THE QUADRANGLE ISSUE 7 SPRING 2024

Quadrangle

Manhattan College Celebrates Annual Manhattys Day

AmericanHistorical toAssociationResponds MCTenuredFaculty

Angelina Persaud Managing Editor/Asst. News Editor

The American Historical Association (AHA) addressed President Milo Riverso, Ph.D., and Manhattan College administrators in a letter regarding the termination of tenured history faculty members.

The letter was released in January in concurrence with the largest round of faculty layoffs at the college. Particularly, it addresses the downsizing of the history department at MC from six to three remaining faculty members.

The letter itself was a collaborative statement created by two faculty members, the head of the governing board

and signed by the AHA’s executive director, James Grossman.

The AHA pointed to the financial struggles currently facing the college and called into question whether the elimination of tenured faculty would promote a solution or rather sacrifice the liberal arts core at the college.

“Our experience with comparable institutions is that these kinds of consolidations usually sacrifice academic quality to financial efficiencies, especially at institutions with the high standards that characterize the reputation of Manhattan College,” the letter read.

According to the AHA website, several letters addressing the downsizing of history programs have been written to various institutions including

SUNY Potsdam and West Virginia University.

Grossman told The Quadrangle that many other institutions across the U.S. are facing a similar financial crisis and often have to target specific programs to cut costs.

“We write the kind of letter that you see here, and then we watch and see what happens,” Grossman said. “The issue here is that the administration has identified a problem which obviously they know more about than we do, which has to do with budgets and priorities and they see a problem that needs to be solved.”

Grossman outlined the main ways the AHA exercises its influence in terms of providing

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Manhattan College Merges Departments Acrossits ThreeSchools

Angelina Persaud & Brooke DellaRocco Managing Editor/Asst. News Editor & News Editor

Manhattan College’s administration recently approved the merging of several departments in an effort to reduce costs and allow more faculty to teach a wider variety of classes.

Possibilities regarding how to approach the ever-growing financial problems facing the college were discussed in December of 2023 between faculty and administration. A follow-up email was sent out on Nov. 2 announcing the split of MC’s six schools into three, and then another on Jan. 16 briefly confirming the rationale behind the decision.

No further comment was provided behind the decision from interim provost Rani Roy except that the consolidation was an effort to reduce administrative overhead costs.

The new department list is as follows: The Department of History, Political Science and International Studies, The Department of Behavioral Sciences, The Department of Mathematics and Physics, The Department of Religion and Philosophy, The Department of Communication and Creative Media, The Department of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Department

of English, World Languages and Literatures.

Many previous School of Liberal Arts (SoLA) faculty members were outraged about the merger but due to privacy reasons have declined to comment.

Rostislav Konoplich Ph.D., department chairperson of physics, which will be merged with mathematics, declined an interview but instead provided a comment to summarize his attitude toward the matter.

“My response in this case is very short,” Konoplich wrote in an email to The Quadrangle.

“Mathematics and Physics departments merge is a very bad idea.”

Paul Droubie, Ph.D., director of the international studies program, spoke to The Quadrangle about how faculty are aiming to make a seamless transition for students in the process.

“How will we make this work?” Droubie said. “And mostly, because we all really care about the students, how do we make this the best for the students? We need to adjust for the things happening to the faculty.”

Droubie also explained that the most significant change to the departments will be in terms of how administrative tasks are handled such as filling out forms and signing documents from specific

The Editorial Board

Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief

Angelina Persaud Managing Editor Angelina Perez Engagment Editor

Brooke DellaRocco News Editor

Angelina Persaud Asst. News Editor

Mack Olmsted Features Editor Mary Haley Asst. Features Editor

Maizy Swift

Jill Tuthill Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editors

Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor Maizy Swift Ivy Jaep Production Editors

Mary Haley Social Media Editor

Andrew Mannion Emmanouel Sofillas Asst. Sports Editors

Barbara Vasquez Asst. Production Editor

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

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Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad

LETTER from the EDITOR

ManhattanCollegeMerges DepartmentsAcrossitsThreeSchools

Dear Readers,

As crazy as this feels to say, we’ve officially made it to the halfway point of our spring semester! These last seven weeks have flown by so quickly, and I have no doubt our remaining weeks will feel the same way. Reflecting on this job so far, I can honestly say this has been the toughest but most rewarding experience I’ve had in my life. I’ve learned so much in these last seven weeks that I would’ve never expected, and it’s been so wonderful to embark on this journey with all of you by our side.

For all of you who tune in on a regular basis, I’m sorry to share the sad news that we won’t have a new issue out next week, as all of our lovely staff here will be enjoying their spring breaks. Our next issue for you, issue eight, will be published on March 26. While this may feel like a long time away, I promise we’ll be back at the end of the month stronger than ever. Believe it or not, we’re on break for 14 of the 31 days of this month! While we are sorry to disappoint, we encourage you all to take the time you would spend reading our stories to engage in some self-care, rest, and relaxation while we do the same. The only thing that’s better than a well-rested staff would be having wellrested readers with us!

This being said, the last issue we present to you before our twoweek hiatus is full of stories sure to keep you busy. We have one of our fullest news sections yet, overflowing with stories about managing the new changes at the college and important guest speakers visiting. In features, we talk about women supporting women through a period product drive on campus. In A&E, we have Jasper Jams for your hot girl walk and an overview of the Players’ most recent Black Box show, Check, Please. In Sports, we highlight women’s lacrosse and senior recognition night for our spirit squads. With all this content and two weeks to check it out, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on all things MC.

While MC just celebrated our annual Manhatty’s Day, we hope that everyone has a safe and fun St. Patrick’s Day celebration with their families and friends next weekend. No matter how you party, The Quadrangle always encourages you, no matter what age, to drink responsibly.

As always, we also encourage you to follow us on social media for our latest updates, and to sign up for our weekly newsletter, the JasperJist, which is published every Thursday evening, sent directly to your inbox.

Until next time,

Grace Cardinal

Editor-in-Chief

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chairs.

Primarily, students will experience a change in the number of available courses per semester for a particular program, yet they will still be able to complete all the required coursework for graduation in their intended major.

“The variety will probably be a little bit reduced, just because we have fewer faculty,” Droubie said. “But getting enough classes for people to actually graduate with the major, that’s not going to change. Maybe there were 10 options, usually and now there will be six options in a given semester. That’s what we care about, how are we going to get the students to have a fulfilling experience.”

He also noted that the merged departments are still in the planning phase of determining the chairs for the consolidated groups or if cochairs are a possibility.

“I think as we are consolidating departments we are working on our own plans,” Droubie said. “So I think some of them will have co-chairs, which we haven’t really done much of before, at least not within what used to be liberal arts. Some people might have only one chair. So maybe we’ll decide to have three different people signing things depending upon the major. We’re actually still figuring that out.”

While discussion of chairs is underway, certain programs are having a difficult time trying to provide for the surplus of students that have now been placed under their responsibility.

Previously, the Department

of Mathematics had over 1100 students enrolled in math courses in the fall of 2023, marking the greatest number of students enrolled in any department for that semester.

Now, merging with the physics department, which had a little over 900 students last fall, will prove to be a challenge for whoever is appointed chair.

Currently, the responsibility is being placed on the previous chair of mathematics, Helene Tyler, Ph.D..

“We’re still actively working out the details of what the internal administrative structure of the merged department will be,” Tyler said. “So I don’t yet know what my personal role will be.”

Although class sizes will not be affected by the merger, there will be an increased reliance on adjunct faculty, and certain faculty taking on more classes. Tyler acknowledged that although this is a difficult

shift, she praised the talented and dedicated educators who are still present at the college.

“Good news is, the faculty that we have, have quite broad expertise,” Tyler said. “This is something we are really lucky

about.”

Editor’s note: These interviews were conducted before 2/26/24.

AmericanHistorical

MCAssociationRespondsto TenuredFacultyLayoffs

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resources and advocacy for history education nationwide. He explained that although the association has no formal power to enact policies against institutions, it is able to provide professional development resources for history faculty, “legitimate” the standards of a historian and “inspire” students and faculty through its efforts.

“We don’t control any jobs. We don’t control people’s salaries. We don’t write laws,” Grossman said. “We have the power to bring people together…the power to legitimate in some ways that is involved in the letter that we wrote to the college…we have the power to say this is what good history is, or this is what makes a historian qualified… we have the power to inspire which we hope affects students but also faculty.”

The letter goes on to comment on the necessity of a liberal arts education stating, “As a Lasallian institution with a strong tradition of liberal arts education, Manhattan College has a particularly impressive record of high-quality history education provided by an accomplished faculty committed to undergraduate education. The AHA urges the administration to consider how its actions are undermining this commitment to the liberal arts and the training of teachers, and the importance of the liberal arts to the lifelong learning essential to occupational and professional success.”

The Office of the President provided a statement to The Quadrangle explaining its understanding of the AHA’s message as the college continues to navigate the financial turmoil.

“Manhattan College has had to make very difficult

and painful decisions in order to continue to provide the highest level of education for our deserving students,” the statement read. “We appreciate the input of the AHA and other outside membership associations and while we wished it would have offered solutions instead of a blanket criticism of these difficult choices that we are facing, we will consider it and all other correspondence from our community and friends as we navigate through these challenges.”

The full letter can be found on the AHA’s website at the on our website.

Paul Droubie, director of international studies. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

SHPE and DFI Host Conversation With Jasper Alumnus Pablo Lopez

Anna Segota & Leyla Mercado

Staff Writers

Manhattan College’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) hosted geo-structural engineer Pablo Lopez, P.E., last week as he spoke to students about working in the industry and his experiences.

SHPE is an organization for Hispanic students and professionals alike in the engineering field to collaborate and celebrate their identity.

SHPE also works to create opportunities for Hispanic engineers in a field where their voices haven’t always been heard.

MC’s chapter of SHPE hosts several trips and events each year, including a trip to Google’s offices in Manhattan and attending the yearly organization-wide SHPE conference in Utah.

“The whole aspect of having a sense of community was a big thing for me, so that’s why I chose to join especially, considering that I am a firstgeneration college student,” Ashlie Roque, president of MC’s chapter of SHPE, said.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, even though I had other family members that had gone to college, they didn’t do anything in STEM. So it was just a big thing for me to have that kind of connection to other STEM majors who might be experiencing the same thing.”

SHPE collaborated with the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI), an association dedicated to finding common ground with professionals in the deep foundations industry, which includes the field of geostructural engineering. The College and was interested in

DFI has a chapter at Manhattan College and was interested in having Lopez speak to students using his expertise.

Lopez is a geo-structural engineer who graduated from Manhattan College in 1988. He was a member of SHPE during his time at the college and continues to be involved with SHPE both as a whole and with the MC chapter. Lopez helped work on the New World Trade Center in the wake of 9/11, which many students were interested in during the discussion.

Students asked Lopez about different topics concerning the Hispanic identity and working in engineering. Many students were also curious about Lopez’s background in engineering in relation to construction, and how his time at MC helped him later in life.

“The event was super fun and it was great to talk to someone that genuinely cared about our questions,” Samantha Perricelli, president of the MC chapter of DFI, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Pablo was very energetic and enthusiastically answered all questions even if they were about our personal career choices, he even gave us advice on how to make choices about the future and our career paths.”

Joseph Caiazzo, treasurer of SHPE, felt similarly about the advice given at the event, mentioning it is a learning aspect of engineering that is not taught in a class.

“He gave me really good advice about being a young engineer, and how to resolve conflict and other skills you might not learn in school,” Caiazzo said. “Pablo definitely gave us a lot of pointers. He also talked to us about how his career progressed through time and things he did. A lot

Pablo Lopez P.E. and the current Manhattan College Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. ANNA SEGOTA/THE QUADRANGLE

of people asked him really insightful questions, and he definitely gave very good answers.”

Lopez spoke about what graduates should expect in the workplace, and how they might go about navigating postgrad and finding employment, as well as networking with other alumni.

Many students found this extremely helpful especially since Lopez is a Jasper and offered much more personalized advice.

“It was a privilege and a pleasure to help a fellow Jasper

and SHPE member grow professionally,” Lopez wrote in his LinkedIn profile about helping students in SHPE. SHPE plans to continue to host events similar to this one throughout the year and continue to expand its program and network for students. Students emphasized the vital effect of having connections with those who have faced experiences similar to their own. Lopez’s words and willingness to listen granted students the opportunity to relate, and see themselves in a field where they might not

always be seen. As SHPE and DFI continue to host events such as this one, the groups aim to have a conversation relating to inclusivity. The panel demonstrated the need for the MC student body to have a space where minority students, such as the Hispanic community, are heard.

AdmissionsAddresses NationalEnrollment Decline,PreparesforSt. LaSalleHonorsCeremony

Lauren Raziano Senior Writer

Manhattan College’s Office of Admissions is in full swing for “yield season”, focusing on the accepted student cohort and converting them to committed students through the Saint LaSalle Honors Ceremony and accepted students days.

Spring semester is the yield season for admissions, where universities determine the number of students offered admission and those who have accepted. In 20221, there were 3,694 students enrolled at Manhattan College with an overall enrollment yield of 9.04%.

President Milo Riverso, Ph.D., wrote in an email to the college on Feb. 5 describing the decline in overall student enrollment, nationally and at Manhattan College. There are currently 3,495 enrolled students, with a decline expected, as reported by the president’s email.

“During the past four to five years, Manhattan College has experienced an approximate 30% decline in student enrollment due to various factors, including an overall change in how higher education is viewed in the U.S. (including almost daily discussions in the media about the long-term values of higher education) and the pandemic which saw us lose significant numbers of students, particularly those residing on campus leaving us with numerous dorm rooms unoccupied,” Riverso wrote.

Director of admissions and alumnus of MC Benjamin Boivin has recognized the national decline in college enrollment as the “enrollment cliff.”

“Nationwide, the decline has begun, it’s called the enrollment cliff,” Boivin said. “If you look back 18 years ago, when a lot of these incoming students were born, there was

a recession in 2008 so families were less likely to have children in this country. Now, 18 years later when these students are going to school in 2024, you’re going to start seeing a drop in college-age students just naturally because they weren’t being born. So that’s definitely making a difference.”

Boivin said the trends of admitted students are reflective of the interest in majors, even with the shift from six academic schools to down to three.

“There’s a lot of interest in all the different programs, engineering being our largest school, probably the bulk of the applications,” Boivin said. “Business is very, very popular and now that we’ve consolidated schools into the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, there’s a lot of education interest because it is the hallmark of what we’re known for as a Lasaillan school. Computer science is one of the most popular majors in the country right now, so definitely our computer science program will continue to grow.”

Evelyn Orellana, associate director of undergraduate admissions, said that prospective students are searching for a Lasallian education founded in liberal arts.

“You are seeing that students are more inclined to pursue a liberal arts foundation because they are looking to diversify their area of interest,” Orellana said. “So they are applying to engineering but those same students are interested in business and the performing arts. So I think the fact that Manhattan College offers students that opportunity is definitely generating interest.”

Boivin and Orellana have been working on the upcoming Saint LaSalle Honors Ceremony, where admitted students are honored with a medal for their academic achievements during high school. The event will take place on March 3 in the Chapel of DeLaSalle and His Brothers.

“We’ve hosted this for a couple of decades now and

it’s for all of our top accepted students of this cycle,” Bovin said. “We invite them to campus and we give them an award with the idea of introducing them to Lasallian education.”

The Saint LaSalle Honors Ceremony is a high-yield event for the college, as Boivin reports that about 220 families are coming to campus, with nearly 60% of these prospective students committing to MC.

“A general yield event will see between like 60-65% ‘show rate’, so students who sign up and students who come,” Boivin said. “This event actually tends to be the highest of our ‘show rates’ because it’s a very prestigious award.”

Although the pandemic years led to a shift in resident and commuter populations at MC, the new $20 million renovations for Horan Hall have also motivated more students to visit MC and become campus residents.

“COVID days, four years ago, we weren’t allowed to travel anywhere so we could not go into these high schools and recruit students throughout the country,” Boivin said. “So that natural resident population

that we had coming from places like California, Washington D.C., Chicago, Florida, southern Jersey and northern Massachusetts, all went away for a couple of years because we couldn’t talk to them. We have these brand new $20 million renovated apartments, I think we’re going to see more of a surge of students wanting to live here on campus.”

For interested students, the preferred application deadline is March 1, but students can still apply and be accepted on a rolling basis to Manhattan College. The accepted students’ days will be on Saturday, April 13 and Saturday, April 27, including personal sessions with the deans of the three schools and various faculty.

“I would say the acceptance events are some of our most exciting events of the year because everybody on campus loves Manhattan College,” Boivin said. “They’ve all been accepted here. I think the presentations by our deans, in the presence of our faculty and our chairs, really makes a difference because it is a personal touch.”

Hyllary Jean-Baptiste, a

senior tour guide, motivates prospective students to visit campus and trust their gut about where they want to attend.

“My favorite thing about being a tour guide is being able to connect with students that do come and visit campus and getting to know them,” JeanBaptiste said. “The biggest thing that I like to say on my tour is to go with your heart, follow your gut, and no matter what decision you make, it’s not going to be a wrong decision. At the end of the day, everything in life is a lesson, life will teach you something and you’re gonna learn from it.”

Orellana encourages students to seek out community at Manhattan College.

“I would say that if a student is looking for community, they’ll definitely find it at Manhattan,” Orellana said. “I think there are so many different interests here so students will definitely find their fit. I encouraged them to explore every opportunity they have, whether that’s a major, an activity, an internship, and most importantly, know that they will have support on campus.”

Manhattan College’s campus. MANHATTAN.PHOTOSHELTER/

SpecialGuestMartinJ. GruenbergSpeaksatMC

Maizy Swift

Production Editor/Asst. Art & Entertainment Editor

Martin J. Gruenberg, chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), visited Manhattan College to speak to O’Malley School of Business students about both his life experiences and how to make a difference through civic engagement.

Gruenberg’s talk gave insight as to how the FDIC works, as well as the importance of doing what you love and using it to help people. His background in building affordable housing in the Bronx and working to make the Bronx a better place was inspiring to students and others who attended.

Liam Donahue, a senior economics and finance major, attended the event and found Gruenbergs talk insightful.

“I think it was really interesting to hear how the FDIC stepped in and saved the regional banks last year, specifically Signature Bank,” Donahue said. “It was cool to hear how they were able to step in and save neighborhoods in the Bronx.”

This event also helped Donahue learn more about the FDIC.

“I was familiar with the FDIC before the event, it was kind of seen with their current ads and different banking sector stuff, but it was unique to kind of hear about how they function, especially for banking prices across the country.”

Many students such as Donahue appreciate having speakers like Gruenberg come to MC as it is informative and inspiring.

“I think it’s really good to have speakers come from the real world because you can only learn so much in the classroom,” Donahue said. “It’s really good to hear from people outside the classroom and motivate them [students] to see their career path.”

Don Gibson Ph.D., dean of O’Malley School of Business, also expressed the importance of having speakers such as Gruenberg visit MC.

“I think it’s important for our business students and for all students at Manhattan College to meet leaders in government and business who are really making a difference and Mr. Gruenberg, who’s

O’MALLEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS LinkedIn/COURTESY

chair of the FDIC really has had an impact on the sustainability of banking,”

Gibson said. “But as we talked about in this program, it also affects affordable housing in the Bronx, it really has a connection to real people.”

Gibson expressed two of the most important takeaways he felt students should have after the event.

“Students should think about going into civic engagement and the government,” Gibson said.

“There are some really important jobs that need to be done and I think sometimes students, especially business students, think in one-track, for-profit jobs. The banking industry affects all of us and when you’re in a community, like the Bronx, where there’s a lot of people who are unbanked,

or who cannot have banking services, it makes an impact.”

Owen Sweeney, a sophomore business analytics major, felt Gruenberg’s talk gave great insight.

“I really enjoyed all of the insights that he gave about the business world and how things work in the actual workplace,” Sweeney said. “Doing stuff for the public good is also a great point.”

When asked if this event inspired Sweeney to take part in civic engagement, he mentioned its reinforcement of his career path.

“It did in some ways, because I’ve always thought about trying to do some public sector work and I really liked when Mr. Gruenberg’s talked about that part,” Sweeney said.

This event was one of many the O’Malley School of

Business holds each semester in order to help students envision what they want to do with their futures, and find ways to become successful in their

careers. Both Gruenberg’s experience in business and growing up in the Bronx made for helpful advice for students at MC.

Clubs at MC Search to Fill Advisor Roles

Catherine

With recent faculty cuts, some clubs may be left without an advisor in the coming months, leaving many clubs searching to find other faculty members who can fill the vacancies.

With over 100 clubs in total at Manhattan College, the activities and events that take place on campus play a crucial role in developing the atmosphere at MC. All clubs are required to fill the demand of finding a faculty member to be seated as their advisor.

Vice president of club administration for student government Montserrat Nicasio said in an interview with The Quadrangle that club advisors are a necessity for students.

“Having one is really staple, just so there is a representation of the club,” Nicasio said. Advisors are tasked with being present during club meetings and events.

“There are academic or co-curricular versus regular clubs, so it really depends on the club itself,” Nicasio said.

“Does it have many events? Does it need a certain number of participants?”

Soon-to-be secretary of the crochet club Grace Nariani explained the current situation with their faculty advisor.

“We try to plan a club event about two times a semester in addition to the usual hourly meetings that occur twice a week,” Nariani said. “Our advisor is pretty inactive since our club is majorly studentrun, but we ask for his support when we need it. Dr. Ryan has been the advisor ever since the club was started last year.” Nicasio highlighted student engagement’s efforts to assist clubs in finding advisors when needed, yet noted that there are still some uncertainties around filling all vacancies.

“Nothing is finalized… we need to see until next semester what is going to play out…I think right now it is unprecedented,” Nicasio said. “Administration has yet to share any conclusive information with Student Engagement as far as this issue, there hasn’t been any specified news… we are all in a kind of waiting period.”

Rebeca Kern-Stone, Ph.D.,

the standing director of the Women and Gender Resource Center (WGRC) and faculty advisor to The American Advertising Federation (AAF) as well as Lotus Magazine, spoke on the variance that can be found in working in each of these different organizations.

“For the Women and Gender Center…I got a course release for it last year, so instead of teaching three courses in the fall, I taught two,” Kern-Stone said. “You are given a break so that you can do the amount of commitment that it takes, this is only applicable to certain positions. As far as advising clubs, faculty does not get paid, we do this because we believe

in what they are doing.”

Kern-Stone elaborated on how she was passed on the role of WGRC director.

“I was asked as somebody who had a background in gender studies, and my work was very much about identity, so I was a sort of natural fit as advisor for that, so they came to me specifically,” Kern-Stone said.

With the anticipated changes that will be in effect for the upcoming fall semester, Kern-Stone stated that the WGRC may have to be on the lookout for another director soon.

“Going forward, they are going to have to find another

faculty member that can stand in…as for the Women’s Center I have no idea what is going to happen,” Kern-Stone said. With many questions unanswered and minimal communication on the subject between the administration and the clubs themselves, it is proving to be a difficult situation to navigate.

“They [student engagement] will get updates and they just have to go along with it,” Nicasio said. “So many areas of the school are kind of at a standstill but hopefully in a positive light, I feel like there is going to be a bettering… we have to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Diakou Staff Writer

Montserrat Nicasio, Vice President of Club Administration.

Rebeca Kern-Stone, Ph.D. LINKEDIN/COURTESY

Martin J. Gruenberg, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, receives O”Malley School of Business hat after his inspiring Conversation.

The Power of Women Supporting Women: Feminine Product Drive

Angelina Persaud Managing Editor/Asst. News Editor

Women supporting other women was the theme for the feminine hygiene product drive sponsored by femaleled organizations on campus including Sigma Delta Tau (SDT), Alpha Pi Phi (APP) and Her Campus. The drive began on Feb. 27 on the quad where boxes of tampons, pads and other feminine hygiene products were piled into boxes.

The three female-led organizations on campus partnered up to create a feminine hygiene product drive as a way of showing support to local women in the community.

Both sororities at Manhattan College, APP and SDT, as well as Her Campus geared up to collect and send the donations to the Rise of Broken Women non-profit organization. The non-profit was chosen by the executive boards (e-boards) of the sororities and Her Campus.

Rise of Broken Women was founded by Charlee Newman who experienced living in a homeless shelter firsthand as well as the struggles that came when she did not have access to feminine products during her menstrual cycle. She witnessed people resort to often unhygienic resolutions during her time there.

According to the charity’s website, they “Bring women and families currently in homeless shelters or lowincome communities the necessary tools to liberate themselves from the poverty cycle.”

The organization itself is predominantly run by a team of women who enlist the aid of charity drives from the local community to support their mission.

Siena DeMarco, campus coordinator for Her Campus and external programming officer for APP, collaborated with both SDT and APP to organize the drive as a way of uniting people on campus towards a common cause.

“It is a good opportunity for

girls on this campus to come together and do a very womanfocused day and support a female organization,” DeMarco said.

Chiara Gambrioni, philanthropy chair for APP, was involved in advertising the drive to attract more students to donate. She told The Quadrangle that this isn’t the first time the sororities and Her Campus have teamed up for an event, but is a collaborative experience that the e-board members look forward to continuing. She also noted that the

female-led organizations are preparing for International Women’s Day on March 8 where they will be hosting another large event, possibly in tandem with Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) and Lotus magazine.

“We’ll probably be doing some more by the upcoming semester and we’ve got International Women’s Day coming up,” Gambrioni said. “We have an event, I think we’ve got like 11 clubs joining us and we’re going to be in the quad along with the others [DKE].”

All members of both sororities and Her Campus echoed a similar sentiment about the purpose of holding drives such as this one: for women to support each other. Although the donations will be sent to Rise of Broken Women, members highlighted the importance of acknowledging ways to help local women in the community and giving back.

Danae Cecena, fundraising chair for APP, spoke about how she hopes students will benefit from seeing the drive on campus and potentially donate. “[I hope to] help the women

that we’re going to be donating this to so that they can have better access to feminine products that they normally don’t have,” Cecena said. “I’m just glad that we’re doing this and also so that people notice some things that we normally take for granted.”

Looking for Blind Dating Tips? The Cast of Check, Please Has You

Alexandrea Velez Contributor

Manhattan College Players held their student slot production of Check, Please this past Friday, showcasing a series of terrible first dates. The main characters, Guy and Girl, sit several tables away from each other at the Cullen and Kane’s restaurant, a name picked out by castmates, and date one odd character after another.

Landen Scofield, a junior majoring in education with an English concentration, played Guy, the leading male character. Scofield told The Quadrangle how this performance differs from other Players productions he has participated in, such as last semester’s Phineas and Ferb-themed cabaret and Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors.

“Check, Please is different from what I’ve done with other plays,” Scofield said. “This one is more improv-based for a lot of stuff, and you can make the lines funnier just by doing random things. It changes every night, which I haven’t had in a performance before.”

The interactions during the

dates range from a psychic who is somehow great at hacking phones or a pirate not interested in love but instead a scurvy crew of buccaneers.

Sophomore Olivia Bailey was cast as Girl, the leading female character, after helping stagehand another performance of Check, Please, bringing a sense of what it was like before it was brought to Players. Bailey explained the personable atmosphere that Check, Please had due to director Tess Nunan’s leadership, which was unique and unlike any production she has been a part of so far.

“This production of Check, Please differs because the lovely Tess Nunan directed it, and she makes the experience so amazing for all of us,” Bailey said. “[Rehearsal] was one-onone instead of just being told what to do all the time.”

Kevin Kane, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering whose first performance at MC was Check, Please, played two roles, Ken and Dewey. One was a sophisticated traveler from the shores of New Jersey and the other was an accountant who loves being extreme, especially on first dates.

“It was a lot of fun because I’ve never done anything like this,” Kane said. “I got to play around with my characters and have fun with everybody in the cast.”

Director Tess Nunan is the President of Players, and as she nears her graduation, Check Please will be one of Nunan’s last productions here at MC.

Nunan and the other Player’s board members chose Check, Please for this year’s student slot due to the simplicity yet humorous tones.

Nunan explains how proud she is of the cast and their ability to bring her vision to life with this production.

“I think Grace Coutu does a great job as Paul, who is this misogynistic, terrible guy,” Nunan said. “love both Kevin Kane and Cullen, Collin Sweeney and Karie Alvarez. It’s hard to pick just one of them I am proud of. It’s like picking between children.”

As the three-night specials and restaurant doors convert back to what MC knows as the Black Box, the cast of Check, Please reminds students why it is important to check their matches and continue to attend Players productions.

Members of SDT, APP, and Her Campus in front the table where donations were collected. INSTAGRAM @ALPHAPIPHI_MU /COURTESY

Junior Landen Scofield and Sophomore Maggie Knapp playing Guy and Melanie. LIZ DONG / COURTESY

Colin Sweeney plays the mime alongside a psychic. LIZ DONG / COURTESY

Jasper Jams: Hot Girl Walk to the Deli

Anna Segota Staff Writer

While I try to stay as active as possible, going on walks or runs will always be my favorite form of exercise. I always try to shoot to get in that sixmile morning run; some days, I don’t feel pumped up enough to do it. In the spring and summer, if I’m feeling a little bit lazy or just want to slow things down for the day, I’ll forgo the track and go on what one may consider “a hot girl walk.”

Usually between two and four miles, my personal “hot girl walks” are laid back, relaxing and typically end with me stopping at my favorite deli to get a sandwich the size of my head, eating back about half the calories I just burned.

Doo Wop (That Thing) by Ms. Lauryn Hill:

This is THE official anthem of the hot girl walk. It’s upbeat with an amazing rhythm, and

Ms. Lauryn Hill is singing the absolute truth on this track. With a BPM of 100, this is the perfect song to start your walk.

State Of Grace by Taylor Swift:

Now, before you all boo me, this song is made for movement. Whether it’s for your walk, car ride or train trip, TS will get you going on this track. Off of her best album, Red, State of Grace is going to give your “hot girl walk” the speed it needs.

Back On 74 by Jungle:

You may recognize this song from a dance trend that was going around a few months ago, which makes sense because every time I hear Back On 74, I have to resist the urge to start grooving. Side effects of listening to this track may include a pep in your step and a lust for life.

Jazz Is For Ordinary People by Berlioz:

Not to be confused with the romantic era composer of the same name, Berlioz creates a wonderful blend of jazz and house music perfect for dancing, walking, or any activity. I like to listen to this song while walking around the park, enjoying the shade of the trees.

Duvet by Bôa:

On a more mystical note, Duvet is perfect for a hot girl walk a little later in the day, just as the sun sets. Whenever you listen to this song, you can’t help but see life a little more magical than it is, as a haunting chorus and gorgeous acoustic guitar bridge serenade you.

Didn’t Cha Know by Erykah Badu:

Keeping the chill vibes going, this track is definitely for a slower-paced walk. Stopping to smell the roses and admire the scenery, it doesn’t matter

where or when on your walk you’re listening to this track by Erykah Badu, and your worries will be melted away.

Jazz (We’ve Got) By A Tribe Called Quest:

Another jazz fusion track, A Tribe Called Quest, just can’t miss it, especially regarding their The Low End Theory album. You may recognize this track from your Gen X dad’s vinyl collection, but that doesn’t mean that it’s just nostalgia that makes this song sound good. After all, what’s hotter than recycling?

VIRGO’S GROOVE By Beyoncé:

I may be biased as I am, in fact, a Virgo sun, but this is one of the best tracks off of RENAISSANCE. I don’t think I have to convince you to listen to this one. Anything Mrs. Carter makes is bound to be incredible.

LDN by Lily Allen:

Lily Allen’s description of “city life” fits New York just as much as it does London. This upbeat pop-rock track is for the final stretch of your walk, pushing you to keep going and hit that extra mile to get in those 10,000 steps.

The World Is Yours by Nas:

Once again, 90s hip hop is arguably the best genre to listen to on a hot girl walk. Sandwich bag and iced beverage in hand, this song is for finding a good bench to eat your treat on, or if your deli is close enough, get back home. Finishing on a high but relaxed note is important. You shouldn’t be tired after a hot girl walks and shouldn’t feel restless either. You should feel even more right if the sandwich is good enough. Feeling refreshed, satisfied and above all, happy. That’s what a hot girl walk is all about

Women’s Lacrosse Wins Back-to-Back Games in Overtime

After a 0-2 start to the season, Jaspers women’s lacrosse is persevering. The Jaspers put up fights in their last two home games, resulting in two straight wins in double overtime.

Following a tough loss to Temple University, the team faced off against the Long Island University Sharks on Feb. 21 on their home turf in Gaelic Park. The game began with a goal by Reagan Mullins in the first quarter, followed by a score from Colleen Rattigan in the second.

“I thought the team chemistry was great throughout the game,” Mullins said. “I think the overtime definitely tested us but we thankfully came out on top and I thought overall we were really confident and composed throughout it all which was really great.”

The game picked up in the second half with junior midfielder Ashely Bonitch leading the Jaspers with three goals.

“Our entire team kept pushing us to keep going and keep shooting,” Bonitch said in an interview with The Quadrangle. “I credit [the team] for my success. Everyone on the defensive end kept causing those turnovers, bringing it down to the offensive end and creating those opportunities for scores.”

Following the hat trick by Bonitch, senior midfielder Julianna Iovine made her first goal of the game from an assist by Olivia Cruthers. A goal by the LIU Sharks tied up the score at the end of the fourth quarter, bringing the game into overtime. The game ended in double overtime with another goal by Iovine and securing an 8-7 win for the Jaspers.

“I think that there were a lot of really good moments on both sides of the ball,” Cruthers said. “Our defense really stepped up, and that was kind of the game changer. We

Midfielder Ashley Bonitch makes a catch in the home game against La Salle. GOJASPERS/COURTESY

learned a lot from [the game] as a whole and it’s going to help us a lot going forward.” The team faced the La Salle University Explorers the following week. The Jaspers started the game on a high note with a total of six goals in the first quarter led by Mullins, Cruthers and Emily Fiola.

“I felt like our first quarter that game was probably some of the best offense that we’ve seen from our team and it was a huge team effort as always,” Cruthers said. “We had a ton of assisted goals, more than we’ve seen all season. It was the coming together for our offense that I think is just the base of how great we’re gonna

be throughout the rest of the season. I think that everyone had a place in that, everyone had a piece of greatness and it wasn’t just the two of us, but the people who were able to set us up for that.”

The Explorers fought back in the second half. The score remained close in the fourth quarter, while a score by the Explorers ended the fourth quarter in a 12-12 tie with only two minutes to spare. Bonitch eventually brought home the win for the Jaspers in the second overtime with the team cheering from the sidelines.

Following the back-to-back wins in overtime, the team plans to learn from their expe-

rience and move forward with optimism as they face their upcoming games.

“Overtime is definitely tough mentally and physically,” Cruthers said. “I feel like since we experienced it so much these past two games, the next games that we do get into another overtime, we are prepared and confident.”

Head coach Jenna Dingler spoke in an interview published to GoJaspers.com about the team’s performance in their win against La Salle University. “We learned a lot from today’s win,” Dingler said. “We were challenged in many ways, but we are proud of the team for coming out on top. They

maintained composure in overtime once again. We are looking forward to applying these lessons to our mindset in future games.”

Jocelyn Visnov Senior Writer

MC Honors the Jasper Dancers and Cheerleaders During Their Senior Night Performance

Angelina Perez Engagement Editor / Arts & Entertainment Editor

Friends and families gathered in Draddy Gymnasium for a heartwarming senior night celebration of the Jasper dancers and cheerleaders.

During half-time between Manhattan College and Marist College’s men’s basketball teams, senior members were introduced and brought to the middle of the court with their family and friends, as their achievements were highlighted and cheers were heard.

Cheerleaders Mikayla Brown and Carter Silane reflected on their time at MC performing for the basketball team throughout the years.

“It’s bittersweet, especially this year our team has become the closest we’ve ever been over the past three years that I’ve been on the team,” Silane said. “It’s really exciting to be a senior, but it’s also really sad to leave such an amazing group of girls and coaches.”

Brown has had the experience of being on a cheer team throughout her childhood and high school. Leaving the MC cheer team brought a lot of

emotions upon her.

“I’ve been cheering since I was 10, and when I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted to continue and since I came here, it’s only grown more,” Brown said. “Leaving cheerleading is going to be hard for me, but I’ve learned a lot and have met so many people that I’m so thankful for. Cheer has given me everything.”

Silane told The Quadrangle that she started cheering her junior year of high school after dancing her whole life.

“I played every other sport but nothing really clicked as well as cheer and that feeling has just gone up since I started,” Silane said.

The cheer team had the opportunity to travel to London in 2022 with the men’s basketball team, as well as other parts of the U.S. They were also able to travel to the University of Kansas this year and Atlantic City, NJ as part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament (MAAC).

“This year is our first year going to nationals and in order to do that you have to go through a two-day camp and that really brought us all together because we spent countless hours that whole weekend together,” Brown said.

Despite the moves and poses

Jasper Dancer seniors were honored at senior night. ANNIE RASETINA / COURTESY

teams put forward throughout the season, Silane emphasized the strength it takes to get hurt and keep performing with a smile on your face, something cheerleaders and dancers know all too well.

“I would definitely say we push through adversity,” Silane said. “What you don’t see on the court is that we are constantly falling during practice, and if someone gets hurt you get back up and help each other.”

As Brown and Silane looked at each other with tears in their eyes, they brought thanks to their family and teammates as the reality set in that this game would be one of the most significant ones in their college careers.

“Thank you for a great four years, and especially this last year, everything I could have wanted, going to nationals, was so important to me and I’m so thankful that our coaches really pushed for it,” Brown said.

Dance team senior member Lauren Kawecki told The Quadrangle how fast she felt this night crept up on her but is thankful for her fellow seniors in the crowd who attended the game.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Kawecki said. “It’s like that imposter syndrome where it came sooner than you thought. I’m happy with the crowd and the energy tonight. Honestly, we haven’t had support for the basketball team in a while and it was good to have real people give positive energy.”

Katie Rachman described her senior night as one she has been waiting for through obstacles such as COVID and budget cuts. Along with her teammates, she looked on the bright side of everything and looked back on what the dance team had accomplished during her time at MC.

“Tonight’s hip-hop routine was choreographed by all five seniors collectively, which was

really awesome,” Rachman said. “It was my first time having choreography on the court, and it was just unreal.”

Kawecki reassured that her love and appreciation for dance will continue beyond graduation and follow her for the rest of her life.

“I’m always going to appreciate dance more,” Kawecki said. “When I’m at another basketball game or being with friends and dancing, I’m going to miss the energy of being out on the court and I’m grateful for all the time, energy, blood, sweat and tears that they’ve put into me, and I hope that I’ve done the same thing.”

Both seniors on the dance and cheer teams wished each other luck during their national tournaments and had the utmost love for everyone who showed up for them during senior night.

Senior and captain of the Jasper Cheerleaders, Emily Gianni.

ANGELINA PEREZ / THE