The Quadrangle- Issue 3,Spring 2023

Women’s Basketball Celebrates Seniors

The Manhattan College Women’s Basketball Team celebrated their seniors at Draddy Gymnasium. @MANHATTANWBB /COURTESY

STEM Outreach Goes Above and Beyond in the Bronx

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor

Through Manhattan College’s Center for Optimal College Readiness (COCR) STEM outreach program, students in the community are receiving a unique opportunity to see what awaits them in a STEM related field.

According to their website, COCR connects Manhattan College students with local public and parochial school students in need of tutoring, mentoring, academic counseling and college application support.

The program was founded 1999 by Corine Fitzpatrick, Ph.D, as an outreach program to In-Tech academy. Since then, it has expanded into other Bronx schools thanks to various grants and Manhattan

Vandal Defaces Rainbow Jaspers’ Flyer with Hate Speech

Anna Woods Senior Writer

A flyer promoting the Rainbow Jaspers, a student organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ students, was defaced with homophobic and religiously charged language. The incident has sparked outrage and concern among the student body, who are calling for swift action to address the matter and ensure a safe and inclusive campus environment.

College’s institutionalizing of the program. Through the years the COCR has partnered with various programs, such as Kids 2 College, Motivational Outreach, Riverdale Neighborhood House and more.

The Center’s mission is to give high school students in the community the support they need to pursue higher education, especially within STEM fields.

Sophia Cossens, the previous assistant director for the COCR, explained the preparation students gain through the outreach program.

“The center’s mission is to provide local high school students with the skills and support they need for success in post-secondary education and life,” Cossens wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “It also aims to give college students

the opportunity to build leadership skills while making a positive impact in the community.”

STEM fields offer a wide array of opportunities for students interested. Unfortunately, as many reach higher levels of education they begin to turn to other professions outside of the STEM arena.

Dean of the Kakos School of Science Marcy Kelly explained the necessity for diversity in STEM fields and how the fluctuation in student interest in STEM careers plays a role.

“One thing we’re lacking is diversity in STEM and encouraging students who are interested in STEM to continue their education in our disciplines,” explained Kelly. “When we meet with faculty, we describe the ‘leaky STEM pipeline’ as

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

The incident occurred on Friday, Jan 20 and was reported to the club by a passerby. The flyer, which shared various resources for both students and faculty, was located in Thomas Hall and was taken down shortly after it was reported.

The vandal wrote “This school cares more about leftwing political agendas than it actually does about God” and shredded a section of the flyer. A separate student crossed out most of the hate speech and altered the comments to read, “This school cares about all of God’s people.” The office of public safety and the office of the dean of students have since launched an investigation in search of the perpetrator.

Elliot Babilonia, a freshman and secretary of the Rainbow Jaspers, was one of the first students to be notified of the vandalism.

“When I got the notification,

I was like, ‘I need to send it to the group chat immediately’,” Babilonia said. “It was very upsetting. When I got the email, I saw the vandalism. I was like … this semester just started, like this was a few weeks ago. And already, someone is vandalizing our poster. It’s not even a poster for an event –it’s a resource poster.”

Babilonia expressed their anguish and concern regarding how publicly the vandalism was located.

“Imagine who could have seen the flyer … imagine you are queer person, and … this is their introduction to Manhattan College … and they see that vandalism … It’s very discouraging and depressing,” Babilonia said.

They shared their own personal struggles as someone who is transgender and fights to exist in peace.

“If I could choose to be straight and if I could choose to be … cisgender, I would, because I don’t want to be trans. I don’t want to have to do the things that I do in order to pass every day, and actually feel like I have a chance of … being loved and valued for who I am as a person,” Babilonia said. “It’s not like we are choosing, before we are born … ‘let me be gay or let me be trans.’ It is not a choice. No one wants to

The Editorial Board

Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief

Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor

Angelina Persaud News Editor

Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor

Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor

LETTER from the EDITOR

Hey Jaspers, welcome to issue 3!

Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor

Brianna Coppola Asst. Features Editor

Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

This week we’ve got some interesting articles across all sections about Jaspers from the past and present honing their craft. From STEM fields to education as well as communication and English, I’m proud that The Quad can serve to highlight the academic success and individual creativity of our students and alumni across all disciplines.

That being said, this week The Quad also covers some very important topics I would like to address.

In our News section, Anna Woods wrote about an unfortunate incident where a poster promoting the Rainbow Jaspers, an organization supporting the LGBTQ+ community on campus, was defaced with use of inappropriate homophobic and religious language.

Adrianne Hutto Production Editor

Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor

Zoe DeFazio Angelina Perez Web Editors

Andrew Mannion Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editors

Mack Olmsted Maisey Swift Asst. Production Editors

Kyla Guilfoil Sports Editor Mary Haley Asst. Social Media Editor

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.

The Quadrangle’s

meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.

Hate of any kind has no place in the Jasper community. As journalists, it is our duty to shed light on important issues and promote justice, peace and fairness throughout the community. The Quadrangle stands with the Rainbow Jaspers in solidarity and we will continue to monitor this investigation.

In addition, February marks the start of black history month. Zoe Defazio wrote an article about the first of several events occurring to celebrate. I would like to encourage you to take some time to educate yourself on black history or stop by the Multicultural Center this month for information on upcoming events.

Below you’ll find the official statement from the BSU regarding the recent death of Tyre Nicols due to yet another indicent involving police brutality. Though I will never understand, I stand with you.

Please remember that the counseling center on campus provides free resources for students who may be struggling with their mental health. Reach out to counselingcenter@manhattan.edu or visit their website to make an appointment.

If The Quadrangle can be of any service to you or your campus organization, please feel free to reach out through our website or contact us at thequad@manhattan.edu.

Sincerely,

Vandal Defaces Rainbow Jaspers’ Flyer with Hate Speech

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

choose to be oppressed. And I feel like that is important for our community to realize.”

Newly elected executive board President Analia Santana explained that she feels that the comments do not align with the Manhattan College community.

“As a Catholic, queer person …this is a lot to be like, ‘this school cares more about left-wing political agendas, [than] it does God’ … because I don’t think that’s true as a school,” Santana said. “I think the school is doing stuff that’s … within the Catholic agenda, but also our school has values of being just and fair to all people and … a zero tolerance for hate is a part of the Lasallian values.”

In her first week as President, Santana was faced with the task of leading the club through this crisis and navigating her own personal fear.

“... We took a little while to … really calm down and … make sure that … if there were people who saw this flyer, they didn’t come out and try to attack us. What I was more afraid of was that we weren’t like balls to the walls …We don’t know who … this person knows and they could potentially come after us,” Santana said.

Several days after the incident, the executive board released a statement on their Instagram @mc_LGBTQ. The club made it clear that they, “Do not tolerate any forms of hate or discrimination towards any group(s) of people regardless of their gender, race, class, religion, or sexual orientation,” according to the post.

The post also highlighted the “Importance of upholding the Lasallian values of respect for all people and an inclusive community”. The post went on to thank the passerby for bringing the flyer to the club’s attention and stated that the club is open to dialogue regarding resources for LGBTQ+ members of the college.

Santana explained why they chose to post on Instagram rather than responding in another way.

“There was a little bit of fear in me of, ‘how do we address this properly?’ I was like, we’re not going to do an email [because] I think that makes a mountain out of a molehill. It was one flyer, so let’s just do an Instagram post,” Santana said.

The club’s advisors, Rocco Marinaccio, Ph.D., and Tiffany French were the ones who alerted the Dean of Students about the incident. While they

both mentioned that they personally had experienced small incidents of homophobia on campus, they were adamant that an incident like this is not the norm.

“I don’t regard [campus] in any way as a dominantly, homophobic atmosphere,” Marinaccio said. “But as any queer person knows, homophobia exists in the most tolerant places.”

French echoed those statements and noted that despite this attack, she is encouraged by the strides they are making on campus. Currently, they have been able to push for new gender-inclusive policies, such as the recently launched Chosen Name, Chosen Gender policy. They also launched an employee resource group and will be conducting a LGBTQ Climate Survey in the near future.

She explained that they have received a good response of support from the Dean of Students.

“The dean of student’s office is the official vehicle to [hold each other accountable].…I would say that the best type of community we could have is a space where everybody can be themselves,” French said. “Even if those things are sometimes difficult to reconcile with one another, we might have different positions on things, but we can be respectful and civil. That’s aligned with our mission.”

The Office of Public Safety and the Office of the Dean of Students opened an investigation immediately after the act of hate was reported. Both offices work in conjunction during an investigation as the Office of Public Safety conducts and tracks the case and the Office of the Dean of Students is responsible for sanctioning the perpetrator.

When asked about the investigation, Dean of Students Esmilda Abreu-Hornbostel, Ph.D., was adamant that this incident is not welcomed on campus.

“We’re addressing the community to make sure that we really bring home the fact that there is no room for hate on this campus,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. There’s zero tolerance for any situation where you’re targeting a particular group. It’s not going to work at Manhattan College.”

She explained how the investigation process varies greatly depending on the nature of the offense that has taken place and that bias incidents are typically more complicated to investigate.

“If you have a situation

that’s public, the victimology of course is different. You’re going to be impacted, whoever saw that, whoever found that. Our public spaces ought to be safe spaces … we want to be able to feel safe and we want to feel the values of a Lasallian campus,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “When we look at bias incidences, we’re looking at targeted incidences that would not have occurred, except for … trying to use that person’s identity to hurt. We want to be able to educate everyone as to why it’s not tolerated.”

She also noted that the school has an annual Clery report that tracks and reports campus crime data. She explained how vital these reports are in determining crime trends within the community.

“It allows us to gauge, ‘Is this a pattern? Is this an isolated incident? Is this something that escalates over time?’,” Abreu-Hornbostel said. “Part of what the administration has to think about is continuity. Even if we don’t find …the perpetrator, it will still be informative for us in terms of making sure that we don’t have an escalating issue.” Abreu-Hornbostel said.

Abreu-Hornbostel disclosed that this incident does not seem to be a part of a trend. The investigation is still ongoing and they are monitoring it closely. She asks that if anybody knows anything about the incident to please contact her at deanofstudents@manhattan. edu. Additionally, students can reach out to careteam@manhattan.edu with any concerns regarding another student’s wellbeing.

As the vandalism appears to be partly motivated by religion, Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Ph.D, the chair of the religious studies department and fervent advocate for LGTBQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church, debunked misconceptions regarding Catholicism and the LGBTQ+ community. She also explained that the religiously charged language does not align with Catholic or Lasallian teachings.

“Of course, a lot of people think that being Catholic means that you’re not allowed to be gay. This is doctrinally false, for several reasons,” Imperatori-Lee said. “Catholic Social Teaching is not a left-wing, or right wing agenda. It’s just what the Church teaches about living in the world. The cornerstone of that is human dignity.”

Imperatori-Lee acknowledged the root of some doctrinal misconceptions that may cause confusion. While the Catholic Church does not sacramentally bless same-sex marriages, the Catholic Cate-

A student vandalized a Rainbow Jasper resource flyer with hate speech. In response, a different student altered to message in a positive way.

RAINBOW JASPERS/ COURTESY

chism provides guidelines on how Catholics should treat the LGBTQ+ community.

“The Catholic Catechism … says that all Catholics are to treat LGBTQ persons with respect, compassion, and sensitivity,” Imperatori-Lee said. “It means respecting people’s names and pronouns, how they choose to present themselves in the world. You can certainly never say it is in contradiction to God. In part, because we don’t fully understand God but also because God loves all human beings exactly as they are.”

However, Imperatori-Lee acknowledged that while the Catholic Church has not always welcomed the LGBTQ+ and other minority communities, there are small steps being taken toward a more inclusive Church.

“Now, the Church has said awful things about gay people in the past. And because the Church is a community of people in history, it continues to grow in understanding of what it is that God wants,” Imperatori-Lee said.

In the past week, Catholic LGBTQ+ activists achieved a major win as Pope Francis denounced laws that criminalize “same-sex activity and identity.” This win has been long awaited by LGBTQ Catholics, especially for those who live in places where being gay is illegal.

Imperatori-Lee explained that this is a huge step for the Catholic Church that will positively impact millions of people around the world.

“There are things that the

Pope could say, that don’t require any doctrinal change, but would make big differences to people’s day to day lives,” Imperatori-Lee said. He’s just saying that persecuting people for who they are is a sin.”

Babilonia criticized those that use these religious misinterpretations as a way to attack others.

“Not that religion is a problem, but that they are using that religion, and promoting hate speech and discrimination against other people simply for who they are,” Babilonia said. “It is not that we are trying to harm anyone because of our identities. It is literally just, we exist, we are just living our lives the same way that straight people and cisgender people are living their lives.”

Babilonia ended their interview by encouraging kindness and emphasizing how important the Rainbow Jaspers is for the Manhattan College community. The club serves as a way to include and unite the LGBTQ+ community of the school and to welcome and educate allies.

“We must all respect each other, regardless of our identities, and regardless of our differences … it does not matter, because we are all human at the end of the day … It’s important to love people who are not the exact same and it’s important to actually value people as a person,” Babilonia said.

The Quadrangle will continue to monitor the investigation.

STEM Outreach Goes Above and Beyond in the Bronx

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

students who are interested in STEM move from K-12 to college to graduate school, many leave at some point. Most of the students who leave STEM belong to under-represented groups. This is so unfortunate for many reasons. There’s a lot of published studies demonstrating the positive impact of developing a more diverse STEM professurate. So, any work we can do in the Bronx to keep individuals interested, excited and engaged with STEM is important.”

Careers in STEM are important for prospective students to consider because of the variety of benefits, including job security and good pay rates.

President Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, spoke about the preparation MC provides to students to ensure they are successful if they choose to pursue a STEM career.

“Preparing students for success in the STEM fields is among Manhattan College’s highest priorities,” said Gardner. “The STEM sector is always among the fastest growing and most highly com-

pensated industries for our graduates to enter.”

As with many things, the COVID-19 pandemic put the COCR’s outreach program on pause. This year will be the first full year many schools and students have completely returned to a pre-pandemic schooling model, allowing the program to once again reach its fullest potential.

Dana Brookover, assistant director of the COCR, explained how the outreach program is functioning post-pandemic and allows students to take full advantage of its opportunities.

“I feel like this 2022-2023 academic year is when we’re starting to see that pretty much everyone is back in person,” said Brookover. “It’s starting to feel a little bit like it was years ago and so at the COCR we are ready to get back in there and do that in-person work in the school settings with students.”

In a post-COVID world, the program has expanded past STEM outreach and has grown to focus more on mentorship preparation for college.

“Moving forward, we really want to just focus on helping local students achieve their college and their career dreams, whatever that might be for

them,” said Brookover. “We want to start conversations with local students to increase their exposure to different STEM careers and how that connects to STEM majors, especially the ones at Manhattan College. We want to facilitate conversations around that and help students be able to achieve their dreams of pursuing STEM if that’s what they want to do.”

The program runs off of student volunteers for the program. These volunteers can be undergraduate or graduate students who can participate no matter what their major or GPA may be.

“I truly believe no matter what major you are or where you’re at in your program, you can make a big difference in being a mentor and being a role model to local students,” Brookover said. “I throw it out there that if anyone wants to be involved, they can and I will be providing training.”

Those who have volunteered with the program described the experience as more rewarding than they could have imagined.

Taylor Carroll, a graduate student who volunteers with the program, spoke about the influence it had on her both as

an individual and a student.

“I had this one student that was really opening up to me this one time and she told me that she went home and told her dad that she had one of the best days at school so far, because she met this really great counselor, and ‘she listened to me and was able to provide me with some help’,” Carroll said. “Just being that positive adult figure in a middle-schooler’s life and getting that kind of feedback, you just don’t realize how much of a difference kindness can provide.”

The COCR has had continuous positive results throughout their time participating in outreach with local Bronx schools.

“I’ve noticed students feel a greater sense of support and accomplishment when they have a direct tutor/mentor meeting with them weekly,” Cossens wrote. “They also have more motivation and a more positive outlook on higher education.”

The COCR’s outreach program has helped students through the years discover their love for STEM and has given them the tools they needed to be successful in their chosen career. Going forward, the program and the college are excited to continue being a part of

STEM education in the Bronx.

“These tutoring services have helped many students who were previously underrepresented in STEM to achieve their full potential and to become leaders in their respective fields,” Gardner said. “We look forward to continuing to be on the forefront of STEM education in our own community and beyond.”

Students in the community are receiving a unique opportunity to see what awaits them in a STEM related field.

TheSky’stheLimitfortheMechanical EngineeringDepartment

Mack Olmsted

Asst. Production Editor/Asst. Arts and Entertainment Editor

Manhattan College mechanical engineering students are looking towards a cleaner, tech-advanced future by participating in NASA’s Blues Skies competition.

Back in 2022, Bahareh Estejab, Ph.D, a professor in the mechanical engineering department, was informed about a competition spearheaded by NASA that involves student engineers and was eager to submit her class for it. MC ended up being one of eight finalists within the competition.

Estejab and her class are back to compete in NASA’s 2023 competition, during which they will be working on finding alternative clean aviation energy sources for the 2050s.

The Blue Skies competition is all about the future of aviation. According to the flier, The 2050s aviation landscape will incorporate new technologies and designs that enable aircrafts to fly safer, faster, cleaner and quieter. Participants will incorporate the use of alternative energy sources that aren’t typically used in the present day in order to reduce the climate impacts caused by

aviation. As of now, Estejab’s team is considering using hydrogen-fuel as their main energy source at the competition.

The mechanical engineering department encourages their students to take on handson projects within the undergraduate level. The purpose of these projects and competitions is to get students to think about real world problems. Through the Blue Skies competition, students gain communication and teamwork skills as well as perspectives and experiences that they are able to use for their future careers.

Parisa Saboori, Ph.D, chairperson of the mechanical engineering department, expressed her thoughts on the collaboration with NASA and how the opportunity gives students the chance to be a part of an experience that teaches them lifelong lessons.

“Because of all of these research projects, students will get to know the field much better,” Saboori said. “In many cases, they actually have to get their hands into the project and build the prototype, which gives them real time experience. And that means that they are going to be much more ready and better than any students who have not experienced a handson project.”

Manahill Gohar, a junior

mechanical engineering student, participated in the Blue Skies competition last year and will return with Estejab this year for the new project. Gohar shared her thoughts about NASA giving colleges and universities opportunities to participate in the Blue Skies competition.

“It is a great way to get people informed and involved with the current issues we are facing regarding the climate crisis,” Gohar said. “In addition, these competitions can help brainstorm ideas to solve the carbon emission crisis, as well as allow students to meet with industry leaders in the fields they are interested in.”

Maha Jan, a senior mechanical engineering student, explained that she and her teammates are hard at work with the alternative energy source pitch. She described why she is looking forward to the competition this year and what their goal is to succeed in their project.

“Due to my passion for future sustainable aviation, I decided to continue my research into the 2023 NASA Blue Skies competition,” Jan said. “Dr. Estejab agreed to lead a new team that will compete in this year’s competition. Our goal for 2023 concentrates on the creation, generation, storage, transportation, safety and onboarding

into the aircraft.”

Estejab is proud of her class and is passionate about all the work they’ve put into it. She is looking forward to helping the team with their new project and seeing how they can put their minds to the test.

“I think all in all it is a great experience that they’re gaining, and working together as a team is going to teach them teamwork,” Estejab said. “Doing research is going to prepare them for their future work, if they want to go to grad school… having a team that works together, who are passionate about something,

creates that atmosphere that actually teaches them how important the research is.”

As of now, Estejab is hard at work with her class working on the Blue Skies competition. She also has another class who is working on a proposal for NASA about reducing noise within electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL). The class will submit their proposal by the end of the month. If NASA approves of the proposal, the class will be granted $80,000 to continue their research.

The 2023 Blue Skies Competition team. BAHAREH ESTEJAB/ COURTESY

ManhattanLikesto“Move-It Move-It”inNewFitnessClasses

Brianna Coppola

Asst. Features Editor

The fitness center at Manhattan College is bringing back old and new classes and events for students. The classes range from yoga, Irish dance, break dancing, mixed martial arts, Zumba and cardio dance. Along with the fitness classes, MC offers Empowerment Hour, which takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2pm in the fitness center.

Each class and event allows students to try out many different forms of exercise. Yoga is located in Kelly Commons room 4C and is specifically a Vinyasa yoga class.Vinyasa is a Sanskrit term for flow and refers to alignment of breath and movement to create a dynamic, flowing form of yoga, according to MC’s Fitness and Wellness. Classes are held Mondays and Thursdays from 8-9 p.m.

Beginners breakdance offers all different types of styles and no experience is needed. In this class dancers will learn all the fundamentals and techniques necessary. You will learn transitions, footwork, freezes, basic power through drills, combos and top rocking, according to MC’s Fitness and Wellness. Breakdance is offered in Alumni Hall room 202 (mini gym).

The Irish dance class focuses on the group dances that could be performed at competitions or at social gatherings.

The goal of this class is to challenge students mentally and physically while also having fun, according to MC’s Fitness and Wellness. No experience is necessary, the course advertises. Classes are held on Tuesdays from 6:15-7 pm in Alumni Hall, room 202 (mini gym).

Mixed Martial Arts or MMA is a class that has a mix of boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. With this mix, you will learn a hybrid dynamic striking style, according to MC’s Fitness and Wellness. No experience necessary. These classes are held on Tuesdays from 8-9 pm in Alumni Hall, room 202 (mini gym).

Cardio dance is an upbeat, hard working class that uses top hits music. The moves are easy to follow along with all while combining fast and slow rhythms. This class will tone and sculpt your body while burning fat, according to MC’s Fitness and Wellness, and no experience is necessary. Classes are held on Wednesdays in Alumni hall room 202 (mini gym) from 8:30-9:15 pm.

Every week these classes are full of students eager to try new forms of exercise and relaxation. Students at MC share their experiences.

Max Bennett, a freshman at MC, shared his experience and motivation for taking this fast pace, upbeat dance class.

“It’s very helpful towards people like me who have gym anxiety,” Bennett said. “In my

experience, I get scared to go into the gym because it’s very intimidating, especially when you’re not the kind of person who typically looks like someone who goes to the gym. So, I think that it’s very beneficial for students who may want to live a more active lifestyle, but don’t know exactly where to start.”

Bennett has taken classes previously in the fall semester with Theresa Lavington, the dance instructor and hopes to continue to take classes and branch out to different ones.

“I continue to come back because I have fun,” Bennett said.

Vivian Nartey, a freshman at MC, shared her thoughts on the new fitness opportunities and expressed gratitude for the cardio dance class.

“I actually decided to come here because of my friend here [Max Bennett],” Nartey said. “He dragged me here and I don’t regret it. I’m really glad I did it. I’m not really used to doing stuff like this outside of the gym like different workouts. So, this was really fun.”

Nartey hopes to keep up with cardio dance class and to eventually try out beginners breakdance.

MiMi Lopez, a sophomore at MC, attended the yoga class on Thursday Feb. 2. She discussed her interest in yoga and the impact it has on her physical health.

“I just love the way that it

makes me feel like I’m getting the exercise, but also not over exerting on my body,” Lopez said. “I do it multiple times a week.” There are several fitness classes around campus that are getting more popular. Lopez talks about the importance of more options.

“I think it’s such a good idea,” Lopez said. “I really liked the selection that they have right now. But I also think that there’s room for extra stuff, especially since we have a big population of physical education and physical therapy majors. I think that that is a really good opportunity to introduce

people to new kinds of sports and different kinds of exercise.”

The fitness center brought back old and created new fitness classes to encourage students to get more involved. They’ve become a great way for students to branch out and step out of their comfort zone. Sometimes the gym can be intimidating, but the new classes are here to help students along the way.

Students can find information for classes on the fitness center page at manhattan.edu. Come join for some fun, hard working and relaxing classes.

KateCappabiancaSharpensHerTeachingSkillswithTEUProgram

Andrew Mannion

Asst. Sports Editor

One of the main goals for students of Manhattan College is to prepare themselves for the career they hope to enter after graduation. Kate Cappabianca, a senior at MC, has taken those steps to help her prepare for a career in teaching.

MC provides many opportunities for students to continue their education during summer vacation. One of those is New York City’s Teaching Experience for Undergraduates (TEU) program which can help education majors further learn about their dream careers.

According to an article by Vassar College, “The TEU program runs for seven weeks […] TEU participants will teach in teams of three during the practicum, closely mentored by experienced New York City teachers. The coordination and collaboration fostered by this co-teaching model has multiple benefits for participants.”

It is a competitive process with only six spots for the program. This leaves room for only the best candidates. Cappabianca spoke to the Quadrangle about the selection process and how only the top

candidates would be admitted into the program.

“There were two or three essays that you had to write,” Cappabianca said. “There were no interviews or anything like that. It was just purely based on your application. Then it said it was pretty selective. I don’t know how selective it actually ended up being based on the applicant pool. Only six people were selected, and about 30 or 40 applied.”

Sister Mary Ann Jacobs, a sister at MC, told The Quadrangle about Cappabianca and the great work she has done during her time in Riverdale. She explained that she believed that Cappabianca was more than ready and deserving of this opportunity.

“Kate is focused, driven and inquisitive,” Sr. Mary Ann said. “In her math methods class, she designed her signature pedagogy for teaching math with the elements of collaboration, discussion and personalized problems. Kate envisions math instruction, especially for marginalized students, as teaching minds and touching hearts. She sees instruction as focusing on students and their needs first – and then engaging them in the beauty of math.”

One of the significant parts

of the program is the pedagogy class. Pedagogy relates to how a teacher explains information to connect to different students. With the program being in NYC, Cappabianca learned many ways to relate math problems to kids that grow up within the city.

“I researched the reality pedagogy, which was developed by a guy from the Bronx, actually,” Cappabianca said. “It basically states that like we should, as white educators who teach in marginalized, highneed schools should make a conscious effort to immerse themselves in the community of the school, learn about their students and their backgrounds, be supportive and then also tailor their lessons to the students needs. What I mean by this is that one of the big examples in the book is if you’re teaching a physics class, you would calculate the speed of the one train.”

The program has done wonders for Cappabianca’s confidence in her career in teaching. She explained to the Quadrangle that the program had taught things about a teacher’s career related to money and contracts that she did not know about prior to completing the program.

“I also feel way more prepared,” Cappabianca said. “(MC) doesn’t emphasize unions and contracts and things like that, like I would have had no idea about any of this stuff.”

Now coming up to her teaching career, Cappabianca truly knows her reason for going into the teaching world. She explained that creating an environment where all young kids can succeed and learn while being a part of a tight-knit community.

“I am most excited about getting to know my students and building relationships with them,” Cappabiana said. “So like, one of the parts of this pedagogy that I researched

was building “intimate relationships” with them, and in turn that creates just an environment in the classroom where students are succeeding to their max. Also, I want my students to be able to talk to me and be able to voice their concerns and tell me like, “hey, when you taught this, this doesn’t make sense to me because of how you taught it” and things like that.”

The TEU program has seemingly taught Cappabianca some valuable ideas and lessons. Like many students at MC, she has taken great opportunities for her career path, and the payoff is just around the corner.

Theresa Lavington and students bringing on the sweat in cardio dance. BRIANNA COPPOLA/THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College student, Kate Cappabianca. LINKEDIN/COURTESY

Mary Haley

Asst. Social Media Editor

Manhattan College’s Commuter Student Association (CSA) hosted a welcome back event on Wednesday, Feb. 1., to celebrate the return of the club after its hiatus since the spring of 2020. Commuters were welcomed with pizza and refreshments to commence a new semester, new members and new opportunities for commuters.

The event started with icebreakers for students to share their majors, graduation years and where they commute from. Students in attendance also discussed their favorite places to hang out on campus in between classes to get to know one another better. Many new faces were in attendance since CSA was not able to get together since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Ayanna Horsford, the vice president of commuter affairs on student government, spoke with The Quadrangle on why these introductions are so important for the connection between commuters and the renovation of the club.

“I think the college already has a gap between commuters and residents, but then the commuters themselves don’t even know each other,” Horsford said. “I think during Covid this club kind of dispersed and nothing happened. So, in order

to revamp the club, we need to revamp the commuters as well.”

Alyssa Kumar, secretary of CSA, and a commuter from the Bronx, spoke to The Quadrangle on why she took part in planning this event and why it is so important for commuters to get involved in CSA.

“It’s really important for commuters to be able to get out there and socialize because a lot of events are done at really inconvenient times for commuters,” Kumar said. “It’s really nice to have a space where [events] are a bit more directed towards them to be able to socialize.”

One of CSA’s main missions is to increase commuter participation in school events and get commuters more involved in campus life. Students at the event discussed the hassle of trying to attend MC events at inconvenient times, which can be a major setback for commuter students who try to engage in college life at MC.

As a commuter student living in the Bronx, Laisha Delgado, vice president of CSA, spoke on her experience being a commuter student at the college.

“I’d say [my experience] has been ok,” Delgado said. “[The college] could probably do more for commuters. I didn’t feel as involved, so that’s why I joined the E-board, so we could

do more events for [commuters] and make [commuters] feel like they could experience some college experience.”

Carlos Santana, a freshman commuter, spoke on his experience as a commuter and what he thinks the club will improve within the college.

“The fact that [the college] is starting to give us more representation within the student government I think is a huge step forward,” Santana said. “Commuters get the short end of the stick half the time because a lot of other clubs start at difficult times [for commuters]. So, the fact that commuters are able to be here, [CSA is] able to negotiate for better schedules and times for events.”

CSA plans to make the club an open place for conversation on the struggles that commuters often have in college, whether that be commuting for night classes or engaging in college socially and meeting fellow commuters or residents. Although for now, CSA is focused on fun and casual social events for commuters to continue to get more involved in MC and to get to know one another.

“I think once you start there, then you have a better population of voices to speak to the greater challenges on campus,” Horsford said. “So right now [we are focused] on

just getting together and then having those serious conversations later.”

As for ways to get residents involved, CSA is not exclusively for commuters, and rather encourages residents to get involved in these conversations and try to help bridge the gap between commuters and

residents.

“If you have a friend who is a resident, you can utilize the guest pass… like while you’re waiting for an event that’s an hour later, you can go to your friend’s dorm,” Horsford said. “We definitely encourage residents as well to partake in the conversation.”

TheMulticulturalCenterKicksOff BlackHistoryMonthinStyle

Zoe DeFazio

Web Editor

Manhattan College kicked off Black History Month in style with a collaborative event by the Multicultural Center and Black Student Union. The Feb. 2 event consisted of an opening night dinner with a guest lecturer and a live steelpan performance.

The dinner itself consisted of traditional Caribbean and South American cuisine such as rice and beans, roasted chicken and curry goat. During the dinner, a lecture on overlooked parts of black history was held by Hayden Greene, director of multicultural affairs.

Green went into the history of Carter G. Woodson, the father of black history month and the many contributions of other icons who exemplified black pride. Greene stated that black history month was created in 1926 and originally lasted only a week long. However as time went on, many civil rights activists demanded a monthlong celebration. Greens lecture also included an in-depth explanation about the African slave trade and the various countries and islands that most black history is a part of.

The keynote guest speaker

was Craig Samuel, a black entrepreneur and owner of multiple restaurants in NY. Samuel owns Peaches Prime, Peaches Hothouse, Peaches Lewis and Peaches Grand. All restaurants are located in Brooklyn, New York.

Samuel discussed the value of hard work while still maintaining your family roots. He explained that the inspiration for creating his many restaurants came from traditional foods he enjoyed throughout his childhood.

“Growing up, my Sunday tradition consisted of a big breakfast, church and then a big dinner,” Samuel said. “My mother made me help her with dinner all the time and that’s where my passion stemmed from. Seeing the food being served and the pictures of the Haitian food on the other slides made me hungry and brought back memories,” Samuel continued.

Samuel is the son of immigrants from the islands and was brought up on traditional Caribbean cuisine. He owes his success to his supporters such as his primary family including his parents and his wife, Laura Canty-Samuel.

Analia Santana, sophomore communication major, raved about the food and was excited to be a part of the dinner.

“I found the curry goat delicious and the chicken was juicy and delicious,” said Santana. “Anytime the multicultural center hosts anything it’s always great.”

She continued by reflecting on how much she learned. Even though Santana has Caribbean roots, she too learned a lot.

“I learned so much about slavery like the origin of the word seasoning,” Santana said. “I am an Afro-Latina with my family origins in the Dominican Republic and felt seen by the focus on Black Caribbean people.”

The lecture discussed countries such as Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Brazil. Greene went into detail on why these countries were chosen for the slave trade. Greene talked about the historical process of adjusting enslaved people into their new location by slowly adding more and more enslaved people into one area; this process is called seasoning.

Chelsey Levique, senior advisor to MC’s Black Student Union shared her own presentation of her Haitian background. Each slide she shared consisted of her love for her heritage along with a relatable feeling of pride and appreciation towards her family.

Christopher Colavito, sophomore biology major, reflected on Leviques presentation and was moved by her personal story.

“I didn’t know the history behind why Black History Month was a thing until Hayden described it during the dinner, and I found that really important since most students in the room didn’t know the history either,” said Colavito. “Hearing from Chelsey Levique on her Haitian heritage was really inspiring for people to be proud of who they are and where they came from.”

Donovan Vincent Jr., senior chemical engineering major attended the dinner to get a glimpse of his own ancestral background and feel the black pride.

“As a Caribbean student, every month is Black History Month for me,” said Vincent. “However, February just has a special ambience like no other. Even as a Caribbean student, I still learned so much about my own history at this event such as information from Hayden’s [Greene] explanation behind some of the Caribbean roots and routes along the slave trade.”

The dinner itself consisted of traditional Caribbean and South American cuisine. ZOE DEFAZIO/THE QUADRANGLE

MC Commuters gather with the CSA. @MC.CSA/COURTESY

Welcomeback!TheReturn ofCommunicationClub

Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor

After over a decade without the club, sophomores Colin Ratner and Sage Clarke are on a mission to bring the Communication Club back to campus. With the help of Thom Gencarelli, the club’s original faculty advisor, the new and improved organization is opening its door to provide a more widespread space for communication students to come together.

“The communication club fell by the wayside, but we didn’t take it off the website,” said Gencarelli, founding department chair and professor. “We just waited to see if people would come along and take interest.”

Ratner, a communication student and now president of the communication club, noticed the empty website while looking for clubs to join.

“So I was doing some research, and I came to find out the communication club has a website, but it does not have a club attached to it,” said Ratner. “So I took it upon myself to reinstate this club. It’s for students like me, who don’t know what to do with their degree, who just want to be in a group of people that share the same interest.”

Similarly, Clarke, a communication major and now treasurer and secretary of the club was looking for a space to explore different disciplines.

“I was interested because we have a lot of niche clubs, but

not one that would let you try out a bunch of different fields,” said Clarke. “So I was interested in that.”

While the communication department has many clubs, most are related to academics or the industry. The original Communication Club was formed to entice students to the department; however, the new role of the club is to socialize students.

“The department has a series of clubs and related activities that are all professionally oriented,” Gencarelli said. “We have a chapter of the American Advertising Federation, the Public Relations Student Society of America, the MCTV club, and the Quadrangle. So we have all of these other things going on. So why should we have a communication club? I think it should be social. I think it should try to get us together.”

For Ratner, reuniting students is a priority of the Communication Club.

“We’ve been talking to many other clubs, WRCM, and we want to talk to Lotus and plan some school events,” said Ratner. “Something we missed during COVID was a big school dance or a formal gathering of people under one roof. We would love to bring that to the school.”

Furthermore, Gencarelli reiterates the need for social clubs during the years postCovid.

“There is something about the nature of us as social beings who like to be together, espe-

cially when there are times where we want to kick back and have some fun and do cool things,” said Gencarelli.

While the club plans to take on new roles, Ratner and Clarke are tapping back into the roots of the original club in promoting the communication department.

“Our whole reality is affected by tons of different areas of communication,” said Clarke. “It [the communication club] could show that a communication degree is versatile; you can apply it to many different areas.”

Clarke and Ratner are making tremendous efforts to try and get the club in the right direction and help promote what communications really offers.

“We’re really trying to get people’s foot in the door for this degree. That’s actually so much fun to learn,” said Ratner.

However, the Communication Club wants to do more than host events and promote. The club wants to impact students on a deeper level.

“In these four years, if you want to make the most of it, how do you do so? That’s the communication club’s job to go beyond the classes and the pre-professional work that you do to prepare yourself. What else can we do to bond and to develop friendships and to make the most of this and have a good time,” said Gencarelli.

To join the communication club, email communicationclub@manhattan.edu or follow the communications club on Instagram: @mccommclub.

Editor’s note: The Quadrangle’s Assistant Sports Editor Isaiah Rosario is communication club’s vice president.

The newly established Communication Club’s brand new logo. @MCCOMMCLUB/COURTESY

Left to Right: Sage Clarke ‘25, Colin Ratner ‘25, Isaiah Rosario ‘25. COMMUNICATION CLUB/COURTESY

Alum Rita Damiron Showcases Her Passion and Talent in the Television Media Industry

sor in the communication department, remembers Damiron as a promising student.

After graduating from Manhattan College with a bachelor’s degree in economics and communication with a concentration in broadcast journalism, Rita Damiron has continued to be an outstanding MC alumnus in the media industry as a freelance producer for media networks such as Peacock, NGL Collective and NBC Universal.

Damiron was an international student and a transfer student before she became a Manhattan College Jasper. Damiron first moved from the Dominican Republic to Miami, Florida to finish high school and then to Nebraska to start her college career.

“Miami wasn’t so much of a drastic change because I had a couple of family members there but, when I moved to Nebraska, that was completely different because even coming from the Dominican Republic I came from the capital, full of buildings and everything was considerably a short distance away,” Damiron said. “In Nebraska, I was in the middle of nowhere, it was like a farm. So that was shocking, but it was also eye-opening because being from the Dominican Republic moving to Miami, and now being in New York, Nebraska really taught me about what living in a bubble feels like and to understand those who are not part of the bubble.”

Traveling to New York to attend Manhattan College for her last two years of undergraduate studies permitted Damiron to take all the opportunities the Big Apple has to offer. Chair of the Communications department, Michael Grabowski, talked with The Quadrangle about Damiron’s time as an MC student.

“I remember having her as a student. As a student, she was doing exactly what I tell students they should do to be successful, which is to look for all the opportunities they can, take those opportunities, learn as much as they can, get themselves on set so they can see how a set runs,” Grabowski said. “She did all of that. Not only did she do the classes and soak up all the skills that are needed to be successful, but then she also went out for internships.”

Thom Gencarelli, a profes-

“You know who are the go-getters, who are the good students who are showing promise, who are going to make us proud and carry our name and reputation out into the world with them,” Gencarelli said. “And production is part of my background, but Dr. Grabowski told me you got to know about this woman coming through. First of all, she got involved in the world of trying to become a television video producer and she started at Cheddar and helped it to really start it up.”

Damiron was a founding team member of Cheddar, a digital business and news media network. Founded in 2016, Cheddar was one of the first companies Damiron was able to gain experience with producing.

“It was very hands-on and I’m very thankful that that was one of my first experiences post graduation from Manhattan College because it was a lot of work, but I got to help build the company with them from the ground up,” Damiron said. “I learned a lot. I got to play different roles at the same time and really create what at the moment was something groundbreaking because there was no like, fully online network at the time. So it was very fun.”

After completing her Masters degree in strategic digital communication at Seton Hall University in 2019, Damiron then had the opportunity to teach a course at Manhattan College.

“After she got her master’s degree we invited her back to teach a class, that is my strategy as chair and what we like to do in this department,” Grabowski said. “After our alum gains experience in the field, we love to bring them back and share those experiences with our current students. Manhattan College Jaspers always feel the desire to give back and so I always welcome that opportunity and that’s exactly what Rita was able to do.”

Damiron taught a higher-level communication research course in the Fall of 2019.

“I was a professor for a research class which was a bit challenging, but it was also fun for me to kind of figure out ways to make this class be a little bit

more interesting,” Damiron said. “That was my first step ever being a college professor, and I’m thankful to Michael, who was my advisor from the communications department. He was the one who suggested that I would be a good candidate because I have published research and had been to a communication conference, so I was very well knowledgeable of the material.”

Hiring alumni is one way former Jaspers are able to give back to their alma mater.

“It felt like giving back,” Damiron said. “I would love to get in there and go back again once my schedule is not as busy but it feels good trying to bring a little bit of what I knew the class was like, what I know the material is in trying to make it a little bit more fun.”

After teaching for a semester, Damiron continued her freelance career.

Grabowski talked about how pursuing freelance positions is one of the best ways to learn new skills.

“I always say, if you want to be successful, follow Rita, that’s what Rita did,” Grabowski said. “And now she’s at the point in her career where she’s able to take on jobs in freelance positions. Every gig she learns something new and then brings that to the next gig and that’s exactly how this industry works.”

As part of her freelance career, she is able to work on many projects. Last year, she was the production manager for the Daddy Yankee and Bad Buddy collaboration music video for “X ÚLTIMA VEZ.”

Damiron is currently a freelance producer for Peacock, NGL Collective and NBC Universal. She wrote and produced two of the upcoming six episodes with NBC News Studios’ new documentary-style TV show, “Leguizamo Does America.”

“I just finished writing and producing a travel show for NBC, and it’s about Latinos in the US,” Damiron said “I had two episodes of a series of six

for the first season. Being the youngest producer and youngest creative on that show and being able to tell stories about Latinos in the US, not just about food, and like music, but also contributions to history and to the political world or like history were really rewarding.”

Her advice for those who want to go into the media industry is to take every opportunity given.

“I would just say that this field is learned by doing the work,” Damiron said. “So to just get out there, do it to create the content, through social media, Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, like everything, just do the work. Do not be afraid of reaching out to people doing internships, just put yourself in a position where you’re able to learn from others, because this is how the industry works and so do not stay in one little area, learn how to do it all and then decide what you want to stick with.”

Lauren Raziano

Multimedia Editor

Rita Damiron graduated from Manhattan College in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Economics. RITA DAMIRON/COURTESY

Students Share Unique Creativity on Campus in Manhattan Magazine and Logos

Nicole Fitzsimmons Senior Writer

Manhattan College students share their passions and creativity on campus by submitting their works to on-campus student journals: Manhattan Magazine and Logos.

Manhattan Magazine is released each year emphasizing student non-academic, creative nonfiction or fiction works including poetry, photography and digital arts. Logos is a place for students to share their academic writing from inside and outside of the classroom.

The intersection between these two journals offers students the opportunity to engage with forms of art they’re most passionate about and share that with Manhattan Colleges’ campus community.

Adam Koehler, Ph.D., chair of the English department and faculty advisor of Logos, explains how these publications interconnect and even grew from each other. When Koehler was the faculty advisor of Manhattan Magazine in past years, funds saved from a new printing process offered an op-

portunity to assist students in creating a separate journal for academic works, now known as Logos.

“The way that they speak to each other is very important for young scholars and writers to imagine themselves and I think every, especially English majors, but any liberal arts majors should be imagining themselves, certainly as scholars but also as writers, and I think having those twin projects gives a home to those different kinds of identities,” Koehler said.

Current faculty advisor, Dominika Wrozynski, Ph.D., is the first creative writing professor hired on a tenure track at MC and states that on-campus publications give students in every major at MC an opportunity to engage in creative works.

“Both Manhattan magazine and Logos are technically clubs,” Wrozynski said. “So, any student from across the college can join staff or work on layouts, and that is great because somebody in engineering who’s also interested in art can work on a magazine, for example. Because of that, we’re able to get student engagement funds, and both John Bennett

and Sharon Ortega over there at Student Engagement have been really supportive.”

The process of creating these publications is another perk because students get a chance to become editors and see what creating a professional journal takes.

“Manhattan Magazine, it’s really an opportunity for students to work closely with faculty on what it takes to not just produce a literary magazine, but also read the entries critically and talk about what they are okay and not okay with publishing and sort of trying that hat on as editors to do that with faculty members is a really positive experience,” Koehler said.

Angela Ramoni, senior religious studies and English double major, is the editor-in-chief of the Manhattan Magazine and explains how creative and open-ended the process of putting the magazine together is.

“That takes a while, the creative process of putting it together,” Ramoni said. “Sometimes other students design the cover and it’s very much us, our decisions, and then when we decide what we would want to put in the magazine, then we’ll go to advisors and see,

who does the final proofreading for us.”

After a blind review process of submissions, the board offers three responses: acceptance, revisions and resubmissions, or rejection in some cases. Afterward, the production team works to put a magazine together with pages of art and creativity.

“I think it’s the only publication that really has all different types of writings, like poetry, fiction, nonfiction, anything… anyone could submit it. There’s not like a strict process,” Ramoni said.

At the end of the year, a release party for the publication occurs and offers an opportunity to celebrate students’ works.

“The release party is always a highlight of the spring semester,” Koehler said. “I think it’s wonderful to celebrate all that where it’s very cathartic, it’s at the end of class. So students need that space between classwork and finals week to kind of take off.”

Submissions are being accepted now for Manhattan Magazine and Logos for the 2023 release of these journals.

“I think that people should know they can trust those read-

ers,” Koehler said. “They can trust those editors, that they’re not taking that work lightly. And I think that one of the beautiful things about Manhattan Magazine, is people are genuinely excited to get the submissions, happy to read them. So don’t be afraid to submit.”

To submit any work for consideration, email manhattanmagazine@manhattan.edu

Logos’ most recent publication from Spring 2022. NICOLE FITZSIMMONS/ THE QUADRANGLE

Two Manhattan College Students Named Semifinalists in the New York Cinematography Awards

Isaiah Rosario Asst. Sports Editor

Manhattan College juniors

Kerry Sullivan and TJ Perez were selected as a semifinalist in the New York Cinematography Awards for their shortfilm “The Perfect Roommate” which was produced last fall in Professor Michael Grabowski’s COMM 350 Field and Postproduction course.

The film is centered around three main characters which they named April, Danielle and Madison and takes place in their apartment. April comes back and finds out her direct roommate unexpectedly moved out on the week their rent is due. They begin scrambling to find a new roommate

and they interview people who just get weirder and weirder as the film progresses. They eventually find a person on the day that the rent is due who is willing to move in and pay the rent. The film ends with a big plot twist.

Sullivan spoke to The Quadrangle about what the application process was like for the New York Cinematography Awards.

“The process for film festivals is that you submit your film for consideration and then the way the New York Cinematography Awards works is either you get selected, or you don’t get selected,” Sullivan said. “We made it to the quarterfinals and didn’t make it past the semis but it doesn’t matter because you still get the award

of being a semi-finalist.”

Although Sullivan and Perez did not make it past the semis, they were still ecstatic that their film made it to the point it did.

“I found out [the film was in the semis] over break and I was just like logging into the website just to see if there were any updates and then like this giant thing popped up like congratulations, you’re semi-finalists,” Sullivan said. “I didn’t expect it, it was just so great to be recognized. Even if we didn’t win the $10,000 or whatever it was, it was great to know that not only was our movie good enough to be put forward but to make it past a round of judging.”

The nomination was a symbol of success to Sullivan, but it also held high value of worthiness to Perez as well.

“It’s cool because I do a lot of players, I worked primarily in live theater and it’s kind of cool to have something that’s recorded that I can look back on and be like this is something that I did and not just like an abstract concept of a show that I was a part of once,” Perez said. “It’s cool for me because we did this huge project all semester long and it’s like, we got a good grade on it, but other people

outside of an academic setting also thought that it was good and that it was worthy of something.”

Senior Julia Melchiorre spoke on what it was like to be an actor under Perez and Sullivan in her first acting role.

“The process was smooth, really easy, really organized,” Melchiorre said. “We just figured out our schedule and when we could best meet. We were super efficient and productive because we all were really busy at that time of year.”

Creating a film comes with hours upon hours of dedication and hard work. Hard work, however, also comes with some bumps across the road.

“[A lot of difficulties] were trying to find props and scheduling,” she said. “[Scheduling] was a little rough, we planned for a certain amount of time and then we kept filming over and so we had to push things around, which thankfully we had like the best people working with us.”

There were not only struggles on the producer side but there were struggles on the acting side as well, however, the team came together and overcame the obstacles.

“Some of the challenges

were just of going in a little bit blind,” Melchiorre said. “I didn’t know exactly what to expect. On the flip side, that’s also the fun part of it. I had a lot of guidance from TJ and Kerry…I think that was super helpful to know how to shape my character and what their vision was and how to best emulate that to make their vision come to life.”

With a media and production concentration at Manhattan College, people aspire to take their work to the next level just like Perez and Sullivan. Perez gave a word of advice on what it takes to be a filmmaker.

“We shot the entire thing in [Sullivan’s] living room like we wanted it to be attainable and I think it shows that filmmaking doesn’t have to be this grand thing that no one can do,” Perez said. “It’s very attainable. If you have a camera in a living room, and you can write it then you can write a script, you can shoot a film, and when I was in middle school I used to make terrible little movies with my friends and it’s like that but you know, I’ve learned how to do it a little bit better and it pays off. It’s nice that you can make a simple fun story about people being people and like anyone can do that.”

A photo from the production of “The Perfect Roommate”

Anthony Nelson Hits 1,000-Points

Isaiah Rosario

Asst. Sports Editor

It is time to add one more to the list of greats. 5th-year guard Anthony Nelson scored his 1,000th point against Caniscus. The field goal that put Nelson over the hump was a step-up three to close out the first half.

Nelson tallied a total of 1,032 points in his career, with his highest scoring season being this season with above 300 points, he has never tallied a 300 point season until this season.

“It means a lot,” Nelson told The Quadrangle. “It’s a blessing. I’ve been through a lot. I’m not even supposed to be here right now. So I just give all glory to God.”

As a coach, it is a great thing to see your players grow into the people that they are now. Head coach RaShawn Stores had great praise for Nelson when he hit the 1,000-point mark.

“I’m just happy to see these young men grow,” Stores said. “[Nelson] has been through a lot and just to see his leadership and these young men following him, he’s becoming a great leader. A big-time leader on and off the court and like [Nelson] said, God is blessing them right now and blessing us. That’s great to see.”

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marianne Reilly also congratulated Nelson for scoring 1,000 points in his career.

“Ant Nelson is such a talented player,” Reilly said. “He’s versatile, he can do so many things for us and I’m very proud that he has joined the 1000-point club. Well, well deserved.”

Friday night, Nelson and the Jaspers took on first-place seed Siena. Siena came to Riverdale with a record of 15-7 with a conference record of 9-2. Manhattan walked into the match with a record of 7-13 and a conference record of 5-6.

This matchup was the first of the season for Siena and Manhattan. This is the 108th time Manhattan and Sienna have met. Manhattan leads this one-on-one match with a record of 57-50. According to ESPN Analytics, Sienna had a 66.1 percent chance of winning compared to a Manhattan 33.9 percent chance of winning.

Nelson got the game started with a three-pointer just left from the top of the key and Siena fired back with a three of their own to tie the game at 3. At the first media timeout,

Manhattan and Sienna were tied at seven with 14 minutes left to play in the first half.

Manhattan started the game off slow as they shot 30.8 percent from the field 10 minutes into the game. At the halfway mark, the score was 13-10 in favor of Sienna.

After a miss by the Jaspers, Nelson had a putback that had the Jaspers within four and soon after forward Josh Roberts made a layup to bring the Jaspers within two. Within the blink of an eye, the Jaspers tied it up with two made free throws from forward James Jewell. The Jaspers took the lead with seven minutes left in the first half after a made layup from guard Marques Watson.

Sienna guard Andrew Platek made a three with six minutes to go to put the Saints up one. With 5.5 seconds left, Platek stole the ball on an inbound pass and made a layup to beat the buzzer. Sienna ended the half with six unanswered to end the half and were up 2720 at the half.

The question arose at half whether this game was a defensive showing or if the offenses played sloppy. Both Manhattan and Sienna ended the half shooting under 40 percent from the field. Entering the game

Sienna allowed 66.1 points per game and Manhattan allowed 71.6 points per game. Only time would be the only one to tell.

Guard Nick Brennen opened up the half with a driving layup to bring Manhattan within five. The lead for the Saints remained in the range

of five to seven points for the first five minutes of the second half. Roberts scored an and-one to help bring the Jaspers within three with 12 and a half minutes remaining. Nelson made a driving layup to bring the Jaspers back within one point.

Sienna forward Jackson Stormo made a turnaround jumper to quiet the 6th borough with 11 minutes remaining. Guard Samir Stewart made two free throws to help bring the Jaspers back within one in this defensive battle. Draddy Gymnasium erupted as guard and forward Logan Padgett hit a massive three to put the Jaspers up two with 10 minutes left to play.

With 7 minutes left to play, the Jaspers and the Saints were tied up 42-42. Jaspers’ guard Marques Watson scored a driving layup to put the Jaspers back up two. Saints Guard Jared Billups silenced the 6th borough as he single-handedly scored five, unanswered, to put the Saints up two with six to play.

Stewart came up big for the Jaspers as he hit a big three with three minutes to go to put the Jaspers within three. Platek also came up big for the Saints as he hit a massive three to put the Saints up six with under two minutes to go. Jaspers came up big on defense as they forced the Saints to use their final timeout because they were unable to get the ball in.

Stewart went to the line with 48.8 seconds to go in the

half and hit three free throws to bring the Jaspers within one. With a chance to take the lead, Stewart missed a three and forced the Jaspers to commit a foul to put the Saints at the line which put the lead to two.

Nelson tied the game at 57 with a massive two-pointer. Draddy was electric as “We Will Rock You” by Queen sounds the gymnasium up. Tied at 57 the Jaspers and Saints went to overtime.

Overtime opened up with a foul on Sienna’s Platek and Roberts went to the line with the chance to put the Jaspers up two, instead, Roberts missed both free throws but Padgett came up big with a layup to put the Jaspers up two.

Stewart left his body on the floor for the Jaspers as he launched himself over the scores table to save a possession for the Jaspers. Sienna forward Padgett Jackson Stormo hit two free throws for the Saints as he tied the game at 59. Soon after the free throws, Brennen made an and-one as Draddy erupted as he put the Jaspers up one.

Nelson added insurance for the Jaspers making a driving layup to put the Jaspers up four with 2:12 to go in overtime. Sienna forward Michael Baer made a layup to bring Sienna back within two. The Sienna fan section erupts as Platek hits a three to put Sienna up one. After a steal from Stewart, Brennen makes a huge three to put the Jaspers back up top.

The 6th Borough began to chant “You can’t do that ‘’ as

Sienna guard Jayce Johnson pushed Stewart to the ground and Stewart made one of two free throws to extend the lead to three. After a scary moment for Padgett, when he falls for a pump fake and lands on his back, he gets up okay with the 6th Borough cheering him on. As Johnson heads to the line, he misses one big free throw that would have brought the Saints within one, but the Jaspers headed to the line to extend their lead to three with six seconds to go.

Roberts headed to the line with the chance to make the game a two-possession game. Roberts made two crucial first free throws as he put the Saints down four. With Sienna having to foul, Stewart headed to the line to ice the game where he made one free throw. The game ends with chants from the 6th borough chanting “M-V-P” for Samir Stewart. The final score is 7166, with the Jaspers upsetting the first-place Siena Saints.

Brennen had high praise for the 6th borough as they showed out in high numbers for the second time this season and explained from a player perspective how important the 6th borough are for the players.

“It’s everything,” Brennen said. “We need their energy, their energy fuels us when they take the other teams out of it and it means a lot. We need them every year.”

6th Borough erupting in support of the Japsers in their victory over Sienna ISAIAH ROSARIO/QUADRANGLE

Manhattan Athletics Hosts National Women and Girls in Sports Day for Local Aspiring Female Athletes

Maddie Mulkigian Senior Writer

Immediately following Manhattan College’s women’s basketball’s senior day and blowout win against Saint Peter’s University, the Jaspers hosted National Girls and Women in Sports Day for young aspiring female athletes in Riverdale.

Saturday was a great day to be a Lady J as all of Manhattan’s women’s teams created skills and drills for kids to learn about all eight female sports offered at Manhattan: lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, rowing, volleyball, basketball and track & field.

After just celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX at Thursday night’s women’s basketball game, the National Girls and Women in Sports Day event not only allowed Manhattan the opportunity to celebrate its past and current Lady J’s, but also the young girls who aspire to be an athlete in the future.

This day is especially important to Athletic Director, Marianne Reilly, who played on the first Varsity women’s basketball team at Manhattan. Each women’s program has come a long way from her time attending Manhattan and National Girls and Women in Sports Day is definitive proof of that.

“It’s passing the torch,” Reilly said. “When they see it, they can believe it and I never had this kind of environment when I was growing up. If you played sports, you played with the guys, so it’s just an awesome thing. The other day when I had some women that came before me and those that I’ve played with and then to be surrounded by all the current student-athletes, it just made me realize how this has all gone full circle in so many ways.”

This day is a celebration for all female athletes, whether retired, collegiate, or just learning, but it is also the perfect opportunity for young girls to try a variety of sports to see if they

like something that they’ve never seen before.

“They’re going to do things that they haven’t done before like lacrosse,” Reilly said.

“They’re not going to be proficient maybe by the time they leave, but it may at least spark an interest to want to pick up the sport or learn more about it.”

Gia Matteo, one of the young girls who attended the event, said she was excited to try each of the skills and drills provided, and told The Quadrangle which was her favorite sport of the day.

“My favorite part of today was probably the track,” Matteo said. “There’s a lot of movement and I had fun today.”

Draddy was turned into a female athlete’s playground with access to the rowing machines, target shooting with the softball team, sharks and minnows with a soccer ball, serving practice with the volleyball team, and so much more. Not only did young girls have the opportunity to try these sports, but they were also able to spend time chatting and learning with Division

I athletes. Manhattan’s event provided these girls with everything from equipment to incredible role models.

“When I was growing up, everything was for boys,” mother Charlene said. “Now you guys open up to show them that they can see all of the other sports that they might be interested in. It’s good to see them enjoying it, too.”

The noise, energy, and excitement that filled Draddy Gymnasium were infectious. One thing that National Girls and Women in Sports Day proved is that the future of fe-

male sports is in good hands. Maybe one day, some of those girls in the crowd today will be hosting this same event while wearing their own Jasper Athletics gear.

“I think that when little girls can look up to athletes that have made it at a Division I school, I think that is very special and just knowing that I can contribute and all of the Jasper women at Manhattan College can contribute to that in their lives is something really special and beautiful,” senior swimmer Teddy Segmuller said. “It means a lot.”

Manhattan’s women’s lacrosse team teaching the girls how to throw, catch, and cradle with a lacrosse stick at the National Girls and Women in Sports Day Event.

MADDIE MULKIGAN/QUADRANGLE

Siena Forward Plays in Coaches vs Cancer Game After Losing His Father to Cancer

Jilleen Barrett Senior writer

Michael Baer, a graduate student at Siena College and a forward on the basketball team, had one of the best matches of his career in a Coaches vs. Cancer game against Iona University. Baer scored 18 points for the Saints, who ultimately won 70-53 and are the top ranked MAAC team this season. This win came just a few days after Baer lost his own father to cancer.

Baer did not doubt he would play in this game despite going through such a difficult time.

“My siblings and I were joking my dad would probably roll over in his grave if I didn’t play tonight,” Baer told The Times Union after the game on Jan. 27. “It was never a question with that.”

Carmen Maciariello, the head coach of the team, explained why he felt Baer played so well that night.

“I think it was probably just a relief of pressure,” Maciariello said. “I think, you know, it

kind of is surreal, but I think there was some closure … I think the timing was pretty impeccable, and sometimes things in life work out that way.”

Baer’s dad had watched many of his games and even relocated to Saratoga Springs for a period of time to be closer to his son. For the Coaches vs. Cancer game, many of Baer’s family members were able to support him by watching the broadcast.

“We had an amazing crowd of almost eight thousand, [and] obviously it was on national television so everyone back home in Iowa could watch it too,” Maciariello said. “So I just think all those things going into what really, I think helped just bring it all out of it. And you know, Mike’s been playing great all year. He’s really done a great job.”

Baer’s success throughout his second year with the Saints is in part due to his sportsmanship, his coach said. According to Maciariello, Baer is a leader, puts the team before himself and takes freshmen under his

wing.

Many of these characteristics come from his dad, the coach added. In a Feb. 1 post written as a tribute to his father on his personal Instagram account, Baer wrote about the mixed feelings he is experiencing in the wake of his father’s passing.

“It hurts to lose someone who I get so many of my best qualities from, but I feel blessed to have received those qual-

ities in the first place,” Baer wrote.

In addition to Baer’s dad, the team also lost their honorary teammate, Evan Franz. Franz was 18 years old when he passed on Jan. 23 — just one day after Baer’s father — after battling brain cancer for three years. An empty seat was left for him on the bench during the Coaches vs. Cancer game.

After the game, Baer tweeted, “Special moment. Special

game. Special team. The support from the Saints fans last night and through this entire week has been outstanding. That arena was rocking!!”

Baer was a starter in the Feb. 3 match between Manhattan and Siena, which was in Draddy Gymnasium, and played for the majority of the game. He scored five points for the Saints, who ultimately lost 71-66.

Jaspers Win at Title IX Anniversary Game

Caroline McCarthy Senior Writer

The Jaspers earned a hardfought 53-46 win over the Fairfield Stags at this Thursday’s match, honoring the 50th anniversary of the Title IX legislation.

This game concludes the Jaspers’ regular-season series with Fairfield. At their last meet on January 9th, the Stags took a mere two-point victory off of a quick transition layup in the final 20 seconds to beat the Jaspers 52-50.

The Jaspers came back to dominate the Stags for the majority of play on Thursday night. Eight different Jaspers put up points in the opening quarter to earn the Jaspers a 16-12 lead. Bella Nascimento earned the most points for the Jaspers on Thursday with 14 total points, with four in the first quarter.

The Jaspers kept their lead in the second quarter, leading the Stags 24-14 at half.

Dee Dee Davis came out forcefully and earned the Jaspers their first five points in the latter half of the game. The Stags had a short run that brought them within five points (33-27) of the Jaspers, but Manhattan kept their steady lead at 39-30 at the end of the third quarter.

Fairfield’s Kate Peek brought the Stags close to a come-back with three three-

point shots, bringing them within two points of the Jaspers at 41-39. The Game finished at 53-46 in favor of the Jaspers.

“We did a phenomenal job offensive rebounding, but we have to convert at a higher rate, and today I thought we did,” head coach Heather Vulin said postgame. “ I also thought having Petra [Juric] back in the lineup was a huge boost for everybody.”

Jade Blagrove finished with 10 rebounds, earning her fifth double-digit rebound performance of the season and second in three games. Leyla Ozturk earned four points, four blocked shots and five re-

bounds.

“I think it’s all a team effort,” Ozturk said. “Before the game, we talked about playing for the person next to us, and I played for my teammates, and so did everyone else.”

To honor the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson joined the Jaspers for the game. Gibson, the first female to hold the title of Bronx Borough President, spoke to female athlete representatives from each team about passion, integrity and perseverance.

“I could’ve been a motivational speaker,” she joked with the student-athletes after ex-

pressing the need to live with purpose, and to not let anyone take that purpose away from you.

Title IX, passed in 1972, prohibited the discrimination of women in educational programs receiving federal financial assistance, including athletics.

Marianne Reilly ‘82, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Manhattan College, was honored by Gibson and President Daniel Gardner at halftime of Thursday’s game for being a “trailblazer” for female athletes.

Reilly was a member of the first varsity women’s basketball team at Manhattan College and

is one of the few women to hold an athletic director position in NCAA Division I. She was also the first female inducted into Manhattan’s athletic Hall of Fame in 1992 for her career at MC, including being the first 1,000 point scorer in school history.

“It is wonderful to see first hand the impact that Title IX has had in breaking down barriers and providing opportunities for our former and current student-athletes, coaches and administrators,” Reilly said. “Now we have to prepare to keep Title IX relevant and moving forward for the next 50 years.”

The Siena basketball team with Baer and a few members of his family. EDDIE QUINN/SIENNA COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Marianne Reilly (second from left) is honored by Brother Daniel, Vanessa Gibson and Brother Jasper for being a “trailblazer” for women in athletics. MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY