The Quadrangle, Issue 2

the Quadrangle

MC Students Take on Unexpected Dorm Migration

Adrianne Hutto and Angelina Perez Production Editor & Web Editor

As Manhattan College students were planning to head home for the holidays and finish their exams last semester, Horan Hall students were instructed to pack up their dorms and relocate to another residence hall.

NAV to Perform at Springfest

The rapper and singer-songwriter is set to headline this year’s annual Springfest concert on April 15th beginning at 7p.m.

New Non-Credit Programs Transform the Bronx’s Educational Culture

Brooke DellaRocco Staff Writer

Manhattan College is now offering a variety of new non-credit programs through The School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Beginning this semester, these programs are open to both students and the general public in order to expand the professional reaches and connections of Manhattan College.

Non-credit programs allow all to explore new possibilities to prepare themselves for a career. Community members can earn certifications that are beneficial outside of the school but do not count as credit toward a degree at MC.

Edgar Zavala, director of the non-credit programs office, constructed a portfolio of non-credit program offerings by dividing them into three types of audiences: Profession-

al Development, NYC is Your Classroom, and K-12 Programs.

Professional Development programs allow students to get involved with their interests and further their learning. With over 150 Professional Development programs and new programs being added every semester, there are many opportunities for every person.

Under the Professional Development category, the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification is being launched after two years of development.

“In order to be more professional, they can be licensed and they can get their CFP and become a Certified Financial Planner. That gives them credibility and trust in people like you, like your parents and grandparents,” Zavala said.

Another certification recently launched under professional development programs is Intellectual Property. Intellectual Property surrounds the

subject of developing materials, content and knowing how to protect your property from trademarks and copyrights. Developed by an adjunct in SCPS, Intellectual Property will further prepare students for work outside the classroom.

Tahiya Azad, an advertiser for non-credit programs spoke about the benefit of the certifications.

“Some people don’t like to take a degree for a long time. Four weeks is fine or two months, six months. So people are finding this helpful,” Azad said.

Zavala also talked about the third new program, consisting of nine courses all developed and taught in Spanish.

“I dare to say, we are one of the few, if not only, higher education institutions in the United States and probably even the tri-state area that actually offer

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Students were given the option of Jasper, Lee or Chrysostom Hall and were assigned rooms based on a lottery system.

Chayse Martino, a sophomore psychology major at MC, explained that this move was difficult for her as she is originally from Florida and her parents could not come to school to assist with transporting her things across campus.

Martino’s roommate Michaela Sully, a sophomore sound studies and communication major, explained that her parents had planned to help her move out but needed more notice about the timeframe to account for their travel plans.

Sully explained that while they were appreciative of the assistance provided by Residence Life, the boxes they were given were not big enough to hold everything.

“We had to wait outside of Res Life for so long to get the boxes,” Sully said. “No one was there and the RAs didn’t really seem like they were given much information about it either.”

Therefore, the two were left transporting all their belongings alone at night and in the rain. The pair said this was made more difficult as there is no direct route from Horan Hall to Jasper Hall that does not require the use of several stairs.

MC Players Return for Spring with ‘Almost

As a result, the students had to leave the confines of campus, walk around the school and up the hill to Jasper pushing a wobbly cart.

“We couldn’t even get the bins through the back doors of Jasper so we had to unpack all of our stuff into the hallway and use the elevator, trip by trip,” Martino said.

This had to be done by the pair twice before all their items were in their new dorm.

While there was some unavoidable stress in the moving process, having more transparency throughout the process would have allowed for a smoother transition, Sully explained.

“I don’t know if they just didn’t know how it was going to happen themselves or if they just didn’t tell us, but nobody even really knew anything until it was like okay, ‘we gotta go now,’” Sully said.

Amaya Behsman, a sophomore English and communication major, was unaware of how the process of having movers would work.

“I didn’t sign up for movers because I was kind of confused at the time because they sent the email out during finals week so I wasn’t really paying attention,” Behsman said. “I did not understand it was free, so I was not ready in time. I was leaving Saturday morning and you had to have all of your stuff packed up during the week in order for the movers to come. How will I have all my stuff packed up while I am also taking finals? So I did not end up doing the movers, I had to move all my own stuff up the stairs.”

Conor Boardman, a sophomore marketing major and friend of Behsman, returned

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Masiello Returns to Draddy on pg. 11

LETTER from the EDITOR

Dear Readers,

Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief

Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor

Angelina Persaud News Editor

Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor

Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor

Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor

Brianna Coppola Asst. Features Editor

Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Hello and happy Issue 2! Within this week’s issue we have news updates on the state of student residence halls, information about local Riverdale restaurants, and an article featuring Pat Kehrberger ‘69, MC’s first female student.

As you’ll see on the front cover, we’re announcing the artist who will perform at this year’s Springfest concert! The annual Springfest carnival will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 15th, followed by the concert at 7 p.m. I would like to extend a special thank you to Rosalia Cefalu, VP of Social Life, who has been working with Student Engagement to organize the event. I hope you’ll attend and join fellow jaspers for a day full of fun and entertainment.

As for other campus activities, this week begins the weekly schedule of group fitness classes being offered by the fitness center including Yoga, Mixed Martial Arts and Weight Training for Beginners among others. There is also a welcome-back event with the Commuter Student Association on Wednesday at noon, and several opportunities to cheer on Jasper basketball in Draddy Gymnasium.

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.

Join The Quadrangle

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

Connect with The Quadrangle

The Quadrangle is in the process of reviving our Facebook page! This is a great resource for alumni to keep up with campus news and stay in-touch with the Quadrangle. If you’re an MC alum with a story you think could be of interest to the current student-body, feel free to reach out to us via email at thequad@manhattan. edu.

I would like to again remind students that the Quadrangle is always accepting new writers. Feel free to join us and take a pitch during our weekly staff meeting taking place on Tuesdays in Kelly 4.12 at 4 p.m.

I hope your classes and extracurricular activities are off to a great start! No matter where your interests lay, MC has a variety of clubs and organizations that allow you to get involved and meet new people. I hope all students will take advantage of these opportunities and try something new as the semester progresses. Thank you for reading the Quadrangle and keeping up with campus news. Until next week.

Sincerely,

Jocelyn VisnovEditor-in-Chief

New Non-Credit Programs Transform The Bronx’s Educational Culture

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

non-credit courses in Spanish,” Zavala said.

SCPS is the only school in Manhattan College that has an associate’s degree program. This school houses Camino, an associate’s degree that targets Spanish speaking individuals, which allows for much of the Spanish speaking community to receive education that will open doors to more job opportunities in the future.

The NYC is Your Classroom program is set up similar to a summer camp. Students spend a week at MC, and travel all around NYC taking advantage of the local opportunities. Some examples of these pro-

grams in action include business and finance, where past students have ventured to the New York Stock Exchange. This program also extends to the performing arts where students have the opportunity to see their mentors working in the field of entertainment.

The program is also set to expand opportunities for students studying psychology beginning in the fall 2023.

The last bracket is K-12, a program designed to establish after school programs and summer camps directed and taught by trained students interested in working with children. Some topics of these camps involve engineering, entrepreneurship, and more.

Zavala also emphasized the

importance of these programs to the community. “You as an individual towards your education have to continue updating yourself, learning new things and seeing what’s out there, “ Zavala said. “In a short time period, you get a lot of knowledge and new skills that you can apply immediately, to grow and to strengthen your current career.”

Steven Goss, dean of SCPS, talked about becoming a well-rounded individual through these programs.

“Students that are studying in different fields that are adjacent to the certifications… or additional credentials,” Goss said. “They could utilize those on their resume or even in real time in their careers if they’re working already in the field.”

These courses are designed to help individuals grow personally, professionally and independently in a way that makes a person a desirable candidate to hire. Hence, these opportunities serve over 2,000 students currently. All programs range from $200-$1,000, making it more affordable than the average class because of the lack of credit towards a degree but rather a professional certification.

MC Students Take on Unexpected Dorm Migration

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

to Jasper Hall for the spring semester after also living there his first year.

“The moving process was awful. Not for me, but for other people,” Boardman said. Boardman clarified that while it was easier for him to have his parents drive down after his finals, it was still a hassle.

“It was still an inconvenience, especially during finals week when you already have so much stuff to worry about, like spending time with your friends or studying so that you can get a good grade,” Boardman said. “You do not want to worry about moving all your stuff to another building. The timing was inconvenient.”

Boardman moved in early to avoid causing too much stress during finals week. However, he was not greeted

sleep in his Jasper Hall room peacefully on some of the coldest and rainiest January nights since moving in.

“The day I moved in, I went to the bathroom, and there was a sink full of this mysterious black sludge not draining,” Boardman said. “It was not until Wednesday when people moved in that it finally got taken care of. There is always pee on the seats, and hair in the sink when men shave. The students leave it there expecting the custodians to always be there to clean it up.”

When asked what could be done to fix the cleanliness of the men’s bathroom, Boardman explained it’s the responsibility of the students.

“Students should respect the living space as if it were their houses, because you’re forced to live here. Other people are forced to deal with the mess you leave,” he said.

With Chrysostom Hall’s

were told we would not have a closet or our drawers. So we thought it was minimal space and barely brought anything.”

McGuigan and Nicasio were also unaware of how the transition from Horan Hall would be.

“Knowing that it was going to be temporary was already weird. I was like, should I hang up posters? Should I decorate my room? Should I make this place homey even though we will leave soon? So, it was weird going into it, but I kept telling myself, ‘Okay, ignore it. Just have a good semester,’” Nicasio said.

Some students transitioned into the new buildings without a problem, explaining how helpful their RAs were, doing anything and everything they could to help.

“We were very stressed out,” McGuigan said. “However, they were pretty good with supplying the boxes and the things we needed for the move. I was fortunate enough to have movers provided. My experience was pretty organized. I moved in two days before everybody and got my things in. I walked in through the basement, they gave me my code, and I got in no problem.”

Madelyn Fitzgerald, a sophomore biology major, said she had a rough experience moving dorms but explained that the fault was hers.

“My friends and I decided to move on the first day (Thursday) when there was a torrential downpour,” Fitzgerald said. “Since we did not use the moving company, we had to move everything we had on campus with my car. I am thankful for the people who helped me move; it was a crazy experience. Carrying a wet fridge up two flights of stairs is no joke.”

Students items were dropped off by the movers not as smoothly as she wanted.

JILL TUTHILL / COURTESY

and not on how much closer we all are by experiencing this together.”

Behsman agreed that while the new bathrooms are nice, it can be a little unrealistic to make them entirely white and expect them to stay clean.

“I am not trying to throw the custodian staff under the bus because they do an excellent job. It’s not them,” Behsman said. “There is just not enough space for all of the girls they have here. The bathroom is big but still gets dirty quickly, so they decided to make it white, which sounds great until you have 20 girls in the bathroom constantly, it will get dirty.”

Nicasio said she wanted those struggling with the transition to keep the positives in mind as the semester progresses.

“Things are looking up. I think it is all about perspective and how you view everything,” Nicasio said. “You could see this move in a super negative way, like, oh, communal bathrooms, a small space…or you could look at it positively like, at least I am with my friends. And you know what, we have to do this for only a semester, especially the spring semester. It goes by fast.”

with the welcome back he had wished for.

“I moved in on Saturday when we were supposed to move on Tuesday,” Boardman said. “When I got to the room, it was freezing. I felt like I was losing my mind. My friends and I had to keep our coats on. Some of them even got sick. Some people tried to fix it, but it ended up not helping completely, and I had to go out and buy a space heater.”

Boardman told The Quadrangle his room has still not been fully fixed, and he is waiting for a repairman so he can

return, students were curious what to expect. Two sophomores, Ava McGuigan, a double major in psychology and education, and Montserrat Nicasio, a double major in psychology and political science, told The Quadrangle how unaware they were of what their new rooms would look like.

“A friend of ours had to send us a picture of what the room layout looked like because we did not get any news on what it was going to be like,” McGuigan said. “I know many people that did not bring any clothes basically because we

Fitzgerald, who moved from Horan to Chrysostom, explains that the differences are drastic. While Horan had more maintenance flaws, the dorm hall had a better view of the city and private bathrooms.

“C-block is much cleaner. There is less space, but appliances are all brand new,” Fitzgerald said. “The location makes it easier to get to classes faster, and you feel more on campus.”

She explains that there are positives to having a communal bathroom.

“Getting ready next to your friends is fun,” Fitzgerald said. “I think that too many people are focused on the smaller size

The Hallway of the newly renovated Chrysostom dorm hall. ANGELINA PEREZ/ THE

The new Chrysostom women’s bathroom. LIZ DONG / COURTESY

HoranHallRenovationsSettobe CompletedinSummer2023

Nicole Fitzsimmons

Senior Writer

In the fall 2023 semester, students will begin to have a new option for on campus housing in the newly renovated Horan Hall. Renovations are currently being constructed in the residence hall, including the implementation of modern new suites, common areas and updated facilities.

Craig Collins, vice president of facilities, explained the current plans for renovations.

“In Horan Hall, we are looking to rejuvenate the common areas and corridors on floors 2-11 with new contemporary finishes and lighting fixtures,” Collins wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “All of the bathrooms will be renovated with tile floors and walls to create a more aesthetic appeal. We are converting all of the bathtubs in the facility to showers. New plumbing fixtures will meet the EPA’s WaterSense criteria and have been selected with the assistance of building engineering

to help mitigate future maintenance concerns.”

Horan stood out to MC as a building due to be renovated. Because of the systems and infrastructure, the building is outdated but also provides a good foundation to start a project of this size and finish by the end of July before the semester begins.

“The existing building systems in Horan Hall are such that we can make these changes with relatively minor modifications,” Collins wrote. “We are installing additional electrical service, adding fire alarm devices and reworking plumbing to accommodate the new layout.”

Because the renovations are set to be completed by the upcoming semester, the Office of Admissions is beginning to spread word to prospective students about the new opportunities for on campus apartments available in a saturated New York City market.

Benjamin Boivin, director of undergraduate admissions, spoke about the appeal to new facilities and additions on campus that are more likely to at-

tract prospective students.

“I think anytime a campus has anything new, whether it’s a new tree planted or a new building, or a new parking garage, or new food planning, anything that a college could sell, a new update to campus is always really exciting,” Boivin said. “Being in New York City, you know, post COVID real estate has gone back up and it’s expensive to get an apartment especially overlooking the skyline of New York.”

Boivin said that responses from prospective students and families have been positive as new images of the renovations begin to get publicized.

“The first day we had them in our admissions office in front of people who came to visit for group tours and one of the dads walked up to the poster,” Boivin said. “He was like, ‘gosh, these are just like a brand new New York City apartment’. It’s because it is. So I think that’s really good for us to hear that kind of feedback, because it means parents are understanding the value of living on campus. It’s not cheap, we all know it’s expensive to be on-campus, but

the value you get out of it is like having a real New York City apartment.”

Students told The Quadrangle they are excited for the opportunity to move back into Horan post-renovations after a very tumultuous and difficult prior year on campus.

William Walker, sophomore communication major, was staying in Horan until renovations began and students were asked to move to Chrysostom Hall. Despite the chaos of this process he experienced in the midst of final exams, Walker is pleased with some new renovations in Chrysostom but is looking most forward to getting priority housing in the updated Horan building.

“I definitely plan on moving back there,” Walker said. “I work in admissions, and I went into work today and we had all these posters up with pictures from the rooms. The pictures of the rooms look really, really nice. So I definitely want to move back there.”

Collins wrote in his email to The Quadrangle that MC is attempting to best accommo-

date students in the process of construction and mentions some construction aspects that might interfere with campus activities, including construction in the Draddy Gymnasium parking lot at the rear entry of the Lee Hall building. Additionally, because Horan Hall will be closed during construction, students should plan to use the south side entrance to access the mailroom for the time being.

Currently, Collins references two projects upcoming in Leo Hall, one being a water monitoring project as a collaboration with departments of civil and environmental engineering. These projects are in tandem with Horan renovations and emphasize a current commitment to advancing and updating the campus environment.

“The goal of this [Horan] project is to enhance the experience of our students by upgrading accommodations as well as creating more inviting community spaces for students to interact,” Collins wrote.

Poster emphasizing new updates and features in Horan Hall renovations. OFFICE

MathMadnessTutoringProgramEnriches LocalCommunitySchools

Angelina Persaud News Editor

The Math Madness Outreach Program has had another year of success in teaching children to love the learning process through math tutoring services from Manhattan College students.

The initial idea for the program stemmed from the donation of an MC alum, who chose to remain anonymous, of the class of 1965. The alum felt that the community needed to be enlivened from an educational standpoint. Particularly, they felt that students and adults in the area needed to strengthen their math skills early on in their education.

Sister MaryAnn Jacobs, a professor in the School of Education and faculty advisor for the Math Madness program, spoke about its success and significance to the local community.

She noted that there has been a need for math tutoring in schools since many children’s mathematical skills show a sharp decrease as they transition from elementary school into high school.

“We see a key age level between grades four and grades eight, to really capitalize on getting students to have conceptual knowledge of math, not just procedural,” Jacobs said. “And our students, they’re the students in the school. They work on the problem while our students encourage them to pose questions.”

She also highlighted the connection of the outreach program to the Lasallian mission of the college that emphasized service to the community.

“The students don’t even realize they’re learning, so they become engaged that way,” Jacobs said. “And we’re hoping that it is planting in them a seed to love math, and to do math. Also in the schools, we’re trying to help them to understand how important collaboration is rather than competition and grades.”

Currently, the program exists for students to sign up voluntarily, though they do offer paid opportunities through Jasper Corps for students as well. Additionally, Jacobs stated that she sees the program remaining as voluntary for the future and not forcing it to be integrated into the School of Education’s curriculum for education majors.

“I think in some ways, maybe it’s just our identity that this is what we should be doing as a part of our mission,” Jacobs said. “I think it’s just who we are and I think I’d like to keep

it that way. So it’s not a mandate on students, but rather a choice by our Manhattan students to become a part of this and go out there to those young people who can benefit from a quality education.”

Kevin Courtney, the director of capital campaign, spoke about the contribution of the alum supporting the program and how it ties back to the college’s mission.

“The alumnus who is supporting this grew up in the Bronx,” Courtney said. “So I think, for us to be able to serve the Bronx, to be able to connect with our community is beneficial. And in many ways, there’s nobody better to do that than our students.”

Jacobs also emphasized the academic impact the program has had on the students and how it can translate into more hands-on knowledge as they progress through their classes.

“It’s helping them to develop some of those teacher skills, such as the importance of planning,” Jacobs said. “Each week they meet and they actually do the problems that they’re going to present to the students. So, they have to go through that process to have a sense of what it’s like.”

Pearl Marinas, a sophomore adolescent education major with a concentration in mathematics, has been a “math madder” since the program’s founding. She spoke about her most memorable moment while tutoring.

“We were doing this moving stack problem…and all of them were super engaged,” Marinas said. “And I thought that was super awesome to see them all, even though they’re all at different age levels, they’re enjoying it.”

James Mitchell, a junior adolescent education major, is also part of the tutoring program and recalled his most memorable experience with the students.

“One of the things that we have always tried to push is problem solving skills,” Mitchell said. “So we found a video online from TED Ed which was a 50% reading 50% math problem. And the kids worked on it for like an hour. And they just couldn’t figure it out. I asked them if they wanted an answer, and they were like, no, we want to do this again next week. And it is very rewarding.”

Victoria Pascale, a sophomore adolescent education major, is another math madder and described how the tutoring experience has enhanced her academic career at MC.

“I would say that it’s preparing me for my future students [as a teacher],” Pascale said. “We don’t really get much actu-

al experience in the classroom. We do fieldwork in preparation to be a teacher, but it’s just observing, not always actually working with the students. This is an opportunity to actually work with them and see how it actually is when paired with an actual child.”

Vedaa Kapur, a freshman childhood education major, is a tutor for the program and has a personal connection to tutoring. She described how her current tutoring experience has helped her to grow as a person.

“I wanted to participate because I myself have a learning challenge and I had the sup-

port in high school with my tutors,” Kapur said. “So, because of that I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to help students, specifically with math..and gain more teaching experience for the future when I become a teacher.”

Marinas and Mitchell also emphasized the importance of these types of tutoring programs where it can lead to young children developing critical thinking skills while also learning to enjoy math.

“Math is not everyone’s favorite subject,” Marinas said. “It’s one of those really difficult subjects to teach. And so being able to do this and being able

to inspire kids in the community and help them realize that math…is all around us.”

“I think that programs like this are important because other than trying to teach math we also try to teach problem solving, which isn’t something that is taught in the standard first or 12th grade classroom,” Mitchell said.

The Math Madness tutoring outreach program is open to students of all majors who are looking for a volunteer opportunity to teach young children. Anyone interested in joining the program can email Sister MaryAnn Jacobs (maryann.jacobs@manhattan.edu).

Students playing math Bingo in order to learn math concepts. PEARL

MeetPatKehrberger’69,Manhattan’sFirstFemaleStudent

Maizy Swift and Jilleen Barrett

Asst. Production Editor & Senior Writer

In 1965, Pat Ruback Kehrberger ’69 became the first woman to attend Manhattan College. After expressing interest in engineering, her high school principal convinced a brother at the college that Kerhberger should be able to attend MC..

“On the spot, he said, ‘Well, it is a men’s school, and it’s been that way for 100 years plus, but it’s probably time that we let women in,’,” Kehrberger told The Quadrangle.

Kehrberger had been the valedictorian of her high school, where she discovered her love for math and science. She was awarded with a scholarship that would cover her college tuition, but only if she attended school in New York.

She was accepted into both Cornell University and the Catholic University of America, which is located in Washington, D.C. She almost gave up her scholarship to prioritize going

to the latter, because she had always wanted to go to Catholic school.

When Kehrberger found out that it was possible for her to attend MC, she knew it was the right opportunity for her. She was in a unique situation, taking liberal arts classes at the College of Mount Saint Vincent — which was an all-female school at the time and had a dormitory for her to live in — but attending classes for civil engineering at MC. When she graduated in 1969, she was awarded a Manhattan College diploma.

So, for four years, Kehrberger took the bus from the North Riverdale based campus down to Broadway & 242nd St. On her first day of classes, she described walking to the main entrance to campus and finding out that Leo Hall was all the way down on south campus.

Kehrberger was not unaware that there were few women working in the engineering field at the time. Family members and the parents of some of her friends back home commented on her career aspirations.

“I heard things like engineering is not for women, engineering is too tough, it’s a man’s field,” Kehrberger said. “It’s a waste of a degree for a woman, because you’re just going to get married, you’ll never use it.”

She also noted that during that time, women were still gaining access to college in the first place.

“There was a time where the women’s movement was just starting to gain momentum and there were people fighting to get into schools and protesting and saying, treat us fairly, let us in,” she said.

Despite this, MC was a safe place for her. She said the men in her class were shocked to see a woman walk into the building on the first day of classes, but that once they knew she was one of them, they got along just fine.

“They just accepted it and welcomed me,” Pat stated, “There was no pushback that I saw, it could have been nasty if they had chosen so, but they were just great.”

Kerhberger was involved in several clubs at MC. She was a tutor, a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter and a part of the Outing Club, which involved going on rock climbing and skiing trips. She was also able to be part of the glee club at Mount Saint Vincent.

MC has more than just one woman in engineering in 2023, but there is still work being done on campus to make them feel included and accepted like Kehrberger was several decades ago.

Sabrina Scalzo, a senior

Brooke DellaRocco Staff Writer

This hole-in-the-wall café stands a few blocks away from the campus of Manhattan College with inviting staff and a menu consisting of completely housemade and self-grown ingredients. Not only does Moss Cafe prioritize their menu, the local spot also strives to give back to its community.

Moss Cafe holds monthly fundraisers to support local organizations and promote sustainability in the community.

Recently, the restaurant has partnered with the Outer Seed Shadow (OSS) Project in hopes of raising awareness for climate change and encouraging sustainable practices. All month, Moss Café will be taking donations in which 100% of the proceeds go to the OSS Project.

The OSS Project is an initiative organized by Juanli Carrión and Jacki Fischer, in order to empower and transform communities by constructing and creating gardens. Fischer originally came up with the idea back in 2016, partnering

who is currently majoring in mechanical engineering, explained how she feels accepted as a woman in the field.

“For our department in general, we have a mechanical engineering women’s society […] we get to meet once a month and we just hang out as girls,” Scalzo said. “Moments like those definitely make me feel like you know, like, I have someone to connect to even just within the other girls, my department but also with our faculty members.”

Sarah Carr, a junior also pursuing mechanical engineering, described her experience at the college thus far.

“When [I was] going into college and I told people I was interested in engineering, I would always get the response, ‘Oh, good for you. We need more women in engineering,’” Carr said. “They only acknowledge that I’m a female. They didn’t acknowledge that I’m choosing to go into a difficult career with a lot of different paths I could choose from. I feel like they only cared that I was a woman, which always felt a bit condescending.”

Scalzo explained how she

MossCaféHelpsGrowtheCommunity

with Carrión, an artist and assistant professor of art and design making at The New School, in hopes to establish their first garden.

Through the OSS Project, the pair are able to not only create a safe space for the community, but to also educate others about the importance of environmental awareness. In 2017, the OSS Project decided to transform into a non-profit organization, and have been progressing and expanding since.

By developing such a sustainable and logical concept, many people have connected on a personal level to these environmental advancements being made in the community.

“This comes from my own personal experience growing up and noticing how much ecosystems in nature reflect human behavior and how much we can use the systems that nature puts together and observe them and use them as platforms or ways to work with people and with communities to address the issues there,” Carrión told The Quadrangle.

When asked about their partnership with Moss Café over on Johnson Ave, Carrión

and Fischer had nothing but positive attributes to describe.

“They’re very community oriented and people oriented,” Fischer said. “Even in the way they grow their food for the restaurant and where they purchase it from. They became aware of us and followed us and approached us to give us the opportunity for fundraising based on their approval of how we work on the project.”

The two said donations are always welcome and are necessary for the program’s success. According to the organizers, $25 is enough to buy the seeds and supplies for some of these gardens, which furthers the idea that anyone can help out with this initiative. Fischer mentioned that Manhattan College students have volunteered for the organization in the past, and expressed her gratitude for the aid of the college.

Tess Watts, Director of Community Outreach for Moss Café, and former Jasper, expressed her respect and excitement about the café’s mission.

“We’re a restaurant and café first and foremost, we do catering and all that, but really, we want to try to use our cap-

ital and our privilege, or pull through the community that we already exist in, to really promote local food systems,” Watts said.

Watts told The Quadrangle that one of the café’s biggest impacts on the community is their ability to work through a direct impact model, trying to distribute food and resources directly to the community. Watts also mentioned The Community Impact report and the Café’s accomplishment to hit over $11,000 worth of food donations to community fridges and a postpartum meal sponsorship.

Ashe Birthing Services and The Birthing Place have ongoing partnerships with Moss Café, allowing them to supply 17 weeks worth of meals in 2022. Other examples of longterm and past partnerships are the Friendly Fridges in the Bronx, Riverdale Neighborhood House and Kingsbridge Heights Community Center.

In the past year, Moss Café has fundraised over $2,900 for local community programs and donated over $10,800 revenue to local causes. The café is all

feels women in engineering could be more normalized. She feels talking about it helps significantly.

“I think that there have been some pretty good strides, but I think a little bit more of a push for opening environments is always going to be really great […] I always say that discussions do more than you can ever think,” she told The Quadrangle.

Kehrberger’s advice for women in engineering today is to have discussions and speak publicly as often as possible. Another piece of advice from her is to take certification exams as soon as possible in order to further a career in engineering.

Carr has a goal to be in this field for as long as she can.

“One of the issues now is that even though we have a lot of women attending college as S.T.E.M majors, you’re seeing a trend where women don’t stay as engineers for their entire career,” Carr said. “So, I would definitely like to see myself staying as some form of an engineer for as long as possible.”

around sustainability built, even demonstrating reliable sourcing practices.

“We try to source from organizations, farms and cooperatives that really care about keeping their employees well,” Watts said. “Caring about the environment, the people, the planet, social good. So, I think that’s probably where we try to make the most impact. Which would never have happened without the support of community organizations and customers.”

Moss Café is known for their mouth watering feel-good food, but with their positive initiatives and ethical practices students can take the walk up to Johnson Ave. and make a contribution to their community.

Pat Kehrberger graduates as first female engineering student at MC. THE QUADRANGLE/COURTESY

Pat Kehrberger gives speech at MC 5 decades after graduating. @MANHATTANEDU/COURTESY

A typical Moss Café latte. COURTESY/MOSS CAFE

RiverdaleRises:ArtizenCafe HasWorkspaceandLove

Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor

Combining a boutique co-working space with artisanal coffee and goods, Artizen Cafe offers a new curated atmosphere for the Riverdale community. Co-founders Adam Castillo and Maria Liriano shared their love for coffee and community with The Quadrangle.

The Artizen name is the amalgamation of “artisan” and “zen”. Their logo represents their tagline, “Coffee. Workspace. Culture.”

“Our overall mission was to provide the community with a space to be productive and creative,” Liriano said. “And also sort of a safe haven where they can come and just catch their breath if they just want to come and sit downstairs at the café. So, the café separation is intentional. We wanted to provide the community with quality, artisanal goods, which is a specialty coffee that we offer our baked goods at this moment, and hopefully, in the future, we’ll have some more offerings.”

The cafe also has a unique logo, with symbols that link what the owners want Artizen to represent.

“The logo, if you look closely, you’ll see a chair and table top because this is a workspace, we want to incorporate an image there that represents that.” Castillo said. “If you also look closely, you’ll see the image of Chemex, used for coffee pour over. It also has a very kind of tribal aesthetic as well and because of cultural background, we want to incorporate some of that as well. So if you notice,

our tagline is ‘Coffee. Workspace. Culture.’ those are the things you’ll find in that logo.”

Artizen serves Don Carvajal Café, which is a Dominican brew locally roasted in the South Bronx.

“We partnered up with Don Carvajal Café, he is a young Hispanic coffee roaster from the Bronx. He is the only coffee roaster from the Bronx and we found his story online.” Castillo said.

Founder of Don Carvajal Café, Hector Castillo Carvajal, produced his idea for coffee during a marketing project in college.

“He grew up with coffee, his family had coffee farms in the Dominican Republic so he got into roasting the coffee,” Castillo said. “He presented his idea to his class and it was a hit and people wanted to buy his coffee. Now, he has blown up and we found his coffee and we really liked his story and wanted to support him.”

The support from the Riverdale community has only increased their excitement towards an official launch.

Sarina Prabasi, Co-Founder of Buunni Coffeehouse, commented on Artizen’s instagram support for the storefront. Three years ago, Bunni Coffeehouse had a store next door to Artizen’s space but closed prior to Covid-19, leaving an absence for a coffee shop on Riverdale Ave.

“Congratulations @artizennyc I can’t wait to visit,” Prabasi commented. “Three years ago we closed @buunnicoffee at 3702 Riverdale Ave, and now you’ve opened this beautiful coffee shop right next door.

There’s a time for everything and this is your time.”

Liriano is grateful for the community response to the space.

“Everyone has been super supportive and gives positive feedback,” Liriano said. “They’re excited for the space and once they’re in it, and they hang out for a while they love the energy of it. The one thing that people keep saying is like we really needed this, we really needed something like this in the community. So it’s been good, it’s been really good.”

Artizen is currently working on revealing their five private office spaces and an eight person conference room. They are also installing a printer and copier station.

“We definitely want to get the workspace going,” Liriano said. “We’re still in our soft launch. Hopefully, by mid next month, we’ll have the workspace going.”

In the future they are looking forward to having more cultural community events.

“We also want to look into

having cultural community events, maybe some art exhibitions, we have some musicians who want to come into play and also some events for families because this is that type of neighborhood. We have four boys together and so people are always looking to do things with their kids.” Liriano said.

The co-owners also shared their heartfelt love story. Castillo owns Opex Riverdale gym and Liriano always had a dream to open a cafe.

“I like for everyone to know that a coffee shop is part of our love story. When we first met, and I’ve had this dream for about 10 years now, and now it’s finally come to fruition, but it is part of our love story and how we got to know each other better, like one coffee shop at a time.” Liriano said.

Castillo told The Quadrangle about how Liriano attended his gym and when he found out about her dream about opening a cafe they started to go on ‘research and development’ meetings with one another.

“I convinced her to go to re-

search and development meetings at different coffee shops all over the city and I told her that if I were gonna go into this business, I had to learn more about the business,” Castillo said. “But really, I was trying to learn more about her and that’s exactly how it unfolded, you know, in a coffee shop after another one r&d business meeting after another thing got romantic.”

Combining their ideas and now sharing a blended family with four kids, the co-owners are proud of their coffee shop.

“We decided to go after what originally brought us together, which was the idea of the coffee shop,” Castillo said. “It was during the pandemic and at that moment, nobody wanted to invest in a brick and mortar. So there were a lot of empty spaces, this space was available, and we thought it was a perfect space. We just went all in.”

To find out more information about Artizen’s brand and official launch date, follow them on instagram @Artizennyc.

Artizen offers hot cookies such as S’mores and vegan chocolate chip. LAUREN RAZIANO/THE QUADRANGLE

Artizen Cafe on Riverdale Ave combines artisan goods and coffee with a co-working space. LAUREN RAZIANO/THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College Players Return for Spring with “Almost, Maine!”

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor

It’s that time of year again! Manhattan College Players return with a production of “Almost, Maine!” for their spring play, taking the stage on March 3, 4 and 5.

“Almost, Maine!” is a show written by John Cariani. It is going to be a student-run production allowing the cast to have full creative control over the production. Students are given the unique opportunity to openly explore their roles and discover new skills in a capacity they may not have in a professional setting.

Billy Walker, sophomore marketing chair of the Players, explains that the play was about love and focuses on the different ways people interpret and experience love with their partners despite there being a chance of losing them. He expressed being excited about being in a student-run production on campus and being able to collaborate with his peers.

“There’s always something fun about student productions,” said Walker. “We all get to explore it on our own without having professionals in the room. We all get to explore our roles on our own and discover how we can use those skills in our everyday lives.”

RJ Giannicchi, senior and production director, talked

about his thought process and how he went about creating different scenes.

“When it comes to directing the play, you need to figure out not only how you want your actors to come across as a character, but also literally how they’re going to come across,” said Giannicchi. “I go scene by scene and I picture it as if I’m watching it myself. If I was in the audience, how would I like this? How would I want to see that? And then trying to articulate that to as many people as precisely and efficiently as possible.”

In addition to the traditional in-person auditions that the Players always hold, those auditioning for “Almost, Maine!” had a new, online option this

semester.

“Almost, Maine!” was a little bit different because we wanted to do self-tapes as well,” said Giannicchi. “If you didn’t have time or you just didn’t feel like showing up in person, you could over [winter] break, film yourself and submit it that way.”

Due to this new option, more students had the opportunity to audition and get involved.

“We were thinking this would be a great, easy way to get more people to get involved and it just gives us a much bigger timeline,” said Walker. “I think by doing [virtual auditions] over winter break, many more people were allowed to audition.”

Auditions for “Almost, Maine!” wrapped up on Tuesday, Jan 24., leaving the cast anticipating the start of rehearsals.

“I think my favorite part is getting to work with everybody again, there are new people, there are old people,” said sophomore stage manager Annie Brennan. “And I like the story. I like that it’s about love, it’s about loss, it’s about both. Love comes with sadness, and it comes with a bunch of other emotions. So I think that’s really a fun thing to put out there.”

While the public may see the production at its perfection, this will not happen overnight. Over the next month and a half, the cast will work tireless hours each week to make sure the play is stage ready. While auditions have wrapped up, Players is always open to those interested in the behind-the-scenes stage work.

“Players wants literally anybody. We love having new people, we love making new friends, we love having literally anybody help out. There’s always room in Players,” said Brennan.

“Usually our rehearsal blocks tend to be two to three hours each,” explained Brennan. “Last time we were doing them like three times a week, sometimes four, sometimes five. Sometimes for tech week, you’re there all day, every day.”

Making the play a success comes down not only to time spent in rehearsals but to the ability to work together as a team.

“For me personally, this is totally a team effort. It’s just a big team effort and I think theater, in general, is a huge team effort, which people say all the time,” said Brennan. “I think the biggest lesson is just getting to meet the other people that you work with and then they really turn into your best friends. That’s where I met all of my friends.”

The community aspect of the Players club in general is something members say they will walk away with.

“The community and connections are what I’m going to walk away with from Players,” said Giannicchi. “Getting to meet all these people, getting to work with all these people, and just make something fun, it’s an experience that I don’t think I get enough of in life. I’ve been very gracious to Players to have those opportunities.”

Taking part in Player’s productions is rewarding for everyone involved, despite what position you may have or what character you play.

“The most rewarding part is when you actually see the performance put on, you’re seeing all the work that you did and what it led to,” said sophomore technical director Marc Cardone. “You’ll get comments from people about it saying ‘good work’ and that’s the most rewarding part.”

So why should you get tickets? Walker says it’s all about the feel-good story.

“They should buy tickets because it’s just a cool story about love. It’s just one of those heartwarming shows where you get to see different couples experiencing love, whether it’s from friends to love, love to hate or hate to love. It’s just one of those really good feel shows I think everyone’s going to love,” concluded Walker.

For more information about their upcoming shows, follow their Instagram page @playersmc

“Almost, Maine” fliers can be seen hanging all around campus. GRACE CARDINAL/THE QUADRANGLE

Zoe DeFazio Web Editor

Manhattan College has many groups of students hoping to share their musical talents with the community. One of these groups is the MC campus ministry.

MCs campus ministry is committed to performing

beautiful songs for all to hear.

MC’s music ministry is composed of vocalists and instrumentalists that play a variety of instruments such as flutes, violins, cellos and clarinets.

Andrew Bauer, P.h.D, director of performing arts and adjunct professor, is excited about the upcoming trip and the many opportunities the ministry will have to share the

The campus ministry performing during the Lessons and Carols holiday celebration on Dec 2022. @MC_MUSICMINISTRY/COURTESY

music.

“I’m taking about 10 or 11 of our music ministry people, some singers and instrumentalists, and we’re going to help provide the music they are going to join a children’s choir that consists of elementary school kids from grades four through eight. And we’re going to sing some really exciting contemporary Christian songs, and hopefully will inspire people,” said Bauer.

Luis Chavez, senior sound studies major with minors in music and theater, told The Quadrangle he has devoted his life to music. Chavez has been on the board of the music ministry for three years and is now the vice president.

“I’ll write parts for the instrumentalists,” Chavez said. “So I’ll write parts for the violinist or the cellist. Now we have a clarinetist and a flute player. And along with that I also sometimes play music and teach music as well. So I’ll lead rehearsals when Andy’s [Andrew Bauer] is not able to be around.”

The music ministry performs every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and starts rehearsing be-

fore each mass at exactly 6:00 p.m. Bauer explains that having a short rehearsal will help students’ musical abilities and that it’s an incredible practice for memory.

“It’s kind of a great thing to do for people’s musical skills because it forces you to learn a whole bunch of music in a short period of time and then perform it. So it’s a great opportunity for music scholarship students to sort of sharpen their musical skills.”

Grace Dillon, a sophomore digital media arts major with a minor in digital arts and humanities, is one of the performing arts scholarship recipients and a flutist in the music ministry. Dillon is no stranger to music, as she has played the flute for most of her life.

“I serve as a secretary for the ministry, I play the flute for them, but it’s very easy to get into a very welcoming community, they’re always down to help out everyone,” Dillon said. “We have special extra rehearsals for new people for parts of different songs. So it’s really, it’s a good experience to be welcomed in the community.”

Music Ministry Prepares to Take the Stage Coming Together: The Origin of Contraband!

Chavez encourages students to participate in the music ministry. Chavez believes music is a fundamental part of life and wants everyone to enjoy music in all its glory.

“Being a part of the music ministry is really fun,” Chavez. “You don’t have to be religious to be a part of it. Reach out if you would like to be a part of the music ministry. We’re a mixed ensemble of singers and instrumentalists and it’s also good if you want to eventually work in the church, which is where I got all my musician training.”

Manhattan College’s music ministry is going on a trip to Sacred Heart’s Parish in Yonkers with Capuchin Franciscan Friars on Feb. 1. The ministry is going to Sacred Heart’s Parish to perform in a special mass in celebration of Catholic Schools Week and will be celebrated by Timothy Dolan, Cardinal, and Archbishop of New York.

For more information about joining the campus ministry, email musicministry@manhattan.edu. To keep up with their events follow their Instagram @mc_musicministry

Contraband found their sound on a hot night in Horan Hall in late September 2022. According to sophomore guitar player Matt Regalado, the band would’ve never come together if he hadn’t made the decision to live on campus this year.

“It was like two in the morning and I couldn’t sleep, so I went to my common room in the night,” Regalado explained.

That same night, sophomore bass player Rob Nolan also showed up in the common room. After talking for a while, the two realized their shared passion for music and even better, their love of The Beatles.

“We hit it off from there,” said Regalado. “I think that the thing that really helped us to be a band was a lot of overlap in the music that we like.”

Later on, the two found each other on the fifth floor of Thomas Hall. Nolan called up his roommate, sophomore bass player Mark Dusovic, for a jam session, and the rest is history.

“We call him up and he comes into the room,” Nolan said. “We played “Come Together” [by The Beatles]. We played some original stuff that had just recently been written. You’re never that great when

you first jam with people, but by the second practice, we were actually pretty good.”

The entire band remembered the unique energy the group had while playing together from day one.

“Because it worked, it kind of clicked from the start, which I had never had before,” said Regalado.

Despite the fact that their musical chemistry was undeniably strong, when the time came to pick out a name, they struggled to find one that would seal the deal for their group.

“The first real band name that was on the table came when we were jamming one night and I was playing guitar really hard and for so long that my finger started bleeding,” said Regalado. “And, you know, Mark drums, so he sweats. One night apparently, Rob was asleep and Mark heard him say it takes blood sweat and tears.

So we were Blood Sweat and Tears for a little bit.”

After three weeks, the group eventually resorted to using a random noun generator to help them brainstorm a permanent name.

“I pulled out my phone,” said Nolan. “I say screw it, I’m pulling out a random noun generator. We’re gonna come up with a name right here, we’re not leaving until we come up

with a name. The word we get is ‘contribution’ to which Matt replied ‘F- - - it, let’s be Contraband.’”

One of the band’s fondest memories together comes from one of their first gigs, WRCM’s end-of-semester bash.

“WRCM was awesome because we were confined to a 30-minute set,” said Nolan. “What was really cool about that is that we were able to do all original material which gave us our own unique sound, I think. That’s what made it really awesome to me.”

Although they’ve only been together for one semester, the band says they’ve learned a lot from each other.

Dusovic said he was surprised at how easy it was to jam with other people when you start to feel the groove.

“I’ve been in other groups, and I’ve never really felt it like I do now. Even when we come up with new music, it just kind of comes out naturally. That’s probably the best thing,” said drummer Dusovic.

The band says their great chemistry makes it easier for them to jam out and produce new music.

“When it comes to stuff like this, I think if it’s gonna happen, it’ll happen,” said Regalado. “And I think the group has something really organic,

really natural, that isn’t forced or isn’t hard. I think that gives a good environment, not just for creativity or for writing music, but just as a place to blow off steam.”

As for the future, the band is looking to play more gigs locally and is hoping to get into a studio to begin professionally recording their music.

“As for future things, we have a lot of original material that we’re planning. We’re looking for studios to record in right

now,” said Nolan. “We’re in contact with An Beal Bocht, they’re looking at us and we don’t think they’re going to turn us down. We assume we’ll be fine to play there probably some time in the first half of this semester. After that, I think it’s really just about going around The Bronx.” Follow Contraband on Instagram to keep up with their upcoming events @contra. bandny.

Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor Performances from WRCM’s end-of-semester fall

Men’s Lacrosse Rocks New Hardware, Look to Defend the MAAC Title

Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor/Sports Editor

The Manhattan College men’s lacrosse team received their championship rings and saw their banner hung last month in Draddy Gymnasium in honor of their 2022 MAAC Championship win.

The Jaspers took the title for the first time in 20 years last spring, beating St. Bonaventure University with a score of 8-7.

Justin Malpica, who is back for a fifth year this season, scored a hat trick for the Jaspers in the match and was named MVP, GoJaspers reported.

On the way to the championship match, Kyle Gucwa, a senior this season, scored the semi-final game-winner in overtime against Marist. Liam Walshe, who is also back for a fifth year this season, scored a prior eight goals in that semi-final, according to GoJaspers.

With Malpica, Gucwa and Walshe returning to the field alongside their team this spring, the Jaspers are celebrating their win last year and looking forward to defending the title.

John Odeirna, who enters the 2023 season as head coach after seven years as an assistant coach with the squad, was actually the one who designed the honorary rings for his winning team.

“It was like a week after I became the head coach, that was one of my first tasks,” Odeirna told The Quadrangle. “You know, it was a cool challenge. I never thought when I got into this profession that I’d be designing a championship ring, I’d hoped to have a few, but I never thought I’d be the one designing it.”

Gucwa told The Quadrangle that having the December ceremony to honor the spring win was a great way to wrap up the year.

“It was good to end the whole season, and just end 2022 in general, which was for the whole program a really good year,” Gucwa said. “It felt good to be able to move on to what we have this year because we’re really excited for what we have. We have a good team this year.”

When discussing the upcoming season, Odeirna said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t broke it.”

As an important member of the coaching staff for the win last season, Odeirna said he will be holding onto things the team has been building over the last several years.

“I was really fortunate to be there every step of the way, to help get us to this point and my hope for this year is to kind of keep it moving in the same direction,” Odeirna said.

However, as the new season comes and a new group of freshmen join the squad, Odeirna recognizes that not all will be the same.

One of the most important things, Odeirna said, is to make sure the players are involved.

“We definitely want to be a player-led organization,” Odeirna said. “I want these guys to feel like they’re stakeholders in their outcome.”

Gucwa said the win last season is a great experience to have under their belts, but it doesn’t guarantee anything this year.

“[The win] helped give us a lot of confidence, but it doesn’t help us win this year,” Gucwa said. “It definitely helps us understand what it took to win and that we can apply that to all the new guys that came in as freshman, so whether that

be the hard work they put in off the field, how we carry ourselves off the field just as human beings and all of that so we know the formula takes to go far.”

Odeirna said the 2022 and 2023 championships are “mutually exclusive”, agreeing that the squad has to come into the new season with the same grit and determination they held last year.

Odeirna explained that the 2022 win had come together through multiple factors, of which shifted coming into this season. During the 2021 season, Odeirna said that the team

didn’t realize how good they were until they started playing.

The team kept winning, and were surprised to find themselves as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Suddenly, they found themselves as the host of the championship game.

“Going from not being in the playoffs to all of a sudden hosting the championship is a pretty big jump,” Odeirna said. “You know, usually you get in, then you lose that first playoff game, then you learn how to win that one, then you get to the championship, and you’ll learn how to lose that one then you win the next one. We kind

of skipped the step there.”

Coming into the 2022 season, the team had experienced a championship match and knew that they needed to push even further to snag a full title win--and they did just that.

Now, as reigning champions, the Jaspers will need to learn how to “handle success,” Odeirna told The Quadrangle.

“Manhattan lacrosse is not going to surprise anyone this year,” Odeirna said. “That’s our challenge as a program, is ‘can we make this the standard every year?’”

Iona fans l held a Masiello cardboard cut out behind the visiting team’s bench. LAURA MCCARTHY/COURTESY

The Jaspers celebrate after claiming the MAAC Championship title last spring. GOJASPERS/COURTESY

Masiello Returns to Draddy in Rivalry Match-Up

Maddie Mulkigian Senior Writer

The added anxiety surrounding the rivalry matchup between the Manhattan Jaspers and the Iona Gaels reached its climax on Friday, Feb. 20, as 2,345 fans entered Draddy Gymnasium. This game was vital to the Jaspers’ standing in the MAAC Conference and the ultimate test of whether or not the Jaspers could match up against Rick Pitino’s talented squad. On top of that was the pressure of Manhattan’s first encounter with former head coach, Steve Masiello, on another bench in his old gym.

Would there be hugs? Would a fight break out? Would Manhattan be able to pull off a win? The answer to each of these questions was no (thank you to the NYPD for posting themselves in each corner of Draddy), but that did not take away from the energy that overflowed the entire gym.

“The energy of the gym on Friday night was electric,” pep band member Joseph Ma-

tos said. “I remember I was screaming at the top of my lungs ‘Defense!’ and getting the crowd going. It was a really positive vibe.”

According to the New York Times, the closest Masiello got to his former players was providing fist bumps to the routine line of handshakes that is performed after every game. Masiello did not expend any more energy seeing or embracing his former players than what was required of him.

Masiello’s only response to any questions about the feelings evoked by returning to Draddy was that “It’s a business trip.” While his new team came out on top, Jasper fans were not going to let Masiello feel comfortable on his new bench.

“The rivalry [with Iona] was great because we were right next to their crowd,” Matos said. “They had their own little cheerleader squad and seeing us throw banter and yell chants at them back and forth as they’re posting up signs… it was pretty fun.”

Not only was Masiello’s return to Manhattan the awaited

arrival of the 2022-2023 basketball season, but the thought of beating him on his old turf had Jasper Nation roaring. Draddy Gymnasium practically erupted when Samir Stewart sent the game to overtime and the energy spread from the court to the bleachers as everyone was on their feet cheering for the wild comeback that the Jaspers were only five minutes from pulling off.

Even after what would have been an emotional win for all Jaspers, Interim Head Coach RaShawn Stores remained focused on the game itself rather than who was sitting on the opposing bench. In a post-game conference, Stores assured reporters that Masiello’s return was not his focus of the game when he said: “we’re not going to worry about that.”

With the conference tournament right around the corner, Jasper fans will have to store some more of the intense energy that was present on Jan. 20 in case Manhattan finds themselves facing off against Iona and their former coach again, but this time with their

entire season on the line.

Maybe one day Masiello will comment on his first experience as an enemy in Manhattan’s home. But for now, all we can ask him is this: “Steve

Masiello… WE CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

Manhattan College’s athletic department declined to comment for this article.

Women’s Basketball Steals a Win at Canisius, falls to Quinnipiac

Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor/Sports Editor

The Jaspers’ women’s basketball team snagged a road win at Canisius, but fell to Quinnipiac days later at home. With a 7-12 record, the team faces pressure to perform in their remaining 10 games of the season.

On Jan. 21, the Jaspers took a 64-48 win against Canisius, taking control of the Golden Griffith’s court early on into the game, GoJaspers reported.

The team had lost to Cansius’ neighbor, Niagara, just two days before their win. The team’s head coach, Heather Vulin, called the loss “one of the worst losses of my career.”

Vulin told The Quadrangle that the Jaspers dominated the Purple Eagles throughout the first three quarters, but lost their hold in the end. However, Vulin said the team’s ability to come back and give their all against Canisius was impressive.

“I really gotta give credit to my team,” Vulin said. “They took complete ownership and really responded with a very well played game against Canisius on Saturday. In the MAAC, it’s really tough to win on the road, doesn’t matter what your record is or who you are, it’s just really tough to win on the road, and so every road win is a really great win.”

Dee Dee Davis, the Jaspers’ lead scorer, told The Quadran-

gle the key to turning their loss around was focusing on maturity.

“We need to be mature,” Davis said. “We need to be more poised. A word that I constantly brought up was ‘desperate.’ We need to be desperate and people think that’s often a bad thing or it’s a negative, but to me, it’s a positive because I am going to show that I’m hungry.”

Davis showed herself to be hungry, slipping into No. 10 of MC’s all-time scoring list during their win at Canisius, bumping her former teammate, Courtney Warley, from the spot.

Davis told The Quadrangle that she wasn’t even aware of her being near the top 10 list before the game. It wasn’t until she came off the court that evening that Vulin told Davis she had hit the milestone.

“After the game, [Vulin] asked me if I liked Courtney or not,” Davis said. “And I said, ‘What do you mean? Of course, I love Courtney.’ She said, ‘Well, why did you just pass her?’”

Davis added that she was very grateful for the honor to be No. 10, but the best part of the night was the team’s win.

While the Jaspers returned to the Bronx with a win under their belt and hunger for another, the squad lost to Quinnipiac on their home court on Jan. 26 38-52.

Despite the team’s loss, Davis knocked yet another well-known Jasper, MC’s current athletic director, Marianne

Reilly, down the list during the Quinnipiac match, putting herself up at No. 9 of the Jasper’s all-time scoring list.

“Records were made to be broken and surpassed,” Reilly wrote to The Quadrangle.

“Dee Dee Davis is a very special player and is not finished impacting our women’s basketball program. There is much more to come. I am honored to have witnessed another Lady Jasper moving up on the scoring list during our celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.”

With excitement for Davis’ recognition, the Jaspers remain focused on their record.

“The team is very happy for [Davis’] success but also the team wants to win, that’s the ultimate goal,” Vulin said. “We have high expectations of ourselves, and obviously, we’ve got to find a way to get these cool accolades but also get the W.”

Vulin told The Quadrangle that the Jaspers have really stepped up their defense, which she thinks made the difference at Canisius. That held true against Quinnipiac, Vulin said, but the Jaspers lacked offensive strength at the latest match.

“I believe it was the worst shooting performance we’ve had since I’ve been here at Manhattan College,” Vulin said. “We only shot 18%...They played their hearts out, but it’s just sometimes you have a game where nothing goes in the basket and unfortunately that was [this game].”

Nonetheless, Vulin said

the team is moving forward and prioritizing maturity and playing through end-of-game fatigue. Vulin credits senior Jade Blagrove for a particularly strong performance in the game against Quinnipiac, despite the ending score.

Blagrove recorded a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds, eight of which came on the offensive end of the floor, according to GoJaspers. Those 17 rebounds are the most recorded by a member of the team since Courtney

Warley hauled a stunning 19 rebounds against Siena in Feb. 2022.

With Blagrove and Davis leading the team’s stats out of the last week of play, the Jaspers are looking to lock in a strong end of the season.

“We’re in a position where we don’t take anything for granted,” Davis said. “We know that in this league, in this particular season, anybody can beat anybody and that’s exciting.”

Former Manhattan coach Steve Masiello. NBC SPORTS/COURTESY

Sophomore Helena Galunic surveys the court during the match against Canisius. GOJASPERS/COURTESY

Basketball Player Daniel Schreier Returns to the Court in Inspiring Recovery

Manhattan College’s Daniel Schreier made his return to the court nearly four years after a series of surgeries kept him benched from Feb. 2019 until Dec. 2022.

Schreier, graduate student and forward player for MC’s basketball team, returned to the court on Dec. 30, 2022 in the team’s match-up against St. Peter’s.

Basketball has been a significant part of Schreier’s life, but during the fall of 2019 after experiencing some pain during practice drills, his basketball career took a sudden pause.

Schreier told The Quadrangle that the pain would not go away, and after getting some x-rays taken, his doctors revealed that his femur bones were too big for his hip sockets. This led to the tearing of both of Schreier’s hip labrums, which is tissue that holds the hip joint together. His doctors decided to perform a double hip arthroscopy.

Upon waking up from the first surgery, his mother told him they had not finished his surgery because, at a height of 6’9, he was too big to fit on the operating table. This turned one procedure into three separate surgeries.

“This was in January and February of 2020. When I woke up from the surgery, my mom was like they couldn’t they

didn’t do the surgery but I had a huge bandage on my hip,” Schreier said. “Then she said they couldn’t fit [me] on the table. I had to go back the next week to get my right hip done. Then my left hip was revisited a month later,”

Due to COVID-19, physical therapy clinics were not accepting new patients. Schreier and his family took over his physical therapy sessions and continued to do so from March 2020 to Aug. 2020.

During the fall of the 2020 semester, Schreier tried to play again but continued to feel pain in his groin and went to see his doctor. He was told that despite the surgery being a success, his inability to get professional physical therapy prevented his muscles from performing the movements needed for him to play as best he could. Schreier worked on strengthening his hips and muscles until the spring of 2021.

Schreier’s previous surgeon had left the hospital so he had to find a new surgeon at a different hospital. His new surgeon ordered new x-rays to see his progress. His surgeon found that his femur bones were still too big for his hip sockets and he had to get revision surgeries. These last two surgeries kept him out for another year.

Schreier did his best to provide his teammates with support from the sidelines as he went through this recovery process despite feeling like he

could have done more.

“When you grow up playing basketball every day, it becomes part of your identity,” Schreier said. “Throughout those injuries, I kind of lost some of that. I wanted to go out there and play and help them win. It’s hard to do that when all you can do is be positive energy on the sidelines.”

Matthew Glassman, a graduate student and point guard for the MC basketball team, remembers Schreier being present at the team games and practices despite not being able to play.

“He was at every game and practice he was able to be at,” Glassman said. “I know that once he got his surgery, it was hard for him to move but he was there when he could be. I know he was frustrated because he was not able to play and he knew that he could have been helping us out if he was healthy. The hardest part when you’re sitting out is knowing that you have the potential to help but you physically can’t.”

Schreier said that having his teammates and the athletic department supporting him during his recovery helped him feel like he was a part of the team despite not being able to play.

“I’d say my teammates helped me a lot,” Schreier said. “Having them around me made me feel like I wasn’t alone. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if I felt like that. For some, if they had missed a couple of years with pretty intense surgeries, they would have been forgotten about so I’m grateful for those who stuck by.”

Glassman and the rest of the team are excited to see Schreier back on the court after this long hiatus and look forward to future games with him.

“It was awesome,” Glassman said. “I know everyone was really excited for him. It was a long time and I think we all forgot how long it really was. About three years where he wasn’t playing or practicing. So when he finally got in the game. I remember the bench,

getting really hyped and cheering him on. We’re excited to see him regain his full potential and are just really glad to have him back.”

RaShawn Stores, interim head coach of the MC basketball team, believes that Schreier is a model student and has had an immense impact on the team as a whole. He is glad to have Schreier as a part of the team.

“Daniel Schreier is the embodiment of never giving up,” Stores wrote. “He has dealt with setback after setback, and where most people would have given up, he never stopped believing he could come back and be an impactful Division I basketball player again. He is what overcoming adversity looks like. He is a model student, a great son and a friend. His impact on life goes beyond basketball. We are thankful to have him as part of our program and we know the best is yet to come for him on the basketball court and in life.”

Karen Flores

Arts and Entertainment Editor

Daniel Schreier comes back to the court after a three-year hiatus. GOJASPERS/ COURTESY

“I’d say my teammates helped me a lot,” Schreier said. “Having them around me made me feel like I wasn’t alone.

COURTESY