Issue 11, Spring 2022- The Quadrangle

“We Do Journalism”

the Quadrangle

Visit Our Website mcquad.org

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924

Volume CV, Issue 11

FREE

NEW YORK, APRIL 12, 2022

Walkout Held in Protest of Lack of Counseling Services at Manhattan Jilleen Barrett

Managing/Features Editor

Students Voice Concerns at Walkout Rebecca Medina ‘25 (made the sign) and Analia Santana ‘25 participated in the student walkout.

ANNA WOODS/ THE QUADRANGLE

Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed to Supreme Court Maria Thomas Senior Writer

On Thursday, April 7, supreme court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by a senate vote of 53-47, led by Democrats. Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve as a supreme court justice.

Furthermore, Jackson will be the first federal public defender on the court, and the first justice since Thurgood Marshall who has represented criminal defendants.

The senate, which is Republican led, is composed of 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and 2 independents. In the vote to swear in Jackson, Democrats were joined by Republi-

IN NEWS:

Student Walkout on pg. 1

can Senators Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Jackson is expected to be sworn in after the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer, which will happen in the summer.

For now, Jackson will continue serving on the US Court of Appeals until she starts her position in the High Court. She has been recusing from any and all cases to avoid a conflict of interest, given her upcoming position.

Jackson’s parents both have significant experience working in public schools, as both teachers and principals. Ellory and Johnny Brown were both raised in Florida during strict Jim Crow laws. Despite their challenges in receiving a fair

IN FEATURES: Professors on Updated Mask-Optional Policy on pg. 7

and equitable education, the couple respectively attended historically Black colleges, and they instilled values of civil service in their children.

Jackson’s mother, Ellory Brown, has been a science teacher and principal for many years. Her father, Johnny Brown, eventually went to law school and pursued a career in the legal field.

In a widely circulated quote from the hearing, Jackson said, “My very earliest memories are of watching my father study -- he had his stack of law books on the kitchen table while I sat across from him with my stack of coloring books.” __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

The Student Government Association held a walkout on Friday, April 8, in protest of the lack of support from administration regarding mental health concerns on campus.

Liola Moody, vice president of the SGA, told The Quadrangle that she and the rest of the board saw students and faculty becoming frustrated with the lack of mental health resources available on campus. Between the ongoing pandemic and the passing of several community members in one semester, they felt a break was needed for everyone’s well being.

They originally came up with the idea of a “Day of Pause” to take place on Friday, April 8.

However, the administration did not approve of the idea, so the SGA planned a walkout for that same day in protest of the decision. The plan for the walkout was for students to leave whatever class they were in at 11:10 a.m. and gather on the quadrangle.

The resolution for the Day of Pause was co-authored by Moody, SGA president Kevin Rojas and vice president of communication Jana Clark.

The resolution was signed by 637 students, 30 alumni, 26 campus organizations and 63 members of faculty and staff.

Moody stated there were many specific events which led up to the decision to ask for a day off, most recently being the passing of Christian Gallante ’23 on Thursday, March 24.

“The inspiration for the Day of Pause came from two reasons,” Moody wrote to The

IN A&E:

Two Friends Headlines Spring Fest on pg. 11

Quadrangle. “The outrage expressed by the student body and faculty at the administration for not providing the opportunity for such a day on Friday, March 25, as well as the overwhelming circumstances of the last two years due to COVID-19, which have caused an immense decline in mental health … when it [the Day of Pause] was later denied, we (the SGA Eboard) voted (7-2, in favor) for the walkout.”

The idea and list of purposes for the walkout was communicated to students via a flier that was circulated on Instagram after it was posted on Moody’s personal account. The SGA was not allowed to post it on their Instagram, @mcstudentgov. It was slipped under the office door of President Brennan O’Donnell as well.

“We commend all of you for not only your own mental health needs, but advocating for those of your mental health needs of your community,” Rojas said to the participating students at the walkout. “And we can only hope that today’s the first of many opportunities you choose to take care of yourselves and one another.”

Moody expressed that she felt that students advocating for their needs was imperative because of the lack of support for the Day of Pause from the administration.

“While the administration reacted to the specific mental health issues presented at the meeting sympathetically, they expressed their beliefs that services and initiatives already in place on campus were sufficient for addressing __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

IN SPORTS:

MC Softball Faces off Against Fordham on pg. 14

s .

Y

Opinions & Editorials

2 Volume CV, Issue 11 April 12, 2022

The Editorial Board

Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief Anna Woods Managing Editor

Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor

Nicole Fitzsimmons News Editor

Angelina Persaud Asst. News Editor

Megan LaCreta Arts & Entertainment Editor

Zoe DeFazio Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Jilleen Barrett Features Editor

Karen Flores Asst. Features Editor

Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor

Lauren Raziano Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor

Kelly Kennedy Social Media Editor

Josh Grewal Asst. Social Media Editor

Mars Ross Photography Editor

Adrianne Hutto Production Editor

Jocelyn Visnov Mack Olmsted Asst. Production Editors

Jocelyn Visnov Lauren Raziano Web Editors

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

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

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

Connect with The Quadrangle

mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad

THE QUADRANGLE

Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed to Supreme Court CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Jackson herself attended Harvard for both undergraduate studies and law school.

She has spent the majority of her career working as a public defender, and in 2010 Jackson was chosen to serve as the vicechair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

In the senate hearings two weeks prior to the vote, a variety of emphatically discussed “concerns” were raised by Republican members who were not in support of the confirmation.

Naturally, several members of the Senate wanted to discern whether or not Jackson had a liberal interpretation of the Constitution, asking her if she believes the Constitution’s meaning shifts based on the time and cultural scenario.

Jackson said, no: the Constitution’s meaning does not just change based on year or policy.

Yet, one topic that seemed to reappear more than most was how Jackson has handled cases related to child pornography.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who ultimately voted in favor of the nominee, led the attack on

Jackson, raising several imaginative points: firstly, he mentioned a book that had been taught at Jackson’s daughter’s school in Washington, where she sits on the board, called “Antiracist Baby”. Cruz brought a copy of the book to show his fellow senators, and then asked Jackson if she thought babies were, in fact, racist.

Then, Cruz brought up several of Brown’s cases as a public defender related to child pornography, and argued that Jackson let offenders off the hook too easily. Senator Cruz even brought a chart displaying Jackson’s sentencings in an attempt to argue she had sided with criminals over victims, yet Jackson made it clear this was not the case, and that her sentencing was standard (and individualized to each case): “In every case I did my duty to hold the defendants accountable in light of the evidence and the information that was presented to me.”

She went on to explain that sentencing is not a “numbers game,” and that so many factors must be considered in each individual case, but that her priority is placing victims at the center of the conversation.

This hearing has been in-

dicative of the strong partisan divide affecting our current governmental systems. In previous years, it was common that a president could nominate their candidate of choice and get them on the bench almost unanimously, as long as they were well-qualified for the position. In the case of Justice Stephen Breyer, when President Bill Clinton nominated him in 1994, he was sworn in by a 87-9 vote.

Although this was not as seamless a process, those that voted in favor of Jackson were overcome with excitement when the decision was finally reached. After Vice President Kamala Harris announced the results of the tally, many senators rose to their feet, and the room filled with applause.

In response to the nomination, President Biden said, “For too long, our government, our courts, haven’t looked like America. I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level.”

News

APRIL 12, 2022

Walkout Held in Protest of Lack of Counseling Services at Manhattan

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the needs of students and faculty on campus,” Moody said.

“They followed the meeting by instructing faculty to be lenient and understanding in response to students’ needs, but did not support the Day of Pause.”

One of the services provided is the counseling center, where students are encouraged to turn to during times when they may need extra support.

However, many students have had issues with the center, which the resolution claims is “underfunded and understaffed to effectively address the needs of students.”

“The counseling center is run by admirable counselors who have been providing students with mental health services, based on need/want, and

continued to do so virtually during the pandemic,” Moody wrote. “The center’s budget, though, suffered budget cuts, as did many organizations on campus.”

Another service which was meant to aid students this semester was the Jasper Day of Wellness. While the Jasper Day of Wellness happened to fall the day before the SGA planned for the Day of Pause, the two are not correlated according to vice president of residential affairs Zach Olivan.

“The Jasper Day of Wellness is NOT related to the Day of Pause, and or, the walkout,” Olivan said. “The Jasper Day of Wellness has been planned over the last three months and was originally intended to promote health, wellness, physical activity and community

engagement … This event is taking place at a pivotal time, and we are looking for mass student participation in the allday campus wide event.”

While Olivan says they hoped for many students to be able to take advantage of the day’s events, which included events such as a yoga class, some students expressed frustration that they could not go since they were not excused from class for it.

“A lot of people weren’t given the chance to even go to that because we had class,” Kiara Paylor, a junior at the college who participated in the walkout, said. “So it kind of seemed like a waste to do it when there was no means for people to go … Thursday is a lot of people’s busiest day … I wanted to go but I couldn’t.”

Students filled the Quad in protest of the lack of counseling services offered at MC. JOCELYN VISNOV/THE QUADRANGLE

Paylor also noted the “looming presence” of security guards and NYPD police officers on the quadrangle as more and more students gathered.

As Moody said, this gathering would be a “peaceful opportunity for students and faculty to express their needs.”

Some people — including Izzy Frazza, vice president for the school of liberal arts on the SGA — felt their presence was unnecessary. “​​I think that [the number of security guards and police officers] says a lot about the college’s response to the petition,” Frazza said. “We’re asking for more resources at the counseling center … I think we all pay enough money in tuition that it’s very little to ask for more than a few counselors in the counseling center.”

O’Donnell explained the reason for the seemingly high number of security guards at the event.

“Whenever we have something that we think might attract people to come [who are not part of the Manhattan College community], it’s important to provide public safety for our own community,” O’Donnell said. “The police [were] not there to police the students.”

Public safety and the NYPD, he said, are always present at events such as basketball games as well.

O’Donnell spoke with The Quadrangle during the office hours he held with the provost, Steven Schreiner, after the walkout was over. From one p.m. to four p.m., O’Donnell and Schreiner held these hours in order to speak directly with members of the community

3

to learn more about their concerns. After speaking with students on the quadrangle and speaking with a few more students during the office hours, O’Donnell shared his thoughts on community mental health.

“I went up to students and I said, ‘How are you doing?’ … I told them that I was there in order to learn to listen and learn … in the spirit of moving forward as a community and so on,” O’Donnell said. “And so, everybody was very, very open and forthcoming and talked about everything from just being tired and worn down to specific things, having to deal with specific concerns about the college and how effectively it’s supporting [them].”

The president says after reading the resolution, attending the walkout and holding office hours, he now feels like he has a better understanding of the issues, and how change can be made to prevent them in the future.

“I read the resolution, so I saw those issues in there, and then of course, you know, today … We focused a lot of our questions and conversation on getting details about what actually is happening, and getting some ideas and making sure that we can address the perfect concerns that are voiced,” O’Donnell said. “[We] came to a very good understanding that we should be looking carefully at what we’re currently doing, in order to assess it against best practices, in order to make sure that we have the right approach to counseling and the right resources in order to be effective.”

Connect with

the

Quadrangle mcquad.org

@mcquad

The Quadrangle

@mcquad

mcquad

News

4

THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan Receives Gold Status for Healthy Living Programs Angelina Persaud Asst. News Editor

Manhattan College has earned gold status for its Exercise is Medicine on Campus programs along with 63 other schools in the nation.

EIM-OC is a nationwide campaign that encourages colleges and universities to implement healthy living programs for students and foster the growth of healthy habits.

The criteria for gold status in healthy living is defined as having, “Campus-wide options for exercise…collaboration with a health-related or kinesiology department… and non-clinical departments developing a partnership with campus recreation” according to a guide from The American College of Sports Medicine.

The kinesiology department, the Fitness Center and Health Services have especially played an active role in initiating these healthy living programs and providing students with various opportunities.

Jeff Cherubini, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology and faculty advisor for EIM-OC, spoke about the necessity of having healthy living programs on campus to foster wellness and a sense of community.

“I think those that are participating in the activities are benefiting from it tremendously in terms of activity and feeling better in terms of their mental health and physical health,” Cherubini said.

Cherubini also emphasized

the growth EIM-OC has had since its initial implementation in the beginning of the fall 2021 semester.

“We’ve gotten our number of walking groups up and running and a number of fitness classes. We just added a new aerobic dance class, so we’re adding new classes and adding more activities continuously,” Cherubini said.

In addition to the walking groups, the Fitness Center has proposed various initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles among the student body.

Namely, the JasperFit Mentor program has skyrocketed with student engagement and attracted multiple participants since its initiation.

The program was created with the core goal of engaging students in physical activity while also enhancing the academic careers of students outside the classroom.

Jay Ahmed, director of the Fitness Center, spoke about the importance of implementing the program and how it has contributed to student life.

“It provides support and motivation for students on campus that want to start or continue being physically active and it gives our students in the Kinesiology program an opportunity to gain valuable experience and make a positive impact for other peers on campus,” Ahmed said.

He also spoke about the impact the EIM-OC has had on the Fitness Center and how students are taking advantage

of it.

“We have recruited more instructors and nearly doubled the number of group fitness classes and fitness/wellness programs for our campus. The volume at the fitness center has always been very good but I would say there is a greater level of consistency from our fitness center users,” Ahmed said.

However, he also explained the necessity of a fitness mentor program especially for students returning to campus after the pandemic.

“If there was ever a time we all needed that extra support/ motivation to keep our physical and mental health intact, this was it. Currently the program has grown significantly with the number of mentors and the number of students on campus that are seeking opportunities related to fitness and wellness,” Ahmed said.

Ryan Tierney, a senior exercise science major with a minor in psychology, has been a student ambassador for EIMOC since its inception in the fall 2021 semester.

Tierney explained that he and fellow classmate Zach Olivan discovered the idea for EIM-OC from a kinesiology and public health class they took.

“We actually decided to bring this because of a public health class that we were in.We talked to one of the faculty representatives, Dr. Cherubini, and he said there was an on-campus action guide for this

Group photo from one of the walking groups offered throughout the week ANGELINA PERSAUD/ THE QUADRANGLE initiative. And ever since that initial conversation it’s been rolling smoothly,” Tierney said.

He also highlighted how the program has enhanced his college experience both personally and academically.

“I wasn’t the type to get involved in a lot of things on campus. I kind of just kept to myself. So this kind of made me get out of my comfort zone.

And so I became a group walking leader, and I taught a core class because of it, “Tierney said.

Tierney also expressed his feelings upon discovering that MC had achieved gold status.

He specifically emphasized the progress that went into the programs over the last few months.

“I honestly didn’t expect to get gold status, but it makes sense because we made so many positive movements through this initiative. And a lot of people seem to enjoy it, especially in the walking groups and the fitness courses that we have,” Tierney said.

Zach Olivan, a senior exercise science major with a minor in psychology, worked alongside Tierney to initiate EIM-OC. He emphasized the influence the program has had on his career at MC thus far.

“EIM-OC has given me the opportunity to connect with students and have real conversations about the benefits and personal struggles surrounding fitness”, Olivan said.

He also highlighted the personal impact participating in EIM-OC has had on him and how it’s helped him engage more with the community.

“People need to be heard, and as a student leader on this campus, it is not only my responsibility to help direct fitness programming, but I also serve as a mentor, a friend and a listener,” Olivan said. “I am

willing to have tough conversations, but more importantly, I am willing to listen, and by doing so, I have helped transform the lives of others, therefore transforming my own.”

Olivan also spoke about the necessity of having healthy living programs on campus and the benefits they hold for the community.

“It provides a space for community growth in which all individuals have a part in the well-being of this campus. Not only does it engage students in conversation, but it also gets them active,” Olivan said.

EIM-OC has potential to keep expanding and introduce new ways for the campus community to maintain both its physical and mental health.

“We would like to grow the program by offering more unique group fitness classes, expanding our outdoor fitness classes, and offering more fitness/wellness options. We would like to offer workshops related to fitness/wellness topics such as self-care, mental health, and nutrition,” Ahmed said.

The EIM-OC collaborators all emphasized a common message of encouraging students and faculty to participate in upcoming events and find ways to maintain their health as the semester progresses.

“I would encourage students to just take a look at what’s out there and find something that they enjoy doing. We have these dreams of a physically active community. A couple extra steps a day is all it really takes to make us healthier,” Cherubini said.

Upcoming events for EIMOC can be found on the events calendar on manhattan.edu and in prior emails sent out by Cherubini.

News

APRIL 12, 2O22

5

Subway Violence is on the Rise: Staying Safe on the 1 Train Katie Heneghan Senior Writer

The New York City Police Department has reported that subway crime is up 80 percent compared to 2021. With Manhattan College’s proximity to the 1 Train, staying safe while riding the MTA is as important as ever.

Whether you’re commuting to campus from another borough or venturing out into the expansive opportunities the city has to offer, Peter DeCaro, Director of Public Safety, urges students to stay aware and alert when riding the MTA. As for why there has been such a stark increase in subway violence, DeCaro acknowledges there are many factors that affect crime rates.

“There are many opinions about the perceived breakdown of the criminal justice system and the dramatic increase of reported crime in NYC, especially relative to acts of violence, unprovoked assaults, and felony crime,” DeCaro said. “An argument can be made that many factors have played a part in this crime surge, which affects everyone. This includes, but is not limited to, New York State bail reform and District Attorneys unwilling to prosecute felony crimes as such. Equally as important is a de-emphasis on prosecuting misdemeanor crimes, namely larceny, fare

beating and various quality of life offenses, as well as the changes made in policing policy led by local government mandates.”

The college remains in constant connection with the 50th Precinct to ensure there is an open line of communication regarding patterns of crime and violence affecting our community.

“I confer regularly with Captain Charles Girven, Commanding Officer of the 50th Precinct regarding local crime trends or patterns that could affect our campus,” DeCaro said. “This includes subway crime reported within the confines of the 50th Precinct on the 1 Line’s 225th Street, 231st Street, 238th Street, and 242nd Street/Van Cortland Park stations. If any trends are identified we would certainly share that information with our campus community.”

In terms of staying safe, DeCaro offered a range of tips from awareness, to concealing valuables - there are many ways to protect yourself and others.

“Please be extra vigilant, alert to your surroundings, and focus on any potential threats to your safety. Stay far away from the edge of the platform and do not be distracted by using your cell phone when traveling,” DeCaro said.

Senior Sarah Dziewit frequents the 1 Train to venture

into Manhattan and beyond, but has noticed a change in her patterns based on recent news.

“I used to be a very adventurous solo city traveler,” Dziewit said. “I would have no problem taking myself to new neighborhoods and feel completely fine getting myself home on the subway. For the last year or so I have had a really hard time going on the subway alone, and feel hyper-aware of my surroundings.”

While Dziewit continues to ride the subway with friends, she acknowledges that there has been a change in energy among riders.

“I haven’t seen first hand any violence on the 1, but I definitely feel everyone being more on edge, and police presence at the more dense stations,” said Dziewit.

Senior Lily Arida shares a similar experience to many NYC riders, who have taken extra precautions to stay safe.

“I always bring pepper spray with me, but recently I have also been traveling as lightly as possible with exactly what I need for work and nothing extra to slow me down or draw more attention. I have also stopped listening to music, sometimes I will still wear my AirPods just so no one talks to me, but I like to be aware of my surroundings and it helps when I hear everything going on around me,” Arida said.

Arida, along with many

other MTA riders have become aware of the increased police presence.

“I have definitely noticed an increase in violence. Not directly, but there are a lot more NYPD and MTA officials around than before, and more delays since the cars are being searched more. I see stuff on the news almost every day too,” Arida said.

DeCaro noted the importance of awareness when riding any New York City public transportation, no matter how crowded the mode of transportation.

“A crowded train is no excuse for inappropriate physical contact,” DeCaro said. “Trust your instincts. Be aware of those around you, especially someone that is uncomfortably close to you. If someone makes you feel unsafe, remove yourself from that location or situation as quickly as you can. Inappropriate touching or physical contact is a criminal offense.

Alert a police officer, an MTA employee or call 911 if you are the victim of such behavior.”

On behalf of DeCaro and Manhattan College’s Public Safety, please utilize the below tips to stay safe and aware.

ship where you get to see the inner workings of the liberal arts day in and day out.“ After sending out an initial message via email to gauge interest from current SOLA students, Blad and Harris are now working with a group of sophomores and juniors who will become the first group of mentors for SOLA freshmen beginning in the Fall of 2022.

Maeve Kirk, a communication major, explained what exactly it means to be a mentor within the LAMP. “To be a LAMP mentor is to offer guidance and support to new students and help better our program to better the school community,” Kirk wrote. “It is really exciting to be a part of this program because I like helping my fellow students, especially any new students to help ease any anxieties and offer my own experiences to better theirs. It is also really exciting to work with other people who are passionate about helping others, and this program that DeVaughn started will definitely benefit the school.”

Christopher Belden, a sophomore SOLA student, is among the group of current students who will become mentors in the fall.

“We want to help create programs within the mentor program that will allow these fresh-

men to see ‘okay, this is what I can do with a history degree,’ or ‘here’s Person X, who’s in that path who has had opportunities and internships, and they can help me follow their path’ but make it my own in these programs will help widen their spectrum,” Belden said.

DeVaughn Harris transferred into SOLA after starting his MC career in the School of Engineering. Now a senior soon to graduate with a BA in Philosophy, Harris reflects fondly on his time as a SOLA student and hopes to create an even better experience for students in years to come.

“I don’t know we [Liberal Arts majors] often get this

· Whenever possible, travel with a friend. · Be ready to access the transit system with your MetroCard or device for contactless payment in hand– don’t fumble

around looking for these items at the turnstile. · Be mindful of your belongings at all times. Refrain from using electronic devices onboard the train or station platforms – keep them OUT of VIEW. · Wait for the train near the station booth during nonrush hours. Many stations have off-hour waiting areas. · When you are on the subway platform the safest place to wait is far behind the yellow line and far away from the platform edge. · Keep bags closed and fastened shut; be aware of your wallet or purse to avoid being pickpocketed and do not display money or jewelry. · Ride in the conductor’s car, especially during off-peak hours. Sit in the center of the car and away from the doors to avoid a purse, phone, or chain snatch. · Avoid cars that are significantly less crowded and remain awake on the train. Thefts from sleeping passengers are very common.

Buses In addition to the aforementioned, remember· Wait for the bus on the sidewalk, back and away from the curb. · Sit near the front of the bus and the driver if possible.

The School of Liberal Arts Announces New Mentorship Program Jocelyn Visnov

Web Editor/ Asst. Production Editor The School of Liberal Arts has announced the creation of a new peer-to-peer mentorship program. Set to officially begin before the Fall 2022 semester, the goal of this program is for students within the School of Liberal Arts (SOLA) to assist one another throughout their academic journeys.

Interim dean of the SOLA, Cory Blad, has helped assist this student-led initiative to benefit SOLA as well as the campus community.

“We have mentor programs that kind of link existing students with career professionals, and we have other mentoring programs that maybe kind of focus on targeted audiences and things like that,” Blad said.

“But we don’t necessarily have student-to-student, peer-to-peer mentoring programs in the way that he [Harris] felt they would be quite helpful, especially for first year incoming students.”

The goal of the Liberal Arts Mentorship Program (LAMP) is to provide students with a student contact that is able to help guide new students through the beginnings of their SOLA careers while taking advantage of various resources and oppor-

tunities within the school itself.

“This is an idea that can be really, really beneficial for us, building the School of Liberal Arts and kind of ensuring that our students are taken care of and that their questions are answered and that their needs are being met,” Blad said.

The original idea for a peerto-peer program within SOLA came from senior DeVaughn Harris.

Harris approached Blad with the idea during the spring of his junior year. Harris and Blad have worked side-byside since then to collaborate on different ideas for what is now known as LAMP. “We have great students who are just living what it means to be a liberal arts student, and are willing to communicate that to younger students or newer students,” Harris said. “I wanted to put that on display.”

Harris explained that he believed the informal nature of the program would be especially beneficial to students.

“I wanted to have a system for that where they don’t feel as though they have to set up meetings with their mentor or anything like that, but just get in contact with somebody and establish a relationship,” Harris said. “It could be completely formal, completely informal, which is to establish a relation-

weird rap,” Harris said. “But there are some of the best thinkers and best people in the School of Liberal Arts and options like this are available to them simply because of the education they received… I encourage every liberal arts major to take advantage of tools that they’re given with their education.”

If you’re interested in becoming a LAMP mentor, reach out to Dean Blad or DeVaughn Harris for more information on how to get involved. New SOLA students in any class can request to receive a Mentor through LAMP to help enrich their experience studying liberal arts.

Interim Dean Blad can be found in Miguel Hall.

JOCELYN VISNOV/COURTESY

Features

6

Economist Dr. Brian Callaci Discusses the Conflict with Corporations and their Workers Maddie Johnson Senior Writer

Brian Callaci, Ph.D, was invited by psychology professor Nuwan Jayawickreme, Ph.D., who serves as the director of the Peace and Justice Studies Program, to give students a presentation regarding the recent outrage employees have had on corporations on April 6.

Callaci discussed this ongoing issue brilliantly by breaking down how the problem has erupted, from exploiting corporation changes in the 70s to explaining how certain philosophers viewed what has turned

into not very much a free market.

Callaci received his Ph.D in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and now works as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Data and Society Research Institute. His studies have allowed him to analyze the market from a variety of perspectives and have given him the opportunity to answer why the market has restricted and upset so many employees.

Before jumping into highlighting major disputes between corporations and their employees, Callaci informed attendees how he thinks the market gradually became

more strict. He referenced three famous economists — Karl Marx, John Robinson and Adam Smith — to support his reasons.

He explained how first, Marx perceived the market as not equal since employees had to seek work from employers that didn’t have access to a means of production, or the number of social relationships one needs in order to survive and produce.

Robinson was a famous economist in 1933 who stressed that the market isn’t exactly the free market that society depicts it to be, because employees may have to stick to their jobs

Brian Callaci, Ph.D, gave a presentation in Hayden 100 about workforce discrimination and how big corporations have lately found themselves in more conflicts with their employees.

MADDIE JOHNSON / THE QUADRANGLE

THE QUADRANGLE

for personal reasons despite their unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the company.

Finally, Callaci referenced Adam Smith, who argued the wealthy come together to use a combined power which as a result prohibits workers’ right to take action.

After going into depth about how each of these influential economists observed the market, Callaci emphasized that there are multiple reasons why so many employees are suffering when working for large corporations.

In today’s age, he shared that the effects of non-compete agreements, which include economic growth and bargaining power, are doubled when given to employees who are women or minorities. He also discussed that conflict has specifically been built with low-wage workforce, considering hires have been greater than quits in all sectors, although low-wage sectors have experienced higher levels of quits.

To close off the presentation, Callaci noted the numerous, famous corporations that treated their employees unfairly, resulting in strikes and protests making national news headlines. These companies included Amazon, Uber and McDonalds.

In response to these conflicts, Callaci presented his personal recommendations on what policies should be passed and changed to fix these issues. These consisted of Congress passing the Protecting to Right to Organize Act, raising the minimum wage to at least 15 dollars an hour and the FTC banning non-compete agreements.

Students from various departments came to hear Callaci

share his views on the market.

One of them was junior engineering major Sammer Abodi, who explained that he was intrigued to come to the event to learn more about the different types of scandals corporations get caught in with their employees.

“I just got a kind of an internal look on the union forming and union organization and how difficult that process would be, and how corporations try to find loopholes to control people,” Abodi said.

Another attendee, junior and education major Claire Vredenburg, shared in an email statement to The Quadrangle how impressed she was to learn there are many ways companies try to take advantage of their employees.

“I learned a lot about what corporations do to put workers at a disadvantage. These things happen all the time in the work environment and it is important to call attention to the ways in which corporations have harmful effects on the labor force,” Vredenburg said.

Callaci hopes students and other attendees understood from his presentation that for so long employees have been financially mistreated by corporations and because of this, policies need to be passed that will make critical changes to the market.

“I hope they got a better understanding of how labor markets work in reality, not just the theory,” Callaci said. “You know, how corporations have the power to alter the playing field that they face so it’s not really a level playing field. And over time, they’ve been stacked in their favor over the interests of workers.”

APRIL 12, 2O22

Features

7

Professors on Updated Mask-Optional Policy VOICES ON THE QUAD Jocelyn Visnov

Web Editor/Asst. Production Editor

Beginning Saturday, April 9, wearing a mask or face covering while indoors will no longer be a mandatory requirement. For the first time since the beginning of the fall 2020 semester, mask-wearing in the classroom has become optional.

According to the OneManhattan update on safety guidelines sent out on April 7, “Faculty may require students to wear masks in their classrooms by communicating via email or on their Moodle page.”

This leaves it up to the discretion of the professor as to whether or not they will require students to wear masks during class for the remainder of the semester. The Quadrangle caught up with a few MC faculty members to hear their thoughts on the updated policies.

Kevin Ahern, Associate Professor of Religious Studies How do you feel about the mask mandate being lifted?

I think we’re moving on in our society to this new stage of COVID management. So I think it makes sense for the college to work on moving to the mask recommended, and I think it works that the college is asking, allowing faculty to require masks if they feel like it’s necessary in my own classrooms … I have also had at least one student request that I make masks continue with the masking policy because he or she is uncomfortable being in a classroom without a mask.

So I’m going to ask my online students if they feel the class should be what policy should be so we can work it out together. So, it’s not just me making the decision.

Do you think many professors are taking their students’ feelings into consideration when choosing whether or not to require masks in the classroom?

I think most professors, if they were made aware that there was a student that was uncomfortable and masking, would probably try to ask all the other students to have masks. I think if students feel uncomfortable being in a classroom with masks, tell your professors and then they can maybe help and hopefully listen to you.

Br yan Wilkins, Associate Professor of Chemistr y & Biochemistr y How do you feel about the classroom mask mandate being lifted?

My personal opinion is that at least for the rest of this semester, we should leave them on … just because there’s only a month left. There’s no reason to lift it for just four more weeks of classes. I personally will keep wearing my mask. Our department also had a consensus that everything that has to do with the chemistry department will maintain their masks throughout the rest of this semester, at least. Probably the only places where I would feel safe without them is in a big laboratory where there’s a lot of airflow and a lot of space.

Are you at all concerned about going mask-optional as word spreads about a potential new COVID variant?

I think we should follow whatever CDC or the city is doing for the most part. But when it comes to being in a classroom, even if there is not a huge mandate in the city, it’s an area where it’s confined and if there is an uptick in reported cases, I think we should go back to wearing the masks.

Aileen Farrelly, Assistant Dean of the O’Malley School of Business and Visiting Instructor How do you feel about the most recent OneManhattan safety guidelines regarding masks during class time?

I am happy about them.

Do you think the most recent guidelines will continue to keep the campus community safe?

Yes, I do.

Will you require masks to be worn in your classes?

No, I will not.

Features

8

Jaspers Studying Abroad While Staying COVID Safe Alexandrea Velez Contributor

Manhattan College provides numerous opportunities to study abroad, and despite the pandemic, some Jaspers have had the chance to participate.

MC offers 14 different countries to study in, but creates personalized programs for any student that wants to go somewhere they do not offer.

From Europe to South America, there are programs available for all students.

According to the directors of the program, there are two types of programs available for students, short-term and long-term studying abroad.

The short term is available as a summer or winter intersession. For the summer of 2022, all nine programs will be back up and running with very limited Covid protocols as things progress. The winter sessions only last ten days or up to two weeks, due to the break being shorter. But the summer programs will last between two to four weeks.

Laurice Dabain, a junior at MC, is an accounting major who decided to do a short-term study abroad program in Paris, France. She decided to participate for a short term to take advantage of her free time in the winter intersession.

“It has always been a dream of mine to experience Parisian culture. Dreams of traveling the world have always filled my mind. From the moment

I stepped out of the airport in France, I knew this would be an experience that I would speak of for my lifetime,” said Dabain.

During her time in Paris, she was able to take a religion class. In the curriculum, they read “An Interrupted Life and Letters from Westerbork”, visited Holocaust museums, cathedrals and the school where Saint John Baptist de La Salle was educated. This experience gave her a more personal feel to the curriculum and gave her a greater appreciation for the coursework given.

“Studying abroad has made my dream become reality,” Dabain said. “I never thought I would experience sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower under twinkling New Year’s lights, yet I was able to do so thanks to the Study Abroad program at Manhattan College”.

Overall, there is typically always a religion course offered in the summer or winter since all Manhattan College students need to take those courses.

The other availability would be long-term study abroad programs, which will last a whole semester. Students are allowed to take anywhere from 12 to 15 credits to stay on track for graduation.

According to MC’s Office of Study Abroad, long-term study abroad also allows students to go to any exchange partner schools, which are colleges that are partnered with MC that send their students here and we send students to travel there. These are the most common places such

as Madrid, Spain; Barcelona, Spain and Paris.

For the 2022-2023 school year the Czech Republic and the Philippines were added to the curriculum.

As another type of school available in the Lasallian networks, students can study at any of the 50 Lasallian international schools in the world. The majority of the schools are in South America, but some are scattered across Asia and parts of Europe.

The final type of studying abroad would be to go through a third-party provider. In this instance, this would be because there is a specific location that MC does not provide as an option.

Kristina Zagreda, a junior and marketing major with a minor in digital arts, is spending this semester in Barcelona, Spain. Zagreda chose to study abroad for a full semester to indulge herself in the Spanish culture, and to meet new people.

“I chose to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain because the schools here had more classes available to choose from. I have never been to Barcelona and I wanted to explore the beautiful city,” said Zagreda.

When studying abroad, certain locations have specific classes you must take, which is why the study abroad program recommends planning a semester or two before. Barcelona was a less strict location, which makes it such a hot spot.

Her application process took a little longer than most

THE QUADRANGLE

due to waiting on replies, but they were very helpful every step of the way, especially with obtaining a visa.

“Studying abroad is just such a life-changing opportunity,” Alexandra DeStefano, the Assistant Director of Study Abroad at MC, told the Quadrangle. “It’s such an important

experience to learn about a new culture, learn about how other people learn different subjects, and get a different world perspective.”

For any future updates on studying abroad contact visit the Study Abroad Information Center located on the first floor of Thomas Hall.

Photo taken in Tomar, Portugal. Dr. Andrew Skotniki lead a summer session where students took RELS 200: Regligion in Portugal.

JOCELYN VISNOV / THE QUADRANGLE

LWGRC to Host Mental Health Training Session Alexandrea Velez Contributor

The Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center is hosting a mental health training event to better equip students to identify and assist with mental health-related situations.

This is the first Mental Health First Aid training course that is being provided to MC, and it is being planned to run once a semester yearly.

Alixandria James, an intern in the center majoring in public health, is running the event.

She was trained by the New York-Presbyterian supervisors in the summer of 2021.

“I think the school needs to put more resources towards addressing mental health on campus. More conversations

need to be had, and different departments on campus need to come together to push forward a more unified agenda,” James said.

The mental health first aid course is five hours long and will help the students identify, respond and understand the signs of mental health crisis.

This program will also identify issues with substance abuse disorder, which start the most in college years.

The main skill that will be learned during the session is training students with the skill to reach out for help, and how to provide initial support to individuals starting to develop early-onset symptoms.

“Since the pandemic has proven to be very difficult on peoples’ mental health, my supervisors and I at the LWGRC

thought this would be a great way to build awareness on different mental illnesses, as well as how to recognize them in the people we are closest to,” continued James.

Since mental health is often overlooked, many people don’t get to take advantage of existing mental health resources.

Rachel Cirelli, the director of the Center for Career Development and a co-director of the LWGRC, is helping James run the event.

“We have an image of what anxiety looks like and it’s not always correct,” Cirelli said. “So I think to best serve our communities, and just make sure that crises don’t escalate into mental health crises, I think that training is a good way to go about it. And I know you know, again, there are so many

different ways to address mental health, but I think this is like training and, and being able to help without [necessarily being] a service provider like a psychologist.”

The training that will occur this month has a cap of 30 people, and there is currently a waiting list. Before the students can attend the training they must complete a two-hour pre-training on their own.

After the two-hour training, along with the five-hour training on campus, the students will be able to receive a certification for three years. This certification will let the students be first responders to mental health crises.

Cailin Lambe, a junior and a communication major with a concentration in public relations, will be in attendance at

the mental health training session.

“Mental health training is extremely important because it is something that is often overlooked. Mental health affects every other aspect of life and now more than ever based on the recent events that have occurred on campus, that is a wake-up call for everyone to support each other and make sure one another is doing okay,” Lambe said.

Due to recent events occurring on campus, the mental health training will be dedicated to Christian Gallante, a junior at Manhattan College who recently took his own life.

Brother Ralph Bucci, who will be taking part in the mental health training, will be saying a prayer in his memory.

APRIL 12, 2022

Arts & Entertainment

9

Playlist to celebrate the blossoming of new beginnings (and flowers!)

JASPER JAMS

Karen Flores

Asst. Features Editor Happy April everyone!

April is a month filled with celebrations, new beginnings and growth all around us. As a person born in April, I embrace all that it brings (yes, even the spring rain). The rain that comes with spring correlates to the growth of nature. So in turn, all of the rainy days we have where we don’t feel too excited or too motivated are just a way for us to invite ways to change what is keeping us

Listen to The Quadrangles Playlist here!

from growing, to invite the growth of new beginnings and habits to make those days even just a little less heavy. Be proud of your accomplishments and keep growing. Below are some songs that I’ve found myself listening to lately that more or less connect with spring and its qualities. Enjoy!

Yes I’m Changing - Tame Impala This is one of the songs that keep me thinking about how everyday we are growing, changing and getting older.

Changing is not a bad thing.

The line, “Yes, I’m older, yes, I’m moving on. And if you don’t think it’s a crime, you can come along with me,” feels like an invitation to explore more in order to find yourself. Finding who you really are and figuring out what works for you should be something you embrace.

This song has a very mellow and soft vibe that is good for when you need to reflect on a rainy or sunny day. Give this a listen and listen to the lyrics, it will make you think.

It’s My Life - Bon Jovi This is an anthem. This is a song that everyone should sing along to at least once. This song reminds me that I am the

one who is in charge of my life.

Life is too short to be doing something that is not making you feel happy or that is holding you back. “You better stand tall when they’re calling you out. Don’t bend, don’t break, baby, don’t back down. It’s my life. And it’s now or never.”

Take charge of your life, grow as a person, be better at what you love and make a version of yourself that you love. The guitar and drums in this makes it such a powerful song, the bass line creates a vibe of strength that can push you through a hard day or even a day at the gym. It’s the start of spring, everything is growing outside, take charge and grow as well.

Lavender Sunflower Tor y Lanez Now I recommend for everyone to give Tory Lanez’s album “Alone at Prom” a listen.

This entire album not only has a diverse amount of sounds and vibes but it has so much feeling and emotion put into it.

The album is immaculate in all aspects. This song in particular makes me sing like I’m in a music video. The title “Lavender Sunflower” brings the flower aspect of spring. Its bass is very strong and as someone who

loves a song with a good bass, I recommend it. It’s a good song for a rainy day and is a good one to sing along with friends.

Phantom Regret by JimThe Weeknd A Jasper Jam playlist by me would not be complete without repertoire by the Weeknd. This is a monologue that is done by Jim Carrey with a meditative sound playing in the back. It’s about realizing that regret and holding on to the past will keep you from living in the moment.

Regret and grudges are keeping you back from flourishing and accepting the present.

“Heaven’s not that, it’s this.

It’s the depth of this moment, we don’t reach for bliss. God knows life is chaos, but He made one thing true. You gotta unwind your mind, train your soul to align.” This reminds you to take a moment, take a break and reflect on your thoughts, feelings and figure out what it is that is hindering you from living in the present. Give this a listen as you sit with a drink, lay in your bed or while taking a walk.

Racks Blue - Future “Way too clever, ain’t too jealous. Ain’t gon’ let ‘em, I never settle. Life as a rebel, I’m get-

tin’ better. Bringin’ pressure, I get pleasure.” This song tells me not to give into the struggles nor to the thoughts of others around you. You know what you can do and never settle for the bare minimum. Demand the best from yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others.

Everyone grows and changes at different times. Keep going even if people doubt you. It has a nice vibe to it and the beat is one you can bop your head to.

Future is the artist to listen to when you want to hype yourself up.

Bad Bunny - Pero ya no Bad Bunny is a go to when I need to sing my lungs out.

Whether you are sad, mad or hype, any of his songs can fit a vibe. This one in particular talks about how he is now over the person he once loved. She no longer has power over him and he is reminding her of that.

This is a song you should sing when you let go of someone or vice versa. Let go of those who no longer love you and thrive with those who do. Change is good, growth is good. Spring is here, blossom as the flowers do and welcome all those who bring light into your life.

Coffee House is Back and in an New Location: Café 1853 Kelly Kennedy

Social Media Editor Coffee House recently hosted their popular “Open Mic Night” in a new location, Café 1853, on Friday, April 1.

This event allows all students to come perform, dance, sing or hang out with friends. Anyone can sign up to perform, or even decide then and there to get up on stage.

Coffee House is organized and run by the two co-hosts, Luis Chavez and Emily Peters.

This role was passed down to Chavez when he was a sophomore, who has continued to run Coffee House because of how much he enjoys bringing people together.

Chavez is both involved with MC Players and Coffee House, and so recently decided to combine those two groups.

Last month in conjunction with the MC Players, Open Mic was hosted at An Beal Bocht, a local bar.

“It was my idea to try and kind of bring the groups together and perform at An Beal.

Coffee House is very relaxed, where you can just chill and sip and listen to soft music.

An Beal was a much different experience, where at a college bar we’re loud, having fun and playing everything,” said Chavez.

After the success of the players’ event, the organizers decided to return to their roots and host their most recent event in Café 1853. Coffee House has previously been held in a lecture hall, Hayden 100.

“I actually really liked the change. I didn’t get to go to the open mic night that was at An Beal but the usual location of Hayden 100 is like a lecture hall so it’s a little bit impersonal. Café 1853 was more like a lounge so it felt more personal and there was a more social aspect to it since we were sitting in groups rather than in a line like in a classroom,” said junior Isabel Cameron.

The trademark style of Coffee House is that it’s a place where anyone can come and anyone can perform. Students are invited to perform comedy routines, read poems and play music. It’s an inclusive environment on campus that invites a crowd.

“Coffee House has this atmosphere where really anything could happen. I’ve had people come in and dance. I hope people come and play classical piano. I thought people would even show up with a band that played styles from jazz to now heavy metal,” said Chavez.

Junior Zachary DiRenzo

performed two songs at this past Coffee House, “Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen and “August” by Taylor Swift.

DiRenzo both sang and played guitar.

“My favorite part of open mic is creating an eclectic setlist that both excites the crowd and challenges myself on guitar and vocals. For example, I like to create medleys of songs I enjoy from different eras and try and match them up together, like the Springsteen-Swift set I did,” said DiRenzo.

DiRenzo has performed at many Coffee Houses in the past, and he is looking forward to performing at the next event.

“For the next open mic, I am trying to match up a Maggie Rogers song with a Martha Reeves & The Vandellas song, or maybe a Beatles song,” DiRenzo said. “I’m always open to requests, as well! It’s also cool to see nervous first-time performers and how the crowd supports them and gives them the confidence to perform. I was very nervous for my first open mic, and it was also my first time singing in front of an audience, but a ton of my friends came to support and are regular supporters, and I’m extremely grateful for them.”

Coffee House gives students a place to express themselves and be creative, which

is Chavez’s favorite part about hosting the event.

“It’s so creative and so open and so it’s a no judgment zone.

So it’s really nice to really see people be free to really see people express themselves as much as they want,” said Chavez.

Even students who are not performers come to Coffee House as well. Cameron attended to support her friend, DiRenzo, and cheer him on during his performance.

“My favorite part of open mic night was getting to see my friend Zach perform,” Cameron said. “He’s a really talented

guitarist and I love watching him play. The other performers were also amazing. There was one girl who sang a song from the musical Waitress that was really beautiful. One of my other friends, RJ, also performed but he did stand up. It was really funny and he was also one of my favorite performances.”

Coffee House is looking to host one more event this semester, while the date is still undecided. Those interested can check out the new Instagram @mccoffeehouse, to learn more about the events and see highlights of some of the performances.

“The Arsonist City” by Hala Alyan is a fictional novel and has become one of her bestselling books.

THE NEW YORK TIMES /COURTESY

Arts & Entertainment

10

THE QUADRANGLE

Scatterbomb and the English Department Team Up for Improv Show Lauren Raziano

Web Editor/Asst. Sports Editor In the annual collaboration with the English department, Scatterbomb displayed their improv talents on Friday, April 8 in Hayden 100.

The tradition allows English professors to tell a quirky and humorous story from their lives and then the Scatterbomb members improvise segments inspired by details of their stories.

Caroline Voigt, a Scatterbomb senior, explained how the comedy show runs.

“For this show, we invite two English professors to give one to two minute monologues about experiences in their life.

We use details and characters from those stories to improvise scenes. At a normal show, we either do the monologues ourselves or use audience suggestions,” Voigt wrote to the Quadrangle.

The last Scatterbomb x English Department collaboration was in 2018, so the pro-

fessors were excited to participate.

The first professor to say a monologue was department chairperson and professor of English, Adam Koehler, PhD. Koehler shared a story about his friend Mark, the bad kid his parents didn’t like, and his other companion, Eric, his parents’ favorite who he referred to as “National Honors Society.”

He continued with his story about how he lied to parents that he was having a long vacation with Eric but in reality he was with Mark at the Lollapalooza festival, watching the Flaming Lips concert two hours away and crowd surfing.

Koehler described his experience as a “17-year-old boy in the grunge scene” floating above the crowd but when he looked over, he saw his parents in the midst of the people. And the next day, when his parents asked what he was doing, he lied about being with Eric until his dad, who was reading the newspaper, opened the page to a photo of Koehler raised above

the crowd.

“It’s such a wonderful expression of student creativity, Scatterbomb, as a thing. They do their homework, they are studying the craft, they’re figuring it out,” Koehler said. “So any chance that we get to be part of that process with them is a joy.”

The Scatterbomb group was able to take that story and create references to Kanye, sheep at the heavy metal set, and a story of one member’s first tattoo being a “flaming butt.”

A special scene featured police coming to arrest a couple for graffiti art and finding their children dressed in squirrel furs.

The second professor was Rocco Marinaccio, Ph.D., English professor and faculty advisor of Scatterbomb.

“Dr. Rocco Marinaccio is one of my favorite professors I have had at Manhattan College, so I am excited to see him on stage, out of a classroom environment,” Voigt wrote.

Marinaccio told a story about how cannabis dispensa-

ries are like a spa where middle-aged women are getting instructed how to use vape pens.

“It’s more about healthy living than getting baked.” Marinaccio said.

The Scatterbomb members improvised scenes with the characters of “Linda and Beth” learning how to vape at the PTO night with their sons and the Betty Crocker brownies at the bake sale.

A particular scene was about the PTO mothers going to a focus group for Nic Stix because they were trying to “get off the cigarettes” and raving about the new proposed flavor, “clean linens.”

Marinaccio was happy to share a monologue with the crowd members and enjoys English majors that get involved with Scatterbomb.

“There have always been lots of English majors and minors in Scatterbomb and so we just always kind of had that relationship,” Marinaccio said. “I’m in the English department and I’m the faculty advisor for Scatterbomb. So yeah, we just have

always had that link and when the idea of doing monologues came up, you know, we’re all a bunch of hams who liked telling stories, so we thought it was like a good fit.”

Voigt was thankful to the professors who spoke and attended and acknowledged the help they receive from others who help them improve their improv and comedy talents.

“Thank you to our coach Carolyn Egan and assistant Coach Jenn Bueti for being so involved, helpful and funny,” Voigt wrote.

As a senior Voigt has enjoyed her time as a part of the scatterbomb group and for pushing her out of her comfort zone.

“I joined Scatterbomb my junior year and have had a really great experience and learned a lot from stepping outside of my comfort zone. I just wish I joined sooner.” Voigt wrote.

The final show of the semester, Scatterprom, is tentatively scheduled for May 6.

Palestinian-American Writer, Poet and Psychologist Hala Alyan Presents at MARS Event Victor Franco Staff Writer

The Major Author Reading Series (MARS) featured author Hala Alyan, who presented poems and excerpts from her written work to faculty, students and staff of Manhattan College this past week.

Alyan captivated the audience through her passionate read-throughs, allowing insight into all of her characters. Alyan has written about diverse characters battling personal problems in their lives regarding politics, culture, religion and much more. The problems Alyan’s characters face can relate to what many readers deal with on a daily basis.

Alyan first began with a poem called “Naturalized,” in which the character describes their struggles regarding injustices around them.

In the poem, Alyan writes, “I stretch my teeth into a country when they congratulate me on the ceasefire as though I don’t pray in broken Arabic.”

Alyan conveys the deep confusion there is in her character on what is right and wrong in her culture and religion.

After her poem, Alyan continued with an excerpt from her book “The Arsonist City” which involved a character named Nash, a young American woman and musician who

moves back to her hometown Beirut, but struggles to come out to her parents about her queer identity.

In the excerpt, Nash is talking back and forth with her father about her moving to Beirut and how she enjoys being in a humble apartment.

“You are making a stupid mistake,” said Nash’s father to which Nash responded, “I don’t think so. I don’t have to pay the same taxes here…I am going to be great.”

Alyan continued reading her poems while students listened carefully. Alyan’s passionate dictation of her poems enhanced the way many students and faculty reacted. After Alyan’s reading, there was a slight moment of silence, almost as if everyone related to something Alyan had mentioned.

English professor Dominia Wrozynski, Ph.D., who attended the reading, described this experience. “[Through] Alyan’s work, we are shown the raw and vulnerable experiences of speakers affected by war, speakers who struggle with addiction and eating disorders, and speakers who navigate multinational and multilingual identities,” said Wrozynski “In a world where collective and personal loss, grief, and trauma are never in short supply, Alyan’s work is so important for us today because it continues to teach us empa-

thetic ways in which to live.”

Psychology professor Nuwan Jayawickreme, PhD, also attended the MARS event, and noted the emotions that came from the experience.

“Hala Alyan writes about feelings of dislocation, feelings that the homeland is disappearing and all your past goes with it and I think many of our students can relate to that,” said Jayawickreme.

What resonated with Jayawickreme the most was Alyan’s ability to challenge someone’s identity through her poetry.

“I think her poems captured the lack of stability in one’s identity that I think a lot of immigrants feel, and young people in general,” said Jayawickreme.

Alyan also shared her experience as both a psychologist and author, describing that as a psychologist she was able to gain perspective of diverse groups.

“From a site perspective, I was fortunate enough to experience a lot of different settings in my training years that involved communities of color and many marginalized international communities,” Alyan said.

Alyan ended her MARS event with questions from the audience. She took her time with everyone’s questions and answered wholeheartedly. In response to one question, Al-

“The Arsonist City” by Hala Alyan is a fictional novel and has become one of her bestselling books.

THE NEW YORK TIMES /COURTESY yan explained why she enjoys writing.

“I find writing to be very transformative, particularly

when it comes to anger, frustration, and helplessness, which I think are a lot of experiences which we all feel,” she said.

APRIL 12, 2O22

Arts & Entertainment

11

Nobody Does it Bigger: Two Friends Headline Springfest Anna Woods & Christine Nappi

Managing Editor and Senior Writer Campus just got a little friendlier this past weekend.

After a three year hiatus, in-person Springfest returned in full swing, with the DJ duo Two Friends headlining the event on April 9. The LA-based group performed an hour-long set to an excited crowd of Jaspers, mixing together popular lyrics with electronic dance music beats.

The duo is most notable for their Big Bootie Mixes, which are hour long remixes and mashups of current popular songs. Their first one released in 2012 and they continue to make two mixes a year, with a new one coming soon.

Fans can expect to listen to Big Bootie 21, the next yet-to-be released mix in May. The Quadrangle spoke to the “Two Friends” Eli Sones and Matt Halper after their performance. The friends enjoyed playing for Manhattan and loved the energy in Draddy, despite the show starting at 1 p.m.

“Honestly, we had no clue what to expect and they [the students] were awesome, everyone was so fun,” Halper said.

Sones echoed a similar sentiment, describing how they didn’t know if students would

be ready to party at the start of the concert. However, Jasper nation proved them wrong in the best way possible, dancing and singing along to every song the duo mixed.

“We were worried when they said it was like 1 p.m. start time,” Sones said. “Are like people gonna be awake? Are they gonna be ready… the answer is definitely yeah.”

The group is in the middle of their Adventureland Tour with stops across the country.

Since January, Sones and Halper have been traveling to multiple states and cities to share their music with new audiences. After playing at Manhattan, the group flew to South Carolina to play at the Hidden City Music Festival at 7:20 p.m., and then immediately traveled back to the Tri-State area to play at Atlantic City’s HQ2 Nightclub and Beachclub at 1 a.m.

This busy schedule has definitely been a change for the duo since the pandemic hit, although they are happy to be back in full swing. Despite doing three shows this past Saturday, Halper describes that they mostly just play concerts on the weekends now.

“It went from zero [concerts] obviously to trickling in,” Halper said. “[We] did a bunch last year but not as much as normal, and then we basically jumped on a bus and did a million shows in a row. And then finally now we’re home and touring mostly on the week-

Two Friends taking a photo with attendees of their Springfest performance in Draddy Gymnasium. @TWOFRIENDS /COURTESY ends. So now we’re in the chill zone, even though it’s three [concerts] today, but it’s been good. Honestly, [we’re] grateful, [a] fresh break after working hard.”

Fans across the nation are happy to see the DJs performing in person, especially Manhattan College students.

Childhood education major, Emma Collins has been a huge fan of Two Friends for years and loved her time at Springfest.

“I have been a huge [Two Friends] fan for so long,” Collins said. “I was supposed to go to their concert a few months ago but it was snowed out.

Glad I was able to have such a fun time with friends… Even though I’m already a junior, my first spring fest was definitely one I won’t forget!”

As a result of the event’s hiatus, this was the first Springfest for everyone, except graduating seniors who attended the 2019 Springfest pre-pandemic.

The duo is most notable for their Big Bootie Mixes, which are hour long remixes and mashups of current popular songs.

@ALYSSANEALONPHOTOGRAPHY /COURTESY

Collins, a junior, enjoyed the day and felt that it was a great sign of a return to normalcy since the start of the pandemic.

“I think all the students were super excited this event was happening again. We have had so many events cancelled in the past because of Covid, so this is a great sign that things are slowly getting back to normal,” Collins said.

Aside from the concert itself, the quad transformed into a fun carnival experience, with food and games. The mechanical bull, a Springfest tradition, was incredibly popular amongst students. Additionally, Mr. Softee offered sweet treats in the lower forecourt.

The student body was thrilled to see Two Friends perform in Draddy, and Sones and Halper were thrilled to be there as well. Having started making mixes together while in college themselves, they enjoy visiting campuses all over. Sones and Halper hope that their performance at Manhattan will attract more students to listen to their music.

“I mean, it’s great,” Sones said. “We first started doing, not only colleges, but when we were still in college ourselves we’d like travel around to different campuses. And it’s like, I love it first of all, just getting to like see the country and see different schools, but then to get a new audience, like tonight, and hopefully you guys you know, you’ll graduate, you’ll move to whatever other cities [and] will come see us at those cities. So it’s like, we love coming to colleges.”

Sports

12

THE QUADRANGLE

Men’s Soccer Awaits Vote that Would Extend Their Season to Span Two Semesters Rosalia Cefalu Contributor

NCAA men’s soccer coaches across the country, including Manhattan College’s own Jorden Scott, are showing their support in favor of a new schedule that would split the season into two semesters. The proposed schedule called the 21st Century Model would alter the current season in both calendar length and in the frequency of games. It would allow players more time to train, focus on academics, and heal from injuries.

The current NCAA regular-season schedule runs from late August to early November and consists of 18 games crammed into 12 weeks, nearly two games a week. Coach Scott believes the current season model puts far too much pressure on the student-athletes by overloading their schedule.

“We’re expecting them to do this crash course for 12 weeks of insanity,” Scott said.

Scott described the weekly routine of the team during this short time period.

“Monday light training, Tuesday really prep light, Wednesday game with travel, Thursday wake-up [and] recover, Friday light prep, Saturday game, off Sunday. Recycle,” Scott said. “It’s constant. Then you’re going to throw on classes, exams, and preparation, and travel, and the food they eat, and the relationships they have socially. It’s impossible. It’s literally impossible.”

The 21st Century Model addresses Scott and several other NCAA coaches’ concerns about student-athlete wellbeing by spreading the season out over two semesters, with the regular season beginning in early September and ending in late April with a break from late November to mid-March. This adds up to a season lasting twenty-two weeks with twenty matches, an average of only one match per week.

Senior Lucas Cyriacus, midfielder for the Jaspers, spoke

Number 33, Oswald Annang, in a face off against the opposing team. @JASPERSSOCCER/ INSTAGRAM about how the current season schedule overwhelmed him when he first arrived in the US.

“Coming here [from Germany] to an American program, it was so hard to adjust.

I was focusing on my football, I was focusing on my college, my English speaking, and everything,” Cyriacus said. “I never played in a season like this before, so much, in such a small amount of time.”

Senior midfielder Ronaldo Da Silva also shared his experience trying to manage the swarth of school, soccer and stress he experiences during the season.

“It’s hard getting everything together just like…taking care of our body, classes, practice, travel for a game [and] get back [to school] as soon as possible,” Da Silva said. “You get injured but go back as soon as possible to help the team.”

Creator of the 21st Century Model and University of Maryland’s head coach Sasho Cirovski, who also is the former coach of the Jasper’s newest addition to their midfield, Henry Hamilton, spoke out on March 29th using his personal Twitter account @SashoCirovski.

“In 15 days, the NCAA D-1 Council will vote on the future of D-1 men’s college soccer. I hope they will vote for positive transformation and listen to the most important voice: the student athletes. Here’s why the 21st Century Model is better for the players and for the game,” the tweet reads.

The tweet also included an infographic appearing to be en-

dorsed by multiple NCAA conferences including the ACC, Big 10 and Pac-12. It also featured a checklist of attributes the 21st Century Model included that the current model does not.

The 21st Century Model rallied support by circulating a petition to NCAA D1 teams, which athletes could voluntarily sign as individuals. According to senior defender #16 Mathys Kuntz, the team was sent a form to look over and voluntarily sign if they were in favor of the model change.

“We just received a text from the coach [Scott] explaining this version, and then just took a look at it and just said [if] we agree or don’t or if we don’t know. We all agreed to sign something because we think this model is better,” Kuntz said.

Cyriacus and Dasilva nodded their heads in agreement with their teammate. The 21st Century Model website shows that 86% of student-athletes surveyed from several NCAA conferences volunteered to sign the petition to switch to the 21st Century Model. The survey currently has over 3,400 signatures. This and more information can be found on the official website www.21stcenturymodel.org.

The vote which takes place on April 14th would take effect at the start of the 2023-24 school year if voted for favorably.

Sports

APRIL 12, 2O22

13

Manhattan’s Women’s Basketball Team Reflects on Its Road to the MAAC Championship Maddie Mulkigian Contributor

The Manhattan Women’s Basketball team’s trip to the MAAC Championship was years in the making. While the Jaspers’ championship run was cut short against Fairfield, the team made it clear that they will not be going anywhere.

“When we first came in, that wasn’t the goal. The goal was to be a solid team and to work our way up the ladder,” junior guard Dee Dee Davis said. “To be picked last season as number one and this season to finish in the championship game, it showed that we’re really special and a really talented team. We are a championship contender.”

Despite the devastating championship loss, the team remains confident, motivated and hopeful that they will be back in the final MAAC game next year. The team understands that the preparation for

next season begins now and they are doing all that they can to pull out another impressive season.

“We’ve never changed our strategy, never changed our game plan, we just continued to execute what our coaches were asking us to do. They’ve never lowered the bar,” Davis said.

“Even our freshman year, it was very tough because they had high standards for us, and this year, it’s no different. We’re doing what we can day in and day out to get back to that championship game next season.”

While every player is aware that they had the grit, talent and capability to beat Fairfield this year, they also understand that their loss stemmed from them not being able to maintain their lead throughout the entire championship game.

“I thought that we could have won that game,” Davis said. “We just ran out of time.

In my mind, that’s what I keep telling myself. We led the game the entire time, so if we have

another four quarters, in my mind, I think that we could definitely win that game. It’s definitely motivating to feel that we can beat them. It’s also motivating that we’ve lost to them three times. It’s going to push us going forward and push a lot of people on the team because we almost had it and we can definitely get this done. I’m excited. We’re excited.”

While the Jaspers reflect on their season, they recognize that there is more to being a part of a team than the sport itself. One of three seniors graduating from the team this spring, guard Sydney Watkins, used the championship game to reflect on her time as a Jasper.

“As a senior, it’s always bittersweet. I feel like there comes a time where it all becomes a lot, but then we are just very grateful that we even had the chance to be on the team and meet some of the great girls,” Watkins said. “I will forever have friends and sisters because of

being on the basketball team and coaches that I know I could always reach out to if I needed to. I’m leaving here so blessed and so happy for my time and I couldn’t have asked for a better four years.”

The team remains proud of what they accomplished throughout the season, but they feel unfulfilled without that championship win under their belt. Key player and guard Emily LaPointe, who was unable to play in the championship after getting a concussion, is focusing on getting healthy in the offseason to compete to her fullest in her upcoming senior year.

“I try not to show it, but when your team is preparing for the championship and you can’t physically be there it’s truly heartbreaking,” LaPointe said. “But, it wasn’t about me in that moment and it was about helping my team figure out how to get the job done. I think we had a lot of people step up and do what they had to do to

be successful.”

Whether or not she is on the court or leading the bench, LaPointe acknowledges the work that each one of her teammates put in this season that resulted in the team earning its way into the championship.

“I think Dee Dee needs to be accredited for the game that she had. I think that was probably one of the greatest games in MAAC history, so I know for her she’s probably super excited to get back out there and to have another game like that and to win next season,” LaPointe said.

It is no secret that the Jaspers are ready for their revenge tour in the MAAC conference. The championship loss that resulted in a chip on the team’s shoulder is not going away anytime soon and the MAAC should start preparing for the chaos that the Jaspers will bring to the next basketball season.

Transfer Pitcher Finds “Strikeout Success” on Manhattan’s Field PLAYER PROFILE

Christine Nappi Senior Writer

Baseball has always been a constant in Will Hesslink’s life.

Although the sport wasn’t too popular in his chilly Vermont hometown, Hesslink was always surrounded by it. His father, a big baseball fan, would take him to the field often to throw the ball around and practice batting.

Inspired by his dad’s love for the game, Hesslink discovered a passion for playing

Will Hesslink is a transfer graduate student who will be pitching for the baseball team.

GOJASPERS/COURTESY

baseball at a young age and has pursued it ever since. Now, he’ll continue his career as a pitcher on Manhattan College’s baseball team.

Before coming to Manhattan, Hesslink pitched for Boston College during his undergraduate years. With another year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Hesslink transferred to Manhattan as a graduate student to explore more opportunities to play the game. Transferring onto a new team is no easy feat, but Hesslink saw an opportunity to fully pursue his passion for baseball at Manhattan.

“I wanted to switch up the opportunities that I was given there [at Boston College],” Hesslink said. “I love the coaches there, and the players and the team, but it just sort of wasn’t a perfect match as far as me baseball-wise. So it was kind of time to move on and try to start something different.”

Hesslink describes Manhattan baseball as being the “perfect fit” for what he was looking for. As he says, head coach Mike Cole and assistant coach Chris Cody are giving him the chances to play that he’s looking for.

Manhattan’s season began in late February and got off to a bit of a rocky start. Opening weekend, the team secured a win against the University of Delaware and did not see another win until March when they played Fairleigh Dickin-

son.

Hesslink describes that the teams they faced at the start of the season were at an advantage for being from warmer areas like Florida or South Carolina, as they can consistently practice outside, unlike Manhattan. Hesslink says the first two weekends helped the team get back into the swing of things. As of April 8th, the team currently has a record of 13-12.

“The first two weekends, really are kind of an adjustment and getting back used to being outside and actually playing baseball,” Hesslink said.

“I think the team’s coming together really strong right now and between pitching and hitting we’re firing at all cylinders right now.”

Hesslink’s proudest accomplishment with the team thus far is securing an 11-1 win against the University of Delaware on opening weekend in February. Pitching a total of six innings, this was Hesslink’s first college start as a pitcher and first college win. According to the MAAC conference-only overall statistics, Hesslink has an ERA of 3.32, making him the fifth highest-ranked pitcher out of 27 others in the conference.

He has the third-highest ERA of all pitchers on Manhattan’s team. This season, Hesslink has a win-loss record of 3-4, has pitched 42 innings, and tallied 37 strikeouts.

This past week, Hesslink

received the MAAC League Leader award for pitching a complete game against St. Johns on March 11.

According to the MLB glossary, “the league leaders in complete games are pitchers who can keep their pitch count low and avoid walks,” which is something that takes “major effort” as pitchers tend to get fatigued toward the end.

Before pitching for Manhattan, Hesslink used to take his warm-up rituals very seriously.

In the bullpen, he’d be “lockedin” the zone. But now, Hesslink sees the value in having fun on the field while also keeping your head in the game.

When stepping onto the mound Hesslink remains extremely focused, throwing each pitch with great intention, yet between batters, he’ll “keep it light-hearted,” and joke with his teammates before refocusing and firing down home plate again.

“As I’ve gotten older [I’ve] gotten better at being able to channel when to be very focused and when to kind of have times where I can let loose and still be talkative and be a good teammate,” Hesslink said. “I have to refocus for the next batter but also just [to] keep it loose for the rest of the guys, make sure that [we’re] still having fun out there.”

Hesslink is one of eight transfer students on the team, in addition to freshmen new-

comers. Given the number of players who had just begun playing for Manhattan, Hesslink describes that the team spent most of the fall getting to know each other before they would play as one unit together in the spring. He describes that the increasing team camaraderie helps deliver the Jaspers to victory.

“It’s a really close group of guys right now,” Hesslink said.

“You can sort of see, even from the time I got here in the fall till now, the team has gotten a lot closer and you can see how the culture is changing, it’s more of a winning culture with a whole group of guys going together in one direction, which is great. It’s been awesome, on and off the field just spending the time to get to know them all.”

Beyond the game, Hesslink is in the two-year MBA program for finance and economics. He’s interested in business and financial management, however, his future aspirations fall back to where it all began: baseball. “[Playing] baseball is definitely the goal, it’s what I love to do,” Hesslink said. “So hopefully after my time here something can maybe work out [to keep playing]... but as of right now I’m kind of just focusing on having a good time with the boys and playing some baseball.”

14

Sports

THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College Softball Gives the Fordham Rams a Hard Time

Maddie Mulkigian Contributor

In the 16th matchup between Manhattan College’s and Fordham’s softball teams, the Jaspers exhibited the talent and grit that earned them the title as the champion of the MAAC conference in 2021.

After not scoring a single run in the 2021 Battle of The Bronx, the Jaspers held the Rams to one run up until the sixth inning. In the pouring rain and the blowing wind at Gaelic Park, the Jaspers shut out the Rams for the second, third and fourth inning.

Junior infielder Lauren Rende said that she was prepared for anything that happens on the field, including the weather effects on the game.

“We practice on this field all the time, rain or shine so we’re kind of prepared for anything that happens,” Rende said. “I think we did a good job adjusting today on certain balls that were hit.”

While the Jaspers were not able to maintain this same composure throughout the entire game, they proved that they can give any team a hard time, no matter who is stepping up to the plate.

“I think part of it is just playing every single game like you’re playing just another team,” Rende said. “It’s not the name of the school, it’s just going into every single game thinking about beating the other team no matter who they are.”

The Jaspers approached their game against Fordham with as much preparation as they could after their games against Siena two days prior.

Despite their losses against Siena, they were confident that they could compete in any game and stepped onto Gaelic Park on Wednesday with no fear.

After breaking the 1-1 tie in

Jessie Rising running the bases on Wednesday’s matchup against Fordham University.

GOJASPERS/COURTESY the fifth inning with her first career home run, senior outfielder Megan Gillooley knew that Fordham was not going to give up. With an opportunity to capitalize in the sixth inning, the Rams brought six runners in with a double and a home run to put the Jaspers in a six-point score deficit.

“From an outfielders perspective, we knew that they were going to be a big-hitting team and we were trying to prepare how to read them and where they take pitches and stuff like that,” Gillooley said.

“Basically, we just knew that they were a big-hitting team and what pitches they’d be looking to throw, so we kind of expected what happened.”

The frustrating sixth inning

that the Jaspers faced was more familiar as they have struggled to play a consistent game for a straight seven innings so far this season.

“This season, we’ve had a lot of experience behind, so we’ve gotten a lot of experience figuring out that singles get us further than trying to hit home runs, so since I think we’ve been practicing it, I think that we know what we’re doing now,” said junior pitcher Mars Deemer.

While the Jaspers have been forced to adjust their game plans after going behind against many of their opponents, they are finding more success in playing confident in themselves and their teammates when each one of them

steps up to the plate.

“I think breaking it down pitch by pitch and just making sure that you swing at your pitch that you want to swing at and trying to do your job and then pass it off to the next person is something that I think is really important,” said Rende.

In the end, the Jaspers did not have enough time to generate momentum to get enough runs in to tie the Rams. While the game resulted in a loss for Manhattan, the score did not reflect the challenge that the Jaspers posed for the Rams.

“Fordham is not an easy team,” said Deemer. “They’re probably a little bit higher than what we play in the MAAC and the fact that we held them for as long as we did in the rain shows

what we have and just one bad inning is what set us apart.”

As the Jaspers continue to prepare for MAAC play, the first five innings of their Battle of the Bronx game was an opportunity to build confidence in themselves and their ability to give any team a challenge. Any MAAC teams that watched this battle between Manhattan College and Fordham should be ready for a fight from the gritty and tough Jaspers team that they will be facing.

Their next MAAC game is at noon Saturday, April 16 against Iona in New Rochelle, New York.