Issue 12, Fall 2019 - The Quadrangle

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Volume C, Issue 12

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NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 12, 2019

First Floor of Leo Gets Face Lift Nicole Fitzsimmons & Nicole Rodriguez Staff Writer & Asst.

Production Editor

Fatima Shama Welcomed By MC Community at Public Service Forum Shama is Executive Director of the Fresh Air Fund, a 140 year old non-profit organization committed to serving children in New York City’s underserved communities.

MEGAN DREHER / THE QUADRANGLE

Public Service Forum Hosts Executive Director of The Fresh Air Fund Megan Dreher Editor-in-Chief

On Wednesday, November 6, students gathered in Kelly Commons 4C for a Public Service Forum, which encouraged students to consider job opportunities working in the public sector post-graduation.

The event included panelists from three different fellowship programs in the New York City area, along with an opening address from keynote speaker Fatima Shama, the executive director of the Fresh Air Fund.

The Fresh Air Fund is a 140 year old non-profit agency that provides free summer experiences for children in the New York City area coming from low-income communities.

Through opportunities such as summer camps, host family programs in rural and suburban communities across thirteen different states and yearround academic enrichment programs, students are given a safe space to enjoy their summers as well as support both at

IN OP-ED: Learn why Jaspers should have Veteran’s Day off on p. 3

camp and in the city.

Fatima Shama joined the Fresh Air Fund as executive director after serving as senior education policy advisor from 2007-2009 and as commissioner of New York City’s office of immigrant affairs from 2009-2013 in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. Back when she joined the administration in 2006, she spearheaded a special initiative focusing on the intersection between health care, language access and literacy. It is in this area of work that Shama found her “why,” her reason for working in the public sector. She encouraged those present to also find their “why,” and work for that in whatever capacity necessary.

“The first piece of wisdom I want you to walk away with is what matters to you? Think of a moment or an issue - you’re in this really important time in your life and you’re developing these really thoughtful ideas about what matters to you. Is it the environment? Is it people?

Is it school? Is it education? Is it inequity? Is it human rights?

IN FEATURES: Meet junior Ireland Twiggs on p. 6

Is it human rights for a certain community of people? Is it animal rights? What is it? These are the moments where all of those things are developing for yourselves based on an experience or an opinion or an emotion,” said Shama.

Shama’s personal “who,” or the people she wished to work for, never changed throughout her career. Coming from an immigrant family, she saw the discrimination that many hardworking immigrants faced on a daily basis, strivers that were committed to their families, their neighborhoods, and their livelihoods. Her “who” became people like her parents.

She worked for children and families, but more specifically worked to ensure a parent’s hopes and dreams get realized for their children, no matter what background they may come from.

“I knew for a fact that there were thousands and thousands of people like my parents who were constantly forced to navi__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

The transformative renovations that began last summer on the first floor of Leo Hall are finally coming to a close. With few minor tasks left, students are beginning to utilize the new space of what was once known as the Leo Cafeteria and the entirety of the newly designed first floor.

The renovations to the first floor of Leo have changed the entire essence of what the floor once was. Besides the architectural design being completely modernized, the cafeteria is now home to four enclosed meeting rooms, a large loungelike area in the middle, folding tables and chairs that can be set up for studying, and Google Jam Boards. Soon, there will also be microwaves and vending machines for student use.

The area will be fully completed as soon as the permit for full occupancy is received.

Tim J. Ward, P.E., Dean of the School of Engineering, commented on the few minor changes left to be completed.

“There are some spaces there for some graduate students. The electrical and computer engineering graduate students used to have offices down there before it was gutted so we replaced those offices, and they haven’t moved in yet. So, it’s not quite done,” said Ward.

Renovating the first floor of Leo became a primary concern last May. Prior to the remodeling of the Leo Cafeteria, administration prioritized work done on the laboratories on the first floor. It was urgent that these be completed by the beginning of the semester as they needed to be used for classes. Following their completion, the work on the cafeteria began as fast as possible.

In just a few months, the entirety of the first floor has been altered into what it is now.

Walking down the halls, there are full windows that allow people passing by to look into the laboratories where they can

IN A&E:

see students working. What students described as once dark and dull hallways are now bright and encouraging.

Once you arrive at the doors of the former cafeteria, students can be seen in groups studying in one of the meeting rooms with the new Jam Boards or using the fold-up tables to study.

The Jam Boards are a new piece of technology that students can utilize in the meeting rooms to study. They are electronic boards that can be written on, much like a white board, yet are used with the touch of a finger.’

Senior Juliette Rodrigues shared her thoughts on the renovations and the use of new technology within the space.

“I think the space is really nice and the fact that they have the Jam Boards in the study rooms for full accessibility, I think that’s amazing. I’ve already used them to study, it’s great… It’s already set up, you just go, you can use your fingers to draw on it, or you can use a stylus to draw on it. It’s so easy and it’s so accessible for all of the students,” said Rodrigues.

The inspiration for renovations came from the need for a new study space following the demolishment of the former Fishbach Room due to the college moving their environmental engineering labs, the biggest set of labs on campus, from the third to the fourth floor.

Leo Cafeteria was already being used by students to study or wait between classes.

However, all food services were moved out of the cafeteria when Kelly Commons was built in 2014.

This left Leo Cafeteria as simply a large unrenovated space for students to study and inspired administration.

“We knew that we needed some replacement space for Fishbach, and that we were going to replace the space for Fishbach someplace in the building... But we needed some space for students right now, some nice new space. So, we decided to renovate the caf__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

IN SPORTS:

GPAC Boasts MC Film Society success in 24 Hour Upgraded Film Slam on p. 8 Facilities on p. 12

Opinions & Editorials

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the Quadrangle Volume C, Issue 12 November 12, 2019

The Editorial Board Megan Dreher Editor-in-Chief

Gabriella DePinho News Editor

Maria Thomas Asst. News Editor

Alexa Schmidt Features Editor Managing Editor

Katherine Heneghan Asst. Features Editor

Rose Brennan Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor

Madalyn Johnson Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

C. Garrett Keidel Sports Editor

Pete Janny Asst. Sports Editor

Lauren Schuster Social Media Editor

Brian Asare Photography Editor

Samantha Walla Production Manager Sophia Sakellariou Production Editor

Nicole Rodriguez Asst. Production Editor

Michevi Dufflart August Kissel Web Editors

Abby Crowell Distribution Manager

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.

Giving the Gift of Life As A College Student: Why You Should Donate Blood on November 20th Anna Woods Staff Writer

If you qualify to donate blood the thought of the process invokes a myriad of reactions. Some scowl in terror or disgust, others are indifferent and some are even excited about donating. For me, I have been so deeply impacted by blood donations that I am a part of the latter. It was blood donated by strangers that saved my father’s life.

My dear old dad was a sergeant in the NYPD when the World Trade Center was attacked. On September 11, 2001 my parents woke up and turned on the news as they would every other day. Upon seeing the coverage of the terrorist attack, my dad got dressed, told my mom that he had to go to work and kissed us goodbye, unsure of everything.

Without hesitation he went to respond to one of the darkest days in American history.

He worked at Ground Zero for six long months after the attack. The equipment that was provided to him was intended to protect him from the toxins in the air.

Unfortunately, we learned four years later that the job he loved so much had slowly poisoned him. In 2005, he was diagnosed with a variety of ailments, one being kidney disease. He was placed on dialysis and put on the transplant list.

Thankfully, he received a kidney transplant in 2013, which was only possible as a result of blood donations.

During his surgery he received five units of blood from the generosity of five strangers. Without their selflessness my father would not be around today.

According to the New York Blood Center, “4.5 million Americans receive blood transfusions each year and 40,000 pints are transfused each day in the United States.” Sadly, our region’s blood supply has never been lower. Donating blood saves lives, plain and simple.

If you’ve ever wanted to help someone or if you’ve ever wanted to change someone’s life, donating is a perfect opportunity to do so.

The whole process only takes about an hour, which in the grand scheme of things is practically nothing. I know to some, needles may be scary

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but dealing with chronic illness or going through a traumatic accident is scarier.

When you go to a blood drive you will first fill out a donor registration form. Then you will answer a series of questions regarding disease history, medication usage, and recent travel. Next a technician will check your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. They will also analyze a drop of blood from your finger to measure the hematocrit level.

If you meet all donor requirements, you move on to a donor bed. After that, a technician will finally draw your blood. Lastly, you will be able to indulge in some refreshments, which I think is everyone’s favorite part of the process.

The donation does not only change the life of the recipient but their family is impacted as well. For many, the process seems impersonal. However, you never know when you or a loved one may need blood.

Think about how grateful you would be for a stranger’s donation.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN LET T ER OR OP-ED Letters to the Editor or an op-ed may be submitted to thequad@manhattan.edu by Saturday at noon to be considered for publication. Profanity, vulgarity and hate will not be published. The Quadrangle reserves the right not to publish a letter.

CORRECT ION Last week’s cover photo of Manhattan Madness was misattributed to Brian Asare. The photo was taken by Emily Hollar.

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NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Opinions & Editorials

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Nov. 11: Not Just Another Day Off Rose Brennan A&E Editor

I am nothing short of proud of my family’s history of service to this country. Both of my grandfathers served in the U.S. Armed Forces: one in the Marines and one in the Army.

The latter even saw combat in the Korean War. The military is a part of my family’s history, and it is a part I wish to honor.

Though both of my grandfathers are now deceased, Veterans Day nevertheless remains an important day both to me personally and to my family. On Nov. 11, we honor the courage and sacrifice those two men exhibited during their service. Everyone on Manhattan College’s campus should be afforded that same right. Unfortunately, this is not possible, as Manhattan College does not formally celebrate Veterans Day. MC is not an institution to grant an arbitrary day off. But Veterans Day is anything but arbitrary, especially at a college with a significant population of student veterans. The fact that

Veterans Day is not a day off at Manhattan College is an insult to everyone who either has served or has a loved one who served in the military.

This is not the first time the college has claimed to stand with a certain division of the student population while their actions speak otherwise.

The college lauded the students who participated in the first Climate Strike in October, going so far as to post photos of the students on their official Instagram account, but, unlike the New York City public schools, did not give students an excused absence to attend the protest. They also claim to support political activism, yet Election Day is not a day off, meaning non-local students have to choose between missing classes or performing their civic duty. The college also boasts of having a National Championship-winning dance team, and yet refuses to both hang the team’s national championship banner in Draddy and to display the trophy alongside the other athletic accolades.

Now, the veterans are receiving the same treatment, and

while the mistreatment of each of those groups is unacceptable on their own, because of my personal connection to the military, I cannot remain silent.

This is not to say that Manhattan College does not provide services to their student veterans. The college’s website states, “Manhattan College has a long-standing commitment to helping educate veterans, and ensuring their professional

sional skill set to enjoy illustrious careers.”

This is true in many ways.

There are a number of support programs in place, and the establishment of the Veterans Success Center is evidence of the college’s continued dedication to the student veteran population. The valedictorian of the class of 2018 was even a veteran. And yet, the college seems to have missed the mark

partner in the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon program, we assist veterans in their transition from military to academic and civilian life, and provide them with the personal and profes-

holiday on campus.

There are likely a number of people who do not observe Veterans Day in the way that I do, which is well within their rights. However, for me and for

-----------------------“On Nov. 11, we honor the courage and sacrifice those two men exhibited during their service. Everyone on Manhattan College’s campus should be afforded that same right.”

-----------------------success after graduation. As a by not making Veterans Day a

people who have either served or have family who served, it is a very important day for us to recognize, and the fact that it is not recognized is very upsetting.

Though I can no longer thank either of my grandfathers for their service to this country personally, Veterans Day remains a day where I can honor those across America who have shared that experience. Some of them are right here at MC, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one them deeply for their courage and for their service.

MC’s veteran population, especially the student veteran population, deserves to have a day where they are especially honored and thanked for their service. Instead, Nov. 11 is treated like any other run-ofthe-mill day at MC. But it isn’t, and we shouldn’t act like it.

Our veterans and our loved ones who have served deserve better. And if MC can give Christopher Columbus a day off, it can sure have that same decency for its veterans.

Wellness Week Inspires Students to Practice Self Care August Kissel Web Editor

As I began the planning process of Wellness Week, I had a certain type of student in mind.

The student who is overbooked and burnout. The editors of the paper and magazines, the tutors, the RA’s, those leading LOVE trips, Kairos, those with an internship downtown who have to hike uptown to give a tour in the afternoon. The student who has given so much to this campus and still have a paper to write and an exam to prepare for. These were the students I had in mind. Then, as time went on, I realized that wellness is not just for those who are experiencing burnout, wellness is for everyone. Wellness should not be something we seek when we need reprieve from our stresses, wellness should be the expectation of our day to day experience. We should be making time for it at the start or end of each day.

For example, this semester I am currently experiencing the worst burnout of my life. Out of pure stress and exhaustion I

have forgotten to eat, fainted, and still felt guilty for missing class. How ironic is it that during Wellness Week all I wanted

ing as a form of self care. Our Maggie Rogers listening party created an inviting space to spend time with peers and do

-----------------------“As time went on, I realized that wellness is not just for those who are experiencing burnout, wellness is for everyone.”

-----------------------to do was to lay down and rest, but yet felt I didn’t have time to. Each day I stressed about the events to come, however I found that each event I went to left me feeling revived enough to handle the next piece of my day. I needed to be take in the Wellness Week advice just as much as everyone else.

Nicol Zambrano’s Advanced Self Care Q&A taught us that it is not our job to control others feelings towards us and in general. The MOD’s event encouraged thoughtful journal-

homework. The Fitness Center’s Zumba class encouraged positive and upbeat movement, and Christine Loughrin’s yoga class encouraged attendees to stop apologizing for treating your body right and taking up space. Stephanie Powell’s talk touched upon the topics of bodies, reflection, and spirituality and how each of these are interconnected. Conor Reidy’s meditation called upon each of us to take a moment to reflect on our own understanding of our relationship with ourselves, each

other, and God. Ireland Twigg’s grARTitude lead us to look into our garden of growth and chart our spiritual journeys. And Rachel Cirelli’s Slice of Social Justice fostered confident energy regarding stepping into our power in the workplace.

Each of these sessions were amazing, the speakers all did a phenomenal job to foster their own expertise and wellness for the student body. I want to say thank you so much to every speaker who shared their time, wisdom, and kindness to this week. I am so grateful for each and every event that took place this week, and the source of renewal they gave everyone who came. I would also like to say thank you to the LWGRC for being so willing to take on this endeavor with me, and to share their space to make safe and healthy spaces for all of us students.

I would also like to say thank you to every student that came to the events. I coined the world outside Wellness Week, as Burnout Week, the week where no one had time to breathe let alone go to events that practice self care.

Attendance to the Wellness Week events were low, many peers informed of their endless list of events or projects they needed to be working on instead of coming to Wellness Week events. This raised a new idea, that Wellness Week needs to expand beyond a week long project. While this week was an amazing jump start to conversation of self care and wellness on campus, it demonstrated just how much farther we need to reach. Campus culture needs to be adjusted to place a stronger value on care and wellness.

How will this be done? Through practicing what we preach, we encourage our friends to eat but going with them to make sure we don’t forget too, taking the time to have hard discussions, and learning that if we don’t take care of ourselves, the work we produce will never be at the high quality we want it to reach. As this semester and year goes forward, may we remember the lessons we learned from Wellness Week and take them beyond this time and into our day to day experience.

News

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THE QUADRANGLE

First Floor of Leo Gets Face Lift __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 eteria area and that’s what was done this summer,” said Ward.

Another issue that arose from the destruction of Fishbach on the fourth floor was that the area for Society of Women Engineers, SWE, had to be demolished as well. This was alarming for Dean Ward and his office.

“Obviously, it’s important to the school of engineering to make sure our female engineers realize this is a welcoming environment,” said Ward.

He made a commitment to create a new space primarily for the college’s women engineers and both male and female SWE members to come together once the space on the first floor was completed.

“Many of us, including myself, made a commitment that we would do what we can within our power to make the profession more accepting….

That’s the philosophy I have here and making sure that the SWE had space was important,” he continued.

The uses of the new space are key to Leo Hall and Manhattan College as a whole. Though it is not completely done yet, students are already making use of the new areas provided to them, along with the rest of the first floor.

As she sat and studied in the new area for women engineers, senior Christina Raguso expressed her joy about the opening of Leo Cafeteria.

“It’s been very drastic, in such a good way. I mean, I used to use the cafeteria a lot because it was a good quiet place with a lot of table space…

Now that Fishbach is gone we are really happy that this place

is open now for us to use. We really needed this, it gives our school a nice look now,” said Raguso.

In the future, Dean Ward sees the space being very convenient for commuter students, and used as study and student gathering spaces. He also believes that the space can be used for advising purposes during registration.

Students and faculty combined are excited about being able to fully utilize the first floor of Leo in all of its capacity through new places to enrich their learning and new technology to enhance the manner in which they learn.

-------------------------------------------------

[TOP] A view of one of the laboratories that can be seen through large windows in the halls of the first floor of Leo.

[BOTTOM] A look inside the renovated first floor study area including some of the large lounge space and folding tables and chairs that can be used by students for study purposes.

NICOLE FITZSIMMONS / THE QUADRANGLE -----------------------------------------------------

Public Service Forum Hosts Executive Director of The Fresh Air Fund __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 gate systems who didn’t have the linguistic capacity but were brilliant people. My dad was running and owned three different small businesses in the city. He was committed to so many things, including his children’s education, he was committed to success, he was a neighborhood ally, he was committed to making sure those people who couldn’t afford to get food got the food from his grocery store, he was such a community leader in his own way but he couldn’t go to the hospital and get the services he needed because he couldn’t navigate that system - and so

my commitment to this policy space was born out of my own experience. I figured out that I needed to do policy to change it,” Shama said.

The two aspects that have consistently changed throughout Shama’s work is her “what” as well as her “how,” the way in which she serves the community and the steps she takes to effect change.

“When you invest in people, they invest in you. When your school invests in you, you will continue to invest in them. You walk away with that really great pride. This city, when you invest in people, they are really proudly New Yorkers. How do you facilitate that? So I was on

the team of people who thought about those things but I was focused on a population, not on an area,” said Shama.

From her work in the Bloomberg administration, Shama was able to learn about effecting change through policy. Her educational background, her passions and her prior work in government gave her much insight for her role as executive director of the Fresh Air Fund, still focusing on her “who.”

“This is a place where my educational background, my health background and my commitment to community really comes together. It’s also a place where we really get to

talk about the world today, in what are the realities of the have and have nots. So I have brought to this work a commitment to think about our “who” once again and the vehicle, the what and the how, happens to be through summer experiences,” Shama said.

Shama’s inspiring story of her journey in the public sector led into discussion facilitated

by Rob Walsh, senior advisor for strategic partnerships and organizer of the event. Students also heard from NYC Urban Fellow David Caiafa ‘19, Neighborhood 360 fellow Vincent Wiedemann ‘19, and Coro Fellow Michael Lukauskas. Each strongly encouraged

work, either professionally or voluntarily in the public sector, and echoed Shama by reiterating the fulfilling nature of their work.

“This sector does everything from the arts, to healthcare to human services, to youth development to education. I encourage you in this chapter of your lives to think about what do you care about?

Who do you care about? And how do you, in whatever way, want to make a difference? You can do it in a full-time way, you can do it as a volunteer, you can do it in so many different ways,” said Shama.

Features

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

5

Kairos VII: An Experience Like No Other Christine Nappi Staff Writer

Being surrounded by fresh air, open sky, and expansive fields gave students at The Empowerment Center a chance to disconnect from the hustle-andbustle environment of Manhattan College. Although the environment served as a contrast to campus, students gained more than just a weekend-getaway; they had a chance to reflect on life, de-stress and make new friends, all thanks to the Kairos VII retreat.

Around 40 members of the MC community travelled to The Empowerment Center in Goshen, N.Y. on Nov. 1-3 to go on the Kairos VII retreat. Kairos is the “hallmark retreat” of Manhattan, and gives students the opportunity to escape for a weekend and enhance their relationships in life by relating it to spirituality. This was the seventh Kairos held by Manhattan, with retreats occurring in the fall and spring.

“It’s mostly just a weekend to get away and be a weekend for reflection,” Kairos Coordinator Faith LaRock said. “You get such great things out of it even if you’re not into reflection, you make friends, you have a great weekend just to be with yourself and not focus on your school work.”

“It’s a very peaceful and empowering environment, it’s just very conducive for self reflection and reflection with others, your relationship with yourself, your relationship with others and your relationship with God, if you have that,” leader Michael Hackett said. “[There’s] a very personal aspect which really allows you to

connect with everyone on the retreat, and there’s also some fun games that help build community, friendship and love.”

Although Kairos is rooted in spirituality, the retreats are open to all students regardless of religious affiliation. La Rock and Hackett note that the retreats can meet the needs for students interested in the spiritual aspect, but they can also be for students who aren’t looking for that. Whether it be meeting new people, escaping from city life, or just having an enjoyable time, they claim Kairos has the power to do all that.

“If you’re someone where you’re not sure if this is right for you, you can get a plethora of different benefits from it,” LaRock said. “You don’t need to be someone that’s super reflective or super spiritual, its open to all different religions and its really not geared towards a certain one.”

The leadership team emphasizes that the retreat is spiritual, but not tied to any specific religion, in order to create a comfortable and inclusive community for all who are interested.

“I identify as atheist, and I got a lot out of it so you don’t need to be religious by any means to gain,” Kairos participant Patricia Wright said. “It’s a lot about self-discovery and that can benefit everyone.”

LaRock notes that the benefits of going to a small school further enhances the Kairos experience. She describes people to already be familiar with each other upon arriving, yet the weekend gives people an opportunity to connect on a deeper level.

“Everyone is just so happy to be there with one another,

Members of Manhattan College travelled to The Empowerment Center in Goshen, N.Y. to partake in the bi-annual Kairos retreat.

FAITH LAROCK/ COURTESY it’s just a great, warm feeling from the second the bus gets there until the second the bus leaves,” LaRock said.

Despite other Kairos retreats happening in the past, Hackett describes each one as different and provides unique experiences for each person who attends. Although Kairos may appear to be one thing, he advises people enter the experience without having any expectations.

“You can’t really expect how certain people are going to experience this weekend because it is so unique and everyone’s going to experience it differently,” Hackett said. “When I was there everything just falls into place, it’s just something that happens that everything just works out.”

Leaders and participants of this past Kairos encourage people to attend future retreats, yet are hesitant in revealing de-

tails of the weekend because of the unique and impactful experience they just had. In order to truly understand the Kairos experience, students need to attend the event themselves. La Rock and Hackett advise that the best approach is to enter the weekend without any expectations.

“That’s why people try to keep it secretive, you don’t want people to know what’s going on there because you just want them to go in with a completely open mind and just experience it,” Wright said.

According to LaRock, those who attended are left feeling the “kai high” after returning back to Manhattan.

Participants return feeling refreshed from their break, having learned something through reflection or have established deeper friendships.

“You think back to the weekend and you talk to the

people that you grew with and bonded with and you just have this feeling of contentedness and peace,” Hackett said. “You can’t really explain it, just this feeling of joy, pure happiness.”

Due to the popularity Kairos receives, spots for the retreat fill quickly. Hackett notes that this should not discourage anyone from signing up and being placed on the wait list. Although people may be hesitant to sign up for being unaware of the event’s details, Hackett encourages students to partake in Kairos to gain an experience like no other.

“Go in with an open mind and an open heart and just allowing yourself to experience this weekend for all that it is,” Hackett said. “Take the leap and trust that it’s a good experience.”

“Are They Crazy Or Saying Something We Don’t Want to Hear?”: An Intriguing Conversation among MC Students Jessica McKenzie Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Nov. 6, Andrew Skotnicki, P.h.D., and Nuwan Jayawickreme P.h.D., treated Manhattan College students to a lecture concerning the nature of the imprisoned mentally ill in Hayden 100.

Skotnicki and Jayawickreme are both professors at the College. Skotnicki is a religious studies professor, while Jayawickreme teaches Psychology.

The audience was mostly made up of Psychology majors, but all students were welcomed to attend. Skotnicki and Jayawickreme opened the discussion by emphasizing how much they wanted the students to participate.

More and more people with

mental illness are going to into the criminal justice system, and they argue that that is unjust.

“Most people in prison that are perceived as crazy are not crazy at all … Why are we putting them through this trauma?” Skotnicki proposed.

The lecture opened up with some statistics. According to the Bureau of Justice, for every one person treated in a psychiatric facility, five are confined in prison. More than half of those imprisoned have a mental illness, and 40 percent of those people do not have a criminal charge.

In 1950, there were about 500,000 open beds in prison.

There are now about 50,000.

Skotnicki is currently writing a theological book on how conceptualizing mental illness is doing society a disservice.

He has been working on this

project for about eight months, but the topic has animated him since he was in college. The book is titled “The Prophets Are All Crazy.”

According to Skotnicki’s research, it costs $167,731 a year to incarcerate somebody. That’s almost as much as it costs for four years of Ivy League school.

“There is something that schizophrenics are saying that is making us so uncomfortable that we are imprisoning them and forcing taxpayers to pay an astronomical amount. But schizophrenics are involuntary prophets,” Skotnicki said.

He analyzed how a neoliberal capitalist system is encouraged to pursue profit, therefore people of lower-economic status are more likely to go to prison when diagnosed with a mental illness. However, the Bible includes many prophets

that are all seen as nonsensical to the public and thrown in jail.

So why isn’t that possible in the twenty-first century?

Jayawickreme became a clinical psychologist and a specialist in PTSD because of the history of mental illness in his family. He discussed how much of a negative impact language has had on the mentally ill, such as the use of the word “crazy” and the glorification of mental illness in pop culture.

Schizophrenia simply means that a person has an enlargement of the brain. “They experience a fabrication of a reality of what we presume is real,” he explained.

The prevailing distribution of wealth and the divided political world makes it difficult to get healthcare for those of lower-economic status, even though they are more likely to

get Schizophrenia than those of high economic status. “[Schizophrenics] are not less than human because you think their brains are broken,” Jayawickreme said.

He explained that African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, while Caucasians are more likely to be diagnosed as bipolar. This is because bipolar disorder is more socially accepted.

“The sanest people in the world are the ones who look at the world as it is and find it depressing,” said Scokniki.

Skotnicki poses the question we need to ask to the mentally ill. “What is it about your reality that makes you so angry?” He only hopes that one day we can understand the anger of the mentally ill, and the first step is listening to them.

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Features

Ireland Twiggs: Givin L.O.V.E. All O THE QUADRANGLE

Sophia Sakellariou Production Editor

With a Southern twang and infectious smile, Ireland Twiggs’ warmth and kindness shines out to all who cross her path. Not many juniors in college can say they’ve spent the better part of their lives in the service of others, but that is precisely what Twiggs has done and hopes to continue to do for years to come.

A peace and religious studies major with a minor in Arabic, Twiggs’ looks to her childhood as the source of her passion for service. Born in Georgia, Twiggs’ family moved up and down the East Coast before she was old enough to remember before settling down in Virginia. Twiggs cites that move as the one she remembers most.

“The only big move I remember was from North Carolina to Virginia,” said Twiggs. “I just started kindergarten so I remember being really upset, but it obviously was easy to adjust because little kids are really friendly.”

Twiggs’ family was nomadic as a result of her father’s military involvement. Moving often is a big part of the military fam-

Ireland led a group of students on a service immersion trip in New Orleans, as a part of the L.O.V.E. program.

IRELAND TWIGGS/ COURTESY ily life. She explained how her father was deployed four or five times so she grew up very active in the base life.

“My sister’s name is America so my family is extremely patriotic,” said Twiggs. “[Base life] made me definitely at a young age become very involved with global issues and awareness of what it meant to

be an American.”

Twiggs chose Arabic as a minor because of the love she found for the Middle East in high school. An anthropology class she took in high school paired with growing up in a military family all influenced her interest and love for the culture. After high school she traveled to India and Indone-

sia and her fascination with the culture and wanderlust spirit really took flight.

“I just loved India, the culture is so rich. I love Hinduism as a religion and I’m fascinated by it. I love the colors, I love the people and my high school teacher was from India so she inspired my love for the country,” said Twiggs.

Students on the New Orleans L.O.V.E. trip helped residents rebuild as the effects of Hurricane Katrina are still evident.

IRELAND TWIGGS/ COURTESY

Twiggs wanted to be in a city after graduation, knowing that for her major a city such as Washington, DC or New York had the most opportunities for the non-profit, service work she hoped to get involved in.

However, landing at Manhattan College in the Bronx was a challenge for her.

“Freshman year was really rough for me, I considered transferring a few times,” said Twiggs. “I couldn’t seem to adjust to the fast pace and people are a little colder than what I was used to, but eventually I started to find people and now I love it here.”

For those who know Ireland, the idea of her transferring is blasphemous because of her extensive involvement in the college’s community. Vice President of the junior class, Vice President of Philanthropy in the Sigma Delta Tau Sorority, leader of L.O.V.E. Bethlehem in the spring, leader of Kairos in the fall, host of an art therapy session once a month in the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center, and assistant to the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Center-- Twiggs wears many hats.

Dr. Mehnaz Afridi has been a source of family away from home, teaching Twiggs about kindness and the importance of education as a mentor to her since freshman year. Dr. Afridi is an associate professor of religious studies and serves as director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Center at the col-

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ng Back and Bringing Over the World NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Twiggs uses yoga as an outlet for the stress of everyday life.

IRELAND TWIGGS/ COURTESY lege. Twiggs works as her assistant at the center which has recently opened its archives.

“Ireland was in my RELS 110 class and was clearly eager to learn and participate.

She asked good questions and was deeply curious about the world,” said Dr. Afridi. “She came across as a mature freshman who wanted to better the world. I offered her the job because she was committed to alleviating human suffering and prejudice but also reliable. I got lucky!”

Twiggs’ devotion to service extends far beyond the MC campus, having been apart of the L.O.V.E. program since freshman year when she went

on her first trip to Ecuador.

L.O.V.E. trips are service immersion trips that provide students with opportunities to learn about justice issues in the communities that are most impacted by them. Twiggs found the program to be a perfect fit for her as it combines her love of traveling and peace studies.

She led her first trip her sophomore year in New Orleans. Her family lives there and they were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. To have the opportunity to lead a group of students to help others like her family was invaluable to her.

This spring Twiggs will be leading another L.O.V.E. trip,

this time to Bethlehem, where students will explore the city, holy sites, parts of Jerusalem and speak with non-profits to get the lay of the land and immerse themselves in the culture and community.

Unlike most trips that are a semester long commitment, the Bethlehem trip is a full year.

Twiggs has her team picked and they will have weekly meetings up until spring break that serve to educate the team on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and religious landmarks.

Twiggs is eager to immerse herself in Bethlehem’s culture, but is particularly eager to have the opportunity to practice her Arabic.

Twiggs’ wanderlust spirit will bring her to other parts of the world later this year as well.

She recently returned from a trip to Madrid and in the spring she’ll be walking the streets of Paris. Her dream destination?

The Middle East.

“Jordan is really big on my list right now,” said Twiggs.

“I also wanted to spend two weeks in January at an ashram in India, a yoga and meditation silence retreat, but I’m hesitant as a woman. To fly that far and not speak the language, and India has obviously had a human rights crisis to I sometimes struggle with wanting to really branch out and be a solo woman traveller, but I’m also

Twiggs first got involved with the L.O.V.E. program with a trip to Ecuador her freshman year.

IRELAND TWIGGS/ COURTESY

7

Twiggs hosts an art session at the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center once a week.

IRELAND TWIGGS / COURTESY terrified.”

Twiggs is also involved with service closer to home as she lead the Kairos Retreat this fall.

Kairos is a religious retreat in upstate New York that allows students to explore their spirituality and make lasting connections.

Conor Reidy of the Campus Ministry and Social Action Suite at Manhattan College explained why she was chosen for the trip.

“We seek to form a Kairos team that is diverse in experience, major, personality type, and graduating year. As a junior, peace studies major student involved in such a wide array of campus activities, Ireland is an excellent choice for the team,” said Reidy.

“Beyond this though, Ireland is a kind, compassionate and intelligent person: all things we want in a retreat leader,” added Reidy. “She listens to others in order to understand their perspectives, rather than just wait to offer her own. She is incredibly intelligent as well, which shines through in the talk she has prepared to give the 40 plus student participants on Kairos VII. All in all, we are so ecstatic she is on the team.”

In the midst of all this giving and service, I couldn’t help but wonder how Twiggs finds time for herself.

“I’m working on that one,” said Twiggs. “Yoga is something I do a lot and I’ve become really big into gratitude.

I do gratitude journaling on my phone every morning and night and I also journal in a physical journal as well.”

Twiggs finds that she journals most about her friends.

Being so far from home they’ve become her family and biggest

support system. She loves the big community system around her and is especially fond of how they share the same values. Twiggs considers her values to be a major part of who she is and she tries to look for people with the same.

Another secret to balancing it all for Twiggs? Crying.

“I was reading a book this summer called ‘Burnout’ and they talk a lot about how your body can’t distinguish the difference between being chased by a lion and doing your taxes and they say you have to alert your body that it’s gone,” said Twiggs. “I’ve tried to become more in tune as to what my body is demanding so whether that’s crying or sitting on the couch for 12 hours, just listening to what my body wants.”

As for after college plans, it’s all up-in-the-air for Twiggs. Volunteer work is at the forefront of her agenda, considering the Peace Corps or smaller volunteer organizations abroad.

She may apply to do research, or eventually end up in the realm of government and service. As for now, this globetrotter intends to live by her mantra, “Better an oops than a what if.”

Above all, Twiggs wants the world to find the value in gratitude that she has lately, learning to be grateful and express gratitude to other people.

“I hope the world learns to love and be kind to one another. Especially in my field, I’m constantly studying war and awful horrific things,” said Twiggs. “We are all humans and I only see us as all humans, and I hope we can learn to see past each other’s differences to come together.”

Arts & Entertainment

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THE QUADRANGLE

Students from MC Film Society Win Second Place In 24 Hour Film Slam Gillian Puma Staff Writer

The Manhattan College Film Society has shown that they have some aspiring filmmakers of their own, as two groups of students participated in the 24 Hour Film Slam in New Jersey on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.

The 24 Hour Film Slam is made responsible through FilmOneFest. FilmOneFest is a production of the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council. It is known for being the Jersey Shore’s showcase for all short films under two minutes in length.

This was the production’s Fifth Annual 24 Hour Film Slam. In order to participate, the students were given a 24hour time restraint to create a short film. It had to be located in a parking lot, have an egg sandwich as a prop, and require a dialogue line within the script that said, “You probably shouldn’t put that there”. This was the first year that the M.C. Film Society had participated in the event.

“I was contacted by a representative at the 24 Hour Film Slam asking if students might want to participate in their event,’’ said Margaret Toth, advisor for the MC Film Society.

“Many students were interested, so we ultimately formed

two different teams and submitted two different films.”

Regan Alejo, Sharon Egan, Teresa Ramoni, Nick Chiofalo and Angela Ramoni were responsible for creating a short film titled “The Confession”, which won second place at the film slam. Film Society members Alfonse Calato, Megan Carmody and Michael Carlson also participated in the film slam. Their short film was titled “Hung Up”.

“The Confession” was a psychological thriller short film. The film starred Nicholas Chiofalo and Angela Ramoni.

The film opens up with a birds eye view of Chiofalo walking down the aisle of a church. He is then shot going into confession, speaking to a priest.

“Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It’s been um, it’s been too long since my last Confession,” Chiofalo opens the film saying, as the scene then cuts to him walking to a car in a parking lot. He goes into the car and opens up an egg sandwich. Through close-ups of the sandwich, Chiofalo’s voice over says “I’ve betrayed a sacred trust. I’ve hurt someone I’ve loved and cared about dearly.

Committed a grave sin.” Then the shot changes to the back seat, in which we see a woman (Angela Ramoni) in the driver’s seat and Chiofalo in the passen-

“The Confession” won second place at the 24 Hour Film Slam presented at Monmouth University. The students were awarded a cash prize as well as a film entry in the Film One Fest.

REGAN ALEJO / COURTESY ger seat.

Chiofalo puts ketchup on the sandwich, while Ramoni says the required line, “You shouldn’t put that there”. Chiofalo then very emotionally continues with how he has sinned, as the scene changes to Ramoni throwing a piece of the sand-

Regan Alejo shooting scenes for “The Confession” in a local parking lot.

REGAN ALEJO / COURTESY

wich inside the car window.

Chiofalo looks at the window in shock. Chiofalo passionately

“This was a fantastic experience!

We had immense fun working together and creating something we can be proud of.

We’re even talking about doing more short films just for the hell of it without the restrictions of the competition.”

-Regan Alejo confesses how this was his first offense, as the voice over plays over a scene in which Ramoni appears to be yelling at Chiofalo about something. The audience never knows what Ramoni is yelling at Chiofalo for.

The film then concludes with the priest responding to Chiofalo, “Your sins are forgiven. You may go in peace.” Chiofalo says, “Thank you. I’m a free man,” and leaves the church.

Regan Alejo spoke about working on the film. Alejo cowrote, co-directed, and did the camera work for the film.

“There are a lot of Stanley Kubrick references that are very obvious in the film as far

as cinematography goes,’’ Alejo said. She also accredited the film society for inspiring her, saying “Our film society theme this year is ‘Unconventional Endings’, so the twist and ambiguity was already on my mind.”

Alejo also expressed how the film was a team effort.

“None of us really had one job and none of it was an individual effort,” she said. “I made poor Nick reshoot scenes over and over and over again if even one thing was slightly off. The same went for every process.”

The short film not only won second place, but will also be featured at the Film One Festival next July.

“If we win, I have no idea what comes next in terms of what we win and if there is another festival we entered into,” Alejo said. “But what I do know is that our minds will implode.”

When asked about the experience, Alejo said “This was a fantastic experience! We had immense fun working together and creating something we can be proud of,” she said. “We’re even talking about doing more short films just for the hell of it without the restrictions of the competition.”

Toth expressed her pride for the students that participated in the event, saying “I’m so proud of our students. It was especially gratifying to see current and former film students making use of the techniques they’ve learned in film classes with me.”

Arts & Entertainment

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

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The Exploration of Isolation and Human Nature in the “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” BOOK NOOK

“The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” was Carson McCullers’ debut novel.

NICOLE FITZSIMMONS/ THE QUADRANGLE

Nicole Fitzsimmons Staff Writer

“The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” is a novel that truly makes you think about human behavior. It makes us recognize that what we really desire is someone who will listen to us, who will make us feel like they want to listen to us. Yet, we fail to think about the person who is listening to us. We crave solace and will blindly share our soul to escape having the thoughts in our own mind. Rarely do we recognize the impact all of our thoughts can have when they are being driven into the mind of someone else. The novel shares vignettes of the main characters through the lens of a man who does nothing but listen.

The first time I ever really fell in love with a book was the first time I read “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers. It was a required reading for my AP English Literature and Composition Class, so I thought it was going to be another novel that I skimmed through quickly at one in the morning the night before— hardly taking in any of the content, hoping I wouldn’t be quizzed on it the day I walked into class. But this novel was different. I still have the same copy I had from the summer before my senior year, which is still covered in scribbles of annotations and underlines.

At just 23 years old, McCullers wrote this novel containing extremely complex and interesting figures. The story

is based around a deaf-mute, John Singer, in an old mill town of the South during the 1930s.

John Singer embodies a mystery to all of the surrounding people living in the town. He has the ability to read, write and read lips, yet does not like to do so. He is a distant and conscientious character.

The one person that Singer feels comfort with is his best friend, who is also a deaf-mute, Spiros Antonapoulos. Antonopoulos is the ultimate other; he is quite impetuous and his head is frequently up in the clouds. This is very distinct from Singer who is constantly aware of what he is doing, and always has a motive to his actions.

There is a deep admiration that is seen for Anto-

napolous from Singer, which does not seem to be completely mutual considering the apathetic characteristics Antonopoulos inhibits. This is parallel to the relationship between Singer and the rest of the characters: the lack of mutuality.

The mark of Antonopolous’ character is made when he is sent away to an asylum in the beginning of the novel. All the while, Singer bears Antonopoulos gifts and writes him letters as often as he could, with little reciprocation. After ten years of living with Antonopolous, Singer is forced to pay rent and live in a family’s shared home located in the town.

Singer’s new-found loneliness leaves him looking like a vulnerable target for those around him in the town.

Throughout the novel, McCullers introduces the reader to four extremely complex and interesting characters battling with the isolation and struggles they face. Singer’s lack of response leaves the characters around him with a confidant.

It is almost as if he is a mere diary to them; he listens, and they share everything. Despite his own sense of isolation, the characters use him as a mechanism to battle their own remoteness.

The reader meets 13-yearold Mick Kelley at the Kelly family home Singer lives in, a young girl who is struggling with finding herself, sharing her thoughts and feelings and growing in her impoverished household that is trying its best to keep going. She uses music as her escape and uses it to battle with the isolation she faces, along with her confidant John Singer.

The next character is Jake Blount, a highly inconsistent and rash character who battles with alcoholism. He goes off on tirades about social injustice in drunkenness, in which Singer simply listens to. He has trouble internally accepting the socio-economic position that he and others in the town have to deal with, and even talks about leading a socialist revolution.

Benedict Mady Copeland is a black doctor and medical professional who has worked in the town for 25 years. During the tense period the novel is set in, he struggles with his desire to mend racial relations. This

struggle is intense because of his nobility in working to make personal sacrifices and devote his entire life’s work to furthering the education of and aiding the black community. Besides this internal struggle in which he confides in Singer, he is also ill and his son is physically mistreated in prison.

The most interesting of the characters to me is Biff Brannon. He is the owner of the town’s New York Café, a place where both Jake Blount and Singer both frequently hang out in. It is a lonesome place that dwellers walk into at all hours of the night, yet it is important to the town and the novel. He is generous with all of his customers, including Mick.

Despite dealing with tense relations with his own wife, Biff Brannon is one character that is continuously haunted by the fact that he cannot completely understand Singer.

The end of the novel is significant because it leaves the reader with a mountain of unanswered questions. For some this is the most irritating thing an author can do, but it’s something I’ve really grown to love.

New beginnings are laid out as the four characters deal with the loss of the one person they shared their secrets with. I’d like to think that there is hope in the ending of this novel, and that the thoughts they shared with Singer can now face reality as things begin to change completely with a small sense of hope in some strange way.

The sun will rise again, and the characters will go on, seems to be part of the message.

Yet it is hard to deny that the ending of this novel is not sorrowful and eye-opening.

McCullers’ intriguing take on isolation starts with the surrounding characters but ultimately ends in the greatest isolation of the one who aids the rest. I recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in works of literature that change the way you look at things.

“The Heart is a lonely hunter with only one desire! To find some lasting comfort in the arms of another’s fire...driven by a desperate hunger to the arms of a neon light, the heart is a lonely hunter when there’s no sign of love in sight!” writes McCuller.

Arts & Entertainment

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THE QUADRANGLE

“The Irishman:” Another Mob Masterpiece from Marty FILM REVIEW Sophia Sakellariou Production Editor

Director Martin Scorsese is well-known for his period piece dramas on the glamourous yet harsh realities of mob life, often drawing on real-life stories for inspiration. His most recent film, “The Irishman,” has been in the works for years with over 300 scenes filmed.

However, this three-hour and thirty minute film was well worth the wait, culminating in an evocative masterpiece that is full of Scorsese’s signature trademarks.

Based off of Charles Brandt’s book, “I Heard You Paint Houses,” the film follows the life of Philadelphia truck driver Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran. The Irishman, played

by Robert DeNiro, was a working man who grew up around Philadelphia. His roughhouse father toughened him from a young age and his grave front only grew stronger when he served as a soldier in WWII, with an incredulous 411 days spent in combat by the time the war ended. When Sheeran returned to Pennsylvania he joined the Teamsters, the truck driver union, and that’s when his mob involvement began.

The film opens with Sheeran in a nursing home. A continuous long shot brings the viewer through the nursing home as if they themselves are walking its halls. Long tracking shots are a trademark of Scorsese’s films, the most notable being the Copacabana scene in Goodfellas, one of his most renowned films. The film then jumps to the day that changed everything— the wedding day of Bill Bufalino’s daughter. As the film goes on, Scorsese eloquently brings the viewer back in time to various periods of Sheeran’s life, but always returns to this day.

The first flashback shows Sheeran driving a truck full of

meat to be delivered. The truck breaks down and is helped out

by Russell Bufalino, “the quiet don” among the Sicilian-born American mafia heads, played

by Joe Pesci. Special effects were used to make DeNiro and Pesci look younger.

This technology was a big contributor to the films’ high budget and long post-production process, but was well executed.

Bufalino took a liking to The Irishman and introduced him to many other mob bosses including Joe Galla, played

by Bobby Cannavale, and the Irishman’s career in the world of organized crime took off. As Sheeran got well acquainted with the mob he was introduced to the president of The Teamsters Union, Jimmy Hoffa, played by Al Pacino.

The title of this book comes from the first phone call exchange between the two. “I heard you paint houses,” were the first words Hoffa said to The Irishman to which he replied, “I do my own carpentry work, too.” In translation; painting houses refers to killing people as the blood from a gunshot wound “paints” walls, and the carpentry refers to taking care of the mess.

From this point on, The Irishman performs a lot of odd jobs for Hoffa from executing a number of hits to undercutting the competition. One scene of DeNiro and his co-conspirators pushing four taxis into a river offers some insight into why the budget of the film was so high, and production such a strenuous process.

This is the first film Scorsese has done with Pacino, but I think this casting choice was the wrong choice. Although a brilliant actor who has certainly played his part in the mob circuit (think “The Godfather”), he was not the right fit for this character. Hoffa was a short, and short-tempered, IrishAmerican who didn’t hold back

“The Irishman” is director Martin Scorsese’s newest and long-awaited film.

SOPHIA SAKELLARIOU / THE QUADRANGLE from shouting ethnic slurs at the Italian mafiosos when things didn’t go his way. Coming from Pacino, an Italian, the delivery of these lines seemed wrong.

As each new mob member is introduced in the film, Scorsese uses title cards detailing who they are and how they died, or in most cases, how they were killed. Title cards are a trademark of Scorsese films, seen in Raging Bull and Goodfellas, and they serve to create a documentary feel in the film.

In “The Irishman,” they serve to remind the viewer that the mob life may look glamorous,

but in six years this guy gets shot in the head three times by this guy, and there’s nothing glamorous about that.

Many of Scorsese’s films are so evocative for the empathy they generate. In Taxi Driver, DeNiro plays a disturbed loner, but his attitude towards rescuing Jodie Foster’s young character shows the viewer that he is a good guy. “The Irishman” paints a similar picture of Sheeran, as his strained relationship with his daughter Peggy creates the same level of emotion, pulling at the viewer’s heart strings.

The book only briefly men-

tions Sheeran’s regrets when it came to his relationships with his four daughters, but Scorsese made it a point to follow one of them from her youth to her adulthood. This close look at the strained relationship between father and daughter evokes a deep sense of empathy for Sheeran. Even though he did many bad things in his life, the viewer can’t help but feel bad for the dying old man who’s all alone in a nursing home on Christmas. And that is the magic of Scorsese.

“The Irishman,” will be available to stream on Netflix on Nov. 27.

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Arts & Entertainment

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Manhattan College Players Present Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone Madalyn Johnson Asst. A&E Editor

Manhattan College Players performed the play “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” in the Black Box theatre on Thurs. Nov. 7 and throughout the weekend of Nov. 8 to Nov. 10. The production was directed by JR Caldwell and featured Andrea Gorrin Sepulveda as the female protagonist.

The title simply summarizes what the story is revolved around. The protagonist, Jean, recovers a dead man’s, Gordon Gottlieb’s, cell phone and through answering his calls comes across his family and friends, including his mother, widow and brother. Awkwardly interacting with this tight knit group of mourners and continuously lying to them about Gordon’s last remarks, Jean slowly comes to the realization that cell phones have become extremely controlling over society and therefore have strained the emotional connection human beings naturally develop with one another.

Sarah Ruhl is the playwright for “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” and has been praised for a variety of her other plays including “The Clean House” (2004), “Eurydice” (2003) and “In the Next Room” (2009).

Ruhl has also received one of the highest honors in playwriting, having two of her works named as finalists for Pulitzer Prize for Drama and having a Tony Award nomination for In the Next Room.

Along with covering a subject matter that deals with the obsession of the cellular devices in modern society, the play references historical icons in

ancient literacy. Greek heroes like Odysseus and Heracles are resembled when Jean takes a journey to hell and back to figure out the reason why Gordon seemed to be selfish, conceited and close-minded. Here Jean is considered the heroine out of all the other characters in the story. Additionally Hell is oddly represented in the play, for Jean meets Gordon in what could possibly be viewed as a holding cell the deceased are kept in before they descend into the afterlife. Simply put, Gordon symbolizes Jean’s Hell and Ruhl transcribes Hell to be a loved one that a person meets when they die.

This theme about finding your loved one and technology ruining those chances ties into Jean’s relationship with Dwight Gottlieb, Gordon’s brother. Towards the end of Act I when Dwight progressively admits to Jean that he loves her, Jean is reluctant to act overjoyed and excited. Instead, after Dwight admits his feelings, the phone rings and Jean eagerly answers to see who is calling.

Senior Peter Martino played the character of Dwight in the Players’ production and describes his character as having this timid persona, overall carrying a personality that results in him being pushed aside by his own mother (especially when his brother passes).

“He loves poetry and he’s a little on the shy side,” Martino said. “He’s also kind of a hopeless romantic. He falls in love with the protagonist, Jean and his and Jean’s relationship really propels both characters towards great personal growth, which ultimately leads to the climax of the show.”

Mrs. Gottlieb (Maren Kain) speaks in a funeral service and reprimands those in attendance for having their cell phones abruptly ring out loud.

PAUL FUCAO/COURTESY

Martino went into specifics about how Jean’s behavior towards Dwight exemplifies this fixation everyone has in their own virtual world.

“Jean can’t give up Gordon’s phone which drives a wedge between her and Dwight. I think that the show asks us to examine the relationships in our lives and determine how real they actually are. Are they physically present in our everyday lives or do they only exist behind a screen?” he said.

Sophomore Maren Kain portrays Gordon’s mother, Mrs. Gottlieb, who is a comical character that Kain describes as being very unwelcoming and unfriendly, terribly miserable about her son’s passing therefore intimidated by Jean’s presence. Kain shared she enjoyed playing Mrs. Gottlieb because she was given the opportunity to humorously berate others in her performance.

“She’s very suspicious of the play’s subject, Jean who acquires Gordon’s cell phone.

She’s cold and genuinely mean which is so fun to play, especially when I get to insult some of my real life best friends,” Kain said.

Kain very much enjoyed acting in one of the last scenes of the show, when Mrs. Gottlieb (lightened by the fact Gordon is waiting for her) decides to enter a fire so she can see him and does so by singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel.

“My favorite scene is when I run off the stage to my death, belting a song from one of my favorite musicals Carousel,” she said.

Kain believes the play literally and figuratively focuses on death and technology’s role in distracting humans from building relations with one another.

“This show is many things but I believe, at its heart, it’s about remembering. We watch as a family mourns the death of a loved one on stage but more generally the death of genuine human interaction. It raises the question, how well do we really know each other in this digitized world we live in and how does that affect the ways in which we remember?” Kain said.

Amongst the audience, many enjoyed the play’s message and actors’ performances. Junior Nicholas Chiofalo praised the actors for their portrayal of these abnormal and interesting characters.

“I think they took the line of absurdity and genuine characters so well,” Chiofalo explained. “They have to perform and act all this weird behavior yet you could still see they were people and that’s what really

ABOVE: Andrea Gorrin Sepulveda acts alongside Jenn Bueti, who played Hermia.

BELOW: Ryan Danahy, as Gordon, speaks to Gorrin Sepulveda as she portrays a nervous Jean.

PAUL FUCAO / COURTESY draws you into the story, what draws you on the crazy concept Dead Man’s Cell Phone proposes.”

Chiofalo also took note of the lighting, mentioning it was one of the best he’s seen out of all the Players’ productions.

“I’ve been watching Players for about three years now but this is the show where the lighting has shined the most, no pun intended,” he said.

Junior Alfonse Calato loved the play’s crucial message that pays homage to a big issue in modern society and how it was performed comically.

“It was clearly trying to make some kind of commentary on phone culture, how obsessed and dependent on our

phones we’ve become, but they found a way to make it work. I also thought it was very funny.”

The assistant directors of this Players’ production were Isabelle Campbell and Aubrey Lefkowitz. Other cast members include Ryan Danahy as Gordon, Jenn Bueti as Hermia and Camryn Kidney as stranger, as well as Matthew Blackwood, Sami Rini, Sophie Ryan and Dean Saccardi as the chorus.

Upcoming events for Manhattan College Players include the Welcome to High School Cabaret on Nov. 21-23, She Kills Monsters on Feb. 7 and 8 and the annual musical, The Addams Family from April 1 to 5.

Sports

12

THE QUADRANGLE

GPAC Boasts Upgraded Facilities Brian Asare & Kelly Kennedy

Photography Editor & Staff Writer Earlier this fall, the Manhattan College Athletics department held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Gaelic Park Athletic Center (GPAC). The ceremony marked the formal ending of a preparation process that started back in the spring of 2018. The facility currently accommodates every Manhattan College varsity sports team that competes at Gaelic Park.

It features new coaches’ locker rooms, five individual team locker rooms, an athletic training room, and a lounge where athletes can relax and hang out with other athletes or coaches.

Student athletes and staff members that utilize this facility are not only excited about finally being able to have a private space for themselves, but are also grateful that the overall quality of the facility has met their expectations.

Brianna DeLeo, a junior Psychology Major and a member of the women’s soccer team, is excited about the convenience this facility adds to the busy lives of her and her teammates.

“The locker room and facility means to our team that we can have a place that is easier and more accessible to the field when we get ready and when we are trying to go to class after practice or just having a more unified culture,” DeLeo said during an interview with Go Jaspers.

Susan Morad, a senior Finance Major and a member of the women’s lacrosse team, iis

intent on using this designated space to strengthen existing relationships with teammates and to form friendships with other student athletes.

“This facility and locker room provides for me a sense of camaraderie. It’s a place for us to get treatment together, celebrate our wins together, and to foster a community of friendship not only with our team but also with our fellow other student-athletes,” Morad said during an interview with Go Jaspers.

Jenna Dingler, head coach of the women’s lacrosse team, believes that this new facility will play a major role in building the culture of her program.

“The facility, and more importantly this locker room, means tremendous amounts to this program. It’s going to make lasting memories here for all the student-athletes that come through and it is going to change our team culture tremendous amounts,” Dingler said during an interview with Go Jaspers.

Jorden Scott, head coach of the men’s soccer team, believes that this facility is a step in the right direction towards building a relationship between the student-athletes and staff that will lead to tremendous successes.

“This facility means everything to me and the program because it truly changes lives.

What it does for our day-today lives is it creates a more efficient way of living life as a student-athlete,” Scott said during an interview with Go Jaspers. “It also brings that togetherness. I think that’s the key piece of this facility is that it brings these teams together.”

ABOVE: (From top to bottom) An illuminated Manhattan College Jaspers emblem made possible by donors. The men’s lacrosse locker room. A lounge area for athletes.

LEFT: The men’s soccer locker room.

BRIAN ASARE / THE QUADRANGLE