Issue 6, Fall 2021- The Quadrangle

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Volume CIV, Issue 6

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NEW YORK, OCTOBER 5, 2021

MC Celebrates First Month of In-Person Learning Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor

Manhattan College Has First Fall Chill Students prepare for midterms as new season is upon us.

BRIAN ASARE/THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College is Recognized Again by U.S. News & World Report Madalyn Johnson Web Editor

Since 2015, Manhattan College has been ranked one of the top 15 Best Regional Universities in the North according to U.S. News & World Report.

This year, the college has been rated number 13 for Best Regional Universities out of 175 colleges featured on the list.

Along with being ranked 13 in the Best Regional Universities category, Manhattan College was also ranked one of the top colleges in the region for student veterans, undergraduate teaching, and for its School of Engineering.

Provost Steven Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E responded to the recent rankings in an email statement sent to The Quadrangle.

“For prospective students and parents, the U.S. News and World Report rankings are a good way to learn about the of-

IN NEWS:

ferings that each institution provides,” Schreiner wrote. “Every student and family approaches the college search in their own way, and the U.S. News ranking is just one source of information for their decision making process. I think that being ranked also can be helpful to steer prospective students to visit campus, where they can get a much better sense of our community and what we have to offer them as an individual.”

Manhattan College’s student veterans program has also been ranked an extremely prestigous ranking. This year the college moved up one ranking, to the fifth spot, compared to last year.

Chris Norberto is a junior majoring in sociology and a student veteran, serving nine years as a United States Navy Master at Arms Veteran. He currently is the treasurer for the student veterans program.

Norberto found out about

IN FEATURES: MC Recognized by An Beal Bocht U.S. News & World Post-Covid Report continued on p. 4 on p. 3

Manhattan College through a friend who went to the school as a student veteran. He shared how getting accepted into the program helped him adjust to life after joining the Navy.

“I had a hard first year, after getting out of the Navy. I couldn’t get a job, I got rejected from some other schools,” Norberto said.

Following his entrance into Manhattan College, he stated there was an instant sense of community that really made this campus unique.

“After I got involved in the college, I was welcomed with open arms by the other vets in the Vet Center itself. There was always someone there to talk to or someone to be like, ‘Hey well this is how you do that and this is a good professor’. To have a sense of community was just instantaneous.” __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Moving into the fall month of October, Manhattan College continues to update students and faculty regarding the COVID-19 status on campus.

In an email to the Manhattan College community on Sept.

30, One Manhattan celebrated the achievements of students, faculty and administration following a full in person month on campus after over a year of chaos amongst the pandemic.

“It’s been a great first month,” the email stated. “We had more than 150 students go see Wicked on Broadway last week; more than 400 students went to the Yankees game Student Engagement hosted; all Performing Arts groups are up and running; our Movies on the Quad and Student Lecture Series were a huge success; our second Leadership Weekend retreat is coming up this weekend, geared toward new students.”

With these accomplishments in mind, the college also updated the community with the ongoing statistics of COVID-19 on campus.

One Manhattan reported that within the past 14 days, Health Services has processed 533 COVID-19 tests from on campus and off campus testing with 8 positive results.

The positive test rate for the college over this time period is 1.5%. The email states that the seven day positive test rate of New York City as a whole is 2.2% from Sept. 28, as a point of comparison.

Important information about the positivity rate amongst vaccinated individuals and those with approved exemptions on campus was also provided in the email.

“Since the start of the semester, we have seen 14 positive cases among the 4,316 individuals (0.3%) who are vaccinated on campus. There have been 7 positive cases among the 170 individuals (4.1%) who hold exemptions to our vaccine requirement,” the email stated.

To continue updating results in an efficient manner, the college once again offered COVID-19 Abbott antigen (rapid) testing on campus the day this email was sent out on Sept.

30 from one p.m. to three p.m.

IN A&E:

Meet Luis Chavez, the Music Man on p. 7

in the lobby of Smith Auditorium.

It is encouraged for any student, faculty, staff member or administrator to get tested at these pop up clinics, as long as they are in compliance with COVID-19 requirements on campus. This is especially encouraged for those individuals who are experiencing symptoms.

The email reminds the community, however, that the rapid tests are not substitutes for weekly PCR surveillance testing for individuals with approved exemptions.

Despite the promising state of campus during the first month back in person, the college reminds students about the importance of wearing a mask at all times when indoors.

“In order to continue to have these opportunities to come together, we need to reiterate why we have an indoor mask mandate on campus,” the email stated.

To ensure that students truly understand the importance of the mask mandate, the email continued to explain the significance of masks indoors.

“It is not just about protecting you; it’s about protecting the people around you: the classmate who may not be able to be vaccinated due to a medical condition, the faculty member who has two young children at home who aren’t eligible to be vaccinated yet, a staff person who takes care of an elderly parent who is more susceptible to illness than a college student. It’s about them.

Please wear a mask indoors.”

These continued updates and reminders ensure that all members of the Manhattan College community know what they should be doing and what is occurring on campus to keep test rates low and everyone healthy.

Yet, the email reminds the community that if everyone continues to follow guidelines, campus can continue to thrive like it once did.

“Our classrooms are hosting lively discussions, and we had special guest speakers and lecturers on campus, including our own faculty and administrators. We are truly grateful for having these opportunities to come together in person,” the email stated.

IN SPORTS:

New Swim Coach Eric Rasmussen on p. 8

Opinions & Editorials

2 Volume CIV, Issue 6 October 5, 2021

The Editorial Board Anna Woods Editor-in-Chief

Maria Thomas Managing Editor

Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor

Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor

Kyla Guilfoil Asst. News Editor

Jilleen Barrett Arts & Entertainment Editor

Kelly Cwik Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Christine Nappi Features Editor

Caroline McCarthy Asst. Features Editor

Pete Janny Sports Editor

Josh Sawyer Asst. Sports Editor

Lauren Raziano Social Media Editor

Kelly Kennedy Asst. Social Media Editor

Brian Asare Photography Editor

Nicole Rodriguez Production Editor

Adrianne Hutto Jocelyn Visnov Asst. Production Editors

Madalyn Johnson Katherine Heneghan Web Editors

Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.

The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.

Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.

Connect with The Quadrangle

mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad

THE QUADRANGLE

New York Football Reaches New Low Michael Bottiglieri Contributor

The fall season is here, which should only mean happiness in the eyes of football fans around the world. However, we are currently three weeks into the NFL season and all that is felt amongst Jets and Giants fans is pain.

Both teams currently stand at 0-3 with young quarterbacks who can’t seem to receive any help from their offensive line.

This is a real problem because the Jets have just drafted quarterback Zach Wilson from BYU with the second-overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Any football fan knows that a quarterback will go as far as his offensive line lets him go, which means that a vulnerable offensive line will only hurt the progression of such a young talent like Wilson.

As for the Giants, they just can’t seem to ever get the offensive line right, which has been a problem for a few years now.

Daniel Jones has proven to be average at best, but regardless of that, being in such a poor division like the NFC East should allow any team to be able to compete. However, the offensive line can’t provide any holes for superstar running back Saquon Barkley to run through. It

seems like every play in which the ball is handed to Barkley he gets tackled in the backfield with absolutely no blocking from the front five.

A common phrase used in football is that “the game is won in the trenches.” The trenches is a word that refers to the offensive line and defensive line, and whoever wins the battle up front has a huge advantage in the game because it allows for a team to run the ball more, and of course gives the quarterback more time in the pocket to make decisions and throw.

Knowing this fact, it is pretty obvious why the Jets and Giants are doing so poorly this season. As I just mentioned, winning the battle up front, or in the “trenches” allows for teams to run the ball more.

Running the ball is a very essential part of the offense because it dictates the tone of the game and also makes the clock run. The Jets currently have the fourth worst rushing attack in the NFL along with the least amount of points. To dig even deeper into statistics, Zach Wilson has been sacked 15 times in three games, which is the most in the league. The next highest is 10 amongst all quarterbacks that have played thus far this season. So before you blame Wilson for these losses, maybe show some sympathy

for the guy.

Looking at the Giants, it’s easy for the casual fan to look at Daniel Jones and immediately blame him for the Giants’ slow start. However, while he might not be the franchise quarterback that fans are looking for, I think that any young quarterback in this system wouldn’t succeed. In 2020, Jones was sacked 50 times, which was the second highest in the NFL. In the same season, with Saquon Barkley out for the entire season last year, the Giants’ starting running back Wayne Gallman averaged 2.2 yards before contact, which was the eighth worst in the NFL amongst starting running backs.

Both of these football teams are picking up where they left off last season with poor play and angry fan bases. The Jets haven’t seen the playoffs in eleven years, and the Giants can’t seem to compete in the worst division that the NFL has ever seen. Sadly, two young and talented quarterbacks stand as the face for franchises who don’t give them any help. As a Jets fan, I must admit that this will be yet another embarrassing season for Gang Green. As for Giants fans, they know how painful it is to watch their team play every Sunday as well.

It is not a good time to be a football fan in New York.

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News

OCTOBER 5, 2021

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Manhattan College is Recognized Again by U.S. News & World Report __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Norberto is pleased to see Manhattan College is continuously getting recognition for their student veterans program and mainly credits Tiana Solan, director of Veterans Services, for the college’s success.

“Every veteran involved is put in, to make the program better. You know my personal philosophy is, ‘Come into something and leave it better than how you got it’ and that’s just a general rule of thumb for life,” Noberto said. “But a lot of this credit has to go to Tiana, she’s the backbone of the organization because without her, a lot of us would just be wandering aimlessly around.”

The School of Engineering was also ranked 46 out of the top 50 undergraduate engineering programs in the nation that do not offer a doctorate. Tiffany French, assistant dean in the School of Engineering, can confidently say she wasn’t surprised with the ranking.

“I think it’s reflective of all the hard work that the folks in engineering put in,” French said.

French emphasizes that the dedication and passion of faculty and students at the college truly makes a difference.

“We have really talented and caring faculty so that’s the thing. You get all of the benefits, a world class research institution, we have great labs, we have great professors, but it’s a small liberal arts college and you get that personal care and attention,” French said.

French has been assistant

dean of engineering for about two years now and previously worked as the assistant dean of students. Well aware of the learning environment provided for students, French said even before working for the school she had heard nothing but positive things about the community.

“I had heard of Manhattan from folks I went to high school with who had gone there. Once I was interviewed on campus, I got a really good feeling from the folks that I had met. They hired me so that was great, but it was the people that I thought made the place and I think that is one of the best parts of Manhattan, is the people here because it really makes it unique.”

Although not surprised, French was glad to see Manhattan College was ranked in the top 50 for their engineering program. Especially since colleges endured a difficult time, and still are with the pandemic, French believes the recognition is well deserved for the faculty.

“I was happy to see it. Like I said, it’s reflective of everybody’s hard work and during COVID, the faculty here went above and beyond to try to support students during a really difficult time. I think that seeing this after, while it was still in the pandemic really, I think it’s great recognition for all the hard work that they put in,” French said.

A testament to the hard work that faculty members and staff put into their programs, the college continues to gain recognition over the years.

Manhattan College has been ranked one of the top 15 Best Regional Universities.

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT / COURTESY

Manhattan College was also ranked one of the top colleges in the region for student veterans, undergraduate teaching, and for its School of Engineering.

MANHATTAN.EDU / COURTESY

Join the Quadrangle Open Meetings Tuesdays 4 p.m. in Kelly 4.12.

Features

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THE QUADRANGLE

An Beal Bocht Café: Riverdale’s Local Pub Prevails Post-COVID Lockdown RIVERDALE RISES Angelica Niedermeyer & Rebecca Kranich Contributor

Since its opening in 1991, An Beal Bocht Café, typically referred to “An Beal,” has served the Riverdale community as a local eatery and a center for the arts. Located at 445 W 238th St, An Beal provides a space for artists of all disciplines to share their passions and serves as a casual hangout spot for Jaspers to unwind and share food and drinks.

When the cafe first opened, there was initially a heavier focus on Irish culture and poetry — so much so that a poetry magazine was published out of the establishment, according to the current manager, Keith McDermott. McDermott graduated from Manhattan College in 2005 and has stayed in River-

dale ever since.

As the years passed, the restaurant expanded its music and art endeavors and began to host live music, art galleries, and even a small theater company operating out of the bar. However, when the pandemic hit, the cafe’s operations changed. They had to alter their dining regulations and pause their live musical performances, which impacted the ambiance and artistic feel of the establishment.

According to McDermott, live music is slowly but surely returning to An Beal. The pub’s monthly jazz nights may be returning, an event that has not happened since the lockdown.

“We used to do five to seven nights of live music before COVID changed everything, but now we are starting to get back into it again,” McDermott said. “We do everything from traditional Irish music, reggae,

In addition to halting musical performances for a period of time, An Beal had to stop indoor dining when COVID-19 initially hit.

BRIAN ASARE / THE QUADRANGLE

Located at 445 W 238th St, An Beal provides a space for artists to share their passions.

BRIAN ASARE/ THE QUADRANGLE blues, singer-songwriter, bluegrass, jazz and more.”

In addition to halting musical performances for a period of time, An Beal had to stop indoor dining when COVID-19 initially hit. This restriction caused fewer customers to come to the restaurant, which impacted their business.

“For the first couple of months we were closed for three months, and it was only open outside and there were a ton of rules and restrictions on everything so you were getting people to come by, but not as many,” McDermott said.

Although they struggled to adapt to the pandemic restrictions at first, the cafe is making a growing comeback — however, they are still hoping to return to how business was before the pandemic started. As McDermott describes, new COVID strains such as the delta variant are keeping some customers away.

“We’ve been trying to get back up to the capacity that we had before, and I know people are still apprehensive because of the delta variant,” McDermott said.

An Beal bartender Caitlin Seward shared that after lockdown, the regular customers slowly started to return to the restaurant. During the 20202021 school year, when a majority of classes were remote or

hybrid, there was a significant loss of MC student presence.

“I felt the energy of [the students] here, but I didn’t see them,” Seward said. “Little by little, some of them, in the beginning, were definitely trepidatious, but they started to come back.”

In regards to customers that aren’t students, McDermott notes that a lot of familiar faces are starting to return, but not all.

“It’s a lot of faces we do see, but there are some people that are missing since the pandemic,” McDermott adds.

Although the restaurant had to adapt to COVID restrictions, its warm and friendly atmosphere hasn’t changed.

Just by walking into An Beal, customers and employees can feel at home and welcome. As Seward describes, she feels like she can be herself when she comes to work at An Beal.

With a friendly staff and a comfortable atmosphere, it’s a prominent location for community members and students to hang out at or grab brunch the next day.

One customer, Kate Pastor, a Kingsbridge resident, finds the atmosphere at An Beal to be one like no other, which is why customers keep coming back for more. “[An Beal has a] great sense of community, lots of live

music, and the outdoor space,” Pastor said. “The people who work here are wonderful and the customers — it’s like its own little community.”

Another customer, Nicky Henri, comes to An Beal frequently because of its unique qualities and ability to intertwine numerous cultures and art disciplines.

“One thing that I love about An Beal Bocht Café that is different from most bars is that there is a lot of culture,” Henri said. “There’s an art gallery, theater shows, live music, poetry night, and open mic night.

It’s not just come and have a drink. You can come here and see art.”

One customer group that An Beal appreciates is the student body at Manhattan College. McDermott loves seeing Jasper nation frequent the bar, and he hopes they keep returning.

“The students from Manhattan College have been the best group of people,” McDermott said. “They’ve been really good about following the rules and they don’t hassle the staff about any of the procedures that we have to go through. We’re really thankful for them. With that being said we’re being as safe as we possibly can, so if people feel safe and comfortable to come out again please do.”

Features

OCTOBER 5, 2021

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MC Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Victor Franco Staff Writer

The multicultural center and Fuerza Latina hosted the Latino Heritage Month celebration on Sept. 22 in Kelly Commons, which offered many students the opportunity to learn and appreciate Hispanic culture.

Hispanic Heritage month, which takes place from Sept.

15 through Oct. 15, is a way to commemorate Hispanic culture. Hayden Greene, the current Director, and Coordinator of the Multicultural Center finds that events like these reflect an inclusivity. “[The goal] is to make sure that all identities find a home and can grow,” Greene said.

“We also inform about opportunities to learn from different identities on campus.”

Greene strives to make several events throughout the year that commemorate the different identities on campus. Hispanic Heritage month allows all students to celebrate and explote many Hispanic traditions as seen in food, literature, and music.

“The hope is that you don’t just focus on Hispanic Heritage during the month, but that you take that information and it stays with you throughout the

year,” Greene said.

Viridiana Roman, the current president of Fuerza Latina and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, has been a leader of the Hispanic community at Manhattan College. This semester, she assured that both Fuerza Latina and SHPE were partnering as sponsors with the Multicultural Center to make the event enjoyable for all students. Roman understands the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month because it defines many students in MC. “I believe it’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month because it means we’re celebrating all the contributions Latinos have made over many generations,” Roman said. “This month is especially important because it celebrates several of the Latin countries’ independence days.”

As for the event, it was split up into different sections, such as performances and readings which were connected to different Hispanic cultures. Roman enjoyed these parts of the event.

“My favorite part of the event was getting to see the students and Fogo Azul perform,” Roman said. “My friend Ashlie Roque sang mariachi music and her voice captivated every single person in that

room. Fogo Azul also played samba music and their energy was incredible. It had many of us dancing all night.”

América Pineda, Fuerza Latina’s secretary, participated in the event and read a chapter from her book, Silky Rizo, which gave a glimpse of her life as a Latin woman. Pineda expressed the relation between her physical appearance and its connection to her culture, something that Roman resonated with.

“Her excerpt was really educational and inspiring,” Roman said. “Her take on what her hair means to her was really eye-opening to the subject of Afro-Latinidad.”

Swapril Biswash and Calissa McNeely were both at the event and enjoyed their time learning about different aspects of the Hispanic culture.

Both students acknowledged the importance of the Hispanic culture on campus.

“It is really important to have events like these, especially because at one point in time there weren’t events to celebrate the Latinx culture,” McNeely said. “I think it’s really great that we are able to showcase and embrace that now.”

Bishwash noticed that the event brought together different students from the school

The Multicultural Center and Fuerza Latina hosted the Latino Heritage Month celebration on Sept. 22 in Kelly Commons. @MCMULTICULTURAL / COURTESY and gave them a place to comfortably share and learn more about the Hispanic culture.

“Some students might be embarrassed about something in their culture, but with events like these, they are allowed to be themselves and repre[sent] their heritage,” Bishwash said.

The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration ended with a great outcome from the stu-

dent community. The Multicultural Center plans to annually improve on this event to make it the best it can possibly be.

“I think the event was successful,” Roman said. “We had a big turnout and the food was completely gone by the end of the event, which is the best thing that could’ve ever happened.”

CMSA Resumes Activity on Campus Carlos Pinto-Corredor Contributor

After 16 months of virtual classes and personnel turnover, the Campus Ministry and Social Action Suite is ready to welcome back and reconnect the Jasper community this Fall.

Leadership transition occurred amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis with unexpected cuts in personnel. Thelma Collado, former campus ministry office manager, was furloughed due to the financial impact of the pandemic on our campus.

Franks, who continues as an adjunct professor and college chaplain, explained that after the changes in the department and more than a year of hybrid learning, the main goal for CMSA this year is to engage and reconnect students the program again, particularly freshmen and sophomores who haven’t had the opportunity to experience campus life in-person.

“We are trying to reach out and let people know that we are here to be of help for our residents, for our commuters, for everyone to know that CMSA

has programming, space, and time to journey with everyone in these great years,” Franks said.

Franks expressed that the department will be working on rekindling and revitalizing the spiritual and sacramental catholic life on campus, embracing the idea of seeking wellness and holiness, while helping people to connect with the idea of journeying and accompanying one another no matter their religious background or affiliation.

“We are looking for ways to expand our notion and our experience of chaplaincy,” Franks said. “For example, inviting faith leaders either from within our Manhattan community or perhaps seeing who from the outside, can join us. We want to ensure that we are really a ministry in a presence that is seen as interfaith.”

The Campus Ministry and Social Action department also hopes that students will once again participate in their traditional Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experiences, known as “L.O.V.E. Trips,” now that they will be reopened for the coming winter intersession and spring semester.

Jacquie Martin, the coordi-

nator of the Social Action Suite, expressed that since last year the ideal is to re-establish this immersive service that allows students to address issues like immigration, social justice, poverty, education, civil and human rights, fair trade, gender and sexuality, indigenous peoples, racism and other related topics.

“We are connected to the campus protocols,” Martin said. “This fall the students will be recruited, and they will work in planning and training. In the past, we had the opportunity to visit communities in Chicago, El Paso, Texas, Flint, Michigan and New Orleans, Louisiana.

So, we hope to return to serve in those places.”

Other CMSA programs include their Voter Engagement program. This provides an opportunity for students to get involved in voting and providing educational opportunities to other students in their role as citizens.

Additionally, there are two types of weekly local community engagement activities. Students can participate in both the Lasallian Outreach Collaborative (L.O.Co) programs, which partner student volunteers with local communities

and organizations. They can also participate in the Community Engaged Federal WorkStudy, which is currently offering paid positions in roles such as, after school tutor, food pantry assistant, education, garden assistant, recreation support, and more. The work can be virtual, hybrid, or in person.

“Volunteers are able to work for non-profit organizations and build relationships with the community,” Martin said. “We are helping students to connect with the organization and the local group that fits their interests.”

Conor Reidy, MC campus minister, is also hopeful about having students back on campus particularly because CMSA expects to relaunch the LIFT and KAIROS Retreat programs in person. Those programs include one-day hiking retreats, overnight retreats dedicated to each class, and three-day retreats to explore your personal relationship with God, yourself, and with others.

Campus Ministry is also providing leadership opportunities for young people to be engaged in justice work across the country. Students can join a group that works with the Lasallian Colleges and Univer-

sities in Association for Justice (LCUAJ) to prepare for a collective action around a social justice concern.

“We want our students to connect with students from each of the six Lasallian Universities in the U.S. to learn and to advocate for justice,” Reidy said.

In addition, Agape Latte, a faith-based conversation event, will be held this month as well as the Peer Ministry Program.

Peer Ministry is a program that allows students to meet twice a month to have safe conversations among peers about different and personal topics.

“We want to offer opportunities to interact, and we want to facilitate conversations and lead programs that allow [students] to be themselves,” Reidy said. “Come and see us because that is the best way to get involved.”

The campus ministry office is located at Miguel Hall 209.

Students can find the social action center at Kelly Commons 203, and you can connect with them on social media by searching @MC_CMSA on Instagram and Twitter.

Arts & Entertainment

6

THE QUADRANGLE

Jasper Jams: A Playlist To Get You Through Mercury Being in Retrograde JASPER JAMS Jilleen Barrett A&E Editor

It feels like everyone I know was having a difficult, stressful time as September ended last week. Maybe it’s because midterms are coming up, or maybe it’s due to the chillier weather — personally, I think it’s because mercury is in retrograde.

Mercury is the planet of communication, and according to Time, “those who are astrologically inclined expect frequent misunderstandings, scheduling problems and disagreements with friends during this period.” Mercury is in retrograde till Oct. 17; scan the QR code below to see what songs I’m using to get through it.

Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift This song induces serotonin. Swift is re-recording all of her old songs due to Scooter Braun’s ownership of her first few albums, and nothing makes me happier than the fact

that she is purposely making them sound exactly the same as the original versions. I grew up on Taylor Swift, so being able to go back to her old music is really calming for me during a stressful time like this.

Drunk on Halloween Wallows Spooky season has begun and this song emulates the fall season on a college campus.

The way I interpret it, this song is about partying and Halloween and the messiness that is a college relationship. While the couple this song focuses on may be having some sort of argument, the upbeat nature of it makes it a great listen during a stressful period.

Slow Dances - Winnetka Bowling League This is a really fun song to dance to and it has a great alternative beat to it. The chorus is my favorite part: “Standing in your Allbirds / Singing all the wrong words to “Hallelujah” / Sweatshirt on a warm day / Trying to keep a straight face / That’s how I knew you / Talking with your fast hands /

Saving all your slow dances / I wish I was there with you.”

This song gets me really energized while walking to class.

People Are Strangers Zella Day I think this song is really relatable during a time where you feel like nothing makes sense.

Zella Day sings about feeling lost when it comes to socializing, not being able to articulate oneself properly and how it’s “human nature” to feel like other people are strangers. I discovered this song recently and I’m glad I did because it makes me feel calm and understood.

Aqua Profunda! - Courtney Barnett Another song with a lot of energy, Barnett sings about having a crush on someone at the gym for her album “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit.” I love this whole album, but this particular song is perfect for when you’re dragging yourself out of bed to get to class or you just feel unable to get all your homework done. If you see me walking around campus with head-

phones in, this song is probably what is blasting through them.

Slide Away - Miley Cyrus Sometimes you just want to listen to a sad song when you’re already sad. This single

by Miley Cyrus is the perfect sad song. Cyrus assumedly sings about her divorce and realizing that she wants different things in life than what she thought she wanted. I love this song because I think college is a time where we are confused about what we want, even when mercury is not in retrograde.

First Love / Late Spring - Mitski Mitski is the coolest, and so is this song. This is another somewhat sad one, but it’s worth it for the lyrics. She sings, “Wild women don’t get the blues / But I find that / Lately I’ve been crying like a / Tall child.” To me, this says you can still be fearless and brave even if sometimes you want to lay on your bed and cry.

La Vie en Rose - Lucy Dacus Lucy Dacus’ cover of La Vie

en Rose is truly amazing. Dacus has such an incredible voice and while most of her work is a little depressing (in the best way) this song is the exact opposite. This song is originally

by Edith Piaf and includes a lot of French lyrics, like “Quand il me prend dans ses bras / Il me parle tout bas / Je vois la vie en rose” which translates roughly to “When he takes me in his arms / he whispers to me / and I see life through rose-colored glasses.”

Love You For a Long Time - Maggie Rogers Ending on a happier hit. You can’t have an astrology based, mood lifting playlist and not include Maggie Rogers. Formerly a city college student like we are, she’s now a famous singer known for her earthy spirit and overall good vibes. This song reminds me of all the people I love — my family, my roommates, my friends and more.

This is the most important thing to remember while mercury is in retrograde — even if nothing makes sense and you feel lost, you still have so much to love.

Scan here to listen to The Quadrangle’s playlist!

Arts & Entertainment

OCTOBER 5, 2021

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Meet Luis Chavez, the Music Man PERFORMER PROFILE Jocelyn Visnov & Mack Olmsted

Asst. Production Editor & Staff Writer Originally from Lima, Peru, Luis Chavez is a man of many talents. Since coming to the United States in 2007, Luis has struck a chord with faces in every corner of the Bronx, spreading his love for the thing he loves most: music.

Chavez discovered his passion for making music long before finding his voice on campus.

“I started singing in my junior year of high school, by accident,” he said. “I didn’t get into the science class that I wanted, and was put into a random class, and it was vocal music. I totally fell in love with it and have been singing ever since.”

After beginning his career being put in a music class at random, Chavez was cheered on by Kenneth Farnham, his choral director at Fordham Prep. “[He] was probably what inspired me to really follow it, and do a lot of what he did when he was my age, which was play for churches and start groups and play, play and sing,” Chavez said. “I feel like he really got me started and gave me the motivation I needed when things were rough, even outside of high school.”

Chavez is a junior sound studies major, with a minor in theater. In addition to his studies, Chavez is involved with a plethora of musical groups here at MC. He is the president of both the music ministry club and The Manhattones acapella group. He’s also a student assistant for the music depart-

Luis Chavez at the most recent open mic Coffee House event.

LUIS CHAVEZ / COURTESY

Luis safely takes the stage, as he sings accompanied by a band.

LUIS CHAVEZ / COURTESY

ment, the vice president of MC Singers, plays the piano for the jazz band, participates in annual theatrical productions with the Players and works as an RA in Jasper Hall.

Chavez is also among a musical team that hosts Coffee House, an annual open mic event held annually here at MC. “I hosted with Emily Peterson, Joe Correa, and that’s an open mic that happens at the end of every month,” he said.

Despite his jam packed schedule, Chavez loves every verse he plays here at school.

“It’s a very accepting group, I find,” he said. “And it’s very open for any new person, or anyone trying it for the first time. And I think that’s just so nice, especially like here in Manhattan College.”

Chavez’s passion for performance reaches far beyond the gates of campus. Every Sun-

day, Chavez sings and plays piano during mass at the Church of St. Vincent. He’s even been called on to occasionally lead the mass himself.

In addition to his love of choral and instrumental music, Chavez is an active member of the theater scene. In addition to acting in and assistant directing productions with the Manhattan College Players, he’s also an assistant director for the Open Hydrant Theater in the Bronx.

“I see myself doing theater,” he said. “One of my goals or dreams for a very long time has been to become a part of Broadway, or tour or get equity, and do professional shows around like America, or even, I’d like to do one in South America, something in Spanish.”

In addition to his academic and professional endeavours, Chavez finds peace in playing music with his friends in his

free time.

“I started rehearsing with a group, like really trying to get a small little band together of a sax player, trumpet player and a drummer, and I play piano and sing,” he said.

You can catch Chavez and his friends at upcoming open mic events on campus, though they have no set performance dates scheduled yet.

Chavez continues to shine on and off the stage by spreading both his love of music and positive attitude everywhere he goes. He continues to pursue his passion, and would advise his peers to do the same.

“I was going to do math and science for my entire life, then I came to music,” he said. “My parents were not happy, but I am so much happier doing what I’m doing now. If you find something that you like doing you want to do, go for it, just go get it! Nothing is stopping you.”

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Sports

8

THE QUADRANGLE

Eric Rasmussen Signs on as New Swim Coach Adrianne Hutto & Lauren Raziano Asst. Production Editor & Social Media Editor

COVID-19 has spared no one and nothing in its wake, and this can be seen through the unsteady shifts made in Manhattan College’s athletic department. Toward the beginning of 2020, the swimming and diving program was left without a diving coach — a reality that still hasn’t changed. Following this, the swim coach stepped down in early May of this year.

The result of this was a loss of structured practices, time spent in the pool and overall morale in general.

After nearly a year and a half without a diving coach and the absence of a swim coach

since the end of last semester, the program has finally been assigned new leadership. This news allows the team to finally get back to regularly scheduled lifts and attend competitions, the first of which will be next week at the Fairfield Invitational.

The new coach for the program, Eric Rasmussen, graduated from Ithaca College and has been coaching college swimming for about 30 years at NJIT, York College, Saint Peter’s, Loyola College, and as an assistant at Manhattan from 2010-2013. The opportunity came about through his relationship with former MC swim coach, Walter Olsewksi, who mentioned that there was an open coaching position at MC. Going into the interview process, Rasmussen was aware of the coaching challenges the

Eric Rasmussen is the newly appointed coach for the Manhattan College swimming and diving team.

NJIT HIGHLANDERS / COURTESY

team was facing.

“I didn’t know the exact situation with the divers but, diving at this level of college competition diving is always rough,” Rasmussen said. “Diving coaches are often very part time and that’s a tough position to fill in a lot of situations.”

Rasmussen acknowledged that filling collegiate level coaching positions can be very difficult to fill, which is why the college had some difficulties.

Next Monday, the team will begin practices at the Riverdale Country School, allowing the players to finally get time in the pool.

“So for the overall team we have a schedule in place, and we’re just finalizing a couple of dates and start times but it looks pretty set,” Rasmussen said. .

While this does put the team a step in the right direction, the diving team will not be able to practice dives there as the facility is not equipped for it.

“There aren’t a lot of places with diamond facilities, unfortunately Riverdale does not have diving boards,” Rasmussen said. “So we’re looking around to see if we can find a place where we can get them at least a couple of days a week where they could go and do some training and kind of continue along. Like I said, when you don’t have your own facility, it is a tough scheduling situation.”

The swim team has its first competition this week, however, the diving team will not be participating in this event.

“The divers and I spoke about it and the idea that they were going to compete,” Rasmussen said. “Having not trained in a year and a half is silly, we would never try because the potential for injury would be too high. You wouldn’t want to do that and they were comfortable with that.”

Additionally, the delay in finding a training facility and a new coach had pushed back the start of their practices.

“College swim teams are often training very shortly after you get back on campus,” Rasmussen said. It’s not unusual for a college swim team to be in the water by the first week of September.”

Rasmussen encourages his team to shift their perspective on competing. Rather than focusing on winning and losing, Rasmussen is concerned with personal improvement.

“I think one of the things that always drew me into the

sport and also drew me in as a coach is the idea of personal improvement,” Rasmussen said. “You might not be able to win the league, or you might not be able to make the Olympic team or whatever it is that you know people are judging you by. But the reality is that if you start out and your times are this fast and you’re able to improve, improve, improve and then you’re faster when you’re finished, or when you end your career, those are good accomplishments.”

The Quadrangle spoke with Lexington Passamonte who is a senior diver for the swim and diving team at Manhattan College. Because Passamonte is in her senior year, having a regular season is even more important.

Passamonte explained that prior to the pandemic practices were stringent and consistent from week to week.

“Before COVID we would go to practice 5 times a week,” Passamonte said about the schedule which includes sessions at NYU, Asphalt Green, and Fordham on a weekly basis. “Actually, our previous coach quit right before COVID so we haven’t had a coach since then.”

Now, the team is lucky if they make it to the pool each week.

“And I know that the swim team has been struggling to get into the pool even though it’s been said that we were going to be in the pool,” Passamonte said. “They were supposed to be in the pool weeks ago and they just never have.”

However, it is the diving team that has received the least attention. Without a coach or pool time, the team has struggled to fully practice their skills.

“I’ve been talking to him [Rasmussen] a lot and he’s mentioned that he’s reaching out to some people and he’s actually going to reach out to our previous coach to see if he knows anyone he can talk to who wants the position,” Passamonte said.

Although far from ideal, there’s at least some training mechanism in place.

“But one good thing we have going is we have a trampoline in the back of Draddy and he’s letting us use that and we have time that we can go,” Passamonte added.

Without a head coach to guide the team, Passamonte fears how their performance will be at upcoming competitions.

“We have a meeting coming

up next week and the divers won’t even be diving at it just because we haven’t had any practice in so long,” Passamonte said. “So, how are we supposed to get up there and compete against other schools?”

As a senior, Passamonte hoped to attend the MAACs this year and improve her times from her last pre-COVID showing..

“I definitely hope that we can go back and be our best,” Passamonte said. “Last MAACs I placed in the top 8, so that was a big deal for me, and I was really hoping that last year I would have been able to do the same but obviously we didn’t have MAACs so we weren’t able to do that. So, hopefully I’ll be able to get back to where I was and do the same.”.

The Quadrangle also spoke with swimmer Katelyn Hall, a senior on the team who explained how the team has struggled to get time in the pool.

“Unfortunately, our team has struggled to find pool time during the pandemic regardless of the coaching status,” Hall said. “Last year there were only about 5 weeks that we had trained as a result of limited pool availability.”

However, Hall insists the team’s determination is not deterred by all the uncertainties..

“Luckily, our team has always been disciplined and driven,” Hall said. We are ready for a fresh start with a new coach and want to use this opportunity to take the program in a positive direction for future years.”

The team is ready to make up for lost time, especially the seniors who are in their last season. “While it is discouraging to have delayed our season, I think the team has become more eager to train than ever considering that we have spent so much time away from the pool,” Hall said. We are ready to make up for lost time and gain the most out of this season as possible.”

There is a lot to come for the swim and diving team this year as they navigate the hurdles of practice schedules, finding pool time, and having no diving coach. With the new coach and their first competition next week, things are finally picking up again for the swim team.

“Don’t get bogged down with wins and losses, don’t worry about the day to day, worry about keeping your focus on the big picture,” Rasmussen said regarding his message to the team. “It’s just important to get out there and race.”

Sports

OCTOBER 5, 2021

9

Perez Gets Waiver From NCAA Pete Janny Sports Editor

Jose Perez will not have to miss a beat this season. After choosing to transfer to Manhattan, the senior point guard received news this past week that he will be immediately eligible to play this season.

Perez’s eligibility status was complicated given that he played at Gardner-Webb and Marquette before choosing Manhattan as his third school in four years.

With the way the status quo has been challenged during the pandemic, in Perez’s case Manhattan was simply another beneficiary of the less strict enforcement that has become associated with the NCAA. Whether coincidental or not, the new era of NCAA governance has come at a time when players are transferring in large

numbers while, in most cases, not being subjected to traditional regulations for transfers.

What was maybe seen as a risk for the nomadic Perez has paid off now that he has a waiver.

“I just want to win,” Perez said of his mindset heading into the season. “Personal goals come with winning.”

Perez originally made a name for himself at Gardner-Webb when he led the Runnin’ Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament in 2019. Despite a team-high 19 points, Perez and Gardner-Webb lost to the eventual champs Virginia in the first round of the tournament.

“Getting back to the NCAA tournament,” Perez said about what his biggest priority is. “I know coach [Masiello] hasn’t been back there as a team and I know it’s been a couple of rough seasons. I feel like we have a high major roster here.”

Perez’s memorable first

season in college also included him joining RJ Barrett as the only two freshmen in Division I to claim a triple-double during the 2018-19 season. His freshman season also topped that of NBA Hall of Famer John Drew by passing him for most alltime points from a freshman in school history with 526. Perez was a triple threat for Gardner-Webb by posting a line of 44.8 percent from the floor, 38.1 percent from deep, and 70.2 percent from the free throw line.

Looking for a fresh start, Perez transferred to Marquette and spent only one season there. Playing in the Big East, Perez was nothing more than a bench option for the Golden Eagles in his brief time there.

At Manhattan, Perez is expected to be thrusted into a starting role from the start while taking on a solid chunk of the ball handling responsi-

bilities. The Jaspers have struggled shooting from three over the last two seasons, which makes the addition of Perez and his known shooting ability all the more important.

“It’s very good just adjusting to it, adjusting to new things and people on campus,” Perez said about acclimating to his new school. “I was down south then I went to the midwest and now I’m back home so I know a little bit about everything.”

With two years of eligibility remaining, Perez chose to do a homecoming for what figures to be the final stop of his college career. A native of the Bronx, Perez competed for the local Wings Academy as a burgeoning prospect before wrapping up his high school career at Putnam Academy in Connecticut.

Now finding himself at Manhattan is a full-circle moment for Perez and his career

after growing up around the game in these parts. In that way, Perez is no different from past and present Manhattan players who also chose to be close to home. The 2021-2022 roster has four other players besides Perez who were born in New York City, so the roster dynamic should fit him well.

From a positional standpoint, the Jaspers project to be deep in the backcourt as Perez joins upperclassmen like Eli Buchanan, Ant Nelson and Samir Stuart. With Perez now on board, he will look to complement and enhance the synergy of that trio to compete with other top backcourts in the MAAC. Perez and Manhattan will look to showcase their potential for the first time when they host Fordham at Draddy on Nov. 12.

Sami and Emily Derrico Take MC Sports by Storm Kyla Guilfoil

Asst. News Editor Freshman Emily Derrico and sophomore Sami Derrico did not plan on coming to college together. But after a year at the University of Connecticut, Sami decided to transfer and join her younger sister, Emily, at Manhattan College.

Both exercise science majors, the New Jersey natives have started training as athletes on two of Manhattan’s women’s sports teams. For Emily, that means being a midfielder for the women’s lacrosse team, and for Sami, that is as a midfielder on the women’s soccer team.

The Quadrangle: Would you say that sports were always an important activity growing up in your family?

Sami Derrico: I think that we’re definitely an outdoorsy type of family. We like to do a lot of things together outside. Our whole family skis and snowboards together, and that’s something we like to do together. We like to go for hikes or go on runs together. That’s something our parents do, so we were raised in that environment in a way and encouraged with it, so I think we just continued that in different aspects of our lives. I went with soccer.

Emily Derrico: I think that we all went our different ways when it came to sports and were really independent with it, but both of our parents are big runners and for us it was adjusting for what we want is good and it’s our own thing.

TQ: Is it just you two and your parents or do you have other siblings?

SD: We have another younger sister, she’s in eighth

grade so she’s still super young.

TQ: Maybe she’ll end up at Manhattan, too.

ED: Maybe, who knows!

TQ: For you Sami, what led you to transfer this year from UConn?

SD: Honestly, I went to UConn and then I realized it was definitely far away from home, and it was a big school and I just kind of realized it wasn’t my thing. When I started to realize that being so far away, and at such a big [school], wasn’t the best fit for me, I started looking at other places and [Emily] was really what drove me here. And when I came on a tour I realized what she loved about it.”

TQ: So, Emily, did you commit first to Manhattan?

ED: Yeah, so I committed here my junior year of high school around December. I chose the school because it was really, really close to home. I’m definitely someone who doesn’t like to be far from home. I also love the city and the fact that it’s a train ride away and it’s not directly in the city.

TQ: Did you guys ever expect that you would end up at the same college?

SD: Yeah, not in a million years, it was very odd. We never expected it, especially because we’ve done everything else together, the same high school, the same middle school, so we’re like, ‘We’re not going to go to college together’.

And even when I was looking at [MC], I was afraid to tell her so I kind of almost kept it to myself that I was even considering it.

It took me until COVID I think, and going away to school, to realize how much I like being close to home, being actually in the city. I was in the complete

Sami and Emily are both Varsity athletes at Manhattan College and siblings.

NORTH JERSEY SPORTS & GOJASPERS / COURTESY middle of nowhere so it’s nice that I can have the city now and also the comfort of having Emily here which is nice.

ED: It was definitely weird at first, and it was funny because I definitely think that we’re not super similar, we’re two different people, but that’s not to say that we don’t have the same interests and see eyeto-eye. So when I was looking at smaller schools, really just schools within the MAAC, like Marist, Fairfield, I thought Sam would go to one that was big with game days and tailgating and all that stuff. And I really think one of the big effects that it had was just COVID. I think that for any student going through a pandemic and trying to get through your first year of college with it not being normal at all is definitely hard.

I think that anybody that’s gone through it needs to give themselves a lot of credit.

TQ: What have your experiences so far been like with your respective teams?

SD: Yeah, so I’ve been here since August for preseason. I had had a few conversations before coming here with the coach [Brendan Lawler], but coming here it’s been an all around great experience. And even though I just got here, and I was a transfer, I already automatically felt welcomed and comforted. And in an on the field aspect, everyone supports each other and pushes each other so it’s really just a nice community and team to be a part of.

ED: For me, I think since we’re a spring sport we have ‘fall ball’, and we kind of get into it a lot in October and September. I think adjusting to playing sports in college is definitely a learning process and I’m still happy that a lot of the upperclassmen on the team and the

coaches were able to help us adjust.

TQ: Do you think that MC offers a supportive environment for student athletes?

SD: Yeah, I think 100 percent. Something I distinctly remember was our first game here and I was walking down to GPAC with my uniform on and all my stuff and all the signs were around campus saying that we had our first game and just random people while I was walking were like, ‘Good luck in your game today!’ And I think it’s really nice the support we just have from everyone.

ED: Yeah, I think it’s that close and small school community feel where everyone supports each other. I feel that support from my coaches. They like to check in with us and encourage us to talk to them, or upperclassmen if we have any questions or anything.