Q SHAGGY
THE
UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924
March 21, 2017
Volume 95, Issue 9
www.mcquad.org
GRAMMY-WINNING REGGAE ARTIST TO PLAY SPRINGFEST
Shaggy, a reggae singer who rose to prominence in the late 1990s, will headline Manhattan College’s 2017 Springfest concert. Shaggy/Courtesy
Stephen Zubrycky Editor-in-Chief
Orville Richard Burrell – the pop-reggae performer better known by his stagename Shaggy – is coming to Riverdale to play at Manhattan College’s annual Springfest concert on Apr. 22. Shaggy was selected by Student Engagement after the results of the department’s Instagram poll. “We put out a vote of about 40 different artists for students, and we started with the top ten list,” student engagement director John Bennett said. The vote was conducted through the department’s Instagram account, and based on which artists received the most Instagram “likes.” The list of artists was assembled by student government’s committee on social life. The committee is open to all interested students and is led this year by Vice President for Social Life Allison Ready, a junior communication major. “One of the first things [our commit-
tee does] is put a list together for Springfest artists,” Ready said. Ready’s committee is given a ballpark estimate of the event’s budget by Student Engagement at the start of the academic year. It is then the job of the committee John Bennett to shop around Manhattan College/ for available Courtesy artists in the price range. This year was the first time that Student Engagement conducted the Springfest vote through Instagram. Bennett said that the aim of the change was to increase student participation in the vote. In past years, a survey, which required a Manhattan College login, was sent to students by email. “We were looking for a feel of the student body, which is what we got,” Bennett
said. “It’s not an exact science.” Shaggy finished in the top ten of Student Instagram poll, alongside other artists including Juicy J, Steve Aoki, Post Malone and The Chainsmokers. “We started with number one and on down – reaching out to different agencies and agents to see who was available,” Bennett said. “[Shaggy] was the first one to say yes.” Shaggy was penciled in as the Springfest artist during the winter intercession, but the college was contractually prohibited from making an announcement until March. Shaggy rose to prominence in the late 1990s, churning out a number of reggaefusion hits, many of which achieved mainstream popularity, like 1995’s “Boombastic” (from the album of the same name), 2000’s “Angel,” and 2002’s “It Wasn’t Me.” His “Boombastic” album was awarded the Grammy for Best Reggae Album at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in Feburary 1996. Though his more recent works have not risen to the same prominence as those
from the 1990’s and 2000’s, he has continued producing music. His eleventh and most recent album, entitled “Out of Many, One Music” came out in 2013. The album was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015, marking his fifth nomination for that award and his sixth Grammy nod overall. “I think people are going to be really excited about it, and he definitely has a few hits that I think people don’t even realize,” Ready said. “I think it’ll be good. I think it’ll be a nice little throwback for everyone.” For Student Body President Dorian Persaud, Shaggy’s arrival at Manhattan College will have an especially sentimental value. “I’m Guyanese, Indian, Portuguese, all these fun things,” Persaud said. “But I grew up, essentially in a Caribbean household, so we always listened to Shaggy, and it was an integral part of my childhood.” Persaud and Ready both cited “It Wasn’t Me” as their favorite song of Shaggy’s. There will not be an opening performer for the concert. “It should be a great time for everybody,” Persaud said.
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The
opinions & editorials
Quadrangle www.mcquad.org
Vol. 95 Issue 9 March 21, 2017
Letter from
The Editor
Stephen Zubrycky Editor-in-Chief Jack Melanson News Editor Haley Burnside Joseph Liggio Asst. News Editors Ally Hutzler Features Editor Managing Editor Megan Dreher Asst. Features Editor Taylor Brethauer Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor Rose Brennan Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor RikkiLynn Shields Sports Editor Charles Lippolis Asst. Sports Editor Tara Marin Social Media Editor Catherine Goodyear Asst. Social Media Editor Victoria Hernández Multimedia Editor Aaron Mayorga Photography Editor Anja Pollozi Asst. Photography Editor Alyssa Velazquez Production Editor Abbi Kirollos Asst. Production Editor
March 21, 2017
Dear Reader, If you didn’t catch the paper last week, I really encourage you to. Last week, we published a special issue, entitled “The Health Issue,” about - you guessed it - health at Manhattan College. It was an extraordinary edition, and I applaud the Quad staff for their hard work in getting it together. As you saw on the front page of today’s paper, Shaggy will be coming to the college to play at Springfest. I’ll be honest with you, when I first saw who it was, I said to myself, “Who’s that?” But then I looked up some of his work, and took a trip down memory lane. It’s another throwback for this year’s concert, but with hits like “It Wasn’t Me” and “Boombastic,” it should be a fun day. The Quad will continue to cover the lead-up to this important event. Thank you again for being a loyal reader of our paper. Good luck in the homestretch,
Stephen Zubrycky Editor in Chief
Daniel Molina August Kissel 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.
SUBMIT YOUR OWN LET T ER Letters emailed to thequad@manhattan.edu will be considered for publication. No letters with profanity, hatespeech or vulgarity will be published. Please see mcquad.org/contact for additional policies, procedures and information.
CORRECT IONS In Issue 8, “The Health Issue,” released before spring break, Sean Sonnemann was miscredited as the author of “A Key to Athletic Success: The John “Doc” Johnson Athletic Training,” which was written by John Jackson.
News
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Riverdale City Grill Shuts Doors Ally Hutzler Editor
Last month Riverdale City Grill, commonly referred to as “River City,” closed its doors after owners decided to sell the business. “We would like to thank our customers for all the years of patronage. We have sold the restaurant and today will be our last day open for business. Stop by and have a drink and say farewell to RCG!! The friendships and relationships we’ve made here will forever stay with us! Thanks again for the years of business!” a Facebook post from Riverdale City Grill on Feb. 19 read. Since its opening twelve years ago, the bar and restaurant was a local hotspot for Riverdale residents and Manhattan College students. It’s pub-style menu featuring burgers, wings and custom salads were popular amongst its patrons as well as its happy hour specials. “Riverdale City Grill was definitely a pillar of the Riverdale neighborhood,” Tori Fitzpatrick said. “It was a place everyone knew, and everyone knew was good.” Senior Sara Buckey agrees with Fitzpatrick’s sentiments. “Things just won’t be the same without River City,” Buckley said. “It still hasn’t sunk in that it is closed for good. Some of my best college memories are of nights spent at River City.” Fitzpatrick, a junior at MC, was a waitress at the restaurant since September 2016. She believes that the grill was so beloved by students because of its proximity and prices. “I personally think the reason that MC students were so drawn to River City specifically was because it was close to campus, had a good range of options, was reasonably priced and was just a little bit nicer than Fenwicks,” Fitzpatrick said. Fitzpatrick also commented on the undeniable familial atmosphere that the business created. “I’ve been a waitress at a couple different places, and [River City] was by far my favorite job because it felt like more than
3541 Riverdale Ave., the former site of Riverdale City Grill, which shut down last month after twelve years of business. Stephen Zubrycky/The Quadrangle just a job. If I had a bad day or week at school I would look forward to going to work because it felt like a family, like a place I belonged. We all celebrated each other’s successes and helped through the rough bits,” she said. Riverdale City Grill is not the only
local business to close its doors in recent years. The community has seen P&K’s Grille, commonly referred to as “Pipers,” and Cannons shut down. Short Stop Coffeeshop also announced that it would permanently close on March 19 after 30 years of business.
“So many places I would go to or hangout at have closed in the past four years. It is strange that future MC students won’t experience Short Stop diner after a night out or watch games at River City,” Buckley said. “But for everything that closes something else will open.”
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Students Spearhead New M.C. Women’s Center Olivia Paladino Staff Writer
The creation of a new women’s resource center is currently underway. Projected to open this fall, the center will provide resources, information and a safe-space to speak about the important issues that affect female students. Junior Alannah Boyle and Seniors Victoria James and Olivia Smith are spearheading the project. The group mentioned that though the center is aimed towards women, it is not exclusively for females and it will not deal only with the issue of sexual assault. “It is about experiences we have in our genders, and [providing] a place to work those out, talk about different things, and have a space for those conversations,” said Boyle. The trio has assembled the Lasallian Women’s Resource Committee, which is comprised of faculty, administration and students. The committee will host the First Annual Women in the Lasallian Mission Conference, on Apr. 7. The conference will take place on the fifth floor of Kelly Commons and will feature speakers such as women in the Lasallian faith, theologians and representatives from local sexual assault nonprofits and organizations. Location and funding for the center have yet to be determined. Currently, the committee is in the process of designing a proposal to present to the administration. With this, they hope to gain approval for the centers’ creation. This project began in Oct. 2016, when Boyle, James and Smith came together with a mutual concern about the way sexual assault is handled by both Manhattan College and schools around the world. Boyle, a Peace Studies and Philosophy major, attended the Lasallian Leadership and Global Understanding Conference in Mexico City this past summer where she spoke with college students from Lasallian schools all over the world.
Boyle and other Lasallian students spoke about many systemic issues. When doing so, Boyle noticed that similar problems plagued both Manhattan College and other countries that are thousands of miles away. “One of the [issues] that came up in conversation was the women’s issue of sexual assault, how it happens on college campuses, and the different resources that are in place,” she said. “I was inspired by some of the conversations to ask, ‘What can I do as a student at my college to help create a space where people can talk about these issues, know they’re not alone, and ensure resources that are needed are easily accessible and centrally located.’” Boyle looked into the ways that schools similar to Manhattan College handled the issues of sexual assault, and came up with the idea of a women’s center. In particular, she wanted to uncover how these centers operated under the Catholic umbrella, with the Church’s view on sex and birth control in mind. She then contacted nonprofit organizations in the area to find what resources they had to offer, and looked into those available on campus. “The biggest [problem] for me is that it was really hard to find this kind of information, and it was all over campus. It’s not centrally located, so I had to ask a lot of questions and do some digging,” she said. James was especially worried about the attitude Manhattan College, as an institution, specifically exhibits toward sexual assault. After attending the mandatory Title IV presentation at freshman orientation this year as an RA, this concern was heightened. “[Many RAs were] talking about [the presentation] like, ‘This isn’t the kind of stuff we should be teaching,’ and, from my experience in the past four years here, I have noticed there are flaws in the way our school handles cases of sexual assault. We don’t provide as many resources as we should, or as much support to students who face it,” James explained. James and Smith began to collaborate, but were unsure of how to address these
problems on campus. That is when Jordan Pascoe, Ph.D. united the three girls, who, Boyle said, “were on parallel paths, but came at the issue from different angles.” “I’m really excited about this [project] because it is entirely student driven, they’re driving the conversation,” said Pascoe. “All of the resources that we have on campus now are faculty and administration driven. It’s really exciting that we have students who really know what’s going on, who are building on the experience of other students, to say ‘this is what we need.’” The women’s center will be the first of its kind to operate within the Lasallian tradition, and the trio aims to embrace Manhattan’s Lasallian background to create something that promotes equality and inclusivity on campus. “In our center, our goal is to incorporate the Lasallian mission as much as possible, and to try to bring the various offices on campus that typically handle cases separately, together,” Smith said. Boyle, James and Smith hope that the women’s resource center will help students struggling with sexual assault, or any other issues. As juniors and seniors, “we recognize that there is a need on campus based on our experiences as students,” said Boyle. “This is something that we might’ve used had it been in existence.” “I think the Center will help students and faculty by centralizing our response to issues of sexual assault. Students, staff, and administrators seem to me uncomfortable with handling these incidences, which is entirely fair, but I hope this center will make everyone feel more comfortable and confident in their ability to keep students safe,” Smith said. Though the project is still in its planning stages, student involvement is essential to its success moving forward. Those interested should contact Allanah Boyle (aboyle01@manhattan.edu), Victoria James (vjames01@manhattan.edu) or Olivia Smith (osmith01@manhattan.edu) to get involved.
March 21, 2017
Hawaii Court Turns Back Trump’s New Ban; Rock Legend Chuck Berry Dead at 90 WORLD WEEKLY Daniel Molina Editor
Hawaii Judge Blocks Travel Ban Last Wednesday, US District Court Judge Derrick Watson, a federal judge in Hawaii, temporarily froze President Donald Trump’s revised ban on travelers from several Muslim-majority countries, which was going into effect on Thursday. On Friday, the Justice Department asked Watson to limit the scope of his ruling so that the United States could immediately stop taking in refugees worldwide. Sources: CNN Politics, Fox News Fed Raises Interest Rates After 9 years of an expansionary economic campaign following the Great Recession, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate on Wednesday for the second time in three months to a range between 0.75 percent and 1 percent. This happened after the Fed, charged with maximizing employment and moderating inflation, is close to achieving both goals with unemployment rate at 4.7 percent (close to its 5 percent goal) in February and inflation at 1.9 percent (close to its 2 percent goal). Source: The New York Times Two Russians are Charged by U.S. in Yahoo Hack The Justice Department said last Wednesday that two Russian intelligence agents and two other people have been accused of charges stemming from the hacking of at least half a billion Yahoo accounts. Alexsey Belan, co-conspirator of the attack, used the Yahoo accounts to launch spam campaigns and search for user communications for credit card and gift card numbers. Source: CNBC Trump’s Budget Outlines Sharp Increase in Defense Spending President Donald Trump released a $1.1 trillion budget outline Thursday that proposes a $54 billion increase in defense spending and corresponding cuts to nondefense spending at the State Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and the elimination of other federal programs. Source: CNN Politics, Wall Street Journal
The committee will hold a conference in Kelly Commons on April 7. Alyssa Velazquez/The Quadrangle
Chuck Berry Dies at Age 90 Chuck Berry, the guitarist and songwriter recognized as one of the fathers of rock ‘n’ roll, died at age 90 last Saturday. Berry’s seven-decade career included classics Roll Over Beethoven and Johnny B. Goode, the last one featured in the movie Back to the Future. He was among the first inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Source: BBC News
features
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The Dance of Defense: Capoeira Classes Come to MC Meghan Sackman Contributor
In a room with wood floors and a wall fully covered in mirrors, two partners face each other and attack and react to each others’ movements in fluid motions. Upbeat Brazilian music plays loudly over the speakers as students participate in learning the art of capoeira. Instructor Marco Cisneros explains the original names of the moves and their meaning saying, “The first move you learn is the basic move: the jinga. The second move was a kick, it was called meia de frente- it means half moon in the front.” If you, like many others, are looking for a fun alternative to the tedious repetition of traditional cardio, you can now look to the culture rich art of capoeira. This mix of martial arts and dance is rich in Afro-Brazilian history that will occupy the mind of the participant while simultaneously benefitting the body in more ways than one. This physical art form can now be experienced on the campus of Manhattan College. Student Marco Cisneros is the initiator of the weekly group exercise class that is now accessible to the rest of the student body. “It combines different aspects from other different art forms like gymnastics, self defense techniques, and African dance so it’s all combined into one whole different art form,” Cisneros said. The informed junior jumped right into the extensive history of this mix of dance and martial arts. “Capoeira started its early roots in Africa in the country of Angola. When the slave trade brought slaves over to Brazil from Africa, the slaves were oppressed, so as a way to disguise their martial arts training they brought their dance elements into it… when they were ready they would use the martial art aspect to attack the slave masters and after that it became a martial art. Many people use the expression that [Capoeira was pregnant in Africa but gave birth in Brazil,” he said. Capoeira is one of the most popular forms of physical activity that is performed
in Brazil, only having the sport of soccer as more popular. Cisneros speculates that the reason for this popularity in Brazil was because at one time it was illegal to practice. This is because the slave owners became aware that it could be used as resistance and not purely as a dance. Aside from its significant history and background, the art form is very relevant in the United States today and proves to serve as an effective yet entertaining form of exercise. Particularly on a college campus, capoeira is a convenient and easy way to
stay fit and healthy. “I think it is [a good form of exercise for college students] because I would say it’s a quick and easy way to try something new all the while working out; mix it up a little,” Cisneros said. Along with the benefit of being a quick and fun exercise, there are many seemingly hidden benefits of the art brought to light by group leader Cisneros, who described some of the unexpected advantages of the art. “Capoeira works your whole body so
aside from the fitness level you also get balance, you get reflex skills, you get your cardio respiratory endurance up, you get flexibility, etc,” he said. If you wish to be a part of this exceptional piece of Afro-Brazilian culture or just wish to find a new creative way to get your exercise in, come by the mini gym (room 202) in Alumni Hall to participate in capoeira on Wednesdays at 5 p.m.
Capoeira classes are now being offered in Alumni Hall. Meghan Sackman/The Quadrangle
PEOPLE OF MANHATTAN
Lois Harr “I think part of why I’ve never left the Bronx is maybe being stubborn, but I also didn’t want to feel as though I had been driven away, and that’s what a lot of people have said. There’s something very life-giving about being in the Bronx. It’s very interesting. It’s a little bit edgy. It kinda keeps you on your toes, sometimes in a bad way, but mostly in a good way. My husband and I have this cute little house, and there’s been a lot of tender loving care in that house. I just feel rooted or planted here, it’s a really special place to me. There’s a book that I read a long time ago, called Cape Fear Rising by Philip Gerard, and it took place around the time of Jim
Crow. It’s about this woman who has come from someplace else and she lives with her husband in Cape Fear. And she has this experience where she went home, wherever home was, and she has this realization. She says, ‘When you’re raised in a place, the landscape enters your body. No matter where you lived your life, what lovely exotic lands you visited, your body craved the landscape of your youth. Your eyes and ears measured everything else against it.’ When I read that paragraph, I said, that’s it! That’s how I feel. I love traveling to unusual places, but I love to come home to my little house and feel home.” Interview conducted by Megan Dreher
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
March 21, 2017
Singers’ Trip to Disney
Taylor Brethauer Editor
Spring break, for many Manhattan College students, means a way to destress from midterms and jet off to a tropic paradise. For the performing arts department, it meant taking advantage for one of the most prestigious stages for any college student: Walt Disney World. Students that were part of the Singers student choir had the opportunity to perform a set of well-rehearsed songs for the general public in the parks, along with spending the time together riding rides and meeting characters. For some, this was their first trip to Disney and an item crossed off their bucket list. For others, this was a rewarding time after generous amounts of preparation and hard work. For all, it was a fun way to spend spring break and strengthen bonds between their friends in the choir. “When I first found out that the Singers were going to Disney, I was so excited! I remember watching another college choir perform on my last trip to Disney and thinking how much fun it must be to perform in such a famous place. Now, a year later, I can say that I was one of those performers! It almost doesn’t feel real,” said freshman Audrey Sabatino. Singers prepared three songs for their performance, with director of the performing arts department, Andrew Bauer conducting the choir. The set included a 17-minute long medley of songs from “Hairspray” the popular musical that just returned to the public eye after NBC’s “Hairspray Live”. Sabatino recalls a couple jumping up and dancing during the musical’s finale tune, “You Can’t Stop the Beat”. The choir also performed Baba Yetu, which is the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili. To top it all off, the members, donning their green Manhattan College Performing Arts polos, performed Queen’s famous song “Somebody to Love”. All members believed the performance
went really well. On the stage located in Disney Springs (a shopping center/marketplace located in Orlando, FL), the MC choir impressed hundreds of tourists and family members. Performing Arts is an important component within the Disney Company, allowing many middle school/high school/ college choirs the chance to come down and show their skills on the Disney stage, proving that choirs, bands and orchestras are still a very key part of our educational culture. “Singers is a very important group to such an athletics-engineering-businesseducation focused school. I understand Manhattan College is not known for its performing arts. However, simply sweeping the creativity of students (no matter their passions) under a rug promotes a bunch of coffee-sipping nine-to-fivers who wear gray suits, gray watches, and gray lives […] Students need an outlet for any (not just musical) creativity. Besides, music is about listening. Music teaches you to listen in detail […] So many college kids talk, and very few listen,” said sophomore member David Cartolano. The group, having grown from their time as performers coming together as one, “earned their ears”, a Disney-specific term where the student performers received exclusive Mickey Mouse ears only given to those that have performed on a Disney stage. Then came the fun part everyone was looking forward to: spending their days in the parks. Since the choir had grown so close during their time at rehearsals, they traversed the four parks together, making memories with those who had become their best friends. “[On the] very last night, we hit Fantasmic, the People Mover, Space Mountain, ice cream sundaes, the Haunted Mansion, and Thunder Mountain in maybe 2 [or] 3 hours. In the Haunted Mansion, a silent, creepy employee actually scared the hell out of two of my friends (he appeared behind me when the lights snapped on), who in turn scared the hell out of me.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
One Meme at a Time Alyssa Velazquez Editor
ABOVE: Sabatino and friends getting on Hollywood Studio’s “Rock N Rollercoaster.” RIGHT: Sabatino and Singer Samitheus Savinon before performing on stage in Disney. AUDREY SABATINO/ COURTESY
On Thunder Mountain (when the park was closing), we screamed “one more time! one more time!” and they smiled and actually let us go again. It was a fantastic night,” said Cartolano. It was a fun spring break for the Singers, that is for certain—many members are thrilled for their next chance to go back, but Sabatino is also optimistic for even greater opportunities the choir will receive in the future. “I think the Singers have performances in more than just Disney in the future. I’m only a freshman, so I’m excited to see where my upcoming years in Singers will take me,” said Sabatino.
The Singers hold their final rehearsal before the big trip. MC Singers Facebook/Courtesy
By now, most students have seen or heard about the recent creation of three unofficial Manhattan College Instagram accounts: manhattancollegememes, manhattancollegedankmemes and mc_squirrels. They each provide the community with daily content that is not only relevant to students at MC, but brings a smile to their faces and perhaps some laughter. Although the owners of each of these accounts wish to remain anonymous, they were all still willing to speak with The Quadrangle and share why they created these accounts and what some of them have planned for the future. The first account that was created of the three was manhattancollegememes, which was started in Dec. 2016. The owner writes that they decided to start a meme page for the college thanks to a friend from home. “One night a few months ago one of my friends from home who goes to Tufts was showing us the Instagram meme page for her college, so me and a few other friends made meme pages for our schools.” Three months later, there are now three unofficial accounts. The owner of manhattancollegememes writes that they “think there has been an increase of unofficial pages because with such easy access to social media platforms it’s easier to create new content and get it out to a greater number of people.” One person who has knowledge of all three accounts and enjoys the content from each one is Emilia Rosaly, a sophomore business major. She states that she has grown to like the accounts because “everybody has something to talk about and it brings people together… It’s like a big family.” These Instagram accounts may seem small right now, however through the power of social media, they each can leave a positive impact on the college community. One of the ways they can leave an
impact is to bridge a gap between college organizations and the student body. Currently being the most followed unofficial Instagram account, mc_squirrels has been posting daily pictures of the funny and odd squirrels that roam around campus, some of which are submitted by fellow students. The idea behind starting this account was mainly for entertainment. The owners of this account write “We started the account on the idea that people needed something silly and stupid to brighten their day. What’s funnier than a squirrel chasing a nut, or [eating] an M&M cookie...” Although mc_squirrels has been successful with their humorous account, they do have their sights set on the future. The owners of mc_squirrels write, “We see a real need at MC to connect the clubs and service organizations together to support the greater Lasallian tradition of giving back. By mixing bits of daily comedy with service announcements, we feel we provide a great outlet to spread the word!” Mc_squirrels will continue to post daily content with the hopes of having the opportunity to collaborate with other school clubs and organizations. Aside from mc_squirrels, another account that has gained a lot of attention recently is manhattancollegedankmemes. Inspired by the first unofficial Instagram account, manhattancollegememes, the owners of this account hope to create a place where students can find memes that they can immediately relate to. The owner of manhattancollegedankmemes writes “That’s where it all began, I had a few ideas of posts to make that were directly related to Manhattan College, and I just went with it. I thought it would be funny for maybe a day, but it quickly blew up, and here we are!” Now the college community has an array of Instagram accounts they can follow. If someone is in the mood to see a squirrel eat an entire muffin from Locke’s Loft, they can with a few taps. Want to laugh at a typical “college mid-term week” meme? There is an account for that. How about a laugh at some
The account owners bring excitement and hilarity to MC student’s Instagram feeds.. manhattancollegememes/Courtesy
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Although the owner doesn’t know how long they’ll keep up the account, the memes have been bringing laughter to all those who view them. manhattancollegedankmemes/Courtesy MC-oriented dank memes? There is an account for that too! In the past, there were unofficial Instagram accounts that were specifically made for MC. However with time, they eventually disappeared. Whether it was because of lack of content, lack of interest or simply the owners graduated, it is possible that the current accounts could stop producing content as well. Manhattancollegedankmemes’ owner
knows that their account, just like the others, may one day come to an end. However, they remain optimistic and write “But until that day comes, I’m just going to focus on making Manhattan College laugh, one meme at a time.”
The first picture posted on the account. mc_squirrels/Courtesy
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
March 21, 2017
Pipes and Drums Performs on NBC’s Today Show Taylor Brethauer Editor
It is not often that Manhattan College gets to perform in the spotlight, let alone on national television. But that was the case this past Friday, Mar. 17, as the MC Pipes and Drums ensemble celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day on NBC’s “The Today Show”. The Pipes and Drums band consists of students, alumni and sometimes family members who are skilled on the bagpipes or drums, performing traditional Irish songs while marching in formation. It is quite often that the band can be heard practicing on campus Thursday nights. New students are recruited every other year to get them ready for marching by the first weekend of March, leading up to performances like this. A bit after dawn on Friday morning, the band begins to tune their instrument in preparation for their appearance on “The Today Show”, the popular morning news show from NBC. Although it was still spring break, the weather was anything but. “The crew was a bit rushed, as in any live television film production. Tuning took a little whole because of the weather/[temperatures], so I think we made production
nervous we wouldn’t be ready in time for the performance,” said senior member Patrick Roniger. Roniger, who missed the opportunity to go on the show two years prior with the band, said it was “certainly a once in a lifetime experience” this time around. The band finished up their set and immediately joined the queue for New York City’s annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade. The ensemble is a staple to the parade, as they march in front of MC’s Gaelic Society. The society has been at the school since 1938. The festive holiday is an important one to MC history as many alumni and current students celebrate their Irish heritage with the parade, the music and food like at the Gaelic Society’s annual Irish Night. The band typically performs at Irish Night as well. Pipes and Drums band is one performance group on campus that is not only highly recognizable, but a tradition for many years, with many more years to come. “The band is very important to the college because we offer a distinct, traditional culture that is not attained in other extracurricular activities. We are a very tight knit group, similar to that of any other MC athletic team,” said Roniger.
Manhattan College Pipes and Drums performs on The Today Show on Mar. 17. Bryan T. Smyth/Courtesy
Manhattan College Pipes and Drums with the hosts of The Today Show on Mar. 17. Manhattan College/Courtesy
Manhattan College Pipes and Drums marches in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. Manhattan College/Courtesy
Manhattan College Pipes and Drums, just before marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Manhattan. Manhattan College/Courtesy
arts & entertainment
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A Look into MC Students’ Bags What’s in Your Bag? Bennett Hall Contributor
A look into someone’s bag is like a look into someone’s private life, and many Manhattan College students seem to live similar lives, according to their belongings. Although at Locke’s Loft it is very easy to tell the athletes from the rest of us, when you take a look at what their bags hold it may seem that not everyone is that different. Many students had the typical essentials inside their personal bags: pens, pencils, note cards, wallets, and of course their laptops. Even if they were not carrying their designated school backpack, many
Elizabeth Stenson shows off her bag from ASOS. Bennett Hall /The Quadrangle
people still had at least one of these items in their personal bag. After asking to take a look in a few people’s bags throughout the course of the day, one item seemed to come up more than other miscellaneous items: lighters. It seemed as if half of the students bag’s had at least one lighter carried inside them, sometimes even two. Although it seems as if not as many people are smoking cigarettes around campus since the new smoking rules, which designates certain smoking areas and bans others, a look inside their bags proves something different. Either people are still smoking cigarettes as much as before, or they’re finding other places to take their various smoking habits to after the infamous crackdown of Jasper Backyard’s smoking policies. The only other item more prevalent than lighters were of course, pens. It seems almost necessary to have a pen at most times around a college campus. However, according to one student, their pens are not their most valuable bag item. “My Tic Tacs are my most important item,” said Elizabeth Stenson, a sophomore. “They help me get through my long classes by giving me something to play around with.” Her Tic Tacs, along with laptop, note cards, pens, and a hair clip, were not inside the typical backpack one would see the most. Instead, she carried around a small black leather bag that she bought from the online shop, ASOS. “I usually shop there for most of my clothes, not just my bags,” she said. “I
A look into the typical bag of an MC student. Bennett Hall/The Quadrangle have a few others that I also rotate out just to keep things interesting.” Tic Tacs are almost as coveted as gum around a campus, which many students also carried with them. After discovering that most students had relatively the same items in their bags, one item particularly stood out among the others. In sophomore Grace Murphy’s bag there was contraption that looked like a more mechanical version of brass knuckles, except plastic and foam. “My mom got me this before moving here,” she said. “You just hold on to it, and then when you pull down little claws come
out in between the fingers just in case you need a little extra defense.” Murphy said her mom bought her these to make sure she had something to protect herself, a common saying most of us have heard our parents say in one form or another. The brass knuckle-like item was the most interesting thing found in bags that day, which could mean a couple things. Either students here have very similar lives, or they have private lives they do not want so easily seen from their personal bag.
Daniel Keyes’ Emotional Science Fiction Classic THE BOOK NOOK
Rose Brennan Assistant Editor
Science fiction may seem unappealing to some readers, but “Flowers for Algernon” is different. The story does not take place on a distant planet or in a dystopian future, but rather right here on Earth in the not-so-distant past. Flowers for Algernon introduces us to Charlie Gordon, a developmentally delayed man with an IQ of 68. Charlie works a menial job at a bakery at which he is constantly ridiculed by his co-workers. But he sees it all as good fun, because he lacks a deeper understanding of the message behind the words of his co-workers, whom he calls his ‘friends’. Charlie also attends a school for developmentally delayed adults, which is where he meets his teacher, Alice Kinnian, whom he considers his “best friend”. Alice believes in Charlie’s potential, which leads her to recommend him for a clinical trial being held by two other professors at the institution.
The aforementioned procedure would entail brain surgery and, potentially, drastically increase Charlie’s mental capabilities. When recommended to Charlie, the doctors tell him that they have experienced great success when the surgery was performed on a mouse named Algernon. Charlie meets Algernon and then decides to go through with the procedure. Similarly to the mouse, Charlie’s mental capabilities flourish following the procedure, nearly tripling his IQ score. But he pays a heavy price for this, because he becomes more aware of the condescending attitudes of his coworkers and finally stands up to them, ultimately leading to him getting fired. He also sees the humanity in the two doctors who operated on him, disillusioning him from this preconceived notion he had of them being all-knowing and powerful men. Because of this alienation, Charlie only finds companionship in Alice and Algernon. Regardless of where he stands emotionally, Alice Kinnian is there, encouraging him the entire time. And as the only other being that has gone through
the procedure, Charlie feels a deep kinship with Algernon, despite the inability to converse with him. Additionally, Charlie cannot enjoy pastimes he used to anymore. He can no longer mindlessly listen to music, and instead must analyze everything he hears from the beats per second to the tonal harmonies. He now finds even the talk of the doctors who operated on him to be boring and unstimulating. This leads him to wonder if he should have even been operated on in the first place, as he is equally ostracized as a genius as he was when he was disabled. The story is unique in that it is told directly through Charlie in an epistolary format, with each chapter titled as a “progress report” (or “progris riport” as he writes in earlier chapters) chronicling the results of his surgery. Readers will see his syntax, spelling, vocabulary and grammar drastically improve in the reports following the procedure. The story of Charlie Gordon is one that will resonate with any reader who has had any experience whatsoever with alienation. And it poses the question of which is prefer-
Taylor Brethauer /The Quadrangle able: to be ignorant and blissfully unaware, or to be aware of everything and suffer due to it. This book tore my heart out, but I loved every minute of it.
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SPORTS
March 21, 2017
Hayden Clarke Defends his First Place Title JASPERS TALK
Kelly Burns Senior Writer
Senior, Hayden Clarke, a jumper on the Men’s Track and Field Team, recently defended his first place title in the long jump at the IC4A Championships. Along with that, Clarke extended the Jasper’s track and field team’s streak of 31 consecutive years with at least one IC4A champion. With his final spring track season upon him, Clarke is determined to continue succeeding in jumping and completing his degree in electrical engineering. Coming from Townsville, Australia, the senior has a big decision to make after graduation in terms of continuing the sport he has mastered for 15 years. The Quadrangle: How did it feel to defend the title as Long Jump Champion? Hayden Clarke: It was pretty good. It wasn’t such a strong competition this year as it was last year but being my last one it was definitely very important to me and I was very happy with it. It wasn’t the best preseason coming in but we pulled through and got the win in the end. TQ: You extended the Jasper’s track and field team’s streak of 31 consecutive years, what does that mean to you? HC: Manhattan has a really great history, especially in terms of our field events. We’ve had some very, very good athletes come through here and I’m glad I could be one of them and part of the history.
TQ: How did you prepare for the championships and this upcoming outdoor season? HC: Right at the end of last year, I tore a ligament in my ankle and blew it up. I took a little while to rehab from that and I was eventually able to run when I came back to school. So it’s a little bit of an intensive schedule at the start, trying to get back and rehabbed and all that sort of stuff. And obviously doing engineering on the side it’s a little difficult to fit in practice whenever you sort of need to and then classes on your schedule. It was a really tough first semester but we were able to keep the body together and we made it. TQ: This is your last track and field season at Manhattan College, what’s going through your mind? HC: It is fairly sad. I’ve been doing this now for 15 years so it may not be the end of it but it’s at least the end of a very big part of my life. I’ve moved about halfway across the world to come and compete here and do my degree. It means a lot that it’s going to finish and I really want to finish it off well going into the last season that I’ve got. TQ: Any personal goals for the upcoming outdoor track and field season? HC: Win everything. I don’t want to go out of here thinking that I could’ve done more because it could very well be my last opportunity. So I’m going to give it everything I’ve got, go out and try to win all the championships and try to make it to the
Hayden Clarke defended his first place title in the long jump at the IC4A. Vincent Dusovic/Courtesy nationals. Last year I missed out because pends on how I feel after the season and of my ankle so this year I’ll get there and how close I am to them. Again, it’s a tough sport to keep doing for both your body and hopefully go to Oregon for the first time. TQ: Do you have any plans to continue the time commitments and you don’t get too much in terms of reimbursement . So the sport after college? HC: It really depends on how this year there’s a few things to weigh out but not turns out. I’m fairly close to international many people get the opportunity to be a standards making some Australian teams. professional in any type of sport and I’m I’ve got I think another 10 centimeters be- close to that level so I would like to confore I get to the World University Games tinue but it depends. for the Australian team. World Champs is within reach, it will be difficult but it’s there. There are some goals but it all de-
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Patrick Dolan PUTTING IN THE HOURS John Jackson Staff Writer
The strength and conditioning department at Manhattan College has only been around since the 2015-2016 school year, but it is made up of three coaches who dedicate a large chunk of their time for the health, well-being, and advancement of the college’s student-athletes. Patrick Dolan, the head strength and conditioning coach, views the position as a blank canvas which he can have a positive impact upon. “More or less it’s still a blank canvas and I’m in an opportunity to put the first few strokes on it,” said Dolan. The Philadelphia native entered his Freshman year at DeSales University with the intention of pursuing a career in exercise science. His first thought wasn’t strength and conditioning however, but instead physical therapy. “I definitely knew I wanted to be involved in exercise science,” said Dolan. “But to be honest, originally when I chose my undergraduate degree I actually thought
I wanted to go into physical therapy.” His academic advisor pushed him into interning at a private facility that focused on both physical therapy and athletic performance. That first internship is where he fell in love with the performance side of exercise science. For his next internship, Dolan worked with Temple football’s strength and conditioning staff for a summer. After getting a taste of strength and conditioning at the collegiate setting, he knew that was the route he wanted to go. After graduating from DeSales in 2012, Dolan got a job with the Detroit Tigers organization. He oversaw their rookie minor league team, the Gulf Coast League Tigers. The GCL Tigers played at the same facility where the Detroit Tigers played during Spring Training. Therefore Dolan got the opportunity to assist with the rehabs of any player from the rookie levels to the big leagues who were there on a long rehab stint. “So really really young kids,” said about the high school and college age players he worked with on the GCL Tigers.
“Really raw talent; a lot of potential. Still a lot of need for physical development which was great on my end cause you can have a much greater influence at that age rather than say the big [leaguers] who’ve been doing it for 10 or 15 years already.” Dolan left the GCL Tigers to pursue a Master’s degree and get back into the collegiate setting. He began that pursuit at Lindenwood University; a Division II school in St. Louis. He spent two years at Lindenwood before leaving for Santa Clara University where he worked as an Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning for 13 months. Dolan got his current job as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Manhattan College in the Summer of 2016. In his first semester as a Jasper he had help from assistant coach Mike Olave. In his second semester he had help from both Olave and newly hired assistant coach Bennett Reed. Together Olave and Reed oversee women’s rowing, swimming and diving, soccer, softball, and volleyball as well as men’s swimming and diving, soccer, and
golf. Dolan has influences on those teams and also implements and designs the programs for the rest of the teams. “I oversee the department so I definitely have a little [oversight] influence on all the teams,” said Dolan. “But I’m lucky to have two assistants to help me out.” Men’s basketball star Zane Waterman has worked closely with Dolan since his arrival in Riverdale. The 6’9” forward had a career year as he averaged 14.5 points and seven rebounds per game. “I really like him,” said Waterman. “He pushes us in the weight room. I think he’s got a good variety between lifting, getting stronger, and also cardio, staying in shape, being able to go on the court for longer.” Dolan expects the best out of his athletes regardless of what sport they play. While a student-athlete on one team may do different workouts compared a studentathlete on another team, he still wants everybody to push themselves. “He’s always pushing us,” said Waterman. “[He’s] on top of guys making sure they’re going 100%, getting the best out of themselves.”
sports
Going for the Gold:
11
Paige Chapman Wins Big at ECAC Indoor Championships Michevi Dufflart Staff Writer
Winning a championship title is not easy; let alone winning the 60 meters at the ECAC Indoor Championships. As one of the biggest and most competitive conferences in the country, the ECAC is a big deal. Each event at the ECAC Indoor Championships is highly competitive but one of the most challenging events is the 60-meter sprint. Even the slightest error in this event can cause an athlete to lose their spot in the top three. So, when Paige Chapman, a junior from Abingdon, Md. won this event, it showed how far she had come in her career. A humble athlete, when Chapman wins she usually flashes a simple gesture, such as a thumbs up or a grin to her coach, but truthfully she admits that she is never really satisfied. Even as a sophomore when Chapman sustained a hamstring injury two weeks before the MAAC Outdoor Championships and still won the 100 meter, Mecca notes that “Most athletes might’ve been satisfied, but I think that pushed her, she was upset with not doing even better and knowing how well she could have done if she hadn’t been injured.” Seeing other runners push themselves and being self-disciplined has encouraged Chapman to push herself as a sprinter. She also emphasizes the importance of selfdiscipline stating that it can apply almost anywhere in her day to day life outside of track such as the classroom and the workplace. Before a race, Chapman usually listens to music and visualizes every step of the race so that she can go out and execute it. “That’s really the main thing, I’ll start visualizing a race the day before,” she says.
Paige Chapman visualizes every step of a race before executing it. Stockton Photos/Courtesy Chapman also reveals that, when it comes to technique and having rhythm she thinks of music. As a musician, she finds that running to the beat of a song helps her keep rhythm or pace. In terms of Chapman’s personal strengths, Joe Ryan, associate head coach of sprints and hurdles, also mentions technique saying, “She understands the event from a technical viewpoint which consequently when I ask her to execute certain things she knows exactly what I’m talking about.” Additionally, Ryan also notes that this year besides running well technically,
Chapman is also strong mentally and has a belief in her own abilities leading her to run what Ryan believes is the best technical race he’s seen her run thus far. Winning the 60 meters at the ECAC Indoor Championships is also an achievement that will be marked in the record books as it allowed Chapman to become the first ever female athlete at Manhattan to win this particular event. Both of her coaches, Mecca and Ryan, agree that Chapman is highly motivated and is continuously improving. They have high hopes for her in the future and Ryan believes that she can break multiple re-
cords such as the school indoor record and the outdoor record. Chapman hopes to achieve as much as she can before the end of her career noting, “I know that might sound kind of selfish, but I want to set a kind of precedent for other people to chase.” Therefore, Chapman strives for the highest achievements so that other sprinters after her can achieve or surpass her accomplishments. A hard-worker and respectable person, Mecca emphasizes, “She’s a tremendous athlete, a great person and a very good student. She exemplifies what Manhattan Track and Field is all about.”
WHAT’S UP THIS WEEK
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sports
March 21, 2017
A Rough Season for MBB YEAR IN REVIEW
Manhattan’s Men’s Basketball team, the Jaspers, finished 10-22 overall. Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle
Charles Lippolis Assistant Editor
In what was considered a disappointing season for Manhattan’s Men’s Basketball team, the Jaspers finished 10-22 overall (5-15 in the MAAC), landed themselves at the bottom of the conference, and suffered a heartbreaking loss to Rider in the first round of the MAAC tournament. While the team was not predicted to succeed by their usual standards, Steve Masiello’s team was still projected to finish sixth in the conference. After not having the opportunity to three-peat in 2016, Masiello was motivated to take Jasper Nation back to the top of the conference. “It’s always personal,” Masiello said at the inaugural New York College Basketball Media Day, as published in The Quadrangle’s season preview. “Anyone who says it’s not personal is giving you media talk. … I don’t want to see anyone else win a championship but us, and I’m going to be selfish with that. I want to win a title every year. … I just want to keep winning as much as we can. … Seeing anyone else win, it hurts. It should hurt. If it doesn’t hurt, you’re in the wrong sport.” Manhattan had plenty of new faces join the team this season. After graduating RaShawn Stores and Shane Richards; Masiello added freshmen Na’Quan Council, Oliver Ehrnvall, and Aaron Walker Jr, transfers Ahmed Ismail, Zavier Peart, and Sky Williams, a healthy Samson Usilo, and an eligible Zavier Turner to the roster. This was a needed revival for the team, after injuries and suspensions plagued the 2015-2016 season. Adding talent to a roster with proven seniors like Rich Williams and Tyler Wilson, as well as key contributors such as Zane Waterman, Calvin Crawford, and Thomas Capuano kept the Jaspers relevant within the conference.
However, the team suffered their first loss when pre-season All-MAAC Second Team nominee and team leader Rich Williams went down with a knee injury before the season started. He was projected to come back towards the middle of the season, but setbacks along with a disappointing start forced William’s hand to apply for a medical redshirt. “My job is to be here, I’m just trying to be the best teammate I can be,” William’s said in an interview with The Quadrangle earlier this year, “I’m learning a lot, it’s going to help me evolve” Following the loss of one of the team’s best players in Williams, who averaged a career-high 14.8 points and 6.0 rebounds as a junior, Manhattan’s offense struggled. As the student body returned from the winter intercession in mid-January, the team was 2-5 in conference and just 7-11 overall. Although the team showed signs of struggle, Masiello remained confident in his guys and his system to lead them to winning basketball. “If I was everyone else I would panic,” Masiello said, after a win against Niagara earlier this season, “We have the blueprint… but you know what, we’ll get there and we’ll be ready come March.” The Jaspers would go on to lose their next three of their next four conference match-ups, and all by double digits. With the teams hopes for a regular season comeback dwindling, frustration started to build around the locker room. Manhattan’s woes culminated in the Alumni Hall press room on Sunday, January 22nd. Following the team’s 81-68 loss to Siena, Steve Masiello took to the podium in front of the media and delivered an agitated monologue on the millennial generation, more specifically, the generation his team was comprised of. Masiello’s statement was definitive,
controversial, and aggressive. It shook-up Jasper nation, and when it went viral, it shook-up many Manhattan College Alum. Many of these alumni voiced their opinions on social media, or like Natalie Sullivan ‘14, through The Quadrangle. Many of those opinions, including Sullivan’s were combative towards the Masiello’s comments. They felt the coach was out of line in what he said, and was misrepresenting the school as well as its alumni With the intent to further investigate the roots of these comments, and the overall image of the school, The Quadrangle spoke with school president Brennan O’Donnell, Ph.D. For those concerned alumni, O’Donnell had a confident – but vague – answer to the questions of how the situation was handled. “We took the situation seriously, and decided to address it internally was the appropriate way.” O’Donnell said. From there The Quadrangle was directed to the office of head athletic director Marianne O’Reilly. She re-affirmed what the president had said; as well as her confidence in Masiello. As an alumnus of the school herself, O’Reilly connected with the emotion communicated to Sullivan’s letter to The Quadrangle. “I don’t think he meant anything maliciously,” O’Reilly said, “I think in reflection, he mis-stepped, he misspoke, he should have been more focused on the team.” Manhattan’s Sports Information Directors office maintains that O’Reilly’s statement represents the position of the entire athletic department, and declined The Quadrangle the opportunity to question Masiello on his comments. The second half of the season did not prove to be much more rewarding then the first for the Jaspers. They struggled, showed flashes of brilliance, but also of in-
experience; as the team stumbled into their last place finish after being blown-out in the final game of the season at Iona. One of the bright spots towards the end of the season was the emergence of Aaron Walker Jr. The freshman from Brooklyn, NY averaged 15.8 points and 3.0 assists in the team’s last four contests of the season. More importantly, Walker Jr. earned the trust of his head coach by the end of the season. When the game was on the line in their loss to the Rider Broncs in the MAAC tournament, Masiello wanted the ball in Walker Jr.’s hands, and on the biggest stage, the freshman almost helped Manhattan complete a heroic comeback. “I feel like I learned a lot from everything that’s happened this year, and I’m just looking forward to next year.” Walker Jr. said, after the teams loss last week. As the team enters the off season, they will only be graduating senior guard Tyler Wilson. A player who Masiello greatly adores, Wilson took sole possession of fifth among the schools all-time assists leaders in his final game. In addition to that, he walks away from Manhattan basketball a two time MAAC champion, and an idolized team leader. Next season, the Jaspers will be led by the return of a healthy fifth-year-senior Rich Williams. They will also be graduating Zane Waterman, Calvin Crawford, Ahmed Ismail, Zavier Turner, and Zavier Peart; so long as they all return. According to Masiello, the experience his team endured this season was necessary, and he is confident that his guys will build off their bitter loss to Rider to come back stronger next season. “Unfortunately, sometimes you have to go through this.” Masiello said, “I’m not worried about the basketball, I’m worried about us as people growing. And I believe they’ll do that so I’m optimistic about it.”