Martha Hennessy, Dorothy Day’s granddaughter, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan both came to Kelly Commons to celebrate the grand opening of the Dorothy Day Center for the Study and Promotion of Social Catholicism.
MARY HALEY/ THE QUADRANGLEDon Gibson will be leaving the college after serving as Dean of the O’Malley School of Business since 2018. Gibson will remain in the position until the end of this semester before taking on a new role as Dean of Business and Economics at Saint Mary’s College in his home state of California.
Gibson explained that his decision to leave the college was largely due to personal reasons and a desire to seek new professional opportunities.
“The Dean role is very busy,” he said in an interview with The Quadrangle. “I
thought about what’s called ‘stepping down’ and becoming a faculty member. But I explored some opportunities in terms of being a Dean and decided to continue in that role. I think it’s a good chance for the school to develop some new leadership. Then for personal reasons - I grew up in California and had a desire to return.”
Gibson also noted that his decision to leave has nothing to do with current difficulties the college is facing.
“I had planned to step down during this timeframe for the last couple of years,” Gibson said. “It [the decision to leave] was not in response, in particular to what’s going on in the college. Now, I think the college
is going to work through some very difficult times that are confronting all of higher education. But I think the leadership has made the right moves to address the situation. So this has been part of my plan. I think the school is very strong, and we’ll continue on the trajectory that we’ve been working on.”
The search for a new Dean will be initiated by interim Provost Rani Roy. No information on a search committee for the new Dean has been shared at this time.
During his time serving as Dean, Gibson has made a number of significant contributions to the O’Malley School of Busi
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Manhattan College further reaffirmed the legacy of Dorothy Day through the grand opening of the Dorothy Day Center for the Study and Promotion of Social Catholicism, which included a blessing from the archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
The college welcomed His Eminence, Timothy Dolan, for a prayer ceremony in the room dedicated to Dorothy Day and her mission of social action in the Social Action Suite.
Dorothy Day was a social activist, journalist and a co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement founded in 1933, along with Peter Maurin. The organization has expanded and still strives for peace in its efforts to speak up for the poor through charity work and demonstrations for justice.
The movement started with a newspaper, titled “Catholic Worker”, that Day herself would work on, which connected Catholic social teaching to society and the outreach that could be done to promote peace and justice in society.
Although Day was neither born nor raised Catholic, she converted to Catholicism after having a spiritual awakening. She is now being considered for canonization of sainthood through the efforts of the Dorothy Day Guild and its co-chair Deirdre Cornell and Ignatian volunteer Jodee Fink.
“What I’ve been working on with another volunteer is keeping track of people who
report either a special grace, or a favor, or even approaching a miracle because they pray to Dorothy Day,” Fink said. “A lot of people have very profound experiences after they prayed for her, but we haven’t really found anything yet that fits all the criteria for a miracle that we can send to the people in Rome [the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints] who are moving her case along.”
In order to be considered for sainthood, there are three main stages one must pass through: the deceased must be deemed “venerable,” “blessed” and finally “saint.”
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), “venerable” is given to an individual who is “recognized formally by the pope as having lived a heroically virtuous life or offered their life.” The individual then advances to “blessed,” meaning they are “beatified and accorded limited liturgical veneration.” The title of “saint” is given when they have “been formally canonized by the Church as sharing eternal life with God, and therefore offered for public veneration and imitation.”
Deirdre Cornell was raised by Catholic worker parents in New York City, where she knew Day personally until her death in 1980.
Cornell explained to The Quadrangle that during the COVID-19 pandemic, while working with her husband to help undocumented people and farmers she felt called to revisit the original vision of Day: to
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Dear Readers,
Thanks for tuning in again this week!
As I’m sure you’re all feeling, the time for what I’ve nicknamed “the February slump” has once again rolled around. This is the time of year when it starts to feel like winter has been going on for just a little bit too long and you don’t seem to really see the point of getting out of your comfy PJs in the morning. To our studentsspring break is less than two weeks away, you’ve almost made it! For everyone else who may not have a break coming up, hang in there. Warm weather, blue skies and the need for sandals is just around the corner, I promise. Next time that lack of motivation is getting to you, force yourself to get out of bed, brush your hair, and take a 15-minute walk to whatever the nearest place to get coffee is. Trust me, it only takes a short amount of time outside and a little caffeine to regain some much-needed world perspective.
This week, our issue is yet again jam-packed. In news, we talk about the opening of the Dorothy Day center on campus. If you’ve never heard of her, I implore you all to do a little research. She was a fascinating woman - a social activist and female journalist who aimed to change the world. I hope that this article helps continue her legacy by even just one person learning about her mission. The world today could certainly use more of the passion, drive and energy she brought to everything she did. In features, we talk about the WGRC celebrating Black History Month and the gear-up for summer study-abroad programs. In A&E, we talk about the recent Coffee House event that took place on campus and have some new Jasper Jams for you. Lastly, in sports, we talk about a former assistant coach of the Lady Jaspers ready to take on the Paris Olympics (go girl-power in this issue, am I right?) as well as recap the most recent basketball games.
To everyone taking midterms this week, good luck! You got this, and no matter what happens, a grade does not equal your worth. Like everything in life, time will keep moving forward no matter what the outcome is, and I promise you’ll be okay.
Until next week,
To The Editor:
Professor Frederick Schweitzer’s eloquent letter (February 19, 2024) is a cry from the heart of one who has contributed greatly to the academic excellence of Manhattan College and most particularly to the history department. I share his dismay. I, too, am shocked by the unjustified attack on the loyal, hardworking faculty of the College and the deliberate weakening of the liberal arts, particularly the history department. Financial difficulties come and go. They can be solved with enlightened leadership, good judgment and hard work. A disheartened, weakened faculty is much harder to salvage.
I am the niece of Brother Casimir Gabriel Costello, or Cas Gabe, the person to whom Professor Schweitzer refers in his letter. Cas Gabe hired the brilliant young Fred Schweitzer in 1958. My uncle always claimed that it was one of his best actions during his chairmanship of the history department, when he also served as dean of the college. Cas Gabe deeply loved history as an academic discipline, a love that was perhaps secondary only to his love for Manhattan College and the Christian Brothers. My uncle frequently told us during Sunday night dinners at our home that the liberal arts formed the beating heart of a good education. He took great pride in knowing that the engineers, the finance majors, as well as the liberal arts majors graduated as well-educated people, the kind who would have the resources of their learning from which to develop wisdom in their professional and personal lives. He was obsessive on that point: the liberal arts must lie at the center of Manhattan College’s educational mission.
What are we to make of this deliberate attack against the liberal arts? How can the history department be cut in half? History is not a trivial indulgence. It’s one of the most important subjects to be taught to the young. We cannot hope to shape the future in more positive directions unless we understand the past.
The most egregious problem, however, is the attack on tenured faculty. No school, college or university can thrive if it shows disrespect and contempt towards its faculty. Why would teachers devote their time, their intellect and their passion to an institution that does not value them? How will the best candidates be recruited in the future? For sure, those who have not yet been given notice of termination must be very nervous about their futures. If a brilliant, devoted, tenured teacher like Jeff Horn, the most senior faculty member in the history department, can be axed, no one is safe.
My husband and I fund the annual Costello Lecture, initiated by Roger Goebel, a Manhattan alumnus who told me that he grew to love history because of my uncle’s class on the French Revolution. Roger, who was the founder of the Center on European Union Law at Fordham University, has passed on, but we decided to continue funding this lecture. We also fund the Costello Excellence in Teaching award, granted annually to the teacher in the Liberal Arts who has garnered the most votes from his or her students. All of this is a result of our affection for Manhattan College and our belief in the profoundly transformative power of the liberal arts. What should we do now? What is Manhattan College’s future after the dismantling of the liberal arts and this attack on tenured faculty?
Sincerely,
Patricia StackCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
be direct and personal to those who need help.
Cornell also recalled how after praying to Day during the height of the pandemic, she was reminded of how Day also lived through a pandemic as a nurse during the Spanish flu.
“[The Spanish flu] was so similar to COVID, and [Day] was looking for her vocation, looking for what to do, looking for how to help,” Cornell said. “I see her not only as this older woman who really had it all put together, but I also thought a lot about her days of struggle and trying to figure out ‘what does God want me to do?’. I identified with that during COVID, but from more of a contemplative prayer side… we need her witness in a special way now.”
Cardinal Dolan has had a long-lasting relationship with the college after he received an honorary doctorate from MC in 2012 and also attended the grand opening of the Kelly Student Commons in 2014.
He felt especially honored to come back for the commemoration of Dorothy Day and to officiate the opening of the center
as he feels Manhattan College symbolizes the true values that were presented in Day’s life and the impact she has made after her death.
“Dorothy, a strong advocate of Catholic social justice, believed very much in what we call the principle of subsidiarity, which means the smaller [the] sub is, the more effective it is, and this is true here at Manhattan College,” Cardinal Dolan said. “This isn’t a huge college. This doesn’t have a massive endowment, but it’s effective. It’s gritty. It’s realistic. It’s true to its principles.”
James Boyle, an attendee of the ceremony who helped create an annual lecture at the college, spoke about his experience as a student at the college hearing Day speak at the allmale campus at the time.
“In 1960, Dorothy Day was here to deliver a lecture to us,” Boyle said. “We were [an] allmale [school] at that time. After the lecture, a few of us had a private meeting with Dorothy that was an unforgettable experience. You immediately knew you were in the presence of a very special person. Dorothy told us you had to do more for the poor and to not only think
of ourselves.”
Boyle specified the work that will be done through the Dorothy Day Center at the college, explaining how an administrative base will be implemented to “strengthen the forward momentum of our program for Dorothy Day’s center.” The center will be a place of work done through benefactors from the Archdiocese of New York and Manhattan College.
Kevin Ahern, Ph.D., director of peace studies and professor of religious studies, has worked over the past two years to bring the work of the Dorothy Day Guild to MC’s community. He hopes its presence on campus will inspire students to get involved with social justice. Ahern also implements the teachings and values of Dorothy Day into his classes at the college.
“I try to bring Dorothy Day into almost all of my classes,” Ahern said. “[Day’s] pacifism and non-violence is a major factor in my class on social justice this semester. My religion and social justice class taught in the spring gives students the opportunity to actually go down as volunteers in a communi-
ty-engaged learning event with the Catholic Worker.”
Following the center’s blessing, alumni Mark Coville ‘85, Thomas Dobbins ‘86 and Alannah Boyle ‘18 all sat at a roundtable panel to discuss how they are keeping the spark of Day alive in their professional careers and keeping Day’s core values at the heart of their work.
Coville founded the Amistad Catholic Worker location in New Haven, Connecticut to decriminalize homelessness and model Day’s virtue of hospitality through temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness. Despite facing legal challenges, the community has grown to around 25 people, with six living in tiny homes.
Along with these efforts, Coville also has a close relationship with Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Dorothy Day. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother, she is a peace activist who also served as a state senator for New Hampshire from 2016 to 2020.
Coville and Hennessy, along with Carmen Trotta, all spent months in jail after being found guilty of direct actions of symbolic disarmament at mil-
itary bases for their efforts to protest against nuclear weapons and war.
Coville did not accept the opportunity for bail and realized through Catholic social teaching that the imprisonment of people in the county jail was a form of idolatry and human sacrifice.
“It became very prominent in my own spirit that these folks I was living with there in that county jail, are the victims of idolatry,” Coville said. “Idolatry always has victims in the Bible. It is rooted in human sacrifice. That is essentially what war has become in this country. It’s child sacrifice and human sacrifice that we consent to as a nation and a community.”
Martha Hennessy ended the event off with recognizing that the work is not over, and the need to stay true to Day’s vision.
“It was a beautiful event,” Hennessy said. “What’s on my mind right now is Rafah and Gaza. I’ve heard about all these countries where this suffering is going on, so let’s not forget what she [Day] was about.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ness, which were outlined in an email from the provost. These contributions have included overseeing major renovations to De La Salle Hall, launching an online version of the MBA program, the creation of a new CEO Insights lecture series and the Passport points program.
Gibson has also encouraged participation through business related clubs and aided in the development of several new minors and concentrations including sports management and insurance, real estate and risk management.
Kathleen Connelly, a senior marketing major and member of the Dean’s Advisory Board within the School of Business, explained how Gibson was always very attentive to the suggestions and concerns of busi-
ness students.
“As someone that worked with him [Gibson] on the advisory board, he just listens and you definitely feel heard,” Connelly said. “He wants suggestions and he truthfully considers everything and has implemented a lot of it into the coming semesters.”
In an email to business students, Gibson expressed his admiration for the students of the Jasper community.
“I have enjoyed working with you in creating and sustaining our unique community,” the email read. “You are what animates these hallways and classrooms and clubs and events and truly represent Jasper pride to the rest of the world. Your energy and passion are what give me the motivation I have for leading great schools like this one and constantly working to make it better.”
The first senate meeting of the spring semester discussed the loss of four senators, as well as the plans moving forward with the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS).
Four senators will not be continuing in the senate including former dean of the School of Liberal Arts Cory Blad, liberal arts faculty member Martha Mendez-Baldwin, student speaker Jason Weaver and student secretary Finn Malone.
Kashifuddin Qazi, Ph.D., speaker for the Manhattan College senate, announced the conclusion of their terms at the forefront of the meeting.
“Unfortunately, the next thing I want to discuss is that for the last couple of weeks, I have received separate emails from senators who cannot continue on the senate this semester,” Qazi said. “I, of course, would like to thank them for their service.”
With the absence of two student senators, one dean senator and one faculty senator, Qazi spoke of reaching out to those constituencies and finding replacement representatives for the senate.
Rani Roy, interim provost, was absent from the meeting, sending associate provost Kelly Marin to deliver the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) report on the development of KSAS. Questions were raised about the status of layoffs moving forward, the college’s university application and the nursing program.
“It was reported that most departments now have a chair,” Qazi said. “KSAS is going to be working towards a new fiveyear vision and is working on a core curriculum honors program, the summer camp, etc.”
Although Marin was unable to provide any information on the nursing program or university application, she did shed some light on the layoffs at MC and plans moving forward including President Milo Riverso.
“My hope is that there will
not be any more layoffs moving forward,” Marin said. “Conversations are happening now. The president, the CFO, and the provost did meet with the chairs last week. It was a brainstorming session.”
Ideas that were put forth by faculty will be compiled with other ideas sent to President Riverso directly and are in discussions currently.
“Those ideas are being compiled, reviewed and prioritized,” Marin said. “The deans are contributing to identifying priorities. I believe we will know more at that rescheduled convocation.”
With the restructuring of schools and the ongoing changes, the senate’s structure will also be altered regarding the distribution of faculty senators.
Previous bylaws state that there must be at least one faculty representative from every school present at each meeting, and a total of 11 faculty senators in all. In previous years, the senate has held two faculty senators per school, but now with only three schools to de-
rive faculty senators from, they are instituting an ad hoc committee for proposing restructuring of faculty representation in the senate.
These proposals will be brought forth at the next meeting and decided upon.
Marin announced that Global Engagement’s European Credit Transfer Accumulation System (GECTS) has been approved, which further enables study abroad opportunities for students and transferable cred-
its.
“Manhattan College students studying at European partner institutions that use GECTS can transfer in their Study Abroad credits using a defined scale equivalency now,” Marin said.
Looking ahead, it was announced that President Riverso will be attending the April 16 meeting to answer any and all questions regarding recent changes at the college.
MCRepresentstheImportanceofOpportunityProgramsatAdvocacyDayMeeting
The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York held an online meeting discussing changes to the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) as well as other financial aid programs on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Manhattan College students who receive financial aid such as TAP, Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), Liberty Partnership Program (LPP) and Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) joined along with students who attend college in the greater New York area to speak with senators and representatives in order to prevent decreases financial aid as well as increase some benefits offered by these programs.
According to the Student Advocacy Day Agenda, the meeting aimed to address changes such as a proposed cut to Bundy Aid, increasing the TAP award and income limit and restoring funding to opportunity programs and Grad TAP.
Daniel Gomez, a business analytics major, receives TAP financial aid and gave some background as to what his group’s main goal was in the Advocacy Day meeting.
“We were lobbying to make it easier to give out more financial aid awards and also to raise and increase the threshold for TAP recipients from $80,000 to $110,000, so that more stu-
dents who want to go to college or are struggling can receive that,” Gomez said.
Costin Thampikutty, assistant director of CSTEP, brought together students from MC who are a part of CSTEP and TAP to attend the Advocacy Day meeting. Thampikutty said the goal of this meeting is not only to achieve what is in the outline, but to also aid students.
“So there’s the overarching goal to advocate for financial aid, but there’s kind of a micro goal of leadership development or developing confidence or being able to tell your story,” Thampikutty said.
The meeting, which normally takes place in Albany, was online due to the inclement weather.
“Last minute, it got all changed [to] virtual, which I will say is not the same feeling,” Thampikutty said. “When the students go to Albany for the Capitol building and they see thousands of other students, they feel that sense of unity.”
However, students were still able to meet with legislators and representatives in order to share their stories and promote the benefits of these programs.
“We got to meet with a wide variety of people, so yes, sometimes the actual legislators showed up, sometimes it was their aides, sometimes it was student interns,” Thampikutty said. “I’m not a law expert, but sometimes the aides and the student interns are the people who really have the legislators ears.”
Like the students he advises, Thampikutty was a part of opportunity programs himself.
“I’m a first generation college student and so the TAP grant and other financial aid really helped me afford an education,” Thampikutty said. “I just think of it as, kind of paying it forward and it pushes me knowing that the students are going to feel so much more confident by the end of the day. That’s why we do what we do.”
Leobardo Rivera, a sophomore mechanical engineering major at MC and a part of CSTEP, explained why this program is special to him.
“It depends on the student, but your advisor will have meetings with you every other week, to make sure to check in with you [on] how you’re doing,” Rivera said. “That’s something I haven’t really seen in other programs, so that’s kind of special.”
Rivera consistently mentioned how CSTEP advisors are there to help students within the program in a multitude of ways.
“My advisor actually helped me get a scholarship, which I probably wouldn’t have been able to do if I didn’t have that support,” Rivera said. “I also like my advisor, he guides me through a lot of things so if I need to know about something he’ll tell me, if I have any questions he gives me advice which is really helpful.”
Rivera also explained how beneficial CSTEP is when it comes to maintaining good grades.
“If you’re failing a class, they have your professor write you a notice of what you can do to improve your grade,” Rivero said. “I’m not sure if that’s something normal that
happens in the other groups, but I do know that’s part of this group.”
Another important aspect of the meeting was representation within TAP, and the clarity and uplifting nature that accompanied student’s stories.
“I was representing myself because I am a TAP recipient, and so I wasn’t a part of CSTEP like the other students, but since I received TAP financial aid, I wanted to participate and share my story,” Gomez said. “So I went to a lot of these meetings, sharing my story and asking for a call of action to increase TAP and continue resources for TAP and other programs like CSTEP and HEOP.”
TAP is a resource that has helped Gomez attend college.
“Without TAP, I wouldn’t be able to go to college,” Gomez said. “I’m a first generation student and TAP helps me and my twin sister go to college, so I mentioned that in my story. I mentioned how it enabled me to participate in internships, because of the financial security that TAP enables for us. I don’t have to work full time at a grocery store, [so] I can do an internship. Even though it doesn’t pay quite enough, it gives me experience so I can afford to get a job afterwards.”
The Advocacy Day is an example of how important financial aid programs such as CSTEP and TAP are to college students, and are vital to continuing aiding students in flourishing at MC.
Black History Month at the Women and Gender Resource Center (WGRC) has become a time to not only share black voices but to embark on a series of events that allows them to do so continuously.
Although the WGRC intends to make sure minority voices are heard all year round, the faculty and interns in this space have made it their mission to place emphasis on becoming a symbol of advocacy for those who need it most.
According to manhattan. edu, the WGRC’s mission includes creating, “A community for women’s and gender groups to share space and solidarity in order to identify and work towards common goals…A safe and brave space that values each experience and viewpoint in pursuit of productivity, personal goals, dignity and self-respect.”
“The ‘It’s on Us’ movement, which is sponsored by WGRC, is planning a Red Table Talk with the Black Student Union,” member of the WGRC Elena Willoughby said. “It’s going to focus on the marginalization of black and brown women on campus. We’re also hosting a movie night on Feb. 27, where we’ll be showing Hidden Figures.”
Honoring the black community for their success is a form of recognition that’s essential to Black History Month, especially in the midst of contemporary challenges.
Through events that mainly target advocacy, the WGRC serves the purpose of shining a light on the voices that are rarely heard at Manhattan College. They’ve made it clear that Black History Month is not their only time to be open about individuals of color and their experience, but the commencement of a yearlong discussion consisting of excitement and education.
“It means everything to me,” Tyla Boone, a member of the WGRC, said. “When regarding the creation of these events in an inclusive
space that’s tailored to help other women of color while in a predominantly white institution…intersectionality sometimes gets lost in a space that doesn’t feel like it’s welcomed to people of color, that is why Black History is so important, and our voices in a center like this is so important because it opens up the door.”
Boone also explained the importance of these events for Black History Month, which opens doors to creating events and building opportunities for the black community at Manhattan College.
Andy Ortiz, another member of the WGRC, explained how by recognizing the matter at hand, the WGRC directs its works for Black History Month by seeing issues for what they are.
“A lot of people get ignored with the issues that they face and the injustices that they face because they’re not being looked at,” Ortiz said.
The WGRC strives to promote education and discussion of Black history throughout the semester, not just during the month of February.
“Giving events for Black History and talking about it is important, but not just in February, outside of February,” Boone said.
Students are encouraged to reach out to either interns, graduate assistants or one of the gender justice advocates at the WGRC if they have ideas for programs or clubs they would like the center to sponsor.
New summer study abroad trips are being planned for Manhattan College students to visit countries around the globe and have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and ideas while earning course credits in the process.
There are eight individual trips being offered among six countries, which include Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Japan and Mexico. These trips range in duration, lasting anywhere from two weeks to almost a month. During this time, students have made it clear that they learn many new experiences while in a new country.
Whether it be the semester-long trips or trips over the winter and summer intersessions, spots often fill up quickly and are competitive to get.
Paul Droubie, Ph.D., mentioned why he believes the spots are so competitive.
“I think the semester-long programs attract relatively adventurous students who want to really immerse themselves in a different culture,” Droubie said. “It really is the best way to learn a language, but also learn something about yourself and your own country. Short-term programs are obviously much more convenient and easily fit into existing schedules, plus you get a few credits.”
Besides the benefits of being in a new country, students also get the opportunity to take a three-credit class towards their degree. The class is started and finished all within the time that the students travel to another country while being immersed in the new culture.
Lucas Haas, a student who studied in Florence, talked about how different a day of class is in Italy compared to at Manhattan College.
“You’ll spend some time within actual class time, with a professor, but you’re really going out and about and exploring everything and seeing it with your eyes,” Haas said. “You’re learning
the culture, the language and talking to people that are so immersed in the culture. That had to be the most different part.”
One aspect that may worry students is the workload that comes with studying abroad. Most students would rather be out within the city they are traveling to than doing schoolwork throughout their time. Haas remarked on the workload during his trip and how it is very doable for all students.
“I went there for [Br. Robert Berger’s] Catholic and Saints Imagination class, and the workload was manageable,” Haas said. “It really wasn’t that bad at all for the experience that you get out of it. It’s totally worth it.”
The director of the study abroad program, Emmett Ryan, Ph.D., also remarked on the importance of studying abroad. He emphasized the benefits that a student would gain from studying outside of the classroom and the uncommon experience of being encapsulated within the
content which you are learning about.
“Study abroad is a way to learn outside of the classroom and you can learn things that you can’t just learn from reading or in a classroom by learning through experience,” Ryan said. “It’s really important for our students.”
Even with such a great opportunity, studying abroad still is a big commitment for a student. Ryan says his best advice to students is to not overthink it too much. He spoke on how the benefits can often be overlooked and cause students to miss out on a great experience.
“It’s like diving into a really cold pool,” Ryan stated. “Just close your eyes and hold your breath and just jump right in. And you’ll find once you get over that hurdle of actually doing it, that experiencing the places is not that bad, and they really leave an impact on you.
And you’ll be glad you did it afterwards.”
The vibrant atmosphere and inviting ambiance at Manhattan College’s Coffee House event has attracted students into a space where they can freely express themselves through the performing arts. Students have found a haven for selfexpression, where the aromatic blend of music, comedy, poetry and more provides a platform founded on fostering community and connection.
Junior biochemistry major Matthew Regalado has hosted coffee house alongside Jill Tuthill since last semester and has seen a variety of attendees throughout his time running it.
“It’s been so fun to see different people,” Regalado said. “Sometimes being in a performing arts space all the time, you get used to seeing the same people, but Coffee House helps students step out of their comfort zone a little bit and be part of this whole family we got going on.”
Coffee House prides itself on maintaining its ability to allow students to unleash their true creativity and individuality, all while building a community.
This designated performance space encourages collaboration and confidence among the students.
“I wasn’t into this sort of thing my freshman year, but it was a Coffee House with a special low-stakes environment that gave me the push I needed to step out and get into performing,” Regalado said. “I can’t get enough of it now.”
Sophomores Maggie Knapp and Edwin Guevara have been members of the Coffee House since last spring. This past Thursday, they performed together as a duo for the first time, singing while demonstrating their acoustic and electric guitar skills.
Knapp and Guevara have performed at past Coffee House events but are eager to try new things for future performances in upcoming events.
“I really liked Coffee House because I felt like it’s an environment for all students who enjoy music and want to perform to come together without judgment,” Knapp said. “With some of our performing arts groups, there are certain obligations and responsibilities, and here they’ve given us an opportunity to express ourselves creatively.”
One of Knapp’s favorite
parts about Coffee House is seeing others share their talents.
“I love hearing people singing, especially people who you don’t really get the opportunity to hear sing all the time,” Knapp said. “This is the main avenue for students who are affiliated with performing arts or aren’t able to sing and it’s so it’s so cool to be like, ‘oh my gosh, I’ve never heard this person sing before and then they can sing,’ it blows your mind and it’s such a supportive environment.”
Coffee House is not just for performers. Seats at the event are often filled with students supporting their friends.
“[Coffee House] isn’t just music,” Guevara said. “Tonight, there was someone who did poetry, another doing acapella. It’s very laid back.”
Regalado uses his time at Coffee House to engage the crowd and have fun between performances.
“Yes, I like playing music and having fun but being able to interact with people, like with a crowd, is always fun,” Regalado said. “People have approached
[Tuthill] and me multiple times and said, thank you for giving me a space to step out of my comfort zone.”
The Coffee House is eagerly seeking to host more events this semester. It is a great way to get involved and take part in MC campus life. Those interested should check out their Instagram @ mccoffeehouse, for further information on upcoming dates and performances.
As the MC Players prepare to put on their student slot show this upcoming weekend, The Quadrangle asked the cast of “Check, Please” what songs they’re listening to to prepare for the big performance. These are some of the cast’s top picks for their favorite songs to listen to while they prep for opening night.
Irene Papakanakis recommends ABBA - I Have a Dream
While I have only ever heard the Mamma Mia! version, which is the film adaptation of the original by ABBA, this still has a beautiful message about following your dreams and pushing through the challenges you face and thinking about what life can be like if you just let yourself imagine yourself where you are happy with where you are. I do have to say I might like the Mama Mia! version with Amanda Seyfried more than ABBA.
Favorite verse: “I have a dream, a song to sing / To help me cope with anything / If you see the wonder of a fairytale / You can take the future even if you fail.”
Kevin Cullen recommends Monty Python’s Spamalot - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
Two musical numbers back to back, typical theater kids. I have never watched or heard of anything from Spamalot previous to this rec, but for a first time listen, the whistling and the message to always look on the bright side of life made me sway in my seat.
Favorite verse: If life seems jolly rotten / There’s something you’ve forgotten / And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
Karie Alvarez recommends Panic! at the Disco - That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)
This is my favorite Panic! album but surprisingly my least played song - which is ironic considering how much I was
obsessed with them as a kid. I truly enjoyed the upbeat tempo and message of letting change in because it is inevitable.
Favorite line: “I never said I missed her when everybody kissed her.”
Anna Burnett recommends Lana Del Rey - Get Free
I love Lana and how well she articulates singing about freeing herself from the many toxic relationships she encounters. One thing you can count on Lana doing is making you feel like you are being manipulated by every single person in your life.
Favorite verse: “There’s no more chasing rainbows and hoping for an end to them / Their arches are illusions, solid at first glance.”
Maggie Knapp recommends Kali Uchis, Tyler the Creator, Bootsy Collins - After the Storm
This song makes me feel like I am being risen to the clouds. I need an entire album of a collaboration between this group before I die or I will pass
away unhappy.
Favorite verse: Kali, what you mean? / I take it offensive / ‘Cause I’m the hottest flower boy / That popped up on the scene
Max Bennett recommends Taylor SwiftVigilante Shit
I love Taylor Swift and she is my favorite artist, however this is my least favorite song she has ever made. I think it’s because I was never super into Reputation. When the song originally came out, I remember the mixed reviews it got and I will admit, I was one of the haters.
Favorite verse: I don’t dress for women / I don’t dress for men / Lately, I’ve been dressing for revenge
Tess Nunan recommends Taylor Swift - The 1
Tess unironically picked my favorite Taylor Swift song for me to review, which means by default, I will give it the highest rating of these Jasper Jams. Listening to this song, I always think about my past relationships and the “what ifs”
that could have been a part of us. If you are someone like me who reminisces way too much, definitely add this to your playlist.
Favorite verse: “I, I, I persist and resist the temptation to ask you / If one thing had been different / Would everything be different today?”
Angelina Perez recommends Frank & Nancy Sinatra - Somethin’ Stupid
Come see “Check, Please” to understand why this song has not left my head. It is truly breathtaking.
Favorite verse: The time is right your perfume fills my head / The stars get red and oh, the night’s so Blue / And then I go and spoil it all / By saying something stupid like “I love you”
Former Manhattan College women’s basketball assistant coach and current Stony Brook assistant coach Rena Wakama made history this month and led the Nigerian women’s basketball team to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The former Nigerian national team player has the opportunity to add more to the history books with an Olympic medal.
Nigeria defeated Senegal in the FIBA Qualifying Olympic Tournament and were able to qualify for the Olympics, despite losing to Team USA 100-46 on the day that they qualified. En route to qualifying, Nigeria beat team Senegal 72-65 and lost to the Belgium national team 78-61.
The Nigerian national team will be heading back to the sport’s biggest stage, the Olympics. They will make back-to-back appearances in the Olympics, as they appeared in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“This is a milestone,” Wakama said. “Something that I didn’t realize that meant a lot to me, my family, my friends, my supporters, and people that I don’t even know. I didn’t realize how big of an accomplishment this was until maybe a couple of days ago after things died down and settled down, and I thought ‘Wow, I’m going to the Olympics. I’m an Olympian!’ I’ve put in a lot of work, and to see the fruits of my labor pay off now is amazing, so I’m super thankful and blessed.”
The journey did not come easy for Wakama and her staff as she was told that she would need to build the national team’s roster from scratch. When Wakama was notified that she would be assuming the role of head coach, she did not have any players on the roster.
“About three weeks after the first week of July, they told me I need to put a team together and I need to recruit,” Wakama said. “To be honest with you, I went through old friends. I did everything I could to try to get players and we practiced for about seven days and we headed to Rwanda to compete
and history wrote itself. A lot of challenges, but I’m thankful for them because it made my team and myself resilient, just to be able to focus and come together at a very crucial time.”
When basketball teams look to hire a new coach, it is relatively rare when those hiring target people they are not familiar with or have not been around. The current head coach for the Jaspers, Heather Vulin, did not know much about Wakama while conducting interviews.
Wakama was in North Carolina during the time phone interviews were taking place between her and Vulin. Vulin was so impressed over the phone interview that she decided to fly her up to New York for the interview. Vulin instantly noticed that Wakama was a winner and never looked back.
Wakama spent six years with the Jaspers. She spent her first two years at the college as director of women’s operations and spent the last four years as an assistant coach under Vulin’s squad.
As an assistant coach at MC, Wakama oversaw the development of wings and guards and served as the team’s academic and community service liaison. During her tenure at the college, the women’s basketball team earned a program-high 3.61 team GPA and placed fifth nationally in community service hours for Division I women’s basketball.
“I loved every single second working with her and honestly I get emotional when I think of the success that she’s had with the Nigerian team because the beautiful thing about this is she played on the [national team] as a player,” Vulin said. “It absolutely blows my mind that someone that grew up through that program is now leading the program and I can tell that every single one of her players wants to run through a brick wall for her because that’s the type of energy, compassion, and passion that she brings to the table. I love her with all my heart. I miss her every day.”
Wakama was able to retrieve valuable lessons from her time at MC from Vulin and her staff, including making sure that people are always looked at as a person first before a player or a coach and lets everyone be themselves.
Wakama made sure that lesson was brought to the Nigerian national team as she did not want to put the players in a box. She believes good results arise when you let people be themselves. She reiterated that mentality would be her biggest takeaway from her time at MC.
Wakama worked closely with two players who are currently on the active roster for the Jaspers: Anne Bair and Petra Juric. In 16 minutes per game during the 2022-23 season, Bair averaged 1.8 points per game, 1.8 rebounds and 42 assists on the season. In 27.3 minutes per game, Juric averaged 10.6 points and seven rebounds during the 2022-23 season.
“Coach Rena is a great
coach,” Bair said. “She has a great knowledge of the game and I think that she’s just so hands-on and so passionate about the game. She was always talking to me, encouraging me, motivating me but also being really hard on me. I think the hardest workouts I’ve had were with coach Rena, [they were] super demanding, super high energy … and she always just wanted to get the best out of her players and I love that about her.”
During Bair’s second year with the program, in 36.3 minutes per game, she is averaging nine points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, and 78 total assists on the season. Bair stated that one aspect of Wakama’s philosophy is the passion that
@FIBA / COURTESY
she brings every day.
“She brought so much energy which aligned with how I like to play and what I tried to bring into practice every day,” Bair said. “She didn’t have off days, even when she was going through hard things in her personal life, she was always just bringing so much energy and love for the game to our group. It is a family and I think that she instilled that in me for sure.”
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are set to take place from July 26 to Aug. 11. Although the Olympics are months away, qualifying tournaments for the games are still ongoing.
After a must-needed win for the Lady Jaspers (17-8, 10-6 MAAC) against the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 72-66 in an overtime thriller, they returned home to face the Canisius Golden Griffins (14-11, 9-7 MAAC) who are right on their tail in the MAAC standings. Ahead of the matchup, Manhattan College was the fourth-seed and the Golden Griffins were the fifth-seed.
Canisius leads the MAAC in three-point shooting with 34.4% and also leads the league in opponent threepoint percentage with 26.4%. As March inches closer, each game could be a MAAC tournament-defining game for the team.
In an absolute thriller and a back-and-forth battle, the Jaspers were able to come out on top 54-51. With this win and other help around the MAAC, the Lady Jaspers were able to slide up to third place in the MAAC standings.
“The coaches told us how important this game was [before the game], we all knew and we wanted this, we needed this after some bad losses we had before and we were just really excited to go after it,” player Jade Blagrove said. “We gathered ourselves and had a team meeting. We were just ready to go and we showed it today.”
Canisius was certainly aware of the interior presence the Jaspers have, with the Lady Jaspers Leyla Ozturk defending the paint, who is second in the MAAC in blocks, averaging 1.7 blocks per game. For the Jaspers to come out on top they needed to keep a keen eye on the Griffin’s Sisi Eleko. Eleko has been a major contributor to Canisius’s success as she is the MAAC’s leading scorer averaging 16 points per game in only 30 minutes of play.
“Sisi is having an incredible season,” Jasper head coach Heather Vulin said in a press conference after the game. “She’s only a sophomore. She had a great game against us when we were up [in Buffalo]. We just gotta make some adjustments and I thought
our girls did an incredible job. So then they had to try to find someone else who wasn’t frustrated to score. She’s having an incredible season. She’s a great talent in this league.”
The Griffs were hot shooting to start the game, but they did not score a point in four minutes and shot 1-8 from the field in that span, which allowed the Jaspers to take the lead 10-7 with an 8-0 run.
The Griffs were able to stop the Jaspers’ run with a threepointer by Mackenzie Amalia. At the end of the first quarter, fans in Draddy looked like they were in for a thriller as Griffs were up by just one.
The exterior defense of the Griffs certainly showed up to start the game as the Jaspers were 0-4 from deep. Not getting looks from the outside did not keep the Jaspers from attacking the inside of the
paint, as a majority of their points came from there. At a media timeout in the second quarter, the Jaspers were down by two halfway in the second.
A Canisius 7-0 run by Athina Lexa and Eleko put the Jaspers down eight at the half. The leading scorers at the half were Lexa with eight points and Ines Gimenez Monserrat with six.
“We knew this was a very important game,” Gimenez Monserrat said. “We were [8] down and we knew we had to fight extra, and do everything extra because it was a [eightpoint lead]. So extra hustle, rebounds, and that’s what the message was, we have to play to win. [Coach Vulin] said, ‘If you’re not playing to win, you’re gonna go to the bench’.”
The half opened up with layups by Jade Blagrove and Eleko, and the difference remained at eight with six
and a half minutes to play. A Jasper 6-2 run allowed the Lady Jaspers to get back in the game at 33-31 with under two to play in the third.
The fourth opened up with the Jaspers taking the lead after a layup by Gimenez Monserrat but the lead was short-lived, as Brooklyn Thrash hit a threepointer that put the Griffs up by one with under eight minutes to play in the quarter.
Gimenez Monserrat had a swift crossover drive to the paint and cut the deficit down to two. After a missed shot from the Griffs, Anne Bair hit a floater to tie the game at 41. The Jaspers regained the lead after a jumper from Blagrove, but after a free throw by Tihanna Fulton the game was once again tied.
The Jaspers took the lead on as Gimenez Monserrat led the driving layup. The Griffs looked to play the foul game
but it was not enough as the Jaspers solidified the game by making their free throws down the line and when they needed to most. The final score of the game was 54-51 Jaspers.
Vulin spoke about where the team stands heading into March and the MAAC tournament.
“I think one thing that we’ve done is shown resilience,” Vulin said. “We’ve won a number of games where maybe we didn’t have the lead going into the fourth quarter or at halftime… Things that we need to get better before March is our transition defense and our transition offense. We’ve got to just defend the three-point line better.”
The Lady Jaspers’ next game is on Feb. 29 at 7 P.M. at Mount St. Mary’s (Md.).
After arguably the Jaspers’ (5-20, 2-14 MAAC) worst loss of the season against Rider on Feb. 18, Manhattan men’s basketball looked to bounce back and record their first win in February.
Before the matchup, the Marist Red Foxes (15-9, 10-5 MAAC) sat fourth in the MAAC standings while the Jaspers sat in last place. The Red Foxes allowed 61.9 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot only 41.2% from the field.
In their first matchup this season at Marist, the Jaspers lost 56-70. Shaquil Bender scored 18 points on 8-17 shooting and Josh Pascarelli for the Red Foxes scored 16 on 6-9. The Jaspers kept it close in the first, but the lead only further expanded in the second half.
Unfortunately for the Jaspers, their losing streak would be extended to seven games following a 57-50 loss to Marist in a defensive battle.
The first points of the game came off of Seydou Traore with a three-pointer from the wing.
Scoring was scarce to start the game as tough defense resulted in only two made baskets five minutes into the game. The Jaspers started the game 1-9 from the field and the Red Foxes started 1-5.
Traore and Bender were the Jaspers’ main source of offense in the first half of the matchup as they scored 18 of the Jaspers’ 20 points. In a low-scoring first half, the Jaspers were able to hold the Red Foxes to 14 points on 22% shooting and 28% from three and maintained a six-point lead.
The lead for the Jaspers vanished rather quickly in the second half as the Red Foxes opened up the half on a 9-2 run. The theme from the first
half was the defensive prowess on both sides of the ball and remained the same in the second half as the score hit 3428 with 11 minutes to play in the game. After fighting for NCAA eligibility, eighth-year senior Dejaun Clayton officially stepped on the court for the first time this season and nailed two free throws for his first points as a Jasper. Clayton hit a tough jumper near the free throw line that brought the Jaspers within two.
After the Jaspers went scoreless in three minutes the Red Foxes expanded their lead to 10 with five left to play. The lead for the Red Foxes would remain in the high single digits for the rest of the game as the Jaspers attempted to make a final push, but it was not enough.
The main talking point in the game was how the Jaspers were able to hold the Red Foxes to 14 points in the first half, but then their defense crumbled in the second half as
they allowed Marist to score 43 points, which would lead to the Jaspers’ demise.
The next game for the Jaspers is March 1, against the struggling Siena Saints. This will be the first of four games for the Jaspers before they head off to the MAAC championship tournament.
