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Volume CIV Issue1
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NEW YORK, AUGUST 31, 2021
Jaspers Return to Campus: News Rules and Regulations Lauren Raziano & Nicole Fitzsimmons Social Media Editor & News Editor
Welcome Back!
Students are welcomed back to campus for a fully in-person semester for the first time since early 2020. BRIAN ASARE / THE QUADRANGLE
Student Life Affected by Drastic Budget Cuts Jilleen Barrett & Anna Woods
A&E Editor & Editor-in-Chief Students were welcomed back to Manhattan this semester with a slew of changes affecting campus life as Student Engagement faces drastic budget cuts of a couple $100,000 for the year. All official clubs and other aspects of student life are receiving less money than usual while some events — such as the beloved Jasper Jingle Christmas formal and the Spring Fling — were cut entirely. The Quadrangle’s budget was cut by more than 80 percent. John Bennett, director of Student Engagement, explained that their priority was ensuring that every day club budgets were affected as little as possible. “One of the most important
IN NEWS:
New Higgins Building Opens for Fall Semester on p. 3
things when we’re faced with cutting the budgets by a couple $100,000 was making sure that the everyday budgets were … affected as little as possible, and that was our number one priority,” Bennett said. Bennett shared that both his office and Student Government worked together to distribute funds fairly despite the limited budget. While Student Government focused on cutting club budgets, Student Engagement focused on money spent for non-club activities. “[The office of Student Engagement] cut all the non-club budget ones but for the club ones, that is student lead and run, we did ask Student Government to cut those,” Bennett said. Sharon Ortega, the assistant director of Student Engagement, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle that the budget cuts were caused by the pandemic. Last fall, Manhattan
IN FEATURES: The Women Behind WISE 2021 on p. 5
College had budget deficits that were also a direct result of having to reallocate money to cover COVID safety procedures, as stated in a previous Quadrangle article. “I don’t anticipate any future budget cuts but in 2020, we definitely learned to not lock ourselves into contracts or agreements that we were bound to long-term,” Ortega said. “So as we continue to make plans for the spring and next year, the pandemic continues to remind us how fragile life is and how quickly our lives can be flipped upside down. So our new way of planning is to have plan a, b and c in place should we need to modify.” Kevin Rojas and Liola Moody, the newly elected student body president and vice president, want students to know that the cuts were made almost evenly across the board __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
As students return to campus for an all-in person semester, Manhattan College is preparing to protect the community from COVID-19 and the prominent Delta variant with updated regulations and protocols for the upcoming academic semester. Following the initial decision to allow those who are vaccinated to be unmasked in indoor spaces, Jaspers Return announced in an email sent to the Manhattan College community on Aug. 27 that all individuals will be required to wear a mask when indoors. “Out of an abundance of caution, our One Manhattan guidelines, including guidelines for masking, are changing as we come together for the start of the semester,” the email stated. The new decision outlines that everyone is required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status, except when alone in a private room. In outdoor spaces, fully vaccinated individuals will not be required to wear a mask. However, unvaccinated individuals will be required to wear one while outdoors as well as indoors. “Individuals must wear masks in shared office spaces, meeting rooms, conference rooms, breakrooms, classrooms, restroom, elevators, and other spaces with more than one occupant,” stated the email. The college has also updated protocols in accordance with the New York City Emergency Executive Order 225, stating that all staff at indoor dining spaces, indoor fitness and indoor entertainment are
IN A&E:
Jasper Jams: Last Days of Summer on p. 7
required to be vaccinated. The executive order indicates that a vaccination for COVID-19 is required for indoor entertainment, recreation, dining and fitness settings as well. Those who are unvaccinated, as per the Emergency Executive Order 225, are not allowed to eat in any of the indoor dining spaces, gyms, or events on campus. The email also gave an updated percentage of students and employees who have fulfilled their COVID-19 vaccine requirements. With hopeful numbers on the rise at the college, students and faculty are getting ready to return to some kind of normalcy. “We have excellent news to report, as of today, our community-wide vaccination compliance rate is over 93% and we continue to work towards 100% compliance,” the email stated. Jonathan Forsyth, a freshman electrical engineering major, is hopeful that he will have a safe semester. “As a vaccinated student, I’m not concerned about getting COVID, but I hope those who are unvaccinated don’t cause an outbreak and affect the rest of us,” Forsyth said. Ashley Cross, professor of English and women and gender studies, communicated with the Quadrangle via email regarding her thoughts on the updated steps the college is taking to protect the community. The decision to reinstate the mask mandate along with many other schools across the country was something that many people anticipated with the growing struggle the nation has been experiencing with the virus. “I think that not doing so would be remiss as well as __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS:
MAAC Mandates Vaccine for Student-Athletes on p. 10
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the Quadrangle Volume CIII, Issue 7 March 16, 2021
The Editorial Board Anna Woods Editor-in-Chief
Maria Thomas Managing Editor
Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor
Kyla Guilfoil Asst. News Editor
Jilleen Barrett Arts & Entertainment Editor
Kelly Cwik Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Christine Nappi Features Editor
Caroline McCarthy Asst. Features Editor
Pete Janny Sports Editor
Josh Sawyer Asst. Sports Editor
Lauren Raziano Social Media Editor
Kelly Kennedy Asst. Social Media Editor
Brian Asare Photography Editor
Nicole Rodriguez Production Editor
Adrianne Hutto Jocelyn Visnov Asst. Production Editors
Madalyn Johnson Katherine Heneghan Web Editors
Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization 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 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.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club. Connect with The Quadrangle
mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad
THE QUADRANGLE
LETTER from The Editor Dear Readers, Welcome back to campus Jaspers! For those of you who are new here my name is Anna Woods and I’m the current Editor in Chief of The Quadrangle. I am so excited to be back on campus after a year and a half at home and it’s been great running into so many of you. As you have read on the front cover, student clubs are facing severe budget cuts and The Quadrangle is no exception. Our printing budget has been cut by 80% leaving us with only $5,000 to spend on printing for the year. Typically, we spend that amount of money on four issues. However, once our plans are in place to begin raising money for our printing budget, our readers will be the first to know. For now, the best way to read The Quad is through Issuu or through our website mcquad.org. Follow us on social media to make sure you don’t miss an issue. If you’re interested in joining The Quad feel free to come to weekly meetings on Tuesday at 4 pm in Kelly 4.12. I am wishing you all a safe and successful semester. Until next time.
Sincerely,
Anna Woods
Editor-in-Chief
Student Life Affected by Drastic Budget Cuts __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 from the school. They believe talking with Student Engagement, raising donations from alumni or fundraising events may be the best way for individual clubs to cover their operating costs. They also encourage students to present ideas or problems at the Student Government meetings. “Alumni outreach is one of the highest ways to get money and get the most amount of money, but in terms of bake sales, if you and your club have a niche to make something you can sell that on campus ... you can hold different kinds of events, as long as everything is approved in the Student Government or Student Engagement,” Moody said.
While these budget cuts will change how clubs are run on campus, students still have events to look forward to this year. Rojas said movies on the quad, ski trips, dorm wars and Quadstock — also known as Quadchella — will be hosted this year while discounted tickets for Broadway shows and sporting events will be offered. He also shared Student Government’s idea for a new event. “One of our big ideas that we were trying to implement for this year was a block party,” Rojas said. “So, the location is still pending on that but we’re planning on doing that sooner rather than later so that’ll be pretty fun.” Student Engagement understands the difficulties that clubs may face with these budget cuts and are here to offer
guidance to club leaders if they are struggling and Ortega emphasized this. I would tell our club leaders that there is nothing to be concerned about,” Ortega wrote. “Our office is here to guide them and they also have support from their advisors and from each other. We will encourage each to move forward with the vision we have for this year. It’s best to look at this year as a blank canvas, exploring new, fresh ideas but also ready to break away from ideas that perhaps didn’t work in the past. But I encourage clubs to plan for a successful year, because we are here to help them achieve that.”
AUGUST 31, 2021 __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 unsafe at this point, even with the majority vaccinated,” Cross said regarding the mask mandate. With precautionary measures at the college, there are still members of the community who have fears regarding the semester.
“I am also very concerned about the increase in COVID cases nationally and breakthrough cases as well as the vulnerability of colleagues, students, and the children of the MC community. We absolutely need to and should be back on campus, but we really need to be prepared for the possibility for further disruptions,” she said. Despite these fears, Cross
News
is excited to get back to teaching in-person classes and interacting with students, as long as precautionary measures are in place. As a reminder, the One Manhattan Team shared that there are two ways to report individuals who are not compliant with the COVID-19 regulations. “In general, our community members have been very good about remembering to
3 wear their masks or are quick to comply when reminded. If, however, a student or employee is non-compliant, they can be referred to the Dean of Students via the Student Violation Form or to Human Resources via the Employee Violation Form.” The daily symptom tracker, which was used over the last academic year to track exposed students and possible symp-
toms, was also updated. “This new and improved tracker features a more user friendly, fast track experience and provides supporting guidance based on your vaccination status and items selected.” “We are a Lasallian community, which means that we must care for the most vulnerable in our midst,” Cross said.
New Higgins Engineering and Science Building Opens for Fall Semester Jocelyn Visnov & Caroline McCarthy
Asst. Production Editor & Asst. Features Editor After breaking ground in the Spring of 2018, The Higgins Engineering and Science Center is open to students and staff for the Fall 2021 semester. Located on South Campus, the Higgins Engineering and Science Center (Higgins) was built adjacent to Leo Hall. COVID-19 safety precautions prohibit a grand opening, but students and faculty alike are excited to finally get inside the newest building on campus for classes, study rooms and labs. The new science center was part of a series of upgrades made to improve the south side of campus, as well as expand academic opportunities for the departments housed inside. According to Dean of Engineering Tim Ward, Ph.D., the Higgins building was projected to increase enrollment by 1015% before COVID-19 derailed college admission numbers. “All bets are off now,” said Ward. “Here in the northeast there’s a decline in the number of high school graduates... many of the school of engineering students [about 88%] came from New York. If there’s a decline of students from New
York, there’s going to be a decline for students in the School of Engineering.” Although it is not expected that enrollment percentages will meet prior projections, the building is still producing ample opportunities for the school to expand and foster a more advanced education for its students through study spaces, classrooms and most prominently, laboratories for chemistry, physics, biology, chemical engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering. “The building itself has laboratories in it, that is primarily what it’s used for; laboratories and spaces for projects,” Ward said. In addition to it’s labs and classrooms, the new facility is equipped with spaces for students of any major to study or work on projects. Several clubs on campus, such as the Society of Women Engineers, are allowed to use these spaces for team meetings as well. Higgins also provides a new congregation space for the MC community. Surrounded three ways by Higgins and Leo Hall, a new courtyard lawn is expected to be used for events or recreation before and after classes. As a campus tour guide, junior Chris Machol has been leading potential Jaspers through the new building all
“We’re just really excited to have the new building open and to get students in here!” said Professor Jacqueline Kagan, lab coordinator and instructor in the Biology department. .
JOCELYN VISNOV / THE QUADRANGLE
summer. By giving campus tours, Chris was able to become quite familiar with the renovated South Campus, stating his favorite room is the new state-of-the-art biology lab. “I was incredibly impressed the first time I walked into the building,” Machol said. “It’s incredibly modern and a marvel of engineering, truly a testament to our engineering department.” An even more impressive testament was Manhattan College alumni’s involvement in the planning and execution of the building. According to the Manhattan College website, two current students and dozens of alumni were a part of the architectural, construction, design and management process of building Higgins. “There’s a lot of different contractors that have hired our alumni,” Ward said. “So it was this nice thing about this building, a lot of Manhattan College engineers were involved.” Silman, the structural engineering firm that oversaw the structural design of the building, was entirely composed of Manhattan alums. The team consisted of Paul Evans, Justin Den Herder, Greg Koch and former President of Silman, Joe Tortorella. Paul Evans, current adjunct professor and former Manhattan College student was one of the lead structural engineers in the building. Evans, alongside other structural engineers, designed the steel frame that serves as the skeleton of the building. “Being able to use the skills I learned just next door in Leo to help design the new Higgins building was a truly unique experience,” Evans said. “I’m happy I was able to give back to the school and help create new spaces for future Jaspers, especially engineers, to learn and grow!” Current Manhattan College staff were also given the opportunity to consult on the project. “Early in the project, they decided to have representatives from the School of Engineering on the steering committee,” civil and environmental engineering department chairperson Anirban De, Ph.D said. “I was representing my department and the School of Engi-
Surrounded three ways by Higgins and Leo Hall, a new courtyard lawn is expected to be used for events or recreation before and after classes.
JOCELYN VISNOV / THE QUADRANGLE neering. Our team was always part of that in terms of providing feedback on how it benefits the school, our students, etc.” De explained that the Higgins building was created by different voices being translated into a feasible building design by the head architect. While classes officially begin in Higgins at the start of the fall semester, students in several engineering and science courses became familiar with Higgins before the building was complete. According to De, various engineering students observed and analyzed both the design and construction of Higgins while it was being built as part of their senior capstone project last Spring. “While we were doing the construction we requested access for Civil Engineering Students to visit the building. We were able to bring students for tours of the building,” De said. Tours were facilitated by Vice President of Facilities Dr. Randy Ryan and contractor representatives and meant to provide real world experience for Manhattan’s Civil Engineering Students. Higgins and Leo Hall now stand as one to create a modern academic experience on south campus. To accommodate for the addition of the all new facilities, Leo Hall underwent several renovations as well. This includes modern updates to study spaces and classrooms. As with any project this size, Higgins was not built without
a few setbacks. The building was originally slated to open in the fall of 2020. However construction was put on hold when the campus went fully remote in March of 2020 due to COVID-19. Mandatory updates of fire alarm systems in both Leo and Higgins caused minor delays as well. “There are always setbacks in real projects,” De said.“It was meant to open about a year earlier but it didn’t for understandable reasons.” The creation and renovation of south campus facilities was made possible by a series of generous donors. The new building itself was named for MC alumni Cornelius (Neil) Higgins ‘62 and his wife Patricia Higgins. Both students of the sciences, the couple donated a gift of 5 million dollars towards the new building. In an interview with Pete McHugh from 2018, Patricia Higgins explained that she and her husband “felt as though we needed to do this.” “We’re both first generation college students. Contributing to Manhattan, with its support of first generation students, is very important for us,” Patricia Higgins said. “Manhattan College had the greatest influence on what I had to do after graduation, provided me with an excellent basis, both moral and academic, to continue in graduate education and in an engineering career.” Neil Higgins said.
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Features
THE QUADRANGLE
Connecting with the Incoming Class To kick off the fall semester The Quadrangle spoke with some members of the incoming freshman class in order to help new students find like-minded peers to link with. These four students are just a fraction of the new faces soon to be on campus, however, they help to paint a picture of the interesting and diverse range of people coming from around the world to Manhattan College this fall. For any incoming freshman, try to make as many connections as possible and remember to say “hey” to any familiar faces in the interviews below. Interviews compiled by Adrianne Hutto.
Kristen Marie Sample Kristen Marie Sample is a Pre-Law major coming from Baltimore, Maryland. Sample will be living in Lee Hall and is excited to meet new people from different walks of life, as it would be a, “nice experience.” Sample is excited to see Manhattan, as she has not yet been able to fully experience the city. Additionally, this will be her first time on campus. What are some things you’re looking forward to doing on campus? I’m looking forward to seeing the different types of clubs they have at the college. Are there any clubs you are thinking of joining on campus? I want to join the Jaspers dance team. What have you been doing this summer? I was working at a camp called Camp Green Top, working with adult campers. What are your hobbies/interests? I make jewelry and I make clothes. Are you excited to decorate your dorm? What is your favorite decoration you plan to bring? I am excited to decorate my dorm. My favorite decoration I am bringing are posters of my favorite bands.
Lauren LaGrow Lauren LaGrow is from the very state our school is located in, New York. Her intended major is Civil Engineering. Much like most incoming freshmen, she will be living in Lee Hall as a part of the Arches Program. “I’m looking forward to living with the other arches students and meeting new people!,” LaGrow said. LaGrow is a legacy student as her uncle also attended MC for civil engineering. What are some things you’re looking forward to doing on campus? On campus I’m looking forward to getting involved and meeting new people What have you been doing this summer? This summer I’ve just been relaxing with my friends and taking a lot of day trips to different places. What parts of the city are you looking forward to exploring/ seeing? Now that the city is opening back up I'm definitely excited to check out some of the restaurants and museums! What are your hobbies/interests? I enjoy going out and shopping or trying new things, but I also love staying in and watching movies or just listening to music Are you excited to decorate your dorm? What is your favorite decoration you plan to bring? I’m definitely excited to decorate my dorm! I’m bringing a lot of plants to give it some life. Instagram : @laurenlagrow
Julia Ubertaccio
Julia Ubertaccio is an incoming Freshman from Massachusetts. While she is undecided, she is interested in marketing or psychology as a potential field of concentration. She will be living in Lee Hall this semester with three suitemates who she has already gotten to know but has yet to meet in person. Ubertaccio’s hobbies include trying new things and meeting new people, so do not be afraid to say ‘hey,’ if you see this freshman on campus. What are some things you’re looking forward to doing on campus? I'm looking forward to seeing what clubs I may be interested in and just walking around the beautiful campus. Are there any clubs you are thinking of joining on campus? I’m interested in doing something with dance or art. What have you been doing this summer? I’ve been working at a gift shop on Cape Cod, going to the beach, and hanging out with friends. What parts of the city are you looking forward to exploring/ seeing? I’m excited to explore every part of the city, try famous restaurants, visit Central Park, shop in Soho, and visit museums/other tourist attractions. Have you been on campus previously/ been on a tour/ seen a sporting event/ or have an alum in your family? I’ve toured the campus twice. Are you excited to decorate your dorm? What is your favorite decoration you plan to bring? I am excited to decorate my dorm and will definitely be bringing my favorite elephant dish for a ring holder Instagram : julia.ubo
Lyna Amraoui Lyna Amraoui is an incoming business major from Morocco in Northern Africa. She heard about Manhattan College through “Niche,” a website meant to help students find the best colleges, calculate college admission probability, and to give highschool graduates an idea of their chances of getting into their dream schools. Amraoui ultimately chose MC because of its location. She will be living in Horan this fall and hopes to get involved with writing on campus as well as cheerleading. What have you been doing this summer? Nothing special, Netflix, going out with friends. What are your hobbies/interests? Gymnastics, reading, piano Are you excited to decorate your dorm? What is your favorite decoration you plan to bring? Yes, I still don’t know yet but I’m looking forward it.
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AUGUST 31, 2021
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The Women Behind the Summer 2021 WISE Program Kyla Guilfoil
Asst. News Editor Women Inspiring Successful Enterprise (W.I.S.E) is a professional development program at Manhattan College meant to encourage and support female students as they embark upon internships in a variety of fields. This program, held during the summer, was created by Rachel Cirelli, Director of Career Development, who saw a need for women’s empowerment in the workplace. Through this program, W.I.S.E. fellows complete an eight-week paid internship and participate in weekly seminars that cover important topics such as imposter syndrome, salary negotiation, work-life balance and more. The program is open to all women who are rising juniors and seniors. This year, there were 24 W.I.S.E. fellows who fulfilled internships in their desired fields. Fellow Caitlin Ficarra, a junior marketing major, worked for 3D Public Relations and Marketing as their summer intern. Ficarra described that her friend Madison Smith ‘21 inspired her to apply for the W.I.S.E. program. Smith had participated in the program and had interned for the same company. As her mentor in the Public Relations Student Society of America at MC, Smith told Ficarra about the connections to female leaders and the skills in her field that she had gained through W.I.S.E. “I did a lot of work with creating marketing pitches, press releases, designing social media graphics, and I also ran the Instagram accounts for some of our clients, so that was fun,” Ficarra said. “There were different lifestyle accounts, makeup accounts, there was an account for egg donors and surrogacy. I definitely didn’t anticipate taking on all of these different tasks, but I really did enjoy my internship.” Ficarra added that the integration of the weekly seminars added an essential layer to her internship experience. “We addressed a lot of critical issues that I think all women in the workplace face, and we addressed how to overcome those situations,” Ficarra said. “I think that those seminars guided me in a way. It was like I learned real skills in my desired industry and field through the internship, whereas through the seminars, they prepared me for the real world. And the thing about W.I.S.E is that it’s empowering emerging female
leaders, and all of the seminars were there to essentially get everyone aware of challenges that aren’t really addressed [in the workplace].” The conversations presented in these seminars also created the foundation for a strong community of women. Through these shared experiences, many of the participants developed friendships and connections that helped further guide and encourage them. Alixandria James, a junior Public Health major who also participated in the program this summer, described the group dynamic. “I think it’s really great to have a group of women, because it’s different being in class with guys and being in class with girls,” James said. “We hope that things are really equal for men and women, but it’s not. So, it was also just really great to be a part of a leadership program with just women, because I think the way you go about inspiring women and pushing women might be a little bit different than men. It was great to be around all types of women as well, like women of color, and there were some commuter students, who without this program I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to meet.” James used these new connections to help guide her through her own internship at New York Presbyterian Hospital. She worked in the hospital’s division of Community and Population Health and their Outreach program, as an Outreach intern. This meant that James spent her summer reaching out to lower income communities and providing healthcare, addressing issues such as healthcare disability. James located community organizations, whether that be schools, churches, etc., and helped get the word out about community events the hospital was leading, whether that be pop-up vaccine clinics or events to help share more healthcare-related information with the community. Two community centers that James worked at were Harlem’s Children’s Zone and Pediatrics 2000, both of which were used to host such events. James extended this community outreach through a separate project, as she was also a participant in the Jasper Research Scholars program this summer. As a research scholar she helped with the data analysis of MC’s campus climate survey from last November. Since there were so many submitted comments, one of James’ pro-
fessors, Rani Roy, Ph.D., asked James to come aboard the project. James’ explained that this project is not directly related to her studies of Public Health, but is rooted in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work that is of great importance to her. “Both are equally important, and honestly both play huge roles in my life and in what I aspire to be in my values as a person,” James said. “Campus climate was all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion related, and I actually had the opportunity to meet with the D&I manager at New York Presbyterian, and I got to share the work that I was doing on campus, and kind of cross-reference that she was doing over at New York Presbyterian. So it was definitely was a lot of work at times, but they’re both areas that I think are very, very important and I’m very thankful that I was able to do both, because while I’m as equally passionate in Public Health and in helping a larger community sense, at the end of the day Manhattan College is my immediate community.” James’ work shows her dedication to community, which is a key value in the work of the W.I.S.E. participants. Sini Makela, a fifth year student working towards an MBA in Business Analytics, felt the impact of the W.I.S.E. community all the way from Finland. Makela planned on being in New York for the program, but was unable to make the trip in June due to limitations on her visa. Since Makela’s internship at Gale Partners, a marketing firm, was remote for the summer, she worked from her home in Finland. Makela is continuing to work for Gale Partners in their
performance marketing team, as the company extended her internship an extra month. Her work focuses on data, including testing, weekly and monthly reports to help the team create client recommendations, invoicing, analyzing clients’ spending and budgets to make financial recommendations and visualizing data based on client performance. “What I really like about [my internship] is that I’ve actually gained a lot of responsibility, so it’s like I’m doing random tasks, they’re actually giving me important things to do, and I felt like I’ve really been able to make an effect and have a role to play,” Makela said. Makela fulfilled this important role while in a seven-hour time difference from her office, usually working from 3 p.m. till 10 p.m. to line up with New York’s own workday hours. Still, Makela also managed to stay engaged with the other W.I.S.E. participants. She was one of two fully remote fellows, and would call into the weekly seminars via google meet. “I feel like I still got the same amount out of it [despite being remote],” Makela said. “Whenever we had small groups, one of the girls would FaceTime me and the other remote girls, and place the phone next to the group so we would be a part of the conversation, so it was nice that they made us included even though we were remote. So I still got to know a lot of the girls, we’ve connected through social media, and stuff so that’s nice.” Makela also emphasized the importance of the W.I.S.E. program in that it encourages young women to advocate for themselves and follow their
ambition. She believes that the leadership skills she has learned from the program will help not only in her career, but also as a captain of Manhattan’s women’s basketball team this year. “All in all, I think the program does an amazing job connecting young girls with these internships and these companies that you might not otherwise have the opportunity to connect with,” Makela said. “I realized I have the ability to do more than I thought. I was able to build that confidence and I have a clearer picture of what I want to do in the future.” Maura McCarthy, a junior management and economics major, also felt that W.I.S.E gave her a more developed understanding of her career ambitions. McCarthy scored an internship at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility after being accepted into the program, and worked in the company’s health equity program and data analysis program. Being a part of these programs helped show McCarthy how important public health was to her, and helped her feel a greater sense of value in her work. “I think this summer was a great reminder that it’s possible to combine a lot of your interests to find a job that interests you in many different ways, and it doesn’t just have to focus on one main area that you’re majoring in, which I think definitely encouraged me to expand on my horizons,” McCarthy said. McCarthy was able to take on an important role at her internship site, working on the creation of a health equity tracker for the program, as well as presenting some of
Women Inspiring Successful enterprise is a leadership and professional development program at Manhattan College open to all women who are rising juniors and seniors. JOSH CUPPEK / COURTESY
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE __ her data analysis work to the entire company. On top of this success, McCarthy also was a Jasper Research Scholar this summer. McCarthy is working with Poonam Arora, Ph.D., in the management department on a project that studies the impact of power on decision making and cooperation in social dilemmas. McCarthy explained that this work is more independently structured, whereas her internship through W.I.S.E. was more traditionally scheduled during work day hours. Like James, McCarthy continues to work on her research and will present it this fall. Similar to McCarthy, junior Chelsea Fedigan was accepted into the W.I.S.E program as a business student. Fedigan is a Business and Analytics major, and interned as a Research and Evaluation intern at The Fresh Air Fund. Fedigan was in charge of creating a data library that highlighted key outcomes from positive youth development literature that demonstrated academic, socioeconomic, and
Features socioemotional needs of youth that the Fresh Air Fund’s programs serve. Fedigan then condensed this library into a document of key talking points for the executive, development, communications and program teams to utilize when communicating needs of their services for low-income, disadvantaged NYC youth to all stakeholders. W.I.S.E enabled Fedigan to increase the experience she gained from this work at the Fresh Air Fund. “Besides gaining internship experience, I was able to learn valuable information in the professional development workshops during W.I.S.E Wednesday’s,” Fedigan said. “I learned about interview tips, salary negotiation, and gender discrimination in the workplace, among many other topics. Lastly, I loved the community that was developed with everyone in W.I.S.E. I feel like we became closer after participating in our internships and getting to spend so much time together.” Fedigan underscored the importance of this background support and education for all women entering the workforce.
Saran Camara, a senior Economics and Finance major, also indicated that WISE offered more than a traditional internship. “I applied for the W.I.S.E Program because it represented a unique opportunity for me to acquire professional experience while providing enrichment sessions that will enable me to become a great leader in the future,” Camara said. “W.I.S.E. includes a great group of women that I got to meet and learn from,[and] the fact that we get matched with a company whose mission aligns with our personal and professional goals [is a pro].” Camara was an Accounting Assistant at the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation and was able to use her time there to help low and middle income tenants apply for rental assistance programs. Juliette Cazzari, junior communications major, was also able to make a difference through her internship. Cazzari found an internship at Baking Memories for Kids, a non-profit organization that sends children with life threat-
THE QUADRANGLE ening or terminal illnesses to Florida for a week so that they can go to Disney World with their families. Cazzari learned about her company’s marketing and public relations technique, and had to develop skills in the field of public relations. Cazzari shared that the structure of the W.I.S.E. program helped her to be more successful in this internship. To Cazzari, learning about salary negotiation, imposter syndrome and practicing skills for the workplace during WISE seminars enabled her to more confidently perform in her internship when she experienced difficulties. Stephanie Zandel, senior Allied Health major, also found these skills helpful as she took on an internship as a research assistant for the Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transportation Department at the New York Medical College affiliated with Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Zandel experienced hands-on patient interaction, learning how to explain studies and obtain consent for new patients to join. Zandel worked within medical
records and data, while also gaining experience shadowing health care professionals and following rounds. Zandel believes that W.I.S.E. made her experience possible, in a way a traditional internship process might not. “I think the pairing of the W.I.S.E. program is very wellthought out, because I think Rachel [Cirelli], she really does try to match people to what they think is best suited for them. She doesn’t want to give you something just to give you something,” Zandel said. She adds that the connections made between Cirelli and the other fellows provided a positive environment, where they shared the experience of interning in their chosen fields. “W.I.S.E is a really valuable experience because it creates an enriching community of high achieving women, and they empower one another, and it allows us all to develop ourselves professionally, to be better prepared as leaders so I really liked that kind of environment and the preparation it provides for women in the workforce.”
A Home for Veterans at Manhattan College
Kelly Cwik
Asst. A&E Editor Military Times recognized Manhattan College in their “Best for Vets” list for 2021. Along with this honor, the program earned a gold medal status from Military Friendly and the Student Veterans Organization received the Irving Ladimer Community Service award, presented by the local Bronx Community Board 8 (CB8). Director of Veterans Success Programs, Tiana Sloan, who oversees the Veterans Center and all programming for the veterans, was ecstatic when they were recognized. “The way I see them change when they graduate, it means so much to me,” Sloan said. “So to be recognized at the national level, is just like, oh my gosh, like this is amazing.” Shou Oikawa, U.S. Marine veteran, electrical engineering graduate student and secretary for the Student Veterans Organization, believes these recognitions will make veterans more aware of the programming offered at Manhattan College. “The truth is, outside of famous colleges and universities, most service members will just pick up the magazine and start looking at their home state and
browse through all the listed colleges in the Military Times,” Oikawa wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “By just being listed there will allow for them to reach out to Manhattan College, and I am sure they will be intrigued with our program once they speak to Tiana Sloan, the Veteran Success Program coordinator.” Manhattan College has the Veterans Success Program and the Veterans at Ease Program. The Veterans Success Programs assists veterans with the transition from military life to civilian life by being supported both professionally and academically. The Veterans at Ease Program helps veterans facilitate ways to manage and reduce stress through meditations and yoga. The program usually takes the incoming student veterans to the Bahamas, but this year they are going on a retreat to the Catskills. Another resource is the Student Veterans Organization at MC which is a chapter of the national organization, Student Veterans of America. Being a part of this organization provides peer support, social activities and a way to stay connected. Christopher Norberto, U.S. Navy veteran, sociology major and treasurer of the officers, described how being a part of the programs has helped him adjust better from military life.
“I had a hard time when I first got out and school actually got me back on path to do what I want to do and just feel productive again,” Norberto said. “And I think it helps, just in general, having a place, you know, with like minded people.” Sloan emphasized the importance of having a community for veterans to meet and connect especially on a college campus. “I think providing community is something that we’ve learned that it’s really the most important thing that we do,” Sloan said. “It’s being able to allow them to connect with each other is so important and that’s why even having the Veteran Center on campus is so important because, you know, for the most part they don’t know each other, walking onto campus and then they’re able to walk into that that center, connect, they’re able to attend the events together and connect.” Norberto described the disconnect between general students and veteran students and how he hopes to do things to bring general students and veteran students together. “I’m trying to work more, especially doing stuff like this on bridging the gap between the general student and the student vets,” Norberto said. “We’re more than happy to talk, share life experiences, especially if anyone’s interested in
Military Times recognized Manhattan College in their “Best for Vets” list for 2021.
MILITARY TIMES / COURTESY joining the military after college, to talk to experts.” Some advice from Oikawa to general students is to reach out to student veterans and get to know them. “If you notice that there is a classmate that is a bit older in your class, there is a good chance that he/she is a veteran,” Oikawa wrote. “If you have an opportunity, strike up a conversation and you’ll find out we may have unique experiences, but also at the same time not that much more different than
you. I promise, we won’t bite.” To get more involved with the Veterans Programs at Manhattan College, they are planning a couple of events to attend such as a 9/11 Memorial and a 22 pushup challenge in September to raise awareness for veterans suicides. A new club is also starting this fall, called Jaspers 4 Veterans. More information is to come, and those who are interested should email jaspers4veterans@manhattan.edu.
AUGUST 31, 2021
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Jasper Jams: Last Days of Summer Playlist JASPER JAMS Megan LaCreta Staff Writer
At the risk of sounding like the narrator of a coming-of-age movie, there is nothing more exhilarating, or more terrifying, than the end of summer. The start of the fall semester marks many things — a return to college, to friends and for many, the city itself. However, it also brings with it loads of classwork, as well as all of the associated stress. Fall brings an end to the freedom of a summer spent without responsibility, or the comfort of one spent at home. It’s a bittersweet sensation, and what better way to capture such complex feelings than through music? If you’re looking for a playlist to bring summer to a close, and start off the new season on the right foot, this column is for you. Life In The City - The Lumineers In the song’s first verse, The Lumineers ask the question, “Would you be glad to see Manhattan for once?” and my answer is yes, absolutely. This track, about pursuing your dreams in the city, functions as a welcome to new MC students, and as a welcome back
to all those who spent a summer — or even a full year away — due to the pandemic. A-O-K - Tai Verdes Did I first find out about Tai Verdes from TikTok? Yes. Am I ashamed of that fact? Also yes. Nonetheless, I will be listening to this track on repeat, and trying to match Verdes’ positive mindset all semester. It also transitions well from windows-open summer drives to jamming out in a dorm room with your friends. One More Weekend Maude Latour Feel like time is moving too fast? Is it the beginning of your senior year, and you wish you could just catch your breath for a moment? New York City native and current Columbia University student Maude Latour feels your pain. The contrast between the upbeat music and alternatively confused, anxious and quietly hopeful lyrics are a perfect metaphor for the clash of emotions many of us may experience as we realize we’re coming closer to the end of our college journey. Hot and Heavy - Lucy Dacus If running into that one person in Locke’s was caus-
ing you anxiety on move-in day, this song is for you. I first discovered Lucy Dacus, who makes up the group Boygenius alongside Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, earlier this summer, and I can’t get enough of her lyricism and storytelling. The track’s final line, “It’s bittersweet to see you again,” perfectly encapsulates the tumultuous feelings that can come with a return to college.
I quickly became a fan of his genuine lyrics and emotive vocals. “Maine” is a nostalgia-fueled track, sure to hit home for all those missing their high school friends, or summer days spent on the beach. The acoustic intro leads into Kahan’s ethereal humming, creating a dream-like feeling that practically transports the listener back into summer’s most memorable moments.
Suburbs - Marsicans One of my best friends shared this song with me in high school, and it’s been a playlist staple ever since. This one is for everyone who was looking forward to getting out of their hometown a little bit too much. Such overexcitement is emphasized by the track’s abrupt start, where the lyrics and heavy electric guitar kick in immediately. Later verses reveal the city may not be perfect, but Marsicans insist the freedom is worth it in the punchy refrain. I would absolutely recommend this track to anyone who describes where they’re from with the phrase, “Oh, just an hour or so outside of [insert nearest major city here].”
Gaslight WILLOW (Feat. Travis Barker) The entirety of WILLOW’s recently-released album, “lately I feel EVERYTHING,” is a pop-punk masterpiece, but “Gaslight” is one of my personal favorites. The track has the sound of an early 2000’s teen movie montage, so whether you’re looking for the perfect soundtrack for taking a final summer road trip, or to force yourself out of bed for your Monday morning class, this one’s for you.
Maine - Noah Kahan I first discovered Noah Kahan’s music over quarantine, and
Don’t Call Me When You’re Lonely - Fox Royale My Spotify Discover Weekly playlist truly blessed me when it gave me this song. “Don’t Call Me When You’re Lonely” has a relentless energy to it. While the lyrics are about struggling through an unsure relation-
ship, the beat and melody have a lively, addictive quality on par with Grouplove’s modern classic, “Tongue Tied.” I think the contrast of conflict and excitement are familiar to many of us as fall comes around. 45 - Bleachers I’ve been a fan of Bleachers for some time now, and when I first heard this release, I was surprised by the departure from their typical, more heavily-produced sound. However, I love the tinny, acoustic sound, and the nostalgic quality it brings to the track. This quality is fitting, since the song is about looking back and appreciating moments that have passed. To me, the song is a beautiful tribute to summers past. To Find a Friend - Tom Petty The end of summer brings on a transition period for many of us. Petty echoes many of the fears we might feel in such times. It’s indeed “hard to find a friend” while everything is changing around us. However, the repetitive structure and steady rhythm of the track, alongside the undeniably calming quality of Petty’s voice, provide a sense of reassurance— it definitely is hard, but it will also definitely work out in the end.
Scan here to listen to The Quadrangle’s playlist!
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Former Jasper Forms Eight-Piece Band, Sells Out Brooklyn Steel Jilleen Barrett A&E Editor
You may know the name Sammy Rae from their band, Sammy Rae and the Friends, an eight-person music group with hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners on Spotify. Or you may know that name if you were a student at Manhattan during the 2014-15 school year. For two semesters, Sammy Rae, who was born Samantha Bowers and identifies with she/they pronouns, attended the college after transferring from the University of New Haven, where they were studying music engineering. They came to Manhattan during a time when they were learning a lot about themself and their musical goals. “I realized I didn’t want to be on the technical end of music, I didn’t want to be an engineer,” they said. “I wanted to be an artist.” They decided to leave Connecticut to study in Manhattan’s School of Education, thinking it was important to earn some
kind of degree before pursuing an artistic career in music. Sammy Rae was interested in childhood education as well, an interest which coincidentally led to them later meeting some of their current bandmates at a music-based preschool where they all worked. During the time Sammy Rae spent closer to campus, they had the chance to be involved with Campus Ministry, spend a lot of time in An Beal Bocht and work with the Manhattan College Players. “I was involved with players briefly for a couple of productions, I actually music directed and wrote a score for an original score for our production of ‘Shadowbox’,” they said. “So I wrote that score and recorded original interlude and overture music, which was a really fun experience for me during my time at Manhattan.” After their time living in Lee Hall was over, Sammy Rae decided to become a part-time student which led them to living off campus while taking classes and working jobs like waitressing and nannying while
building stronger music-based connections in downtown New York City. While they ultimately decided not to finish their degree, the relationships they had fostered in the music industry during their time as a student at Manhattan earned them the chance to play a few gigs — they performed in Rockwood Music Hall, the Cotton Club and even produced a record in Flux Studios. Now, Sammy Rae is no longer searching for gigs on her own, as Sammy Rae and The Friends are travelling across the country to play. One day, they hope to be playing in places even farther away from their homebase of New York, like South America and the United Kingdom. “We’re in the process of looking into a UK tour for 2022. My dream UK venue is the Hammersmith Odeon in London, it’s a huge goal of mine and a lot of my favorite legendary artists have made their UK debut there so that would be a really exciting one for us to play, ”
Sammy Rae and Friends, an eight-piece band made of former Manhattan College students, sells out Brooklyn Steel .
SAMMY RAE / COURTESY
“Sammy Rae and the Friends, an eight-person music group with hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners on Spotify.”
SAMMY RAE / COURTESY But for now, the band is in the United States, and they have found success here. It took only two weeks for Sammy Rae and the Friends to sell out Brooklyn Steel, a music venue that holds over a thousand people. Sammy Rae explained the process Sammy Rae and the Friends went through before achieving that level of success. “We had this run in 2019 where every time we played a show, it was sold out and then the next venue doubled in capacity and would sell out so we started to catch when there was a real demand for the project,” they said. “But the last time that we played New York, we played Le Poisson Rouge in the West Village and it was 750 tickets, and it took us until five days before the show to sell out ... The thing about Brooklyn Steel is it’s more than double the size of that venue ... and we sold out in only two weeks.” What Sammy Rae really wants people to know about their music is that it isn’t created alone. They have what they call a “band identity rather than a solo identity”. “I didn’t want to be a solo artist I didn’t want it all focused on me, and I didn’t think I could handle it, and I still don’t think that I can, and so I knew that as I was looking for players I
wanted to find people who had really distinct and unique talents and that each of them was kind of like a star in their own way, which is exactly what they all are.” This mentality was partially inspired by the rock and roll group Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which was one of many inspirations for Sammy Rae when putting together a band of their own. ”So my first favorite band ever was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which is this, Bruce is at the front but there’s eight people in that project as well,” they said. “That’s also where I think I developed my love of saxophone outside of the jazz context, and saxophone in a rock and roll context, which is why I have two sax players in my band, which is also kind of unusual.” Travelling with such a large group of people can be challenging, but Sammy Rae seems to believe the financial and practical issues they face are worth it in the end — especially as the band gains traction. “I mean it gets tricky sometimes, I think,” they said. “[But] thanks to our fan base, we’re having a very exciting and explosive growth spurt and playing larger shows all the time.”
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AUGUST 31, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
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Manhattan College Alum’s Band Bounces Back from COVID’s Hard Hit on the Music Industry Megan LaCreta & Madalyn Johnson
Staff Writer & Web Editor Kevin Donald ‘19, came to Manhattan College in hopes of being close to the New York City music scene. During his time at Manhattan, Donald played in the jazz band, performed improv with Scatterbomb and earned the performing arts scholarship. He also formed the band Let Me Ask My Mother, which focuses mostly on rock music. Now, two years and a pandemic later, the band has released their first album, “At Best,”. Donald’s involvement in performing arts clubs at MC was the catalyst to him finding the members of Let Me Ask Mother. Over time, Donald’s jam sessions with friends from the Manhattan College jazz band, as well as from high school, blossomed into an official band. “So I started it [Let Me Ask My Mother], my sophomore year at Manhattan, and since that time, there have been at least 10 different people in the band,” Donald said. The band’s current lineup includes Donaldson, and Nick Guttilla, another Manhattan College alum. The group also includes Donaldson’s high school friend Greg Pease, and his friend Andrew Poccia. Nick Guttilla ‘19, detailed his time in Let Me Ask My Mother over email. While the band is certainly proud of their new album, the social aspect of it has also been an important part of the experience for Guttilla.
“My favorite experience as a band member is meeting up to practice in the studio,” Guttilla wrote. “It’s the little moments of jokes and laughter we share that remind me how music has helped me make such wonderful friends.” Donald shared that on top of the Manhattan College jazz band helping him find members for his band, the club also became a great inspiration for Let Me Ask My Mother’s songs. The concept of sitting down and playing music with a small group of students reminded Donald that he has to think about why he is writing music to figure out how to come up with new music. “When I was at Manhattan College, I was in the jazz band and we would have a rotating group of guys and I really liked being able to have the songs that everybody knew, and we could sit down and play,” Donald said.“So, my idea for the band was, ‘I’m going to write some really simple songs and whoever I can get to play those with me I’m going to be super happy to get to play music’.” The band, whose music Donald describes as “college beer rock,” also draws inspiration from well-known indie rock and alternative rock artists. “I like indie rock and alternative stuff. So, Pinegrove, Japanese Breakfast, Soccer Mommy and Bon Iver,” Donald said. “I like early 2000 stuff, a few bands like Yuck and the Cloud Nothings just became inspiration. I like to yell a lot and I can’t really sing that well so I mostly do yelling, but drawing inspiration from everywhere is a big part of the fun of having
Let Me Ask My Mother’s debut album, “At Best,” cover art. INSTAGRAM / COURTESY
Now, two years and a pandemic later, the band [Let Me Ask My Mother} has released their first album, “At Best,”. @LETMEASKMYMOTHER / COURTESY your own project.” Let Me Ask My Mother’s new album opens with the titular track “At Best.” The introduction starts off with an orchestral tone, before ramping up into a rock-inspired jam, a perfect metaphor for Let Me Ask My Mother’s jazz band roots, and a preview for the rest of the album’s clash of classical music and classic rock. Aedan Roney ‘21 was one of the rotating members of the band as he once played drums for Let Me Ask My Mother. Roney expressed how unique he finds the band’s music. “I think that Let Me Ask My Mother’s music is cool because it’s really personal and vulnerable while still managing to be fun and dynamic,” Roney wrote in an email, “which comes through both on the record and at live shows.” Prior to playing trumpet for jazz band and starting Let Me Ask My Mother, Donald had a huge music background. He plays guitar, piano and wrote songs in high school which has significantly helped him come up with music ideas. He explained his creative process when approaching new music varies. Sometimes Donald plays the piano in order to come up with a new song or he follows up on unfinished music written in high school. “I sit down with the piano and usually work out a song as it comes to me,” he said. “Sometimes that takes a couple of hours or sometimes that’s a few months. Our album that we just put out earlier this year, some of those songs I had writ-
ten in high school, and they weren’t really fully done until after I graduated from Manhattan. So, I’d say I just take things as they come to me and sometimes that’s really easy and sometimes that’s kind of a challenging thing.” Guttilla, however, did not have the same musical background, but he didn’t let that stop him from being a part of the band. “I didn’t play an instrument before college,” Guttilla wrote. “I barely even touched one. So whenever you’re thinking about trying something new, just go for it. You never know who you might meet along the way.” Let Me Ask My Mother has faced a significant challenge in the pandemic. Their album “At Best” had originally been scheduled for release in March of 2020, before the band made the difficult decision to push it off when the pandemic hit. They also had to cancel planned performances, which Guttilla noted was a hard decision. “I do think the pandemic stopped our momentum a little for the actual release party,” Guttilla wrote. “We were doing a bunch of shows and getting exposure to build it up and just when it was around the corner, we had to cancel.” However, the decision to postpone the album allowed for the band to rework it in ways they hadn’t considered before. “[The pandemic] ended up letting me realize that there’s still more that I could do on those songs,” said Donald. “Greg Pease and I, he engi-
neered most of the record, and we were both living in lockdown, so we would video chat and talk on the phone a lot about what we thought we could change and what we could do to make them even better versions of themselves. And what we ended up with, I think, was a lot better than what we were going to put out a year before quarantine.” Roney further praised Donald’s work ethic, a quality that pushed the band through their harder times. “Kevin’s got a solid work ethic, because he takes a lot of pride in his craft and has a great respect for his art and his listeners,” Roney wrote. As for what they would tell others looking to pursue music, Donald and Guttilla agreed that simply going for it is the most important part. “If you have a project you want to do or you just want to make music, to just start doing it and people will kind of coalesce around you, people will be excited,” Donald said. “Just make music and don’t care what anyone thinks of it,” Guttilla wrote. “You will write so many bad songs, but it only takes one good one to make you feel and look like a rockstar.” Let Me Ask My Mother’s new album “At Best” is available on all streaming platforms. They are also playing their first show since the pandemic on October 9 at Union Pool in Brooklyn.
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THE QUADRANGLE
MAAC Mandates Vaccine for Student-Athletes Pete Janny Sports Editor
COVID vaccine mandates are becoming a popular method to try to curb the spread in certain public and private domains. The MAAC conference is following suit by making the injection mandatory for all student-athletes this academic year. On Aug. 9, the conference announced the vaccine requirement which only allows exemption for medical or religious reasons. In addition to student-athletes, the rule applies to game officials and table staffers who will be in attendance at sporting events. In the case of exemption, individual schools will need to keep track of which of their student-athletes qualify for immunity against the new statute. Then, the school is expected to relay that information back
to the conference. If a student doesn’t get vaccinated nor meets the criteria for an exemption, their eligibility will be taken away. The process of applying for exemption is the same for both student-athletes and regular students at Manhattan College. Because of federal guidelines, the athletics department is not authorized to obtain private health information about student-athletes without their consent — including vaccination status. “There’s a group of campus officials that accept the application and take a look at it, and then they either offer the exemption or they don’t,” athletic director Marianne Reilly said. “Because of HIPPA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] laws we are not given all the information as to who’s on the list. Health services has that information and
they share that information as needed.” Reilly also noted that “our student athletes are going to be treated just like the rest of the students” in reference to the college’s institutional vaccine mandate. According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, student-athletes who are cleared for exemption will be subject to COVID-19 testing three times a week, or instead have to show proof of a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test either once per week or 72 hours before playing in a game. Most of the conference’s COVID-19 surveillance system is the same as last year, albeit with eligible unvaccinated student-athletes having to undergo the process on a routine basis. “All of those things we followed as a group will now be individualized for those who are unvaccinated,” Reilly said.
The league also plans to release protocols for schools to follow in the event of an outbreak within a given team. This includes preparations for quarantining, contact tracing and testing if the situation warrants them — regardless if those impacted are already vaccinated. “Further discussion, and if necessary, modification of these principles will continue as public health guidelines and schools’ policies evolve in accordance with CDC guidelines,” the press release from the conference read. Reilly is excited for the return of fans at games, while acknowledging her department’s responsibility to always put the health and safety of the college community first. The plans on handling attendance are fluid and can change at any time — and can even vary significantly depending on the school that hosts the athletic event.
“I do believe because of the vaccination mandate we won’t be as rigid as last year,” Reilly said “It all depends on the spiking and other schools’ protocols and to make sure our students are following their protocols as well.” On Aug. 25, the Manhattan College athletics department formally released their policy for fan attendance at sporting events at Gaelic Park. The sole requirement to gain entry is to fill out the Daily Symptom Tracker found on the college’s website and the Glance MC Mobile App. While fans are advised to “stay socially distant throughout the contest”, there are no limits on the number of people allowed, or who could be there, as long as they present a green pass. “Because it’s outdoors we don’t have to get into if a person is vaccinated or unvaccinated,” Reilly said.
Women’s Soccer Suffers Heartbreak to Fordham Pete Janny Sports Editor
The Battle of the Bronx did not end the way the Manhattan women’s soccer team wanted it to as they suffered a 2-1 loss in extra time. Nonetheless, the fans in attendance got to see 100 minutes of action between the rival squads. It all started with 10 minutes left in the second half when the game shifted in favor of the Rams. Having led for the majority of the game, the Jaspers couldn’t make it to the final buzzer soon enough when Fordham tied the score at one off a cross into the box that found the outstretched foot of a Fordham player. The Rams, who were the better side from the second half on, sealed the win with a minute left in extra time off a mistake by the Manhattan defense. Fordham’s Caitlin Kennedy took possession of a drop ball, zipped by the defense and unleashed a shot from just outside the box that clinched the victory. Manhattan senior goalkeeper Kim Mains got a hand on
the final shot but couldn’t keep it out to salvage the Jaspers’ chances. The final play drew the ire of several Manhattan players, including Mains, but the referees saw no issue in the way Kennedy beat out Manhattan defender Sydney Harwood for the drop ball. Overall, Mains had a strong performance in net, notching a career-high nine saves in the loss. She made good reads all night, continually coming up with a big save after the other. With 30 minutes left in the second half, Mains made a diving stop to her left and made contact with the goal post. After staying down for a few moments, she shook off the minor ailment and remained in the game for the Jaspers. On the strength of 62 percent possession throughout the game, the Rams were able to outshoot the Jaspers 32-7, including 11-3 on net. Fordham’s left winger Kristen Cocozza and midfielder Alexandra Taylor tallied five and 10 shots respectively. Eve Montgomery was the lone goal scorer for Manhattan on the night. The scoring sequence came in the eleventh
Forward Eve Montgomery faces off against Fordham player number 2 in opening game at Gaelic Park. GO JASPERS / COURTESY minute when Montgomery pounced on a loose ball around midfield, dribbled past the final defender and trickled a shot with her left foot past the diving Fordham goalkeeper. The shot also grazed the post before sneaking in to put the home team on top. The Manhattan lineup featured a mixture of old and new
faces. Harwood and Gemma Perez are back for a fifth year to anchor the defensive line, and have a talented supporting cast in the back consisting of Ianah Mackey, Kaitlyn Cooke and Olivia Maldonado. Of the 11 freshmen on the roster, Nicolette Caneda, Corrine Jackson, Maddie Feller, Brooke Zimmer and Amrit Aro-
ra all made good first impressions playing a large chunk of minutes. Manhattan’s next game at Gaelic Park is slated for Sept. 10 when they host Merrimack at 4 PM. Before then, they hit the road to play at Wagner on Aug. 29 and Long Island University on Sept. 5.
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Men’s Soccer Outduels Lehigh in Home Opener Pete Janny Sports Editor
Fortunately for the players on the field, the conditions on Friday night at Gaelic Park were not as hot and humid as the night before when the women played the Battle of the Bronx. Most importantly for them, the men’s soccer team picked up a big 1-0 win in their season opener against Lehigh. The decisive goal came in the 17th minute when the Lehigh goalie mishandled a routine save off a shot from junior Dorian Bounab, leading to an own goal for the home team. The early lead took the pressure off Manhattan, who came out the gate slow while Lehigh established possession early on. Manhattan looked like a totally different team in the last 15 minutes of the first half than they did in the first 30 minutes. Substitutes James Cotter and Matias Leaniz gave the Jaspers attack some new life with their clever passing and good movement off the ball. Once things started clicking, Manhattan had a few chances to extend their lead, including a shot on goal from Cotter and one that went just wide right from Leaniz. “Matias has only been train-
ing for five days,” head coach Jorden Scott said of Leaniz’s recent arrival. “He hasn’t played a preseason game and he just cleared out of quarantine. He was fantastic when we brought him on and we did not want to take him off.” Manhattan’s gritty efforts in the midfield was a constant throughout — even when the quality of their play stalled. Senior Thomas Hitchins held down the center of the midfield with his steady passing and ability to win close challenges. Later in the second half, senior Simon Busch switched from midfield to center back to serve as another barrier for the Mountain Hawks’ offense. Whether it was moving Busch back or calling on the fresh legs of Johan Feliz and Yasin Choukri, head coach Jorden Scott seemed to hit all the right buttons with his tactical moves. “We’re in this mode of the next four weeks of figuring out who fits where,” Scott said. “We had some fabulous players on the bench but we just couldn’t get them in because of the tempo and intensity. We wanted to stick with the leadership and maturity.” The biggest scare for the Jaspers came in the 64th minute when an errant pass wound up at the feet of Lehigh’s Austen Carranza whose breakaway
Goal Keeper, Danny DiMarco proves detrimental to teams win with three saves and third career win. GO JASPERS / COURTESY attempt was denied by sophomore goalkeeper Danny DiMarco. It was the save of the game — and not one DiMarco will forget any time soon. DiMarco was impressive in net. He finished with three saves and made all the right reads. There was no such thing as hesitation for DiMarco on his way to earning his third career win and second ever clean
sheet while still only in the nascent stages of his college career. Manhattan outshot Lehigh 10-9, while their two corner kicks on the night was one less than the Mountain Hawks. The victory over Lehigh, winners of the Patriot League in 2019, marked the third time in the last five seasons that Manhattan won its season
opener. The other two times came against Navy in 2017 and 2018. The next three games against Holy Cross, Temple and Columbia are on the road before the Jaspers return home to face the Fordham Rams on Sept. 14 for the Battle of the Bronx. Kick-off for that game is slated for 3 PM.
Team gathers for pre-game huddle before facing off against Lehigh in opening game of the season. GO JASPERS / COURTESY