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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924
Volume CVIII, Issue 7
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 24, 2023
This Years Manhattan Madness Coming up this Week
Manhattan Madness takes place this Thursday, October 26 in Draddy Gymnasium at 9 p.m. MANHATTAN.EDU/THE QUADRANGLE
MC Senate to Invite CFO to Next Meeting and Discussions on Grade Transparency Policy Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor
The Manhattan College Senate convened for their second meeting of the year to discuss updates regarding language in the student handbook, the college’s financial situation and an update on student life at the college among other issues. Kashifuddin Qazi, Ph.D., speaker for the Manhattan College Senate, opened the meeting with an update on the college’s plan regarding their declining financial situation. “As the President mentioned [in the last meeting],
IN NEWS:
Rainfall and Flooding Wreaks Havoc for MC Students on pg. 3
the school is going through some financial hardship,” Qazi said. “Faculty members… have met to discuss those ideas. I represented the Senate in that. As of now, those steps are being discussed. It’s now with the Council for Faculty Affairs (CFA) and department chairs.” Qazi was unable to give further details regarding the steps going forward, citing that the CFA had not yet finalized anything. In response to this, a motion was made to invite the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of the college to the next meeting, which was unanimously passed by members of the Senate. Kelly Marin, PhD., a stand-
in for provost Rani Roy, who is head of the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC), explained that the EAC in collaboration with the dean of the Kakos School of Science is considering implementing a new course repeat policy college-wide. “This is brought up by Dean Marcy Kelly,” Marin said. “They have adopted a two-course repeat policy in the School of Science. She met with us to discuss expanding this to a college-wide policy. She presented a lot of data on students repeating courses over several years. She also presented some of the impacts of students tak__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
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Torrential Rainfall and Flooding Wreaks Havoc for MC Students Maizy Swift and Angelina Persaud Asst. Production Editor and News Editor
An extreme thunderstorm caused by the remnants of a tropical storm on the east coast caused Manhattan College to close down early on September 29 due to flooding on campus and dangerous traveling conditions. David Miko, a radiation therapy and technology major, expressed his experience commuting to campus. “I took my bus at 7 AM to get to the lab on time, however, I also needed to take the subway as an additional way of transportation in order to get to campus,” Miko said. “As I got to 42nd street, I got on the 1 train and we were already beginning to move slowly in between each stop up until 59th street. We came to a full stop and were staying still for about 10-15 minutes at 72nd street, until the MTA worker announced that there are current delays, so we should be patient and will be moving shortly.” It was after this that the subway completely shut down, leaving Miko with no way to get to campus in time for class. “Once we got to 79th street, we paused again and were being told that most of the trains are delayed due to lack of electricity conduction on the rails as a result of flooding. I decided to stay on the train, but after waiting for another 10-15 min-
utes, I (and most other fellow passengers) just left. I already was frustrated because it was almost time for my lab to start and I was nowhere near the Bronx,” Miko said. Miko ended up returning home after fearing he would be unable to get back. “I live 1 hour and 15 minutes North of New York City, so I did not want to risk going to campus and being stuck there.” Miko, along with many other MC students felt frustrated with the way Manhattan handled the situation. “I wish the college had planned accordingly for the weather, there are commuters who commute from out of NYC, and I believe that they should definitely be more considerate of us and the rest of commuters from NYC.” Mia Porritt, a communication major, who is a resident on campus, had difficulty leaving campus and even had water leaking from the ceiling of her dorm in Horan Hall. “I was waiting, trying to find an Uber for 10 minutes and no one would get me,” Porritt said. “So I get on the train and we reach Tarrytow, and what happens is we are sitting on the train and they stop and they say, ‘The tracks are flooded near us, so we’re gonna have to wait until it dies down.’ We were sitting there for three hours.” After multiple delays and the train losing complete power, Porritt explained that she __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN FEATURES:
IN A&E:
IN SPORTS:
Riverdale Restaurant Week on pg. 7
Jasper Jams on pg. 8
Cheer Team Makes MC History on pg. 11
News
OCTOBER 24, 2023
Volume CVIII, Issue 7 OCTOBER 24, 2023
The Editorial Board
Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief Kyla Guilfoil Managing Editor
Lauren Raziano Multimedia Editor
Angelina Persaud News Editor
Grace Cardinal Asst. News Editor
Angelica Niedermeyer Features Editor
Angelina Perez Asst. Features Editor
Karen Flores Arts & Entertainment Editor
Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Isaiah Rosario Sports Editor
Andrew Mannion Asst. Sports Editor
Adrianne Hutto Production Editor Rebecca Kranich Social Media Editor Zoe DeFazio Angelina Perez Web Editors
Ivy Jaep Maizy Swift Asst. Production Editors Mary Haley Asst. Social Media Editor Nicholas Gilewicz Faculty Advisor
About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news or ganization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism. The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.
Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in Kelly Commons Room 412. All are welcome to come and join the club.
Connect with The Quadrangle mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad
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LETTER from the EDITOR Dear Reader, Hello and Happy Spooky Season! This week you can begin the Halloween festivities on Friday with events such as the Players reading of The Secretaries and MC Halloween which is open to families located in Riverdale community. On Thursday we also have the return of the Manhattan Madness pep rally! Students will pack Draddy Gymnasium to support the mens and womens basketball teams while enjoying performances by MC pep band, cheerleading and the Jasper dancers. Don’t miss it! If you’re going out this weekend please remember to stay safe! Thank you for supporting The Quad and we’ll see you next week!
Jocelyn Visnov
Sincerely,
Editor-in-Chief
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THE QUADRANGLE
Torrential Rainfall and Flooding Wreaks Havoc for MC Students __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 had to end up finding her way back to Yonkers in hopes of escaping the flooding. “We waited for a really long time and then another train from Metro North had to connect with us because our train lost power,” Porritt said. “So the other train had to connect to us and then pull us along. So then they said, ‘We’re going back to Penn Station. So you can either have a choice to get off at Yonkers or Penn Station.’ So we start going back to Yonkers after like three hours.” After her arrival back to campus, Porritt explained that the ceiling in her dorm began to leak. Despite placing a work order, there were limited op-
tions from Physical Plant to address the situation. “She [Porritt’s roommate] called up and put in a work order for the service request and a guy came in and he literally just put tape over it. He was like there’s nothing else we can do and just plastic and tape over it,” Porritt said. Matt Lewis, the director of Residence Life, advised that in emergency situations such as this, students should call public safety or speak to a public safety officer directly in their building. “I would say don’t submit a work order for that, you can go down to the public safety desk in the lobby of any of the buildings,” Lewis said. “If you live in Chrysostom or Jasper and don’t have public safety in the building then you can just
call their non-emergency line and they will contact [Physical plant] staff to come and address the issue.” Lewis also revealed that some students got temporary housing for the night when the storm occurred, and many overnight guests were welcomed to help give students who couldn’t travel home a place to stay. “We want to make sure that people are safe and we want to make sure that everything is being taken care of,” Lewis said. “While we do have processes that guide these standard things, like there’s a 24 hour period you have to submit overnight guests before… but when the storm was going on, we kind of waived that policy because we knew that people didn’t anticipate that.”
Leo parking garage flooded after torrential rain. ANGELINA PERSAUD/THE QUADRANGLE
MC Senate to Invite CFO to Next Meeting and Discussions on Grade Transparency Policy __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ing repeating courses, particularly the loss of financial aid when they have to repeat a course.” The EAC plans to vote on the new language they created regarding the course-repeat policy in the upcoming weeks. A notable variation from the existing rule in the School of Science is that the college-wide rule would allow students to enroll in a course up to three times, excluding withdrawals, instead of only twice. In addition, the new language states that if a student is unsuccessful in passing a course after their third time, they may not enroll in an equivalent course at another institution and transfer their credits. Another major discussion the EAC brought to light was regarding course transparency. “In the handbook, there is a line about [professors] being conscientious of grading and returning assignments in a timely manner,” Marin said. “However, it was raised at EAC that there are some faculty that are not returning graded work in a timely manner and
that they [students] haven’t received graded work for most of the semester, so it’s an issue that students want addressed.” In response to this, the EAC is suggesting a policy that would define what a “timely manner” is, for both students and staff. “The EAC is suggesting a policy that would be in the course catalog that says that all assignments and exams should be graded and returned to students within three weeks, really defining what we mean by a ‘timely manner’,” Marin said. John Bennett, head of the Student Life Committee, reported positive engagement amongst students in intramurals so far this year. “We had 274 unique students participate in intramural volleyball…I was super excited for students,” Bennett said. “Now that our intramurals are over, this month we’re using that time to look at all the data and every sign-up and every single ID number of students that have attended and participated in intramurals to get all the further information on [them].” Pickleball and soccer intramurals will be starting up in the next few weeks.
At the meeting, Bennett also mentioned that the Pipes and Drums group on campus was named the number one band in 2023 at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in NYC. “We got some great news to publicize now on a greater scale, but our Pipes and Drums group within performing arts actually was named the number one band from the St. Patty’s Day Parade…selected by the St. Patty’s Day Parade and Celebration Committee,” Bennett said. Bennett mentioned that the band was celebrated with an event last weekend hosted at Lincoln Center. In addition to the success the Student Life Committee has seen already this semester, Manhattan Madness will be taking place Thursday Oct. 26. This is the committee’s largest attended event of the semester on campus, with over 2000 people usually in attendance. Manhattan College Senate Meetings are open for all students and staff to attend. The next and last meeting of the semester will take place on Nov. 21 in Hayden 409.
James Perrino is the Chief Fanancial Officer of Manhattan College. @MANHATTAN.EDU/COURTESY
News
OCTOBER 24, 2023
Pamela Chasek and Colleagues Call for Reform Towards Sustainable Development Goals
Karen Flores
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Pamela Chasek, Ph.D., is one of the multiple researchers calling for reforms in the UN sustainable development goals through an article published in the Journal of Science. According to manhattan. edu, “The article [called] for [the] United Nations summit to review the state of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), paving the way for four major changes in how the SDGs are implemented and governed globally.” The website highlights the four major points, the first two being centered around strengthening and adjusting the SDGs. “The expert group is calling for SDGs to be strength-
ened in a way that commits high-income countries to stronger and more concrete action… [and] must be adjusted to new challenges, improved scientific understanding, and past failures in implementations,” according to manhattan.edu. The last two points emphasize the importance of governments and groups around the world being involved in the implementation of the SDGs. “Instead, governments must together take steps to turn at least parts of the SDGs into binding international law…[and] governments need to build stronger institutions, both internationally and at home, to make the SDGs a fundamental part of how they operate and make decisions,” the website stated. Outside of being a political science professor at Manhattan College, Chasek is an associate
Pamela Chasek is a professor of political science at Manhattan College. MANHAT TAN.EDU/COURTESY
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The United Nations summit to review the state of Sustainable Development Goals. THE UNITED NATIONS/COURTESY for the Global Goals project, which is run out of Utrecht University in The Netherlands, and is the co-founder and executive editor of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, which reports on UN Environment and Development negotiations. Chasek told The Quadrangle that she went to a workshop during June in Bath, England where she and her colleagues decided to write a short policy piece prior to the UN summit that took place between Sept. 18 and 19. “We agreed at the workshop that we would try to write a short policy piece and try to get it out before the summit. So that hopefully, we could have an impact on the summit,” Chasek said. “Frank Biermann [Ph.D., professor of global sustainability governance at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and the lead author of the study] put together an initial outline for the article and then he reached out to the Journal of Science to see if this is something they would consider.” According to the Journal of Science website, only 6.1 percent of papers submitted are published on the site. When the article was published, Chasek and her colleagues shared it with as many people as possible. “This is a big deal, the fact that Science only publishes 7% of articles submitted,” Chasek
said. “I was really excited and really honored that our piece did get picked up and published in Science… [Once published] we distributed it to policymakers that we know and posted it on our social media networks. It’s just that we’re halfway to 2030 and we are behind when it comes to the agenda created to push towards achieving the sustainable development goals.” Chasek hopes that there is continuous progress being made towards achieving the SDGs and that it becomes a topic that is more talked about. “We need to look at what we can do to improve the governance of these goals and to better work with countries to help implement some of these goals so that we have more sustainable societies and that we have a planet to leave for our children and their children and not to just give up on it,” Chasek said. Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., professor and department chair of political science, expressed that professors doing research is crucial to helping expand knowledge to current students and the general population. “I think it’s really important that professors are using their education and abilities to expand knowledge and share that with the intellectual community,” Groarke said. “This article
was more trying to take the kind of research that Pam and her colleagues do and share it with a broader public. While that might seem disconnected from students, it’s good exposure for them as well.” Groarke expressed being proud of Chasek and said that climate change is an important topic. “It’s a big deal. I know that they timed this article to impact the UN discussions about climate change and our response to climate change, so I was very proud of her,” Groarke said. “Political science is all about how people in power and citizens make decisions for a community or a society, we look at policy responses to problems. So if climate change is a problem that’s causing us all sorts of issues, what can the UN do and what can individual nations do to take action?” Chasek hopes that there is continuous progress being made towards reaching the SDGs. “Any progress we make, whether it’s on reducing disease, improving education, reducing water pollution and exploitation of fisheries to reducing land degradation to clean water…if we can make progress that’s what we’re here for,” Chasek said.
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Start Voting with the Jaspers Vote Campaign Maizy Swift and Barbara Vasquez Asst. Production Editor and Staff Writer
Manhattan College’s Jaspers Vote Campaign makes an effort to aid students in registering to vote, as well as educate students on the importance of voting and current political issues. The Jaspers Vote Campaign recently held an event in the Social Action Suite to help students get involved in the voting process. Margaret Groarke, Ph.D., a political science professor who runs the Jaspers Vote Campaign explained how this event was meant to help any MC student interested. “There were specific people we invited, we wanted to have somebody from state government, from athletics, from the commuter services office be represented, and then we just also put out a general call to anybody on campus who was interested in the helping us get more Manhattan College students engaged in the election as registered and voting,” Groarke said. The Jaspers Vote Campaign has been very successful over the last few years, gaining awards for the amount of MC students who vote. From 2016
to 2020 there was a significant jump in voters amongst the MC population. 59.6 percent of students voted in the 2020 presidential election compared to around 41 percent during the 2016 election. “Jaspers Vote campaign is an effort to get as many eligible Manhattan College students to participate in elections as possible,” Groarke said. “So I brought this up because we’ve been working on this since 2016 and we’ve won two awards for our participation levels in the 2018 and 2020 elections.” Groarke explained how important it is for college students and younger people to get involved and vote for what they want. “Historically, a lower percentage of young people have voted than older people,” Groarke said. “That matters because it means that elected officials have less of an incentive to listen to young people’s issues than older people’s issues, so it’s important to change that dynamic. The numbers have been shifting, more young people are organizing themselves.” The Jaspers Vote Campaign hopes to make more young people feel confident to vote. “You don’t have to be an expert to try to stand up for the stuff that you care about,” Groarke said. “So I think people should feel free to do their
best and participate on whatever level they can, but it’s relatively easy to vote.” To engage students, student workers for the campaign set up a table in Kelly Commons with QR codes and flyers about voting and registration, and asked passersby if they were aware of their registration status. With this set up, students show interest and initiative about how to become registered and start voting. Kaitlyn McDonald, a political science major and student worker under the Jaspers Vote Campaign, attests to the enthusiasm many students have when it comes to getting ready to vote. “A lot of people actually are interested and want to know more,” McDonald said. “So I think it’s important that we do the tabling– this is really the only resource on campus that acts as an advocate for [student] voting.” Another student worker for Jaspers Vote, Maria Galindo, agreed with McDonald and shared more about what the new voter experience is like using the campaign. “It just helps other students on campus know what’s going on with voting and how they register,” Galindo said. “It makes it helpful for them to better understand the steps and how they’re able to register through the school.”
The Jasper voting turnout from 2020. MANHATTAN.EDU /COURTESY When asked if she had benefited from participating in the campaign, McDonald adds that being a part of Jaspers Vote has helped her in terms of learning more about the voting process and elections. “It’s helped going through all the processes and learning all about voting, stuff I never even knew about before– really learning about absentee ballots and who’s on the ballot… It’s definitely educated me more being in this role than just educating myself,” McDonald said. As for the future of Jaspers Vote, they are planning on continuing meetings and tabling to help gain student attention and participation. McDonald shares that while it is hard to
set any date for certain, you can definitely look out for Jaspers Vote within the coming weeks. “We’re going to be having events like tabling and other things we’ve had in mind, to just get people engaged and educated,” McDonald said. The simple act of educating students about voting and participating in elections is what Jaspers Vote has and continues to do, and proof of the campaign’s impact on students is in the numbers. By getting more students involved and at the ballots, Jaspers Vote helps give students the opportunity and knowledge they need in order for their voices to be heard.
School of Liberal Arts Introduces New Immersive Learning Lab in Miguel Hall Mary Haley
Asst. Social Media Editor The Manhattan College School of Liberal Arts (SoLA) computer lab, Miguel 305, in Miguel Hall has undergone major renovations this past summer to return as a new global engagement lab. The lab will allow students, language lab assistants and professors to learn and teach in an immersive and brand new way. Miguel 305 went through renovations beginning June 1 and was ready to be used in class by the first week of the fall semester. Planning for the lab started during the summer months of 2022 and was able to be completed through the support of the George I. Alden trust, an organization that awards grants to schools for projects they find to be valuable and productive. The lab is now equipped with lighter and movable desks for individual and collaborative work, three interactive cameras that allow for video meetings
and panels on the new screens that have also been implemented in the room. Before these renovations, Miguel 305 was a computer lab with outdated technology. Cory Blad, Ph.D., dean of the School of Liberal Arts, spoke with The Quadrangle on why there needed to be a change in this space and what its updates mean for the school as a whole. “I think we achieved our initial goals with the restructuring of the entire room,” Blad said. “What we really need to do is understand the capacities of the room and then change our classes to kind of fit what the room can do. I’m thinking of how we can use it to engage collaborative learning and collaborative work opportunities.” The space was created with the department of modern languages and literatures and the digital arts and humanities especially in mind. When the grant was being allotted to the college, and for a project particularly dedicated to the advancement of SoLA, faculty came together to discuss what this grant could be used for and
how it could benefit teaching and learning. Evelyn Scaramella, PhD., professor of modern languages, spoke on how this room can be used to immerse students in language and culture and how the technology in the room can help the college collaborate with people from around the world. “We came up with this idea of more robust camera options so that we could possibly be doing remote learning more easily in the classroom or inviting other people from other locations into the classroom,” Scaramella said. “We would love to invite people to campus but we don’t always have the funding for that. I think this opens up possibilities not just for professors to visit the classroom, but for students to be collaborating with different universities.” Jack Flanagan, a sophomore international studies major, is a language lab assistant for a French class. He explained that while the technologies take practice to be able to be used adequately for teaching, he is hopeful for the opportunities of the lab in the future.
Lightweight desks and a more open room allows students to be able to work individually and collaboratively in Miguel 305. MAGGIE SHEDIAC/COURTESY “I definitely want to try to do more interactive things,” Flanagan said. “I think especially for languages [the new room] is a lot better because when you have the screens it makes everything more conducive to learning. I think it’s going to be an invaluable resource to the language department and the school as a whole.” Faculty and students alike have high hopes for the lab going forward. It is a major
advancement to the School of Liberal Arts and it holds the opportunity for communication between Manhattan College and schools and cultures around the world. “We have a space that reflects the professional nature and the outstanding, excellent nature of what people are doing in those classes,” Blad said. “It’s more about just respecting good work than anything else.”
Features
Community Campus Potluck Closing Hispanic Heritage Month
OCTOBER 24, 2023
Alexandrea Velez Staff Writer
With the conclusion of Hispanic Heritage Month near, Fuerza Latina hosted a collaborative potluck with the two sororities at Manhattan College, Alpha Pi Phi (APP) and Sigma Delta Tau (SDT). The potluck consisted of authentic Spanish food and music and provided a welcoming atmosphere for everyone to come together to learn about Hispanic culture. Traditional foods were served like yellow rice, chicken, pulled pork, and pastelitos. People from all the contributing groups gathered together, crowding the 4th floor of Kelly with conversation and la hermanadad (sisterhood). The Quadrangle had the opportunity to have an in-depth discussion with co-president of Fuerza Latina, Martina Eichhorn, along with Naya Taul, on the realities of being a Hispanic student at a predominantly
white institution. This directly correlated to the leading cause that Fuerza Latina tries to conquer with every event. “We wanted to do a closing event on Hispanic Heritage Month, just because this school is so heavily populated in Hispanic culture, and there are so many Hispanic students here,” Eichhorn, a junior at MC, double majoring in political science and philosophy, said. “We wanted to make this an event where other people who are not Hispanic can come and enjoy the food and the culture.” Integration between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students is a primary objective for Fuerza Latina, as it allows students to be more comfortable on campus and around other cultural identities. “It is tough being in a place where you do not know if you will be accepted, or if you do not know, people will relate to you,” said Eichhorn. “That is probably one of the hardest parts, it is not just about being Hispanic in a PWI, but also just
in life, in the world, in general.” Julia Ciampa, a junior majoring in psychology and the diversity and inclusion chair for SDT, spoke to The Quadrangle about her role in the sorority and its correlation to the event. “I serve as a liaison between the sisters,” said Ciampa. “If any diversity and inclusion issues come up, I get to help. I am also in charge of collaborating with other multicultural clubs on campus. We collaborate and make fun events to educate everyone.” Ciampa also spoke on the sorority’s role regarding inclusion and how important it is to support clubs and events such as the potluck. “It’s really important to foster everyone’s culture in a sorority, because it’s so important to foster such an inclusive environment,” Ciampa said. “There can be so many different diverse cultures that come together and it’s so important to cherish that and be one big like sisterhood and organization, because at the end of the
day, we’re all sisters.” Pamela Moleri, a senior majoring in biochemistry, is APP treasurer. Moleri spoke about joining a diverse sorority and joining activities that help her fellow sisters be well represented. “APP has a lot of Hispanic
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sisters, and it is imperative for those from this background to feel included and seen,” said Moleri. “It is also for non-Hispanic students and sisters to join in learning about the culture.”
APP sisters supporting Hispanic Heritage month. ALEXANDREA VELEZ/ QUADRANGLE
Wanting to Sharpen Your Fighting Skills? Join MC Taekwondo! Mack Olmsted Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor Manhattan College’s taekwondo program returned this fall for its fourteenth year, led by associate professor of mechanical engineering, John Leylegian, Ph.D. Leylegian has been training for almost 32 years in taekwondo and is a sixth-degree black belt. He typically works with the class twice a week, as well as occasionally on the weekend. “The instructor is legit,” freshman student Alexander Paz said. “He knows what he’s doing. He will teach you how to defend yourself and teach you how to fight.” Over the years, hundreds of students have participated and have gone through Leylegian’s taekwondo training. Around 30 students have gone up in rank from promotions, and six have made brown belt. This year, a new batch of students joined the taekwondo program in hopes of learning some defensive techniques in case they ever need to protect themselves.
“I think [the class] is really good,” freshman Ashley Gonzalez said. “I like how the class teaches some fighting. If I ever need to defend myself, I have lessons from this class.” While there are physical benefits to the taekwondo program, Leylegian mentions that the workout and exercises you do in the class could potentially improve the mental health of students and faculty. “It’s a physical activity, a social activity and it can potentially be a way to help alleviate stress,” Leylegian said. “It’s also just a good way to sort of keep your mind centered. I find that after a good workout, I tend to be in a lot better mood.” Leylegian’s workout begins with stretching and basic exercises, focusing on individual techniques to help look at participants’ strengths and weaknesses. The workout consists of punches, kicks and blocks and eventually, students and faculty can try different pre-choreographed moves that range from 20 to 60 moves in one form. The moves that make up a form are a combination of
techniques and skills that class members work on whether it would be strikes, kicks or stances. As students progress, they are taught more and more difficult forms. The workout class also consists of sparring practice, which is partner workouts. Some of the sparring consists of unrehearsed freestyle. Leylegian’s class also has a three-step sparring which is rehearsed and choreographed. The sparring practice involves no contact non-offensive techniques that teach students to defend themselves in situations where they would be attacked without threatening others. “You do work up a sweat,” Paz said. “I came here to learn taekwondo and that’s what I’m learning. I’m learning how to kick, and how to punch out a block. It’s a new experience.” No prior training is required, if students are interested in participating in the taekwondo program. Students and faculty can find the classes in the mini gym of Alumni Hall at 6 pm on Tuesdays and 5 pm on Wednesdays.
“Beginners are always welcome,” Leylegian said. “It’s open to anybody that’s part of the college community, whether it’s students or employees, we are here.”
More information is on the program’s Instagram page, @ mc_taekwondo or email john. leylegian@manhattan.edu.
Manhattan College students learning taekwondo techniques. JOHN LEYLEGIAN/COURTESY
Riverdale Restaurant Week: Off-Broadway Bites Features
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Adrianne Hutto Production Editor
Riverdale Restaurant Week, sponsored by Dine Out Riverdale, runs from the 14th to the 21st of Oct. and includes over 30 local eateries as Manhattan College’s neighborhood comes together to showcase its vibrant food scene in a week-long gastronomic journey. With restaurants from Marianne’s Pizza Cafe on Mosholu Ave to Sante Fe on 242nd street, there is bound to be something that scratches every foodies’ itch. While Restaurant Week encompasses all of the Riverdale area, the real underrated spots are along the train line. Join The Quadrangle on its tour down the 238th street stairs, exploring the delicious culinary offerings of Riverdale Restaurant Week that should be added to MC’s students list of favorite spots. Kingsbridge Social Club On 3625 Kingsbridge Ave, Kingsbridge Social Club is the spot for wood fired pizza, local beers on tap and hearty pasta dishes. For restaurant week, Kingsbridge Social Club is offering a $35 three course meal and a daily special. Kingsbridge Social Club
THE QUADRANGLE
owner David Lindsay explains that the restaurant has been opened since 2017. “We tried to do old things from our menu for Restaurant Week,” David Lindsay said. “And today was our very first Instagram Pizza of the Day.” The pizza featured blue cheese with San Marzano tomatoes, which is their sauce, and then finished with prosciutto and arugula. Lindsay recommends An Beal, Bronx Ale House, which is their sister bar, and the Punchbowl for pool.
The Last Stop Named affectionately after the 242nd street station adjacent to it, The Last Stop has everything from Taco Tuesday $5 margaritas and bottomless brunch to mac and cheese and butter chicken. The owner, Peter Sing, took over the restaurant from his father who owned Shortstop the diner in the same location. “This is a fun, friendly community bar,” Sing said. “We do events every weekend; Friday, Saturday we have DJs starting from 10 o’clock at night to three a.m. So it’s a young vibe, everybody’s pretty chill. It’s a safe space.” As a part of Riverdale Restaurant Week, The Last Stop had a $35 prefixed menu
The Last Stop offers Taco Tuesday deals with $5 margaritas and bottomless brunch on the weekend. ADRIANNE HUTTO/QUADRANGLE
Claudy’s Kitchen has been a staple of the community since 2020, despite opening mid-pandemic. ADRIANNE HUTTO / QUADRANGLE with mozzarella sticks, shrimp tacos and the ‘Hangover Burger’, a classic NY breakfast sandwich with a patty.
Kingsbridge Social Club is your go-to stop for pizza, pasta, sandwiches and local beers in a warm and comforting environment. ADRIANNE HUTTO/ QUADRANGLE
Claudy’s Kitchen This hole-in-the-wall Peruvian restaurant was opened mid-pandemic and has remained a staple of the community, offering catering for MC events and its students. The owner and head-chef, Claudia Berroa explains that the neighborhood has maintained a constant love and support of the restaurant. “I remember exactly, it was a big, big, big line outside,” Berroa said. “We just post-
ed in the Riverdale Facebook group. And we didn’t expect a lot of support and I was crying because we put our savings, everything in this restaurant.” Berroa explains that the food comes straight from traditional Peruvian cooking. “Like the way my mom, my grandma, my dad made,” Berroa said. “Coming from a big family, we all like good food. The best food you can get in Peru.” For restaurant week, Claudy’s Kitchen is doing a rice and chicken lunch special. However, the underrated gem is the sangria, lovingly referred to as ‘Happy Juice.’ The drink is
a recipe created by Berroa’s father in law. “A lot of people say it’s one of the best,” Berroa said. “They say that they rank it similar to when they went to Europe.” While Riverdale Restaurant Week is an annual occurrence, there is no special occasion needed to visit these mouthwatering places. So, take the extra walk down the steps and explore the delicious culinary magic that awaits. Editor’s Note: Features Editor, Angelica Niedermeyer, contributed reporting.
OCTOBER 24, 2023
Arts & Entertainment
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Jasper Jams: Mack Picks Vol. 2 Mack Olmsted
Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor I got some awesome songs stuck in my head again! So here’s the deal, if you want to Jasper Jam out to some more bangers and hits you’re going to have to read through the list and give it a listen. Smoke On The WaterDeep Purple “Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky” has got to be one of the coolest lyrics of all time, the first time I heard it I was in elementary school. “Smoke on the Water” is an old song that came out in 1972 from Deep Purple’s Machine Head album, and it still holds up today. It has a great yet simple guitar riff that will make anybody want to listen hundreds of times.
Barracuda- Heart Staying in the 70s, we got Barracuda by Heart. Barracuda has an awesome beat. It’s got lyrics that would easily get stuck in your head and is guaranteed to be a great listen. Dragula- Rob Zombie Halloween is right around the corner and Rob Zombie directed two “Halloween” movies with Michael Myers so it’s timely. Rob Zombie is one of my favorite artists his music is just over the top and hardcore. “Dragula” is one of my favorites just for the sound alone it’s worth hearing it 10 times. So dig through the ditches and burn through the witches, and listen to it... Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon This song is Fire! It’s just super catchy. The rhythm is fast, it’s got great sound and good lyrics. What’s not to like
about it? Give the Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire just 10 seconds and you will constantly have it on replay. Godzilla-
Blue Oyster Cult This is another song from my childhood, my dad would play this all the time. This is definitely a banger for the sound. It’s upbeat and catchy. You will instantly have “history shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men” embedded into your head if you listen to it as much as I do. Overall it’s an instant hit after the initial listen so let your ears give it a chance. Walk This Way (feat. Aerosmith)- Run D.M.C., Aerosmith This is my favorite crossover of all time. On paper, it seems weird to have Run D.MC. and Aerosmith do a collab, but in reality, it works
tenfold. The two groups just complement each other so well and it just makes for an awesome listening experience. Sidenote I’m not too much into music videos but everyone, and I mean everyone has to go to YouTube right now and watch it it’s hilarious and amazing. It’s really cool to hear hip hop and rap together, and I need to find more songs out there like this because it’s too good. Any Way You Want ItJourney This song is an 80s throwback. It’s pretty popular, you probably have heard it before and if you have been unfortunate enough to not know what Any Way You Want It is, stop reading this second and give it a listen, the Quadrangle will be here when you get back. Did you listen? Pretty great right? Any way you want to listen to it, it’s just an upbeat feel-good song that surely sticks like glue in your brain.
Scan here to listen to The Quadrangle’s playlist!
Creep- Radiohead This one is for the weirdos out there, you know who you are. But seriously this song is really great. The way the rhythm flows from being a loud rock song to a smooth acoustic-like song is amazing. You might recognize this from the opening of the newest Guardians of the Galaxy movie, which was the acoustic version, but I just feel like the original is better. To me, you can feel more emotions coming out of it. Definitely give it a listen and think about a time when you didn’t fit in a situation. The Chain- Fleetwood Mac This song is kind of about betrayal. It has a running theme where you have to listen to yourself and trust yourself. But of course, you can trust me when I say “The Chain” is a must-listen.
Arts & Entertainment
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What’s Up With Thrush? Anna Segota Staff Writer
While several bands and performers call Manhattan College home, this week The Quadrangle caught up with Thrush, who are about to take their show on the road. The band has several upcoming performances in upstate New York, and they sat down with the Quadrangle to chat about performing live, art, new music and more. Thrush is a self described “punk-grunge” group who has been making music for the past few years. They have cited inspiration from the likes of Nirvana, The Garden and Nine Inch Nails. Three of the four members, Micheal Kurtis, Pe-
student audiences at Manhattan College before getting their first professional gig at the bar Gold Sounds later performing at other NYC venues. After achieving success at the local level, the group had two shows this past weekend in upstate New York, with one in Ithaca alongside fellow performers “Shop Talk,” and another near Bard College at “Smog.” The performance near Bard College is particularly special for Thrush, as they have a special history with the area. The group has made several trips up to visit friends, and have developed a practice of visiting the same shops and diners while up there. Because of this connection, Thrush has been waiting and hoping to play
THE QUADRANGLE
Thrush preforming live in September of this year. THRUSH INSTAGRAM/COURTESY tises their upcoming performances and projects through Instagram, often accompanied by original artwork. Thrush also has a memorable logo, featuring what they called “the hat bird.” Johannesburg spoke on the importance of the group’s visuals, “The band has really cool art,” Johannesburg said. “I feel like it’s really unique, you see
it and you’re like, yeah that’s Thrush.” While there is no confirmed release date yet, Thrush is currently working on an upcoming album titled “Kevin.” They will be performing some of the songs from the album this weekend including “Nothing Stops” and “Unreasonable Doubt.” The band also is playing a show just outside of Boston on November 4th.
Smog is a popular venue near Bard College, providing live entertainment to students and residents alike. SMOG FACEBOOK/COURTESY ter Johannes and Jack Schiller, met while attending Manhattan College, and have been friends ever since. Schiller discussed the band’s origins. “Me and Mike lived next to each other in Jasper, and we both played music,” Schiller said. “We had some other friends that were musicians and then we kind of started to form our own sort of band making music together. Then Mike met Peter.” Thrush started playing to
at Smog for some time now. “I’ve been up there several times before with Chris, our Drummer,” Kurtis said. “I was just there to see his old band play, it was just an immaculate time. We had a lot of fun and, you know, made a lot of memories. And it just became kind of like this. Like ritualistic, kind of tradition laden thing where it’s like we go there and it’s really exciting.” Thrush is unconventional in their approach to making music, favoring a dedication
to their craft, taking the time to ensure they are putting out songs that meet their standards, regardless of how long it may take to produce. The band also takes time to make sure their personalities come through in all of the art they make. The bandmates noted the comradery amongst the group, indicating several references to inside jokes and gags that can be found throughout the group’s discography and social media. The band normally adver-
Thrush’s iconic logo can be seen on both their Instagram and Spotify, as well as stickers that the band sells. THRUSH SPOTIFY/COURTESY
Sports
OCTOBER 24, 2023
Introducing MC Club Sports: Ultimate Frisbee, Tennis and Flag Football Angelina Persaud News Editor
Ultimate frisbee, flag football and tennis club sports are in full swing this semester following their debut at the club fair earlier in the fall. Each of the three clubs had its strategy for attracting new members and initiating a tryout session for anyone interested in joining. Additionally, the creation of these new club sports comes at a rather interesting time wherein they have to be able to fundraise for themselves due to budget cuts across all MC clubs. Nicolino Marcoccia and Christian Molina, junior mechanical engineering major and junior civil engineering major, respectively, talked about their experience developing the ultimate frisbee team and the basics behind creating a club sport. “I think it was mostly the recreation department that actually did the forming,” Marcoccia said. “They have a tryout and that’s really how it started, people just showed up
and they just formed the team that way.” Molina highlighted the organization of their season including how they determine which games to compete in and their access to certain athletic equipment. “This is considered our offseason,” Molina said. “We have to organize games with other schools for this semester and fundraise for ourselves. I think next semester, we will have a tournament in March or April, which is through the school … We’re still getting a bunch of gear that’s been provided just through the recreation department, through the budget we were given.” Julian Reyes, a junior, is a member of the flag football team and spoke about his experience joining. Additionally, he noted that the team was able to practice and hold tryouts in Gaelic Park. “They had us put numbers on our chests and just have us do seven on sevens for the entire time,” Reyes said. “There were people showing their skills, so I guess I did good.” The flag football team has also amped up their efforts to
fundraise for themselves to support the team by creating a GoFundMe for their season. Reyes spoke about what they intend to do with the funds once they’ve raised enough money. “The GoFundMe is for jerseys cause we’re going away to Maryland on November 10 to 12,” Reyes said. “That covers hotel expenses, transportation expenses, and just other stuff like uniforms. We have a uniform but we want a jersey with a number on it.” Reyes also emphasized the feeling of comradery and physical competitiveness that comes with being part of a club sport. He highlighted that the team currently operates without a head coach since they mainly assign a member as team captain. “We have a leader, a captain we assigned,” Reyes said. “It starts to feel like a real-life sports team, it doesn’t feel like intramurals, it feels like we’re actually athletes because I was hurt yesterday… I’m like damn, I need a trainer on the side.” Reilly Schorn, a junior, is part of the tennis team and had
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Group members of the ultimate frisbee team MC RECREATION/COURTESY a positive experience thus far. Specifically, he noted the personal connection he had to tennis when he was younger and how it drew him to the club. “I joined because originally I played in high school and I enjoy playing tennis,” Schorn said. “I also had not played seriously for a while and joining the team has given me the opportunity to play the game competitively again.” He also explained that since it’s the club’s first semester competing, their schedule is still undefined. However, students can pick their roles on the team.
“During the season we will play against other schools however the schedule is a little unclear since this is the team’s first year,” Schorn said. “The students don’t decide on the schedule but the students do decide their team positions meaning whether they play doubles or singles. Travel will also be provided to the games.” The flag football team competed in their first game of the season against NYU on Nov. 15 which resulted in a loss by one touchdown. The next home game will be against Boston University at some point in the fall semester.
Women’s Soccer Honors Seniors During Home Game Against Niagara Jocelyn Visnov Editor-in-Chief
Women’s soccer celebrated their graduating seniors in the pouring rain with a home game in Gaelic Park on Oct. 14. While the team ultimately lost against Niagara with a final score of 2-1, these seniors may not be ready to leave the sport
just yet. The game began with high spirits as the team tried to take home a victory for their seniors. According to GoJaspers, the team began the game with a goal by freshman Talia Omer, putting the Jaspers in the lead. Niagara responded with a goal of their own, followed by a penalty kick that put them in a 2-1 lead at halftime. The Jaspers continued to put up a fight
Defender Izzy Lachcik goes in for a kick during the game against Niagara. GOJASPERS/COURTESY
as neither team scored in the second half leaving Niagara with the victory. “We played quality soccer and created dangerous chances,” head coach Brendan Lawler said in an interview with athletics. “Our seniors and their teammates gave everything to get a positive result today. It didn’t go our way but we are very proud of them!” The team’s graduating seniors include Reina Callahan, Samantha Derrico and Lanah Mackey. During halftime, they were joined by family members on the field for a special presentation including flowers and highlights of their Jasper soccer careers. “Niagara was a good team, and we knew they were going to be a good team,” Derrico said. “It was a torrential downpour on a senior night, we were soaking wet playing through it all. We definitely were all very emotional.” While the team unfortunately was unable to bring home a win for their seniors,
Derrico noted this didn’t seem to dull their spirits. “We didn’t come out on top, but I don’t think that was detrimental to us because we felt how hard everyone worked so that really didn’t ruin our day,” Derrico said. “Our team does a whole little celebration, they find their own ways to celebrate us in the locker room and then we go out on the field and celebrate with our families.” The three seniors first set foot in Gaelic Park in the fall of 2020 during COVID, making it an abnormal season to kick off their college soccer careers. “We didn’t have a regular fall season,” Callahan said. “All we did was practice. We didn’t have any games, we didn’t have any scrimmages, all we did was practice and then we had our season during the spring, which was being cut in half. We only played like five or six games, which was highly unusual.” Due to the unusual start and shortened season during their freshman year, each of the
three seniors has been granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA. “I don’t think I’m ready to really give up something I’ve done for so long,” Derrico said. “So coming back for a fifth year, I think it’s something we’re all heavily, heavily considering.” Derrico mentioned that she feels this year’s team has become particularly close to one another. “There’s not a person on the team that you can’t go to or that you don’t feel comfortable talking to,” Derrico said. “I think we’re all very happy with how hard we push for each other knowing that the person next to you is gonna work that hard. For me personally, this has been one of the closest teams.” Women’s soccer will compete in their final game of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Watch the team face off against Quinnipiac in Gaelic Park at 7 p.m.
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THE QUADRANGLE
Cheer Team Makes MC History With First Ever Nationals Competition Adrianne Hutto Production Editor
A new chapter is beginning for the Manhattan College Cheer team: they will compete in the NCA Cheer Nationals for the first time in MC history. For this year’s competition, they will perform against teams from colleges and universities across the country in Daytona Beach, Florida this coming April. With pom-poms in hand, stunting their way to new levels, the team is preparing for an intense season of preparation for this exciting journey. Marked by dedication, hard work and lots of amazing new and returning talent, the team is more ready than ever to prove themselves against the other teams. Stephanie Riggi, who is in her first year as head coach and a Manhattan College alum, explains that under past leadership the team’s focus had been mainly collegiate, and had only one coach for the entire team. Riggi explains that the team is now much more focused on engaging the crowd at games. “Our focus has shifted a lot more on technique, a lot more on engaging focus,” Riggi said. “Then obviously with this upcoming year and with this brand new opportunity to be a competitive team, which was never an option for us under past coaches, it is more so.” Riggi credits the team’s ability to attend Nationals for
the first time largely due to the talent present on the team. After the shift to a new coach, the team really had to start from the ground up. “We were really able to have a clean slate and take the team as our own,” Riggi said. “So I think that plays a huge role in it.” Senior communication major and back spot for the cheer team, Carter Silane, explains that it has always been a goal of the teams, for as long as she has been with them. “You know no matter what place you are in, you kind of have to start somewhere,” Silane said. “Our goal was to start this year and really to reach that.” Silane explained that the team will be putting in an extra level of work this semester to ensure they are ready for April. “It’s a lot more work than just preparing to cheer at basketball games,” Silane said. “It’s adding more practices, and then over winter break, we’re going to have to come back a week early and have a boot camp. I think it’s gonna be a lot more time and commitment, but I think we’re all fit and ready to do that.” Captain of the cheer team, Alexa Fox, explains that the primary hurdle the team is facing in preparing for competition is finances. “Obviously everyone is experiencing some difficulties with budgets and obviously competing is an expensive thing to do,” Fox said. “A lot
The Cheer team will perform at Manhattan Madness on Thursday, October 26th at 9 p.m. in Draddy. @MANHATTAN.CHEER/COURTESY goes into it behind the scenes, not even skill-wise, but with money.” Fox explained that after a lot of back and forth with coaches, shortly after they were told it would be possible for them to compete. “It was surreal,” Fox said. “I read the text and it said we’re competing and it kind of shocked me but it felt so rewarding too, because I know that we’ve worked so hard up until this point, and to see it all paid off was explainable.” In the past few weeks, the team acquired a new assistant coach who is bringing her expertise and knowledge of competing in national competitions to the players. Caroline Oliver
explains that the environment and other competitors at Nationals can be very daunting for the team, two major hurdles she is helping to prepare the team for. “It can be very overwhelming because you are at the same place walking next to girls that some of these girls have probably grown up idolizing,” Oliver said. With Manhattan Madness less than a week away, the team is gearing up for a powerful performance. “This would be our first performance as a team, which is always fun because we have girls that have never done it before and now they finally get to get out there and show every-
thing that they’ve been doing,” Fox said. “I think that’s a great first step for us to have to just perform in front of a crowd and then move towards practicing new skills and more advanced skills.” Manhattan Madness will take place Thursday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. in Draddy Gymnasium and will give students the opportunity to see firsthand all the hard work the cheer team has put in over the past year. To help raise money for Nationals the team will be having a ‘Boo Bag’ fundraiser, which will be available for purchase on Oct. 25 in Kelly Commons from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Stay tuned for updates on the cheer team’s journey to Nationals.