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Volume CV, Issue 3
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NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 8, 2022
Shared Governance Open Forum Prompts Questions of Representation from Faculty Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief
Winter Weather Persists on Campus Students expereince frigid conditions after Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter. JOCELYN VISNOV / THE QUADRANGLE
Jaspers Return To Surveillance Testing
A One Manhattan email to the Manhattan College Community on Feb. 4 announced that surveillance testing will now be resumed for the 2022 spring semester. The new protocols are different from the previous semester, when students were not required to test periodically. “Now that we have completed the pre-arrival testing, surveillance testing will resume on Monday, Feb. 7. Employees and students who have not tested positive within the preceding 90 days will be required to test periodically,” the email stated. “If you receive a notice asking you to be tested, you will
have seven (7) days to submit a PCR test before you receive an orange pass.” For those who need a COVID-19 test or are experiencing symptoms, testing is available on campus in Smith Auditorium. “COVID-19 testing will be available for surveillance testing, exempt employees and students, and anyone who would like to be tested in Smith Auditorium on the following dates over the next week,” the email stated. Those individuals with exemptions to the vaccine requirement must still test every 7 days, as previously protocols indicated. Pete McHugh, director of media relations & strategic communications, clarified the new protocols of the spring 2022 semester.
IN NEWS:
IN FEATURES:
Lauren Raziano Asst. Sports Editor & Web Editor
Talks of Spring Madness on pg. 4
Kairos Retreat to return on pg. 5
“All employees and students regardless of vaccination status will have to submit a test within the designated time period,” McHugh wrote. The email disclosed that there are still 24 active COVID-19 cases among the community, and encouraged students to get the booster to increase safety on campus. The One Manhattan update also included a link to an article posted by ABC News to incentivize Manhattan Community members to get the vaccine and the booster. “A recent study shows that individuals who are vaccinated, especially those who have received a booster, are far more likely to avoid severe illness, hospitalization and death after __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Manhattan College faculty called for more representation in decision making at an open forum hosted by the MC Shared Governance Working Group on Feb. 2. Faculty, along with a handful of students and administrators, raised concerns about the lack of communication between high-level administrators and other MC personnel when it comes to decision making. Further, there was an emphasis in their concerns to make the process of implementing change more efficient. Ira Gerhardt, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics, approached the microphone at the forum to draw attention to the lack of faculty representation in the final steps of decision making. “It seems like there’s some immediate action that could move things forward,” Gerhardt said at the forum. “[President O’Donnell] holds a presidential cabinet that has no faculty representation. Right now, Dr. O’Donnell could invite faculty members to be a representative to the cabinet to be involved in all aspects of college making decisions. We have a college Senate that has five stakeholder groups come together to pass good things, but again, when they hit the President’s desk, the President has the authority to knock them down. We don’t have a veto override in our Senate. There are actions and steps that we could be taking immediately, not with surveys and forums, but tomorrow morning that goes out and it moves forward.” O’Donnell neglected to
IN A&E:
Getting to Know @hyllbraidedme on pg. 7
respond directly to the proposition of a faculty member joining his cabinet, but did offer a statement following the open forum. “The forum was an opportunity for the working group to listen to as many perspectives as possible as they move forward on their charge,” he wrote to The Quadrangle via email. “They are taking a comprehensive approach, assessing our current structures in light of our mission and principles and informed by best practices. All ideas are welcome and I’m sure will be taken seriously as the group works to formulate their recommendations.” Jeff Horn, Ph.D., professor of history, emphasized the need for more communication and transparency with his own comment at the forum. “I’m glad that [the Shared Governance Working Group] has a broad charge, because I do believe that our structures are broken,” Horn said. “But one of the points that I really want to make is I want to in some ways add to the charge. I would really like to see the working group also document, I think that we need to kind of have a snapshot of where we are. I do believe that the materials need to be put together so that we’ve seen where we are, so that we have a baseline to see where we need to go. So I would just like to add that as part of what I would recommend to your group.” Steven Schreiner, provost of the college and member of the Share Governance Working Group, did share that there has been a Moodle page established to better distribute information to the community. It can be found at this link: https:// __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS:
Women’s Swim Breaks Record on pg. 12
s . Y
Opinions & Editorials
2 Volume CV, Issue 3 February 8, 2022
The Editorial Board
Kyla Guilfoil Editor-in-Chief
THE QUADRANGLE
LETTER from The Editor
Dear Readers,
Thank you all for tuning in with The Quadrangle this week! I have been so grateful and excited to share the incredible work of Anna Woods Jilleen Barrett Managing Editor Managing Editor our staff over these last three weeks back on campus. After facing many challenges due to the pandemic world we Nicole Fitzsimmons Angelina Persaud now live in, The Quadrangle has greatly increased our printing News Editor Asst. News Editor abilities from last semester. We will be printing every two weeks this semester, including our Triangle issue to be published on Zoe DeFazio Megan LaCreta March 29, and our special issue to be published on April 12. HowAsst. Arts & Arts & Entertainment Editor Entertainment Editor ever, we will still be publishing a new issue every week, so don’t forget to check us out at mcquad.org and issuu.com/mcquad. Jilleen Barrett Karen Flores Now, as I’ve settled back into Bronx life, I find myself feeling Features Editor Asst. Features Editor a frustrated deja-vu. Despite the excitement of being back with my close friends and working on projects that I feel passionately Caroline McCarthy Lauren Raziano for, I can’t seem to shake the weight of this gray winter cloud. We Sports Editor Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor are still battling life defined by a global pandemic, and I feel quite discouraged. Starting college in August 2020, I never anticipated Kelly Kennedy Josh Grewal Social Media Editor Asst. Social Media Editor life continuing like this well into my sophomore year. As much as I commend myself for being a generally motivated person, I find it Mars Ross Adrianne Hutto hard to keep pushing through the overwhelming sense that nothPhotography Editor Production Editor ing is in my power. But I’m reminding myself that even before our world shifted Jocelyn Visnov Jocelyn Visnov in such radical ways, I still lacked power. My impact, I think, must Mack Olmsted Lauren Raziano come from my dedication to these things that I care so deeply Asst. Production Editors Web Editors about. And so, here I am, back again and writing to you all. Journalism is a gift, and one that I hold to a high honor. I Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor hope that I, and the entire Quadrangle staff, can be a symbol of positive stability for you in these trying times. I promise, no matAbout The Quadrangle ter how heavy these winter clouds may feel, that we will be back A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is every week this semester with the news that matters to our coma news organization run by the students of munity. Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and Thank you for reading, and for giving us all a reason to keep the greater community, publishing weekly on writing. 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.
Sincerely,
Kyla Guilfoil
Editor-in-Chief
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CORRECTIONS FROM ISSUE 2 : In the cover story “2022 Commencement Ceremony to be Held in New Jersey” reported inaccurate percentages regarding the online poll in which MC seniors voted for either Draddy Gymnasium or the Meadowlands as their commencement ceremony venue. The article reported 66% for Draddy Gymnasium and 44% for Meadowlands, but the accurate percentages are 56% and 44%, respectively. In the cover story “Smith’s Auditorium’s Name to be Changed to Honor Stephen J. Squeri ‘81, ‘86,” the headline misinterprets what will be named after the donation by Squeri. Rather than Smith Auditorium specifically, the building in which Smith Auditorium and the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers lie will be named to honor Squeri.
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News
3
Shared Governance Open Forum Prompts Questions of Representation from Faculty
FEBRUARY 8, 2022
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 mcs.manhattan.edu/course/ view.php?id=183 Kim Woodruff, director of instructional design, approached the stand to explain that often middle and lower-level administrators are left out of conversations that happen among high-level administrators. “I want to speak out for administrators like me,” Woodruff said at the forum. “There’s a large number of us who are not really represented in many of the governance structures, particularly the Senate. The Senate does have high level administrators. But there are no middle level administrators, directors and the people that report to us other than staff.” Woodruff pointed out that no administrator below the assistant vice president level is represented on the Shared Governance Working Group. “Administrators, like me, also lack a real advocacy group,” Woodruff added. “We really don’t have a way to advocate for ourselves. So that’s one of the things that I think really needs to change and needs to change quickly because there’s a group of us that are just kind of left in the wind without a way to bring about change and speak up for ourselves.” Currently, there are four administrators named to the working group, with the remaining seven members including one student representative and six faculty representatives. The administrators include Schreiner; John Bennett, assistant vice president of student life; Steven Goss, dean of the school of continuing and professional stud-
ies and Marisa Passafiume, assistant vice president for academic success. Margaret Groarke, professor of political science and chair of the Council of Faculty Affairs, pointed out that the survey offered by the working group limited their intake of feedback. In a Jan. 25 email from the group, a survey link was shared in preparation for the forum. The survey asked six questions to guage the understanding of the survey-taker regarding the definition of shared governance and the level of their participation in MC policy and planning discussions. “I’m kind of thinking about the next level of things you need to find out, because this survey asks pretty limited questions and I think one of the big things we have to think about and find out about and decide how we feel about it, is what kinds of decisions are made by who in the college,” Groarke said. “I’m aware that there are big decisions made at the college that affect all of us, that are made by one or another small group of people somewhere, and that I don’t feel the rest of us have sufficient input. And so I think we need to think about where we want decisions made.” Groarke argued that the college needs to improve the way that they obtain input and information, because that will better their ability to make decisions. She stated that through adding more people to the conversation, there will be a better mix of ideas, and therefore solutions, going forward. In conversation with The Quadrangle, Schreiner said that all comments, questions and recommendations from
the open forum will be taken into consideration in the group’s future work. He said that while not all comments will receive specific recognition from the working group, what was said in the forum will shape the recommendations that are brought forward to those who make governing decisions at the college, whether that be O’Donnell, the Board of Trustees or himself. Schreiner did add that the Shared Governance Working Group is not meant to replace any of the existing forms of governance at the college, but rather better inform those decisions that are made at higher levels. The open forum, which Schreiner says will be the first of several, was announced in an email from the Shared Governance Working Group on Jan. 20. The email outlined the group’s charge as well as its goals, which were further explained during the introduction of the open forum. At the Feb. 2 forum, the working group members took the podium to outline their existing data as well as their motivations for the day’s meeting. Passafiume explained the group’s motivation, citing that information gained from feedback across the college pointed to a consistent call for changes to the college’s governance structure. Poonam Arora, professor of management and a faculty representative for the working group, pointed out that there is a varied perception of shared governance and that data demonstrates issues with communication, trust, confidence and transparency regarding the current structure. Bennett then discussed the
For more information regarding Shared Governance read the graphic above.
KYLA GUILFOIL / COURTESY process and plan of the working group going forward. He cited engaging the community in conversation in order to develop a consensus in purpose, principles and structures in shared governance; promoting a better understanding of the roles of representatives and their function in shared governance structures, as well as the working group objectives
to review, compare and recommend. Schreiner encourages administrators, faculty, students and staff to complete the surveys shared by the Shared Governance Working Group and to reach out to mcgov@ manhattan.edu with any questions, concerns or recommendations.
Jaspers Return To Surveillance Testing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 being infected with COVID-19,” the email stated. The NBC News article, titled “COVID hospitalizations amid omicron 23 times higher among unvaccinated than those who got boosters: report” states “Unvaccinated adults also had COVID-19 case rates 3.6 times higher.”
To further encourage Manhattan College community members to get the vaccine, they reminded individuals that they would not have to complete a standard quarantine if they identified as a close contact. “Please consider receiving a booster vaccine, if you have not done so already, to protect yourself from those outcomes,” the email wrote. “Those indi-
viduals who have received a booster vaccine will NOT be required to complete a quarantine, as required by New York State, if you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.” The update to quarantine and isolation procedures began on Monday, Jan. 31, when the College implemented the latest guidance from the CDC, New York State and New York
City, as the Quadrangle previously reported. The college now requires any student or employee who tests positive for COVID-19 to isolate for five days. Furthermore, if the individual then tests negative on a rapid test, they can have a modified return to campus for an additional five days, where they can attend classes and have access to grab and go meals from
dining facilities. Testing will be available this week in Smith Auditorium Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a registration link available in the email. The Quadrangle will continue to provide updates that come from the OneManhattan team. For any further questions contact OneManhattan at jaspersreturn@manhattan.edu.
News
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THE QUADRANGLE
Manhattan College Advocates for Better Financial Aid Mack Olmsted
Asst. Production Editor
New York State Advocacy Day gathered private school students from across the state in a virtual forum with state legislators to discuss their greatest concerns regarding the state’s financial aid programs. The event ran from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Advocacy Day is about students fighting for financial aid programs such as the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP/C-STEP), the Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) and the Direct Institutional (“Bundy”) Aid. All of these programs are created to help college students have help when it comes to paying for college education. Advocacy Day was held virtual this year, as it was last year due to COVID-19 precautions.
The space was an open forum for students to thank the legislators for their time, the various increases passed on financial aid, advocate to expand funding and to tell their stories on why student aid and opportunities programs matter to them. Rose M. Doyle, executive assistant to the general council, believes that Advocacy Day is a great bridge between college students and state legislators who are a part of the financial aid process. “The legislators or the representatives from what I can tell were very welcoming, and supportive towards student aid for NY students. I believe they listened to the students, took notes and had genuine reactions to the concerns,” Rose Doyle wrote in an email to the Quadrangle. During Advocacy Day, students and legislators discussed the different opportunity programs that New York state offers. The opportunity programs offered by the state impact students and can help them when it comes to paying for college and managing their expenses.
Every year, decisions are made by New York state legislators on whether or not they should continue the financial aid programs the way that they are running. Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., political science professor and coordinator of community engaged learning, explained why Advocacy Day is such an important event for students to go to as a means of exercising freedoms and using your voice to see real impact. Groarke mentioned how students come from all different backgrounds and how it is important to come together as a community to advocate for the school’s funding. “As a political science professor, I think it’s a great opportunity for students to engage in some real grassroots lobbying and see what that’s like and meet some of the legislators,” Margaret Groarke said. Groarke later explained some of the current problems students face when dealing with financial aid. “Tuition goes up every year because costs go up every year. But the TAP Grant was the
same as it was 10 years ago. So it was less useful to a student in helping them pay their tuition.” Groarke said. Kayla Reyes is a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering who is a part of one of the financial aid programs, C-STEP. Reyes explained why she participated and how she felt about the event. “I came from a background where money would typically be the problem, and even now I still struggle with it [financial aid],” Reyes said. “It definitely got really personal for me when I realized I could be the voice, to get more money for our school, to get more money for opportunity programs for other people like me who are in the program and need the money really badly. Long story short, it hit close to home.” Reyes thought it was important to participate and made sure that she went to the event. She believed through Advocacy Day that students could be heard and tell their stories on why their school needs the funding. Reyes believes more people should participate and
that it could have a great impact on the school as a whole. “I would hope that in the future that we do have more people in Manhattan College students come and advocate because little things like this, have the chance to make a really big change. So I just hope that more people come next time,” Reyes said. Doyle wanted to inform the public about the future regarding Advocacy Day in the era of COVID-19. A previously in-person event, she hopes these advocacy events will be in Albany again soon. “This is the second year Advocacy Day was virtual and is still an effective way to take steps to increasing student aid, but we all look forward to meeting in person next year,” Doyle said. “It’s a great feeling to have busloads of students and staff in Albany raising awareness, and our calendars are marked for February. 14, 2023. The more we speak up about the importance of funding I believe change will be made.”
Talks of Spring Madness Are on the Horizon Josh Grewal
Asst. Social Media Editor Because of the continuous success Manhattan Madness has brought during the fall semesters, the first Spring Madness has recently been in question at the college. Manhattan College Student Engagement’s Instagram account posted a photo stating how 500 likes would allow a Spring Madness event to come into consideration. Soon after, the post reached 682 likes. The Manhattan Madness event is held as a pep rally for the Manhattan basketball team in the fall, so there has not been a final answer as to what Spring Madness will be based upon. With no final answer at the current moment, there is no way to accurately verify what the basis of the event will be. Spring Madness is not yet guaranteed to take place. However, looking at the previous event, there is likely to be similarities between the two, mainly because of how much positive feedback was given from the previous event. As of right now, the plans are still in early talks. Michael Steele, assistant director of Student Engagement, states there
seems to be a lot of speculation but no solid plans on what the event will be based on entirely. “To answer your questions altogether, it’s up to the interest from students if they would like to still hold the event. We are open to the idea and happy to support it along the way,” Steele said. John Bennett, vice president of student life, and a member of the college who is heavily involved in the talks surrounding the event, told The Quadrangle about the attitude taken towards the event, and broke down the inner workings of what could make the event pan out. “I’m excited because the students have brought this up to us and they’re the ones excited about it and driving it. We say this all the time in our office — this is about the student’s experience, not about ours. So if they’re excited, and we can help make it happen, then let’s do it,“ Bennett said. With the situation surrounding COVID-19 being looked at with caution, people at the college could potentially see updates that make room for protocols surrounding it. Speculation on the future event could also be taken from previous events, as we could see
many of the same protocols and measures to be taken. “I wouldn’t imagine it being any different than attending a basketball game in Draddy, mask up, show your green pass and cheer on your fellow Jaspers, from the student-athletes to the spirit squads,” Bennett said. It seems that for an event as big as this the student body’s input is a lot more valuable than people would think. From the conversations with John Bennett, he spoke largely about the role of the student body and how the student’s attitude is greatly affecting the choices that could potentially be made. “There’s always such a buzz on campus when it’s Manhattan Madness, so if we were able to duplicate that in the spring, with the same sort of excitement and attendance, wouldn’t that be awesome?” Bennet said. At the current moment, much of the information concerning the event has not made its way to many people. With the event still in the early stages, there seems to be no surprise that many people don’t know the intricate details of the event. Sharon Ortega, assistant director of student engagement, along with being someone who
Students cheer at previous Manhattan Madness event, talks of Spring Madness to come.
GO JASPER / COURTESY was heavily involved in the previous Manhattan Madness, said there may be more information in the coming weeks. “So we’re planning to meet with a couple of students in the next week or so, and then would need to work with Student Government, their executive board, and their VP for Social Life, if it’s really going to take off and happen, along with
athletics,” Bennett said. Spring Madness seems to be an event that has a lot of anticipation behind it. With the student body being a major driving force, we can assume that the event will be one that is going to prioritize the safety and enjoyment for the experience of the students attending.
Features
FEBRUARY 8, 2022
5
CMSA Plans to Host Kairos Retreat For the First Time Since The Pandemic Kelly Kennedy
Social Media Editor The College Ministry and Social Action Suite is planning to host the beloved Kairos retreat once again this year, from April 29 to May 1, as a part of the Lasallians in Faith Together (L.I.F.T.) program. This retreat will take students upstate to the Empowerment Center in Goshen, New York where students participate in a spiritual bonding weekend. All students are invited to attend regardless of religious or spiritual backgrounds. A Kairos retreat is something that many college and high school students across the country take part in, typically through Catholic school programs. But here at MC, the Kairos retreat is not specific to any one religion or faith, and even those who are not spiritual are invited to participate. The idea for Manhattan College to begin participating in a Kairos retreat was brought to campus almost 8 years ago by campus minister Conor Reidy. “It is an opportunity to take a break from the hurried nature of our campus existence to reflect on the nature of relationships, specifically the relationship between yourself, your relationship with others, and your relationship with God,” Reidy said. The retreat’s name comes from the Greek word kairos, meaning “the right, critical or opportune moment.” And the retreat is just that, an opportunity for students to take a moment away from their busy lives to grow in their relationships and their spirituality. During this weekend away, students participate in activities, games, camp fires, live music, good food and discussion. The retreat was very successful in past years, with the trip meeting capacity with its almost 50 participants. The last time the retreat was planned to be held was April 2020, and had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that COVID statistics are finally beginning to die down, many are excited to participate in the
retreat who were not able to before. “We’re really excited,” Reidy said. “It was one of our most popular events in Campus Ministry and Social Action. We were running it twice a year and we would have upwards of fifty people attending, which is the maximum number you can have in that space and we always had thirty to forty people on the waitlist. It was a really popular retreat that we loved running. I still hear from students who graduated many years ago that this was a really important part of their college experience, and that they met some of the people who were their favorite people in their life.” The Kairos retreat now only allows students to grow in their spirituality and learn more about themselves, but to make new friendships they can take back to campus. “It’s an emotional bonding experience for a lot of students,” Naouras Mousa Almatar, a CMSA graduate assistant, said. “When they go they don’t really know anyone, and we all come back as a big one big family. You tend to explore yourself, reflect on your life, reflect on friendship, reflect on the things that are important to you in your life. When you get to experience and go through these talks and these questions and discussions, it can become a real bonding experience.” Mousa Almatar first participated in a Kairos retreat as an undergraduate student in 2019. He is now a coordinator along with senior engineering student Ashley Hickey. Many may see the retreat as a religious experience, but Hickey describes Kairos as a place where students of all faiths are able to come together and learn about themselves and create lasting memories. “Even though we are technically a Lasallian Catholic college the retreat is very inclusive and people of all different beliefs come each year,” Hickey said. “Many who haven’t been on the retreat may tend to think that it is very Christian, but I think that our campus ministry team does a really good job of
making it open for everyone. And I think that it really promotes the Lasallian values of being an inclusive community and respect for all persons.” Hickey went on one of the last Kairos retreats for the first time with her good friend, Sydney Waitt. Waitt is now one of the retreat leaders, despite being skeptical about ever going in the first place. “I’m not religious at all,” Waitt said. “And so I think that’s one of the reasons why I was
really skeptical to go because I thought it would be very spiritual in a religious sense, but it was more about finding your own spirituality.” No matter your religious or spiritual beliefs, or lack of, all students are invited to attend the Kairos retreat to help them not only find themselves but find a community. “You may be Christian, you may be Buddhists, but by coming on this retreat you are able to find your own perception of
spirituality,” Waitt said. “Not only that, but you are able to find an inclusive community where you meet all these different people coming from all these different backgrounds. You’re all different, but you have this one experience in common. And I think that it’s a bonding experience for life. I still talk to my leaders and the people in my small group today and the majority of them graduated when I was a freshman.”
A Kairos retreat is something that many college and high school students across the country take part in, typically through Catholic school programs. @MC_CMSA / COURTESY
Features
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THE QUADRANGLE
MC Social Action Suite Generates Community Engagement
Rebecca Kranich Contributor
The Social Action Suite hosted an event for students to share their experiences volunteering in the local Bronx area and garner more student interest in community engagement. One of the most popular programs hosted by the Social Action suite is the Lasallian Outreach Collaborative, or LOCo, a weekly volunteer community engagement program. Those involved with LOCo work with local organizations that directly impact residents in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Mary Derhaag ‘24 led a panel of four students, all from different schools of study, who answered questions and told stories of their involvement within different service programs. They also shared memories and how these programs shaped their experiences as Manhattan College students.
Concourse House, located near Kingsbridge Heights, provides transitional housing and care for homeless women and children. Linn Zapffe ‘23 shared her experiences working with kids during afterschool programs and how her involvement with the Concourse House has benefitted her as a student. “I feel like I’m getting more experience as a psychology major and working with kids. I can apply what I’m learning in class and see the things professors are talking about while I’m working with the kids,” Zapffe said. Isabelle Gutierrez, a junior English major, also volunteered at Concourse House. After a L.O.V.E social justice and immersion trip she had been planning on participating in was canceled due to COVID-19, Gutierrez decided to get involved with LOCo. She began volunteering at Concourse House with recreational pro-
gramming as a photographer. Eventually, Gutierrez was hired as a student worker under a federal work-study position. “One of the biggest aspects of photography is storytelling,” Gutierrez said when asked about the impact Concourse House had on her. She explains that the impact of photography is much more than just the fundraising or artistic element. “Individuals of that [the Bronx] community should speak for themselves,” Gutierrez said. Community-engaged learning courses let students interact with their local community and help them learn and address the needs of those most vulnerable. Senior philosophy major DeVaughn Harris took a community-engaged learning course titled “Slavery in the Bronx.” “Community engagement doesn’t just have to be through service, but it can be through engaging in activities, it allows
inclusion of other members of the community,” said Harris. Olivia Stewart, a junior exercise science major, explained that volunteering is challenging in unpredictable ways. “When we’re engaging in community service it can be overwhelming, but someone told me, if you focus on one thing it can change and make a difference in a much bigger way,” Stewart said. DeVaughn added, “The goals you set, may not be the goals you achieve at the end of the semester,” and “It is not wise to go in with preexisting goals.” “It is very flexible, there’s so many different things to do. It is so much more than working for free,” Zapffe said when asked about advice for students looking to get involved. The Quadrangle sat down with Jacquie Martin, coordinator of social action, to discuss the impact volunteering and community engagement have on students.
“I think the college has an office [Social Action suite] like this on campus because the catholic and Lasallian mission is being of service to other people,” said Martin. “In general, we live in this community, we live in the Bronx, and it’s nice to be connected to it in a genuine way,” Martin said. “It’s great when students can be off campus and in the community and get to know folks differently … If you are unsure if you can commit for a whole semester, we have one-time service [events]. You can get a sense of what is going on and meet other people. There are ways for people to ease into it without having to commit upfront, it leaves space for people to grow and fit into schedules.” If students are looking to get involved with CSMA, they can contact Jacquie Martin at jmartin02@manhattan.edu or attend future events hosted by the Social Action suite.
offer homemade knitted boba plushies, with a small plush ringing up to 8 dollars and a large for 15 dollars. Further, the shop offers free stickers that include colorful boba drink images and ones with texts like “I love boba,” “Did someone say BOBA?” and “more boba please.” “We like to have a chill vibe here, and we try to be as friendly as possible, a family friendly environment.” Zhang said. “The customers are wonderful and they are very nice.” Sterling Grant, a freshman communications major, is a frequent customer of Pearl Dynasty. “I went the other day, and I kind of go there a lot, even though the walk is like up that hill, it’s worth it,” Grant said. “I think I went there on my third day I came to Manhattan College. So I’m just kind of like the person to be like, ‘Okay, let’s go get boba’.” Grant was very excited about a boba shop being located so close to Manhattan College’s campus. “I really like [Pearl Dynastea] so close because like where I live, the nearest boba place is a 30 minute drive.” Grant said. “So having a boba place a 10 to 15 minute walk is not that bad. Also the vibes are really good and the staff is really nice and it’s like you want boba, just go there.” Grant’s favorite order is anything with Mango.
“My usual order is the mango milk tea, and I get the normal tapioca boba with it. Sometimes if I’m not feeling the milk, I get mango green tea, I’m a really big mango fan.” Phillip Austin, a freshman English major, also loves the location of Pearl Dynastea. “It’s incredibly convenient to have things in walking distance like Pearl Dynastea when you don’t really have the time to go all the way into the city,” Austin wrote in an email to the Quadrangle. Austin enjoys the atmosphere of Pearl Dynastea and likes to go there after a long day of classes. “The overall vibe of the place is just really good and the workers are always nice, they’re always the absolute cutest little stickers that come free with your orders.” Austin wrote. “The service is really quick, too, not to mention the price is really affordable, and the walk there is nice. Honestly going there is one of my favorite things to do after a stressful day of classes.” Like Grant, Austin also enjoys the mango boba option. “I’m pretty basic so far, I’ve tried a couple things now but always end up going back to strawberry milk tea. Mango green tea with popping boba is also really good.” Austin wrote. Finally, Austin stated that Pearl Dynastea is worth the walk when you are with a friend.
“It’s the perfect walk-andtalk setup for friend bonding,” Austin wrote. “If you’re talking you don’t even notice the walk.”
Pearl Dynastea can be found on Seamless, Grubhub or at their location at 3702 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10463.
Riverdale Rises: Pearl Dynastea Lauren Raziano
Asst. Sports Editor/Web Editor Opening last summer on Riverdale Avenue, Pearl Dynastea offers Taiwanese bubble tea and a range of fresh steamed buns and pastries. Darren Zhang, assistant manager of Pearl Dynastea, spoke with The Quadrangle about the business. “We opened last summer and have been here for about seven or eight months,” Zhang said. Currently, Pearl Dynastea offers over 40 drink options on a handwritten, black board menu, including fresh fruit slushies, ice cream milkshakes and fruit teas. Their most popular drink is the brown sugar latte with boba. “My personal favorite is number 14, the taro milk tea. The best selling drink is the brown sugar pearl tea latte, that is what we sell the most of,” Zhang said. Zhang added that Pearl Dynastea also offers an array of food options. “Our food items range from steamed buns, we have pork buns, pumpkin buns, chicken buns,” Zhang said. “We also have pastries, we have our brownie cheesecake mix which is my personal favorite. We also have vanilla rose and other various pastries we change every week.” At the counter they also
Pearl Dynastea offers a wide range of drinks, such as fresh fruit slushies, ice cream milkshakes, fruit teas, and their most popular brown sugar latte with Boba. LAUREN RAZIANO / THE QUADRANGLE
FEBRUARY 8, 2022
Arts & Entertainment
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MC Student Shows Off her Beautiful Braiding Techniques on Instagram Maddie Johnson Senior Writer
Sophomore chemical engineering major, Hyllary Jean-Baptiste, has had a lot to manage since starting school this past semester and returning this spring. Coming back to campus after an exhausting and mentally draining year when the pandemic affected lots of students’ college experiences, Jean-Baptiste is determined to have a successful spring semester, making more friends and excelling in her major. She’s eager to accomplish these goals all while working hard on a hobby many say she is exceptional at: braiding. Hyllary Jean-Baptiste picked up braiding and later turned that skill into a thriving business. Jean-Baptiste started her braiding Instagram account, @Hyllarybraidedme, just two years ago which showcases the variety of braids she’s done, videos on her doing hair, prices, and gives her the ability to respond to direct messages where people can make an appointment with her. Starting out as a self-taught braider, Jean-Baptiste said she initially was discouraged to start her brand. “My friends and family were just like, ‘Wow, you’re really talented. You should start doing other people’s hair,’” said Jean-Baptiste. “And in the beginning I was like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure about that. Like what if they don’t like it? What if I hurt them? That’s a lot of pressure.’ I also felt like there were so many places for black women in general, just so many other hair outlets and different salons for people to go to.” But when she soon realized how pleased friends and family were with her braiding, Jean-Baptiste decided to give it go and start having real clients, some of them being Manhattan College students. “I finally put my girlboss pants on and was like, ‘All right, let’s just do this and see what happens,’” said Jean-Baptiste. So I made my Instagram page called @Hyllbraidedme and from then on, I would ask my friends if I could do their hair for half the price posted on my Instagram. I even asked some of my guy friends who are growing out their hair and twisted and braided their hair.”
Ultimately, Jean-Baptiste would like to make and sell natural hair care products when she graduates. She shared that both by having the capabilities to make healthy products because she’s studying chemical engineering, and because she is a black woman with a skin condition that makes her scalp sensitive, she has been motivated to come out with a line of products that are natural, safe and suited for men and women with curly hair. “In 2019, I found out that I had a skin condition that affects my hair, my scalp and how it reacts to certain things,” she said. “So I couldn’t go to hair salons anymore because the way they did my hair, they were too rough so doing my own hair helped me. I knew if it was too tight or if it wasn’t tight enough so I wasn’t damaging my scalp. With that, I teach other people how to take care of their hair and let them know what their hair needs to flourish and grow.” Although excited about braiding clients’ hair and giving them pointers on how to maintain healthy and beautiful curls, Baptiste admits she’s struggled in the past to keep up her hobby on top of doing well in school, explaining that most of her clients in the past were from her hometown on Long Island. “Not gonna lie, it was hard because last semester was probably one of the hardest semesters for school for me,” Jean-Baptiste said. “It took a huge toll on my mental health and just focusing on everything, I didn’t have much time to do hair here [Manhattan College]. Freshman year I would go home and do hair and I’d like to do people’s hair from my hometown because I wasn’t really making myself known on campus because I was still shy.” Gradually, as COVID restrictions dialed down and Jean-Baptiste slowly became comfortable with all of the student body returning to campus, she met new friends and learned how to balance focusing on chemical engineering and doing hair on the side. “This semester I did someone’s hair on the basketball team, and he was actually like, ‘Oh can you do my hair like this on a random Wednesday?’ But for me, being an engineer, I have so much homework and
Pictured, Baptiste completes boho knotless braids with customized color for client.
@HYLLBRAIDEDME / COURTESY lap reports to do,” Jean-Baptiste told The Quadrangle. “It hurt because I was like, ‘I’m losing money now and obviously he needed something done for himself,’ so I felt bad saying no. But I also had to remember that school is first and business second because right now, me being in school is going to help me further my business.” Despite being a full-time college student, Jean-Baptiste has already had lots of clients rave about how amazing she is at braiding. Cornelia Eboh, who is a sophomore and adolescent education major, met Jean-Baptiste at a Black Student Union meeting and heard her promote her braiding business. Having a hard time finding a beauty salon that catered to her hair, Eboh knew going to Jean-Baptiste was her best bet at getting the braids she wanted. “I just recently moved closer to the campus and there were not that many places where you could get your hair done as a black woman, like even the beauty supply shops that looked cool I had to take a
Hillary Jean-Baptiste started her braiding Instagram account in 2019 and since then, has gained almost 100 followers and posted videos of her completing a variety of braids on clients.
@HYLLBRAIDEDME/ COURTESY
bus to,” Eboh said. “I contacted Hyllary and she was really super nice. I wanted this hairstyle called butterfly locs and it was my first time ever getting them and once she did it, it was exactly what I wanted,” said Eboh. “There were no complaints, like there would be places I would go to for years and they didn’t follow what I wanted. But the first time I went to her, I was really happy and it was my birthday so I felt really good about myself.” Nia Hickland, a student at the University of Albany, is another client who is a close friend of Jean-Baptiste from Long Island. Being a frequent customer for three years, since Jean-Baptiste launched her business on Instagram, Hickland can confidently say her friend’s work is top tier. “She’s very meticulous,” said Hickland. “She takes her time to make sure she gets every single detail right and I appreciate that because I myself, I’m a perfectionist. She keeps up with social media with trends, which I know is very helpful with keeping your business up, so she does TikTok and everything like that, so I think that helps with her exposure.” Another important factor of running a great beauty business is making customers feel comfortable and confident, which Hickland mentioned is something Jean-Baptiste prioritizes when doing clients’ hair.
“She’s very professional. She keeps up the conversations and keeps good music in the background. So as you’re getting your hair done, she also just makes you feel at home and just welcome,” Hickland said. Since sharing her talent for braiding on Instagram with students, friends and other clients, Jean-Baptiste has learned a lot. She advises those who are looking to start a business like hers, to not doubt themself when doing something they’re passionate about. “What I want others to take from this is if you’re good at something, do it, don’t let anyone stop you. I’ve also learned that for me my biggest flaw is that I doubt myself a lot. I’m my biggest hypocrite, I’m my biggest bully and I held myself back from doing something that I am really good at and I want people to never be afraid of what other people might say.” Along with that life lesson, Jean-Baptiste encourages people with all types of hairstyles to feel beautiful and show the world who they are through their hair. “I want to let everyone out there know that your hair is a piece of art and you can use your hair to tell so many stories. Express yourself in different ways and never be afraid of trying different things and just be true to yourself.”
Arts & Entertainment
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THE QUADRANGLE
Players Hosts A Successful First Open Mic Night Megan LaCreta
Arts & Entertainment Editor On Thursday night, the classic chords of Bill Withers’ “Just the Two of Us,” rang out onto West 238th Street, marking the start of the Manhattan College Players’ first Open Mic Night at An Beal Bocht Cafe.
Luis Chavez, a junior sound studies major with minors in theater and music, and development director for the Players, performed the song on piano to open the show, before taking up the role as MC for the night. Chavez had reached out to An Beal Bocht on behalf of Players to organize the event. The Players board came up
with the idea together, inspired by the monthly on-campus Coffee House events. Chavez explained how the Players’ Open Mic Night differs, beyond just the location. “The thing about this is that it’s a Players [event],” said Chavez, “So we get the chance to do monologues from the actual Players community … Some people sang musical the-
Veronica Vitollo performs on stage at An Beal Bocht Cafe, at MC Players’ first ever Open Mic Night MEGAN LACRETA / THE QUADRANGLE
ater things, so it’s really a wider variety show.” The show certainly delivered on its promise of variety. Students performed to an enthusiastic and packed crowd, with acts ranging from Amy Winehouse songs to comedic monologues to an off-the-cuff rendition of “Shallows” from “A Star is Born.” One performance that won the approval of the crowd was from senior Veronica Vitollo, a business analytics major with a minor in music. Vitollo hadn’t performed in three years, since her freshman year cabaret show at MC. “I took a break because COVID happened, and then I was just nervous,” said Vitollo. “And so when I saw that [Open Mic Night] was going on, I got an email about it and I was like, it’s my chance… This really gave me an opportunity to feel like myself again singing.” Vitollo performed two songs on the ukulele, “La Vie en Rose” and an original piece titled “It’s Not My Business to be Studying Business,” which she wrote while taking online classes during the pandemic. Vitollo described what it felt like to sing her own original music in front of a crowd. “I sang it in front of my mom on FaceTime right before coming because I was like, is this weird? Like, are people gonna think I’m crazy?” said Vitollo. “But it felt so natural, and I feel like that song brought me the confidence to sing in front
of people because there was a lot that connected me to it.” Vitollo’s performance was definitely one of the highlights of the night, garnering roaring applause from the crowd, something Vitollo was particularly touched by. “I understand with a lot of performers, sometimes there’s no one that they know showing up, and some people just ignore them if they’re at a local coffee shop. Like they don’t get applause like that. So I feel so grateful to even have that and be able to share my own music with everyone,” Vitollo said. Katie Martone, a junior childhood education major who came to the event to watch a friend perform, echoed Vitollo’s sentiment, noting the positive atmosphere during the night. “A highlight was the energy in the room and seeing so many people I knew,” said Martone. “I would definitely go again, it was a super welcoming and fun environment.” The Players board is hoping to host more Open Mic Nights at An Beal in the future, and is also hoping that the event’s success will open doors for more community-engaged events down the road. Students should be on the lookout for more information on the next Open Mic Night, to be sure they don’t miss out on a night to remember. In Chavez’s words, “It’s a big, rowdy night that you won’t forget.”
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FEBRUARY 8, 2022
Arts & Entertainment
MC Players Return With A Hilarious Production This Spring
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Mack Olmsted
Asst. Production Editor MC Players is stepping back into the spotlight with their new performance, “Play On,” a Rick Abbot play which was supposed to debut before the pandemic. The original plan for “Play On” was to have the show in 2020, but when Manhattan College went virtual due to COVID, the MC Players board made the decision to delay the performance until they could do it perfectly. Now, the wait is almost over and the cast will soon be on stage. Joe Bonaventura is a senior mechanical engineering major and is looking forward to taking on the role of the production and stage manager for “Play On.” “One of the things I am looking forward to the most about “Play On” is the set itself, it’s going to be falling apart. We’re going to have tables collapsing, set pieces breaking and a bunch of fun things and don’t want to say too much about that because that’ll spoil the show altogether,” said Bonaventura. “Play On” is a comedy about a production that goes wrong, featuring great punchlines and spectacular physical comedy that will be sure to knock your socks off. The hardworking cast and crew is giving it their all to make this production as entertaining as possible. The play is directed by Madeline Byrne with help from their assistant director, RJ Giannicchi. The play will be starring Mike Sperduto, Tess Nunan, Gina Ricardo, Sam Gilfillan, Matt Herlihy, Anna Burnett, Annie Brennan, Luis Chavez,
The cast and crew of “Play On” going over their first read through. JOSEPH BONAVENTURA / COURTESY Jillian Tuthill and TJ Perez. Byrne is a junior chemical engineering major and has been a part of MC Players since their freshman year. Last year Byrne got a director’s credit which they have been eager to use since. “It all came full circle, I started out as an actor, then I was just helping out, painting sets but it all led to directing the upcoming play and I just can’t believe it. It’s been a journey” said Byrne. Byrne is looking forward to
working with one of their closest friends, RJ Giannicchi. “RJ Giannicchi, my assistant director, is the funniest person that I have ever met. He hits it out of the park with comedy,” Byrne said. Giannicchi is a junior political science and media production major, and was very excited about being part of the production side of MC Players. “I’ve acted before. I met one of my best friends, Byrne, on the set of ‘She Kills Monsters.’ I’m thrilled to step into the pro-
duction side of things and to keep the train moving, to see what we can do to make Jaspers laugh,” Giannicchi said. Of course, it takes a team to create this performance, and much of it is all on the actors. The cast of “Play On” are looking forward to putting on a great show. TJ Perez is a sophomore English and communication major, who will be playing the role of Louise in the upcoming play. Perez hasn’t acted since middle school and is ready to
MC Players is stepping back into the spotlight with their new performance, “Play On,” a Rick Abbot play which was supposed to debut before the pandemic.
JOSEPH BONAVENTURA / COURTESY
step back into the spotlight and show the audience her acting talent. “It’s been six years since I last acted, and I thought to myself it seemed like a really funny show and I wanted to go for it. It seemed like it would be a lot of fun. It is definitely going to be a fun show to work on. I can’t wait to work on the set. I am nervous but the cast will get me through it, we’re all friends, they’re great people to work with,” Perez said. MC Players are a big part of Perez’s life at Manhattan College and she was very appreciative of all the hard work and love that they put into their productions. Annie Brennan is a freshman communication major with a concentration in production, who is playing the role of Smitty in the upcoming play. This play is going to be Brennan’s acting debut. Brennan has worked as a stage crew member for five years prior to attending MC and has since become a stage manager for MC Players. “I’m excited to read through my lines and to become this new person. I’m not going to lie. I am also very nervous about being on stage performing for the first time, but there’s something about it that is exciting and it’s such an amazing feeling to be a part of something new,” Brennan said. MC Players’ production, “Play On” will be performing live on stage from March 4 through March 6.
Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Women’s Basketball Team Achieves Four-Game Winning Streak Jilleen Barrett
Managing/Features Edior The women’s basketball team is riding the high of a winning streak. The last four games were victorious for the Jaspers, who played Iona College, Monmouth College and two games against St. Peter’s University. They defeated Iona earlier this month as well, despite the expectation that the Gaels will win at the MAACs. Some key players in these matches were Courtney Warley, Jenna Jordan and Dee Dee Davis. Warley, a center, spoke with The Quadrangle about how the team is operating this season. “A big word for us that we’ve been using this year is ‘resilience’,” Warley said. “We’ve had a lot of setbacks — with injuries, with people having to be out because of COVID protocols, with some games having to be canceled … We just know that what happens, whether it’s in the game or off, we know that we just have to come back stronger.” Warley, a graduate student in the MBA program, shared how it felt after the team’s third straight win before they won a second time against St. Peter’s. “Half of our team is new this year, so I think it took us a little while to fully mesh together,
but I think we are there now and we’re definitely playing at full strength,” she said. “I think this three-game winning streak is a testament to us figuring it out.” Jordan, a junior forward, is anticipating more wins in the future. The team is competing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament in March. “Right now, we’re really really hungry to keep winning, so I honestly think we’re just gonna get the ‘dub’ and just keep looking forward,” Jordan said. “We take it one game at a time and we just play as hard as we can.” Davis expressed the same desire to win in an interview with The Quadrangle, crediting coach Heather Vulin for the team’s success. “My coach [Vulin] is very deliberate in terms of what she expects of us,” Davis said. “She’s very diligent in the things that she wants us to do. And when we listen to her, we usually get some pretty good results. So this train is moving forward that we’re on, we’re not stopping. We’re not looking around. We’re full steam ahead and we’ve been winning the last three games … So we plan on the team to do just that.” All three players said the best way to prepare for a game is to relax. Now a junior, Davis
has seen her pre-game rituals progress since she started with the Jaspers as a freshman. “[M]y freshman year I would you know say, ‘I gotta listen to this song. I got to snap my fingers three times. I got to do things on a set schedule or routine’,” she said. “Now, I’ve grown older and matured a little bit I guess. I just like to be relaxed and I don’t like to put too much pressure on myself. It’s never a good idea to put too much pressure on yourself. So I really just go with the flow. I pray and I trust that the work that I put in will come up and will show up.” Davis and Jordan communi-
cated a strong desire to win, but feel the most important part of being a team is to have a good attitude and work as a team. “Nothing’s done,” Davis said. “The job’s not finished. The season is not over. We just want to continue to win. We just want to continue to get better every single day. And we also want to continue to be grateful. I mean, we’re at a crazy time in this world. We’re at a very unprecedented time in this world. And we’re just really glad that we get the opportunity to play basketball with our friends and loved ones and best friends. So we’re also grateful at the same time.”
Jordan felt similarly, specifying that a positive attitude is crucial in a situation like theirs. “I’m just keeping a positive attitude like I think it’s hard as a college athlete to remain positive at all times,” Jordan said. “And that’s something I’ve been working really hard with my teammates and my coaches and they’re allowing me to grow as a player helping me through my lowest of lows and high surprise so I think just staying positive is the one thing.” Editor’s Note: Madalyn Johnson contributed to reporting on this piece.
Warley and Jordan see the team earning more wins, as long as they work as a team. GOJASPERS/ COURTESY
Manhattan Men’s Lacrosse Prepares for Their Revenge Season Maddie Mulkigian Contributor
May 8, 2021, is a day that is ingrained in every mind of the members of the Manhattan College men’s lacrosse team. The devastating loss to Monmouth University in the MAAC Championship has built a chip on each team member’s shoulder as they prepare for the 2022 season. After eight months of rebuilding and overcoming the loss from last year, the team is ready to make their return to the MAAC Championship. Whether it’s adapting to six a.m. practices or traveling around the east coast to play in competitive games, the Jaspers have put in the work and are feeling readily prepared for their season opener against Duke University on Friday, February 11. With the 2022 MAAC Championship in mind, each decision made from the coaches to the players was deliberate. This in-
tense preparation included the upcoming schedule that Coach Drew Kelleher planned with the MAAC playoffs in mind. “We scheduled 12 games intentionally this year. We got the last by-week in the MAAC, so our opportunity was to either go play an ACC opponent very late in the season or take that week to get healthy and prepare for the playoffs,” Kelleher said. “So we chose to do that while also wanting to have the experience of going down and bringing the entire team down to Duke for our season opener.” Despite the challenge that the Jaspers are going to face in playing at Duke in their opening game, the team is excited to test themselves as the 2022 season starts. Not only will the season opener determine the talent, grit and perseverance within the team, but the game against Duke will also provide the team with the opportunity to travel farther than they have since 2019 due to COVID. “COVID was a really inter-
esting scenario for our group. I think it exposed cracks in some people’s foundations but I think it exposed the strengths in other people’s,” Kelleher said. “Our guys have done a really good job of embracing making great decisions off the field and they succeeded in that environment together. I think that as a coach to have our best season in that climate just put an exclamation point on it for all of us.” Additionally, the COVID seasons provided an opportunity for each senior from the 2021 team to return for their fifth season with the extra year of eligibility that the NCAA granted college athletes. This new rule provided the Jaspers with the opportunity to maintain their team’s foundation while continuing to train their younger players and add transfers that have the potential to make all the difference in the upcoming season. “The goal of every new guy coming in is to bring that energy. I think the freshman class
has definitely done that, especially the past couple of weeks starting with training camp. That’s definitely helped out the older guys,” said fifth-year senior captain Brendan Krebbs. Junior transfer from the University of Hartford, James McCoy, and graduate student from York College, Brendan O’Sullivan, along with eight other freshmen have stepped onto this team to make an immediate impact. Each new player has diligently worked to embrace their role in order to bring the team back to the conference championship. “Bringing that energy every day spreads throughout the team which definitely helps,” Krebbs said. “And I think that all of the new guys that have come in have bonded well and that’s the goal of everybody. Everybody is just coming together right now and that’s the key before the first actual couple of games.” While the team has faced numerous challenges trying to
compete at the Division I level in the midst of COVID, the players have exhibited their true desire to win the MAAC Championship. “We’re thankful and happy for every opportunity that we get to play,” said junior Kyle Gucwa. While the players understand that the prior year’s championship game is in the past, they are using it as fuel and motivation to return and win the MAAC Championship this year. As the team nears its season opener in less than one week, they are ready to step on the field and show the entire MAAC what they’re made of. “It’s a revenge season,” Krebbs simply put. With the fuel of the 14-9 loss that ended the Jaspers’ season in 2021 and the intense preparation that the team has endured in its offseason, the rest of the MAAC is going to have its hands full with the Jaspers in 2022.
Sports
FEBRUARY 8, 2022
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Manhattan Swimming and Diving Prepares for the MAAC Championship Meet
Rebecca Kranich Contributor
The Manhattan College swimming and diving team is looking to make some big waves at the 2022 MAAC Championships this week in Buffalo, New York. The competition will last from Feb. 9 through 12. The team has spent months preparing for the championship, and many aim to beat their personal, and even school, records. The athletes recently traveled to Florida for a vigorous training trip and are now tapering their practice hours in preparation. On the trip, the team had morning and evening practices, with weightlifting throughout the day. “It’s definitely more training than we receive here at school. Because obviously, the pool is not ours. We all take advantage of training trips to the best of our abilities,” Mary (Teddy) Segmuller said. Segmuller is a junior exercise science and pre-physical therapy major who has spent the last three years on the swim team. She swims the 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard freestyle and 100 yard backstroke. Furthermore, she is the current school record holder of the 50 yard freestyle with a 24.74 and the 100 yard freestyle with a 53.27s. However, some team members did not participate in the training trip while down in Florida. “I actually had the unfortunate stroke of luck of testing positive like this first day of training trip,” Mackenzie Tuttle said. Tuttle, a captain of the swim team and a junior psychology major, spent the week in quarantine and did not get to train with the rest of the team. Nev-
ertheless, she is still one of the most accomplished team members. Tuttle swims distance freestyle events and has set multiple school records, including the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:56.08, 500 yard freestyle with 5:10.29 and the 1000 yard freestyle with 10:46.87. “I think we did get a lot of good training under our belt for the people who could train and it did set us up for the MAACS. We came back more in shape than we were when we left,” Segmuller said. According to men’s team co-captain and mechanical engineering major Dominick D’Esposito, since the team arrived back in the Bronx, practice has been demanding but slowed due to lack of pool time and dining hall accommodations. “We haven’t swam that much since Covid, but after a month and a half everything is back to normal,” D’Esposito said. D’Esposito has spent his four years swimming the 200 yard freestyle, 100 yard backstroke and 200 yard backstroke. This year he has been named co-captain of the men’s swim team and is looking to beat his personal record for the 200 yard freestyle. His current time is 1:49.75 and he hopes to get it down to 1:47.00. “I definitely think everyone can make personal best and at least season best,” D’Esposito said. Joseph Brennan, a freshman freestyle and breaststroke swimmer, hopes to break the current school 100 yard breaststroke record. The record stands at 56.17s by Timothy Valentine ‘20. Brennan’s current best time is 57.17s. Tapering is a training tactic swimmers use to prepare their
“Joseph Brennan competing for the Jaspers in the 100 yard breastroke” JOSEPH BRENNAN / COURTESY bodies for major competitions. During this time, practice times are cut in order for athletes to focus on resting. “It is based on our different body types and the different events that we do,” Segmuller said. “Some people need more rest. Some people don’t need it. You don’t feel great because it’s like a shock to your system. We would usually do 5,000 to 6,000 yards and normal practice. I’m doing like 2,500 to 2,800 yards. When we’re asked to do fast times, we need 110 percent effort. It’s more the quality of the swimming rather than the quantity at this point.” However, even though the team has some promising athletes, their complaints still go unanswered by the administration. “Since COVID, many of the freshmen have felt lost and confused. The school hasn’t been clear about coaching or pool access,” Brennan said when asked about conditions coming back for the 2021-2022 season. COVID has caused issues for more than just the freshman. Many on the team spent
Dominick D’Esposito racing for the jaspers earlier this fall GOJASPERS/ COURTESY
almost a year and a half away from the water, and with the absence of a coach the whole summer, many did not know what to expect this season. “We came back here thinking we had no coach and no pool. No training insight. Everybody was like, feeling negatively about it,” Tuttle said. “But I think after training with our new coach [Eric Rasmussen] who we all love, we had that ECAC midseason meet and everybody performed really well. So I think that kind of snapped everybody back into it. So I think people are feeling much more motivated.” Tuttle and Segmuller explained that spirit was low for returning members. However, the addition of Rasmussen as the new head coach helped revive it. “Mackenzie and I combined have had three different coaches. We were both recruited by the same coach who left before we even had her. Then we had another coach, and now we have Eric who’s great,” Segmuller added. While this season has gone exceptionally well for the swim team, the large scale of the MAAC championship, especially considering the small size of Manhattan College’s team, is a considerable feat to overcome. “We’re definitely the underdogs coming into events. We’re hoping to get more people in finals so that we can score more points for the team,” Segmuller said. “The competition is on a much larger scale. We’re competing against people from all over. Everything is definitely less friendly. But the competitive nature is fun,” Brennan added. Furthermore, the team has high hopes for themselves, looking to break records set
just this season. “This season, I broke the 200 yard freestyle and the 500 yard freestyle [records] at the ECAC midseason meet, and I’m looking to do it again next week,” Tuttle said. “I’m hoping to break both of my records in the 100 yard freestyle and 50 yard freestyle. That would be awesome if we could do that. And for the relay as well we want to try to improve those,” Segmuller said. Tuttle and Segmuller also competed in the 400 yard women’s freestyle relay alongside Kyla Guilfoil and Sarah Hamilton. They hold the school record with a time of 3.3843s. On top of placing well, some rivalries come into play during MAAC championships. “We have competed well against Fairfield in the past during my earlier years on the team,” D’Esposito said. “Iona is also another one. Since a lot of us have friends at Iona, there are a bunch of individual rivalries between athletes.” With a new coach and morale restored, the team is looking to make qualifying rounds and send athletes to the ECAC spring championships, a championship meet held shortly after the MAAC’s. “I’m hoping that the team’s kind of motivated to get cuts for MAAC’s because that would be the last opportunity for people to do that. Mackenzie and I and a few other people have already gotten those ECAC cuts, which is really exciting. I know a lot of people are going to be shooting towards that. So I think as a team goal, that’s kind of something that’s on everybody’s minds,” Segmuller said. Editor’s Note: Kyla Guilfoil, who was mentioned in this article, is editor in chief of The Quadrangle.
Sports
FEBRUARY 8, 2022
12
Dry and Hungry, the Women’s Swim Team Still Breaks Records Caroline McCarthy Sports Editor
Mackenzie Tuttle and Mary Segmuller, who goes by Teddy, are dominating Manhattan College swimming records — even without a pool. With no pool facilities on Manhattan College’s campus, the Jaspers take a 15-minute trek to Riverdale Country School for their pool time from 6-8 pm. But by 7:15 pm, the team is dry and on their way back to campus. This is not for lack of effort, but rather lack of accessibility to Manhattan College’s dining service. In lieu of COVID-19 Locke’s Loft, the solitary dining hall at the college has limited its hours to 7:15 am-8 pm on weekdays and 11 am - 7 pm on weekends. To ensure their athletes have the opportunity to eat dinner, the swim team has been forced to cut its practice time by 45 minutes each day. “It’s hard when we’re not given the respect we deserve,” Tuttle said. “I see other teams on campus getting everything they could ever need in life and we’re struggling to have pool time or even let our freshmen eat dinner after practice.” The issue has been addressed with the athletic department many times, Tuttle and Segmuller said. Segmuller, the Diversity President of Manhattan College’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee calls this issue something she is “very passionate about” and is working to solve. “I just want to make sure that not only student-athletes, but students in general, all over campus are being fed,” Segmuller said. “It’s one of the three basic necessities that we
need in life.” When COVID-19 restrictions prohibited indoor dining in New York City, Locke’s Loft offered grab-and-go options and cut-back on their hours — closing as early as 6 pm some nights. Though the school is fully functioning and vaccinated students are permitted to eat inside, Locke’s has continued to limit its hours of operation due to budget cuts. In an email to the Quadrangle, Ken Waldhof, director of business and client services at Manhattan College shared that Manhattan was not the only school still being affected by the pandemic. “Several dining service establishments across the country have been affected by fewer resources and personnel. We are not an exception of that,” Waldhof wrote to the Quadrangle. Manhattan College Athletic Director Marianne Reilly is aware of the situation and said Marques Dantzler, Associate Athletic Director for NCAA Compliance is bringing it to the attention of the dining council. “Obviously it’s not coming fast enough for some folks and I understand that,” Reilly said at a Quadrangle interview in December. “But we’re at the end of the semester. I don’t see anything changing before the end of the semester.” Yet as the team is approaching the MAAC Championships this week, there has been no change to dining hall policies or accommodations made for the athletes. The swim team has made many attempts at rectifying this situation since late October, Segmuller said. The team has made suggestions like increasing the number of Jasper Dollars from their meal plans or
Teddy Segmuller takes off for the 100 yard backstroke. MACKENZIE TUTTLE / COURTESY
Teddy Segmuller takes off for the 100 yard backstroke. TEDDY SEGMULLER / COURTESY even having Locke’s set aside to-go containers for the team to pick up after practice. Neither of which were acknowledged by the athletic department and the team was forced to resort to less practice time. Tuttle, the Manhattan College Rookie of the Year title-winner during the 2019-2020 season, recalls the training schedule was much more rigorous during her initial season than it is now due to complications with pool time and dining services. “We practiced twice a day, every day for about two hours,” Tuttle said. “That was probably the most training I had ever done in my life.” Tuttle and Segmuller began their careers at Manhattan setting school records as part of the 200, 400 and 800 yard freestyle relay teams in the 2020 MAAC championships. Both swimmers also set individual school records that day, which they superseded in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships on Dec. 3-5. “We had an outstanding weekend at the ECAC winter championships,” said head coach Eric Rasmussen. “Nearly everyone had season-best times. A number of people had lifetime best times and we set a number of school records.” Tuttle and Segmuller, along with relay teammates Kyla Guilfoil and Sarah Hamilton broke the 400 yard freestyle relay that Tuttle and Segmuller helped set at the 2020 MAAC Championships. The four were snacking on pizza and packing their bags to leave when Rasmussen informed them they had, in fact, beaten the school record. “We swam it and were like ready to get out of there because we had been there for
three days,” Tuttle said. “He said we broke the relay record and we said ‘no we didn’t.’” Tuttle, Segmuller, Kali Nembach and Jamie Quinn set the original record at 3:41:10. The new squad clocked in roughly two seconds earlier with a time of 3:38:43. After the initial shock, the girls celebrated with cheers, pizza and a good night’s rest. Tuttle also defeated two personal records at the ECAC Championships. She originally set the 500 yard freestyle record at the 2020 MAAC Championships with a time of 5:12:37, and surpassed it by two full seconds, coming in at 5:10:29. Her 200 yard freestyle record, set at the 2019 ECAC Winter Championship with a time of 1:56:47 now stands at 1:56:08. “I mean, I honestly thought, there is no way I would ever touch these records again. I thought that was old news,” Tuttle said. Being a sports psychology major, Tuttle knew she had to set goals for her season. She believed manifesting to beat her freshman year records was a stretch, to say the least, especially with inadequate practice sessions after being out of the water for a year and a half. “I swim the longer events so if I’m thinking about [beating my records] the whole time I’ll go insane,” Tuttle said. “I always have the thought like wouldn’t it be cool if I could go that fast again? But I never really expect it.” The unexpected success at the ECAC Championships came after two-months of inpool training. The team was without a coach until Rasmussen signed on in October. “We just kind of shocked ourselves almost at the ECACs. Especially since we haven’t
been training,” Segmuller said. “Basically all of the teams we were competing against have had access to facilities.” Still, Segmuller set a personal record of her own at the meet. The 100 yard freestyle record, previously held by her former teammate Kali Nembach at 54.04, now stands in Segmuller’s name clocking in at 53.27. She broke Nembach’s record again that day during finals with a time of 53.54. “I think it is great to see previous records broken because that means the team is improving and I would want no one other than Teddy to do that!” Nembach wrote in an email. “I cannot think of a more deserving person.” Tuttle also competed in these events, clocking in at 53.58 in prelims and 53.46 in finals in the 100 yard freestyle. The girls broke the school record four times in one day, proving how far the program has come. “We kind of got a sense of like, ‘we still got this,’” Tuttle said. “We’re both pretty excited going forward right now.” Tuttle and Segmuller say the team is capable of great things this season, if only given the proper resources to ensure success. “In terms of us being student-athletes and being expected to perform at such a high level, having that stress and those expectations but not being given the resources for us to actually perform is sad,” Segmuller said. “We’ve all worked so hard to get where we are right now.” Editor’s Note: Kyla Guilfoil, who was mentioned in this article, is editor in chief of The Quadrangle.