Issue 14, Fall 2019 - The Quadrangle

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Volume C, Issue 14

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NEW YORK, DECEMBER 3, 2019

The Buzz About Locke’s Loft: Bug Found in Soup Caroline McCarthy & Anna Woods Staff Writers

Final Week of Classes Brings Wintry Mix Manhattan College students finish class work and finals as the winter season approaches.

BRIAN ASARE/ THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College Implements Residency Requirement Megan Dreher & C. Garrett Kiedel Editor-in-Chief & Sports Editor

Manhattan College has drawn up a new residency requirement for incoming freshmen, publicized in the 20192020 Academic Catalog in March 2019, and implemented as of the Fall 2019 with the class of 2023.

As stated in the Academic Catalog, “...all full-time undergraduate students who enter Manhattan College in the Fall 2019 semester and thereafter are required to live on campus for the first two years of their College experience, with the

opportunity to live off-campus after achieving junior status (60 credits) and two full years of college enrollment.”

There are certain stipulations to the policy, meaning that all full-time undergraduate freshmen and sophomore students are required to live on campus unless the student is planning to reside at the home of their parent/guardian within commuting distance of the campus and reside at their legal residence, is 23 years of age or older at the start of the academic year, is married, has a dependent child, has been a veteran of at least two years of active military duty, transfers to the college from another 2-year or 4-year college or university, or has completed a four-year

IN FEATURES: Matt Sweeney Missing Quadrangle stacks Talks Environment on p. 4 on p. 6

IN NEWS:

undergraduate degree or is participating in a graduate program.

Students who are exempt from the policy must apply for exemption on or before Feb. 28 by continuing students. Incoming students may apply for exemption on or before June 1, or at the time they put down their deposit to the college.

Also stated in the residency requirement, “Students who meet the above requirements in the middle of a housing contract period are subject to the terms and conditions of the housing contract and will incur any penalties found therein.”

While Residence Life was __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

On Nov. 18, Manhattan College sophomore Allie Urbanowicz posted a picture of what appeared to be a small worm found in her Locke’s Loft dinner. The photo of the “Broccoli Cheese” soup was posted on her Instagram story in attempt to call out Gourmet Dining for the incident. A popular social media account, Barstool Manhattan, jokingly reposted the picture with the caption “extra protein today @gourmetdiningmc.”

The viral post has sparked interest in the content and quality of other Locke’s dishes, and has inspired another post mocking not only Broccoli Cheddar soup, but all of Locke’s dining hall food. A short video posted on the platform “Tik Tok” showed a ladybug crawling in the salad bar, a piece of molded lettuce on a fork, and of course, the worm.

The video has amassed over 415k views and 53k likes in a little over a week Urbanowicz told The Quadrangle that at first glance, she assumed the worm was a piece of vegetable. She found it “curious” that any vegetables besides broccoli would appear in this dish, and examined it further.

“I scooped it out and came to learn it was a little worm,” said Urbanowicz. “I never expected it to go viral like that. I thought it was just going to be a funny (yet disgusting) picture and incident my friends and I would laugh about,”she said in a written statement to The Quadrangle.

Nick Valinotti, a nine-year employee of Gourmet College at Manhattan College, ex-

IN A&E:

plained the soups were sourced from Au Bon Pain in frozen containers. Locke’s defrosted and reheated the soup before serving it on the eighteenth.

“As soon as I was advised of it, we removed all soup products from our servery and notified our supplier,” said Valinotti. “We expect the finding reported must have come in one of the bags of soup.”

In the event of an issue like this, Gourmet Dining asks that students address the incident with an onsite Gourmet Dining manager instead of posting on social media. Without an onsite investigation done by staff, the dining services cannot properly report and address the issue with their vendors. Gourmet Dining has a tip line that students may use to contact them “This is the first time that we have experienced something like this in a ready-to-eat product,” said Valinotti.

The Gourmet Dining staff treated the incident quickly and effectively. As a direct result of this event, Gourmet Dining no longer serves soups sourced from Au Bon Pain and has instead switched to the company “Hale & Hearty.”

“We suspended use of the product and notified the vendors about our concerns about their quality assurance,” said Valinotti. “We take every incident reported with the highest degree of urgency.”

Despite enduring that traumatizing experience, Urbanowicz has continued to go to Locke’s.

“Prior to the incident, I thought the food at Locke’s was good! It was a lot better than my last school’s dining halls so I never really had any __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

IN SPORTS:

Cross Country Jasper Jams: a semester in review closes season on p. 12 on p. 9

Opinions & Editorials

2

the Quadrangle Volume C, Issue 14 DECEMBER 3, 2019

The Editorial Board Megan Dreher Editor-in-Chief

Gabriella DePinho News Editor

Maria Thomas Asst. News Editors

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.

Connect with The Quadrangle

mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad

THE QUADRANGLE

LET T ER from The Editor Hi readers!

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. When I was elected Editor-in-Chief last November, I was overcome with two emotions: excitement and fear. The former obviously felt natural after winning an election up against some amazing candidates. The latter though, that one felt wrong to me. How was I going to handle this? How could I know that all of the hard work and excellent journalism that the Quadrangle has produced since 1924 would continue under my tenure?

Here’s the answer, and it took me a whole year, 2 volumes, and 27 issues to realize: you are never alone. Every step of the journey, there is someone around that has your back. It’s your journalists covering a last minute story. It’s your editors helping you fill sections by transcribing interviews for you. It’s administrators complimenting the risks you’ve taken. It’s in the eyes of those willing to fight for preserving the integrity of the paper with you. It is the living and breathing Quadrangle.

With that, I want to thank each and every one of you who have made this job so fun and easy for me. But, I also want to thank those who made this job not so easy for me. You have made me a stronger, better leader. I owe you one.

I will be handing over the reigns to Gabriella DePinho as of today. She is my current news editor, and I know she will continue to lead this paper in the right direction. I am so proud of her already.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Sincerely,

Megan Dreher

Editor-in-Chief

Sign up for our monthly newsletter by scanning the QR code.

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.

News

DECEMBER 3, 2019

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Bug Found in New MC Residency Locke’s Loft Soup Requirement __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

__________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 unable to sit down for an interview, Charles Clency, the Director of Residence Life, made a statement noting that this policy “is set to continue with all incoming classes moving forward.”

Students who are aware of the policy have questions about the requirement that they are signing up for upon signing an on-campus housing contract.

In particular, students are unsure of what is considered to be “commuting distance” from the campus. No further explanation could be found for this terminology.

Senior Madelin Mule transferred to Manhattan in the spring of 2017, and has commuted from Brooklyn each day.

While willing to live on campus if she was required to by the college, she is unsure of how this policy will affect others.

“I don’t think I agree with a residency requirement for

freshmen that live outside a certain commuting distance of campus. I don’t know the exact cost of residency, but I know it’s a lot. It should be the students choice if they want to commute or not,” said Mule.

The policy could possibly put a strain on a students ability to afford and enroll in the college in the future. Junior Samuel Torres began commuting to the college after freshman year while participating in the Arches program.

“If I was unable to commute to Manhattan College I would probably take a loan to pay for dorming at Manhattan College, or I’d just have to go to another college,” said Torres.

As there are some missing details in the residency requirement section of the academic catalogue, the Quadrangle will follow up with Residence Life on this story to inform the current student population on how this will affect future classes at the college.

complaints … I haven’t stopped going to Locke’s, but I definitely go way less. I really only go when I’m in a rush and super hungry. When I do go, I usually stick to foods such as the fruit or salads now. I don’t think I could bring myself to ever get the soup again.”

Contrasting the incident, Lockes has used the 2019 semester to create major upgrades to their dining services.

Changes in the salad bar and yogurt stations were inspired by the wants and needs of Manhattan College students.

“We pride ourselves on listening to what the community has to say,” said Valinotti. “A few examples of this can be seen through the new hydration station setups with the fresh fruit infusions, multiple toasters, larger soup bowls, fresh cut lemons/limes and increased vegan options like vegan pizza at the pizza station or made to order vegan burgers at the grill.”

Many of these changes were put into progress by Manhattan College’s new Dietitian,

The broccoli cheddar soup in which Urbanowicz discovered a worm.

ALLIE URBANOWICZ / COURTESY Sara Deluca and Executive Chef, Jose Apricio.

Gourmet Dining is committed to serving the best quality food to the students and are devastated by this incident.

“We sincerely regret this incident occurred and its potential impact the products we serve,” said Valinotti.

Campus Chimes In As Provost Search Continues August Kissel & Lauren Schuster Web Editor & Social Media Editor

Applications for the provost position were due on Nov. 22, and as the search for the new provost continues the Manhattan College community has begun to reflect on the role of the provost and their impact on the MC community.

“The provost is the chief academic officer in any college or university, and so that means that this is somebody who is incredibly intertwined in all academic matters not just for students but obviously for faculty as well. In terms of when we have questions about the ongoings of the college, really the top of that chain is the provost and for us the communication often goes to the provost, certainly before it would go to interact with Dr. O’Donnell,” said Ira Gerhardt, Representa-

tive from the Council for Faculty Affairs.

The college has created a provost search committee, whose role is to represent the College as the multifaceted community that makes up the school. This includes both the student body as well as the faculty and the administration.

“Reporting directly to the President and serving on the President’s Cabinet, the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs is Manhattan College’s chief academic officer and is responsible for the coordination and quality of all of the College’s academic programs. The six academic school dean’s report directly to the Provost [...] in the President’s absence, the Provost & V.P. for Academic Affairs serves as Manhattan College’s chief executive officer,” a statement from the executive search profile.

This role includes fostering both the Catholic and the Lasal-

lian Identity on campus by encouraging student success and excellent teaching. Exploring new types of academic classes, like online options or other forms of a non-traditional classroom. Working to improve and maintain retention and graduation rates. As well as aiding in the process of securing funding for both graduate and undergraduate programming.

“For us, what makes a good provost is the balance this individual can find between financial management, academic integrity, and allowing faculty to pursue their research, develop a curriculum, and serve their colleagues, at the same time as providing a vision from the role of chief academic officer of more opportunity,” added Gerhardt.

The provost role is interdisciplinary among the six schools. The provost works closely with each of the schools to promote dialogue to create a connected community, while

also highlighting the unique and important qualities within each of the student bodies.

As a result, the provost search committee includes a graduate and an undergraduate representative.

“The main quality that I think would make a good provost is to be open-minded and willing to listen to the concerns and comments of faculty and the student body. Also, to be willing to receive feedback,” said undergraduate representative Shanice Lyle.

The provost search committee was created to foster a strong representation of the Manhattan College community, as well as continue the work Clyde has begun.

“In terms of a new provost, we have to maintain the level of respect that the faculty and the administration feel for each other. It has to be built on transparent communication and you want somebody who’s going to come in, see the commitment

that the faculty give, appreciates that, but also helps the faculty grow through a vision of what programs departments can develop, opportunities we can create for our students. So I think that that’s a common idea [among the faculty] is that we are going to be looking for someone who comes in with vision but also respects what we’ve built, and is always willing to work with us and hear us out. We’ve been fortunate that Dr. Clyde has been a valuable resource in that and we are confident that his successor will have a similar attitude,” said Gerhardt.

If you are interested in looking into the provost application process and the requirements of the provost position, it is available online at https://rhperry.com/newsearches/manhattanprovost#1

4

News

THE QUADRANGLE

Missing Papers During Open House Prompts Blame Game Joe Liggio Senior Writer

It looks like we’ve got another mystery on our hands.

Prior to Manhattan’s most recent Open House for prospective students on Oct. 27, copies of the Quadrangle were reorganized or disappeared completely from newsstands in several different locations across campus. With no clear perpetrator, several offices at the college are now pointing fingers in the ensuing investigation into what may have happened.

The newspaper issue in question, Volume 100, Issue 9, featured the headline “Mold Returns to Campus: Horan and Alumni Hall Affected.” Apportioned to the Quadrangle’s 16 newspaper racks around campus on Tuesday, Oct. 22, copies lasted on stands throughout the weekend, until things went sour sometime prior to the start of the event that Sunday.

Just before 9 a.m., three hours before Open House’s scheduled start time, a Quadrangle staff member noticed that no extra copies of Issue 9 were present behind the security desk on the second floor of Kelly Commons, the location where newspapers are delivered weekly and additional copies are retained.

After a brief search, distribution racks on the ground floor of Kelly, the third floor of Thomas Hall and the entrance to Chrysostom Hall were found to be completely empty prior to Open House.

In De La Salle and Miguel Halls, racks were reorganized so that remaining copies of Issue 8 from the previous week were placed on top of copies of Issue 9, obscuring the newer edition from view. The copies of Issue 9 once visible in the racks’ clear display panes were also replaced with leftover copies of Issue 8.

Adding to the mystery, some of the missing copies reappeared on a Thomas Hall newsstand sometime prior to 11 a.m. the next morning.

After Quadrangle and communication department staff working at the Open House exhibition in Draddy Gymnasium were made aware of the situation during the event, some began to seek out answers from administrators and faculty also present.

Quadrangle advisor Nick Gilewicz and communication department founding Chair Thom Gencarelli discussed the matter with Provost and Executive Vice President William Clyde soon after receiving news of the missing papers.

“On the day of Open House

I had no knowledge that the Quadrangle papers had been removed from racks,” said Clyde in an e-mail statement.

“When [Gilewicz] told me that I said I didn’t know anything about it (didn’t know it had happened) but wondered whether admissions (no name mentioned) might know anything about it.”

Director of Undergraduate Admissions Tara Fay-Reilly spared no time in responding when asked if admissions may have played a role in the removal.

“Absolutely not,” said FayReilly.

She added that admissions staff were aware of the moldrelated article featured in the issue and had put talking points together prior to open house in the event that visiting students or families had questions about the story.

“There are no smoke and mirrors here,” said Fay-Reilly, adding that admissions attempts to show off Manhattan’s campus “warts and all.”

Both Gilewicz and Clyde also discussed the matter with William Bisset, Vice President for Enrollment Management, who was present in Draddy at the time. “[I] asked [Bisset] if he knew anything,” said Clyde.

“He said he was quite sure his staff had not removed them.”

Bisset echoed this chain of events.

“At open house Dr. Clyde approached me … and asked if I had any knowledge of Quadrangle editions being removed from different places on campus, to which I said no,” said Bisset.

Upon being informed of the situation, Bisset approached Peter DeCaro of Public Safety, who then relayed the information to Associate Director of Public Safety David Erosa.

Erosa then discussed the matter with nearby facilities staff including Victor Schneider, Assistant Director of Physical Plant.

“When I was informed … that someone had taken newspapers out … I told [Gilewicz] I would do an investigation,” said Erosa. “So one of the preliminary things I did, I spoke to Victor Schneider of Physical Plant. And he said, ‘Well usually we’ll clean them out if they’re old or if they’re messy, we do that all the time.’”

Bisset confirmed that DeCaro had relayed this information to him as well.

“I was told Mr. Schneider informed Public Safety the papers were removed by Facilities in preparation for Open House and that in years past, ‘old Quadrangle editions are routinely removed by facili-

ties when they [are] getting the campus ready for Open House,’” said Bisset via email.

“This revelation was news to me.”

Bisset reconfirmed this statement in a subsequent interview with the Quadrangle.

“Nothing nefarious, nothing intentional, but that facilities people, in cleaning up the campus, in preparing the campus for open house, normally will remove older editions of the Quadrangle … and that it was Victor Schneider that said his guys moved the papers.

Where they moved them? I don’t know.”

Schneider has since said that this statement was never made. “[That’s] false. I’ve never said that. We’ve never done that,” said Schneider.

“Physical plant’s role for events, not just open house, is getting campus ready … Part of stuff getting ready for events … is removal of garbage, trash and debris, but typically on the exteriors of buildings. Interior of buildings is not Physical Plant. We don’t clean, we maintain,” said Schneider.

He continued.

“If there’s an obstruction in a corridor … if a [newspaper] stanchion is blocking egress at a doorway, will we move it? Yes, because the safety of the people and the interaction of the doorway is impacted … That’s not a practice we do, of removing Quadrangle newspapers from stanchions for an open house,” said Schneider.

Schenider recalled removing one or two dozen copies from a stand on the second floor of Thomas Hall on the morning of Open House, but only to distribute them within Physical Plant offices, a practice he often does weekly. He added that he also left numerous copies remaining on the stand that he took from.

“No one’s looking to remove them, and certainly I didn’t give any directive to have them pulled,” said Schneider.

“That’s no intention on our part to do that and that’s not a role we play here.”

Erosa reaffirmed that the statement was made by Schneider.

“That’s the information I received … That’s what I was informed and informed [Bisset] by,” said Erosa.

When asked about newspaper removals in the past, former Quadrangle Editor-in-Chief Stephen D. Zubrycky, ‘19, echoed assertions made by Schneider.

“In my four years with the Quadrangle, I never noticed any routine effort on the part of facilities to remove Quadrangle stacks in advance of admissions events,” said Zubrycky,

who led the paper in 2017.

“I will also add that any effort on the part of the college to remove papers that the administration may deem unflattering would amount to censorship, and be a grave betrayal of the trust that must exist between the college and its students.”

Taylor Brethauer, ‘19, Editor-in-Chief in 2018, noted that papers would go missing from newsstands on rare occasion, but without any apparent suspects or correlation to the timing of admissions events.

“It was not something I was aware of happening super often during my time on staff at the Quadrangle, but on the occasions that it did happen, there was never any warning or communication given to any of us on staff … [I] would notice the papers missing in the popular locations– Thomas, Kelly, the library, etc.– basically any high traffic racks for major visitation days,” said Brethauer. “It was extremely frustrating, because it was random throughout the year.”

While an examination of security camera footage covering affected newspaper stands would seemingly provide answers to the situation, this measure would end up proving fruitless.

“I went back to the videotape and I was looking at the locations and I couldn’t find anything,” said Erosa. “What happens is, when they’re in the cloud, it doesn’t hold, ‘cause there’s so many cameras on the cloud, it doesn’t hold ... it might go in like a week.”

He continued.

“And a lot of locations aren’t on camera … We couldn’t find anything, and I wish we did.”

Aside from the obvious implications regarding free speech on a college campus, the removal of The Quadrangle also comes at a monetary cost to the school.

Printing a 12-page edition of The Quadrangle, like the missing issue in question, comes at a cost of $750 per week.

Student Engagement, which oversees and provides funding for clubs on campus like The Quadrangle, falls under the Office of Student Life, which is headed by VP for Student Life Richard Satterlee.

“I do not support removing the newspaper from the stands, and I was disappointed to hear this occurred,” said Satterlee in an e-mail statement.

This is not the first time The Quadrangle has faced suppression in its history at Manhattan College.

Another stand-out example occurred in 2011, when staff from Student Engagement, (then known as Student Activities), admitted to censoring as

well as throwing out copies of that year’s Triangle, the newspaper’s annual satirical April Fool’s issue.

Like last month’s incident, this removal occurred just prior to another on-campus event for prospective students— in that case, an Accepted Students Day— and resulted in even more finger pointing between administrators, who also implicated Residence Life in the act.

Reasoning for the pull ranged from foul language contained within the issue to mishandled directives from supervisors, who supposedly intended to return the issues to newstands after the end of Accepted Students Day. Unfortunately, the theft of student publications is an alltoo common occurrence at colleges throughout the United States.

According to the Student Press Law Center, a non-profit organization which works to protect First Amendment and press freedom rights for high school and college journalists, ten newspaper theft incidents have been reported at American colleges to date in 2019, totalling over 8,300 stolen copies.

The theft of newspapers like The Quadrangle is still considered a prosecutable crime, even if issues are freely distributed on college campuses.

Ultimately, while the culprits behind this disappearance have still yet to be realized, it seems that those in leadership roles at the school have taken notice of the issue.

Dr. Gencarelli summed up his thoughts on The Quadrangle’s removal in an e-mail statement to the paper.

“I understand, from a public relations standpoint, why the College’s administration would not want the College newspaper, with a front page story on mold in campus buildings, to be something the parents of prospective students would potentially see and read during the one Open House event we hold each year. What I do not appreciate is the way this was mishandled,” said Gencarelli.

“This is not positive, respectful, nor constructive behavior on the part of this person— nor, in following from this, on the part of the entire administration.

And it reflects on the entire administration exactly because we do not know who was responsible.”

He continued.

“This was, I am sure, a knee-jerk, last-second response by the person who made the decision. And I am sure the reason he or she has not come forward is that he or she is embarrassed by how poorly he or she handled it.”

Features

DECEMBER 3, 2019

5

What Are Jaspers Thankful For? VOICES ON THE QUAD Interviews compiled by Anna Woods

Caroline King Class of 2023

Sydney Waitt Class of 2022

Francesca Bernhardt Class of 2023

Quad: Do you have a Thanksgiving tradition?

Quad: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food

Quad: What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Caroline: Yes, every year we skip a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and head to downtown Philadelphia for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Irish dance championships and compete all Thanksgiving weekend. It’s fun eating Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant every year!

Sydney: My favorite holiday food is easily mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

Francesca: Pumpkin pie for sure.

Quad: What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?

Caroline: My favorite part is that I get to be surrounded by people I love all thanksgiving weekend.

My family, friends, and dancing teachers. I also get to do my favorite thing in the world, dance.

Joseph Liggio -

Staff Writer, Asst. News Editor ‘17 - Spring ’19 I always knew coming into college that I wanted to get involved with the Quadrangle to some degree; admittedly I was kinda shy. A few weeks into first semester I showed up to one of the meetings in Kelly 4C but was too nervous to open the door and walk in.

Not long after, then-Assistant News Editor Kyleigh Panetta was standing next to me in Locke’s after I found a bug in a salad I was eating.

She interviewed me, wrote the story, and that finally got me to show up to a meeting, not enough for me to talk much, but at least in the door.

When the marijuana grow house exploded on West 234th the following week, I said to myself, “Hey, now’s your opportunity to do something.”

I went down to the scene, started talking to police, press and residents, and got some interviews. The atmosphere down there that day was indescribable. I contributed to my first story, and knew then and there that I was hooked, that I really wanted to be a part of

Quad: What are you most looking forward to this holiday season?

Sydney: I’m most looking forward to having no classes and being able to spend quality time with my family and friends.

Senior Farewell

this paper.

Throughout the past three and a half years, the Quadrangle has taken me to active crime scenes, Upper East Side bakeries, community board meetings, rap concerts, massive protests, apartment fires and everything in between.

Coming in to MC, I couldn’t have ever imagined the scope of experiences I’d have in college, many of which stemmed directly from being a part of this publication. It’s been nothing short of amazing.

More than that, I’ve learned so much from being here. The people I’ve had the pleasure of working with have taught me better than some of my professors, not just about how to write news, but how to go out and get the job done, a job that may never be appreciated by many, but one that is important and necessary to a well-functioning and honest college campus.

The Quadrangle provided me with some of my best friends at MC, both those I’ve worked with week after

week and those I’ve been lucky enough to meet through interviews for my stories. This paper was my first extracurricular, my first foray into journalism, and my first home at this school.

I will end with this: Manhattan College is far from perfect. There’s a lot that goes on here that isn’t right by any means, and that’s no secret. People suffer because of issues that would rather get swept under the rug. And I trust that those at this publication will continue to bring these problems to light in a fair and accurate manner, and continue to do what is right for the students and staff they write for. This team kicks ass, quite frankly.

The Quadrangle has been able to evoke change for the better on this campus time and time again, and if I can say I’m proud of anything I’ve accomplished in my three and a half years here, it’s knowing that I helped others in whatever way I could through my writing.

I owe a lot to that bug in my salad. Pretty glad I spotted it before I ate it.

- “Dr.” Joe Liggio

Quad: What is your favorite thing about the holiday season?

Francesca: My favorite thing about the holiday season is the prayer right before meals because I feel like everyone gets wrapped up in the meal prep and getting ready for guests or going some place and I think the prayer before meals to be thankful for what you have is really important because that’s what the holidays are about.

Features

6

THE QUADRANGLE

Matt Sweeney Shares Passion of Community Service and Environmental Initiatives Alexa Schmidt

Features & Managing Editor

Matt Sweeney is the friendliest face around Manhattan College’s campus, known for striking up a conversation with just about everyone. A civil engineer, with a particular passion for the environment, Sweeney lives a life dedicated to community service, and encourages you to do the same.

Sweeney is the vice president of the New York Water Environment Association chapter at MC. More often known as NYWEA, the organization pushes for sustainable initiatives on campus, sponsors environmental cleanups around the local neighborhood and promotes proposals such as the “green fee” and an organic waste drop-off site for the New York City Sanitation Department, or DSNY composting Program. Under the guidance of civil engineering professor, Walter P. Saukin, Ph.D., NYWEA partners with other student organizations on campus in order to provide lectures, networking and community service events.

Just a couple of weeks ago, 22 MC students came out on a Saturday morning to participate in the leaf crunch at Brust Park, contributing 188 bags of leaves to the DSNY. Since joining the NYWEA, Sweeney has been working on expanding the amount of members and outreach.

“We’ve really been pushing our volunteering events, because … we want to make sure that service is part of our mission. We have lectures on the technical aspects, environmental engineering, specifically. But I saw that there was a need for expanding into just generally environmental issues, because there needs to be a voice for that. And my club could be more useful in a general scope. So move that up, just talking about wastewater treatment, environmental restoration, we’re talking about climate change, and we’re talking about all these different issues,” Sweeney said.

In addition to expanding the club’s mission to broader topics, Sweeney also wants to open the club to people of all majors.

He recognizes that a majority of the members are civil engineers, who also partake in the American Society of Civil Engineers, or ASCE, chapter at

Manhattan.

“I’ve been trying to grow the relationship with them [ASCE] as well, because they have a greater reach than we do. I kind of want to make sure I get to the civil engineers and I also want to get beyond civil engineers to the science majors, environmental studies majors, to sociology, whatever. I want to get to everybody,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney also serves as the chairman for the Neighborhood Relations Committee through student government.

“The largest, the most frequent complaints I get from people in the neighborhood is trash and noise, which is very hard to temper. It’s not really an easy problem to solve. Trash is easier to solve. Clearly, you could go out and pick it up. So that’s what we did. So we went around for like an hour, and we picked up like five bags of garbage, like two bags recyclables, and it was just an hour with a crew of like, 15 people. So that was really cool,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney has three passions: his work with community, research and environmental issues. He came in his freshman year thinking he was going to do one thing, but discovered it wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He then immersed himself in research with Jessica Wilson, Ph.D., and graduate students. They studied water quality in Van Cortlandt Park, and Sweeney eventually got to present his research and advocate to the public on his findings.

“That got me interested in community and seeing, you know, we do have a difference here, even as college students we’re part of the community as well. To really just care about your parks, care about what’s around you, because once you care about what’s around, you start to care about the people around you. You just throw yourself in and just continually it’s a snowball effect. I’ve just gotten more and more into it,” Sweeney said.

“Getting to know more and more people involved in these types of things, you get to meet local leaders, local politicians, and you meet people that are doers. And that’s really kind of an inspiring thing to see. And I’ve definitely discovered that no matter what goes on at the national level, politically, locally, you can affect change. We can definitely affect change in our local level. Because it’s you and

the constituents. In the end it’s the leaders you know, you can definitely talk to them directly and make something happen.

So it’s kind of been something inspiring to see in my work. All my work kind of ties into each other I guess. The theme being community,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney wants to expand the amount of research done in Van Cortlandt Park, and he wants to make the connection tighter. His undergraduate research is something that has helped his career trajectory tremendously, and he wants others to have the same experience.

When asked how he got involved in these passions projects, Sweeney had a simple answer.

“I know that for sure, I always cared very much about service. I’ve always done it through middle school high school, just because I wanted to know for after service hours, I just like even when I was small, I always liked to help,” he said.

Attending college has provided Sweeney with more tools to dive into service and to spend his time doing the things that he cares about. A family friend offered Sweeney a mantra that he’s taken with him his whole life: helping someone is the best feeling you can get. Something as easy as raking leaves is therapeutic to Sweeney, and he wants others to try their hand at something they care about.

Sweeney sees himself working in a city agency, or urban planning with the city government. He realizes that his purpose is to “put people together.”

He helps to “connect the dots,” and put engineers and politicians together to overcome their differences and ultimately, solve the complex problem.

“I would just ask that, as Manhattan College students, we get involved in whatever you care about, find something you care about, just work at it.

Sacrifice some of your time to give because it has benefits.

You’re helping another, you’re helping the environment, the social cause, whatever it may be.”

“I’m trying to increase the environmental awareness on the campus and trying to show that there’s a lot to be done here. Doesn’t have to all be done overnight. It’s very possible, but I just want people to start thinking that way.”

Matt Sweeney participates in the weekly Climate Strike on the quad.

MATT SWEENEY/ COURTESY

Sweeney at the Leaf Crunch sponsored by NYWEA in Brust Park this November.

MATT SWEENEY/ COURTESY

Sweeney at the neighborhood cleanup this year.

MATT SWEENEY/ COURTESY

Features

DECEMBER 3, 2019

7

Agape Latte:“Real Activism” August Kissel Web Editor

On Wednesday Nov. 20, the second and Thanksgiving themed Agape Latte of the semester began with a guest pianist, Gavin Reidy, the younger brother to Conor Reidy, playing some soft music while students filed in to Jasper Lounge and enjoyed Lloyd’s Carrot Cake and pie.

Students waited for a talk

by Carlos Pinto-Corredor titled “Real Activism.” This was Agape Latte’s first bi-lingual presentation, as Pinto-Corredor presented in both Spanish and English regarding his experiences growing up in Colombia and his life as he grew up and became a Lasallian Brother.

The presentation began with an introduction by president of Fuerza Latina, Anna Rosario. Rosario introduced PintoCorredor through his titles, as a Lasallian Brother, a leader in the Indivsa Manet movement, a teacher, an assistant principal, counselor, and campus ministry director in an elementary and secondary school. PintoCorredor is currently one of the mentors for the Lasallian Ambassadors program on campus, a community for those who have attended the IALU conferences, and is pursuing a degree in communication at Manhattan College.

Pinto-Corredor begins thanked Rosario, Reidy, the Agape Latte team and the audience for taking the time to define “real activism” and how to live with courage.

“I don’t know what to say after that long presentation.

Because that is like titles and

titles and actions and doing and going and going. But I’m here, and more interested in being. And that is why I’m sitting here to share with you a brief moment about life, but to share with you also part of my passions, part of my lifestyle, and also part of my convictions in life. I have never imagined being here after 10 months talking in English, because I had no idea in English when I arrived to Manhattan college, then 10 months ago in January. So this is incredible for me.

And thank you for being here,” stated Pinto-Corredor.

Pinto-Corredor began his testimony by asking the audience what they knew about Colombia.

“Drugs,” Pinto-Corredor stated to the audience.

He then continued to list the artists that the audience would know from Colombia: J Balvin, Maluma, Shakira, and Gabrielle Garcia Marquez who all demonstrated that Colombia is a country of dreamers. That it is more than the stereotype of “coffee, cocaine and women.”

“Tonight I’m going to invite you to come create a bridge, in this world that is trying to build walls, I’m here to connect with you through my story and to create a bridge,” said PintoCorredor.

He then asked the audience to think about their cause in life, as this was a question that plagued him as a teenager. At this time he wanted to be an astronaut, a pilot in the Colombia Air Force like his father who was in the Colombian Army, and a professional basketball player.

He continued to say that

these values growing up came from his family. “Those who see you can see your family. For me, that is a strong conviction.

People who see me have to see the convictions, the values, the principles that I received in my family. The good and the bad, the good and the bad, because there is no perfect family, you know, but that is the human being, growing up, The second conviction I learned as a teenager is that life is not about position, but it is about conviction,” said Pinto-Corredor.

He continued to explain his struggles and desire to fight as a teenager, in an attempt to prove his strength. It was then he met a Lasallian Brother.

This Brother brought PintoCorredor to a local community where he participated in service for the first time. Here he met a community just like himself, teenagers trying to find their way, and this service taught him to grow beyond just looking for convenience in life.

He continued, “How blind to reality, real activism, reality, how blind I was. That doesn’t mean that to open your eyes you need to see poor, now there are different ways, with your family, with your friends, and with illness. There are different ways, in different places and despite culture, our human condition always telling us what is right and what is wrong loving you despite of the country, you always know what something is not right. But sometimes that small line between being blind and life is too difficult for us to pass. So, that is the bridge, an invitation to create a bridge in that situation that I was that you are blind by convenience

and open your eyes have to transform your decisions and convictions. That is when activism starts.”

To help himself cross this bridge, Pinto-Corredor shares his own team of people who have inspired him to keep crossing over the years. This team includes his father, Martin Luther, the Holy Trinity, the Colombian journalist Jaime Garzón, Pope Francis, Bill Gates, St. John Baptiste de la Salle, Barack Obama and Malala.

Each of these people taught Pinto-Corredor lessons as he grew from the teenager he was to the adult he is today. This team inspired him to become a teacher at the age of 17 for a preschool for six months.

These six months lead to PintoCorredor’s transition of becoming a Lasallian Brother.

“After this decision of curiosity, six months became 13 years. I would have never imagined that at 16, I took a risk, it was not a sure decision, I think the risk was thatI wanted to know what the brothers knew, what is the cause of the brothers? Remember the first question? What is your cause?

I connected with the cause of the Brothers and that cause become my cause. And now I belong to the cause. I know more.

I try to live the cause, to who I am,” added Pinto-Corredor.

He then continued to explain how joining the Lasallian Institution taught him empathy, courage and activism.

“Don’t be blind by convenience. Because sometimes for fear for differences, we don’t create bridges. We don’t take the initiative. And as a brother

Finally, I understand, I developed the capability of empathy,” said Pinto-Corredor.

He then shared stories and photos about his experience as a brother, these stories included serving with his best friend, forming a leadership program at school, students he met who inspired him to continue teaching, and the size of international Lasallian Community.

“I started to see why I’m here at Manhattan college. Why I’m pursuing a communication major, and why I’m helping this Lasallians in leadership. This is because each profession has a political responsibility, each profession has an environmental responsibility, but above all, each profession has a human responsibility. In this final profession, I want to invite you to create a bridge with human beings you’re surrounded with. Not for accounts. Not for checks. Not for ATMs, you’re surrounded by human beings and despite of profession, you have to be always in the order,” said Pinto-Corredor.

He then closed off with a note to share with the audience, one of true activism and courage.

“You could have a cause in life and you can put all your effort into that. This (being Lasallian) is my cause. An activist is somebody who has a cause, it is not enough to go to a protest in the street. That is part of being supported, but being an activist is pulling all who you are into your professions, your passions, your friendships, your dreams, all for that cause. That is my humble idea. And that is what I wanted to share with you, thank you,” said PintoCorredor.

James Patterson Award Scholarship Recipients Madalyn Johnson & Jessica McKenzie

Asst. A&E Editor & Staff Writer The James Patterson scholarship recipients of the 20192020 school year were officially announced on Oct. 15 through the Manhattan College website.

Twenty students, 10 juniors and 10 seniors, part of the school’s five major departments, the O’Malley School of Business, School of Liberal Arts, Education and Health, Engineering, and Science were awarded the scholarship based on their academic achievements and involvement that reflect Manhattan College’s Lasallian mission.

“It’s cool to see a new group of people be awarded the scholarship … it just opened my eyes to how broad the campus is,” said scholarship recipient

Nadia Itani, a junior civil engineering major.

Patterson is highly regarded as one of Manhattan College’s most famous alumni.

Graduating in 1969 with a degree in English, his devotion to encouraging committed, hard-working students studying various subjects is greatly represented through his annual scholarship. Many students and recipients of the scholarship value Patterson’s financial aid award because it recognizes students in various academic fields. “[Applicants must] show James Patterson who [they] are as a person and show their best qualities, and they should be okay,” explains senior Taylor Aloisio, childhood/special education major.

This is the eighth year Patterson has awarded the schol-

arship to Manhattan College students. Students obtaining a GPA of at least 3.2 receive an e-mail that they are eligible to apply. Applicants fill out a form, detailing their honorary academic success, as well as their involvement on and offcampus.

They then submit a fivehundred-word essay talking about what they plan on doing following their studies at college. The award for the scholarship is $2,500 per semester.

“The application asks what you’re gonna do after you graduate, career wise. You have to mention the ways you use your leadership skills on campus,” said junior Angely Morillo, management major with a double minor in finance and economics. She has been awarded the scholarship for the past two years.

Morillo plans on working in Human Resources after college. In her essay, she wrote about her experience interning at American Express for Human Resources. She is a member of the W.I.S.E. program, in which women are given help finding internships to fit their passions.

On-campus, Morillo is working with other students and helping them get what they need so they can get better grades.

Another recipient, Taylor Aloisio, wrote her essay on how much she would like to become a teacher to positively impact kids’ lives.

“I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was five years old. I think that’s what really made [my essay] out--my passion and drive,” she said.

The scholarship is renew-

able every year. After the first year of receiving the award, applicants are asked to expand upon their first five-hundredword essay and submit an essay of about three to four pages about the same topic. If they are again awarded the scholarship, they keep it for the rest of their time at Manhattan College. The financial aid may also increase.

Many of the recipients agree with the fact that applying for the James Patterson scholarship is a great way for students to showcase their talent and well-roundedness.

“It’s open to every major and that’s what’s so good about it. I recommend applying if you get the e-mail saying that you qualify for it,” said Morillo.

Arts &Entertainment

8

THE QUADRANGLE

Review: MC Players Go Back to School in Annual Cabaret Rose Brennan A&E Editor

On Nov. 21-23 in the Black Box Theatre, the Manhattan College Players sought to recreate the four most terrifying years in a young adult’s life.

Through the raging hormones, the teenaged angst, star-crossed lovers and teachers at their breaking points, directors Camryn Kidney and Maria Summerville succeeded in transporting the audience back into the fishbowl environment most of them had only recently left in this year’s cabaret, entitled “Welcome to High School.”

Prior to the beginning of Friday night’s show, the stage was bare. There was a gigantic M emblazoning center stage, and various event and motivational posters were hung on the wall, one of which humorously quipped, “You do not need heroin to be a hero.” As the audience settled in, the cast could be heard in the next room over, gleefully warming up and setting the stage for what was sure to be an excellent, hilarious and nostalgic evening.

The production began just after 8 p.m., with a large group number called “Let Your Freak Flag Fly,” from “Shrek: The Musical.” Ushering the number in was the familiar sound of a bell ringing, calling the entire audience back to the familiar chaos typical of a high school hallway.

There were a number of group numbers throughout the evening, including “History Has Its Eyes on You” from “Hamilton,” “Stick It to the Man” from “School of Rock,” and “Unruly Heart” from “The Prom.”

“Unruly Heart” in particular was pivotal, as four seniors from the cast came forward to sing in a small group, signaling an end to their time both in the cabaret and at MC.

In a cast 41 members strong, solo numbers were few and far between. However, the lucky few with solo numbers provided them with a wide range of emotions and experiences. Senior Megan Lawlor sang about remaining true to oneself in the fakeness endemic to a high school environment with her rousing anthem “I’d Rather Be Me” from “Mean Girls.” Freshman Luis Chavez, in contrast, sang “Proud of Your Boy” from “Aladdin,” wherein he made a tearful apology to his mother and promised to live up to the hopes and dreams she has for him. Senior and cabaret co-director Maria Summerville, hiding behind a large pair of glasses and a flute, sang “Lost in the Brass” from “Band

Geeks,” wherein she sang of a desire to be noticed by a boy as not just another member of the band, but also as a girl.

The true showstopping solo number, however, came from junior Andrea Gorrin Sepulveda, who sang “She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress.” She lifted the song from the diner of “Waitress” into the high school environment, and it was completely believable.

She sang with the emotions of standing at a crossroads, having one event (in this case, an unplanned pregnancy) completely alter the course of her life in an unknown and likely terrifying direction.

One of the most defining events of high school is definitely prom night, which was addressed by two separate numbers. One of these songs was heartwarming and touching, as senior Gabby Kasper asked senior Julia Garcia to the prom in “Dance with You” from “The Prom.” “The Prom” centers around two girls going to prom together and enduring the backlash they will likely receive due to it, but when Kasper asks Garcia to the dance, she doesn’t care what others say, because all she needs is “you and me and a song.”

On the complete opposite side of the prom coin, seniors Paul Fucao and Lisa Chizmadia kicked down the door of the Black Box Theatre before their prom-themed number, and frantically distributed informational flyers about the dance, hilariously written in comic sans font and forbidding all forms of suggestive dancing, including “t-werking” and “HUMP-ING.” Amid the chaos, Fucao and Chizmadia took centerstage and launched into the upbeat song “Dancing Queen”

by ABBA. While “Welcome to High School” mainly focused on the wide-ranging emotions associated with high school, the show was not without its funny moments. Three hilarious duets immediately come to mind.

Sami Rainey and co-director Camryn Kidney portrayed two teachers at their wit’s end with their students, and sang “Little Girls” from “Annie.” Rainey once again appeared in a duet with sophomore Matt Blackwood, an enthusiastic yet unintelligent student in a music theory class, who believes the solfege scale ends with “Oop!” He laments his academic shortcomings as they both sing “If I Only Had a Brain” from “The Wizard of Oz.” Thursday night’s crowd received a fun surprise, as Rini’s role as a teacher was played by director of performing arts Andrew Bauer.

Scenes from ”Welcome to High School,” the title of the 2019 cabaret.

PAUL FUCAO / COURTESY Kidney and Summerville truly had a knack for taking non-high school-themed songs and making them fit within the production. The comical duet of “Agony” from “Into the Woods” was a perfect example. The Prince Charmings from “Into the Woods” were transformed into “Nice Guys,” complete with fedoras, sandals with socks and incel-related sentiments, and were played to hilarious perfection by senior

Peter Martino and junior Max Toder.

Following the final number, “Unruly Heart,” the cast of 41 members strong bowed for the audience, arranged according to their class year: first the freshmen, followed by the sophomores, followed by the juniors and, finally, the seniors, who received the final bow. As the cast filed out, they called back to Fucao and Chizmadia’s earlier number, dancing and

singing “Dancing Queen.”

Kidney and Summerville did an excellent job communicating the multifaceted experience of high school. From laughs, tears and everything in between, the audience truly went back in time with the cast, and relived some of the most terrifying, and yet most formative, years of their lives.

Arts & Entertainment

DECEMBER 3, 2019

9

A Semester in Music JASPER JAMS Gabriellla DePinho News Editor

As the fall semester comes to a close, it’s time for me to start a new playlist in my Spotify account to put all of my spring finds to go into. I personally create new playlists after the one I’ve been adding to hits 39 songs, a weird thing I picked up from a high school friend but cannot seem to shake.

The 39-song limit usually coincides pretty well with semesters going on, ending, starting again and the summer months. My fall semester playlist is at 35 songs right now, but by the end of finals, it will definitely hit 39 songs. (Anyone have any recommendations for what those last four songs on my playlist should be?)

This Jasper Jams is a dive into some of the songs I found this semester that I’ve had on repeat as I’ve ridden the subway to see plays on Tuesday nights, grinded out essays, gone on runs through Fieldston, blasted while quadding at the start of the semester and started prepping for finals.

1984 - NIGHT TRAVELER This is probably one of my favorite songs that Spotify has recommended to me. The Spotify algorithm knows me so well. Normally I’d be con-

cerned about the mining, selling and sharing of my personal data but hey, it brought me this song, so I can’t complain.

Space for Two - Mr. Probz I know nothing about Mr. Probz. I won’t even look the artist up until after I write this column so you also sit in mystery with this song. I don’t even remember how I found this song: the mystery continues.

Looking for Some Light Colony House I had a big, big, big Colony House phase in high school.

Before this recent release, the last thing they released was an album in 2017. My phase receded but when this song popped up in my recommendations, I did go back on a bit of a binge.

(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano - Sampha One of my good friends discovered Sampha this semester and while he and I have very different tastes in music, he insisted I listen to him anyway.

Sampha’s music isn’t exactly my music, but it’s undeniably good and this song is my favorite of his.

Love You For A Long Time - Maggie Rogers I’ve been a Maggie Rogers fan since some time in high school but only really sunk into the obsession during freshman

year of college with my roommate. This song didn’t make Rogers’ first album “Heard It In A Past Life” but she decided to release it anyway and honestly, I am so grateful she did.

Bruises - Chairlift Reagan (my best friend from high school) and I started sharing music with each other back and forth during the summer because we were finding good stuff. Since she and I knew we’re both bad texters, we figured sending each other music during the semester would be a good “thinking of you” system, instead of trying to keep a conversation going.

This is one of the songs that she sent me.

Good In You - Seinabo Sey I found this song on a random playlist that was floating around on social media somewhere. The name of the song caught my curiosity so I decided to give it a listen and within the first minute of the song, I was adding it to my playlist. lin

appreciate the storytelling that is so central to this song.

123456 - Fitz and The Tantrums This showed up in my New Releases section of Spotify because sometimes I listen to one Fitz and The Tantrums song over and over again so Spotify thought it would introduce me to their whole and most recent album. This was one of my fa-

Night Bus - Gabrielle Ap-

This is another song that I’m not sure how I found; I know it wasn’t the Spotify algorithm because I know I spent a lot of time this semester confusing the algorithm with the songs I was finding. I definitely

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Watermelon Sugar - Harr y Styles Look, if you must know, I liked One Direction as a 12-year-old. But now, as a 20-year-old, I like Harry Styles for his unique musical style and presence, not because he was part of one of the world’s largest boy bands.

Listen to The Quad’s picks on Spotify by scanning the QR code below:

the Quadrangle

OPEN MEET INGS

vorites from that album.

Q

10

Arts & Entertainment

THE QUADRANGLE

Italian Club Attends MET Production of Madama Butterfly Madalyn Johnson & Jessica McKenzie

Asst. A&E Editor & Staff Writer Manhattan College’s Italian Club took a trip to the Metropolitan Opera House on Wednesday, Nov. 6 to attend a production of one of the most beloved and classic Italian operas known today: Madama Butterfly.

The text of the opera was written by Luigi Illicia and Giuseppe Giacosa, while the opera itself was composed by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, who is widely recognized as “the greatest Italian composer after Verdi.” Originally constructed as a short story in 1898 by John Luther Long and then turned into an oneact play by David Belasco titled “Madama Butterfly: A Tragedy of Japan,” Puccini saw the play in London and was inspired to illustrate more emotionality in this complicated love story through singing and orchestral music.

The story takes place in Nagasaki, Japan and is centered around a geisha named Cio-Cio San (otherwise known as Madama Butterfly), who falls in love and marries an American lieutenant, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton. Faced by forceful criticism from her family and ridiculed for infringing her ancestry, she takes off with Pinkerton after her wedding ceremony. From there, the story follows Butterfly after a time jump of three years as

she waits in a little house overlooking the harbor for her husband’s return.

The music featured in this opera exemplifies the postRomantic musical tradition, vertismo, which analyzes the psychological mindset of relatable, human characters after traumatic events like heartbreak. Many Italian composers, including Puccini, used this technique as inspiration for their famous works that are still performed for audiences in the 21st century. This particular opera is also famous for being associated with exoticism, a trend where artists were fascinated with the cultures of other countries which took off in the late 19th century.

The novelty, patriotism and detail that went into the Japaneese-inspired costumes really impressed the members of the Italian club, as well as the singers’ capability to sing projectively and powerfully for a large audience. The traditional Japaneese puppetry (bunraku puppet theatre) that was used to portray Butterfly and Pinkerton’s young son also caught the eye of many Italian club members and was considered one of the most memorable parts of the show.

As compared to other events the MC Italian Club has participated in this year, like the pizza social and San Gennaro festival, members seemed to agree the trip to see an opera at the MET was by far one of the most popular and favored events. Sophomore Nick Bal-

The Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center illuminates the night before a performance of Madama Butterfly.

MADALYN JOHNSON/THE QUADRANGLE

zano serves as the event coordinator of the Italian club and highly advises that students join the club to participate in these cultural events the club works so hard to organize.

“The Italian club did a fantastic job organizing this event in the city and I highly recommend coming to any of our other events we run,” Balzano said.

Chloe Burns, another member who attended, took note

ABOVE: Italian Club Members who attended Lincoln Center’s current production of Madama Butterfly on Wednesday, Nov. 6 RIGHT: Inside the theater where the roduction took place.

MADALYN JOHNSON/THE QUADRANGLE

that Madama Butterfly carried a similar theme to Bizet’s “Carmen,” an opera the club went to see last year.

“I went last year and we saw ‘Carmen,’” Burns shared. “This year and last year, they were both very sad and this year, I think the costuming was more elaborate.”

Brianna Avalos is a commuter student who frequently attends Italian Club-organized events in the city. She wants

to inform students that regardless of whether they are Italian or not, they should still be engaged with the club because it broadens their cultural awareness and may surprise them as being an enjoyable experience.

“It will immerse the amount of culture [audience members] are exposed to. I’m not Italian, but I really enjoyed coming.

I’ve never been to an opera before and I thought it was a really fun experience,” said Avalos.

Sports

DECEMBER 3, 2019

11

Former Jasper Savio Paul Reflects on Faith in his Athletic Career Samantha Walla Production Editor

Savio Paul, once a chemical engineering major and pole vaulting Jasper, returns to Manhattan College for a different pursuit. After graduating in 2015, Paul entered the seminary at St. Joseph’s Seminary and College.

As a fifth year seminarian, Paul is in his second to last year of formation on the track for graduates with a college degree.

Two years in philosophy, got a masters in Catholic philosophical studies now going for a theology degree. MDiv, or Master of Divinity, which is the official degree for someone doing ministry in the United States.

Paul’s studies have forced him from the “engineering bubble,” the transition felt like learning a different language.

“Philosophy is great because it’s the science of the

sciences. It takes nothing for granted,” said Paul. “For example, in math, one plus one equals two. But why does one plus one equal two? Philosophy asks those deeper questions, like the reality of everything.

So for me, it was a real rewiring of how to think and look at the world, in a sense.”

Despite the culture shock, chemical engineering prepared Paul for seminary in unlikely ways, such as becoming a clear thinker, dealing with difficult problems and working in teams.

“There’s a whole different kind of lingo, words that I didn’t actually think were words were words. A whole shift in thought,” said Paul. “It was really humbling in that way, too.

It’s easy to get a big head after engineering, I thought I had it all figured it all out. But it’s like, no, I actually know nothing. That I know for sure.”

Chemical engineering, while differing in content, allowed Paul to gain familiarity

with learning and living in a tight-knit community.

After philosophy, Paul began studying theology, the material he expected upon entering the seminary. In theology, Paul studied deeper into his faith, learning far beyond what he already thought he knew.

“It’s so vast, and there’s so much to learn. And that’s the beauty of God, you know, you’re never done on the journey, we’re constantly on that journey growing towards perfection.”

The family-like community of the chemical engineering department continued when Paul went to seminary, as relying on others is a chief component of studying theology.

“It’s amazing how God uses your gifts. It’s never a waste.

That’s the beauty of that history. Once you open yourself up to God, he will use your talents.”

These talents extended beyond chemical engineering while at Manhattan College, as

Paul also was a pole vaulter on the track and field team.

“Talking about the spiritual life and typical life… It’s easy to think of them as separate worlds, but I think sports really shaped me into the person I am today,” said Paul.

Paul began his sports career in high school, the self-described shy, unathletic type decided to give pole vaulting a try on a whim. For Paul, being able to do well and succeed in pole vaulting was the way that God communicated being made in his likeness and image. This endeavor allowed him to relate to God through worldly experience, which was a more powerful connection than simply reading about God’s love.

Paul found his intense discipline paid off in other areas of his life, including his academics and faith.

“There’s something beautiful about sports in general. The whole idea of constantly working at perfecting yourself, striving for excellence, which I find

is so in sync with the faith,” said Paul. “We’re trying to grow in holiness, grow in perfection.

For me, sports was another way of expressing that, to give until it hurts.”

Even beyond the individual sport of pole vaulting, being a part of a team allowed for Paul to grow and work toward something larger than himself. His coaches, as well as his teammates, gave him the opportunity to explore aspects of his life that extended beyond athletics.

Late night practices preceded even later night conversations about life with coach Dan Mecca, who Paul felt acted as a second father.

Speaking on the relationships that Paul found at Manhattan College occasions advice to current students: “Enjoy this community while you’re here,” said Paul.

“Because it’s not like this everywhere.”

The Faces of the Sports Information Desk: Kelly Carroll JASPERS TALK Megan Dreher Editor-in-Chief

The Quadrangle is fortunate enough to cover a multitude of sporting events and athletes each week, but none of that would be possible without the assistance of the Sports Information Desk. Faculty members of the Athletics department, such as Kelly Carroll, not only coordinate interviews with media like the Quadrangle, but they also act as a media liaison to any and all external outlets, from the NCAA to ESPN. Carroll currently serves as the Assistant Director of Sports Communication, a job that covers a variety of tasks on a day to day basis.

The Quadrangle was able to sit down with Carroll to learn more about her integral role in Manhattan Athletics.

The Quadrangle: How did you get involved in the work you’re doing now?

Kelly Carroll: I actually took a circuitous route. I was a journalist right out of grad school, I went to Boston University for my masters in Journalism. After doing that for a little while, around 2008 the whole media landscape

was starting to change. People didn’t know what to do with digital media. I got a job in book publishing, which led to a job editing Columbia Law School’s alumni magazine. I did that for almost six years, but during that time, everything started to transition to digital as well. While working there, I realized that I wanted to get back into sports. My dad was a college basketball coach, my mom worked in the Athletic department at Westpoint. I grew up in that world, kind of went away from it, but realized I wasn’t fulfilled as an adult not doing it. I went back to school at Columbia, got my masters degree in Sports Management, and then was hired here at Manhattan.

This is my first job in this field professionally, so I feel very lucky. It’s a role where you get your hands dirty in a lot of different things.

TQ: What do you do on a dayto-day basis?

KC: The traditional part of my job is being a sport information director, which covers stats, being a liaison to the conference and to the NCAA, travelling with teams when appropriate and making sure that the game day aspects of their trips on the road is

taken care of, at home being a score table manager, a game day facilitator. This position started because when college sports started to become big, they needed someone to care for the media stuff—the media relations director, which I also do. The other half of my job, is all of the digital stuff.

Everything externally that we do digitally falls under me.

Our social media (our main account and the 19 team accounts), our website, our in house broadcasts. It’s an interesting office to be in because if you look at the landscape of college athletics now, a lot of the Power 5 schools are schools that have more resources and are segmenting their external communication.

For us, it has evolved from that traditional SID role, and we continue to take on all of those other jobs that have become important to communicating in college athletics.

TQ: What is your relationship with the teams that you work with?

KC: It’s very different from team to team. I oversee Cross Country, Track & Field, Volleyball, Softball, and Women’s Basketball, so I get to work more closely with them.

We’ll do a lot of things such

as media training to go over best practices in how to present yourself, to interviewing them not just about their accomplishments in competition but also what they’re doing in class and the community.

That’s probably my favorite part of my job—interacting with them and seeing them grow and be successful here.

We want to see these kids be really well rounded people, and show everyone that we’re not just fantastic athletes here, we want them to be really good citizens of the world.

TQ: Over the past two years that you’ve been here, what has been your favorite part about working with Manhattan Athletics?

KC: There’s been a lot. The days are very long, so I think day to day you always focus on the little hurdles and frustrations, but when you look at the big picture, the people I’ve gotten to meet and work with have been amazing and very supportive. I came in not having a job like this before, so I had to learn very quickly, and everyone here gave me the opportunity to do that.

So I’m very grateful for the people, both my colleagues and the student athletes. Now in the middle of my third

Carroll joined Manhattan Athletics in 2017 as Assistant Director of Sports Communication.

GO JASPERS / THE

QUADRANGLE

season, seeing how much the kids have grown, become better athletes, and great people... you get to watch them turn into adults which is nice. You get to feel like you’re making an impact in someway, which I don’t think you get in a lot of jobs.

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Sports

THE QUADRANGLE

The Manhattan College Cross Country Team Closes off the Season at Home

The Manhattan College Cross Country team competed at the 2019 ECAC Cross Country Championships in Van Cortlandt Park to close this year’s season.

MADALYN JOHNSON/THE QUADRANGLE tan College’s running thus far in the 2019-2020 school year.

The freshmen, specifically, Asst. A&E Editor & Staff Writer have risen to the occasion with one of the top performers being Andria Scaglione, a naThe Manhattan College tive of Oceanside, N.Y., who Cross Country team closed off earned herself a spot in the the final race of the XC season 2019 MAAC Championship and at the ECAC Cross Country placed ninth in the women’s 6K Championships in one of the race. Not only have multiple Bronx’s most acclaimed parks, freshmen runners this season Van Cortlandt. Two sophosurpassed the expectation of an mores, as well as a senior and underclassman athlete, but two freshman runner on the men’s sisters, Andria along with one team, competed to top off the of her triplet siblings, Nicola cross country season, as well Scaglione, have in such a short as to begin warming up for the time excelled phenomenally upcoming races in the 2019 with the college-level running track season. adjustment.

Runners on the MC men’s All in all, the men’s team’s cross country team generally performance at the ECAC performed well in this season, Cross Country Championships competing in major college could be constituted as a suffiXC events including Marist cient close to the cross country Invite, Fordham Fiasco and season and as a reminder that Monmouth Henry Mercer Inmore practice is in store for vite. Sophomore, Ryan Tierthe next indoor track season. nay, has exceptionally been Senior Adam Alshoubeki was a huge standout. Competing the first MC runner to finish in numerous races in the trithe men’s 5K race, coming in state area, Tiernay has proved 123rd, with sophomore Marc himself worthy of being a longCarrera following right behind. distance runner to look out for.

Michael Crorkin, sophomore, Last year, opening his college stayed close with the pack as running career, he finished in well, being the 127th runner to the top 20 at the Fordham Fiasfinish the race and freshman, co. He’s continued this impresQuemarri Williams, came in at sive streak into his sophomore 129th place. year, placing second overall in Alshoubeki viewed the fithe cross country season opennal race of the XC reason as a er at Marist Invite back in Aureflection of all the hard work, gust. Additionally, the whole time and effort he’s put into his team has had their fair share running as a Jasper athlete. of impressive victories, placing “Going into this race tothird at the Army West Point day specifically, I just kind of meet and second at the 2019 cleared my mind. I appreciMetropolitan Championship in ated that I’ve been healthy all Van Cortlandt Park. season, which usually is a chalThe women’s team also lenge for me so that gave me a has had an outstanding impact sense of confidence. So, I got on the reputation of Manhat-

Madalyn Johnson & Jessica McKenzie

on the line with my teammates with the mindset that this is my last race let’s just go out there,” he said.

Kelly Carroll, the assistant director of sports communication for Manhattan Athletics, took note of the freshmen’s performances on the women’s team as an example for how the cross country teams this season have dealt and evolved with the absence of some key senior runners from last year.

“Last year, on the women’s side too, there was a lot of senior leadership that left so this team had to grow really quickly.

On the women’s side, they had a lot of freshmen talent which is really great,” Carroll said.

Based on the results from this season, Carroll commended the women lowerclassmen runners for their superb performances and continuing the success the cross country team maintained last season despite how hard the transition is from high-school athletics to college.

“I think it’s hard when you’re going to college. There’s a lot of transitioning, as a student-athlete, it’s double that,” Carroll explained.

“You’re not only trying to figure out classes and life away from home, but you’re trying to be a Division I athlete, which is really time-consuming and a tough transition from high school even if you are super talented. I think that they were able to come in and not really put that pressure on themselves, and surpass it, and they did a really great job.”

Kerri Gallagher is the head coach for the Manhattan College cross country team, as well as for the distance and mid-dis-

FROM TOP: Runners Quemarii Williams, Michael Crorkin and Marc Carrera cross the finish line at the 2019 ECAC Cross Country Championships in Van Cortlandt Park.

MADALYN JOHNSON/ THE QUADRANGLE tance programs. Similar to Carroll, she feels the achievements of the cross country teams this season mainly had to do with the progressively, strong performances from the freshmen.

“The way we started the season and the way we ended the season are very, very different and I think a lot of that is because we have a pretty young team,” Gallagher said.

In the future, Gallagher hopes to utilize the runners’ ex-

periences and results from the past cross country season as a learning lesson in how to constantly walk away from races on a positive note.

“We’re really looking to utilize what we’ve learned this year and to establish a little more consistency, especially coming into the season. Hopefully, we’ll be dealing with a lot more sophomores and juniors, and the freshmen will kind of be part of the system already.”