MCCelebrates InternationalWomen’sDay

Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor/Sports Editor

Manhattan College students came together for the second annual International Women’s Day celebration on the quad before heading off for spring break.

The event, which consisted of several campus groups setting up tables with fundraising initiatives on the quad, was led by one the college’s sororities, Alpha Pi Phi.

APP started the event last year as a way to raise awareness for women’s issues and raise money for local charities. The sorority also brought in several groups across campus to include in the event both last year and again for its reprisal this year.

The proceeds from this year’s event will go to Concourse House, a local non-profit “working to eliminate homelessness by providing families with safe, stable, transitional housing,” according to the organization’s Instagram page, @ concourse_house.

Several groups on campus organized fundraisers at tables during the event, with each group volunteering their proceeds to Concourse House.

Sophie Ryan, a senior intern at the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource center, spoke with The Quadrangle while running the center’s table at the event.

Ryan said that the LWGRC was selling donuts, com- plimenting the tables beside her who were selling flowers, friendship bracelets and other treats. Ryan told The Quadrangle that it’s important to have events like this one to bring awareness and to show support.

“I think it’s important just on one level to see the visual of it, have all these different groups and these people on the quad play music and like bring awareness to it, like it’s really great how widespread it is right now,” Ryan said. “And also just to support women, which sounds a little bit cliche, but honestly like it’s not easy, you know, to have kind of solidarity also for like men’s clubs on campus supporting us, you know. I think it’s important and just in the name of solidarity and women working together.”

As Ryan mentioned, not only women on campus came out to support the cause. One of the college’s fraternities, Delta Kappa Epsilon, set up a table where students could pay to pie a fraternity member in the face. Many of the fraternity’s brothers were present at the table, cheering each other on as they “got pied.”

Juan Posada, junior at MC and vice president of DKE, said that he believes it is important for men on campus to come out and support women and the event’s cause.

“Yeah, we did this event last year, too. I thought it was a really fun event,” Posada told The Quadrangle. “And I think people enjoy pie-ing us in the face, for a bunch of different reasons. But yeah, I think it’s really fun, I don’t have class today, so I’m here all day.”

When asked if he had a message for women on campus on International Women’s Day, Posada said, “Thank you, women, for everything, and come pie us in the face.”

Seated next to DKE’s table was the college’s second sorority, Sigma Delta Tau, who came to support the cause and event led by APP.

Mia Porritt, a freshman communication major and new member of SDT, spoke to The Quadrangle about the event. There was an array of baked goods in front of Porritt, which she explained SDT was selling to raise money for the Concourse House.

As a freshman, this was Porritt’s first time seeing the event on campus, and she said it was an important celebration to host.

“I think it’s important to show that the school is a welcoming place for everyone, you know, women and people that identify as women or honestly just everyone,” Porritt told The Quadrangle. “I think it’s good that we don’t silence things that we’re uncomfortable with, you know, especially regarding the issues that women have faced over the years.”

MC’s Student Government Association was also present at the event. Executive Vice Pres- ident of the SGA, Emma Pizzullo, spoke to The Quadrangle about their fundraising.

Pizzullo explained that the SGA was selling “nightcaps”, which are small, rubber caps that can be stretched over the top of a drink. Pizzullo said they are supposed to help limit instances of someone getting something put in their drink.

“I think it’s good to promote that women stay safe,” Pizzullo said. “[It’s important that] women are aware of their surroundings, especially in these times and like in the cities and populated places and that we keep ourselves safe.”

Pizzullo added that she thinks it is important to have a day to recognize women.

“I think it’s really important that there’s not even just today, I think this whole month, like all year round, it’s important that women come together and celebrate just all the struggles we go through on a daily basis,” Pizzullo said. “We deserve to have days like this where we can just celebrate.”