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Volume CI, Issue 3
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NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 4, 2020
Veteran’s Center Reopens After November Flood Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
Trouble Outside Local Bar
Last call did not mark the end of shots for Fenwick’s bar early Saturday morning when a shooting left one wounded just outside its doors. GABRIELLA DEPINHO/ THE QUADRANGLE
Shooting Outside Fenwick’s Leaves One Injured Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
Students received an MC Jasper 911 alert informing the student body of a shooting near campus at 6:04 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1. A second alert followed, at 6:25 a.m. informing students that the shooting occurred on West 238 Street in front of Fenwick’s Bar and Grill. Fenwick’s is located across the street from campus dorm, Overlook Manor, and is located
between student-frequented Goodfella’s Pizza and Jasper’s Deli. The bar is notably a popular location for Manhattan College students on weekend evenings, but the third and final alert, which came in at 7:54 a.m., notified students that there were no MC students involved in the incident which was over and being handled by the NYPD. According to a report produced by Channel 12 News on Saturday and online first story by The Riverdale Press, shots were fired shortly after 5 a.m.
IN FEATURES: Portrait of a Veteran’s Center reopens after flood Jasper: Rudy Giuliani on p.7 on p. 3
IN NEWS:
Both reports also state that the police confirmed the nineteen year old victim was shot in the stomach and taken to St. Barnabas Medical Center. New York Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) tweeted security footage of two young men who are considered suspects in the case and are still at large. Those with information about the case are asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at (800) 577-8477or submit tips via NYPDCrimeStoppers. com or through the Twitter account.
Manhattan College’s veteran population celebrated Veteran’s Day in a variety of ways. Some marched in New York City’s parade, some were at the veteran’s gallery held in the Flatiron Building, and others were saving furniture from two inches of standing water. On Nov. 11, a cold water intake pipe leading to Thomas Hall’s second floor men’s bathroom burst and flooded the Veteran’s Success Center. The center finally reopened on Jan. 22. “Thankfully, the half of us that were up here were in the room. It was kind of the end of the day, maybe four or five o’clock, and all of a sudden water started coming in through the bottom of the floor,” said Tiana Sloan, the director of the veterans success program. “We were pretty calm when it first started because there were 14 of us in here. Then everything on the floor starts soaking wet and we started taking everything out of here as fast as we could,” said Michael Grigware, a student veteran majoring in mechanical engineering. While some moved furniture into Café 1853, a few took the time to reach out to Public Safety and Physical Plant. They were able to shut off water to the building, but only after the entire center had flooded and water pooled out into the hallway and started creeping towards Café 1853. The students in the room did not even realize the room was flooding at first. “At first we thought it was the TV because it was kind of like a static noise. But then it kept going when the TV was off. Then we saw a puddle start creeping out and then we opened up that [wall] and we just see the pipe burst,” said Grigware. While the students were
IN A&E:
able to salvage what was in the center, the veteran population still found themselves without a home base on campus. “So from that point on, we had to close the room because there had been a few inches of water in there. And we were kind of temporarily just having to move into temporary rooms around campus. So every single day, we were moving from room to room around campus, which worked well until about finals which then you can’t get rooms,” said Sloan. “The Kelly Commons was the first choice because that is more centrally located. I would say about a third of our student veterans, take classes or even probably up to 40 percent of our student veterans take classes on the south campus. So I generally as much as I could get space in the Kelly Commons that was it,” she said. The center serves as both a social and a study space for the veterans. In its primary location, the center has laptops that the veterans have access to whenever they need them. Moving around made keeping the laptops secure very difficult so access to them was difficult to coordinate. Additionally, with the frequent space changes, the veterans often did not know where they could go. “[It was] very inconvenient, lots of last second changes. We ordered coffee to it on a regular basis and cookies to it but sometimes there were scheduling conflicts with the exams and the room we were supposed to be in we would be in there studying have to get evicted for an exam, or stuff would have to change last second for other people,” said Jamie Foley, the president of the Student Veterans Organization. Finally, at the beginning of the winter intersession, the Veterans Success Center was given a fixed temporary loca__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
IN SPORTS:
Coffee house kicks Rookie Emily LaPointe quickly off for spring becomes asset to semester on p. 9 WBB on p. 11
Opinions & Editorials
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the Quadrangle Volume CI, Issue 3 FEBRUARY 4, 2020
The Editorial Board Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief
Maria Thomas News Editor
Nicole Fitzsimmons Anna Woods Asst. News Editors
Alexa Schmidt Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor
Jilleen Barrett Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor
Christine Nappi Features Editor
Jessica McKenzie Asst. Features Editor
Pete Janny Sports Editor Managing Editor
Caroline McCarthy Asst. Sports Editor
C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor
Samantha Walla Production Manager
Brian Asare Photography Editor
Sophia Sakellariou Production Editor
Emily Hollar Asst. Photography Editor Asst. Production Editor
Kelly Kennedy Nicole Rodriguez Asst. Production Editors
Madalyn Johnson Katherine Heneghan Web Editors 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
Get Ready to Dance the “Q-pid” Shuffle Hellooo Jaspers! It’s February, the month of Valentine’s Day, and we are already full-force into cuffing season. Love is in the air here at MC, and you can feel in all of the Starbucks Coffee dates in Kelly and dinner dates up at Sal’s. It seems like everyone you know is going on a date and all of your pals are planning double dates. But are you still scrolling through dating apps? The Quad is here to help you swipe right! This month, we have started a match-making service, called “Struck by Q-Pid.” Here, two of our most sensitive souls have come together to help our fellow Jaspers find their match. This week we are releasing a survey of questions to help us help you find your MC Match. If you would like to participate please fill it out using the QR code below or the link available on Instagram, Twitter and our website: mcquad. org. We will gather the information and our match makers will do their best to pair you up with a match. If you receive a match you are expected to go on a date with said match and be interviewed by our experts. Sadly, we cannot guarantee everyone who participates will receive a match, that being said we will do our best to match everyone who participates. This service is available to all people because we believe all people deserve to have a little love in their lives. The story about the dates will be released in our last issue of this month, giving our love-birds plenty of time to meet and go on a date with their match. In the mean-time, our darling matchmakers will be sharing the best dating tips from ourselves and fellow Jaspers on campus. We will be breaking down blind dates, the best dating apps, and dishing out the most romantic spots on campus. Got any tips for our matchmakers? Please send them our way and write us a story for “Struck by Q-Pid.” XOXO, “Will You Accept This” Rose Brennan and “Hotter Than” August Kissel Editor’s Note: Rose Brennan is also an editorial intern at The Riverdale Press.
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
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
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Veteran’s Center Reopens After Flood __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion: the atrium in Café 1853. “We moved our couches. We moved everything. We couldn’t lock it, but at least gave like a regular space that if you were coming and looking for a textbook or you needed to just connect with a peer or you just wanted to sit in a quiet space. It was a place that they knew was a regular space that they could depend on,” said Sloan. “Space in New York City is a premium, so space on this campus is a premium,” she said. While it was nice to again have a space to themselves, the veterans were looking to return to the small but cozy spot they could call their own. “It’s a place that anyone any of the veterans can kind of walk in, we have coffee, we have snacks are friends, we have their books, we have all their resources,” said Sloan. “It’s the type of room that people can
walk into and just say, I’m not having a good day, and there’s a room of people that are there to support them.” “It was disruptive, you know, having to move day to day at the end of the semester, definitely kept some people from connecting the peer support that’s really needed at the time of finals,” she said. The college responded to the situation and repaired the room just a little over two months from the initial incident so the room could be open for the early weeks of this semester. However, the response was not as fast as the impacted group felt it could be. “So right as we were going into the break, we were unsure of a solution but right before we went into break, the school came through and said like, yes, we are recognizing this as a problem. We are going to fix the room. What do you guys need? And so what they did was they replaced the sheetrock
The Veteran’s Success Center was left in disarray after a flood on Nov. 11 of last year left the center unusable. JAMIE FOLEY / COURTESY
and the flooring,” said Sloan. “We’re glad we have a space again, but we went the second half of last semester through finals week without a dedicated space when people were expecting to have dedicated space,” said Foley. According to Foley, student veterans sent a number of emails to top administrators asking for the repairs. He claims that even a veteran alumnus sent an email to school leadership, which helped spur the college’s response to the situation. “I don’t think it should have taken that long. Our emails were sitting in inboxes either unread or whatever for quite some time trying to go through the right channels,” said Foley. “Even though we had to go through the wrong process [of the alumnus’s email] to get it fixed, like we really had to go above what it should be, we’re glad it’s fixed,” he added. While the veterans were waiting for the college to respond, they got used to the space places like Kelly Commons and the Café 1853 atrium offered them. “The other space we were in was really nice because we had more space and as we had more space to grow into, the room stayed full. We had 15 people in there. We would have 15 people in here on a regular basis if we had the seating for it but more often than not people will come to the room and they’ll see there’s no seats left and they will be turned away and go to the library,” said Foley. The veterans hope to one day see their permanent space moved somewhere else on campus. “A bigger space and been our number one priority probably since the semester after this center opened. We very quickly utilized this space. It’s
The water that stood two inches deep also flooded into the hallway and towards Café 1853. JAMIE FOLEY /COURTESY a closet for 130 people on campus, about 15 percent of them are consistently in the room,” said Foley. “I think the biggest thing is the veterans community here keeps growing. And because maybe this is not noticed by the school, but as it grows, the room doesn’t get any bigger but the population does. We’re not asking for a whole floor for us but it’d be nice to have something bigger,” said veteran student Miguel Diaz Morales. While the center is still as
Struck by
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small as it is for now, the center leadership is just happy that the veteran students no longer have to bounce around from room to room on campus. “I think it hit at a tough time where I know there’s been a lot of change in leadership in the school and not having a VP of Facilities. I think it just happened at a really difficult time. And I think while the response wasn’t as quick as we hoped, we’re really happy that it eventually got addressed,” said Sloan.
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News
THE QUADRANGLE
manhattan
Q
Caucus
Caucuses v. Primaries: What’s the Difference? Rose Brennan & Megan Dreher Senior Writers
The 2020 presidential primary season is just starting to kick off, and primaries and caucuses are the names of the game. Two early events, the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary, are considered pivotal in the primary race and in determining the eventual presidential nominee. But just what are these pre-election contests? While the overall pre-nominee period is called “the primaries,” it is an umbrella term for two types of electoral processes that eventually determine the presidential nominee of a specific political party. A “primary” indicates residents of a state vote much like any other election, but a “caucus” describes a physical and local gathering of constituents who then decide which candidate
they will support. “It’s a difference between numbers and enthusiasm.” said Jonathan Keller, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science. “Most of the large states with the most delegates have primaries. In a primary, you show up, you vote for your candidate of choice, and then you leave. In a caucus, if the candidate you support hasn’t reached a certain percentage of support, you are then approached by people who will try to influence your decision based on who is currently doing well. That’s why the candidates with the most enthusiastic candidates win caucuses. It doesn’t matter if they’re leading in the polls.” At one time, caucuses were among the favored forms of primary voting. Now, only 10 states still use the caucus system: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota and Wyoming. The other 40 states use a primary system wherein they vote using a secret ballot.
According to Keller, the Democratic party has been encouraging states to move away from the caucus system and towards primaries because they are more democratic in nature and less of a commitment. They also tend to favor one type of candidate over others in the field. “For example, Barack Obama swept all of the caucuses back in 2008 over Hillary Clinton, because his voter base was more enthusiastic, had more spare time, and was able to show up and do what you have to do to caucus,” said Keller. Primaries, however, are not as straightforward as one might think. There are two forms of primaries: open and closed. An open primary allows a constituent to vote for whichever candidate they choose, regardless of their political party. In a closed primary, however, constituents can only vote for a candidate that is a member of the constituent’s political party. The primary season has
days until... to democratic Debate to new hampshire primaries
3 7
to democratic
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to 2020 presidential election
begun in Iowa since 1972, and has long been considered as a crucial moment in the early electoral process. If a candidate is to do very well in Iowa, it can be telling for the rest of their campaign. The Quadrangle will cover
the results of the Iowa primaries in its Feb. 11 issue. Editor’s Note: Rose Brennan is also an editorial intern at The Riverdale Press.
Polling numbers as of feb. 2 (%)
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source: real clear politics
25 20 15 10 5 27.2 FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
23.5 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (VT)
15.0 SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (MA)
8.0 FORMER MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
6.7
4.7
4.3
FORMER MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG
ANDREW YANG
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (MN)
1.8
1.5
0.5
0.3
TOM STEYER
REP. TULSI GABBARD (HI)
SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (CO)
REP. JOHN DELANEY (MD)
0.3 FORMER GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK
Features
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
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Racial Justice in Higher Education: Equity vs. Equality Katie Heneghan & Madalyn Johnson Web Editors
For decades, organizations, scholarships, and programs have been enacted in various universities, that provide students who self-identify as members of minority groups an equal chance in learning and excelling in higher education. The call to support and aid students of color in the education system dates back to United Negro College Fund 70s commercials and black student union associations being provided on college campuses. Tia Brown McNair, Ph.D., is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Centers at the Association of American Colleges and Universities in Washington, DC. McNair visited Manhattan College on Tuesday, Jan. 28, to discuss racial equity on a college campus. McNair’s goal was to spark a conversation among students and faculty that will be applied
beyond the lecture and into the everyday lives of students and faculty. She explained the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has a role in training educational institutions. “We are the leading national system concerned with equality in undergraduate education. We have over 1400 institutional members all across the country, but also internationally as well,” she said. She continued. “We really focus on a service to democracy and what does that mean for our students and but also the way we educate our students.” McNair stressed how the AAC&U works to address the quality and equity in student’s learning experiences, which most universities often mistake to mean quantity and equality. By implying how different these terms are based on their definitions, McNair was able to emphasize that all students cannot be treated the same because not every student shares the same socioeconomic status, race and cultural background. “We cannot deal with equity by just saying you are to service and educate all. We have to be specific,” McNair said.
Additionally, McNair discussed that oftentimes schools try to facilitate conversation, regarding inequities and seldom follow up, with policy change and ongoing discussion. McNair highlighted that there is a distinct difference between discussing ways to change and then actually implementing change from discussions. McNair pointed out this common mistake most colleges and universities make when trying to diversify their school. “Everyone is having conversations about equity and what it means and it’s on the academic scene but the question is, what do we mean by this? What do we mean, especially when we are talking about racial justice? And are people really embracing it or is it just a buzzword?” McNair said. McNair and two other scholars, Lindesy Malcom-Piqueux and Estela Mara Bensimon, coined the terms “equity walk” and “equity talk” in their book, “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education.” This innovatively makes higher education institutions realize that they must act, not say, to preserve a fair and racially just
environment in their schools. “We do things to check the box. When we have a conversation about equity, it’s not a check the box activity. We’re talking about the work to educate our students and to create a better educational environment not just for them, but for ourselves,” McNair said. Attendees discussed the importance of first attending these kinds of conversations and discussions. Coordinator for the Center for Academic Success, Qua-Asia Fawcett discussed the importance of such conversations to spark the kind of change McNair is looking for. “I also think it’s good that the campus holds, or invites people like this to talk about these things, even though you may feel uncomfortable talking about it,” Fawcett said. Religious studies professor, Lois Harr commented on the lecture, suggesting that such events make her more aware, and help her answer the difficult questions she often asks herself when teaching minority students. “An analogy of it is like the goldfish in the bowl isn’t aware of water. So I always want to understand, [how] can I get more
aware of my water? So to me, this is helpful - thinking about how institutional racism constitutes systemic racism. What is thought of as the norm may be really just one group of people’s experience,” Harr said. As for what the college can work on in order to improve the educational experiences and opportunities they provide for students of color, McNair firmly believes the school must continue to talk about equity and racial justice and show they see race, rather than spiel how they don’t. “I think the school has an opportunity because you’re going through the next phase of your strategic planning process to really take a hard look at where you are as an institution in relationship, to having an equity talk versus an equity wall. I think it would be good to actually figure out ways to incorporate and align the equity work and the equity goals that you may have within the strategic plan,” McNair said. To hear more about McNair’s work about equality in higher education, check out her book, “From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education.”
Koru Mindfulness: An Escape from the Busyness of College Pete Janny
Sports & Managing Editor Koru Mindfulness arrived at Manhattan College this past fall and is expected to be a fixture on campus for a long time to come. Established several years ago at Duke University, Koru Mindfulness is a methodology designed to train college students about the fundamentals of breathing techniques, meditation, and visualization. Since the creation of the Center for Mindfulness in 2013, the curriculum has gradually made its way to various colleges and universities around the country and has been praised for its ability to help students manage stress. While it is not meant to serve as a form of therapy per se, this group activity has the potential to deliver therapeutic benefits through its emphasis on mindfulness techniques. The first meeting of the semester took place on Wednes-
day, January 29th in the counseling center in Miguel 501 and saw a nice turnout. Leading the group of students through the experience was Nicol Zambrano, Assistant Director of the Counseling Center. Over the 75 minutes she spent with the students, Zambrano introduced a few types of breathing exercises and guided the students through meditation rituals. Zambrano is no stranger to teaching this specific type of class. “I’ve been running the group since the fall and I had three groups before this,” Zambrano said regarding the school’s growing partnership with Koru Mindfulness. “I’m really excited about the turnout as we have a lot of students who are interested in mindfulness and meditation.” A class of this kind can do favors for anyone, regardless of age. However, Koru Mindfulness specifically targets college students due to the predictable stress that many tend to en-
dure. “These are life skills that anyone can benefit from but this course in particular was designed for college students and emerging adults. The skills taught are tailored towards college students knowing that they are on a tight schedule and have a lot of responsibilities,” Zambrano said. One of the more humorous moments of the session came when Zambrano showed the students the proper way to breathe with one’s belly. Belly breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, occurs when the body uses the diaphragm instead of the chest to generate breaths. This overlooked way of breathing felt strange to many considering most people instead naturally use their chests to breathe. Unsurprisingly, the students started to get the hang of the exercise as time went on. “The belly breathing exercises and the relaxing breathing exercises really stood out
to me because it’s something I’m not used to and something I want to get better at,” sophomore Alexandra O’Neill said. Although mindfulness is a form of meditation, they are not considered interchangeable. While meditation is more known for the way it helps empty the mind of negative thoughts and worries, mindfulness aims to confront these same emotions in a direct way by accepting and embracing them. The learning curve may seem steep to some, but in reality, every person has the capacity to become more aware of his or her thoughts. “I used to meditate but mindfulness is quite different,” sophomore Pemba Sherpa said. To be mindful means to be fixated on the present with total disregard for past or future concerns. One recommended way of staying in the moment is by taking notice of the little things in life that all of us tend to take for granted. This heightened awareness can be activated in
every circumstance, even during routine activities such as eating or brushing your teeth. “Often times we neglect what’s going on in the present time and instead worrying about the future,” O’Neill said. “I think being mindful and present with all the little things in life will help us become appreciative of life itself.” Every introductory class associated with Koru Mindfulness runs for four weeks with there being one 75-minute session each week. Although students can no longer register for this ongoing class, there will be more classes offered later in the semester. Zambrano hopes that more students will find the time to take the class even if they have no prior experience with mindfulness. “You just have to have an open mind about things because no one knows how to do it until you start practicing it,” Zambrano said.
Features
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THE QUADRANGLE
The Faces of Marketing and Management at MC Richard Gerling Staff Writer
The department of management and marketing offers two distinct majors for students to choose. The management major aims to teach the skills used by managers in fulfilling their roles and functions and provide an opportunity for students to apply quantitative methods to solve management problems. The marketing program is designed to train students to be marketing professionals and emphasizes a managerial approach. Housed within the management and marketing department is the global business studies program, which seeks to provide a global and multi-disciplinary perspective to complement a second business major. Students also have the opportunity to go on an immersion experience to explore the global aspect of business. In the department, the goal is to reinforce the skills of problem solving and critical thinking within the larger world of management and marketing. The faculty have the view of wanting the students to be very strongly career ready when they get out, but do not want their education to be solely vocational. Students are set up for the careers of tomorrow with the skills that let them problem solve and critically think through the problems they find themselves in. This vision is shared with the faculty and everyone in the department. In 2018, the management major curriculum was completely reevaluated. It was not solely an academic review, but rather an entire review that focused on what skills students needed to succeed in internships and jobs after graduation. After evaluation, concentrations were introduced to the management major. Students can now get one of three concentrations: talent management and acquisition, which focuses on human resource management, behavior and decision making, which is more of the non-human resource part of management, and a general management concentration. There are more concentrations that will be added to the management program in the future. With the introduction of concentrations and the revamp of the curriculum, the management major is
competitive and comparable to many other programs. In the near future, a review of the marketing major will also take place, similar to the one undergone by the management major. Additionally, many of the students and faculty within the department work on research oriented projects, often independent of the classroom that take place year-round. The skill sets obtained from these projects give students the skills they need to be more successful in their internships and jobs. Ultimately, the goal of the department is to keep the programs updated, but also add new programs as students’ and employers’ needs evolve, while maintaining a high quality of problem solving and critical thinking. Poonam Arora, Ph.D., began teaching at Manhattan College in 2010, and recently became the department chair for the management and marketing department chair in 2018. Before teaching at the college, Arora worked in a corporate setting for about 10 years before deciding she wanted a career change. “I knew I had some really big questions in my mind about people’s choices and decisions, but not really good answers and my MBA didn’t really give me the basis to those answers and that prompted me to actually go and explore those questions through a Ph.D.,” Arora said.“While I was a Ph.D. student, I taught and realized as much I liked to research and want to chase the truth and get answers to these questions I’ve encountered for 10 years in my corporate career, I also really liked the teaching part of it.” Arora wanted to be at an institution that was balanced between research and teaching and was student-centric. MC made sense in Arora’s decision, as she is able to find that balance between research and teaching. “I really enjoy working with undergraduates,” Arora said. “I like their open mindedness, their bright-eyed view in which they come in and the excitement they bring to a subject.” Arora also teaches three different courses within the school of business: Introduction to Management, a senior level management elective, and the capstone MBA course. All of her classes are interactive and dynamic, as the classes are structured around discussions, case-based work, and projects. “I love teaching [Introduction to Management] and see-
ing the young freshmen come in without any knowledge. It’s been fascinating watching [the students] come in and seeing how their perspectives change throughout the years. I truly enjoy that,” Arora said. “[The senior elective course] pulls from my corporate experience because I’ve negotiated a lot of deals and I have research within that area and conflict management. I really enjoy teaching that class because I can go back and forth through theoretical and practical framework. I love being able to share that knowledge with my students. The capstone one is really interesting because it allows me to step back and really go beyond just management and bringing together how to be a business leader. That’s essentially what that course encapsulates.” Arora concluded with her thoughts on the department and the level of dedication that faculty bring to the program. “I’m really struck by how faculty bring the absolute best of their field and themselves to work everyday,” Arora said. “I am constantly struck by the sheer dedication and passion and the desire of bringing the best of themselves to everything; it’s phenomenal. I love being here and working here.” Angela Grotto, Ph.D., came to teach at the college in 2013 after she finished her dissertation and decided on a change from a consulting firm. “I always thought that I might end up in academia and I found out about the opening from my mentor,” Grotto said. “It worked out that Manhattan College is local for me because I can’t move for an academic job because of my husband’s business.” In her time at the college, there have been some changes in faculty, but the dynamic of the department has stayed the same and differs from other academic institutions. “There’s always been a culture of comradery where everyone cares about each other and it’s a warm place to work,” Grotto said. “I think it makes sense given that we’re a Lasallian school, that everyone is very collaborative and helpful. Everyone has a lot of energy and everyone really cares about the future of the department and we’re working a lot on improving it.” Grotto teaches three courses at the college: Introduction to Management, Tal__________________________ CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Farrelly is a current sophomore marketing major and third generation Jasper. MANHATTAN COLLEGE/COURTESY
Arora is the current department chair of the management and marketing department. MANHATTAN COLLEGE/COURTESY
Grotto began teaching at Manhattan College in 2013. MANHATTAN COLLEGE/COURTESY
Features
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
7
Portrait of a Jasper: Giuliani Gabriella DePinho & C. Garrett Keidel
Editor-in-Chief & Social Media Editor Rudy Giuliani ’65 has always been politically active. Before he launched his career which led him to become New York’s 107th mayor, he made state and U.S. politics local, right here on Manhattan College’s campus. How did he do that? He wrote a column for The Quadrangle titled “Ars Politica,” which means the art of politics and serves as a play on the more common “Ars Poetica” or art of poetry. As found in his archival file in the O’Malley Library, Giuliani wrote for The Quad definitively from Spring 1964 through that year’s fall. His column “Ars Politica” was the content of which he wrote the most, though he also contributed to “Greek Column” and wrote a story headlined “Candidate Speaks at Mount” in October of 1964 about Robert F. Kennedy’s speech hosted at the College of Mount St. Vincent.
His contribution to “Greek Column” may seem out of place, but in his time at Manhattan College, Giuliani was an active member of Phi Rho Pi, a fraternity that no longer exists on campus, and he served as the Interfraternity Council president. Though the Interfraternity Council no longer exists, it once served the eight fraternities that called MC home. As a column, “Ars Politica” was both informative and highly-opinionated. Giuliani mostly wrote about the 1964 New York Senate race between Sen. Kenneth Keating (R-NY) and former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. He occasionally wrote about the year’s presidential election. While a student, Giuliani was an active registered Democrat and his writing reflected that. In an undated issue of The Quadrangle that appeared to be from spring of 1964, he wrote, “The Republicans will either nominate a “winner” candidate or a loser. This means they will either pick a candidate they feel has the best chance of winning or concede the election and put
The Faces of Marketing and Management at MC __________________________ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ent Management, and Career Management. From her previous consulting career, Grotto draws upon her experience as a manager in a consultation firm to help teach her classes. Grotto uses her former clients as examples when explaining abstract materials and using her own knowledge from managing to aid in teaching her courses. “Because [Introduction to Management] is mostly freshmen, it’s usually their first introduction into management, so we end up shaping a lot of their decisions and what major they’re in. I’ve been teaching
that on and off since I started here. I teach it from a behavioral management approach. I want students to know that management requires a lot of people skills. That’s been a wonderful class to teach,” Grotto said. “Talent management looks at the role of how the talent of the organization makes a company successful, about what a talent management department does, how employees are treated as valuable assets and all the various careers you could do in talent management. Career management is mostly seniors and it’s really giving them an idea of how they should manage and develop their career
up a patsy who will walk, talk, eat and drink for four months, just to pass the time of day.” In the Sept. 24, 1964 edition of the paper, Giuliani wrote that Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), presidential candidate for the GOP, was “an incompeten[t], confused and sometimes idiotic man.” Giuliani also wrote, in the Dec. 3, 1964 edition of The Quadrangle, “The GOP will only become a strong and vital party when it can offer reasonable and rational alternatives to the answers the Democrats offer to the problems and challenges that face us in the modern age.” Graduation did not stop the Magna Cum Laude receiving alumnus in political participation. According to Manhattan archival records, Mr. Giuliani also was a part of the Nassau County Democratic Committee, and Vice President of the North Bellmore Democratic Club. Giuliani kept a close connection to his alma mater. He often returned to campus for reunions and kept connections with classmates post graduation, according to archive records. The former Features Staff writer returned to Riverdale in October, 1982 to give the inaugural speech of Brother Thomas J. Scanlan, 18th President of Manhattan College. In his inaugural speech, and in his reflection post graduation, he cited the importance of teaching a specific set of principles for a common good. “Ethics must be given prominence as a discrete discipline at the earliest stages of education,” Giuliani said. Giulinai continued the theme of a larger cause in his quoting of Allan Bloom, “There is perennial and unobtrusive view that morality consists in such things as telling the truth, from a theoretical standpoint.” Grotto concludes by saying that management should either be considered for a major or a minor because regardless of the career students take, some level of management is required. If students are not managers, it is still a good skill to have for any job a student may have in the future. “A lot of things we teach in management courses help you to be a better employee, help you manage your work, help you relate better to other people, manage conflicts, leadership. Whatever major you are, these skills will be helpful for you to have,” Grotto said. Clare Farrelly, sophomore Accounting and Marketing major, is involved within the O’Malley School of Business and utilizes the knowledge from classes to help her in her job as a social media coordina-
paying one’s debts...and doing no harm.” Ethics was a central theme to Mr. Giuliani’s speech. While commenting on the current social state he said, “America in [the] 1980’s is experiencing alarming numbers of public officials, business leaders, and so-called religious leaders convicted of serious crimes or involved in scandalous behavior which may be strictly legal but certainly unethical.” In his speaking of right and wrong, and specifically the he causes of, Mr. Giuliani gave a solidifying statement. “But if there is one cause that predominates, it is the deteriora-
tion over the past two decades of those institutions which in a society, such as ours, are most primary and most important factors in the building into people, the principle of voluntary respect for the rule of law.” In his speech, Giuliani emphasized the Lasalian values of building quality education, and promoting an inclusive community with respect for all persons, which all align with the values of a common good. The values of a common good are those which the College hopes to influence students to practice, well past graduation.
ABOVE & LEFT: Giuliani speaking at Manhattan College event(s). MANHATTAN COLLEGE ARCHIVES/COURTESY
tor for the business school. “I used the information I learned in marketing class, along with meetings with the marketing and communications department to shape the way I manage the accounts,” Farrelly said. “I have used the social marketing tools taught in Marketing 201 to help find a target audience and shape the posts for the students in our business school.” Additionally, Farrelly has been involved in a research project on campus in the Marketing Honors Research Seminar course, researching sustainable tourism. “My research was focused on the connection to our Lasallian Values and study abroad programs on campus and it opened my eyes to the opportunities that we have as a college to become more sustainable, not only on campus but also
while running trips and traveling abroad,” Farrelly said. Farrelly concluded with her views on the marketing department at the college. “My favorite part about the department are the faculty and the classes,” Farrelly said. “The marketing department faculty at Manhattan College are a diverse group of people with different research interests, from entrepreneurship and innovation to consumer behavior.” “I like to learn about the experience of the faculty through their research and work. I also really like that they offer classes in research which allows us to dive into marketing topics that we are interested in,” Farrelly said.
Arts & Entertainment
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THE QUADRANGLE
Irish Playwright Brings Unconventional Theatre to MC Jilleen Barrett Asst. A&E Editor
Award-winning playwright and stage actress Eva O’Connor came to Manhattan College to talk about her unconventional career on Monday, Jan. 27. O’Connor, who grew up in Ireland and attended Edinburgh University, was involved in dance and theatre as a child and started writing plays during her freshman year of college. She wrote multiple plays throughout college, including “Kiss Me and You’ll See How Important I Am,” which was transferred to London. This play was the inspiration for her career as a playwright. However, she also explained that despite this bout of success, she still experienced failure afterwards. “I think it’s really important to talk about your failures,” O’Connor said. “What’s the point in editing out everything bad that you ever did when that’s actually what helped you get to a good point?” O’Connor is in New York because her newest play, “Maz
& Bricks,” is doing a run OffBroadway at 59 E 59 Theaters. Written in 2015, “Maz & Bricks” highlights a time when abortion was still illegal in Ireland, an issue that affected O’Connor and many other women at the time. Along with writing the play, O’Connor also plays the female lead, Maz. She wrote the award-winning production “My Name is Saoirse” with the same cause in mind. “I wanted to mark that time in history even though I knew it would be kind of ugly,” O’Connor said. In addition to her talk, O’Connor performed the opening from “Maz & Bricks” for the audience. The scene was both intense and laughable, with everyone in the audience completely captivated by her delivery. O’Connor’s newest play is “Mustard,” which is the story of a woman who becomes obsessed with rubbing mustard all over her body after she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her. Eventually, her family had to get involved in order to end this sort of substance addiction.
“She has to move back to rural Ireland and abstain from mustard,” O’Connor explained. “I think what makes the play interesting and weird is the mustard part.” “Mustard” was inspired by the experiences she had with an eating disorder during her childhood. This led to her inspiration for Overshadowed, a play about a young girl with anorexia that became adopted for television by the BBC in 2017. While she wanted to write about her experiences, she quickly learned that she was going to have to become more comfortable with speaking about her disorder in order to promote her shows. “I realized that doing this play was going to be a very large coming out process,” she said. Finally, O’Connor discussed how learning about every facet of theatre helped her become more independent when it came to producing her shows. She found that it made it possible for her to work in television, too. In addition to talking about her work, O’Connor gave
Eva O’Connor spoke to students about her experience as a playwright. JILEEN BARRETT / THE QUADRANGLE advice to students aspiring to work in theatre. “I would say write as much as you can and try to create as much as you can,” O’Connor said. “Be really brave and be
willing to make terrible stuff and fail and not care what people think.”
Family Dilemmas, Bravery and Perseverance Found In “The Great Alone” BOOK NOOK Mariana Duque Staff Writer
There is a good chance you may have seen the title “The Great Alone” somewhere. It was, after all, a New York Times Bestselling novel by author Kristin Hannah. I had seen the book before, and had put it in my “to-be-read” list for quite some time, until one fateful day. I finally bought it. A story set in the mid 70s in Alaska was interesting enough, but what really drew me in was its characters and how they dealt with one another. Hannah throws amazing and intense moments of survival, resilience and is not afraid to talk about heavy themes such as abuse, mental issues and a broken family. Through this backbone, she writes compelling characters and situations that keep moving the story forward. The novel follows a young
girl named Leonora ‘Leni’ Allbright and her two parents, Coraline and Ernt. This is not your typical happy family, as Leni’s dad returns from the Vietnam War and returns as a shell of his former self. This becomes problematic from the start of the novel, as husband and wife start arguing and fighting while Leni is off at school. After she returns from school, her dad, now more composed from his rage, shows her and Cora they have land in Alaska after one of his compatriots in Vietnam left it in their custody. This subsequently leads to the family moving to Alaska, and learning its wonders and horrors. A short while after they move to Alaska, Leni meets a boy called Matthew in school. She starts empathizing with him and they soon become friends. This friendship soon turns into something more, and it starts becoming important in the story.
Each winter that goes on, Ernt’s state deteriorates more and more, thus endangering his family to the extreme. But also teaching her wife and daughter the valuable lesson of surviving on their own, something that Leni seeks most of the time in the novel. What shocked me the most was the situations of abuse that the mother, and subsequently daughter faced by Ernst in the worst moments of winter. Hannah expands each insult, each beat and each hit, making the reader somehow visualize it in the particular way it was written. So, through these scenes, the reader gets a scope on each character’s motivations, which was very interesting to me. Cora always acted sensible but hopeful after her beatings, constantly wishing the Ernst before the war returned, that her happy, loving husband could come back out of that
trauma. She is constantly hopeful it will happen again, even though each situation of abuse becomes even worse. I could somehow sense that the situation was never going to get better, and somehow rolled my eyes every time her hopeful speech returned, after an exhausting session of beatings and blood. Leni on the other hand, once she finds out this is going on at her own household, tries and finds a way to get herself and her mother out of the house, and escape to another place where her father could not reach them. I really liked this forward mentality of hers, especially when she finds out her mother had gotten beaten, and then her attitude towards the excuses her mother gave her drastically changed. Besides the escape vehicle that Mathew was to her, Leni’s character develops from a shy booknerd to an independent
and forward-thinking teen, to a grounded adult, all throughout the novel. Full of intense scenes, heartpounding dialogue, immersive environment, and incredible characters and character development, as well as the portrayal of themes as fragility and survival, The Great Alone is not just another Kristen Hannah novel. It is a book that will leave you thinking about people, about love and abuse, about hope and despair, and most importantly, about family, the true value of friendship and survival. It is a novel that will make you question everything, that will make you value your friends and family, but most importantly, that will leave your jaw on the floor for days to come.
Arts & Entertainment
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
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Coffee House Show Kick Off for Spring Semester Jessica McKenzie & Madalyn Johnson
Asst. Features Editor and Web Editor The first Coffee House of spring semester, held on Jan. 30, showcased student talent at Manhattan College. The show featured everything from ukulele versions of Panic! At the Disco hits to an original rap about environmental sustainability, MC students proved once again that their talents are unstoppable. Coffee House takes place once a month in Hayden 100. Any student is encouraged to perform their talents for thirty or so peers. Acts include musical talents, stand-up comedy or slam poetry. Senior chemical engineering major Erin McWilliams has been attending and performing at Coffee House events for two years after she was introduced to the event by a friend. The two began participating at Coffee House regularly. She is now one of the hosts of the show, along with Chantal Flores and
Joseph Corrao. “We really wanted to create an environment where people would be open to sharing, where they would want to perform their talents,” McWilliams said. At first, McWilliams found performing at Coffee House to be especially nervewracking. Most people amongst the audience will end up performing by the end of the event, however, so the environment is relaxed. “Coffee House is like a ‘good vibes only’ kind of place … If someone knows how to play an instrument to the song you want to sing, they can volunteer to come up and play those parts. I think it’s the collaborative community that draws people to Coffee House. That’s why people should come and try it out,” McWilliams said. The hosts of Coffee House often perform songs on the spot between acts, so that they make students feel comfortable performing. This past show, they performed spontaneous covers of “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5, “Can’t Help
Many guitarists and singers showed off their musical talent to students at coffee house at on Jan. 30. MADALYN JOHNSON / THE QUADRANGLE
On Jan. 30, students went to Hayden 100 to unwind from the stressful week and grab some coffee while listening to fellow students perform their favorite songs MADALYN JOHNSON / THE QUADRANGLE Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley and “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. Matthew Sweeney, junior civil engineer major, experienced his first Coffee House last Thursday night after he was introduced to the show by McWilliams. A friendly face around MC campus, Sweeney is a big fan of The Grateful Dead, and he performed three songs by the band. Sweeney was accompanied by guitarist Zach DiRenzo, who he had just met. “I secretly like to sing. I hadn’t performed publicly so this was the perfect transition to public performances,” Sweeney said. “Finding a fan of The Grateful Dead is always awesome. I was able to just get up there without any sort of rehearsals and just jam out.” Sweeney was not the only new face at Coffee House this month. Freshman communication major Sophie
Ryan found a new home on the stage with piano covers of “Brooklyn Baby” by Lana Del Rey and the Little Mermaid classic “Part of Your World.” Experienced with high school open mics, Ryan has been singing since she was a child. She enjoyed the
easygoing atmosphere of Coffee House. “Everyone is there to support you. Everyone has a great time. If you want to perform or do anything in front of an audience, I totally recommend the experience,” Ryan said.
Senior Erin McWilliams hosted coffee house and performed many songs on her ukulele for audience members. MADALYN JOHNSON / THE QUADRANGLE
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Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Alum Lands MLB Position Christine Nappi Features Editor
Baseball has always been something that Bailey Shaw holds close to her heart. From discovering a love for it at a young age, to eventually managing the Manhattan College baseball team, the sport has always been a significant part of her life. Now, Shaw is continuing to pursue her passion by working for Major League Baseball. Shaw, a graduate of the class of 2019, began working with the MLB at the start of the new year. She is the coordinator of Digital Initiatives for Minor League Baseball, an association overseen by the MLB. “My dad adopted me when I was six years old and he really got me into baseball, it’s something that’s always stayed constant in my life and it was something I always loved,” Shaw said. “I loved stepping in and being the first manager of our college team and I just knew that the love for working
in the sport is something that I wanted to continue.” In her position, Shaw primarily works with MiLB baseball teams that are located in St. Petersburg, Florida. In addition, she handles various digital marketing tasks for the 160 teams in the MiLB, as well as working in the ticketing aspects of the organization. “[It’s] really busy, really hectic,” Shaw said. “It’s nine to five but your mind is certainly running way before nine and way after five, it really seems to become a lifestyle.” Shaw first applied for the job back in the summer of 2019 after seeing a job posting on Front Office Sports, a media publisher that specializes in sports and business. After an extensive interview process, Shaw was soon hired. Shaw originally started her college career as an English major, yet decided to pursue a double major in communication with a concentration in public relations at the start of her sophomore year. Part of the reason why she
Manhattan College Alum Bailey Shaw (‘19) has started working with the Major League Baseball organization. BAILEY SHAW/COURTESY chose to alter her education and career path was due to her involvement in baseball. Shaw spent the summer going into her sophomore year interning in the marketing department for the Tri-City ValleyCats, a minor league team in Troy, New York, that is affiliated with the Houston Astros. She describes that studying communication at MC enabled her to continue to do what she loves and pursue her passion in baseball. The communication department staff, along with the courses offered, played integral roles in preparing her for post-grad life working with the MLB. “Arshia Anwer and Mike Plugh, those two really did everything they could to help me succeed and help me find out where my passion lies,” Shaw said. “So many classes really helped me find my ground and go from there.” Although adding a communication major helped Shaw
discover the right path for her, there was still something missing. During the time she was at school, she was away from baseball and her work with the ValleyCats. At the start of her junior year, Shaw contacted Manhattan’s baseball head coach, Mike Cole, to inquire about working with the team, similar to her internship with the ValleyCats. In no time, Cole and assistant coach Chris Cody welcomed Shaw to their team. “They were both so willing to help me and allow me to grow,” Shaw said. “I was really worried at first because I’m a female stepping into an all male environment and they had never even had anyone in this role let alongside a female, so they were really open to helping me learn.” As manager of the Jaspers’ baseball team, Shaw headed a plethora of tasks such as creating game day and practice videos for the team, taking care of uniforms and equipment, running their email and social media accounts, and planning and hosting a camp for prospective
players. Manhattan gave Shaw a multitude of opportunities to explore and learn more about her passion. From her communication classes to gaining further experience in the sport she loves, her time at MC has prepared her to live out her dream and work for the MLB. Although her time and experience during college helped her get to where she is now, Shaw is ready to learn more about her field from her coworkers and continue to grow through hands-on experience. Shaw describes that having a fearless mindset and simply “going for it” helped her accomplish her goals. In addition, pursuing something she is passionate about has encouraged her to strive for her goals. Her undying and everlasting passion for baseball has ultimately provided Shaw with the opportunity to work in the MLB. “I’ve learned that if you’re working for something you’re not passionate about your results are not going to be as grand as if you were passionate about it,” Shaw said.
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[TOP LEFT] Shaw poses alongside Paul O’Neil, former New York Yankee, and Michael Kay, broadcaster for the Yankees, at Yankee Stadium. [BOTTOM RIGHT] Before working in the MLB, Shaw spent her summers interning for the minor league team, the Tri-City ValleyCats. BAILEY SHAW/COURTESY -----------------------------------------------------
Sports
FEBRUARY 4, 2020
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Rookie Emily LaPointe Discusses Her Success and Hopes for Her Team JASPER TALK
Freshman Emily LaPointe has been honored by the MAAC for her skills on the court, having been honored as Rookie of the Week five times. GOJASPERS/ COURTESY
Katie Heneghan Web Editor
Emily LaPointe has demonstrated excellent talent in her rookie season for the women’s basketball team, being honored by the MAAC as Rookie of the Week five times. LaPointe, a Staten Island native, attributes much of her success to her coaching staff and teammates. The Quadrangle: How long have you been playing basketball for? Emily LaPointe: I started playing in second grade. So basically, I played because my brother played. And I was just always around him and his teammates and they would never let me play with them. So I wanted to become really good at it and then that’s really when I started playing. TQ: How does college basketball differ from high school basketball for you? How has the transition been? EL: High school is definitely a lot slower. College is quicker and more physical. I’ve learned that you need to be craftier with how you play rather than just go off the basics. It’s been a pretty good transition. My team has made it a lot easier to transition into college basketball so that’s something I’m thankful for. TQ: Why did you choose Manhattan College? EL: I wanted to be close
to home. When the recruiting process began, I knew that, you know, your breaks are so limited and the time you have home is limited and, I’m a big family girl. So I wanted my family to be able to come and I just kind of fell in love with the coaching staff and the team and what they’re doing and trying to accomplish. You know, they’re very family oriented team. And they’re also people who want to see you succeed not only on the court, they look for your best interest off the court as well. It really was the team, my family and the coaching staff.
four years that I will be here because I knew that that was what they were trying to build as a program was a team that wins. My main goal first was to just come in here and help them accomplish that. Honestly speaking, I did not expect to be accomplishing what I’ve accomplished in playing as much as I am playing. I knew my talent, but you’re starting at the bottom. You go from senior year being, you know, the main player, and then you’re coming into a program where everyone was their main player and they’re all great. We’re a very talented team. So I just wanted to make any sort of difference that I could when I got in and and thankfully, I’ve been blessed to be able to be in a role where I am a key player. So definitely to win a MAAC championship and then as the season started, I hoped I would be able to accomplish Rookie of the Year and that’s a big goal of mine that I hope to accomplish. TQ: Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions you follow? EL: Actually, it’s kind of strange. I don’t nap. My biggest thing is to keep moving like I literally do not sit still. I get ready and I just come to the gym even if it’s just sitting in the bleachers just to keep
myself going. I don’t really listen to music. Most of the time, honestly, I listen to motivational speeches and sometimes I’ll listen to some kind of Christian music. I just kind of need to be in the gym and in that environment to get myself ready. TQ: How would you describe the team dynamic? EL: It’s great. Something I’m really thankful for is that we all value each other as individuals and what each person has to bring to the team. They’re my sisters and our relationship is not just on the court, and that’s something I’m thankful for. In other college environments, you have to get along because you have to play together. As for us, we do everything together. When we step off the court, we’re looking for each other. TQ: What has been your favorite memory this season? EL: Honestly, probably when Emma Bedeker got her scholarship. She is someone who brings a lot of energy and personality to the team. She’s just that uplifting face every day and I’m just genuinely happy for her. That’s something that was really special and exciting to be a part of. TQ:You’ve
won
MAAC
rookie of the week 5 times now. How does it feel to have such great success in your first season as a Jasper? EL: It’s a blessing. I thank God every day for keeping me healthy and and being able to accomplish what I’ve accomplished. But I do not take credit for it. I know I give all the credit to my coaches and teammates, because they’re really the reason. You can’t do by yourself. There is no I in team and, you know, my coaching staff and my teammates instill that confidence in me. I have a really supportive team and coaching staff and they make it happen for me. TQ: How do you feel about your team’s performance to date? What are you most looking forward to? EL: We’re doing well and we’re still trying to figure it out. We have a lot of growth that can be done as a team, but I really think that we’re getting ourselves in the mindset of being the best we can be. We’re getting there. TQ: Do you have a favorite pro athlete you look up to most? EL: Yeah, obviously Kobe Bryant. He was great on and off the court. I’m a big Steph Curry fan as well. He’s probably one of my favorites.
TQ: How have you found balance between your first year at school and athletics? EL: First semester was rough. It was really, really difficult. It was tough to balance your sleep, your social life, your academics, your athletics, but I kind of learned along the way that you just have to take it one thing at a time. Playing basketball was my safe space. That is when I knew I was the least stressed. When I was practicing because it got me away from my homework and my tests and everything. So basically just taking one thing at a time is how I learned to balance everything. TQ: Did you walk into this season with any major goals for yourself or the team? EL: Yes, I wanted to win. Obviously, win a MAAC championship. That’s my goal for all
LaPointe hopes to win a MAAC Championship during her time at Manhattan as a Jasper athlete on the women’s basketball team. GOJASPERS/COURTESY
Sports
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THE QUADRANGLE
Women’s Basketball Engineers Fourth-Quarter Comeback to Stun Saint Peter’s MS: MANHATTAN 68, ST. PETER’S 64
The Manhattan bench cheers on their teammates during Manhattan’s fourth-quarter comeback against Saint Peter’s on Saturday, February 1st. GOJASPERS / COURTESY
Pete Janny
Sports & Managing Editor The MAAC season is not supposed to be smooth sailing for every team; just ask the Manhattan College women’s basketball team. Entering Saturday’s battle with the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (5-14, 2-8 MAAC), the Jaspers had lost three of their last four games. A week earlier, Manhattan was in the same situation they had found themselves on this day against the Peacocks. After suffering a tough loss at Fairfield on January 23rd, Manhattan responded with a 54-32 beatdown of Iona at home two days later. Now, coming off a 76-53 loss at Rider this past Thursday, Manhattan was in need of a similar response against a Saint Peter’s squad that arrived in Riverdale with only two wins in conference play. If you thought this game was going to mirror Manhattan’s 85-52 blowout win over Saint Peter’s on January 9th, then you were mistaken. While Manhattan held the Peacocks to 26 points below their season average on that night, Manhattan had trouble on defense early in this second meeting of the season between the two schools. Despite the lackluster start, Manhattan persevered and overcame a 13-point deficit heading into the fourth quar-
ter to eke out a 68-64 win. Manhattan’s furious comeback was highlighted by 13 points from freshman Emily LaPointe in the fourth quarter that demoralized the Peacocks. LaPointe, five time MAAC Rookie of the Week, finished the game with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists to lead the Manhattan offense. Saint Peter’s was able to jump out to an early lead in this game and ran with it. After one quarter of play, the Peacocks led 25-16 with the help of four threes. Taiah Thornton and Kendrea Williams of Saint Peter’s lit up Manhattan in the opening quarter with nine points each on a combined 6-of9 shooting. As for Manhattan, their shooting struggles in the quarter was characterized by a 2-of-10 showing from behind the arc. That early deficit wasn’t enough to send a wake up call as things only got worse for the Jaspers in the second quarter. Impressive execution from Saint Peter’s combined with poor defensive organization by Manhattan allowed the Peacocks to extend their lead to 41-25 with 5:17 left in the second quarter following a three from Briyanah Richardson. The Manhattan defense was letting the Peacocks infiltrate the paint at will for easy looks and it cost them. On the offensive end, rather than seeing what the defense was going to
give them, Manhattan bailed the Peacocks’ defense out with forced shots from in the paint and from three. At the half, Manhattan trailed 44-30 thanks in part to 31 percent shooting from the field, including only a 4-of-15 showing from deep. LaPointe supplied 10 points in the first half to help keep the Manhattan deficit from getting out of hand. “In the first half we missed a bunch of layups,” Head coach Heather Vulin said after the game. “When you start missing those it affects everything else.” The Jaspers outscored the Peacocks 10-9 in the third quarter in what was a slog for both teams. Both teams each shot around 20 percent for the quarter, but that only hurt Manhattan as the home team entered the final quarter of play down 53-40. What changed the complexion of the game in the fourth quarter was the offensive aggressiveness of LaPointe and senior Gabby Cajou. The Manhattan offense was restricted the whole game until both guards rejuvenated their team by playing at a faster pace. It was Cajou’s fast start in the quarter that helped lay the foundation of the Manhattan comeback. She opened the quarter with a three off one leg as the shot clock expired and then on the next possession
dribbled the length of the court before finding a way to finish a tough layup with her left hand. The latter basket moved Manhattan within single digits at 53-45 with 8:48 left in regulation. That marked the first time Manhattan was only down single digits since the opening minute of the second quarter. 10 of Cajou’s 16 points on the afternoon came in the fourth quarter. Down 57-48 with 6:57 left, Manhattan exploded for a 12-2 run that tied the score at 60-60 four minutes later. LaPointe was unstoppable during this surge, contributing nine consecutive points for Manhattan at one point. LaPointe was ubiquitous in this fourth quarter, doing damage both in the paint and from the perimeter. 11 of her 23 points on the night came during Manhattan’s fourthquarter comeback. “As a bigger guard I had a height advantage over them. They started playing to my shot a little more so I was just focused on getting to the rim and beating them off the dribble,” LaPointe said. Vulin’s confidence in LaPointe seems to be growing with each passing game. What the star freshman showed in the fourth quarter came as no surprise to Vulin. “She got in kill mode,” Vulin said of LaPointe’s magical fourth quarter. “The thing with Emily as a freshman is she’s
still trying to fit in, but she’s earned the right to want the ball and score it.” Manhattan took their first lead of the night shortly after tying the game when Cajou and LaPointe each connected on a pair from the line to put Manhattan up 64-60 with 57 seconds left. The Peacocks would get back to within one before two more Manhattan free throws in the final minute helped seal the win. 11 of Manhattan’s 13 free throw attempts came in the fourth quarter with the Jaspers connecting on 11 of 13 tries overall. Manhattan’s ability to hit free throws at the end was huge after a first half in which the team didn’t go to the line once. Manhattan easily won the battle on the boards by a 5841 count. Sophomore Courtney Warley led the way with a game-high 15 boards. In addition to her rebounding prowess, Warley added nine points. “She was incredible for us in the second half,” Vulin said of Warley’s performance. “She was dominant defensively and allowed us to hold them to 19 points in the second half.” Manhattan will return to action on Thursday, February 6th when they host Siena (6-13, 4-6 MAAC) at home at 11 AM. The team will then hit the road to play Marist (15-4, 8-2 MAAC) two days later on Saturday, February 8th.