The Touchstone Vol. LXXIII Issue III

TUESDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2018

TOUCHSTONE THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE

VOL. LXXIII

INSIDE

ISSUE III

#NeverAgain: Marching For Our Lives in Washington

NEWS | 6 & 7 March For Our Lives: Photo Collage

SPORTS | 3

Intramurals and Recreation

FEATURE | 11 Ellie Desautels in Rise

PHOTO CREDIT: KATE IMPERTO

KATE IMPERATO STAFF WRITER OPINION | 14 Figuring Life Out After College

I have never heard eight hundred thousand people stand silently before.

During the March For Our Lives rally, on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. 800,000 people, unbound

Tiered Housing Coming to Manhattanville MIKE BRABAZON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Residence Life at Manhattanville College announced that the college will implement tiered housing costs in the Fall of 2019.

Benjamin Grant, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life, originally proposed tiered housing costs when he was first appointed the Director of Residence Life in 2012. Every year since Grant’s appointment he has presented tiered housing costs to cabinet members, each pre-

by any differences between them, stood in silence after Emma Gonzalez’s, a Parkland student, speech just moments before. While initially people had begun to chant to fill the silence, it was abandoned in favor of silently holding up peace signs.

At the end of the speech, an alarm went off from Gonzalez’s phone. “Since the

sentation focused on ethics, however every year the proposal was rejected.

“My presentation always focused on ethics. Simply that it is not fair that somebody who shares a room with three other people should pay the same amount as somebody who lives alone,” said Grant.

The basis of the new pricing structure is that single rooms will cost more than double rooms; triple rooms will cost less than double rooms and quad rooms will cost less than triples. Spellman Hall will not change the way it charges residence for their rooms, since

time that I came out here, it has been six minutes and 20 seconds,” she finished. “The shooter has ceased shooting and will soon abandon his rifle, blend in with the students as they escape, and walk free for an hour before arrest.

Fight for your lives before it’s someone else’s job.”

This was one of the many impactful speeches heard at freshman room selection is random Grant deemed it unethical to differentiate charges based on a random selection process.

Graduate housing pricing will also stay the same. Pricing for Founders Hall, Dammann Hall and Tenney Hall per semester, which are subject to change, are as follows: single $4,590, double $4,340, triple $4,240, and quad $4,140.

Anyone who requires a single for a medical reason will pay the standard room rate of a double, $4,340 per semester.

These new figures for triples and quads are roughly seven percent decrease in price of

the march. Students from across the country, including 36 members of Manhattanville college, made the journey to attend the march in Washington. Many carried signs saying, “enough is enough” or “how many more kids will die?”

Continued on page 2 housing. While the singles are roughly a 5.7 percent increase from the standard rate.

The curent price per semester is $4,340, this will also be in effect for the 2018-2019 academic year.

“This plan is not to make money, it never was... I don’t feel that we should be putting more money on the backs of students especially with housing,” said Grant.

Continued on page 2

NEWS

VOL. LXXIII

Cont. from page 1 The March in D.C. was not the only one; over 800 sister marches were found across the country and the world, in locations such as Los Angeles and Manhattan. Students from Parkland and from cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, all of whom were victims of gun violence, urged lawmakers and senators to either change gun control laws or get voted out. “Either represent the people or get out. Stand for us or beware,” said Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Cameron Kasky.

Not only did the march focus on gun violence in regards to school shootings, but it also brought in voices of those who face gun violence on an almost daily basis, from the point of view of black students from Chicago and D.C. One speech from Mya Middleton, a 16-year-old student from Chicago, recounted

her own experience with gun violence. “He pulls out this silver pistol and points it in my face and said these words that to this day haunt me and give me nightmares. He said, ‘If you say anything, I will find you.’ And yet I’m still saying something today,” she said. Naomi Wadler, an 11-year-old from Virginia, said that she spoke for African-American girls lost to gun violence whose stories had been ignored by the media. Yolanda Renee King, 9, the granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr., spoke as well with her own dream at the rally.

“I have a dream that enough is enough,” she said, “and that this should be a gun-free world. Period.” She then led the crowd in a cheer: “We are going to be a great generation.”

King’s words carried one of the most important messages of the rally: that it was on the students to make an impact. As many of the signs said, “this is not a

moment, it’s a movement.”

Of course, speeches weren’t the only part of the rally. Many performances from celebrities such as Lin Manuel Miranda, Ben Platt, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, and Common appeared onstage along with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Drama club, who performed their own original song “Shine.” One student sang “Happy Birthday” and encouraged attendants to participate; Mar. 24 was the 18th birthday of Parkland shooting victim Nick Dworet.

“All of the speakers were incredibly powerful, and I hope that all of the march attendees take the experience with them, share with their family and friends, and take action in the polls, through communication with their representatives, with activist groups, and beyond,” said Heather Krannich, the Student Body President and leader of Manhattanville’s group,

ISSUE III

after the march to discuss her experience at the march and the impact she believes it will have. “I’m hoping that the impact the march will have will be to rally citizens to vote, stay active, and be aware about the various political factors of gun violence. There are so many different solutions to consider, and people should be empowered to talk about it, consider their options, and reach out to their representatives in favor of their views.”

She also said that one of the many reasons behind Manhattanville’s organization to march came from the school’s history of social activism, citing the school’s history of attending marches such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington.

Photo collage of the march can be found on pages 6 & 7

Continued from Page 1 Since Grant initially proposed the idea in 2012 the college now has a new president and a cabinet with many new members.

This year Grant was given the opportunity to present his tiered housing costs to a new set of eyes. The current cabinet approved the tiered housing cost proposal and approved for its implementation in the Fall of 2019.

The initial push back from cabinet members was based on the fact that Manhattanville is based on tradition and one of the housing traditions is that most seniors are granted the opportunity to live in a single. Their concern was that with the proposed tiered housing costs the school would hinder a senior’s ability to live in a single. Another concern from the previous cabinet was that this could create something similar to a ‘caste system’. They did not want to grant special treatment to those who could afford it.

If the college was at 100 percent occupancy housing would generate $4.5 million per year. The new prices would generate $60,000 more for the college. Manhattanville is currently at 82 percent occupancy, which is higher than previous years due to the decreasing size of incoming freshmanclasses.

Grant started the proposal in an effort to keep up with the times in the way other colleges charge for housing. In his research he found that Fordham University, Pace University, Manhattan College, SUNY Purchase, Wagner College, College of Saint Rose, College of Mount Saint Vincent and Nyack College all use tiered housing costs.

Completed March Madness bracket; See March Madness 2018 on page 3

Letter from the

Editors

TWO

PHOTO CREDIT: CBS SPORTS

“I think there is a way to modernize the institution while still honoring tradition. . . Colleges have to keep up with times and colleges that don’t do that find themselves in a lot of trouble,” said Grant.

This publication would not be possible without the support of our readers, and the work of our Touchstone staff. We look forward to producing exclusive student-created content for you in the months to follow..

If you are interested in joining The Touchstone, please come to our meetings held on Mondays in Library Conference room 117 at 9:30 p.m.

Sincerely, Michael Brabazon & Jessica Cowle

SPORTS

VOL. LXXIII

ISSUE III

March Madness 2018 TOMMY HOPKINS

like this year’s upsets.

STAFF WRITER

This year’s Final Four consisted of powerhouse and number one ranked Kansas as they took on the Villanova Wildcats, the team that won the National Championship two years ago.

Then we have the number 11 seed, Loyola Chicago as they take on the University of Michigan who was last seen in the Final Four back in 2013 when Trey Burke led them to the National Championship game where they lost to the dominant Louisville Cardinals. This Final Four is unlike any other. For the first time in school history, Loyola Chicago has made it to the Final Four. Many people know them or have heard of them on the news or sports television because of Sister Jean, also referred to as the team’s good luck charm.

The 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has been one that will go down in history as one of the craziest of all time. We saw nothing but upsets and history being made over the course of the tournament. For the first time ever, we saw a 16-seed upset the number one overall seed. On the second night of the tournament, we saw the University of Maryland Baltimore County upset the number one overall team in the tournament, the Virginia Cavaliers. We also saw the State University of New York Buffalo upset the number four ranked Arizona Wildcats.

The Wildcats were a heavily favored team with their star center DeAndre Ayton. Ayton has been talked about to go number one overall in this upcoming NBA Draft. Every year we see our upsets, but seriously none

Key upsets of the tournament include Buffalo topping Arizona. Miami (FL) getting upset by Final Four-member Loyola Chicago. Syracuse

taking down heavily favorited Michigan State and NBA bound Miles Bridges and Hall of Fame caliber coach Tom Izzo. Izzo was outcoached by fellow respected future Hall of Famer Jim Boheim. Still perhaps the biggest upset in the tournament was when UMBC defeated number one Virginia.

That upset is going down in history and will most likely remain in history books for a very long time. Let’s not forget another favorite, University of North Carolina getting upset by number seven Texas A&M, who is heavily referred to as a “football” school by fans all around according to NCAA March Madness Live.

Upsets and broken brackets were the trend of this year’s tournament. Brackets have been ripped and torn apart.

Tears have been shed. Crazy fact, only .48% of brackets had Loyola Chicago making the Final Four, according to ESPN Tourney Challenge Statistics.

That percentage is out of mil-

lions. Even sitting here watching the Final Four, it is crazy to believe how an 11-seed made it this far. But this does raise a point on one thing. Changing the format on how smaller conferences deserve more respect, a better RPI ranking, and easily just more publicity. If Loyola did not win their conference title, the Missouri Valley Conference, they wouldn’t have even been in the tournament.

This is a slap in the face to the committee and more schools like the MVC, the A10 and other small conferences deserve a better shot to make it into the field of 64.

in a National Championship game ever. He was also named the most outstanding player of this year’s Final Four due to his stellar performance.

This years’ tournament consisted of 20 upsets. Nine upsets in the first round, six in the second round, four in the sweet 16 and one final in the elite eight.

We can possibly have two more in the Final Four, possibly three depending on the final outcome of the games. These numbers and stats are absurd and nothing that anyone, not even the experts could have predicted.

The tournament definitely lived up to the “madness” known as March and we look forward to what the tournament will bring for us next year.

The tournament was complete on April 2. The number one seed Villanova Wildcats dominated the Michigan Wolverines from the beginning all the way to the end in the championship game. The Wildcats were led by national player of the year, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVicenzo. According to ESPN, DiVicenzo scored the most points (31) off the bench

World Cup Groups GROUP A

GROUP B

GROUP C

RUSSIA

PORTUGL

FRANCE

SAUDI ARABIA

SPAIN

AUSTRALIA

EGYPT

MOROCCO

PERU

URUGUAY

IRAN

DENMARK

GROUP D

GROUP E

ARGENTINA

BRAZIL

ICELAND

SWITZERLAND

CROATIA

COSTA RICA

NIGERIA

SERBIA

GROUP F

GROUP G

GROUP H

GERMANY

BELGIUM

POLAND

MEXICO

PANAMA

SENEGAL

SWEDEN

TUNISIA

COLOMBIA

S. KOREA

ENGLAND

JAPAN THREE

Sunday

23

16

Monday

VALIANTS APRIL/MAY 2018 SPORTS SCHEDULE

WGOLF at George Phinney Golf Classic 9:00 a.m.

MGOLF at Farmingdale Fall Invitational TBA

15 MGOLF vs Manhattanville Invitational SB at Delaware Valley 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

22 MGOLF at Tim Brown Invitational Ballston Spa, NY SB at Western Connecticut State 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

BB vs King’s (Pa.) Purchase, NY 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday

18 SB at Mount St. Mary 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.

WLAX at Eastern 4:00 p.m.

MLAX vs Eastern 4:00 p.m.

BB vs Western Connecticut State 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday

17 BB vs Purchase

25 WLAX vs DeSales 4:00 p.m.

MLAX at DeSales 4:00 p.m.

10 11 BB vs Staten Island BB at Maritime (N.Y.) Purchase, NY Throggs Neck, NY 3:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

WLAX vs FDU-Florham Purchase, NY 6:00 p.m.

MLAX at FDU-Florham Madison, NJ 7:00 p.m.

24 SB at Mount Saint Vincent 3:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

BB vs Mount St. Mary 4:00 p.m.

12

20 BB at Misericordia 3:30 p.m.

13 BB vs Wilkes Purchase, NY 3:30 p.m.

Friday

19

27 BB vs Eastern 3:30 p.m.

Thursday

26 BB vs Mount Saint Vincent 3:30 p.m.

Saturday

14 MGOLF vs Manhattanville Invitational TRACK at Osprey Open 10:30 a.m.

WLAX vs Wilkes 12:00 p.m.

WGOLF at Lady Dutchmen Spring Invitational 12:30 p.m.

SB vs Wilkes 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

MLAX at Wilkes 1:00 p.m.

BB at Wilkes 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

21 TRACK at ESU All-American Meet 10:00 a.m.

SB at Misericordia 1:00 p.m.

MLAX vs Misericordia 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

BB vs Misericordia 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

WLAX at Misericordia 6:00 p.m.

MGOLF at Tim Brown Invitational 4:00 p.m.

28 TRACK at Lions’ Invitational 10:00 a.m.

BB at Eastern 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

WLAX vs Delaware Valley 1:00 p.m.

MLAX at Delaware Valley 1:00 p.m.

SB vs Eastern 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

SIX

SPORTS Friendlies Before The Frenzy VOL. LXXIII

ISSUE III

GIOVANNI MENACHO COPY EDITOR As time comes closer to the biggest sporting event in the world, teh World Cup, the last week has been key for predictions on how international teams will do in the most watched sporting event in the world. In this worldwide event, that only happens once every four years, the world had the chance to cheer on their country on two separate occasions since the end of world cup qualifiers.

This one-week international break began on Mar. 21 2018, when Asian and African teams played against each other. The highlights of this fixture day were when the World Cup hosts eight years ago, South Africa took on Angola and resulted in a 1-1 tie.

On the second fixture day, Asian and European teams played friendlies as well.

The stand out games on Mar. 22 were Wales free scoring on China, which resulted in a 6-0 win that featured a hat trick from Gareth Bale. The second stand out match was between world cup qualified teams Denmark and Panama. The main actions in this match took place between the 60th and 70th minute. Celta Vigo forward Pione Sisto scored the decisive goal on the 69th minute. This result was influenced by the 66th minute red card shown to the Panamanian player Blas Pérez.

On Mar. 23, some historic matches took place. All of the South American countries beat their European rivals. Uruguay beat Czech Republic in a 2-0 shutout. Brazil cruised past Russia in a 3-0 victory. A ‘Messi-less’ Argentina defeated a recovering Italy in a 2-0

match. Colombia battled their way past European heavyweights France in an away 3-2 result, which ended in an unprecedented Colombian victory. Peru also saw as Luka Modric led Croatia in a 2-0 victory. To resume the central and South American dominated day, El Tri (Mexico) defeated an uninspired Iceland 3-0.

Aside from these games, the two most recent World Cup winners Spain and Germany battled to the end, which ended in a 1-1 draw with goals from Thomas Muller and Rodrigo.

Other notable games included Netherlands vs. England and Portugal vs. Egypt. The Dutch and English game resulted in a narrow English victory with a strike from the Manchester United man Jesse Lingard. The dramatic Portugal vs. Egypt game was an even and entertaining match from the very beginning. The two superstars on each team displayed their skill and dominance through goals. Mohamed Salah, the current premier league top scorer, scored in the 56th minute in a solo effort but the five-time ballon d’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo stole the spotlight in the 92nd and 94th minute when he scored two goals back to back giving the home side the victory.

On Mar. 24, more fixtures took place with the outstanding one being Chile vs. Sweden, resulting in the South American regional champions victory in a 2-1 result.

The day after, on the Mar. 25, more matches took place in which the Nicaragua vs. Cuba game took the spotlight in a back and forth 3-3 draw.

On the Mar. 26, more important matches were played. The day began with a 4-1 win from Czech Republic to China. The friendly stage overall was not

good for the Chinese. Next was a 1-0 win for Uruguay against Wales. Paris Saint-Germain Striker Edison Cavani who is in form for club and country scored the sole goal. Following this match was an upset between an inspired Netherlands and an underwhelming Portugal.

The result ended up being 3-0 in favor of the Dutch.

On the final friendly fixture day on Mar. 27, Russia played at home against France, and ended up losing 3-1 with a great performance from Paul Pogba who is out of favor in Manchester. Unfortunately Panama was mercilessly scored against again, this time by Switzerland in a 6-0 game. In a game between Greece and a ‘Salah-less’ Egypt both teams showed very little creativity.

In the following match, Belgium showed off their golden generation in their 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia in which their superstars scored for their team, which include Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, and Kevin De Bruyne.

In a revenge match versus Germany in Germany, Brazil showed little mercy after their 7-1 loss four years ago that shook the soccer world. Brazil without Neymar showed determination and got one past the current world champions with a goal from a young player that was cleaning the streets of Rio just four years ago in the last World Cup, Gabriel Jesus.

This now world-recognized striker shows that Brazil is the hub of futbol. Italy and England battled in a controversial game with fouls and missed calls that resulted in a 1-1 draw. Argentina got a battering in the form of a 6-1 away loss in Spain where the Spanish showed why they should not be excluded from potential

cup winners. Without Messi, Aguero, Di Maria, and Icardi, Argentina showed a helpless team that could not find any chances against the solid and merciless recent champion.

Team USA played their first and only friendly game against Paraguay resulting in a narrow 1-0 win. This game displayed a lot of hotheaded players committing fouls left and right.

The USA did not show a promising side as their only goal was from a penalty kick. Peru vs. Iceland resulted in another Peruvian win, 3-1. With Peru

MIKE BRABAZON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF On Mar. 29 Team Joe defeated Plug Way in the inaugural championship game of the 3v3 intramural basketball league. Team Joe steamrolled through the playoffs, defeating JETS 45-31 in the quarterfinals, then defeated CMC 54-34 to thrust them into the championship game against Plug Way. Plug Way grinded through the playoffs with a 27-25 victory over Barsz Central in the quarterfinals, then defeated Team Eric 29-24 in the semifinals.

In the championship game Team Joe was led by senior Brain Haggerty’s inside presence, and Brendan O’Shea who got fire from beyond the arc to secure the win for Team Joe. Each team member received an intramural t-shirt for their victory.

The intramural program will be offering a volleyball league and a dodgeball league. The dodgeball league will run every Thursday at 9:30p.m. in Kennedy Gym. The VolPHOTO CREDIT: MANHATTANVILLE INTRAMURAL AND RECREATIONS PROGRAM

With around 70 days to the World Cup we can only hope our favorite teams maintain their good form or improve on their display over the last week.

All one can say now is that the World Cup might have a couple of upsets.

Intramural and Recreation

“It has been fun, and I can only hope volleyball and dodgeball are as successful as basketball,” said Sarah MacHugh the Coordinator of Intramurals, Recreation, and Game Operations.

FIVE

winning these two friendlies against talented European sides, Peru might prove difficult for France, Denmark, and Australia in Group C.

leyball league will play every Monday and Tuesday starting at 9:30p.m. in Kennedy Gym. There are also open tennis court hours, racket and balls can be provided, every Wednesday 2:00p.m.4:00p.m.

In addition to sporting events in Kennedy Gym the new intramural program is offering multiple fitness related activities.

Every day in the Berman Student Center Gym there is a new workout of the day posted on the whiteboard, along with core workouts and other variations of workouts. A ‘Bootcamp’ fitness class is offered every Tuesday 12:00p.m.-1:00p.m. and Friday 11:00a.m.12:00p.m. in Kennedy Gym. This class is instructed by Catherine Scanlon.

Scanlon is a former collegiate athlete and coach.

She also launched Full Tank Fitness in 2013 and works as a personal trainer and yoga instructor. In addition to ‘Bootcamp’ intramurals are also offering a ‘Tread and Shred’ class every Tuesday and Friday 7:00p.m.-8:00p.m. in the Berman Student Center Gym.

VOL. LXXIII

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

ISSUE III

On Mar. 24, Manhattanville College students joined other students from accross the nation in Washington D.C. for the March For Our Lives.

SIX

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY KATE IMPERTO

VOL. LXXIII

WASHINGTON D.C.

ISSUE III

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY KATE IMPERTO

VOL. LXXIII

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

ISSUE III

President of Manhattanville College This week, I signed the name of Manhattanville College onto an amicus brief, i.e. a letter in of support of a lawsuit filed by the State of New York and 16 other states of the Union, in light of the announcement by the Trump administration that the Dream Act, or DACA will be terminated. Whatever one may think about these children’s parents, who violated U.S. immigration law by coming here illegally, fixing this situation by taking it out on their children is not the way to deal with the problem. The Dreamers have grown up in America and think of America as their home. And indeed this is their home. Depriving them of the only home they have ever known and sending them into exile is cruel and bespeaks a deplorable lack of empathy with the suffering of others.

- Michael E. Geisler, Ph.D.

Student Body President The academic year is coming to a close, which means that seniors will be graduating soon and finals are almost upon us. It also means that Student Government Association elections will be coming up soon.

This year, Student Government has made great strides in our two major goals for the year: increasing our presence and efficiency. Your representatives have been helping steer conversations and contribute student input in many initiatives and changes across campus, and we have been hosting and refining student outreach events to best get your feedback. The senior representatives transformed 100 Nights and 50 Nights into fantastic events, and we have worked and co-sponsored with many areas of campus to benefit the student experience, including annual events and attending the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. And we are still working hard to finish our many initiatives before the end of the year, including a Safety Walk and springtime activities.

As my year as Student Body President winds down, I want to express my gratitude to this community for a fantastic experience, and I’d like to implore any junior, sophomore, and first year student to sincerely consider running for a position in Student Government. SGA representatives have the unique opportunity to help shape campus culture and influence college policies all across campus, from Dammann Field to Reid Castle. It is an incredible experience to contribute to the college, speak up for our friends and peers, and help leave a legacy at Manhattanville.

Make sure to keep an eye out for application packets. And as always, if you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or would like further information, please feel free to email Student.Government@ mville.edu, and check your email regularly for updates.

- Heather Krannich Senior Class President As the semester draws to a close, the class of 2018 should keep in mind of events that are quickly approaching.

The deadline for purchasing Senior Week events has now since past, so make sure you are up to date with all payments for whatever events you will be attending. The events for Senior Week are as follows: Saturday, May 12: Wine Vineyard Tour at Millbrook Winery (11 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Sunday, May 13-Tuesday, May 15: Atlantic City at Bally’s Hotel and Casino or Cape May, NJ Congress Hall. Buses leave Manhattanville 12 p.m. and arrive approximately at 3 p.m. Buses leave New Jersey at 11 a.m. and will return to Manhattanville at approximately 3 p.m.

Tuesday, May 15: Senior Pinning in O’Byrne Chapel (6 p.m.); Senior Toast and Class Photo (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)

Wednesday, May 16: Dinner Cruise on the Hudson (4 p.m. – 11 p.m.)

Thursday, May 17: Senior BBQ (12 p.m. – 2 p.m.); Cap decorating in Berman Lobby (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.); Birch Collective (8 p.m. – 12 a.m.)

Friday, May 18: Line up for Baccalaureate ceremony in Ophir Room of Reid Castle (3 p.m.); Baccalaureate ceremony in O’Byrne Chapel (4 p.m.)

Saturday, May 19: Report to East Room for Commencement lineup (8:30 a.m.); Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony (10 a.m.)

Also, please remember to donate to the Senior Class Gift. It is $100 to purchase your own brick, but any amount is welcome. Please contact Meghan Casey, Annual Giving Officer, at (914) 323-5112 or Meghan.Casey@mville.edu for payment or any questions that you may have.

- Dylan Hayes EIGHT

FEATURES

VOL. LXXIII

ISSUE III

The Legacy of Miss Hamilton KATHERINE MATUSZEK COPY EDITOR When Professor Colin Morris was preparing for his course “American History Through Film,” he was not expecting to rediscover the story of a precedential Supreme Court case and Mary Hamilton, who also happened to be a Manhatanville alumna.

Mary Hamilton received her Master of Arts in Teaching in 1971 from Manhattan-

In June of 1963 in Gadsden, Al., Hamilton and many others were arrested during protests. During these hearings, Hamilton was being referred to as “Mary” rather than “Miss Hamilton” – a common way to degrade African-Americans in court.

In defiance, she refused to answer any questions until she was given the courtesy of a title like any of the white witnesses. Because of this, she was charged in contempt of the court and jailed. She then appealed

the African-American community.

“In mainstream press, it was almost treated as a trivial case. They would refer to it as the ‘Miss Mary’ case, not really understanding the implications and what was at stake. It really is now the law of the land. It’s not even a legal proceeding unless everyone is addressed properly, so it is a significant case,” said Morris.

From what was started from a connection to Manhattanville, Morris’s interest in Hamilton’s legacy has grown. There is almost no scholarship written on her and only one interview with her, so he is taking it upon himself to share her story.

“There’s a lot of synchronicity when the place that you teach and care about connect with a genuinely important person and story that is underappreciated,” said Morris.

PHOTO CREDIT: JET MAGAZINE

ville, but before that, she was a civil rights activist in the deep south and served as the first female southern regional secretary for Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). The case of Hamilton v. Alabama (1964), is what really defined Hamilton’s time as an activist.

Despite this influential experience, Hamilton had all but disappeared from the records of Civil Rights history.

her conviction and sentencing and went through two levels of Alabama state courts. Ultimately, in spring of 1964, the case was heard by the Supreme Court. With a unanimous decision, the court ruled in favor of Hamilton and that her conviction and sentencing were unconstitutional on the basis of segregation.

Her case set precedents, but really was only noticed in

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Additionally, he has spoken with her daughter and through independent research, he was able to uncover never-before-seen photos of her and a never-transcribed five-hour interview with her just before her death in 2002.

Through this work, Morris is hoping to honor Hamilton and inform people of her landmark case.

But even before her case, Hamilton was a well-respected activist. She operated at the highest level with

ADIVISOR Bryce Bauer

PHOTO CREDIT: JET MAGAZINE

leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. but has been practically forgotten about. Morris wants to fix that.

“I think she deserves [recognition] first at Manhattanville, but definitely beyond,” said Morris.

To do so, Morris has now created a lecture, where he presents his research and knowledge on Hamilton and her case. He has presented

FEATURES EDITOR Anjali Hopely

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Brabazon OPINION EDITOR Dylan Hayes EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jessica Cowle

on campus for the community and just recently presented it in Washington D.C. with the Office of Alumni relations to an engaged group of alumni.

As his research continues, Morris hopes that Hamilton’s history can become part of Manhattanville’s.

HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Tara Murphy

SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Colosi

COPY EDITOR Katherine Matuszek

NEWS EDITOR Jasmine Hernandez

COPY EDITOR Giovanni Menacho

HEAD OF ADVERTISING Maria Caban

EDITORIAL DESIGNER Ally Andryshak

NINE

VOL. LXXIII

FEATURES

ISSUE III

Musical Theater Senior Recitals JESSICA COWLE EXECUTIVE EDITOR The senior class of 2018 is the largest class the Manhattanville Musical Theater department has seen in years. With 10 recitals, varying from themes of love to magic to masculinity, the class showed off their incredible talent during their recital weekend in Pius X Hall from Mar. 23 to Mar. 25, 2018.

Seniors Sarah Buturla, Jennifer Faccenda, Shannon Gaffney, Erica Harris, Dashon Pratt, Anna Scherer, Thomas Ian Johnson, Kevin Kiley, Pasquale Libertino Jr., and Mario Pavón all performed in an hour long set which included a 15-minute classical music portion and a 45-minute musical theatre arrangement. The seniors were able to include duets and trios into their performances, which added to the excitement of their recitals.

Each theme was decided during the Fall semester during their thesis class through a paper and was brought to life during their recital. Anna Scherer, who double majored in Communications and Media and Musical Theatre, explored the idea of casual dating and explored why the millennial generation views love and relationships so differently from the generations before through music.

“I took a look at love songs from the Golden Age era and compared them to more contemporary pieces to gain an understanding of how we got to where we are,” explained Scherer.

She opened her musical theatre set with the song “Casual” composed by Georgia Stitt, which chronicles the struggles that are involved in the modern woman’s world as she tries her best to juggle both her career and a new relationship.

Thomas Ian Johnson, who recently played Princeton in Manhattanville’s most recent production of Avenue Q, chose the theme of masculinity for his recital. He believes that musical theatre is able to effectively break society’s rules for masculinity, without taking away from the fact that a guy is singing his emotions on stage.

He explained that masculinity and displaying emotions have long been separated in American culture.

“On stage, male characters could be breaking down and crying or exploding with joy, and the audience accepts it.

The thing about being human is that we can’t necessarily control our emotions, but our cul-

TEN

ture often teaches young boys to “man up” and not cry, which can actually be detrimental to mental health,” explained Johnson, who spoke about how mental health is connected to the emotional repression of men.

His thesis reflected on his recital with the song choices “Origin of Love” by Stephen Trask and “You’ve Got Carefully Taught” by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Shannon Gaffney, who is a double major in Creative Writing and Musical Theater, chose “Following your Dreams” as the theme for her recital.

“Throughout my life, I’ve been drawn to all sorts of characters, from sweet ingénues, to evil villains, to sassy leading ladies, to best friends who help those leading ladies along the way.

In my recital, I wanted to show that the dreams of all these characters are valid, and that not everyone is who you think they are through a first impression,” described Gaffney.

She used the concept of a dream, which is something that a character wants more than anything in the world, to build up her idea.

Founder of Broadway @ Manhattanville, Mario Pavón chose to feature character actors and the importance of their roles in theater. Pavón explained that a character actor is defined as an actor who specializes in playing eccentric or unusual people rather than leading roles, typically casted the support or other minor roles. Pavón was drawn to these roles because

“often times character roles have more depth than the lead roles.”

Musical Theatre is a big part of each of the senior’s lives.

Pavón began his musical theater journey when he saw Les Miserables for the first time, when he was 18 years old. He explained how he met with the actors after the show, and spoke with the man that played Monsieur Thenardier, “We discussed the importance of his character to the show, and how important all character actor roles are to shows. Without his character, Les Miserables becomes an incredibly dark show with absolutely no laughs to be had,” said Pavón. From that point on, Pavón was incredibly drawn to theater and character actors.

According to Scherer, it wasn’t her choice when she began performing. “When I was little I was so shy, that when we did show and tell, I would hold up the other kid’s show and tell while they explained what it was, because I was too quiet to do my own,” recalled Scherer. For that reason, her mom signed her up for School House Rock to help her become confident in performing in front of others. From then on, Scherer loved performing and decided that she wanted to pursue it professionally.

Gaffney’s inspiration to be the woman that she is today would be Barbara Streisand. Gaffney explained that she is extremely drawn to artists who are unique and versatile.

“Streisand didn’t have the typ-

PHOTO CREDIT: MANHATTANVILLE DANCE & THEATRE DEPT

ical ‘look’ of someone in the theatre business, but she held her own and played so many incredible roles, despite adversity,” explained Gaffney.

She also attributes Bernadette Peters as an inspiration because of her incredible acting and singing ability.

Founder of the Born This Way Foundation, Lady Gaga is Johnson’s inspiration as a performer. He explained how though her singing is phenomenal, he is more inspired by the way that she uses her wealth as a platform to spread the message of love and kindness.

“Over the last decade, she helped countless homeless LGBTQ youth find loving homes through the Born This Way Foundation, fought for equal rights for the LGBTQ community, and used her music to spread awareness about sexual assault,” explained Johnson.

As a celebrity, her strength and humility are something that he aspires to be like as a performer.

All of the seniors attribute their performances to the incredible Artist in Residence, Mark Cherry and his wife, Beverly Meyer for their constant support and love over the last four years. Both Cherry and Meyer have helped them learn and grow throughout their journeys.

Voice coaches Diana Canova, Ron Cappon and Diane Guernsey have also helped push each of the seniors to their best abilities.

After graduation, each senior

has a goal of moving into New York City and plan on auditioning and applying to jobs.

Scherer, who has solidified her plans, was offered a position at the New York Power Authority and intends to work on their community relations team as an event coordinator.

Each senior hopes to have made an impact at Manhattanville and among the underclassmen. Scherer shared that her best advice to the rising seniors would be to make sure to take advantage of every opportunity they have to see live performances, because there is so much to learn. With accessibility to the city, the options are endless. Gaffney advised to “audition for everything, even if you think you won’t get it. Do something out of your comfort zone and never hold yourself back because you’re afraid of looking silly or making a mistake,” she said.

Pavón’s best advice for underclassmen is to get involved as best they can. Johnson agreed and explained that “growth doesn’t happen if you don’t dedicate yourself fully to the craft. And giving yourself room for growth is important, too, as everyone (even the professionals) has the ability to learn something new and get better as a performer. Going into something thinking you’re the best and don’t need to grow won’t get you anywhere in the department, or the field.”

VOL. LXXIII

FEATURES

ISSUE III

Dare to Dream

Ellie Desautels, Manhattanville Alum, casted in NBC Primetime Show THOMAS IAN JOHNSON STAFF WRITER On Mar. 13 2018, NBC released a new musical series, Rise, depicting a small-town school’s drama department being flipped on its head by an ambitious new drama teacher. One of the teen students, Michael Hallowell, a “socially transitioned” transgender male, is played

by Ellie Desautels, a Manhattanville graduate of 2017.

Alongside Desautels stands television and film stars, Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Rosie Perez (Fearless), Auli’i Cravalho (Moana), and others.

In the show, Lou Maz-

suicide. The parents attempt to change the musical, but the students fight for it. As dark and appalling as some of these themes are, they’re real struggles that teens deal with today, and the characters find it vital to bring the story to life.

“I feel that [Spring Awakening] is an important show for many people and it’s certainly important to the kids in Rise. For Michael, being in the musical is a huge step for him and allows him to be part of something meaningful. The show pushed him to be himself, his true self,” Desautels said.

She scored the role for the pilot while studying at Manhattanville and filmed

ability to go with the flow prepared me for that wonderfully turbulent time in my life.”

Beyond a stellar work ethic, Desautels attributes much of their success to their fourtime Acting for the Camera professor.

“The person at Manhattanville who supported [my] aspiration is ‘The Man,’ the closest thing I have to a mentor, Jon Huberh, known by his students as ‘Hubie.’

After taking the only two levels offered, Hubie encouraged me to take the sections again and ensured that he would give me all new assignments and challenge me more with camera work.

He kept pushing me further

sentation is shifted in a more positive light rather than in a negative connotation.

said Desautels.

As a pioneer for such a unique character on primeDesautels explained their time television, Desautels character, Michael Hallowexplained that “I’m so ell, who “is first and forehappy, lucky, and privileged most a musician, and he is to have received this chance passionate about singing. to play a happy trans teen.

He identifies as a transgenIt is a character that I have der boy, has socially tranbeen waiting to see on TV, sitioned, and is supported so I’m humbled to have by his teachers, peers and been able to bring Michael family. What I love about to life. So many trans peoMichael is that he is intelliple from around the world gent, strong, and an advocate live normal happy, healthy for himself. He’s inspired by lives. It’s time for society music and I think that’s what to start accepting that and makes him such a happy kid. for networks to show trans He gets to do what he loves characters more commonly and express himself within a in mainstream media.” safe space,” said Desautels.

There isn’t much that can be Desautels has been flooded revealed about the upcoming with messages from LGBTQ season of Rise, however, Desautels was able to reveal a few tidbits about what is to come.

“Looking forward in the season, you’ll get to see Michael stand up to transphobia with the support of the drama troupe. You’ll also get to see him grapple with a difficult situation that his best friend gets in. You’ll witness a beautiful and real friendship deepen through the hardship. I’m excited for everyone to see what’s to come,” said Desautels.

Beyond Rise, Desautels is just excited for what will come next. They is just 23 years old, and already thriving on primetime television.

PHOTO CREDIT: NBC

zuchelli (played by Radnor) replaces Tracey Wolfe (played by Perez) as the director of the school drama club, choosing the controversial Spring Awakening as their musical. Desautels described Spring Awakening to be a musical “that has many dark themes and the combination of the teenage narratives and the mature content truthfully acknowledges that some teenagers go through trying times. Some have to work hard to push themselves through immensely difficult situations,” such as teen pregnancy, incest, and a character who falls victim to

the pilot in the midst of her senior thesis. NBC had later picked up the show as a full series before their graduation. Balancing the show and graduation was difficult enough, individually, but in tandem was a completely different story.

“I felt very ready to start my career while still working on school. It came with its conflicts, like having to reschedule senior thesis rehearsals and missing or arriving late to some classes, but I was lucky to have such supportive and understanding professors,” explained Desautels. “I would say the

and further, and because of that, I was able to grow. I will always value his guidance,” said Desautels.

The representation of trans characters on television has morphed so much in the last decade. More often than not, television programs depict trans characters with rough backgrounds and loads of trials and tribulations that help to highlight how strong the characters are. However, the programs do little to give the impression that trans people can be happy or let alone grow up happy. With Michael, Desautel’s character in the show, the repre-

kids across the country saying that Michael gave them courage to come out.

“The outpouring of positive responses to Michael has been so overwhelming and amazing. So many trans ‘folx’ have reached out thanking me and telling me that they’ve never been represented on prime-time TV. Tons of ‘folx’ have disclosed their transness to family and friends because of the confidence Michael and I have given them. A lot of cisgender folk have reached out on behalf of their trans friends and relatives and it has been so beautiful and humbling,”

“This is just the start of my career, and it has been so amazing already.

I can’t imagine what’s coming next.”

Rise episodes premiere on Tuesdays at 9:00p.m. EST, and previously premiered episodes are available to watch on NBC.com/Rise.

ELEVEN

FEATURES

VOL. LXXIII

Therapy Dog Brings Lost of Love

2018 World Cup: Brazil or Germany?

to Manhattanville

LUIS LOPEZ

INDIGO MOORE

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER Recently students at Manhattanville College were treated to lots of love from Abby, a five-year-old Chocolate Labrador. While this is not the first-time therapy dogs have visited campus, her visit was the first of many as the start of a new program at the Counseling and Wellness Center, which will bring a therapy dog on campus every other Wednesday for the foreseeable future.

Licensed through Therapy Dog International Inc., Abby the therapy dog, alongside owner Cami Netri, were very popular among the dozens of students and faculty that came to visit. The energy in the room was as mellow and relaxed as Abby was; laying on the floor as three or four students at a time would have a turn at petting her. Visitors found Abby’s arrival a welcome change from the two times a semester that dogs come to visit the campus during Stress Relief Week, the week before both midterms and finals.

“I wish that they did it more,” said Rebecca, a freshman on campus.

The therapy dogs are perhaps the most popular activity attended during Stress Relief Week, with dozens of students coming to the library to get a chance to be friendly with the handful of dogs that participate.

“It’s the only thing [The Counseling Center] doesn’t

re:

have to beg people to attend,” said Netri, referring to the event.

In fact, the therapy dogs that come during Stress Relief Week was the inspiration for this new initiative, which was first introduced

by Dr. Melissa Boston, Director of the Counseling and Wellness Center. “[The therapy dogs] are here for Stress Relief Week, and we received a lot of feedback from students, and that feedback was that they love the dogs,” said Elana Light, Assistant Director of the Counseling and Wellness Center, “The students found them relaxing. Dr. Boston believed it could be a program we could pick up.”

Light, who is also the advisor of the Active Minds Club, a group whose goal is to reduce stigma around asking for mental help on campus, also helped bring the initiative to fruition.

Something as friendly and nonjudgmental as therapy dogs will be a great first step to bringing in some new faces accoring to Light.

“A lot of students will be likely to come down to the Counseling and Wellness Center for the therapy dog,” Light said.

What does Abby think of all the new attention? She doesn’t seem to mind but can get a little overwhelmed if there are too many people.

That’s why in order to visit, people need to make an appointment first.

“A very difficult job,” Netri playfully said of Abby’s work, the dog trailing behind her loyally.

ISSUE III

It comes to no surprise that Germany and Brazil are the clear favorites to win this year’s World Cup, but this tournament is any country’s game.

If Germany wins, they would become the first nation to win two World Cups in a row since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Germany has a great chance of winning again because over half of their team is under the age of 30. Their only issue going into the World Cup will be to define who their main striker will be.

Germany has not been gifted at having proven strikers since Miroslav Klose, and he was part of a dying breed of poachers. Thomas Muller is an important part of the group, but he will have to prove himself and Germany might have to bet on Timo Werner. Werner’s young, but he had a great 2016-2017 season with RB Leipzig, and proved his importance at the last Confederates Cup. Brazil is the only country to have been featured in the tournament since it began. Brazil also holds the bragging rights of winning the tournament five times.

Brazil’s current team isn’t one to mess with, and if Neymar is fully fit from his broken metatarsal injury, then there’s a possibility that they might win with Tite as manager.

When there is a World Cup,

Brazil will always have its name as a contender. Other than that, there’s a huge positive in that Tite has brought flair back to Brazil’s team. Brazil is a nation that possesses one of the fastest, most technical players in the tournament, and they’re also quite young.

The likes of Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino can wreak havoc up front with Willian and Neymar on the wings. Having midfielders like Fernandinho and Casemiro will also be important as Brazil struggles defensively and neither Marcelo or Miranda will do much to change that.

Realistically, other than Brazil and Germany, it would not be surprising if France or Spain get very far. Although it’s true that Spain’s current roster isn’t the same as the 2014 World Cup winning team, they still have the likes of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Isco, David de Gea, and others to lead the team. Sergio Busquets will be vital to Spain’s run given that he shines with their style of play, also it’s a positive when you’re regarded as the world’s best defensive midfielder.

only problem will be if they’ll crash and burn, a bit like when they fell short at the Euro 2016 Final.

The same can be said for Argentina as they might get far solely for the Messi factor. The pressure is worse this time for Messi as they got to the final in 2014 and lost to an extra time goal in the 113th minute. 2014 might have been his last chance, but who’s to say that 2018 won’t be his last chance as well?

Although Brazil looks hungry to mark their name in the World Cup once again, Germany might just edge them out if they were to face in a final this year. Their ruthlessness and experience will be an important factor for the World Cup. Also, let’s not ignore their vast potential in midfield and rock-solid defense. They say defense wins titles, but it’s more for this Germany team. They have players who are used to winning, both in club and internationally. A strong mentality will be important once they reach Russia.

They’re winners and they know it.

Same goes for France, where youngster Kylian Mbappe will prove his worth on the World Cup stage and they can always rely on Antonio Griezmann to be their goal scorer. The center back duo of Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane will be important if they don’t want to concede as they’ve been of late. Their

The Manhattanville College student publication, Touchstone, welcomes letters from students, as well as faculty, administrators, alumni, and those not affiliated with the college. Letters must be submitted before 3:00p.m. on Letters Sunday before publication to touchstone@mville.edu. Letters must include the author’s name, email address, and to the phone number for verification. The name of the author may be withheld upon request. Submissions exceeding 300 words will not be reviewed. Please note that submissions may be edited for grammar and/or length. PubliEditor cation will be left to the discretion of the editors.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

VOL. LXXIII

ISSUE III

10 months, 17 countries, $3 left JESSICA COWLE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

10 months, 17 countries, $3 left.

Many millennials dream of dropping everything and traveling the world for a year. Senior Digital Media major and Studio Art minor Aliyah Oestreicher was one of the lucky few to drop everything, cut ties with her world at home and study abroad for 10 months.

Over the course of a school year, Oestreicher studied in London, England at the International Education of Students (IES) and Vienna, Austria at the University of Richmond.

With parents that did not take the opportunity to study abroad, the decision to study overseas was almost a no brainer to Oestreicher.

“My mom had once said it was her biggest regret, and my dad’s family could not financially support it. Both my parents had wanted me to go and pushed me to apply,” explained Oestreicher.

She spoke about how her parents encouraged her to take the opportunity given to her and study.

Leading up to her departure from the States to her first des-

tination in Vienna, Oestreicher felt an array of emotions.

“It became very real to me when I received confirmation of my apartment address. That moment was when [studying abroad] became real. I remember just weeping, like this is going to happen- this is real,” recalled Oestreicher.

She began her journey in Vienna, “I was nervous at first because I did not speak the language. I knew some German before leaving the States, but I remember not being able to communicate with a cab driver when I first landed.” Oestreicher said that she overcame her worries with the help of Google Translate and asking plenty of questions.

“When I stayed in Rome, I went to a restaurant under my Airbnb and because I did not speak Italian, well, I would type out what I wanted on Google Translate and the waiter would type back,” Oestreicher laughed as she explained her interactions.

Although Oestreicher experienced a language barrier when she first arrived in Europe, she spoke highly of her most exciting memory on her 21st birthday in London. Oestreicher spoke about how she shared Queen Elizabeth’s unofficial birthday and watched the Queen pass by in her carriage, followed by an armed

cavalry. She remembered how everyone was dressed in their finest clothes and had a “celebrity moment” when the Queen passed her and specifically waved to her. “I lost my shit,” Oestreicher laughed, “it was like the Queen knew and personally wished me a happy birthday.”

Once in Venice, Oestreicher shared one of her most beautiful memories. Setting the scene, Oestreicher explained that it was the end of the day, slightly raining, which meant that no one was riding the gondolas. Oestreicher was with one of her friends who wasn’t interested in spending money to ride the gondola. “I remember saying to myself ‘if I leave Venice and I don’t ride this gondola, I’ll regret it.” Alone, Oestreicher went up to the man running the gondola and asked him if she was able to ride a gondola for 50 euros. Usually, 50 euros would only be a 15 minute ride, but the man was so kind that he took Oestreicher on a ride for over an hour.

“I sat on the ride crying tears of joy that I was able to ride for this long. When I got back, my friend was waiting for me and eating a gelato. I was so glad that I had the opportunity,” she said.

Another memory that Oestreicher shared was the Christmas season in Vienna. She explained that there are shops set

up all around the city that stay open late at night. Oestreicher said that nothing compares to how beautiful it was, “New York doesn’t have anything like it.”. One of the shops served a drink called ‘bluvine,’ which can most nearly be described as moldy, hot wine.

When asked what it tasted like, Oestreicher laughed and said that “wine is not meant to be hot,” and said that it was very bitter before adding that in the shops “had wonderful hot chocolate, though!”

Oestreicher explained that patrons are more than encouraged to stay for hours and read, do homework or people watch.

At each individual shop, limited edition mugs are sold that patrons can collect. Oestreicher, proud of her collection of seven, stated that “they are home packed away neatly in a box, ready for me to move into my first apartment.”

Traveling to over 17 countries in less than 10 months, Oestreicher was able to see the world in a totally new environment.

Oestreicher reminisced about her experience and had explained what she would do if she had the chance to go back.

Immersed in a completely different culture during her time away from home, Oestreicher spoke about how drinking in Europe is completely different than going out in the States.

“I think that I would have integrated myself with more cultures by joining comedy groups, and meeting more locals instead of just the Americans I traveled with,” said Oestreicher.

“In America, we go out to binge drink, but in Vienna, going out for a beer is more of a coffee culture and a social aspect,” explained Oestreicher.

“It’s nice to be present with the people you’re with.”

The dining experiences in Europe are also different than the States. Typically, in the States, patrons are expected to eat and leave the restaurant. In Europe,

Experiencing the world was only a part of studying abroad, making sure that Oestreicher was on track to graduate was planned out almost a year before she was set to leave. To fulfill her requirements, Oestreicher took entirely art courses in Vienna, and digital media, theory, and American Film courses in London.

After returning, Oestreicher had described herself as more confident in her ability to navigate and her social skills.

“I learned that I’m okay with being alone, whether dining alone or exploring cities by myself,” explained Oestreicher.

“Love, Simon” Review HELIO MATEO CARRILLO STAFF WRITER

Disclaimer: If you saw this movie, you might agree with this review. If you have not seen it, go see it and then come back to read this.

I went to go see this movie, “Love Simon”, without even watching the trailer, and the only thing I knew about it was that a gay kid decides to come out; I didn’t know what to expect from it. I got to the movie theatre and the movie started, still with no expectations of this movie whatsoever, but from the very first scene, I had a feeling that it was going to be good. The movie starts out with

Simon (played by Nick Robinson,) who has a normal/close to perfect life as a high school senior, and happens to be gay, but no one knows this. I chuckled in my seat: that was me last year! My brain automatically took me to those days, the days when I already knew I was gay, but was too scared to admit it.

Something that usually attracts me as a viewer is how identified I feel with whatever I’m watching. With this movie, I identified with this movie since the moment it began, until the moment it ended. Why? Well, that was the main goal of the movie. When you come out to people, it is not always flowers and butterflies (pun intended).

It’s hard, extremely hard in my opinion. And what this movie does is take you through the

entire process from the moment Simon, the main character, tells us that he is gay, but he doesn’t want to tell anyone, to him trying to hide it as much as he can to the point where it gets out of hand. Simon gets outed by some insecure douche, and then finally, he accepts it and officially comes out by waiting on the famous Ferris Wheel at the carnival for his anonymous lover.

PHOTO CREDIT: 20TH CENTURY FOX

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

I highly recommend this movie, even if you´re not gay, or bi, or any other sexual orientation.

I think that the film was very well done. People need to be aware of the whole process of coming out from an inside perspective.

THIRTEEN

VOL. LXXIII

OPINION

ISSUE III

Seniors Prepare for Life After College REBECCA BONNEY STAFF WRITER With the school year coming to an end, the class of 2018 has a lot to do. Some, if not all, have already been affected by the infamous “Senioritis” – the lack of will to do any work whatsoever. The question that remains for these seniors is, what will we do after graduation? Some might not continue their education, or they already have a solid idea of what they want to do. But often, seniors may not know exactly what they want to do, and that’s perfectly normal.

Isabella Brascetta Guerra (or also known as Isa by her friends), is an international student from Venezuela who has spent a little more than four years here at Manhattanville.

She has been studying to become an event planner, and has contributed a lot of dedication to Manhattanville’s campus life.

“I’m the marketing representative of LASO and Latin Fusion, a part of the International Bazaar committee for the past two years. I have been an RA for three years, starting in Founder’s and then I moved to the suites. I am a mentor and an office assistant for the department of World Languages,” explained Guerra. She spoke about her goals to be an event planner. “I want to start with any type of events, but ultimately, I would like to be a wedding planner. I feel like for starters, I want to learn from some other people so I maybe want to intern, I want to be an assistant coordinator, something like that for other people who have their own companies or even with bigger companies.

Maybe later on when I’m already older (and wiser) I’ll get my own,” stated Guerra.

With graduation coming up in May, Guerra is more than ready to start her life after college. “I am excited, and ready to graduate. I have been here a little longer than most

seniors because I was here for the English Language Institute to learn English as a second language. Because I am an international student, I require sponsorship to be able to stay in the country. I have one year for Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation, which starts July 12, my personal one , and I have one year to find a company that really likes me to sponsor me to stay here,” explained Guerra.

and I work at a coffee shop on the weekends. If I could go back in time, I would be a History major. I’m not exactly sure what field I would like my career to be in, but I would definitely like to work in the realm of media or international education,” said Flemming.

Fewer students are considering graduate school, and Isabella is definitely one of them. Her plans include spending some time at home with her family before she has to start working.

“For me, definitely not grad. school. I feel like grad school is perfect for people who have a little bit more life experience for diving into what they want to do for the rest of their lives,” explained Flemming. “I’m going to travel this summer because I’m a travel blogger, so I’m just going to travel and write. Hopefully in the fall, I’ll teach English abroad. I was accepted to join the Peace Corp, but I’m not sure I’m going to do it yet. But if not, then I’ll probably just teach English in Latin America at some public school.” said Flemming.

Other seniors hope to achieve similar goals as well. Senior Nasir Fleming, a Communications and Media Major with a French minor, has big goals ahead of him in life, but isn’t quite sure which direction he exactly wants to take.

“What do I do with my life?

Good question. I’m one of the directors for the Drag Show,

Like Guerra, Flemming has no interest in going to graduate school now, but might consider it later on.

Flemming is also a huge contributor to the online publication Huffington Post where he writes about his travels to different places all over the world, The Huffington Post is kind of like a contribution-based publication. So, they just have a ton of freelancers who write.

Though the writers do not write for the money, they write for the publicity. But recently, I did get my first paid writing job with a travel publication.”

It just shows the versatile direction that seniors are taking and that not everyone has to go in the same pace. Some might choose to take their time in figuring out what they want to do and some might have a laid-out plan. Everyone is different.

And the headliner is...

April 21st

9:00pm

VOL. LXXIII

OPINION

ISSUE III

Falling In Love in College: Worth it or Not? CHRISTOPHER SANDERS STAFF WRITER

Love. What is love and why are we so weak to the very idea of it? Love is the look on a parent’s face, the many years a couple has been together, the way a husband looks at his bride on their wedding day, the way a young boy feels about his first crush. Love is being with someone who you know you can trust and who makes you feel like a better version of yourself. Love is the disagreements, the fights, laughter and the memories you share. Love can be a look, a touch, or a kiss. It’s beautiful to be in love yet it is also scary because we never know what one fight, one lack of communication, or what one ignored situation can lead to.

Love is an amazing thing, but love can also be a painfully scary thing. Often at times, we have a shield to protect ourselves from getting hurt but we are defenseless when it comes to matters of our hearts. Being in love is hurtful

and, painful but sometimes it can be so rewarding. If we never find love and/or if we lose love, then we must remember the people who have and will always love us: parents, siblings, friends and ourselves because we are lovable, special, and beautiful. When we open ourselves to love then we are defenseless to the possibility of rejection, pain, fear, and happiness.

Falling in love can be amazing but being in love while in college has its many faults. Having that special someone who gets us, knows us, and makes us feel special, loved and happy is one of the perks of being in love. Being in love is such a wonderful thing. Looking into the eyes of that special someone who makes our hearts beat so fast, that person who makes our palms sweaty, who makes our faces blush, makes our minds so expressive and fills our bodies with endless amounts of passion. Sometimes we don’t have to think about falling in love because it just happens and no matter how hard we try suppressing our feelings we can never escape the

beauty of being in love. It’s not just falling in love, it’s being in love.

High school, our parents, and sometimes our friends teach us a lot about love and it is good, yet it is also bad.

Past experiences have shown us that being in love means being hurt at times and being hurt is something we do not ever want to happen again. So why do we risk falling in love in college? Is it a natural instinct, a passionate desire, or just physical attraction? We fall in love because we can’t help it, but we can help how hard we fall in love.

What if you and your partner break up, do you think you can handle seeing them every day while enduring and replaying the events of the breakup?

Yes, you can. Before you were his or her partner, you were your own person with dreams, goals, and ideas. What is stopping you from getting out of bed in the morning? It will be hard to see your ex-partner every day, but it will get better. They didn’t make you a smart, strong, amazing person, you did, and never forget that.

In life, we fall in love and we get hurt but that doesn’t mean we should give up on the very idea of love. So many things can alter our lives in so many possible ways but the most important thing to remember is that you can face any challenge. Being in college means making grown-up decisions and as adults, we must decide if we are ready to let our shields down and be open to the possibilities of love. Maybe it will be great and maybe it will hurt but that is one of the great experiences that we as college students, as young men and women, must face and accept. Falling in love is not like the movies or books because it is something more, it is real and what we chose and who we love.

Do you think falling in love while in college is worth it? I do.

FIFTEEN

VOL. LXXIII

GET OFF CAMPUS

ISSUE III

BY CINDY VIRELLO

ATTENTION! Tired of sitting in your dorm room or only traveling by foot? Make friends with a student who has a car and take a trip to White Plains next time you have a break! If you prefer to take the ride solo, then the Manhattanville Valiant can help you with that! The Valiant stops at various locations in White Plains including the Metro-North train station.

To find out more information regarding bus stops visit Campus Safety in Spellman Hall.

MELT $$ ATTENTION CHEESE LOVERS! Take the Valiant to Maple StStreet. to experience MELT’s delicious selection of cheeses on your favorite artisan baked bread loaded with your choice of BBQ pulled pork, grilled or jerk chicken, maple rubbed honey ham, slow roasted turkey breast, and many more!

Azuma Sushi $$ If you’re tired of Salmon and California Rolls from the Pub, then take the trip to this secret gourmet sushi spot located in Hartsdale!

This modern spot offers a menu stacked with zesty new rolls only a train ride away. You’ll never go to the Pub for sushi again!

Location: 219 E Hartsdale Ave, Hartsdale, NY 10530 Hours: 5:30p.m. to 9:00p.m. – Sunday Closed Monday 12:00p.m. to 2:00p.m. & 5:30 to 9:30p.m. – Tuesday through Thursday 12:00p.m. to 2:00p.m. & 5:30 to 10:00p.m. – Friday 5:30 to 10:00p.m. – Saturday

Location: 277 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains, NY 10605

Tel: (914) 725-0660

Hours: Closed Sunday

Dumpling + Noodle $

11:00a.m. to 8:30p.m. – Monday through Friday

Satisfy the craving for Asian in this hidden dumpling and noodle spot located just a minute from the Bronxville MetroNorth station. Forget the boring vegetable and chicken fried rice.

Dumpling + Noodle offers

11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. – Saturday Tel: (914) 358-1364

SIXTEEN

steamed vegetable and chicken dumplings! Go out and put a twist on your favorite dish!

Location: 26 Palmer Ave, Bronxville, NY 10708 Hours: 12:00p.m. to 9:30p.m. – Sunday 11:30a.m. to 9:30p.m. – Monday through Thursday 11:30a.m. to 10:00p.m. – Friday & Saturday Tel: (914) 779-0902 Pure Food and Drink $ Stick to your 2018 resolution by quenching your lust for unhealthy foods with these champions. This trendy juice bar offers a variety of juices that will surely give you the boost you need to keep your feet moving and your mind sharp!

Location: 5 Fisher Ave, Tuckahoe, NY 10707 Hours: 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. – Sunday 8:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. – Monday through Saturday Tel: (914) 771-7873

Florio’s Olde Stone Mill $$ If you’re looking for an old fashion date night with inspirational food, then this is your spot. Grab your date and head to Scarsdale to indulge in Florio’s famous Truffle Chips and Chicken Scarpariello. Top it off with their finest glass of Sauvignon Blanc to hit the spot!

Location: 3202, 2 Scarsdale Rd, Tuckahoe, NY 10707 Hours: 12:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. – Sunday 11:30a.m. to 10:00p.m. – Monday through Thursday 11:30a.m. to 11:00p.m. – Friday 12:00p.m. to 11:00p.m.

Tel: (914) 771-7661