THE Volume 94, Issue 10
Q
UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924
November 1, 2016
www.mcquad.org
MC Students Celebrate Halloween
More photos on page 3 A group of Manhattan College students dress up as moms for Halloween weekend. Kara Curtin/Courtesy
Increased Crime in City Parks Places Van Cortlandt Under Scrutiny Joseph Liggio Staff Writer
Data published by the NYPD indicated a rise in crime rates throughout numerous public parks in the Bronx over the past few weeks. Crotona and Claremont Park, both south of the Fordham section of the borough, currently top the list as having the highest number of reported crimes for the first half of 2016. Van Cortlandt Park is currently on pace to break its numbers from last year, with nine reported crimes throughout 2015, compared to nine more in the first six months of 2016 alone, typically cases of robbery, grand larceny or felony assault. In particular, three park-goers were shot after an argument broke out at a barbeque this past May, an incident that received widespread media coverage and further
highlighted potential risks for visitors. This recent report raises questions concerning the safety of a park heavily trafficked by both Manhattan students and faculty alike. Sisters Caitlin and Brianna Armstrong, both freshmen at Manhattan College and lifelong residents of Riverdale, have made countless trips to Van Cortlandt over the years. They have frequented the park at least once or twice a week on average since arriving on campus as students; both typically walk to Van Cortlandt to run and occasionally to work out or play soccer, yet they still express concern for crime and their own personal safety while they’re in the park. “A lot of [activity] goes down” said Caitlin, who admitted that she has ran in the park alone in the past, despite feeling unsafe while doing so. “I’ve seen and almost stepped on needles that aren’t covered, and I’ll be running on a trail towards the back
[of the park] and there’ll be groups of men just huddled up doing sketchy stuff.” Brianna agreed, adding “I remember hearing about someone who got stabbed in Van Cortlandt Park, and I never feel safe to go alone there, like I always go with someone. One time I was running and it got really dark and it was very sketchy, there’s a lot of groups of people there that I would not assume to be very nice people.” Both plan on avoiding certain trails in favor of more visible, open areas, and frequenting the area at an earlier time of day after hearing of the report. City Councilman Andrew Cohen, who represents New York’s 11th District including Riverdale, was quoted in July as saying that despite some “high-profile crimes” Van Cortlandt remains “overwhelmingly safe,” and that an all-terrain vehicle had recently been purchased for use by the NYPD’s local 50th Police Precinct to step up patrols within the park.
Cohen has also worked as a board member for Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, an organization dedicated to the conservation and improvement of the third largest park in New York City. Christina Taylor, the Executive Director of the group, also maintained that the area is “very safe.” “Unfortunately, crime does happen but I don’t believe that a crime is any more likely to happen within Van Cortlandt Park than it is anywhere else within the city,” said Taylor. “It is important that people remember to follow park rules and stay out of the park when it is closed as the decrease in enforcement and other people around during those times does increase the chance of a crime occurring.”
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The
Opinions & Editorials
Nov. 1, 2016
Quadrangle www.mcquad.org
Vol. 94 Issue 10 Nov. 1, 2016
Ally Hutzler Editor-in-Chief Sean Sonnemann Managing Editor Anthony Capote News Editor Kyleigh Panetta Jack Melanson Asst. News Editors Kieran Rock Features Editor/Managing Editor Tara Marin Asst. Features Editor Lindsey Burns Arts & Entertainment Editor Victoria Hernández Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Daniel Ynfante Sports Editor RikkiLynn Shields Asst. Sports Editor Kristie Killen Social Media Editor Taylor Brethauer Asst. Social Media Editor Vanessa Sanchez Photography Editor Leony Anne McKeown Asst. Photography Editor Kelly Burns Abbi Kirollos Production Editors Daniel Molina Stephen Zubrycky Web Editors Tom Callahan Faculty Adviser
A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The staff of The Quadrangle meets every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. in room 412 of the Student Commons. Contact The Quadrangle at thequad@manhattan.edu The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Patrick Estanbouli/The Quadrangle
Correction: In an Oct. 8, edition of The Quad, the article entitled “Students Propose Forming an Anti-Bias Club on Campus,” the authors incorrectly stated this was the first time the club had been proposed. In fact, the Anti-Bias Club was first proposed by senior Jessica Risolo. It is the policy of The Quad to run corrections and clarifications whenever necessary.
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Bio Club Takes the Quad Meghan Sackman Staff Writer
The Biology Club took over the Quad on Oct. 28 with tables informing student on a range of diseases and ailments, in an attempt to better inform students on the nature of pathogens. Manhattan College biology students set up five different tables, each with its own poster describing a specific disease. These diseases were selected by the group on the basis of their importance in the life of college students. The club set out to inform students with their informational posters that consisted of causes and effects of the specific disease, as well as some less known fun facts about each. The Biology Club set up
the information so that each disease had a quiz with the information from each and students that got the answer correct won a prize. The topics covered on the posters included dental hygiene, diabetes, STDs, Alcohol and smoking, as well as commonly discussed diseases such as Ebola and Zika. “It’s not just for college students, it’s kind of for everyone in general to learn about health concerns that people just don’t know about. You hear about Zika but you don’t understand or have any idea what it is,” Vice President Chris Delabastide said. Club member Alex Constantine discussed another motive for the event: the further enhancement and progression of the Biology Club itself. He explained how the Biology Club is a place for students to meet and hang out.
The Biology Club is a “unifying thing for all these science majors, mostly biology majors, to come together and talk about biology and help each other out tutoring wise.” Constantine said. “We have a presence here other than engineering; that there’s a science presence on the MC campus.” After communal brainstorming of on campus events that could achieve this end recognition the club came up with “Bio Squad on the Quad” about a month ago, in which this poster event was included. The club members pointed out that it is unfortunate but true that these diseases greatly affect kids on college campuses due to their description by Constantine as “one big cesspool of germs”. These posters of facts are the Biology club’s way of preventing these things from becoming issues
for students. Passing on this knowledge is a way of helping others. “I just joined this year but I’m looking to learn a lot more about different aspects of Biology. I want to become a doctor so I’m interested in learning all these diseases…I feel like that will help,” said Angelo Materia, a new member of the club. “The topics we specifically picked pertain definitely to college students…so it’s just something to keep in mind.” Overall, the Biology club accomplished its task of spreading awareness and prevention of diseases that are important for college students to know about as well as make the biology community of Manhattan College more present on campus. “We are trying to be more prominent on campus so look around for more events throughout the year,” Delabastide said.
MC Students Celebrate Halloween
Anthony Hall’s costume was Jimmy Brooks from the show “Degrassi.” Anthony Hall/Courtesy
Buckley and McTigue dress up as our founding fathers for this weekends festivities. Sara Buckley/Courtesy
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News
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Nov. 1, 2016
Also On Campus Jack Melanson Asst. Editor
Latino Fest Latino Fest is the premier celebration of the Latino culture on the Manhattan College campus. The event is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4. and will be held in the Raymond W. Kelly Student Commons building in Rooms 5A, 5B and 5C. A DJ will be present as students will come together to enjoy dinner and dancing in Latino fashion. Student Engagement presents Latino Fest, as historically Fuerza Latina also takes part to bring this event to the students of Manhattan College.
Stephen Zubrycky Editor
Manhattan Caucus is a column in the news section, which will run weekly until Election Day, offering students a voice in the ongoing presidential elections. F.B.I. Director James B. Comey, in a letter to Congress released Friday afternoon, detailed that emails potentially linked to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s private email server were found on the laptop of former Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York, whose computer had been seized as part of an investigation into Weiner’s allegedly lude correspondence with a 15-yearold girl from North Carolina. The F.B.I. is currently searching the emails for potentially mishandled classified information. Weiner is the estranged husband of Huma Abedin, a top advisor to Clinton. “In this election right now, everyone brings up the emails so much as a way to like discredit Hillary and say that she shouldn’t be president,” senior Katelyn Conroy said. “But it’s not a real reason. Emails aren’t a real reason not to be president.” “Look at the Republican nominee. He says careless stuff all of the time,” Conroy said of Donald J. Trump, the opposing nominee. “Donald Trump said things like ‘nasty woman’ and ‘bad hombres,’ like that’s pretty careless.” Senior George Schlink, a self-described liberal, is not going to change his opinion of Clinton until the F.B.I. discloses whether or not Weiner’s laptop contained classified information. “It depends on what that information is. Until I know what it is, there’s no way I can know how it’s going to affect my opinion,” Schlink said. “I don’t particularly trust Hillary Clinton, but I don’t really trust any other politician… especially any other presidential candidate in this election cycle. I’d say I trust Hillary the most out of all of them, but that’s not saying much.” Freshman Jesse Duarte does not trust Clinton all that much either. “I don’t trust her because over the past year, she’s changed her positions on many issues,” freshman Jesse Duarte said. “And I don’t like that, that swaying mentality.” But Duarte, whose top issue is immigration, still prefers Clinton to Trump. Many students on campus are getting involved with campaigns. Students Alannah Boyle and Micaela Bishop have
become involved with the Clinton campaign. Boyle is trying to her best to get as involved as she can, while still balancing her obligations at Manhattan College. “In my very limited free time, I just go on the website and, you can just phone bank from your phone,” Boyle said. “I think this election is obviously very close in a lot of the swing states, and unfortunately being in New York and being a student, I’m not really able to get to many swing states,” Boyle said. Boyle’s phone banking is one way for her to rech voters in crucial states such as Florida, North Carolina and Ohio. Boyle plans to visit Philadelphia this weekend to volunteer for Clinton’s campaign. Pennsylvania is also a critical swing state, and the campaign is busing volunteers from the Bronx to Philadelphia to canvass. Over the summer, Bishop volunteered as an event coordinator for the Clinton campaign. “In August, [Clinton] had a famous fundraising week in the Hamptons, so I did three events out there. One had forty people, including Tim Kaine, and the next had 60 people,” Bishop said. “We just worked from small event to small event. Huge donors. For example, a photo opportunity was $10,000.” Bishop got involved with the Clinton campaign through her work with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s active 2020 re-election campaign. “As we get deeper into the campaign season, there’s a little more crossing of paths [between the two campaigns],” Bishop said. Bishop is a Democrat, and a strong supporter of Clinton. “I’ve been following Hillary since she was the Senator in New York, and then going onto Secretary of State,” Bishop said. “I do think that she is the best for the job,” she added. “Everyone seems to have a very strong opinion in this election, and on Nov. 9, half the country is going to be very, very upset,” Boyle said. “For me, if Hillary were to lose, I want to be able to look in the mirror and say, ‘I did everything within my… everything that I could possibly do to help the outcome of the election.” Junior Ryan Quattromani is active in Republican congressional races, volunteering for Congressman Lee M. Zeldin—who represents New York’s 1st Congressional District, on Long Island—and for Republican candidate H.
Russell Taub, who is running to represent Rhode Island’s 1st district. Quattromani, a Rhode Island native, has been involved in the state’s politics for several years. In 2014, he was the volunteer coalition coordinator for Republican gubernatorial nominee Allan Fung, who was defeated by Democrat Gina Raimondo 41 percent to 36 percent. “Rhode Island’s tough for any Republican. I’ve lived with it,” Quattromani said. Rhode Island has a Democratic Governor, two Democratic Senators and two Democratic Representatives, including David N. Cicilline, Taub’s opponent. “Russ is pretty confident he can win,” Quattromani said. “Some of the polls have us about even. So, between now and Election Day, we have to make the push to get us over Cicilline.” Quattromani is also the events director the New York Federation of College Republicans, the organization which connected him to the Zeldin campaign. Quattromani has campaigned and knocked on doors across the 1st district, including in Southampton, Smithtown, Riverhead and Medford. “I think he’s good for the economy out there, he’s good for small business, he’s getting a lot of federal funding to support the infrastructure out in that area. The roads are absolutely terrible right now,” Quattromani said of Zeldin and his work. Quattromani is confident that Zeldin will defeat his opponent, Democrat Anna Thone-Holst with ease. A Newsday poll released Oct. 8 showed Zeldin leading Thorne-Holst 53 percent to 38 percent in the district. Quattromani believes participation is important, and he is on a committee at Manhattan College to increase political participation, along with sophomore Emilia Dronkert, assistant professor Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., assistant director of student engagement Michael Steele and director of communications Peter McHugh. “You should want your presence to be noted. You should want people to know that they can’t ignore your opinion,” Groarke said of the importance of voting. “I think that casting a ballot marks that you, personally, the people of your age group, the people of the community that you live in, expect to be heard and paid attention to.” Manhattan Caucus will take next week off, but will return one last time on Nov. 15 to discuss the results.
Student Government This past week the Manhattan College Student Government attended the annual Chicago Student Government Training Conference, which promises to give students the tools to improve their Student Government. With that said, another Student Government Assembly Meeting will take place this Wednesday, Nov. 2. at 12 p.m. Assembly meetings are opened to any student that wishes to attend and are a great chance for students to see how Student Government operates and influences the college. The meetings also give students a chance to take part in the action. Anyone sitting in the meeting can raise a concern that they may have in regards to Manhattan College or the surrounding community. The meeting will take place in the Raymond W. Kelly Student Commons Room 4B. Agape Latte! Agape Latte is a newer event on campus that started last year to create conversations about faith and how that connects to real life questions that students may have. Sponsored by Campus Ministry and Social Action, the event provides Fair Trade coffee, live music, food and most importantly, conversation. Campus leaders speak at Agape Latte as they share a part of their life that was enriched by faith. Trivia and a question period often also take part of this monthly occurrence on campus. The event will be held in the newly renovated Japer Hall First Floor Lounge on Nov. 2. at 7 p.m. This is the second Agape Latte of the fall semester. Society of Women Engineers Guest Speaker Donna Hager, CEO and Founder of Macan Deve Engineers, is visiting Manhattan College to aid female students towards their career path in various engineering fields. Currently, these industries are vastly dominated by males. The Society of Women Engineers presents this event, which will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 2. at 12 p.m. Hager will be available to answer questions, provide insight and also to share personal stories of how she got to where she is today.
features
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Students Establish a Chapter Film of Operation Smile on Campus Society: “Taxi Driver” Catherine Goodyear Staff Writer
After a year of hard work, three Manhattan College students established a chapter of Operation Smile on the MC campus. Operation Smile is a nonprofit international medical charity that is dedicated to bringing surgeries to countries where kids don’t have access to safe medical care. Through donations, they bring medical staff, doctors, surgeons, and everyone else needed to the country and perform surgeries that save children’s lives. Heidi Spetz Co-President, Devin Pratt also Co-President, and Megan Lepore Secretary worked for a year to get the club up and running before it’s official start up in Spring 2016. “In high school, my friend Devin and I heard about it and when we got to college, we weren’t really involved in anything on campus so we wanted to start something and Operation Smile has a great student program with a how-to guide on their website which was easy to follow” Spetz said. “After we started reading about it, we fell in love with the idea and it worked out. You can see the difference you make.” Spetz and Lepore are attending the International Student Leadership Conference in Rome this upcoming summer. The International Student Leadership Conference is held for students who are involved with their local Operation Smile Chapters and clubs and are interested in participating on a mission trip. At the conference, you hear from doctors, other students who have been on trips in the past, and motivational speakers. “I was the president and founder of Operation Smile at my high school and when I was a freshman in college I felt like a part of me was missing” Lepore said. “We have
at least 20 active members and I believe in quality over quantity. If you have a small group of dedicated individuals, you can accomplish the same amount as if you had 100-200 members on a team.” This past Tuesday, Operation Smile had a guest speaker in Hayden. Natalie Burke came and talked about the original doctor who started Operation Smile, and how to get involved with the organization. “The doctor brought his daughter and wife with him and even though he was the one performing the surgeries, it was vital that his daughter was there because she connected with so many people. We can feel so inferior because we are so young but his daughter proved that anyone can make a difference” Lepore said. “You might tell yourself that ‘I’m a broke college student, how am I supposed to raise all of this money?’ I want people to realize that when you get together as a group, you can make a big impact.” The Manhattan College chapter hit a few bumps in the road getting started. Originally they were denied by student government and student activities but they were eventually directed to campus ministry and Lois Harr helped jump start the club. They found an academic advisor, Dr. Grishma Shaw, a teacher in the management department in the business school. “About 20 years ago, I got involved with the club Operation Smile in my junior year of high school. When I was a senior in high school I went on my first medical mission trip abroad to Honduras” Shaw said. “It was one of the reasons why I dedicated a lot of time to service work and travelled the globe for it.” Shaw fell in love with the work that Operation Smile does and the impact that they have on children and families across the globe. “When people hear about the problems
in the world, they become overwhelmed and I like Operation Smile because it is a very clean and clear way to make a positive impact on not just the child but the community as a whole,” Shaw said. “I want students to see that it doesn’t have to be a grand large-scale problem that you can solve over night because that is not going to happen but through your involvement in Operation Smile, you help with a 30-45 minute surgery for a cleft lip or pallet that will change a child’s life forever.” Shaw has been on seven mission trips with Operation Smile including Russia, India, and the Philippines. She is also involved with the New Jersey Chapter and involved on a headquarters level. Along with that, she helped initiate the first trip to India and was the founder of the first Operation Smile chapter at Rutgers University, one of the most successful chapters in the North East today. Each semester Operation Smile holds multiple fundraising events. They hope to raise enough money for at least 5 surgeries a year. The first fundraiser was a cookie sale, the group ended up raising around $260, enough for one surgery costing $240. “The feeding is the main issue for these children. They suffer from malnutrition because they cannot properly eat with cleft palates and lips” Prant said. “It is 100% needed in their life, they cannot live a healthy and beneficial life without the surgery.” “Our main mission is the spread awareness and get as many people involved as we can. Heidi and I are graduating and we want to leave behind a strong foundation” she said. “We want people at our club meeting to understand that we are fortunate enough to have access to safe health care so easily here and we can fundraise so we should help these people who rely on Operation Smile.”
A photo from Operation Smiles first meeting last semester. Operation Smile/Courtesy
Haley Burnside Staff Writer
There is only one club on campus that promises vampires, gangsters, and appearances by Scarlett Johansson. Thanks to the Manhattan College Film Society, a range of characters and scenes are projected in Hayden 100 for the viewing pleasure of any students who wish to join. Already this semester the Film Society has brought two award-winning films to the screen. Both productions fit the society’s theme of the semester. “The theme is alienation,” Margaret Toth, Ph.D., a professor of English and film studies at the college, said. “The student officers for Film Society choose the theme. Something that came up in the meeting is a lot of students are feeling disaffected and alienated because of things going on in society.” She went on to add, “If you look at the world right now in politics I think many students feel unable to connect with what’s going on which makes the theme so relevant.” On Thursday evening the Film Society held its second screening, this one for the Martin Scorsese classic, “Taxi Driver.” The film, which stars Academy Award winner Robert De Niro, portrays alienation through the life of a young cab driver in New York City during the 1970’s. The brilliant and meticulous directing of Scorsese made this a landmark film. Rocco Marinaccio, Ph.D., a professor in the English department at Manhattan College, led Thursday night’s screening. He introduced the film with his analysis of the themes and key points brought up by the story. “I think that this film is perfect for the alienation theme, but it’s also important because it can be incredibly provocative” Marinaccio said. “I have my own interpretation of this film and I’m here to talk with you students to see what you notice and take away from this classic.” Due to the lasting quality of the movie, many students in attendance of the screening had already seen it. Though some were new to “Taxi Driver,” and some were returning watchers, all students had contributions to a deep conversation following the screening. In accordance with the Film Society’s established pattern, the conversation was led by the presenter, but open for all in attendance to join. Freshman to seniors, engineering majors and English majors alike shared thoughts and asked questions about topics ranging from the director’s intentions, the continuity of hairstyles and the significance of particular sound effects. This format allows for an interactive way of understanding and analyzing film. For those searching for a place to revisit old cinematic classics, discover less widely-known films or to just listen to passionate discourse on the importance of film in the world today, the Film Society is where to go. The next screening will take place in a week, where a student will present “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” a modern horror film. Later in the semester the Film Society plans to screen Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums.”
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Features
Nov. 1, 2016
A Look at MC’s Love Your Melon Team
Megan Dreher & August Kissel Staff Writers
With the weather getting colder, it’s important to stay bundled up while walking around campus. One way to do so is by sporting Love Your Melon apparel, a brand that has become close to many Manhattan College students’ hearts and supports a good cause. Love Your Melon is a nonprofit organization that has supported childhood cancer by giving a hat to every child patient in America and donates their profits to pediatric cancer research through two main organizations, CureSearch and Pinky Swear Foundation. The company, founded by two college students, began with the mission to put a hat on the head of every child battling cancer across the country. This message spread to other college students who wanted to get involved, and since, the Campus Crew Program has grown to over 11,000 students and 740 colleges, including MC. During the past two semesters, Love Your Melon has taken the MC campus by storm. Talia Price is responsible for bringing LYM to campus and is the captain of the LYM crew. “Me and two other girls had separately reached out to Love Your Melon with all of the meanings to start it, and they [the company] linked us together,” said Price. Originally, the girls spread the invitation to join to their teammates, so the crew is athlete based. This year they have made an effort to spread the invitation to all MC students. “I initially joined because it’s personal to me and I found that by spreading the mission of Love Your Melon, we could raise awareness for pediatric cancer patients, inevitably moving one step in the right direction,” said freshman crew member Zoe Nikolopoulos. Another member, Megan Lepore, had a different reason for her involvement: “I’m an allied health major so I really like to be involved with clubs that go out of their way to help people medically, and that’s why I wanted to get involved.” The MC Love Your Melon crew works to build a themed display once a month. September was gold month and the crew designed a rainbow surrounded by gold coins that provided facts about pediatric cancer and it’s prominence in society. October was focused around a family
Love Your Melon supports childhood cancer by giving a hat to every child patient in America and donating profits to research. Jillian Magenta/Courtesy sponsor and the crew handed out blue and pink ribbons to show their support for a girl who was recently re-diagnosed with Leukemia and her family. The tables are either located outside of Thomas Hall or in the Kelly Commons next to Starbucks. “The fact that every time you wear a hat or wear one of the products, it’s on your mind. It’s something small that can matter to a college student,” said Price. The crew is always actively trying to get students to support the Love Your Melon cause. An MC student can do so by purchasing any LYM apparel on their website, www.loveyourmelon.com, and selecting Manhattan College at checkout. By doing this, the crew gains more points and this gives them more opportunities to raise awareness. Points help to design more elaborate tables and sponsor more families. If the crew gains enough points, then it could also provide them with the opportunity to go to distribute the hats to hospitals themselves, which according to Price is “the ultimate goal.”
Arts & Entertainment
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MC Student Launches Clothing Brand Called Seaworthy Adanna Carter Staff Writer
“Developing a business, achieving success, avoiding failure – it’s all found in perspective. I encourage myself to view obstacles through varying perspectives. The difference between optimism and pessimism certainly influences my business,” Ryan Quattromani, a Manhattan College senior and entrepreneur, said. Quattromani’s Seaworthy business, which sells “colorful seersucker baseball hats, was introduced to MC last year. During this time, Quattromani was working to establish this clothing brand. Throughout that year, Quattromani was gathering ideas, experience and resources in order to expand the brand. And now he can share with us his newfound revelations, motivations and encouragements to following big dreams. The support of neighbors, fellow MC students, mentors, family, business owners, politicians and members of his hometown contributed to the inspiration and operations of the Seaworthy business. This dream is time consuming, challenging and difficult at times. However, it is these challenges Quattromani has to face that motivate him to keep going. As a result, Quattromani has come a long way from a plan to sell hats to an actual plan in motion of establishing a brand. “Since launching, over 275 hats were sold. I look forward to growing my business and expanding product lines,” Quattromani said. “As of recent, the Manhattan College Alpha Phi Delta fraternity placed an order for customized Seaworthy hats, which you’ll start seeing around campus.” But, operating and managing his own business isn’t all Quattromani is doing; he’s engaged in numerous activities that influence the kind of person he is, including club positions on campus. Quattromani is able to manage his own business with the help of many individuals who believe in him and his business, and he also dabbles in numerous activities socially and academically. “As you can imagine, balancing business, classes and extracurricular activities is extremely difficult at times, but it keeps me going; it motivates me,” he said.
Quattromani launched his own business, Seawothy, which is a clothing brand that sells seersucker hats. Ryan Quattromani/Courtesy So what’s next for Seaworthy? Next year, Quattromani plans to launch a collection of socks, bow ties and solid colored hats. The next steps in his business venture will include innovating product development, seeking retailers and capitalizing on social media. “It’s important to never lose sight of your dreams. Sure, there are naysayers in the world, who make it their goal to disrupt and degrade others, but you mustn’t pay attention to them,” Quattromani said. “Don’t lose hope. When the sun goes down, the stars come out; when one door closes, another door opens. Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all love. Many of the things we can count, don’t count and many of the things we can’t count, really count!”
Ryan Quattromani/Courtesy
Spots You Can’t Miss in the Bronx Victoria Hernandez Asst. Editor
Many students believe that all the fun happens in Manhattan, but there are many cool things going on way closer and without the need of swiping your MetroCard. 1.Wave Hill This 28-acre public garden overlooks the Hudson River so it’s a perfect spot to watch the sunset! It is also known for its beautiful gardens and architecture. Admission is free Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
2. The Bronx Zoo The biggest urban zoo in the country offers a diverse animal collection and has award-winning exhibitions. General admission is free all day on Wednesdays. 3. New York Botanical Garden If you’re a plant lover, this will be wonderland for you. This 250 acre institution as it all, from a rose garden to a tropical environment in the glass conservatory, you won’t get bored! Admission is free all day on Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturdays. 4. Yankees Stadium Attending a Yankees game should be
a requisite for graduation at Manhattan College. Yankee Stadium is home to the most successful team in all of baseball history in terms of World Series wins, so be sure to take advantage of Manhattan College’s discounted tickets! 5. Arthur Avenue Did someone say cannolis and pizza? The real Little Italy is actually in the Bronx! Make sure you visit this avenue if you’re craving authentic Italian food. 6. Bronx Brewery This spot is particularly for the older crowd, if you’re 21 and up you’ll love this craft brewery for its delicious crop of
ales and atmosphere. The brewery is open Monday-Friday at 3 p.m., and SaturdaySunday at 12 p.m. 7. Bronx Museum of Arts This institution offers art from contemporary and modern American artists and special exhibits trying to tackle political and social problems relevant to today. The best of it all? It’s free! Did we miss anything? Tweet us at: @ mcquad so we can add your favorite place in the Bronx to our list!
Arts & Entertainment
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Nov. 1, 2016
Scatterbomb: A Profile on Manhattan College’s Improv Troupe
Scatterbomb is MC’s improv group. This photo was taken during the troupe’s show this past Saturday. Olivia Smith/Courtesy
Rose Brennan Staff Writer
Countless rehearsals are almost synonymous with the performing arts. However, one club in particular defies those norms and is 100 percent unscripted. This group is Scatterbomb, an improv band of eight members that perform several times throughout the semester in Hayden 100. In addition to their performances, the group is coached by a professional actor and improviser at weekly practices. Their leader is junior Angela Benevenia. However, according to the club members, the title of president is little more than a formality. “The whole group is very democratic. Even though Angela’s the official head of it, we all kind of act as vice presidents,” senior member Will Lamparelli said. “There’re eight of us, so all eight votes count.” Scatterbomb members have a wide range of experience with improv comedy, from Lamparelli and Benevenia, who had not done it prior to joining the group, to member Madison Blecki, who has been doing improv since the age of eight. “My uncle ran a class. He went to Columbia for acting, so I was forced to do it,” Blecki said. “But I ended up really liking it.” For Lamparelli, the call to comedy was always there. “I started doing stand up comedy in high school. Now I do improv specifically but I’ve always been a fan of comedy,” he said, “I was attracted to improv because it’s a different kind of com-
edy where it’s not calculated.” What sets Scatterbomb apart from the other performing arts clubs on campus is how the members create their art on the spot. “Just the nature of improvising is what really sets it apart, not to say that it’s any better or worse than any of the clubs,” Lamparelli said. “It’s just a different art form.” While being in the moment is an essential part of Scatterbomb, it is not as easy to come up with something on the spot as one might think. “People either think it’s very difficult or so easy,” Benevenia said. “It’s definitely as difficult as people think, but at the same time, it’s more liberating than people think. For me at least, it’s a lot easier to make something up than try to remember a line.” Blecki agreed. “It’s easy to make things up, but for it to be good and to actually contribute to the scene, it’s very difficult,” she said. For many people, the idea of making something up on the spot is downright terrifying. But Benevenia echoed some reassuring advice given to her by an upperclassmen when she was a first year student worried about giving a poor performance. “You’re the only one that remembers,” she said. “The audience only remembers the good things you do.” Scatterbomb has also taken its improv endeavors off campus. The group has gone to several indie performances specifically for improv groups throughout New York City. For Lamparelli, a city audience is very different from a campus one. “It’s really interesting going downtown to do it be-
cause the people in Hayden 100 are very nice and will laugh at a lot of the stuff we do. But the people in New York City won’t. So it’s kind of a nice reality check,” he said. But the Hayden 100 audience has also become one of Lamparelli’s favorite parts of being a Scatterbomb member. “My favorite part of Scatterbomb is when we have the shows and all eight members of the team contribute to a fun night of comedy that the audience can walk away from happy and uplifted,” he said. Blecki echoed this. “Making someone laugh at something you said is the best feeling in the world, because you’re like, ‘I thought of it on my own,’” she said. An essential component of the group’s success is its chemistry. According to Benevenia, the team actually sets aside time to interact with each other outside of weekly practices and performances. “We do have to devote time to hang out with each other, or else the chemistry won’t be as good,” she said. “It’s really hard sometimes, because we’re all so busy, but we try to take time just for each other and hang out with each other and get that bond. If you have that bond offstage, you’ll have it onstage.” Lamparelli also commented on the translation of chemistry from off the stage to on the stage. “When people are familiar working with one another or performing with one another, they start to take on these subtle roles that aren’t really apparent if you watch one or two scenes,” he said. “But if you watch them do it continuously, you can see a shared pattern between two or more people.” “You have to try to listen and try to progress it with your partner,” Blecki said.
“It’s a lot about teamwork.” The bond that the cast’s chemistry creates can actually contribute to the success of their shows. “It’s very much like a family,” Benevenia said. “It’s more like you have such a commitment to it because you want to do well not just for yourself, but for team and for your audience.” This chemistry extends even outside the group. Often, Scatterbomb will collaborate with other campus groups, including the Manhattan College Players and the professors of the English department, which is a coming attraction for the next Scatterbomb show in November. Scatterbomb has become much more than just a creative outlet for its members. It has also taught the performers about themselves. “Scatterbomb allowed me to be myself, in a sense,” Benevenia said. “I learned how confident I can be, and the things I can create off the top of my head. Imagine the things I could create if I put my energy into it and wrote it down.” Scatterbomb auditions are held twice a year: once in the fall and once in the spring. What advice can these seasoned veterans give for people who are interested in joining, yet wary of the unscripted aspect of the club? “It’s really hard to get out of your own head sometimes, which is really the key,” Lamparelli said. “You have to not be thinking about what you’re doing.” “You should try out, because you never know what’s going to happen,” Benevenia said. “Even if you’re scared, come anyway.”
Sports
9
International Jaspers Weigh in on Sports in America
Charlene Pohl is one of several international athletes at Manhattan. GoJaspers/Courtesy
Charles Lippolis Staff Writer
Being an elite athlete parallels mastering a craft or a trade. In order to perfect the art, attention to detail is invaluable; but not all athletes are groomed to perform the same. The NCAA is one of the largest sporting organizations in the world, and many of its athletes are comprised of foreign students, who have emigrated to America with the hopes of receiving an unparalleled education while also having the ability to compete and train at one of the highest levels sports has to offer for 18 to 22 year olds. For junior heptathlete Charlene Pohl, this was a dream she had always wanted to fulfill, as now she finds herself as one of the leading point scorers for the Manhattan College women’s track and field team. “I always wanted to go abroad, Coach Mecca was able to find me through an online profile,” Pohl says. Hailing from Stuttgart, Germany, Pohl
has been training to be a heptathlete since she was 8 years old. The Heptathlon is a seven event series that spans over two days: these events consist of 100 meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, 200 meter dash, 800 meter dash, shot-put and javelin. Pohl credits her continued success in the United States to her great foundation set back at home. “I never did serious lifting in Germany,” Pohl says, “I’ve gotten a lot stronger and faster since coming to America.” The structure of the athletic training is the biggest variance in American sports compared to the rest of the world. The practices are tough on the body, the lifts are built to strengthen athletes over time, but can add to immediate tiring. A full time collegiate schedule to add to that makes for an exceptionally busy person. Deljan Bregasi, a graduate student and transfer who is a goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team, has felt the wear on his body throughout the season. “American soccer is more physical, more running; back in Italy it was more tactical,” Bregasi says. Bregasi has constantly relocated
throughout his life, leaving his home in Albania at the age of 5 to escape a civil war. Deljan grew up playing soccer in the Northern Italian city of Genoa. Back at home, Bregasi was a part of many teams, most notably the Serie A Sandoria Club Academy teams and the Under-17 national team for his native land of Albania. Playing in America for four years, the first thing Bregasi noticed was how short the season was compared to what was virtually a year-long season back at home. This meant many different coaches, practices and opponents, and so he was not able to build a relationship with the coaches like he has here. “The coaches here in America are much more helpful on a person level,” Bregasi says. “Back at home, all the coaches are strictly business.” Coaching has also been an aspect of athletics that has been altered in America. Due to how physical games have become, the coaches have learned to push their athletes to their physical limits. Assistant volleyball coach Mauro Miletic has been at Manhattan College for three years after spending time playing
and coaching professional teams in Puerto Rico. A native of Croatia, Miletic is well traveled and has seen competition at all levels across the world. While Miletic acknowledges how advanced the facilities are and how the preparation could parallel that of the professionals he has dealt with in the past, the actual pro game does not compare. “These are 18 to 22-year-old kids,” Miletic says. “The professionals are professionals, the game is faster, stronger, and smarter.” Miletic also made a point to highlight the culture in American sports compared to that of international sports. Everything from the dealing with players, to parents and how to field a team. “In America, there is so much pressure,” Miletic says. “Every parent expects their kid to be a pro and succeed. If a player sucks, there is always an excuse or an argument. It’s just different from other places.”
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sports
Nov. 1, 2016
Jaspers Talk: Tom Cosgrove Charles Lippolis Staff Writer
Tom Cosgrove is a left-handed pitcher on Manhattan’s baseball team. Cosgrove hails from Staten Island, N.Y., and went to Monsignor Farrell High School. The lefty is heading into his junior year at Manhattan. The Quadrangle: When did you start playing baseball? Tom Cosgrove: When I was about 5 probably, it was a local YMCA tee-ball team. TQ: What is your favorite MLB team? TC: The Mets, my dad was a Mets fan, but he was born in the Bronx, weirdly enough right by Yankee Stadium. TQ: What age did you start pitching? TC: I started when I was about 12 in Little League, but it was only in Little League. I focused only on pitching once I got to high school. TQ: A lot of student athletes live far from home, is it nice to play just a few miles from where you grew up? TC: It’s nice. I love that family and friends are able to come see me play on a regular basis. It’s also nice to be able to house the guys on the team who don’t live close to home for the holidays.
Tom Cosgrove is entering his junior year at Manhattan. GoJaspers/Courtesy TQ: You became the ace of the staff as a freshman, did you feel under a lot of pressure going into last year? Did you feel like you had to be a team leader because of it? TC: There was definitely a little pressure, the team expects to win when I pitch, and I want to win. It was a good problem to have though. We had a great staff, Jacques
and Joro (Joseph Rochietti) were huge parts of the team.
TQ: What’s your expectation for the coming season?
TQ: Do you have any pregame rituals?
TC: Championship or bust. We have a lot of older guys who are built to lead this team, the coaches and players have meshed well and we are ready to build off the success we had at the end of last year.
TC: I like to time out the throwing I do before I pitch as precisely as I can, not as much rituals as routine really.
This Week in Sports Volleyball Volleyball (9-19, 5-9 MAAC) lost its only match on the week, a five set thriller against Iona on Friday. The loss puts the Jaspers in a difficult position, as they sit two games out of the final spot in the MAAC Tournament with four games to play. Cross Country The men’s and women’s cross country team competed at the MAAC Championships on Oct. 29. The men’s team placed fourth, its highest finish at the MAACs since 2009. The women finished fifth for their highest finish since 2008. John Dove had the best finish for the men, coming in 12 place in the 8000-meter circuit. For the women, Lisa Fajardo led the way, finishing 12th in the 6000 meters. The cross country teams have two meets left in their season.
Fans were out to support the men’s and women’s basketball teams on Thursday at Manhattan Madness. Women’s Soccer
Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle
The women’s soccer team (6-10-1) finished its season with a 1-0 victory at home against Fairfield on Oct. 26. Dylan Burns scored the game winning goal in the 25th minute. The Jaspers did not qualify for the MAAC Tournament and will not get a chance to avenge the championship defeat they suffered in 2015. Men’s Soccer The men’s soccer team (1-12-3) went 0-1-1 on the week. Manhattan had its highest goal scoring output against Fairfield on Oct. 26, scoring three goals. However, that match ended in a tie. On Saturday, the Jaspers lost 1-0 at Niagara. Compiled by Daniel Ynfante, Sports Editor
sports
11
Bitzner Nominated for Senior CLASS Award John Jackson Staff Writer
On Oct. 7, a group of Division I student athletes were chosen as candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Awards in a various number of sports. Jenny Bitzer, a senior and member of Manhattan’s women’s soccer team was among the candidates. The CLASS Award is given to an NCAA Division I athlete in their senior year who excels in community, character, classroom, and competition. The winners of the men’s and women’s awards will be named during the NCAA men’s and women’s College Cup championships in December. Bitzer is a defender on the women’s soccer team. She was one of 30 women’s soccer players nominated for the award across the country. “I was very excited,” Bitzer said about being nominated. “It’s an honor obviously. It’s a huge thing. It’s something that I wasn’t expecting, but I think excitement and happiness would describe it the best.” Bitzer transferred to Manhattan College from Louisiana Tech in her junior year. She was a key member of the 2015 Manhattan College soccer team that reached the MAAC finals. Bitzer started in all 18 games that she played in; was named to the All-MAAC Second Team; and won MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. To top it all off, Bitzer had a full-time internship as well. Head coach Brendan Lawler was very impressed with what Bitzer was able to do. “[Bitzer] was working an internship in the city full time,” Lawler said via an email, “and taking the train to New Brunswick, N.J., after work for soccer practice and games three to four times per week. She would have to take the train and subway back to Riverdale very late and then do it all over again the next day. “Her team made it to the national championship game and the internship offered her a full time job at the end,” Lawler said. “Not only did she put in an incredible amount of work, her performance remained top class in both fields the entire time.” That performance and work ethic car-
Jenny Bitzer is one of 30 nominees for the Senior ClASS Award. GoJaspers/Courtesy ried over to this season as well. Although the team missed the chance to return to the playoffs, Bitzer once again had a solid season. For people close to Bitzer, her nomination comes as no surprise. Emily Center, a junior defender on the team, Bitzer is held highly in her regard. “[Bitzer] has been one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had,” Center said, “and I’ve been playing soccer for a very long time.” Center also mentioned how Bitzer acts both on and off the field. “Anyone who knows [Bitzer] as a person [knows] she’s the same way on the field
as she is in person,” said Center, “and it’s just very outgoing, friendly, encouraging. So all of that that she brings to her personal relationships go over into her relationships with her teammates as well.” Bitzer’s nomination puts Manhattan College on the same list as other wellknown schools. Some of those schools include Clemson, Stanford, UCLA, USC and Duke University. Bitzer joins Aislinn McIlvenny, who last played soccer for Manhattan College in 2014, as a nominee for the award. “Two years ago Aislinn McIlvenny was a top 10 Candidate for this award,” Lawler said, “and now with [Bitzer] being nomi-
nated as well, just being nominated is another way that Manhattan College continues to prove we belong right next to those other world renowned institutions.” Bitzer was proud of this achievement and while she would like to win, she is beyond satisfied just to be nominated. “I haven’t even thought that far yet,” Bitzer said of the possibility of winning the award. “But it would absolutely be something that I could’ve never imagined. I would love to win it obviously, but even being nominated for it is huge for me so that would just be the icing on the cake basically.”
sports
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Nov. 1, 2016
Jaspers Entertain Crowd at Manhattan Madness
The men’s and women’s basketball teams put on a show in Draddy Gymnasium on Thursday at Manhattan Madness. Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle
Victoria Hernandez Asst. Editor
Even though the night started off raining, hundreds of Manhattan College students stood in line waiting to get into Draddy Gymnasium. Students gathered outside Draddy, an hour prior to Manhattan Madness, the annual pep rally for the men’s and women’s basketball team. Some students, like Frank Iannarone, were even wearing costumes. “I dress up for Manhattan Madness every year, for this and for the Iona game,” said Iannarone, a junior and civil engineer. Iannarone hasn’t missed a game in three years, while other students were just glad to attend Manhattan Madness for the first time. Olivia Paladino, a sophomore communications major, was a newcomer to the event. “It was fun,” Paladino said. “I don’t go to school functions and this one was one of the few I’ve gone to.”
For Paladino, the event is a way to become involved in school spirit. Upon entrance, the students quickly filled the bleachers and started chanting and dancing. The energy was palpable. A majority
presentation of the basketball teams. The women’s basketball team was led by its new coach, Heather Vulin, who entered the stage with the song, “All I Do is Win,” while the crowd went crazy for her.
“Every year it gets better. This year the feeling was a little bit more special since we have a new coach and we have many people supporting us, much more than we’ve had in the past years” said Tatum. of those in attendance wore their Manhattan Madness t-shirts, and both the dance team and the cheerleaders captivated the audience with their performance. The highlight of the night was the
The men’s team closed it off with its individual presentations. From Latino to African music, the diversity of the team was clear, but its synchronization was even clearer. The team exudes harmony and uni-
ty, important for winning games. Students are expecting a great season ending in a championship victory, as head coach Steve Masiello apologized to the crowd for not winning the MAAC championship last season. For the basketball players, Manhattan Madness is more than just a simple event. “The energy is just insane,” Amani Tatum, a junior communications major on the women’s basketball team said. But after all the fun that is Manhattan Madness, the tough part of the season starts. But Tatum has a strategy for this season. “Take one day at a time,” Tatum said. “Practice makes perfect so really focusing on perfecting our craft.” The event ended with Ayo Jay performing his popular song, “Your number.” For students who haven’t been to Manhattan Madness, Dan Sammon, a civil engineering sophomore called students to show up. “It’s a lot of fun,” Sammon said. “It’s a great experience to be there with everyone.”