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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume CVIII, Issue 10
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NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 14, 2023
Bart Horn, Ph.D. Receives NSF grant to study Early Universe Cosmology Karen Flores
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Future Jaspers Honored at Game Two highschool seniors recieve scholarship from Manhattan College Air Force ROTC.
@MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY
Freshman Class Voice Concerns of Campus Life at Forum Event Mary Haley
Asst. Social Media Editor The class of 2027 vice presidents, Shu Amanuma and Ashely Zegler, held a freshman forum event where new students could voice their concerns about campus life and discuss how their first few weeks of college have progressed. Amanuma and Zegler presented slides of general topics of campus life, including public safety and academic transparency, and also topics that are more unique to Manhattan College life, such as involvement of commuters in campus events and different meal plans.
IN NEWS:
Freshman Class Voice Concerns on p. 3
The representatives opened the floor to record students discussing each topic and their own opinions and experiences with each aspect of campus life. The freshman representatives plan to present these concerns to the greater student government organization on campus to work together to hopefully find a solution to what was raised. One student, who chose to remain anonymous, shared their insight on the topics that were presented. Their concerns regarded the issue of academic transparency and the uncertainty of navigating that as a first-year student.
IN FEATURES: AI’s Use in Work Space on p. 4
The student raised their concerns about a three-hour night class that meets once a week, explaining how unclear the adjunct professor is with assignments of when they are due. They explained that this lack of communication interferes with how they learn the material and makes them uncertain if they are prepared for the class or not. “It is a problem with adjuncts,” the student said. “Due dates [will] come and she does not post a slot for it, so it’s kind of just very unorganized. I’m not learning anything.” __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Bart Horn, Ph.D., associate professor of physics at Manhattan College, received a $135,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support his research on early universe evolution and cosmology. According to manhattan. edu, the grant’s title is “Pion Lagrangian for Large Scale Structure in Cosmology” and it is part of the NSF’s Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program, which aims to aid research projects that involve undergraduate students. Horn is working alongside Bhavya Mishra, a junior computer science major with a minor in astronomy, and David Muqattash, a junior physics major. They hope to collect and analyze data for algorithms used to help create simulations of the evolution of large-scale structures (LSS), or the pattern of galaxies and clusters of galaxies, in the early universe. Horn explained to The Quadrangle that one of the goals of the research is to be able to develop new computational and theoretical techniques to make sense of the data collected from the largescale structure. “Before now, the sources of precision data have been looking at the cosmic microwave background, which is a very clean data source, but it’s only a two-dimensional map,” Horn explained. “With large-scale structure, we have a three-dimensional universe to look at. But the problem is messy. A lot has happened in the last few billion years and it takes a bit to sort it out.” Mishra began looking for research opportunities at the beginning of his freshman year and approached Horn during his physics 101 class to discuss ways in which he could do research with him. “He was actually more than eager to introduce me to this
IN A&E:
Book Nook: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan on p. 6
professional research field,” Mishra said. “It was a good coincidence I must say that he needed someone from computer science to work with the layout and designing of the simulations.” Mishra is interested in astrophysics and hopes that he can merge both computer science and physics in a way that connects with astronomy. He believes that being a part of this research has aided in the growth of his knowledge on both sides. “I’m trying to merge these two fields together. Astrophysics on its own is more theoretical,” Mishra said. “But when you want to implement them or experiment with them, you need some kind of simulation made through code so you can visualize a piece of the universe. I’m learning a lot about how to bring them closer day by day, it’s very interesting.” Muqattash found that being involved in this research has allowed him to gain skills outside of his major and strengthen his understanding of what he is taught in the classroom. “Coding is an amazing skill that I’ve begun to learn with this research,” Muqattash said. “On top of that, I’m having an early go at some of the more advanced topics and concepts in physics which will definitely help in the leap from classes to jobs or from classes to research. To be able to emulate this in a safe academic environment is very helpful.” Mishra and Muqattash have taken part in presenting the research to various audiences, including the Jasper Summer Research symposium and the 41 Rochester Society of Physics Students Zone 2 Conference. Muqattash recalled what it was like to present at the summer symposium and said that while daunting, it felt very good to present what he had __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS:
Jasper Takes on G-League on p.8
News
NOVEMEBR 14, 2023 Volume CVIII, Issue 10 NOVEMBER 14, 2023
The Editorial Board
Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor
Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor
Angelina Persaud News Editor
Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor
Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor
Angelina Perez Asst. Features Editor
Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor
Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor
Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editors
Adrianne Hutto Production Editor Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor Zoe DeFazio Angelina Perez Web Editors
Ivy Jaep Maizy Swift Asst. Production Editors Mary Haley Asst. Social Media Editor Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor
About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.
Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad
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LETTER from the EDITOR Hello and welcome to Issue 10! Each semester, The Quadrangle staff votes on a theme for one Special Issue. This semester, in addition to this week’s regularly scheduled articles, we’ve chosen to highlight The Bronx and various locations throughout the borough that make it so unique. From local favorite hotspots frequented by students to historic landmarks and iconic artists, The Bronx Issue takes you through every corner of the borough we know and love. You can find The Bronx issue on stands around campus and online. If you’re looking to read previous issues of The Quadrangle from this semester that unfortunately were not in print, you can flip through them on issuu.com/mcquad. Be sure to follow along on the web (mcquad.org) and on our Instagram page (@mcquad). If you have a tip or an event you would like to see covered by The Quadrangle, always feel free to send us a message (thequad@manhattan.edu). Please note that there will be no articles or JasperJist coming out next week for the holiday. We hope you stay warm and enjoy your Thanksgiving! I’m certainly thankful I have the opportunity to do journalism with such amazing folks at The Quadrangle and that we get to see our fine publication in print this week. Remember that even in the hectic world we live in today, there’s still so much to be grateful for. Get home safe and we’ll see you back on campus soon!
Jocelyn Visnov
Sincerely,
Editor-in-Chief
News
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Freshman Class Voice Concerns of Campus Life at Forum Event __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Another concern that was discussed was public safety. Due to the recent muggings of MC students in Van Cortlandt Park, a new perspective on the efforts of public safety around campus has been brought to light. One student who was at the event spoke on the matter as a commuter who drives to campus. They chose to remain anonymous as well. They explained that it is important to park in areas that are supervised by the school after seeing parts of cars get stolen in the Riverdale area. “I saw a Honda Civic one time without the wheels, the wheels were stolen,” the student said. “I went to Manhattan madness and I purposely parked in the [Kelly Commons parking lot] because I didn’t want to leave my car all the way at RLC because I did not want to go to the parking lot alone
late at night.” This feedback provides Amanuma and Zegler with problems they can communicate to student government, hopefully creating better, more organized campus life. “Basically, we’re going to take the different comments, questions and concerns that first-year students have and bring them to the executive board of student government,” Zegler said. “[The executive board] sit in on our committees and they can help us delegate to faculties and departments to make sure that the concerns that we’re bringing to light are actually getting addressed.” Amanuma and Zegler both decided to join representative positions for their class because of previous experience in student government in high school. They believe in making their fellow classmates’ voices heard to the faculty and administration at the college. “I think we are the bridge between student government
Freshman students gathered in Kelly to talk about their concerns and experiences in their first semester of college. MARY HALEY/ THE QUADRANGLE and the administrative staff and the students,” Amanuma said. “I think we function greatly as a role to convey certain issues and relay [issues] onto certain people so that they can maybe
be solved.” There will be another follow-up forum event for the freshman class to share their thoughts on the college as their
first semester comes to a close. It will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 14 in the Thomas Hall cafe.
Bart Horn, Ph.D. Receives NSF Grant to Study Early Universe Cosmology __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 good to present what he had been working on. “At the start, I was quite worried to be honest because it is daunting to do research about something like physics,” Muqattash said. “I started off not knowing much yet I ended up doing a presentation on our findings in front of a bunch of people. In the end it was really cool and nice to show what we had been working on.” Mishra said that presenting at the 41 Rochester Society of Physics Students Zone 2 Conference was different from the summer symposium because the audience involved more people within the field of studies related to their research. He shared similar sentiments as Muqattash, saying it was enthralling to share their work with others. “The conference in Rochester was intended for physics students, so you get specific questions from a diverse audience of physics students, post-
docs and researchers which is different from the summer symposium but presenting at both, it was enthralling,” Mishra said. “It gives you a thrill when you’re presenting something that you did religiously for a long time. And then you get to talk about what you did in front of people who are there to listen to you.” Horn hopes that students remain proactive and reach out to their faculty members should they find a research topic interesting and encourage them to seek out interdisciplinary research as well. “Be proactive, knock on doors, learn about what different people are doing, because finding a research project is a mix of what you are interested in and also what kind of style you ]work with,” Horn said. “Don’t be afraid to reach out to professors in other departments as well because sometimes there’s connections to be made and they can be very beneficial to both faculty and students.”
David Muqattash presenting the research at the Jasper Summer Research symposium KAREN FLORES/ THE QUADRANGLE
Features
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Head of Bloomberg’s User Experience Join as Panelists Regarding AI’s Use in Workspace Angelina Perez
Asst. Features Editor/Web Editor Head of Bloomberg’s User Experience Join as Panelists Regarding AI’s Use in Workspace Enrico Forti is an associate professor of strategy here at Manhattan College who, in communications with the O’Malley School of Business, brought two panelists from the software company Bloomberg to speak to students and faculty about artificial intelligence (AI) and the workplace space. Panelist Ash Brown is the current head of user experience at Bloomberg, where her journey in the company evolved from interaction designer to trading systems. Now, she is leading a global team focused on user experience. Christian Hiemstra is the global head of design and workplace strategy and joined Forti and Brown, breaking down user experience design and how to use the tools you have to deliver valuable and successful products. The panel followed Forti, bouncing off questions for Brown and Hiemstra regarding the history of AI development, the first time they discovered AI and what that meant for future hires. Students asked questions regarding AI at the
end, hoping to gain knowledge from the pair. Sophomore Sean Li was the first to raise his hand and volunteer to converse with the panelists, who then informed him how much they enjoyed the depth and thought that went into what he asked. “I’ve gone to a couple of events like this and I find the implications and also the ethical concerns of artificial intelligence to be very interesting,” said Li. “It’s definitely something that’s very significant in this modern day. We use it on a regular basis, even if you don’t recognize it. ChatGPT is the most obvious form of artificial intelligence, but even using Google Maps to find your way someplace that you don’t know or tracking train times on the MTA app is a different form of artificial intelligence.” Li informed The Quadrangle about the development of AI and the different phases it has taken in the last few years. He encourages those entering the workforce soon to familiarize themselves with artificial intelligence by the time it reaches different job markets. “As time continues on, AI will become more and more complex,” Li said. “And with that, there’s more power and responsibility to fully understand what we’re dealing with so that we can mitigate it properly and
not abuse it in any formal way.” Seniors Grace Buckley and Chris Balmaceda attended this panel to better understand the workforce and how it has adapted AI to use for their cis and business analytics majors. “With what I’m going to do, there’s a lot of AI, and I even worked at Salesforce over the summer, and they were introducing their Einstein AI,” Balmaceda said. “So, I just thought coming to this panel would be interesting. I’m also taking an AI class right now.” AI has shocked multiple generations, helping students with education aspects separate from just writing essays, with professors and institutions banning programs such as ChatGPT from entering their classrooms. “When Ash Brown spoke about how [millennials] thought email would be a significant change and then it didn’t, it made me wonder if all this AI hysteria is overhyped, and that’s something to think about,” Buckley said. Buckley discovered AI software from a classmate, and she believes it can help anyone with an upcoming interview. It’s a free platform called InterviewGPT. “There’s also things regarding AI that I hadn’t heard about,” Buckley said. “In one of my classes, this girl talked
Panelists Enrico Forti, Ash Brown and Christian Hiemstra. ANGELINA PEREZ/COURTESY about this website that uses AI to access your interviews, analyze it and recommend suggestions like your lighting or your body language. You can even upload your own videos.” Buckley and Balmaceda continued to address the growth of artificial intelligence and its prices varying from free software to those raising up to the thousands of dollars, hoping eventually it will be easily accessible to the public with more advancements to follow. “AI can be utilized in different ways that people don’t even realize,” Balmaceda said.
“It could help education majors teach to their students in a way that helps students grasp a little bit at a time no matter what age they’re teaching or an engineer, but it can apply to really all majors just because of how versatile and willing it is.” Forti closed the panel, hoping Hiemstra and Brown would come to be panelists for another talk for students at MC to familiarize themselves with the technological growth of our world.
Student Marine Corps Veteran Enlightened at Summer Bosnian Genocide Program Natalie Schmitt Contributor
This past summer Manhattan College sophomore Juan Ortiz, spent a week in Bosnia where he got to be a part of a Bosnian genocide seminar and conference. As a Latino student from the Dominican Republic and a Marine Veteran, Juan has already meticulously worked hard involving himself in the world around him. During his time at Marine Corps, Juan was positioned as an embassy security guard, which is where he would eventually receive his introduction and admiration for diplomacy. “My interest in coming to school was international relations and my goal is to become a regional security officer for the department of state,” Ortiz told The Quadrangle. Ortiz is currently a majoring in international studies and minoring in Arabic with a concentration in Africa and the Middle East. As a result of his concentration, he was introduced to Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., director
of Holocaust, Genocide, & Interfaith Education Center who presented this unique opportunity to him. Afridi also conducts talks in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the museum of Holocaust and genocide which continued aiding intrest in the program for Juan. As per his enrollment, he was one of thirty people selected worldwide to participate in this highly educational Bosnian genocide seminar and conference. In this week long program, Ortiz was taught through three days of panels the effects and truths of genocide in Bosnia that have been commonly ignored in mainstream media. “It was a great experience that I got introduced to here thanks to Dr. Afridi, it changed my goals a bit,” said Ortiz. “I still want to work for the department of state, but I feel like now I have a responsibility to let people know about this great program to be in to learn about genocide and prevention so that it won’t happen again.” Chole Barth, an international studies major, spoke to The Quadrangle about her own
interest in this program. “When Juan told me about his experience with the program, he inspired me to look into the Bosnian genocide myself,” said Barth. “As International Studies majors, we have our areas of concentration. His choice to learn about a region other than his concentration reminded me that although we each have different goals as students, there is interconnectedness between our studies and ourselves as humans that we must remain aware of.” Barth stressed the importance of this program for providing accurate historical information and seeking to teach their students about genocide prevention and how they can inform people around them about it. Barth and Ortiz emphasized the program’s benefit to anyone who is interested in partaking in impactful events such as this or even to someone who is curious about what there is to learn about in relation to the Bosnian genocide and the mission of peace. As stated on the Post-Conflict Research Center webpage,
Religious Studies Professor, Dr. Afridi MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY “Peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, equality, and understanding. Let us each contribute to building a more peaceful world, one small act of kindness at a time.” More information can be
found about this program on their instagram page, Post-Conflict Research Center @pcrcbih where they dedicate their page to fostering a culture of peace in Western Balkans.
Features
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MC History Department Proposes New Public History Minor Angelina Persaud News Editor
The history department has proposed a new public history minor to allow students to further engage with NYC’s rich history and diverse population. The minor is currently still in the planning phase as it must go through several stages of approval in order to be officially registered in the Manhattan College catalog. However, the public history class will still be taught in the spring semester as a three credit course. All minors at MC go through the same approval process where they must be presented before a school-specific curriculum committee for the school where the minor will be cataloged under, in this case the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences. Then it will transfer over to the college curriculum committee for any additional amendments. After committee review, the provost will then have the ability to officially sign it into the course catalog. Cory Blad, Ph.D., the current dean of the School of Liberal Arts, spoke about how multiple forms of input across the college leads to the success of adding courses to the catalog. “Regardless of what school the proposal is coming from, all faculty at Manhattan College will have [some] kind of input opportunities,” Blad told The Quadrangle. The idea for the minor was proposed by two professors from the history department who wanted their students to be able to engage with the community around them while being able to learn about history in different forms. Chairperson of the history department, Adam Arenson, Ph.D., suggested the minor as a way for students to understand history in their everyday lives. “A lot of people encounter history in classrooms, but a lot more people encounter history out in the world, whether that is statues or museums or on social media,” Arenson said. “It’s really important for students to be able to think about how to make historical arguments and understand historical facts.” Arenson also noted that this will be the second minor
that is specific to the department in addition to medieval studies. Traditionally, the department worked in close relation with the division of education to offer courses for students pursuing a history concentration as an education major. “I think it’s important to understand that everything has a history and when people go out in the world, there are historical questions that matter,” Arenson said. “It’s not just what they might learn in a classroom.” Arenson also expressed his love of history and how he encourages his students to understand how it’s present around them everyday. “I think history is the place where people learn to find accurate information, and make compelling arguments… I think there are lots of careers whether it’s journalism or law, where those kinds of skills matter a lot,” Arenson said. Jennifer Edwards, Ph.D., was also involved in the proposal since she wanted to find new and creative ways to engage her students to study history. Currently, Edwards is involved with the classical origins, medieval studies and digital arts and humanities courses. She laid out how the courses involved in minor will include most of the courses she teaches as foundational courses along with the already existing public history class. Her strategy for teaching takes a unique approach to give students hands-on experiences: using role playing games. “So students get immersed in role playing games, where they solve historical crises,” Edwards said. “One of the ones that we’re going to do is called the Benin Bronzes game, which is all about museums that have these bronzes they got during a period of imperialism and Benin wants those repatriated.” Edwards explained that the goal for the minor is to help students obtain formal, historical experience that can be translated into a job when they graduate. Whether that be a museum educator, librarian, lawyer or government worker, the minor is intended to help them expand on their skill set. “We need to give students better tools to be able to get those internships and get those jobs… even if they don’t
Adam Arenson, chairperson for the History department. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY want to go into work as museum educators or librarians,” Edwards said. “How can they effectively communicate what they learned about the past, to a public audience? Whatever career they go into, how can they be more effective at communicating persuasively about the past?” Along with the required courses for the minor, there will also be an internship requirement where students will be able to gain first hand experience as well as multiple trips to various museums and exhibits in the city. “It’s such a fabulous resource to be in New York City and access these materials and to really see things, not just see them online,” Edwards said. “I took students to see medieval manuscripts at the Met and they made podcasts where they each had an expertise in a particular meaning [of the manuscript]. It was really special and amazing for them.” She also noted that there would be opportunities for students to engage with the local Bronx and Riverdale area through their courses. These
opportunities include a breadth of topics ranging from medieval festivals to the history of slavery in the Bronx. “There’s a slave burial ground just beyond our college and it’s something really amazing to study and come up with a project of how you’re going to get back to the community,” Edwards said. “We’ve been talking about maybe doing a Manhattan College student research project where students
go into local schools and talk about the Middle Ages.” Overall the minor is slated for development, but students will still be able to take the public history class in the spring until it is finalized in the catalog.
NOVEMEBR 14, 2023
Arts & Entertainment
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New Member Alert! The MC Magazine Brings New Writers for Upcoming Issue Angelina Persaud News Editor
The Manhattan College Magazine team is in full swing with new members offering a fresh perspective and sharing their love of creative writing. The MC Magazine is a student and faculty-operated publication within the English department. It allows students to voice their creativity through small writing projects, visual photo collections and other literary prose. Each spring there is a re-
lease party for both Manhattan Magazine and Logos. Students can be nominated for awards and contributors are able to see their work in the print issue. The newest members of the editorial staff all shared one thing in common: their love for creative writing as a community. Dominika Wrozynski, Ph.D., is an English professor and has been the faculty advisor for the magazine for 10 years. “My favorite part of Manhattan Magazine is to see the incredibly talented student writers and artists’ final showcase for their work,” Wrozynski
Dominika Wrozynski, faculty advisor for MC magazine. COURTESY/ MANHATTAN.EDU
wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “It is also rewarding to see student editors learn the skills of soliciting and selecting submissions and working on production and layout of, what is always a beautiful final product.” Senior, Victoria Aulov, is the advertising and social media coordinator for the magazine in which she designs fliers and engagement posts to help attract more wider audience to the magazine. Aulov explained that writing for the magazine wasn’t her first thought as she pursues a pre-law track. However, she’s expressed that she’s glad she
took the chance to explore her options. “I found it was really interesting that they teach students writing, and that can be a publication that goes towards something you put on your resume,” Aulov said. She also explained that joining the team has helped her expand her social horizon and make new connections. Additionally, it allowed her to step into another side of her college experience and enjoy writing in a new way. “You need to get out and get experiences that aren’t just oriented towards something you want to do,” Aulov said. “Join as many things as you can to realize where you find your place… it’s always a good way to find friends.” Claire Cunniffe, a junior English major, is also new to the magazine this semester and is one of four literary editors. She describes her role is consisted of editing and overseeing article submissions for upcoming issues. Currently, the literary editors accept submissions at least twice a semester in order to print for the upcoming semester issue; the next spring issue would follow after the most recent fall submissions. Cunniffe commented on what drew her to the magazine and the personal connection she has to the publication. “I really love English and I love writing, reading, poetry and fiction,” Cunniffe said. “I joined this semester because they put out applications and I love editing and wanted to final-
ly have an editing experience.” Editing doesn’t come without struggle, Cunniffe also talked about the hardest part in her experience, which was adjusting to a new team and being able to navigate the flow of the magazine. “The first meeting was such a new experience,” Cunniffe said. “It was nerve-wracking to go in and talk to everyone, but it went really well and everyone is really nice. We all introduced ourselves and talked about the plans we have for the paper and fundraising.” The new addition to the visual arts editors is senior, digital media art major, Elena Willoughby. Their role entails working hand in hand with production to ensure the visual media and artwork submitted are up to standard for the current issue. They were drawn to join the team because of the self-expression students can have when working for a publication like the magazine. “I just wanted to branch out to a degree with the magazine because I just think it’s so important to have that type of media behind the college,” Willoughby said. “I like writing from students and I just think it’s really cool. I just like being involved with it, and being behind the scenes.” nThe club is currently accepting submissions for the upcoming issue. For more information, contact manhattanmagazine@manahttan.edu and follow @manhattan.magazine on Instagram.
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Arts & Entertainment
THE QUADRANGLE
Book NookSnow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See Karen Flores
Arts and Entertainment Editor When I was 13 years old, my aunt gave me a book for my birthday. It was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Little did I know this would be one of my favorite books of all time and that Lisa See would become one of my favorite authors as well. I have always had an interest in Chinese culture and reading a book such as this one helped me learn a bit about its history. While some people may not like historical fiction, this is a book I would recommend to everyone. The novel is about two girls, the protagonist named Lily and her best friend named
Snow Flower. At the age of seven, they were pledged into a life-long friendship because their birthdays match and that was a sign of good fortune. During 19th century China, women were not allowed to read or write, but the women in the novel spoke nu shu, a language that only women could speak and understand. One day when Lily and Snow Flower were out at the marketplace, they bought a fan where they wrote down important dates and promises to each other, They went through many phases of life together including footbinding which was a Chinese custom where women would bind their feet and break their bones until their feet were a specific shape and size as a symbol of their obe-
Author Lisa Lee of the New York Times Best Seller Snow Flower and the Secret Fan NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY/COURTESY
New York Times Best Seller Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. THE QUADRANGLE/ COURTESY
dience. They were also called lotus feet. This could change the fate of a young woman as it did for Lily as she was considered to have the perfect bound feet. They continued to remain friends through much heartbreak, suffering and pain. Eventually Lily and Snow Flower have disagreements and their friendship is put to the test. The ending is probably the part that always seems to leave me thinking about how much our actions impact people. The book is very rooted in the themes of friendship, love, loss, and family structure. Women in ancient China were seen as temporary family mem-
bers as they were just cared for until they were ready to be married off to another family. The book uses the term teng ai. The first character of the word means pain and the second means love. This is used to describe what motherly love was like for women and in the book Lily does not get love from her mother and her mother helping her through the footbinding process was the closest thing she got to her mother showing her love. I think that this plays a role in why friendship is so significant in the book because Lily and Snow Flower experienced what nurturing and true love was from each other. Their
friendship allowed them to understand each other and their way of thinking in ways that they could not get from their families. The book is about their struggles, successes, losses and most of all the memories they created together. It is a very culturally rich book and I would recommend it for anyone who likes a bittersweet ending to give this one a go. I’ve had my copy from my aunt for 7 years now, if that isn’t a sign it’s a good book then I don’t know what is.
Sports
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Jasper Takes on the G-League Eoin Whelan Contributor
On Oct. 28, former star Jasper guard Anthony Nelson, was drafted with the 24th pick in the first round of the NBA G League draft to the Delaware Blue Coats. On Nov. 6 he was waived and was listed as an unrestricted free agent. Nelson averaged 13.15 points per game during his time here at Manhattan College and reached 1,162 career points in the NCAA. The G-League is the minor league organization of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). This league gives players and coaches the opportunity to prepare themselves for the NBA. “It was a pleasure coaching Anthony,” assistant coach Doran said. “I’ve known Anthony for a very long time … to see him mature as a player from middle school up to this point [was very] good … seeing him getting acclimated to the college and picking up that pace.” Now being at a professional level, Nelson has a lot of goods to bring to the table. “As an older player, he can bring his experience, his knowledge of the game, his ability to get to the basket and
Point Gaurd Anthony Nelson. GO JASPERS/ COURTESY
Point Gaurd Anthony Nelson. GO JASPERS/COURTESY
make others better around him,” Doran said. Nelson’s former teammates are very excited for him and are extremely proud of the work he is putting in to be a professional. “I had a very close relationship with Anthony … he was a little older and had more experience, so he brought professionalism to the practices… and he took a bunch of us under his wing and taught us a lot of stuff,” says former teammate Daniel Hackett. “[Nelson] definitely brought mentorship … he would always be there for us… and taught me a lot of things in life too.” A lot of players would say Nelson meant a lot to the team; he was more than just a teammate. Nelson always wanted to
make sure everyone had uplifted, good spirits. “He always made sure that basketball was fun, which it should be,” Logan Padgett said. “When it is you do better, and he brought that presence to the locker room,” says former teammate Logan Padgett. Former teammates Hackett and Padgett were both younger guards who admired Nelson. “I admired his ability to get to the basket, his handle, and how he was always locked in on defense,” Padgett said. “He got better as the game went on… he was always locked in at the end,” Hacket said. “What Ant had that a lot of guards don’t have is that killer mentality,” Padgett said. “Go finish the game - At Quinnipi-
ac, hits the game-winner, at the end of the game he’s locked in,”. Nelson has worked relentlessly to be in the position that he is in now and it has rubbed off on his former team. Nothing he did went unnoticed, and it’s widely known how much of a hard worker he is. He had the goal of being a professional since day one and is continuing to work for it. Nelson was such a special player; his teammates are proud to say he even created the Jose Alvarado steal. “You can call it the Ant Nelson steal,” Hackett said.
Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Jasper Games of the Week: Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor
Women’s Basketball: The Lady Jaspers opened up their season on Nov. 6 against Central Connecticut State University. The Jasper defense showed out in this matchup specifically, as the Jaspers allowed less than 10 points in each quarter. The score was tied at nine in the first quarter, but the Lady Jaspers were able to outscore the Blue Devils by six in the second quarter to go into the half with a six-point lead. Heading into the third quarter the Blue Devils the Blue Devils did not let up as they were able to keep the lead to single digits but that did not last long as the Lady Jaspers were able to separate themselves in the fourth quarter to win the game by 17 points. The leaders for the game were Anne Bair with 11 points, Ines Gimenez Monserrat with four assists, and Jade Blagrove with 13 rebounds. The next matchup for the Lady Jaspers was against a tough George Washington squad. The Lady Jaspers came out firing in the first quarter dropping 19 points in the first quarter and had a lead as much as 12, but were practically silenced in the second and third quarter as they scored a combined 14 points. The Lady Jaspers were outscored by 12 in the second half which resulted in the Lady Jasper’s lead in the first half disappearing. The final score of the game was 55-49 in favor of George Washington. The leading Jaspers was Nitzan Amar who had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Head Coach Heather Vulin spoke to GoJaspers following the tough loss. “I feel like the foul troubles to our players was a factor in the second half,” Vulin said. “Jade [Blagrove] and Petra [Juric] are a big part of what we do. When they got in foul trouble, that changed the whole dynamic of what we do.” The Lady Jasper’s next
Tegan Young driving to the hoop against Central Connecticut State University in the Lady Jaspers’s first win of the season. GoJaspers / Courtesy game is against Fordham University on Nov. 16 at 7 P.M. Women’s Volleyball: The Lady Jaspers opened the week against Binghamton University. The Lady Jaspers lost a close first set with a score of 23-25. The Lady Jaspers were able to come out strong as they started the set with a 6-1 run, which led to a score of 11-5. After leading, the Bearcats went on a 6-1 run and tied the game at 24. The Jaspers scored two points quickly to end the set. Unfortunately for the Lady Jaspers, they would go on to lose the final two sets of the game. Maike Bertens had 21 kills leading the Jaspers, Julienne McKee had 40 assists and Camila Gomez had 16 digs. The Jaspers play their final games against Niagara University and Canisius College. Men’s Soccer:
The men’s soccer season officially ended on Thursday as they lost 1-0 in the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament. It was a defensive showcase for both the Jaspers and the Iona Gaels as in the 18th minute, Thiago Canga scored off an assist by Tim Timchenko. Men’s Basketball: Manhattan men’s basketball is officially back for the 2023-24 season. The men opened up their season against Bryant University. The Jasper lead got up to nine points in the first half with 5:22 to go. Manhattan never lost the lead from that point in the first half and entered halftime with a two-point lead. At the four-minute mark, Bryant took a 55-54 lead, but Manhattan remained calm and collected as Shaquil Bender hit a three and Daniel Rouzan scored the last four points for the Jaspers, which included a
go-ahead layup with less than a minute to play. The final score of the game was 61-59 in favor of the Jaspers. Rouzan led the Jaspers with 16 points, Seydou Traore put up a double-double, and Brett Rumpel had 10 points. The next game was against the number one school in the country, the University of Kansas. The game was all Jayhawks as Manhattan trailed by 25 points at the half. It was backto-back scoring to start the second half, but Kansas pulled away and beat the Jaspers by 38 points. Gallagher spoke to GoJaspers about the loss. “The biggest thing for us in a game like that is can you win a four-minute segment early,” Gallagher said. “We got shots, and we didn’t knock them down. The storyline in the second half is we scored 42 points in the second half because we ran our offense
more crisp, more sharp. Our starters shot 40 percent in the game. Not a great number, but it’s still not awful. Kansas is the number-one team in the nation for a reason. It’s a learning bar for the players and coaches and shows what the highest level of playing college basketball is.” The leading scorer for the Jaspers was Traore, who shot 6-13 with 16 points. He also had eight rebounds and three steals. Brett Rumpel had 11 points. The next game for the Jaspers is against Felician University on Nov. 16 at home. Manhattan Swim and Dive: The men’s swim and dive team lost at Monmouth University 72-157 and the women lost 79-160.