Issue 14, Spring 2015 - The Quadrangle

THE Volume 91, Issue 14

Q

UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924

May 5, 2015

Relay for Life on The Quad

www.mcquad.org

When Job Offers are Too Good to be True Chris Cirillo & Natalie E. Sullivan Senior Staff Writers

While many Manhattan College students look for jobs and internships, it’s important to realize which of them might be too good to be true. Pyramid schemes disguised as legitimate businesses can take advantage of eager college students looking for work.

Many pyramid schemes are marketing companies that ask for a payment upon joining the company and then the sale of a product. They also promise a share of money for every member the employee recruits to join the company.

Job offers can be found on all the major recruiting sites from LinkedIn, Monster.com and Indeed.com. While it is easy to apply, it is easier to be called in for an interview. A white flag should be raised if an employee goes in on a first and second interview to see a lot of other potential employees also waiting to be interviewed.

The volume of employees adheres to the pyramid model of rewarding those at the top and duping those at the bottom.

“Pyramids are bad guys,” Joe Mariano, the president of the Direct Selling Association, said to the Chicago Tribune.

“Their mere existence confuses the marketplace and makes it more difficult for legitimate direct-selling companies to do businesses and to be understood.”

While pyramid schemes are illegal,

Continued on page 3 Vanessa Sanchez/The Quadrangle

Commencement Tickets Remain a Contentious Subject for Graduating Seniors Cara Ledwidge Senior Staff Writer

Graduation is just days away, but for many seniors, their plans for the big day are still undecided.

Many graduating students are struggling with the limit that has been placed on the number of loved ones they are allowed to invite to see them in their caps and gowns at commencement. Graduating seniors are receiving three tickets for the ceremony on May 17.

The college earlier in the year put to a vote the location of the commencement ceremony, with President O’Donnell saying, “The number of prospective 2015 graduates has prompted discussions concerning the number of guaranteed guest tickets that we could possibly provide for family and friends of the graduates. As part of that discussion, we are investigating the possibility of relocating the 2015 commencement exercises.”

The plan would have been to choose

Madison Square Garden, where graduations used to be held years ago, but “moving to Madison Square Garden would require significant changes in the traditional format,” O’Donnell said.

This would include having the Baccalaureate Mass late Saturday afternoon, followed by a reception. The undergraduate commencement would take place the next day on Sunday afternoon.

“This location does not provide space for a reception or diploma distribution, therefore, diplomas will be distributed by mail,” O’Donnell said. “If we were to move Commencement to the Garden, we could provide each student with two extra tickets, for a total of five guaranteed guest tickets.”

According to a poll of the senior class, these changes were found to be favorable for a majority of the class. But this option fell through when Madison Square Garden became unavailable to host the event.

The plan would have then been to move the graduation ceremony to a location in Westchester. This alternative was

eventually scrapped as the graduating class decided it would rather graduate here on campus, but now this decision has come into question once again as the event is no longer a day on the horizon, but is now less than two weeks away.

Alyssa O’Braskin is seriously considering this predicament.

“The number of graduation tickets we are receiving isn’t enough,” O’Braskin said. “There are families that have two parents and three children and that then leaves the graduating student to choose either one sibling to come, or having neither come, which is unfair.”

As of right now, the only way to get extra tickets would be for students to ask friends and other classmates for the tickets they are not using.

For students with large families, like Lindsey Pamlanye, who is one of five children with two parents and multiple grandparents, most of her immediate family would have to be left behind if enough tickets are not found.

Ciara McGinley, one of five siblings,

made suggestions for alternatives the college could offer to students with large families.

“I would just really love if we could somehow get one or two more tickets, but if that is not possible, at least allow for multiple places on campus, like the Great Room in the Commons or the auditorium in Smith to live stream our graduation ceremony so that our entire families can attend and be on campus for our special day,” she said.

Senior Katy Tkach said she is happy that commencement is taking place on campus, a familiar place, but “I feel bad for anyone who wants to have more family attend,” she said. “Overall, it is great to utilize a more familiar space.”

“I find it absurd,” Kelly Cousins said.

“We had the opportunity to have more tickets if we had a different location, but because we are on campus we are forced to limit this day that is meant to be the culmination of everything we have done here, a celebration of our work and the school itself.”

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The

Opinions & editorials

Quadrangle www.mcquad.org

Notes from

The Editor

Vol. 91 Issue 14 May 5, 2015

Sean Sonnemann Editor-in-Chief Michelle DePinho Managing Editor/News Editor Anthony Capote Asst. News Editor Kieran Rock Managing Editor/Features Editor Ally Hutzler Asst. Features Editor Lauren Carr Arts & Entertainment Editor Lindsey Burns Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Jonathan Reyes Sports Editor Jaclyn Marr Asst. Sports Editor Daniel Ynfante Asst. Sports Editor Sean McIntyre Social Media Editor Victoria Hernández Kristie Killen Asst. Social Media Editors Kevin Fuhrmann Photography Editor

May 5, 2015

During the early morning hours of Sunday, April 26 a Public Safety Alert email was sent out to the Manhattan College community informing that an on-campus sexual assault had been reported to a college staff member. In the days that followed, several students reached out to myself and other members of The Quadrangle asking if the paper was investigating the incident.

While sexual assault is indeed a national topic of discussion for both professional and collegiate-level media, we at The Quadrangle felt strongly that for this individual case it was not appropriate to get involved.

The incident was reported to the proper college authorities. The school then correctly followed the guidelines outlined by the Clery Act and notified the community.

Simply put, our role as a college news organization is not to serve as criminal investigators, especially in cases as significant as a sexual assault.

In the past we have published articles that examined annual crime reports released by the office of Public Safety, detailed what the school policy is regarding sexual assault, and featured the college’s Title IX coordinator and latest programs designed to curb sexual assault.

Just last issue, we included an article covering the recent Take Back the Night event held on the quad--a vigil for victims of sexual violence.

As with any important subject, our goal is to educate and inform students and the wider community.

Specific cases should be left to those best-suited to handle them and not be subject to sometimes sensational journalism that can damage individuals’ privacy.

That being said, we are not afraid to step in if a person goes to the proper authorities for help when reporting a sexual assault (or any crime) and feels they are being ignored, mistreated or suffering an injustice.

Thankfully, that has not yet had to happen on our campus.

Sean Sonnemann Editor-in-Chief

This is the last issue for the Spring 2015 semester. Be sure to check our social media accounts and mcquad.org for any important news over the summer break. We look forward to returning to print in the fall!

Vanessa Sanchez Asst. Photography Editor Kelly Burns Luke Hartman Natalie Heinitz Production Editors Daniel Molina Distribution Manager 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.

Sam Martin/The Quadrangle

news

Battle of the Brains 2015

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The four disciplines within the college’s School of Engineering came together inside Draddy Gymnasium for the first ever Battle of the Brains–a competition to determine which program was tops at MC. The mechanical engineers beat out the rest to claim this year’s title.

Photos by Kevin Fuhrmann & Vanessa Sanchez

When Job Offers Are Too Good to Be True Chris Cirillo & Natalie E. Sullivan Senior Staff Writers

Continued From Page 1 multilevel marketing companies, albeit very similar, are not.

Legitimate multi-level marketing companies, also known as MLMs, network marketing and direct selling, often involving personal sales of cosmetics, wellness

products and home décor items. These MLMs are appealing to employees because they offer little training, the ability to work at home and a lucrative paycheck.

Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef and Amway are just some examples of MLMs, according to the Tribune.

The difference between MLMs and pyramid schemes comes from where the money is made. MLMs are okay because they make money from the sale of products to end-users, while a pyramid scheme makes money from fees paid by the entry-

level employees.

However, even MLMs can charge fees to employees and also offer deceptive payment promises it can’t always meet.

Jon M. Taylor, who once worked for an MLM company, told the Tribune he has studied the industry for 18 years and analyzed more than 500 MLM companies.

“I have not yet found a good MLM – a good MLM is an oxymoron,” he told the Tribune.

Pyramid schemes try to disguise themselves as an MLM so it’s important to try to

differentiate from the two. Tracy Coenen, a forensic accountant and fraud investigator with Sequence Inc., is also skeptical of the letimacy of MLMs. “Multilevel marketing companies are pyramid schemes that the government allows to operate,” Coenen said to the Tribune. “The only difference is that Herbalife, or any multilevel marketing company, has a tangible product that they use to make their pyramid appear legitimate.”

Features

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May 5, 2015

Back to School: Seniors Prepare to Dive into Graduate Programs Michelle DePinho Editor

While some seniors will be handing in their last college papers in the next few days, others are just gearing up for what’s ahead in the fall: graduate school. After experiencing an application and interview progress as rigorous as that for a full time job, these Manhattan College seniors are swapping a cubicle for class time—for now.

“Graduate school should be a conscious decision for them.” Rani Roy, Ph.D. and director of the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, said.

“It’s very important that we… consider grad school in the context of career path.

So that it’s intentional. The goal is to help you figure out where you want to go.”

For some students, that means using graduate school as a means to obtaining a career they’ve had their eyes set on for a while. Diana Luzuriaga, a senior biology major, will be attending Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine after spending several years knowing she wanted to pursue this path all along.

“I’ve known this since before I got into school,” Luzuriaga said. “Doing biology helped me make that decision. It made that decision really clear.”

While her decision to pursue veterinary school, with the ultimate goal of specializing in surgery, may have been a simple one, the application process was arduous and involved.

Health professions graduate school applications require a variety of standardized tests, letters of recommendations, interviews and supplemental applications. The work was overwhelming, but Luzuriaga didn’t go it alone.

“For the personal statement, I got a lot of help from the writing center,” she said.

“I’m a big believer in that and it really helped with that.”

Roy said that the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement begins the pre-health (or in this case, pre-veterinary) advising process earlier on than for a traditional graduate program because of the multitude of requirements.

“It’s a lot more structured,” Roy said of the pre-professional advising process, which is the umbrella term for both the prehealth and pre-law advising at the college.

This advising begins earlier and can also include internally assessing the candidate’s application along with other guidance.

But not every graduate school-bound senior is nearly as decisive as Luzuriaga.

Other students tend to discover the interests they pursue at the graduate level during their time at the college.

However, finding the link between those interests and an appropriate graduate program—one that meets the student’s needs and will provide post-graduate opportunity—can be a team effort. Some students turn to the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, where individualized advising is offered to help the student figure out what they really want to pursue.

“What we offer is primarily individualized advising because most students need that at that stage,” Roy said.

She said students should be asking the big questions at that point, like “Is grad school right for me? What do I want to do with the rest of my life? And what’s the next step for that?”

Sometimes that necessary one-on-one mentoring is also found in the professors students engage with, learn from and research alongside throughout their college careers.

Joshua Clark, a senior mathematics and economics major, is attending the University of Oregon in the fall to work towards his doctorate in economics, a move he credits to the support and guidance of both the economics and mathematics departments at MC.

“I feel a really great connection with both of those departments,” Clark said.

Specifically, his close relationships with Hany Guirguis, Ph.D., professor of economics and department chair of economics, and Ira Gerhardt, Ph.D. and assistant professor of mathematics, have helped him develop his interests in both economics and math.

“It blends a lot of different disciplines together but is still really concentrated in its own way,” Clark said of the Ph.D. program, which will focus on monetary policy.

Ultimately his goal is to work in the Federal Reserve System and eventually teach.

Similarly, senior English major Katy Tkach discovered her academic niche at the college, after working under a professor as a Jasper Summer Research Scholar.

She spent the summer writing poetry under the guidance of Dominika Wrozynski, Ph.D. and assistant professor of English, who specializes in poetry and creative writing.

“I could generally grow as a writer,” Tkach said. “That was really important to my ability to have a portfolio to apply [to graduate school].”

Fast forward nearly a year, and now Tkach plans to pursue an MFA in creative writing and poetry in the fall to hone her skills within a community of writers.

After applying to a handful of schools, Tkach has narrowed her choices to two universities – one in Florida and one in New Mexico – and is currently trying to determine which will be the best fit for her.

“Right now I’m just trying to determine which community of writers I’ll be more at home with,” Tkach said.

But at least the stress of applying to MFA programs is behind her. The applications required the poetry portfolio she had the chance to develop as her research project, standardized test scores and recommendations.

“It is so much harder to juggle that with school – or even over winter break – than I

thought,” Tkach said.

The programs are also small by default, only accepting 5 or 6 per class, adding additional pressure to the application process by making it so competitive.

“It’s a crazy toss-up,” Tkach called the application process. Regardless, Tkach was admitted and has two fully-funded graduate school options to choose from for the fall.

If Tkach’s case is any indication, there is no typical case or path students tend to take when attending graduate school after their time at the college. The factors that come into play in applying to and ultimately choosing a graduate program are unique to the values and goals of the student.

Some of those complications can include cost, location and the ‘feel’ of a program or school.

Luzuriaga intends to practice as a veterinary in the Northeast, which helped her eliminate the schools in the Midwest she was accepted to from her choices. The familiar environment she found at Tufts, which she said reflected MC’s, also drew her to her final decision.

“It’s similar to the atmosphere of Manhattan College,” she said. “It’s a small school. It’s near a city. It’s also in the northeast, and I want to end up working here, so I think it’s important to stay close in the Northeast so that I don’t have to keep moving.”

Regardless of where MC students end up, Roy said they generally have a smooth transition into their graduate programs.

“Everyone that comes back to speak at alumni panels or events has said that Manhattan College experience and the academics here have really prepared them for what they’ve gone on to do,” Roy said. “It’s part of our mission to ensure that graduating students feel like they have the support and the tools that they need to be successful at the graduate level.”

Senior Profile:Meet Casey Barrett Cara Ledwidge Senior Staff Writer

With graduation only twelve days away, Casey Barrett gets ready to put the final touches on her senior year. Barrett is involved all over campus. From her major in environmental engineering to her work as the head of the Green Club, this young woman contemplates the start to the rest of her life with a future tied to the future of the environment.

Her post-graduate path actually begins right here.

“My plan next year is to go get my masters degree in environmental engineering here at Manhattan College.”

Not only is she going to get her master’s, but she is excited to reveal that “I am waiting to hear back from a company” that her professor thought she would be perfect for. “My professor submitted my resume to this company, and I have an interview with them next week.”

“The interview will be with Hazen and Sawyer and I’m waiting to hear back from

them soon. Hazen and Sawyer is an environmental engineering consulting firm and focus on two things, providing safe drinking water and controlling water pollution.

If hired, I would be investigating the feasibility of bioswales in neighborhoods running off into the Bronx River and the Gowanus Canal.”

Barrett’s ideal schedule for next semester would be to work part-time and take classes two to three days a week, as well as hopefully working for this company with her professor’s blessing.

In terms of what work she wants to do in the future, Barrett says, “The most fun I’ve had while working is doing work that is rewarding. For example, I’ve been volunteering for the NYC Compost project where I do a lot of hands-on work, like emptying compost bins or chopping up food scraps, and it just feels really accomplishing when you finish the project at the compost site.”

In this line of volunteering, Barrett said, “I work with a people of all ages.

Even the classes next year will have people coming right out of college and also people

who have been in the workforce for a few years.”

Barrett’s work with Manhattan College’s Green Club has been similar. “Well, I’ve been part of the Green Club since I was a freshman and now hold a leadership position within the club. My mission was to get people in touch with nature, so for example, we went canoeing in the Bronx River. This might make people think about water quality and pollution and then people will care about how they treat their environment and want to protect or preserve it.”

As she looks back on her time here, Barrett realizes, “Balancing school and work will be new to me. I’ve never worked while taking classes full-time. However, for the master’s program you take three classes per semester and hopefully, if this interview goes well, I will work part time as well.”

“I will probably work with an engineering firm until all my loans are paid off, and I’ve saved up some money so that I can leave that job and do what I really want to do,” Barrett said.

Looking down the line, “In ten years I

can see myself in a number of places, possibly still in New York, perhaps back home in Philadelphia, maybe getting my Ph.D. somewhere on the west coast,” she said.

“Yes, I would like to be a professor someday,” Barrett said, but “ I am open to any and all opportunities.”

When asked about whether she is ready to leave the comfort of a Manhattan College undergraduate classroom, Barrett said, laughing, “Not really, no. I really like school, so I’m not over the classroom thing yet.”

However, there is not anything Barrett will miss more than most about her time her as she admits, “I’m very indifferent about the whole thing.”

Barrett sums up her time here with a ballad to the past four years, saying, “I am going to have to go with ‘Campus’ by Vampire Weekend just for the irony.”

Features

A Farewell After Four Years on The Quadrangle

So I guess this is goodbye, quaddies! I am sad to leave behind my days spent at Manhattan College, but the time has come for me to graduate. The Quadrangle has taught me basically everything I know about journalism. I had written for my high school’s paper, The Pascack Valley Smoke Signal, (go Indians!) but The Quadrangle was a totally different ball game. I am very proud of myself for the portfolio I now have compiled of articles I chose to write for this fine publication.

I highly recommend joining The Quadrangle to anyone at Manhattan College who has an interest in writing and reporting, or wants to learn about how a team of gifted editors work to get everything together and perfectly in place. I never did feel worthy enough to join the ranks of the editorial staff, but have always admired their passion and dedication. Writing for The Quad has been one of the most noticed accomplishments on my résumé with potential employers almost always asking to see my articles.

Above all, my favorite part of writing for The Quad, besides fun and sometimes even hilarious meetings, was whenever I was approached by a classmate or professor who wanted to talk about a piece I wrote. That was really all I wanted, to know that I made some kind of small impact if any. I am so happy that I got to be a voice on my college campus and will always be glad that I chose to participate in this club. It was definitely among the best decisions I made as a teenager. From news to features and opinionated op-eds (and certainly never sports), I can’t think of a better way to have made my own little mark on the Manhattan College community.

I am also very proud to have been a part of the Quad when we went online, that was huge! This publication has seriously transformed since I joined in the Fall 2012 semester. We have come a long way for sure! I wish only the best to my fellow quaddies and quaddies to come.

You guys rock, don’t ever change! HAGS! (Have a good summer!)

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Amber Calabro

Sean McIntyre

• Staff Writer

• Social media Editor

After being a member of The Quadrangle for the past three years, I have to admit that I am extremely sad to see this final issue printed. After six wonderful semesters I have been exposed to some incredible and fun experiences while reporting in and around MC’s campus, as well as meeting some of my best friends.

During my time on The Quadrangle’s staff, I have reported on local businesses, new infrastructure on campus, going to theatrical and musical events, profile interesting students, starting my first column and so much more. This newspaper allowed me to grow as a writer, for which I will always be thankful. It also educated me on the importance of journalism and understanding the world from different perspectives.

Furthermore, being a member of the e-board introduced me to my career path: social media. After redesigning the social media structure, including The Quadrangle’s Facebook and Twitter, I realized the importance that social media has on the news. Being able to post breaking news before printing the newspaper demonstrated that we truly live in an era of instant communication. We finally live in a time where we can learn about an event across the world seconds after it occurred. It is truly mind blowing.

What is even more mind blowing is the fact that I will be graduating come May 17. I want to give a big hug to members of The Quadrangle for their love and friendship they have given me over the years. You all are the most inviting and encouraging group of students at Manhattan College. Each of you is each other’s biggest fan, and foster growth amongst one another. To say that I was a member of this staff is truly an honor.

Thank you for everything, and I wish you all the best!

Joseph V. Cusmano

• Assistant News Editor • Managing Editor • Editor-in-Chief

Who knew that this would turn out to be one of the biggest cases of writer’s block over the past four years?

In my time at Manhattan, I have been privileged enough to learn well beyond my years within the realm of journalism through working for The Quadrangle.

I have been exposed and more importantly, challenged to learn and understand the importance of different viewpoints and opinions. I have been able to maintain relationships with peers, administration and essential members of the Manhattan College community through my work for The Quadrangle.

I have learned to ask questions, to investigate, to report objectively, to get all sides of the story, to check the facts and arguably most importantly, to challenge myself as a reporter.

Thank you to everyone at The Quadrangle I have worked alongside these past four years. I am proud to not only call you all my fellow writers and editors, but also some of my closest friends.

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Features

May 5, 2015

features

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A Farewell After Four Years on The Quadrangle

I can’t believe that I’m sitting here writing my last article for my dear, beloved Quadrangle. The Quad has been a HUGE part of my college experience, and a completely wonderful part at that.

I got The Quadrangle scholarship when I came in as a freshman, which basically forced me to be an active part of the club right from the get-go. I remember attending my first meeting during Accepted Students Day, when people in student government brought all the newspapers that had been put out around campus back into the meeting room because administration didn’t want the infamous Triangle April Fool’s issue out for incoming students to see. (This turned out to be a reoccurring phenomenon all four years). I went to every single meeting when I started school, and wrote, wrote, wrote. Being a part of the paper gave me the opportunity to spend time with new people, not only in the club, but other students, professors, and workers I wouldn’t have otherwise met if I wasn’t interviewing them for an article.

The next year I moved up from Staff Writer to Assistant Features Editor, the year after to Arts & Entertainment Editor, and my last role was as the Features and Managing editor. Looking back I truly cherish every Tuesday (or Wednesday) I spent at meetings hearing about the news on campus, carrying around my reporter’s notebook and thinking up article ideas, every Saturday morning I spent editing articles, every interview with the countless amazing people here on Manhattan College’s campus, and as cheesy as it is, the fantastic friends I made on the editorial staff over the years.

I was (and still am) so proud to be part of a club that’s full of students who are passionate about getting the news out to campus, about being a voice and source of important information for students, faculty, and employees. The paper has improved tremendously since I first started school, from layout to content to its online presence. Thanks to all of the wonderful editorsin-chief I have worked with, and every single editor and writer from over the years. I can’t wait to see where the paper goes— keep it up Quaddies because I’ll still be reading the website!

Best of luck, goodbye, and keep on Quaddin’ on!

Chris Cirillo • Assistant Opinions & Editorials Editor • Sports Editor

Claire Leaden • Assistant Features Editor • Arts & Entertainment Editor • Features Editor • Managing Editor

The Quadrangle is responsible for the best and worst moments of my college career.

I came in as a timid sophomore scared to talk at the weekly meetings and too shy to take on an article. Eventually, I broke out of my shell.

Covering the men’s basketball team in the 2013-2014 season, my junior year, was a blast. I wrote my favorite story ever after the team won its first championship in 10 years, under excruciating pressure in Massachusetts to get the story done 60 minutes after the on-court celebration ended.

I was on the court trying to take pictures as the team hoisted the trophy when I got a phone call from the editor-in-chief, Natalie Sullivan, and our advisor, Joe Cutbirth, telling me to write something powerful for the front page. I’ve never been so overwhelmed in my life.

One week later, I got to fly to Orlando for the game against Louisville. It will go down as the upset that could have been, but it really marked a changing point in my life. I knew I had to be a sports reporter and do this for a living. I fell in love in Florida.

Finally, two weeks later, the whole Steve Masiello saga went down, and I had to cover it. It was rough. It was stressful. It was burdensome. But it was news. And I learned a lot.

Going to Orlando will be what I tell people was my favorite moment at college, while covering the Masiello news is something I want to forget.

But that’s anything you do in life.

The good moments come with the bad. The hard work is what makes the rewarding moments so special. I don’t regret anything I did during my time at The Quad. I would rather have lifetime memories and stressful days than a life of mediocrity.

This is what they tell you about when you come to college: “get involved,” “be active.” If I hadn’t joined The Quad, my career path may be completely different. I may be graduating with an accounting degree or a “safer” job.

But The Quad taught me to do what I love.

Everything about the end of your senior year of college hits you like a ton of bricks. Even though we’ve known for four years that this is coming, it seems like the pressure of finding an apartment, finding a job and saying goodbye to my college life that I love so much has come from the ether.

Even though it is extremely difficult and tearful, and even though I’d prefer to avoid the problem and pretend it isn’t happening, a life change like this requires a great deal of introspection about what I feel I’ll always consider the best four years of my life.

When I first came to Manhattan College, I hated myself for the decision I’d made. I was just some girl from a Philly suburb who liked the prospect of New York City. I didn’t know anyone and I probably couldn’t even point out the Bronx, let alone Riverdale on a map.

Becoming involved in The Quadrangle became a safe haven of likeminded people for me. I knew the second that I walked into my first Quadrangle meeting how huge of an impact this club would have on my life. Over the next four years, I would go from staff writer, to Opinion and Editorial Assistant Editor, to Sports Editor (still, no one’s really sure how that one happened), to Editor-in-Chief.

There were plenty of sleepless nights in production and laying out the paper, staring at the dead cockroach stuck in the light of our old Overlook office. There were times when I wanted to murder people for missing a deadline for the fifth consecutive week. But if you had asked me at any of these times if I thought being on The Quadrangle was worth it, I would answer you every single time with an unwavering, “yes.”

Being on The Quadrangle didn’t just re-enforce my love for journalism and give me perspective of working in a newsroom that no classroom could give me. It allowed me to meet and spend maybe just a little bit too much time with some of the best people I’ll ever know.

Writing for and being on The Quadrangle taught me so much about myself, my work ethic and helped me be an involved member of the MC community. It taught me the importance of knowing what’s going on in the world around you and the importance of teamwork and understanding.

This is me completely acknowledging how cheesy and trite letters like these seem to outsiders reading them. I know that most seniors share the same nostalgic sentiments that I do. But it doesn’t make it any less important to share them.

I love everyone that I’ve had the privilege of working with on this newspaper. You have all impacted my life in a monumental way, and I

As a college senior, it is easy to sound cynical about the college experience, by this time you have seen the best and the worst of it, you’ve seen the quad on a beautiful day and you’ve seen the undercooked chicken of Locke’s.

But this experience that is college is one that will suck at points but is worth every single moment. In these four years you will make friends you will never forget, be witness to things that you will talk about for years, and gain stories.

As graduation nears and my time in this crazy maze comes to an end, there is advice that I feel every member of Manhattan College should hear at least once. First, say hello to people. When you go to Locke’s or leave your dorm take an extra five seconds to make that human connection. The people you meet along the way can become your friends and some can become very helpful to you.

Secondly, appreciate the small things, instead of running to class, stop on the quad when there is no one there and simply look around, don’t take out your phone, don’t listen to music, just sit there and soak in the campus.

Third, have no regrets. When you leave here you should have some scars, either emotional ones or physical but do things that you are nervous about because sometimes those are the actions that pay off the best. Be it talking to that girl/guy in Locke’s instead of walking by them or joining an activity.

In four years I have been rejected by people more times than I care to mention, I also put myself on stage in three plays, was a DJ for WRCM, was an orientation leader, a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and a writer for the Manhattan College Quadrangle. And I wouldn’t change a moment of it, even if I could.

At points I sat there and said why did I agree to this just before I walked on stage, but having all those people in Smith in part to see you is an incredible feeling. Before going on the air with WRCM, the idea of sounding like an idiot was present but having people say they loved your show is awesome (even if your audience consists of your mother and your roommate).

Being an orientation leader can be nerve racking, having a crowd of fresh faces making up their minds about you in the 10 seconds after you meet, but you gain a connection to the next generation of Manhattan College and maybe a few people that look up to you.

Joining a fraternity is one of those things that I contemplated for

Natalie E. Sullivan • Assistant Opinions and Editorials Editor • Sports Editor • Editor-in-Chief will never ever forget the past few years. I love and am eternally grateful for my friends, my professors (who often turned out to me more like mentors), and my colleagues at the Communication Department of this school. You have been my second family and I would never be able to achieve success if it weren’t for your love and support.

You have all shaped me into the woman I am today. I immensely look forward to seeing and hearing of the wonderful things my fellow squad members are capable of.

James O’Connor • Distribution Manager • Photography Editor quite sometime but never had the self esteem to join, until I met the founding fathers of Manhattan College’s chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon, better known as simply DKE. All I have to say about joining Greek life is that the media only focuses on the negative; in my time with DKE I have done more charitable work then the previous 20 years of my existence. In my time with DKE I have come to know the meaning of having brothers who will stay with you at your worst and your best. I will always consider these gentlemen my brothers, and all of Greek life on Manhattan College’s campus my family.

Lastly, the Manhattan College Quadrangle has thrown me into more unknown territory than anyone else. I’ve had to photograph protests and interview people of power, more than once I contemplated not doing it anymore, but I stuck with it and because of this organization I have my career lined up as a photojournalist.

Arts & Entertainment

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May 5, 2015

Abi Kloosterman/The Quadrangle

An Imperfect Truth

Bergdorf’s “Names to Know” Reveals a Beautiful Reality Abi Kloosterman Staff Writer

Jonathan Simkhai doesn’t cry over a spilled cocktail on the bar. Instead he creates a sporty and wearable spring line inspired by the most imperfectly perfect women--clumsiness and all.

This past week Bergdorf Goodman launched another installment of their “BG Names to Know” campaign, featuring designers Jonathan Simkhai, Marissa Webb, and Ohne Titel as well as the lovely ladies behind the powerhouse fashion blogs, “We Wore What,” “The Fashion Guitar” and “Wendy’s Lookbook.”

Making the way up the escalator to the fifth floor, which houses contemporary lines, a loud mixture of techno beats paired

with a throwback Justin Timberlake song blasts from DJ Chelsea Leyland’s turntables. Behind her bible of beats and her alltoo-trendy “Frends” headphones she wears a Jonathan Simkhai Spring/Summer 2015 ready to wear look fresh off the runway.

This light blue-periwinkle cutout dress with mesh embellishments looks like a work of art on the runway, but comes to life on the daring and fashionable New York City DJ. This vitality is exactly what inspires Jonathan Simkhai to create his pieces.

After plenty of photo-ops, camera flashes, and hugs from friends, Jonathan Simkhai is finally free. After accolade and accolade of how gorgeous his SS15 line truly is, the real, and maybe a little cliché, question comes out, “What inspired you to create this line?” He goes on to tell a story about seeing the most gorgeous woman at

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a bar, sipping her drink, enjoying herself.

Suddenly, the fabulous woman tumbles over her drink across the bar. She is embarrassed at first, but then she tilts her head back and lets out a laugh. He was inspired by her beauty in making some clumsy mistake, but laughing it off as if no one were watching.

Jonathan Simkhai’s SS15 line exudes sportiness, wearability and pure fashion.

Each texture of every fabric used is unique.

From grittier mesh to soft sweater-like pieces, his line contains the very best variety in clothing for everyday wear to nighttime soirees. Honorable mentions go to the mid-length skirts and dresses with mesh cutouts interspersed throughout the piece.

The awards go to the colors that are fresh and organic including a light bluish periwinkle, black, white, and the classic pink

nude. There is a cohesiveness to the line that just makes sense but the daring fabrics and textures give it an edge that soothe the desires of the most daring trendsetters and even the more conservative closets.

As the sparkling water, champagne, and Bellini’s ran low and more photographs were snapped, a crystal clear champagne flute was knocked off the DJ booth. The most fabulous fashionistas in New York City knock over glasses, shattering loudly onto the floor. So maybe Jonathan Simkhai has something here— is imperfection truly the most beautiful aspect of our lives? Without some type of imperfection or clumsy mistake we are all the same and we are all plain boring. Who knew a spilled drink could inspire a line of stunning skirts, shirts and dresses. A fabulous woman doesn’t cry over spilled sparkling water.

Arts & Entertainment

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A Look Behind the Curtain: Gavin Sass Sean McIntyre Editor

As a graduating senior with an English major and an environmental studies minor, Gavin Sass has made a lasting impact in the Manhattan College Arts Community. From his time in choir in middle school to his performances in his high school musicals and plays, Sass knew he wanted to continue his pursuit in the arts in college.

When he entered MC as a freshman, Sass joined Singers, Players and auditioned for Scatterbomb. He started to perform with all three groups that year, and his journey is quite interesting.

Sean McIntyre: How did you first learn about Players?

Gavin Sass: One of my friends from high school, who was a year older than me, and already part of Players, told me about it since she knew I did that type of stuff in high school. Also she told me that the group of people that did it was pretty great.

SM: During your time in Players, what roles did you partake from participating in the shows to board member positions?

GS: I was in three Players productions, and I served as Tech Director for a little over a year.

SM: Out of all of the shows you participated in, which one was your favorite?

GS: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was my favorite by far. It was just a bunch of good, not-so-clean fun (which is the best kind).

SM: Looking back now, what are some of your favorite memories with Players?

GS: Well being that I was a tech director, I am biased. My favorite memories are all of the tech days when a bunch of close friends and I would just build stuff together.

SM: You also joined Scatterbomb during your time at MC. How did you learn about the improv group?

GS: I went to the performing arts meeting during my freshman year and heard about Scatterbomb. I had never even really heard of improv comedy, and even though they likened it to “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, which I actually do not even enjoy. I decided to go try out.

SM: When did you find your interest peak for improv?

GS: Right away at the try-out, I enjoyed doing it, but once I performed I was hooked.

Performing improv is addictive. Going out there and not having a game plan, or rehearsal, or any of the things that make performing less stressful and more restrictive, is just the biggest payoff. I am not going out there and reciting words by Eugene O’Neill or Arthur Miller; my scene partner and I are just creating. It’s wholly our own and that’s incredible.

Not to mention, the seniors (Michael Stevens ‘12 and Paul Sgro ‘12) that I performed with during my first couple of shows were just incredible performers that make it easy.

SM: Since you have been a member of Scatterbomb for several years, how has the group grown since you joined?

GS: We have also branched out into doing more forms during shows, sketch comedy and podcasts. The group has maintained its size, but we’ve become way more cohesive as a whole. We have a more balanced ratio of ladies and guys, which was something we’ve all wanted for a while. But all in all, we’re just a family.

SM: Can you elaborate what you mean by family?

GS: Scatterbomb members just know and love each other in a way that you love family and close friends. This is really great for performing as well because when you know people like that you know how to set them up and you begin to know what they are going to do. This is really noticeable with Brendan Goggins ‘15, who has been a fantastic friend before we were even at Manhattan. I know that dude so well that I can, more times than not, predict what he is going to do in a scene. It’s really an incredible feeling to have a group of 12 other people who you know that well.

SM: Since you work with such a close-knit group, do you work with a coach?

GS: We owe a lot of thanks to our coach, the immensely talented Tarik Davis, who is a combination of the funniest person I’ve ever met, the wisest 30-year-old in the world, and the most caring individual. He has so much experience and has really made us all grow as improvisors, but also as performers and individuals. He really fostered an environment that encouraged us to go out there and love and support each other on stage but in life. I am not at all embarrassed to be myself on stage or anywhere when I’m with Scatterbomb.

SM: Did you also have any particular roles while you were a member of Scatterbomb?

GS: Scatterbomb functions pretty much like a commune. We are all performers, we are all tech workers, and we are all the executive board. Our titles are almost certainly formalities. For instance, I am President; but every single thing we do we try to reach either complete agreement upon or at least a majority. We really operate as a collective.

This is the structure we’ve agreed upon because it is the one that most mirrors what we

Gavin Sass/Courtesy do when we perform. We collaborate. No one can pinpoint where an idea started, so we hope to operate in ways very similar to that.

SM: After doing numerous shows, what are some of your favorite sketches?

GS: My favorite sketch is either one written by Tyler White ‘15 in which a couple is walking through the woods and it’s like really kitschy and sappy, then the woman accidentally kills the man and then it turns into this dark Tarantino-esque sequence of her burying the body and stuff. The button is that it’s a mock-Subaru commercial complete with the tagline, “Your Adventure Starts... and Ends, Here.” The other one is a sketch written by Brendan Goggins ‘15 in which a man goes to a HR-type rep to take a leave of absence for an existential crisis. It’s really great, Monty Python-type stuff, very smartly written.

SM: Like I asked earlier about Players, what were some of your favorite memories during Scatterbomb?

GS: I have way too many memories to pick a favorite so I’ll just go with the latest one, which was when we road-tripped up to Skidmore College for ComFest, a national improv/sketch festival. We were there for the whole weekend and it was insanely fun. We stayed with the nicest people (shouts out to Emily, Jo, and Britney); met some fantastic comedy folks; saw Tig Notaro, who if you aren’t familiar with, get on that; and just bonded a ton.

SM: Apart from Scatterbomb, have you contributed to the MC Arts Community in other ways?

GS: I perform at Coffeehouse and have submitted some original music to Manhattan Magazine.

SM: After looking back on all your memories, what is the most important thing that you will take away from being a part of the MC Arts Community?

GS: The most important thing that I have learned is to just make connections. You never know whose talents will help create something together later.

SM: Since you are graduating in May, what are your post-graduate plans?

GS: I plan on living in NYC and working for an environmental not-for-profit.

SM: And finally, will you still participate in the arts community after you graduate?

GS: I will be starting a new improv troupe with some former members of Scatterbomb after I graduate, and I would love to hold some kind of variety show maybe once a month or once every two months, where improv, sketch, stand-up, and music could all be performed.

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Arts & Entertainment

May 5, 2015

The Essential Food Guide to Getting Through Finals Week Alyssa Rosello Guest Writer

“OMG yes finals week, my favorite time of the year!” said no one ever. It’s the most bittersweet week of your life because it means summer is near, but it also means you are about to study more than you ever have the whole semester.

For the next week, you’re going to be tired and hungry. But let’s just face reality now, you can’t live off coffee and granola bars for seven days straight. I’m not going to sit here and list off a bunch of “healthy and nutritiously energizing snacks to bring with you to the library” because that’s honestly way too boring.

However, here is the basic rundown of how food can help boost your energy, thoughts, grades and overall mood during finals week, with some additional tips on what exactly you should be eating to get you through Hell Week.

1. Upon Waking Up, Drink Water:

When you sleep, you become dehydrated so it’s really important to chug a nice big glass of H20 first thing in the morning. The rehydration gives your body a good morning kick and prevents all those headaches and illnesses that tend to arise during this week.

2. Eat Breakfast:

This one’s probably obvious and you’ve heard it more times then you can count, but I don’t care because you’re about to hear it again. Especially when you have a long day of studying or tests ahead of you, eating breakfast will give you fuel and energy all morning and all day. Try out these banana blender muffins you can make once and have as a quick breakfast all week.

4. Snacks on Snacks on Snacks:

To be honest, if you don’t snack during the day I can’t trust you. Throughout the day and in-between meals, snacks are crucial to not only keep you from getting hungry, but keep your energy levels up. Snacks are awesome because you can eat them anywhere and everywhere. Foods like hummus, apples, granola bars, nuts and greek yogurt are all great snackage material. You could also make a batch of these dark chocolate coconut bars and pop one in your mouth whenever you’re feeling hangry (they don’t require baking).

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar 6 tablespoons coconut oil (plus 1/2 teaspoon for later) 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes 1 cup dark chocolate chips Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, melt sugar and 6 tablespoons coconut oil until combined and fully melted, about 4-5 minutes. (Be careful not to burn!)

2. Once melted, turn off heat and add in coconut flakes, stirring to combine.

3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and pour mixture in. Firmly press down mixture into pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until cool.

4. In a microwave safe bowl, melt dark chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil at 45 second increments, stirring in between each until fully melted.

5. Once fully melted and smooth, pour chocolate over coconut mixture in pan and spread to cover evenly.

6. Refrigerate for another 20 minutes until chocolate has cooled and hardened. Cut into squares and enjoy!

5. The Basic Do’s and Don’ts:

Ingredients: 2 spotted, ripe bananas ¼ cup peanut butter 1 egg 2 tablespoons honey ½ cup rolled oats, plus extra for topping ¼ cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

There are specific foods that provide different functions to your body, such as increasing memory or energy. There are also foods that reverse certain effects and can make you feel sluggish, tired and mood--which you really don’t need more of during finals week. If you really want to ace your exams and get the most out of your studying time, here is a list of the most important foods to eat and not eat.

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. In a blender, add oats and blend until they’re a powder.

3. To the blender, add the bananas, peanut butter, egg, honey, flour, vanilla, baking soda and cinnamon and blend until smooth and combined.

4. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Hold off on the Coffee:

Just kidding, don’t hold off completely. But did you know that drinking coffee within the first hour of waking up does absolutely nothing for you? Our bodies run on a 24 hormonal cycle that tells us when it’s time to wake, eat, drink and a variety of other things.

When we first wake up, levels of cortisol (the hormone that makes us alert), increases by 50% so you don’t need that java until about an hour after waking.

For more of these recipes and food news, head to manhattan.spoonuniversity.com and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. facebook.com/spoonmanhattan, @spoon_manhattan.

Sports

The Title Role of Coach

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Jonathan Reyes Editor

Coaches can positively or negatively affect a player’s abilities and life.

Manhattan College’s Steve Masiello, JFK Campus’ Johnny Mathis and Horace Mann’s Ray Barile all believe as coaches they need to make sure their players believe in their respective philosophies.

For this to be done, each said a coach has to show passion for the game he coaches, be smart, possess the capability to break down a game and recruit other players who are not only talented but can improve each member of the team. Finally, a coach has to be fair and consistent with his team members as both players and people.

“There are so many factors that go into it,” Masiello said. “You have to incorporate all of them. That’s what makes coaching so difficult.”

Masiello, Mathis and Barile also said relationships with staff and players are also key as a means of showing interest in both their professional and personal well-being and the betterment of the program. The message is always about creating a legacy for them. To sum it up in one word: family.

Masiello said Manhattan was able to win back-to-back MAAC championships despite losing players such as Rhamel Brown and Michael Alvarado because current seniors Emmy Andujar and RaShawn Stores sustained the culture of what Masiello called “respected integrity.”

Players such as Brown, Alvarado, Andujar and Stores are the type of players who can relate to their teammates on a level a coach can’t. Yet these are hard players to find. But when they’re available that’s what separates the good teams from the bad ones, Mathis said.

“They go a long way in helping develop a team that you’re coaching,” Barile said. “It definitely makes my job easier.”

Off-court leadership is as much a repeated lesson as is the on-court side of it, Mathis said.

“You have to help keep the next guy out of trouble,” Mathis recalled telling his team recently. “You can hurt your team in times of a big game. Make sure he’s doing his work.”

He remembered a few years ago that one of his players decided to slide down the side of an escalator for the fun of it.

Kevin Fuhrmann/The Quadrangle Manhattan’s Steve Masiello doing what he does: coach.

That player ended up falling and hurting his wrist which affected the team because he couldn’t play for the foreseeable future.

“Off the court is more important than on,” Mathis said. “Academically, you definitely have to make sure of that. For their own purposes, they’re all to going to the NBA and Division I, in their minds. (You have) to help them be able to have life skills and sports. A lot of times they’re young and they don’t really understand it.”

Masiello, Mathis and Barile said the

answer to being a great coach isn’t in what type of player they once were. Instead, until opportunities come, there’s a sense of not knowing. This is where fellow coaches and even players can be inspirations.

For Masiello, it’s Louisville’s Rick Pitino, New England Patriots’ Bill Belichick and Texas Tech’s Orlando “Tubby” Smith.

For Mathis, it’s his own son. And for Barile, it’s his dad, uncle and former high school basketball coach.

“That goes with anything,” Masiello

day and that dragged us down.”

Manhattan did not win a single competition this season. In fact, the highest finish in an event was second place at the Jasper Shootout on October 13.

The seventh place finish at MAACs put Manhattan three places off their mark in the 2014 when it finished fourth.

Wood cites the lack of experience on the roster as the major reason why the team struggled.

“There’s just a lack of leadership on the whole team,” Wood said. “I don’t have a student-leader…who whatever happens can basically carry the team on his shoulders.”

The squad consisted of four freshmen and one sophomore, but ultimately were inconsistent throughout the year.

“We probably didn’t do as good as we planned to do,” freshman Johnny Schob

said about the season, “but we’re definitely practicing and focusing on practicing in the right way, so there’s definitely room for improvement, which is good.”

“Individually, I don’t think anyone is going to be happy with themselves,” junior James Edgeworth said. “The same for the team. But, we’re definitely trying our hardest and there’s always room for improvement.”

While the inexperience proved costly in 2014-2015, it will be nonexistent next season. As all but one player will return to the team.

Schob and Edgeworth said the little turnover on the roster will produce tangible results next year. They also are sure that with a season under their belt, they will not be able to use the lack of experience as an excuse next year.

said. “Not just basketball. It’s life. The motto I live by is, ‘If it’s not broken, break it and make it better.’ I’m always trying to recreate, reinvent and rebrand myself before I get to that situation where you’re kind of caught with not knowing something. What I try to do is think of every hypothetical situation. So I try to go to the extreme of it to help me get ready for the now.”

Men’s Golf Up to Par?

Daniel Ynfante Assistant Editor

On the second day of the 2015 MAAC tournament, Manhattan College’s golf team put on a performance like no other during the season.

It combined for a 297 (+9), which broke a 13-year school record for the lowest score at the championship.

However, the record stands as one of the few positives for 2014-2015 Manhattan golf. It struggled throughout the season and finished seventh at MAACs. “Unfortunately, the whole season was a disappointment,” coach Jerry Wood said.

“We never really put it together in any tournament where four or five people played well. Always somebody had a really bad

In preparation for the 2015-2016 season, each member of the team plans to compete in local tournaments and practice at facilities.

The team hopes it will not have a repeat campaign next year.

“I’m definitely looking forward to trying to win the MAACs next year,” Schob said “You can always get better, so we’re going to practice harder and work on the right things.”

“We’re growing as a team,” Edgeworth said. “We’re growing as individuals and that’s the main thing basically, becoming more unified as a team and I think everyone will start playing better as the season progresses.”

sports

The Lights are On Amy Bright

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Kevin Fuhrmann/The Quadrangle Bright about to lunge into one of her last pitches at Manhattan.

Jaclyn Marr Assistant Editor

Since she was eight years old, Amy Bright has been playing softball.

There’s one person throughout all these years who she says has influenced her the most as both a player and person: Her pitching coach growing up.

He was her coach all the way until she left for college. She says she would see him about two to three times a week for practice or games.

His help has led her to today, where she has been named to two MAAC AllAcademic Teams and earned three MAAC Pitcher of the Week awards during her time at Manhattan College. This season she has put up a 14-7 record and a 2.68 ERA. “Amy is awesome,” assistant coach Bridget Hurlman says. “She definitely al-

ways wants the ball. She’s our number one.

She definitely owns that mound and we are lucky to have her.”

During a road trip to California to face Brown and UC Santa Barbara, Bright posted back-to-back shutouts and a scoreless streak of 15 innings. And despite Manhattan’s going 2-4 against those teams, Bright still led the way during her starts and that’s when she also earned one of her three eventual pitcher of the week awards.

“Amy has done an amazing job of really putting this team on her shoulders,” catcher Elena Bowman says. “She comes out every start with the same fire and the same intensity. It’s going to be a big loss for us. We are really going to miss not only her physical presence but especially her emotional presence and the way she leads us.”

Bright agrees with Bowman. Bright says one of her noticeable improvements

as a starting pitcher and one of the leaders on Manhattan is the mental side of her game.

“I used to get rattled very easily,” Bright says. “I did not keep my composure when I was a freshman and even younger. As I’ve grown and worked with Bridget and Elena and my team, I have so much more confidence in the team. I am able to stay focused on the mound and stay positive. That has been a huge change.”

With the regular season coming to a close, she’s now preparing for the playoffs for the last time of her college career. Looking back she says making it to the MAAC tournament for the first time since 2011 last year is her favorite memory.

“MAACs last year were definitely the best,” Bright says. “We came in and we were 6th place. We won three games in a row. It was so awesome. It was definitely the coolest thing.”

With Manhattan (MAAC 13-5, 25-16) tied for first place in its conference, Bright says she’s ready to make the most of her final games.

“As a senior, it’s the last chance,” Bright says. “I came into this season knowing I had nothing to lose and that this was it. The four of us have put everything into this season. If we are going to win, this is going to be the year. You go into every game knowing that.”

The mindset she says she has always taken into every game since she started to play is some of the best advice she’s ever received.

“Attitudes are contagious. One person with a bad attitude can ruin a lot. It’s a strong reminder to always stay positive and always be a good teammate and player.”