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NEW YORK, OCTOBER 1, 2019

Saturday Finals to be Eliminated from Final Exam Schedule Megan Dreher & Maria Thomas Editor-in-Chief & Asst. News Editor

Manhattan College Welcomes October The Manhattan College entrance greets current and prospectives during the fall season.

EMILY HOLLAR / THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan College Advances in Rankings Christine Nappi Staff Writer

Manhattan College has recently advanced in the 2020 version of the U.S. News and World Report rankings, as well as earning the number one spot on MONEY Magazine for being the most transformative college in the country.

U.S. News and World Report has ranked Manhattan 13th out of 179 colleges and universities in the North Regional Universities categories. The college has also been ranked out of 53 colleges in the same category as being the seventh best college for veterans. In addition, Manhattan was noted as a top performer in social mobility, a new category added to this report. The School of Engineering and O’Malley School of Business have also received recognition for being notable programs the school has to offer.

“Rankings have become a very important part of a college’s recognition,” Dean of Business Donald Gibson said.

“They are important, they’re a strong sign and our presence on the U.S. News list is very im-

portant and the fact that we’ve moved up on there, it’s not easy to change places on that list.”

In this report, the college has advanced from previously being in the 15th spot. This is the college’s fourth consecutive year placing in the top 15 and its 13th consecutive year placing in the top 20 for this category.

The U.S. News and World Report evaluates their categories based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s Basic Classification system, which is the system used by the U.S. Department of Education and higher education associations.

For specific rankings, the report used quantitative data, such as graduation and acceptance rates, as well as academic quality and opinion-based rankings.

The School of Engineering has tied with 14 other schools for 38th place among 210 for the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs where a doctorate is not offered. According to Tim Ward, Dean of Engineering, U.S. News and World Report will send out ranking sheets with schools similar to Manhattan. After obtaining a

IN FEATURES: Sound Studies Ma- New club on campus on p. 4 jor Comes to MC

IN NEWS: on p. 3

certain number of rankings, the average is published which warrants reasoning for multiple schools being ranked at the same level.

“It’s nice to be on the list but it doesn’t reflect the quality of the school,” Ward said.

“The school of engineering has made its fame otherwise in the city and in the region.”

MONEY has looked at data to determine Manhattan’s place on their list, and has ranked the college so for having a “proven ability to change the lives of its students,” regardless of their demographic and economic backgrounds. They found the college to have a 37 percent higher graduation rate than schools who enroll students with the same backgrounds, and note that more than 60 percent of graduates coming from low-income backgrounds reach the top income quintile by their 30s. They claim alumni to have average starting salaries of $62,600, which surpasses the starting salaries for graduates of Fordham and New York University, and is just under that of Columbia University.

“Manhattan prepared me __________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Effective as of the Fall of 2019, Manhattan College will no longer proctor final exams on Saturdays for weekday classes. This year, only students who have Saturday classes will take final exams on the weekend. For all other students, final exams will be taken Monday through Friday.

In past years, it was common, and even expected, for students to have finals scheduled on Saturdays. This year, however, a new schedule has been put in place.

A great motivator for the recent change came from Manhattan College’s newly hired registrar, Carlos Tonche.

Tonche began working for the college in the fall semester of 2018. He claims he noticed early on that there was a general dislike of Saturday finals by students, many of whom considered the weekend finals to be inconvenient. He gathered this opinion by attending the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) meetings.

“As someone who is relatively new, one of the things I’ve learned in my career is you want to respect the culture of the institution that you are going to. Rather than rush and implement this right away, we really had to think this through and make the best effort to minimize potential issues,” Tonche said.

After observing the culture of the college, Tonche believed that this decision would be favorable among students and faculty alike.

“I believe there was only enthusiasm for the change.

In fact, part of the reminder for the request for the change came from the EAC. I had seen emails from faculty asking before, and students brought it up: ‘why do I have a Saturday exam when I have a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday class?’” said Tonche.

Nadia Itani, the current

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WRCM is back on airon p. 8

Vice President for Academic Affairs, was not heavily involved with the decision to move away from Saturday finals. But, since assuming her position and having more involvement with the EAC, she has also seen the positive response firsthand.

“So I wasn’t entirely involved in the logistics of creating the new final exam schedule but it was something discussed in the EAC last semester. I think it’s beneficial because most students want to get home or go on vacation as soon as possible and this leaves them with a more solid schedule to work with and make those post-finals plans. It also keeps the week from dragging on too long,” said Itani.

One of the biggest challenges in making this shift was creating a new formula to assign exam days to students based on class schedules.

Tonche said, “We tried different models, so it’s a trial and error. We obviously used data from the spring semester as a kind of guide. We eliminated a couple models that created too many conflicts. It’s all a mathematical equation in a way, because you have all of that, plus you have the student schedules that can change, so you make the best guess.”

Because of this mathematical equation, the new exam schedule is designed to avoid as many conflicts as possible.

But, having one less day in the schedule causes an increase in the likelihood of overlapping exams. This concern is an important one for both Tonche and Dr. William Clyde, the Provost of the college and head of the EAC. “If we took exams that were scheduled over six days and scheduled them over five days, the likelihood of having more than two in a day has increased, but the policy is still in place. More students may run into that, but they still have the right to go get it resolved, and they should do that,” Clyde said.

The policy that Clyde re__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

IN SPORTS:

Meet soccer standout Camryn Nicci on p. 10

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the Quadrangle Volume C, Issue 6 OCTOBER 1, 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.

Connect with The Quadrangle

mcquad.org @mcquad @mcquad mcquad

THE QUADRANGLE

Saturday Finals to be Eliminated from Final Exam Schedule

__________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

fers to gives students the right to make adjustments to their final exam schedule should there be a conflict.

According to the student handbook, this policy states, “If a student has more than two final examinations scheduled for the same day, he/she may ask the instructor(s) to arrange an alternate date.”

Both Tonche and Clyde agree that students should be aware of this policy, and are encouraged to act on it if necessary.

A second area of concern is with common exams, where multiple sections of the same subject sit at the same time for a final.

“Common exams are matters that can influence the outcome of the schedule. But, we just put the call out to faculty and gave them a deadline. Our goal this year is a bit earlier than previous years, but that’s in order to assess the impact that the common exams have on the classes. That’s the variable,” said Tonche.

Tonche said that they hope to have the common exam schedule publicized by the beginning of October.

Overall, the general re-

Dr. William Clyde is the provost of Manhattan College and the head of the Educational Affairs Committee.

MANHATTAN COLLEGE / COURTESY

sponse of no Saturday finals has been positive amongst the Manhattan community. While there are expected to be hiccups in the system, Tonche, Clyde, Itani, and the rest of the EAC hope the response will remain positive after implementation this December.

Tonche said, “I have no illusions that we’re going to have some growing pains this fall, but the whole idea is that we’re trying to get to a good outcome and hopefully if everyone pulls together, we will.”

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OCTOBER 1, 2019

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Sound Studies Major To Be Introduced Samantha Walla Production Manager

In the fall of 2020, incoming Manhattan College students will be able to declare a major in sound studies.

The program, developed in large part by music professor Mark Pottinger, will expand upon the music minor currently offered by the Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Although the same five courses of the music minor will be included in the major, the decision to categorize the major as sound studies contributes to the relationship Manhattan College has had to music as a Lasallian institution. “[The college’s] mission has always been to equip young people with skills to equip people to be transformative in the world,” said Pottinger.

For this reason, very few Catholic schools, and Lasallian schools in particular, offer music programs.

“Music is fun,” said Pottinger. “We enjoy music because of its ability to move us away from the everyday grind of rigor. But as we all know, music does have rigor.”

Music study has historically been categorized by the study of a particular instrument, live music and the reflection of culture through music. By defining the program as sound studies, rather than music studies, the wider influence of recorded sound can be examined and understood by its students.

Pottinger also points out that most of the impactful interactions that one experiences with music in present day is recorded sound, as opposed to live music, which also contributes to the wide breadth of the

program.

After 20 years at Manhattan College, Pottinger remains the only full-time musicologist and music professor. Over this time, he has seen Manhattan College’s music expand through the addition of performance ensembles such as orchestra and jazz band, as well as the music minor. However, the addition of an entire major always seemed out of grasp.

By the fall of 2020, at least 10 freshmen will begin as sound studies majors. However, a number of current Manhattan students have expressed interest in switching into the program.

Freshman Luis Chavez is one of the students planning on declaring a sound studies major next year.

Chavez plans to build on his ample music education from high school in classes such as production, computer programing to measure acoustics and organology, the study of instruments.

“This program is perfect for me since I want to become a professional on Broadway,”

is physics, and many of those involved in performing ensembles on campus are engineers.

This major will be able to diversify the education of those students.

“I was always looking at the materiality music,” said Pottinger. “So looking at how it defines itself in our everyday world, rather than just simply as emotion or subjective reality, but as something that can be measured, something that can be understood or defined by data sets that speak directly to our experience.”

Sophomore Abby Drayer plans to change her music minor to a sound studies major next fall, which will be supplemented by a physics minor.

Drayer intends to pursue a career that involves both physics and music in the study of sound; such as a musicologist, sound engineering technician, or acoustician.

“Coming into Manhattan College I knew that I wanted a career in a STEM field while also having music be towards the forefront of my life,” said Drayer. “But the physics pro-

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

“Music is fun,” said Pottinger.

“We enjoy music because of its ability to move us away from the everyday grind of rigor.”

-----------------------said Chavez. “It really does help if you become a renaissance music man.”

The major will serve more than students interested in performance.

Pottinger’s background preceding music

gram and the music program are geared in vastly different directions with little to no subject overlap. My hope for this program is that it will allow me to use what I have already learned in my physics and mu-

Mark Pottinger began his studies as a physicist before becoming a musicologist.

MANHATTAN COLLEGE / COURTESY sic courses in accordance with each other, rather than being treated as separate entities.”

Drayer’s experiences with the study of sound itself is limited to her physics education, but she has practiced music as a pianist and percussionist throughout her life, continuing in various performing ensembles at Manhattan such as Pep Band and Pipes and Drums.

“A lot of people think of music and physics - or even science in general - as vastly different subject matters. This is completely the opposite as music is quite literally physics.

On a fundamental level, music is the motion of sound waves through particles, received and interpreted by our auditory systems. Written music is even more scientific and mathematical, requiring complex systems of pitch and meter.”

Even beyond its encom-

passing of seemingly unlikely aspects of science and engineering, the major will ask larger questions of culture and societal impact.

“The process of locating sound and defining, in sound, realities that speak to ideas, that’s really at the heart of sound studies,” said Pottinger.

“But also how we want music to be in our everyday lives. We listen to music for a pretty good reason. We ask of it, everytime we go to it, something. It’s in the process of why we are asking that question and what do we get in return. What process is done in that exchange?”

This question will contribute to the Lasallian mission of transforming the world, not only through its students, but as a trailblazer of sound studies programs across Catholic institutions.

Manhattan College Advances in Rankings __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 extremely well for post graduate life and my job,” Anne King ‘19 said. “The college has a lot of opportunities for their students.”

King, a previous education major currently working at a special education school in the West Bronx, felt ready for postgraduate life due to Manhattan’s curriculum and attention to students. She claims that the “rigorous but manageable” education in addition to professors willingness to work with students, has prepared her well for life outside of college.

“We’re actually taking students and raising them up to a higher level,” Dean of Engineering Tim Ward said. “We have the students who come

here, and after they leave here they’ve exceeded expectations as you might think based on what the incoming demographics were.”

Although the college is pleased to be on U.S. News and World Report rankings list, Ward and Gibson note the importance of being recognized on MONEY and find it to reflect the mission of the college well. The school credits their success for the ability to improve the lives of a diverse student body, and allowing each student to be successful in their post graduate lives.

“Manhattan College instills a massive amount of pride in the school and in their students,” King said. “[It’s] a strong community of people even after you graduate.”

MONEY defines Manhattan’s success from the “indi-

vidualized attention to every student.” Gibson notes that the college works with students of all varieties to prepare them for post-graduate life, equipping them with the skills they need in the work environment. He also notes the importance of adhering to current and past student’s demands in order to meet their educational needs.

“Openness to a variety of people and then working with people to help prepare them, in our case for a modern workplace.” Gibson said. “That’s the transformative piece and that’s what Manhattan College does well.”

Despite the successful reputation of the engineering and business programs, Ward and Gibson both emphasize the importance of Manhattan being a liberal arts school. They find that the liberal arts tradition

combined with professional programs, such as engineering, business, and education, sets the school apart from others. Gibson finds that the school has had very successful alumni, and the transformative ranking has reflected that.

“I call it the ‘power of and’ between liberal arts and professional schools,” Gibson said.

“You get this whole person, this well rounded person. That’s really what an employer wants, not somebody who’s just narrowly focused on one thing.”

Ward notes that in addition to having a core curriculum rooted in liberal arts, the school’s Lasallian traditions also play into student success.

The factors of “ethical behavior, community, and service,” help shape the student.

“Students who come here and graduate from here take

something more than just technical skills with them,” Ward said. “They take skills with them that allow them to be leaders to be very successful in their careers.”

With an increase in attention on college rankings, the college hopes to continue to receive recognition for their achievements. While the college knows the influence rankings can have on perceptions of the school, Gibson highlights the importance that rankings should not distract from the overall goal of the college.

“Once you have a ranking it’s hard for people to take their eyes off it,” Gibson said.

“It’s a balance of you need to be aware of the rankings but that shouldn’t be everything you focus on. You really need to focus on ‘are we doing our job well.”

Features

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THE QUADRANGLE

Bringing Peace and Justice to MC and More Christine Nappi Staff Writer

From collecting reusable mugs to use in Locke’s Loft, to organizing clothing drives on campus, this club works to make not only Manhattan College, but the whole New York City community a better place.

By bringing awareness to injustices of the world, this club educates others on how to take action; this club is none other than JustPeace JustPeace is a student run organization on campus that discusses current issues in the world today and offers solutions on how to solve them.

The organization conducts various social-issue events and collects items such as clothes and health care products to donate to the less fortunate throughout the year. Education combined with action are essential aspects of the club as seen through their various endeavors.

“The goal is to be a student run organization trying to address issues that we see our issues, and giving a voice to students who want to try and

create change,” said senior Carly Brownell, President of JustPeace.

JustPeace is most known for their annual spring clothing drive for New York clothing shelters, and most recently their reusable mug initiative to make the dining hall more sustainable and eco-friendly.

Each fall semester the club participates in the Period Project, where they collect donations of pads and tampons for Part Of The Solution homeless shelter in the Bronx.

Although actions such as this are conducted on campus, according to sophomore Sydney Waitt, special projects coordinator, the club’s actions impact more than just MC.

“The changes that we make are affecting the entire state of New York. They’re small changes but they do make a difference; it’s the drop of water you need to make an ocean.” Waitt said. “Everyone doing their part is what makes the campus and New York City as a whole a better place.”

In addition to these annual events, JustPeace also hosts events that pertain to what is currently happening in the world, holding about four a

semester. Some events for the upcoming year are the Peace Tour on Sept. 28 in which club members will travel to various landmarks in the city related to social justice, such as the World Trade Center and Ellis Island. They also plan to attend a Peace Action New York State conference Oct. fourth through sixth to hear various discussions addressing social justice.

According to Brownell, JustPeace also promotes “awareness raising events” such as bringing in various speakers, hosting events and conducting panels related to injustices of the world. In the past, these events showcased issues ranging from the opioid crisis to solitary confinement.

The decision to have these events on campus are prompted by students’ desires to learn more about a topic that they find interesting and fits the mold of solving injustice.

“We leave it open to the students who come to the club,” said senior Joe Perez, Media Outreach for JustPeace. “The opioid crisis and the solitary confinement, those were ideas that were brought to us and we made it happen.”

The club also collaborates

with campus organizations that have a similar purpose, such as the Muslim Student Association, Sanctus Artem, Psychology Club, and the LGBTQ Student Group. At their meetings, they promote some events that other groups are holding to highlight what’s going on around campus.

JustPeace hopes to promote peace on campus in any way, shape or form, and encourages students to get involved because their actions can make a difference.

“I really found my voice through JustPeace and I found my passion,” Brownell said. “it became a way to realize that you actually can do stuff, you can make changes, you can take actions, and also it raised awareness to me about a lot of different issues that need addressing.”

Members of the club find JustPeace to be an essential component of the college community for all it has to offer.

Not only is it an outlet for students to give back, but as junior Khaitlyn Figueroa, JustPeace secretary describes, the idea of peace and justice can be seen everywhere and in everything students do. With that in mind,

she sees the club benefiting all types of students.

“We all have to take responsibility, especially because a lot of these issues are systematic and we’re all part of the system,” Figueroa said. “It’s important to educate yourself in these issues because you can bring what you learn into any field.”

JustPeace is open to all students and according to the members, is hoping to grow in membership. They encourage members to partake in events they host as well as peace oriented events that other clubs host, in an effort to better the community.

“I found myself going one day and then I just kept on going, and it was a way for me to be aware of what’s happening around me,” Perez said. “I really liked listening to all of these social issues all all of the ideas that people have to make a change, and at one point you go from listening to being a part of the change.”

Mother Nature Club Joins MC’s Campus Jilleen Barrett & Jessica McKenzie

Contributor & Staff Writer The Mother Nature Club is Manhattan College’s newest organization for students interested in sustainability. Current junior Meya Hayes decided to start the club this year after an inspirational Environmental Politics class taught by Professor Pamela Chasek. She learned the benefits of sustainability and how it could give students a healthier experience at Manhattan College. Hayes hopes that if more people are inspired by the club’s mission, more students will want to major or minor in environmental studies.

“I wanted to do something that would last,” she said.

It became Hayes’s mission to educate her peers on the way environmental issues specifically affect women. The group is founded and run by a board consisting of women who share a common goal to influence sustainability using the female voice.

According to Chasek, society standardizes environmen-

tal issues into two groups: issues that typically concern men and issues that typically concern women. Men tend to think of these issues as something to repair, such as environmental engineering. But Chasek offers a different perspective.

“The environment is a health issue. But who are the ones who think of it that way?

Women,” she said.

Some of the problems relating to climate change impact women worse than men.

Chasek said that one of these issues is that reproductive health can be put at risk by eating fish because of their high concentration of mercury, which can lead to birth defects.

While environmental issues affect human beings on a global scale, pollution is right within our neighborhood. In the Bronx, there are food distribution trucks for the entire New York City area that linger at Hunts Point Market. Due to the air pollution and chemical exposure to pregnant women and young children, asthma rates are much higher in that neighborhood compared to others around the U.S.

Additionally, the growth hormones used on cows negatively impact those who drink their milk, which affect both children with and without dairy allergies.

The Green Club was the prominent environmental organization on campus, and its main focus was on sustainable agriculture, urban farming, and food education. Since the founder of the club graduated, new environmental issues have become more of a concern.

The Mother Nature club is trying to address those concerns in a more progressive way.

The Mother Nature club is working to expand their mission outside of our neighborhood. The club made a trip to the Climate Rally on Sept. 20, but Hayes doesn’t want their outings to end there. She would love to start projects, go on excursions, and have guest lecturers speak on campus. She’s also been brainstorming ways that the Mother Nature Club can collaborate with the Ethical Treatment of Animals Club, such as trips to an animal sanctuary.

“A lot of pollution issues fall

Club members advocate for bringing awareness to the concerns of climate change. Members made signs for the climate strikes on Friday Sept. 20th. @MC_MOTHERNATURECLUB /INSTAGRAM

on women, who have to deal with the effects on their own bodies as well as their children,” Chasek said.

Although women’s health in relation to the environment

is the main focus of the group, the Mother Nature Club invites anyone to join. Meetings take place on Wednesdays in Miguel Hall.

Features

OCTOBER 1, 2019

5

Sports Media Production Students Gear Up for an Action-Packed Semester Pete Janny

Asst. Sports Editor Come this November, communication majors who are currently taking, or have taken, one of the sports media production classes will get to put their production skills to use as part of the college’s commitment to produce live telecasts for all 27 home basketball games this season between the men and women’s teams.

This past spring the Metro Atlantic Conference issued a mandate to all of its member schools to make clear that the 2019-2020 basketball season will be the first year in which every school must individually produce broadcasts for every home basketball game.

In need of more publicity and excitement, this was going to be the best way possible for the conference to make the most of an eight-year contract that was signed with a ESPN back in 2017.

With that contract between the MAAC and ESPN now in its third year, Manhattan College made the smart decision of starting its own relationship with ESPN this past spring in anticipation for what will be a busy 2019-2020 behind-thescenes for the school and the rest of their MAAC counterparts. Manhattan took their relationship with ESPN to the next level by bringing an ESPN mobile unit to campus this past March that has remained in Riverdale since.

What separates Manhat-

tan College from other MAAC schools in terms of production potential is that the school has gone so far as implementing a sports media production concentration. Having this concentration in place is so valuable for the school and its production aspirations as it will now be easier to cater to the needs of students who are specifically interested in sports media production. Furthermore, students who are intrigued by this concentration get to pick from a trove of classes pertinent to sports media production.

At the intersection of Manhattan athletics and the sports media production concentration is a man named Joe Ruggiero. A 2017 Monmouth University graduate and former Director of New Media for the MAAC, Ruggiero was hired in July to serve as both producer and director for the school’s production crew. In short, Ruggiero has come to Manhattan to help usher in this new era of Manhattan athletics that is rooted in sports media production.

In his new position, Ruggiero has been working closely with students taking Sports Media Production and Advanced Sports Media because of their burgeoning familiarity with what it takes to produce a live broadcast. Although there are only six students between both classes that meet the requirements to help out, Ruggiero is excited to get the chance to work with students who share with him a passion for sports media production.

“I think they are very excit-

ed because they get to be part of the production live in the trenches,” Ruggiero said. “Not only will they be able to put this on their resume, but they now will know a skill so that if someone needs a freelancer in the area who knows a specific equipment then they’ll know how to do it.”

With the basketball season quickly approaching, Ruggiero knows he and his team will have their hands full as they prepare for an experience that is unprecedented at Manhattan College. As a way to familiarize students with specific tasks while not overwhelming them, Ruggiero says that the time spent preparing on game days come basketball season will replace formal class sessions.

“It’s like a lab,” Ruggiero said. “Their class time is to work different positions and shadow different positions. If they take three sports media classes then they can eventually work themselves into these positions instead of just watching every week.”

Students involved with this program can work a number of different roles such as camera operating, audio engineering and controlling the replay system. While Ruggiero is confident in his students’ abilities, he is also prepared to exercise patience in that event that mistakes are made.

“There’s a chance for them to mess up which is fine,” Ruggiero said. “Yes, we’re on ESPN but we’re still student run.

What’s important is that they learn from their mistakes.”

Sophomore Thomas Court-

Students in the sports media concentration get hands-on experience in game broadcasts thanks to the sports programming in this ESPN mobile production unit.

MANHATTAN COLLEGE/ COURTESY

ney is one of two students taking Advanced Sports Media Production this semester after taking Sports Media Production as a freshman. Having already declared as a sports media production major, Courtney is trying to make the most of this experience because of how closely it aligns with his career goals.

“This experience is really beneficial because it’s an ESPN truck and all of the equipment comes from them,” Courtney said. “Being able to work with ESPN in a live environment is special” While the Sports Media Production class focuses more on the history of sports media, Advanced Sports Media Production is different in that it is designed to give students hands-on experience working with the different production equipment. With Ruggiero now in the equation, Courtney believes students are set up for a bright future.

“Joe’s a great teacher,” Courtney said.

“Having a young presence like him around helps us grow in to our own roles.”

Like Courtney, junior Aedan Roney is also a member of the production crew and is excited for the challenges that lie ahead. As someone who entered the program more familiar with television production than sports media production, Roney admitted how cool it’s been to learn about production from a whole new perspective.

“The thing that attracted me to the class was the fact that it’s a live broadcast just like the way we do it in television studio production,” Roney said.

“But there’s more movement in sports as you can imagine so being forced to shoot and operate on my toes was really enticing.”

Due to the dearth of students associated with the program, there will be freelancers at the games working in collaboration with the students as a way to produce the best broadcasts possible. The prospect of working with these professionals is something that makes Roney even more excited for the games.

“Because the program is still in its infancy, we don’t have enough students required to shoot these games by ourselves,” Roney explained. “That is why Joe has spoken to us a lot about working alongside freelancers which will give us the chance to operate with professionals in the field.”

Roney is also using this unique opportunity to try to make himself more attractive in the eyes of employees regard-

less of what he ends up doing for a career after college. One thing that seems clear is that Roney will try to parlay his skills into landing some type of job in the field of production.

“I wanted to diversify my knowledge set of production so that I can separate myself from other candidates when I’m applying for production jobs in the future.”

In terms of his relationship working with Ruggiero, Roney has nothing but respect for the man in charge. Roney cited Ruggiero’s youthful enthusiasm for why it’s easy to get along with him.

“It’s been really great working with Joe,” Roney said. “He’s a young guy fresh out of college who’s just got a drive and passion for sports production.”

Much of the excitement surrounding this initiative stems from the likelihood that prospective recruits will begin to think more highly of Manhattan College.

“I think it’s a great recruiting tool because now we can tell prospective recruits that all of their home games will be viewable on an ESPN platform,” Assistant Director of Sports Communication for Digital and Emerging Media Kelly Carroll said.

Besides impressing high school athletes, Carroll is also looking forward to the increased attention that current student-athletes will receive as a result of this initiative.

“We are really excited to tell the stories about our studentsathletes’ academic accolades and the internships they take,” Carroll said. “This platform reaches further than we’ve been able to in the past which should boost everything exponentially.”

As for Ruggiero, he is hopeful that this program will not only recruit athletes to the school, but that it will also convince students that Manhattan College is the best place to hone their sports media production skills.

“I think this is a great recruiting tool for coaches to use in the future because Manhattan is not necessarily a name that jumps out to you,” said Ruggiero. “My other big goal is for my students to enjoy it and spread the word about it incoming freshmen and other students.”

Ruggiero and his crew will produce live broadcasts for seven non-conference basketball games this semester. Those games can be viewed on ESPN Plus.

Features

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THE QUADRANGLE

Alumni Corner: Victoria Leandra Hernández Talks About VICE and Working In The Industry Gillian Puma Staff Writer

Have you ever wondered who runs the social media behind VICE News? The woman behind the camera for major cultural events such as the Women’s March and the Power to Puerto Rico March is none other than Manhattan College alumna, Victoria Leandra Hernández.

During her time at Manhattan College, Hernández was very involved with campus life.

She was the Social Media Editor, Multimedia Editor and the Asst. Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Quadrangle.

She was also a student host for the Manhattan College Office of Student Engagement, where she conducted weekly videos to promote events and activities on and off campus. She also took on some of the school’s volunteer opportunities, such as the Lasallian Outreach Volunteer Experience in Duran, Ecuador and the Leadership and Global Awareness program in Rome, Italy. Her success as a student academically lead her to be awarded a full-tuition merit scholarship, while also earning her place in Lambda Pi Eta communication honor society and Epsilon Sigma Pi. Hernández graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Com-

munication and Media Studies with a concentration in journalism and a minor in digital media. She obtained a 3.8 GPA and graduated magna cum laude.

Prior to working at VICE, Hernández did work as the lead weekend social producer at TicToc by Bloomberg as well as a reporter at the New York Times Journalism Institute.

She is not only the multimedia producer for VICE News, but she is also the developer and producer of “Currently Obsessed”, Vice News’ culture video series on music.

The Quadrangle: How old are you?

Victoria Leandra Hernández: I just turned 23.

TQ: Where are you from?

VL: I am from Puerto Rico. I lived in a town called Toa Late.

TQ: What made you come to America for school?

VL: I always knew I wanted to move to New York City specifically to be a journalist here.

So it wasn’t about moving to the US, it was about moving to New York and being a journalist in the city. When you think about the media industry, New York is the epicenter of everything. There’s all the major publications and news outlets have headquarters here. So if you want to do journalism, it’s kinda like a no brainer to move to where it’s all happening. I knew I wanted to do something bigger than myself and Puerto

Along with working for Vice, Victoria freelances for a variety of publications includiong Bustle and Mic. @VICTORIALEANDRA /INSTAGRAM

Rico wouldn’t have been the place for that. At least, as I’m starting my career.

TQ: What made you pick Manhattan College specifically?

VL: The only way I could have come to the US to study was if I had a scholarship. So I applied to a bunch of schools but Manhattan College was the one that gave me the most scholarship. It was equivalent to tuition free. I just couldn’t say no to it. I believe it was the school that believed in me. I don’t do any sports, so the only way I could come was with a merit based scholarship and Manhattan College took me. It was the best move because it allowed me to be close to the city, but not in the city so it was perfect.

TQ: What was your favorite article you wrote for The Quad?

VL: I think it has to be one of the first articles I wrote. It was Fashion Week. That article was the start of my blog which was called “Sabor With Style” and that blog took off. With that blog I was able to apply for internships and that was sort of my first thing on my resume apart from being in The Quad.

When I first had the internship at VICE I didn’t have anything else on my resume so that first article was the first article that lead to my blog and that lead to the internship at VICE. I would call it remarkable because it was my first start at everything.

TQ: What are some of the internships you’ve had and your experiences?

VL: My first internship was at NY1 and I was in the Arts and Entertainment Department as well as the VICE internship. So the first time I interned it was two internships at once in one summer. It was great because three days I was at VICE and two days I was at NY1. It felt like I had a full time job in the whole industry.

I only had internships with two companies, but with VICE I had three semesters. I was a good intern, so they just kept asking for me back. I didn’t even apply the other semesters.

TQ: Have you ever broadcasted or been on some of VICE’s shows?

VL: I’m not an on-air person for VICE. VICE has had me onair to represent VICE though.

I have been on MSNBC and Cheddar on-air.

TQ: What do you do at VICE? VL: My title at vice right now is Social Multimedia Producer. But that doesn’t encom-

Victoria has covered stories for Vice News’s Snapchat and their other social media platforms. @VICTORIALEANDRA /INSTAGRAM pass everything I do, so on a daily basis I am working with all social media channels of VICE News. So what you see on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, a lot of that is me behind that so that’s part of my job. The other part of my job is that I’m a Social Producer, so I do a lot of work in terms of going outside and being a social correspondent and it’s basically hosting on Instagram and Snapchat like sharing what’s happening at this location. For all the protests and marches they usually send me. I’ve covered Latin American politics, I’ve covered Puerto Rico, I’ve covered Venezuela, and I’ve covered gun violence stories.

I also do a lot of panels representing VICE News.

TQ: Do you like living in Brooklyn or The Bronx more?

VL: So I’ve lived in The Bronx, I’ve lived in Manhattan, and I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn now. I think all of those boroughs have different personalities and I found something to like about each. I have a soft spot for The Bronx, but my favorite is where I am now.

It’s more of my vibe.

TQ: What do you do outside of work?

VL: I do freelance writing, so apart from my role at VICE I also work with other companies doing freelance stuff. Stuff that I don’t necessarily cover for VICE. For example, I’m very interested in veganism and style and I’ve covered those things in Travel and Bustle and Mic. I also love eating so I like going to new restaurants and checking out their menus and book-

ing classes of things I’ve never done before. I did axe throwing recently. I’m going to take a pottery class soon. Over the summer I went hiking a lot this summer. I think there’s always something to do in New York so you’re never bored.

TQ: Do you miss Puerto Rico?

VL: I think I’m so busy here that I don’t have time to miss it.

But the main thing I miss about Puerto Rico is my family and I get to see them quite often so that also helps me not miss my home so much. Puerto Rico is the ideal place to live in terms of lifestyle. Life there is much easier. When I go home, it feels like a vacation like I wouldn’t be able to live there anymore because I like the fast pace of New York. I miss Puerto Rico, but I think this is the place for me now and for my career.

TQ: Do you have any advice for anybody looking to go into the news field?

VL: My advice is to start young. When I was in college I didn’t have any connections.

I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have a network of people or a professional network like some people do. I took the time of me being in college to do internships and attended a lot of networking events outside of Manhattan College. When I was not studying, I was at a networking event in the city. It was me meeting editors and producers and introducing myself to them. I was 17 and going into the city and meeting professionals and building my network. Google is your best friend to find networking events in the city.

Features

OCTOBER 1, 2019

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Madeleine Novich is Shaking Up the Sociology Department

Dr. Novich is an associate professor of sociology at the college who is most notable for her transformation of the Criminal Justice and Criminology concentration.

MANHATTAN COLLEGE / COURTESY

Maria Thomas & Elizabeth Griffiths

Asst. News Editor & Staff Writer In the short span of a year at Manhattan College, criminologist and professor Madeleine Novich, Ph.D., has reshaped the sociology department, sparking a newfound enthusiasm among students.

Novich has received a B.A. in Chinese and political science from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in criminal justice from the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice.

Novich began teaching at MC at the start of last year.

Prior to that, she was in a threeyear post doctoral fellowship program at The Rutgers School of Criminal Justice.

“During my [post-doctorate] I worked extensively on my own research on policing and I also ran the Racial Democracy Crime and Justice (RDCJN) fellowship and conference at Rutgers,” she said.

As enthusiastic as Novich is about criminology and being a professor, she hadn’t always planned on pursuing academia.

“When I was younger, I thought I was going to go into law enforcement of some kind - either joining the CIA, NSA or FBI - given that I speak Man-

darin Chinese fluently. I was actually in the final stages of becoming an FBI special agent when I decided to pursue academia instead. I literally had been ‘accepted’ by the FBI,” said Novich.

Luckily, the FBI’s screening process takes upwards of a year to complete, so Novich went back to school for a master’s in criminology. It was then that Novich met her mentor and decided to become a professor.

Novich said, “It was the best decision I could have made. I love being a professor and I actually feel that I can affect the most change and influence on the criminal justice system teaching future practitioners (i.e. my Manhattan College students).”

Sophomore Tate Belcher is one of many students who have been inspired by this professors refreshing and unique teaching style.

Belcher said, “I took a Roots course in sociology with her last year and it made me interested in something I’ve never even really put much thought towards. I loved how interactive her classes were. Even the people that don’t really care for sociology care for what she has to say.” Belcher is just one of the numerous students Novich sparked a criminology interest in.

One of the greatest changes Novich has made on the Manhattan College campus is her transformation of the Crime, Law and Social Justice concentration into the more coherent and specified Criminal Justice and Criminology concentration.

Novich said, “The reason behind the name change is because there is a very distinct

difference between the criminal justice and criminology fields. First, we have criminal justice, which is ideal for students who want to go into law enforcement, law, corrections, federal services, etc.. Criminology is for those who are interested in pursuing higher education.”

Novich’s complete renovation of this concentration more closely focuses on the students and their careers later on.

“The restructure allows for students to collect credits in both fields, and then once they’ve completed their requirements they can take electives of interest to them. It is designed to give students a cutting edge, contemporary, comprehensive education in the criminal justice and criminology fields,” Novich said.

According to Cory Blad, Ph.D., head of the sociology department, “New courses are going to be offered, centered around Dr. Novich’s expertise on modern criminology. Classes such as Modern American Gangs, Corrections and Mass Incarceration, Police and Society and Gender, Crime, and Justice have been developed by Dr. Novich. ” Students are exceptionally fascinated by Novich’s unique approach to learning.

“I came into this school as a communications major. I’m taking Dr. Novich’s Modern American Gangs class right now and I’m considering minoring in sociology now that I know the department is being upgraded along with all of the new classes offered. Also because I want to take more classes with Dr. Novich,” said Belcher.

As part of a “hands-on” teaching style, Novich has abandoned the classic textbook

lesson plan.

“The vast majority of the time I don’t use a textbook, I use peer-reviewed, high quality empirical research that’s been published in the industry. The students are learning what research is being conducted in the field, who it’s impacting, how it’s done, and then we put on our analytic hats and say, ‘what is good about this research and where are its weaknesses?’” said Novich.

Furthermore, Novich is a firm believer in the power of guest speakers.

“Real practitioners gives students the opportunity and access to criminal justice professionals and can be offered internships. The former head of the NYC department of corrections is coming next semester and is interested in finding undergraduate interns,” Novich said.

Some of the guest speakers she has invited to the college include memebers of law enforcement, rehabilitated gang members, rehabilitated sex workers and attorneys.

Novich says,“They bring reality into the classroom, something that textbooks and articles cannot offer. It gives students a glimpse into the real world.”

Novich’s unique teaching style allows for students to branch out of classroom norms.

She is emphatically impacting the sociology department at MC and more importantly, impacting the students.

“She makes the study of crime different than I’ve seen before, she makes it more relevant and sees it from a whole different lens,” said Belcher.

Join the Quadrangle

Weekly Open Meetings TUESDAYS @ 4 P.M. IN Kelly 412

Arts &Entertainment

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THE QUADRANGLE

Film Society Kicks Off Semester’s “Unconventional Endings” Theme with “First Reformed” Mariana Duque & Madalyn Johnson

Contributor & Asst. A&E Editor The Manhattan College Film Society held their first screening on Friday, Sept. 27, in Miguel 311, playing the Oscar-nominated film, “First Reformed” (2017), starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfriend.

The movie revolves around Reverend Ernst Toller who struggles with how to pray and gradually becomes more ill as he encounters an environmentalist and his pregnant wife.

Students Sharon Egan and Teresa Ramoni, along with Margaret Toth, Ph.D., presented the A24 movie to the MC Film Society as it fits into the club’s semester theme of unconventional endings.

Before the screening began, students were notified that the project was directed by Paul Schrader and filmed over the course of 20 days in Brooklyn and Queens, N.Y., with a small budget of $3.5 million.

Students analyzed how Schrader was inspired by 50s and 60s European films when making “First Reformed”. “Diary of a Country Priest” (1951) which

centralizes its plot around a sick and inexperienced priest is one movie that used by Schrader as a resource. Another was “Winter Light” (1963) which also carries a pastor as its protagonist.

Camera movement was carefully studied throughout the film by club members. Ramoni and Egan pointed out how throughout most of the film, the camera barely moves in comparison to other films in which the camera generally is panning. The setting of each scene had a very boxed in feel except for when characters, Mary and Reverend Toller, were included in a scene together.

Additionally, a big resemblance was made between this film and the classic Scorsese movie, “Taxi Driver”. Students acknowledged that the two films have numerous similarities, including a constant voiceover by the protagonist as he privately writes in a journal and an ambiguous ending that leaves audiences at the edge of their seats and confused afterward. How the story of “First Reformed” ends was what the society paid attention to most.

Ramoni shared with the society that when “First Reformed” was played at screen-

ings and film festivals, 50 percent of the audience was pleased with the ending, and the other half were not. The same could be said for the film observers in Miguel, considering some were satisfied with the ending and some absolutely disliked it. Many even speculated the ending was fantasy, an imaginary scene going through Reverend Toller’s head.

Toth shared how she, unlike other movie watchers, loves the idea of an unexplanatory ending where the watcher comes up with their own beliefs as to what the movie’s ending represents and means.

“I like films that make you think and have conversations, like the conversations we had this evening,” Toth said. “In general, I admire A24 and I will watch every A24 film that comes out just because they’re trying to do something different in terms of characterization, structure, even the presenters talked about visuals.”

One student, Alfonse Calato, also approved of the ambiguous ending.

“I like the fact that it was ambiguous. A movie with an ambiguous ending that also relies on faith, our personal beliefs, our personal takes of the movie,” he said.

However, Calato disapproved of the harsh, final cut of the film.

“I just didn’t like the fact that it was like slammed, just over. It was just going on and then just cut to black. I don’t usually like it when movies just cut to black,” he said.

Besides the controversy and confusion, the ending stirred amongst the MC film society, students were intrigued by the film’s political message. Especially now in a time when climate change is a high-priority issue amongst society, the movie carried great significance.

Egan spoke about how the character, Michael, who is emotionally deranged by the problems of global warming, mentions a few environmentalists that were actually activists in real life, including Jose Claudio Ribeiro da Silva and his wife.

They shared similar concerns to the character, Michael, and fought against deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. In 2011, they were fatally shot by gunmen who have still yet to be found.

Michael also reflects on Dorothy Stang’s death, a nun from Ohio who was shot by two hired gunmen as she read the Bible near the Amazon.

Another political observation students made dealt with the setting of the film, the small church Reverend Toller serves at. The church is funded by a big corporation and seen as a tourist attraction to the townspeople, even to the pastor Reverend Toller works with.

Students thought this signified how environmental and religious causes are usually circled around business and economic growth.

With regards to some of the themes of the movie, such as climate change, and the dispute over whether the ending was well-produced or not, Toth expressed that MC students should attend upcoming screenings of movies with ambiguous endings so they can converse with others about their thoughts on a certain project.

“I feel like, especially in today’s culture, having people just watching on their laptops and even on their phones, it’s a different kind of viewing experience,” Toth said.“When directors are making films, they are imagining an audience watching it together and them ideally talking about it after, so that’s the reason why I think people should join.”

WRCM Returns to “Airwaves” Megan Dreher Editor-in-Chief

After a long-awaited return to the airwaves, the reboot of Manhattan College’s radio station WRCM is back for Fall 2019. Having seen tremendous growth from the initial launch in February, members of the executive board as well as new and returning DJs are excited to be back for an anticipated successful semester.

While there was much that went into airing WRCM back in February, the return for the fall semester was much easier than expected.

“This semester, the start-up to get back on the air was a lot less involved than last year as there was no new equipment to acquire and there were quite a few returning DJs that knew how to use the equipment. The biggest task was finding new DJs to fill up the schedule and to train them all,” said Patrick Skwiot, the Music Director for WRCM. Skwiot is responsible for managing the shows that run

on air, compiling off-air event playlists, and building a physical music library for the station.

He attended a general interest meeting last school year, and has been involved ever since.

One of the aspects he enjoys the most is what he has learned while serving as the Music Director.

“I’m always looking for new music, and in this week alone, I’ve been exposed to a lot of artists I haven’t heard a lot from before,” said Skwiot.

Since Skwiot’s early involvement, there has been a general increase in interest in the club.

“We have a total of 52 shows this semester as of now, which is great, because last year there were just over 30 shows,” said Skwiot.

Alexander Nieves, the current Technical Director for WRCM, echoed Skwiot’s excitement about the growth of their station.

“This goes to show how great of a sub-community we are building - and we hope to grow even more in the future!” said Nieves.

Nieves got involved by assisting in designing a website for the club. From there, he has been heavily involved in the technical aspects of WRCM, including setting up equipment and computer work. He has enjoyed seeing the club grow with the work done behind the scenes as well.

“Being a DJ isn’t the only thing that people do in the club. While we have our board members that spearhead larger tasks, all other board members can actually assist them in these projects! For instance, I currently run two teams that specialize in specific projects in technology, so some people are handling things like inventory but others are learning how to use databases and will soon be using HTML to help me with the website!”

Both Nieves and Skwiot expressed how excited they are for the multitude of different shows present on the airwaves this semester. One person contributing to the variety is sophomore and California-native Leah Krouse, who started as a DJ with WRCM this past

Spring.

“When I told my friends I wanted to get involved with WRCM, they suggested I play some beach-y music from my library, as most of them from the east coast hadn’t heard of some artists I’d listed. Anyway, I decided I’d play that sort of music, and I knew I needed a show title. It came pretty easy, actually. “Amoeba Beach” is the name of my show and although it sounds strange, there’s a story! Amoeba Records is my favorite record store from home in LA and my dad and I have a pretty hefty collection of vinyls.

On my show, between songs, I like to talk a bit about the bands, their roots, their inspirations, their vibes and so on, as well as records, for the bands that release their music on vinyl, and how the art of vinyl is being kept alive. Some artists I have played include Best Coast, Beach House, Beach Bunny, Alvvays, La Luz, and Summer Twins,” said Krouse.

But DJs like Krouse aren’t the only people bringing new and exciting content to listeners. The programs, in addition

to offering a variety of music, also are offering segments such as talkshows and newscasts.

“One of the things that I’m most excited for this semester are the new news programs on Monday and Friday mornings; I think It’s a great way to stay informed about campus news and events,” said Skwiot.

The future of WRCM is looking bright, and the club is excited to be an entertaining and reliable source for students to listen to once again.

“I believe WRCM is a great asset to the Manhattan College Community as we can kind of have this great 2-way relationship with different clubs,” said Nieves, “Having the ability to have club members speak on WRCM and both promote their events and also offer extra content for their clubs helps expand our listener’s grasp on what’s happening here on Campus, and I couldn’t be more proud of our DJ’s and what they’re doing than how I feel now.”

OCTOBER 1, 2019

Arts & Entertainment

Snaps for First Coffeehouse of the Year

Caroline McCarthy Staff Writer

The 2019-2020 school year’s first Coffeehouse started off by proving that anything can be slam poetry if you believe in it, even the song “All Star” by Smashmouth.

It also featured the comedic stylings of Tristan Vieira, along with a Dos Gringos tribute band - accurately entitled, Tres Gringos - a unique progmetal cover of “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson, and authentic stories of African heritage such as what it was like to watch the Lion King among actual lions.

Coffeehouse is an open mic night hosted in Hayden Hall once a month. Students

feature their talents in stand up comedy, poetry, or music in an inclusive, supportive environment.

Hosts Erin McWilliams, Joe Corrao and Chantal Flores coordinate the event. They do everything from filling in segments to setting up sound equipment to actually going on coffee runs.

“Coffeehouse had been passed down from old Scatterbomb people to other performing arts people to people who just loved Coffeehouse and now it’s under the direction of me, Joe and Chantal,” said Erin McWilliams, host and organizer.

Originally, Coffeehouse was sponsored by Manhattan Magazine. As time went on, it

became the product of Residence Life, Scatterbomb, and is now a part of the Sanctus Artem art club. Management positions are open to student volunteers who are passionate about the event.

While some Scatterbomb performers like to take a break from improv and share their other hidden talents on the Coffeehouse stage, the majority of performers are regular students looking for a creative outlet.

“Everyone from all corners of the campus has the opportunity to come and do whatever.

This is the first coffeehouse of the year and we’ve already had such diverse performances.

It’s so great to see that everyone is so supportive and brave

enough to put themselves out there,” said McWilliams.

Comedian Tristan Vieira had the crowd rolling as he told the quick-witted story of the time he found himself in a car with a vengeful biker, a gun, burner phones, and an abundance of 7-11 mini cookies.

“My friend Katie was going to go up and perform, I was here for emotional support.

But then she chickened out.

That was just a story that happened,” Tristan Vieira.

This was Vieira’s first time performing on the Coffeehouse stage, and had it not been for a little stage fright, the audience might have never known this truly hilarious tale.

Junior Cristina Catana

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and seniors Elliot Fischer and Thomas Glynn also shared their first performance last Tuesday. Their band, a parody of Dos Gringos, belted out hits like “The Hound War Song,” and even brought special guests from the audience on stage to sing along!

“We’re all fans of this band, Dos Gringos. Tom here plays a mean guitar and I sing so we figured to give it a try,” Cristina, Tres Gringos’ lead vocalist.

Tres Gringos, along with some other Coffeehouse performers, will also be performing at the Sanctus Artem art show on Nov. 16th. They also plan to attend the next Coffeehouse event, which is soon to be announced on campus.

MC Students Enjoy “Dear Evan Hansen” Shannon Gleba Staff Writer

On Sunday, Sept. 22, lucky Manhattan College students attended the matinee of “Dear Evan Hansen” at the Music Box Theatre. The Student Engagement office sold discounted tickets to the award-winning show, however the limited amount sold out in about one hour.

At 3:00 p.m., the show opened with a very minimalistic set, only a twin sized bed on the stage with a simple plaid quilt on top. At this time, the audience was introduced to the show’s namesake main character, Evan Hansen. The teenaged boy suffered from social anxiety, and is seen writing a letter, encouraging himself to make the school year great.

“Dear Evan Hansen,” the letter reads, followed by a few sentences that Evan writes and deleted over and over, trying to find the right words to say.

After a scene change and the introduction of more characters, the audience then saw Evan in the high school hallway. This is when Evan first interacted with the show’s other main character- Connor Murphy. Connor has been bullied at school, has become calloused, and has turned to drugs to cope despite the expressed concerns from his family. In the hallway, Connor pushed Evan

to the ground without an apology.

When the school day came to a close, Evan went to the computer lab to print the aforementioned self-addressed letter, and he is approached

by Connor who pulled the letter off the printer. After a short conversation, Connor read the letter and found a line mentioning his sister, who Evan had a crush on. Thinking Evan was mocking him and making fun of him, Connor stormed out of the computer lab.

After an unexpected turn of events, a few days later Connor’s parents approached Evan at school. With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Murphy announced that Connor committed suicide, and left Evan’s note in his pocket at the time. As a result, Mrs. Murphy believed that Evan’s letter to himself was actually Connor’s suicide note that was addressed to his “best friend” Evan. Following this announcement, Evan does not know how to say that he was not friends with Connor, and they were actually enemies. So, he lies and follows along with the narrative, telling Connor’s parents that they did have a strong relationship.

This one lie then leads to the rest of the play. Throughout the entirety of the two and a half hour play, the story unravels, and other characters get involved to carry on Evan’s lie.

Overall, this musical met every expectation I had for it for the past number of years.

Although I was not completely familiar with the plot of the show, I had heard amazing reviews of it, and was always curious to learn more about it.

I think this show is important for a number of reasons, including the implications it has in the fight against mental illness stigma. In this day and age, the frequency of anxiety disorders among adolescents has skyrocketed. It was refreshing to see a character that embodied the common plight that many live with, and to see that others have relatable experiences.

Likewise, I really enjoyed the way the musical displayed many types of characters with different background stories.

Every family, teenager and adult has parts of their lives they do not choose to share, whether that be a familial struggle or a personal one. “Dear Evan Hansen” reminded the audience of that fact, all while entertaining with impeccable music and even better acting.

All in all, “Dear Evan Hansen” checks many of the boxes that make a Broadway musical great, and I believe it should be at the top of the list of those looking for a new show to see.

Several Manhattan College students saw Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway after buying tickets through Student Engagement.

SHANNON FORTY / COURTESY

Sports

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THE QUADRANGLE

Camryn Nicci Performing as a Top Goalkeeper in D1 in her Senior Season JASPERS TALK Caroline McCarthy & Katie Heneghan

Staff Writer & Asst. Features Editor Senior Civil Engineering major Camryn Nici has been one of the top performing goalkeepers at the Division 1 level for women’s soccer during her final season as a Jasper athlete.

As a leader both on and off the field, Nici works hard to be a role model for her teammates.

We spoke with Nici to discuss her experience as a Jasper, her hopes for this season, and her future on and off the field.

The Quadrangle: How long have you been playing soccer for?

Camryn Nicci: Since I was really little, probably since I was 5 years old. I played midfield for a while but as I got older I had to choose, and I picked Goalkeeper.

TQ: How has your experience as a student athlete been?

CN: It’s been really great.

I’ve definitely learned a lot on the field and off the field from my coaches and from my teammates, a lot of life lessons, so it’s been really good.

TQ: How do you find a balance between the game and academics?

CN: Honestly, any free time I have I put into my schoolwork and just making time for that is really important. When I’m at practice that’s where my mind is and I try not to worry about anything else.

TQ: Do you have any specific goals for this season?

CN: The goal is to obviously win MAAC championship, but that starts with taking it one game at a time and learning from mistakes and trying to improve.

TQ: Do you have any pre game rituals or superstitions that you follow?

CN: I do wear my Crocs every game so that’s my superstition. They’re blue I’ve had them for a while.

TQ: A few weeks ago you were leading the nation for Div. 1 in saves. Can you describe how you felt that you were leading the country?

CN: That was pretty great to find out, but it’s not an individual sport and getting individuals accolades like that is amazing, but I still want our team to do well. The first goal is always to win MAAC championship.

TQ: What are your postgrad plans?

CN: I want to get a job in construction management so I want to be on a job site.

TQ: What are some of your favorite memories as a Jasper athlete?

CN: I think making it to the conference championship my Sophomore year in Florida was one of the best times and even though we lost it was still a great experience and I’m happy that we had that that year TQ: How do you feel about the team’s performance to date?

CN: I think we’ve been playing pretty well. We’ve been playing a lot of really great schools and we’ve been holding our own. I think once we get into MAAC’s then we’ll be all set.

TQ: Are there any major lessons you have learned from your time as a D1 athlete? What do you feel like you will take away from your 4 years here?

CN: I think I’ll really take away time management in general and also how to be a good leader and how to communicate effectively with others.

There are so many different personalities on the team and learning how to communicate with them and talk with them in a way that is helpful has been one of the most important things I’ve learned.

TQ: How can you describe the team dynamic?

Senior Goalkeeper Camryn Nici defending the net in the Jaspers game against Fordham Aug. 29th.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY CN: We definitely are all really close. We all kind of have our best friend on the team, but when we all come together it’s a great time.

TQ: What does being a Jasper Athlete mean to you?

CN: I think it means doing our best no matter what. Whatever were given we try and make the best out of. Were a very small school so we try to make a name for ourselves.

Jaspers Volleyball Falls to Niagara in a Close 4-Set Game WVB: MANHATTAN 1, NIAGARA 3 Elizabeth Griffiths Staff Writer

This Saturday, September 28, Jaspers fell to the Purple Eagle, Niagara, in a 3-1 match, making them 2-11 in the season so far. Led by coach, Lora Egbert, the Jaspers in no way did they go down without a fight, as the scores were relatively close all four sets (25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17).

Manhattan junior Middle, Erin Hoener, earned 2 solo blocks, giving her 44 career blocks, placing herself in the volleyball programs top 10 alltime list. Freshmen, Julianna McKee, played her first college game earning 38 assists for the jaspers.

Sophomore, Julia Menocal, led the team with 12 kills, followed by sophomore, Vivian Donovan, with 9 kills. Hoener

and freshmen, Lizzi Brown, both contributed 8 kills.

Nashally Eleutiza, junior, totaled a team high of 17 digs, followed by Katelynn Riner who added 13.

Jaspers started off the first set with a misserve, that was quickly atoned for by a sideout for the jaspers. The first of many long volleys started off strong for the jaspers, ending with a kill by Menocal. Another intense volley led by freshman setter, Mckee, to hustle into the bleachers for an astounding save. After the Jaspers call their first time out of the game, they won the ball back with a block by, Miller. Jasper’s had 3 “slideouts” (pass, set, kill from a serve), led by outside hitter, Donovan. Donovan’s game point ace, while a big confidence boost, was not enough to pull the jaspers forward for the first set.

The second set was kicked off with a perfect dig from libero, Eleutiza, ending the point with a block from Hoener.

An effective pass from Eleutiza, followed by a quick set by Mckee, allowed for Menocal to add another kill for the Jaspers, followed by a block in the next point. After one of the longest volleys of the game, Donovan came in with a tip over Niagara’s block to negate the point.

After another long volley, and many diving saves by Eleutiza, Hoener executed a block that led to Niagara calling for a timeout. Manhattan was leading 2115, after a tip by Brown giving us back the ball. It was now a close race to 25, but Niagara’s out-of-bounds ball concluded the longest set of the match, tying up the score 1-1.

It was a rocky start in the third set, starting off down, 0-5.

After a timeout, another block

by Hoener gave the Jaspers the energy boost needed. After another long and rigorous volley, freshmen Brown executed a pancake save eventually leading to a kill by Donovan.

Libero, Eleutiza, and Setter, McKee, were in perfect sync for the majority of the set, allowing the hitters to be able to do more with their swing.

Menocal distincted herself with a kill heard by the whole gymnasium, which was made possible by Elutiza’s faultless dig. Donovan contributed one ace and one block during the third set, though again, was still not enough to pull the Jaspers through for this set.

The final set was the closest fight, especially at the beginning, as the Jaspers and Purple Eagles went point for point. Jaspers held the lead for the majority of the beginning, but could not grab on tight

enough. Hoener started off the set with a kill from the overpass handed to her by Niagara. The Jaspers did a good job at setting up the block, though seemed to struggle with coverage as the set continued. Miller distincted herself this set, executing kills right down to the 10-foot-line.

The last set was filled with volleys that both teams fought to stay alive, many ending with Donovan’s kills. Setter, Mckee, did a fantastic job at mixing up her sets to a variety of hitters, keeping Niagara in the dark of the Jaspers’ next move.

Overall, Jaspers contested with grace against the purple eagles, though it was not enough to pull out a win. Our volleyball girls kept consistent good energy on the court, even when they were down, and consistently had each other back, showcasing what it means to be “a Jasper.”

Sports

OCTOBER 1, 2019

11

Women’s Soccer Falls to Canisius in MAAC Opener WS: MANHATTAN 1, CANISIUS 2 Pete Janny

Asst. Sports Editor Saturday’s MAAC opener versus the Canisius Golden Griffins (6-3, 2-1 MAAC) provided the Manhattan College women’s soccer team (1-7, 0-1 MAAC) an opportunity to get on the right track now that conference play is upon us. Through six games, the Jaspers had only one win under their belt with five of their games decided by only one goal.

In what was an exciting battle, the Golden Griffins escaped Gaelic Park with a narrow 2-1 win. After tying the score in the 44th minute off of a goal from sophomore Eve Montgomery,

the Jaspers conceded a lucky goal in the 81st minute that proved to be the difference.

There’s no question Canisius was the better side in the opening minutes. What stood out the most was how aggressive the Golden Griffins were on the offensive end.

In the 5th minute, Canisius neutralized the Manhattan defense via the counter attack when junior Shauna Lee gained possession of the ball after a Manhattan corner kick and dribbled the length of the field before firing a shot from inside the box that was easily handled by Camryn Nici.

The early fireworks weren’t done yet as Cansius got on the board first four minutes

later on a header from Lee. The score was made possible off a nice corner-kick from freshman Lexi Perry.

The Manhattan began to show some promise midway through the first half in hopes evening the scoreline. Dribbling in the right side of the box in the 23rd minute, Manhattan junior Tia Painilainen squeezed a pretty pass to classmate Bri DeLeo whose shot from the top of the box gave the Canisius goalie little trouble. Manhattan threatened again in the 30th minute when DeLeo sent a nice ball into the box off a corner kick that found its way to junior Arianna Montefusco, but the play was thwarted by a handball call on Montefusco.

Sophomore Eve Montgomery put up a good fight, but it wasn’t enough to give the Jaspers a win.

GOJASPERS/ COURTESY

Sophomore Eve Montgomery and junior Lindsay Healy gave Manhattan a big boost off the bench with their energy and fight.

In the 35th minute, Healy hit Montgomery in stride with a nice through ball that resulted in a shot from the latter that went wide right of the net. One could argue that Montgomery was tripped on her shot, but the referee saw nothing illegal. Moments later, Healy tried tracking down a loose ball in the Canisius box, but was barred from getting to the ball by a defender who got away with a push. Still upset by the previous no-call, the Manhattan fans were beginning to lose their patience with the main referee.

The closing stages of the first half was highlighted by an impressive equalizer from Montgomery on a play in which she collided with the goalkeeper about 25 yards out. After beating the goalie to a loose ball in the air, Montgomery made contact with the ball just before colliding with the goalie.

She somehow managed to get enough height on the ball to send it over the goalie’s head and into the back of the net.

After laying in agony for a few moments, Montgomery got up and was greeted with thunderous applause as she walked slowly back to the Manhattan bench. Justice was served as the goalie was assessed a yellow card for the violent hit.

Good news is Montgomery did check back in later in the game.

The first half came to a close with the game tied at one as Manhattan outshot Canisius 5-3 for the half. As it turns out,

the second half was far less interesting than the first.

Even though both offenses took a step back in the second half, most of the action still seemed to take place on Canisius’s own half. All the while, Nici looked confident and composed in net, running up her save total on some harmless shots by Canisius.

Canisius’s offense could best be described as an “enigma” on this day. Even though they ended up being outshot 10-6 on the afternoon, Canisius was able to secure the gamewinner in the 80th minute when Alicia Larsson Vahlberg’s shot from 35 yards out surprised Nici and snuck under the crossbar to put the Golden Griffins on top for good. It was a painful ending for Manhattan considering the fact that they were the better side for most of the game.

Despite the loss, head coach Brendan Lawler was proud of his team’s effort and the improvement they showed on offense.

“We are moving the ball quicker. We got people in behind today and had a lot of dangerous opportunities,” Lawler said in a postgame interview with Go Jaspers. “Unfortunately we play a sport where the ball can bounce the wrong way and then you end up with a result you weren’t hoping for.”

Manhattan’s next two MAAC games will be played on the road as they will visit Monmouth on Wednesday, October 2nd before heading upstate to play Niagara on Saturday, October 5th.

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Sports

12

THE QUADRANGLE

Amissah’s Overtime Goal Propels Manhattan Past Fordham MS: MANHATTAN 2, FORDHAM 1 Pete Janny

Asst. Sports Editor The Manhattan College men’s soccer team made the trip to Rose Hill last Tuesday for their annual meeting with the Fordham Rams. After losing their last five games, the Jaspers wanted nothing more than to finish off their nonconference slate of games on a winning note.

For the second year in a row, the Jaspers turned in an impressive performance against their biggest rivals.

With their backs against the wall, Manhattan overcame a one-goal deficit to escape Rose Hill with a 2-1 win. The gamewinner came in the 93rd minute when Berti Fourrier connected with Noah Amissah on a long-distance pass that gave Amissah enough time to bury a ball into the back of the net.

The opening 20 minutes of play was a slog for both teams with each side managing only one shot. Based on this early sample, it looked as if both sides were setting themselves up for a fierce defensive battle that would come down to the wire. For a Manhattan team that had mustered only one goal through the opening five games, the last thing they needed was a sluggish start from the offense.

On the flip side, the Manhattan defense was battling hard to keep the team in it.

This included making a tremendous recovery on a big defensive mistake that almost put the Rams on the board first.

In the 23rd minute, Simon Busch tried passing back to goalkeeper Marcellin Gohier, but the pass was intercepted by a Fordham player whose touch sent the ball towards the goal.

In improbable fashion, Manhattan senior Tristan Doran caught up to the ball to clear it away just before it crossed the line. The messy sequence was easily Fordham’s best chance up to that point.

Fordham’s inability to capitalize on that Manhattan mistake was soon forgotten because two minutes later the Rams broke through. In the 25th minute, the Rams caught the Manhattan defense sleeping when Joergen Oland retrieved a loose ball on the left side of the box before placing a ball top shelf past Gohier to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Now down, the Jaspers refused to let adversity throw them off their game.

In the 27th minute, Man-

Noah Amissah scored his first goal of the season and the winning goal of the game against Fordham on Tuesday evening.

GOJASPERS/ COURTESY hattan almost retaliated thanks to the aggressive play of junior Brandon Joseph-Baudi.

While pressuring a Fordham defender down the right sideline, Joseph-Baudi emphatically bodied the player to the ground before gaining possession of the ball and firing a cross into the box. The ball landed at the feet of senior Noah Amissah, whose shot from the top of the box was blocked by a Fordham defender to quash the attack.

Despite coming up empty, this exciting sequence was a harbinger for more positive things to come for the Jaspers.

As the first half wore on, it was clear that the momentum was slowly starting to shift Manhattan’s way.

With a minute and a half left, Joseph Koroma made his presence felt by curling a beautiful cross into the box from the right sideline that unfortunately no Manhattan player was able to take advantage of. For a talented kid like Koroma who’s just scratching the surface of the player he can one day be, it’s those types of plays that will help take Manhattan’s offense to the next level.

At the half, the Jaspers held a marginal 4-2 advantage in shots. Although Manhattan wasn’t playing their best soccer, Fordham’s 1-0 lead at the half was misleading as the Rams did close to nothing besides Oland’s goal.

The Rams tried shaking off

the rust right out of the break when Samir Fathazada beat a few Manhattan defenders to force his way into the left side box, but his ensuing pass into the middle did not find any teammates. That promising sequence gave way to another Fordham cold stretch that would come back to bite them.

In 64th minute, Manhattan tied things up off a goal from Fourrier. The imposing striker was at the right place at the right time to finish off a rebound opportunity in the box following a shot by senior Felipe Clavijo.

Following the goal, the Jaspers’ offensive remained relentless over the next 15 minutes of play. The team’s best chance during this surge came in the 71st minute when a header by Amissah went high of the net to prolong the search for the goahead goal.

As the game entered the stretch run, the Rams’ offense rose from the dead thanks in large part to the play of Fathazada. With 12 minutes left, Fathazada again flashed his elite offensive skills by creating enough space for himself down the left side to send in a dangerous cross. Nothing was made of it, however, as there was no Fordham player on the receiving end.

The resurgence of Fordham’s offense meant an increase in activity for Gohier.

With six minutes left, Ford-

ham’s Jacob Bohm gave Gohier and his troops a scare when he ripped a shot from outside the box that went just wide of the left post. Then, with little over a minute left, sophomore Kristian Shkreli took matters into his own hands by dribbling several yards down the middle of the field before blasting a hard shot on net that was blocked by Gohier. Regulation came to a close with a last-ditch effort by junior Chris Pensuwan when he delivered a cross into the box from the right side with 10 seconds left. Unfortunately for the Rams, the cross was a bit too strong and instead the buzzer sounded with both teams still tied at one.

Overtime seemed to end before it even started when just three minutes into the period, Fourrier fed Amissah in the box to set up the game-ending goal. You couldn’t have wrote it up any better for Manhattan, with Amissah scoring in his first appearance of the season coming off an injury. Moreover, it’s important to remember the team wouldn’t have even been in a position to win in the first place if not for the play of Fourrier. After netting his first goal of the season earlier in the game, Fourrier’s pinpoint pass to Amissah was what made the game-ending goal possible.

The brilliant play of Fourrier and Amissah overshadowed the excellent game Gohier had in net. When it was all said and

done, Gohier finished with two saves. The veteran goalkeeper’s astute instincts at the end of regulation was what forced overtime.

Manhattan out-shot Fordham 15-7 en route to victory.

In addition, the win marked the second year in a row that Manhattan has beaten Fordham coming off last year’s 1-0 triumph at Gaelic Park. Before last year’s win, Manhattan had gone 12 straight games against Fordham without a victory.

Head coach Jorden Scott couldn’t have been more proud of the way his team responded after losing their first five games of the season.

“This result has been coming for weeks as we have progressed and improved in every game,” Scott said during a postgame interview with Go Jaspers. “We have battled the toughest schedule in history and have leaned on our unity and belief to get us to where we are now. It’s MAAC season now and we feel we are as healthy and prepared as we have been all year.”

It is indeed MAAC season as the Jaspers will begin conference play at Gaelic Park this Wednesday, October 2nd at 7 PM against Monmouth.

The team will then prepare for another home game against Quinnipiac on Saturday, October 5th at 2 PM.