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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume CV, Issue 7
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NEW YORK, MARCH 8, 2022
Brennan O’Donnell to Step Down as MC President Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief
A Soft Winter Sun Glows on Campus The campus Quad is illuminated with warm light as the sun sets. JOCELYN VISNOV / THE QUADRANGLE
OneManhattan Updates as City Restrictions Lighten, Mask Mandate to Continue at MC
Nicole Fitzsimmons
An email sent from OneManhattan to the Manhattan College community announced that the campus mask mandate will remain in place until at least March 31, despite new updates in COVID-19 protocols in both the city and the state. In recent weeks, the NYS protocols for mask mandates and vaccination requirements to enter certain buildings have
been lightened. Therefore, administrators, students, and staff are beginning the discussion of how protocols should look at Manhattan College. “On Sunday, February 27, Governor Hochul announced that the mask mandate for students in K-12 schools will be lifted statewide beginning on Wednesday, March 2. New York City Mayor Eric Adams also announced plans to follow suit in New York City schools beginning Monday, March 7,” the email stated.
IN NEWS:
IN FEATURES:
News Editor
MC Rises in Return on Investment Ranking on pg. 2
Community Unites to Pray for Ukraine pg. 4
However, the mask mandate at Manhattan College is confirmed in the email to remain in effect until, at least, March 31. The reasoning for the continued mandate is partly due to the need for the school to look at numbers as students return from break. In a virtual meeting with the co-chairs of One Manhattan on March 2, student government and administrators were invit__________________________
Brennan O’Donnell will leave his position as president of Manhattan College following the spring 2022 semester. Brother Daniel Gardner, who works in Academic Affairs in the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, will serve as interim president beginning on July 1. O’Donnell announced this transition in an email sent to the MC community on Friday, March 4. He explained that he will be taking a sabbatical beginning in July 2022, and will return as a professor of English. “It is with mixed feelings, and after much reflection and prayer, that I have decided that this academic year will be my last as president of Manhattan College,” O’Donnell wrote in the email. “This was not an easy decision, but I know that the time is right to pass the torch. The future is bright for Manhattan College, and I am confident that we will be in good hands with Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, at the helm while the search for a new president moves forward.” In the same email sent by the Office of the President, there was a second message from William N. Dooley, chair of the Board of Trustees. “The Board has been in discussions with Brennan for a while regarding his desire to take a sabbatical prior to transitioning his role to President Emeritus and Professor of English,” Dooley wrote in the email. “At the Board’s request, for reasons that benefited the college community, he agreed to postpone his plans. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank Brennan for doing so and for his 13 years
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IN A&E:
Jaspers Embrace Irish Heritage on pg. 8
of service to and leadership at Manhattan College.” O’Donnell told The Quadrangle that discussions regarding this transition began in 2019, when the Board of Trustees proposed that O’Donnell extend his current contract to 2024. O’Donnell agreed to extend his contract to a maximum of five years and a minimum of three years, which would have opened the opportunity for him to transition from president in 2022. “At that time, I thought 2022 might make sense because by that time we would have completed a number of big projects, most importantly: building the Higgins Center, finishing the Middle States Self-Study, and raising at least $165 million for the Capital Campaign, ‘Invest in the Vision,’” O’Donnell wrote to The Quadrangle. “As it turned out, that projection was pretty accurate, so this is a good point for the college to make a fresh start on some new plans and projects.” Dooley recognized the achievements the college has seen under O’Donnell’s leadership since he stepped in as president in 2009. “Throughout his time as president, Manhattan College has consistently ranked high in academic-quality surveys such as US News and the Princeton Review, while distinguishing itself especially as a top college for return on investment and for supporting military veterans,” Dooley wrote in the email. “He has spearheaded the building and opening of both the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons in 2014 and the Patricia and Cornelius J. Higgins ‘62 Engineering and Science Center in 2021.” Dooley continued to recognize the growth under O’Don__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS: Jaspers Beat Iona on pg. 12
News
2 Volume CV, Issue 7 March 8, 2022
The Editorial Board
Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief Anna Woods Managing Editor
Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor
Angelina Persaud Asst. News Editor
Megan LaCreta Arts & Entertainment Editor
Zoe DeFazio Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Jilleen Barrett Features Editor
Karen Flores Asst. Features Editor
Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor
Lauren Raziano Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor
Kelly Kennedy Social Media Editor
Josh Grewal Asst. Social Media Editor
Mars Ross Photography Editor
Adrianne Hutto Production Editor
Jocelyn Visnov Mack Olmsted Asst. Production Editors
Jocelyn Visnov Lauren Raziano Web Editors
Nicholas Gilewicz 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.
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Manhattan College Rises in Ranks on Return on Investment and Transformative Values Victor Franco Staff Writer
Manhattan College has recently been recognized by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce in the top 10 colleges from New York State when it comes to return on investment post-graduation. Along with Georgetown University, Money Magazine also named Manhattan College in the top 10 of transformative colleges. Upon attending college, many students have to take into consideration the financial commitment they have to make to attend their college of choice. For many students, this means taking out loans that they will carry after college. Donald Gibson, dean of the O’Malley School of Business, is very content to see the college’s progression through the ranks, and credits the student body with its success rate. “Manhattan college objectively compares well with other New York schools,” Gibson said. “It is ranked higher than Fordham, NYU, Baruch, and others. Our students have a lot of motivation. They come from a variety of backgrounds and they’re highly motivated to work hard.” When determining a college’s average return on investment, ROI, many factors play a role, one of those being the location of the college. Fortunately enough, Manhattan College offers students
direct contact with companies based in New York. “I’d say a majority of our alumni work in New York or in the region or started in New York. I do think the proximity to New York City helps with Manhattan College’s return on investment,” said Gibson. With the ranking from Georgetown University, Manhattan College is able to provide incoming and present students with a better understanding of the quality of education and networking opportunities that the school offers. Current students admit that when applying for colleges they were not educated on the ROI rates they would receive at Manhattan College. Steven Guerro, a sophomore business management major, states he did not put much thought to my ROI until he attended Manhattan College. Now that Guerrero is in his sophomore year he realizes that “the school provides a lot of opportunities and connections with other companies that can affect its ROI.” Kevin Heredia, a sophomore civil engineering major, states that he is proud to be a part of a school with such high rankings. “When I first heard this news I was very surprised because Manhattan College is being recognized for their great programs,” Heredia said. As a civil engineering student, Heredia knows that the college’s investment in its stu-
dents pays off every day. “I feel fortunate to attend a college that has state of the art science facilities, great professors, and programs that help connect students to the professional world,” Heredia said. He also states that coming into Manhattan College he knew that studying civil engineering would give him a great ROI, but he never imagined how profitable it can be in the long run. “I know Engineering will take me to great places, but now I can rest assured that I will most likely be receiving my ROI sooner than I thought,” Heredia said. With the many acknowledgments that Manhattan College receives from several sources, students can feel confident that the college they decided to attend is a suitable place for educational and personal growth. “We urge all students to get internships and the vast majority do and most have more than more than one internship while they’re here. So we do make it a part of our culture to try to help students build their professional network and grow professionally while they’re here,” Gibson said. The acknowledgement from these rankings is a highlight, yet what matters more is the commitment of students and faculty to success. “The college doesn’t focus on rankings to a major degree, but if we are recognized it is important to promote that message to our community”.
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MARCH 8, 2022
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OneManhattan Updates as City Restrictions Lighten, Mask Mandate to Continue at MC __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
ed to share their thoughts and questions. “I agree with that,” dean of the school of engineering, Tim Ward, P.E., said. “I think that’s the way that we should go. I think we should keep our mask on until Spring Break hits. Let’s let our students go out for spring break. Let them come back from spring break and see how everybody’s doing in this and make the final determination after spring, the week after spring break. I think that would help. I think that would help us understand where we are and whether or not we’re going to
have any type of a resurgence, which I hope we don’t.” Yet, the college is still grappling with changes and does not want to move too quickly. Most notably, the discussion consisted of questions regarding the protocols for unvaccinated individuals or visitors, and the place of the surveillance testing which was recently announced. Other questions regarding mask mandates affect the entire community directly, not certain populations, making answers to these questions less immediately solvable. The college emphasizes how trends must be considered to make these decisions. “Te indoor masking [poli-
cy] will affect all of our population,” vice president of external & legal relations and chief of staff, Tamara Britt, said. “So, we want to talk about what that would look like. And, then the other piece that does affect the whole population on our testing, the testing policies that we have in place. So Pete outlined that on the agenda, we will say that testing for exempt individuals will continue. That is weekly testing, and their surveillance testing as of right now will continue through March 25, and that would be revisited.” On campus, these decisions must be made with careful attention to the way each aspect of the community feels safe .
“There are people who are anxious to have masks removed everywhere, there are people who are concerned about removing masks everywhere, and so we have to sort of balance that and walk towards it to get together carefully,” Provost Steven Schreiner told The Quadrangle. “But at some point, it looks like the data is showing that the COVID is certainly waning strongly in New York City, the data I looked at yesterday, help us look at the data as well, it’s really coming down to very low levels.” The college is committing itself to listening to the needs of the community throughout these changes and will inter-
vene following the weeks after spring break if numbers stay low for decisions like lifting the mask mandate or changing visitor protocols. “So the college itself, just really, it’s [the goal] to continue making sure that we take care of our community,” Schreiner said. “And I think it was said yesterday, you know, at one of the meetings, we’re not calling ourselves one Manhattan, for no reason. We want to listen, listen, and be careful for all of our community members.”
Brennan O’Donnell to Step Down as MC President __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 nell, citing the reestablishment of the MBA program in the O’Malley School of Business, the Arches program and the Career Pathways Program. According to Dooley, the college’s endowment has grown from $40.4 million in 2009 to $148.2 million in 2021. While the Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee begins the search for a permanent president, Gardner will serve as interim president. “When it became apparent that Dr. O’Donnell had decided to conclude his term as president, it was discussed that, at the appropriate time, a fellow Brother might serve as the interim president during a national search for a Dr. O’Donnell’s permanent successor,” Gardner wrote to The Quadrangle via email. “When I was first approached by the Brothers to take on this role, I indicated that I was open to serving on an interim basis when the time came.”
As Gardner currently serves as an administrator in Academic Affairs in the Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, he will be making a notable transition into the role of interim president. “My years at Manhattan College have left me humbled by our amazing community of dedicated scholars and students,” Gardner wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “During my tenure as interim president, I will be led by Saint John Baptist de La Salle’s mission of uplifting the lives of our students through education as well as other Lasallian principles and values that are at the core of what makes Manhattan College strong and our future bright.” Dooley emphasized the Board of Trustees’ confidence in the new appointment in his email message. “Those of us who know Br. Dan, know him as a passionate and engaged member of the Manhattan College family,” Dooley wrote via email. “In addition to being well-regarded
and highly respected by members of our college community, his deep familiarity with the institution and our community will enable him to make the transition seamless for our students.” After leaving the position of president in July 2022, O’Donnell plans to focus on rekindling his scholarship affiliation. “I’m looking forward to doing lots of reading and studying, getting myself caught up with scholarship in the areas I’m most interested in: poetry, poetics, religion and literature,” O’Donnell wrote to The Quadrangle. “I didn’t go to graduate school to be an administrator. I spent 17 years as a faculty member and always intended to return. A couple years ago, I was invited to contribute an essay to a collection of essays, and I remembered how much I love doing what I originally studied to do!” O’Donnell added that he is most looking forward to working with students in the classroom once he returns from his sabbatical.
O’Donnell announced he planned to step down as President via email. MANHATTAN.EDU/ COURTESY “[I will remember] the many, many dedicated and caring people I’ve been blessed to work with over the past 13 years,” O’Donnell wrote to The Quadrangle. “As I said in
the announcement to the community: Manhattan is all about people united in a shared sense of purpose. It’s a really wonderful place.”
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Manhattan College Community Unites to Pray for Ukraine Megan LaCreta
Arts & Entertainment Editor As the fighting in Ukraine worsens, the Manhattan College community took to the quad to stand in solidarity with Ukraine. The ceremony took place March 1st, and was organized just days after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. In attendance was a diverse array of students, faculty and members of the Bronx community, many of whom carried with them Ukrainian flags and homemade signs. Some men sported uniforms identifying them as Ukrainian American veterans. Father Thomas Franks, the college chaplain, began with a prayer for peace, authored by Pope Francis. “Enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our sister or brother,” said Father Franks. “Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens and treat us to turn our weapons of war into implemented peace, our trepidation into confident
trust and our quarreling into forgiveness.” Speaking at the event was Oksana Kulynych, representing the Committee for Holodomor Famine Genocide Awareness. Kulynych expressed that Russian aggression was nothing new to the Ukrainians. The Holodomor genocide was a famine constructed by Stalin’s Soviet Union, which Kulynych stated killed millions of Ukraininans from 1932 to 1933. Her own family had felt the pain of Soviet oppression when her uncle was taken to the Gulag labor camps. Kulynych’s family in Ukraine today unfortunately faces hardship yet again. “I spoke to my cousin in Kharkiv and if you’ve been watching the news, Kharkiv is the second largest city in Ukraine and it is being bombarded,” said Kulynych. “She and her children are leaving to try to find a safer place and her husband and brothers and the men are staying on to fight. We are afraid for them. But we are incredibly proud of their brav-
Students, faculty and members of the Manhattan College community gathered on the Quad in support of Ukraine. MEGAN LACRETA/ THE QUADRANGLE ery and determination to stand up to a much more powerful aggressor.” Kulynych’s voice wavered, but the crowd broke into applause. Kulynych asserted that the US and Europe must step in to
Sophomore Luke Fiorino and his mother, Ruta Fiorino, holding a homemade sign at the Call for Peace for Ukraine event last Tuesday. MEGAN LACRETA/ THE QUADRANGLE
assist Ukraine, by supplying weapons to Ukraine. She went on to address those who might question why the US should make potential economic sacrifices by isolating Russia. “The price of freedom is very high,” she said. “Much higher than the price of oil and gas.” Later, Rabbi Robert Kaplan, another speaker and a Ukrainian American, addressed Manhattan students directly. “It is our responsibility, particularly those students here at this college, those whose present and future we rely upon so much, to stand up against war.” Religious studies professor Kevin Ahern, PhD, also addressed students, providing concrete ways to help Ukraine. He listed suggestions from a friend and professor at Catholic University in Ukraine, including reading reliable news sources, supporting effective sanctions, and contacting your representatives in support of the Ukrainian people. For Manhattan students specifically, he suggested donating to Catholic Relief Services, a partner of Manhattan College, and also to organize on campus, offering his assistance to students wishing to take action. “There are various experiences of student groups and students who have transformed the world,” Ahern said. Since the prayer for peace event was held, the conflict in Ukraine has escalated. The Commissioner for the UN Refugee Agency stated that one million refugees have been forced out of the country in just seven days of the war. Furthermore, on Friday Russia attacked and
occupied a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, according to NBC, sparking international concerns of nuclear disaster. While the idea of war may seem far away to some, it hits close to home for many in the Manhattan College community. Ruta Fiorino is a first generation Ukrainian American, who attended the prayer with her son, sophomore Luke Fiorino. Ruta came from New Jersey to attend, and explained why she wanted to be there. “We have a lot of family and friends In Ukraine, and you know, we’re going to so many different rallies… Watching the news 24/7, it’s just very heart wrenching. So this makes me feel like I’m doing my part,” said Ruta. Though he attended alongside his mother, Luke said he would’ve attended in support of Ukraine regardless. “It’s disheartening to hear all the stories on social media, but coming here, honestly, I expected there to be maybe twelve people. So it’s kind of shocking to see [all the people in attendance], but it’s really nice, all the support. Despite the war raging in Europe, a sense of unity in support of the Ukrainian people was ever present at the prayer. While the future of the conflict remains unsure, one thing can be certain: Ukrainian pride is alive and well. A chorus of “slava Ukraini,” rang across the quad. “Glory to Ukraine,” said the crowd, together.
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Club Profile: Association for Computing Machinery is Back on the Grid CLUB PROFILE
Jocelyn Visnov
Web Editor/ Asst. Production Editor The Association of Computing Machinery is a pre-professional organization for all things computer technology. Open to anyone interested in computer science technology, the club offers unique opportunities to enrich students’ experience and understanding of the field beyond the classroom. Also known as ACM, this club is open to all majors interested in learning about various types of technology and programming related to computer science. While the club has kept a relatively low-profile recently, newly elected ACM chair Lauren Kaweki hopes to get the club back on the grid. “ACM really hasn’t been all that advertised to CS [Computer Science] students in the past.” Kaweki said. “A lot of our focus this semester and for the club, really, is to get CS students more engaged in campus events.” In the past, the club has held various workshops and guest speaker events to broaden students’ understanding of the field and prepare them for successful careers in the field of computer science and technology.
“It’s pretty open ended as to what we can do.” Kaweki said. “In the past they’ve had GitHub workshops, they’ve hosted coding competitions, if I’m not mistaken. They’ve had guest speakers from Google come in and talk about what it’s like to be a software engineer.” Kaweki is currently guiding the club’s eBoard in planning events for the upcoming semester. “I do meetings, and I try to at least prompt the conversation to everyone.” Kaweki said. “I’m like, ‘Okay, we have this shared mission’ of you know, getting computer science students to really interact with one another and want to collaborate with one another, do our events.” The club was previously led by Raziel BenReuben, a senior computer science major. BenReuben is currently helping with the transition of new leadership within the club. “We want to provide a space for students to pursue projects, create events, and conduct activities centered around these interests,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, due to our school environment being thrown into flux due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to meet in person prior to now. We are super excited for the opportunity to engage with our student body
about the wonders of computing. I’m especially excited for the upcoming E-Board to execute their vision and hopefully, conduct some cool activities on campus/ in person.” As his time as a Jasper and member of the ACM comes to an end, BenReuben reflects fondly on his time working with the organization. “If you’re interested in computing or tech in general, you shouldn’t hesitate to join,” he wrote. “You will have a voice every step of the way. This club is truly student run and built with our student members in mind. You have leadership in the club that will welcome you with open arms and a listening ear. Additionally, having fun is a key part of the DNA of our club. Whatever you are interested in, we will do our best to offer that for you, because odds are if you
options, from salads to paninis and flatbreads. When starting a restaurant, the owner’s priority is the menu. Jon wanted a variety of foods so that everyone would have something to enjoy. Matthew Rosa, a sophomore Childhood Education major, shared what his go-to items on the diverse menu are. “The ambiance is great and the place has a modern, upscale look to it,” Rosa said. “I tried a cappuccino and pesto chicken sandwich, both of which were amazing. I definitely recommend it to anyone in the area looking to try a new coffee shop.” In addition to their espresso bar, Savor also serves alcohol. Beqiraj said that the menu includes some of his favorite items to sip on and added that their wine is locally dispensed from Yonkers, a very popular dispensary for restaurants in Riverdale. “Being able to have a little bit of everything that you would find roaming the streets of Europe – beer, wine, and dessert,” Beqiraj stated. They pride themselves on their ability to be a fun place to hang out with friends at night while also being a relaxing at-
mosphere for students to study. Harrison Kampfe, a freshman engineering major, is a regular at the café. “The red velvet cake was very delicious and I would definitely order it again,” Kampfe said. “It’s a nice atmosphere to do homework with friends as well.” Savor’s unique quality is that they “value their ingredients” and get them from local businesses and small, trusted companies in the area. This helps keep all their ingredients fresh and better-tasting for their customers. Friday, Feb. 25 was the first big event that they hosted. Right on brand for Savor, their first big event was celebrating Albania’s Independence Day. The event had food, alcohol and even live music. Being connected to the community around Savor is very important to the owners. A big part of that community is the surrounding colleges since they recognize that students play a huge role in the neighborhood. They want to start hosting and have talked about organizing more events that would include Manhattan College students.
are interested, someone else might be. The ACM Club here at Manhattan is the place for you to not only learning about computing but building great connections with like-minded students.” While the club centers around students and their involvement, several faculty members are involved as well. Professor Ankur Agrawal is the faculty point of contact for the club, and guides them through their different events. BenReuben mentions that the club would not be in the state that it is now without Agrawal’s guidance. “We all volunteer our time, but it takes a community for our club to grow and still exist,” he wrote. “I would like to especially thank Professor Agrawal for providing an opportunity for me to be in a leadership role
in a field I’m truly passionate about.” Kieran OGara, a member of ACM, describes why he enjoys being part of this organization. “As this is my first full school year studying computer science after switching my major, this club became the perfect opportunity to get to know other students in a new setting,” OGara wrote. “I met and became friends with people that I now have classes with and older students who are more than welcome to offer any type of advice to someone new.” If you’re a computer science major or a student looking to learn more about the field, consider joining ACM and getting involved with their events. Reach out to Lauren Kaweki or Professor Agrawal for more information.
Assoc. for Computing Machinery is a pre-professional organization for computer technology.JO BUILDSYS.ACM.ORG/ COURTESY
Savor Cafe: Savoring the Moment
Angelina Perez Contributer
Jon Beqiraj, one of the co-owners of Riverdale’s upand-coming bistro, was able to bring his vision of a European-styled café in America to life, opening Savor Cafe only six months ago. “It’s a family business, most of us have lived in the area for 4 years,” Beqiraj told The Quadrangle. “I’ve worked in a coffee shop before and one of my partners who used to own a coffee shop back home in Albania always said how he wanted to open up a coffee shop in America.” This café has been a dream come true for Beqiraj and his co-owner who have spent the past few years hand-selecting everything to perfection. From the vines over the cash register to the tree trunk plates, he tried to make a welcoming and well-organized environment. “Everything was done by ourselves, even the constructions and the design” Beqiraj explained, “It took five months.” The menu offers many vegetarian, kosher, and gluten-free
Savor is known for its variety of specialized paninis. SAVOR CAFE/ COURTESY Beqiraj pointed out that there are already many Manhattan college regulars, despite only being open for six months. “Students will call on the phone and we will immediately recognize their names and what they want to order,” Beqiraj stated.
There are already multiple workers from Manhattan College, and Beqiraj said they are open to hiring those willing to work part-time schedules. For more information on the cafe, visit their Instagram page, @ savor_coffee_and_more.
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THE QUADRANGLE
MC Film Society Continues to Unite Film Lovers on Campus Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor
The Manhattan College Film Society has always been a place for students to unite regularly to screen movies, discuss their ideas and compete in trivia with questions about pop culture. Following a few chaotic semesters, the Film Society is hoping to come back stronger than ever and remain a welcoming place for students. “So when we were in the pandemic protocols, and we had to go virtual, we watched the movies ourselves, and then would come together on a Google Meet and discuss it,” senior English major and president of the film society, Regan Alejo, said. “But luckily, we’re past that. We usually meet in Miguel 311, the Rodriguez room, where they have the big screen, the projector and stuff, and it’s kind of set up like a movie theater with the rows. And we all sit, we watch it together, and we’ll analyze it, discuss our thoughts and feelings on it, stuff like that.” The board chooses a theme for each year and compiles a list of movies to fit in the theme where the members of the club can vote from. The theme for the current year is time, where screenings consist of movies like Memento and Interstellar. “We aim to provide programming that the whole community—students, faculty, and staff—can participate in,”
faculty advisor of the society, Meg Toth, Ph.D., wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “We generally organize screenings around a single theme so that post-screening conversations can deepen across the academic year. One thing I love about the Society is that it provides a space where members feel comfortable having serious discussions about film. Don’t get me wrong–we have fun! But members have a respect for the craft and feel safe taking film seriously.” On campus, Toth is a professor of English and is the director of the film studies minor. She believes the film society provides an open place for all majors and minors to engage in film discussions. “The MC Film Society isn’t formally linked to the film studies program, though most film studies minors are members,” Toth said. “One major benefit of joining is that you meet like-minded, welcoming students from a host of different majors and schools. That’s something I’ve always prioritized with the Film Society--making sure people know that it is open to everyone. For example, I’ve taught so many engineering and business students who say they wish they could take more film classes, but they don’t have room in their schedules. The Film Society allows them to stay connected to others who love watching and discussing films together.” Alejo seconds these sentiments, stating how the film
Aside from allowing students from all programs to come together and discuss critical issues and opinions based in film and society as a whole, the society allows students to learn more about one another and themselves. MC FILM SOCIETY/ COURTESY society on campus is interdisciplinary and brings a wider view on different aspects of life for members. I think just in general, being part of just any arts of any kind, or just culture, creativity, pop culture, anything like that, is just beneficial,” Alejo said. “Maybe I’m biased because I’m also an English major, but I feel like those types of things, those types of books, movies, music, stuff like that, bring people together and increase our perspectives on everything in general. So not only is it just fun to watch movies, and get together and stuff like that, but it just kind of gives you a different view on just like the world around you, the people that are just stuff like that.” Aside from allowing students from all programs to
come together and discuss critical issues and opinions based in film and society as a whole, the society allows students to learn more about one another and themselves. Devon Long, senior political science major and chair of themes and film selection, states how she is able to engage with her love for film at school, something which has connected her and her father as she was growing up. “So, it was kind of a way to reconnect with [my father] in my adult life, but also study something that I grew up with,” Long said. “Like, you know, some people have music with their parents, some people have cooking, mine was always film. And, I was actually born in LA because my dad’s dream for a while was to be an actor.” Long emphasizes how the
screenings or meetings are truly open, and not always so serious. There is a balance between watching films with deep discussion or having a place to watch holiday movies with friends. “I mean, for Christmas, it offers an opportunity to, you know, sit down with your best friends in a classroom and have snacks provided and watch some Christmas movies,” Long said. “Halloween, it offers you an opportunity to go watch some horror movies, with your friends as well.” Last year, after a year of meeting on zoom, the society was able to go on a trip to the Museum of Moving Image, truly enhancing the experience of members in learning about film. Despite a few chaotic semesters with restriction and Toth being on sabbatical for the current year, the board is hoping to increase accessibility with Google Polls, Instagram suggestion boxes, and flyers around campus to spread the word and allow members a chance to decide the screenings. The society is looking for new membership and leadership for the upcoming years as well to keep the members united. From winning trivia night to debating the effectiveness to the end of interesting films, the Manhattan College Film Society is helping students further engage with each other and their own interests.
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Jasper Jams: International Women’s Day
MARCH 8, 2022
Jilleen Barrett
Managing Editor/Features Editor Happy International Women’s Day, Jaspers! This holiday was created to recognize the achievements of women and remind us of the goal to dismantle the patriarchy and all of the systems which function because of it. Because of that, the first half of this Jasper Jams will focus on songs written by women which quite literally sing out against the issues we face due to the patriarchy. The second half will include feel good, upbeat tunes that will remind you how beautiful and strengthening womanhood can be. Nameless, Faceless - Courtney Barnett “Nameless, Faceless” is the fifth song on Barnett’s 2018 album, Tell Me How You Really Feel. I interpret this song as being directed toward men who take part in street harassment and catcalling. Barnett sings, “I wanna walk through the park in the dark / Men are scared that women will laugh at them / I wanna walk through the park in the dark / Women are scared that men will kill them” as a harsh but necessary reminder that some men simply feel entitled to women’s bodies, and when they can’t have them, they feel like something was taken away from them.
Go Where You Wanna Go The Mamas and the Papas John Phillips wrote this song during his relationship with Michelle Phillips before their band’s hit “California Dreamin’” made them a household name. John and Michelle had a somewhat tumultuous relationship, both of them having cheated on each other, and while I know this song was probably written in anger, I choose to see it as an expression of freedom and empowerment. Boyish - Japanese Breakfast Michelle Zauner, lead singer of Japanese Breakfast, wrote this song about “self acceptance and discovery.” It’s about a relationship becoming less and less satisfying for the woman, who feels ugly and burnt out from giving so much to her partner. “If you go to her / Don’t expect to come home to me,” she sings, standing up for herself, and later “What do you want from me? / If you don’t like how I look, then leave.” What Have They Done to my Song, Ma - Melanie Melanie Safka, known artistically by only her first name, is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the 70s. “What Have They Done to my Song, Ma” is one of her most notable songs, and one that feels incredibly relatable for women. She sings about the music industry changing her songs and overall sense of self as a musician. This
song is supremely relatable for anyone who has wept to their own mother as they came to realize the way women are judged on a different scale than men.
mad woman - Taylor Swift From Taylor Swift’s eighth album, “mad woman” describes a woman who holds the weight of her partner’s opinion of her, which inevitably leads to her mental health spiraling. This song touches on relationship issues and the anger that will inevitably build up when someone is constantly berated as this woman is. She tells her partner, “Every time you call me crazy / I get more crazy / What about that?” Women are constantly being told they are too emotional, too difficult and “crazy” as Swift puts it. A lot of Swift fans seem to relate to this song a little too much. Silk Chiffon - MUNA, Phoebe Bridgers This song makes me want to rollerblade in Van Cortlandt Park on a 75 degree day. It encourages me to have fun with my girl friends and relax. It reminds me to put on a miniskirt and feel pretty for myself and “[keep] it light like silk chiffon.” Phoebe Bridgers is a favorite amongst my group of friends, so she generally serves as a symbol of feminine strength for me. Love You For a Long Time Maggie Rogers It makes so much sense that
the cover image for this single is Rogers sticking her head out of a car window with her hair flowing in the wind. This song is so freeing — it’s my favorite song to listen to while I walk to class in the spring. It might be a song about a relationship with a man, but it is also a song about unabashedly giving love — romantic or not — to the people you want to give it to. Love is empowering, so it belongs on a women’s day playlist. Potential Breakup Song Aly & AJ A Disney classic, Aly & AJ updated this song recently to be explicit, and it was a great move as they continue their comeback. The song was supposedly written about Joe Jonas, a Jonas Brothers Band member who apparently forgot
about AJ’s birthday, which is not too surprising because Jonas has inspired enough breakup songs that there could probably be a Jasper Jams about it. This song literally unites women at parties — it’s loud, well-written and fun to belt out with friends. Juice - Lizzo Ending on a high note with a song that promotes the mentality that you should not care about what anyone else thinks of you because you’re beautiful and perfect just the way you are. Lizzo motivates women to support each other by not only singing about how good she feels about herself, but also how her confidence can inspire other women’s confidence, because “If I’m shining, everybody gonna shine.”
Scan here to listen to The Quadrangle’s playlist!
Arts & Entertainment
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THE QUADRANGLE
Back and Better than Ever: Jaspers Embrace Irish Heritage at NYC’s In-person St. Patrick’s Day Parade Christine Nappi Senior Writer
This Irish Heritage Month, students, alumni, friends and family can get back to doing what they love: representing Jasper Nation at the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration. After a two-year hiatus spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City’s annual march down fifth ave will resume in person– and members of the college are ready to embrace their heritage and show pride for the school they love most. NYC’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is the world’s largest and oldest parade, having started on March 17, 1762. According to Louis Calvelli, Director of Alumni Relations, Manhattan College has marched, or has curated some type of celebration, since the college was founded in 1853. He and many other members of the college community are eager to march down fifth ave again and recreate what the experience was like before the pandemic. He predicts many Jaspers will attend the parade this year. “It feels wonderful to finally be able to step onto Fifth Avenue and march up representing the College,” Calvelli said. “To be able to have marched with Jaspers up Fifth Avenue, and listening to the pipes and drums the cheers of everyone as we marched, it was just thrilling, and to recapture that is going to be wonderful.”
In years past, there have been somewhere from 300 to 500 Jaspers representing Manhattan College in the parade. This year, Calvelli predicts many Jaspers will partake in the parade because it is the first time since March 2020 that it will be in-person. In addition to alumni, friends and family, members of the Gaelic Society and the award-winning Pipes and Drums band will be representing the college. The Gaelic Society will be hosting a brunch on-campus the morning of the parade, and will take the 1 train to the city afterward. There will also be a breakfast at 10 a.m. at Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant before the parade assembles at 11:30 a.m. The procession will be led by President O’Donnell and end with a reception at the Jasper-owned East End Bar & Grill. Senior Elizabeth Ta, the Co-Vice President and the bass drummer for the college’s Pipes and Drums band is excited to march in the parade again this year. As she describes, Pipes and Drums is “really a big family,” because of the band’s camaraderie and teamwork. She is looking forward to having a fun time with the band, but also getting to experience the feeling of marching down Fifth Ave. “I’m just glad to be out there again and marching with everyone because it’s so fun,” Ta said. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience… seeing everyone that’s enjoying the music
makes me really happy. It’s fun, again, and you just feel really special marching up fifth ave with everyone watching you, especially being the bass drummer.” Pipes and Drums has been representing Manhattan College since 1981, and in the 2019 parade, received second place in the category of “College Pipes and Drums.” Additionally, in 2016, the college received first place in the “Best Marching Unit” Colleges category. While this year presents another opportunity to win awards, Ta, and other parade attendees are just happy to be back, marching and playing in-person. Ta finds that being in Pipes and Drums helps represent the college in a positive way. She hopes that her position in the band and her identity as a woman and person of color can inspire others. It’s important because you get to represent the school, a lot of people do come up to you, a lot of people do know Manhattan College so it’s like we represent the school and this is what we do there,” Ta said. “Especially Being a person of color in a Pipes and Drums band, it’s special for me. Children, people of color, see me march and I feel like if you see someone in just an all white band… Pipes and Drums just feel a little more special and I hope that someone, even a female, a woman, can march in a parade and play bass and drums.” Junior Brenna McNamara
is another student that will be marching in the parade with the Gaelic Society. As the social media coordinator for the Society, she is hoping to re-instill Irish traditions at the college. As she describes, the Gaelic Society has struggled to maintain a strong presence on campus since the pandemic hit, but this is something she hopes to change. The society is hoping that the St. Patrick’s Day parade becomes a popular event for Jaspers to attend again. “I definitely want to put a staple on having Gaelic Society be such a big club again and having the St. Patrick’s Day [parade be] such a staple event that everyone would like to go to,” McNamara said. In addition to preparing for the parade, the Gaelic Society has also been reigniting the college’s once highly-popular Irish Night that has diminished in the face of the pandemic. This year’s Irish Night was held on March 4, from 4-6 p.m. and was the first Irish Night in-person since the pandemic. McNamara finds events like Irish Night and the parade to be quintessential to the college’s Irish culture, and thinks attending the parade this year can be a way to embrace that culture. “Manhattan College is really in tune with the city and with our roots of being [an] Irish Catholic college,” McNamara said. “[The St. Patrick’s Day parade] really represents what we do and just who we are.” In addition to the NYC parade, Jaspers are also invited to
Jaspers will representing Manhattan College at NYC’s first in-person St. Patrick’s Day parade since the COVID-19 pandemic started. COURTESY/MC GAELIC SOCIETY
march in the Naples, Florida, St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 12 with fellow friends and alumni living in the area. The Naples parade this year will be in tribute to Jim Connors ‘57, who recently passed away. According to Calvelli, Connors organized and coordinated Manhattan’s presence at the Naples parade and was a proud Jasper. As Calvelli describes, seeing Jaspers gather together in another state, miles from New York, is a true testament to their love of Manhattan College. “It’s a substantial parade for a small little city like Naples, and to to see a contingent of Jasper’s there is something [that] encourages me to continue to do the kind of work that that I do because even Jaspers of a certain age still hold their love for the college really close, and it shows even in Naples,” Calvelli said. Whether it be in NYC or Naples, Manhattan enjoys putting on a parade as a way to embrace the college’s identity, celebrate St. Patrick’s day and to connect current students with alumni. As Ta and McNamara describe, they both enjoy meeting and networking with alumni through the Gaelic Society and Pipes and Drums. Ta in particular likes speaking with alumni because they have a perspective on what the college was like pre-pandemic. “You hear a lot of old Manhattan College stories and especially during the pandemic, I feel like the school itself [and] the students too lost connection to the school, like school spirit and everything, so hearing those stories and hearing their time at Manhattan College helps like rewind it back [to see that] I am grateful to be here at this school,” Ta said. Ultimately, students like Ta and McNamara see that they will belong to the Manhattan College community for life and will always have a Jasper by their side. As Calvelli describes, connecting with alumni, no matter where they may be across the country, is the most special part of the St. Patrick’s Day parade. “[It’s] just a thrill to be part of the Manhattan College community and to help our Jasper’s continue to stay engaged with one another, and with the college,” Calvelli said. “So events like these help us do that, whether they’re regional events, or events that we do host [in the] New York metropolitan area.”
Sports
MARCH 8, 2022
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Jasper Baseball Confident as Losing Streak Continues Maddie Mulkigian Staff Writer
After a frustrating 2021 season and a devastating pair of losses to Fairfield in the conference playoffs, the Manhattan College baseball team is back and motivated to take over the MAAC. With four new freshmen and eight transfers, the Jaspers spent the past nine months rebuilding their team culture and preparing to overcome their challenging 2022 schedule. The end of the 2021 season left a sour taste in each returning player’s mouth as they looked ahead to their opening weekend against Notre Dame, the University of Delaware, and Stetson University. “I know for me personally, in comparison to last year I’ve been very motivated to be the best version of myself on and off the field because I’ve got my teammates picking me up nonstop,” sophomore Trevor Santos said. “We’re just a different team and it really motivates me to do better and become the best player I can possibly be.” While the Jaspers struggled to find their footing against #13 ranked Notre Dame with a final of 17-2, the team quickly bounced back to exhibit their grit and resilience the very next day against the University of Delaware. With an 11-1 win against Delaware and a closematched 6-4 loss to Stetson,
the team returned home to the Bronx with their heads held high. The results of the team’s opening weekend indicated that the newcomers and the returning players were meshing well together. “It’s no secret that we lost a lot of production in our lineup, but I think that we brought in the right amount of guys, the right amount of pitchers and freshmen to fill the holes that we were missing,” fifth-year catcher Matt Padre said. “I think that the one thing that we were missing last year was that culture and that teamwork aspect. I think that’s the biggest thing, me being the only one returning from my group, I think the goal was to create an environment where everyone felt welcomed and could be themselves.” The leadership from the returning players and the excitement from the transfers and freshmen is creating a team dynamic that has been lacking in years prior. With a positive and productive team culture, the Jaspers are feeling a shift in how the team is approaching the 2022 season. “Just from a transfer perspective, this is my third school so far and I’ve never really been on a team that’s this close. We’re very on each other in a productive way,” graduate transfer and outfielder Harrison Treble said. “We hold each other to a certain standard because that’s the culture that we
created this year. Honestly, just from a social perspective, I’m friends with a lot more of my teammates than I have been on previous teams because every guy cares about winning and cares about you.” Despite the team culture’s transformation since last spring, the Jaspers are struggling to put together a successful nine innings since their victory over the University of Delaware. In each of their games since their trip to Florida, they have competed to the very last inning, but they are not getting the results that they hoped for in preparation for this season. “Any game is an important game. But for us as a team, we’re still figuring things out and putting pieces together. I think the main thing for us is to just stay confident in our approach and just represent who we are as a team,” said Treble. “We know we’re better than how we’re performing right now and we feel that we’re better than a lot of the teams we’ve played so far, but we haven’t been able to put it together.” Despite the team’s fivegame losing streak, the Jaspers remain confident in their ability to stay focused and turn things around before they begin conference play against Canisius in three weeks. Each player recognizes the talent, grit, and motivation within each teammate, but they also realize that they need to start
Sophomore Trevor Santos smiles his roster photo. GO JASPERS/COURTESY getting results quickly. “We have enough and everyone will say that we have enough. But it’s one thing to say it and it’s another thing to do, so it’s just a matter of doing,” Padre said. “I think it starts now and hopefully we can get the ball rolling.” Whether or not the Jaspers
will be able to turn their season around, the team will remain positive and supportive of one another. With the first MAAC game against Canisius looming in the near future, the Jaspers are itching to get their winning streak going just in time to dominate the conference.
Jaspers are feeling a shift in how the team is approaching the 2022 season. GO JASPERS/COURTESY
Sports
10
THE QUADRANGLE
Rower Amanda Touse Promotes Women’s Empowerment on Campus Maria Thomas Senior Writer
In addition to her achievements as a rower, junior Amanda Touse is making massive strides for female empowerment on campus. Touse joined the rowing team last April as a mid-season walk-on and was completely new to the sport. In this short time, she has rowed in every port-side seat in the boat. For the entire Fall season, Touse was the stroke seat of the 2v. Although Touse has had no prior rowing experience, she has already broken several records while on the team. She currently holds the team record for the 5000m time test on the erg., which she finished with a 2:01.1minutes/500m and ended with a final 5k time of 20:11.8 minutes. Touse has not only gained experience and skill as a rower, but she has also quickly adjusted to life as a student-athlete. She was recently named a 2021 MAAC All-Academic Team Honoree and achieved one of the three top GPAs this fall semester. In an email to the Quadrangle, Touse wrote, “Being able to juggle and balance being an athlete, keeping my grades up, furthering my career, and trying to maintain a social life has admittedly been a struggle that I deal with on a daily basis, but I also wouldn’t give any of it up.”
Yet, being a student-athlete is about more than just organization and balance. Coach Katherine Hicks said, “Being a student-athlete also means taking care of your teammates and putting the team’s needs above your own. Amanda has been a fantastic teammate in terms of encouraging other rowers during races and hard practice pieces, and leading by example.” In addition to Touse’s strong academic performance, she is involved with multiple organizations on campus. Touse is employed by the Center for Academic Success as a Student Success Mentor, and she is an intern at the Lasallian Women and Gender and Resource Center (LWGRC). It is at the LWGRC that Touse has made a massive impact on campus, as she initiated the Women’s Empowerment Hour at the Kelly Commons fitness center, which takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm each week. This hour is not exclusive to individuals who identify as female but is an opportunity for all people to explore fitness in a judgment-free environment. “Time and time again, I have heard girls say that they want to lift or workout but don’t want to look stupid or get stared at by people,” Touse wrote. “Which was what really sparked my ideas of creating a women’s hour at Manhattan.” Touse first brought the con-
Amanda Touse sporting her Jaspers Rowing shirt. GO JASPERS / COURTESY
Touse and several of her teammates on the Womens Rowing team. AMANDA TOUSE / COURTESY cept up in the interview for her internship position at the LWGRC. Once she was hired as an intern, the co-directors of the center, Evelyn Scaramella and Rachel Cirelli, helped it come to fruition by getting Touse in contact with Jay Ahmed, director of the fitness center. Touse also ran multiple surveys to determine interest among the student population and collected a variety of responses, some of which were posted anonymously on the LWGRC Instagram page. Then, multiple versions of posters were created and posted to spread the word. “I said to her, ‘let’s put what people are saying up [on Instagram],” Cirelli said. “It’s obviously anonymous, but I think it resonated with a lot of people, and it probably even resonated with people that had not been to the Women’s Center before.” Cirelli discussed how most of the interns have a specific field of interest, which ensures the center provides services and creates programs that are diverse in content. “Here’s a student who cares about something, and she made it happen, and now the whole community is benefiting from it,” Cirelli said “I really think that is what the whole purpose of the Women’s Center is. It’s a
student-led Center. We are literally just stewards of what the students feel is important.” Although Touse had not yet begun rowing when the Women’s Empowerment Hour became established, there is certainly a connection between her work at the LWGRC and her involvement with rowing. “Having a great group of girls to wake up and workout with everyday who have your back and always push you to do your best and give your all both on and off the water is such an empowering feeling,” Touse said.
Touse’s leadership is felt by her co-workers, fellow rowers and coaches, as she demonstrates what it means to be a team player. “It’s just so positive that she’s trying to have an impact — not just on her team, but the larger college community,” women’s rowing head coach, Alexander Canale said. “That sends all the signals that she’ll probably continue to have an impact in whatever community she’s involved in after graduation. She’s a strong leader for sure.”
Sports
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Manhattan Women’s Basketball heads to the MAAC as No. 3 Seed
MARCH 8, 2022
Kelly Cwik Staff Writer
This past week was National Finishing their season with an overtime win on Saturday at Marist College, the Manhattan Women’s Basketball team is preparing for the 2022 MAAC Basketball Championships in Atlantic City, New Jersey next week. The regular season came to a close in exciting fashion with two overtime games. Manhattan beat Marist, 6860, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. for their final regular season game on March 5. On Wednesday, March 2, Manhattan beat rival Quinnipiac in overtime, with a final score of 73-69. The win was an exciting way to finish off their home games this season. “It actually meant the world and to be honest, after it happened I was kind of like, tearing up and I really couldn’t believe it” junior guard Dee Dee Davis said. “It was just a surreal feeling. Because I mean, it’s always a battle with them.” Manhattan lost to Quinnipiac in January, so the win at home was especially meaningful to the seniors on the team. “We were so close the last time. So we were like, we really want to get this. And it was also important for the seniors” sophomore forward Jade Blagrove said. “So yeah, it was amazing to get this in overtime.” This past weekend, with their win over Marist, Manhattan ended the season near the top of the standings in third
Women’s Basketball cheers on their teammates as the Jaspers beat the Foxes 68-60. @MANHATTANWBB / COURTESY place, but remain humble as they are taking one game at a time. “Going into the conference, our coach emphasizes not worrying about what records are, not worrying about who lost to who by what, who’s doing this, it’s anybody’s game on any given night because the conference that we’re in is just so competitive,” Davis said. “And so it may be a great feeling that we’re picked to be one of the best teams in the league, we’re at the top of the league, statistically, but if we don’t show up, none of that matters.” The team is focused and prepared to go into the tournament, looking to win the MAAC Championship. They will face
stiff competition, especially from Fairfield, the No. 1 seed. This season, they lost twice to Fairfield by over 10 points each time, however, they are confident and ready to play. “They’re a skilled team, very mature team and we played them last Saturday, although we didn’t get the win, that was good prep for when we get down to Atlantic City,” junior forward Brazil Harvey-Carr said. Despite these losses, Manhattan feels prepared, confident and ready to leave it all out on the court. “My confidence has been high ever since I stepped on campus at Manhattan,” Harvey-Carr said. “I know this
From left to right: Sophomore Jade Blagrove, Junior Dee Dee Davis and Junior Brazil Harvey-Carr. GO JASPERS/COURTESY
team is something special and I have high confidence that we can win this tournament. Everybody on this team is very talented and capable of getting the job done.” Davis said the key to winning the MAACs is to stay true to themselves, defend and play their game. Harvey-Carr said it is to focus on every possession, communicate, and play as a team. Similar to her teammates, Blagrove shared her key to winning these upcoming games. “If we stick to our principles, and stick to what we do, as a team, then we can win everything,” Blagrove said. “I think being together is very important and sharing the ball trusting each other that we are all following what the coaches taught us to do and that we can do everything.” Unlike last year, fans and
spectators will be allowed into Boardwalk Hall for this year’s tournament. The cheerleaders, dance team and the band will be traveling to support the men’s and women’s teams, as well. The Manhattan Women’s team is thrilled that they will have the support of Jasper Nation, friends, and family. “To just see the people that you love and your family and your teammates, from other schools, supporting you, it means the world because you can feed off of that energy,” Davis said. “When the gym is silent and there’s no one there, it’s all us, but we like to credit a lot of our success to not only us, but to our entire fanbase, entire Jasper nation.” Manhattan’s first game of the MAAC tournament is on Thursday at 12PM.
Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Something Really Special: Jaspers beat First-Seed Iona Gaels in Final Seconds Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor
Rick Pitino sat with his hands folded and his head low at the post-game press conference. He only took one question, then declined any further interviews. “I’m very very disappointed in my team,” Pitino said. “But we don’t have a lot of time to lament on that, we have to get ready for the MAAC.” The Manhattan Jaspers earned one of the biggest upsets of the season, beating the first-seed Iona Gaels 74-72 in the final seconds this Thursday, March 3. The Jaspers, ranked second to last in the MAAC prior to their win, were not expecting victory that night. Yet, with the seats of Draddy completely filled - some by Jaspers and most by visiting Iona fans - the team stepped up in the most high-energy game of the season. “We’ve got to give Manhattan all the credit,” Pitino said. “You’re a .500 team that played your asses off tonight. We just give them all the credit in the world for beating us…We know who we are. We’re not great basketball, we are a hard-working team. And they outworked us on the backboard in key moments.” Pitino credited senior Jose Perez for the Jasper win, saying the Gaels deserved the loss because of mistakes made by their defense. “We are not supposed to leave our feet at any point because he [Perez] fakes, fakes, fakes, but Quinn [Slazinki] left
his feet,” Pitino said. “That’s an undisciplined move by our defense, and we deserve to lose it by being undisciplined.” Perez’s iconic final shot gave the Jaspers a 2 point lead with 1.9 seconds left. Taking the ball up the court, Perez pump-faked before stepping through past Iona guard Quinn Slazinski for the floater. “Big players make big plays. Because I’m a big player, the coach trusts me to put the ball in my hands when the time is running down, ” Perez said. “And I was in crunch time, I’ve been slagging and no place to do it other than I guess Iona.” Throughout the game, Perez scored 27 of the Jaspers’ 74 points. Key scorers for the Jaspers also included Samba Diallo and Marques Watson, both with 13 points. Despite the exciting ending, the Jaspers spent most of the game on the offensive side, holding the lead for over 34 minutes of the game. Iona led for just less than one minute. “What I was proud of is when [Iona] took the lead, we stayed poised, we stuck to our execution, stuck to our strategy and our defensive,” Coach Masiello said. “And we didn’t go for the home run, we just chipped away, chipped away, did what we needed to and I thought tonight we showed great toughness.” Masiello, having played for and coached under Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky and as an assistant coach at the University of Lousiville from 2005-2011, knows the level of intensity and strategy of Iona’s team well.
Perez shooting the game winning shot against Iona. GOJASPERS/COURTESY
Perez and Coach Masiello embrace after Perez’s game winning shot. GERALD RODRIGUEZ/COURTESY “[Pitino] is a Hall of Fame coach, they have big-time players, you’re not gonna get it up to 50 and expect they’re not gonna respond,” Masiello said. “We know how good they are. They’re one of the best mid-majors in the country. They’ve accomplished a lot and what we saw tonight is, you know, we’re just as good as anyone when we’re locked in the right way mentally.” The Jaspers led 40-31 at the half with Perez leading in points and Warren Williams leading in essential rebounds. The Jaspers had a 15 point lead early in the second half, which soon dwindled until the teams tied three different times in the last two minutes of play. The Jaspers entered the final two minutes leading at 6866. Tyson Jolly had a put-back dunk on his own missed jump shot, tying the Gaels and the Jaspers at 68. The teams had competing foul shots - with both Perez and Iona player Walter Clayton Jr. scoring 2 points each. The Jaspers and Gaels were tied again with 1:06 left on the clock. Roberts scored a third-chance shot for the Jaspers with 0:46 seconds left, only for the Gaels to return with a jump shot by Elijah Joyner. Tied with 0:31 seconds left, Manhattan had
possession and Perez took matters into his own hands. “I tend to see everything that people critique about me,” Perez said. “So I try to like when I’m playing, I try to cut all the critiques out. I know all the work I’ve put in, what it takes. I do believe that I’m one of the best players, if not the best player in the league. And coach tells me that all the time.” Masello interrupts, “You’re the best in the country.” Perez continues, “So I try to be the best of my ability. And we just got to go down to Atlantic City and win four in a row. We’ve done it before. And all it takes is four to get to the big dance.” After Perez’s winning floater, Dylan van Eyck made a lastditch effort for the Gaels, but couldn’t sink the three-pointer. Draddy Gymnasium went wild as the Jaspers were named victorious. This made Masiello wonder what the season could have been if the student turnout was always as prevalent as it was on Thursday. “I was very disappointed in our student turnout this year. And I am the biggest supporter of the Sixth Borough,” Masiello said. “We’re a basketball school. Our biggest, best years of enrollment are when
the men’s basketball team has success and goes to the tournament. Men’s Basketball can change all the issues and when we understand that here at this college, it’s going to be a lot better for us. That’s going to put light on what a great engineering department we have, the O’Malley Library to Kelly Commons. Tonight’s crowd should be every night.” The Jaspers now have to wait for standings to be finalized as they approach the MAAC championships next week. Despite the loss, Iona stands at number one while the Jaspers have moved up to 7th in the league. Other schools’ competitions continue until Saturday, March 5 before the tournament on the 8th. “I don’t lose my confidence. We don’t lose our confidence. It’s a matter of going out and executing,” Masiello said. “I know what I’m doing. He knows what he’s doing. And the other 12 guys know what they’re doing. It’s a matter of us doing it. So for me, I’m not hoping anything. I’m expecting it. And it’s a matter of us cutting the nonsense out and stop being immature, and play like 22-year-old men.” Lauren Raziano contributed to reporting.