Issue 4, Spring 2017 - The Quadrangle

THE Volume 95, Issue 4

Q

UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924

February 7, 2017

Students React to Recent Executive Order

www.mcquad.org

BIAS REPORTS RATTLE COLLEGE Jeremy Loffredo, Aaron Mayorga & Stephen Zubrycky Contributor Writer, Editor & Editor-in-Chief

Students and Riverdale residents gather in solidarity for Jummah Prayers with Muslim peers. Aaron Mayorga/ The Quadrangle.

Alyssa Velazquez Editor

Just one week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on immigration, people from around the nation have started a movement to ensure that their voices are heard - Manhattan College students included.

Students of the college community have been speaking out in a civil manner on the effects of the executive order and the impact it can have on the nation and the lives of its citizens. Commonly denoted as “The Muslim Ban,” the executive order President Trump has signed limits the number of immigrants coming into America by prohibiting seven predominantly muslim countries from coming in for 90 days and banning all refugees for 120 days.

Throughout this past week, there have been multiple discussions and acts of solidarity organized by several clubs and organizations for those affected by the ban, both from the muslim community at the college and for those who are just generally concerned about President Trump’s actions.

Just this past Friday, students and faculty of different religions and members from a local synagogue joined together with Muslim Chaplain Imam Samer Al-

raey, for the Jummah prayer. Events such as this one will continue to be occurring throughout the coming weeks. Despite these peaceful gatherings, the executive order of President Trump is still looming in student’s minds.

Brooke Judge, a psychology major, said that she doesn’t think that the executive order “is the answer because a lot of the terrorism that goes on in this country is domestic, it’s not muslims. A lot of the shootings are done by non-muslims and all of these attacks are non-muslims so I don’t think it’s going to take out the terrorism.”

Shai Barat, an allied health major, noted that there is a nation that has been excluded from the list even though it is the area where the terrorists involved in the attacks on 9/11 were from.

“If you want to break it down, 15 out of 20 or so terrorists from the 9/11 attack were from a country that is not even banned,” Barat said.

Like Barat other students have questioned how much of the ban is for security purposes and how much of it is for discrimination against a religion.

“It’s not about safety. It’s never been about that in my personal opinion. This is a country that is built on immigrants. It is a country that is built on immigration. You can’t just leave a whole group of people based on religious beliefs,” Barat said.

For the majority of the student body, this is their first time participating in a presidential election. As a result, some students are still trying to identify their personal political beliefs and ideologies.

Victoria Pacheco, a secondary education major, is one of many students who are still trying to make sense of the different points of view of the executive order.

“I’m just trying to figure out both sides. I’m trying to figure out the Republicans viewpoint of it, and to me it really does not make sense but I’m trying to keep my mind open to it,” Pacheco said.

John Balsamo, a government major, also has mixed feeling on the executive order in saying that “...we all know that the countries listed in the order are oozing with bad people but at the same time how can we turn our backs on millions trying to flee for a better life?”

Despite his conflicting feelings on the order, Balsamo continues by expressing his appreciation for the college community in their efforts to allow people to voice their beliefs and concerns and showing support for those affected.

“I do believe that from what I have seen, the college is very accepting and ‘pro-refugee’ as one might expect at a Catholic College,” he said.

People of different faith traditions gather and discuss politics that relate to their respective faiths. Aaron Mayorga/ The Quadrangle.

The Office of the Dean of Students has received multiple reports of bias incidents involving Manhattan College students, The Quadrangle has learned.

The Dean’s Office has confirmed that it has been investigating three incidents of bias that were reported by multiple students and one faculty member since November 2016.

“I had a professor approach me, who had a number of students approaching him saying they didn’t feel safe and that the climate has become very hostile,” Dean of Students Michael Carey, Ph.D. said.

The first report surfaced last November, after a student spotted a wooden paddle-like object with a racial slur, targeting AfricanAmericans, inscribed on it.

“There was disgusting language on it, yeah,” Carey said. “It was seen. It wasn’t reported for a while. Once it was brought to our attention, we investigated, and the paddle no longer exists on campus. To the best of our knowledge, it’s been removed.”

A recent Facebook post by a student alleged that the paddle has been seen on campus once again this semester, but Carey assured that the object has been removed, and has not been sighted since last semester.

Carey also told The Quadrangle that the sanctions levelled against the object’s owner were far more severe than suggested in the Facebook post.

“I don’t advertise the sanctions I give to students, but I can definitely tell you, one of the things I explained to the RAs, was that [case] actually was dealt with immediately and the sanctions were much more than was posted… it’s inaccurate,” Carey said of the Facebook post, also referencing an emergency meeting Carey held with resident assistants on Tuesday.

More recently, additional reports have been submitted to the Dean’s Office, alleging that a Manhattan College student is in the possession of multiple pieces of Nazi or neo-Nazi paraphernalia.

“It’s been a couple of reports from students, so… if it’s one report or a couple reports, we’re still going to thoroughly investigate it,” Assistant Dean of Students Tiffany French said. “I can say that there are some students who are concerned, and we take that seriously.”

The Quadrangle was not able to confirm if the suspected student lives in the residence halls, or if the student is alleged to have engaged in any specific bias activities on campus. Regardless, Carey is looking into if this student can be sanctioned for actions even if they occurred off campus.

“The code of conduct, if you read it closely, applies to all individuals at all times while you’re a Manhattan College student,” Carey said. “I have adjudicated stuff that’s happened off campus before.”

Continued on page 4

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The

opinions & editorials

Quadrangle www.mcquad.org

Vol. 95 Issue 4 February 7, 2017

Letter from

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 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.

February 7, 2017

Dear Reader,

The Editor

It’s been a busy few weeks for this space, so I haven’t been able to touch base with you for awhile.

We’ve since introduced a new feature to the Quad-- “This Week in Photos.” Our fantastic photography staff, led by its editor, Aaron Mayorga, and its assistant editor, Anja Pollozi, has been shooting photos around campus to compile a document of what’s been going on. It’s an exciting feature, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can put together each week.

The feature can be found on our website, mcquad.org, at the bottom of the home page.

The more I’ve worked for the Quad, the more I’ve come to realize it’s two-pronged role in the Manhattan College community- first as a resource for students who have a right to know what’s going on at their college, and second as a historical document of our four years’ experience here.

I think this new feature will help to accomplish both of those goals.

Check it out on mcquad.org today.

All the best, Stephen Zubrycky P.S.: As always, all students are welcome to come and join The Quadrangle! If you’re interested in writing, photography, graphic design or web design, we’d love to have you. Our meetings are at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays in Kelly 412.

News

Asbestos Found in Faculty Offices in Miguel

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August Kissel and Megan Dreher Editor & Asst. Editor

When a building ages it becomes necessary that repairs are done in order to ensure that the building follows certain health codes. Manhattan College is no exception.

Over winter break, faculty offices were renovated due to professor request. As students were welcomed back to school for second semester, asbestos was discovered to be present in some of those offices in Miguel Hall.

Margaret Groarke, associate professor of the Government Department, discussed this issue in an email statement.

“Faculty on the 4th floor were told late last semester that our hallways would be renovated over the break. Thus we were unable to access our offices from Dec. 19 until just recently. The walls were painted, and the old carpet was replaced with new carpet.

It took a little longer than expected, but I’m very much looking forward to seeing how nice it looks,” said Groarke.

During and prior to the renovation, it was discovered that there was asbestos under certain floor tiles.

Asbestos is an old form of insulation that is no longer used due to the fact that it can cause medical complications. It was often used with pipe insulation and floor tiles and was highly used in the 1970’s. Since then, it has been labeled as a health hazard and has led to cases of mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Vice President of Facilities, Andrew Ryan spoke of plans to clean up the asbestos.

“When we are doing work that is going to involve one of those two things (pipe insulation and floor tiles), we take a look, if it’s questionable we have a company come in to test. If it’s negative we can go about our

The women’s bathroom located next to faculty offices in Miguel Hall on the fourth floor. Alyssa Velazquez/ The Quadrangle business, if it’s positive we have to abate it,” said Ryan.

The college found that the asbestos test was positive and they took the proper precautions to remove the asbestos. This includes enclosing the work area completely in a plastic tent that is held under negative air pressure. By doing so, a vacuum pulls out the contaminated air and sends it outside so that it does not return into the space. The company also uses a monitor to watch the air quality and ensure that the area becomes asbestos free.

One professor in particular had a clos-

er encounter with the asbestos.

Claudia Setzer, a Religious Studies professor, had her office renovated which called for the discovery of a long standing water leak. During the removal of floor tiles to fix the leak, a layer of asbestos was found underneath the floorboards.

“This was just one of many cases where they are trying to protect us from asbestos, which is part of every old building. In my case it was quite deeply buried under one of the layers of the floor. It wasn’t as if I was breathing it in or anything,” said Setzer.

Setzer’s office is not ready for her to move back in. For now, she is sharing an office with a colleague and is “expecting that it’s [the project] going to move along in the next few weeks.”

According to Andrew Ryan, there has been no health issues related to the asbestos so far.

Overall, renovations to the faculty offices have made for a nicer atmosphere.

“Hopefully, it will make the 4th floor a pleasanter place to work, and encourage more students to come visit their professors there!” said Groarke.

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news

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Locke’s Loft Sees Setbacks With Stair Collapse Joseph Liggio Asst. Editor

Locke’s Loft dining hall was afflicted by problems this past week, after the main entrance to the dining hall was blocked off from use and students were unable to swipe their ID’s to enter the facility.

Several of the stairs from the third to fourth floor of Thomas Hall, leading to the main entrance of the dining hall, collapsed on Tuesday, Jan. 31, forcing students to find other means of getting into the facility for the following three days.

Freshman Roland Schultheiss said that the collapse affected his usual schedule for eating at Locke’s, which he usually frequents 3-6 times a day.

“It threw me off guard; I wasn’t able to properly walk in as per usual. I had to find alternate routes,” said Schultheiss.

Students were forced to enter the dining hall from the bridge leading into the 5th floor of Thomas Hall, or through the side entrance leading to the 4th floor near the coffee station.

Another option was to take the elevator in order to avoid the cordoned-off stairwell.

The elevator was the subject of criticism for many students, who could be seen crowding around the doors waiting to go up one level, often piling in around a dozen students at a time.

“I took it once and I didn’t like it… It

was packed with people and it’s too slow,” said Schultheiss, whose preferred means of entry was through the 5th floor entrance.

Additionally, students also began experiencing problems using their ID’s to scan into Locke’s Loft.

Brian Weinstein, resident district manager for Gourmet Dining, said that the internet system for all of the Point of Sale (POS) registers went down in the dining hall, as well as other registers across campus Tuesday.

Students had to sign into Locke’s using their ID card numbers as an interim form of swiping in while the system was down.

Campus card project coordinator Charles Lippolis stated that the system outage began around 12:20 p.m. and lasted until 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday.

“The Point of Sale dining registers went into offline mode. These registers are part of the Heartland system. Offline mode occurs when the individual register is not able to communicate with the main server,” said Lippolis via email.

“In Offline mode, ID cards are still swiped and the data is recorded in the local register. Then when the register goes back online, the offline data is automatically downloaded to the server,” said Lippolis. “The registers will normally stay in offline mode for approximately 3 hours. In this case, the resolution took over 3 hours, and at that point, the registers totally shut down. The only option then is paper logging.”

Lippolis recalled a similar incident occurring back in 2013. Weinstein also added that he had not seen this problem take place since he arrived at the college.

Robert Moran of Information Technology Services confirmed in an email statement that “Very few services were affected,” namely the Onecard/Heartland system, in place since 2009, along with “a small handful of office shared drives.”

“We’re still monitoring logs and digging to make sure this was a random fluke crash (which can happen) and not indicative of a hardware problem,” said Moran.

“Onecard is being transitioned to the new hardware in the next two weeks and I expect that the large amount of time we put into doing this will pay off by making outages less frequent, and maintenance easier.”

“The outage made everyone’s day a tough one. From staff in ITS who were just trying to fix a problem as fast as possible, to our food service workers who had to bear the brunt of a lot of frustrated people and finally a very large number of students who were just trying to get a bite to eat,” said Moran. “Thankfully this is a relatively rare occurrence but as with all of our critical services we are always planning on ways to make things more reliable.”

The stairs leading to Locke’s were repaired and open to student use by Friday.

The cause of the system outage remains under investigation.

BIAS REPORTS RATTLE COLLEGE Continued from page 1

Carey and French were not able to say if their office has approached the suspected student about these allegations.

Carey and French are also investigating if the alleged student with Nazi paraphernalia is connected with a photo from several years ago of a sign reading “Whites Only,” placed above a water fountain in Chrysostom Hall along with a photograph of Adolf Hitler.

Carey speculated that the photograph is from the Fall 2014 semester.

“The picture is from a couple years ago – it was never reported,” Carey said.

“We’ve gone through every single one of our files. Nobody ever reported it.”

The Snapchat photograph of the sign was emailed to Carey about two weeks ago, and it prompted a series of mass emails to portions of the student body and faculty, as well as the emergency RA meeting.

“Our RAs are critical. You know, they’re a super talented group of students,” Carey said. “They’re the first line of defense in many ways, certainly with our residential population.”

The meeting was coupled with three mass emails sent to some students students and all faculty that day.

The first was sent by Carey to student leaders, (club presidents and members of student government) and faculty at 2:20 p.m. last Tuesday, just before he met with RAs. Richard Satterlee, Ph.D., vice president of student life, followed with his own message to all students at 3:36 p.m. that same day, writing, “Above all, our heritage calls us to treat one another with respect, dignity and civility at all times.”

Martin A. Colucci, P.D., adjunct instructor of psychology, also added his own

message to student leaders and faculty later that night at 8:51 p.m.

“We must not let the problematic behavior of a few fractious people to demean the ideology of Saint John Baptist De La Salle,” Colucci wrote.

Satterlee and Carey both partially see the string of reports as an outgrowth of the divisive and polarizing presidential campaign that concluded last November with the election of Donald J. Trump.

The incidents parallel other displays of tension and division on college campuses across the U.S., including violent protests at University of California at Berkeley last week. The protests shut down a lecture that was scheduled to be given by journalist Milo Yiannopoulos last Wednesday. Yiannopoulos writes for the far-right news and opinion website, Breitbart News.

The college’s administration is seeking to engage more directly with students, and to create programs that allow students to engage more directly with each other.

“I have to say that it’s been difficult because it feels like in some sense people would rather engage in bits, and 140 characters online, and we’ve been deliberate in these forums to get both sides of the political spectrum together to talk about it because I’ve heard directly from students from both sides [of the political spectrum], that they feel ostracized, unheard and disrespected,” Satterlee said.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Cory Blad, Ph.D., attributes the lack of student reporting of on-campus bias incidents to what he called a “culture of passivity” on campus.

“It’s probably tied to a couple different things, one, people generally don’t speak out when they witness these types of inci-

dents, it’s actually something people probably want to avoid throughout the day,” Blad said. “When there’s an increase of incidents like this, it takes away the ability for anyone on campus to have their right to an education and their right to a safe campus.”

“Something needs to be done and [faculty] need to be at the forefront of what is done, and there is a lot of us that feel that exact same way,” Blad said.

To address this, the Division of Student Life introduced a new referral form on the Manhattan College website through which students can report incidents of harassment.

“It’s an easier way to make a referral, and there’s an anonymous possibility,” Carey said. “You don’t have to put your name on it, and it goes straight to Tiffany [French] and myself.”

The addition of the online form, according to an email sent by Carey in midJanuary, was the result of “a year long external review” undertaken by the Campus Assessment Response and Evaluation (CARE) Team, which has met every Monday morning for the past seven years.

“If students don’t feel comfortable talking to me and they don’t want their name involved in it, I understand that, but they can actually report it to us [anonymously], and that helps us big time,” Carey said.

According to French, multiple reports have been submitted to the dean’s office anonymously through the new online form, which was launched in late January.

“We’re not going to tolerate it – bigotry, racism – it’s not happening,” Carey said. “And we’re going to do everything we can to make sure it stops.”

February 7, 2017

WORLD WEEKLY Daniel Molina Editor

President Trump Cabinet Changes Neil Gorsuch was nominated by President Trump for the US Supreme Court.

He is a originalist, meaning he believes the Constitution should be followed as the Founding Fathers intended. If successful, it will restore the 5-4 conservative majority on the nine-seat high court.

Source: BBC News Rex Tillerson was sworn in as Secretary of State. The former ExxonMobil CEO, after being confirmed by the Senate earlier this past Wednesday, fills one more slot on President Trump’s national security team.

Source: CNN Politics President Trump’s nominee for Army Secretary drops out. Vincent Viola, President Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, withdrew from consideration for the position on Friday night citing concerns over family business.

Source: Fox News Snapchat Officially Files for IPO The five-year-old company’s initial public offering (IPO) is the biggest since Alibaba’s three years ago. Snap Inc., parent company of Snapchat, said it wanted to raise $3 billion, seeking a market valuation between $20 and $25 billion.

Source: New York Times Judge in Seattle Blocks President Trump’s Travel Ban A Federal Judge in Seattle on Friday ordered a national halt to the enforcement of President Trump’s controversial travel ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim nations. The White House vowed to appeal the decision immediately.

Source: The Seattle Times President Trump Starts Scaling Back Dodd-Frank The executive order signed on Friday set into motion a process to dismantle the 2010 Dodd-Frank law and other financial regulations which emerged in the wake of the financial crisis.

Source: The Wall Street Journal The New England Patriots Win Their Fifth Super Bowl With the Falcons leading with 21-3 during the first half, the Patriots were able to make a comeback by the 4th quarter resulting in the Super Bowl having to go into overtime. In the end, Patriots secured their victory with 34-28.

Source: The New York Times

features

5

Meet The Quad Staff: Arts & Entertainment

Taylor Brethauer

Rose Brennan

Arts & Entertainment/Managing Editor Sophomore Communication Major Bel Air, MD

Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Freshman Communication and English Major Stratford, CT

1. What’s your favorite thing about the Quad?

1. What’s your favorite thing about the Quad?

Publishing a paper each week has been extremely satisfactory. It’s aweMy favorite thing about the Quad is everyone’s dedication to making it some to put out a publication I can be proud of, plus seeing your by-line the best newspaper it can possibly be. The fact that the newspaper is run in the paper is great! by the students and that we produce quality news every week is something that I take a lot of pride in.

2. Favorite book, TV show, or movie?

2. Favorite book, TV show, or movie?

This is always a tough question because it changes almost every day.

As of right now, my favorite book is The Great Gatsby. For TV show, I’ve My favorite book is “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak. My favorite always loved Saturday Night Live and it will always be my favorite, but TV show is “The Office”, which I have watched an unreasonable amount right now I’m also binge watching 30 Rock and Portlandia. As for movie, of times. My favorite movie is “The Breakfast Club.”

I just saw La La Land and I’m absolutely obsessed.

3. Plans for this year?

3. Plans for this year?

My plans for this year include reading more and drinking less coffee.

I’m excited to continue writing but also overlooking the production of Also, passing math would be extra nice. the paper. My leadership role for the paper is one I take great pride in and I’ve been loving every second of it! As for school, I am looking forward 4. Most played song on Spotify? to my film studies class because I get to watch some classics like Citizen Kane and Singing in the Rain. I also want to make an impact in my sororWithout a doubt in my mind, Mr. Brightside by The Killers. ity, Sigma Delta Tau and give back to the charities we support.

5. What was your favorite article that you wrote for the Quad?

4. Most played song on Spotify?

I really liked writing “Public Safety Halts Distribution of Anti-Trump Probably the entirety of the La La Land soundtrack at this moment but I Poem”, which I co-wrote with Joe Liggio. We basically had 48 hours to am also an avid listener of Disney classic songs and the Hamilton album. pull together an entire news story, because the event occurred on a Wednesday and articles are due to section editors on Friday at midnight. Despite 5. What was your favorite article that you wrote for the Quad? the time restraints, I think we put together a quality article.

I absolutely loved my article I wrote in the fall semester on the Pep Band. I got creative with it and got to sit in on one of their rehearsals! The writing process for that article was one of the most satisfying and fun experience I’ve had so far.

features

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Project Nur:

February 7, 2017

A New Club on Campus Battling Bias and Bigotry Rose Brennan Asst. Editor

In 2007, the American Islamic Congress began an initiative to combat antiMuslim sentiments in America known as Project Nur, which has now officially made its way to Manhattan College.

The American Islamic Congress is a non-profit organization which was founded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks as a way to respond to violent actions and negative stereotypes surrounding the Muslim faith. One of the initiatives the Congress conceived was Project Nur, which would allow college students to participate in educating their peers about Islam, as well as facilitate diversity and dispel falsehoods about it.

Islamophobia has become even more of a hot button topic in America as of late, especially with President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on immigration.

The order has temporarily banned travel from seven countries in the Middle East and North Africa to the United States. But the MC chapter of Project Nur was not created in response to the order.

“It just so happens that right now, that happened, and this is when I’m starting it,” said junior Megan O’Connor, who is spearheading the MC chapter of the project. “It actually has nothing to do with that, it’s just really coincidence that that’s happening right now, but I think that it’s good because it’s even more important to, like, shine light on that.”

The main goal of Project Nur is to provide education about the Muslim faith and to spread awareness of Islamophobia.

According to O’Connor, it was when she began educating herself about the Islamic

Students gather together for the first official meeting of Project Nur. Rose Brennan/The Quadrangle culture when she developed a passion for fighting the injustices that Muslims face in America.

“I want to just end Islamophobia, but I obviously can’t do that, so basically you just have to keep educating people on the idea and then hopefully they’ll educate their peers,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor said she “learned from the best” through her classroom and extracurricular interactions with Mehnaz Afridi, assistant religious studies professor and director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center, who educated her on the Islamic culture and is serving as

the faculty adviser for Project Nur. “What I hope to accomplish on this campus with being an adviser for Project Nur is to have better understanding and be the beacon campus of interfaith work and recognition for the world,” Afridi said.

O’Connor and Afridi have several ideas for the upcoming semester, including showing documentaries and movies that involve issues faced by Muslims, as well as inviting speakers to the school to speak about said issues.

While Project Nur itself is a non-religious organization devoted to social justice and advocacy, O’Connor also hopes to col-

A student standing in solidarity for those who practice the islamic religion. Rose Brennan/The Quadrangle

laborate with the Muslim Student Association in the future.

“This is for anyone, everyone, fighting for people’s rights,” said O’Connor.

Many students who attended Project Nur’s inaugural meeting also attended the weekly Jummah prayer this past Friday, along with members of the faculty and members of local faith communities to show solidarity with Muslim students while they worshipped. Afridi attributes the widespread attendance to the Lasallian values that are prevalent on the college’s campus.

“I’m a Muslim, but I call myself Lasallian,” Afridi said. “So I think that there is a big difference between different campuses, but I think our campus is way more open, and I think it’s so beautiful to see people of different faiths standing up for each other.”

Afridi has conceived of three ways in which non-Muslim students can show solidarity and be active allies to Muslim students and faculty members during this time.

“What non-Muslim students can do on this campus is get to know Muslim students, that’s number one. Number two is educate themselves on what the faith is about. And number three is kind of dissect the idea that we are trying to do as a whole faculty administration about Lasallian principles, which is to recognize diversity to recognize the other, and to give dignity to the other, no matter what,” she said.

Project Nur recently launched a visual arts campaign called MANARA visual arts in light of the 2016 election to address bigotry and racism, specifically against Muslim citizens. This will likely be the first event that MC’s chapter of Project Nur will sponsor and participate in. O’Connor hopes that the club will continue to grow bigger and better.

“Hopefully in the future, it will be more of an established student activities club,” O’Connor said.

features

Heidi Julavits Kicks Off Annual Major Author Reading Series

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Julavits was the first speaker at the annual MARS reading event. Juliette Rodrigues/The Quadrangle

RikkiLynn Shields Editor

Heidi Julavits, author and co-editor of The Believer magazine, was the first to speak at this year’s Major Author Reading Series here at Manhattan College.

Julavits was born and raised in Portland, Maine, and attended Dartmouth College for her undergraduate education. Later on, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University. Julavits, along with holding the position of co-editor of The Believer magazine, is also the author of four novels: “The Mineral Palace,” “The Effect of Living Backwards,” “The Uses of Enchantment” and “The Vanishers.” She recently published a diary, “The Folded Clock,” in 2015.

At the MARS reading, Julavits read a few chapters from her novel, “The Folded Clock.” The novel is actually an old diary that she kept many years ago. Decades later, after digging through an old storage bin, Julavits decided to publish her diary full of stories from earlier in her life.

The passage she read from her book recounted a time when Julavits was stuck in an airport due to inclement weather. During this time, Julavits was impatient and in a rush to get home to New York. She decided to skip her flight, which didn’t board for hours, and rent-a-car to get home to New York. After encountering a man, she calls

Tom, he offered to split the costs of the trip back with her.

Julavits and Tom spent the many hours driving home talking about everything from life to love to his career as a professional stunt diver, similar to a scuba diver. Julavits proclaimed that she was unaware how much work there actually was for a “stunt diver” in New York City, but Tom assured her that

keep herself from laughing at some parts, which made this even more enjoyable for the audience.

Towards the end of the event, Julavits was asked a very thought-provoking question from a member of the audience.

The young woman asked, “Sometimes I feel like my life isn’t interesting to write about. How do I get out of that rut and

“If you’re looking for something tedious yet enlightening to do, you could read a book or you could watch the Bachelorette. I prefer the Bachelorette” there was in fact enough.

Julavits’ witty style of writing and sarcastic sense of humor made this MARS event one to remember. She told the audience, “If you’re looking for something tedious yet enlightening to do, you could read a book or you could watch the Bachelorette.

I prefer the Bachelorette.” she said.

Rather than strictly reading from her own works, Julavits cracked jokes the entire time she was at the podium. Even during her read-through of her book, she couldn’t

begin to write?” Julavits had some advice for not only her, but also for everyone in the audience that blew our minds.

Julavits, a writer, a wife and also a mother, told the audience that she noticed the more limited her life was, the more creative she became. While she was raising her children, Julavits realized that she became more observant to the boring times, and realized that she had to begin doing things to make her life more interesting.

“Do what you can with what you’ve got.” she told the audience.

Julavits proclaimed that as young people, we sometimes have too many options, too much time, too much energy, and maybe sometimes, our lives are even too interesting. One thing Julavits suggested is that all of us young, aspiring writers keep a journal. Who knows, maybe it will turn into a book like hers one day!

She also admitted to always working in her head. Then, she doesn’t always have to fill a page up with chaos and nonsense.

Working on the first sentence to something in her head, whether it is an article, a proposal, or even a novel, is exactly what gets her started. Julavits admitted to taking on too much at a time every now and then, but as long as she gets the first sentence down in her mind, she knows that she can tackle anything, no matter how time sensitive.

Julavits compared writing in your head to a form of interesting problem solving for yourself.

As a mother, a wife and a writer, Julavits success is shown not only in her successful career, but also her positive outlook towards everything in life. Next up for the MARS series, the English department welcomes Stephen P. Kiernan on Thursday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Hayden 100.

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arts & entertainment

February 7, 2017

Manhattan’s First-Ever Art Club: Sanctus Artem Shannon Silvia Contributer Writer

On the snowy night of Jan. 31, sophomores Leony Anne McKeown and Kelsey Quartulli, co-presidents of ‘Sanctus Artem’ met before beginning their meeting of the first ever arts club in Manhattan College history.

McKeown and Quartulli met through the arts history department, sharing their passion for the arts with each other. When McKeown found out that there had never been an arts club for Manhattan College students, she immediately contacted fellow art enthusiast Quartulli to resolve the problem.

“Submitting the proposal for Sanctus Artem last semester was somewhat impulsive because I had to type up a constitution and find a group of individuals as excited and passionate about the idea as myself all in one week before the due date. After Kelsey said yes to this overwhelming idea, I knew I had good company by my side, at times [it was a] frustrating process [became] unquestionably worth it,” McKeown said.

They decided on the name Sanctus Artem which means pure art in Latin because pure art is what they want to bring to the Manhattan College community. Having a place where students can come together to enjoy the arts.

“We wanted people to feel like they have somewhere to belong. [The] goal was to force a person to carve out time for [their] passion,” Quartulli said.

Sanctus Artem, although just beginning, has a very clear plan for its future that includes involving members creative minds in the process.

“Sanctus Artem is still in its early development stages as an Art Society here at MC, but our board is working on reserving a room in Kelly Commons so that we can

The first meeting of Sanctus Artem was well-attended. Sanctus Artem/Courtesy have weekly meetings in which the Board welcomes all students to come present their creative ideas to us and update us on events they would like us to help them host,” said McKeown.

The club is also planning to host three events this semester open for any student that is interested, including a lecture given by artist Robert G. Cox, a pop up art show and even an art exhibition on campus.

The idea of Sanctum Artem is to allow students to get their art out into the city

and express their creativity. With the lack of clubs for students interested in art on campus, it is a great way for student with an interest in art to express themselves.

“Our goal is to have artists build organic relationships within the school, and the art community in New York. We are tired of so much raw talent slipping through the cracks at this school. The artists here have a voice and the ability to make a difference on campus. Fortunately, we have been given the opportunity to make this happen! Our Board

is comprised of very multifaceted students who are just as eager to further develop this artistic community. With Sanctus Artem at our disposal we will be heard,” Quartulli said.

Students interested in joining the club are encouraged by McKeown and Quartulli to follow @sanctusartem on Instagram or get in contact with the club.

Cinema’s Top Five: Animated Films Justin Meinken Contributer Writer

#5: Coraline (2009) Director: Henry Selick After the recent smash hit of “Kubo and the Two Strings,” some have looked back to the origins of Laika with their first film, “Coraline.” Laika is a small stop-motion animation studio located in the Portland metropolitan area in Oregon. The film was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature. Complete with eerie set designs and intense visuals, this is a disturbing fantasy that is not for the faint of heart, based upon the book of the same titled by Neil Gaiman. #4: Wolf Children (2012) Director: Mamoru Hosoda After assembling an exceptional team of animators and film production specialists, production company Studio Chizu created their first film, “Wolf Children” and the film premiered on June 25, 2012 in

Paris. Though “Wolf Children” never got an official U.S. theatrical release, most people who are familiar with Japanese Anime have heard of this film. It is a story of a college student, Hana, who falls in love with a new student. Together, Hana and her new family have to try and fit into a society that doesn’t really accept them.

Although the film seems very sci-fi, the end result is a captivating drama that focuses mainly on the difficulties of raising a family. #3: Princess Mononoke (1999) Director: Hayao Miyazaki Standing as the highest grossing animated film in Japan of all time, “Princess Mononoke” premiered on July 12, 1997 in Japan with an official U.S. release on Oct. 29, 1999. Since “Spirited Away” is widely credited as Hayao Miyazaki’s best work, “Princess Mononoke” is usually glossed over by many critiques. In the film, a young prince must find a spirit to heal a curse given to him by a demon, all while deciding which side to take in the upcoming war: the people he’s fought

alongside his entire life or defend the forest that is under the command of Princess Mononoke. Though this small plot summary may seem similar to many Disney films, “Princess Mononoke” distances itself greatly by displaying some of the most intense action sequences and breath-taking visuals in animated films to date. #2: The Iron Giant (1999) Directed by Brad Bird Based upon the novel “The Iron Man” written by Ted Hughes in 1968, “The Iron Giant” made its film debut in America on July 31, 1999. Bird has continued to work in the world of animation, serving as the director of Disney Pixar films “Ratatouille” and “The Incredibles”. This film, however, was produced by Warner Brothers. Set in 1957 Cold War America, a young boy named Hogarth and the giant he comes across must work together to thwart the government agents now knocking on their front door. In their journey together, Hogarth will discover more about himself as well as learning more about his larger-than-life companion.

With a family friendly style and an incred-

ible final act, “The Iron Giant” is definitely a must see and is easily one of the greatest animated films of all time. #1: Your Name (2017) Directed by Makoto Shinkai The official U.S. theatrical release date is not until April 2017, however, it had an early-screening in Dec. 2016 for an Oscar qualifying run although it did not receive a nomination. The film is based upon Makoto Shinkai’s own novel of the same name, two students wake up in different bodies every day. This makes for some excellent comedic moments, but the story quickly takes a dark turn as they discover the true meaning behind their connection and the dangers of the future. Science fiction, mystery, drama, and romance all seamlessly blend into one to make “Your Name” an animation classic before it’s even had an official release.

Cinema Top Five is a new Arts & Entertainment column.

arts & entertainment

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New Sushi Station Opens in Kelly Commons, Among Other New Food Options Catherine Goodyear Asst. Editor

Gourmet Dining has introduced a sushi bar as one of their new amenities in Kelly Commons. ‘The One Sushi’ is a high-end company and can also be purchased in Yankee Stadium where they do made-to-order sushi and prepare grab and go sushi, much like they are doing in the Commons.

The company Tong, also located in Yankee Stadium, the Prudential Center in New Jersey, and over 100 different universities and colleges from Boston to New Jersey, was also introduced in Kelly. They serve hot, authentic Chinese food.

Brian Weinstein, Resident District Manager of Gourmet Dining Services, worked closely with a group of students on a food service committee which included the student government president, Dorian Persaud, and Student Government to decided what would bring traffic to Kelly.

“We brought Tong in with The One Sushi and I’ve gotten great feedback. It’s just like ordering Chinese from the local corner store. All the fish is sustainable fish fresh from the markets down in the West Side of New York,” said Weinstein.

Weinstein worked with the company prior to coming to Manhattan College so a partnership was easy to accomplish. He also worked with Compass Group, which Gourmet Dining has been a part of for 15 years.

“I know it brings great satisfaction to the student and faculty body. It’s very popular and it’s a great product line and I’ve been working with the company a long time so with that so far I’ve been hearing nothing but great things and it’s been a great success and I just want to keep bringing in new things that make the students and Manhattan College community happy and satisfied as far as food and service,” said Weinstein.

Dorian Persaud, student body President, worked on the focus group to bring new services to our school. Persaud receives a lot of feedback and suggestions from students and takes everything into consideration when working with Weinstein.

“It’s been an amazing experience work-

Ready-made sushi available in Kelly Commons. Anja Pollozi/The Quadrangle ing alongside Brian this past year. His experience, expertise, and dedication to the student’s enjoyment really shows across campus. He’s very open to new ideas and can take the dining experience in a very new, positive direction,” said Persaud.

Grab and go sushi was also introduced throughout the campus in C-Store and Café 1853. Everything is prepared fresh daily and anything left over is discarded.

On average, anywhere from 40-50

made to go rolls are ordered every day.

Currently, the vegetable rolls and California rolls are available for meal swipes in the Commons.

“It was made right in front of me which made me feel better about the food and it was made quickly. [It’s] a great alternative to Locke’s,” said student Diego Gregory Miguens.

Weinstein is also looking to expand Locke’s Loft’s sushi events meaning a

sushi stadium during lunch and dinner at least four times a semester, possibly once a month. Gourmet Dining is also putting together a catering pricing guide per person for the sushi so you can order them at events.

“Stay tuned for two Red Mango frozen yogurt machines and a topping bar in Café 1853 sometime after Spring Break,” said Weinstein.

sicals were chosen by students within the Social Life Commission which is a branch of the Student Government Committee.

“Both musicals are visually exciting.

For over 25 years, Phantom of the Opera has been the Broadway musical many has enjoyed. Students will enjoy Aladdin for its mixture of spectacle, illusion, and great storyline,” said Assistant Director of Student Engagement, Michael Steele, on what students can expect from the two shows.

Students cannot go wrong attending either musical, due to the lively entertainment that both will provide. The Aladdin musical premiered in 2011, therefore it is fairly new to Broadway. It is a new take on a Disney classic film that everyone loves, plus the addition of some new songs that were not in the movie.

Phantom of the Opera remains a classic for all of those who love theatre and

a grand spectacle of theater that has been wowing audiences since 1988, as it has been the longest-running Broadway musical to date.

Students are encouraged to purchase the tickets as soon as it is possible due to the popularity of both shows. Tickets typically go on sale the Monday before the show.

“Students can purchase tickets online by going to the link go.manhattan.edu/setickets. Tickets for Aladdin will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 6 at 1 pm for $30. Tickets for Phantom of the Opera will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 13 at 1 pm for $20,” said Steele. Online ticket-buying was a new feature the office rolled out last year.

The discounted tickets for the Spring musicals provide a cultural experience that MC students can enjoy without emptying their wallets.

“The musicals are very popular among

students. It’s usually a great way to start off the semester, leading to other great activities being offered by my office,” said Steele.

For many students, the musicals are a fun Saturday activity to do in the city with friends. In the past, students have enjoyed shows like Les Miserables, Wicked, School of Rock and last spring’s show, Chicago.

Student Engagement, along with the Social Life Commission, choose shows that students and friends will be talking about for weeks after. Harriet Carino, a freshman at MC expressed her excitement for the upcoming Spring musicals.

“I would definitely be interested in seeing Aladdin. [The musicals are] something to look forward to, and the fact that I’d get a discount is even better,” said Carino.

Student Engagement Presents: Aladdin and Phantom of the Opera Abby Crowell

Contributor Writer

For those who love musicals, Broadway, or a night out in the city, Student Engagement has the perfect opportunity for students to experience all three. Student Engagement offers many activities for Manhattan College students to participate in all year round.

As Spring is approaching, the office of Student Engagement has announced that they are offering discounted tickets to two musicals. The musicals are Aladdin and Phantom of the Opera.

While these two shows possess very different plots, students will still be able to pick the storyline that interests them the most, at a lower price than tickets typically cost for these shows. These contrasting mu-

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sports

February 7, 2017

Putting in the Hours:

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Olave John Jackson Staff Writer

Long before many college students wake up to go to classes on a regular day, three men start their day in a pursuit to help Manhattan College student-athletes become the best they can be. These men are the three first-year strength and conditioning coaches.

Mike Olave happens to be one of these three. He was hired by Manhattan College this school year to be the college’s assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Olave comes back to the school he graduated from in 2014 with a degree in exercise science.

Olave came into Manhattan as a Physical Education Major. About halfway through his time at Manhattan he switched to exercise science. He wanted to become a basketball coach at first, but after talking with Dr. Jeffrey Cherubini, Department Chair of Kinesiology, he decided to pursue strength and conditioning.

“And then after having a talk with Cherubini of how just maybe moving to a performance aspect of it,” said Olave.

“Then [I] kinda just figured this is where I want to be.”

While his interest in becoming a strength and conditioning coach formed later in his life, his interest in physical fitness was always present.

“Growing up I was always very active,” said Olave. “I played all types of sports, I did all types of activities, I was always outside. I did everything from skateboarding, to rollerblading, basketball, football, baseball…I just always had a knack for

just being active and just doing physical work all the time.”

Olave needed 120 practicum hours before starting his career. He completed those at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. After he finished his hours he interned at both Manhattanville and the United States Military Academy.

Manhattanville then offered him a Graduate Assistant position which he took and stayed in for a year.

His passion for strength and conditioning really began during his time at Manhattanville College. It’s a passion he now brings everyday he comes to work at Manhattan College.

“It’s something I really love and that I’m really passionate about,” said Olave about his job.

Chris Reyes, a senior on the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team, approves of the work done by Olave.

“I think he’s doing a great job,” said Reyes. “He’s phenomenal in the weight room. Throughout the year I had him he’s been amazing. He’s always motivating student-athletes that are willing to push themselves.”

Reyes’ favorite workouts with Olave include good mornings and inverted rows.

The workouts help strengthen his back which in turn helps him move through the water more smoothly.

For Olave, a big part of his job is being a good role model for the student-athletes.

“I’m a big believer in practicing what you preach,” said Olave. “So for me the biggest thing is, I never ask my athletes to do something that I can’t do. As a strength coach, I think the athletes realize the hours we put in ‘cause I wake up at 4:30 every

Assistant strength and conditioning coach Mike Olave. GoJaspers/Courtesy morning and I’m usually here in the office until about 9:00 at night.”

It does seem like that work ethic is realized by the student-athletes as Reyes considers Olave the best strength and con-

ditioning coach he’s had at Manhattan.

“I mean he’s probably the best strength and conditioning coach I’ve had here at Manhattan College,” said Olave.

Crunch Time for the Jaspers Daniel Ynfante Senior Writer

It’s an adage, Steve Masiello has repeated frequently in his six-year tenure as head coach of Manhattan College’s men’s basketball team.

“It’s February, it’s time for Manhattan to be Manhattan,” Masiello said on Saturday after a 68-67 win against the Marist Red Foxes.

The Jaspers, who seem to play their best basketball in February and March, opened up the month right with a stellar defensive performance, holding the Red Foxes to 35 percent shooting from the floor.

“I thought our defensive mentality was there tonight, which we’ve been missing,” Masiello said. “We haven’t seen it since we left it at Niagara.”

Since taking over the head coaching job in 2011, Masiello’s teams have gone 39-23 in the months of February and March, which include three runs to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Game, and two championship victories.

The Jaspers won two MAAC titles in

part because of their elite defense, which pressed opponents all game, causing chaos and turnovers. Against the Red Foxes, Manhattan got back to its defensive roots.

The Jaspers had struggled defensively over the last two weeks, which saw them lose five of their last six games. Over the stretch, Manhattan allowed opponents to score an average of 80.2 points per game.

But on Saturday, the Jaspers held the Red Foxes to 67 points.

“It’s taking us some time to figure it out,” Masiello said. “A little longer than I thought, even without [Rich Williams] and with everything going on. But I think they’re learning. … The biggest issue I have with this team right now is there are certain nights I recognize us and there are other nights I’m like what’s going on here?

Tonight was a night I recognized us.”

The win against Marist comes at a crucial point for the Jaspers, who headed into the contest in last place in the MAAC standings. The Jaspers now sit in tenth, just a game behind ninth place Niagara, and three games behind Rider and Quinnipiac who sit in seventh and eighth respectively.

“No matter how the win is, it’s a big win confidence-wise how we’ve been

playing down the stretch the last two or three games,” Zane Waterman, who scored 22 points, including the gamewinner against Marist said. “Close game or blowout it feels good either way.”

But the Jaspers were in danger of dropping the contest Saturday night. After dominating the first half, holding Marist to 30 percent shooting from the field and carrying a 31-22 lead at halftime, the Jaspers came out sluggish in the second half.

Marist opened the second half on a 16-5 run to take a 38-36 lead.

Manhattan slowed Marist down a bit and kept it close. But 38 percent shooting in the period kept Manhattan from going on a sustained run.

“Unfortunately we let it be a ball game,” Masiello said. “I’ve got to look at what I’m doing, I’ve got to look at the lineups I’m playing. I have to really evaluate some things.”

After Marist’s Brian Parker hit a free throw with 23 seconds remaining, Manhattan had the ball down 67-65 with a chance to tie or win the game. The Jaspers, who have struggled in late game situations this season, losing three contests in the final seconds, made amends this time, as Waterman buried a triple from

the corner to give Manhattan the lead with nine seconds to play. “[Zavier Turner] was supposed to get a layup, but both my man and his man went with him, so he just kicked it out to me,” Waterman said of the final play.

The Red Foxes had a chance to win the game on the next possession, but Khalid Hart failed to hit the rim on his 3-point attempt, securing a 68-67 win for the Jaspers.

Despite the win, Masiello wants to see his team focus more.

“We’re not there yet from an emotional standpoint, and that’s something we’re going to work on a lot this week,” Masiello said. “Emotional investment into things.”

Waterman had 23 points and Turner scored 12 to lead the Jaspers on the scoring front.

Perhaps the toughest part of the schedule approaches for the Jaspers. Manhattan will host the first place Monmouth Hawks on Friday Feb. 10, then welcome the third place Saint Peter’s Peacocks on Feb. 12.

On Feb. 16, the Jaspers travel to Siena, which sits in fourth place.

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What’s Up this week Men’s B-Ball Face St. Peter’s; Women Face Fairfield

Freshman Guard Gabby Cajou throws a jump-pass to Kayla Grimme (out of frame) for an assist. Aaron Mayorga/The Quadrangle

Rikkilynn Shields/ The Quadrangle

sports

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February 7, 2017

Women’s Lacrosse is Ready For the 2017 Season

The women’s lacrosse team will officially begin their season on Saturday, February 18th here in Riverdale, N.Y. GoJaspers/Courtesy

RikkiLynn Shields Editor

Originally from South Jersey, Coach McConnell began playing lacrosse when she entered high school. After high school, she continued her lacrosse career for four more years at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. From there, McConnell returned to Lock Haven to coach lacrosse for three years, beginning in 2013. Before ending up at Manhattan College, McConnell coached her last season at Coastal Carolina University in Myrtle Beach.

“My dad’s a lacrosse coach, and I saw the impact that he had on people’s lives, and I wanted to be as involved as I could at the sport that really gave me a lot. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some really great coaches growing up, and I wanted to get back into the sport that really gave so much to me.” McConnell said.

From her many successes as a coach at other universities, McConnell has a lot to offer for the women’s lacrosse team. As a coach, McConnell believes that being positive is the best way to be the best, and see the best side of the girls on and off the field.

“My coaching philosophy is to be very positive. I think in our generation right now, athletes thrive in a positive environment, so I want to make sure that we’re enjoying ourselves everyday, that we’re having a good time playing, we’re getting better everyday, and we’re all doing our best to make sure that we are in an encouraging environment.”

With the 2017 season being her first

season coaching at Manhattan College, McConnell was excited to see the team come back from winter break in great shape shape. Along with that, McConnell believes that the preseason for Jasper women’s lacrosse has been going great.

“With the season beginning in a few weeks, now we are focusing on our first scrimmage against Central Connecticut State in Nyack. We’re really looking forward to just implementing our offense and defense and really just seeing everything come together. Everybody has been working really hard so we’re really excited to see everything.”

Not only is McConnell excited to see her girls play for the first time, she also has some goals in mind for the team for the 2017 season.

“As a coach, and a coaching staff, our goals are definitely to be the best that we can be everyday. We really want to make a name for ourselves in the MAAC, and let people know that we’re a new team.

I think as a team our goals are to just be more successful than we’ve been in the past, and to really step up as a team. With our leadership and our new coaching staff, I think that’s definitely feasible.”

McConnell says to look out for junior Sarah Lang, junior Kara Hodapp, and senior Darby Nolan, the three captains of the women’s lacrosse team who play very important roles on the field. With the women’s first game approaching in a little under two weeks, staying positive on and off the field is something that McConnell tries to instill in her team.

“I’m a very positive person and I think that you have to look at the positives

in everything. I don’t really think anything is the worst that it possibly could be, and I think if you can find the positives in a situation, then you can really overcome anything. Especially on the field, if we are frustrated or we’re having a bad day, then we need to bring it in and highlight what we are doing correctly, and then go from there.”

Hodapp, Lang, and Nolan all believe that since the fall, the entire team has been improving and coming together as a whole, in hopes of making this season the most successful yet.

“I think the preseason has been extremely successful. I think coming back, this is the most motivated and excited that everyone has been, which keeps our goals in mind. Everyone is really focused on being successful this season, everyone is working hard, and every single day we are trying to get better.” Lang said.

Nolan added, “From lift to practice, I think you can see the improvement in everything we do. We want to be there, and we actually enjoy it, and we’re just going to go up from here.”

The captains have developed many goals for this season already, individually and as a team. With the season approaching quicker than they thought, this year the women plan to give it their all, and leave it all on the field.

“A personal goal of mine is to be a leader out on the field, and instill confidence in my teammates because we have so much potential. That contributes into our team goal– I’d say working together, and all of us contributing together to the greater success of our team, because we

know that we can do it and we have so much to accomplish. I really want our team to see that this year.” Hodapp said.

“With this being my last year playing here,” Nolan said, “I want to have as much fun as I can and give it my all. As a team, I also want the entire team to give it everything they have because if we do, we can reach a high potential. I really want to see this team go far.”

For these three girls, lacrosse has played an important role in their lives, on and off the field. From instilling respect, confidence, determination, and perseverance in each and every one of them, the girls plan to show the MAAC what they’ve been training so hard for each and every day. As captains, they’re going to use everything that McConnell and the rest of the coaching staff has given them, and give it their all.

“Lacrosse has definitely taught me a lot in my life, on and off the field. I’ve created so many relationships, especially here at Manhattan, that will last a lifetime. It teaches me time management skills which will help me further in life. You work hard towards a goal and it gives you a really good outlook on life. And, lacrosse is also an outlet. It’s nice to step onto the field with your best friends and forget about school and all the worries you have in your life. It’s a nice two hour break from reality.” Hodapp said.

The women’s lacrosse team will officially begin their season on Saturday, February 18th here in Riverdale, NY, at 3:00 P.M. versus Army West Point.