THE Volume 94, Issue 1
Q
UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924
August 30, 2016
College Launches New Website, with Mobile Users in Mind
Manhattan College/Courtesy
Stephen Zubrycky Editor
Manhattan College launched itself headlong into the 21st Century last week with the launch of a full overhauled website, with a special focus on mobile devices. The new site, which launched last week, features a fresh new look – brought to life with lush photography and videography, borrowing visual motifs first debuted in marketing materials last year as part of the College’s “Uncommon” admissions campaign. This new iteration of the site has been designed to be more mobile-friendly than iterations past. “Mobile is huge. And it’s really a big shift from how we designed our websites previously. It was that you designed it for a desktop monitor and then you thought about mobile later. Well that’s flipped now,” said Jake Holmquist, the chief information officer of the Information Technology Services (I.T.S.) Department. Some of that art on the new site may look familiar. Annie Chambliss, director of web communications for the college, estimates that roughly half of the art on the new site has been carried over from old photoshoots. One of the bigger tasks undertaken by the Marketing and Communication De-
partment, of which Chambliss is part, was updating the summaries on the website. “Some stuff was picked up fairly directly, but most of the stuff was rewritten,” Chambliss said. Most of these revisions involved shortening lists, and streamlining prose in order to shorten paragraphs. “People don’t really read on the Internet, so we made an effort to condense the content we had on the old site,” Chambliss said. For the Department, editing and posting content to the site should be made much easier using the College’s new content management system, Cascade CMS. Cascade is the flagship product of Hannon Hill Corporation, which is based out of Atlanta. For the service, the College will incur an annual fee, but both the Marketing and Communication I.T.S. Departments argue that the college will ultimately break even by lowering the indirect costs associated with the college’s old open-source CMS, Drupal. But while the out-facing skin of the website was designed to attract new students, the meat-and-potatoes of it was designed with faculty and current students in mind. The new Inside Manhattan page increases ease and accessibility for current students and faculty, and is just a single click away from the home page. The page replaces the MyMC portal, and features a quick links search which
navigates to different applications, from commonly used ones like email and Moodle to lesser-used functions like provost forms and parking tickets. The portal is visible to everyone – even those without a Manhattan login. Many of these features will also be available in the forthcoming student-designed application, which will be available on the Apple App Store this fall. BarkleyREI is not affiliated with the project. The cost of the site was shouldered evenly by the I.T.S. and Marketing and Communication Departments. Both departments however refused to give the Quadrangle a dollar estimate as to the total cost of the new site. BarkleyREI, a digital services firm based out of Pittsburgh was contracted in the spring of 2015 by the College to design the site after a competitive bidding process. BarkleyREI is a subsidiary of the advertising and marketing firm Barkley, which is based in Kansas City, Missouri. As such, BarkleyREI designed the website primarily as a marketing tool for the College. The firm has carved out a national niche for itself among not-for-profit organizations, especially among institutions Continued on page 3
www.mcquad.org
Summer Scholars Reflect on Projects Tara Marin Asst. Editor
Every summer at Manhattan College a handful of students conduct research projects of their choice, with the assistance of a professor within their department. Of the multiple programs that MC offers, The Lasallian Research Scholars allows students to apply for a stipend to pursue a project within a specific area of Lasallian ideas. One of these scholars was Angela Benevenia, a senior sociology and English major. Her research was on Junot Díaz’s 2007 novel, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”. “It is the story of Oscar de León, a second-generation Dominican American who lacks machismo and does not fit the stereotype of a Dominican player; therefore, he turns to sci-fiction/fantasy novels and films because he identifies with the marginalized characters. He is not only marginalized in America for being Latino, but does not fit in with his other Dominican family because of his looks and lack of machismo; however, he is not white, so he does not fit into the sci-fi/fantasy culture,” Benevenia explained. This unique research required a significant amount of reading and also watching films, so Benevenia could gain greater insight. “I read many sci-fi/fantasy books and watched multiple films that Oscar did in order to try and understand why he liked them so much. I argued that in these books - mainly J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy - and films - mainly ‘Star Wars’ there exists a deep misogyny equivalent to the misogyny our narrator expresses about Dominican culture: Oscar rejected one kind of misogyny for another in his sci-fi/fantasy obsession; these works’ obsession with heroism and saving the ‘damsel in distress’ are what lead to Oscar’s untimely death,” she said. Benevenia worked with Adam Koehler, Ph.D., associate professor of the English department, who provided her with texts that helped enhance her argument, as well as mentorship for her throughout the project. Her method of presenting her research makes the project even more thought-provoking. “I conducted my research by re-reading the main text, then reading and watching the secondary works, then analyzing it in my Digital Essay, a project that uses Prezi, a digital presentation tool, and pictures, poems, videos, songs, etc. to convey my argument,” she said. Benevenia’s love for Díaz’s work and her own aspirations to be a writer are what led her to choosing this research project. “‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ is my favorite novel, and Junot Díaz is a huge influence of mine. I want to be an author myself, and I aspire to write as well as him. His works focus on race and gender tensions, and are majorly influenced by female writers of color. This project was important to me because I was tired of hearing critics of Díaz’s work claim that he Continued on page 6
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The
opinions & editorials
Quadrangle www.mcquad.org
Vol. 94 Issue 1 August 30, 2016
Ally Hutzler Editor-in-Chief Sean Sonnemann Managing Editor Anthony Capote News Editor Kyleigh Panetta Jack Melanson Asst. News Editors Kieran Rock Features Editor/Managing Editor Tara Marin Asst. Features Editor Lindsey Burns Arts & Entertainment Editor Victoria Hernández Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Daniel Ynfante Sports Editor RikkiLynn Shields Asst. Sports Editor Kristie Killen Social Media Editor Taylor Brethauer Asst. Social Media Editor Vanessa Sanchez Photography Editor Leony Anne McKeown Asst. Photography Editor Kelly Burns Abbi Kirollos Production Editors Daniel Molina Stephen Zubrycky Web Editors
Letters to
The Editor
August 30, 2016
Dear Students, We’re delighted to now be called the Office of Student Engagement instead of Student Activities. Here’s how it happened: Under the guidance of Dr. Carey, our Dean of Students, Dr. Satterlee, the VP of Student Life, and Dr. Mahan, the Assistant Provost, all of last year my office underwent an external review. We couldn’t be more proud of the results. We were told we’re highly diverse. Besides the core office members, this includes the many directors and coaches who are a part of our extended work family. We were told we have the highest amount of participation from any office they’ve ever seen. Last year alone, over 1,700 students (1,710 to be exact) participated in intramurals. This year we’re looking to raise our female participation, starting with a Women’s Intramural Day at Madison Square Garden in September. We had over 300 students hold a leadership position within our office last year, between our clubs and Student Government, and anticipate the same number this year. We provided funding for 23 separate class events from faculty members. We sent students to double digit conferences, with well over 100 of them traveling on flights. We were told we get a bad rap for being known mainly as the “ticket office.” You know, those ticketed, off-campus events. Yes, we plan those too, from going on a ski trip with friends to getting a playbill on Broadway. But those are the events we plan as we’re running to our next meeting with Public Safety and Physical Plant to discuss logistics of building a stage on campus (whether for T-Pain at the Spring Concert, the basketball teams at Manhattan Madness, Players for our spring musical, or even a dance floor at Latino Fest). The ticketed events are quick to plan, and we’re happy to continue doing so, knowing how much they mean to our students. Performing Arts scholarships? We offer those. Funding for the LOVE program? We provide that. Meals for the senior class leading up to Commencement? We’re responsible for that too. The list goes on and on. This is who we are. This is what takes up the majority of our time. We are here to serve. When all was said and done, the external review committee made the recommendation that we change our office name to get away from the word “activities.” We floated a few around, and happily settled on the Office of Student Engagement. With that being our overarching umbrella, we have the areas of Student Development (leadership, clubs, events, etc.), Performing Arts, and Intramurals and Recreation. We couldn’t be more excited and energized for a new academic year. We look forward to working with you all again this year, from faculty and administrators, to students, returning and new. Welcome back Jaspers. John Bennett Director of Student Engagement
Tom Callahan Faculty Adviser
A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The staff of The Quadrangle meets every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. in room 412 of the Student Commons. Contact The Quadrangle at thequad@manhattan.edu The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Patrick Estanbouli/The Quadrangle
News
College Launches New Website, with Mobile Users in Mind Stephen Zubrycky Editor
Continued from page 1 of higher education. BarkleyREI’s portfolio includes colleges as diverse Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and Chapman University in Chapman, California. The firm also specializes in tourism websites, having built them for tourism organizations in states such as Maine, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
“We really wanted to craft something where people could picture themselves and see themselves in it, and experiencing it, and being part of it,” said Ross Petrocelli, an account director at the firm, who spoke to The Quadrangle over the phone from Pittsburgh. BarkleyREI believes it has delivered, capturing the essence, character, and charm of Manhattan College and its neighborhood. “The Bronx and the area around Riverdale really feels very ‘home-ish’ to me,” Petrocelli said. “I think that we really
were able to capture that feel and that aesthetic with the design of the site and with our art direction.” Launch of the site has not been without its problems. Several links from Google search results no longer function properly and still need to be re-indexed by Google – especially those links that go deep into different pages in the site. An unrelated server error at Google on launch day last week caused the new site (as well as numerous other websites not affiliated with the College) to be down for about half an hour in the mid-morning.
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Chambliss and Holmquist are urging students and faculty to make use of the feedback area, accessible by the link at the bottom of each page. Moving forward, I.T.S. and Marketing and Communication plan to continue making updates to the content on the site, and the departments will prioritize the issues raised in students and faculty feedback. Chambliss said her department plans to update and unify data into the new Directory, and shoot new residence hall videos.
New Smoking Policy Moves Smokers into Designated Areas Daniel Ynfante Editor
As the fall semester gets underway, members of the Manhattan College community will be met with a revised smoking policy on campus. On Aug. 18, Richard Satterlee, vice president of student life at Manhattan College, emailed students about a change to the school’s smoking policy. A committee comprised of students, faculty, administrators and staff voted to designate seven outdoor locations on campus where smoking will be allowed. “We’ve identified a half dozen areas that we think are gathering points and con-
veniently located so that it’s not sort of an environment where anywhere you walked outdoors you could smoke on campus,” Satterlee said. Smoking is permitted on the left side of Smith Auditorium, near Chrysostom Hall, Leo Hall, the Research and Learning Center, Jasper Hall, O’Malley Library, the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons and Walsh Plaza outside of Draddy Gymnasium. The idea to revise the smoking policy was proposed in October 2015 by Emmanuel Ago, assistant vice president of student life. After a vetting process and voting in the senate, the revisions were agreed upon. Essentially, the school has gone from allowing people to smoke anywhere outside
that was 25 feet away from a building, to permitting smoking in only designated areas. The students on the campus life committee had much say in choosing the specific smoking areas. “The students on the campus life committee of the senate, they were actually very adamant about, ‘Ok, we have these designated smoking areas, but they also have to be safe,” Ago said. “They can’t be in dark alleyways. We’ve accounted for that. … Just in case it’s late at night, you want to make sure there’s lighting and there’s a camera.” The committee also debated whether or not to ban smoking altogether. “We didn’t go all the way to a nonsmoking campus, which a lot of campuses
are, because we surveyed the campus,” Satterlee said. “That seemed like for us it was kind of like going zero to 60. The campus culture wasn’t going to support that.” Smoking will continue to be prohibited in all indoor and enclosed areas on campus. These areas include, but are not limited to classrooms, gyms, dining facilities, restrooms, lobbies, student housing, locker rooms and offices. “It’s a step forward for our campus really,” Satterlee said about the revised smoking policy. “In terms of its environment and culture I think. I hope that it will be received that way.” Anthony Capote contributed reporting
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news
August 30, 2016
Summer Renovations Showcase a New Theme Jack Melanson Asst. Editor
The Manhattan College campus was reformed this past summer and students are now welcomed back to a slightly new look. Director of Residence Life, Andrew Weingarten, described these changes as “refreshing” the campus. The upperclassmen apartment building, Overlook Manor, was among the locations that saw the most changes. “Overlook Manor saw a few nice upgrades including installation of new toilets in each apartment and a refreshed lobby and Public Safety booth,” said Weingarten in an email statement. “Additionally, every Overlook apartment now has in-wall air conditioning units and about 20 apartments in Overlook were painted and another 15 had their floors refinished.” The other four residence halls were
also updated. “All washers and dryers in the five residence halls were replaced with brand new LG Platinum machines, A variety of rooms in Jasper and Chrysostom and most rooms in Lee and Horan were painted, and a variety of rooms in Jasper had carpeting work done,” said Weingarten. Renovations were not only made to areas of residence, but also to office buildings and other places for recreation. “The Jasper first-floor lounge was refreshed.” said Weingarten when speaking of the the lounge’s redesigned modern and upscale look. Thomas Hall was similarly updated and now provides office space for the Office of Career Pathways and Study Abroad, the Center for Academic Success and Financial Aid and Graduate Admissions. Freshmen Molly McGough and Lauren Coll discussed how they feel about the look of their new home. “It looks awesome,” Said Coll, who added, “I feel like I should be wearing nic-
er shoes when I’m Thomas though.” McGough agreed with Coll in terms of Thomas Hall’s new appearance , but also mentioned, “It’s kind of empty, It needs more spice.” One returning student, Alexander Cucciniello, expressed concerns about the projects’ costs. “I was shocked because I didn’t know anything about it,” Said Cuccuniello. “It’s shocking that a few of my friends’ financial aid went down and these brand new renovations are in that nobody really knew about.” Although renovations to Thomas is complete, the designated offices will not be moving in until Sept. 12, according to a Manhattan College announcement email. Other changes made were much more programmatic rather than to the infrastructure. “In our department we have continued our efforts to move all of our primary student-facing operations online,” said Weingarten. “This year our room condition-dam-
age and overnight guest approval processes will be managed online and housed in our myHousing web portal, where you can already find our housing and roommate selection and operational processes.” Weingarten also shared other changes which includes new Health & Wellness Common Interest Communities, an upgraded and enhanced programming throughout all residence halls and a re-vamped Saturday in the City schedule that was designed this summer by summer Resident Advisors. Residence Life continues to work to improve life on campus at MC, as more renovations are likely to come about later in the semester and 2016-2017 academic school year. “With the help of the ITS and Business Services departments on campus, we are working with a provider to upgrade residence hall TV service and hopefully introduce some internet TV channels.”
Arts & Entertainment
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Boyce Avenue to Headline Quadstock RikkiLynn Shields Asst. Editor
Last November, musician Mike Posner preformed an acoustic set for the students of Manhattan College in Smith Auditorium for Quadstock. Many students were disappointed that the Quad was under renovation, causing Quadstock to be moved from the quad into the auditorium. However, Mike Posner did not disappoint. Students began flooding into the auditorium almost immediately, and more and more followed in as they heard familiar songs from outside. Mike Posner preformed many acoustic songs, and also got a bit personal during his set by talking to the students and interacting with them during his show. Last year, Mike Posner made Quadstock feel extra personal and unplugged. This year, Quadstock will be creeping up on us earlier than expected– Sept. 4 to be exact. John Bennett, the director of Student Activities, said that he and Michael Steele, the Assistant Director of Student Activities, have been working on and discussing this year’s Quadstock for months. The two have been working hard contacting many agents and concert companies for lights, sound and other important aspects for the concert. Bennett revealed that rock boy band Boyce Avenue will be headlining this year’s Quadstock. Boyce Avenue is known for their covers, and should put on an awe-
some show for this year’s Quadstock, providing a completely different sound compared to last year’s Mike Posner. “Traditionally Quadstock has always been Labor Day Weekend as a sort of ‘welcome back’ concert and day to spend on the Quad seeing new and old friends,” Bennett said. “This year it’s back to the original date, and outdoors again as well. Like always, we’re asking students to open for the show if they have a band. If we get good student participation, we’ll view it as a better Quadstock, regardless of the artists performance.” With some disappointment among many last year when Quadstock was postponed until November, and on top of that, moved to the auditorium, John Bennett revealed that this year’s Quadstock will definitely be outside. “That’s the best change about it this year, bringing it back to where it’s supposed to be held. Heck, even the Yankees played their home games at Shea Stadium while their own stadium was being renovated during the 70’s. It’s nice to be back where it’s supposed to be played,” Bennett said. The only reason this year’s Quadstock will be moved indoors is if the forecast is for rain, Bennett added, as they have to start set-up early that morning for the concert. Rain or shine, Quadstock never seems to disappoint. “When all was said and done, last year turned out great with Mike Posner. Obviously, we would have liked it to take place earlier in the year and outside, but with the construction of the Quad pavers, that wasn’t possible,” Bennett said. Boyce Avenue will headline this years Quadstock concert. Creative Commons/Courtesy
Summer construction projects brought a range of changes to school facilities. Anthony Capote/The Quadrangle
Students gather on the quad for a previous Quadstock performance by Boys Like Girls in 2014. James O’Connor/The Quadrangle
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Features
August 30, 2016
Summer Research Scholars Reflect on Their Projects Tara Marin Asst. Editor
Continued from page 1 thinks Dominicans are sexist because of his ‘portrayal’ of them in his works. However, Díaz himself is Dominican, and is expressing a very real culture; and is simultaneously pointing to the misogyny in the White works of sci-fi/fantasy, showing his readers that misogyny does not exist in a vacuum: these sci-fi/fantasy works portray women in a demeaning way that any American could relate to, because almost every culture is saturated with heavy patriarchy,” she said. Looking back on the summer, Benevenia points out that a project of this measure was demanding and difficult, but also rewarding. “As a summer research scholar, you make your own schedule. It was hard to manage my time, but with Dr. Koehler’s mentorship, it was easy to get my priorities straight and create a work that I am proud of and that I love,” she said. “It is the best job I have ever had. I woke up excited every day because I loved my paper so much. And getting to work with one of my favorite professors was invaluable,” she said. Moving forward, Benevenia feels more accomplished as a student and prepared for the future as a professional: “I learned how to conduct literary research, write an extensive theoretical and critical work, and manage my time. I can apply the skills I learned here to my future in academia as well as in the workplace: critical readings and managing time are skills everyone should have,” she said. Alannah Boyle, a junior peace studies and philosophy major, was also a Lasallian Research Scholar. She researched the Lasallian roots of the Catholic Worker Movement, with a special focus on Dorothy Day and what her witness means to MC. Boyle worked with Kevin Ahern, Ph.D, professor
and chair of the peace studies department. “For my research I conducted dozens of informal interviews with people who knew or lived and worked with Day while she was alive. I also spent time at four Catholic Worker hospitality houses on the east coast, talking with people who live there about their lives and Dorothy Day’s vision,” Boyle said. As a journalist and social activist, Day was a writer for her entire life - which gave Boyle an extensive amount of reading to do this summer - but this wasn’t the only part of her project. “She was a journalist by trade, and in turn she published thousands of pages of writings. I enjoyed doing my research because much of it was interactive, and I felt that while I was collecting information for my research paper, I also learned a lot about life from the dedicated people that I had the opportunity to meet,” Boyle said. Since Day’s impact as an American Catholic icon was so long lasting, she is a candidate for sainthood. What makes Boyle’s project even more compelling is that prior to beginning her research, Boyle was already interning for Day’s canonization process. It was this that led her to take her work for the cause a step further and gave her even more opportunities for research. “This internship allowed me to be a part of a historic process, but also granted me access to every person that knew Day that is still alive. Part of my job description was to track down old writings of Day’s - I also had access to every piece of writing she has ever published. After talking with Dr. Ahern, we decided that doing a research project would complement this internship as well,” she said. Boyle was also one of the few students who were selected to travel to Mexico for two weeks for the Lasallian Leadership and Global Understanding Conference in Mexico City. “While the conference was not directly related to my research, I learned more about
what it means to be a Lasallian which in turn helped me to understand the similarities between the mission of the Catholic Worker and the five points of the Lasallian Star,” Boyle said. She was also able to travel to Baltimore, Maryland, and visit Viva House, a Catholic Worker organization which has been operating for almost 50 years. Balancing research and travel may seem difficult, but Boyle affirms that working on the go is feasible: “As long as I had a book, or articles I was currently reading, I could do my work anywhere.” As her research comes to a close, Boyle’s dedication to Catholic studies and causes doesn’t. In September, she will be presenting at the International Lasallian Research Symposium in Minnesota. Reflecting back on this summer, Boyle notes that it was all worthwhile. “The ability to spend two months doing this project, and knowing that no one is checking up on you mimics what I imagine many jobs after graduation are like. Doing this project is a great test in self discipline and allows for self growth. I think that all students could enjoy this experience as well as learn and grow from it,” she said. While Boyle and Benevenia’s projects were in the humanities, there were also a handful of students who did research in the sciences. Devin Prant and Lauren Dougherty, senior kinesiology majors, spent the summer researching the effects of carbohydrate swishing on anaerobic endurance and muscular strength with Tedd Keating, Ph.D, associate professor of the Kinesiology department. Prant and Dougherty explain their research process:“Sixteen fellow Manhattan College students volunteered to be subjects in our two-day experiment. The twoday trial consisted of students swishing the placebo (non carbohydrate beverage) or the actual carbohydrate beverage in their mouth for ten seconds before performing a grip strength test. Using the same drink,
they rinsed it in their mouth for an additional 10 seconds and then immediately performed the Manham step test. This entails repeatedly stepping up and down on the risers without stopping for one minute. The beverages were presented in a double blind fashion in a counterbalanced sequence. Two days later, we repeated the trial with the same volunteers using the alternative drink. We recorded the number of steps they took during the Manham step test and their grip strength to compare the difference between the two days. Unfortunately, our results were not significant so the carbohydrate swishing did not have any effect.” Utilizing what they learned in their kinesiology courses and their own lives is what caused Prant and Dougherty to come up with this complex research project. “Devin and I wanted to do the Summer Research Scholars Program to expand our knowledge beyond what we learn in our daily classes. We thought carbohydrate swishing was an interesting way to refuel when exercising because it does not involve ingesting the drink. As consistent runners, we both find drinking Gatorade or any sugary drink to cause nausea while exercising,” Dougherty said. She also notes that conducting this type of research project was only possible because of this summer program. “Doing the research in the summer allowed us to completely devote our spare time to this project, which may not have been the case during the school year. We were able to space it out and collect the data freely. We both worked and had other commitments as well, but the summer gave us free time for us to stay committed to the research.” While it was disappointing that their research was inconclusive, Prant and Dougherty do not feel defeated. “It was a great learning experience and an opportunity to spend the summer doing something productive towards our future.”
Sports
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Christian Santisteban Pursues Baseball Career John Jackson Staff Writer
Many people dream of playing baseball for their career. For Manhattan College alumnus Christian Santisteban, that dream is a reality. Santisteban ‘16, signed with the Traverse City Beach Bums of the Frontier League after graduating. The team is an independent baseball team and is not affiliated with any Major League team. “I knew I wanted to pursue baseball and keep playing [after college],” Santisteban said. Representatives from Major League teams talked to Santisteban and told him he was going to get drafted. Unfortunately for him, that did not come to fruition. After the draft, Santisteban was told by some teams that they would sign him as a free agent, but that did not pan out either. Even though the draft and free agency didn’t work in Santisteban’s favor, he did have another option. “Independent ball was an option,” Santisteban said. “I took it and I’m happy with my decision.” While Santisteban is enjoying what he is doing right now, independent ball is simply the springboard of his career. “I just want to get my name out there,” remarked Santisteban on his goals for the rest of the season. “I just want to do the best I can do to hopefully get a chance to play affiliate ball.” If Santisteban puts in the hard work and is able to produce, that chance will come his way. His team already has had a few players move on to the Minor Leagues
Daniel Ynfante Editor
While students were away for the summer, the Manhattan College athletic department stayed busy. Some teams have gotten their season underway, while others have had a summer full of news.
in recent years. “We got three [players move on to Minor League teams] in the last couple of years,” said Dan Rohn, manager of the Traverse City Beach Bums. “All three pitchers.” Those three players were DJ Johnson, Casey Delgado and Johnny Omahen. Johnson currently plays on the Los Angeles Angels’ Double-A team, Delgado on the Mets’ Double-A team and Omahen on the D’Backs’ Double-A team. In recalling his time at Manhattan College, Santisteban was happy to have been a Jasper. He was also very fond of his time on the Manhattan College baseball team. “The baseball at Manhattan College was awesome,” said Santisteban. “It was a great family. Great group of guys.” Santisteban’s production was also great on Manhattan College’s baseball team. During his four years he played in 195 games. In those games he hit .315/.407/.483 with 100 runs scored, 217 hits, 62 doubles, 16 home runs and 116 RBIs. In 2014 and 2015, Santisteban also played with the Elmira Pioneers of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. He played in 87 games in those years and hit .339/.472/.530 with 64 runs, 101 hits, 24 doubles, nine home runs and 71 RBIs. In 2015, he earned PGCBL Player of the Year honors. He also led the team to its first West Division Title. In 136 at bats with the Beach Bums, Santisteban has hit .257/.308/.338 with one home run and 15 RBIs. Although it is a small sample size, his manager sees a good hitter. “Right now his strength is his bat,” said Rohn. “I mean he swings the bat pret-
O’Donnell Appointed MAAC President
Christian Santisteban has started his professional baseball career with the Traverse City Beach Bums. Go Jaspers/Courtesy ty well. He’s got a little bit of power and when he learns how to harness his power I think he’ll be a very good hitter.” Santisteban strives to play with a Minor League team, but he also dreams of one day working his way up to the Major
Leagues. “I want to eventually get a chance to play affiliate ball,” said Santisteban, “and hopefully make it to the Major Leagues like everybody [hopes to], one day.
Summer Recap
Manhattan College President Brennan O’Donnell was voted as the president of the MAAC. O’Donnell will serve a twoyear term and will work alongside MAAC Commissioner Richard J. Ensor on the oversight of the league. O’Donnell will serve as the chair of the executive committee and will be in charge of looking over and signing all the major league contracts.
New Coaches Manhattan’s new athletic director, Marianne Reilly, has wasted no time in making changes. On July 21, Reilly hired Kerri Gallagher as the head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams. On July 27, Reilly tabbed Katie McConnell as the head coach of the women’s lacrosse program. Gallagher has spent the last five years as an assistant at American University, while also balancing her career as a professional runner. In 2015, she posted a world-leading 4:34.42 in the mile run at the Penn Relays, and then finished third in the 1500 meters at the USATF Outdoor Championships to qualify for the World Championships. McConnell spent last season as an assistant coach at Coastal Caroline, and previously served as an assistant from 20132015 at Lock Haven University.
Joe Ryan Coaches at Olympics Joe Ryan, track and field assistant coach, served as Guyana’s head coach at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Under Ryan’s guidance, triple jumper Troy Doris finished seventh in the event. Volleyball, Soccer Get Seasons Underway The volleyball team kicked its season off at the Spartan Invitational in San Jose, Calif. It’s been a rough start to the year for the Jaspers, who lost all three of their matches and have yet to win a single set. Men’s soccer lost its season opener 3-0 to Temple on Aug. 26. Women’s soccer has started the season 1-3, with its lone victory coming against LIU Brooklyn on Aug. 22.
Track and field assistant coach, Joe Ryan, at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Go Jaspers/Courtesy
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Sports
August 30, 2016
Huddle Up Community Comes Together in Support of Recent Manhattan Graduate
The New York Legends Softball Game was held to gather funds for Manhattan College alumnus Tommy McGuire. Ashely Columbia/The Quadrangle
Ashley Columbia Staff Writer
23-year-old Tommy McGuire, along with more than 800 other Jaspers, graduated from Manhattan College this past May. A couple short weeks later, McGuire’s life was changed forever. On June 11, the West Nyack, N.Y., native suffered from a swimming mishap that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He broke his C3 and C4 vertebrae and severely damaged his spinal cord. Although the doctors told McGuire and his family that he would never be able to talk, eat, breathe or move on his own ever again, McGuire continues to beat the odds. “Right now he is talking to everyone, he is in great spirits, he is eating anything he wants and is already down to 14 hours without the ventilator,” McGuire’s mother, Lori, said. “He’s even moving his right arm a little bit. I am inspired by my son. He’s a miracle.” McGuire is an inspiration to his family, both immediate and throughout all of Rockland County. On Sunday, Aug. 14, members of the community as well as former New York Giants and New York Yankees came together in a charity softball game to not
only celebrate McGuire’s road to recovery, but to also help the McGuire family to pay for all of his medical bills. The event was the first-ever New York Legends Softball Game hosted at Palisades Credit Union Park in Pomona, N.Y. Home to the Rockland Boulders, an independent professional baseball team, the stadium, along with Triple P Promotions, was able to pull off a day full of fun for a good cause. “It’s a tough situation that the family is in,” said Elaine Apfelbaum, president of Triple P Promotions. “Someone brought the accident to my attention, and I knew that I wanted to help. That’s what it’s all about.” Before the game could get underway McGuire’s father, Tom McGuire, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The starting lineups included former baseball and football greats such as Ron Blomberg, Roy White, Rick Cerone, Odessa Turner and Eric Dorsey, their championship rings glistening in the sunlight. They all shared the home dugout, showing no signs of rivalry and with only one goal in mind. “The number one thing that we set out to do whenever we attend things like this is to give back to someone who has had a tragedy in their life,” said Blomberg, the
first designated hitter in MLB history. “This is what all athletes should do after their career is over, or even when the season’s over with.” A couple weeks prior to the event, an online auction was held for a chance to play in the game and get on the roster. Lauren Gillespie, Manhattan alumna and close friend of McGuire’s, put on her glove and took the field for the Giants. “I actually went to see Tommy over at Helen Hayes Hospital the other day,” she said. “I told him that I was going to be playing and he was excited. I wish that he could have been here to watch and make fun of me, but I am so happy to be here. He’s a great guy.” Also in attendance and playing right field for the Giants was Sean Landeta, a former punter in the NFL. “This particular event is a great one to be a part of because everyone here gets involved,” he said. “We obviously play in the game and draw a crowd while the fans watch, meet with us and show their support in more ways than one. It is a great cause, and it is really nice to see just how much the community cares.” Following the game, which ended in a 4-3 Yankee victory, the players signed baseballs, footballs and other items before
throwing them in to the stands as a sendoff. They posed for pictures, with the team and with the fans, and met with those who had limited meet-and-greet tickets. Gift baskets, certificates and other items were also sold and all of the proceeds were donated to the McGuire family. Friends and family of the McGuire’s also came out in numbers to support McGuire and let him know that they are with him. Every corner you turned there was another person donning a customized T-shirt that read, “Keep Pounding #YesYouCam” after his favorite football player, Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers. On the back of the shirts was the number seven, McGuire’s favorite. “Even his therapist came to give added support to him,” Lori said. “They didn’t have to do that. No one had to do any of this and it just goes to show just how much this community loves Tommy, and our family. “I want to say thank you to everyone for their continued support, prayers and generosity,” Lori said. “It blows me away how many lives Tommy has touched, and every single person here has deeply touched ours. Thank you.”