THE QUADRANGLE SPRING 2024 ISSUE 9

the Quadrangle

StudentscelebrateManhattanCollege’s annualSpringfest

Students enjoyed festivities on the quad and off-campus during this year’s Springfest.

LEYLA MERCADO/ THE QUADRANGLE

DiannaCruzDepartsManhattan College,LisaJuncajTakesOver AdvisorRole

Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editor

Long-time assistant dean of the former School of Liberal Arts (SoLA) Dianna Cruz, announced on March 24 that she would be departing from Manhattan College.

She addressed students of the former SoLA about her departure in an email.

“It is with mixed emotions that I write this email to inform you I have made the decision to leave Manhattan College to pursue other interests and opportunities,” Cruz wrote.

“For the past two decades I have been privileged to work with students pursuing degrees

in the liberal arts. It has been an honor to help the thousands of students who have come to Manhattan College reach their goals and graduate.”

Starting her career at MC in July 2002, she has spent over 22 years at Manhattan College in various positions. She has been the assistant dean of liberal arts for the past 13 years, helping thousands of students in many different situations. She spoke to The Quadrangle about her departure from MC as a challenge.

“My decision to leave was a tough one,” Cruz said. “The idea of starting somewhere else is terrifying but that’s why I’m doing it. Ultimately, I believe that this decision

will help me to continue to grow and learn. I have always challenged my students and have encouraged them to face the things that scare them or make them uncomfortable. When you are uncomfortable you seek to change that, which in turn helps you develop and grow.”

It’s no secret that her impact at the college has been immense. Faculty and students alike have noticed her presence around the school. Specifically, Michael Grabowski Ph.D., spoke to how helpful she was within the department.

“She was here when I first arrived in 2010,” Grabowski

HanyS.Guirguis, Ph.D.,toServe asInterimDean oftheO’Malley Schoolof Business

Senior Writers

Hany S. Guirguis, Ph.D., will serve as the interim dean of the O’Malley School of Business, effective June 1, 2024. Guirguis will step in for Don E. Gibson, Ph.D., who has served as dean of the O’Malley School of Business since 2018.

Gibson previously announced he would be leaving the college at the end of the semester to serve in a new position in his native state of California, which launched the search for an interim dean. Interim provost Rani Roy shared the news of Guirguis’ appointment in an email to the Manhattan College community on March 20.

“Dr. Guirguis brings a wealth of experience to the position along with 24 years of service to Manhattan College,” the email read. “He served as Chairperson of the Department of Economics and Finance from 2010 to 2018, was the Louis F. Capalbo Professor of Business from 2013 to 2018, and holds the Ambassador Charles A. Gargano Endowed Chair from 2019 to the present. Dr. Guirguis is the author or co-author of numerous publications, and has published various papers with undergraduate students from Manhattan College as his co-authors.”

Guirguis has taught a number of classes within the economics and finance department throughout his career at MC, including Business Statistics, Money

and Banking, Advanced Econometrics, Corporate Structuring and Finance, Financial Modeling and Managerial Economics among others.

Guirguis commented on his recent appointment to interim dean in an email to The Quadrangle.

“I’m honored to be the Interim Dean of the O’Malley School of Business and am touched by the warm support I received from my colleagues at Manhattan College,” Guirguis wrote. “Following in the footsteps of Dean Gibson is a challenging task that I will do my best to accomplish. I want to convey to the community of Manhattan College that I see the current challenges as a valuable opportunity for a positive momentum and upward trajectory for the School of Business.”

Guirguis hopes to meet with various members of the O’Malley School of Business prior to the start of his term as interim dean.

“I will meet with our faculty, industry partners and alumni in the next few weeks to discuss our plans, vision and brand,” Guirguis wrote. “I am confident and optimistic that the future of the O’Malley School of Business is bright. My confidence is based on our highly dedicated faculty, engaging alumni, rich inheritance, and unique location.”

As Dean Gibson departs from MC, Grishma Shah, Ph.D., professor of marketing and management, is grateful for his leadership.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Lauren Raziano & Jocelyn Visnov

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.

LETTER from the EDITOR

Hello, and welcome back to our regularly scheduled programming. I know we’ve taken on an unusual schedule in the past few weeks due to our breaks and Triangle issue, but we are once again back on track to finish the year out strong.

Our Media Madness Competition concluded yesterday, with The Quadrangle landing in 11th place out of 24 participants. Thanks to you, our generous readers and supporters, we raised $915 of our goal! Thank you so much to all of you who contributed. With this money, we plan to print our last issue of the year (yay!) in which we will be honoring our seniors with our Quad 10 profiles and senior farewells. For those of you who would still like to contribute to our publication, our GoFundMe will remain open and continue accepting donations for the rest of the semester.

In issue 9, we have plenty of stories to keep you busy. In news, we profile some of our newest members of faculty and staff who we are very excited to welcome to the college. In features, we talked to students stuck outside on the quad after quite an unexpected seismic event. In A&E, we discuss the MC Players as they enter into their busy season, Scatterbomb, and the diverse music tastes of our students. Lastly, in sports, we highlight the Ultimate Frisbee team’s inaugural game and men’s lacrosse.

This week, Mother Nature has certainly been working overtime, between last Friday’s seismic events and yesterday’s solar eclipse. I hope those of you in the path of totality were able to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience. Shoutout to my hometown of Rochester, which was in the path for the first time since 1925! (I’m only a little jealous I wasn’t there). While NYC only saw about 90% coverage, it was still a beautiful event to witness that I will remember for years to come. While the rest of the week may not be as eventful as earthquakes and eclipses, go for a walk, enjoy the sun, and quite literally smell some flowers.

Until next time,

HanyS.Guirguis,Ph.D.,toServe asInterimDeanoftheO’Malley SchoolofBusiness

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“Dean Gibson has been a very steady and steadfast dean as he has taken us through some difficult items, as will Dr. Guirgius in the next few months and years,” Shah said. “As you know, the college is facing several challenges that Dean Gibson’s handled quite well, including our AACSB visit coming up next week for our continuing accreditation. I wished him lots of luck at St Mary’s in California and I’m very excited to be in good hands with Dr. Guirgius.”

Shah spoke of her optimism for the future of the O’Malley School of Business under the newly appointed interim dean.

“I’ve always found him [Dr. Guirguis] to be very collegial, very cooperative,” Shah said. “When it comes to working environments, he tends to look at things in a very balanced way. I’m excited that he will be serving as interim dean because I think he’ll take into account student perspective as well as faculty and admin perspective to hopefully balance everyone’s viewpoint.”

As director of global

business studies, which requires an academic immersion aspect, Shah is looking forward to working with Guirgius to get students more financial support and scholarships.

“The global business program requires that we have an immersion for anyone’s minors or majors in it,” Shah said. “I do think that some of our students need more support financially and resources to study abroad. I’m hoping that Dr. Guirgius understands that as we look into having the college board of advisors or old alums, who’ve been on some of these global emergence programs, can support scholarships so that more students can take advantage of the opportunity.”

O’Malley School of Business (OMSB) continues to support students through many strong programming events throughout the year, such as the innovation challenge and the OMSB seminar series.

Shah understands that although there have been many changes at MC, many programs in the OMSB have continued to be successful.

“I understand that the college is in challenging times

right now,” Shah said. “But I would like students within the School of Business and just generally at Manhattan College to understand that the faculty and particularly leadership at the team level is trying very hard to continue progress, high level of programming, high-level majors, high-level classes for everyone. I think Dr. Guirguis is a good choice

because he understands that that is the most critical factor in making sure that college has sustainability long term.”

Junior accounting major Kathy Vu, who served on Dean Gibson’s advisory council, noted she is looking forward to getting to know Guirguis as he takes on the role of interim dean.

“Dean Gibson is the dean

of the people,” Vu wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Being a part of his advisory council has given me insight into his dedication and passion for this school and its students. I know Dr. Hany Guirguis will bring the same dedication to the school and I am excited to see what he does. I wish Dean Gibson the best as he continues the next chapter of his career.”

DiannaCruzDepartsManhattanCollege,LisaJuncaj TakesOverAdvisorRoleandBuildUpontheirFindings

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

said. ”Anytime I had a question or had a problem that I was trying to figure out, whether it was a variance for a course for a student or what requirements were needed, or how to set up a program so that the state of New York would accept it.

Dianna Cruz not only had a ready answer, but she was always willing to help.”

Students come across tough situations in their academic careers all the time.

One student in particular, Nate Aaron, asked for help from Cruz when he was switching majors. He was able to speak to

her helpfulness throughout the process.

“I didn’t talk to her that much,” Aaron said. “However, she did help me a lot when I was switching my major, and she did a fantastic job with that.”

With Cruz gone, all previous SoLA students will get a new advisor, Lisa Juncaj.

Grabowski spoke on the smooth transition between Juncaj and Cruz, while noting similar traits that make for a great advisor.

“I see a lot of similarities,” Grabowski said. “I’m grateful that we have had people like Dianna that really focus on the student experience because it

makes my job easier, since I can focus on curriculum and working with students in that regard. But secondly, they serve as a really great support system so that if I have a student coming in and they’re going to study abroad, or they took a semester off, how to get them back on track. I know that I’ve got people to rely on that can help me with that.”

As Cruz departs, MC will look to Juncaj to take on a big role in advising. Cruz will be missed at the college and has left behind big shoes to fill, but many have high hopes for the future of the program when it comes to advising students.

Guirguis with his former students. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

Lisa Juncaj takes over Advisor role for Liberal Arts majors. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

ManhattanCollegeWelcomesMeredithGatzkeasNewVPofHumanResources

Mary Haley Asst. Features Editor/Social Media Editor

Meredith Gatzke started her tenure as vice president of Human Resources on March 11. Her position lies in the cabinet of Manhattan College’s President, Milo Riverso, Ph.D.

“We are thrilled to have Meredith join us at Manhattan College,” Riverso said in an article on manhattan.edu. “Her deep human resources skills and experience in academia along with her proven leadership capabilities will be a huge benefit to the entire college community. I am also pleased to announce that she will become a member of the President’s Cabinet.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in History from Muhlenberg College, Gatzke went into teaching and working in public education for 17 years at schools in New Jersey, but wanted to explore other options in her career path. This led her to working as a recruiter.

Gatzke then went on to get

Maizy Swift

Representative Jamie Raskin visited Manhattan College on Tuesday, March 26, to speak on constitutional fallacies and constitutional patriotism in 2024.

Raskin’s talk focused on issues such as the Second Amendment and how many U.S. citizens misinterpret this amendment, creating conflict and misunderstandings. The talk was informative on government issues, urging people to become educated on the Constitution, and also get involved with the upcoming election.

Many students who attended this talk felt as though they left with a new understanding of Americans’ civic duty. Catherine Radko, a history and psychology student at MC felt that talks like these are important for college students to have.

“We are the new generation of people that are voting and can have a voice in these sorts of things,” Radko said. “So if we start with education either younger or especially in college when it becomes more of our role to take part in government activities, it becomes more important for us to actually

her master’s degree in human resource management from Saint Elizabeth University, and began her journey working in higher education. Gatzke explained to The Quadrangle how her time at Bergen Community College was fulfilling for her, especially to see the students graduate and begin their post-graduate careers.

“Community colleges set students up for success,” Gatzke said. “There’s a lot of [students] who are first timers in their family to go to college, and sitting in MetLife Stadium, watching them graduate and seeing their families is huge, so it was a lot of fun. I love higher [education]. It has a whole new set of challenges and a whole new niche to learn, but it’s a lot of fun.”

Nicole Papay, a junior psychology student at MC, weighed in on what she wants to see with the new vice president and for any representatives in human resources, as she aspires to go into the field of human resources and industrial psychology.

“I hope through her work she is able to advocate for

faculty at Manhattan College and ensure that faculty who are being fired are guaranteed their severance, and [that they are] treated with grace,” Papay wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “I think a good HR representative advocates for those who are employed and works to listen and actively help with problems or issues that are being raised within the college.”

Because Gatzke has only been with the college for about three weeks, and with breaks being frequent in March, she has not been faced with many problems to help work through just yet, although she is confident in her abilities to get answers to questions.

“I know what my skill set is, and it is supporting the employees, supporting the institution…[there] is where it is,” Gatzke said. “ I am a resource for everyone. I am not trying to tell people how to teach or educate, that’s not what I am here to do. I am here to provide stability.”

Gatzke also has initiatives she plans to take as graduation season is upon the college and she gets more acclimated to

the MC community. She wants to be as involved as she can be with all groups that she communicates with, such as administration, faculty, the rest of the president’s cabinet and especially the student body.

“I look forward to figuring out how to get [human resources] more involved with

the students,” Gatzke said. “Even just going to student events to support, and I want to be someone that you don’t just see once a year at a convocation ceremony. My goal is to be out and about and [involved] in student groups.”

Meredith Gatzke appointed as the college’s new tenured vice president of Human Resources. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

Rep.JamieRaskinVisitsMC

understand why we’re doing this and how it will affect our lives.”

Radko highlighted a specific part of the discussion she felt was a major takeaway from the event.

“I think probably the discussions of how people in charge are also misinterpreting what our country is based on, and how we can’t put blind faith in the people that we have elected. We should really promote voter consciousness and education,” Radko said.

Suzane Christen, daughter of Robert Christen, by whom the 2024 Robert J. Christen Program at MC was founded, also found the event had important information fit for all people.

“It’s important for me and I’m a trained lawyer,” Christen said. “I think laying out what a question is, and where it comes from, [as well as] the history in between can inform and really broaden consciousness.”

When asked, Christen explained what she believed was one of the most important things discussed during the event.

“The incredible fundamental importance to our everyday lives of the rule of law, the reason why we have a constitution was to secure for people, a protection of the rule of law and it’s what our

commercial lives are based on,” Christen said. “If you don’t know that you can go into court with a contract and have it reviewed fairly and impartially and according to the laws, then you don’t have cars, you don’t have an economy and you end up with chaos and that’s true in every facet. So it’s just absolutely fundamental to our freedoms as Americans.”

Catarina Vala, an education and history student at MC, attended the event as well.

“I thought it was productive and pretty insightful,” Vala said. “Especially learning about that insurrectionist theory that you’re talking about that some of the Republicans have right now, which is kind of concerning.”

Vala also felt that talks like these are not only insightful and important, but also useful for her future career.

“I’m an education major so I think this is definitely important for the classroom,” Vala said. “I feel like it’d be cool to say I’ve met a Congressman, if I ever teach government one day or even US history.”

Representative Jamie Raskin’s talk is one of many events that the Robert J. Christen Program has held this year to give MC students opportunities to engage and learn about how to be an educated U.S. citizen.

Rep. Jamie Raskin speaks on Constitutional Fallacies and Constitutional Patriotism. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

Expansion of MC’s Cyber Resources and ScienceDMZ Network

Angelina Persaud Managing

Manhattan College’s Information Technology Services (ITS) recently held an event hosted by Wyatt Madej to expand on the campus’ computing infrastructure, including the ScienceDMZ connected network.

The hybrid event was hosted by Wyatt Madej, the technical architect in the ITS department, where he explained the key ideas and processes that allow students to have access to a wider range of computational resources. Previously, Madej was also one of the primary authors for the college’s largest National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, which awarded MC a two-year grant valued at $639,778 for advancing campus computing power.

He began with a welcome and introduction to some of the conceptual thoughts that are the driving force behind the newly expanded campus infrastructure. Cyberinfrastructure (CI) refers to the computing systems, software, storage systems and other high-performance compute resources used for educational purposes at the college.

Madej explained that the core of advanced cyberinfrastructure is to allow students to have more hands-on experience learning about research from a more connected network.

“Using CI, we might be able to reduce the time it takes to make discoveries, which is really important,” Madej said. “More time discovering, less time doing the computation. Just to increase that discovery means more time learning, and it exposes students to CI and the research community; exposing them to things that have resources they might find useful after their time with us.”

Madej also briefly noted that the previous NSF grant to promote the ScienceDMZ at the college is beginning to take effect with new hardware being swapped out of various labs

in Leo and the Research and Learning Center (RLC).

According to manhattan. edu, “The project also funds the design, implementation and purchase of specially built data transfer nodes connected to the Science DMZ that will be used to help move massive amounts of data between Manhattan College researchers and their collaborators. The project will provide College researchers and educators a connection to local, state and national research networks such as NYSERNet and Internet2, providing the community unprecedented access to scientific research networks.”

The “nodes” refer to a specific component of computer hardware where data can be processed and distributed. Prior to the grant, MC was not able to access a large magnitude of compute power as these nodes are typically occupied by larger institutions on the network.

The NSF website described the ScienceDMZ as a way to facilitate further research opportunities for both students and faculty while allowing them

“This Science DMZ utilizes recognized best practices for research cybersecurity, balancing network performance and security, and establishes data transfer nodes to facilitate data transfers between Manhattan College researchers and their collaborators,” the grant states.

The grant also includes the goal to provide higher quality educational opportunities for students that they can use beyond their undergraduate years at the college.

“This network will support and grow these activities to advance research and STEM education programs that educate students, contribute to new scientific discoveries, inform public policy, facilitate institutional partnerships, and provide a better STEM education to train the next generation of scientists and engineers,” the grant stated.

As a result of the ScienceDMZ coming to fruition, the college joined the

Open Science Grid (OSG), a larger university network for research, where students are able to produce more results for their specific research interests as well as collaborate on projects with other researchers.

“The Open Science Grid, it’s really beneficial for those that use free open-source software,” Madej said. “And most importantly, it’s free. There is no charge to U.S.based academic researchers to use this resource. It’s best suited for doing image analysis, such as analyzing MRI images, geographic information system images, and mapping stuff.”

Madej noted that there is an application process to gain access to the OSG where students or faculty can submit an application with their specific research requests and be connected to an entry point to start using the grid.

He also noted that the college now has access to more machine learning and supercomputing resources, courtesy of the National Research Platform, which includes access to compute

power from graphic processing units (GPUs).

Wyatt Madej presented on the college’s access to a wider range of computing resources. ANGELINA PERSAUD/ THE QUADRANGLE access to other universities’ computational networks for a more interconnected experience.

“Some really talented folks over there [at the National Research Platform] found out ways to do amazing research on GPU resources,” Madej said. “The workloads here are mostly focused towards computer science and AI research, but it is not limited to those. We have a great team of facilitators who can help get those workloads up and running and help you get your computation happening on their platform. Currently, as we stand, there’s a total of 1,500 single-precision GPUs and 10 petabytes of storage.”

As Madej noted, CI is increasingly evolving over the years and will continue to impact student’s educational and research goals.

“We’re seeing, across the world, a huge surge in the understanding of cyberinfrastructure, whether it be arts, social science, humanities, those folks are becoming users of CI, too,” Madej said.

Voices on the Quad: Earthquake Edition

Grace Cardinal Editor-in-Chief

Students were left shaken by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake that hit New York City and the Manhattan College campus on Friday morning. Following the event, students and staff were evacuated out of buildings by Public Safety officers to check for damages. Amidst the mid-morning shock, The Quadrangle spoke to students who were ushered out to the quad after the quake.

Lauren Chappell, graduate student, MBA program

The Quadrangle: Where were you when you felt the earthquake?

Lauren Chappell: I was in the alumni and development office in the basement of Memorial Hall.

TQ: Did you feel the earthquake?

LC: I thought it was just somebody rolling a really heavy cart on the floor above us. And everybody started freaking out. They were like, “No, our computers are moving,” and I said, “I don’t think that is [normal].”

TQ: How did you find out it was an earthquake?

LC: Every single person came out of their office and they were like “it’s an earthquake” and then they confirmed it was a 4.8 [magnitude].

TQ: How do you feel about being evacuated in case of aftershocks?

LC: I wasn’t [nervous] until right now!

Elaina Batista, sophomore political science major

The Quadrangle: Where were you when you felt the earthquake?

Elaina Batista: I was in the library [on the] fifth floor.

Students were evacuated to the quad after Friday’s earthquake.

GRACE CARDINAL / THE QUADRANGLE

Students were evacuated to the quad after Friday’s earthquake.

GRACE CARDINAL / THE QUADRANGLE

TQ: Did you feel the earthquake?

EB: I felt something but I was just like, “Nah, that’s not [one], I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

TQ: How do you feel about being evacuated in case of aftershocks?

EB: I’m not nervous at all.

TQ: Was this your first time experiencing an earthquake?

EB: Yes, this is my first earthquake and I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be my last!

Chris Parson, freshman business management major

The Quadrangle: Where were you when you felt the earthquake?

Chris Parson: When the earthquake hit, I was on the sixth floor of O’Malley Library in the Admissions Office, at the front. I was looking around, I felt a little shaky. Nothing too crazy, nothing fell, but everybody definitely felt it.

TQ: Did you feel the earthquake?

CP: Yeah, it was significant.

TQ: How do you feel about being evacuated in case of aftershocks?

CP: I think it’s smart, better to be safe than sorry. I personally don’t think anything’s gonna happen, but us being situated on the hill, you know, it’s possible, it’s dangerous, so I’m happy we evacuated.

TQ: Was this your first time experiencing an earthquake?

CP: No, actually, I experienced one in California when I was in seventh or eighth grade, something like that. It was probably less than this. It was something I had to look up like, “Did I feel it?” but this I definitely felt.

Christina Pilone, sophomore international studies and political science major

The Quadrangle: Where were you when you felt the earthquake?

Christina Pilone: I was in Locke’s, [with my] Airpods in, having my breakfast and then I just felt it. I just looked around because I was like, “Is this an earthquake? Or is it just me?” I didn’t know what I was feeling.

TQ: Did you feel the earthquake?

CP: Yeah, I felt it, and then I turned around, but everybody was minding their own business so I just kept having my breakfast.

TQ: How do you feel about being evacuated in case of aftershocks?

CP: I mean, I guess it’s nice that they’re making sure everything’s fine, but it’s just weird. I think it’s a funny situation.

TQ: Was this your first time experiencing an earthquake?

CP: Yes, it is my first.

Jeff Horn, Ph.D., Discusses His Textbook “A People’s History of The World” at History Brown Bag Event

process of change. So there are paired chapters that talk about imperialism, paired chapters that talk about decolonization, paired chapters that speak about manufacturing.”

Members of the history department and related programs gathered in Miguel Hall for the latest event in the history Brown Bag lecture series. The discussion was led by Jeff Horn, Ph.D., who spoke about one of his more recent publications, “A People’s History of the World, 1400 to the Present.”

Horn has been a member of the history department at MC for the last 23 years. He has taught a wide range of courses covering European and world history from 1500 to the present. Horn has written or edited a total of nine books, with his previous publications focusing on the French and industrial revolutions.

Horn led the recent Brown Bag discussion with an adapted version of a lecture previously done on a webinar with Oxford University. Horn gave an overview of “A People’s History of the World, 1400 to the Present” in an interview with The Quadrangle.

“So it’s a textbook that covers 1400 to the present,” Horn said. “I have some chapters that talk about central issues and they cover the whole time period. So things like trade, agriculture, community, religion and enslavement, those cover the whole period. And then I have other topics that I divide and try to think about the

Horn originally signed the contract to write the textbook back in 2016. He began researching and writing the book in 2017 and it was ultimately published by the Oxford University Press in 2022. He noted that when access to libraries was suddenly restricted due to COVID-19 in 2020, he went to the library and checked out nearly 300 books at once so he could continue his research during the pandemic.

What differentiates this history textbook from others is the focus on studying the people from a social science perspective.

“So the people’s history part was one element of it, trying to think about different kinds of issues,” Horn said. “It’s also about sociology, economics and anthropology. It’s a much more of a social science-oriented version of how to think about change over time. So I’m trying to give a sense that, yes, politics matters, but that if you don’t put it into the context of social change and economic development, that you can’t really understand politics at a global level.”

Amongst the students in attendance at the event was senior Joshua Whipple, a double major in history and international studies.

“It [the history Brown Bag event] was really interesting to attend,” Whipple said. “As

somebody who obviously studies history, I really enjoyed it, but just as somebody who is interested in academics in general, I learned a lot about how to write for academics.”

Adam Arenson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the history department,

commented on Horn’s work following the history Brown Bag event.

“Dr. Horn’s presentation showed how much thought and how much expertise goes into creating a textbook— something I don’t think students think about!” Arenson wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “His textbook shows the hard work he put in, during the pandemic, thinking about the best ways to teach world history, and how to go beyond what other books did.”

Jocelyn Visnov Senior Writer

Jeff Horn has taught at MC for the last 23 years. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY

Manhattan Players Announces One-Act Directors

As April begins, the annual Manhattan Players’ One Acts are officially back for students to witness! The production’s student directors and actors can display their talents in a festival showcasing short plays, each approximately 10 to 15 minutes long for one day only. This year’s shows and director pairings are, The Interview by James Cullen, The Understudy by Kevin Cullen, No Such Thing by Olivia Bailey, The Big Ride by Aaron Schoepf, Sides by Tess Nunan and Bobby’s Brain by Angelina Perez.

Earlier this week, Bailey met with The Quadrangle to discuss her creative spin on No Such Thing. The play focuses on the journey of two individuals, Alan and Steven. They discuss an essay that Steven wrote about his sexuality. Alan wants to see the essay get published, but it would expose Steven as gay and destroy his career.

“There are some elements that I don’t think people will expect, such as some discourse that may turn into something more,” Bailey said.

One Acts allow students to gain directorial experience, as some of the directors on the list have never directed before. Senior and president of Players Tess Nunan had the opportunity to watch the previous One Acts but expressed her ecstatic excitement about joining the show on the opposite side of the stage.

“I loved watching [One Acts] throughout the years, and it’s always something I wanted to do,” Nunan said. “In previous years, I haven’t had time to participate as it is an extra commitment, but I’m really excited to see how this all goes.”

Since One Act is seen as a festival, when picking her piece, Nunan wanted to make sure that her play would be joyous and interactive to better connect with the audience.

With directing comes the opportunity to create their own cast for the play. While auditions can come with difficult choices, there are a plethora of

great candidates. Director and sophomore Kevin Cullen was appreciative and passionate about the cast he put together. “I love my cast and the energy they bring. Every single one of them came into the auditions and just nailed it,” Cullen said. “Four or five people came in with auditions for mine, and every single one of them had me laughing.”

This year’s One Acts are specifically exciting for Cullen because despite having assistant director experience in the past, this is his first directing gig, where he gets to see his team’s and his own ideas on the

stage.

Bailey had the opportunity to direct a piece in One Acts last year, which allowed her to learn from and enhance her current piece.

“I learned a bit more about what it means to be on the directing end instead of the receiving end of a show and understand when certain notes are being given,” Bailey said. “A lot goes into being constructive about your criticism for actors to keep their morale about a play.”

One Acts have been very successful in the past, and look like they will continue to

achieve success this year as well. With new directors come new plays and faces on the Smith Auditorium stage, which will be full when the One Acts premiere on April 14th at 2 pm. Tickets will be available to pur chase on the MC Players Insta gram @playersmc.

Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor

The Diversity of MC’s Musical Preferences: Jasper Wrapped

Angelina Persaud Managing Editor/Asst. News Editor

What’s one thing all Manhattan College Jaspers have in common? The answer: a great taste in music.

Nestled in the corner near the Starbucks in Kelly Commons, a table was set up to attract students to add their favorite songs to the “Jasper Wrapped” playlist for the year.

Students were able to enter their favorite songs and talk about their music preferences as a way of engaging with each other and forming connections based on shared interests.

The event was coordinated on behalf of Residence Life as a way to try to unite the com-

muter resident populations on campus.

The goal was to curate a collection of songs that were compiled by students and play them throughout the semester in the commons.

Alyssa Kumar, a senior biology major, was one of the representatives at the booth in Kelly and offered an additional perspective on the motivation behind the event.

“We were assigned to do programming for the student body, especially the commuters,” Kumar said. “So we’ve been doing several types of programs. Jasper Wrapped is to kind of get the two communities together to create a playlist.”

Hosting the event alongside Kumar was Thierno Diallo, a senior computer science major.

He further explained that the event was meant to include the music preferences of commuter students as a way to expand the creative outlet for students on campus and gather a wider audience over shared interests.

“We wanted to focus on what you would have listened to on your way to classes which is more commuter-focused, and more upbeat,” Diallo said. “So just to sort of wake you up in the morning from your commute type of thing.”

Kumar and Diallo also highlighted their personal music preferences and welcomed others to share theirs at the event and bond over other genres.

“I really like screamo pop, alternative rock, stuff like that,” Kumar said. “Music just honestly helps me to stay calm,

even though screamo can be pretty intense.”

Diallo noted that his personal music preferences have shifted over time and he tends to jump around from different genres.

“Mainly it’s like hip hop rather than pop,” Diallo said. “I can go from Taylor Swift to Queen. I love music.”

The event had multiple student participants, each bringing their own unique music preferences to add to the playlist.

Margaret Pappas, a junior civil engineering major, shared how her music preferences shifted over time.

“My favorite genre is country,” Pappas said. “My taste in music changed during the COVID lockdown when I had more time to explore different

genres.”

Pappas also emphasized the need for more student lounges on campus to create environments that allow students to relax and unwind.

“I enjoyed the Jasper Wrapped event,” Pappas said. “It allowed students to share their music taste with the entire school. I think students would benefit to an extent. I think there should be places on campus where relaxing meditation-like music is played so that students can de-stress.”

Residence Life hosts various events throughout the year and students are encouraged to participate as they are announced.

Alyssa Kumar and Thierno Diallo hosted the Jasper Wrapped event in Kelly Commons. ANGELINA PEREZ / THE QUADRANGLE

Scatterbomb Hits the Stage to Entertain Audience Once Again

Maizy Swift

Manhattan College’s improv group Scatterbomb held a performance in Hayden 100 last Friday night that brought nonstop giggles from the crowd and even featured a monologue by one of MCs very own religious studies professors, Robert Geraci, Ph.D.

The show had a great turnout, and the audience was engaged throughout Geracis’ monologue which opened the performance and paved the way for the show’s theme as he spoke about his childhood best friend’s unfortunate sexual history that led to many children. Members of Scatterbomb took this monologue and put on various scenes involving con-

doms, teenage pregnancy and 7/11 lottery winners.

Junior Olivia Appel had never been to a Scatterbomb performance before, but her friends on the stage and in the crowd convinced her to come.

“It was really fun,” Appel said. “My friends told me that [Scatterbomb] would also be doing something different this show, which worried me at first, but it turned out really great.”

During the first weekend of April, Scatterbomb hosts English night, where professors attend to read monologues and laugh with students in a professional yet laid-back setting.

“I would come back again,” Appel said. “I would definitely recommend it for students who want something to do on a Friday night where they want to go out but not too far.”

Lochlan Reeder, another

MAIZY SWIFT / THE QUADRANGLE

Some

junior at MC, told The Quadrangle this was not his first at a Scatterbomb show. In fact, Reeder had been a part of Scatterbomb for a short time during his freshman year.

“I’ve been to a couple of shows before,” Reeder said. “I actually was a part of it for a month in my freshman year, and I quit right before the first show because I was nervous.”

Reeder described that his favorite part of the show was the linear storyline usually lacking in Scatterbomb performances.

“I was impressed with the whole plot, with the old lady that went on for the whole hour,” Reeder said. “It feels like they don’t usually have the whole linear storyline.”

Eric Richter, a freshman who joined Scatterbomb in the fall semester, described how it helped his college experience.

“[Scatterbomb] certainly

made me more comfortable during college,” Richter said. “It was really difficult for me to fit in or feel comfortable at [MC], but when I’m here with these people, it just feels nice, and there’s a sense of friendship that’s helped.”

Ritcher was happy with the way the show had gone. However, he did share some ways he felt like he could improve for the next performance.

“I think on my part, at the beginning, I was participating a nice amount, and then near the end, I kind of had a few ideas,” Ritcher said. “I still have a little bit of trouble going up and controlling the scene, but I’ve improved since the beginning of the year.”

With the help of Scatterbomb, Ritcher hopes to improve his improv skills more as the semester progresses.

“I’m usually kind of nervous up in the front, but I also

do improv to try to break out of that,” Ritcher said. “I found that when I’m doing improv, at least the crowd doesn’t bother me as much as if I were saying a speech for class or something.”

Scatterbomb revealed at the end of their performance that they would now be holding shows every Friday night in April. Students are encouraged to check out their Instagram @ scatterbombmc for upcoming themes such as Alumni Night and their annual closing-out show, Scatterprom. If you want to have a good laugh with some friends, check out their next performance in Hayden 100 next Friday at 8 p.m. and dress trashy.

members of Scatterbomb after their performance on Friday.

MAIZY SWIFT / THE QUADRANGLE

Scatterbomb entertains audience with hilarious performance.

Ultimate Frisbee set to kick off SeasonInaugural

Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editor

The Jaspers ultimate frisbee team is set to kick off its inaugural season in just a week. After months of preparation for the new team, they took on Adelphi University this past Sunday.

The team has been building its roster and practicing since October of last year. With the team being new to a sport that is not widely available throughout high schools, it has seen its troubles in gaining experienced players. Head captain of the team, Keller Peterson, spoke on how the team has been training for the upcoming season.

“Given that we’ve been practicing for about eight or so months, while the competition has been practicing for at least four years, if not more,” Peterson said. “I’m not expecting to win anything, but there’s been a lot of growth for the team going from zero to where we are now.”

The improvements of the team will come from the goals that they have set for each other. With many players having to learn the sport from scratch, a big responsibility is placed on players like Peterson who have a lot of experience in the sport already. He mentioned how it has been captaining a team with little experience.

“It’s definitely a learning experience,” Peterson said. “I’m a tutor, so I know how to teach people some things but one is academics, and the other is physical activity. There are some inherent differences, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job for my first time, so I’m excited to see where the team goes now that they’ve caught up to mostly where I am right now.”

Outside of the captains, players themselves have had to learn the sport as well. Many players have mentioned how much they have grown over the years, specifically Christian Molina. He spoke about his goals for the season and how he plans to improve as an individual player.

Manhattan College Ultimate Frisbee Team

GoFundMe/COURTESY

“I want to be as good of a player as I can be right now, and that’s with being in good shape, being solid with my throws and catches,” Molina said. “Then also knowing the sport like systems, knowing and doing the drills or watching YouTube videos about it. Just to make myself better as a player for the team. I think that’s one aspect that I really wanted to improve on.”

In preparation for their first tournament, the team has been solidifying the movements and plays that they will be using in the game. With many of the players still learning the ins and outs of the sport, it is still taking time for everything to come together. However, the team has seen significant improvement in the skills and movements that the team will use in their games. One player, James Cullen, spoke on how the team has focused on gamelike situations during practice and how it has helped the team improve.

“We spent a lot of time making sure our route cuts are sharp instead of a more ‘U

shape’,” Cullen said. “A lot of new people come on and have a hard time just doing that quick pivot because they just haven’t done it so long. It’s the thing that we haven’t practiced or

touched on a lot since we got a bunch of new players just because we did it in September and October, and then moved on because we got it. We work on those things because they

can become a glaring issue once we are in game situations.” There is a lot of excitement around the team with their upcoming season, and it’s only a matter of time to see how the boys perform.

Men’s Lacrosse Gains Successful Momentum with Four Consecutive Wins

Elizabeth Kalaj Web Editor

Manhattan College’s Men’s Lacrosse (4-6, 4-1 MAAC) has altered the trajectory of its season with a three-game winning streak. The team’s goal has been to maintain this hard work throughout the season, hopefully culminating in a championship title.

The team has demonstrated its prowess over the last few weeks, securing victories by as narrow as one point to as wide as a seven-goal difference. The Jaspers aspire to sustain this momentum throughout the remainder of the MAAC season.

In this turnaround from the season’s outset, goalkeeper Connor Hapward has delivered impressive performances, amassing 46 saves over the last three games, while offensive player Kyle Gucwa has tallied 11 goals and eight assists during the same period. Consequently, Gucwa and Hapward were named MAAC Players of the Week for two consecutive weeks.

Gucwa and Hapward spoke to The Quadrangle

regarding the significance of these achievements.

“While the Defensive Player of the Week award bears my name, I view it as a testament to our entire defense and, furthermore, our team as a whole,” Hapward said. “It underscores how much we’ve progressed as a team and how we’ve coalesced as MAAC play has commenced.”

Gucwa echoed this sentiment, attributing the team’s successes to the collective effort of all players on the field, while also looking ahead to future goals.

“There’s a cohesive unit that must come together to execute these plays,” Gucwa said. “It’s certainly gratifying to be acknowledged by our peers with these awards, but our sights are set on a much grander prize – reaching the playoffs and clinching the MAAC championship.”

The Quadrangle also spoke with coach Doug Sage about the team’s message and mindset heading into these MAAC games following a challenging start to the season.

“We continually challenge ourselves with a demanding out-of-conference schedule annually, affording us the

opportunity to compete against some of the nation’s top teams,” Sage said. “By embracing these challenges, we cultivate confidence, and I believe we’ve begun to play with this heightened level of confidence and trust in each other, enabling us to perform at our utmost, win or lose.”

On March 27, the Jaspers clinched a thrilling victory against twentieth-ranked Quinnipiac with a score of 1512. Hapward spoke about the impressive win and his 12 saves during the game.

“While their ranking was certainly evident during the game, it served as added motivation for us to secure the win,” Hapward said. “However, our approach remained consistent throughout. They’re one of our MAAC rivals and another obstacle standing between us and our goal, so we approached it like any other game and gave it our all, emerging victorious.”

Three of the last four games played by the men’s lacrosse team had a goal difference of three or less. Gucwa reflected on the game against Marist, in which the team triumphed by one goal.

“Throughout the season, the team has recognized the importance of sticking together and playing the full sixty minutes,” Gucwa said. “During our fourth-quarter timeout, everyone remained composed, focused, and confident, and I believe that mindset is what has enabled us to grind out these exceedingly close and unpredictable MAAC conference games.”

The men’s lacrosse team is slated to face the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) this upcoming weekend at Gaelic Park. They also have forthcoming matchups against Long Island University, Siena College and Wagner College.

Sage maintains that regardless of the opponent, the goal remains constant among the Jaspers.

“Our objective is always to be 1-0, so we concentrate entirely on the next game ahead,” Sage said. “We always emphasize ‘looking through the windshield’ at the opponents directly in front of us, which is VMI this time.”

Sage concluded with some final thoughts, sentiments he typically imparts to the team

throughout the season.

“It has always been our focus to take one goal at a time, one quarter at a time, and one game at a time,” Sage said. “We simply need to be one goal better than VMI tomorrow, which will secure the one win we are focused on,

thus advancing us toward our overarching goal.”

Editor’s Note: Isaiah Rosario, Sports Editor, contributed to reporting for this story. Reporting took place ahead of the team’s matchup with Virginia Military Institute (VMI).

Kyle Gucwa, Offensive Player of the Week. MANHATTANLAX/INSTAGRAM

Connor Hapward, Defensive Player of the Week. MANHATTANLAX/INSTAGRAM

Schedule for Spring 2024 Men’s Lacrosse season. MANHATTANLAX/INSTAGRAM