenes. Unlike other Marvel movies, whose battles all fall in a similar vein, “Shang-Chi” showcases sophisticated fight scenes in a martial arts style. Even when there are magical elements at play, such as the Ten Rings, the film does a good job of making each move feel real while preventing the fights from becoming like other Marvel films. The East Asian influences on “Shang-Chi” create a striking story and world for its characters, while also managing to stay true to the Marvel trademark brand. “Shang-Chi” embraces aspects of Chinese culture, from joking about managing parents’ expectations to including Mandarin Chinese throughout
Photo courtesy of Vanity Fair “Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings” is the second movie in Marvel’s wave of new releases, known as Phase Four.
the whole film. Nuances such as those, combined with the film’s spectacular architectural designs and dramatic scenery, establish “Shang-Chi” as one of the more stand-out Marvel films in terms of visuals and culture-building. Although the film has a lot of impressive visual appeal, its conviction in its world starts to fade toward the end. The final
battle setting and creatures struggle to fit in to the rest of the world of “Shang-Chi.” After so many grounded fight scenes and settings, it felt strange to encounter such a large collection of random magical animals and evil beings whose designs did not really fit the grittier look of the rest of the film. A common element of Marvel
films is their sense of comedic timing. While “Shang-Chi” doesn’t quite compete with the humor of “Ant-Man” and older films, the character of Katy (Awkwafina) provides muchneeded levity to a film that could easily slip into being too angsty. Other comedic highlights include the characters of Trevor and his magical companion, Morris. Other stand-out performances include Liu’s performance as Shang-Chi and Meng’er Zhang as his sister, Xu Xialing. Zhang succeeds at creating an intriguing character, with all the edginess and rebelliousness of a younger sister. Despite an apparent lack of support from Marvel and Disney executives, “Shang-Chi” more than meets expectations with strong casting, visual intrigue and impressive fight scenes.
Quick Hits
Courtesy of Billboard
The MTV Video Music Awards celebrated its 40th anniversary at the Barclays Center on Sunday, Sept. 12.
Courtesy of Today Show
The Met Gala was held on Monday, Sept. 13 with the theme of “In America: Lexicon of Fashion.”
Olivia Rodrigo’s album credits set a new precedent
to the writing credits of the respective songs. Swift, Antonoff and Clark were all added to the writing credits for Rodrigo’s Photo courtesy of The Irish Times song “deja Rodrigo has also caught the attention of Courtney Love who accused the “Sour” singer of copying the cover art vu,” due to for her album “Live Through This.” the similarities between By Lauren Ballinger Rodrigo’s bridge and the bridge STAFF WRITER on Swift’s song “Cruel Summer,” a song all three co-wrote. AnAfter its release, Olivia Rotonoff and Swift were also added drigo’s album “Sour” dominated to the writing credits of Rodrigo’s social media, radio stations and “1 step forward, 3 steps back” for Billboard charts. The first wave its use of the piano chords from of popularity was driven by both Swift’s song “New Year’s Day.” the interest in the breakup behind In her song “good 4 u,” Rothe album, as well as the averdrigo utilized interpolation, the age listeners’ appreciation for the re-recording of an existing body music itself. of work – in this case, Paramore’s Following the initial attention, “Misery Business.” This is differthe album was analyzed, scrutient from a sample, which is when nized and compared to other artan audio file of a preexisting song ists’ music. Namely, comparisons or audio clip is used in producwere made between Rodrigo’s tion. Usually, samples require music and the music of Taylor sample clearance in the form of a Swift, Paramore, Jack Antonoff written agreement from the origiand St. Vincent (Anne Erin nal musician. For use of interpolaClark). After these connections tion, copyright clearance is not were made, Rodrigo added them essential. The use of interpolation
from Paramore’s “Misery Business” on Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” was so recognizable that it even sparked a trend on TikTok. Subsequently, its credits have been updated to recognize Paramore’s Josh Farro and Hayley Williams’ contributions to the song. Acknowledging an interpolation or influence in writing credits is not a new concept. Often, artists will still acknowledge the original writers in the credits. What makes the case of Rodrigo’s credits so unusual is the amount of money each will receive from royalties, as well as the standard to which an artist will be held responsible for crediting other musicians. According to a report from Billboard, Swift will likely receive $325,678. Antonoff will receive about $260,542 and Clark will end up receiving approximately $65,135. Williams and Farro will be taking home $1.2 million in royalties. This large amount is in part due to the chart-topping success of “good 4 u,” and in part due to the unusually substantial percentage of royalties Williams and Farro will earn. Rodrigo and her co-songwriter Daniel Nigro will receive 50% of the royalties, while Williams and Farro will receive another 50%.
“I love ‘Cruel Summer,’ it’s one of my favorite songs ever,” Rodrigo said in a Rolling Stone interview back in April. “I love the harmonized yells she does.” Rodrigo has also continuously and quite notoriously acknowledged that she finds a lot of her inspiration for her music from Swift. Yet, the case of intellectual property with “Cruel Summer” is much more convoluted than the other two bodies of work for which writing credits have been updated. While it has been the case that the writers of the original interpolation more than likely receive credit on a song that uses its chords or melody, that has not been true for those who simply influence a unique type of vocal arrangement. Therefore, Swift’s name attached to a song that was written by someone who utilizes similar methods as her both raises questions and lowers the standard to which artists must receive credit for a song. Moving forward, Rodrigo’s actions may create new confusion as to what the difference between inspiration and duplication is, and where the line is now drawn.
Courtesy of Vogue
Britney Spears announced on Instagram that she and longtime boyfriend, Sam Asghari, got engaged.
Courtesy of E!
Olivia Munn and John Mulaney are expecting their first child together.
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal
“Gossip Girl” has been renewed for season two on HBO Max.
THE CHRONICLE
September 14, 2021 • B3
A&E
We still have faith in ABBA By Chloe Tomasso SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus of ‘70s Europop sensation ABBA are back with new music and an upcoming London residency for the first time since 1982. On Thursday, Sept. 2, the group teased two out of 10 tracks from their upcoming album titled “Voyage” during a press conference streamed on their YouTube channel. The songs, “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down” were released the next day and will be featured on their forthcoming album. So far, the songs are doing extraordinarily well on the charts, having reached more than 80,000 pre-orders for the album in just three days. ABBA formed in Stockholm in 1972. It consisted of two married couples (Andersson and Lyngstad
By Eleni Kothesakis ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
In 1999, the now classic romcom “She’s All That” hit theaters. The movie follows popular high school athlete Zack Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) who makes a bet that he can turn loner girl Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) into the prom queen. After over 20 years, the film has found a second life with a gender-swapped version titled “He’s All That.” This mod-
and Fältskog and Ulvaeus). The group won their first Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with their hit single “Waterloo,” which was later named as the most successful song in Eurovision history. Many of the group’s songs featured personal anecdotes about the tensions and complications within the band’s couples. One of the most well-known songs of the group, “The Winner Takes It All,” was written around the time of the divorce of Fältskog and Ulvaeus in 1980. The powerballad which is also featured in the hit musical “Mamma Mia!” tells the story of a woman accepting a breakup and expressing her regrets toward her former lover. Penned by Ulvaeus and sung by Fältskog, the song peaked at the top of the charts when it came out. Two years after the divorce of Fältskog and Ulvaeus, Andersson and Lyngstad faced the same fate. Eventually, the tension between
the former couples became intolerable, leading to the band’s demise in the same year. Now, 39 years later, the group is back and ready to relive their glory days. The stars, who joined TikTok earlier this month, continue to reach up and coming generations. With a rise in interest in hippie aesthetics and disco among Gen Z, ABBA’s music is rivaling the popularity it had during their height in the late ‘70s. Musicals such as the aforementioned “Mamma Mia!” are hitting high school stages all over the country and ‘70s fashion remains popular today. Trendy teenagers go through their grandparents’ closets and thrift stores for flared pants and go-go boots to pay tribute to the clothing the members of the group typically wore during their performances. The residency will feature the members of the band as holograms in the “ABBA capital of
the world,” which is similar to the look of their new music video in which they used CGI technology to appear younger. So far, many fans are speculating whether the group will enter the upcoming Eurovision contest, which is likely. One can only hope that the group will continue to ride the current
wave of nostalgia they have been riding for the past month. Though very few musicians can claim to achieve the status that ABBA holds, one thing is for sure: We still have faith in ABBA.
Photo courtesy of NPR ABBA’s song “Don’t Shut Me Down” is their first single to reach the U.K. Top 10 charts in 40 years, making that their 20th Top 10 single.
Netflix’s “He’s All That” is so not it ern-day reimagining was released on Netflix on Friday, Aug. 27, and features TikTok star Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan from “Cobra Kai.” “He’s All That” follows popular influencer Padgett Sawyer (Rae) who, like in the original movie, makes a bet with her friends that she can transform angsty Cameron Kweller (Buchanan) into their prom king. In typical rom-com fashion, the unlikely pair eventually fall for each other until
Photo courtesy of Buzzfeed Following her role in “He’s All That,” Addison Rae has signed a multi-film deal with Netflix.
Kweller realizes their relationship as he knows it was all part of a bet. Of course, in the end, the couple reconciles their differences at prom and lives happily ever after. This movie felt like any garbage teen rom-com, until it started feeling more like a fever dream. The vision of Buchanan riding up to school on a horse to console a crying Rae a few minutes after she participated in the most cringey dance battle ever at the end of the movie was shocking, to say the least. Truthfully, the movie was not as painful as most other Netflix original movies. If you can sit through not one, not two but three “Kissing Booth” movies, then “He’s All That” will be an incredibly easy watch in comparison. It has its cringey moments, and none of the acting is done well, but the movie felt more like an experience than a movie that needed to be consumed with a critical eye. While the plot is not an original one, “He’s All That” did set itself apart from its inspiration with some modern references. This basic story is framed against the backdrop of both the positive and negative results of influencer and
social media culture. It’s not lost on viewers, however, that Rae’s character begins to preach about the superficiality of social media, which is something she herself perpetuates. While it is commendable that Rae wants to legitimize her career and make more money, her participation as the lead in a film after no prior acting experience was not a well-thought-out decision. It is hard to remove Rae from her TikTok roots when her character is literally an influencer, and there are forced dance scenes where her movement is as stiff as a board. The entire movie felt like a cash grab and only a way to propel Rae’s career. One of the worst things a movie can do is give an actor a scene where they sing for no reason, and of course, this movie does that to help Rae become even more of a multi-hyphenate. They even have Buchanan show off his “Cobra Kai” skills by beating someone up using karate. Those awkward scenes partnered with the dozens of product placements seen throughout the film made it feel like one prolonged commercial rather than a movie.
One feature of the film that fans of the original will like is the cameos from “She’s All That” actors Cook and Matthew Lillard. Cook’s character Laney Boggs makes a return to play Padgett’s mother. Throughout the movie, she gives her advice and makes references to her teenage years. Lillard, who played reality TV star Brock Hudson in the original movie, returns in the latest film to now play Principal Bosch. Just like every other film in existence, “He’s All That” would’ve been better if there was more Lillard in it. With only a few minutes of screen time toward the end of the movie, Lillard’s character was already 10 times more entertaining and compelling than the other characters combined. While there was no purpose to “He’s All That,” it did accomplish many things. It confused, it bewildered and it killed the brain cells of many of its viewers. If you enjoy movies with no substance and enough cringey moments to give you second-hand embarrassment, then “He’s All That” is the perfect movie for you.
B4 • September 14, 2021
A&E
THE CHRONICLE
“Only Murders in the Building” is a criminally good time WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD By Gabby Luftschein ASSISTANT SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
“You’re the reason I care about murder.” This is what character Charles Haden-Savage, played by Steve Martin, tells his favorite true crime podcaster in the most recent episode of “Only Murders in the Building.” In a show that has danced around its central characters’ desensitivity to death, it was startling, yet somehow expected, to hear it said so flagrantly. “Only Murders,” Hulu’s newest original hit dramedy show, is at its core a commentary on society’s simultaneous obsession with death and the grotesque as well as its disregard for the victims of these crimes. On the night of a mysterious death in their New York City apartment building, lead trio Charles, Oliver and Ma-
characters. For the three of them – even Mabel, who viewers come to discover had a relationship with the victim, Tim Kono – the
derer leaves a message to Oliver in the form of poisoning his dog, it was still played for laughs, with bel bond over their mutual obsesOliver claiming it was “a message sion with a true to the leader.” crime podcast. This nonchaAs fate would lant attitude in have it, a the face of humurder to inmanity’s darkest vestigate pops outcome is a up for them harsh look at that very night how true crime and they start a podcasts, Youpodcast of their Tube videos, own. documentaries Their invesand shows cretigation leads ate a separathem to such tion between places as the consumer and apartment of victim. Much a mourning like Charles, Photo courtesy of Entertainment Weekly INSERT cat owner, to Oliver and Ma“Only Murders in the Building” is the sixth collaboration between Steve Sting’s doorbel, the public Martin and Martin Short. step and even has become so to themselves. desensitized to However, through it all, the entire investigation is primarily a game, murder and violence that they show is cloaked in comedy and then go on to create this content a harmless mystery for them to a sense of amusement for the themselves, capitalizing on the solve. When the supposed mur-
suffering of others. It begs the question: At what point is the line between entertainment and exploitation drawn? This is a question that “Only Murders in the Building” has not – at least in the four episodes released thus far – necessarily answered, but rather one it has forced its audience to confront in their own lives. Does the outcome of these stories only begin to matter when it’s someone one personally knows? A friend of a friend? How many degrees of separation can there be before a crime goes from being a personal tragedy to the show someone plays in the background while getting ready for their day? For “Only Murders in the Building,” it seems the answer might be zero, with the most recent episode hinting at the murderer striking once again. One thing’s for sure: Only time will tell.
Broadway is opening up following COVID-19 shutdown By Eleni Kothesakis ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
510 days after Broadway shutdown due to COVID-19, the Great White Way is lighting up its marquees again. Broadway returned officially with the preview for “Pass Over” on Wednesday, Aug. 4, and officially opened on Sunday, Aug. 22, at the August Wilson Theatre. Musicals returned to Broadway on Thursday, Sept. 2, with the reopening of “Hadestown” and the return of “Waitress,” which had previously left Broadway in January 2020. The return of “Waitress” to Broadway provided the theater community with a touching tribute to the late Nick Cordero, who played Earl Hunterson in the original Broadway cast. Cordero died on July 5, 2020, after a long battle with COVID-19. A special pie named “Live Your Life Pie” was added on the menu board of Joe’s Diner, the set for “Waitress,” in honor of Cordero. His wife, Amanda Kloots, was present at opening night to reveal this addition to the set. The three Disney Broadway productions, “The Lion King,”
“Aladdin” and “Hamilton” will all be returning on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Other Broadway productions returning include “Wicked,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Jagged Little Pill,” “Moulin Rouge!” and “Chicago,” among others. New shows, many of which were in previews in March 2020, will also join in this reopening rollout. New productions include “Diana: The Musical,” “Six,” “Company,” “The Music Man” and “MJ The Musical.” Productions both new and old alike will return to Broadway slowly, with a few productions opening throughout the next few months. Broadway will receive a warm NYC welcome with the three-daylong event “Curtain Up!” From Friday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 19, Playbill will be partnering with The Broadway League and the Times Square Alliance to host this outdoor event celebrating the return of Broadway. The weekend festivities will include panels, sing-alongs, concerts and variety shows. To maintain safety and follow New York State protocols, masks are required in theaters and guests must be vaccinated. Proof of vac-
cination is now asked for upon original Broadway cast in 2016. lowing several accounts of abuse arrival. On Friday, Oct. 1, a recorded verand sexual harassment made in With the return of Broadway sion of “Diana: The Musical” will recent months. Broadway’s return also comes the return of Broadway be available to stream on Netflix has been highly anticipated, but lottery, rush tickets and the before it returns to Broadway on there are sure to be more changes reopening of the TKTS booth Tuesday, Nov. 2. to come that completely alter the in Times Square. These three While Broadway is slowly theater landscape in an attempt avenues provide theatergoers with opening back up, it will continue to adapt after the COVID-19 cheaper, last-minute tickets. After facing challenges as people keep shutdown. being gone for so long, the return demanding both representation to Broadway has been proven to in theater and accountability folbe more expensive for theatergoers. While these three cheaper options are not serving to their full capacity just yet, they are slowly returning to providing the same services they did before COVID-19. For those unable to attend a Broadway show, two stories told on Broadway will be released as films within the next few weeks. On Friday, Sept. 24, the highly criticized movie version of the musical “Dear Evan Hansen” will be released in theaters. The film features Photo courtesy of Billboard Ben Platt, who played Before the March 12, 2020, shutdown, Broadway had only shut down one other time, and that was following the Sept. 11 attacks. Evan Hansen in the
A12 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
OPINION
THE CHRONICLE
The views and opinions expressed in the Opinion section are those of the authors. They are not an endorsement of the views of The Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.
Bodily autonomy is more important than saving the unborn By Yashu Pericherla The debate between prolifers and pro-choicers has been ongoing for years, heightened in the last month after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a new bill that restricted abortion access as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. This isn’t out of character for Abbott – who enjoys playing the role of cartoon villain conservative – but this is real life. This is where the humor dies. The reproductive health of a person should be in their own hands, entirely. It is completely bogus to think that someone else – someone who probably doesn’t have a uterus – can pass legislation to control a massive portion of the population who should have the right to proper reproductive healthcare. The fact of the matter is that people who advocate for this heinous law are usually not people who deal with an unwanted pregnancy. They are speaking on
behalf of others and asserting their chauvinist voices in places where they are truly not supposed to speak. We can argue all day about whether or not a fetus is considered alive and if people should have the power to terminate it or not. That still doesn’t detract from the fact that, by having this law come to effect, Texas is now a state where half of the population has lost their bodily autonomy. Argue all you want about whether it is morally right to kill an “unborn baby” (which is a whole other bag of nonsense) because none of that matters when you’re depriving people of the right to exist in their own bodies. There are many pro-life activists who fall on a spectrum of allowing exceptions when it comes to abortions and reproductive rights. Some say it is a viable option if the abortion is early on, some say it can be allowed in the cases of rape or
if the pregnancy could harm the person giving birth. Some have no exceptions and are actively fighting against living, breathing human beings with active minds and conscious souls, just to save a lump of cells indistinguish-
“Argue all you want about whether it is morally right to kill an ‘unborn baby’ ... none of that matters when you’re depriving people of the right to exist in their own bodies.” able from a melanoma. How can these people be so callous that they condemn an entire population of innocents for the sake of their so-called rights and beliefs, leading to the detriment and regression of feminism?
We joked about living in a dystopia for the past year and even during the early Trump administration. And while these wild times truly do reminisce on a campy, introspective social commentary that we were forced to examine in junior year English class, we are straight up heading toward our own version of “The Handmaid’s Tale” if we allow things like this to go through. The lawmakers who signed Senate Bill 8 were clever, as it takes the heat off them and allows for bigoted private citizens to carry out their crusade. Unlike the whistleblower website, which can be mocked and spammed with Kpop fancams and Reddit-grade trolls, this law allows any private citizen to sue abortion providers. Abortion providers can’t even defend themselves, since the law doesn’t implicate the state or any official, leaving them with nobody to sue. It is absolutely mind-boggling
that we are having a fierce debate about things like gun control while we are being stripped of our rights to make choices about our bodies. You know, that flesh sack we inherit at birth and are supposed to care for until death? Thinking about it too hard makes me laugh because there is no way this is real life! But it is, and that’s the worst part. Yashu Pericherla is a senior English major from Texas. She primarily writes about pop culture and politics.
Hofstra’s Together Again is far from a safe start By Micaela Erickson Hofstra announced its plans to be “Together Again” for the Fall 2021 semester last spring. With the national vaccine roll out and a successful vaccination program on campus, things were looking promising for the fall semester. But with the rapid rise and now dominance of the Delta variant in the U.S., the prospect of normalcy is ever changing. While the Delta variant does not pose as great of a risk to vaccinated people, it’s still something we need to be vigilant about. Some safety measures on campus don’t seem to seriously take the threat of the Delta variant into account. For any one logical safety measure, there is another along-
side it that seems to contradict its purpose. For example: All residential students were to be tested for COVID-19 on arrival. However, the people who came to campus to help these same students move in were not required to get tested, which seemingly negates the purpose of “testing on arrival.” To add to this issue of entry testing, commuter and grad students were given until Friday, Sept. 10, to submit a negative COVID-19 test, giving that student population a good 10 days to potentially contract and spread the virus. Another point of concern regarding these reopening plans is the lack of social distancing measures on campus. Classrooms are back at full capacity and dining locations’ seating
arrangements are back to their pre-COVID models. Masks are required in all indoor spaces; however, a lot of the Hofstra community seems to need a refresher on how to effectively utilize a mask and what “indoors” means. Again, while 98.3% of students and 96.4% of employees are fully vaccinated, there is still plenty of reason for concern about the Delta variant and breakthrough infections, which we have already begun to see on campus. Assuming that COVID-19 will not affect you even if you’re vaccinated is dangerous. By far the most careless decision made by the University was removing the near constant of remote learning. Last fall and spring, students always had the
option to attend class virtually, whether they had come in contact with COVID-19, felt sick or just weren’t on campus. This semester, students have to choose between taking proper safety precautions and a passing grade. Staying home if you’re sick or when you’ve been in contact with someone who’s sick is one of the easiest things you can do to help keep your community safe. Putting students in a position where they can’t count on being able to attend class remotely if they were to get sick adds a ridiculous amount of pressure during an already highly stressful time. Vaccines do provide significant protection against COVID-19 and have helped us immensely. However, operating
under the idea that vaccines are a cure-all and failing to provide students with adequate options should they get sick is not the best way to make strides toward truly being “together again.”
Micaela Erickson is a senior journalism major with a minor in civic engagment. She serves as Editor-inChief of The Chronicle.
We’re currently looking for assistants! Contact us at huchronicle.op.ed@gmail.com
THE CHRONICLE
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A13
OPINION
What the Canadian elections can tell us about the U.S. By Lincoln Annibali With a surprise election less than two weeks away, voters across Canada are making their snap judgments for who the next prime minister should be. The choice that Canada makes in the weeks to follow could give insight into the political direction our own nation is taking. Voters and pundits alike were surprised when current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election less than a month ago, a unique and often controversial tool in parliamentary models. Snap elections are usually called when the PM’s party doesn’t have a governing majority in Parliament but has a high approval rating, two things which were true last month when the election was scheduled. Since making the controversial move to call an election, Trudeau’s polling has slid, giving Conservative leader Erin O’Toole a slight lead, signaling that the Liberal Party’s plurality in Parliament may come to an end.
The political landscapes of Canada and the United States are often starkly different and while the conditions surrounding this election are unique, the commonalities between our two nations could help give us a preview for what will lie ahead in American elections. Just as in the United States with President Joe Biden, one of the biggest controversies which led to a shift in Trudeau’s popularity has been the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. The messy and complicated exit strategy of Canadian forces from Afghanistan, along with its political fallout, have caused Trudeau’s adversaries to question his international leadership and coordination skills. Despite the high public popularity of the withdrawal, Canadian and American discontent with the way the exit took place could be a major political setback for the Liberals and Democrats alike. Trudeau and Biden have maintained strong approval ratings for their COVID-19 mitigation strategies, but as the Delta variant rages on,
both have seen their numbers slip. Along with heightened COVID-19 transmission rates, many Canadian analysts have predicted that far-right, antivaccination and anti-mask voters could be the deciding swing in a Trudeau loss. A Liberal loss in Canada could indicate to Democrats that more action needs to be taken
“A Liberal loss in Canada could indicate to Democrats that more action needs to be taken in stopping COVID-related issues from dominating the news cycle and potentially being a cause of defeat in the midterms.” in stopping COVID-related issues from dominating the news cycle and potentially being a cause of defeat in the midterms. While either a Liberal loss or win could signal a lot to Democrats, a Conservative
win could also give insight to a winning path for Republicans. Canadian Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has branded himself as an extreme moderate, even taking a more left-leaning position than Liberals on some issues. O’Toole has taken a major stand (often in opposition to his own party) in supporting the expansion of social services, the promotion of diversity and inclusion and even climate action. An O’Toole win could show Republicans that the ever-bending far-right curve which grips the party is not necessary for a victory; in fact, a Conservative win could show that more moderate stances on things like deficit spending and climate action are paths to winning. With the two congressional infrastructure bills still facing rightwing criticism in the U.S., a Conservative win in Canada could make it clear that supporting a more liberal agenda is generally more popular. With the Canadian election being one of the first major Western elections in a COV-
ID-dominated world, which way the parliament swings could hint at the intentions of the voters in America. While the structures and systems of American and Canadian elections differ, in an ever-globalizing world, the issues which affect us the most are often the issues that we share.
Lincoln Anniballi is a freshman political science major. His Twitter is @LincMass.
When in Texas ...
Comic courtesy of Ares Davila
OPINION
A14 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
THE CHRONICLE
The suburbanization of small towns is killing rural America By Marjorie Rogers Times were tough growing up. When I needed an escape, I would walk up the hill to my neighbors’ farm and pet their horses and llamas. On top of the hill stood an old red barn from the early 1900s that overlooked the Seven Sisters mountain range. That barn, to me, always stood as a symbol of perseverance. Despite everything, that simple, wooden structure persisted for more than a century. That red barn is now gone. In its place stands several soulless, puke-green contemporary houses. These new houses stand out like an eyesore, clashing with the natural beauty of the mountains and attracting city-slickers who want an escape but want nothing to do with country life. Now, when I look up at that hill, I see a stark reminder that the southern Appalachia I once knew is dying; I see a giant middle finger to the honest,
decent folks who welcomed outsiders in with open minds and hearts years ago, only to have their homes, businesses and cultures wiped away under the guise of “progress.” Suburbanization of rural areas, akin to the gentrification of urban areas, unwarrantedly disturbs and complicates humble communities. Investors attract outsiders by placing a few corporate frills and spendthrift opportunities around town, bringing in just enough of the coziness of suburbia to make Appalachia tolerable to strangers who aren’t interested in our culture, but also bringing just enough competition to completely wipe out the small businesses and local economy. Small businesses are the backbone of the Appalachian economy. When corporate franchises like Starbucks and Home Depot come in and attract outsiders, the tiny coffee shops and hardware stores can no longer turn a profit and
are forced to sell to investors. As outsiders trickle in but continue to cling to the bland familiarity of the places they left, rent rises, small businesses struggle and investors scoop them up. Suddenly the town no longer belongs to the
“Suburbanization of rural areas, akin to the gentrification of urban areas, unwarrantedly disturbs and complicates humble communities.” townsfolk, and home no longer feels like home. Fifteen years later, you walk back up that hill to find one of the few constants and comforts of your childhood has now been replaced with sterile,
heartless housing for wealthy retirees. You look down at the town in the valley from the newly paved cul-de-sac, no longer home to the horses and llamas and realize you no longer recognize anyone or anything there. They took your town, your mountains and the last sliver of hope you desperately clung to all those years and left you with an ugly mess to clean up. Leaving home wasn’t what I wanted to do. It was what I had to do to stop my heart from breaking. I saw firsthand how the suburbanization of my hometown deprived many honest, hard-working people of everything they built for themselves. It brought cars – and lots of them – to two-lane country backroads, causing dangerous traffic on hairpin turns and stressing out locals who never signed up for this hustle and bustle. It destroyed places formerly untouched and irreversibly ruined places
we all once loved. Outsiders wanted to flee the city but brought the very place they tried to leave with them when they moved to our quaint little town. This problem is not unique to western North Carolina. Investors and banks carelessly plow through any vulnerable community they can in order to turn a quick buck. Smalltown America is now under the microscope, and every community is on a watchlist to become the next Buncombe County.
Marjorie Rogers is a senior journalism major from Black Mountain, North Carolina. She is a bold voice in the Hofstra community who seeks justice and truth.
COVID irresponsibility among college students puts everyone in danger By Kirsten Wheeler Vaccine mandates mean that students are finally allowed to enjoy the complete college experience that they’ve been deprived of over the last year. But being vaccinated is not the end of the pandemic, especially with the spread of the new Delta variant. Despite this, many college students feel entitled to disregard the minimal restrictions required to prevent another campus closure. The hypocrisy is not so visible on campus. In fact, many do very well at complying with guidelines in school or preaching the importance of being masked and vaccinated in classes and at school events. But as soon as they set foot off campus, they do the exact opposite by attending house parties and other super-spreader events. Partying is an inevitable college occurrence. And, with
non-remote students required to be vaccinated, many don’t see these events as an issue. But multiple factors still put them and others at risk. The Delta variant, a relatively recent emergence, is a heightened, more contagious version of the COVID-19 virus that affects everyone, including those who are vaccinated. Though the symptoms are less severe for the vaccinated, vaccinated infectees can still very well contract and spread it. Attending parties where there are no COVID-19 prevention protocols increases the possibility that students will come into contact with unvaccinated people, which then increases the risk of being exposed to the virus, thus exposing unassuming students upon returning to campus. To assume immunity once vaccinated or to simply disregard the science is not only
ignorant but dangerous. The New York Times is currently tracking the numbers and is reporting that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the country has already spiked, even as universities enter their first month of in-person classes. As much as univer-
“But being vaccinated is not the end of the pandemic, especially with the spread of the new Delta variant.” sity faculty might encourage students to continue following COVID-19 guidelines, the reality is that the vast majority of students won’t listen. If this keeps up, universities face the risk of having to return to a virtual-only format.
But this scenario is easily preventable as long as students are mindful of their social gatherings. Students can easily have fun off campus if they make simple modifications such as adhering to social distancing, attending outdoor parties, ensuring all guests are vaccinated or even just wearing masks at indoor events. Such adjustments are a small price to pay for an active social and academic life, especially considering that so much of the world still lacks access to vaccines. Many people are still in full lockdown and have been cut off from their everyday lives since the pandemic first began. College students in the U.S. are extremely privileged to be able to get vaccinated and go back to school in person. To push their luck by going to packed houses full of mostly strangers where there are, at most,
Have an opinion? We want to hear it. Email us at huchronicle.op.ed@gmail.com
farcical COVID-19 protection protocols is a high-risk, lowreward scenario. Obviously, there is nothing that can be done to ensure that these measures are adopted. But if students are adamant about not following these protocols, they could be throwing away the small semblance of normalcy we’ve regained. The risk is not worth it for one wild night.
Kirsten Wheeler is a freshman drama major from the Washington, D.C. area.
THE CHRONICLE
SPORTS
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A15
Pride Performer of the Week
Anthony Roberts / The Hofstra Chronicle
Field hockey drops overtime contest at Vermont By DJ Lopes STAFF W R I T E R
Final - OT Hofstra
Vermont
2
1
It took overtime to decide the game, but the Hofstra field hockey team fell on the road to the University of Vermont Catamounts, 2-1. Two different players scored for Vermont, and the Pride received their lone goal from Eline Oldeman. The loss drops the Pride to 2-3 on the season. Oldeman’s goal was the first in her Hofstra career, joining Lara Borensztein, Simryn Desai and Lieke Gorsse as the fourth freshmen to score a goal for the Pride this season. Both teams played intense defense throughout the game, as neither team scored in the first
half. Both teams combined for two shots in the first quarter, with neither of them on goal. Vermont started the scoring with 10 minutes left in the third quarter, as Alina Gerke found the back of the net. After Oldeman scored the equalizer with five minutes left in the quarter, neither team had much action until overtime. Vermont dominated the overtime period, out-shooting the Pride 4-0, including a penalty corner. That penalty corner resulted in the gamewinning goal for Vermont, scored by Sophia Drees. An issue for the Pride was the lack of pressure they put on the Catamounts’ defense. They took five shots in the game, with only four of them being on goal. Aside from Oldeman, who took three shots, only two Pride players took a shot: Djuna Slort and Mercy Jasterzenski. Vermont outshot the Pride 105, including four penalty corners
to the Pride’s one. After tying the game in the third quarter, they only managed two more shots on goal in the rest of the game. Despite allowing the two goals, Merlijn van der Vegt recorded six saves, her thirdhighest total of the season. She currently ranks second in the Colonial Athletic Association in saves, trailing only Lena Vandam of Towson University. The Pride will now move on to a span of four games in seven days starting at the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Sunday, Sept. 12. The Pride will also face Long Island University, Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac University.
Adam Flash / The Hofstra Chronicle Oldeman scored Hofstra’s lone goal in an overtime loss to Vermont.
A16 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
SPORTS
THE CHRONICLE
Hofstra volleyball makes quick work against Cleveland State By Eddie Gardner SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
Final Hofstra
Cleveland St.
3
0
Coming off a dominating 3-0 victory at Stony Brook University three days prior, the Hofstra volleyball team stayed hot and earned its second straight sweep and third straight win on Friday, Sept. 10, taking down Cleveland State University’s Vikings. The Pride got great contributions from its freshmen once again, as Florencia Wolkowyski led the team with 11 kills, Beatriz Alves led with 27 assists and Chiara Cucco led with 18 digs. Hofstra built up a large lead to begin the first set and held on in the end after a Vikings comeback attempt to win 25-23.
An attack error from the Vikings’ outside hitter Madalynn Butler put the Pride in front by a match-high eight points at 12-4. However, later in the set, Cleveland State rallied back with a 7-1 scoring run to make it a one-point match at 2120. Junior outside hitter Chelsea Penfield racked up three service aces to bring the Vikings back in the match. Despite the comeback efforts from Cleveland State, Hofstra never relinquished the lead and held on for a close first-set victory. At set point, London Portis committed an error that gave the Pride a 1-0 lead in the match. Hofstra and Cleveland State battled closely to begin the second set, but the Pride broke away in the end, taking the last five points to win 25-18. Hofstra looked like it was gaining momentum after two aces from Maddie Appleton and a kill from Ana Martinovic, which completed a brief 4-0 run and put the Pride ahead 14-10.
However, the Vikings responded with a 6-2 tear thanks to three Hofstra errors and tied the set for the seventh time. With Hofstra in front by two at 20-18, the Pride exploded to win the final five points of the set powered by three straight kills from Wolkowyski. Hofstra closed out the match and completed the sweep with another strong performance in the third set, winning 25-21. Cleveland State controlled early on, as their defense forced three attack errors from the Pride en route to a 5-0 run and a 9-5 lead. However, Hofstra responded just a few minutes later and turned a 12-9 deficit into a 14-12 lead. After taking the lead, The Pride never looked back. Hofstra completed the sweep with a service ace from Appleton and improved its record to 6-3 this season. Behind Wolkowyski’s team-leading 11 kills, Athina Dimitriadis and Bianca Bucciarelli followed with seven
Hofstra Athletics With the win, Hofstra evens the all-time series with Cleveland State at 1-1.
each, while Ana Martinovic and Damla Tokman each finished with five. For Cleveland State, Penfield led the team with nine kills, while sophomore Abby Miller racked up 19 assists and junior Audrey McConihe totaled 12 digs. The loss dropped the
Vikings’ record to 2-6 this season while the Pride moves to 6-3 on the year.
Volleyball’s win streak comes to end against Princeton and Colgate By Allan Falkenstern SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Final Hofstra
Princeton
0
3 Final
Hofstra
Colgate
1
3
Hofstra volleyball put its three-match win streak on the line against Princeton University in the Ellis Rowland Memorial Tournament at Colgate University for their first of two matches on Saturday, Sept. 11. Princeton won the first two sets handily 25-15 and 25-10. The Pride did not quit and continued to fight, but they ultimately dropped a close third set 25-23.
Ana Martinovic led Hofstra in the first match with 13 kills, while Florencia Wolkowyski added nine of her own. Chiara Cucco was a constant presence in the middle and finished with 18 digs. The second match was against tournament host Colgate. The morning match gave Princeton the tournament win, so the match versus the Raiders was set up as a second place match. Hofstra and Colgate looked very evenly matched in the first set. Neither team could gain any real separation from each other, but in the end, Colgate was able to sneak by 25-23. Colgate then took control and won 25-15, taking advantage of a couple of serving errors by Hofstra. The third set was a return to close play. Hofstra, up by one, looked to have won the set only for a controversial net violation call after a challenge by Colgate. After some protest by Hofstra head coach Emily Mansur, play continued on with
the teams swapping points. The Pride were able to force a fourth set, winning 29-27 with Damla Tokman sneaking the ball into the back right corner. Set four looked like a repeat of the second set with Colgate coming out to a 15-7 lead, but a six-point run including two aces by Beatriz Alves put Hofstra right back in it. Colgate then took back the lead when twotime Patriot League Player of the Year Alli Lowe came into the game, winning the final set 25-19. Zyare Abdul-Rahim’s energy was noticeable all match for the Pride. She and Wolkowyski led the team with 12 kills each. Sarah Pierre provided consistent pressure up front with a careerhigh 11 blocks, and Cucco added 19 digs bringing her total to 37 on the day. Hofstra ends non-conference play 6-5 and will now return to Hempstead to start conference play this weekend with a pair of matches at home versus undefeated Towson University
Hofstra Athletics Martinovic recorded 20 kills on Saturday against Princeton and Colgate.
on Saturday, Sept. 18. Towson will come to Hofstra looking to start its quest for a third-straight
Colonial Athletic Association championship.
Want to cover Division I sports? Email us at chroniclesports@gmail.com
THE CHRONICLE
SPORTS
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A17
Ebbesson sparks No. 25 Hofstra in win over Bucknell By Max Edelman SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
Final Hofstra
Bucknell
2
0
Despite a slow start to the match, the No. 25 ranked Hofstra women’s soccer team used a strong second half to take down Bucknell University 2-0 at home. Hofstra extended its win streak to three and has won six of the first seven games this season. From the opening whistle, Bucknell was the team on the attack early. Just 51 seconds into the contest, Bucknell forward Paige Temple sent a well-placed shot toward the bottom corner of the net, only for Hofstra goalie Skylar Kuzmich to make a strong diving stop.
Just three minutes later, Kuzmich would make another impressive stop, this time on Bucknell’s Kelley Francis. “She started the game off brightly,” said Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough. “[Kuzmich] was quick off her line, she was brave, she was alert. You would expect a good Division I goalkeeper to make those saves and she did.” There were no goals in the first half for either side, as both teams went into halftime with the score still knotted at zero apiece. Just seven minutes into the second frame, star midfielder Miri Taylor whipped a perfect cross into the box, where it was knocked in by Amanda Ebbesson, her second of the season. This put Hofstra up by one 52 minutes in. With just over 11 minutes to go in the contest, Hofstra would add another. Senior Emily Rose made an amazing dribble move to get herself free before
sending a long, perfect through ball to Lucy Shepard. She knocked a well-placed ball into the box where Taylor scored her sixth of the year, doubling Hofstra’s lead and sealing the deal for the Pride. However, in the span of three minutes, both Hofstra goal scorers would pick up yellow cards: Ebbesson in the 56th minute and Taylor in the 59th. “They’re not yellow cards. The referee gets caught up, which sometimes happens in that kind of game,” Riddiough said. “[Ebbesson] and [Taylor] are physical players. If it weren’t this kind of game it wouldn’t even have been a foul, to be honest.” It was both Taylor and Ebbesson’s first yellow cards of the season. Hofstra will continue their run of strong play when they host Yale University on Sunday, Sep. 12. Although Yale has lost all five of their matchups this season, Riddiough stressed the
importance of not looking past the Bulldogs. “If we play the lackadaisical style we played in the first half, they’ll penalize us and make us pay. So we need to get back to the Hofstra mentality of
relentless effort, consistently focused, and get back to where we want to be,” he said.
Adam Flash / The Hofstra Chronicle Ebbesson has recorded five points on the season for Hofstra.
A18 • SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
SPORTS
THE CHRONICLE
Men’s soccer can’t overcome deficit in loss to Northeastern By Kenny Forman SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O NI CL E
The Hofstra men’s soccer team took its first loss of the season on Saturday, Sept. 11, by a score of 2-1 to Northeastern University in the opening match of Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play at Parsons Field in Brookline, Massachusetts. The Pride put pressure on Northeastern for the entire game and had a few close chances in the first half, putting together three shots on goal. However, Northeastern did a solid job on defense, led by their goalkeeper Colby Hegarty. Hegarty finished with four saves, including three in the first half. On the other
end, Hofstra did not allow a shot on goal until the second half, and the score was tied 0-0 going into the break. Things got interesting when the scoreless tie was finally broken in the 67th minute when Northeastern forward Timothy Ennin got one past Hofstra’s goalkeeper Wessel Speel. Up until that point, Speel and the Pride had not allowed a single goal all season. There was still plenty of time for a comeback, but that became less likely when Northeastern forward Federico Tellez scored with 23 minutes left to play. Despite being down 2-0 with time running out, Hofstra refused to go down without a
fight. In the 86th minute, after a corner kick, Holger Maaloe and Ryan Carmichael assisted freshman defender Mason Tatafu on the first goal of his collegiate career. This was too little too late, however, as Northeastern held on for the 2-1 victory. In addition to his assist, Carmichael led both sides with five shots and two on goal, but none of them found the back of the net. Off Hofstra’s bench, Lorenzo Selini finished with four shots including one on goal. In total, Hofstra finished with 15 shots and five on goal, but they were forced to settle for the lone goal despite their dominant offensive attack. Northeastern put up 14 shots and five on goal.
Speel finished with two saves. Hofstra’s record is now 3-1, but the loss in CAA play made their conference record 0-1. They will look to get back on
track Tuesday night, Sept. 14, against UAlbany in their home opener.
Hofstra Athletics Speel holds a .50 goals against average this season.
Hofstra field hockey blanked on road by UMass Lowell
By Jonathan DeSousa
SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
The Hofstra Pride field hockey team dropped their second straight game and fourth of the season. Hofstra alternated wins in their first four games, three of which were in front of a home crowd at Hofstra Field Hockey Stadium. This was the Pride field hockey team’s first road trip of the season to face the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and it returned empty handed. Not even five minutes into the game, the River Hawks lit the lamp off a penalty corner goal tallied by senior defender Lara Ansaldi. It was her third of the
season and her second straight after scoring in a 4-0 win over Boston College. Eager to tie up the game, the Pride pushed back in the second, outshooting the River Hawks 4-1. The third quarter put Hofstra’s penalty corner team to the test with three chances compared to UMass Lowell’s zero. Neither team found the back of the net and UMass Lowell walked away with a 1-0 win. “Hofstra brought their best performance at us and I don’t think we gave our best performance,” said River Hawks head coach Shannon LeBlanc. “There are some details that we could have better executed today.”
LeBlanc can thank a concrete defensive effort that allowed only five shots through on 13 attempts taken by Hofstra. River Hawks sophomore goalie Eleonore Boekhorst did not budge as she stopped all five shots that got through. It was Boekhorst’s third shutout of the season. Pride goalie Merlijn van der Vegt started her 34th straight game and made nine saves. van der Vegt currently sits second in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in goals against average, allowing an average of 1.83 goals per game. Additionally, van der Vegt is second in the CAA save percentage with a .756, trailing
Jacob Lewis / The Hofstra Chronicle van der Vegt recorded eight saves in the loss to UMass Lowell.
only Towson University’s Lena Vandam, who possesses an .815 save percentage. Hofstra is currently third in the CAA standings, trailing the Delaware Blue Hens (2-4) and the James Madison Dukes (3-3).
The Pride field hockey team will next play in front of a home crowd on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m. against the 1-3 Long Island University Sharks.
THE CHRONICLE
SPORTS
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • A19
Miri Taylor scores twice as No. 25 Hofstra cruises past Yale By Andrew Fantucchio SPEC IA L TO T H E C H R O N I CL E
The Hofstra Women’s Soccer team continued their dominant start to the year with a 4-0 win over Yale University on Sunday, Sept. 12, at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium. The victory was Hofstra’s fourth in a row and improved their record to 7-1 this season. Hofstra got on the board early after midfielder Amanda Ebbesson created a turnover at midfield and found forward Lucy Shepherd all alone along the sideline. Shepherd then made a swift head-fake to her left to get around Yale goalkeeper Maya Bellomo and fired the ball into the back of the net, giving the Pride a 1-0 lead with the lone goal of the first period. Yale almost tied up the score heading into the break, but a questionable offsides call
prevented what would’ve been the tying goal and the Bulldogs’ only shot on goal for the afternoon. The physicality of the match continued to increase from that point on, with both teams fighting to control the tempo entering the second half. Yale fought desperately not to let the game get out of hand, but Hofstra showed exactly why they’re ranked No. 25 in the country. “I challenged the girls before the game to get back to making it difficult for teams to come to our place and win,” said Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough. “And I think the girls responded very well.” Miri Taylor continued her point streak, now at eight games, after scoring her seventh and eighth goals of the season. Taylor also added an assist for good measure as she delivered a corner kick to defensemen Anja
Stats as of Tuesday morning, Sept. 14, 2021
Suttner who knocked it for her first goal of the season. “It got a bit chippy out there,” Riddiough said. “You have to understand that Yale was probably frustrated with the way the game had gone, and we’re a big, strong, powerful team to play against. Ultimately, in the end it was a comfortable win.” Goalkeepers Skylar Kuzmich and Avery Holden both had easy afternoons, as neither faced a shot on goal the entire match, and they combined for Hofstra’s fifth shutout this season. The Pride’s next match is on Thursday, Sept. 16, on the road against Princeton University where they hope for the return of midfielder Lucy Porter, who has missed the last two games due to injury. “We’re working through a couple of things,” Riddiough said. “We hope that she’s ready for Princeton, and if not, she’ll definitely be ready for Towson
the following week.” Even with one of their star player’s health in question, the depth of the Pride’s roster has elevated its play in Porter’s absence. “Without [Porter], we obviously lose an edge [and] lose some experience,” Riddiough said. “We’re happy
with the depth, we’re happy with the attitude of everybody. And to [win] comfortably 4-0 on a Sunday afternoon, after playing Friday, without one of your best players shows you that good things are going to be happening this year.”
Jacob Lewis / The Hofstra Chronicle Taylor leads the CAA in goals scored with eight on the season.
Anthony Roberts / The Hofstra Chronicle
the hofstra chronicle
SPORTS
September 14, 2021
H ey M iri , who leads the CAA in goals ? Women’s soccer continues to roll after back-to-back shutouts over Bucknell and Yale. Adam Flash / The Hofstra Chronicle