Issue 11, Spring 2018 - The Quadrangle

the Quadrangle THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924

Volume XCVII, Issue 11

www.mcquad.org

APRIL 17, 2018

Infograph created by Tara Marin

IN FEATURES: Bronx Crime Rates The history of the Hit All-Time Low beloved 1 Train on p. 10 on p. 3

IN NEWS:

IN A&E:

New York Botanical Garden photospread on p. 8

IN SPORTS:

MC’s resident Yankees fans talk baseball on p. 12

Opinion & Editorials

2 THE BRONX ISSUE

the Quadrangle Volume XCVII, Issue 11 APRIL 17, 2018

The Editorial Board

Taylor Brethauer Editor-in-Chief Stephen Zubrycky Managing Editor Jack Melanson News Editor

Haley Burnside Joseph Liggio Asst. News Editors

Megan Dreher Features Editor

Lauren Schuster Asst. Features Editor

Rose Brennan Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor

Alexa Schmidt Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

John Jackson Sports Editor

C. Garrett Keidel Asst. Sports Editor

RikkiLynn Shields Catherine Goodyear Social Media Editors

Anja Pollozi Photography Editor

Alyssa Velazquez Production Editor

Samantha Walla Asst. Production Editor

Gabriella DePinho Michevi Dufflart Web Editors

Mohsin Ahmed Shannon Gleba Copy Editors

Abby Crowell Distribution Manager Thomas Callahan Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle 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 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

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THE QUADRANGLE

NOT ES FROM The Editor

Dear Reader, Welcome to the Bronx Issue!

Every semester, we pick a theme for our “special issue”, which focuses on a specific topic that all of our articles and photographs are centered around. In January, our senior writer Tara Marin (who made the great infograph on the front page), suggested the idea of the Bronx theme and it came together really nicely these last few weeks.

In the past, we’ve picked themes that are timely and important such as gender, money and faith. I think that the topic of the Bronx is one always in the back of our minds, since it is the place many of us call home for four years or more. In this issue, we question the location of a school named Manhattan, feature delicious pizza places, talk to student-athletes that have lived here all their lives and we also show you all the New York Botanical Garden has to offer.

It is a really spectacular issue.

On a personal note, I remember when I decided to come to MC nearly three years ago. Whenever a classmate asked me where I would be attending college, I would proudly say, “Manhattan College in the Bronx” every time. Some people were shocked about the Bronx part, and rightfully so. There seems to be a reputation surrounding the Bronx and to outsiders, it might seem bad. But now that I’ve been living here for three years, I’ve come to see it as it truly is: a diverse, amazing borough, one with great food, fun places to explore and interesting people. Simply put, it’s home.

I hope enjoy this week’s issue.

Sincerely,

Taylor Brethauer

Editor-in-Chief CORRECT IONS

The author of last week’s “Weekly Greek” article was Thomas Nordham, not Jonathan Alania, as was listed above the article in the print edition.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN LET T ER

Letters to the Editor may be submitted to thequad@manhattan.edu by Saturday at noon to be considered for publication. Profanity, vulgarity and hate will not be published. The Quadrangle reserves the right not to publish a letter.

News

APRIL 17, 2018

THE BRONX ISSUE

“The Bronx is Safer” as Borough Crime Rates Hit All-Time Low

Ally Hutzler Staff Writer

In the late 1970s the Bronx was burning as seven different census tracts lost more than 97 percent of their buildings to fire and abandonment. The New York Times reported that 1980 was the “worst year of crime” in the city’s history with just under 2,000 homicides - an average of 34 murders per week.

But crime in New York City has fallen to record lows in the past few decades in each of the major felony categories - including murder and manslaughter, rape, assault, robbery, burglary, grand larceny and car thefts - and the Bronx has followed suit.

In 1990 there was a total of 79,825 major felonies in the Bronx and that number has lowered 75 percent over the past seventeen years, according to NYPD statistics available on nyc.gov, the official website of the city of New York. In 2017 there was less than 20,000 major felony crimes throughout the borough.

In the 50th precinct, which covers the Kingsbridge and Riverdale area including Manhattan College, crime statistics are even lower. In 2017, the precinct saw less than 1,000 major felonies. The police reported only three murders, eight rapes, and about 100 robberies last year.

Most recently, at the end of

March, the Target located on 40 W. 225th Street, frequented often by Manhattan College students, was robbed. More than $140,000 was taken from the department store’s safe. According to articles by multiple news sources, including The Riverdale Press and NY1, no one was injured in the incident.

Grand larceny was by far the highest committed crime in the 50th precinct in 2017, occurring over 520 times. Grand larceny is broadly defined as the loss of property valued over $1,000, and most commonly belongings like laptops, wallets, credit cards, and automobiles are what is reported stolen. So far in the first three months of 2018, there have been 99 com-

plaints of grand larceny in the neighborhood.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has worked on several initiatives that have helped to reduce crime. Most recently he helped raise the age of criminal responsibility to 18, which means that young people in New York who commit non-violent crimes receive the intervention and evidencebased treatment they need.

The legislation is going to help keep young people out of the penalizing criminal justice and is aimed to lower crime.

Diaz Jr. also fought to end the city’s former “stop and frisk” program, which allowed NYPD officers to detain and search people for often vague

3

pretenses. If any illegal item or substance was found, an arrest resulted. The program was put to rest in 2014 and crime has continued to decrease not only in the Bronx but throughout the city as a whole.

In his ninth State of the Borough address this past February at the Bronx High School of Science, Diaz Jr. said that “For the fifth straight year we had less than 100 homicides in our borough, and this year the number dropped to an all-time low. We have done this compassionately, and with a commitment to a fairer, more humane criminal justice system. That’s why The Bronx is safer.”

Looking Back: The History of Riverdale Alexa Schmidt & Samantha Walla Asst. Editors

Manhattan College students know Riverdale as their home away from home. Students enjoy grabbing pizza at Broadway Joe’s in between classes, blowing off steam in Van Cortlandt Park and toasting to the weekend at An Beal Bocht Cafe. These locations are staples for Jaspers, but it wasn’t always this way.

Riverdale was originally farmland until the 1840’s, when the hustle and bustle of the city became too overwhelming and affluent New Yorkers moved to the rolling hills to build estates.

An outbreak of cholera in lower Manhattan also served as incentive for families to flee the

borough. In 1853, the construction of a bridge over Spuyten Duyvil Creek for the Hudson River Railroad also contributed to the migration of wealthy New Yorkers to the suburbs.

As reported by the New York Times, history professor at Columbia University explains these migrations as the “suburban ideal,” as the setting served as compromise for those seeking the benefits of rural and urban life. Those new Riverdale residents relied on public transportation for their commutes into Manhattan.

As Riverdale developed, adding houses and businesses for its growing population, Van Cortlandt Park remained untouched by the developments of its surrounding. After the glaciers that covered New York City melted 20,000 years ago, the Lenape hunted and farmed

on the land that Riverdale elementary schools use for soccer practice. Today, it’s the third largest park in New York City, with 1,146 acres. Inside the park, “The Rock” is a popular lookout spot, where students can survey the former Van Cortlandt estate that was sold to the City of New York in 1888.

Before becoming a museum, the oldest home in the Bronx housed George Washington and the city’s records during the Revolutionary War. Manhattan College didn’t find its way to the Bronx until 1922, when the campus needed more space than 131st and Broadway could provide. Since the move, Manhattan College acquired existing buildings and new property, increasing the residential population of the college as it grew to be more established.

One of the acquired properties is Gaelic Park, which originally served as the IrishAmerican community’s field for hurling and Gaelic football before being purchased by the college in 1991.

Since then, Gaelic Park has been the home field for Jaspers as well as a destination for concerts and other cultural events throughout the year. Leo Hall is another acquired and renovated building, which originally housed Fanny Farmer Candy Shops Inc. Factory, but was renovated in 1964. Dormitories such as Lee and Horan used to be private residences that now house hundreds of Jaspers.

Today, Riverdale is the last stop on the beloved 1 train. It’s seen many changes throughout the years, but it’s authenticity remains the same. Having one of the highest median resi-

dence values in New York City, the neighborhood is sought after for it’s low crime rate, wellrated education system and excellent businesses.

The neighborhood offers a great view of the Hudson River, as well as the New Jersey Palisades.

Although the Bronx and Riverdale are home to a diverse group of people, the spirit of the community brings many together.

In “The One and Nine,” a song by Irish-American band Shilelagh Law, puts into words how wonderful life is in the Bronx. The song serves as an anthem for many Manhattan College students and sports teams. These lyrics hit home: “Bronx bound uptown, that’s my line. Don’t look like much, but it’s all mine. The end of the road is all I know, 242nd

Manhattan College— in the Bronx?

Sophia Sakellariou Contributor

As students at Manhattan College, many are asked at least once where in Manhattan our school is. Answering this question, students must explain that although our school is called Manhattan College, us Jaspers actually reside in the Bronx— but why?

Manhattan College was founded by five French De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1853. Originally the Academy of the Holy Infancy, Manhattan College began as a single, small building on Canal Street.

As the school began to expand as more students attended, MC moved to 131 Street and Broadway, an area known as Manhattanville back then,

in New York City. The Brothers created a new type of educational system combining the traditional liberal arts with pre-professional training with vocation, incorporating the ideals that began in 17th century France with the Patron Saint of Teachers, Saint John Baptist de La Salle.

The move from Manhattan to Riverdale began in 1922.

This “New Manhattan” still provided MC with the big city location it treasured while giving it the space it required to expand and build its much needed new quarters.

MC’s campus was enhanced significantly by the addition of new buildings and student residences. It’s new location maintained MC’s access to the culture and opportunities New York has to offer with Midtown

just 35 minutes away, while creating a residential campus feel in historic Riverdale.

“I love being where we are in the Bronx because we get to have a campus but also have access to the city whenever we want,” said freshman Patricia Wright.

MC continued to expand while remaining in its Riverdale location. Throughout the 20th century, MC continued to expand and prosper while remaining in its Riverdale location as new programs and schools were added.

At one point, the campus housed not only the College, but a preparatory school for high school students as well, providing them with the knowledge base of practical subjects that would lead to a useful role in society as well as religious

teachings that imparted the school’s commitment to Christian ethics, the teaching MC prides itself on.

In 1973, MC accepted its first women undergraduate students when it decided to become coeducational. In the following decades, MC saw a major shift in its student body from a majority of commuter students to a majority of residential students as new residence halls opened.

The 21st century gave way to new buildings such as Lee Hall and the O’Malley Library.

The Raymond W. Kelly Student Commons opened just four years ago in 2014 and has provided students with new dining options, a fitness center, and comfortable places to study or just hang out with friends.

“Being located in the Bronx

is so convenient because we get to benefit from everything New York City has to offer and we are exposed to opportunities that other college students don’t have access to,” said freshman Madison Smith.

MC continues to strive to modernize its campus and provide its student body with new facilities. Construction on south campus will begin within the next year as plans for a new engineering building and residence halls are underway.

Despite its move from Manhattan to the Bronx, MC decided to retain its name despite the misnomer because of the 60 years of history it established when it first began in New York’s most well-known borough.

News

4 THE BRONX ISSUE

THE QUADRANGLE

Freshman Sophie Demurjian Starts Bronx Bites Instagram Account C. Garrett Keidel & Alexa Schmidt Asst. Editors

The Bronx Bites Instagram account is dedicated to providing Manhattan College students with suggested places to eat. Through colorful pictures and videos, the account highlights where to eat next.

Bronx Bites is run by freshman Sophie Demurjian, a communications major. Her first post was in late October, and she has remained active since.

The account has 1,696 followers and 44 posts. Demurjian was inspired to start the account by her sister, who goes to Fordham and has her own food account based on Fordham’s surrounding area.

“I figured that I wanted to do something like that, but I didn’t see one that was just based on the Bronx. I wanted to use my page to show how good the food in the Bronx is,” she said.

Demurjian chose to focus on restaurants in the Bronx because it’s where MC is located. Her account is a useful platform to inform people who don’t know where to eat what restaurants are a good price

and are easily accessible.

Demurjian has a whole bookmark folder on Yelp to find different kinds of cuisines and places to try, and will share whatever she orders with the rest of Instagram. Some of her personal favorite places to eat are Kingsbridge Social Club, Palace of Japan, and Bella Notte Pizzeria. She noted that Kingsbridge Social Club has been one of her best Bronx meals.

“Their salads and their pizzas are just so good. Usually my roommate and I will go there. We will split a pizza then get a salad and its always a great dinner. It’s a good price too. Most of the restaurants I go to around here a really affordable,” she said.

So far, Demurjian has gotten all positive reactions. She recently just put her name in the description of the page, so she thinks that people still don’t know its her running the account. Regardless, she’s content with how the Instagram account is turning out. Many MC students follow the account, and take her suggestions seriously.

“I don’t know the statistics exactly, but I know the majority of my following is student based. I make sure to follow

everyone from Manhattan, because I want everyone from around here to see it and use to to help them choose really cool places to eat. It also helps to promote local businesses.”

She continued.

“I love doing it. I just get positive feedback and it seems to make people happy. I get texts, like before this, I used to get a lot of texts asking, ‘what’s a good place to eat?’,

because I love going out ot eat.

It just makes everything easier now because more people can know,” she said.

While Demirjian’s account is a fun way to connect MC students to the local food, it is also a way to broadcast the small businesses in the local area and show their quality of food.

“I feel like people don’t realize that and they don’t get to experience that. They might even

be afraid to experience it, so if I post pictures of places and people see that it looks really good they might be more willing to try. Like Asian Tokyo has really good sushi and I don’t think many people know that. House of Japan also has a really cool inside,” she said.

Demurjian says that she plans to continue running the page even after she graduates.

The Instagram account is @ bronxbites.

__________________________

Demurjian’s started the account in October to inform MC students about where to get good food at a good price.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY BRONXBITES / INSTAGRAM

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News

APRIL 17, 2018

THE BRONX ISSUE

5

Margaret Groarke Honored by Bronx Borough President Rose Brennan Editor

On March 27, associate professor of government Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., received a Citation of Merit from the Bronx Borough President at a celebration for Women’s History Month.

Groarke was recognized by her involvement in both her on-campus and off-campus communities. At Manhattan College, Groarke serves as faculty adviser for both the LGBTQ Student Group and the Government and Politics Club.

Groarke also coordinates the college’s community-based learning courses.

Off-campus, Groarke is a community organizer for the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, a hot spot among students seeking internships in the government department.

Groarke is a lifelong Bronx resident, leaving only for the four years she attended college, as well as the year she spent working in Washington, D.C. Groarke was contacted about the award by the borough president’s office.

“They were looking for active women to recognize during Women’s History Month, and I guess someone in the borough president’s office thought of me and called me up,” Groarke said.

The event at which Groarke and four other women (also including Tamara Britt, MC’s general counsel) were honored consisted of a dinner and a panel discussion, in which each of the women spoke about obstacles they had faced and handled in their respective fields, as well gave advice for women who wanted to follow in the career footsteps of the honorees.

“We’re not of the generation

where we’re the first women in our fields, but there’s continuing discrimination… There are ways in which women are stereotyped in a way that can be an obstacle in moving forward in your career. So there were some similarities across the panel about how that works,” Groarke said.

She continued.

“We somehow got into a conversation about voter suppression. Somebody had heard that was an area of interest if mine. So we talked for a bit about the importance of getting more people in the Bronx to vote,” Groarke said. “New York state has very low voter participation, the whole state, and so we had a conversation about doing some things to make that better.”

Students and faculty both felt that Groarke’s recognition was well-deserved.

“I know whenever a student is looking for an internship or

wanting to get involved with community things... I always send them to her,” said Pamela Chasek, Ph.D., chair of the college’s government department.

“She knows everybody: she knows everyone politically, she does a lot of community organization and she’s helped a lot of students get internships in the Bronx.”

Chasek describes Groarke’s role in the government department as an adviser to new faculty members and a trusted friend of tenured faculty.

“Whether you’re looking for...an apartment or a house in the Bronx, go to Margaret.

If you’re looking to become involved in community based organizations, go to her. If you’re looking to get involved politically, she’ll tell you who to go to,” Chasek said.

Sophomore marketing major Ryan Kwiecinski serves as the president of the college’s Government and Politics Club,

of which Groarke is the faculty adviser. As a result he has had numerous opportunities to collaborate and work with her.

“One of the first organizations I joined on campus was the Government and Politics Club,” Kwiecinski said. “In February, I held an event where I featured four different political speakers from four different political parties in a way to educate students on all viewpoints.

I started planning the event in October, and Dr. Groarke was with me every step of the way, ensuring that we would be able to not only get speakers, but also put on a successful event.”

He continued.

“She does so much on campus, but still is incredibly involved in New York politics. I admire her for always putting forward her best effort in every realm of her responsibility, and excelling in doing so,” Kwiecinski said.

Students Find Freedom Around Riverdale in Off-Campus Housing Alexa Dawid Staff Writer

Off-campus housing in Riverdale continues to grow more popular among Manhattan College students of all grades as an alternative to residence halls.

MC is home to five residence halls: Chrysostom, Jasper, Lee, Horan, and Overlook.

These housing options include amenities such as Cable TV, wireless internet, laundry rooms, recreation rooms, study areas, vending machines, and 24-hour security. While this might sound ideal, some students have grown discontent with the standard of living in these residence halls.

Christine Gebhardt, a sophomore marketing major, and her suitemates had to deal with the unfortunate situation of mold in her room in Horan Hall

last year.

“We called maintenance several times and they did fix it, but it took them three months… We were getting headaches from it because it was so bad,” she said.

This is what drove one of Gebhardt’s suitemates, Emma Hesse, to seek off-campus housing.

The pleasant neighborhood of Riverdale provides a great alternative for students looking for an apartment or house not owned and maintained by MC. Many students find homes on Waldo, Greystone, Riverdale Ave., and under the OV stairs on Tibbet, Irwin, and Corlear Ave. “It was relatively easy for my roommate and I to find an apartment in Riverdale. We looked at open units on websites such as Zillow.com and Streeteasy.com, and then got in

contact with the brokers who showed us them,” Hesse said.

Hesse and her roommate live in Majestic, located at 3660 Waldo Ave, a very popular building for MC students. She noted extreme satisfaction with her switch.

Hesse said, “the building itself is a lot nicer and much more updated than living in Horan. I like having a kitchen and being able to cook my own food. I also like being able to have my friends over without worrying about getting written up by an RA.” Cost is a determining factor when considering offcampus housing. The price for room and board at MC is listed as $16,220 for the 20182019 school year. According to Streeteasy,com, the median rent for an apartment in Riverdale is $1,900 per month.

If a student splits this average

cost with one roommate, they are already saving money as a 12-month lease would amount to $11,400.

While splitting the rent with roommates cuts the cost dramatically, other expenses begin to build up. This includes the monthly price of utilities, water, cable, laundry, wireless internet, among other amenities.

Students also report of highbrokeridge fees when negotiating a lease; Hesse said her and her roommate both payed a one-time payment of $1,500 to pay a real estate agent.

MC also states that when a student moves off-campus, they will lose 20% of all institutional aid. This includes all scholarship money.

“Even though I lost a little bit of my scholarship and end up having to pay a little bit more, I am still glad I did it. It really adds to my college expe-

rience. I think if a student does enough research they can find something suitable and in their price range because there are so many options around Riverdale,” Hesse added.

Off-campus housing has also been at the forefront of controversy for MC as seen in the New York Post article “College Students Leave Neighborhood Filled with Trash, Vomit”.

In this story, MC Students Sarah Lang and Julia LoRusso told NBC that “the parties get so out of hand that apartment buildings begin to shake.”

This is the reason for Ryan Quattromani founding the Neighborhood Relations Committee. Knowing that students are part of the Riverdale community, Quattromani assembled this group to begin mending the relations between students and other Riverdale residents.

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6 THE BRONX ISSUE

THE QUADRANGLE

Out With The Old, In With The New:

Up-and-Coming Riverdale/Kingsbridge Restaurants Megan Uy Staff Writer

Not only is Manhattan College just a train ride away from what is known as the center of New York City but the campus is also in one of the most wellknown boroughs, the Bronx.

Whether a student is in the dorms right off of Broadway, in Overlook Manor on W. 238th or somewhere off campus in South Riverdale, one is most likely within close proximities to some new, delicious eateries.

Former Manhattan College staples such as Riverdale City Grill and Piper’s Kilt have permanently left the borough, but have transformed into two unique and modern restaurants that are only rising in business.

Riverdale City Grill has now become The Hill Bistro.

Open for the past six months, this Riverdale Avenue restaurant welcomes MC students to experience eating like an elite while in close proximity to the college.

“We have a little Mediterranean, modern-American twist to our menu. A lot of our stuff is Portuguese influenced. A lot of flavor to it,” said owner, Iggy Khoury.

Just off of the 1 train stop on W. 231, at what used to be Piper’s Kilt, is now an upbeat bar and restaurant called The Bronx Public.

With a street-style, block party set up, The Bronx Public

is a perfect spot for college students to enjoy a bite to eat with friends while playing popular games like Jenga and Uno. Also- throughout every day of the week, The Bronx Public offers daily deals and specials that are just right for a college student’s budget.

“Every day we have a different event because that’s what the people want. Mondays, we have half-price burgers, Tuesdays starting at 8 p.m. you can get any burger or any sandwich with three hours of unlimited drinks for $29.99, Wednesdays we have happy hour all night, Thursdays is game night and Fridays is ladies’ night. We also have a live DJ on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,” said bartender/server, Sasha.

Right on Broadway, off of Manhattan College Parkway, holds Blue Charcoal Grill.

A great, affordable place to enjoy burgers, sandwiches, wings and steaks- this grill serves the ideal comfort food anyone would crave and just want to treat yourself.

Being open for about seven months, owner, Ariel Coronado has seen a large, MC student clientele with his business.

“I’ve noticed the whole neighborhood revolves around the college. When the college was out in December, we were dead. Once kids came back in January, it boosted up again. I also noticed another drop during the spring break but as

Riverdale City Grill closed their doors this time last year. The Hill Bistro has opened recently in the same location. The restaurant encourages MC students to come and experience “eating like an elite” while still being in close proximity to the college. They serve Mediterranean food with a modern-American twist, influenced by Portuguese flair.

STEPHEN ZUBRYCKY / THE QUADRANGLE soon as they came back it started to climb up. I need to figure out a way to keep a rhythm with the school and to be informed about breaks and exams,” said Coronado.

While he does have plans to possibly collaborate with the school and the Jasper dollar system, Blue Charcoal Grill does offer a 10% student discount for MC students while

that’s still in the works.

Ali, one of the co-owners of Best Deli and the Riverdale Smoke Shop, informed the Quad that he is planning to open a hookah lounge featuring a coffee shop and frozen yogurt section on Broadway, where the old 99 cent store used to be in the next two to three weeks.

Best Deli and Riverdale Smoke Shop are two establish-

ments that have loyal, Manhattan students so we can only imagine the success that their new enterprise will have.

Manhattan College is surrounded by one-of-a-kind places where students can have fun and enjoy food, all thanks to the Bronx.

Manhattan College Students Struggle to Find Off Campus Housing Gillian Puma Staff Writer

With the school year coming to an end, many on-campus students are beginning to look for housing options for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. While the school offers housing in dorms such as Jasper Hall, Lee Hall, Horan Hall, and Overlook Manor (C-Block is only eligible for freshman), juniors and seniors have discussed their interests in moving off campus and finding a house of their own.

Overlook Manor is offered to students primarily juniors and seniors as apartment style dorming. The dorm contains a living room, 2-3 bedroom spaces depending on how many people are in the the living space, a kitchen, and 1-2 bathrooms also depending on how many people you are living with. It also comes with a dif-

ferent meal plan than the meal plan that comes with living in residence halls. The residence hall meal plan gives students the option of unlimited meal swipes at Locke’s, $50 dining dollars a semester, $25 Jasper dollars a semester, and a free lunch swipe if that student has classes in Leo or RLC that end at 11 AM or start at 2 PM. The apartment plan for OV students gives the opportunity of four swipes a week at Locke’s Loft, $640 dining dollars each semester, and $160 Jasper dollars each semester.

While living on campus does have its benefits, many upperclassmen have been trying to break free of their dorm situation and live with their friends in their own apartment.

Finding apartments can be hard though, especially when you don’t know for sure what’s for sale and what’s affordable.

“We encourage on-campus housing. We guarantee that it

is available for all four years of your undergraduate experience,” director of residence life Andrew Weingarten replied when asked about possible assistance for helping students find off campus apartments.

“There are many benefits to living on campus while in college. Studies show that students who live on campus tend to complete more credit hours and have higher GPAs, become more involved with the campus community, show greater gains in student development, express greater satisfaction with their undergraduate experience, and persist and graduate with greater frequency,” he continued encouraging the benefits of living on campus.

Alison Adrat, a senior at Manhattan College, discussed the process from moving into an off campus apartment. Adrat lived in C-Block her freshman year and Jasper Hall her sophomore and junior year. It

wasn’t until her senior year that she decided to move into an off campus apartment.

“Apartment hunting is such a difficult process,” Adrat shared. “It would be really useful and convenient if the school participated or assisted students in that process.” Adrat also expressed the benefits of living off campus as well. “Another perk of living off campus is having no roommate and my own personal bathroom! Personal space is something that is very important to me that I lost while living in the dorms.”

Adrat also shared the benefits of freedom when having your own apartment.

“Not having to feel pressured to turn down my music because of the RA or something as simple as lighting a candle is also a huge benefit of living off campus.”

While living off campus is ideal, senior Vincenzo Lavore shared his thoughts on living

in OV. “It’s definitely the best option for on-campus housing, but not my ideal type of housing”, he shared. “The benefits are the apartment-style amenities like a living room, kitchen, and a bathroom. However I would definitely like to be in an off campus apartment instead, mainly because of the ridiculous guest policy in OV.” OV’s guest policy is similar to those of the dorms, however even if you live in on campus housing someone of the same gender still has to sign you in if you come after 12:00 AM. While living in OV may be one of the best options the school has to offer, it is understandable why some students would like to move off campus to their own apartment.

Continually, some schools such as NYU, offer offices to assist students in the process of finding an apartment near campus.

APRIL 17, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

THE BRONX ISSUE

One Stop Shop for Italian Dining Elizabeth Metsch Contributor

Manhattan’s “Little Italy” may be the world famous spot to go in New York City for Italian food, but Arthur Avenue in the Bronx also offers some rivaling authentic Italian spots.

While some people may not know where Arthur Avenue is, many would call it the real Little Italy.

From restaurants to bakeries to bars to delis to markets and specialty stores, Arthur Ave is the one stop shop for Italian eating.

And, apparently talent! Actors like Anne Bancroft and Chazz Palminteri are from here, and Joe Pesci’s career launched after Robert DeNiro discovered him at a local restaurant. This area has a lot of culture and history, so it’s no wonder that we know some people that grew up there.

The Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx became an ethnic enclave of Italians generations ago with many people starting up family business and restaurants where their culture was prominent. For its urban setting, the area has a very small-town, intimate feel. Just walking down one block, you would pass a dozen restaurants and small family owned companies. People greet each other and have conversations with their neighbors as they pass in a way that is increasingly less common in modern American neighborhoods.

Enrica Cotellessa, president of the Italian Club at Manhattan College, said she thinks ethnic enclaves like Arthur Avenue are important because they keep traditions alive.

“Every September, Arthur

Gabriella DePinho Editor

This is a very special edition of Jasper Jams for two reasons: it’s a part of the special issue and it’s in print!

Manhattan College being in the Bronx is great for students looking to explore the music scene that New York City has to offer. There are endless small venues, coffee shop or bar concerts, park performances and even huge venues like Barclays and Madison Square Garden to explore. Any type of music you like can be found somewhere in the city, all you have to do is look.

However, many people here at MC forget that the Bronx has its own wealth of music to share with the world and students at MC should start exploring it more. In fact, some big names in the music industry from years ago and today were born

Avenue celebrates Ferragosto.

The entire street smells like sausage and peppers, and it is filled with people listening to Italian music. The atmosphere is magical. I love going every year,” Cotellessa said.

She continued.

“Without places like Arthur Ave, New York would be like any other city. The different ethnicities that make up New York are what make it so special,” she said.

An uncommon fact about Arthur Avenue is that there is actually a large Albanian community there as well. Deljan Bregasi, a grad student here at Manhattan and a Graduate Assistant to the Mens’ Soccer Team and the Center for Academic Success, is actually of Italian and Albanian descent.

He said that in some ways, “Arthur Avenue reminded me more of Albania than Italy.”

“I saw a bar where everybody was speaking in Albanian and the design of the bar was the same as the Albanian bars.

Also, the food and the dessert had Albanian traditional plates.

I also noticed a deli with the Albanian flag in the front, I was really surprised since I did not know that there was such a big community just a few blocks away from campus,” Bregasi continued.

Aside from the food, there are many attractions in the area which help add to the culture. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church and Ciccarone Park are landmarks of the area that have been there for generations while the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Gardens and Fordham University bring in a lot of visitors as well. All of these places add to the hub of activity.

The Belmont Business As-

sociation works to promote events and improvement projects throughout the area to help keep the culture alive. Arthur Avenue offers a dynamic cultural indulgence in a quaint environment within reach of the big city. Bregasi explained that the area has a very European style of living.

I personally have been to Arthur Avenue before to a few of the local restaurants and bars, but I went back to a few places I hadn’t been.

One of my favorite restaurants that I’ve previously been to is Mario’s, a multi-generation restaurant which actually began in Egypt. According to their website, they were the first ever Italian restaurant in Egypt in 1900. The owner, Socolastia and her son Giuseppe, moved to America and opened the Mario’s that stands on Arthur Avenue today.

Five generations later, it is still a highly acclaimed and popular restaurant in the area.

Their chicken parmesan and lasagna are some of my favorites, and the portion sizes allow you to bring leftovers back and avoid another Locke’s meal.

Bregasi commented that he misses speaking Italian and the food.

“I live in Genoa which is the city of Pesto which is very different from the one that we have in Lockes. I miss the most Lasagna with Pesto and a homemade pasta called Trofie that are prepared with pesto sauce. I am in the process of learning how to do Pesto myself since I was not able to find a good one in the shops here in the US,” he said.

Cotellessa said that Tino’s Delicatessen is her favorite Arthur Avenue venue.

“I love their sandwiches and

7

Pasquale’s Rigoletto Restaurant on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx, serves traditional italian dishes.

ELIZABETH METSCH / THE QUADRANGLE gelato,” she said. “They can make any type of Italian sandwich you can imagine,” Her other favorite is Madonia Bakery (right next to Mario’s!) for its fresh bread and chocolate biscotti.

On my visit, I decided to try something new. Pasquale’s Rigoletto is owned by alleged mob member Pasquale (Patsy) Parrello who was still being investigated and tried as of a year ago.

No one in the restaurant really gave a comment on the case, but regardless of his legal standing, the restaurant is still up and running - and making delicious food.

The restaurant is very nice, but still has a laid back feel.

They also offer a private dining room for events and catering. I had the Tortellini Alla Panna, meat tortellini with cream sauce, and Fettuccine Matriciana, homemade pasta with fresh tomato sauce and prosciutto.

Both dishes were delicious.

In fact, I couldn’t decide which I liked better. I was able to bring home leftovers as well, which is always a plus when you’re a poor, hungry college student.

After the meal, I went to Luna’s Cafe for dessert. The cafe has a variety of options that they serve, appropriate for any time of the day. But I was most intrigued by their gelato flavors of which they have over ten! I chose Salted Caramel and Cappuccino, though I’ve had their Chocolate flavor in the past which is also delicious. The gelato tasted light and very fresh. The also offer a variety of cakes, pastries, and hot drinks.

Arthur Avenue may seem like a trip, but it’s only a short $15-20 uber away. For a different weekend afternoon, or a fun night out, it’s a great spot to get off campus and try something new.

The Bronx is Bumpin’ JASPER JAMS

and raised in the Bronx.

This edition of Jasper Jams will focus on artists who were born and raised in the Bronx.

For this column, where they made it big doesn’t matter as much as their origin story because that means us Jaspers can claim them as basically one of us.

Some recognition should be given to artists who did not make the playlist because they were not quite born and raised in the Bronx but do have a strong connection to the Bronx; these artists include but are not limited to Cuban Link, Regina Spektor, Billy Joel, and Mary J. Blige, among many others.

This playlist is comprised of some of the biggest or most iconic hits these artists have given us this far. Who knows what some of them will make next and who knows what currently no-name artist from the

Bronx will make it big next?

Jenny From The Block Jennifer Lopez “JLo” This song was released in 2002 on JLo’s third studio album “This Is Me...Then” and is in fact, about the Bronx. The old school hip-hop and R&B tune is about her claiming that she’s still the same person she was from the Bronx, despite her rise to fame. Since this release, her music, career and lifestyle has changed in many ways but as far as we’re concerned, she’s still Jenny from the block.

Corazon Sin Cara - Prince Royce (Geoffrey Royce Rojas) Prince Royce released his eponymous debut studio album in 2010 which featured this song which went on to hit number one on the US Hot Latin chart. His music is all primarily in the Spanish language but he also released an album in Eng-

lish. While he hasn’t released anything of his own since 2015, he’s still been busy with other things, including a tour with Pitbull.

Conceited - Remy Ma While Remy Ma has had some past legal trouble and some major controversies, Remy Ma is one of our own.

This song was released in 2006 on her debut studio album “There’s Something About Remy” which was her first solo project after being in the hiphop collective Terror Squad.

Don’t Deser ve - Tony Sunshine Tony Sunshine was born and raised in the Bronx. He made it big for his singing on work released by Terror Squad, the hip-hop collective that Remy Ma was also in. Tony Sunshine left the collective to pursue a solo career which has given the world music that we

just don’t deserve.

Make It Rain - Fat Joe feat. Lil Wayne (Joseph Antonio Cartagena) Fat Joe started his career as a member of Diggin’ In The Crates Crew and then went on to have a solo career and also started Terror Squad. He’s made a wide range of music, starred in films and now has a podcast on Tidal. He has a new album titled “Family Ties” slated for release later this year.

Be Careful - Cardi B Cardi B is the newest Bronx born and raised musician to make it big in the music scene and she’s actually already been featured in a Jasper Jams before. This song got social media buzzing about her relationship with Offset and then a short time later, she revealed her pregnancy on SNL. Cardi is just getting started; this is her world and we’re just living in it.

8 THE BRONX ISSUE

Arts & Entertainment

THE QUADRANGLE

New York Botanical Gardens Through Photos Photos compiled by Alexa Schmidt and Elizabeth Metsch

The New York Botanical Gardens came to the Bronx in 1895. The 250-acre space houses over one million living plants and the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The annual orchid show (above and left) takes place from early March through late April.

Blown glass sculptures (below) by Dale Chihuly were featured at the New York Botanical Gardens from April to September 2017.

Features

APRIL 17, 2018

THE BRONX ISSUE

9

Van Cortlandt Park: A Green Refuge in the Big City Deirdre Ledley Staff Writer

Frederick Law Olmsted spent the greater part of his life vouching for public green space and saw such great importance in it. Today, we thank him for his dedication to the cause.

Bronx, New York: a place notorious for many things.

From pizza to the Yankees, it holds a high standing place in many lives of New Yorkers.

However, it is often not seen as a place that has open green space like Olmsted talked about so frequently. Luckily, for Bronx residents, that stereotype is untrue as it holds one of the largest parks in New York: Van Cortlandt Park.

VCP has over 1,140 acres of land. Within this land, it holds numerous attractions that everyone can enjoy.

Because the Bronx is such a diverse borough, this park caters to hundreds of different walks of life, starting with just

sports alone.

The administrator and president of the Van Cortlandt Park Conservatory, Margot Perron, said, “Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy works to enhance the park as a destination for healthy recreation and the enjoyment of natural landscapes. We have the finest forest ecology in New York City here, the only freshwater lake in the Bronx and boodles of sports opportunities and cultural programming.”

VCP is home to 11 different sports fields that include baseball, basketball, bocce, cricket, football, rugby, handball, soccer and tennis. It also includes bike paths, fishing, horseback riding, golf and even a pool in the hot summer months.

One student mentioned how odd it is to see some kind of these sports up close and in person. Miles Preiss, a sophomore psychology major, said, “Once on a run, I saw horse footprints, and they just seemed like they did not belong, but I guess it is cool to be in the city and still be on a trail and to see

something like that.”

For those who are not into sports, VCP is still available for different uses. Like Olmsted, the members who take care of the grounds in this park care very deeply about preservation of land.

Van Cortlandt is known as a Forever Wild Preserve, which was a program established by the Department of Parks and Recreation that protects valuable land in NYC. This shields these nature trails and meadows from any construction or possible damaging outsiders.

This also protects natural wildlife within the park itself.

So while sports is a vast part of these acres, it also devotes a large sum of its land to protecting nature and public green space. For those who truly like to take in nature, this park offers some pretty great opportunities to do so.

Students who attend Manhattan College really do get the experience of going to a school in the city. With the one train at the feet of the campus, they

are minutes from Manhattan.

Luckily they also able to experience nature with VCP right in their backyard for any kind of activity. Many students during the beginning and end of each school year flock to the grassy fields that make up VCP for some sunshine and fresh air.

Maura Phelan, a sophomore education major, expressed her love for the park.

“I usually go down to the park to go for a run. When the weather is nice it’s such a convenient space to spend some time, get some exercise and take a moment to de-stress from work or school. And with either the large loop around the main field or the other paths there’s always a new way to change up my routine if I want,” she said.

Students like Phelan really take advantage of the park.

With such a small gym on Manhattan’s campus, being able to run outside in open air seems to be the main attraction. That being said, Phelan also understands the value of open green

space.

“Although Manhattan is a city school, it’s so important to have these green spaces.

Not only are they vital in creating an open, free place to relax, but they’re monumental to community development,” she said. “Whether meeting for recreation, service or for other events, these spaces are constantly being utilized to host various gatherings that better both those involved and the space itself fostering a better and more unified community.”

Van Cortlandt Park, in its entirety, is truly something special in the middle of hustle and bustle that is the Bronx.

Olmsted would be happy that places like VCP are following in his footsteps of the idea of green space for all to enjoy.

Today, Riverdale residents who get to have this park as their backyard truly are lucky and Manhattan College students are just as lucky to be able to experience both city and nature all in one.

The Bronx of the Past from the MC Perspective THIS WEEK IN HISTORY Taylor Brethauer Editor-in-Chief

At the beginning of this semester, The Quadrangle received an email from the daughter of an alumni. Her father, who graduated from the school in the early 50’s, had passed away a few years ago.

But she had found some of his old copies of the newspaper and wanted to send them our way.

When the package came in, it was a huge bin of yellowed pages, falling apart at the folds and pieces falling off at the edges. The important part, the articles, were still preserved and legible. The cigarette advertisements that were printed in The Quadrangle were also in pristine condition, a humorous juxtaposition.

What better way to look back on our surrounding areas than to see it through the eyes of our own student newspaper from the 1950’s?

Three Faculty Members Die in Drill What a headline, right?

While this would be considered “clickbait” in today’s terminology, the article calls attention solely through five words even though they are completely

false.

A city-wide air drill was held on a spring Wednesday during a time of political turmoil. Students and faculty participated in the drill, seeking refuge in nearby bomb shelters throughout the Riverdale area.

“However, reports have come in from several of the Building Control Directors that if it had not been a mock attack at least 3 of the faculty and their entire classes would have been killed. Two other members of the faculty would have suffered severe radioactive burns,” said the article.

Luckily, no one actually died that day. Only in hypotheticals would there have been a major incident.

Rams Threaten Jasper Supremacy A very odd story takes place during the spring semester of 1951, in which men pledging for one of Manhattan’s “honorary engineering fraternities” traveled to Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx to ask women to be their dates for an upcoming dance.

Many articles in these old issues speak about the men of MC to invade local Bronx colleges to pester and bother the students there. The rivalries

between these colleges stem from many things like basketball, education, popularity. But this article focused on a very important topic at the time: women.

“The serious nature of this situation can be seen in the statement of one of the girls that ‘we would like to see more of Manhattan but the boys had better get on the ball or Fordham will overrate them,’” said the article.

The reporter for this article compared this statement to the same feeling men have when they see distress in a “damsel’s eye”, which was the reason “men formally fought duels.”

Building Excavation Ends This Week; Release Construction Schedule Soon The cliche of “history repeating itself” proves true in this article, which covers the groundbreaking ceremony for what is now known as Hayden Hall.

“Excavation and blasting for Manhattan’s new million-dollar Science Building, the first permanent addition to Manhattan’s facilities since the completion of Cardinal Hayes Library in 1937, will be competed about the end of this week,” said the lede of the article.

The design for Hayden Hall from the 1950’s.

TAYLOR BRETHAUER / THE QUADRANGLE Now, nearly 60 years later, the college will be having the same kind of ceremony for the new Higgins Engineering and Science Center.

Construction around the Bronx debilitates our day-today lives during the current time. It is hard to imagine what kind problems this construction caused. There was even a need for a road to be carved out in order to meet up with the current-day Manhattan College Parkway, which was originally called the Spuyten-Duyvil Parkway.

For all of us, Manhattan College and the Bronx are synonymous. It held true back then and it still holds true today. While the Bronx around us keeps evolving, it is fascinating to look back at what it once was, especially with the help of The Quadrangle.

Editor’s Note: I would personally like to thank the women who sent us these papers and for sharing part of your father’s history. I believe you put it best: they are certainly “treasures.”

Features

10 THE BRONX ISSUE

THE QUADRANGLE

We’re #1!: A History of MC’s Mass Transit Icon Rose Brennan Editor

Traveling south along Broadway is something which is just as much a part of the Manhattan College campus as it is a part of the Bronx and the greater New York City area: the number 1 train.

The train is the local Broadway-Seventh Avenue train which begins at Van Cortlandt Park-242 St in the Bronx and ends at South Ferry in lower Manhattan just steps away from the Staten Island Ferry, encompassing a total of just under 15 miles of subway service.

The 1 train has been a part of New York City for nearly as long as the subway system itself. The “West Side Branch” was one of the first widely used sections of the transit system, and the 1 still uses its tracks to this day.

The stops on the train have varied throughout the years.

The route has always traveled between 242 St and 96 St, with further and further extensions opening throughout the years.

As of right now, there are 38 stops on the 1 train, 37 of which are operational. The 38th station, Cortlandt Street, sustained severe damage during the Sept. 11 attacks because it is directly under the World Trade Center. Renovations and

repairs of the damaged station are nearly complete, and it is expected to open again in the fall of 2018.

In addition to the World Trade Center, many areas of attraction in New York are directly accessible through the 1 train. For example, Van Cortlandt Park, the George Washington Bridge, Columbia University, Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, Times Square, Penn Station and parts of Central Park are all mere steps away from 1 train stations throughout the city.

Of the 472 subway stations in New York City, 14 1 train stations are among the top 100 most visited annually: Times Square (1st), Penn Station (5th), Columbus Circle (8th), 14 St (16th), 72 St (22nd), 96 St (24th), South Ferry (37th), 168 St (45th), 50 St (46th), Lincoln Center (56th), Chambers St (62nd), 86 St (68th), 79 St (83rd) and Columbia University (100th). Van Cortlandt Park242 St, the school’s station, placed this out of 472.

Riverdale, along with New York City, seems to have a lovehate relationship with the 1 train. Some aspects of the system seem outdated: the train runs local and therefore slowly, the cars have not been renovated since the 1980s and often, the loudspeakers announcing service changes are virtually

Pasquale’s Rigoletto Restaurant on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx, serves traditional italian dishes.

ROSE BRENNAN / THE QUADRANGLE unheard.

Nevertheless, the train connects the college to the rest of the world, as well as the rest of the city of which we are privileged to be a part. Much of the college’s commuter population rely on the train to bring them back and forth to school every day, and it is a lifesaver for students with internships and jobs downtown.

The college population’s relationship with the train can

be summed up in the same way BuzzFeed’s “Definitive Ranking of New York City Subway Trains” did. The train placed 15th out of New York City’s 21 subway services, with the comment, “It gets you from door to door, basically — it just takes foreveeeeer.”

The “State of the Subways Report Card” conducted by Straphangers Campaign upholds this claim as well. In 2016, the 1 train ranked third

overall in the “Regularity of Service” category and second overall in the “Interior Cleanliness” category.

However, the system fell short in several other categories: 12th in “Breakdown Rate” and 19th in “In-Car Announcements.”

Love it or hate it, the 1 train is an essential and unforgettable part of both the MC community and the Bronx as a whole.

Dr. Groarke Discusses Her Life in the Bronx Lauren Schuster Asst. Editor

As a resident of the Bronx for nearly her entire life and a community organizer in the borough for most of her adult life, there are few people better than Margaret Groarke, P.h.D, to ask about what it means to truly be a part of the community in the Bronx. Groarke is involved with both the Fort Independence Park Neighborhood Association (FIPNA) and the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), in addition to being the coordinator of Community Based Learning and a professor in the government department at Manhattan College.

“The Bronx, I think, is a special place, I mean, [...] it’s part of New York City, and at the same time, it gets treated as this very peripheral part of the city. The people of the Bronx are often forgotten and maligned, and so I think it’s a large part of the ‘stand up for the underdog’ personality that I have. You know, growing up in the Bronx I had a sense of what it was like to be left out and for-

gotten,” Groarke said.

After graduating from college, Groarke knew that she wanted to work as a community organizer. After much consideration, she realized that returning to the Northwest Bronx to work with the NWBCCC was the right decision for her. “[The NWBCCC] was a powerful organization, and it was on my home turf. So, I worked there for four years, and when I quit that job to go to graduate school I stayed involved in the organization. [...] So, I’ve stayed involved in the organization in a variety of ways ever since that, and it’s a big part of what I do and who I am,” Groarke said.

More recently, when Groarke purchased the home she currently resides in, not far from the Manhattan College campus, she learned that the woman who sold her the house was actually the president of a small neighborhood association known as FIPNA. Wanting to be an active resident of her new neighborhood, she decided to get involved.

“We’re a very informal organization, we’re very small, we have no staff, we have no budget, but we work on things

together. [We work on] neighborhood beautification projects, holding local institutions accountable, intervening in local development projects that we don’t think are going in the right direction, [etc.]. So, you know, for a little group with no real resources, we get a decent amount done,” Groarke said.

The neighborhood that FIPNA represents is also represented in the larger NWBCCC, so whenever possible, Groarke tries to connect the two. Unlike FIPNA, the NWBCCC has a sizable budget and staff, which allows them to work on more large scale projects. “[At the NWBCCC] we take on bigger issues like city policy. FIPNA doesn’t often try to change city policy, but the Northwest Bronx [Community and Clergy] Coalition is constantly trying to do really big things, and we’ve been successful many times in making really big things happen,” Groarke said, “I mean, just in the last year we were part of a victory of getting right to counsel for people in housing court in New York City, which is really important, and passing a certificate of no harassment law which will put greater penalties

on landlords who harass their tenants. So, it’s interesting to be involved in those two kinds of local efforts.”

In addition to her extensive work with the surrounding community outside of Manhattan College, Groarke is also the coordinator of Community Based Learning on campus.

“Community Based Learning is, as part of a class, working on something that is mutually beneficial to the students and the community. Through providing some service to a community, students will also learn something about the material of the course,” Groarke said, “So, when I was recently teaching a class about U.S. political parties and elections, some of my students were volunteering with the Northwest Bronx [Community and Clergy] Coalition to get people out to vote in the election. So, one part of what we were learning for the class was how parties and campaigns mobilize people, so here we were trying to mobilize people, and then also reading about it in class.”

As the coordinator of Community Based Learning, Groarke helps other professors at the college figure out how

and where to integrate community work into their courses.

“My job as the coordinator of Community Based Learning is to help faculty who want to use that as a learning process in their class. [I] help them think of ‘what’s the kind of project that would be a good learning experience for my students?’ and ‘who in the community could we work with?’ and ‘what does the community need from us?’ and ‘how can we make a match that’s going to be mutually beneficial?’” Groarke said.

Much of Groarke’s role as the coordinator of Community Based Learning relies on how familiar she is with the borough of the Bronx.

“It’s really fun, you know, aside from my connections with the coalition and FIPNA, I have a million Bronx connections, so it’s really fun to be able to use those connections to help faculty and students here find some partner in the community with which they can really build a good relationship and do some interesting stuff together,” Groarke said.

Sports

APRIL 17, 2018

THE BRONX ISSUE 11

Born and Bred in the Bronx: Meet Freshman Rower Tatiyana Benitez JASPERS TALK Catherine Goodyear Editor

Tatiyana Benitez, a freshman on the women’s rowing team, talked about how growing up in the Bronx shaped her into the athlete she is today.

The Quadrangle: What was it like growing up in the Bronx?

Tatiyana Benitez: “Growing up in the Bronx, you are very cultured. Anywhere you go there is always someone outside, there are always people playing music, there are always people playing on the streets, there are always stores around like bodegas or regular delis. I guess being here now it doesn’t feel different, but being around people from [Manhattan College] who come from different places, I’m like, ‘oh wow, you don’t really know what it’s like to grow up in the Bronx.’ For them this is different but for me it’s the same and it’s always been the same.”

TQ: What does the Bronx mean to you?

TB: “It’s home. No matter where I’m going I always know the Bronx is home.”

TQ: Why did you chose to stay in the Bronx?

TB: “At first, I really wanted to go away. I was like ‘yeah I need to get away, I’m so sick of New York and I’m so sick of the city.’ But then I went to visit a lot of CUNYs and private schools upstate and I realized everything was really different

__________________________

“It’s home. No matter where I’m going I always know the Bronx is home.” __________________________ and that was not somewhere where I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to stay here and be around somewhere that I’m used to because it’s home. It’s always going to be there, I can go visit somewhere else but it will never be the same.”

TQ: What is the most common stereotype of the Bronx?

TB: “Probably ghetto. Definitely. Of course, wherever you go everywhere has that certain type of name like ‘oh this is ghetto’ or ‘it’s this or it’s that,’ but the Bronx is definitely not ghetto. It’s different of course

the Quadrangle THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924

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especially if you are coming from anywhere outside of New York, but it’s not ghetto.”

TQ: How would you tackle that statement?

TB: “I’d take them to my avenue and take them to where I am from. I’m not really from

Tuesdays 4 p.m.

Kelly 412

what they would call the ghetto.

I would take them to Riverdale, like right here, this is an amazing neighborhood. It depends on where you go and how you take it on.”

TQ: How did growing up in the Bronx influence you in terms of your sport?

TB: “Where I grew up I didn’t have this. I got into rowing in college. I never really had sports growing up, we were always playing outside or going to the park, it was never really a set sport. When I got to high school I was introduced

to my best friend Amayda and she started rowing in middle school and continued in high school and she is what got me into it and I started rowing in college.”

TQ: How does your cultural mindset from growing up in the Bronx influence your everyday life?

TB: “Honestly, as you grow older where you come from is always going to be with you.

You are always going to know that as the first thing you learned. And growing up now I know certain things especially living in the Bronx now, I know if I were to live somewhere else I would take that with me and decide how I’m going to be around certain people and in certain places I go.”

TQ: How does that play into your sports?

TB: “We’re from the Bronx, we are always hefty, we are always competitive. It’s a New York thing I guess.”

TQ: How does the diversity of the Bronx affect you?

TB: “I’m Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian and where I used to live by Pelham Parkway, there were a lot of Albanians and now where I live on the other side of Van Cortlandt, there are a lot of

Freshman rower Tatiyana Benitez, decided to stay in her hometown for college because of the opportunities but especially the fact that the Bronx is her home.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY Hispanics there so it depends on where you go. You would think there are cliques or something, but everyone is so welcoming everywhere I would go. I’ve lived in a lot of places in the Bronx so wherever I went there were always different ethnic backgrounds, so it never felt like it was too much of Hispanics versus non-Hispanics. It was always mixed.”

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Sports

12 THE BRONX ISSUE

THE QUADRANGLE

Home-Field Advantage: In Enemy Territory: MC’s Yankee Fans Red Sox Fans in Yankee Country Sophia Sakellariou Contributor

Jenn Bueti

Bryan McKeon

Kevin Stagno

For many Jaspers like these four, the Bronx Bombers aren’t just a team... they’re a way of life.

Michael Plugh

Megan Dreher & Haley Burnside Editor & Asst. Editor

New York City sports are as exciting and competitive as any other aspect of life in the city. New Yorkers often align themselves with teams early in life, following the lead of generations of passionate sports fans before them. The Bronx is home to one of the most well-known and iconic Major League Baseball teams in the country: The New York Yankees. Yankee Stadium draws millions of fans to the South Bronx each year. Many of the fans are members of the Manhattan College community.

Jenn Bueti is a first-year student at the college but a long time fan of the Yankees.

“I have been a Yankees fan since I was born,” said Bueti.

She credits her mother with her passion for the team.

“As soon as she was able to, my mom dressed me in Yankee shirts and hats to parade me around town in,” Bueti continued. “She’s been a Yankees fan her whole life and she had two kids so one of us was destined to follow in her footsteps.”

She recalled one game she went to at Yankee Stadium as a child.

“My uncle, my mom, my sister and I went back in the early 2000’s,” said Bueti. “That was a great experience. I loved it, especially the stadium peanuts.”

The proximity of the stadium to the college is a benefit in Bueti’s eyes.

“It’s nice to know I can go to a home game whenever I want because it’s so easy,” she said.

Michael Plugh, PhD, is a professor in the communication department. He has spent time studying sports in his academic endeavors, and he can trace his

love for the Yankees back to a particular family member.

“My mother had three considerably older brothers who were big Yankees fans,” said Plugh. “One of them in particular worshipped Mickey Mantle.

He didn’t have children of his own so when I was born it was like a thrill. He bought me all this Yankees stuff. All of my early baby clothes and toys were all Yankees things.”

__________________________

“The close stadium is

a great addition to going to school here. It’s good to have that ability to go see a game.” __________________________

Plugh has attended a number of games throughout his years as a fan.

“In the 1990’s the Yankees were starting to get really good and I used to go to games after work,” said Plugh. “I remember I would ride the train up and I could walk up to the old Yankee Stadium and get a bleacher seat for six dollars.”

Staten Island-native Bryan McKeon, like most Yankee fans, has been a team supporter since day one.

“I’ve been a Yankee fan since birth,” said McKeon. “I grew up in a Yankee home at a time when the Yankees were one of the best teams in the MLB.” He has made the commute to the stadium more than once to watch his favorite team play.

“I have been to multiple Yankee games” said McKeon.

“A few of these games include several subway series games.

[The close stadium] is a great addition to going to school here. It’s good to have that ability to go see a game.”

Kevin Stagno, a senior at

MC, has also been a Yankee fan since birth, and has enjoyed watching his favorite player, Derek Jeter, over the years.

“It’s a cliche answer but he started the year I was born so I got to see him grow in the league and he was one of the best Yankees ever, so getting to see him play was a big part in becoming a Yankee fan,” said Stagno.

Out of all of the games Stagno has been to, his attendance to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series last year was one that he enjoyed most, and recommends that other Yankee fans attend at some point in their life.

“It was a postseason game, so the whole environment was very loud and cool,” said Stagno. “I’ve been to a lot of regular season games, but there’s something different about the postseason. I’ve also been to the World Series one year, Game 1, but still I recommend postseason if you’re a Yankee fan because it’s just different in a good way.”

The Yankee fans on campus are often easy to distinguish by their caps, jerseys and outspoken team pride. The famous Yankee Stadium is both a staple of Bronx pride and New York City pride as a whole. Manhattan College’s short distance from the Stadium allows a valuable connection between the community of students and faculty and the larger community of New York City sports fans.

“Being in the Bronx, Yankee fans are very loyal and they settle for nothing less than the best, which I feel that any team should have that kind of fan base,” Stagno said. “That’s what differentiates Yankee fans from other fan bases, their unwillingness to accept anything less than a championship.

That’s what makes Yankee culture good.”

Major League Baseball had its earliest Opening Day in history for the 2018 season, kicking off on Mar. 29. Fans across the country were ecstatic that their favorite teams would return to the fields that had been put to rest all winter, to compete for the World Series title.

The excitement was evident in the Bronx on the day of their home opener, Apr. 3, which they won 11-4 over the Tampa Bay Rays. With Yankee Stadium a mere 4.5 miles from Manhattan College, it’s hard not to feel the buzz on campus.

Students can be seen sporting their Yankee gear and heard cheering on their team in dorm lounges.

Love for the Bronx Bombers on campus is clear, but how do the Boston Red Sox fans on campus feel about invading Yankee territory? The storied rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox is one of the most heated rivalries in MLB. Both teams have strong fan bases with the utmost loyalty to their home cities.

“I’ve been a Sox fan since I was born, I guess,” said sophomore economics major Sierra Arral. “If you grow up in New England with New Englander parents as well, sports will always be a part of your life.”

From Red Sox territory in southern Maine, one would think coming to Yankee territory in the Bronx would be daunting, but Arral said, “I’m proud to be a Red Sox fan in Yankee territory. I think there are rivalries between different teams on campus, but I don’t think it negatively affects campus life.

If anything, the rivalries are what make being a fan fun. If you want to be a fan you have to learn to love the heckling, and there’s definitely enough of it between New York and Boston fans.”

Conor Darby, a senior marketing major from Haverhill, Mass. has also been a Sox fan for most of his life, pointing to his dad as his biggest influencer in which teams to support.

“Being a Boston or New England fan in any sport, you always feel tension,” said Darby. “In terms of being a Sox fan on campus it’s not too bad. I personally haven’t been trashtalked too much, but when you get into talking to someone and they find out you’re a Sox fan, you definitely get a dirty look and some choice words.”

According to Darby, the tensions are much worse off

campus.

“Off campus, it can be a little frightening to be a Sox fan,” said Darby. “We’re talking about one of the most historical and iconic rivalries in sports histories. There is absolutely no love lost between the Sox and the Yanks and the same goes for the fans.”

Darby added, “Realistically though it is the same way if you flip the script and go to Boston; the Sox fans aren’t so nice to Yankee fans. Overall, there is

__________________________

“We’re talking about one of the most historical and iconic rivalries in sports histories. There is absolutely no love lost between the Sox and the Yanks and the same goes for the fans,” says Darby. a lot of tension, but that’s what makes the rivalry so riveting because there is true hate between the teams and between the fans. It’s not boring at all.”

In agreement with Darby, Morgan Fountain, a junior communication major from Cheshire, Conn., isn’t afraid to rep her team on campus, but off in the thick of Yankee territory is a different story.

“Off campus I don’t really broadcast the fact that I am a Red Sox fan because I know people of the Bronx are intense about the Yankees,” said Fountain.

Fountain, a devout Sox fan her entire life said, “Being a Red Sox fan in Yankee territory does not phase me, I will always stay true to my team. I also have friends at school who are Red Sox fans so I know I’m not the only one.”

Clearly Sox fans can sense the tension both on campus and off, but they’re not cowering away anytime soon. The Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry will continue and stay strong another year and MC fans on both sides are eager to see how this season will turn out.

News

APRIL 17, 2018

13

Andi Arch Visits MC on NYC College Creep Tour

Public Safety Encourages Consciousness Around Strangers After Man is Escorted Off Campus Taylor Brethauer & Jack Melanson Editor-in-Chief & Editor

A stranger to the Manhattan College community has been spotted approaching female students over the last two weeks. Although no physical harm has been done, the man has been said to target students, asking them to follow his personal social media accounts.

On Friday, April 13, at 4:19 p.m., Public Safety sent out a school-wide email in regards to the case.

According to Public Safety, “[the perpetrator is] a male, dark skin, tall, in his twenties, beard, wearing a gray sweatshirt, jeans, a ‘Columbia’ backpack, and carries a skateboard and possibly a tripod and camera.”

Public Safety got involved after students reported their encounters with the man.

Wishing to remain anonymous, two female students shared their encounters with the non-student on campus.

“We were walking down past the security booth towards Kelly and some random man stopped my friend and I. He said ‘hey where did you get those shoes’ and she said ‘DSW’ in the most monotone voice because even as we approached him he was staring and we were uncomfortable,” the source said via email.

The man claimed to be a social media promoter.

“He proceeded to say ‘okay cool I’m a social media promoter and I am trying to get people to repost my instagram posts. Can you repost it for me?’ my friend said ‘no sorry I’m not gonna do that’ and he said ‘okay, well can we just be instagram friends because I lied I’m just trying get your Instagram’ and she was really uncomfortable and said ‘I have a boyfriend’ and he’s said ‘no don’t worry I’m gay… Come on I don’t even like girls.”’

The man continued to follow the female students to Kelly Commons.

“We went to Kelly Commons and sat down at the Starbucks.

We were there for a good hour and a half maybe and then he comes out of nowhere and sits down with us and goes ‘hey guys sorry I’m late there was some traffic’,” the source said.

After being told by Public

Safety to file a report, the student became aware that this was not an isolated incident.

“After I filed the report I kept hearing more and more about him around campus. He has been harassing people like this for weeks and no one said anything until just now. Usually I’m not bothered by random people talking to me like that because obviously we live in New York City it happens every day no matter where you are,” she said. “For him to follow us into a campus building and for him to have harassed multiple

__________________________

“For him to follow us into a campus building and for him to have harassed multiple other girls on campus is not okay. I feel like we should feel safer than that on our campus.” __________________________

other girls on campus is not okay. I feel like we should feel safer than that on our campus.”

Being in-charge of students’ safety as a whole, Public Safety continued their official response.

“Public Safety has received reports of an unidentified male on campus, non MC [sic] student, who has approached students attempting to engage them in conversation regarding social media or life at college, and may try to video these conversations. These incidents have occurred near Kelly Commons and Thomas Hall,” said the email.

A tripod was used by the man for his own social media purposes.

“After describing the occupancies in a group chat someone told me that the same man approached her and her friends saying the same stuff, but in Thomas Vestibule on campus,” another anonymous source, said. “Other [female students]

These photos were provided by Public Safety in their email sent out to the student body. Studetns are encouraged to contact Public Safety if they spot Arch on campus.

PUBLIC SAFETY / COURTESY also said that he approached them in front of kelly on Thursday but also with a tripod set up. That was when we decided to go to public safety and notify them about the problem.”

Public Safety also noted that the man is a YouTuber.

More specifically, his page is dedicated to approaching collegiate females.

“He is known to approach people on the street or on College campuses to engage in and video conversations, then posting his videos on YouTube,” said the Public Safety email.

The man’s social media accounts have been confirmed.

His YouTube channel is “Andi

Arch”, where videos have been posted outside of Kelly Commons. In the video, he is seen heckling women.

Continually, his Instagram handle is “andi_Archtv”, where his lone post is about “picking up college girls”.

Deemed alias, “Andi Arch”, the man has also posted videos inside of New York University’s dormitories.

Public Safety concluded their April 13 email by urging students to practice listed safety tips.

These include, “Always be aware of your surroundings during the course of your daily activities, on or off

campus. Walk with someone whenever possible. it’s safer to travel in groups. Be cautious if approached by a stranger(s).

Never give out personal information to someone you don’t know. If you feel unsafe or see suspicious activity on campus call Public Safety without delay.

Provide a good description of the person and their last known location.”

Public Safety encourages students to call 718-862-7333 if they see or are approached by Andi Arch.

News

14

THE QUADRANGLE

Student Government Holds Next-to-Last Assembly Meeting of Spring Semester Taylor Brethauer Editor-in-Chief

Student government held their next-to-last assembly meeting on Wednesday, April 11 at 12 p.m. in the Jasper Hall first floor lounge in order to further discuss the new resource center, the upcoming Spring Fest and other studentcentered topics.

The meeting, which was held during the college’s second Accepted Students Day of the month, was not well-attended as usual, since many students were involved in giving tours and panels.

BAC The first matter of business was affected by this problem with attendance, as the student club Mini Baja was set to present in order to allocate money towards their budget.

Mini Baja is a club where students spend the year building an off-road vehicle from scratch and bring it to competitions around the country. The club was requesting $2000 for traveling expenses and was expected to give their case.

“We don’t have quorum today. We’re at 54 percent and it has to be at two-thirds. This is the first time all year that we don’t have quorum crazy enough,” said executive vice president Phillip Mourikes.

Mourikes was going to reschedule the presentation and vote for the next and final meeting of the year, but student body president Micaela

Bishop motioned for the vote to take place electronically, similar to the previous vote on the National Society of Black Engineers.

Present members of the assembly seconded this motion and the vote was held in the student government GroupMe chat. The group still gave their presentation, with senior Dan Dixon as the representative.

The competition is in Portland, Ore., this summer. Two of the closer competitions in Kansas and Maryland fell during the school year and graduation, respectively. The request would help fund the travel expenses for the six executive board members, who get course credit as a senior capstone project. However, majority of the club is comprised of students of multiple class levels and majors.

“In addition to the [requested] funds, we have done some fundraising but there is a significant deficit and that will have to paid out of our pockets,” said Dixon. The department is not paying enough to cover the trip entirely.

The results of the GroupMe poll were 26 in favor of allocating the budget to 0 in favor of further reviewing the request.

Spring Concert and Neighborhood Clean-Up The next order of business was the upcoming Spring Fest concert, headlined by popstar Jesse McCartney with, what Mourikes hinted at, a special guest who will be named at a later date.

In attendance was director

of student development, who spoke about what volunteers would be doing during the day before and day of the concert to help. Students are expected to help on the Friday evening before, April 20, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. The following morning, April 21, the start time will be 7 a.m.

“Just to be forewarned, it is a lot of hurrying up and waiting,” said Bennett on the work that is expected to be done before the concert begins at 2:30 p.m., with the barbeque on the quad beginning at 12 p.m.

Students should expect an email from the dean of students, Michael Carey, stating expectations and guidelines for safety during the event.

The following day, April 22 at 12 p.m., will be another neighborhood cleanup for students to attend. It is expected to be an hour long.

“It’s just going to be a small clean-up after Spring Fest, it’s going to start noon. I think the purpose of this to just to make sure we are giving back to the neighborhood,” said Bishop.

Food Ser vice Committee The meeting continued on to the topic of food service.

“We met on April 9 and we talked about more vegan options,” said the chair of the food service committee, Anna Rosario. “There’s [also] going to be more signage for the halal food they have in Kelly.”

She spoke about upcoming important dates. The last day to use the ACD dining dollars is May 11 and the last day Locke’s

Loft dining hall will be open is May 12.

She also spoke about the recent incident of the girl finding a bug in her salad at Locke’s.

“The situation with the student [and the bug] has been taken care of and was covered in the Quad,” said Rosario.

Educational Affairs Committee Vice president of academic affairs, Kaitlyn Von Runnen, spoke next.

“Three major things [were brought up at the meeting].

The final exam schedule [and Saturday finals in the future] is still going to be reviewed. The make-up for Wednesday classes, some people said their professors are scheduling them to Saturday, provost Clyde sent an email to professors and faculty saying that they are able to make-up classes that are that Wednesday and not to students because it didn’t apply to all classes and it depends on the professor,” said Von Runnen.

The third point about textbooks was tabled but will be returned to at a later meeting.

A survey is expected to be sent out to students in the future, asking if they buy textbooks and how much students spend.

A second survey will be sent out to faculty about how many books they require in their courses and how much those textbooks cost. This is still in the works and there is no set timeline for that.

“They’re rewriting the plagiarism and academic integrity

policy,” Von Runnen also said.

“Right now, I think they have three or four tiers if you violate academic integrity so if you cheat, if you plagiarize. They’re going to redefine what those tiers are and the penalties.”

Von Runnen, Janet McShane, the mathematics department chairperson, Keith Brower, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Kerry Cavanaugh, the incoming vice president of academic affairs, are expected to take on this task.

Miscellaneous The meeting finished with a discussion of miscellaneous topics, such as the Lasallian women and gender research center presentation held at the last assembly meeting.

The following meeting will be the vote for the student activities fee, which Bishop reminded students was the purpose behind this presentation.

“We’re not voting on the women’s center, that’s not our job to vote. We are voting on the student activities fee, which is what is in student government sanctions,” said Bishop.

With the possible raise of the fee, some of that money would be going to begin the new resource center.

The meeting was adjourned shortly after the discussion.

The final assembly meeting under the Bishop administration is scheduled for April 25 at 12 p.m. in the Jasper Lounge.

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APRIL 17, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

15

Happily Ever After?: “Into the Woods” Staged by MC Players Photos compiled by Xiaoyang Wu / THE QUADRANGLE

Rose Brennan Editor

For the dates of April 12 through 15, the MC Players performed “Into the Woods”: a mashup of classic fairy tales that show us “happily ever after” might not truly exist.

The story follows a baker and his wife, along with many other fairy tale favorites: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (from Jack and the Beanstalk), Rapunzel and Cinderella.

Matthew Peters, a junior secondary education who plays the baker, said he was very excited to receive one of the lead roles in the production.

“This is the biggest role I’ve ever had in a musical,” Peters said.

The play opens with the narrator (Jake Holland), who serves as our guide throughout the show, introducing us to the main characters, each with a wish of their own: Cinderella (Siobhan Noonan) wants to attend the king’s festival, Jack (Sam Cunningham) wants his cow Milky White to give milk so his mother (Katie Doyle) does not make him sell her and the baker and his wife (Allison Terranova) are desperate to have a child. Each face obstacles in making their wish come true, but while the obstacles of Cinderella and Jack come in the form of family, the baker and his wife have been cursed with infertility by the witch who lives next door (Megan Lawlor).

In order to make their wishes come true, Cinderella, Jack, the baker and his wife must go into the dark woods on the outskirts of their village.

Once in the woods, the baker and his wife set on a task to find ingredients for a potion to reverse the spell. The witch agreed to reverse the curse on the baker’s house if they can find four things in three days: a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a slipper as pure as gold. This leads the baker and his wife to interact with several other fairytale characters outside of their own.

First, they exchange the witch’s magic beans with Jack for his cow Milky White (Camryn Kidney). This leads to a tearful goodbye between the two, titled “Goodbye, Old Pal.” Kidney, in a vaudeville cow costume, sobs hysterically while Jack wishes her well. In this song and throughout the entire first act, Kidney stole the show without saying a word.

Next, the baker attempts to steal the red cape from Little Red Riding Hood (Michelle Lapreay), but is thwarted when she screams hysterically until

he returns it. Later on, the baker kills the wolf (Joseph Weitekamp) who has consumed her, after which Little Red Riding Hood gives him the cape as a thank you gift.

On the other side of the woods, the baker’s wife stumbles upon a tower in which Rapunzel (Ellen Farrelly) is singing beautifully. She sees that Rapunzel’s hair is “as yellow as corn” and so she tears a hunk of it off.

On her way back to her husband, the baker’s wife bumps into Cinderella, who has run away from the festival for the third night in a row. Reluctantly, the two women switch shoes: so Cinderella can run away and so the baker’s wife obtains the last ingredient for the potion: the slipper as pure as gold.

Though the baker and his wife faced numerous obstacles, including the death of Milky White and the interference of Jack and Little Red Riding Hood, they nevertheless obtain all four ingredients by the third midnight, which restores both the baker’s fertility and the witch’s youth and beauty.

Toward the end of Act One, all of the good are rewarded and the wicked are punished: Cinderella and Rapunzel marry their princes (Christopher Nuzzo and Cameron Turner), Jack is rich and reunited with Milky White, Little Red Riding Hood is now heavily armed with a knife and a wolfskin cape and the baker’s wife is pregnant.

But the wicked face punishment for their crimes: Cinderella’s stepsisters (Chloe Ludlow and Isabel Quinones) now have mutilated feet because they tried to fit the golden slipper that belonged to her. In addition, their eyes are pecked out by birds, making them both morally blind and literally blind. The witch, in exchange for her youth and beauty, lost her power and her adopted daughter, Rapunzel.

The first act ends with a flourish with the entire company singing, “And happy ever after!” But, as the second act reveals, that statement could not be more inaccurate. In the second act, a giantess sets upon the kingdom, in which chaos, scandal and death ensue, leaving it up to the baker and his new friends to save the kingdom from total annihilation.

Putting together a largescale production such as “Into the Woods” is no easy feat.

The process begins late in the spring semester, when potential musicals are pitched by __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

16

Arts & Entertainment

THE QUADRANGLE

Players’ Spring Musical, “Into the Woods” __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 members of the Players. The executive board then selects three productions, which are then sent to director Martin Marchitto, who makes the final decision.

“After reading through the choices and considering the challenges of the production, I make the final decision,” Marchitto said. “My decision is based on which show that I think would provide the most rewarding experiences for the students.”

Marchitto said he was inspired by the dedication of each of the students from the first rehearsal to the last production on Sunday afternoon.

“What makes the Manhattan College Players exceptional is because of the dedication and commitment of the students. They do this because of the love of the art form,” Marchitto said. “It is important to remember that it is not just the actors, but the tech crew as well. Although we bring in a professional costume and lighting designer, it is is the students who do a majority of the work. Even the orchestra is almost all students, conducted

by Andy Bauer.”

This dedication is especially prevalent in the week leading up to the production, which is colloquially known among the members of the production as “hell week.” It is during this week that the moving parts of the cast, crew and orchestra all

come together for the very first time.

“It’s a lot,” Peters said.

“We’ve been there until 1 a.m. since Sunday, and I’ve been having morning classes every day so it’s rough, but I’m pushing through.”

He continued.

“I actually like Hell Week more than doing the show, because you get to talk to the people onstage more, and you get to talk backstage with the people you’re in the show with and you get to know each other a little bit more,” Peters said.

The pit orchestra, conducted by the college’s music director Andrew Bauer, also faced unique challenges during tech week.

“Tech week is always a hot mess,” Bauer said. “There are so many moving parts that have to come together, with the lighting, the music, the movement. We haven’t had much time to work with the cast with the orchestra, so when they hear [the music] for the first time, it’s a very sort of jarring experience.”

He continued.

“Sondheim in particular is very challenging from a technical point of view, because the rhythmic entrances of the singing have to be right on, otherwise the orchestra then gets apart from the singing, and it’s very difficult to get them back together,” Bauer said.

“The music is so different [from “Legally Blonde] because Stephen Sondheim, the way he writes his music is very fast-paced and the lyrics are very complex,” Peters said.

The pit orchestra included Alice Rogers, Reba Thomas, Robert Del Prete, Gabriella Herrera, Taizo Enya, Jen Bueti, Kai Landy, Kristen Friedman, Jeremy Capuder and guest conductor Naomi Uy, who also played the violin and cello for the production.

Unfortunately, the MC Players had to say goodbye to six graduating seniors at the conclusion of the production: Sam Corby, Sam Cunningham, Gabriella Herrera, Siobhan Noonan, Allison Terranova and Joseph Weitekamp.

Each of the graduating seniors brought something great to their respective roles within the production. Herrera played flute as a member of the pit orchestra, and gave a voice to Cinderella’s birds, who came to her aid in times of trouble throughout the musical.

Corby, who played the Mysterious Man, was a crucial component to the first act, guiding all of the intersecting storylines together to help the baker in his quest. It is revealed at the end of the first act that the Mysterious Man is actually the baker’s father, but he dies before they can truly reconcile.

However, they reunite once more when the baker is undergoing a moral crisis. Corby and

Peters, who have co-directed several productions during their time in Players, had fantastic chemistry during their second act duet, “No More.”

Cunningham played Jack and brought a true fun-loving feel to the role. Though poor and separated from his best friend, Cunningham brought childlike hope and wonder to her role of Jack, particularly in the onstage chemistry with Milky White (Kidney) and in her solo song, “Giants in the Sky.” Noonan played one of the main roles of Cinderella. In her final role in a mainstage production, Noonan brought a great believability to the role of Cinderella as she undergoes a personality change from idealistic to realistic, once she has been thwarted by her beloved prince’s infidelity.

Terranova, the baker’s wife, serves as her husband’s partner-in-crime throughout the play. Though the pair are not immune to the occasional lover’s quarrel, they persist in their teamwork, and it is only when they are apart do they fail in their moral endeavors.

Terranova particularly shone in her solo “Moments in the Woods,” where she ponders the consequences of her romp in the trees with Cinderella’s Prince.

Lastly, Weitekamp, in the featured role of the wolf, brought some of his talents to the role. Weitekamp, also known by the alias “Magic Joe”, brought some of his sorcery onstage during his song, “Hello, Little Girl”, where he entranced Little Red Riding Hood with magic tricks involving flowers, scarves and, most impressively, a long staff.

The hard work of the Players was evident in the impressive production staged. Sondheim is not a simple walk in the park, but the MC Players took the challenges of the production in stride for a fantastic performance.

The mainstage productions for next year will be announced on the Players’ various social media accounts.