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Shrine in progress

Commons name change proposed MUSG says new hall should be named for prominent alum

By Margaret Cahill

margaret.cahill@marquette.edu

Photo by Andrew Himmelberg andrew.himmelberg@marquette.edu

A Marian grotto, or shrine to the Virgin Mary, is being constructed for outdoor space to reflect and pray.

$500,000 donation will cover cost of new prayer space

By Kaitlyn Bross

kaitlyn.bross@marquette.edu

Construction on a $500,000 project began six weeks ago behind the St. Joan of Arc Chapel on a new Marian grotto, which is a shrine devoted to the Virgin Mary, said Lora Strigens, vice president for planning and facilites management.

“It was entirely fundraised by a single donor … who has a strong devotion to Mary and a strong family commitment to Marquette,” Strigens said.

She said the donor is currently anonymous, but will be announced in the future.

A grotto is usually made out of elaborate stone and marble, and the statue of Mary that will be at the center of the grotto is being crafted out of marble in Italy.

Local artisans are making the benches and kneelers that will fill the holy space, Strigens said.

“(The) masons working on the project have been great. They are hand-selecting each stone,” Strigens said. “We’re hopeful that by the end of the calendar year, the whole project will be completed, if not sooner.”

Located at the center of campus, the grotto will be an accessible place to reflect and pray, Strigens said. The location is designed to be prominent, but not draw attention from other religious spaces on campus, she said.

“While the Joan of Arc Chapel

and other sacred spaces on campus provide other types of prayer space, the grotto will provide an outdoor space to both pray in nature and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Rev. Frederick Zagone said in an email. “The grotto will offer all members of the Marquette community — students, faculty, staff and visitors — a place of prayer and quiet reflection in the midst of our busy, bustling campus.”

“Many people have a devotion to Mary, the Mother of See SHRINE page 2

Marquette University Student Government voted on a recommendation Sept. 17 asking the university to rename The Commons residence hall after a notable Marquette community member or alum.

The recommendation was first drafted by the MUSG executive board, consisting of President Meredith Gillespie, Executive Vice President Valerie Del Campo, legislative vice president Dan Brophy, communications vice president Yesenia Ortega, programming vice president Paige Hunt, finance vice president Brian Kettering and outreach vice

A rendering shows the Italian-made statue of Mary and stone benches.

INDEX CALENDAR......................................................3 MUPD REPORTS.............................................3 A&E..................................................................8 OPINIONS......................................................10 SPORTS..........................................................12

president Sara Manjee.

The recommendation addresses the renaming of Wild Commons to “The Commons” after Rev. Robert A. Wild requested his name be removed from the hall title in light of his alleged oversight of an abusive priest during his time as provincial of the Chicago Society of Jesus from 1985 until 1991.

During the meeting, the board said it decided to pose the recommendation to the university after noticing that students were not satisfied with the name “The Commons,” but may prefer the building be named after a person instead.

In the recommendation, which was sent to university officials last Thursday, MUSG offered to assist the university in naming the building to ensure that students have proper input in the See COMMONS page 2

LGBTQ+ center looks for director

Graduate assistant temporarily holds job during search

By Donna Sarkar

adwitiya.sarkar@marquette.edu

Photo courtesy of Office of Marketing and Communication

2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 SPJ Award-Winning Newspaper

The LGBTQ+ Resource Center, located in the Alumni Memorial Union, is searching for a new coordinator while temporarily under the leadership of Jennifer Perdomo, a graduate assistant coordinator who volunteered for the position this fall.

Two undergraduate assistants, Joenny Lopez Cuevas, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Samantha Perez, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, work alongside Perdomo in the counseling center.

Due to Perdomo’s qualifications as a graduate assistant, she said she is unofficially the one taking charge, with a collective effort from the Center for Intercultural Engagement.

Perdomo said the center is keen on making the public more aware of its presence.

“I’m looking forward to making the center more diverse, having open houses and making it more aware to the public eye,” Perdomo said.

Enrique Tejeda III, the former coordinator of the program, recently left the leadership position, creating an uncertainty towards the leadership this semester, Perdomo said.

Despite this, Perdomo said she is hopeful for the center’s future.

“Undergraduate time can be hard for students for many reasons, See DIRECTOR page 2

NEWS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OPINIONS

Holy Hill pilgrimage

Tattoo festival returns

Standardized testing

Campus Ministry hosts day trip as opportunity for reflection

PAGE 6

Artists from state, nation come for annual MKE convention PAGE 9

Marquette should implement test-optional admissions policy PAGE 11

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Tuesday, September 25, 2018

COMMONS: Input wanted SHRINE: Grotto to allow reflection Continued from page 1 decision while still respecting the administration’s power.

“The purpose of the recommendation was not to pigeonhole the university into naming it after someone, but merely give them direction in what we think the students want the building named after,” Gillespie said.

“It is the role of MUSG to actively identify the needs and concerns of the students,” the board said in its written recommendation. “It is important that the university and students actively support and recognize its influential and dedicated alumni who have upheld the guiding values of ‘servant leadership’ and ‘commitment to the greater good.’”

The recommendation was submitted to various administration members and residence hall association members, including chief operating officer Dave Lawlor, director of student affairs assessment, communication and student government Jennifer Reid, vice president for student affairs Xavier Cole, assistant vice president for engagement Stacy Mitz, vice president for planning and strategy Lora Strigens, and executive director of housing and residence life Mary Janz.

Gillespie said the board has not received a response.

Lawlor said that renaming The

Commons is a project is so great in scope, it is important to take time to thoughtfully consider.

“Senior leadership has recorded MUSG’s suggestion to name The Commons complex after a notable alumnus, and we will keep that in mind as we consider renaming opportunities in the future,” Lawlor said.

The board presented the recommendation to the student senate during its weekly meeting Monday.

The senate reviewed the recommendation, debated, made amendments and voted on it in the same night.

Del Campo said that time was of the essence in this decision, so students have time to adjust to the new name and stop calling it “Wild.”

“People will forget that it’s The Commons and not Wild because it’s already so ingrained,” Del Campo said. “Having it named after another person would get people to call it something else other than Wild.”

By submitting the recommendation now, Gillespie said MUSG hopes to show that it recognizes and respects this process.

“It’s about being sensitive to the process afterwards if they do accept the recommendation but also showing the student body that this is something that’s been on our minds and something we care about,” Gillespie said.

Gillespie said MUSG will

go through the extra effort to make sure something happens as soon as possible.

“We’re just hoping to pick up the conversation with whomever it is most relevant,” Brophy said.

“We’re not completely sure yet who is going to pick this up, but our hope is that along the way somebody will figure it out and get in contact with us, and we’ll figure it out from there.”

The members of the board said they hope this recommendation will benefit both the students and the university as a whole.

“Having students put their own inputs into who gets this building named after them is important,” Del Campo said. “Students are definitely the ones who make Marquette, and for them to feel that they were a part of this process would be really good for them and good for Marquette, too.”

Brophy said he hopes the university sees this as an opportunity to dig deep into a vast network of alumni and find someone who truly deserves to have a building named after them “not just because they donated to the university, but because they came from the university and donated something to their greater community, whether that be in Milwaukee or elsewhere.”

Continued from page 1

Jesus. This devotion is prominent in the ‘Spiritual Exercises’ of St. Ignatius which provides the bases for the Jesuit tradition at Marquette,” Zagone said in an email. He said the grotto provides a specific space for this devotional prayer.

The Marian grotto is part of a campus-wide mission to create more sacred spaces on campus and increase Marquette’s Jesuit identity, Strigens said.

“I think just the mere presence of having a visual representation of Mary reminds you throughout the day as you walk by it that she

is a very big part of our faith and culture here at Marquette,” Cecilia Dietzler, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences who often attends daily Mass, said.

Strigens said she hopes the Marian grotto can be a place for people of all religions to relax and reflect during a busy day.

“Everyone’s got so much going on, and to have a quiet place for reflection, even if it’s just to take a quick minute and take a breath before you go into a test … is really what we wanted to ... add for our campus community,” Strigens said.

Photo by Andrew Himmelberg andrew.himmelberg@marquette.edu

The new Marian grotto will be located behind the Joan of Arc chapel.

DIRECTOR: Resignation leaves position open Continued from page 1 including exploring their sexuality,” Perdomo said. “We want everyone to know that the center is a resource available for them.”

Perdomo said the center recently started looking at applications for a coordinator and is planning on conducting interviews during which members of the LGBTQ community can question potential candidates and help with the decision-making process.

In terms of leadership, Perdomo said each year brings about new changes and the center is ready to embrace these changes.

Jayla Hill, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she has been a volunteer for the center since her sophomore year.

“I just have a passion for social justice and any spaces that allow for people of underrepresented backgrounds to be more comfortable,” Hill said. “I’m grateful for the graduate and undergraduate assistants in the center who are truly keeping it afloat.”

October is LGBT History Month, during which Perdomo said she is planning on having a showing of the film “KiKi.” It will be shown Oct. 26 in the Weasler Auditorium at 7 p.m.

“It’s a powerful documentary about modern-day ballroom culture and the lives of a group of LGBTQ

“

I just have a passion for social justice and any spaces that allow for people of underrepresented backgrounds to be more comfortable.

I’m grateful for the ... assistants in the center who are truly keeping it afloat.”

JAYLA HILL Senior in the College of Arts & Sciences

Photo by Kate Holstein katherine.holstein@marquette.edu

youth,” Perdomo said. “I think the film will be enjoyable and informative for all students on campus and encourage everyone to come.”

Krystal Chao, a junior in the College of Health Sciences, said she

The center, located in the AMU, raises awareness and visibility for the LGBTQ community on campus.

attended the LGBTQ+ spiritual service last year.

“I found it to be very powerful, so I’m hoping they have more

public events like it in the future,” Chao said.

Perdomo said the center plans on having panel discussions,

community lunches and an open house Oct. 6 to welcome and foster an open community.

News

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

The Marquette Tribune

Commemorating Hurricane Maria Students share memories of Puerto Rican disaster

By Natallie St. Onge

natallie.stonge@marquette.edu

Students gathered outside the Alumni Memorial Union Thursday evening to commemorate the oneyear anniversary of Hurricane Maria.

Flowers surrounded the Puerto Rican flag on the lawn between the AMU and Schroeder Hall. Students stood around the flag and held a moment of silence for the lives lost.

They also shared stories of survivors and prayed.

“We went through that whole struggle of not being able to communicate with our families for the longest time because the island was in complete devastation,” Linamarie Justiniano, a senior in the College of Communication, said.

Cristofer Borghese, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, attended the event.

“We joined together in solidarity to bring us closer,” Borghese said.

The Category 4 hurricane traveled through the island Sept. 20, 2017. Some Puerto Rican students said they were born and raised on the island, and they said their families were still there when the hurricane hit.

Ali De Luca, a junior in the College of Communication, said it’s not just about remembering who died in the hurricane, but also who died because of the hurricane’s effects, such as the widespread power outages.

“Today really showed us how people can come together no matter where you are from and what unites us all,” De Luca said. “Its just being human, and it’s really beautiful to see.”

Fhernam Batiz, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, said the hurricane was a crisis for the people of Puerto Rico.

“Everyone needed money, needed groceries, no credit cards could be used. The ones that didn’t have cash

couldn’t buy anything,” Batiz said.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, more than 166,000 homes need repair or reconstruction after the storm. The site states that after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico had no electricity, no water, no telecommunications and no transportation systems. Additionally, FEMA states Hurricane Maria was the largest and longest federal response to a domestic disaster in the history of the United States. After the storm hit, the website said Puerto Rico’s entire electrical grid failed.

Batiz said the power came back one year later. “Who knows what might happen if another hurricane comes to Puerto Rico,” he said.

done by New England Journal of Medicine reports that more than 5,000 deaths occurred, whereas the site also states the local Puerto Rican government declared the official death toll count as 64.

Justiniano said that after the hurricane, “we (Puerto Rican students) woke up and needed to do something.”

“We wanted to come together as a Puerto Rican community, to be united because that’s what Marquette is all about. It’s about community and love and being there for one another,” Justiniano said.

Puerto Rican students were in school when the storm hit, having limited, if any, communication with

would ring but the call would never go through.

“My heart would just drop every time. I couldn’t get in touch with him until three weeks after,” De Luca said.

Justiniano said it was a hard year but that she was grateful the Marquette community helped him through the whole process.

As for now, students from Puerto Rico have a new motivation behind their studies.

“I am the future for my family,” Batiz said. “(In) Puerto Rico right now ... (the) debt is too big for us to pay. The hole gets bigger if you’re down there. You don’t know how to get up if someone doesn’t help you

After a traffic stop in the 500 block of N. 17th Street at 2:41 a.m., MUPD found one subject to be in possession of cocaine and one subject to be a felon in possession of a firearm. MUPD transported both subjects to the Milwaukee County Criminal Justice Facility.

SEPTEMBER 22 MUPD observed two subjects loitering in the 1800 block of W. St. Paul Avenue at 7:55 a.m. One subject was found to have an active warrant

The Marquette Tribune EDITORIAL Executive Director of Marquette Wire Jennifer Walter Managing Editor of Marquette Tribune Sydney Czyzon NEWS News Editor Clara Janzen Projects Editor Morgan Hughes Assistant Editors Sarah Lipo, Natallie St. Onge Reporters Donna Sarkar, Annie Mattea, Joseph Beaird, Emma Tomsich, Jazmine Arteaga, Alex Garner, Margaret Cahill, Kaitlyn Bross, Alexa Jurado ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Arts & Entertainment Editor Mackane Vogel Assistant Editors Kelli Arseneau, Jenna Thompson Reporters Amanda Parrish, Mikala Hershman, Olivia Homel, Grace Schneider, Emma Dill OPINIONS Opinions Editor Maya Korenich Assistant Editor Brian Boyle Columnists Reilly Harrington, Brendan Attey, Aminah Beg SPORTS Sports Editor John Steppe Assistant Editors Zoe Comerford, Daniel Macias Reporters Shane Hogan, Tyler Peters, Dan Avington, Matt Yeazel COPY Copy Chief Emma Nitschke Copy Editors Emma Brauer, Julia Donofrio, Emily Rouse, Eleanor McCaughey, Haley Hartmann VISUAL CONTENT Design Chief Chelsea Johanning Photo Editor Andrew Himmelberg Opinions Designer Anabelle McDonald Arts & Entertainment Designer Lexi Beaver Sports Designer Katie Delia Photographers Jordan Johnson, Kate Holstein, Ricky Labrada, Elena Fiegen ----

ADVERTISING (414) 288-1739 Sales Manager Adriana Bonilla

Photo by Grace Connatser sarah.connatser@marquette.edu

Students hold a moment of silence for the lives lost in Hurricane Maria, which hit one year ago this month.

Borghese said there is a lot of controversy regarding how many people have died from the hurricane, especially with (President) Donald Trump publicly doubting the numbers.”

“We want to show the pain that Puerto Rico went through isn’t just a number; its all of us still going through it today,” Borghese said.

According to CNN, 2,975 people died in Hurricane Maria. A study

families still living on the island.

“I didn’t have any form of communication with my family for three weeks,” Batiz said. “Tests, assignments — I had all of that at the same time, plus the stress of not being able to talk with my family, not knowing if they were okay, if everybody was okay.”

De Luca said every time she tried calling her dad on the island, it

from the top.”

Justiniano said that as Puerto Rican students, living and creating careers outside of Puerto Rico is part of the goal.

“I personally want to gain all the experience and knowledge here and then when I’m a professional, go back and give back to my people and make Puerto Rico better,” Justiniano said.

MUPD REPORTS SEPTEMBER 23

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and to be in possession of burglarious tools. MUPD transported the subject to the Milwaukee County Criminal Justice Facility.

SEPTEMBER 21 An MU student reported that an unknown subject spit on her in the 1600 block of Wisconsin Avenue at 6:08 a.m.

An MU student failed to yield to an emergency vehicle and was uncooperative with MUPD at the intersection of N. 17th and W. Wells Streets at 11:38 p.m. MUPD cited the student.

THE MARQUETTE TRIBUNE is a wholly owned property of Marquette University, the publisher. THE TRIBUNE serves as a student voice for the university and gives students publishing experience and practice in journalism, advertising, and management and allied disciplines. THE TRIBUNE is written, edited, produced and operated solely by students with the encouragement and advice of the advisor, who is a university employee.

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THE TRIBUNE is normally published Tuesdays, except holidays, during the academic year by Marquette Student Media, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881. Subscription rate: $50 annually.

EVENTS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 20

SEPTEMBER 26

After a traffic stop in the 700 block of N. 17th Street, one subject was found to be in possession of marijuana, and two subjects were found to have open warrants at 12:48 p.m. MUPD cited the subjects.

Fall Career & Internship Fair: Non-Technical Day Alumni Memorial Union 3-7 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 18 An MU student reported their vehicle was struck in the 2000 block of W. Kilbourn Avenue at 6:15 p.m. MUPD located and cited the striking driver who left the scene.

Film: “I Too, Am MU” Weasler Auditorium 7-9 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 27 Digital Scholarship Symposium Raynor Memorial Libraries 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Fall Career & Internship Fair: Technical Day Alumni Memorial Union 3-7 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 28 Habits of the Heart: Simple Practices of Wholehearted Living Schroeder Complex Noon-1 p.m.

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The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Near West Side art festival benefits local artists Pieces auctioned off to raise money for partnership

By Joseph Beaird

joseph.beaird@marquette.edu

The “Crafting Art” event, hosted last Friday by the Near West Side Partners and held at the new Central Standard Distillery headquarters on Clybourn Street, raised money to benefit artists from the Near West Side and the greater Milwaukee community.

Guests came to the event to view art pieces from local artists. Featured artists and prominent members of the Near West Side community were at the event to discuss their involvement as well as the impact of the art initiative.

Tickets to attend the event were $10 at the door, and art was auctioned off to raise money for local artists.

The distillery offered free tastings of its products to guests 21 and over in a lounge area. Lisa Kaye Catering provided food for the event, and there was music courtesy of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and other performances

by Milwaukee collective performance group New Age Narcissism.

Julia Taylor, a volunteer and featured artist for the exhibit, said the event aimed to shed light on the Near West Side.

“We’re looking to help people who don’t know about the Near West Side to come and experience it, to understand how much creativity and fun is involved here,” Taylor said.

Along with festivities, the art exhibit is the beginning of a larger initiative to foster a safe neighborhood, Taylor said.

“We’re hoping that the proceeds help continue to fund arts initiatives on the Near West Side and that it’s not just a one-night event,” Taylor said.

Evan Hughes, co-founder of Central Standard Distillery, said he hopes to help the non-profit Near West Side Partners flourish.

“Since we moved to the neighborhood, we’re trying to do everything we can to help the Near West Side Partners because we think they’re a wonderful organization,” Hughes said.

University President Michael Lovell was in attendance and said a past history of safety issues in the neighborhood led to the formation of the Near West Side Partners, who continue to live out their mission through events like these.

“About four years ago, there were some safety incidents on campus, people having personal property stolen, even Harley-Davidson had a bullet go through one of their conference rooms,” Lovell said.

“I met with the Harley-Davidson

Photo by Jordan Johnson jordan.d.johnson@marquette.edu

A group of people walk around the Central Standard Distillery headquarters on Clybourn Street to benefit artists from the Near West Side.

Photo by Jordan Johnson jordan.d.johnson@marquette.edu

Photo by Jordan Johnson jordan.d.johnson@marquette.edu

Marquette University President Michael Lovell attends “Crafting Art” Arts coordinator Melissa Muller (left) and artist Julia Taylor in hopes of promoting a safer community in the Near West Side. attend the event together, hoping to help the community through art.

Photo by Jordan Johnson jordan.d.johnson@marquette.edu

People gather to chat among themselves about the art displayed throughout the distillery, as well as ways to benefit the Near West Side.

CEO and asked, ‘How can we improve the safety of our neighborhoods and our students?’”

Lovell said the Near West Side Partners are working to improve and grow the neighborhood. “Just last week, we received a $1.3 million agreement from housing and urban development, and it’s an-

other step in helping transform the neighborhood,” he said. “The proposal came out of the university, so we’re really invested in helping the neighborhood grow and get better.”

Rana Altenburg, university vice president of public affairs and president of the Near West Side Partners, said that Advocate Au-

rora Health, Harley-Davidson, MillerCoors, Potawatomi Business Development Corporation – as well as many other partners and stakeholders — are all members of the Near West Side Partners.

Altenburg said the Near West Side Partners and Marquette have had a positive effect on the

surrounding neighborhood.

“With President Mike Lovell’s leadership, Marquette University is helping to create a national model for how anchor institutions can play a transformational role in the economic vitality of a neighborhood,” Altenburg said.

News

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

The Marquette Tribune

Calvary participates in Doors Open Milwaukee Red church on campus encourages more student visits

By Annie Mattea

anne.mattea@marquette.edu

Calvary Church, known by the community as the red church next to Straz Tower, participated in Doors Open Milwaukee Sept. 22, an event that allows people to visit historical Milwaukee landmarks.

The church introduced people to meditating by walking a labyrinth, a maze intended to let people focus their thoughts and emotions with reflection.

“It represents the many twists and turns people take in their Christian journey,” David Peters, a member of the church, said.

People from all around Milwaukee participated in the labyrinth.

“I drive down Wisconsin Avenue every day on the way to work, and the red building is pretty iconic visually, so I

wanted to see what the inside was like,” Alyssa Neff, a Milwaukee resident said. “I like the stained glass windows and the aesthetics are really pleasing visually.”

Calvary Church was built in 1869 by one of the premier architects in Milwaukee, Peters said.

Peters said Calvary Church has gone through two major renovations since opening.

“One was caused by a fire in 1947, which turned out to be arson set by the minister. Another one was in 1998, where we removed the pews and put in a labyrinth and made the sanctuary a very flexible place for concerts and receptions,” Peters said.

Congregation has been continuous, and it has always been a Presbyterian church, Peters said.

Ashanti Cook, an elder of the church, said in 2016 that Calvary participated in a study called Holy Cow, a survey done on congregations all around the country.

“It came back to show that although we are a small congregation, of all the congrega-

tions that were surveyed, we were both the most diverse and a congregation that had one of the higher levels of satisfaction with the way things were at the time,” Cook said.

Out of the 1,400 congregations surveyed, Calvary Church was the one with higher education with younger congregations.

“Our congregation comes from all over the Metro area, from Fox Point to Racine,” Peters said.

Currently, Calvary church is working with St. Anthony’s Project, a project that provides housing for homeless residents to allow them to transition into new housing.

Cook said Calvary has been trying to do outreach to Marquette University students, such as a welcome event for Straz residents and collaboration with Marquette’s liturgical choir.

“We don’t have a lot of Marquette students that come, either for Doors Open or our services, but we wouldn’t mind having more,” Cook said.

“We are working to innovate in

5

Photo by Jordan Johnson jordan.d.johnson@marquette.edu

The church has a labyrinth set on the floor, which invites people to meditate and reflect on their Christian journeys by walking its path.

many ways, so we are useful to the Milwaukee area, as we open our doors for labyrinth, for weddings, in that we have instituted a

yoga night,” Cook said. “We are looking to do a number of new things. Marquette students are welcome here.”

Pita Brothers closes restaurant after three years following struggle to increase clientele, profits Wisconsin Avenue storefront has been empty since May

By Sarah Lipo

sarah.lipo@marquette.edu

Pita Brothers, a former restaurant located at 1614 W. Wisconsin Ave., closed May 25 after losing money each month, former manager Vijay Swearingen said.

Swearingen, who was manager since the store opened in June 2015, said the loss of money eventually became too difficult to sustain.

“We could count on our regular clientele but simply couldn’t garner enough attention from people living and working in that area,” Swearingen said in an email. “It got to a point where we were counting on more and more deliveries off campus just to make ends meet.”

The former restaurant, which began as a food truck, served a mix of Middle Eastern, American and Mediterranean foods to customers. There are no other Pita Brothers locations.

Autumm Hirchert, a sophomore in the College of Communication, said Pita Brothers was the first place she ever ate at on campus. She said she and her parents needed a place to grab food quickly during freshman

move-in day.

“We were all pretty tired and stressed, so we needed something good — fast. I got a falafel wrap.

The only reason I remember that is that I went there several times after that and got the same thing,” Hirchert said.

Swearingen said his favorite part about running Pita Brothers was putting smiles on his regular customers’ faces.

“Initially my brother and I ran the store during the first year, then I took over by myself when he

decided to pursue another career choice,” Swearingen said.

Swearingen said he appreciated the customers who stayed with the business since its food truck days.

“I guess my favorite memories are just a culmination of interactions with our loyal patrons. Some students, some food truck fans, some people working nearby at places like WISN Channel 12 or the BloodCenter,” he said.

Hirchert said she was sad this fall when she saw Pita Brothers was closed.

“I loved Pita Bros. It was on my way home to O’Donnell, and there used to be literally nothing over there,” Hirchert said.

Julia McNeil, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she is a vegetarian, so she enjoyed the meat-free options Pita Brothers provided.

“I liked it because it was close (and) convenient and cheap. I was happy to see Mediterranean food because it’s so hard to find decent vegetarian food on campus,” McNeil said

Marquette Wire stock photo

Pita Brothers started off as a food truck before it moved to its location at 1614 W. Wisconsin Ave.

in a message.

Hirchert said the restaurant did not seem to be the most popular place to eat on campus.

“I don’t remember many people ever being in there when I would order. In all honesty, it wasn’t the best atmosphere inside,” Hirchert said.

Swearington said owning Pita Bros taught him that it takes more than just good food for a business to succeed.

He said he believes Pita Brothers needed a “more comfortable ambiance, which I believe we fell a little short of doing.” He said owning a business definitely kept him on his toes.

McNeil said she wished she tried the restaurant’s breakfast wraps before it closed.

“There’s just an empty hole in the wall where it used to be, and it’s reminding me that I never tried their breakfast wraps because I was always like, ‘Nah, I’ll try it next time,’ but now they are gone,” McNeil said.

Hirchert said Pita Brothers will always hold a special place in her heart.

“Especially the falafel,” she said.

University spokesperson Chris Jenkins did not comment on what will replace the former Pita Brothers location but said students should “stay tuned” for future announcements.

6

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The Marquette Tribune

Retreat invites reflection Students attend fall pilgrimage at Holy Hill Basilica

MU students help to tutor refugees Children come for assistance with homework, English

By Emma Tomsich

emma.tomsich@marquette.edu

Marquette University students participated in a daylong faithbased retreat Saturday at Holy Hill, getting divided into two different retreat groups: Connect for freshmen and the Holy Hill Road Trip for sophomores through graduate students.

The pilgrimage to Holy Hill, in Hubertus, Wisconsin, is one of Wisconsin’s most famous religious sites, was the first of its kind for Marquette students, Sara Knutson, director of retreats for campus ministry, said.

Knutson said she wanted to do another pilgrimage this fall after a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin last December went well.

“Holy Hill is so close and a lot of students have never been there before, so we figured it would be a great opportunity for students,” Knutson said.

The retreat began with time for exploration before Mass and lunch. In the afternoon, participants split into different breakout sessions including nature walks, a church tour and stations of the cross. Then the Road Trip and Connect groups joined together for final activities.

Nick Howard, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, said his favorite part of the Connect retreat was going up to a bell tower and seeing for miles. He said it put his life into perspective.

“Since it wasn’t on campus, it allowed me to take a step back from the first month of classes and get off campus and take stock of how I’ve been doing the first month,” Howard said. “It allowed me to connect with my faith in a way that I hadn’t been doing as much on campus.”

Holy Hill is best known for its stations of the cross, Knutson said. Instead of lining the perimeter of the church, life-size stones are spread for a half mile along a trail that ends at the church.

Knutson said the Holy Hill retreat was important students make their 45-minute pilgrimage to Holy Hill in the fall because of the changing colors and beautiful scenery that the shrine is known for.

“It’s a chance for first-year students to meet someone who has been at Marquette for longer, ask any questions and share their story,” Knutson said about the combination of retreats. “It’s also a chance for the (upperclassmen) students to mentor informally and meet other people of different ages who are both interested and

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

By Clara Janzen

clara.janzen@marquette.edu

Every Thursday night in Cudahy Hall, young students speaking multitudes of languages giggle and talk among themselves waiting for their tutors to arrive.

Marquette University student tutors walk in and head for their students, ready to help them adapt to school subjects in the English language.

These kids are not merely students who practice English as a second language, but are

pants to Marquette’s campus,” Walker said.

Claire Nesbitt, a senior in the College of Health Sciences and the president of SSEAL, said about 30 students come for tutoring each week, and the number is growing.

“Ideally it would be one-onone tutoring, and we need more Marquette students to come help,” Nesbitt said.

Nesbitt said many of the students are refugees, including Rohingya Muslims fleeing from their current persecution in Myanmar and Syrians fleeing from civil war. “(SSEAL tutoring) strengthens Marquette’s relationship with the community,” Nesbitt said.

Photo courtesy of Britney Roman

Students went on nature walks as one of the many retreat activities.

engaged in faith in their lives.”

Campus ministry was already planning for the first-year Connect retreat, which is held annually in Straz Tower. This year, however, they decided to combine Connect with the Holy Hill Road Trip and run them on the same day, Knutson said.

Both the Connect and Holy Hill Road Trip participants met at Chapel of the Holy Family for an

“

Since it wasn’t on campus, it allowed me to take a step back from the first month of classes and get off campus and take stock of how I’ve been doing...”

NICK HOWARD Freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences

opening prayer before departing and splitting off into their individual retreats at the shrine, said Amy Harrigan, Connect retreat student director and junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Connect was comprised of two talks, small group sessions and a round-table question and answer session, Harrigan said. Its purpose was explore students find out more about Marquette and meet new people. Harrigan went on Connect her freshman year and again last year as a leader, and she said it is a great start to the semester “It’s a relaxing day, very low stress and it’s a good way to meet people who have similar interests

as you get plugged into all the different parts of campus,” she said. “It was a really cool experience getting to help these freshmen along after they’ve been at Marquette for a few weeks, and help them to realize that not having everything figured out is okay.”

Erynn Lewis, Holy Hill Road Trip retreat student director and senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been helping with retreats for over a year, and said the retreat have made her reflect on her time at Marquette.

“It’s a stressful time in the semester, so this retreat is good because you can get away for just one day which is low commitment, and take a break from the stress of school, rejuvenate and refresh yourself,” Lewis said. She said the Holy Hill Road Trip retreat is open-ended with a lot of different opportunities for reflection, prayer and community building.

Lewis said she hopes the combined Connect and Holy Hill Road Trip retreats become a tradition for Marquette students.

Laia Aguilar, a junior in the College of Communication, said she went on the Holy Hill retreat because she had questions and concerns she wanted God to answer.

“I definitely got relief from it,” Aguilar said. “I always feel so much pressure taken off my chest after praying on holy grounds.”

Knutson said the retreats at Marquette are really valuable.

“The feel of a Marquette retreat can be different from mandatory retreats,” she said. “People want to be there, and they want to dig in and get everything out of it that they can. It can make it a really powerful experience that would have a hard time replicating anywhere else,” Knutson said.

Photo courtesy of SSEAL

Refugee children from SE Asia get assistance through SSEAL group.

refugees from Southeastern Asia. All of them have spent a portion of their lives in refugee camps before relocating to Milwaukee. The students are working with SEA Literacy, a community organization working to support refugee youth and their families in the city.

Kelly Walker, director of community service for the university, said Marquette partnered with SEA Literacy in a few different ways.

“SEA Literacy was one of our original Marquette Volunteer Corps sites, and teams of volunteers still serve twice a week,” Walker said.

A few years ago, students decided to bring SEA Literacy to campus by forming Students for SEA Literacy so that Marquette students could serve as tutors from a campus location.

“SSEAL provides a convenient way for students to get involved and reflect on their service, all while introducing partici-

“Marquette is great about sending people out into the community, but it needs to be reciprocated (by inviting people on campus.)”

Max Imiliano Neblina, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences and the vice president of SSEAL, said he joined the organization after seeing an email from Marquette Center for Community Service one day.

“I think education is important,” he said. “This is a really good program for refugee students.”

Neblina added that SSEAL helps get the students to the level of their classmates at their schools.

“They’re smart kids, it’s just little things like cultural references that can make things hard for them,” Neblina said.

SSEAL meets every Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Cudahy Hall room 118.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

News

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7

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Arts &

Entertainment

Page 8

Coffee lovers unite through new club Sophomore friends start organization to explore area cafes

By Ariana Madson

ariana.madson@marquette.edu

It never crossed the minds of friends Maddie Johnson, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences, and Laura Russell, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, that a quick conversation in the line at the David A. Straz Brew would lead to this year’s creation of one of the hottest (or coldest, with ice) new clubs on campus: the Coffee Club.

Both founders became coffee lovers at different times in their lives; Johnson started out at a young age, which led to a two-cups-ofcoffee-a-day routine, while Russell started drinking coffee later in high school when she became a barista at her local Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee joint. Nonetheless, their friendship and mutual love for coffee made the start of the club inevitable.

The pair met in the summer of 2017 during their first official stay on campus for SPARK , the twoday introduction to campus event for incoming freshmen to learn about

Marquette and register for classes.

Last semester, they ran into each other in the line at the Straz Brew when Russell mentioned that she would love to start a coffee club on campus. Johnson eagerly agreed, and they decided to act on it.

“We texted each other later that day saying we should actually do this. ... We just took it and ran,” Russell said.

Once they decided to create their own club, the long process of putting it in motion came into play. Starting any official club on campus requires certain steps to be completed.

“When we decided we wanted to do it, it took about two plus months,” Johnson said.

Russell explained the process.

“We had to get signatures first to make sure people were interested, turn that form in, and from there we met with the advisers and that’s when we had to start drafting a constitution with rules,” Russell said.

Once they drafted the constitution, they had to go through a pseudointerview process to make sure that their vision for the club aligned with Marquette’s values. Once they finalized everything, they had a meeting with the Office of Student Development and the Center for Leadership, Service and Involvement to officially approve

Photo by Elena Fiegen elena.fiegen@marquette.edu

Sophomores Maddie Johnson and Laura Russell got their idea for the new Coffee Club while in line at the Brew.

their club.

The first meeting was September 5th at AMU 254. About 40 people showed up, and they have about 140 people on their email list, Johnson and Russell said.

One of the members, Lauren Buday, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she is excited about being part of a new, unique campus club.

“This club is really fun because you get to go to the coffee shops and talk to the people who work there and get background,” Buday said.

“I’m excited for the tours that are set up at different locations and then the people who work there are able to take us behind the scenes, show us how everything is done.”

Besides being excited for the actual club activities, Buday expressed her excitement for the club bringing

together people — no matter their grades or majors — through a shared love for coffee.

The club’s next event is a study night at Colectivo Coffee on Wednesday, October 10th, where members will be able to study together while enjoying cups of coffee. On November 10th, the group has a Stone Creek Factory Tour planned.

Social media helps couples stay connected Technology serves as tool for students dating long distance

By Emma Dill

emma.dill@marquette.edu

The days of receiving letters and postcards from high school sweethearts and friends have been replaced by a daily stream of texts, pictures and videos detailing everyone’s new college lives. Out of the nearly 14 million longdistance relationships taking place across the country, a 2015 survey of the United States conducted by the Center of Long Distance Relationships found that 455,000 are between college students, who have found it easier to maintain cross-country contact since the advent of social media.

Scott D’Urso, associate professor and chair of communication

studies, said the constant access to nearly every aspect of life that social media provides has made it easier for long-distance couples to communicate with one another.

D’Urso explained that while texting, calling and FaceTime help couples communicate, social media allows them to virtually experience events in each other’s lives.

“Social media adds an aspect to (communication) where it allows a couple to, in some ways, experience events that they are both doing but separately,” D’Urso said. “All these different things allow someone you are involved with into your life on a more personal level through imagery, quick posts or Snapchat.”

For many couples transitioning from high school to college, a discussion about whether or not to break up occurs. For Julissa Ott, a freshman in the College of Health Sciences, and her boyfriend Jason Rivera, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, their conversation

initially resulted in a break-up.

Rivera and Ott attended the same high school, but Rivera graduated a year before Ott. The breakup occurred when he went off to college.

“We broke up because we didn’t know how it would be long distance,” Rivera said. “We were broken up for two or three weeks and then we were like, ‘Yeah we can do this.’ … It was really the fact that I could see her all the time (over social media). It’s so much better than just calling. It’s more personal. It was definitely worth it.”

D’Urso said face-to-face contact in person is key to keeping a relationship together. D’Urso said it depends on the people in the relationship and how much time each person is able to go without being together in person.

“Face-to-face is like a battery recharge in a relationship. And the more frequently you can do it, the stronger the relationship will be,” D’Urso said. “But if it’s an

older and more stable relationship, it becomes a bonus to be able to see (each other). It’s nice to reconnect visually in a much more sensory-rich way.”

Carolyn Toshach, freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, said social media, texting and calling simply were not enough to keep her two-year relationship together when she started college. Toshach said she found herself struggling to make new friends while also talking to her boyfriend every day.

“It was difficult when we got to college,” Toshach said. “If I had been more patient it might have worked out. If social media wasn’t there we wouldn’t have even tried.

Ultimately, it was the distance. We used social media, and it was not even close to enough.”

Just as Toshach realized, Erik Torning, a freshman in the College of Business Administration, said effort is required in maintaining his long distance relationship with his girlfriend in Houston. Torning

said he Snapchats his girlfriend an average of eight hours a day and FaceTimes her four to five times a week. Torning said the idea of trying to maintain his relationship over such a distance without social media is a fantasy.

“I don’t know how people did it before social media,” Torning said. “It’s just way too hard. Now we have phones and we can text and see each other’s faces. It’s comforting to know she’s out there, thinking about me. There’s not that uncertainty.”

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

The Marquette Tribune

9

Tattoo Arts Convention returns to Milwaukee Local, nationwide artists debunk myths about getting inked

By Grace Schneider

grace.schneider@marquette.edu

The Wisconsin Center hosted its ninth annual Tattoo Arts Convention this weekend, organized by Villain Arts, featuring artists from the Milwaukee area and around the country.

Kyle Dunbar, a tattoo artist featured on seasons three and four of reality television series “Ink Master,” has come to the convention every year since it started.

“Milwaukee people are tattoo people,” Dunbar said.

He said he has done a wide variety of unusual tattoos - but the convention is about more than just tattoos.

Marquette student Karmen Rosiles, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, attended the convention and received her first piercing.

“I ended up getting peer pressured to get a belly button piercing. I can’t commit to getting a tattoo,” Rosiles said.

The convention also attracted some out of state artists.

Jove Garza of Outlaw Ink Custom Tattoos in Hillsdale, Michigan, has been tattooing for 15 years and was drawn to the Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Convention after hearing of it when he visited Chicago. He said he is passionate about tattooing and finds gratification in all of the pieces he does.

“I can make money doing anything — flipping burgers, working in a factory — but (with tattooing) I’m actually producing something that matters,” he said.

Garza had a difficult time thinking of favorite pieces he has done.

“It’s kind of like picking between my children, honestly,” he said. “It’s very hard to say what’s my favorite, even what my favorite style is, but I try to keep it very versatile. I like black and gray realism.”

The convention also attracted locals. This weekend was tattoo artist Madison McLain second Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Convention.

McLain was born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin, and has been tattooing for nearly five years.

“There’s a lot of awesome things about tattooing,” McLain said. “I think the people that I tattoo is an awesome part of my job. Getting to do art everyday is awesome.”

McLain said tattooing is a lot of work, but always becomes worth it in the end.

Like Garza, McLain said she couldn’t pinpoint a favorite tattoo she has created.

“Almost every day I have a new favorite tattoo,” McLain said.

Some people are cautious about getting a tattoo due to the possibility of later regretting the decision, especially as they age. But many artists expressed a common view regarding tattoos: If they’re done right, there should be no regrets.

“They’re always like, ‘Oh, how are you going to feel about that when you turn 80?’ I don’t think it really matters at that point. If you’re comfortable in your skin and you actually choose to ink correctly, then I don’t think you should be upset,” Garza said.

To avoid regret, Garza’s advice is to always “think before you ink.”

McLain acknowledged the possibility of dissatisfaction with body ink, but said she believes that focusing on the present is more important than worrying about future regret.

“I think that people that have tattoos probably want to live more in the moment,” she said. “They

want to regret doing things rather than not doing things.”

McLain said she is more interested in the stories she will be able to tell later in life.

“When you’re old, you’re all saggy and wrinkly and ugly and the only thing you care about is the cool things you did in life and the stories you get to tell about it, so why not be a tattooed, modified bada-- when you’re 80?” McLain said.

Another hesitation that some people have is about having tattoos that may negatively affect their careers. However, Garza said that he does not believe in that critisism.

“I tattooed the mayor in my own city. I’ve tattooed many law enforcement (officers), doctors, my fiance is a registered nurse ... and she’s covered,” he said. “Having tattoos does not make you unprofessional.”

Rosiles said she feels that it is often much easier for men to fit in the workplace with tattoos than it is for women due to men’s ability to easily hide their ink.

“Men can wear long sleeves all year,” she said.

She said women in the professional world are usually expected to dress according to

Photo by Ricky Labrada ricardo.labrada@marquette.edu

Garza came from Michigan for the ninth annual Tattoo Arts Convention.

the weather, inhibiting them from being able to conceal tattoos that could be covered with sleeves.

McLain has also had personal experiences to reinforce her beliefs that tattoos do not affect careers.

“Before I was a tattoo artist I got hired and promoted into positions that I wasn’t supposed to be in because I had tattoos and I worked really hard and I achieved that despite the way that I look, so that is a really big misconception,” she said.

Dunbar said he believes that by wearing art on their body, people will consequently be able to express themselves.

“If you wear your passions on your sleeves ... those positive parts of those passions will come and seek you out,” he said.

wire Web Extra

Photo by Ricky Labrada ricardo.labrada@marquette.edu

Several artists at the Tattoo Arts Convention expressed how hard it is to choose a favorite tattoo they have given to others or received themselves.

The Marquette Tribune

Opinions

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

PAGE 10

Editorial Board Maya Korenich, Opinions Editor Brian Boyle, Assistant Opinions Editor Jennifer Walter, Executive Director Sydney Czyzon, Managing Editor Marquette Tribune Morgan Hughes, Projects Editor, Aly Prouty, Managing Editor Marquette Journal Clara Janzen, News Executive Emma Nitschke, Copy Chief

Mackane Vogel, A&E Executive John Steppe, Sports Executive Gabby Powell, Station Manager MURadio

Tara Schumal, Station Manager MUTV Andrew Himmelberg, Photo Editor Chelsea Johanning, Design Chief

STAFF EDITORIAL

University must prioritize search for Title IX coordinator

Christine Harris Taylor, who worked as Marquette’s Title IX coordinator since May 2015, resigned late July. The previous deputy Title IX coordinator, Cara Brook Hardin, took over as interim coordinator Aug. 1 while the office searches for someone to permanently fill the position.

Nearly two months have passed, and Marquette has failed to hire a new Title IX coordinator, demonstrating a clear lack of urgency. In doing so, the university is neglecting its duties as a Title IX institution.

The interim coordinator, Hardin, lives in Iowa and is only on campus a couple times a month. She said she has an open door policy despite the distance, and students can communicate with her via video whenever necessary. Even with this open door policy, the office is down a staff member on a daily basis, which certainly causes stress and an excess of work for the other employees, making it harder to meet the needs of

students. As much as the four current employees might try to compensate for the lost member, it is impossible to fulfill the human connection and expertise provided by a fifth staff member in the office. The fifth employee would bring certain expertise

“

Students deserve a coordinator who remains on campus on a permanent basis.” other employees may not have.

William Welburn, the chair of the search committee, said the committee is waiting to acquire a sufficient pool of candidates before starting interviews, but did not specify what a

sufficient pool would consist of.

Student involvement could be a key component in this process, though has thus far has not been planned. Marquette could hold student listening sessions, create a student committee or gather more student opinion in general. The Title IX coordinator is a public figure who helps protect students and faculty from sex-based discrimination, such as sexual harassment or misconduct, by enforcing university Title IX policies. It only makes sense to have students involved in selecting someone they feel most comfortable with. If certain candidates wish to remain confidential during the hiring process, student input can be gathered to formulate a candidate profile that the search committee can refer to during candidate evaluations.

The ideal time to hire for the permanent head position would have been over the summer when the majority of students was not on campus.

Photo by Jordan Johnson jordan.d.johnson@marquette.edu

William Welburn discusses the search process for a new Title IX coordiantor.

The issues brought to the Title IX coordinator are, no doubt, very personal and often times leaves lasting effects on students. Students deserve a coordinator who remains on campus on a permanent basis. Lack of longterm coordinator availability may discourage students from divulging important and sensitive personal information and can create an unsafe campus environment.

Marquette has shown a pattern of neglect in its Title IX responsibilities in the past. This prolonged search is only further proof the university is not making this resource a priority.

In 2017, an anonymous student referred to as “Jane Doe” expressed concern over how Marquette handled her sexual assault case. In her lawsuit, Doe claimed the university discouraged her from reporting the alleged assault to the police. The university

denied these claims.

Marquette should have a sense of urgency with providing this resource to students, but this case specifically shows that a fully-functioning Title IX office is a resource we must have in place to prevent further incidents from being mishandled or underreported.

Marquette must make finding a permanent Title IX coordinator a priority. Students have a right to this resource. Students need to feel safe as a part of this community, and if something traumatic happens to them, they must feel like they have an individual they can work with long-term on potential investigations and conduct reviews. The current situation does not provide students the comfort of forming a sustainable relationship with the Title IX coordinator.

Lack of socially conscious companies poses problems Aminah Beg To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” slogan, Nike launched a brand new advertisement campaign at the start of the football season. Colin Kaepernick became the face of the new athletic apparel brand’s advertisement with the tagline “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

Although some consumers’ outrage reached the point of burning merchandise, the company actually profited from the surge of online sales, according to CNBC. It is momentous to know that a company as well-known and popular as Nike chose to stand behind Kaepernick and support his protest even if it might just be a profitdriven decision. Movements such as

Kaepernick’s anthem protests and Black Lives Matter need more widespread acceptance to make greater progress.

Although Nike took such a profound stance for this important social issue, it is disappointing that it is almost impossible to find prevalent companies such as this one being 100 percent ethical.

Nike has confessed to the company’s use of sweat shops and child labor to make their apparel.

Three years ago, Nike chairman Phil Knight promised the world that conditions at the company’s global factories would improve. In May of this year, Global Exchange, a labor rights organization, released a report that detailed how Nike failed to improve the conditions of its workers from other countries — or even try.

“Nike has continued to treat the sweatshop issue as a public relations inconvenience rather than as a

serious human rights matter,” Leila Salazar, director for Global Exchange, said.

The report outlined employees’ continued work in high-pressure environments for long hours while being harassed and violently intimidated. On top of that, the employees do not get paid nearly enough to even afford basic needs.

Starbucks is another widely popularized, global company that has taken social stances in the past. A week before the 2016 presidential election, Starbucks released a “unity cup” which some took to be a political stance against the divisive remarks of then-candidate Donald Trump. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said the cup was created for “a divisive time in our country” because the company “wanted to create a symbol of unity as a reminder of our shared values and the need to be good to each other.”

Even though Starbucks took the right stance during a difficult time, the company has not always made the most socially responsible decisions. After two black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks this past April, the company decided to complete a mandatory anti-bias training to change the attitude of the employees.

The controversy only got worse when Starbucks brought the Anti-Defamation League aboard to help with the training. The ADL has been known for its rhetoric against African-Americans and other brown people. The ADL also supports Israel despite the country’s oppressive and violent colonization of Palestine.

Due the ADL’s historical refusals to acknowledge the problems of people of color and the LGBTQ community, it showcases that Starbucks is not truly concerned about

fixing the problem of racial bias and continues to be tone deaf. Starbucks must take responsibility for its actions and create real solutions rather than getting the aid of discriminatory groups to help resolve a discrimination issue.

Widely-known companies such as Starbucks and Nike believe that they must do what is necessary to stay relevant and beat out other competitors. At the same time, there must be a limit to prevent these brands from making socially irresponsible and harmful decisions. The actions that some companies take violate labor laws and people’s basic human rights, and as a consumer, it is difficult to put my full-fledged support behind them.

Aminah Beg is a sophomore studying public relations and cognitive sciences. She can be reached at aminah.beg@marquette.edu

Opinions

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Apolitical America not possible Reilly Harrington As debate and controversy swirl around the appointment of a new Supreme Court justice, an interesting alternative conversation has reared its head once again: Are Supreme Court nominations “apolitical?”

The Supreme Court is an institution designed to shape and uphold the laws of this country, filled with the finest legal minds this country can provide. The power and influence that the Supreme Court has over American law is immense and long-lasting. To contend that this, or frankly any aspect of American life, can be “apolitical” is to speak from a place of either blind privilege or outright ignorance.

The concept of political action in this country has devolved into petty tribalism and electoralism.

For those in positions of racial, sexual or financial privilege, the American political process has become an abstract game. Candidates and political parties occupy a similar public role as athletes and sports organizations. By picking and choosing which policies we wish to see enacted as arbitrarily as a March Madness bracket, we are diminishing our own agency as political actors.

We see our party win or lose elections or votes on bills and spectate as if they exist in a plane removed from ours. The outcomes of elections and votes have varying concrete and abstract effects on Americans and the world at large, yet many Americans simply view the issues as red or blue wins and losses.

When the abstract concept privileged Americans have roped

off as “politics” manifests itself in non-traditional forums such as sports or the entertainment industry, controversy is sure to follow.

Whether in art or sports, celebrities often use their platforms to further political agendas. Arguing that politics has no place in professional sports or the arts is a fool’s errand. “Politics” is all-encompassing and infused into every single aspect of American life.

An ad campaign featuring a former NFL quarterback can have as much, if not more, political impact on the public as a press release from the White House. Pop radio is filled with lyrics about women’s rights and police brutality. Even the sitcoms we choose to watch have been roped into political dogfighting between the two major parties.

From the media we consume to the people we choose to socialize with, our lives are shaped by political divisions and commonalities.

As lovely as it would be to have a Supreme Court comprised of nonpartisan, yet morally driven justices focused on doing what is unequivocally right, that is simply a fantasy.

Every American, conscious of it or not, is motivated by his or her own internal political compass. This principle extends to Supreme Court justices who are appointed by partisan presidents and backed by political organizations with explicitly partisan platforms.

Stances on controversial issues are shaped by everything from higher powers to cable television. As voters and participants in the democratic process, it is the responsibility of Americans to be informed of the issues that their nation faces.

Not every citizen can become a policy expert overnight. However, as midterms approach during one of the most volatile times in American history, a rudimentary

understanding of the issues should be present. Shrugging off issues that are alien to one’s experience as someone else’s problem is disrespectful not only to those struggling with said issues, but to the individual as well. Not only do the problems of others not directly affect those with privilege, the privileged can not be bothered to empathize with the affected.

A person describing oneself as being “not into politics” is speaking from an explicit, if unspoken, position of privilege, particularly in this political climate. As families are detained in inhumane prisons and women’s rights are in jeopardy, considering oneself to be “apolitical” feels reminiscent of an ostrich burying its head in the sand to avoid danger.

The ongoing notion that anything or anyone in this country – even something as influential as a nomination to the Supreme Court – can and should be “apolitical” is foolish. When someone is selected by a partisan branch of the government and confirmed by yet another partisan branch for the purpose of exercising partisan influence over policy and law for life, the position is inherently political.

There will be uncomfortable conversations. Relationships will undoubtedly become strained.

However, our abilities to express ourselves as political beings and shape the future of the nation is one of our greatest gifts as Americans.

Trying to avoid “politics” as some kind of societal boogeyman for the sake of comfort only serves to harm those most affected by policy decisions. Everything is political in some regard or another, and that’s not going to change any time soon.

Reilly Harrington is a senior studying digital media and peace studies. He can be reached at reilly.harrington@marquette.edu

Photo courtesy of Wikicommons

Conservative leaders’ embrace of SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh highlights partisanship in America.

The Marquette Tribune

11

Standardized tests highlight inherent bias Matthew Harte The University of Chicago recently became the most selective university in the nation to remove the requirement to submit an ACT or SAT score during the undergraduate application process. Marquette should consider instituting a similar test-optional policy, as this measure can be beneficial for students from low-income and underrepresented communities.

The number of universities with test-optional policies has grown consistently since 2005, with over 200 schools now participating.

Marquette currently requires an ACT or SAT test score when submitting an application, along with a high school transcript and counselor recommendation.

Implementing a test-optional policy would be beneficial to Marquette’s diversity initiatives, a major focus of the current university administration. Institutions that have gone test-optional have increased the number of black and Latino students applying and being admitted to their programs, according to a study by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Students from these demographics are more likely to be economically disadvantaged, which plays a major role in testing success. ACT scores are correlated with income, as can be seen when reviewing the results from a 2016 ACT exam. Students who reported a family income of $80,000 or higher had an ACT composite score of 23.6 compared to a composite score 0f 19.5 from students who reported a family income of less than $80,000.

This disparity is partly tied to the high cost of test preparation services and tutors. A columnist for Vox stated that he makes up to $1000 an hour as an SAT tutor. Common tutoring companies like Princeton Review offer classes that start at $167 per hour of private SAT or ACT tutoring.

The tests are not always reflective of a student’s potential abilities in college, as they are meant to be taken in a fast-paced, focused environment. While quick test taking is beneficial for exam-intensive college majors, many liberal arts degrees are centered on essay writing abilities and projects. In these situations, students often have several weeks to formulate their assignments.

Instead of test scores, universities should put more focus on students’ grade point average and class

“

rank. The difficulty of achieving high grades varies between high schools, but grades generally showcase a student’s discipline and ability to work with classmates and teachers. Four years of academic success should not be undermined by a three-hour test.

If Marquette considers removing the test requirement from applications, there will likely be fears of a decline in the quality of accepted students. However, the university can point to the success of students at test-optional schools like George Washington University and Wake Forest University as proof that not submitting a test does not limit academic success. George Washington University found that admitted students who did not submit scores had roughly the same first-year GPA as students who submitted scores, while Wake Forest University found that graduation rates are identical between the two groups.

For the policy to be successful at recruiting disadvantaged students, there would likely need to be an accompanying increase in funds for financial aid. When University of Chicago went test-optional, they announced full-tuition scholarships for students whose families earn less than $125,000 per year, along with a variety of other new scholarship options.

Marquette should consider making ACT and SAT scores optional, as this policy would indicate a continued commitment toward increasing diversity. It would also show that Marquette understands the ways in which test scores can be flawed measures at predicting academic success.

The tests are not always reflective of a student’s potential abilities in college, as they are meant to be taken in a fast-paced, focused environment.”

Matthew Harte is a junior studying political science and economics.

He can be reached at matthew.harte@marquette.edu

Statement of Opinion Policy

The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board.

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COMMUNICATION NOT PROBLEMATIC FOR MEN’S SOCCER DESPITE INTERNATIONAL ROSTER SPORTS, 14

Sports The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, September 25, 2018 PAGE 12

Claire Mosher makes early difference

Photo by Andrew Himmelberg andrew.himmelberg@marquette.edu

Freshman setter Claire Mosher goes up for a serve against the Syracuse Orange. She was one of four Marquette players to come off the bench. Marquette won in straight sets.

Freshman setter fills in for injuries, distinguishes herself

By Dan Avington

daniel.avington@marquette.edu

The moment Claire Mosher stepped onto Wisconsin Avenue, she knew it was where she belonged. “(Just by) coming on my first visit here and coming to campus, it just really felt like home,” Mosher said.

Now in her first month donning the blue and gold, the freshman setter has already made a large impact for the Golden Eagles.

Mosher made her first career starts last Saturday during the team’s doubleheader against Tulsa and Illinois State. She was a crucial piece for Marquette in its consecutive sweeps.

“It was kind of scary,” Mosher

said about having her name announced as a starter. “I’m number one, so I was the first one to be announced, and I remember saying to everyone, ‘I don’t know what to do, like, I’m the first one, what do I do?’”

But Mosher quickly settled into her spot, finishing with a team-high 29 assists against the Golden Hurricane.

“It’s always tough coming in as a freshman setter because the other two setters went the whole offseason with all the returning hitters,” volleyball head coach Ryan Theis said. “So to step into that and learn how to set seven new people versus the other setters, who just have to learn how to set one new person ... I think that’s pretty relevant and challenging.”

Later on, against Illinois State, Mosher came to the service line in the second set with her team down at set point. Lots of players would

have crumbled under the pressure, but Mosher is used to it, having won back-to-back state championships in high school and setting her school’s record in assists, aces and blocks.

“It’s always hard when a team is at set point, and you have to go back and serve,” Mosher said. “I could either wimp it out and just keep it in and they can get a big kill on us, or I could serve aggressively and potentially get an ace and that’s what happened, so I was super happy about that.”

Due to Mosher’s smart serving and setting, the Golden Eagles fought their way back to win the second set and later swept the Redbirds.

The younger of the Mosher sisters finished the day with a combined 34 assists and three service aces, along with the satisfaction of having started her first two collegiate volleyball matches.

“It was fun to see her smile,”

Theis said. “She was out there playing and smiling and having fun, and, in practice, she takes things pretty seriously. So it was nice to see her relax and have some fun in the match.”

In high school, Mosher rotated between setter, outside hitter and right side hitter, so she needed to adjust to her role on the Marquette squad.

“I think that my setting when I came in wasn’t super strong,” Mosher said. “But I definitely got more consistent with my sets, and I’m more confident in that.”

Fellow setters Lauren Speckman and Sarah Rose helped her acclimate to Division I volleyball, accelerating her progression at Marquette.

“They taught me to just trust my instincts,” Mosher said. “The coaches say a lot of things, and it’s a lot to take in, and (Speckman and Rose) have taught me to

be confident in how you’re setting.”

While Speckman’s status remains undetermined for the next few weeks, Mosher’s role is bound to increase. To her teammates and coaches, it seems that she’s well prepared for it.

“Claire has a good touch on the ball and a good spatial awareness,” Theis said. “She’s a little sneaky athletic, and she makes some really smart volleyball plays (and) some really good decisions.”

Mosher said she isn’t phased in any way by playing a big role as the newest player on the court.

“Being a freshman, there is so much pressure because people target you because you’re new and vulnerable,” Mosher said.

“Just being able to do my job and that the stats show that I did is just really rewarding.”

Sports

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

The Marquette Tribune

13

Sprecher looks to return to 2017 form after injury Sophomore attacker uses experience from youth national teams

By John Steppe

john.steppe@marquette.edu

A week after the 2017 season ended, women’s soccer head coach Markus Roeders needed to talk to then-freshman Kylie Sprecher.

“At first I thought I was in trouble,” Sprecher said. “But I couldn’t think of what I could be in trouble for.”

Sprecher wasn’t in trouble, though — she was about to hear about the opportunity of a lifetime.

Roeders took her on a drive to tell her she was in consideration for the United States U20 Women’s Youth National Team training camp, which brought in 26 of the best players in the country.

Assistant coach Nick Vorberg hurried to find Sprecher’s offensive and defensive highlights from her freshman season. The U20 head coach said she liked the video and thought Sprecher had a pretty good chance of making the team, but it wasn’t a guarantee.

Sitting in her English 1001 course, Sprecher received an email from the Women’s Youth National Team coordinator.

“I remember sitting there and it popped up on my laptop, and I freaked out,” Sprecher said.

“We weren’t supposed to have our phones out or anything, but I remember just pulling my phone out and smiling. Everyone sitting near me was like, ‘What are you doing? She’s so weird.’”

But she didn’t mind the weird looks. Her first text message went to Roeders. The second went to her mother, who played soccer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

However, Sprecher did not have much time to dwell on the appearance. The camp started in Sunrise, Florida, exactly three weeks after Marquette’s loss to Georgetown in the BIG EAST Tournament last October.

Once she got there, she was greeted with a grueling routine for the next week. She had meetings with coaches every morning and night. Coaches forced constant evaluation, asking players to answer questions about recent performances and upcoming goals. “‘What did you think you did well? What are your weaknesses?

What you want to work on and learn during this camp?’” Sprecher said. “They would sit down and go through your touches on the ball and what you did.”

Every practice and scrimmage was filmed, allowing for countless hours of watching footage.

“Prior to those camps, I never really had to watch myself,” Sprecher said. “It’s a whole

different angle.”

It also meant she had to watch and be accountable for every mistake she made.

“There are no excuses,” Sprecher said. “It’s right there in front of you.”

Practices at the camp never lasted longer than 75 minutes, so each touch during those minutes had more importance than a typical Marquette practice.

“Every practice, they had it written down to the tee on the time,” Sprecher said. “They had expectations for you, and once it was done, it was done and you move onto the next thing.”

A thousand miles northwest of Sunrise, Florida, Sprecher now has a different challenge: getting back on track after possibly her worst injury in her soccer career.

The sophomore still vividly remembers how it happened.

When Marquette’s scrimmage with Iowa last March was cancelled because of snow, the team just scrimmaged against each other. She felt toe pain but assumed it was just because she was wearing old cleats.

“I was just running in the scrimmage, and all of a sudden the bottom of my foot underneath my toe started to hurt really, really badly,” Sprecher said. “At first ...

I didn’t think anything of it.”

By the time she returned to the team’s locker room in the Marquette Gym, her foot was significantly swollen. It was clearly more than just an old pair of cleats.

An MRI revealed she had sesamoiditis. She grew up with two separate sesamoid bones in her foot, and there was inflammation and fluid between those pieces of bone. The player who didn’t miss a game as a freshman had to wear a boot for the next 16 weeks.

“Instead of going forward, I was kind of at a standstill,” Sprecher said. “It really humbled me. I really took for granted being able to play like that.”

By early August, she visited Dr. Robert Anderson, who has operated on Derek Jeter, Kyrie Irving, Cam Newton and Kevin Durant. Anderson also conducted Joey Hauser’s ankle surgery last December.

“I’m going to release you, and you can do whatever you’re able to with or without pain,” Anderson told Sprecher. “And if for some reason you can’t make it through the season because there’s so much pain, we’ll think about doing a surgery to remove it.”

She has played through the pain, but the 16 weeks in the boot set her back in fitness. From May to early August, she was on the sidelines instead of using the much-needed time to train for the next season.

“The fitter you are, the less you have to focus on that, and the

Photo by Kate Holstein katherine.holstein@marquette.edu

Sophomore forward Kylie Sprecher pursues the ball in Marquette’s 1-0 loss to Butler Sunday afternoon.

more you can focus on your ball skills,” Sprecher said. “I didn’t touch a ball for 16 weeks, and I didn’t run for 16 weeks, and that doesn’t just come back.”

While her teammates had practice, she was only fit enough to handle a couple minutes of workouts. She played five minutes in the opener against Cal Poly, a college located in San Luis Obispo, California, because that was the most she could physically handle.

“Every time in the preseason I would make one sprint with Kenny, and I’d do fitness and I was dead,” Sprecher said. “I’ve never been set back like this before where my body hasn’t been able to do what my mind wants it to do … It’s hard not to be at 100 percent, and I’m a perfectionist, so I always want to be at my best for the team.”

And she’s gradually realizing her battle with sesamoiditis isn’t going to end overnight.

“I’m not going to wake up one morning and be completely fit and as good (as) I was last season,” Sprecher said. “It’s been an interesting journey.”

The recovery has slowed her offensive production. Through the first 10 matches last year, she had two goals and three assists. This year, she has yet to score a goal or assist on five shot attempts.

Part of the dropoff is due to an inexperienced cast around her.

At the start of last year, thenseniors Darian Powell and Eli Beard and redshirt junior Carrie Madden drew plenty of attention, giving Sprecher more breakaway opportunities.

Powell and Beard have graduated, and Madden has been recovering from injury.

“That’s going to put more concentration on Kylie,” Vorberg said. “Against a Butler, where they always play with a fiveback system, you are constantly

getting doubled.”

Vorberg said he is confident Sprecher will return to the productivity that gave her a spot on the U20 and U19 training camp rosters. It just might take some creativity.

“Kylie is going to get her goals this year,” Vorberg said. “It just might not be as many opportunities as last year.”

With an injury-beleaguered start to the 2018 season and immense competition for training camp spots, there’s no guarantee Sprecher will return to Sunrise, Florida. That hasn’t fazed her, though.

“Whether I get invited back or not, so many people wish for that, and I’ve been dreaming of that since I was a little girl,” Sprecher said. “To be able to say that I even had those opportunities was so amazing to me.”

14

Sports

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Communication does not cause isssues for foreign roster Men’s soccer has record amount of international players

By Tyler Peters

tyler.peters@marquette.edu

The Marquette men’s soccer team finds itself with seven international players on its 28-man roster this season, the highest number of international players they have had in more than 13 years.

The Golden Eagles’ collection of foreign players makes them an extremely diverse team that has a huge impact on and off the field.

“It gives us that little bit of spice.

It gives us diversity, and it gives us perspective,” head coach Louis Bennett said. “It’s a world game ... I don’t think we would have the same feel (as a team) if we didn’t have those (international) guys.”

Coming from overseas, the adjustment period for all of these players is challenging.

“When you grow up in a country, you look more north-south than east-west, so for them, it’s an experience,” Bennett said. “Sometimes they’re homesick, and sometimes they don’t understand the culture.

We try to create a culture that is user-friendly. It’s a soccer culture, it’s a Marquette culture.”

Communication in games is not a challenge for this team.

“No, (communication is) not (an issue) after a few weeks. We tell them to speak Marquette,” Bennett said. “We try not to tell them how to play. We try to give them information so that it helps them play.”

From a player’s perspective, the mentality is the same as Bennett when it comes to communicating with one another. They all speak their own universal language.

“No, (communication) never is (a problem),” German native and senior defenseman Steffen Bohm said. “We all speak the same language, which is soccer. It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from.

Soccer always brings a lot of people

together from all different places.”

Four of the seven international players are underclassmen, and being a senior, Bohm said he assists his younger teammates in learning the game and culture in the United States.

“I don’t force them to come to me. If they don’t need a helping hand, I don’t put them in a situation where they need to ask for it,” Bohm said. “I can give them advice here and there, but at the end of the day, it’s everyone’s own journey.”

Moving from Great Britain to the United States many years ago, Bennett has experience that helps mentor younger players, but the players mostly figure out the transition by themselves.

“America comes with its own price tag,” Bohm said. “Just the fact that the coaches have taken the same step doesn’t make it easier.

It’s our own path.”

When Bennett took his own path, he did not have the benefits of current technology, making the transition a lot more difficult.

“When I came, the only way of communication was once a week by telephone. Could you imagine no internet and no real cell phones?” Bennett said. “I’ve got to be careful because I think that (the current players) have got it easy because they’re a phone call away, and you can use your phone to Skype and stuff similar to that.”

One thing that hasn’t changed

about the transition to the United States is the role education and sports play together. Soccer clubs are not affiliated with universities in Europe.

“The college environment is something I didn’t know (of),” Bohm said. “We didn’t have the combination of education and sports. The opportunity to study and play soccer at a very high level is awesome.”

As well as connecting with one another on the field, the international players all spend time together as a group off the field.

Some of them even live with each other.

Bohm currently lives with Manuel Cukaj and Oliver Posarelli and

he says that he spends lots of his time with both his international and American teammates, creating team chemistry off of the field as well as on it.

Regardless of where the international players originate, Bennett said he believes his players will eventually start to adapt to the American culture.

“All the international players that I’ve had ... I say to them, ‘You’ll think that this is not like life at home, but you’ll stay here long enough and begin to think that this might be better than home,’” Bennett said. “In America, you can do so many things that you may not be able to do in other countries.”

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Senior defenseman Steffen Bohm, a German native, fires the ball against Penn Sept. 7. Marquette’s 1-0 loss was the first of three shutouts this season.

Graphics by Tom Hillmeyer tom.hillmeyer@marquette.edu

Sports

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

The Marquette Tribune

XC relies on youth

Tennis underperforms at MTC

Underclassmen play prominent role in start of 2018 season

No Marquette player goes beyond first day of local tournament

By Matt Yeazel

matthew.yeazel@marquette.edu

The Marquette women’s cross country team has had a lot of early season success from an unlikely source: its underclassmen.

Freshmen and sophomores have earned top finishes in the first two races, and they look for improvement as the season progresses. In the Badger Classic, sophomores Emma Moravec and Emily Foley, and freshmen Kendall Pfrimmer and Lauren Neiheisel, finished in the top seven of the team standings.

“I am feeling really good about the start of the season,” Moravec said.

“We put in a really good team effort at our last meet, and that makes me excited to see what we can do heading into the rest of the season.”

The transition from high school to college has been relatively smooth for Pfrimmer, a Rochester, Minnesota, native.

“So far it’s been a smooth transition, even though I am now running unfamiliar courses against unfamiliar competition,” Pfrimmer said. “The team has really helped (me) through this transition by being so supportive.”

Moravec said having a year under her belt has helped her feel more

ready for the 2018 season.

“I feel a bit more prepared compared to last year because I have raced these meets before and overall have a bit more experience with collegiate cross country,” Moravec said. “Freshman year, I was nervous to race.”

Already being on the team for a year has allowed Pfrimmer to train without worrying about the transition from high school to college.

“There’s a fine line between coming into the season well-trained and over-trained,” Pfrimmer added.

“However, moving into college can also encourage or teach you to improve aspects of your lifestyle such as your nutrition and work ethic.”

With the team in a rebuilding year, there are multiple underclassmen who are likely to impact the team.

“One of the best things about cross country is that every person is able to contribute to the team,” Moravec said. “We all race together, and all of us are pushing each other to be the best that we can be.”

With the changes the Marquette cross country program has seen, there is plenty of opportunity going forward. It’s just a matter of who steps up, and when.

“The MU cross country team has changed a lot since last year since we graduated many of our top runners,” Moravec said. “We, as a team, have many new faces that are stepping up, and I’m very excited to see where this season takes us.”

By Zoe Comerford

isabel.comerford@marquette.edu

With the 43rd annual Milwaukee Tennis Classic final held at the Al McGuire Center Sunday, Marquette men’s tennis had pressure to perform well at the Town Club through the first couple days of the tournament. However, the three Golden Eagles participating did not rise to the occasion.

For the first time in MTC tournament history, the Sunday championship matches were at the Al McGuire Center. The matches include men and women’s singles and doubles as well as mixed doubles and the junior/ adult doubles tournament. Rodecap said the MTC tried to have the final day at the Al McGuire Center last year, but the schedules did not align until this year.

Junior Brett Meyers, sophomore Luis Heredia Gomez and freshman Fran San Andres all competed at the MTC this past weekend in their first opportunities to play this season.

The event’s incentive is simple: The winner receives a wild card into the main draw of the Oracle Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall Championship.

Marquette did not start out with a strong showing Thursday in singles. In the Round of 64, all three Golden Eagles lost. Heredia Gomez lost to No. 5 seed Alexandre Ribeiro from Virginia Tech, San Andres lost to Piotr Smietana from the University of Iowa and Meyers lost to No. 13 seed Sean Hill from Brigham Young University.

“They had not a great opening day,” head coach Steve Rodecap said. “We had really tough draws and (we) lost some close (third set) matches on that first day.”

In doubles, Meyers was paired

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15

with sophomore Paul Barretto from University of California, Berkeley. The duo defeated seniors Marino Alpeza and Josip Krstanovic from the University of Minnesota 7-6 in the first round before losing in the second round.

Marquette had better success in the consolation brackets, as San Andres bounced back to beat sophomore Fletcher Scott from University of Illinois in the back draw.

Meanwhile, Meyers and Heredia Gomez didn’t have the same result as San Andres. Freshman Alex Jochim from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis defeated Meyers.

Heredia Gomez fell to Meyers’ doubles partner Barretto in the consolation first round.

16

Sports

The Marquette Tribune

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Senior Alvaro Verdu competes at Oracle ITA Masters Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year travels to Malibu

By Zoe Comerford

isabel.comerford@marquette.edu

A first occurred this weekend for the Marquette men’s tennis program: 2,096 miles away, senior Alvaro Verdu competed in one of the most respected collegiate tournaments.

Hosted by Pepperdine University and the Malibu Racquet Club, the Oracle ITA Masters tournament that Verdu played in is comprised of a 32-player singles and doubles draws for both men and women.

“It’s very prestigious,” head coach Steve Rodecap said. “It’s one of the biggest fall tournaments that there is in college tennis.”

Every Division I conference is represented, as invitations only go to the top players in the country. The singles champion of this tournament has an automatic berth into the 2018 Oracle ITA National Fall Championships Nov. 7-11 in Surprise, Arizona.

“It’s very selective on who gets in,” Rodecap said. “So if you’re a player of the year in a conference and you’re returning, you get a wild card in.”

Verdu is the first Marquette player to have been selected to play at this tournament after winning BIG EAST Player of the Year.

“It was pretty fascinating that I get to go to one of the main events in the country,” Verdu said. “I was pretty excited ... I clinched the last point for the BIG EAST Tournament, so I was kind of expecting it, but you never actually realize you’re BIG EAST Player of the Year until you get it.”

Leading his team to its first-ever BIG EAST Championship, Verdu finished his junior campaign 11-8 in singles with an overall record of 13-8. He played all but one match with then-sophomore Brett Meyers. Rodecap said he knew

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Alvaro Verdu received BIG EAST Player of the Year honors last season. The junior had a combined singles record of 14-12 in the 2017-’18 season.

there was only one person who could join Verdu in Malibu.

“It was the first time we’ve ever had a player in this event, so I felt like it was important that I brought him,” Rodecap said.

Verdu had a tough draw, playing No. 2 seed Daniel Cukierman from the University of Southern California in the first round. Rodecap said the 24-year-old sophomore is the best player from USC. Cukierman finished as No. 62 in the nation in singles last season and went 16-5 in dual-match singles play.

Cukierman won in straight sets (6-1, 6-1), forcing Verdu to the consolation bracket. In the backdraw, Verdu took on No. 18 seeded Zdenek Derkas from Fresno State and lost again in straight sets.

“He had a lot of chances in the second set, and he just couldn’t get over the hump and do anything when he had little holes or openings in the match,” Rodecap said. “He couldn’t break

through it.”

Despite losing two consecutive matches, this tournament was both a learning experience and an opportunity for Verdu to play matches against the top players in Division I tennis.

“I just wanted to enjoy the moment, embrace it (and) try to do as good as possible,” Verdu said. “I didn’t play as well as I wanted to ... but still, it was a great experience. I got to play against some of the best guys in the country (and) practice with them.”

Rodecap said he knew it would be a challenge, but that the experience only prepares Verdu better for dual-match season.

“It was more a reward for his efforts last year,” Rodecap said.

“There were opportunities here, and we just weren’t able to take advantage of the opportunities, but it was a great event for us to be in and for him to have the experience to come out here and play.”

The competition was fierce

throughout the tournament, as Verdu was ranked 31 out of 32 men.

“The best players in the country are the ones who get the at-large bids,” Rodecap said.

The players who attended the Oracle ITA Masters had a rigorous three-day schedule with up to 12 hours of tennis followed by banquet-style dinners each night.

Wednesday was the ITA Welcome Dinner at Maggiano’s Little Italy, and Friday Rodecap and Verdu attended the “Friday Night Live” party hosted by Oracle at the Malibu Racquet Club.

To cap off the weekend, there were Oracle Networking Brunches with Tracy Austin at The Canyon on Saturday and Sunday morning.

“They do a really good job of the hospitality aspect of it,” Rodecap said. “Pepperdine’s a beautiful school and the facilities are really nice, so it was a good experience and it’s a start for Al (Verdu) ... He’ll play better tennis as the year progresses.”

With some new additions to the roster combined with talented returners, Verdu said this year has an increased emphasis on the team’s doubles game.

“We know we have a great team this year, so we’re trying to push guys to get better in doubles because doubles is pretty important in college tennis,” Verdu said.

“So I’m working on my serve, my returns and my volleys.”

After losing Scott Christian to graduation last year, Verdu’s goal for his final year wearing blue and gold is clear: step into that leadership role.

“We lost a great leader in Scott Christian last year,” Rodecap said. “I know that Al (Verdu) and other guys, too, want to step up and make sure that they’re leading by example and doing the right things and trying to get us back to where we want to be.”