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New project aims to train 13 LMU women to run their first marathon. Page 12
October 23, 2019
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| ISSUE 9
University averages over $32,000 in student debt A new study shows debt figures for schools across the country. Sofia Hathorn and Grace McCauley Asst. News Editors @LALoyolan
In a recent study done by LendEDU, with lowest debt starting at one, LMU was ranked 547 out of 845 colleges and universities for student loan debt. The same study showed that the average amount of student debt for LMU students in 2018 was $32,262. Debt affects over half the student population at LMU, as 52% of students have some amount of debt, according to LendEDU. Eighty four percent of students receive some institutional gift aid, according to the LMU Financial Aid department. This gift aid totals $80 million per year, according to Thomas Gutto, director of transfer admission and enrollment services. This aid does not need to be paid back, but can come in amounts that do not cover the cost of attendance. The cost of attendance, according to LMU, is $63,777 per year, or $255,108 over four years. See Debt | Page 2
New resident Jesuit: from battle to the Bluff Father Reedy’s path to faith led to the Jesuits, theology and, ultimately, LMU. Kayan Tara
Managing Editor @LALoyolan
While on a guided missile cruiser in the Pacific Ocean during a training exercise, Fr. Brian Michael Reedy, S. J., took a phone call. Under “attack” from the opposite team in the exercise, he interviewed for a job in the LMU philosophy department. With incoming “torpedoes” to dodge and evade, Fr. Reedy was more surprised that the call did not drop during the interview more than anything else. “There were alarms going off,” he laughed. “Have you ever had an interview with someone on a guided missile cruiser before? That’s definitely a big no. I’ve never done that. It was very funny.” By all accounts, Fr. Reedy handled the pressure-packed situation just fine. He got the job. But Reedy's experience as a lieutenant of the United States Navy Chaplain Corps is just a facet of who he is. A California native, Reedy grew up an “Evangelical, nondenominational sort of Christian,” and always felt a strong tension between theology and science. He found
his interest in science and math heavily conflicting with his church. However, the moments he found to have deep devotional experiences were in his math and science classes. “The beauty of the universe and our ability to understand things is like a prayer to me,” Reedy said. Reedy experienced a calling from God at the age of 10 at summer camp. Reedy recalls running out into a forest, trying to run away from it, but the call followed him. “I left the church I was in and just ran out. I just felt a strong presence of God, in a sense of ... who you give your life to. And so I ran from it for a couple days until finally, back in one of the services again, I just kind of relaxed and just said, ‘Yes, yes I will.’ And then [I was] flooded with peace,” Reedy said. While many people expected him to want to be a pastor or a youth minister, Reedy always knew he wanted to teach. Reedy recalled immediately falling in love with the Society of Jesus when he first heard about them. “You can find a Jesuit who does almost anything,” Reedy stated. “There have been really astounding Jesuit scientists. And when I first saw a Jesuit standing there in a lab coat— you know, doing science—I was like ‘I wanna be that.’” Reedy was attracted to the Society of Jesus’ “solid base of a shared spirituality,”
Photo: Gloria Ndilula | Loyolan
Father Reedy is a resident Jesuit and a visiting assitant professor of philosophy. He is originally from Anaheim and has returned to California this semester to work at LMU.
and how they gave their members great freedom by letting them do interesting things. The Society of Jesus has five provinces within the United States, and Reedy, an Anaheim native, said it was an unexpected surprise to end up back in sunny California. “LMU was out of the blue. I didn’t expect it,” Reedy said. Reedy was instantly drawn to the love teachers at LMU have for their craft, the intimate nature of LMU's student population and the beautiful campus.
Reedy also loved that the University was supportive of his past in the Navy, wanting to use his skills and assets from those experiences at LMU in different capacities. When meeting with the philosophy department heads, Reedy admired that there were "opportunities for interdisciplinary work." Reedy said, “[LMU was the] only school that I was talking to that actually saw my [experience in the Navy] as a positive thing.” See Reedy | Page 2
NEWS
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Palisades fire hits close to home for some students
40-acre wildfire located in the Pacific Palisades threatens neighborhood nine miles from campus. Isabella Murillo News Editor @LALoyolan
A fire in the Palisades area broke out on Monday, Oct. 21. The fire has reached up to 40 acres and was 30% contained as of Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Students from the Pacific Palisades area, a neighborhood about nine miles away from campus, were most affected by the ongoing fire. “I was on my way to campus from my off-campus home when I saw the cloud of smoke coming from the area. I immediately called my mom to make sure everything was fine and I drove straight over,” said Kian Lotfi, a senior civil engineering major. “The fire was a five minute walk from our home and police had given us optional evacuation. We were prepared to leave, but were only going to leave if it was a must.” The fire began at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 21 near 500 North Palisades Dr., according to the L.A. Times. Four people have been reported injured according to the L.A. Times.
“I’ve grown up and still live in the Palisades and these fires becoming more and more common is sad because growing up it never occurred,” said Sara Nouri, a senior economics major. About 200 homes were ordered to evacuate on Monday afternoon “due to the amount of smoke and aircraft in the area,” according to the L.A. Times. The evacuation was lifted as of 8 p.m. Monday night. “Outside our home smelled like a barbecue and ash was raining in our backyard. LAFD responded very quickly and took care of the situation before it could hit any structures, so we did not need to evacuate,” said Lotfi. The fire started out small, around one acre, but grew to almost 30 acres in less than an hour, according to the L.A. Times. Eight structures have been damaged and none destroyed. Firefighters have linked this to the lack of wind and first responders’ efforts.However,the weather is still dry and this could worsen conditions, as it makes the brush fueling the fire more likely to ignite. The wind patterns could also change at any moment, according to the L.A. Times. “This is an extremely challenging fire for hand crews,” said Assistant Chief Patrick Butler. “They’re essentially clawing their way up this hillside with rocks coming down at them,” according to the L.A. Times.
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Latinx Culture Night
Photo: Annie Kapila | Loyolan
Judith Chavez, an undeclared sophomore, and Melany Rodriguez, a sophomore English major, celebrate their culture at Latinx Culture Night on Oct. 19 in St. Robert’s Auditorium.
Father Reedy recalls his Navy past Student debt becomes Reedy from Page 1
In the future, Reedy hopes to use his past as a pilot, and his love for science, in his ethics classes. So far in his first semester at LMU, Reedy is impressed by how welcoming and friendly everyone is, as well as the quality of the students he is teaching. “I fell in love with campus, of course, right away. And the community is really very friendly,” Reedy noted. Reedy has spent much of his life traveling— getting assignments from the Navy in Italy,
Germany, Japan, France, Greece and many other places, as well as spending four years in Rome completing his doctorate in ethics and moral theology. Now, at LMU, Reedy finds the thought of settling down and having a permanent address both exciting and terrifying. “I actually have an address that’s gonna stick with me for a while ... Since 2000, I’ve moved every few years,” Reedy said. “But [the LMU community is] very friendly, very welcoming, so I’ve gotten to enjoy getting to know everyone.”
Presidential Convocation
Photo: Alyssa Reece | Loyolan
President Timothy Law Snyder gave his 2019 convocation address titled “Educat3d” in Sacred Heart Chapel on Oct. 22. In his address he mentioned LMU’s #64 ranking in U.S. News as well as his excitement for future projects such as the new residence halls.
topic of 2020 election Debt from Page 1
“Personally, as a transfer student, I did not get nearly as much financial aid or academic merit [aid] as I thought I would,” said Loni Weger, a senior marketing major. “I think it’s going to make life much harder after graduation because my priority will be focused on paying off my debt before I can really start saving for my future.” If gift aid from the University does not cover enough of the cost of attendance, this leaves students to turn to other forms of aid, including federal and private loans. These type of loans must be paid back, plus interest. This means each year the amount a student borrows increases, causing them to have to pay back more than they originally borrowed. LMU ranked 48 out of 58 California schools in order of debt lowest to highest, according to LendEDU. California as a whole has the fourth lowest average debt of U.S. states, with an average of $22,530 per borrower, according to the same study. Gutto noted that LMU’s default rate, meaning the number of borrowers who can’t pay back their loans, stands at 1.8%. This is lower than the California average of 8.7%, according to Gutto. This means that most LMU students are “entering repayment and succeeding,” said Gutto. The student debt crisis in the U.S. is growing and is a contentious political issue. More than 44 million Americans have student loan debt, and that debt totaled is around $1.5 trillion, according to TIME Magazine. Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election, such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth
Warren, have proposed making public college free and canceling all outstanding student loan debt. Warren plans to forgive debt based upon the income of the borrower. Up to $50,000 in student debt for households that make less than $100,000 would be canceled, whereas no debt would be canceled for those who make over $250,000 a year, according to NPR. Sanders has proposed canceling all student loan debt, according to NPR. Forgiving student loan debt would mean that borrowers are “less likely to file for bankruptcy, or be foreclosed upon, or even default on their medical bills,” said Ankit Kalda, a researcher for the National Bureau of Economic Research, in the NPR article. However, some think that plans to cancel all student debt, like Sanders’, would increase the racial wealth gap, according to a Demos think tank study. Others fear that if students expect their debt to be canceled, colleges will just keep raising the price of education, according to NPR. Private student loan lenders, such as the company Sallie Mae, are what drive this conversation. This past weekend, Sallie Mae made headlines when the company decided to celebrate $5 billion in student loans from 374,000 borrowers this year by flying 100 employees to Hawaii, according to NBC News. The debate over student loans seems as though it will only intensify as the election approaches and debt rises. As LMU tuition has doubled since 2004, as previously reported by the Loyolan, the cost of receiving an LMU education may continue to be a financial burden to many students.
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I
’m here today because I believe we must continue to stand for free expression,” said Mark Zuckerberg at a large event at Georgetown University last week. The event, according to a post by the Facebook co-founder, was an “unfiltered take on how I think about these questions [of free expression],” though it came off more as a red herring than anything else. Facebook has been in hot water for years now. From giving people’s information to overseas firms to perpetuating the spread of fake news, the once-harmless social media platform has become a force many fear is interfering in U.S. elections. The issue of Facebook and their influence in geo-politics is not an issue of freedom of expression. This is an issue of responsible speech. Understanding the Facebook problem can be difficult, but it can be simply explained with one event. Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) placed an ad on Facebook describing “Breaking News.” The news the ad referred to was that Facebook and Zuckerberg were supporting Trump in the next election. “You’re probably shocked, and you might be thinking, ‘How could this possibly be true?’” the ad read. “Well, it’s not.” Despite the fact that it included false information, Facebook ran the ad. “Facebook changed their ads policy to allow politicians to run ads with known lies … turning the platform into a disinformation-for-profit machine,” Warren tweeted while publicizing her untrue ad. “I don’t think most people want to live in a world where you can only post things that tech companies judge to be 100% true,” Zuckerberg said at his Georgetown University event. What he failed “
to understand in saying this is that facts are facts — whether a tech company or a private citizen approves them, truth will always be true. Additionally, there’s a difference between what an average person posts and what Facebook promotes. Facebook spreads advertisements to anyone for whom the advertisements might be relevant—even if the ads are untrue—while a post only goes to those connected to the poster. If Elizabeth Warren is able to post something misleading in an ad, get it approved by Facebook and have that ad then sent out to people who assume it is true (simply because it is from a notable public figure), then what prevents people with bad intentions from doing the same? The answer, it turns out, is nothing. The House Intelligence Committee found that between late 2015 and 2017, the Russian Internet Research Agency ran over 3,000 ads on Facebook and other social media platforms, according to CBS News. Facebook needs to be responsible and accountable for content on its website. This is not a question of whether or not Facebook has the right to promote false information — this is a question of why those at Facebook are content with people actively trying to meddle in U.S. elections. Zuckerberg, in allowing Facebook to do this, is damaging the validity of elections. He’s helping foreign agents interfere in democracy. This is unacceptable. If Facebook wants to profit off disinformation, then it needs to be held accountable for what it allows on its website. Otherwise, Mark Zuckerberg and the U.S. are opening their arms to foreign interference in the 2020 election.
“Facebook needs to be responsible and accountable for content on its website.”
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Managing Editor
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Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.
Include current events in our core Story Time with Alyssa Alyssa Story
F
Opinion Intern @LALoyolan
or professors at an institution that promotes critical thinking, taking time to discuss current events in class is essential to preparing us students to be productive citizens of the world. Professors who are willing to address and incorporate current events into their curriculum are better preparing us to critically understand issues that will affect us long after we leave campus. One of the core values of the University is education of the whole person. The core curriculum mission statement reads that “the core recognizes LMU’s special role in fostering discerning and active members of diverse communities — local and global.” In order for students to become engaged members of communities, having an understanding of what current issues are is essential. Topics like environmentalism, geo-political conflict, elections and social activism are hot button topics that often incite impassioned, subjective discussion on campus. By being introduced to these polarizing topics in classrooms in an objective, educational manner, students are given the opportunity to approach tough current issues in a clearly educational way. See Classroom | Page 4
Cartoon: Harrison Klein | Loyolan
Classrooms can be the perfect opportunity to discuss current events. Courses can relate these discussions to the education of the whole person.
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ASLMU should offer cups over tampons Jump in with Jordan Jordan Boaz
Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan
O
ne of ASLMU’s upcoming initiatives includes placing free pads and tampons in certain bathrooms around campus. While lessening period costs and stressors for students is both helpful and important, adding more disposable products to a campus that cares about environmentalism is counterproductive to environmental efforts. ASLMU’s initiative should address both period problems and environmental issues by turning its main focus toward reusable period products — specifically, menstrual cups. Pads and tampons are great for emergencies and I fully support ASLMU adding them to school bathrooms. However, increasing the availability of single-use period products will encourage students to use disposables rather than investing in sustainable period solutions like cups. To combat this, ASLMU should also offer cups and encourage students to use the pads and tampons only for emergencies. Because pads and tampons end up as plastic waste, their impact when it comes to pollution is massive. Someone who menstruates will use between 5,000 and 15,000 pads and tampons in their lifetime, according to National Geographic. By offering students menstrual cups, ASLMU would make a significant
difference in allowing periods to be both affordable and sustainable. The impact would last well after students’ time at the University if they continued to use their cups. Lara Gonçalves, a senior theatre arts and studio arts double major, hopes the stigma around menstrual cups will begin to lessen. While understanding some students are “scared” or “confused” by the product, she believes
Initially, providing menstrual cups to students will cost ASLMU more money than pads or tampons. However, it is a cheaper solution long-term. A high-end menstrual cup like Lunette and 200 Tampax tampons each cost around $40. According to the Huffington Post, an average period cycle requires 20 tampons, so 200 tampons would last an average person who menstruates only 10 period cycles.
Cartoon: Ellen Na | Loyolan
Menstrual cups can make periods environmentally friendly. Unlike pads or tampons, offering students cups would address the issue of sustainablity and the environment.
cups are only a small step away from tampons. “If you’re comfortable with a tampon, the cup is not far from it and it lasts so much longer,” she said. “Plus, you’re not constantly buying synthetic products which are not only bad for you but also the environment.”
At this rate, a menstrual cup would pay itself off after 10 period cycles and would ultimately be a more cost-effective choice for ASLMU. If LMU were to fully fund students’ period costs, it would only take two semesters for menstrual cups to become the more affordable option.
In addition to being more costeffective and environmentally friendly than tampons or pads, menstrual cups are—in many ways—more convenient. Cups eliminate the need to pack several pads or tampons to get through the day. Furthermore, large menstrual cup models can hold up to 30 mL of liquid, according to Vice. In comparison, the average tampon can absorb only 5 mL of liquid, according to the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research. Menstrual cups also need to be emptied much less frequently than tampons— every 12 hours versus every four to eight hours for tampons. Regardless, period products need to be available to students, and if not menstrual cups, pads and tampons are better than nothing. “I commend ASLMU for taking this first step,” said Alice Tiffany, a senior environmental studies major and president of ECO Students. “Ultimately, I think that pads and tampons are a crucial first step, and providing reusable menstrual cups would be a cool and environmentally conscious next step.” ASLMU has the ability to do more, and it is in everyone’s best interest to move toward a reusable and sustainable world. While they are doing great things by adding period products to campus, by offering sustainable period products, ASLMU could address larger issues as well. This is the opinion of Jordan Boaz, a sophomore women’s and gender studies major from Denver, Colorado. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email editor@theloyolan.com.
Current events should be talked about in classrooms Classroom from Page 3
Understandably, altering the curriculum of a quantitative class like mathematics or economics would be difficult. However, incorporating current events into liberal, rhetorical and analytical arts classes would be much more appropriate and support the core of what the disciplines are. In my personal experience, the inclusion of current events has opened my eyes to the connections between different disciplines and current events. Notably, my Philosophical Inquiry class often uses philosophical questions to discuss the climate and sustainability. During these discussions, I—along with fellow classmates—have gained new perspective on our roles within the ecosystem. These new perspectives have helped shape my understanding of the climate crisis and the some of the nuances of multiple sides of the conversation. This approach to integrating current events into LMU class curriculums is simple yet meaningful. Furthermore, engaging with current events in a classroom setting is essential to encouraging students to dig deeper into their
beliefs and opinions. These classes get students to not just read the news, but also analyze it and question where they lie on the issue. Engaging with current events and news fortifies our ability to empathize with and recognize other perspectives outside of our own.
“The inclusion of current events has opened my eyes to the connections between different disciplines.” As we approach the upcoming presidential election, we need to engage with the issues and conversations the news cycles incite. The classroom is the ideal place to engage in these tricky conversations. Classrooms are filled with people of different backgrounds and viewpoints, unlike a person’s close circle of
friends. They also require a level of respect for other people that may not be inherent in other social settings. These factors help facilitate more productive conversations than what would happen in a casual setting. School and schoolwork take up the vast majority of students’ time. A student with a full course load should spend at least 40 hours a week on school—equivalent to a full-time job. For professors to make time within the class curriculum to address current events also ensures students allocate proper time to these issues. The current events of today will define our lives even after we have left the University. As the future of the country, we need to have a complete and well-formed understanding of these lasting issues. Being able to recognize multiple perspectives is imperative to help make us globallyminded citizens. To read more articles by Alyssa Story, go to LALoyolan.com/opinion. This is the opinion of Alyssa Story, a freshman film, television and media studies major from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tweet comments @LALoyolan or email editor@theloyolan.com.
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‘Dog Sees God’ gives voice to queer issues Jump in with Jordan
Jordan Boaz
Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan
The Del Rey Players, LMU’s student theatre, performed “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” from Oct. 10 - 13 and Oct. 16 - 18. “Dog Sees God” is a play that explores sexuality by reconnecting with the “Peanuts” characters as high-schoolers. The show sent powerful messages about being queer in a society that normalizes being straight. The play opened during LGBT History Month, the night before National Coming Out Day and during the Supreme Court’s hearing of whether LGBTQIA+ people are to be protected under civil rights law from employment discrimination. Charlie Workmaster, a junior theatre arts major, starred in the play as Beethoven, a gay and often lonely pianist. “One of our performances was [on] Coming Out Day and I thought that was really cool,” he said, adding that “it’s important” and “really special” that the
Via Elissa Pierce Characters CB (left), played by Peter Sullivan, a sophomore theatre arts major, and Beethoven (right), played by Charlie Workmaster, a junior theatre arts major, share their first kiss during DRP’s rendition of “Dog Sees God.”
performance dates coincided with so many different LGBTQIA+ events. In “Dog Sees God,” the portrayal of queerness often parallels that of real life. Growing up, I frequently heard the term “gay” used as an insulting synonym for “embarrassing,” “weird” or “bad.” This use of vocabulary associates queerness with abnormality and is
demonstrated throughout the play. For example, Beethoven is viewed as gay by the other characters simply because he is seen as strange. “I think that heteronormative attitudes go hand in hand with stereotyping certain behaviors as gay or straight,” said Workmaster. However, a person’s sexuality should not be defined by stereotypical characteristics.
Associating queerness with abnormality is problematic in both the show and real life. Even the idea of coming out assumes that being straight is what’s normal. When there is a perception that a person’s sexuality is straight by default, I believe it becomes more difficult for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to freely be themselves. “Dog Sees God” failed to go the full mile in debunking the idea that straight is the only natural sexuality, as it ultimately settled on calling the gay characters “different.” However, it did do a good job portraying the dangers of judging someone based off of their sexual orientation. Beethoven ultimately commits suicide after being met with homophobic hatred and violence, which is unfortunately reflective of reality. According to the Trevor Project, lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are almost five times more likely to have attempted suicide than straight youth. The hostility that was shown toward the gay characters in the show is reflective of a hostile environment that LGBTQIA+ members must
live in today. “This kind of treatment that they go through can really happen anywhere, at anytime, still,” said Worksmaster. “And it shows that we still have room for improvement.” Nevertheless, Workmaster explained that he felt both safe and comfortable playing Beethoven. “I feel like LMU has done a really good job of making it feel safe here, in my experience,” he explained. “So I wasn’t really too worried with portraying [homosexuality] in front of an audience.” The show’s messages and themes are important for everyone to hear. “Dog Sees God” demonstrates the dangers that stem from heteronormativity. It can help to further a common understanding among the audience that all kinds of love must be respected. Workmaster hopes people take two things from the show: “that people can be more accepting of themselves,” and that “people can learn to be better to each other.”
This is the opinion of Jordan Boaz, a sophomore women’s and gender studies major from Denver, Colorado. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email editor@theloyolan.com.
Belles hosts open mic for DVA Belles Service Organization tackles domestic violence through creative mediums. Jordan Boaz
Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan
Belles Service Organization held an open mic night for Domestic Violence Awareness month on Oct. 17. The night was titled “Words of Healing” and showcased 11 LMU student poets, singers and performers. More than 40 people attended for an experience of community surrounding the problems of domestic violence. Carrie Callaway, a senior English major and the spirituality and social justice chair of Belles, helped organize the event. She said that the open mic night is centered around “engaging [domestic violence] from a creative point of view — an artistic point of view.” The point was to get away from hard statistics and facts and to truly allow students to engage the emotional side of the problem. “Even though a lot of times we kind
of reduce these situations to the more academic, this is the kind of event that really shows that people are there and willing to listen,” she said. The different performances touched on themes of assault, violence, personal growth, gender, community and empowerment. Several of the performers introduced their poems and songs by explaining how the words relate to them using their own personal stories. Bethlehem Gebeyehu, a sophomore political science major, was in the audience during the open mic night. The songs and poetry left her feeling inspired and empowered. “It just meant a lot for me,” she said. “Even though it talked about really harsh topics, it was uplifting [for] people in the audience.” She went on to say that the night was “just really empowering and there were just so many good performances.” One of her favorite acts was by Carrie Wallace, a sophomore film and television production major who performed a voice-only rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and a
song she wrote on acoustic guitar. According to Gebeyehu, Wallace’s performance was “super amazing.” She believes that the open mic performers did a great job focusing on a theme of survivorship rather than one of victimhood. She also believes that holding creative events are a unique and helpful method to learn more about domestic violence. “You take what you hear and then you take it on with you, and then you pass that on to more people. You’re passing on the lessons,” she said. “It’s really important and I think it inspires people to push [awareness] forward.” Domestic violence is a relevant topic for college students, according to Callaway. She said that it is “a very real part of
student life and more and more, especially as people get married later and are single for longer and dating for longer.” She hoped that after watching the event, people know that “if they’re experiencing a [domestic violence] situation, they’re not alone and there are people on this campus that care.” Belles puts on the open mic night every year during Domestic Violence Awareness month. Throughout October, Belles will be hosting more events to call attention to the issue. They will be staging a silent protest from 8 a.m. on Oct. 23 to 8 a.m. on Oct. 24 outside of the library. During this time, students can purchase T-shirts as part of Belle’s fundraising for the Richstone Family Center, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing violence within families.
Knitting for justice
Photo: Gloria Ndilula | Loyolan
Photo: Annie Kapila | Loyolan Mikayla Gingrey and Nick Hanson, both junior screenwriting majors, performed a duet of “Grow As We Go” by Ben Platt during Belle’s open mic event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year’s DVA theme was Break the Cycle.
Hats for Hope, a hat-knitting workshop inspired by a similar project in New Jersey, was held to facilitate conversation about the intersection between bullying and LGBT History Month. The hats will be donated to Safe Place for Youth, an organization that provides hot meals and clothing for homeless youth. There will be one more knitting workshop on Oct. 23 at Dunning Courtyard from noon to 1 p.m. If you are a knitter and would like to get involved, the Hats for Hope initiative is still accepting hats and plans to deliver them next week. Email LGBT Student Services at lgbtss@lmu.edu for more information.
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Making men for others: Emails explain why dating lives of priests we have The Habit Unexpected decision gives priests freedom to love. What could go wrong? Gabi Jeakle
On Christian Mingle
In an attempt to get more men interested in joining the priesthood, Pope Francis has suggested dropping the vow of celibacy from the ordination process. Obviously, because men are the only gender capable of fulfilling this role, the clear goal is to garner a larger selection of males willing to join the priesthood. If priests are approved to abandon their vow of celibacy, they will have to face what could potentially be the biggest test of their faith in
humanity — dating. With over 30 priests residing on the LMU campus, it’s no surprise that this issue has made its way to the Bluff. The residing Jesuits decided that they would turn to the most knowledgeable source they have on the matter of potential love, the poster children of healthy, committed relationships: college students. LMU students have offered the campus priests a plethora of advice. Holly Father, freshman finance major, said she had a heartfelt meeting with Father Cruz Ade, in which the two discussed the complexities of dating in 2019. “I had to teach him about dating apps. That was a process,” commented Father. “Swiping is pretty exciting.
Cartoon: Harrison Klein | Loyolan
They’re just like us. Priests embracing their desire to mingle can often interfere with their work lives.
I haven’t felt a rush like this since Vatican II!” said Father Ade. “There are some other things they had to be reminded of. Asking a partner to call you ‘Father’ is a no and you’ve gotta find something to wear besides the same black outfit every day.” The hope is that this process will not only expand the range of men willing to enter the priesthood but also bridge cultural gaps. “I met a Greek Orthodox woman on one of those apps. We’ve gotten along great! It’s like the Great Schism never happened,” said Father Taby Nackle. The process has not come without its hardships. “The hardest part is that I almost always have to ask her to pay, because of the whole vow of poverty thing. And she gets mad when I absolve my own sins during arguments, but what are you gonna do? I’ve been a priest for over half my life,” continued Nackle. Entering the dating world may not be easy, but students and priests alike agree that it will breathe new life into the antiquated ideology of the church. “Ultimately, it’s for the best. When we allow priests to experience human desire and acknowledge their emotions, we alleviate the dangerous and elitist gap between the lay and the ordained.” said Nackle. “L.O.L. Are they gonna do the missionary position?” commented a freshman in a muscle tee.
Darn Things Kids SAy
Cartoon: Ellen Na | Loyolan
It’s no secret that LMU and The Habit are in cahoots! The food on campus couldn’t be too good — Sodexo wouldn’t have it.
LMU students are craving In-N-Out. Here’s why LMU refuses to supply. Connor Rose
Used to Work at In-N-Out
The West Coast has many viable, delicious options when it comes to burgers, especially around Los Angeles. However, there is a seemingly-reigning champion in the fast food contest: In-N-Out. A question has emerged within the LMU community: why do we have The Habit instead of In-N-Out on campus? Now we finally have an answer, stemming from recently leaked staff emails. A brave intern, Whist L. Blower, recently found the emails on a staff computer, under a file called “The Agreement.” In this email chain between the LMU administration and The Habit executives, Blower found the truth of why we have a “subpar” burger joint on campus rather than the dominant burger chain that is In-N-Out. “I mean, it all comes down to one thing … the Lair,” Blower
said, when asked about the email chain. “Think about it: if we had a place like In-N-Out on campus, who would want to eat at the Lair?” And so a deal was struck between the two institutions, for the sake of the survival of the Lair. “No offense, but we can’t have a place that’s too good on campus. And that’s where you come in,” read one of the many quotes outlining LMU’s reasoning, pulled straight from the “Agreement” file. Another email states, “If we brought in a restaurant that had their shake machines working full time, it would be financial suicide for the Lair,” which The Habit agreed with in a later email. “I think what bums everyone out,” added Blower, “is how we just settled. I mean, if they’re so concerned about making the Lair look good, they should just focus on improving the food there instead of doing all these shady dealings, you know?” When asked to comment, LMU administration refused to respond.
By Ellen Na, cartoonist
Check out more Loyolan cartoons online now!
GALLOWS
By Harrison Klein, cartoonist
Visit LALoyolan.com/ cartoons and catch up on your favorites!
The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.
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Think Pink runs for breast cancer The Fun Run is an annual breast cancer awareness and fundraising event. Alicia Wensley Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
I
n order to raise money and awareness for those with breast cancer, LMU teamed up with the American Cancer Society to host the annual Think Pink Fun Run. The event happened this past Saturday, as participants gathered in the Burns Recreation Center parking lot at 10 a.m. to run or walk the mile. The run started and finished at the end of the parking lot under a pink and white balloon archway that spelled out “Think Pink.” Participants gathered under the arch, and when the signal was given, they started to make their way around campus. When the participants crossed the finish line, they were greeted with cheers and celebration. After the run, they were able to enjoy free cereal at the cereal bar and see if they won a prize from the raffle. Overall, it was a fun event where everyone was supportive of each other, regardless of whether they ran or walked the mile. Lilli Maples, a junior double major in dance and sociology who checked in the participants, said, “Think Pink is a women’s
charity, and the fun run is about women’s empowerment and fighting breast cancer ... [It’s about] empowering women and empowering the people who are fighting to be here … I actually [have] a friend at home with breast cancer. Luckily, she beat it [because] she caught it so early on. So, I always love coming to things like this where I can support people who are going through the same thing.” Senior roommates Luisa Brown, Nayyirah Islam and Amy Chance all came out to Think Pink to support the fight against breast cancer. Marketing major Brown said, “I think it’s a great cause to be out here and it’s a really fun event to raise awareness of the issue.” Senior sociology major Islam added that by walking, they are “[supporting] a lot of people out here who lost family or have suffered with it, so you are running with them.” Think Pink not only helps raise awareness and money towards defeating breast cancer but also brings the LMU community together to support this great cause. Together, they were able to raise $3,470 for the American Cancer Society. This is the opinion of Alicia Wensley, a sophomore management major from Valencia, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to ssu@theloyolan. com.
Photos: Gloria Ndilula | Loyolan
Students came dressed in pink to go along with the theme of the run. The LMU community came out to show their support for those affected by breast cancer on Saturday, Oct. 19.
Fashion Society showcases student body Five student designers presented their collections at fashion show. Francesca Bermudez Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
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he Fashion Society at LMU hosted their fall fashion show in St. Robert’s Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 18. The showcase was also part of ASLMU’s Period Justice Week. The theme was “showcasing the student body.” As you can probably infer from the theme, the purpose of the showcase was to represent the diversity of our student body. Five student designers were able to send their designs down the catwalk.
The show not only included five student designers, but also a student caterer, models and performers. The Fashion Society believes it is important to showcase the work of student designers, rather than showcasing the work of designers outside of LMU. The five brands featured on Friday were Palomita, Sovereign Sabotage, FREEWILL STUDIOS, Honeyy Lemon Tea and Arcus Apparel. Designer JP Shannon, a sophomore entrepreneurship major, explained what his brand, Arcus Apparel, represents. “The image behind my brand is … the notion of self-expression and doing what you love.” Shannon draws inspiration from skateboarding brands such as KidSuper, Supreme
Photo: Gloria Ndilula | Loyolan
The five student designers who showcased their designs on Friday were brought up on stage at the end of the event. Students applauded their work.
and apathy. William Portman, a sophomore applied information management systems major, presented his first FREEWILL STUDIOS collection at the showcase. Portman listed midcentury modern design as one of his inspirations. Portman channels his artistic abilities through other mediums as well. “I’m also a musician, so I pull a lot of my inspiration from present music and past music.” Among the group of student models hurriedly applying their makeup before the show was Nadia Lowe, a senior modern languages major. Lowe modeled designs from FREEWILL STUDIOS, Honeyy Lemon Tea and Arcus Apparel on Friday. Asked if she would wear the clothes in real life, she responded, “I would. I’ve done the show a few times and every time [I wished] that I had the pieces at home.” Lowe said, “When you’re out there, it’s kind of just fun with the LMU community and all your friends just being there and cheering you on. It’s really exciting.” The Fashion Society at LMU hosted a successful event, providing a creative outlet for our student body.
Photo: Gloria Ndilula | Loyolan
Nadia Lowe struts at the end of the catwalk. Lowe modeled the work of three student designers on Friday, Oct. 18 in St. Rob’s Auditorium.
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Page 9
‘Brutally Soft’ will send you on a nostalgia ride Artist duo Madaline Riley and Aurora Brynn open their first collaborative art gallery. Sammi Su
Life+Arts Editor @sammi_susu
R
eminiscent of their childhood but with a dark spin, “Brutally Soft,” a duo gallery by Madaline Riley and Aurora Brynn, opened on Oct. 17, with its opening reception at the Thomas P. Kelly, Jr. Art Gallery. The gallery displays a collection of trinkets and art pieces that are made of items from the artists’ childhood memories. These pieces are then used as metaphors to illustrate “female maturation and autonomy during adolescence,” creating a playful and innocent, yet also rebellious and dark atmosphere, according to Riley and Brynn. Senior studio arts major with an emphasis in graphic design and Loyolan Assistant Design Editor Aurora Brynn Schnurr (who goes by Aurora Brynn) said her inspiration for the gallery lies mostly in similar experiences with “dance [and] growing into womanhood with femininity ... that pushed us into playing with these juxtapositions between harsh and soft and femininity and … pain and turmoil.” Riley, also a senior, said that she and Brynn had artwork that shared themes of female rebellion. They also made a film together last spring. Brynn says her favorite piece is “Baby Tooth” (pictured center right), which is an adorable plush with bloodied stubs for feet that when standing, is about the
height of a person’s palm. She describes the piece as something that is “adorable … but also really gross.” She relates it to the feeling of being fascinated as a kid when a tooth falls out, but in retrospect, a bloody tooth is nothing to be fascinated over. Her favorite collaborative piece (pictured at the bottom) is the one where they lined up worn ballet shoes that lead to a coffin-shaped white box filled with pointe shoes. The pointe shoe is the “perfect example of stereotypical feminine beauty that we both felt like we had to adhere to,” says Brynn. She explained that it is made of satin and supposed to be graceful and beautiful. “It’s supposed to make you look elegant and ... hyper-feminine, but in actuality … it’s a tough and painful process to break in these shoes to wear them.” While most were collaborative pieces, the gallery also featured multiple solo pieces from both artists. Riley’s personal favorite is a wall-sized installation titled “Tear.” The installation is made of torn wallpaper from her current bedroom that she moved into, which she removed to re-paint her walls. While tearing it down, she felt a ritualistic, almost healing feeling, as if “you’re taking back unnecessary parts of yourself to make room for something new, and I wanted to share that act and feeling with more people.” Riley also choreographed a dance called “Puzzle Dance” (pictured top left) that is performed by her friend, Miriam Hermina, a junior dance major, in which “the puzzle is a metaphor for a larger picture of life, and it’s about trying to puzzle the puzzle of our existence.” Riley wanted to have the
dancer interacting with the puzzle pieces scattered on the floor, as well as her own body as she danced in a jigsaw, rigid flow in front of the art piece. When asked about her overall experience hosting a gallery with Brynn, Riley simply said, “I loved working with Aurora so much. She means so much to me.” “Brutally Soft” is available until the end of the month for private viewings via reservations made by directly contacting either artist via their instagram pages (@aurorable_ or @madalineriley).
Photos: Sammi Su and JP Shannon | Loyolan
The two artists sit in Schnurr’s childhood room (top right, Riley on the left and Schnurr on the right). “Brutally Soft” combines childhood innocence with maturity through art.
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Horror comes to Hannon Our library takes a spooky turn for the Halloween season. Jordan Boaz
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Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan
he William H. Hannon Library hosted its seventh annual Haunting of Hannon event this past weekend, from Oct. 18 to Oct. 19. Haunting of Hannon is a free event that allowed participants to take part in haunted guided tours of the library where they could watch student actors in scenes throughout various parts of the building. This year, the title of the event was “Haunting of Hannon VII: Dead in the West” and was comprised of nine different haunted western scenes, written by professor Kevin Wetmore and directed by professor Neno Pervan. The theme paralleled Hannon’s Archives and Special Collections exhibit on Mark Twain. Twenty-seven different student actors took part in the night as ghosts, evil cowboys, possessed dolls, dead brides, cannibals and more. The actors helped to transform the library into a spooky space for all who walked through. Each room of the tour showcased a different setup and scary scene. The scenes were set in Hannon’s basement and in various study rooms and conference rooms. Tours began in Hannon’s basement — a large, dingy and dark area lined with rows of bookshelves stretching to the ceiling. With each passing shelf came the fear of discovering yet another ghost. Often the actors were close
life+arts
enough to touch. “I found out there’s a basement to the library, which is cool and kinda creepy,” said JJ Doerksen, a freshman entrepreneurship major. “My favorite part was when we were down in the basement there was this singing girl … she was talking about how we’re all gonna meet our makers and we’re all gonna die soon. And as I’m walking away, she locks eyes with me and says, ‘you’re next.’” Eye contact in close quarters seemed to be a central part of the night. “They made sure you made eye contact with them,” said Alana Pawlowski, a freshman theatre arts major. She said that some of the actors had her entirely convinced of their roles. “[The actor] kept like coming closer, and at one point I was like, oh my God — he’s actually possessed,” she said. Maddy Just, a freshman communication studies major, also attended this year’s Haunting of Hannon. “It was spooky,” she said. She explained how the experience differed from scary movies or plays, or even other haunted houses. “We were in such an intimate space with them. It wasn’t like we were watching them on a stage — they were a couple feet away from us. So when they were telling us all these scary things it was like you’re right next to them,” she said. “I was definitely scared.” “Dead in the West” was a success in keeping students spooked. A child-friendly version of this event occurred on Oct. 19. More LMU Theatre department events can be found on their website at cfa.lmu.edu.
Twitter via William H. Hannon Library (@LMULibrary)
Alex Irby, a senior theatre arts major, haunted the library halls during the event. LMU’s Haunting of Hannon occurs every year around Halloween.
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New play ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’ confronts politics
via Jason Munoz
Actors Chris Lorey and Blake Weise during a performance of the show. ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’ is a social commentary set in the ‘30s in Chicago, which director Jim Holmes used to reflect Trump’s administration.
The show acts as a reminder to remember lessons from history. Michael Carandang Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
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or the past two weeks, the Foley Building has displayed a Noise Advisory warning: “Theatrical Gunshot Sound Effects on Campus.” These sound effects were a part of the show “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” by Bertolt Brecht playing in Strub Theatre. Set in the ‘30s in Chicago, Arturo Ui is a fictional mobster that aims to take over the cauliflower industry. Although written almost 50 years ago, the satire is still relevant. It’s a show that resembles and mocks the decisions that allow certain figures to rise to power, drawing an association to Adolf Hitler. The show arrives at an appropriate time, especially with the 2020 election cycle coming up. Junior theatre arts and
screenwriting double major Xavier McNally, who played the character of Hook, said, “it has a lot of political backing … [and] especially is relevant to the modern day; people forgot how easily people can come to power like that.” Francesca Xuereb, a senior theatre arts major who played a wounded woman in the show, described some of the audience reactions as sometimes “boisterous” or “solemn.” According to McNally, “[the show] gets significantly different with an audience in the room … It’s always better to act with an audience.” Both actors felt that the show was well received. The show’s setting was quite unexpected, as it was set in a 1930s cauliflower market in Chicago. McNally thought that Brecht chose to place the show in cauliflower market because he wanted to avoid showing “an example of someone wanting to take over a country.” Instead, “he wanted to ... [focus] on the individual characters” and
how they suffered due to Arturo’s actions. Moreover, Brecht’s naming style stood out to McNally. “Brecht named his characters interestingly … there’s Sheet and then Bull, which is ‘bull sheet.’ Then there’s Fish and Hook, ‘fish hook.’” In other words, Brecht paired characters by their names to show their connection to the audience. The actors put a lot of effort into their performance and had to overcome certain difficulties for the show. McNally said, “A struggle I had was figuring out how to portray the character in Hook, because Brecht style is very different—Epic theatre—which is much more heightened than a contemporary play.” The last showing of the play was on Oct. 19, and it leaves a reminder to not forget certain lessons taught by history, al while providing an entertaining night to those in attendance. This is the opinion of Michael Carandang, a freshman computer science major from San Diego, CA. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to ssu@theloyolan.com.
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SPORTS
Page 11
MADNESS previews basketball season
Photo: James Shannon | Loyolan
Last Thursday, Gersten Pavilion celebrated the begininning of the men’s and women’s basketball seasons with a series of events, including a player dunk contest and a threepoint competiton and performances from LMU dance groups. The women’s team will begin its season on Nov. 2 while the men will start on Nov. 5.
Head to Head: Clippers vs. Lakers 2020 season Rossi Possi Nick Rossi
Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan
The Clippers have long been an afterthought to the Lakers in their adopted home city of Los Angeles. However, this second-tier status may finally be slated to change this season as the Clippers had arguably their best summer of all time. July 5, 2019 is a day that will go down in Clipper history: on this day, it was announced that all-stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were set to sign with the Clippers, shocking the basketball world. With these two additions, the Clippers became championship favorites overnight. Already a playoff team, they had a solid base of a squad that won nearly 50 games last season. They were a scrappy group, taking the star-studded Warriors to six games before being knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Leonard was the centerpiece of the Toronto Raptors’ run to an NBA title. Come playoff time, the man is lights out. In his second year in the league, he was a part of a Spurs team that took prime Lebron James and his Miami Heat superteam to seven games in the Finals. A year later he defeated James in the 2014 Finals, winning his first title and receiving his first Finals MVP. Leonard has proven to have James’ number in the past. I don’t forsee that changing when the two meet at the Staples Center. Paul George is a six-time all-star and was an All-NBA first teamer last season. In L.A., he will prove to be the perfect co-star to Kawhi Leonard. He and Leonard will combine to form one of the best duos in the league, certainly challenging counterparts Lebron James and Anthony Davis. Guard Patrick Beverley will be returning to the team, along with his infamous tenacity and edge. Ivica
Zubac will most likely be the team’s starting center; the Bosnian big man proved to be a quality mid-season pickup from the Lakers and will only improve going forward. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams will feature off the bench, providing much demanded depth to the squad. I see the Clippers as a much more cohesive unit than the Lakers. Every move the organization made this summer made perfect sense in building a balanced, consistent championship roster. The Lakers may have a higher ceiling talent wise, but I do not see them functioning as well as the Clippers do. Come June, I see the Clippers adding a banner of their own to Staples Center.
This is the opinion of Nick Rossi, a junior AIMS major from Orange, CA. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to mthomas@theloyolan.com.
Miles Per Hour Miles Thomas Sports Editor @LALoyolan
The Los Angeles Lakers are not only going to be better than the Los Angeles Clippers this season, but they will reach the NBA finals as well. With new head coach Frank Vogel now leading the team, the Lakers will transform from a team that has missed the playoffs six seasons in a row into a championship contender. The Lakers have one of the most talented duos in the NBA in superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Davis is arguably a top five player in the NBA, and pairing him up with the elite playmaking that James provides
Cartoon: Jacob Johansson | Loyolan
The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers both added new all-star talent over the off-season. Members of the Loyolan sports section debate which team will have more success this year.
will see Davis have his most successful season yet. The Lakers’ size will also be too much of a problem for most teams to handle with the Lakers rostering talented big men like Davis, JaVale McGee and exLaker Dwight Howard. In an era of small-ball lineups, this big-man trio will be too athletic, long and tall for many defensive lineups to handle in regards to rebounding and defense. The Clippers might have a deeper roster than the Lakers, but the players the Lakers have assembled on their current roster fit perfectly together to form a championship team. One of the Lakers’ biggest weaknesses last season was poor shooting, as they finished 29th out of 30 teams in 3-point percentage at 33% as a team. The team’s other critical weakness was their defense, last year ranking 21st in points allowed. The Lakers addressed these issues by adding wing talent in Danny Green, Jared Dudley and Avery Bradley. Each of these players can shoot and defend well and will be able to match up defensively against the high-scoring guards in the NBA. The Lakers’ strong interior and perimeter defense with multiple shooting threats on the floor will complement the elite superstar duo of James and Davis. James cannot be counted out just yet, as he is still arguably the NBA’s best player. With a team that can shoot and defend well around him, in addition to Davis’ elite two-way impact we will see him bounce back from a down season. The Lakers might not finish with the NBA’s best record, or with a better record than the Clippers. However, come playoff time, the Lakers’ experience and roster buildup will help them be more successful than the Clippers in the playoffs and be champions of the Western Conference.
This is the opinion of Miles Thomas, a junior communication studies major from Hermosa Beach, CA. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to mthomas@theloyolan.com.
SCORES UPDATE M. Soccer M. Water Polo W. Soccer Volleyball
W W W. L A L O Y O L A N . C O M
2-1 W
vs Portland
16-14 W
at Air Force
3-2 L
LION SPORTS
SPORTS
at San Diego 3-2 W at Pacific
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October 23, 2019
Page 12
Project Twenty:Six works to train female students This new program from Adidas Runners will help coach women interested in marathon running. Miles Thomas and Ellie Kinney Sports Editor and Sports Intern @LALoyolan
Project Twenty:Six is a women’s marathon training program that will be working with female LMU students to train them to run their first marathon. The project is sponsored by Adidas Runners L.A., an organization of over 1,000 people who run and train in the city of Los Angeles. Project Twenty:Six will involve 13 female LMU students, as well as 13 members of the Adidas Runners community, according to Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement Ryan Yamashita ('13). The selected students for this project will receive professional training for the upcoming L.A. Marathon on March 8, 2020. Alexandra Christophilis, a freshman communication studies major from Seattle, is the LMU project captain. Twenty:Six will be “an empowering way to just join together and create healthy relationships with different females,” Christophilis said. Christophilis emphasized the project’s focus on female empowerment and its dedication to bringing women together to overcome challenges. Project Twenty:Six will unite women of all ages and backgrounds with a common goal of forming a resilient community through running. “We will be running the marathon on March 8, the same day as International
via Sofia Perry
Members of the Adidas Runners community gather together. The Runners community will train 13 LMU female students to run their first marathon.
Women’s Day, which is super cool since it’s an all-female project and all female staff,” she noted. While this feat will not be easy, Christophilis is confident in the LMU community. She believes it will be a good opportunity for students, especially freshmen, to get more involved on campus and create meaningful connections with other women. “It’s going to bring a lot of challenge[s] but, at the same time I think it’ll be an opportunity for perseverance,” said Christophilis. Christophilis is not alone, as she will be working with the Adidas Runners in leading these 13 women runners during this project. Sofia Perry, an Adidas Community Runner, is excited for Christophilis to lead a group of women runners in the LMU community.
“She’s super enthusiastic and I think it’s great. I think it’ll also be really helpful to have a student communicator to act as a go-between between us and the LMU participants,” said Perry. “I think that’ll be really helpful, just in terms of having someone to be that key point of contact." Perry is the project lead for Twenty:Six, as well as an Adidas Runners project manager. She is one of the Adidas Runners community members who will be facilitating the 13 selected female LMU students. Perry described the excitement that the Adidas Runners Club has for this project and working with select LMU students. “I think that the marathon is a great goal post ... just helping these women throughout the 16 weeks is our goal, to see the development and progress they make all throughout,” said Perry. “I
think it’s a super exciting project, and all our female captains and coaches here are really excited about it too.” LMU connected with this program through Yamashita. Yamashita is an active member of the Adidas Runners L.A. running community. He sees the Adidas Runners not only as an organization that benefits LMU students interested in running a marathon, but also as a beneficial opportunity for the community. “I think the hardest [part] of running a marathon is finding that community that can get you to the starting line, but also past the wall and to the finish line,” said Yamashita. “I think that’s rare, being able to have that team that you can train up and do all of those long runs with ... You’re gonna have that through Adidas Runners.” Yamashita mentioned that those who are interested in applying for this program should not worry about their ability as a runner, as this is about the experience and determination of achieving this goal alongside other LMU women. “Speed doesn’t have anything to do with this. It’s just the drive, ambition and goals to try to do their first marathon,” said Yamashita. “If you’re born here, this race is going to be special, because you’re getting to run in a city you grew up in and run from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica, all across L.A.” LMU students who wish to participate must fill out an online form. The deadline to submit the form is Oct. 24, and those interested can access the form on the Loyolan website.
Q&A with men's water polo coach John Loughran His team sits at .500 and is looking forward to the rest of the season. Jameson O'Neil Asst. Sports Editor @LALoyolan
This fall, men's water polo head coach John Loughran entered his 23rd year at the helm of the program. The team currently sits at 8-8 and will face an increasing number of rivals in their conference, the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA). Asst. Sports Editor Jameson O'Neil sat down with Loughran to discuss his team's performance so far and goals for the remainder of the year. Jameson O'Neil (J.O.): What is the main tenet that you've been focusing on that the team needs to improve on this season? John Loughran (J.L.): Consistency is something we really need to work on — just growing as a team and integrating people and developing as a team. And if we really want to be serious about winning the
conference, our defense has to keep improving. J.O.: Last year, the team finished third in the WWPA Tournament. How do you tackle the tournament this year with such a high number of nationally ranked teams? J.L.: This year we definitely have a lot of new blood ... This year, for us to compete for [the] conference title, it's going to [involve playing teams like] UC San Diego ... and UC Davis. We need to really keep improving defensively. Our offense is solid. Our centers are good. [Alex Athymaritis] at center is very good. [Blazo Mitrovic] is a very good scorer and shooter, but our defense needs to keep improving if we really want to make a run for our conference championship. J.O.: Is this where you expected to be at this point in the season? J.L.: I think so. I really feel like we're a top-10 team in the country, and we've been ranked 11th. We've been ranked 10th once. But I think, in terms of
via LMU Athletics
Men's water polo head coach John Loughran looks on during a match. He has led the team to an 8-8 record thus far in the 2019 season.
quality wins, we only have two [games] against teams ranked over us, and all our losses are against teams ranked over us. So earlier in the year, it would have been nice to get a couple [of] wins against teams ranked ahead of us, but our goal here is to win out the season. That's our goal: to win out conference play, and to win out nonconference play. And we are putting ourselves into position to do that. We're coming together nice as a team.
J.O.: How do you deal with losing key seniors from last year? J.L: We got new people to fill roles. And that's how we always want to be developing the program. When someone graduates, we have to keep developing and [be] ready to fill roles. And we've had people do a nice job with that. J.O.: What do you think the players on the team have to prove this season?
J.L.: I think we didn't reach our potential last year. [If] we reach our potential this year, we can win a conference championship. We just have to keep getting better. It's the middle of the season now, [so] things get a little difficult in terms of the work. It's powering through [and] ... getting better. I think that taste in your mouth of not living up to your potential [from last year] — that's motivating people.