FALL SEASONS FOR SPRING SPORTS PAGE 7
A NEW WAWA IN RADNOR? PAGE 3
EDUCATION IS LIBERATION PAGE 4
YOU SPEAK WE LISTEN PACEMAKER WINNER
CABRINI UNIVERSITY VOL. LX, ISSUE 4
THELOQUITUR.COM
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
The fight to end human sex trafficking BY CHRISSY MCCOLLUM News Editor
Human trafficking is a well disguised terror that happens closer to home than some may believe. Since the beginning of 2018, Montgomery County has had 20 reported incidents of children being trafficked. Human trafficking is defined as “a modern-day form of slavery. Victims of human trafficking are subjected to force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation and/or forced labor.” Besides drug trafficking, human trafficking is the fastest growing crime industry in the world. Like human trafficking, sex trafficking is “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a child for the purpose of a commercial sex act, which is induced by force, fraud or coercion, or in which the person forced to perform such an act is younger than 18.” According to the International Labour Organization, there are over 40 million human trafficking victims worldwide. In October of 2018, Cabrini held its eighth annual Domestic Violence Symposium. The topic for this year examined trauma and trafficking. A few speakers of different expertise with various experiences held a panel discussion that shed light on the impacts human trafficking has on it’s victims and the trauma it causes. In Pennsylvania, 74 percent of those involved in human trafficking are female, 12 percent are male and 14 percent unknown. 21 percent of victims are minors. Statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys experience sexual abuse before the age of 18. Even if a child under the age of 18 consents to what their trafficker is asking them to do, any sexual activity is still deemed as rape. Traffickers often use the Internet to attract young victims. They use grooming tactics to make their victims feel beautiful and wanted. They can also disguise themselves online and build a relationship - commonly a romantic relationship - with the victim in hopes of meeting in person. Marinello explains that another way of recruiting victims is to look for the vulnerable person. The King of Prussia Mall is a known location for abducting and forcing both children and adults into trafficking. For instance, “if
a group of girls are walking together in the mall and one falls behind, that girl is more susceptible to the trafficker,” said Marinello. Abused children and all trafficking victims rarely disclose their situation, mainly because they do not feel safe. Male victims are even less likely to self-disclose. They fear either getting in trouble with the authorities, or their trafficker finding them and punishing them for admitting their abuse. Marinello says that she has met many cops who have a hard time distinguishing between trafficking victims and what could be criminal prostitution. “Traffickers groom their victims to believe the police are the enemy,” Marinello said. “Police often treat victims poorly or as criminals because they do not self-disclose.” Victims are typically pressured to stay with their trafficker due to a trauma bond. PsychCentral defines a trauma bond as “loyalty to a person who is destructive... The environment necessary to create a trauma bond involves intensity, complexity, inconsistency, and a promise. Victims stay because they are holding on to some elusive ‘promise’ or hope. There is always manipulation involved.” To break this bond, victims must want to be helped. Outsiders cannot successfully force victims to get help, they should instead work on building a safe relationship with them until they are ready to receive help. Survivors of human trafficking, sexual abuse, or any other traumatic event can seek help from the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County. The DVCCC offers adult counseling services, emergency shelter housing, child care, counseling services and legal representation services for those in need. Students can also receive help from Cabrini’s counseling and psychological services found on campus in Grace Hall. To report a tip or get help, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. In the event of an emergency, call 911 immediately. CONTINUE READING ONLINE CHRISSYMCCOLLUM@GMAIL.COM
CHRISSY MCCOLLUM/NEWS EDITOR
Dr. Shirley Dixon: the first Cabrini doctorate graduate BY EVA SOLER Staff Writer
Dr. Dixon receiving her doctorate degree May 20th, Shirley Walker Dixon became the first student at Cabrini University to graduate with a doctoral degree. Her degree is in Educational Leadership. This is her third degree from Cabrini’s education department.
CABRINI UNIVERSITY
“I feel honored to be the first alumna to graduate with all three degrees from Cabrini College and University,” Dixon said. Since 1980, Dixon has been contributing to Cabrini’s educational program. She started as an undergraduate student,
young and ambitious. She graduated first in 1984 and then again in 1989 with her second degree in education. In 1990, Dixon became the first African American to join the Board of Trustees at Cabrini. By 1992, she became a faculty member, accepting a position as an adjunct professor for the education department. Four years later and she accepted a full-time position Coordinator of Diversity Initiatives here at Cabrini. From 2007 to 2014, Dixon taught as an assistant education professor. She played a great role in the education department here at Cabrini. “[I started and stayed at Cabrini] because I am committed to the core values that Cabrini is committed to,” Dixon said. Outside of Cabrini, Dixon has served her communities graciously. She taught
fifth grade and eventually became principal at Girard College Elementary School, being the first African American to do so. Dixon has also taught in rural Ghana and was a principal for an all-girls school in Africa, as well. “As an educational leader for the past 35 years, I have been dedicated to the enterprise of investigating and creating classroom interventions that build the core principles of responsive cultural pedagogy,” Dixon said. Dixon’s colleagues agree that she is a great member of the Cabrini community, especially the education department.
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EDITORIAL
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WE ARE THE
LOQUITUR 2018-2019 Editorial Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNOR TUSTIN WRITING MANAGING EDITOR
SYDNEY LYNCH VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR MICHELLE GUERIN NEWS EDITORS BRIELLE TOFF CHRISSY MCCOLLUM SPORTS EDITORS JIM KELLY KEEGAN MCKOSKEY LIFESTYLES EDITORS JUSTIN BARNES ARIANA YAMASAKI PERSPECTIVES EDITOR RENIN BROADNAX SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ALLIYAH MADURO CIRCULATION MANAGER ABIGAIL SCARDELLETTI
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
Embodying social justice: honoring Mother Cabrini’s feast day Social justice topics are extremely important to the Cabrini University community. From the moment that students step onto Cabrini’s campus they are surrounded with numerous hands-on opportunities and classes that relate to various social justice issues starting from freshman year until graduation day four years later. Each year, Cabrini recognizes Mother Cabrini’s feast day by celebrating Cabrini Day. Cabrini Day provides students with the opportunity to share their research on different social justice issues. The school closes various departments and cancels day classes so that the Cabrini community can come together and advocate for change. One of the main goals of Cabrini Day is for students to spread awareness for their various social justice projects. Cabrini Day is a day for the entire Cabrini This is really special because students are able to share their knowledge of different issues that are not often talked about to their peers, professors and families. At Cabrini Day there are presentations, posters, speakers and even simulations that guests can walk through. Cabrini Day is a day dedicated to teaching, advocating, and reflecting. It
is a day for the Cabrini community to come together and realize what the true mission of the university. These opportunities are taught in almost every class. Cabrini even has a core requirement class called Engagements with the Common Good, or ECG, that students take for three semesters. These courses reinforce students’ writing, speaking and critical thinking, but they honestly do much more than that. Instead of reading out of a textbook each day, students get a first-hand look at the most pressing issues going on within our world. Social justice is truly the core of Cabrini University’s mission. Students are able to choose different topics to focus on such as lobbying in Washington D.C. to congressmen and congresswomen on topics such as climate change and the American immigration system, reconstructing homes with non-profits, or learning about subjects like domestic violence and addiction. However, engaging in the common good is not just reserved to those specific classes. Being a student at Cabrini means connecting each major with different social justice issues. The faculty at Cabrini does their best to try and open their students’ eyes on how to be an engaged citizen outside of Cabrini’s classrooms. Many college students do not
always know what is going on outside of their own little worlds, but by learning from Mother Cabrini’s mission, the Education of the Heart, students are able to live their lives with others in mind. Cabrini also provides opportunities to practice what they preach in the classroom by having different centers on campus that revolve around social justice issues. These centers include, but are not limited, to the Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence; the Center on Immigration; the Center for Urban Education, Equity and Improvement; and the Center for Global Learning. These specific centers, along with the others, give Cabrini a platform for their specific community to put the time and energy into helping those particular causes. They also allow the university to follow Mother Cabrini’s mission. Along with the different centers on campus, there are a variety of student-run clubs and organizations that practice this same mission. A few of these organizations are the Black Student Union, Pura Vida, CRS Ambassadors, the Muslim Student Association, and Campus Ministry. Cabrini offers its students a multitude of ways to learn about and advocate for social justice outside of the classroom as well.
ADVISER JEROME ZUREK
MISSION The Loquitur student newspaper and website are integral parts of the educational mission of the Cabrini communication department, namely, to educate students to take their places in the public media. Loquitur Media provides a forum of free expression. All members of the university community may submit work to the editors for possible inclusion. Publication is based on the editorial decision of the student editors.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Loquitur accepts letters to the editors. They should be less than 500 words, usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini University’s campus or community area and are printed as space permits. Name, phone number and address should be included with submissions for verification purposes. All letters to the editors must be e-mailed to loquitur@ cabrini.edu
Dr. Bhavna Shyamalan giving her keynote speech at Cabrini Day
MICHELLE GUERIN/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
Women in politics making their way through history BY ARIANA YAMASAKI AND RENIN BROADNAX Lifestyles and Perspectives Editors
Women making history in the 2018 Midterm Election • • •
Sharice Davids - Democrat Of the first Native American woman elected to Congress Elected to represent the Kansas in the US. House Kansas first openly Gay representative
• • •
Deb Haaland- Democrat Of the first Native American woman elected to Congress House seat in New Mexico Tribal member of the Pueblo of Laguna
• • •
Rashida Tlaib - Democrat Of the first Muslim woman in Congress Michigan Democratic Rep Detroit native and received her bachelors from Wayne University
• • •
Illhan Omar - Democratic Farmer - Labor Party Of the first Muslim woman in Congress Minnesota Rep Came to the U.S two decades ago as refugee
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Democrat Youngest female to be elected to the House of Representatives (29 years old) • Serves in New York’s 14th’s congressional district • Graduated from Boston University •
• • •
Rep. Marsha Blackburn - Republican Beat out Gov Phil Bredeses First Female Senator of Tennessee Served in the house since 2003
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MICHELLE GUERIN/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
NEWS
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
THELOQUITUR.COM | 3
Change is expected to come to the shuttle services BY AISLINN WALSH Staff Writer Commuters are growing increasingly frustrated with public safety’s tardy and overcrowded shuttles. For students arriving by train or bus, the shuttle is their only means of transportation between Cabrini’s campus and the station. The new pavilion provides faculty, staff and students protection from the elements at the shuttle stop. Due to construction on campus, the shuttle stop has been moved to Dixon parking lot, where the stop has its own pavilion. This is an improvement over the previous shuttle stop in front of Woodcrest Residence Hall, which was just a bench. This year, students have been faced with increased delays and unpredictable stop times. Students can expect to wait anywhere between five and 45 minutes just to get on the shuttle going to or from Cabrini.
The transportation shuttle loop runs from 6 A.M. to 11 P.M. Monday through Friday and stops at the Radnor stations for Norristown High-Speed Line and the Paoli-Thorndale line. Why do these delays occur? The shuttles are simply not large enough to accommodate the demand of students who need transportation to the train station. Currently, the shuttles accommodate 12 students. Junior psychology major, Alex Sanchez, notes that students often have to wait in a backup. “Shuttles tend to be too packed, “ Sanchez said. “So many of the passengers that don’t fit in the buses are forced to wait until another one comes which is usually not bad but still a few minutes later.” On Oct. 26, King of Prussia Road was closed because a cement truck crashing
into the Radnor train bridge. In addition, the tunnel on King of Prussia Road at the Radnor Station is frequently blocked. Trucks and construction vehicles that are clearly too tall for the tunnel’s tenfoot, ten-inch clearance proceed to drive through the tunnel and get jammed. This recently occurred on Friday, Oct. 25 and Thursday, Nov. 1. Since the road is blocked, it creates massive traffic backups on the roads which throw off the shuttle schedule. Are the faculty affected by this? In August 2018, acting president Brian Eury announced via email that there would be a random lottery for faculty and staff members to park off-campus. The change would be temporary for the academic year to increase student parking on-campus. Selected faculty and staff would then proceed to park at the nearby Church of the Savior and take a shuttle to Cabrini’s campus. The shuttle runs from 6:30 A.M. to 6:30 P.M., and runs separately from the student shuttle. Faculty and staff have mixed feelings about the shuttle. Education professor Colleen Poole has not had any issues, such as delayed times or overcrowding, with the shuttle thus far. She has enjoyed the shuttle because it allows her to expand her social circle within the university. “I love that I’m seeing more people that I wouldn’t typically see…” Poole says. “So I’m seeing them more, catching up, learning about their families and getting to know more people on campus. I love that part, it’s a lot of fun.” Circulation and Building Manager of
Holy Spirit Library, Chris Jones, expressed that faculty shuttle is “uncertain” regarding pick up times and length of the stop. Jones had to walk 1.3 miles twice from Cabrini’s campus to his car at Church of the Savior. He remarked that he has had to walk twice to Church of the Savior from Cabrini before which is a 1.3-mile walk from Cabrini. It almost happened a third time, but a faculty member saw him walking and offered to give him a ride. However, Jones believes that the faculty shuttle inconvenience will be worth it in the long run. “It’s a good system…” Jones says. “[The shuttle] is necessary for the continued development and growth of the campus.” What is being done to fix these problems? According to Joesph Fusco, director of Public Safety, two new programs are currently being developed that are intended to address these issues. First, is an electronic shuttle tracking system. It will hopefully allow students to locate shuttle’s locations and number of the occupants. This hopefully eliminates the long wait times outside of the shuttle stop. It is hoped that the program will be implemented next semester, however, the beta version will be tested out this month. The second new program is to let student-workers become shuttle drivers. This is intended to increase the number of shuttles that are on routes and would hopefully reduce and long wait times and backups.
CONTINUE READING ONLINE
MICHELLE GUERIN/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
The route from Cabrini University, to the teachers parking lot, to the train station.
Gotta have a Wawa? The residents of Radnor Township strongly disagree BY MIRANDA SMITH AND CHRIS GIACOBBE Staff Writers
Monday evening, residents of Radnor Township came together to discuss the topic of a new Super Wawa to be built on the intersection of Lancaster and South Aberdeen avenues. Many of the townspeople were not too fond of the new convenience store. Sitting at the intersection now is the Sunoco and BP gas stations. They currently sit on a 1.7-acre plot of land owned by father and son Gary and Peter Karakelian. The pair owns the other Wawa just down the street at Lancaster Avenue and Banbury Way, along with several other commercial properties nearby. Nicholas Caniglia, attorney for Wawa, spoke out against the residents’ disapproval. “This will be a much better looking sight. I think it will be good for the township. I think it will be good for the neighbors and community itself as well.” Caniglia spoke out about the improvements they were planning on making with the new super Wawa. The Wawa would have only three curb cuts, opposed to
the six currently there. There are also plans to cut the number of gas pumps down from 11 to six. The new Wawa will also decrease wastewater because of the removal of the car wash. Matt Hammond, Wawa traffic engineer, believed that 76 percent of the traffic to the new Wawa would be cars that are already on the road. Despite this, he did admit that traffic would increase by 24 percent with a study predicting 84 to 113 new trips at peak hour. Hammond at one point said, “I don’t live back there,” in reference to the neighborhood behind the Wawa site. “We do!” a resident in the audience called out. Despite Caniglia and Hammond’s efforts, the townspeople of Wayne were still opposed to the new Wawa. A few of the main reasons were due to the fact it would be open 24 hours, 7 days a week and attract more traffic. They argued that traffic could cause a problem especially with St. Katharine of Siena School and Radnor Middle School nearby.
“Let’s assume that I do not care about the increased pollution in our area with 4,000 cars a day,” said Dr. Sandy Desai, a mother of two. “Let’s assume that I don’t care about the decrease in my home’s value. Let’s assume that I don’t care about the traffic on my street or traffic up on Lancaster. [...] That I live in Radnor Township because there is something special about living in Wayne. [...] I wanted you to know that children are going to die. And I speak as a pediatrician here in front of you. Children will die. People will die as a result of this. I strongly urge you and beseech you to do your best to prevent this schematic and consider whether you can live with that statement.” The 50 some residents in the audience applauded Dr. Desai’s comment as well as many of the other residents who spoke. CONTINUE READING ONLINE MSSMITH814@GMAIL.COM CHRISGIACOBBE@GMAIL.COM
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Dr. Shirley Dixon (Cont.)
BY EVA SOLER Staff Writer Dr. Amy Gratch Hoyle, Chair of Educational Policy and Leadership Department and Assistant professor of education, said from the moment she arrived, Dixon made her feel welcomed. “Shirley shared wisdom about the needs of our students and also took the time to ask about me and my family,” Hoyle said. Hoyle says Dixon is always optimistic, looks on the bright side and remains positive no matter the situation, which shapes her dedication. “She lives education of the heart as she is the consummate educator and her practice is rooted in building relationships with students and colleagues. She lives the mission in her dedication to social justice. Not only does she work for social justice as a board member but she does so through her research and scholarship,” Hoyle said. The Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Beverly Bryde, has known Dixon since 1990,
from a student to fellow faculty member. “As a teacher, Dr. Dixon was demanding and kind. She cared about her students but would push them to grow. As a colleague, Shirley spoke her mind and listened with her heart,” Bryde said. In June of 2018, The Inaugural Shirley Dixon Celebration of Urban Education Symposium, held by The Center for Urban Education, Equity, and Improvement (CUEEI), took place on campus with about 200 students, trustees, faculty, staff and family. At this event, Cabrini President Donald B. Taylor praised Dixon. “You had a vision and then you built momentum behind that. You’re making a real difference in the lives of children every single day,” Taylor said. “I can think of no more noble calling than that.”
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LIFESTYLES
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
Education leads to success; how one man overcame malnutrition BY ALLIYAH MADURO Social Media Coordinator
People do not know the power or impact of education. Education is a valuable source that can help students through tough situations. Climate change is just one of the major factors in these situations. It has dried the soil where farmers used to grow crops. Children in developing countries face malnutrition and attend school because of the food that the school provides for them, guest speaker and CRS employee Thomas Awiapo said. “Education is simply liberation. If it wasn’t for that little snack I would have never went to school,” Awiapo told the ECG 300 Working for Global Justice class. Cabrini University offers courses that help their students engage in the common good also known as ECG courses. These courses touch base on serious topics that are happening globally. They help students try to find solutions to these problems. Some classes offer the students the opportunity to lobby and help give a voice to the voiceless. Malnutrition is one of the leading causes in child death in Ghana. According to UNICEF, it is one-third of childhood deaths. In Northern Ghana where Awiapo is from, two in every five children are stunted and 80 percent of children are anemic. The percentages are likely to rise. “Just how he was convinced to go to school as a kid, he would take that trick and use it himself, by providing hot meal and snacks to children that attend school,” senior Jared Delisa said. Awiapo spoke to a group of students at the end of September to tell his personal experience with malnutrition and how climate change has effected his village. “We need to change our ways now or the world will be terrible for future generations to come. Climate change is very real,” junior psychology major Cheryl Ford said. Jerry Zurek’s Working for Global Justice course provides the opportunity to educate students on migration, modern slavery, poverty and climate change. At the end of the semester the students will lobby in Washington D.C. Awiapo was able to share his story with the students to express the earnestness of climate change. “Climate change, especially how it affected Thomas in Ghana, is clear to see how an area that was once filled
with so much green is now drying up and becoming baking dirt in the sun,” Delisa said.
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
Thomas Awiapo said he now knows the value of education
Early Life Awiapo grew up in a small village in the northern part of Ghana. His village did not have electricity or running water. His parents died before he was 10 years old. He and his four younger brothers were orphaned and had to find ways to live on their own. They grew up with a lot of anger built inside. He was the second oldest of his siblings. In their time of suffering Awiapo and his brothers constantly fought and cried for food. Trying to survive in his village was not the end of his pain. His two youngest brothers died of malnutrition and his oldest brother ran away and never went back. Awiapo found himself trying to survive alone in his village. Just when he lost hope, something unexpected happened. “I grew up with the pain not knowing what it means to have a parent,” Awiapo said. Catholic Relief Services found a way to the small village in Ghana and built a school. In the beginning, Awiapo had struggled attending school. He did not like going but what helped him and the other children in the village to attend, were the snacks that the school provided daily. “I loved the snack but I hated school so they tied them together,” Awiapo said.
helped Awiapo win scholarships so he could attend college. Awiapo earned his Master’s degree in public administration from California State University. Now, Awiapo has been working in CRS for 15 years. “Thomas’ story impacted me because I got to hear first hand how he is able to help many people in need with emergency relief aid,” Ford said. He works in Rice Bowl and the Global Solidarity groups. The Rice Bowl’s mission is to call on Catholics to perform a simple act of Lenten sacrifice. They will have to substitute a low-cost meatless meal for more expensive dining once a week during Lent and put the money saved in a cardboard rice bowl. At the end of Lent, the funds that were collected in the rice bowls are distributed both around the world and in local communities to combat hunger. As he continues working for CRS, Awiapo has moved back to Ghana. There he has his wife and four children. Awiapo explained that through his hardships and his achievements he can now provide food and shelter for his family in Ghana. His children are also attending school because Awiapo has experienced first hand on how education can help you through tough situations. “I now know the value of education,” Awiapo said. “My children will never be hungry again.” In the world of so many challenges, Awiapo believes that just a little act of kindness can save someone’s life and make a change. It is better to teach the children skills to use in their villages rather than show them. He mentions how giving a fish to the children is good, but to teach them how to catch the fish is even better because they can use that on a day to day basis. “Give them the skills and tools to catch the fish so they can catch fish for the rest of their lives,” Awiapo said. He has traveled to 49 states so far with saying thank you to U.S. food programs such as Food for Education, Food for Peace and Food for Health as his mission. “Sometimes it’s important to see a face and hear the word thank you,” Awiapo said. “That’s my mission here.”
Education leads to Liberation Because of the opportunities CRS provided, he continued to attend school. Awiapo was able to survive, finish school and further his education. CRS
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Filling the shoes of an education major at Cabrini University BY BROOKE FERTIG Staff Writer
Filling the shoes of an education major at Cabrini University is a tall order. Aside from the typical curriculum associated with the study of an undergraduate degree in education, eligible students are encouraged to engage in a full-day field experience at local schools. The Children’s School is just one of the many local schools in partnership with Cabrini University’s field experience. The Children’s School is a pre-school and kindergarten that is a part of the Cabrini Education Division. The school itself employs teachers who are certified in early childhood education. Maria Merino is a junior education major at Cabrini University. She has completed three field experiences during her sophomore year. Her first field experience was in a fourth-grade classroom. Consequently, it was in her previous elementary school. Despite her uncertainties of working with an older group of children, she ended up enjoying the age group. If it were not for field experience offered at Cabrini University, she would have never discovered her love for that age group. “I was placed in an English Language Learners (ELL) classroom, which ironically enough I was an ELL student when I attended the school too,” Merino said. “I was really able to connect with them and see them learn.” In her field experience at Cabrini, Merino also learned that she really enjoyed working in a classroom with children who have special needs. “I noticed that kids with special needs need more interactive work,” Merino said. “Sometimes embracing their disabilities into the classroom will also help them learn better.”
One of Merino’s field experiences led her to Golden Gate Elementary, located in Naples, FL. Merino enjoyed seeing how school districts ran outside of Pennsylvania and compared the differences and similarities between. “There, we were able to see more techniques that would help not only manage a classroom but a whole school too,” Merino said. “We visited four schools, each within towns of different socioeconomic status, but you wouldn’t be able to tell because the schools are all funded equally.” Effie Soldatos is a senior early education major. Her passion is in teaching children pre-k to fourth grade. During her time at Cabrini University, she has been working on completing her field experience. Soldatos says she has been placed in different types of classrooms ranging from general education, ELL, inclusive and special education. “Field experience allows you to teach lessons, interact with the students, and work side by side with your cooperating teacher,” Soldatos said. “It has really prepared me for when I start student teaching in the spring. “ Colleen Poole is the associate director of field and student experiences at Cabrini University. She places the sophomore and junior education majors for field experience in schools each semester, prior to their senior year. According to Poole, each individual education major is placed in a school for 10 Wednesdays each semester, beginning with the fall of their sophomore year. They are there for a full day each week. This totals approximately 80 hours per semester. This means that they will total approximately 320 hours of field experience before senior year. Poole continued to explain that the purpose of education majors changing their placements each semester is to get them accustomed to various types of schools. These schools range from public, private, urban,
suburban, small and large. In addition to the change in the physical type of school, students are placed in different grade levels per semester. “The students are given assignments and asked to critically reflect on their classroom experiences each week,” Poole said. “This helps them to understand what they are learning in their education courses at Cabrini University, and how it applies to real life classrooms.” Poole believes that all of these experiences help them to grow as teachers but also help them in deciding which school setting they feel is best for them. CONTINUE READING ONLINE
MARIA MERINO
Current Cabrini University education majors at Golden Gate Elementary
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LIFESTYLES
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
THELOQUITUR.COM | 5
Selfless, resilient, humble and kind: all words used to describe graduate student Aide Cuenca BY ANGELINA CAPOZZI Staff Writer
Outside the bamboo walls, a young girl in Ecuador wakes up and hears the roosters crowing, dogs barking and the water truck as it comes up the rocky path. Years later she lays on her bed in a concrete building and listens. All she hears is the train as it sounds its horn as it rolls along. Selfless, resilient, humble and kind: all words to describe Aide Cuenca. Growing up in Ecuador, she lived in a bamboo cane house. She shared her bed with her sisters in one room while her brother slept in her parents’ room. Her dad was a security guard and attempted to go to school at the same time to get a degree. While he was fixing the fence, a nail hit his eye and not until years later did they see the effect. Later he went blind in one eye, making it hard to read and stay in school. Providing for his family, he worked many other jobs while Cuenca’s mother knitted crochet, sometimes selling them and taking care of her and her siblings. They lived in the neighborhood called Arbolito, meaning little tree, where they would wait for water trucks in the morning to get the water they needed for
AIDE CUENCA
Family celebration: Victor and Jhon (Aide’s brothers) received the confirmation sacrament on January 2016
washing their clothes, drinking, bathing and much more. They had no running water and the water they got had to be boiled before they could drink it, which would use gas and cost lots of money. Cuenca has four siblings and she is the oldest. She lived in Ecuador her whole life up until two years ago when she came to Cabrini University. Before coming here, she worked in her parish after school helping translate and navigate groups of people coming from the U.S. to help her community. Cuenca got the opportunity to come to Cabrini University, where she would obtain a masters in leadership studies. Coming here was an adventure. Everything was about to change for her. “I knew the food was going to be different and the culture, but the seasons were a big change. I went from having two seasons in Ecuador to four,” Cuenca said. Cuenca brought with her two suitcases and when she arrived, she was surprised by how suburb it was. She was placed in the Berwyn house, where she had one bedroom, two living spaces and a bathroom. She was surprised when she walked into her new room. She was used to sharing everything, in fact she never slept in a bed without her sisters. The people at the cottage gave Cuenca clothes. She did not have warm clothes for the upcoming winter and was thankful to be given these clothes. Her bed had many pillows on it, which she was not used to. “I don’t even use pillows,” Cuenca said. What she did with all those pillows is place them around her. These pillows gave her a sense of security and safety as she was all alone more than 2,800 miles from her family. During her first semester at Cabrini, her dad got very sick and had to go into major surgery. She sat in class not focused on what the teacher was saying but if she would see her dad again. “I thought my dad was going to die,” Cuenca said as she explains the struggle of not being there. Cuenca traveled back to visit her family after that semester and she debated if she should just stop her education in the United States and stay with her family. Everyone in her community supported and believed in
AIDE CUENCA
Manos abiertas after-school program - fall 2016 her. She continued her education at Cabrini and her dad returned to better health. Cuenca’s goal is to go back to Ecuador. She wants to help the community and propose new ideas with all the information she has learned in the United States. She thinks about her family and friends back home. “I carry their stories with me everywhere I go. Even when I don’t believe in myself, I know people at home believe in me,” Cuenca said. Cuenca does get homesick quite often and she wants to live in Ecuador when she is done school. She talks about people at home struggling and having little money. “They’re amazing. They still have hope and a strong faith no matter what. They are inspirational,” Cuenca said.
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Fear and terror: a different kind of “fun” BY JUSTIN BARNES Lifestyles Editor
Basically, going through a haunted attraction gave these people a sense of accomplishment, as if they were climbing a rock wall or running a 5k. Assistant professor of psychology at Cabrini University Dr. Ruta Clair claims that when John Carpenter’s “Halloween” is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. To this day, people are scared, their body goes into a flight-or-fight response and an adrenaline rush. it remains a popular horror film among audiences. Even though there is no happy end- Because the brain works in pathways, those pathways release adrenaline when people ing and it ends as a cliffhanger, people still choose to are scared, and some people interpret that feeling as fun. watch it. When asked why they would pay money “It’s the same reason why some people like roller to scare themselves, many say that it is fun. coasters and some people don’t,” Clair said. Margee Kerr, an adjunct professor of sociolClair also believes that the reason people say that they ogy at the University of Pittsburgh, always found find getting scared fun is because they do not understand that answer very unsatisfying. Because of this, she what is happening to them, thus, they can’t describe the teamed up with her colleague, cognitive neurofeeling. They think of it as fun, most likely because of how scientist Dr. Greg Siegle, and they spent two years their body relaxes after the adrenaline rush they feel. gathering data in the basement of an extreme Clair pointed out that there is a theory explaining that haunted attraction outside Pittsburgh called when we are under stress, it triggers a release of hormones Scarehouse. that are tied to social connections and we seek social conScarehouse contains a variety of unsettling situnection when we are stressed. This is also because of the ations that go beyond intimidating characters and brain pathways that go off and release hormones when special effects. Those who attended would be we are scared or stressed. touched by the actors, restrained and exposed to “If you need social support when you are feeling electricity. stressed, when you’re coming off a roller coaster or a For this study, Kerr and Dr. Siegle recruited 262 social experience, it’s the same kind of process,” Clair people who had already purchased tickets for the said. adult-only attraction. Before the guests entered, In addition, Clair concurred that going through hauntBROOKE PALMER the duo had them fill out a survey asking them how ed attractions or watching horror films can help build Most people prefer going to haunted attractions with friends as they were feeling at the moment. When the subjects resilience and learn more about themselves. She claims it can help them build stronger connections with one another got out, they were asked to answer questions on that people with anxiety should be exposed to anxiety how they were feeling afterwards. Kerr and Dr. Siegle even used EEG technology to mea- inducing situations that are safe and controlled. As a result, it can allow people to undersure brain activity of 100 participants as they went through a series of emotional attacks stand themselves and gain confidence that they can get through it. before and after the attraction. CONTINUE READING ONLINE Results of the final surveys showed that those who went through the attraction came out feeling much better and less anxious. Analysis of the EEG data also indicated that after going through the attraction, brain activity ceased which in turn is associated with feeling better. In addition, Kerr claimed that going through scary attractions in a JUSTINWANNABARNES@GMAIL.COM contained environment can serve as a way to “practice being scared and build greater self-knowledge and resilience.”
PERSPECTIVES
6 | THELOQUITUR.COM
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
What it is like being paralyzed for a week: my viral myositis story
ANGELINA CAPOZZI/STAFF WRITER
Angelina and her parents Joe and Connie Capozzi pictured with her as a baby BY ANGELINA CAPOZZI Staff Writer
A lot of kids make up lies to get out of school. Having a stomach ache or a fever are pretty common. What if your lie was that your legs stopped working and you could not walk? On a Monday morning, I was in fifth grade waking up for school. Getting up out of bed, I hung my small legs over the side and fell straight to the floor. I was unable to get up and stand. I was confused. At only nine years old, my legs had just stopped working. As I army-crawled down the
upstairs hallway of my house, I found my dad drinking his coffee at the dinner table. He looked down at me confused at why I was on the floor. My mom was just walking in and I recall the conversation vaguely. It went along the lines of “Wow, good excuse for skipping school. Now get up and get ready for the bus.” Apparently this “act” I was putting on was not impressing my parents because they went on with their day. When I was still crawling around hours later complaining that my legs stopped working, I was finally taken to the emergency room. I had IVs,
blood work, an EKG to check my heart and many more tests ran on me that night. The doctors did not know what it was at first. I was paralyzed from the waist down, unable to go to the bathroom or reach my feet to put socks on. This was a traumatic and scary event for my nineyear-old self and for my parents. My parents just wanted answers. In the back of their heads, they thought that their child may not walk again. After three days in the hospital, finally an answer was reached. A virus that attacks the muscles called viral myositis. The doctors told my parents and myself that they have only seen it in males, more specifically, male track runners. I was an active child, I played on three soccer teams at one time and they think that had something to do with the over working of the body and the virus itself. My parents always thought it was too much with three teams going from practice to practice, but I insisted. I went home after three days, but I was still unable to walk. I missed that whole week of school and came back on crutches. My classmates asked if I broke my leg and where my cast was. I did not have a cast for them to sign, and I did not really have answers they would understand either. At that time, I think I was more concerned about getting back to soccer practice then what just
happened to me. Getting viral tore my meniscus and had two myositis is very rare, there are concussions. My parents always fewer than 20,000 cases per year supported me in sports but were in U.S. afraid whenever I fell in a game. It is very unlikely that I will To most people viral myositis ever get this again, but if I was just sounds like a medical term away at college and got this, to me I look at that word and it would be so much harder. remember my experience. I Missing school and experiencing think about how thankful I am being paralyzed is not something that I can walk today, that I can that is easily taken on with the run and play soccer. school work-load. I do not know anyone who has had this virus because it is so rare. I was always known as the “hospital child” in my family. Before viral myositis, I had 26 stitches in my left leg after ANGELINAMCAPOZZI@GMAIL.COM falling on a sharp object at just four years-old. After viral myositis, I broke my hand in soccer, tore my ACL twice,
ANGELINA CAPOZZI/STAFF WRITER
Angelina (second from the left) pictured with her middle school soccer team after a game
Música, the universal language: how song helped me learn Spanish
SIERRA DOTSON/STAFF WRITER
A person’s ability to learn and retain music is often applied to the learning and retention of language.
BY SIERRA DOTSON Staff Writer
I have always had a musician’s brain. Eight years of lessons, marching bands, jazz bands and concert bands. My mind naturally thinks in rhythms and I ca not help it. Never would I have guessed that this skill would translate over to resolve a language barrier. Every student in my high school was required to have one language under their belt in order to graduate. Hispanic language and culture was something I have such a huge appre-
ciation for. When it came time to select my language pathway during my freshman year, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to pursue Spanish in my language journey. It would be a gross understatement to say that the first few weeks of class was rough. The grammar and sentence structure was just not clicking for me and with each class I grew more frustrated. When I had felt that I was right on the verge of giving up, something unexpected happened that caused me to have one of the biggest educational breakthroughs of my life. Él música fue la cosa que me
ayudó aprender. G row i ng u p, I ha d a f e w brushes with latinx artists. My dad was, and still is, one of the biggest Selena fans. Although it is not in Spanish, “Dreaming of You” will always bring me memories of my childhood. During the time that I was struggling with my Spanish courses, I had somehow stumbled back into her music. My iPod almost always had the album “Amor Prohibido” on repeat. Selena Quintanilla Perez was the Tejano Queen for a reason, her voice was like literal silk. The fact that I could not comprehend her songs due to the language barrier made me so upset. As a fan I felt I was not appreciating her songs to their full potential. Most of the time I found myself looking up the lyrics and trying desperately to learn the song. Little did I know at the time that I was subconsciously immersing myself into the language. Teaching myself to sing along to the Spanish lyrics appealed to the musical part of my brain and acted as the catalyst I needed to make the language really begin to “click.” Many studies have proven that one of the best ways to learn a language is through natural exposure. As infants, humans
learn to speak by listening to their parents. Many believe that the adult brain can also behave this way, just with a much slower retention time. Surrounding yourself with the language and learning how it is applied in everyday situations can allow you to flex and tone the mental muscles you build in the traditional classroom setting. A person’s ability to learn and retain music is often applied to the learning and retention of language. Having my playlists filled with Romeo Santos and Carlos Santana was just my way of inadvertently immersing. Not only is music something that is catchy and memorable, it was also portable. I was essentially carrying the language with me in my pocket. The deeper I got into my passion for the music, the better my grades eventually got. It was not until later in my life that I realized the two were connected. I would even go as far as to confidently say it was more of a direct causation than a coincidental correlation. The research and practice I was doing was almost perfectlycomplementing the skills I was studying in class.
SIERRA DOTSON/STAFF WRITER
Selena Quintanilla is regarded as one of the most celebrated 14-year-old me would have never dreamed of ever being good enough to earn a language degree. Flash forward six years and here I am: a sophomore in college. Not only am I semifluent and continuing to pursue my Spanish education but I still listen to the same Selena album so much so that it annoys my roommate.
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SPORTS
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
THELO QUITUR.COM | 7
Battle of Eagle Road: The history behind the rivalry Sports Source: How Jimmy Butler affects the Sixers BY JAMES KELLY Sports Editor
The Philadelphia 76ers recently made the biggest splash in the NBA season thus far. The Sixers dealt Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerry Bayless and a second round pick for Jimmy Butler. Butler was in a toxic relationship with the Timberwolves and a trade was inevitable. Butler is a former all-star and is regarded as one of the best two-way players in the league. This is a huge deal for the future of this organization. The team has been struggling since the beginning of the year, and it was quite evident that a move had to be made. It is very sad to see two core members of the process be dealt, but this trade was an absolute steal for the Sixers. Elton Brand had the guts to pull the trigger on this deal, and this trade instantly puts the Sixers on the path to a potential NBA Finals berth. The Sixers still need to make some moves because they lack depth off the bench. But this move gives the players, management and fans the mindset that winning is the goal, and not waiting for development. Saric and Covington gave this team, the fans and this city everything they had, every minute of every game. These two players will truly be missed, but Butler is a certified star and this trade couldn’t have been passed on. Covington and Saric were here from the beginning of the process, and it is a shame that won’t be here when it comes full circle with a championship. Butler is a four time all-star and will come into the Sixers organization and instantly makes an impact. Butler is the type of player that the team can lean on to close out game and make clutch shots down the stretch.
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Jimmy Butler shooting a free throw. JAMESEJKELLY@GMAIL.COM
BY JAMES KELLY Sports Editor
The intensity is always high during any rivalry game. Each player has to work that much harder for their team to come out on top. Every second, minute, quarter and possession during rivalry games could be the difference between a win and a loss. It makes it that much more intense when both schools are separated by just .2 miles. One single road separates Cabrini University and Eastern University. It is a three minute walk from each campus to the other, the only thing separating the two institutions is Eagle road. The first meeting between the two schools was on Jan. 29, 1985 when the Cabrini men’s team defeated Eastern by a score of 97-89. They met once more just 2 weeks later, with Cabrini coming out on top for a second time. Prior to this years matchup, the Cabrini men’s team has dominated the rivalry winning 37 out of 46 games. Cabrini has been dominant in the series, and the two schools have played each other the second most times in Eastern’s athletic history. When you compete against a team with a close proximity like Cabrini and Eastern, it is bound to start a rivalry. The Cabrini women’s team has not been as successful as the men’s team in recent years. The Eastern women’s team have won five of the last eight meetings between the schools. However, Cabrini has dominated the overall school series defeating Eastern 25 times out of 35
meetings. The first game between the women’s teams happened Jan. 30, 1994, when Cabrini defeated Eastern 81-30. This years chapter of the Battle of Eagle Road took place on Nov. 13, back home on Cabrini’s campus. Brad Koch, Cabrini director of athletics and recreation, discussed the atmosphere of opening night and the Battle of Eagle Road. “We have a great turnout tonight and the atmosphere is amazing. College basketball is back at Cabrini,” Koch said. The atmosphere at the Nerney Field House was electric for both games. The scene of the double header set the stage for an amazing opening night for both programs, with the men’s and women’s teams playing back to back games. The women’s team started off the season in a back and forth game. The crowd played a factor, as every basket turned into a frenzy from both fan sections. Eastern came out on fire, taking the lead into halftime with a score of 24-17. The first half set the tone for the whole night, with both teams battling to start the season off with a win. Despite a late surge from Cabrini, the Eastern Eagles women escaped the opener by a score of 69-55. Kirsten Searcy, sophomore guard for the Cabrini women, knew it was going to be a battle. “We play each other first every year and because we are so close it is always a rivalry,” Searcy said. The urgency in both teams only picked up during the warm-
MICHELLE GUERIN/ VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
ups for the men’s game. The teams were locked in right from the time they stepped on the court. Nicholas Louis, a Cabrini junior who attended both games, felt the tense rivalry during both games. “You can just sense the urgency in both teams, and how neither team wants to lose to the other school,” Louis said. The Eagles got out to a quick lead and eventually went into the locker room with a commanding 46-31 lead. Cabrini returned in the second half with a vengeance
to make it a close game, rallying from a near 20 point deficit. After an energetic response from Cabrini, the Cavaliers went on a run to take the lead. However, the late run wasn’t enough to stop the Eastern Eagles men, as they defeated the Cavaliers, 84-79. With Eastern taking both games in this years battle, Cabrini is sure to come out firing in the next chapter of the Battle of Eagle Road.
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Fall practice helps spring sports teams find their rhythm BY GRIFFIN HAYS Staff Writer
When people hear fall sports, what comes to mind? Soccer, volleyball, field hockey and in other places football. That is it, right? What about tennis and rowing? They are spring sports, but they have fall seasons as well, and not just practice. Men’s and women’s tennis both played in the King’s Invitational in WilkesBarre, Pennsylvania, along with several non-conference contests in September and October. They finished the fall schedule with records of 3-0 and 0-3, respectively. “The fall season is a good practice season to allow the team to get in rhythm and get better as a unit,” Vince Paetow, sophomore marketing major and tennis player, said. Men’s tennis interim head coach Sean Jaeger also added that the extra work is important because players only have four years. In a collegiate athletics
program, that leaves little time to waste in player development. “Taking advantage and appreciating every hour on the tennis court to progress is a very important mindset to have for both players and coaches,” Jaeger said. “Consistent desire to improve is the cornerstone for any successful team.” As for rowing, they took part in the 2018 Navy Day Regatta on Oct. 13, in which they finished 33rd. They were one of only two Division III vessels in a field rich with Division I talent. They also competed in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta on Oct. 27, where they took home a 50th place finish against more than 50 shells from Divisions I, II, and III. “[The fall season] allows our new rowers to gain some experience on the water and be prepared for our spring season,” Victoria Anderson, junior early childhood education and special education major and rowing team captain, said. “For our returning rowers, we focus on getting back into the boat after a
long summer off.” A common theme is that the fall season is short. Men’s and women’s tennis won’t see action again until March, a six-month layoff between contests. However, that doesn’t CABRINI ATHLETICS mean the players just For tennis, as with any sport, getting forget about the sport for six work in on and off the court is crucial months. for being successful. “I will be training with my personal coaches and my dad who played [Division I] tennis,” Men’s tennis will be looking Paetow said. “They help me hone to follow up a Colonial States my skills and become a more Athletic Conference (CSAC) whole tennis player.” championship in 2017 with an The same goes for rowing, Atlantic East Conference title this who will not get back on the spring. Women’s tennis will be water until the spring. aiming for their first conference “During the winter, we go to title since winning the CSAC strength and conditioning with in 2007, and rowing will take [coach Dustin Malandra] two another crack at their first Midtimes a week,” Anderson said. Atlantic Rowing Conference “He makes a specialized workout championship in program plan for us that focuses on the history. muscles we use while rowing.” She added that they also have captains practices using rowing machines a few times during the GRIFFHAYS1560@GMAIL.COM layoff.
THURSDAY, NOV. 15, 2018
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THELO QUITUR.COM | 8
Making family proud overseas as first generation born in the USA BY MICHELLE GUERIN Visual Managing Editor
dedication. with an older sister, Conigliaro was excited “Every practice Dav goes takes the friendships with his about the 100 percent and teammates to heart. competition never slacks,” Biche “A trait that I got out of when he said. “He has a lot being in this program for three committed. of dedication to years is being able to work for Conigliaro anything he puts the person next to you,” junior is able to text his mind to and midfielder Andre Justin said. and FaceTime in soccer, he can “Brotherhood is a very important cousins take that drive of part of the program and I hope back in Italy, dedication far in his it carries on after my career is and loves career.” done here for Dav.” keeping his Described by In Italy, soccer is a very family up to MICHELLE GUERIN/ VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR many athletes, popular sport. Being able to date on how MICHELLE GUERIN/ VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR Conigliaro celebrating with his teammates after a Cabrini’s Athletic play in America, Conigliaro was his athletic Uniforms ready for the game. big win! Department is excited to start the year off in career is different from any a new conference with a new going. Every Being a first generation other program at other colleges. team. summer since he can remember, and mother said via email. family member to be born in “It doesn’t matter if we are Cabrini switched from Conigliaro visits Italy and loves “Since he was a young boy, America, most would take every on the field or off the field, we Colonial States Athletic spending time on the beaches, he was always a determined opportunity they can to make are all close,” playing beach soccer individual, always cared for their family proud of them, Conigliaro said. and hanging out in others and willing to help academically and athletically. “I have a lot of his homeland with his anyone in need. We are so Dav Conigliaro’s family is other friends family. incredibly proud of the man that from Sicily, Italy. His grandfather that play for When choosing his he is becoming. I hope these saw the opportunity in America different schools major at Cabrini, it was years at Cabrini will help him get in the 1980s for businesses to and their teams obvious for him right ready for the bright future ahead grow. Conigliaro’s parents began are divided. away. of him.” their lives in Sicily, but also The seniors all “My father had a After graduation, Conigliaro wanted to go to America. hang out and big influence on me hopes to travel back to Sicily and Picking Cabrini University do their own picking my major start his own business. was one of the best decisions thing and the because he has his own “Dav has a lot of potential for freshman, Conigliaro in his underclassmen business and is a wine to be a big part of this program college career so far. Conigliaro do their own exporter for a company and Cabrini,” Justin said. “It’s graduated from Burlington thing. That is in Sicily,” Conigliaro going to come with patience Township School District in not the case said. “I also speak and maturity. It can all be done New Jersey. He is continuing his here. We all Italian, I enjoy learning in one moment, you have to soccer career at Cabrini while spend time about business and cherish every moment and play studying international business together and we I love to travel so it like it’s your last.” with a minor in Italian. go out together. seemed like a great fit Taking every moment one “My teammates make me No one is for me.” day at a time, Conigliaro always feel at home and without them, excluded and Conigliaro’s parents leaves off with one thought. I don’t know what I would do,” everyone gets knew from the start “I always say to myself is Conigliaro said. “They are very along. That is their son would have positivity,” Conigliaro said. important to me. Coach Dallas very important determination through “No matter how hard your was also a big part of why I came and to transition his blood. day is going, each day is a new CABRINI ATHLETICS here. A lot of the teammates that onto the “Davide’s work day. Don’t let what happened were so supportive of me, even field, I think ethic is exemplified yesterday affect the new day.” Headshot of Cabrini Men’s Soccer player Dav Conigliaro before I committed.” that is significant by his attitude toward When asked about one word and relevant.” succeeding and MICHELLECG122@GMAIL.COM to describe Conigliaro, senior Brotherhood is a word many Conference (CSAC) to Atlantic performing to the best of his midfielder Vince Biche did not of the athletes say about the East Conference (AEC) in ability,” Aurelio and Maria hesitate to showcase Conigliaro’s men’s soccer team. Growing up September of 2018. Conigliaro Conigliaro, Conigliaro’s father
MICHELLE GUERIN/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR