Oct. 06, 2022 issue 01 Loquitur

Kickboxer Fredia Gibbs gets Cabrini monument

By Jacob Pegan News Editor

Legendary female kickboxer and former student athlete Fredia Gibbs was honored on Cabrini’s campus Wednesday, Sept. 28 with a six-foot bronze statue. Gibbs is a multisport athlete who played for the women’s basketball team during her time at the school.

The Cabrini alumna holds the record for all-time leader in points, assists, and steals while on the women’s basketball team. She also holds multiple single-season records, and was named a Kodak AllAmerican after her 1987 season; she is one of only 10 Division III players to receive the honor.

“We are here to unveil a statue of her in honor of her contributions to track and field and martial arts. She is a phenomenal athlete and a good friend of mine,” James Sims, a childhood friend of Fredia, said. “It’s about time that she was recognized for her achievements, and I am happy to be here to share it with her and to be a part of it.”

In addition to her basketball career, Gibbs, nicknamed, “The Chee tah,” and “The Most Dangerous Woman in the World” is a kickboxing world champion.

She began her kickboxing career with eight straight victories, in cluding the 1994 International Sport Karate Association World Super Lightweight championship, making her the first African- American woman ever to hold an ISKA world title. The Cabrini alumna went on to win the World Kickboxing Association and WCK MuayThai world title.

“She’s such an inspiration and she’s the only female athlete with

a sculpture in Pennsylvania,” said Jennifer Frudakis-Petry who de signed and created the statue of Gibbs. The work is also the only statue of a female martial artist on the planet.

The ceremony took place Wednesday afternoon inside the Dixon Center and included guest speakers from the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum and Quietstorm Martial Arts.

Many of Fredia Gibbs’ friends, family, and colleagues came out for this event.

“Fredia is one of my best friends, and we lived right across the street from each other,” Jonathan Wright, a close friend of Gibbs, said. “The feeling is indescribable because we are talking about Fredia, the most dangerous woman in the world, the cheetah, so I get emo tional just thinking about her getting the things she deserves.”

Even though Cabrini’s current athletics and recreation director Kate Corcoran was not here at the same time as Gibbs, she gave her high praise. “She credits Cabrini with really saving her life coming out of Chester and being a part of her story, so it’s really an honor to be able to celebrate her here today,” Corcoran said.

Before the event was moved outside for the official revealing, the guests were treated to a performance by the West Powelton Drum mers, the official drumline for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The drumline led the crowd to the reflection pool, where the statue sat, covered by a tarp.

During the outdoor unveiling, Gibbs was presented with a ceremo nial Harlem Globetrotters basketball from Globetrotter coach Chris Franklin, and a championship belt from Official Celebrity Boxing CEO Damon Feldman.

“There are so many ways that she is so multifaceted, more than kickboxing, martial arts, Muay Thai, karate, and also basketball,” said Chantelle Richardson, in marketing coordinator for Fredia Gibbs. “It’s nice to come back to not only celebrate her other ac complishments, but of course being an alumna, not just of Cabrini, but the cavaliers as well.”

Gibbs took time after the ceremony to take pictures with fans and answer questions.

“I went through a lot of adversity, but guess what? I still wind up on top with a six-foot bronze statue of myself on the campus I gradu ated from,” Gibbs told reporters. “Cabrini is my home and I’m a Cavalier for life.”

Gibbs had advice for student athletes: “The advice that I would give them is, as a fighter, everyone that you fight is not your enemy. And everyone who helps you is not your friend.”

You can visit the statue at the reflection pool right outside the Dixon center.

Photos by Thomas Ryan

Brad Kane: new interim head golf coach

WE ARE THE

2022-2023 Editorial Staff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VICTORIA EMMITT

WRITING MANAGING EDITOR

MARCUS ALVAREZ

VISUALS MANAGING EDITOR

TOMMY RYAN

NEWS EDITORS

JOHN RADER

VICTORIA GIORDANO

JACOB PEGAN

SPORTS EDITORS

SANTINO TERRANOVA

LIFESTYLES EDITORS

HANNAH POGGI

PERSPECTIVES EDITORS

ISAIAH DICKSON

PODCAST EDITOR

LASHAY SMITH

LAYOUT AND DESIGN EDITOR SOPHIA GERNER ADVISER WENDY ROSENFIELD 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 editors.

The Loquitur is free press

By Loquitur Editorial Board

Freedom of the press is guaranteed by the First Amendment and is an integral part of our democracy.

The Loquitur, Cabrini’s own press outlet, acts as a watchdog and gives voice to our community. In an era of divisive attacks on media outlets and journalists, shouldn’t the Loquitur receive the same courtesy? Even on a college campus, when press freedom is gone, all freedoms are threatened.

As a reputable media outlet, we strive to tell the stories of those who do not have the privilege of speaking for themselves. Last year, the Loquitur reported on the unrest and war happening in Ukraine.

A variety of written articles and podcasts we produced highlighted the harsh experience of volunteers helping people escape the conflict. This was an opportunity for people to read and listen to experiences of those suffering the dangerous conditions in Ukraine.

Cabrini was founded on the principle of social justice, and a major part of that work is assisted by freedom of the press. Press helps to inform individuals to educate and make appropriate decisions for their community.

As Cabrini’s news source, that is our goal and we cannot inform our community without our help from our administration and faculty.

The Loquitur staff finds itself stonewalled by faculty, staff, and administration when reporting on- and off-campus stories that matter. It’s true we are not public relations or marketing for Cabrini, but we have an ethical responsibility to report the facts.

The Loquitur recognizes the inconveniences of our short deadlines. We hope to provide ample time to staff, faculty, and administration for interviews. Nonetheless, we function as a living, breathing newsroom. With that comes hard deadlines that must be followed.

Our Interim President, Helen Drinan, is actively building rapport with the newspaper staff and encouraging the rest of the administration to follow.

Often, reporters are contacted after an interview by sources asking to

review a story before it is published. Not only is this unethical, but it proves that we are not held at the same esteem as other news outlets. The unfair assumption is that the Loquitur is unprofessional.

Director of Public Safety Joseph Fusco is all-ears to questions from reporters. He is willing to share and give input. If all members of our institution offered the same enthusiasm, the result would be a better informed community.

In order for the students in the communication department to be successful professionally and academically, we need cooperation from everyone. And hopefully, the more credible work we produce, the more indispensable we will become for you.

As the great Aretha Franklin once said, all we’re asking for is a little respect.

Keep up with what’s happening in your community by following the Loquitur on social media and checking our website daily.

Sincerely,

The Loquitur Editors

With campus residents on the rise, Cabrini Cupboard reintroduces itself

By Chris Perri Staff Writer

The Cabrini Cupboard, located on the third floor of Founder’s Hall, is looking to expand. After safety precautions stalled its use, the food pantry now hopes and reintroduce itself in a post-COVID-19 campus environment.

The Cupboard is a service created in 2016 by a student named Kristina Pilat. Pilat worked with then-Wolfington Center Director Tom Southard and Assistant to the Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Carmel-Jo Madonna to start the project. The Cupboard project was funded as part of the Pierce Fellows program, which provides stipends to students to create a new program or project centered around hunger or food insecurity.

“That’s one program we’re coming back to and looking to expand,” Ward said, “another one is the Are You Eating That? program, which again, was going before COVID, and has been reinvigorated. That’s recovering leftover food from the dining hall, and usually providing that to either students on campus, local food banks, or soup kitchens.”

In addition to shelf-stable foods and hygiene products, the Cupboard has expanded to include fresh fruit and vegetables. Martha’s Choice Marketplace, a pantry run by Catholic Social Services, has partnered with the Cupboard to provide a portion of their normal distribution.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Loquitur accepts letters to the editor. The letter should be less than five hun dred words, usually in response to a cur rent issue on Cabrini University’s campus or community area and are printed as space permits. Name, phone number and address should be included with submis sions for verification purposes. All letters to the editor must be sent via email to loquitur@cabrini.edu.

“At the outset, it provided shelf-stable food to any students with some kind of demonstrated food insecurity,” said Dr. Raymond Ward, the current director of the Wolfington Center, “it kind of devolved over time, but more recently, Guilherme Lopes, the director of Campus Ministry, was able to take over directorship of the pantry, and really advocated for opening the doors to anyone with any kind of demonstrated financial need.”

Under Madonna’s supervision, the Cupboard expanded to include hygiene products, and at one point ran a program that provided a SEPTA pass to students who had trouble commuting to campus. Ward said, “There’s an initiative underway to get people signed up for SNAP and WIC. We know we have students who are eligible, and we want them to be able to take advantage of it.”

Campus Ministry made the announcement via email on Sept. 13, 2022, that the Cabrini Cupboard would be moving from the Wolfington Center to their department. The transition was facilitated by Rosemary Gehrlein, who took over the Cupboard after Madonna retired.

Looking to the future

Before the pandemic, the Cupboard offered a program called Cabrini Swipes Out Hunger. It involves students being able to donate their unused meal swipes to students who may need them.

“We get a bunch of canned food from them, but we also get frozen meat, dairy, and fruits and vegetables that are fresh. Those are all in there now,” Ward said.

In terms of goals for the future, Ward said “our two big ones to start off are one, just raising awareness that it exists. What we found was that with COVID-19, a lot of people weren’t on campus, they were virtual. The residential population is moving back up, and with that, we want to reintroduce common knowledge about the pantry.”

Sabrina Thompson, a Campus Ministry graduate assistant, said that “Our first-priority goal is getting more students to come to the Cupboard, and come frequently. We’re planning on having more events.”

A recent event held by the Cupboard was the Crockpot Cook-Off which featured faculty. “We made Crockpot meals using ingredients that are frequently in the Cupboard,” Thompson said.

The Cupboard is looking to increase its presence on campus. Thompson said, “Conversations between students help, especially if students are coming to the Wolfington Center just to hang out, and see that the Cupboard is right there, and the kinds of foods we have.”

The Cabrini Cupboard is located in the Wolfington Center on the third floor of Founder’s Hall. It’s open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, Campus Ministry plans to expand its hours in the future.

Photo by Thomas Ryan

A conversation worth having: Cabrini and student reproductive health

By Kyleigh Brunotte

A small university is ideal for having meaningful conversations, es pecially on important issues such as student reproductive health.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned this summer, leaving the deci sion of whether or not women can have access to an abortion up to individual states, it left many on Cabrini’s campus wondering, “Are these conversations happening?”

Students left in limbo

Kendall Trumbore, a junior graphic design and design manage ment major and president of Cabrini’s LGBTQIA+ Spectrum Club, is shocked by the university’s silence on such an important decision.

“For initiatives on campus, I have honestly been surprised by the lack of response beyond, I think, an email [that] possibly went out,” Trumbore said. “I am surprised by it, especially since we have such a focus on social justice and human rights initiatives.”

Students enrolled at Cabrini before the Roe v. Wade decision feel left in the dark about how the university plans to protect student reproductive health, along with safe sex initiatives in the future.

“Cabrini could facilitate more conversations,” Gia Rebilas, freshman business management major, said.

Cabrini’s behind-the-scenes work for students

For the last two years, Cabrini has had a partnership with Penn Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine to help give students as many health resources as they need.

Following new conversations happening throughout campus, Interim President Helen Drinan says changes are underway. “It was

cumbersome that there wasn’t somebody here right on the premises who could give early triage and advice.”

To meet this need, Drinan revealed on Oct. 18, 2022, that a regular head of the health center will be working on campus.

“That’s why we decided to bring the resource back on campus,” Drinan said. “Students weren’t getting what they said they really wanted, which is ready access to somebody who could give them first-round advice and referral.”

Currently, Drinan is doing preparatory work on these issues with the leadership of Student Life. Drinan said a formal announcement of the new head of the health center’s arrival and responsibilities is coming soon.

Cabrini is a place for active communication and conversations Having conversations about these topics has been far from easy for students.

Drinan said, “Even if there are opposing sides [to the outcome of the case], as long as they are respectful of one another … these are important conversations.” Student reproductive health and safe sex initiatives are a concern of the university population.

“This is a human issue,” Trumbore said, and explained abortion ac cess is not exclusive to women’s rights. “With Spectrum and LG BTQIA+ communities, it is anyone that has these anatomical parts is going to be affected.”

As the new academic year gets underway, Trumbore noted that Spectrum is looking to host events on campus and in the Radnor area to serve the LGBTQIA+ community and inform people on social media of other milestone cases that may be overturned by the same Supreme Court.

While Nurse Elizabeth Grove, interim director of health services may have been willing to discuss these issues, Dean of Students Dr. Stephen Rupprecht told her, “As a rule of thumb, we never do inter views with the student newspaper.”

However, Interim President Drinan strongly disagrees with that rule of thumb. “We’re all available to talk to student newspaper report ers,” she said.

“It’s difficult for me to conceive of a situation where a good answer would be [we never do interviews with the student reporters], but I don’t know everything there is to know about everything. If there is such a situation, I’d love to hear from them.”

Out with the plastic, in with the reusable

By Jedidah Antwi Staff Writer

Cabrini students might have noticed the lack of plastic bags on campus lately. It’s no coincidence. On Sept. 15, Radnor Township put into effect its plastic bag ban.

Radnor Township has joined many other municipalities in banning single-use plastic bags. All businesses in Radnor have a sixmonth warning period. After the warning period, all businesses in Radnor will stop using plastic bags and switch to paper.

Each paper bag will cost 10 cents; however, there are exemptions to certain package uses for produce, meats, bakery goods, and other goods.

Businesses that might experience a burden will be eligible for exemptions. The township hopes that customers will not rely on paper bags, but instead rely on reusable bags.

The environmental effects

“Definitely bringing your own bag is the best way to reduce waste and reduce your carbon footprint,” Dr. Caroline Nielsen, professor of biology and environmental science at Cabrini University, said.

Plastic bags cause huge concerns for municipalities because they get trapped in branches and clog the storm drains. This is financially draining to the township because Radnor must pay for labor to clean it up.

Plastic bags negatively impact the environment. First, it takes a long time to decompose. Second, toxic substances from plastic bags are dispersed into the soil and into the air.

Third, the food chain is now contaminated with plastic, which includes plastic bags. Microplastics are ingested by animals.

Those microplastics are also absorbed when they are digested. This is called the trophic transfer of microplastics.

Nevertheless, producing paper bags yields four times more

energy than producing plastic bags.

Christine Colon-Smith, freshman biology major, said, “More trees are going to come down, and anything that we can use instead of paper bags or plastic bags will be better for the environment.”

Destroyed habitats and displaced animals increase predation risk and decrease food availability. Deforestation affects climate change by increasing greenhouse gases.

The effects on consumers

In basic economics, when products are given freely, consumers are more likely to waste them. If paper bags were given freely, there would be no incentive to conserve them, which would cause more waste.

“I think a fee makes a lot of sense,” Nielsen said. “Instead of two bags, maybe I can fit all my groceries in one bag if it’s going to cost me an extra 10 cents to get the second one.”

Nielsen believes that a fee is a good way to internalize an exter nality.

In other words, it involves assigning a cost to a harm that would not otherwise have one which will cause consumers to become more conscientious when shopping.

“I know that it’s hard on consumers who are trying to save money, but I think there are other ways to address that problem,” Nielsen said.

There is another option instead of paper and plastic bags: reusable bags. Reusable bags last much longer than single-use plastics and are more resilient than single-use plastic bags.

The effects on Cabrini students

This will affect Cabrini students when purchasing items on and off campus. Plastic bags are no longer distributed in Cabrini Cavs Corner, but The Grill still uses plastic bags. The process of

transitioning them out has begun.

“It’s going to be a little bit complicated at first,” Joseph Lutz, area executive chef of Cabrini University, said.

Students may find it difficult to carry items around campus because they have been using plastic bags to carry their food and other items.

“It’s going to be a quick change,” Lutz said.

Lutz believes that Cabrini students will be able to adjust to the new regulations. Discussions continue about whether the Grill will hand out paper bags.

Hopes for the policy

“It’s easy to go through your day just buying stuff and doing the things that you do without ever thinking about how those choices affect the environment,” Nielsen said.

He hopes that this policy will encourage people to become envi ronmentally conscious.

“Honestly, in terms of our total impact on the environment, plastic grocery bags are not high on the list,” Nielsen said.

Other choices are made that have a greater negative effect on the environment. For example, automobiles, air travel, heating, and cooling.

Nielsen hopes that people will begin to consider the effects of other decisions on the environment.

“Little by little we move toward more sustainable choices,” Nielsen said.

Photo by Creative Commons/Wikimedia.

Commuters not letting gas prices stall education

By Jason Fridge Staff Writer

As students return to campus for the 2022 fall semester, a new question looms over Cabrini’s student population: how will they bud get getting to campus?

With gas prices fluctuating across the country, students commuting to Cabrini keep their heads held high as they navigate this compli cated economic situation.

The summer was dominated by talk about recent inflation impacting the price of consumer goods. One of the most notable increases came in gasoline prices.

National prices for gasoline peaked during the month of June, with the average recorded price in Pennsylvania reaching $5.071 on June 12.

Although prices have steadily lowered after measures taken by the Biden administration and Federal Reserve, gas prices remain around 50 cents higher per gallon than a year ago at this time.

With prices continuing to fluctuate, students commuting to Cabrini are having to watch their wallets when filling up at the pump.

Adapting to change

Junior criminology major Yariliz Forestier commutes to school every day and offered insight into how prices have impacted her driving

decisions. She said over the summer her driving patterns didn’t change but worried about how this would impact her ability to get to school.

“[Gas prices] were going up and down so much,” Forestier said. “It was just like, what are we going to do when school comes?” Fores tier is not alone in struggling with this new dilemma.

“During the 2021-22 year we sold a total of 213 permits,” Cabrini’s Director of Public Safety, Joe Fusco, said. “We have only sold 122 for the 2022-23 year. We have another semester to sell, and we still have more students purchasing more permits as we go, but right now, I would say that we have fewer commuters purchasing.”

While Fusco notes a decline in parking permits, the shuttle service on campus is getting more traffic.

The Cabrini shuttle makes daily stops at both the Norristown highspeed line and the Paoli/Thorndale line, making it an accessible alternative form of transportation for students commuting from the Philadelphia area.

When asked about how demand for the Cabrini shuttle service has changed so far this semester, Fusco said he notices more students using it. “Actually, we see about 40-50 new students using it per week,” Fusco said. “So we do have a good amount that are starting

Part one of a two-part series on Hispanic life at Cabrini:

to use the shuttle service.”

Going with the flow

The current gas crisis is felt in communities all around the country, but it isn’t stopping students from figuring out how to get to campus. Commuters have been able to figure out alternative transportation, and carpooling systems, or they’ve simply been more conscious when filling up their car at the pump.

“It’s annoying,” Forestier said, laughing. “Sometimes it’s really an noying, but what can we do?”

Cabrini aims for stronger Hispanic, Latino, Latinx community

By Marcus Alvarez Managing Editor

Imagine that this year, during Hispanic Heritage Month, Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx Cabrini students and faculty arrive with plates in hand, inviting the community to enjoy colorful, authentic foods.

There’s joyful energy and excitement as people from diverse back grounds mingle at a fiesta filled with welcoming music and traditional dances.

Angelica Martinez, advisor for Cabrini’s Hispanic culture club, Pura Vida, and assistant director for first-year experience and student transitions, remembers those spirited fiestas and campus events celebrating all cultures.

It is the first time since COVID-19 that Hispanic Heritage Month has been in full effect on campus, and Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx popu lations have an opportunity to rebuild those strong cultural relation ships for present and future students.

Community exists in the classroom

Currently, the community for Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx students lives in the classroom.

Dr. Natacha Bolufer-Laurentie, associate professor of Spanish and Latin American studies and coordinator of foreign languages, said taking Spanish and Latin American courses allows students from different backgrounds to appreciate and share the language and culture.

“I have to say, [we have] the most wonderful classes as far as creat ing community. So, taking those classes, I think is good. I think tak ing a Spanish class is the way to get into the community, because then you hear everything.”

Since Cabrini is a university, a lot of representation happens when introducing topics in class.

Dr. Vivian Smith, chair and associate professor of criminology, said, “I think building community in the classrooms is important and builtin, and having a faculty that represents the students and the back grounds of the students is also important.

Pura Vida and other campus community organizations

Martinez plans to bring the essence of Pura Vida – “pure life” – back to campus for students who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or Latinx.

“I’m hoping to bring all that back, that energy, that spirit of counting on someone,” she said. “That sense of community that you can just kind of, you know, break bread and just feel comfortable.”

Post-pandemic, many find themselves craving the vibrancy and ca maraderie of these past communal celebrations.

Dismantling a sense of community

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year, has returned, and the reopened Cabrini campus is enjoying corresponding events, activities, and presentations, such as a fla menco dance workshop, “Latina in America” presentation, Hispanic Arts Crafting Session, and a screening of “Encanto.”

It is no secret that participation in community events and activities has been critically low since the pandemic, but for Hispanic, Latino, or Latinx students, it’s had an even more damaging impact.

Martinez said, “We were all really impacted, and we are a culture, or a community, that is very in touch with family, and are also very affectionate. I think the pandemic had serious psychological and emotional impacts on that.”

Part of constructing a community is creating a safe place for stu dents to come together to hang out, collaborate, and communicate.

Martinez said the Pura Vida club provides a safe space where His panic, Latino, and Latinx students can come together and form a family away from home.

She also explained that before the pandemic, members of Pura Vida formed study groups, did fun activities off campus, and went to res taurants that served authentic foods.

Jemmy Medina Raya, a recent Cabrini alumna, said she found a great community by joining Pura Vida. “It was a place I felt that I belonged. People just welcomed me and my friends as well, and it became a small family within the Cabrini community.”

Martinez wants to collaborate with club members to restart and rebrand Pura Vida this year, welcome new members, and remind Cabrini’s community, Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx representation exists on campus.

Martinez even said the name of the club might change, but it will still reflect and appreciate all the diversity on campus.

Ivan Canchola Elias, a senior accounting major, said, “I believe

there is a strong community for students who identify as Hispanic or Latino. Ultimately, it is up to students like [me] to continue to build a strong community and make others feel welcome.”

Cabrini can improve to support its communities

One of the problems facing Cabrini is increasing engagement among students.

Martinez said she brought her class to the flamenco dance work shop on Friday, Sept. 23. Unfortunately, other than her class of 14 students, only three students showed up.

Cabrini heavily advertised the flamenco event with emails and fliers.

Martinez said that if not for her class coming to the workshop, Cabri ni would have canceled it.

“Now that we pivot back to ‘in-person,’ I think that we just have to figure out a good strategy,” she said.

Cabrini is doing its best to build a community for Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx communities, but can do better.

Small and large corners of the community must communicate and devise strategies to uplift Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx representa tion on campus by continuing to strengthen classrooms and clubs/ organizations.

“You’re learning your trade, you’re learning your skills that you’re going to take into the workforce, but [there are] also communication skills that you develop when you have interpersonal relationships with others. And them being different cultures or similar cultures, all that helps for you as an individual to grow. And that’s what I envi sioned for all students at Cabrini,” Martinez said.

Photo by Cecilis Canan

Photo by Cecilia Canan

Photo by Skyler Kellers

Lifestyles

Everything you need to know about pets on campus

By Leigha Sepers Staff Writer

The start of Cabrini University’s fall semester brings excitement to some students, but overwhelming feelings to others.

One thing that helps some students feel the comfort of home is by bringing their service animals. Service animals are pets that help their owners with issues ranging from mental health to physical dis abilities.

“You know she has anxiety too, so she senses when I am down and is a real comfort,” Schlikle said. The two truly are inseparable. Schlikle opted to not have a roommate here at Cabrini, saying that Saphire is enough company for her.

Saphire’s favorite Cabrini activities are meeting new people, hang ing out in the lounge, and walking over to Eastern to watch their ultimate frisbee team practice.

Evelyn Sperry, a sophomore resident assistant, lives close to the pair and said, “As an RA in a first-year building, it makes me really happy that our university is able to offer this accommodation to our residents.”

Pet protocol

Many students would love to have their animals here on campus with them for comfort, but students must go through certain procedures for the privilege. Cabrini has a very simple, yet effective process for allowing students to bring registered pets as their suitemates.

animals. Service animals are working pets, whereas emotional sup port animals comfort a person under the recommendation of a men tal health professional.

These animals are not required for a person’s daily life, but they help ease stress and act as psychological treatment. Emotional support animals are allowed to live in residence halls but are not granted access to the entire campus, unless they are also certified service animals.

Cabrini requires all working campus pets have vaccination history and licensing information before a student moves in. They also ask that students tend to the animals’ needs, such as using the bath room and taking daily walks if needed.

Students also must understand that their animals must not cause a disruption living in the dorms. Cabrini must be given an alternate contact to pick up the animal at any time if these rules are violated.

Meet Autumn and Saphire

Autumn Schlikle is a junior transfer student with an emotional sup port cat named Saphire. Autumn and Saphire live in East Residence Hall and are thriving in their new community. Schlikle formerly went to Eastern University for the past two years and decided to make the trip across the street this year. She is studying psychology with a minor in neuroscience and credits her easy transition to Saphire.

Saphire has been with Schlikle ever since her prior service dog passed away. She happily shared that when she went to the Hu mane Society to pick out a new pet it didn’t go exactly how she planned.

“It was between two cats, and I actually picked the other one, but she didn’t click,” Autumn said with Saphire sassily perched on her lap. She ventured back to the Humane Society, took Saphire home, and had an instant connection.

Students may have either a service animal or an emotional support animal. According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Fair Housing Act, every college is required to accommodate students who need the help of a qualified service or emotional support animal. A service animal is trained to work for the benefit of a person with a disability.

These disabilities can include someone with impaired vision, an in dividual who is hard of hearing, and many more. In order to obtain a service animal, the animal’s training must be directly related to the person’s disability. If the animal’s sole job is to provide emotional comfort, then according to the ADA, it cannot qualify as a service animal.

An emotional support animal offers different benefits than service

The University is allowed to deny requests if any animal does not meet certain guidelines listed on its website.

African and Caribbean Student Association makes campus debut

By Lashay Smith Podcast Editor

Toward the end of their freshman year, the friends sat down with their advisors and asked students and faculty around campus how to start a club. They then pitched their ideas of what the new club would look like.

“It was a very long process. I had this idea since my first semester, but I was very shy. Then I met Fati who found our advisor,” Kellman, said.

Cabrini offers more than 50 clubs and organizations, but being a minority and wanting to feel at home at a predominantly white insti tution can be challenging.

Students and staff at Cabrini were eager to hear about the new club and thought it might be the missing piece on campus.

“If someone does not know about something you cannot do anything about it. If you do not know anything about Caribbean or African descent, you cannot make people from there feel included. I feel like once this idea was brought up, the staff was like, we are running with this, this seems like this will be the club, this is what we as a com munity need,” ACSA Public Relations Coordinator Afficia Creese, a sophomore marketing major, said.

As the semester enters its first full month, there are plenty of op portunities for Cabrini students to get involved on campus. One of the newest includes The African and Caribbean Student Associa tion, ACSA.

What inspired ACSA

ACSA President Nikita Kellman, a sophomore health and science major, and ACSA Vice President Fati Diakité, a sophomore public health major, found a hard time making friends and connecting with others, even though they both lived on campus.

After noticing students didn’t seem to want to come out of their com fort zone and join clubs, they decided to find a way to make engage ment easy for all.

“I feel like there were not enough clubs or events to connect with everyone on campus. The purpose of our club is to bring every one together to have fun and make new friends, while also teaching our Cabrini community about our cultures and putting a stop to all negative stereotypes and racial discrimination towards Africans and Caribbeans,” Diakité said.

What to expect Creese said, “We hope to fulfill all of the school’s hopes and ex pectations for our club. We are new, and there will be bumps in the road this semester and possibly next semester. Our main goal is to show who we are and to expose everyone to our culture. Whether it be too raunchy or too loud, it is going to be what it is. We are not sugarcoating anything.”

Get involved The African and Caribbean Student Association held its first table at this year’s Involvement Fair.

After that, 30 people signed up for the club; members of the execu tive board were pleased.

Starting a club can be a hassle, but as long as there is a great team involved and someone to hold that team accountable, it will get done.

To learn more about the African and Caribbean Student Associa tion, visit their Instagram and turn on post notifications after follow ing, to get updates.

The club is open to everyone to join, have fun and learn about Afri can and Caribbean culture.

Photo by Skyler Kellers

Photo by Skyler Kellers

Courtesy of Cabrini University

Photo by Afficia Creese

Photo by Afficia Creese

‘The Pintendo Swap From Outer Space’ is Voted Fan Favorite

By Brianna Mack Staff Writer

Cabrini University senior Tony Pietrewicz won the Fan Favorite award at Shorty’s Short Film Contest during Colonial Theatre’s an nual Blobfest in July. Blobfest celebrates the Theatre’s cameo in the 1958 horror film, “The Blob.”

Pietrewicz and his friends did not intend to enter the competition. They enjoyed their time at Blobfest in 2019, as fans of the festival, and chose to return in July 2022. Pietrewicz explains that they saw Colonial Theatre’s advertisement for film submissions when they were buying their tickets and agreed to compete for the first time.

“This is the perfect opportunity I had to show off my skills and to get something out of it,” Pietrewicz said. The film industry is not his career focus, but he viewed the festival as an outlet for his creativity on creating the film.

Pietrewicz and his friends’ goal was to create a three-minute fam ily-friendly science fiction film. Their deadline was June 23, 2022. Pietrewicz helped to write the script, recorded it while his friends performed, and edited the final piece.

He shot the film in one night, then spent two weeks editing. Pietre wicz and his friends considered reshooting some scenes, but the deadline was inching closer.

Reflecting on the experience, Pietrewicz wishes he was allotted more than three minutes so he could include more alienlike se quences. The time limit forced them to pick the best plot points.

Weekend festivities

Blobfest’s Friday night was full of community events, ending with the reenactment of “The Blob’s” “run-out” scene. Lulu’s Boutique also hosted a 1950s-inspired dance in the Colonial Theatre’s lobby. Pietrewicz was absent when the winners of the film contest were announced. He found out that he won through Instagram.

A safe community for filmmakers

“It was a really great short film,” Drew Boardman, Colonial Theatre events and engagement manager said . Boardman encourages Pi etrewicz to submit another film next year.

“I would say the best part about the Shorty’s Short Film Contest is it’s a lot of people who really love film, and love to do it as passion projects,” Boardman said.

Boardman passionately explained the voting process for the cotest while wearing a Blobfest t-shirt. Colonial Theatre votes for the best film in each category. Pietrewicz’s film was selected with input from Phoenixville community members and Colonial Theatre.

“This is my first award for something creative like this, so it was ex citing to actually put my talents to work, and put my friends’ talents to work and make something that we could be proud of,” Pietrewicz said. Blobfest fulfilled Pietrewicz’s hope to express his creativity and uplift his friends.

Blobfest strives to create a safe place for filmmakers to express themselves. Pietrewicz is grateful to have had this opportunity.

“The Pintendo Swap From Outer Space,” follows a pair of friends who receive a possessed gaming console from a terrified man on the street. After playing the game later that night, one friend suf fers the fatal consequences of accepting the console, and the other friend escapes.

Pietrewicz and his friends drove to Phoenixville on Saturday to col lect their trophy. The Theatre rewarded them with free tickets to the weekend street festival. They enjoyed the community games and colorful tents lining the street.

“We felt like royalty,” he said. Their film was shown on a loop with the other winning films.

New year, new opportunity to engage commuter students

By Victoria Emmitt

Editor in Chief

September kicks off the first normal school year for Cabrini Univer sity since the COVID-19 pandemic began. With schedules full of online classes now a thing of the past, the residence halls are full, and so are the parking lots.

Cabrini University is known for its high number of commuters, and now that campus COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, more and more students are coming back to campus and looking for something to do.

Commuter involvement at Cabrini-sponsored events

The first week of the fall semester was filled with events, from ori entation to Welcome Week activities. While commuters are always welcome to events on campus advertised to those living in the resi dence halls, the SEAL, student engagement and leadership office at Cabrini, also holds events specifically for commuter students, even though attendance is at an all-time low.

Leon Crawford, senior co-orientation coordinator, said, “In all hon esty, commuters have not been involved at all on campus because of COVID-19, and if you can stay home why not? I know commuter involvement is down and they are going to try new things this year to get commuters even more involved on campus because they are

a significantly large portion, so get them involved and campus will be booming.” SEAL has a master calendar listing all the events and activities happening on campus for students.

However, the only event for commuters specifically was held on Thursday, Sept. 1, a commuter social located in the library. As of now, there are no other events planned to strengthen the engage ment of commuter students.

“I feel like in general with commuters, unless something really catches their interest they aren’t really going to come to things or get involved,” Rachel Kalani, junior education major, said. “They come, go to their classes, and then go home, especially if they live far away.”

Commuter student lounge

Commuters spend less time on campus than students who live in the residence halls, but while they are on campus where can they go between classes?

Cabrini’s commuter lounge has had many homes. Currently, it is located in the Holy Spirit Library basement and is restricted to library hours, which are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. With its remote location, miscel laneous furniture, and unreliable vending machines, it is no wonder commuter students would rather leave campus after classes and during breaks than stick around.

“Cabrini likes to call themselves a commuter college, and I feel like a student center with a bigger and better commuter lounge rather than just the library basement (a lot of people do not like going down there because it is far removed from most things) could help involve ment,” Crawford said. “A lot of people don’t know about it unless they have a class in the basement of the library because they don’t really advertise it.”

A living and learning community for first-year commuters Cabrini has developed the Cabrini Cruisers, a Living and Learning Community for first-year commuter students. Working alongside designated faculty and other first-year commuters, the group hopes to help ease the transition into higher education for off-campus resi dents.

According to the Cruisers website, the group not only has oncampus benefits but also off-campus activities and excursions to strengthen relationships among commuters.

If commuter engagement is at an all-time low, then perhaps a club for commuters with virtual options is a step in the right direction.

“I would love to see some kind of commuter committee with people who provide feedback on the commuter experience,” Kalani said. “I know there are the commuter Cruisers for first-year students, but I would love something for the upperclassmen, so that there is more sense of community among commuters. There is kind of a divide between commuters and residents, and if there is more of a commu nity, then people will be more likely to go to things like [on-campus] events.”

Photo by Tony Pietrewicz

Photo by Tony Pietrewicz

Photo by Tony Pietrewicz

Photo by Jacob Pegan

Courtesy of Cabrini University

Photo couresty of Cabrini Commuters

Brad Kane: new interim head golf coach

By Micah BaloBalo Staff Writer

When he was younger, Brad Kane, the new interim head coach of Cabrini’s men’s and women’s golf teams, never imagined coaching a college sport.

But, he decided to give it a try and it opened up many different op portunities for him along the way.

Appointed to the position this semester by Kate Corcoran, director of athletics and recreation since 2021, Kane served as the assistant coach for men’s and women’s golf since Feb. 2020.

As head coach, he’s responsible for what goes on with the team from practices, tournaments, and getting his players ready for the season.

Golf has always been a part of his life “I’ve worked in the golf industry for the last 20 years. I was a golf

pro, and I wrote about golf, so I’ve done a lot of different things with the sport,” Kane said.

He coached for other schools besides Cabrini, such as Penn State, Harrisburg, and La Salle University.

He enjoys working as a golf coach and with both teams to be sup portive and help make them better players.

When offered the position, Kane was very happy and gratified.

“Coaching a college golf team was just sort of a natural outgrowth,” Kane said.

The position came at the right time for him, he was excited to stick around and spend time with the players on the team.

“I wanted to be here for those seniors this year to kind of see them off and send them off on a high note,” Kane said.

Positive outlooks of a coach

Within the two years that Kane has been a coach, he’s created bonds with the players, and shown them skills, knowledge, and ex periences.

Jonathan Papp, a graduate student, said, “He knows what he’s do ing. He’s spent a lot of time with golf, and he was the head coach at La Salle so he’s experienced [with] Division I and Division III. Really excited to have him on board this year.”

“He brings a lot of structure and organization to the team, and it’s something that this team can learn from,” Papp said.

When problems or situations occur, a coach must maintain a posi tive attitude to set an example for the team.

Kane said there is always room for some improvement.

“I have to remind myself every now and then that I may be disap pointed in a bad shot or something, but my players are also disap pointed in themselves. I have to help them pick up the pieces and have a positive outlook. That is definitely something to improve on,”

Kane said.

Kane and the men’s and women’s golf teams look forward to this season. They’re focused on competing at a high level and building relationships.

Cabrini’s men’s soccer team celebrates first win

By Izabella Cipresso Staff Writer

Heading into their fifth game of the season, the Cabrini men’s soc cer team enjoyed their first victory.

The gloomy weather over Edith Robb Dixon Field on Sunday, Sept. 11, certainly did not dampen the spirits of the Cavaliers.

With a win-loss record of 1-1-2, beating Washington College 2-1, for head coach Rob Dallas, it was a testament to the team’s depth and perseverance.

“They’ve been doing the work, but previous games weren’t the results we were looking for. This game showed that the work was paying off,” Dallas said.

music, warming up, and listening to speeches.

The team huddled together chanting, “1-2-3! Family!”

Starting off the match, M.J. Graham, a junior goalie, made several saves.

Every subsequent Cavalier goal received a team jog to the corner flag and a celebratory jump up and down.

“The tradition felt more special because the goals scored were at some of the most intense parts of the game,” Klein said.

The Cavaliers wrapped up the first period with a goal by Nick LoBiondo, a junior midfielder, and an assist by Tyler Tomlin, a senior forward.

Then, with eight minutes left in the game, LoBiondo scored a final goal, assisted by Matt Duddy, a senior forward.

Cabrini soccer is a family

Support is a vital part of success in sports and life.

Dallas, Roberts, and Klein spoke a lot about the team’s bond on and off the field where they operate as a supportive family system.

Dallas explained that his initial experience with community involve ment at Cabrini University impacted his coaching values.

“Coming to Cabrini felt different from other colleges. It felt like a big community where everyone on campus was ready and willing to support each other,” the Millersville University alumnus said.

He adapted this ideal as the foundation for his program.

Roberts said.

Cabrini will have their first Atlantic East Conference game at Edith Robb Dixon Field on Wednesday, Oct. 5, against Neumann University.

Game day

The United Soccer Coaches of America Top 25 Poll ranked Wash ington College 14th and did not list Cabrini at all.

Players Na’im Roberts, a junior defenseman, and Sage Klein, a senior centre-back, said the team could feel that pressure, but their enthusiasm and preparation outweighed the burden.

The game started like any other match for Cabrini’s players: blaring

Dallas said the best moment of the game was, “When the final whistle blew. It was like the cloud that had been hanging over us was finally lifted.”

That moment started positive momentum and a winning streak for the team.

“The win was not just big for that game. It was big for the season,”

Photo by Tara Thomas

Photo courtesy of Cabrini Athletics

Photo by Linda Johnson

Photo by Tommy Ryan

Cabrini women’s field hockey takes down The College of New Jersey

By Benjamin Houghton Staff Writter

Thanks to an overtime goal by women’s field hockey senior defend er Maura Tumetly, the Cavaliers beat the 11th ranked College of New Jersey, 2-1 in overtime at Edith Robb Dixon Field.

At the game, held Tuesday, Sept. 13, both teams were aggressive as the ball made it down either side of the field within the first seven minutes. Cabrini totaled three shots on goal to TCNJ’s one shot. The quarter, however, finished in a 0-0 tie.

TCNJ had multiple scoring opportunities on their offensive side of the field to start off the second quarter. With the efforts of Tumetly, senior midfielder Olivia Sims, and sophomore goalie Courtney Keith, the Cavs got the ball out of their zone.

Toward the end of the first half, TCNJ appeared frustrated because of the Cavaliers’ stellar defense.

The Lions got more aggressive, using their bodies against the Cava liers. Despite domination from TCNJ, the game was tied at zero go ing into the half.

Hope in the air during Cavaliers’ halftime meeting

Daly Ewing, junior forward, said, “After the first half, I think we all believed that we could do this.”

The second half started with a Lions’ possession. One minute and 40 seconds into the third quarter, Sophia Foschini, TCNJ junior mid fielder, recorded a green card, giving Cabrini a player advantage.

With 3:53 left in the third quarter, Kayla Cichlar, TCNJ senior mid fielder, broke the shutout to put the Lions up 1-0. With a minute left, the Cavaliers made a strong push into TCNJ’s territory.

In the fourth quarter, with 8:44 left, the game’s momentum changed. Cabrini had six penalty corners in a row and got six shots within a 4:56 period.

After the sixth corner attempt, thanks to Ewing, the Cavaliers finally put one in the back of the cage. According to Morgan McClintock, sophomore midfielder, she felt a momentum change.

“It was a crazy goal and got all of us hyped because there were three left and it secured our chances of winning,” Clintock said. “I think right when overtime hit we were all pumped up.”

There was still time to be played in the fourth, and the Cavaliers kept the ball on their offensive side for the game’s final minutes. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 1-1 and was heading into overtime.

Sudden death decided the winner and loser TCNJ started with the ball in overtime. The Lions made a push into the Cavaliers’ circle, but the defense quickly countered the attack.

On the other end of the field, Cabrini took back-to-back corner at tempts, which resulted in two shots by Caroline Gallagher, junior midfielder and two-time offensive player of the week.

The shot was passed across the crease by Maggie Cella, freshman forward, then hit out of the air by Tumetly into the back of the cage. The crowd and team went wild as the Cavalier roster ran onto the field to celebrate with their teammates.

So far this season, the Cavaliers are 7-2. Their next game is against Alvernia University on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 10 am.

Cavaliers’ chemistry keep them grinding

By Taylor Kampf Staff Writer

The Cardinals won the first match, 25-15. The Cavaliers won the next two matches with scores of 25-21 and 29-27.

Despite their chemistry and communication on the court, the Cavaliers lost to the Car dinals. The score of the fifth match was 14-9.

“I think we left a lot of points on the table. I think we can do a much better job, but for some reason, we’re just not clicking right now,” Schaefer said.

court. Schaefer emphasizes his players should be playing with pride.

With or without a win, the players continuously praise each other and are supportive when on the sidelines.

The Cavaliers lost their first game of the day. Their second one was against the Vassar College Brewers.

They didn’t have to go through all five matches, beating the Brewers in the first three. The final score of the second game was 25-14.

Cabrini’s women’s volleyball co-captain, Hannah Dalton, senior outside hitter, sits in Dixon Center’s Hall of Fame room, icing her right ankle and shoulder after a match against Catholic University’s Cardinals.

Her teammates join her, relaxed and comfortable.

While the girls relax, Eric Schaefer, head coach, and Sophia Soko lovitch, assistant coach, watch footage from the game.

They take notes to share with players; who are contributing, and underperforming.

“We break down the practices by position, by what they need to learn, what they need to correct, [and] what they need to get better at,” Schaefer said.

The practices after games focus on correction and strengthening skills for the next match.

Both Schaefer and Dalton agree that Cavalier women’s volleyball is a very strong serving team.

“I think our strengths are definitely how close we all are together, and that transfers onto the court in terms of chemistry,” Dalton said.

The team does not have a finalized lineup set. In practices and dur ing games, they’re trying to find a setup that gives each player a chance for success.

Since it is still early in their season, every practice goes through combinations and rotations to find a good rhythm. Dalton mentioned there is room for suggestions from players during practices.

“I’m not sure what I would have changed, but I would have switched around the lineup once we were six or seven points behind,” Dalton said.

The Cavaliers are told to be proud of the work they put in on the

Photo by Tommy Ryan

Photo by Tommy Ryan

Photo by Cecila Canan

Photo by Cecila Canan

Photo by Cecila Canan

Photo by Tommy Ryan